Page 23 of Blood Legacy (Eternal Descent (MistHallow Academy) #1)

23

GAIDA

“The Severance?” I’m intrigued by this. Almost enough to stop thinking about how I’m going to walk away from Felix because I have to walk away. Whatever this is, it’s sudden and makes no sense. Dante is a pureblood vampire. We connect. It’s easy, and I know him without even really knowing him. Luke is… Luke. A mystery I’m dying to unwrap, but I know he is mine. Whatever else is going on, I’m sure of that. Felix, though? What the actual fuck? I can’t wrap my head around it. We are different species. We have no common ground that I can see, mostly because I don’t know. I don’t know him at all. Yes, he is scorching hot, brooding, intense, and that kiss… fuck, that kiss… but it’s attraction, not feelings. Big difference.

I’m desperately trying to stay analytical about this, but my body has other ideas. I can’t stop staring at Felix’s lips, remembering how they felt against mine. My fangs throb with the memory of his blood, sweeter than any I’ve tasted before. Pure.

“There’s not much to go off. It’s myth. Or so I, and probably many thought. I stumbled across it during some research at Franklin.”

“Research on what?” Dante asks blithely.

Felix gives him a smile that sends a rocket of lust straight through me. It’s dark and delicious, and I want to kiss him again. “Need to know. It’s not relevant to this. Apparently, it is an occurrence that, as it suggests, severs charges from their sires.”

“Not the other way around?”

He raises an eyebrow at me. “Astute of you to notice the difference.”

“Of course. I don’t claim to know much about turned bonds, but a sire can have many charges, a charge can only have one sire.”

He beams at me, but it is tinged with that same darkness that thrills me.

“So you’re saying it affects the charges only. The sire can still have intact bonds?” Dante reiterates, glaring at me, but not out of jealousy or annoyance; it’s more of an intense knowledge gathering.

“Not just a pretty face,” I murmur, giving him a slow smile.

He snorts. “Oh, you are definitely more than that, ma reine .”

The endearment catches Felix’s attention. “My queen. Suits you.”

“Don’t you dare,” I growl.

Dante chuckles. “Okay, but back to this Severance thing. Is it a ritual? A celestial event? What? Is someone behind it, or is it just one of those things?”

“Hard to say. There is barely any public information on it.”

“Public,” I murmur. “So there might be texts in hidden libraries? Perhaps, somewhere like MistHallow?”

Felix nods. “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Do you know where there is a hidden library?” Dante asks, eyes narrowed.

“I might know something,” I reply, standing up. Felix instantly joins me, moving in close and brushing his lips over my ear. “We are going to have to part at some point,” I remark.

“Why?”

“Because we can’t stay attached at the hip forever.”

“Why not?”

“Grr,” I growl, and he smirks. “You are infuriating.”

“I know. I also know this isn’t practical, but I can’t seem to bring myself to step back.”

“Never mind that,” Dante snaps. “Hidden library.”

“Right,” I say, pursing my lips. “You didn’t hear this from me, but apparently, there are hidden chambers underneath MistHallow?—”

“Wondered how long it would take you.” Luke’s voice makes me jump like a scalded cat away from Felix, which in turn wrenches at my insides, making me groan with pain. Felix grunts but remains on his feet, even though I feel like dying.

“You need a cowbell,” I gasp. “Why didn’t I hear you approach?”

“Because I came via magick,” he says, his gaze boring into mine before it flicks to Felix with intense dislike. I would not like to be in Felix’s shoes right now. Mine are bad enough. “Might I enquire why you are all standing around in a restricted area?”

“Research,” I reply, too quickly, and Luke’s eyes narrow. My body’s still screaming at me to return to Felix’s side, but I force myself to stand my ground. Every inch of separation feels like someone’s peeling my skin off.

“On the Severance,” Felix adds, his voice strained. He makes no move to close the distance between us, but his fists are clenched at his sides, and his knuckles are white.

Luke’s expression shifts from suspicion to something darker. “What do you know about the Severance?”

“Not much,” I say, wrapping my arms around myself to stop from reaching for Felix. “That’s why we’re researching.”

Luke’s gaze sweeps over the megalith stones, taking in the candles, the sigils, and the dried blood on the ground. “And you thought performing unsanctioned magick in a restricted area was the answer?”

“We wanted answers,” Felix replies. “But it seems you already have them.”

Luke’s jaw tightens. “What makes you think that?”

“You wouldn’t have appeared so quickly if you weren’t monitoring this area,” I say, forcing each word out through the pain of separation. “And you know exactly what the Severance is.”

“I was monitoring something,” he murmurs. “Your father wants to speak with you.”

I nod, unable to meet his eyes.

“All of you need to get back onto Academy grounds, now. It isn’t safe out here,” Luke says, clipped and cold. “Especially for you.”

My gaze shoots up to his. “Why me?”

His intense stare unnerves me, but I think I get it.

Lucius.

“Okay,” I say with a nod. “We’re coming.”

Luke waves his hand, and the ritual components that Felix set out vanish before he swirls his hand, and we all land in the central courtyard of MistHallow. “Miss Aragon. Your father is waiting for you in my office.”

The scene of the crime. Sounds about right. I nod and look at Felix. The clawing pain has receded, now we are back on academy grounds. Are the wards suppressing it?

It can’t be a coincidence. Maybe Felix and I can finally separate without feeling like we’re being torn apart. I look at him, and he nods slightly, confirming my suspicion. Something about MistHallow is different.

“Fine,” I tell Luke, trying to sound nonchalant. “Lead the way.”

He storms off back into the main building. I turn and wave at the guys and then follow, hurrying to keep pace.

“You three have been busy,” Luke grits out. “Breaking rules, performing forbidden rituals, discussing hidden libraries...”

“All in a day’s work,” I reply, keeping my voice light despite the tension building between us as we head down the hallway to his office.

“What does my father want?” I ask as we approach the administrative part of the building. “Does he know about us?”

Luke stops suddenly and pulls me into an alcove in a secluded section of the hallway leading to his office. We are standing too close together. I can smell the blood running through his veins, and my fangs drop. He notices, and his gaze drops to my mouth. It lingers, and I reach out to touch him, but he jerks back.

“No,” he whispers, the word a plea that rips through me. “Your father is an astute man, Miss Aragon. He suspects, at worst.”

“And at best?”

“He knows we were in a compromising position when he arrived. That cannot happen again,” he says stiffly.

“Cannot happen again?” I echo, my voice rising despite myself. “So after everything, you’re just shutting this down? Just like that?” I knew he would do this. Tears prick my eyes, and I choke back the sob. “How dare you,” I hiss. “How dare you!”

“Gaida,” he says, his voice soft, his expression crumpling before my eyes. “I?—”

“Save it,” I spit out and shove past him to stride purposefully to his office, where my dad is waiting. I have no idea what to even say to him after this.

“Gaida. Wait.”

I ignore him and walk faster before I push open the door to Luke’s office to face my father.

“Dad. What is it? I need to get to bed.”

“Ah, yes, Your day schedule. How is that going?”

“Like shit. How did you expect?” I say bitterly.

He chuckles. “You are showing great fortitude, Gaida. Not many vampires, pureblood or not, can handle the daylight hours.”

“It’s a riot. What are you really here for?”

“Dante DuLoc,” he says, getting down to business. “You are aware of him?”

“We are dating,” I say, lifting my chin higher and glaring at him. Okay, so dating is a bit of an exaggeration, but fucking wouldn’t go down too well.

He nods. “Blackthorn said as much. He is a good match for you.”

I clench my jaw.

“DuLoc, not Blackthorn,” he adds with a hint of a smile so sinister, I nearly step back.

“Blackthorn?” I ask, blinking in supposed confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Gaida. I’ve seen it all, done it all a thousand times over. I know you have set your sights on him. I know this is why your behaviour of late has been uncharacteristic.”

I keep my face neutral. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t insult my intelligence,” he says, his voice deadly quiet. “I’ve seen bigger and badder creatures than you make this same mistake.”

“And what mistake is that?” I ask quietly.

“Believing that you can have what you want simply because you want it. Headmaster Blackthorn is off-limits to you. Do you understand?”

The fury building inside me threatens to spill over. “You don’t get to dictate my life.”

“I am your father,” he says, each word precise and cold. “More importantly, I am the head of our bloodline. We have responsibilities that transcend your temporary infatuations.”

“This isn’t an infatuation,” I blurt out before I can stop myself.

His eyes narrow. “Then it’s worse than I thought. The DuLoc boy is a suitable match. His bloodline is almost as old as ours. The alliance would strengthen both families.”

“Well, hooray for you that I’m already invested in a relationship with Dante.”

“Good,” he says. “So you accept that Luke Blackthorn is not someone you should be pursuing.”

“No, I don’t accept that.”

He slams his hand down on the desk so hard it cracks.

I jump at this rare show of temper. I’ve pushed him too far, and we both know it. He visibly tries to calm himself, but it seems impossible. “His sire is a nasty creature, Gaida,” he grits out. “There are works at play here that you cannot comprehend.”

“So enlighten me.”

He clenches his jaw tightly. “There are things about Luke Blackthorn that you do not know. That you shouldn’t know. But he isn’t the threat to you, Gaida, his sire, Lucius is?—”

“I know about Lucius,” I lie. I don’t know shit, except everyone says how cruel he is.

“Then you know that he goes after everything that is valuable to Luke.” His voice has gone soft. I barely recognise it.

“I’m not valuable to Luke. I’m disposable.”

He lets out a short, sad laugh and shakes his head. “No, Gaida. You are precious to him. He can deny it all he wants, but he can’t lie to me.”

Those words should fill me with joy, but Luke’s dismissal of me only moments ago, ruins anything positive from that statement.

“What does that mean for me?” I ask, my voice low. “What’s your point in telling me this?”

“Stay away from him.”

I laugh humourlessly. “I’m starting to feel like I’m being quarantined. I’m not a child, Dad. I’m a grown woman who can make her own decisions.”

“Even when those decisions might get you killed?” His ancient eyes bore into mine. “Lucius doesn’t just kill, Gaida. He destroys. He’ll take you apart piece by piece while making Luke watch. Is that what you want?”

A chill runs through me. “Why does everyone speak about Lucius like he’s the bogeyman? He’s just another vampire.”

My father’s laugh is cold and without humour. “Just another vampire? Lucius is anything but just another vampire. He’s survived purges, witch hunts, and wars that wiped out entire bloodlines. He’s not just dangerous—he’s patient. And patient predators are the deadliest kind. He is not of this world, Gaida. He has advantages over us that we know nothing about. He has powers we know nothing about.”

“What?” I frown. “What do you mean not of this world? Where is he from then?”

His eyes harden, and he shuts down. “I’ve said too much.”

“No, you haven’t said nearly enough,” I demand, moving closer. “What do you mean?”

The door opens, and Luke moves silently into his office. He looks at my dad with an exasperated stare and sighs. “You have a big mouth, Aurelius.”

“She has a way of making me say too much,” Dad says with a small laugh that is genuine this time.

“What the fuck is going on?” I yell, stamping my foot.

Both men hiss at me, “Language.”

“Fuck that,” I growl, moving back so I can get both of these infuriating beasts in my line of vision. “Someone had better start talking. Now.”

“No, I don’t think we will,” Luke says. “Conversation over. Listen to your father, Miss Aragon. Stay safe and align with the other most powerful vampire here.”

“You?” I ask archly.

He scowls at me, “DuLoc.”

I glower back at him before shifting my gaze to Dad’s. “I deserve to know what’s really going on. What did you mean about Lucius not being of this world?”

My father and Luke exchange a loaded glance.

“Nothing,” Dad says firmly. “A figure of speech.”

I laugh bitterly. “Bullshit. You’re both hiding something massive, and it involves me somehow.”

“It doesn’t involve you,” Luke says too quickly.

“Then why do I need to stay away from you specifically? Why is Dante safe, but you’re not?” I press.

The silence stretches between us until Luke finally sighs. “Because Lucius doesn’t consider Dante a threat.”

“A threat to what?”

“To getting you right where he wants you, Miss Aragon. And let me tell you from firsthand experience, you do not want to be where he puts you. You do not want to be within a thousand miles of him.”

“Why has he not come for me already?”

“MistHallow is warded from him. He can’t find it.”

“Or you?”

He inclines his head.

“How long have you been running from him?” I ask, wishing we were having this telling conversation without my dad in the room.

He glances at Dad.

“No, don’t look to him for prompts,” I snap. “Look at me. I’m asking a question I have every right to know.”

“A long time,” he says, his eyes meeting mine again. “A very long time.”

“A century? Two? More?”

“Try a millennium.”

“A millennium.” The way he says it makes it impossible to imagine, even though I know he is fifteen hundred years old, I think those three words nailed it home for me. “How has he never found you in all that time?”

He sighs heavily and rubs his hand over his face. “Aurelius, can you give us some space?”

“With pleasure,” Dad says. “Good luck.” He slaps Luke on the shoulder. He strides to the door and then pauses with his hand on the knob. He turns to face us, looking first at me and then at Luke. He doesn’t speak for a while, but when he does, it shocks me. “On second thoughts, you have my blessing.”

With that grenade, he opens the door and disappears, leaving me and Luke in the wreckage of his words.