Page 19 of House of Darkness (The Fallen Star #1)

Her eyes flicked warily between us. I wondered how she would handle this, her first test as the doting acolyte. “Of course, sir.”

I knew she needed to, but it still felt sickening to hear her say the word. I turned back to Alexander. My voice emerged calm and monotone, a result of years of practice. “Perhaps you’d like a shot at the job, Alexander.”

I can fight my own battles. Enso’s voice was unexpectedly sharp in my mind.

I shook my head. He’s taking out his anger at me on you. I won’t let it continue.

“Very well. I challenge you, Roman. You are not worthy of your title, and I aim to correct that.” Alexander snarled as he fully shifted.

Golden fur erupted from his warping flesh, a mane sprouting along his neck and head.

Though he stood on two legs, he had the form of a massive lion, with paws instead of hands, his clothes straining and tearing over his rippling body.

He opened his maw and roared, the sound shaking the crystal chandelier and artwork on the walls.

My fingers instinctively reached for the karambits hidden at my waist, but I stopped myself.

If he wanted a fight of beasts, he’d get one.

He was too weak to challenge me in human form anyway.

I quickly tore away my shirt as my body transformed.

The familiar weight of my wings erupted from my back, stretching and flexing after being tucked away for so long.

Talons extended from my fingers, and my vision turned red.

Inky shadows stretched from my fists up my arms in jagged tendrils.

He lunged first, but I met him head-on. Our bodies collided with a resounding crash. There was some satisfaction in knowing we were about to destroy this stuffy room. Maybe we could take out a wall and open things up.

Cat claws dug into my arms, drawing blood that trailed down my skin. The pain made me feel alive. I bit down on his neck but came away with a mouthful of fur that tasted like sand and made me want to vomit. He reached for my wings, but I rolled through the maneuver and barreled into him.

We devolved into a rolling mess of gilded fur and midnight feathers.

I tackled him, but he quickly managed to pin me beneath his massive form.

Claws raked through my pinned wings, tearing away clumps of feathers and leaving a searing pain that made me hiss.

I bit down again, this time finding purchase on his shoulder and forcing him to stay still long enough to impale his torso with my talons.

My darkness seeped into the wound, and he yowled.

That moment gave me enough time to escape from beneath him.

I typically fought best on the ground, but with his beastly size, I was at a disadvantage.

I dug my claws into his shoulders as I got to my feet and took off, the air through my wings searing through my open gash.

He was heavy, and it didn’t help that he fought me with every beat.

Finally, we left the marble floors, which gave me enough momentum to hurl him through the far wall like a discus.

Framed paintings plummeted to the ground on top of him with a resounding boom, and the house shuddered.

I landed with a smirk. I had always been quite the decorator, and the open concept was much more attractive in this vintage home.

A crowd of Levis House members had formed around us.

Alexander’s children stood shoulder to shoulder in the hallway entering the foyer, flanked by lieutenants.

I ignored them as I stalked across the room and dragged the count from the debris by his hind paws.

“You just had to run your mouth, Alex. You never change.” He never would. None of them would. I fought tooth and nail every day for progress, only to be met with this. It was enough to make me scream.

To his credit, Alexander began thrashing immediately.

He managed to take me down once more, but I wouldn’t let him pin me again.

I threw a well-aimed punch to his muzzle, knocking him back before tackling him.

My wings held me steady as he bucked and thrashed beneath me.

I slammed another fist into his face, causing blood to splatter across the checkered floors.

He leaned up, aiming for my jugular. Instead, I met him with my talons, burying them into his throat until they speared through the other side.

He tried to roar but could only gurgle past the blood bubbling in his throat.

I buried my other fist in his mane, holding his head steady as I snarled down at him. “Yield or die.”

He bared his thickened fangs at me. I grimaced; his breath smelled like rotten meat. “I said yield. I will not ask again.”

“Yield, Father. It doesn’t matter how big your head is if it isn’t attached to your shoulders.”

Above me stood Alexander’s only daughter, Mia—the only one of his children I respected.

Killing the longest reigning count wouldn’t do me any favors, but Mia was right.

I would remove his head if needed. I curled my fingers deeper into his golden fur, just enough to make him attempt to scream again.

“Listen to your daughter, or you won’t be around to watch her replace you. ”

Finally, he went limp in my hands, and he shriveled up like an exsanguinated body until only his humanoid form remained.

I mercilessly ripped my talons from his throat in a shower of blood that sprayed over me, him, and Mia in a fine shower of rubies.

Mia crossed her arms, unfazed. “Get up, Father.”

I stood and allowed the count to crawl to his knees.

A waterfall of blood poured from the rapidly stitching holes, staining the shredded remnants of his shirt.

I grimaced at the sight. My talons retracted into my fingertips like thick splinters, taking the darkness with them.

Even with his wounds, Alexander dipped forward until his head touched the floor smeared with his fluids, his golden hair sprawling across the ground.

“I thank you for your mercy, Your Highness. I yield as your humble servant.” His words were stiff with humiliation, but he didn’t waver. At least he still clung to that insufferable pride.

“Good boy.” I smirked as his jaw clenched.

Rubbing his nose in his errors was necessary to deter future attempts.

It helped that I enjoyed watching him squirm.

He was everything wrong with vampire-kind—a self-serving, arrogant prick too stuck in ancient history to see the world falling apart around him.

“We will have a grand dinner in honor of your arrival tonight,” he continued, his words strained.

“No. I’d prefer dinner served in a private wing for my cabinet.”

It took a moment for him to work back his own incredulity to respond. “Of course, Your Majesty. I will also have one of our best rooms prepared for you.”

I hummed thoughtfully, stepping forward until the tips of my shoes brushed his hair. “I’d prefer your room.”

He sat up, indignation flashing across his face, his mouth already opening to argue.

I narrowed my eyes. My demand had nothing to do with the room and everything to do with humiliating him in front of his people.

Never had I expected Alexander to actually challenge me.

He was more concerned with his own gluttony than warfare.

Now that he had, he would need to heel to keep his head.

He must have reconsidered his argument because he dipped his head once more. “Of course, sir.”

“Make sure to have the bedsheets changed, and if someone could bring a wash basin and some towels to my cabinet’s wing.” I held up my fingers still smeared with his blood.

His jaw clenched. “Tatiana! Please show our guests to their wing. Get the others to carry their luggage.”

A blonde acolyte entered the hall, adorned in a short red slip and a gold neck cuff.

My stomach twisted at the sight. Her resemblance to Estrella was uncanny, right down to the K scorched into the back of her clenched hand.

Since the Kulta Academy was within Levis borders, it was no surprise that the Levis House frequently purchased their acolytes, with Alexander being one of their most frequent patrons.

The fact that his own daughter, Mia, looked so much like Estrella they could be twins was no coincidence.

The thought of him having offspring even remotely related to Estrella made my stomach churn.

I turned to Estrella. Her eyes widened as she took in the other acolyte.

Tatiana was older, but that didn’t mean they didn’t know each other.

Tatiana’s mask was impeccable as she moved past Estrella without a second glance.

They weren’t supposed to acknowledge each other in any way.

I couldn’t imagine having a loved one torn away like that—well, actually, I could.

I extended my clean hand, tucking the bloodied one behind me. “Come, doll.”

She approached with her head bowed, sliding her hand into mine. I struggled not to shiver at the jolt of heat and life seeping from her skin like embers. Are you alright?

Her head snapped up, and her eyes widened to saucers.

I hadn’t shown this part of my powers yet, but my need for some form of reassurance was overwhelming.

She had witnessed my monstrous side once again, but now in a new, unsettling place surrounded by predators and abandoned family. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought her.

Yet as quickly as that thought crossed my mind, the blue fire ignited in her eyes. I’m doing just fine, Roman.