CHAPTER 14

Larisa fluttered her long lashes as she woke up and suddenly memories of last night came flooding into her head, a red hue formed on her cheeks as she remembered how hot and intense last night was and how he almost lost control but after that her eyes became heavy and she drowned into a deep sleep.

She thanked God that Lothaire wasn't on the bed as embarrassment washed all over her face, she buried her face in her palm as she noticed she was wearing nothing but her panties.

She wrapped the duvet around her chest as she scurried into the bathroom before anyone would see her, not that anyone would just barge in but still she did.

....

Lothaire was seated in the dining with the Emperials along with Darius and Valerie as they discussed.

"You're lucky your head's not rolling off the ground, Avian.." Lothaire said firstly with a menacing look as he glared at Avian who sat not bothered with his stoic expression.

"I don't believe in luck." He said calmly but his words seemed to have gotten to Lothaire.

Onyx gulped hard, she knew how reckless and heartless Lothaire was, he had killed millions and he wouldn't bat an eye in taking off her mate's head and worse, she knew that Avian didn't bat an eye in the face of death, he couldn't care less whether he died or lived but she did, so she quickly interrupted upon seeing Lothaire's expression quickly changing.

"Uhm..Darius how did the research go? Did you find anything?" She asked, her sweet voice ringing in everyone's ears, Avian adjusted in his seat, how could her voice be that pleasing in his ears, he tried to keep his resolve as strong as ever.

Lothaire shifted his gaze to her and a wicked grin crept to his lips, 'they're mates!' He thought inwardly, it wasn't hard for him to notice with the way she looked at Avian and his uncomfortable movement upon hearing her voice and he also noticed how he avoided her.

"That's actually what I came to discuss with Lothaire." Darius concluded with a serious expression as he turned his head towards Lothaire's direction.

"Did Valerie sleep with them to get some information?" He said with a hint of mock in his voice and Valerie shot her eyes wide towards his direction, her face was contoured with anger. He was arrogant but did he really have to humiliate her in front of the Emperials.

"I have my ways!" She retorted, trying to keep her tune as neutral as possible to avoid getting on his bad side. Lothaire scoffed at her words.

"The sorcerers are up to something and its big. We're not exactly sure of the details but it seems like they're able to create powerful creatures from dark magic." Darius explained while everyone's attention were on him, even Avian shifted his gaze to him but his expression was still as cold and hard.

"Isn't that detailed enough?" Lothaire said obviously not taking the matter seriously.

"We have to figure out the details properly to defeat them, if we move carelessly, things might go out of hand." Adina said with her very serious facial expression.

"The king and queen?" Lothaire asked with a mock filled voice.

"Its been reported to them but you don't expect them to be in the fight." Onyx said with a small low voice, she was the most scared of Lothaire but she had to at least act like an Emperial.

Lothaire's deadly gaze locked on to her eyes and she immediately averted her gaze obviously scared of him. Avian watched Lothaire scaring his mate but he ignored, he didn't want to get attached, protecting her would be putting his resolve at risk.

"I'm fascinated by the sorcerers, how did they create powerful creatures from dark magic when they don't have the power to create?" Zion said, everyone's attention were on him and he pressed his lips in a thin line as he wondered whether he said something stupid or not.

The sorcerers lived in the shallow mountains of Empire D after their Kingdom was defeated in war by Lothaire, they had sworn allegiance to them and were allowed to continue their sorcery since their magic could do not much damage to the pure breeds but now it seemed like they were revolting.

"Unless...That little..." Lothaire said obviously frustrated and they all wondered why he was except Avian who had lived almost as long as Lothaire.

"Its Laverna, the goddess of infinity." Avian said but there was no display of any emotions on his face as Lothaire. The rest of them didn't really have any idea of who she was but they had heard about her.

At Lothaire's time, there were different mythical creatures on earth and not just vampires and demons.

There was a time when powerful gods and goddess tried to rule over the humans and the vampires were not excluded, since they were not as powerful as they were but fortunately, they had the devil's son by their side and Lothaire easily defeated them but Laverna was inevitable and immortal, so they had no choice but to bargain with her since she wasn't power hungry, making her less of a threat than the others.

She promised to keep the peace since she had no reason to wage war with them.

"Do you have any idea why she would give the sorcerers the power to create?" Onyx asked slightly panicking. Lothaire was about to speak when Larisa walked in and his mouth fell open a little as his eyes wandered to his Angel dressed in a black short dress, the colour which pulled him like a magnet as she wore it, he noticed his hanging mouth and reflexively closed it.

Avian stared at him in dismay and he would never imagine that been him.

Larisa was flustered by Lothaire's reaction upon seeing her in front of everyone and her cheeks reddened as she took her seat, she realized they were probably talking about something before she came in. Valerie glared at her and she returned it while Onyx and Zion gave her a pleasing smile.

"Can we continue please?" Darius concluded as he watched the distracted look on Lothaire's face.

"Whats the big deal, we'll just kill them all." He said thoughtlessly as he stared at his Angel eating. Darius rolled his eyes as he pinched between his brows and when Larisa saw his face, she figured it was a serious discussion.

"Even if we kill the sorcerers what about the unknown creatures? We don't even know how powerful they are since Laverna created them." Adina added in with a very serious expression and her voice rising.

.The sorcerers were not a threat but if it was what she was thinking, that the sorcerers created powerful creatures to forcefully take their Empire back, then it would mean serious war for them and maybe the extinct of their kind except Lothaire of course.

"We'll summon Laverna then." Lothaire said casually while they all glanced at him with widened eyes except Avian.

"Is that even possible? I mean..She's nothing like us, she's a goddess, will she even listen to us?" Zion said with a worried expression on his face, the air grew tense and Larisa could feel the tensity rising, the situation was definitely serious and she wondered what the problem could be.

"Avian will bring her here and Onyx will escort him there." Lothaire said and a wicked grin flashed on his handsome face as he watched the flustered face of Onyx but Avian's face was still straight and devoid of emotions.

"I'll go alone." He said firmly.

"Its an order, Onyx will escort you tomorrow." Lothaire ordered as he locked his eyes with Avian as if daring him to complain but Avian didn't say another word, the rest of them unaware of why Lothaire had paired them up for the journey thought it was a good idea.

"Tomorrow?" Zion asked with raised brows, he thought the journey was too early and unprepared for.

"The earlier the better." Lothaire said with a smirk.

"But they're unprepared, Avian might know about Laverna but I think its still too risky for them." Valerie who had been sitting quietly chipped in.

"All they need is a gift and she'll welcome them with open arms, she's quite hospitable." He said with a hint of cunningness in his eyes. Larisa could see how important the problem was and curiosity really hit her.

"What would a goddess possibly not have?" Adina asked clearly frustrated to her wits.

"Her sister." Lothaire replied and for the first time in his life, Avian's expression changed to a puzzled one.