Page 14 of Azure Mania

“What are you going to do, Yvonne? I’ll keep looking, but Alice seemed to believe that the bond, the connection were a consequence from Mother Nature for being that reckless with her powers.”

“If it’s a punishment from Mother Nature, we can bid goodbye the thought of finding a solution. We won’t be able to find a damn thing.”

My heart plummets. I’m not sure what the emotions are that I’m feeling, but they’re not good. “Since I already crossed the line with Lucifer, our bond is only going to grow stronger, and stronger. And then, what is going to happen?”

We’re both immortal, unlike Alice and her werewolf. That means that we’re going to be tied together for the rest of the eternity, and neither of us has a choice here.

“Yvonne,” Octavia speaks, her voice softer. “What exactly did you infuse your blood with?”

“Alphedaleus flowers. I crushed them, then brewed them into a tea, and added some belladonna too.”

Alphedaleus is an ancient flower, and there have been rumors that it affects vampires. Now, I’m aware that Lucifer isn’t just any kind of a vampire. But mixing alphedaleus with poison and my blood; that already has too much power, will do the trick when the time comes. If it doesn’t kill him completely, it will at least take away his immortality. It’s easier to kill and torture a human, than it is a vampire.

The witch who did this before me had found it to be successful. But the alphedaleus needs to be taken constantly, then it needs to simmer in my blood for a long time before the blood is ready to use. Her notes say that I should feel the shift in my body when it’s ready to be used.

But now, I don’t even want to consider the connotations of our connection.

What if by feeding him my blood, and stripping him off his immortality, does the same thing to me, too?

I’d rather die than be a mere human again.

Chapter 9

Lucifer

I should’ve stayed asleep.

After the intense night with Yvonne, I decided I needed to clear my fucking head for a while. Now that I know where she’s living, I can always go back. She won’t up and leave, not when you consider how much thought and care she put into that place. The herbs she’s growing are unique, a lot of them illegal to grow, and I know she wouldn’t risk it being found.

But I didn’t think I’d find myself… well… here.

When I first woke up, I was driven by instincts. I left the castle in Transylvania, without so much as even speaking to my sister, Ophelia. Instead, I listened in closely, used the persuasion powers that I possess, and got on a plane. I followed Yvonne’s scent to the cottage, but I didn’t really take a moment to absorb everything.

I was too angry, too excited to see her, and then rip her head off.

Now that I’m finally able to take in the scene around me, I’m in a state of shock. The world has changed too much in two hundred years. Tall buildings — that I now know are called skyscrapers — that seem to serve no purpose. Who would want to live so high up in the sky? A minor catastrophe could strike and boom, they’re dead. Humans truly have no sense of self-preservation.

I almost got hit by a car, twice. Not only are they different from what I remember, but now there are these things called crosswalks, that I have to use to cross the street, otherwise I could get imprisoned or killed.

Not that either of those things would happen to me.

These humans live by too many rules nowadays and, although I’m not proud of it, I did steal some money from Yvonne. I needed it so I could learn the currencies, and the way money works in today’s society. I used it to buy clothes that fit the standards, and one of the women working at the boutique told me I should cut my hair. Does she not know that long hair is proof of wealth?

I know I stole from a witch, but Ophelia will reimburse her, my family has endless amounts of wealth.

Now, I’m sitting outside of a coffee shop, with a plastic cup of something they call iced coffee in my hands. It tastes… fine. I can’t really tell. Aside from blood, I can’t taste many things, but since it’s rather popular, I’d say has to be good.

“Do you know how long it took me to find you?”

My eyes snap to the side, and I spot my brother, Valerio standing there. His long, black hair is tied into a low ponytail, reaching his waistline. He’s dressed in a professional shirt, a pair of shoes that look expensive, and a pair of pants that were definitely tailored to fit his body.

“Valerio,” I lift a brow. “I didn’t think I’d see you this soon.”

“I followed your scent, after Ophelia told me you woke up,” he takes a seat next to me on the bench. “How does it feel being in the land of the living, again?”

I roll my eyes. “Eh, fine. Give me some money.”

Valerio laughs. “Money? Fine, here’s my card.”