Standing beside a shackled and gagged prisoner, Mirceo gazed up at Lothaire--the red-eyed king--with a defeated expression.
What was happening? The tension between them was so taut it seemed to reverberate. Figure it out later. Cas readied to trace--
Trehan clamped his shoulder to prevent him. "Lothaire has been in rare form these last few days," he said in a low tone. "If you'd like to survive this day, I suggest you stay out of his way."
Cas growled, "Who hurt my mate? Was it Lothaire?"
"If the king thrashes you, how well will you be able to help Kosmina? You choked back your fury earlier with me. You must again. You have a family to think about now."
Cas sank his claws into his palms, grappling not to attack the king.
Lothaire stalked closer to Mirceo. "Do it. Do it for your sister," he said. "That is a royal command."
Do what???
Appearing dazed, Mirceo leaned toward the restrained male--toward his neck.
Cas's mate was about to bite another! He tensed to fling himself away from Trehan.
Just before Mirceo's lips made contact, a blood tear tracked down his cheek. He drew back, shaking his head. "I-I can't."
Cas knew how much Mirceo loved his sister, could see how starved the vampire was--how could he not bite that male?
Lothaire snapped, "If you don't drink Kristoff, I will."
"No way," the queen--Elizabeth?--said from her throne. "Any more memories'll send you right over the edge."
Lothaire gruffly said, "I'll be fine, Lizvetta. When did everyone get so fucking persnickety over this?"
"Forget it, Leo."
Lothaire turned to Mirceo, baring his fangs. "Kosmina is in jeopardy."
Another vampire male said, "Because you sent her out!"
"Do I need to crush your skull again, Viktor?"
A hulking Dacian with a flask in hand--must be Stelian--said, "As if you care about Mina. Let's not pretend."
"Kosmina Daciano is my blood relation. Mine. No one takes from me." To Mirceo, Lothaire said, "Bite Kristoff's godsdamned neck! Your sister's life is on the line."
"I know that!" Mirceo all but sobbed. "This is killing me!"
His pain is my pain.
Trehan increased the pressure on Caspion's shoulder.
Lothaire thundered, "Do it now! Do you not want your sister saved?" Abruptly changing tack, he softly queried, "Do you think she's frightened right now? Will little Kosmina cry for you? Don't you believe she's already injured?"
Blood tears streaming, Mirceo bashed his fists against his head.
THIRTY-FIVE
Mirceo beat his skull and tore at his hair. Was Mina crying for her big brother? Was she scared? Is she . . . dead?
Though the need to save her clawed at his throat, his fangs were dull and useless. His mind understood why this act was necessary, yet his body remained irrevocably faithful to his mate. Mirceo had even tried to imagine he was about to sink his fangs into one of Caspion's warm, welcoming veins, but his body hadn't been fooled.
He'd just thought, I need my demon, when familiar hands seized his wrists. A low voice soothed: "Hey, hey, love. I've got you." Strong arms enfolded him. "Shh, shh. Stop this, vampire. I've got you."
Caspion. Mirceo shuddered from relief. "Am I dreaming you?"
"I'm here."
Lothaire demanded, "Who the hell is this demon in my court?"
Pride ringing in his tone, Caspion said, "I'm the tracker who's going to get Mina back."
How had Caspion found out? How had the demon reached this kingdom?
Anger disappearing as if it had never been, Lothaire returned to his throne. "Continue, demon tracker."
"If she wasn't in the Forbearers' stronghold, then they don't have her. You waste your time. That's not the trail."
"Then who does have her? What is the trail?"
Caspion asked Mirceo, "Does your arm still pain you?"
"Yes. I believe she was injured, and I feel it. Have for days."
Caspion nodded. "As long as you feel that pain, you know she's alive."
"But where?"
"Why would an immortal vampire, a female, not heal from a mere arm injury?"
Realization. His legs gave out, and he sagged against Caspion.
"No, Mirceo," the demon murmured. "We will find her. And we will heal her."
Lothaire canted his head. "You think she has the plague. Interesting."
Interesting??? Mirceo almost attacked again.
Caspion said, "The Gaolers might have taken her to their dimension. Which would explain why your oracle can't see her."
"Ah, the demigod devils are riding again? They used to be much more active. Of course, there used to be many more sick vampires before those sweeps began." To the court, Lothaire said, "If Mina has the plague, then the Gaolers have her. Sadly, she will not be returning home."
"Leo!" the queen snapped. "You better start behaving yourself."
Mirceo nearly vomited again.
Lothaire said, "Those phantasms are untouchable--and there are few beings I consider beyond even my unholy reach. No one knows whence they come."
Caspion had said the Gaolers' dimension couldn't be reached. Dear gods, what if she ran afoul of Silt Harea--the male who'd threatened to kill anyone Mirceo loved?
Caspion squared his shoulders. "I can get to the Gaolers."
_______
Lothaire laughed. "This I must hear. How can you find demigods?"
Cas said, "Because I know where they will go in the future--and when."
Mirceo cast him a questioning look.
Cas told Lothaire, "Mirceo and I are going to capture another one of their bounties. When the Gaolers come to collect, we will collect them."
Lothaire flashed his fangs. The king's version of a smile? "I approve of your cunning. Which bounty will you retrieve?"
"There are several possibilities. Once Mirceo has fed and healed"--Cas directed a look of menace at Lothaire--"he and I will assess the bounties with other seasoned hunters."
"Keep me informed." Lothaire's attention fell to his gagged and shackled prisoner. "Apologies, Kristoff. Apparently your faction had nothing to do with the Dacianos' troubles. No hard feelings, brother." Kristoff yelled behind his gag, thrashing. Unaffected, Lothaire said, "I assume we're still on for our match this afternoon. I will even move your chess pieces while your broken fingers heal. Best keep your eye on your queen." Lothaire took Elizabeth's hand. About to trace her away, he paused to ask Mirceo, "Why is that demon still embracing you?"
Mirceo lifted his bruised chin. "He's my mate."
Lothaire's red eyes widened and blazed. "I don't care how valuable he is for us to use, I forbid such a union in my kingdom!" He slammed his free hand down on his throne's armrest, disintegrating it. "Not on my watch! If you want that male, I'll exile you."
Sounding crazed, Mirceo said, "Then my mate and I are going to live in a dismal cave and hunt Wendigos for the rest of our lives."
Cas shot him a side look. Pardon?
Mirceo muttered to him, "I realized I would rather that scenario with you than anything else without you."
The queen snatched her hand away from Lothaire and glared at him. "What the hell is wrong with this match, Leo?" The angrier she got, the thicker her country accent grew. "They clearly care about each other."
"Mirceo is my blood! And he dares to proclaim this male as his mate? Bringing this"--he gestured to Cas and Mirceo--"into my court?"
Cas clutched Mirceo's frail form against him. He'd figured they would get pushback somewhere or sometime--simply because they possessed two dicks between them--but he hadn't thought it would come from a three-millennia-old vampire.
Voice thrumming with fury, the queen told Lothaire, "You had better check yourself."
Lothaire threw his hands up as if all the world had gone mad. "When Trehan mated a sorceress with demon blood, I tolerated the match, even encouraged it. But now Mirceo's mate is a full-blooded demon? With horns! Will
Viktor bring home a Wendigo? Stelian will surely mate a ghouless. When we find Kosmina, she'll probably be knocked up with centaur foals. Lizvetta, there's only so much I can STAND!"
"Wait," Cas said, "you don't care that I'm male?"
Lothaire blinked those creepy eyes. "Why the fuck would I care if you're male?"
Then solely because I'm a demon?
The queen frowned. "For lordy sakes, I thought you'd be more tolerant since your queen was a human 'peasant' before you turned her into a vampire."
Lothaire gazed down into her eyes, and his expression softened. "Ah, but you were different, my love. There is uncommon greatness in you."
Her eyes went soft as well, and she gave a resigned sigh. "You're digging yourself deeper than a mole." She turned to Cas. "I'm Ellie, and I'm so happy to welcome you here to Dacia, Prince Caspion. I know you will protect Mirceo to the death and help bring back Mina. We officially recognize your union in front of all." To Lothaire, she pointedly said, "Don't we, Leo?"