Page 41 of Between Bloode and Death (Between the Shadows #5)

CHAPTER

FORTY

Val watched Vladimir hold her mother up by her neck and rake claws down her body, piercing her abdomen and hooking her intestines as she bled all over the floor.

Behind her, Talon had shifted into an eagle and fought with Ava, his dead mate. This time, Vladimir had resurrected Ava and ordered her to battle the young eagle in shifted form.

Oddly, Val wasn’t a little girl stuck in the nightmare but her actual age.

Khent stood by her, his arms crossed, wearing jeans and a black tee-shirt. So incredibly handsome, he stole all the horror she should have been feeling, transforming it into shock and awe.

“He’s really sloppy, isn’t he?” Khent nodded to Vladimir, who appeared just as inhuman as the last time she’d seen him. “There are much easier ways to kill that invoke more terror than this.”

The disgust on Khent’s face surprised her into a grin.

“That’s a good point.”

Khent walked around Vladimir, who paused to stare and growl, “Who is this that interrupts my feast?”

Without answering, Khent decapitated him.

Vladimir vanished in a puff of smoke while Morgan Darkmore dropped to the floor, a bag of flesh and bones without a face. Talons screeched, ripped himself away from Ava, and flew at Khent.

Only to be stopped when Khent held up a hand and muttered a spell.

Talon vanished. Ava vanished.

Suddenly, Val stood with her reaper in the center of a palace surrounded by desert, overlooking a lovely water garden bathed by moonlight. Lillies, water hyacinths, and fragrant grasses waved in the breeze, the inner courtyard a whisper of promised peace.

“Do you like this? I grew up here.”

“It’s amazing.” She walked with him to a bench overlooking the clear pool where fish swam and frogs leaped onto lily pads and colorful rocks.

Overhead, stars twinkled in the night sky while the goddess Selene floated on the wind to join them. Not that Val had ever seen her before. A vague knowing told her who’d come to visit.

Beautiful, the pale goddess with black hair and white eyes, no pupils or irises to speak of, smiled, her white robes floating in the breeze. “My children do me proud.”

Khent bowed his head in greeting.

Val stared, seeing familiar features in the stubborn chin, the faint shape of the eyes. “Your mom is a goddess?”

“Oh, not his direct line,” Selene answered. “I am a First. The wife of Ambrogio, who is the Primus.”

At Val’s confusion, Khent explained, “The Primus is the first vampire, my kind’s great ancestor.”

“A poet, scholar, and warrior. Ambrogio, my love.” Selene walked over the water, not making a ripple. “From he and I came all of you.”

“All of us monsters?” Khent asked, a bite of humor in his voice. Yet softness and wonder were there too.

“My monsters.” Selene winked. “And your monster is lovely, I see.” She smiled at Val.

Instead of taking offense, Val accepted the odd tribute. “I suppose I am less than human after all. I drank mead and didn’t lose it.”

Selene’s laughter sounded like the flutter of wind chimes. “Hecate is always a kick, isn’t she?”

The tone changed, the dream feeling less like a memory and more like the result of Morpheus’s interference.

Val felt a powerful presence and glanced at a corner of the courtyard, where Morpheus himself lounged on a padded bench while half-naked, gorgeous women fed him grapes.

“Yes, yes,” he whispered loudly. “I’m busy over here. Enjoy time with your great-great-however-many-times grandma.”

Khent frowned. “Morpheus?”

“Well, it ain’t Mormo hopping into your head, brainless.”

“One day I will eat him, I swear,” Khent muttered.

Val’s attention once again snagged on the goddess of the moon. “Can I meet Ambrogio too?”

Selene sighed. “He refuses to show himself. Not yet. But I thought it was time. Especially since you’re soon to die.”

Khent tensed. “What?”

“Death is your friend, my son. Don’t fear it, for you or your mate. But know she can’t survive her awakening. Not as she is.”

Confused, Val repeated, “Awakening?”

“Survive?” Khent growled. “I won’t let anything harm her.”

“Ah, but you have pledged your service. What you consider harm the Fates consider necessity. For without our template here in this world, the rest will falter.”

“That makes no sense.”

Val couldn’t believe Khent was getting snippy with Selene, his many times removed grandmother. This goddess didn’t feel as motherly or, well, as forgiving as Hecate. The way her eyes narrowed and the moon suddenly felt oppressive should have warned him to tread warily.

“Um, Khent…”

“Do not speak back to me that way, boy.”

“Don’t tell me what to do with my mate, female.”

Morpheus clapped a hand over his face.

Val did the same, not surprised when a beam of moonlight shifted and speared into Khent, throwing him through a stone wall out into the vast desert.

His sudden disappearance brought Selene’s attention to Val.

Not an idiot, Val took a cautious step back. “Um, I would never tell you what to do.”

“Of course not. You have manners.” Selene studied her.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Val didn’t expect Selene to approach and cup her chin. The goddess’s hand buzzed with light and energy.

“Ah, I see it. You are the vessel. Such a sweet morsel for those who crave life.”

Val blinked, unable to move, caught in the web of moonlight’s kiss.

“You have power, Valentine Darkmore. A great gift given to your parents and thus to you. Because they chose to value your life over their own, the prophecy has grown in strength. It can no longer be avoided.” Selene sighed. Then she bent to kiss the top of Val’s head.

Val wavered on her feet, overcome. She would have fallen if Khent hadn’t arrived to sweep her into his arms while he growled at his ancient relation.

“Khent, stop,” she whispered.

He ceased, switching his focus to Val. His eyes narrowed. “What did she do to you?”

“Thank her, you idiot,” Morpheus said as he joined them and nodded to Selene.

“For what? Annoying me?”

Morpheus glowered. “For blessing your mate with moonlight.”

“What?”

Selene shook her head. “He takes after my husband.”

“Thank you.” Khent nodded, full of conceit.

She chuckled. “Our wild children, so fierce. Ambrogio will like you, Khentimentiu. That’s if you live long enough to greet him at the end.” Her expression saddened when she glanced at Val.

Khent held her tighter, dark wings flaring wide then curling around them, caging her within his protection.

“Remember, Valentine Darkmore. You have choices to make. And those choices will affect everyone around you.” Selene slowly disappeared into a passing moonbeam.

The sudden silence felt reverent.

Until Morpheus ruined the moment. “She sure has a way of leaving you wanting more, am I right?”

Khent huffed. “Dream god, is this necessary? Valentine and I were sleeping peacefully.”

“You’re welcome.” Morpheus huffed, mimicking Khent. “I just wanted her to meet you. She’s been asking, and I thought it was time.” He studied them and ran a finger over one of Khent’s black feathers. “Whoa. A lot of death there, big guy.”

“Yes, for those asking for it,” Khent said, his teeth sharp as he hissed at Morpheus.

Val nudged him to set her down, feeling more herself. “I, ah, maybe we should head back, Morpheus. The last time you brought us somewhere, you got hurt.”

“All for a good cause.” He smiled, but that happiness faded as he stared at Val. “She wasn’t being cruel, you know. You have some decisions to make. Both of you.” He looked at Khent. “Remember what Shai told you, reaper. The time is coming for you to hold to your pledge.”

Khent stiffened. “I am a reaper with honor. My sire is Ahmose, son of Adjib, a son of Hor-Den. We honor our promises.”

“See that you do.” Morpheus sounded serious. “Now get some rest. And try not to kill more of MEC than you have to tomorrow. I think I’m going to need the demons when I talk to Loki again.”

“Wait. What?” Val turned to Khent. “Did he say Loki? Like, the Norse trickster?”

Khent was staring after Morpheus, who left them to rejoin the beautiful women beckoning him in the corner.

She stared at Khent’s wings, seeing them solidify from energy and smoke to feathers and then scales. Reaching out, she touched one. He shifted, and her finger slid across a razor-sharp edge.

“Ouch.”

Khent turned to study her. He noticed the blood on her fingers with interest. The way he cocked his head unnerved her.

It felt birdlike. No, lizard-like. His pupils narrowed and lengthened, the color of his irises bleeding to cover his eyes in a blackish red that turned gold.

A nictitating membrane blinked, and he laughed and opened his growing mouth, showing such sharp teeth.

Rows and rows of fangs that could decimate a small human in one little bite.

She felt heat stemming from deep inside him.

“Valentine?” He chortled, and a ball of fire flashed up and out of his throat, coating her in a blanket of fire…

Val shot up in bed, a scream caught in her throat as her world turned to ash.

Next to the bed, Khent stood staring down at her, dressed impeccably as usual. “Valentine? Are you all right?”

Heat flared across her lap, and she glanced down to see Sparky blinking up at her with sleepy eyes.

“Holy crap.” She sounded hoarse.

Fortunately, none of that had been real. Not like that mess in Irkalla where Morpheus had dragged her into another plane. Here, Khent stared at her as if she had mental issues while a salamander made her feel on fire, not some vampire boyfriend turned mythical dragon.

Khent left and returned with a cup of water she graciously accepted.

“Thanks.” She drank it all down. “Man, talk about a nightmare.”

“Oh?”

She described it all, right down to Khent’s dragon wings. Because that had been what she’d seen before he’d incinerated her. Her reaper lover turning into a dragon, intending to devour her.

Unfortunately, Khent didn’t laugh off her subconscious. “It would be best if we told no one about this. I don’t want Mormo or Hecate digging into our minds for hints of meaning and more nonsense.”

“Trust me. I have enough weirdness in my life. I don’t need more.

” As if the goddess of the moon would visit good old Val in her dreams. Yeah, right.

But even more incredulous, that Khent would ever lower himself to wear a tee-shirt and jeans.

She should have known from that alone that she’d been the only one in her mind.

She snorted.

“Something funny?”

“Ah, no. I need a shower. I’m sweaty.”

He looked her over. “That you are.”

So of course he helped her get clean in the shower, after which he made her dirty and sweaty all over again. And if he sipped from her blood and fed some of his bloode into her mouth, increasing her arousal, who was she to complain? A mere human at the mercy of her sexy vampire lover.

When they finally entered the kitchen to get some food, she saw that they’d slept past sunset by a few hours.

“Want to meet Grizz and Aisha?” she asked him.

The sweet smile he sent her had her melting for him all over again. I have got to stop acting so weak around this guy. He’s going to own me if I’m not careful.

“It would be my honor.”

“And you want a look at my army and the shifters, don’t you?”

“Well, up close would be nice. Though Mila and a few of my other pets have already mapped your vulnerabilities. Your headquarters are lacking.”

She sighed. “I had a feeling that would be the case.”

“Hurry though.” He glanced around. “If we take too long, we’ll end up running into Rolf or Onvyr. And I’m not in the mood to deal with a draugr or elf after my dream.”

“So you had a bad one too?” The poor guy.

“You could say that.” In a blink, he rushed her to the garage and belted into a lovely little black Mercedes. “Apologies, but I heard Rolf.” He backed out of the garage and left, gunning the engine.

“No problem. Let’s not spoil our evening. Not when we have a lot of pretty dead things to play with.”

He smiled and reached for her hand. She squeezed his before yanking her hand back in surprise. She studied it, seeing nothing.

“Problem?”

“N-no.” She put her hand back in his, ignoring the prick of pain from where a dragon scale had sliced her in a dream.