Chapter 19

Vasile's POV

Leaning against the stone mantel above the fireplace in my bedroom I watched the flames flicker and wave. Yesterday and today had gone exactly as I planned. Everything fell into place and worked in my favor.

Cadella’s soul was stronger than I expected. But that just meant she was perfect for the role she had to play. I was getting closer and closer to being able to get my revenge. Then I could move on.

Instead of feeling good about it, I was enraged.

Once again tonight she’d reminded me so much of Sophia. She hadn’t said that she didn’t care that I wasn’t human, but I had felt it inside of her. A small part of me had been relieved, like I cared what she thought.

But I couldn’t afford to. Caring what she thought of me made me weak. I couldn’t be weak again.

Sophia had said she didn’t care. She had promised to love me. That she was mine for all of eternity.

Then she’d stabbed me in the back.

Her betrayal cost my clan, cost me. I couldn’t let that happen again. Too many innocent lives were lost that day. I needed to do this for them.

A knock sounded on my door.

“Come in.” I called, not bothering to move from my position at the mantel.

“The wolf is contained again.” Marius said once he’d entered and shut the door.

“Very good.” I nodded and took a deep pull from my cup.

“What do you plan to do with it?” He asked, pouring himself a cup of blood before unbuttoning his jacket and sitting at the table by the fireplace.

“I’m not sure. But don’t dispose of it yet. Could find a use later.” I shrugged.

The wolf had long gone feral. Stuck in its half-shifted form-not human but not a wolf either. Not many werewolves could shift that way, only the most powerful could.

One day, almost two centuries ago the wolf had been called Antony. He had been a strong leader. A fearless and powerful shifter. Until their pack had been attacked by hunters. His mate and son had been captured.

He’d been able to get to them. But there was only time to rescue one in the chaos that had been started when he’d attacked the hunter’s compound. His wife had made him take their son. She’d sacrificed her own life for those she loved.

A love I wish I could have known. Instead, I was given a traitor.

Rumor told the story that it took six of his warriors to stop him from going back after his mate. That he’d fought and injured his men trying to get to her. He’d had to watch as she was burned alive in a fire that consumed the compound.

Most wolves who lost their mates stopped their own suffering or picked a fight they knew they couldn’t win. They preferred death over trying to live a life with a broken soul. Antony had suffered for just shy of two decades as he raised his son-Ceres. Slowly, he’d gone mad, until he was too far gone.

Ceres was supposed to kill the old man but couldn’t make himself do it. So, he’d left him chained in a private holding cell. That’s where we’d found him.

We made enough of a mess to make it look like he was dead. Now we had the feral beast. Until last night, he’d been locked in a cell where we threw enough food to keep him alive, but slightly weakened.

“I take it that today went as you hoped?” Marius grinned as he took a drink from his cup.

I nodded, recalling the day before. I’d jokingly told the little mouse we should be vampires. I had to admit that if I was looking for a woman and didn’t need Cadella to release Sophia, she could be fun to play with.

She felt like home in some ways. Being around her was easy. I enjoyed talking with her, teasing her. But I couldn’t let that sway me. Weaken me.

Which is why I’d let Marius release the feral beast. Then “capture” him in the alley by the bar I’d told her meet me at. She was too caring to ignore the sounds of fighting.

She’d played right into my trap.

A small part of me felt bad for how much we’d scared her, but I needed her guard down so she wasn’t aware of what I was doing. I had to make sure she was strong enough to do what I needed when the time came.

The only way I could do that was to use my gift, which sometimes was uncomfortable. I’d tried before last night, but she had an impenetrable shield. One that even with my increased power I couldn’t get into. I didn’t want to waste time wooing someone who wasn’t strong enough.

So, I’d had to play a little dirty. Fear was powerful, and when used properly could make anyone drop their shields. Even Cadella.

I had been pleased by what I found. Our efforts had been worth it like I suspected. Her soul had the right amount of energy that was needed to resurrect Sophia.

“She’s strong enough. Now I just need to win her trust.” I grinned before draining the rest of my cup.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Marius asked, filling the cup I held out to him.

“Of course.” I scoffed.

“I’d just hate to lose you after just getting you back.” Marius shrugged.

“I’m not going anywhere, Marius.” I scolded.

“There is a price for this type of magic. There’s a reason it’s forbidden. You’ve seen the price of it used. You’ve lived it. It cost you a century.” He pushed.

“Do you think I’ve forgotten that?” I snarled at him.

“No, I just want to make sure, you’re sure. You know I’d follow you through hell and back. I just want to make sure it’s what you want before we do it.” He leaned back into his chair.

“We proceed at planned.” I look back into the fire.

I see him nod in the corner of my eye. Cadella was already starting to trust me, I just needed more from her before I could put my plan into action. Soon we would be ready.

*********************************

Cadella’s POV

Vasile’s confession had left me torn. After he’d left, I soaked in a hot bath to try and relax, to slow my mind. Now I was tucked into bed, my attention drawn to my nightstand. The golden broach that I hadn’t worn the last few weeks suddenly called to me. Reaching over I grabbed it and rolled onto my back.

Some part of me knew this broach was involved in all of this, but I couldn’t explain it. If vampires, werewolves, and demons existed, did magic? Was the broach spelled to draw me into this chaos?

I considered Vasile’s words. He wasn’t human. He was part of the Blood Clan.

A vampire.

I was in love with a vampire.

My mind circled that thought for a moment. I had confessed that I was falling for him. But that was a lie. I had already fallen.

Vasile owned my heart, my soul.

There was no question about it. My mind moved over our interactions. I wasn’t a believer of love at first sight, but I couldn’t help admitting that I had been pulled to him.

I’d felt this pull before.

At the castle. It had drawn me to the door, drawn me into the castle. I’d tried to resist it, but it was too strong. To overpowering.

The same pull had brought me to the antique store, away from all the other items that I normally would have stopped to enjoy. Instead, I was drawn to the box that no one else had been able to open.

But had opened so easily for me.

It was meant to be.

The shop owner’s words echoed in my head. The box and broach had started my adventure here in Celtradian. An adventure that brought me to Vasile.

An adventure that made me think that maybe love at first sight was a real thing. That made me believe that maybe soul mates were real even if there was no evidence to back it up. If I was supposed to find this broach, then I was supposed to find the map and castle.

I was supposed to stumble into this world of supernatural beings.

Vasile was handsome, but that wasn’t what made me love him. Nor did the fact that he had taken my virginity matter. If I was working on the assumption that I was supposed to be here doing this crazy odd adventure, then I needed to believe that I was supposed to with Vasile.

A small part of me knew that even without these assumptions, I wasn’t going to leave Vasile. His race didn’t matter to me. I’d seen who he really was and that’s who I’d fallen in love with. Tomorrow, I would tell him exactly that. I would tell him that I chose him.