Wow, guys! I can't believe we're now at Chapter 35, this feels like a freaking milestone for me.

Sh!t is about to hit the effin fan. Well.... lemme correct myself...

MORE sh!t is about to hit the effin fan. Ha ha ha.

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'Thoughts are like shadows dancing with smoke.'

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After Vladimir left us alone, I never thought we would ever leave the steamy confines of the shower. All this love and passion is crashing down on me like ocean waves during a storm. It's all very sudden but little by little I'm starting to love it.

I didn't even realize the impact he has now had in my life and can honestly say that I am a lot more content with life. After all, deals are meant to be broken and I want nothing more than to void all deals I ever made with Valentine. Unfortunately, I made an irrevocable deal with his brother and unless he dies, my soul is forever his.

Different feelings fly through my body like beams of light passing through the darkness. Earlier today I felt like was on cloud nine, which I had trouble getting off of, and now I'm full of concern because it now sounds like a world war is about to start.

"Datura must have her," I say through my teeth while walking past the ballroom and into the foyer. Both Valentine and Vladimir look to me and the expressions on their face indicated nothing but an agreement to my accusation.

On top of all that has happened, everything has winded further into hell than expected and we have lost the little bit of advantage we had over Datura. Ari was last seen heading to her home and upon checking her house, there was no trace of her.

"I'd like to think otherwise," Valentine mutters. "Datura may be powerful, but Ari is just as strong. I don't think Ari would have allowed herself to be taken."

"I hope your right, Valentine, because with Cassandra still asleep and with the barriers falling we're going to lose," I argue. "We need to find her and I need to get out of this damn castle."

Vladimir clears his throat and my eyes flick to him. "King Acarius has summoned a meeting with Grand council today and has asked for the two of you to join. Unfortunately, we're not the only kingdom that is affected by all of this."

I am momentarily struck. The Grand Council consists of all Royals from each of the seven Kingdoms of the Underworld. They meet only when more than two Kingdoms are in danger.

A loud and humorless laugh drifts from Valentine's mouth and echoes against the walls. "Us, with the Grand Council? You're joking."

My eyebrows furrow over my eyes and Vladimir shrugs his shoulders to dismiss Valentine's obvious disbelief in the matter. "I wish I was."

"We are not going," Valentine snarls. "The last time I attended a council meeting with all seven kingdoms was when I was exiled and stripped of my title."

I look at Valentine, confused. Shouldn't this be a good thing? If we are to speak with all monarchs from each of the seven kingdoms and inform them of the events that lead to this, they may be able to help us. Vampires are strong and powerful, but Datura has harnessed enough darkness and power to break down the barriers that are dividing all creatures of the Underworlds. Without it, the entire world will be in danger. Humans may be an inferior race, but they outrun our population and have been for thousands of years. Not many really speak of it, but this earth was, indeed, created for them.

"When's the meeting?" I ask, feeling a little too eager to attend.

"In half an hour. I received notice that half of the royals have already arrived, so, you two should head over to Talmira right away." Vladimir's is a bit more scratched than normal. The dark pigment under his eyes was a sign that he hasn't been sleeping. He seems a lot more tired than usual.

"We'll get there on time. Thank you, Vladimir." I give him a small smile and he takes out a mobile device from his back pocket to start furiously texting. After sending a message to Talmira's representatives, he looks up and sighs aloud.

"I just sent confirmation of your attendance. They're expecting you."

"You should rest. If we are to look for Ari, you'll need all your energy."

His mouth gapes open and I smirk, getting the answer to my guess. It's clear that he has a deeper regard for Amaryllis.

"H-how," he stops speaking to clear his throat. I probably just revealed his secret. His face, which seemed shocked at first relaxed as his gaze darted from mine to Valentine's. "Is it that obvious?"

"You're not hiding anything from us, Vlad," Valentine takes this time to complete my own thoughts. "I know for a fact that you've had a crush on Ari since you two dug around the crypts together a year ago."

My lips turn up in amusement and I realize that Vladimir's face has now changed into a rosy color to indicate his obvious affection for the missing witch. It's quite a sight, to see a vampire so flustered over a woman who has been around for centuries.

"Well, damn," he curses in embarrassment. "I guess there is no use in hiding it now."

I chuckle at his comment and nod in agreement. Again, I surprise myself by smiling - something that can definitely be forgotten at a time like this. I've been around for hundreds of years but feel like I was born yesterday. Although my life has been filled with a spectrum of colors and experiences, I feel like I'm learning everything all over again.

"No," I shake my head in amusement. I give Vladimir another smile before heading out to the cove. "We'll see you in a few hours, my friend."

Vladimir gives us a mock salute and he twists on his heels to return to his duties. I hoped he would at least be able to attend the meeting with us, but unfortunately, these meetings are very exclusive. I look over to Valentine and suddenly, I feel my heart beat hard against my chest. His dark eyes locked mine in an inescapable gaze and my entire body explodes in heat as if I was thrown into an open flame.

"Oh, don't think you're off the hook, sweetheart," he says in a deep and reprimanding tone. I take me a few seconds to realize what's he's referring to and when I do, I had the urge to laugh at him.

"It's a council meeting, Valentine, what could possibly go wrong?"

He closes the gap between us until I was staring right into his wide shoulders. I have no choice but to look up at him and give him an innocent smile. He sighs and I his minty breath latches onto my senses, almost making me forget all about our little charade.

"They have the power to do anything. The last thing I want is for the two of us to be executed or worse, be exiled to live in Inferus with hell's angels. If you thought I was a monster, you have no idea what kind of evil lurks in that kingdom," he twists his face in disgust and for some reason that increases my amusement.

"Come on, it can't be that bad." I dismiss his comment but keep it in the back of my mind. I try to hide my own fear of the council because half of the kingdoms there actually hate me and want me dead. He presses himself against me and my core melts because of the invisible cord connecting the two of us to each other. He leans down and brushes his lips against my cheek.

"You can't talk your way out of this, Saphira. When we get back I will make sure you won't be able to walk for a week," he whispers very huskily in my ear.

I blush furiously at his innuendo and bite my lip. How is he able to affect me this much?

"If I even let you near enough to do that."

"Wanna bet?" His eyebrow turns up in a perfect arch over his beautiful eye.

My mouth dries as his hand falls on my waist while his cool fingers trail under my shirt. I closed my eyes in pleasure as he takes my earlobe in his mouth and sucks gently with his cold, wet tongue.

"Valentine, not here," I mutter breathlessly, worrying that I might not be able to stop and start ripping his clothes off.

"Yes, here," he growls under my ear as he starts teasing the skin on my neck. He betrays me by moving is hands down my thigh and under my skirt to grab the flesh on my inner thigh. I feel nothing but fire under my skin as he torturously plays with my skin, teasing me to the brink of ecstasy. He takes me bottom lip between his teeth and tugs until I am whimpering for more. I moan and make an attempt to bring my head back from the clouds, where it's having trouble to get out of. What is happening to me? I've never been so sexually frustrated in all of my life?

I am completely aware that the connection we have is strong, but to constantly want him this much is completely different from all of the things I've experienced in my body. With my thought swirling like hurricanes in my head, I feel a breeze of air hit me as Valentine pulls himself away. He looks down at me with a smirk on his lips as he sees my legs wobble from his handiwork. He pushed me to the edge which, most likely, made me look like a dog in heat and that aggravated me even more. I give him a scowl while trying to compose myself and straighten my wrinkled clothes.

"I'm driving," I snap.

"No, you are not," he returns, still looking amused at my appearance and aroused body. He starts walking to lead me to the garage where an array of cars beautifully sat.

"And why the hell not?" I cross my arms and glare sharply at him. He only gives me a dashing smile as he opens the passenger door to a big armored car.

"Because I said so."

I roll my eyes at him and sit in the seat. I brush my body against his and once again another flurry of sparks erupt between us. I ignore it and pull the door to a close. As I get in I notice the dark tinted windows and the thick glass. This must be one of the armored cars for the King and Queen - to protect them from any possible harm.

Valentine slides into the driver's seat and the garage door opens letting in a blast of sunlight which made me gasp and quickly cover my eyes. I expected burning sensations on my skin and the image of my body turning into ash before my eyes. When I don't feel anything, Valentine places a hand on my arm and leans close.

"It's alright, sweetheart, this car is UV-proof," he reassures in confidence. I relax from the tone of his voice and sit back on my seat as we roll out of the garage.

Throughout the drive to Talmira my gets caught in a sea of concerns. With Ari gone, we have neither foresight nor magical help to counter Datura's attacks and without Cassandra, Numidia will be under the hands of Sebastian, who I am still accusing to be the shifter that stabbed me. Although Valentine is confident that it wasn't the King, I will not let the nagging feeling go.

If Sebastian ends up being the shifter, what will happen to the vampire monarch? The Constantin's have ruled the vampires since the beginning of time and can't afford for new blood to take over. Would Valentine or Augustine be made King again? Would their titles be returned to them along with an entire Kingdom to govern?

How are we to kill Datura if has a hold of Amaryllis and Lucius? My mind races against itself in a plight to find the answers to all of these questions. As every second passes by my body gets more anxious about the possibility of everyone dying and it's all going to be because of me.

"Saphira," Valentine calls out, pulling me from the thought I was swimming deeper and deeper into.

I shake away the thoughts and glance at him. He has one hand on the steering wheel and the other on my shoulder. "We're here."

Glancing around me, I notice that we are underground. Little is said about what goes on under Talmira because it is an ancient place, only opened to the Grand Council when a meeting is called. 

I expected a dark, crypt-like space to invade my vision but as my eyes scan over the area I see nothing but a bright space with multiple pillars and gold filigree adorning each corner and edge off the walls and ceilings. This place seems like it's out of this world, even the atmosphere is heavenly - just like Lavare Immortalis.

With his hand on my lower back, Valentine escorts me into the a large area with a wide fluid ceiling. It's bright but I'm having trouble locating the source of all of this light. As I get closer I recognize that the ceiling is a pool of silver liquid that is suspended in the air. Fascinated by it, I open my mouth to inquire about the strange magic from Valentine.

"We're right under Lavare Immortalis," he answers my question without me uttering a single word.

I hear a pair of footsteps head toward us and I told my head in the same direction. A woman with fiery, red hair with a modest white dress approaches us. Her heels click against the stone floor and she halts a few feet from us. "Welcome! My name is Irina, Council Secretary. They have been expecting you," she greets with the smile. "The meeting will start as soon as you walk through the doors."

"Thank you, Irina," Valentine politely nods.

Valentine leads me through a pair of doors and immediately the hair on my skin rises. I feel my limbs shiver from the amount of power and authority swimming in the air. The council room is a large space with red and gold decorations on each of it's five walls. A round table sat in the middle of the pentagon with seats surrounding it. On the seats sat the most powerful and influential individuals on the Underworld.

I suddenly become conscious myself as each pair of eyes watch as we take the only other available seats in the room. To my right a young handsome man with piercing aquamarine eyes smiles down at me. I take his godly appearance in, starting from his golden hair to his lean and perfectly muscled legs. I steal a glance at the digital nameplate in front of him and mentally gasp. 'Prince Kai of Atlantis,' it read.

I lift my head as I hear a booming greeting from the man across the table. A man with graying hair sat regally on a large chair. This must be Acarius, head Warlock and King of Elriel. "Valentine and Saphira," he announced with a smooth voice. "Thank you for accepting our invitation. We meet today to discuss the casualties we have witnessed within the Kingdoms. You'll have to excuse my wife, Helena, she had other matters to attend to."

I nod and open my mouth to speak. "It's our pleasure your Highness. Words cannot express our gratitude for this meeting."

My eyes dart to the others in the room. Sebastian, who is alone, sits to Valentine's left, representing for Numidia. An attractive middle aged man sits in the next seat with his wife by his side. I know him well to be King Rowland and Queen Thalia of Demoira, Kingdom of the lycan's. They have quite a reputation as one of the strongest and family oriented Kingdoms.

Beside Prince Kai or the Merfolk, sits by fairly young woman who's jewelry sparkled like the stars. Her lavender hair flowed in beautiful soft curls past her waist, framing her timeless beauty. The woman, who's name is Rowena, is accompanied by her Son, Kilian, who is substituting for his late father, Finnegan. The Faerie Queen is training her son to be ready to take the Throne in Aurelia, Kingdom of Faeriefolk and Nymphs.

Besides King Acarius is large man who has kept a dark and intense glare at me as if he was willing the chair to swallow me whole. Death and evil is seeping off of  him like a thick fog and I cross my legs to stop myself from trembling. 'Rathmoor of Inferus,' the nameplate declared. Inferus is the dark and fiery Kingdom of the fallen. They are commonly known as hell's angels or demons. Rathmoor is considered an emperor, exercising dominion over it's inhabitants.

Last but certainly not least, Celestia, Kingdom of the Nephilim and Angels. Two beautiful and flawless young men sit adjacent to each other, looking straight at me with calm expressions. They both seem to be a most relaxed out of everyone here and not a hair on their perfectly sculpted heads was out of place. I have never met a nephilim but it only makes sense because they are always on an errand to bring peace to humans.

King Acarius speaks again. "We are also here to address all situations properly, in a timely manner. Along with the barriers between the Lycan's and the Vampires, we have reports of killings within the Elriel. Datura has unleashed the power of hell on Earth and will stop at nothing."

Valentine, who looks just as powerful and regal in his chair, clears his throat to say something. "If I may, Your Majesty. We all know what Datura is capable of, the question is, as the Grand Council are you willing to help us defeat her?"

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I hope that didn't confuse you. It's like 2 am here. Lol.
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