Forty-Two

Vali

The flames rushed out from Traian’s hands, a valiant display of unleashed power that was directed at me. Each lick of fire raced towards me, and I simply smiled as I took a breath and did what I had practised.

I lifted my hands and took away what the fire needed to live. I took away its oxygen and watched as the flames ceased to exist.

“How…” Traian trailed off as he realised what my actions meant. What the consequences were of our current situation.

“Mircea being Nicolae’s son means he has the power you wished you had. And what’s his is mine, is ours. Figuring out how to separate atoms was fairly easy when I didn’t have to worry about pissing off my supposed father, like Mircea did.” I explained, walking down the aisle between the benches as vampires backed away, hissing at me. Not all of them were Traian’s followers, that much was obvious as some of them walked closer to me.

As Kang-Dae walked closer to me.

“You likely can’t hear the slaughter outside, it would explain why you still feel so comfortable in here.” I said, lifting my hand once more and undoing the density changes I had made to the castle walls. Screams and cries echoed through the great hall then. “Outside, we have a thousand wolves and a small group of highly trained fae who are taking care of the two-thousand vampires you still have at your disposal. Two-thousand vampires; still happy to follow and protect a blood-thirsty cunt of a king.” I saw the flash of pure anger in Traian’s eyes, but I didn’t care.

“Hand Mircea over, and I may show you mercy.” I told him, the echoes of screams from outside of the castle a convincing backdrop to my argument.

“We still have the imperium ring, do you think you can negotiate with me when we have your mate?” Okay, well that was his one chance for possible redemption.

“You don’t have shit.” I answered, turning my attention back to Nari. My blood turned to ice looking at her. I wasn’t sure what was worse, the abuse that Traian handed to his ‘son’, or the manipulation Nari had been spinning for her entire life alongside Mir.

“I-”

“I’m the one in control here. Aren’t I, Nari?” I asked, my voice calm as I tightened my grip on her mind. Vampires were so sure of themselves, were so absorbed in their own lives and powers that they never practised mental walls. They never thought they’d have to fight against a telepath… it was all too fucking easy.

“Yes…” Nari whispered, still trying to fight me, but she wouldn’t win this struggle. I tightened my grasp on her again and heard her audibly gasp from the likely sharp pain in her skull.

“I gave you a chance, Traian, you should have taken it.” I said, glancing to the ‘king’ before I focused back on Nari. “Remove the imperium ring, now.” I said, and her body heeded the instruction without a fight. Good.

Only the person who was connected to the imperium ring could remove it, but there was nothing saying they had to do it out of choice. They took control away from the person they put a cursed ring onto, it only seemed fair I took her body from her. If only temporarily.

Nari removed the ring, and I watched as Mircea fell to the ground. Felt the energy in the room shift as Traian’s loyal followers attacked the wolves and rebels, as Kang-Dae ran to Nari so he could take her out of the castle as part of the deal he brokered with Anne. As I ran over to my mate in what felt like slow motion, our shared power creating an impenetrable shield around as I dropped to my knees next to him.

“Are you okay?” I asked, he nodded slowly, his eyes half-closed as he seemed so entirely exhausted I wasn’t sure he would be able to stay awake.

“You did it…” He whispered as I took hold of his hand, and he tried to sit up.

“I told you I would get to you.” I said, looking over my shoulder as Jackson and Marcy ran through the bloody battle that was ensuing in the great hall. I had been the last one in here for one reason and one reason only, which was to free them so they could free everyone else trapped underneath the castle. They were here, which meant they had completed their task.

“Traian’s gone.” Jackson said as they reached me, as I let down the shield so they could get closer. My eyes ripped away from them to observe the room, blood already slicked the floor, along with the ice that shot from Anne’s fingertips. I then looked back at the empty space behind Mircea, where Traian had been standing. I knew he would run, but getting to Mircea had been more important. Well, it had been.

“We can’t let him get away again, and every wolf already knows he’s yours.” Marcy said, and I nodded as I locked eyes with Dallas in wolf form. He nodded briefly at me before attacking the next vampire who ran at him with air swirling around them.

“Good.” I said, looking down at Mircea who smiled at me.

“Don’t let him get away.” He told me. His voice was weak, tired. He was tired. Even if he wanted to kill Traian, he wouldn’t be able to, but I knew he didn’t want to. Yes, Mircea wanted his uncle dead, but he had no want or need to do it by his own hands. I had no such problem with getting blood on my hands, especially if it meant I was enacting bloodied justice.

“I won’t,” I replied, looking back to Jackson and Marcy. “You-”

“Obviously we’re staying with him, now go.” Jackson told me, I nodded as I stood up and looked at the great doors. Traian wouldn’t have slipped out that way, it would mean he’d have to have gone through the bloodshed. I observed the room slowly and saw a small door in the corner closest to us…

He was going to pay for everything he’d ever done to my people and to Mircea.