Chapter 35

Ava changed into a vibrant green dress and sank onto the soft bed, finally allowing herself to relax. The confinement of the palace was taking a toll on her, making her yearn for her mother and her dear brother Luke. She needed some fresh air, to escape from the weirdness that seemed to be engulfing her.

Damon's anger still lingered in her mind, causing her heart to feel heavy and conflicted. As if that wasn't enough, she found herself questioning her feelings for Alex. Her emotions were a tangled mess, and she couldn't make sense of them.

"What am I doing wrong?" she whispered to herself in frustration. She longed for a way to decipher her feelings and put an end to the unwarranted drama.

Just then, a maid entered the room, tossing a neat pile of clothes into the closet. Mumbling to herself, Ava turned towards her and asked, "Is there anything we can do? This palace is suffocating my lungs."

A glimmer of hope filled Ava's eyes as she replied, "We're heading to the market now. You can join us if you'd like."

"Great, that will do," Ava perked up. They met two other maids outside, one named Julio and the other twins named Mary and Mara. Finally, Ava had found some companionship in this unfamiliar place.

As they arrived at the market, Ava's eyes widened at the strange items being sold. There were magic stones, tools used in witch trials, auctions taking place, apples with mysterious effects, and an assortment of colorful stones and creatures that only existed in a magical world.

"Hey miss, buy the love stone. Whoever you give it to will fall for you," an old woman called out, trying to sell her wares. Ava paused, considering the offer.

"How much?" she asked curiously.

"Twenty silver coins," the woman replied.

Ava handed her the coins, smiling kindly, realizing deep down that the stone was probably just a gimmick. Nevertheless, she wanted to help the woman in some way. Tucking the stones into her pocket, she suddenly realized that she had lost track of the other girls she had come with.

"Julio!" she called out, her eyes frantically searching the bustling market. "Mara! Mary!"

As panic started to settle in, Ava's head began to spin. She felt a sudden wave of dizziness and fatigue. Damon being pissed with me is stressful for me to bear.

" aren't you a rich girl " A gigantic man stepped forward then two stood behind me "We will need your company for a while "

" what do you want "

" capture her" was all he had to say before the two behind me hit her head hard enough for her to lose consciousness.

Damon walks into Jeffrey's room unannounced, watching his brother make love to his woman. He wasn't surprised nor was Jeffrey because they had once shared a woman " brother!!!" Jeffrey chuckled "Do you want to join in " he spoke between each thrust of his hip into the naked woman lying beneath him.

Her moan was loud enough to wake a sleeping dragon from underneath the sea.

" no, I need to talk to you "

" I need to finish...."

Cutting him off I growl " Now Jeffrey, am not here for games "

" Okay," he increased his speed not minding that the woman was hurting and screaming for him to stop " am done " he shuddered as he poured his seed into her "Don't get pregnant or you're dead " The woman nodded, and she must be a maid " get out " I watch Jeffrey throw her clothes at her then she staggers out naked " what's so important you have to say " Jeffrey mumbling while putting on his short, grabbing a cigarette and sitting down.

" This is simple " I smile " Who gave you permission to kiss my woman?"

" What??"

" you heard me Jeffrey "Stepping closer he stood on his feet " I never remember me telling you that you can do to Ava as you wish "

"Forgive me, Damon," he swallows, his voice filled with regret. "I just wanted to know how she tastes, why you're so into her." Before I can control myself, a surge of anger takes over and I raise my hand, delivering a punch to his face. It's not too hard, but it's enough to knock out one of his teeth.

"What the fuck, man!" he exclaims, his hand covering his bleeding mouth. I don't hesitate and give him another punch, causing him to fall to the ground.

"That's just a warning, Jeffrey. Touch what's mine again and you'll regret it," I warn him sternly.

"Fine!" he responds, his voice filled with fear and defeat.

Just then, Anna walks into the room, wrapping a robe around herself. It's apparent that she's naked underneath, but I find myself uninterested in her body compared to Ava's.

"Hey, Damon, you decided to join the party?" she remarks flirtatiously, starting to take off her robe. However, I'm not in the mood for any of it.

"Not in the mood, Anna," I reply curtly, trying to ignore her advances.

"Come on!" she persists, wrapping her hands around my neck and pressing herself against me. "Just the tip."

With no interest in my eyes, I push her away gently but firmly. "Not in the mood," I repeat, walking out of the room and running my hands through my hair in frustration.

"Are you okay, Mr. D?" Zulu asks, her voice full of concern. I look down at her, realizing that she has a glow about her after her recent encounter. "You look frustrated."

"I am Zulu," I say as we walk towards the library. "But you don't have to worry, I have things under control."

"Are you sure?" Zulu sounds concerned, even when I've assured her that she doesn't need to worry about me. I turn around and gently caress her cheek. "I'm fine, Zulu. Ava seems to be causing me some trouble."

"What sort of trouble?" she asks, folding her hands. I offer a fake laugh, realizing that Ava is the only one who can truly make me laugh, while Zulu always wants to protect me and fight my battles, even when I can handle it.

"She doesn't want me to touch her," I explain.

"Why is that?"

Turning back towards the library, I continue walking. There's a specific book I need to check out before we return to New York tomorrow. "I don't know, Zulu. By the way, where is Chase?" I give her a serious look, causing her to cough. "Did you scare him to death?"

"No!" Zulu chuckles. "He's crying."

"Crying?" I raise an eyebrow in surprise.

Zulu nods. "He said he's betrayed his mate. I never knew he had found his mate."

"I see." I move into the library, mumbling to myself. "Can you tell Ava to come here? I don't want her far from me in this confusing palace."

"Okay, Mr. D," Zulu replies obediently.

Listening to Zulu's footsteps fade away, I walk through the library, scanning the shelves in search of the book of names. It is a particular book that helps summon demons, granting them the power to serve and obey.

This book will be crucial in the upcoming war, giving the dragons an advantage over the vampires. However, not just anyone can use this book. It usually only accepts women, women with kind and innocent souls, women that demons will cherish and protect their purity.

Ava used to be the one person I could trust to handle this book. And since I've hidden it myself, only I know where it is. Proceeding towards the wall, I touch different rocks three times before it opens gently, revealing the book.

Suddenly, I hear a voice in my head. I place my hands on my ears and pay closer attention. "Damon! Do you hear me?" It's Grant's voice, and it makes me furrow my brow because he only contacts me through our mental link when it's something serious.

"Shoot," I answer, exhaling and preparing myself for whatever news is about to come.

"From my sources, I've heard that Ava was abducted. She was heading to the marketplace with some maids and suddenly vanished."

"Where are you right now?" I ask.

"I and Chase are in the market, trying to figure out what happened."

"I'm on my way," I respond, feeling a sense of urgency.

Shoving the book into my pocket, I quickly exit the library, determined to find Ava and bring her back safely.