Bonds of the Vampire King (Blood Fire Saga Book 7), Bella Klaus [best classic books .TXT] 📗

his teeth. “I will avenge Uncle Python, and when I have taken your life, I will take your female as my bedmate.”

Chapter Three

Darkness descended on the cave, like Epimetheus’ proclamation of war against his brother had made the clouds outside thicken. He stood behind the shard of light in the chamber’s ceiling, seeming taller, more skeletal, and infinitely more menacing than before.

Fury burned in his amber eyes, and he bared brilliant white teeth that contrasted with his grubby beard.

Against every instinct in my body, I edged closer to Kresnik, who stepped in front of me, forming a barrier between Epimetheus and me.

Kresnik raised his palms. “Brother, wait—”

“Silence,” Epimetheus roared. “I have been alone in this realm for eons with nobody but monsters for company. Do you know how long it took me to make alliances? Uncle Python was the only beast I considered a friend.”

“Surely, he will rise again.” Kresnik almost sounded reasonable.

“You killed him.” Epimetheus’ voice broke. “And for that, you will perish.”

As the air thickened with those ominous words, the pulse in my throat fluttered, trying to beat its way through my skin. Would Kresnik really fight his twin? Epimetheus seemed even more insane than his brother.

Kresnik sighed. “There’s no need for violence. If it’s companionship you want, I can—”

“You?” The other god threw his head back and laughed. “Do not think for one second that I haven’t seen your life unfold in the Pool of Delphi. You know nothing but murder and betrayal.”

Something cracked under my foot, and I glanced down at the rocky ground to find that a few scales had lost from Python during his struggle against Kresnik. They were glossy and golden-brown with glinting edges that looked sharp enough to cut even leather.

While Kresnik tried to reason with his brother, I picked up a scale the size of my hand and held it behind my back.

Epimetheus spread his arms wide. “Hark, I command the winds to seal your doom—”

“Stop this nonsense,” Kresnik growled.

The air thickened, slowing my movement. I placed a hand over my mouth. If this lunatic didn’t stop ranting, his magic would get us all killed.

“Creatures of the air and feather and claw, come forth and feast. Feast on the liver of your foe.”

Screeches echoed through the chamber, accompanied by dark shadows of unearthly size forming within the shaft of dimming light. They mingled and twisted and coalesced into the outline of a massive bird.

Every hair on my body stood on end, and the lining of my stomach trembled in anticipation of another monster. I held my breath, waiting for danger to descend. Based on Epimetheus’ chant, I was guessing he’d just summoned an eagle.

“Brother.” Kresnik’s voice shook. “What are you doing?”

The shadow floated down and spread across the chamber’s ground beside Epimetheus. Just as I finally exhaled, thinking that the god wanted to frighten his brother with a shadow, a golden eagle rose from the ground.

It stood six-feet tall, with brown feathers that appeared coppery in the shaft of light. The eagle stared at Kresnik with a humanlike intelligence, tilting its head to the side and parting its curved beak.

“Someone else returned from the dead, Brother.” Epimetheus patted the eagle on the shoulder. “Do you recognize Aetos? He doubled in size after eating Heracles. I expect he’ll develop speech after consuming you.”

The eagle screeched.

“No,” Kresnik whispered. Sweat soaked the back of his tunic, and he stumbled backward toward the pool. “Don’t do this, Brother. Send it back.”

I side-stepped, almost feeling sorry for the guy for having to face the same kind of creature that had feasted on him for thirty-thousand years. A twinge of pain in my heart reminded me that Kresnik was just as sadistic as those who had condemned him to an eternity of torture and didn’t deserve my pity.

The eagle expanded its wings, seeming even more menacing than it had appeared in the vision Kresnik had shared with me that time he’d attacked me in Beatrice’s living room.

I edged along the poolside, distancing myself from Kresnik, whose gaze was fixed on the bird’s unblinking gold eyes. Palpitations reverberated across my body, making me tremble to the marrow. If the monstrous bird was going to eat anyone’s liver, a) it wasn’t going to be mine, and b) I wasn’t going to hang around to watch.

Kresnik stepped onto a boulder that bordered the pool, looking like he was about to launch himself backward into the water, but the eagle lurched forward, catching him by the tunic.

My heart jumped into the back of my throat, blocking a scream.

“That’s it, Aetos.” Epimetheus rubbed his filthy hands together. “Punish my wretched brother. Avenge Python!”

My gaze shot up the shaft of light. It was time to get out of this cave and find my way home.

Pushing my magic out of my chakras, and down my meridians, I tried to shift, but Kresnik’s blood-curdling scream turned my insides to stone, drawing my attention to the carnage by the pool. Swallowing hard, I tried again, making sure to turn away from what sounded like the most horrific torture.

Wiry arms wrapped around my middle, and a bony body pressed into my side. “Going somewhere, sweet female?”

“Let go of me.” I elbowed Epimetheus hard in the gut, but the god of insane hobos didn’t even grunt.

“You are powerless against my magic-dampening ward,” he growled in my ear.

“Why would you want to block anyone’s magic?”

“So that Prometheus won’t cheat his slow and grisly death.” Epimetheus leaned toward me, puckering his cracked lips.

I leaned all the way to the side and clenched my teeth. Of all the possible outcomes, getting molested by this filthy creature was worse than becoming Kresnik’s prisoner or being swallowed by the snake. I needed to defeat Epimetheus and get the hell out of this cave… And out of the Realm of the Gods.

Something turgid pressed into my side, making my internal organs shudder with revulsion. The only thing that kept me from hurling was the knowledge that Epimetheus’ greasy beard had formed an