Chapter 82

the fuck did just from behind me.

“That’s not possible.”

plainly refusing fall into his emotional trap.

There will be no losing my temper no allowing him control how respond with such heinous claims. Lauren is dead. Damn dead. I know this removed her damn from her body.

“She is a hybrid. I don’t know what the hell she of. She may be fucking immortal for all we know.” Johannes says, pacing a way with his hands in his hair.

He disheveled, his swirling with hunger and his demeanor is frantic I know he shouldn’t be here Capsian said it himself the vampires have out of this fight, choosing to run and hide.

Unless they did a hybrid, one can’t control and they want to escape the accusations and responsibilities that come from having created one.

“Johannes damn seat.” Caspian says in a threatening tone.

“There is no fucking time to sit and fancy fucking meal, Fish man!” He “Giselle and Lauren are working together, but they aren’t the ones in fucking charge “

would be a lot to make a plan if we knew what the fuck going on.”

snap at him, losing my temper.

Lauren, being alive, does nothing but piss me off. It’s not because of who she or what she meant to me once It’s jealousy that she is well and alive and my mate might not be. Colette has done nothing to deserve the shit thrust on from all these bitches moving behind the scenes.

Johannes‘ eyes burn with and fury as he plops into a chair, lifting his arms in a show of inviting us to take seat with him. He is being a dick, one who coming to make a show of sharing information like he cares, but he wants something. He always wants something when he wants to be cooperative. It’s how vampires always are selfish and needy.

how it is possible for Lauren to be a hybrid.” I . “And alive.

as I know, burning a vampire at the fucking stake or beheading them effective to kill your kind.”

He sighs, leaning back in his chair as he glances up at the ceiling and then shakes his head.

“I you would kill her. There was no way you wouldn’t, so I bit her.” he says it’s simple that.

But it’s not. Werewolves and lycans can’t survi a vampire’s bite, not when they feed off of us. Not only that, if it did what it was supposed to, which turn her into one of them, mate’s bond with me would have been broken. That is something I would have unmistakably felt.

didn’t shield her fear or pain from me leading up to her death or as she was dying.

experienced every excruciating second of it until it snapped and she was gone.

“

explain, not give me vague information that doesn’t make sense ” I bite out. “Our mate bond was intact until she died.”

“I bit her and on her It almost immediately, but there no change in her like to be expected. It a long shot, but…I loved her Johannes explains “And until I back to my coven after the attack and they showed me proof…”

snorts and shakes his , unbelieving of his tale. Not that I blame him. It’s all pretty far–fetched.

“Look! I am you the fucking truth here.” He like he is offended, we would assume “Fine being honest. Why the hell you , telling of this? Why wouldn’t you just side with Giselle and her army of dragons Johannes his throat and leans forward with a sardonic chuckle as he shakes his head. Then he looks up at , his tongue his teeth.

“Because she is my is at stake.

being a vampire hybrid, now has claim to my title and my throne And as as I I like that she is more powerful than and will eventually come to take what mine.”

I push off the the yank from him and . His watch me with curiosity before I look , who seems consider what Johannes . He my nods, then he to me.

joining us because are she be than you .

” he says relieved we seem understand. “I am the .

finally hand me over their throne hundreds waiting is mine It’s not enough.”

shrug. “It is not enough for us you us our . I need from you than and of losing throne.

He stands abruptly his chair clattering the ground he . Then he in frustration and slams his on the thick oak table. The and splintering me, stopping just shy of the edge where I sit.

“

swear a fucking oath.” He says, his voice dripping with honesty and contempt. The very thought is revolting to him and it’s noticeable.

“Let’s start with you telling us everything you know ”

calmly, which I know only makes him angrier. Nothing pisses him off more than me being the calm and one And I don’t want assumptions.

want fucking boring detail.”

is not a dragon.” He like it’s not to us.

Caspian playing with the from his it floats above his fingertips.

“She tricked them. They think she is the Dragon lord claims to be her mate.” He says. “But with the use of Fae Magic, she can anyone who –minded enough.”

His words very clearly a dig at my luna and I growl low in my chest as a warning to him.

Colette may in some regards but weak minded she is not.” I hiss at him and I a flicker of amusement. So I lean forward, a twitch in my lip my lycan flying to throttle him. “Take another dig like that again, and Lauren will be the of your worries.”

He throws his hands up in surrender.

“The dragon king was the only viable target. She is a Phoenix, so she smells like fire, like a dragon.”

“And how did you know she a phoenix?” Caspian , sitting forward, the water sloshing back into the glass.

“

of elimination,” he frowns. “She was able to use fire, but it was different from a dragon’s fire. It …less controlled and she should have been able to just fly away on her own, but she didn’t. She needed to be .”

“Exactly.” Caspian hums in thought. “Merikh, I would like to speak with you for a moment.”

He then stands abruptly and walks out of the room, expecting him to follow. I look at Hayes, who has his eyes trained on our enemy turned temporary ally. He waves me off with a simple flick of his wrist.

“I am fine, brother. If blood sucker makes a single fucking move and I will gladly end him.” He mutters and I don’t doubt it. Hayes has a lot of pent up anger and he is looking for a way to let out. I have no doubt that Johannes would be the one to go down. Mostly immortal or not.

I stand, patting him on the shoulder once before I walk down the hall and find Caspian pacing back and forth, his hands on his hips. He looks , his worried and tired eyes finding mine as he shakes his head.

“What is on your mind, Caspian?”

“I am ,” he says, looking sad. “We have to find her, even if it means joining forces with Johannes.”

“Fuck that ” I hiss don’t trust him. I killed Lauren. It wasn’t a simple stab wound or use silver. I made there was no way out for her “Enough, Merikh.”

lifts his hand with a sigh. “I am not saying I trust him or believe him. But he willing to take an oath.”

fucking words,”

remind him, and he frowns.

Unless make him blood oath,”

can the plea in his .

“No,”

and chuckle dryly, pacing . “No fucking .

will not him linked to me with an oath,”

“This is He reminds your luna I my hands down my , groaning I nod and sigh.

Fine.

right.” I shrug and in.

right. This isn’t about him the who killed my father or one This about little And I anything, including keeping this fucker attached to me Caspian clasps me on my shoulder in us the kitchen. When we walk in, we find that neither man has an inch. Both of them lost in a staring until I my throat “We the oath.”

announce, silencing with and he under his breath.

“Fine.” Johannes says, standing, I see the tension in his shoulders. I half to call him out on his bluff, but it seems is being D