Passion of the Vampire King (Blood Fire Saga Book 5) by Bella Klaus (best motivational books txt) 📗

of all the sex toys lining Hades’ purple palace of pleasure, otherwise the poor cat would be scandalized.

“That was a misunderstanding,” I whispered, keeping my voice even and calm. “Hades knows that if he hurts me directly or indirectly he’s the one who will suffer the most.”

Macavity deflated, seeming to hear the truth in my words. I could tell he wanted to come with me to help me intimidate the Supernatural Council, but his role was to protect children, and Kain really needed an ally in that palace.

“I’ll return as soon as I can.” I wrapped my arms around his neck, gave his massive head a tight hug, and ran a hand down his sleek fur. “Please take care of Kain for me.”

Before Macavity could protest, I turned on my heel and jogged toward the driver, who held aside the long branches of the willow tree as though they were a curtain.

I could feel the leopard’s eyes on my back the entire time I continued around the trees. He was probably shaken by my encounter with Prince Draconius and his entourage, and if I turned around, he would gallop toward me.

“Bye, Macavity,” I said as I passed the driver, letting my voice carry in the wind.

Behind the willow trees was a small clearing of juniper trees that filled the air with a crisp menthol scent. On the ground, among leaf litter and fallen bark and broken twigs, lay a mirror the size of a serving plate.

I turned to the driver and frowned. “Are we going back to your limo on the road?”

She glanced over her shoulder toward the willow trees, looking like she was checking that Macavity wasn’t lurking behind its branches. I stepped away from the driver, wondering why on earth she was acting so shifty and if I needed to break into a run.

Her gloved hand wrapped around my forearm. “I’m afraid there’s no time for a leisurely drive.”

“What are you doing?” I glared at the woman but her gaze was fixed on that mirror.

“This way, Miss Griffin.” She marched me toward the mirror.

My stomach flipped like a banana-and-Nutella crepe, splattering its contents across my insides. It wasn’t like I was scared of this method of transportation. Captain Zella and I had stepped from the standing mirror within a cafe into the mirror in Hades’ lair. That had been freaky enough, but surely the driver didn’t mean to jump into something barely larger than a dinner plate?

Clenching my teeth hard enough to grind my molars to powder, I pulled back and snarled, “Release me or I’ll reduce your hand to ash.”

Her grip tightened and she yanked me forward with the might of someone who had spent an eternity pulling an oar.

Every ounce of blood drained from my face to join my lurching stomach. Before I could let out a scream, I hurtled through the air and landed feet-first onto the mirror’s yielding surface. The magic sucked me into a black chute that turned me upside down, inside out, and back to front before I landed on my hands and knees on a glowing white surface.

Pain radiated from my knees, and the heels of my hands ached from the landing. I squeezed my eyes shut and moaned. Kain was right about one thing. I needed to get my power back, even if it was to stop supernatural twits from grabbing me like I was public property.

“Bloody—” My gaze caught the black eyes of the Mage King, who stared at me as though he wanted to dissect my entrails before plunging them in formaldehyde. The man sat on a white chair with his hands on the surface of what I’d originally thought was a floor but was turning out to be the table of the Supernatural Council.

“Our flaming Miss Griffin has arrived.” He spat out the words with a bellyful of vitriol, making me wonder if he’d ever fully recovered from being stabbed in the crotch with a reaper knife.

My lips tightened. In some parts of England, ‘flaming’ was a polite swear word.

I scrambled to my feet, standing in the middle of the white table. “Why was I summoned here?”

The Shifter King sat beside the Mage King with his muscular arms folded over his broad chest. His deep scowl, heavy brows, and leg-of-mutton sideburns gave him the look of a werewolf moments before transformation, but my knowledge of shifters and weres was limited to my own paltry experience of transforming into a phoenix, watching Macavity turn from a Bengal to a leopard, and whatever I’d seen on human television.

Hades sat on the Shifter King’s other side with his hands steepled. The Demon King leaned forward with a leering grin. If I had to translate the look, I’d say he expected me to treat the members of the Supernatural Council to a show.

Annoyance tightened my skin. This was probably his revenge for all the suffering that had backfired on him. It served him right. The next time he abducted a woman, perhaps he would treat her better. I squeezed my eyes shut. What the hell was I talking about?

“Please take a seat,” said the Angel King, his iridescent eyes shining with compassion.

I headed toward the only chair, beside him and next to a bored-looking Fae King, who rested his chin on one hand.

The Mage King hissed. “You can’t let a renegade sit among us like she’s an equal.”

“You’re a fine one to talk,” I said with a sneer.

As I walked across the table, the Angel King rose off his seat, pulled back Valentine’s, and offered me his hand.

It probably seemed petty to ignore his attempt at chivalry, but I was still sore from the trial, where he’d insisted that I get a swift execution. My insides roiled and the bitter taste of bile rose to the back of my throat. Actually, I resented the lot of them for putting so many innocent children to death and allowing the likes of Healer Calla and Father Jude to recycle that fire magic into