Rori found his feet, no longer leaning on Jonas. He fixed the cuffs of his shirt and stared out into the night. With his head held high, he took in a deep breath of crisp night air.
“I think it’s time I went to court.”
Jonas furrowed his brow.
“I accept my claim to the throne,” Rori said. “I’ve lived on the outskirts for too long. I’ve trusted witches to a fault. No more. I will take my throne, and I will do what’s best for the vampires.”
“Uh…” Jonas eyed him skeptically. “You know the emperor works with the witches on the council, right? Wolves, too?”
Rori turned slowly and gave Jonas a wicked grin. “Of course. The Ember Witch, Esmine. She serves on the council, does she not?”
Jonas didn’t answer.
“She will be delighted that I have chosen to accept my throne. It was what she wanted all along.” Rori strode forward, and Jonas took quick steps to keep up. “You’ll have to tell me more about the wolf. I can’t say I know much about him.”
“You do realize you aren’t the emperor,” Jonas said cautiously.
Rori chuckled. “Oh, you misunderstand. I am the vampire of the prophecy. I may not be yet, but it is my fate to be your ruler.”
Jonas paused his steps. Rori kept going. The air was thick with foreboding.
Rori would see to the end of the Ember Witches. He would take his throne and use his vampire army to end them. They were the first to betray him, the first to suggest he couldn’t have his love, and they would be the first to go. Once that was done, then Rori would take care of the wolf. They were tricky beasts. Unfortunately, he couldn’t just take out one wolf without repercussions. He would have to go after a whole pack, which would take time. All of it would take time. All of it would take research. But Rori had time. He had all the time in the world.
The first item on his list was to impress the advisors. He had to prove he was the vampire of the prophecy. The rest would fall into place once that was done.
Rori looked over his shoulder at Jonas. The man had fallen back a few paces, not as hot on Rori’s heels as he had been in the past. Rori chuckled at the look of concern on Jonas’s face.
“Come along now,” Rori taunted, speaking to Jonas like a puppy. “Don’t dawdle. We have much to do and have already lost some of the night.”
Jonas had every right to be concerned. Rori wasn’t the same vampire he was when the night started. He had altered his mission. The goal was the same—he still wanted Divina—however, the means to getting her were no longer nice and romantic. It was time to change tactics. The wolf had manipulated his love away from him. The witches had meddled too much, and Rori couldn’t let that stand. He had to be aggressive.
Rori was meant to lead his race. The two of them were meant to lead all races. There was no place for that beast in it all.
The Wolf of the Prophecy Page 21
