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.I needed to use the Hand of Light, but to keep the whale-blubber effect to a minimum, I needed it to be contained.“Fire in the hole!” I called on the heat, all the heat, and forced it up into my burning wings.I felt the burn this time, like standing in front of an open kiln that was turned to 760 degrees Celsius.Sending the fire in me into my wings was like squirting lighter fluid onto a bonfire.The Phoenix Wings flared brighter and wider, hotter than ever.I slammed them down into the outer edge of the fire, noticing that they almost enclosed the whole area of bodies below me.My arm was trembling as I held it out, focusing on the middle of the pile of smoldering bodies.The Hand of Light exploded from my hand in a wider band than ever before.It hit the fire below, and ash billowed up and began to swirl up in my thermal.The force of it hit me square in the chest.I rocketed skyward, as limp as a rag doll.It suddenly got dark as the Phoenix Wings went thap, thap and disappeared.Then I was falling.I couldn’t do anything to prevent it.I didn’t even have the air to scream as I dropped, falling like a piece of Chicken Little’s sky.I collided with something squishy, then there was nothing.“…Xavier…” Armor?“Pick him up.We need to move.” Father?Gah, I was exhausted.I ached from head to toe, but at the same time I was numb, barely able to feel my arms and legs.Awareness seeped into me slowly.Wiggle, wiggle.I had feet, then legs.Fingers moved, then my arms.My head ached so badly that I slowly rocked my head back and forth to see if it were still attached.“Little One, stop squirming.”“Is it ash? Did I make it ash?”“Yes you did.Everyone is covered in a fine powder.”“Sorry…just wanted to…”“Armor, give him here.You get in first, and I will hand him to you.”I groaned as I was jostled around.I squinted up at Father, and sure enough, he was covered in a fine, white grey ash.He looked as if he were wearing a mask of gray powder with only his eyes showing color, perhaps as if he were an ancient mourner who was paid to follow the coffin of the deceased to increase the number of mourners.I wondered for a second if he was mourning me, until he spoke.“Are you recovering now, Xavier?”“Tired.”“Are you coming, or do you want Xavier to get crispy?” Armor called out from the recess of the limo.“We will be on our way in moments, my Son.”I really should complain about how easily these vampires of mine keep tossing me around like so much baggage.Apples surrounded me.I was settled on the seat, but I soon found myself on a very familiar lap.Armor wrapped an arm around me and pulled me tight to his chest.Gratefully, I laid my head on his shoulder.Even though I felt like death warmed over, I fully expected Armor to make a move on me.My incapacitation has never stopped him before.His hand came up and cradled my head.He kissed my temple, then rested his cheek against my hair.“Let us go home, Little One.”I sank into Armor’s embrace.Go home.I already was home; sitting in my soul mate’s lap was home to me.Claudius followed Shade into the back of limo and shut the door.Shade turned back into a blood red Hellcat—domestic-cat size for travel convenience.She slipped into my lap and settled on my stomach.She said nothing, which was a first, and I appreciated it.Claudius pulled out another bag full of his white packaged wet thingies and offered them to Armor.Choose one of these men? How the hell can I choose one? Armor had my heart.Azrael had Marcus’s body.Claudius had Sex’s soul.I had a feeling that I was going to need each and every one of them if I were going to survive being a Fledgling Lord Emperor of the Vampire Blood Nation.I started as a light blanket covered my legs.Claudius tucked the edges around my bare feet.“Sleep, my Sons.I will watch over you.”“Father…” I relaxed in Armor’s hold, and it seemed like it was the first time in an eternity I felt safe, warm, and cherished.I drifted off, the scent of my apple orchard filling my head, with just a light hint of the warmth of cloves coloring the fragrance.I was home…and I was happy.EpiloguePrecious PainSuddenly, I’m the richest, damned Fledgling ever birthed to any of the Blood Nations.To my continuing chagrin, I had all the residuals from my modeling with Frederick still coming in, fattening my pocketbook whether I liked it or not.As head of the Du Bussey House, I had unlimited access to the House funds, which had so many zeros, it made my brain ache.Then to top it all off, I was given Armanita Rothchilde’s estate.I’ll have to say that although Grand-bitch might have been a tad bit delusional, she knew wealth and how to manipulate it.Just from Armanita’s estate alone, I could buy a couple of third world countries for snacks if I wanted to…not that I wanted to.Isn’t there a saying that goes “money can’t buy happiness”? Well, it’s true that it can’t, but it can buy safety, and that was really all I needed from it.The clock chimed midnight.He’s here.Shade’s voice yawned in my head.How the heck can this Silent Speak convey a yawn? I shook it off.My brain was full enough as it was.So he’s here, and just like clockwork, he’s right on time.I rubbed my eyes.They were tired.Too many hours staring at the computer screen, probably without blinking.Shade had chimed in her two cents’ worth when she first noticed it and commented that it was freaking eerie when I did that.Not eerie enough to keep her from timing me though.Anywhere between five to eight minutes between blinks.It’s no wonder my eyes ached and burned.It’s not like I did it on purpose.I just really concentrated when I was doing computer work.I had to get the all this House of Assassins stuff organized, and sooner was better than later.Claudius might have had this Master of the Territory job down pat, but I didn’t.Before I had to officially take over the duties of Head of the Assassins Guild as judge, jury, and executioner, I wanted to have all these Vampire Blood Laws entered into a searchable database.It’s not like I was making a Draconian codex, but damn, I wanted to make sure that mistakes in meting out justice were going to be few and far between.But the task of getting all the Vampire laws organized was giving me a horrendous headache.It seems that vampires aren’t very organized, or maybe I should say, some vampires aren’t organized.It was no surprise to me that Claudius, for one, was meticulous in his record-keeping; it was those that had the job before him who were giving me a migraine.I stretched, feeling the ache in my shoulders.I glanced over at the grandfather clock against the wall.Fourteen hours of computer work with breaks being rare.No wonder I was stiff and aching.Thanks, Shade.Do I need to block? I really don’t need the twenty-four-hour vampire porn channel in my head every night that you have certain guests.Shade was exaggerating.Not tonight.Good night, Your Majesty [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]