Chapter 81: Aurelia and the Legion of Chaos

Chapter 81: Aurelia and the Legion of Chaos
“I never said that,” Vlad muttered, looking away from her pleading eyes.

“Are you still against it?” Seth asked him.

“Sounds like you’re changing your opinion,” Zen said curiously. “You with us or against us?”

“Us?” demanded Vlad. “Since when are you a team with the girl?”

“Her name is Aurelia,” Zen said matter-of-factly. “And she’s only a nineteen-year-old infant, so watch your tone.”

“Gentlemen,” Aurelia patiently murmured.

“But I’m curious,” Syre said, frowning at Vlad. “Are you against Aurelia joining the academy or are you for it?”

“I’m…” Vlad blinked a few times, and it was only thanks to his hair that the flustered reaction wasn’t seen. “I’m against it.”

“You sure?” said Syre, walking over to Vlad. “Because nobody in this room is as obsessed with the list as you currently are.”

“That’s because I’m trying to convince her that she shouldn’t do it.”

“Moments ago, it sounded like you were coming up with a game plan.”

“Like hell.”

Ethan scoffed, smirking. “It’s okay to be supportive, Vlad. It doesn’t make you weak to show affection.”

“I’m going to slap you so hard, you’ll recall your previous life.”

Ethan choked, clearing his throat as he turned away from Vlad’s threatening stare.

“Well, that’s not very nice,” Aurelia’s soft voice said.

Vlad looked at her like he was witnessing a talking shoe. “You be quiet! This entire matter is your fault.”

She looked wronged. “Me?! But… but how? The King’s the one who gave the impossible list!”

“Only because you insisted on attending the academy!”

Zen stood. “Which you’re still against, just to be clear?”

“Yes!” Vlad hissed.

“It was obvious enough last night,” said Seth. “You were pretty vocal about it. I felt sorry for Aurelia.”

“That’s what I don’t understand, brother,” Syre said, wrapping an arm around Vlad in an attempt to keep him calm. “You blatantly disagree with giving her an opportunity. And yet… you beat Walter to a pulp for doing the same?”

The surprise was instant.

“What?” demanded Seth, standing up. “Vlad, you did that?”

“Ugh,” grunted Zen. “The bastard had it coming; he’s been getting on my nerves for a while now.”

“That’s not the point,” said Ethan, grinning. “The point is that Vlad attacked the King’s Chief of Guard for…” His grin faded, replaced by a look of confusion. “For Aurelia?”

She stood there, in shock, her name echoing in her head.

He did what?

That was why his knuckles were bruised? He’d gone and fought that obnoxious guard. But… why? Surely not for her, as Ethan suggested.
Frowning in puzzlement, she stared at Vlad.

The phone rang and Seth, muttering curses, yanked it up.

“Yes,” he said.

“I can’t believe this,” Ethan whispered, as Seth spoke on the phone. “I thought you hated Aurelia. Not even X beat Walter up, but you did?”

Vlad’s jaw was so tight, he could hardly speak. “I didn’t…”

Syre frowned. “You didn’t?”

“Do it for her,” Vlad lied, his fingers balled into tight fists.

Syre felt his brother’s simmering anger and anxiously held his trembling fist. “Whoa, man. Breathe, calm down.”

“Well, why did you do it then?” Zen whispered, eyes sparkling with curiosity. He looked at Aurelia. “Do you know?”

“Me?!” she squeaked. “No, I… know nothing.”

Seth hung up the phone. “Walter’s been demoted.”

Jaws dropped open.

“What?” said Syre.

Seth nodded. “Damon says he saw his bruises and asked him what happened, but when Walter explained, Damon could tell he was lying. So, he got into his mind, pulled out the truth.”

Silently, Seth looked at Vlad. A faint smile curved his lips. “Well done, Vlad. I’m proud of you.”

The brothers exchanged clueless glances as Seth strolled across the room, patting Vlad’s shoulder on the way to the door.
As soon as he was gone, the others were on him like hyenas.

“What happened?!” Ethan demanded, eyes wide. “Tell us!”

“What’s Seth so proud of?” Zen wanted to know. “Did you discover a traitor?”

“Nothing happened,” Vlad denied, shoving away their arms. “Get off me!”

A sudden vice snapped around his body, holding Vlad tight.

“Yes, Fayed!” Zen cheered. “Well done.”

With flat resignation, Vlad looked back at Fayed, who had his arms wrapped tightly around him. “Really? You too? You’re joining their foolishness?”

Fayed didn’t budge. “Just tell us what happened.”

With an eye roll and a long exhale, Vlad glanced at Aurelia. She had both hands held delicately against her chest, her wide eyes staring at him like she didn’t recognize him. She wanted to know too.

Damn it, he didn’t want her to know how far he had gone because of her. It was embarrassing.

He cleared his throat, trying to ignore the nosy bastards who had their faces inches from his, waiting for him to spill his guts.

“That…” He bit his lip. Screw this. He’d just teleport out of this.

“Don’t even think about it,” Zen whispered. “Or I’ll have Maria replace all your clothes with replicas of mine.”

Vlad winced, horrified by the cruelty of the threat.

“Exactly,” Zen said, resting his elbow on Ethan’s shoulder. “So, tell us. Why did you beat up Walter? Did it have to do with Aurelia? And, are you for or against Aurelia joining the academy?”

Vlad ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek, staring flatly at them. “I don’t want to answer.”

“Then you agree to help us get Aurelia into the academy.”

The bold suggestion came from Syre. He forced himself to hold Vlad’s gaze. He needed to get Vlad to do this so that Aurelia wouldn’t feel so bad about the way he treated her. He wanted to show her that his brother wasn’t as evil as she thought.

Ethan gasped, smiling. “Ooooh, good one! Getting him stuck between two things he both hates.”

“And you call yourselves my brothers,” Vlad muttered.

“Yes, and we love you, as difficult as it may be at times,” Zen said, smiling. “But, choose. Tell us what happened with Walter, or you agree to help us get Aurelia into the academy.”

Aurelia blinked at them. “Wait. You guys are going to help me?!”

Zen looked at her like she’d just failed to count to three. “What do you mean? Of course, we are! You said you don’t want to give up.”

“Well, I didn’t expect that you’d help me!” she cried, eyes glimmering. “You kept going on about how impossible it is.”

“Impossible for you,” drawled Zen, bending over at the hip to bring his frighteningly beautiful face before hers. “You know who it’s not impossible for?”

Her pulse fluttered and, glancing past Zen’s pale hair, she looked at the others who stood solidly behind him, looking like an actual band of superheroes.

She looked back at Zen. “The Legion?”

He grinned, fangs lengthening. “Bingo.”