“The Council is going to issue reprimands once they realize we’re not handing over our marked animi,” Wolfgang warned.“And they’re not just going to go away when we refuse to comply.”
Azure rolled his eyes.Why was everyone so dramatic?“As we speak, I have the mate of a powerful Damarian sharing her life force and magic with ten human women.Those women will become animi in a matter of hours.I will continue to make more and more using strong, natural animi.Our kingdoms will have fully mated, shifting males.Soon, the others won’t be able to stand against us.”
Wolfgang was quiet for a moment.“Who is she?”
“There’s no reason to burden you with the details.You just make sure and hold up your end of the deal, and I will make sure you get all the females you need to make your kingdom thrive.”
“Fine,” Wolfgang growled.“Don’t screw this up, Azure.Or I’ll let my queen have her way.She’s been asking for a snakeskin belt to go with her boots.She happens to find your scales quite beautiful, though it annoys her to no end that she feels that way.”
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just threaten to kill me and turn me into a belt,” Azure said dryly.“I’ll be in touch.”He ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket.He’d have to watch his back when he was around Wolfgang and his mate Talulla, AKA Queen Tal.Shewascrazy enough to attempt to kill Azure.Then Zeena would feel the need to defend him, and all hell would break loose.He tilted his head to the side, seeing the battle in his mind.Then again, it might be fun to watch.Maybe at some point he’d give Talulla the opportunity to attack him just for kicks and giggles.
There was a knock on his door, and he turned.“Come in.”
Slick walked in.The young male wore black jeans and a black, sleeveless shirt that revealed chorded, muscular arms, both of which showed scale tattoos.Slick found it amusing that they were so close to how his actual beastwalker form appeared.His chiseled jaw was clenched tight, and his eyes lit with the fires of hell.Slick was pissed.Azure had a feeling he knew what the male wanted.
“You let her go?”Slick’s voice barely kept a human tone.
“She isn’t your concern, Slick.”Azure’s tone was a tad patronizing.But it was hard not to be patronizing when he felt like he was constantly dealing with overgrown adolescent boys.
“I want her for my mate.”
“She hasss a mate,” Azure bit back.
The male’s hands fisted at his sides.“They’re not bonded.I’d have scented it on her.He can be dealt with.She will get over his death and move on.”
“You want to kill her mate?”Azure’s brow rose, surprised at the male’s boldness.“You don’t even know who it isss.Remember that dire wolf that attacked you?”Azure asked, as if there could be any confusion about who he was speaking of.“Gage is her mate.You still want to kill him?Or try to?”
“Gage isn’t a god.He’s capable of being killed,” Slick pointed out.“The others of his kind were wiped out with no problem.”
Azure couldn’t help but laugh.“With no problem?”He shook his head.“Sometimes I forget that some of you didn’t live in Damaria.I assure you, there were plenty of problems when the dire wolvesss and the kingdoms battled.They took many to the grave with them.”Azure ran a hand down his face.He was tired.Zeena was driving him crazy with her jealousy and desire to become pregnant.Though he, too, wanted children, it wasn’t exactly the best time.He was just trying to keep his kingdom from growing weaker.
“Why do you want her so badly?”
Slick looked away, his stance relaxing a bit.“She’s just different.Strong, witty, independent but not…” He searched for a word but came up short as he shook his head.
“Bitchy?”Azure offered.
Slick shrugged a shoulder with a huff of laughter.“Yeah.”
“True.That’s a hard combination to come acrossss.Most confident women feel the need to lord their superiority over men, thereby making the male emasculated.A powerful female is very attractive, especially to our kind.But a strong female, willing to be vulnerable with only you, that’sss something to hold on to.”
Slick shuffled and rolled his shoulders back.“She’s gone then?”
“No.”Azure seriously considered allowing Slick the opportunity to choose his own destiny instead of having to take the scraps from their Creator.“I moved her to a different part of the mansion because I need her help.”
“Gage isn’t here?”Slick looked around as if the wolf might jump out from behind a curtain or piece of furniture.
“No, he went to get our newly marked animi from the Kingdom of Fangs.”According to Link, Gage wasn’t coming back with the females, which struck Azure as very odd.If Katy were his mate, his beast would demand they come to her.Rescue her.Azure studied Slick.The male had been a loyal subject.Obeying orders.Not questioning.He’d never been shy about making his interest clear when it came to new females brought in, but if the female showed no interest in him, he backed off.What male would want to force a female to be with him?There was no joy in that.
If Slick fought Gage and won, and that was a long shot, then Katy would be free to mate someone else, but that wouldn’t change the fact that she was a dire wolf.Azure would have access to her magic all the time.And if Slick fought Gage and lost, Azure was simply down one male who wasn’t strong enough to survive.Also, it would be entertaining as hell to watch Gage be called out for a female that he obviously didn’t want.
“Slick, look out this window.”Azure motioned toward the window facing the back courtyard.“What do you see?”
The snake walked over and looked out into the night.“An outdoor seating area, some garden lights, and a well-manicured lawn.”
Azure nodded.“Yes, but there’s more.Look closer.Look for something tall and black as pitch.It has no windows.Only a single door and on the door?—”
“Is a silver serpent,” Slick said softly.“Where the hell did that building come from, and how does it fit there?”
