Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate by A E Randell
Chapter 53 Like Father, Like Daughter
As they stepped through onto the other side of the portal, the cool air was a welcome feeling as a wave of nausea washed over both Ann and Adam.
Lexi steadied Ann as her legs wobbled unsteadily and as her father stepped through the portal he chuckled at Adam’s suddenly pale face.
He clapped him on the back warmly and grinned, revealing a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth.
“You get used to the sensation after a while… although I really wasn’t sure how badly it would affect you wolves.” He added thoughtfully before snorting. “It could be worse, at least you came through in one piece.”
Adam stared at him blankly, for once lost for words. “Papa, don’t tease them like that. You know it’s incredibly rare to end up with missing limbs and besides, that usually happens with inexperienced portalmancers. Steven has been with you for centuries now hasn’t he? Sounds like you’re questioning his abilities.” Lexi giggled as Steven raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, my goodness, Papa, his face moved!” Lexi feigned shock as she covered her mouth with her hands and giggled.
“Yes, it does that sometimes, when he realizes that he is actually alive and not just f0rced to stand in one room in the darkness…” Her father commented dryly as he turned to look at his currently harra*s*sed Portalmancer.
Steven shifted uncomfortably on the spot, his white hair barely shifting with the movement and his robes creating a faint rustling as he moved.
“If there’s nothing else, sir?” He rasped dryly as Lord Brarthroroz chuckled heartily and dismissed him with a gesture.
Lexi frowned at his retreating back as he seemed to glide down the corridor to an unknown destination.
“He’s really no fun to tease at all..” She complained. “Yes… you find with Lich’s, they don’t really seem to grasp humor as well as the living.” Lord Brarthroroz answered with a sigh. “It’s not his fault, another century or so and he may crack smile. One can hope..” He sighed. Ann looked between the two of them and a small smile played at the edges of her mouth as she chuckled at Adam’s incredulous expression.
“I’m going to say it now, Lexi, there’s a saying that fits you and your father quite well, ‘Like father, like daughter’.” She grinned, “It kind of makes me a little envious if I’m honest.” she sighed wistfully as Lexi hit her playfully on the arm.
“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. Come on, we’ve stood around long enough here and if we stay any longer we’re going to be surrounded by curious daemons.” Lexi answered with an arrogant tilt of her chin and a sly smile.
“If you’ll follow me…” Lord Brarthroroz said gesturing ahead of him as he began walking and they fell in behind him, walking in a small group along the gargantuan corridor.
“It’s not as gloomy as I thought it would be…” Adam admitted begrudgingly.
Lexi snorted as she turned to him.
“What? Did you think because we were coming to a daemon realm you were going to find yourself in some dark cave somewhere surrounded by deep pools of lava and hellfire, with screaming t*ortur*ed souls chained to posts?”
Adam averted his eyes sheepishly, resulting in a cackle of amusement from Lexi.
“Ah, wolf boy, I really will have to look at coming to teach at your little school if this is the sort of expectation that you lot grow up with. It’s a shame really, there’s a rich history in Daemonology. They aren’t all t*ortur*e and death and eating of souls you know?”
Adam frowned as he turned to look at her slowly.
“I thought you said you didn’t know much about Daemons?” He questioned Lexi warily.
“I lied.” She shrugged nonchalantly as she waved her hand at him. “Oh and don’t look all hurt and injured at me for not being completely honest with you. Just because you don’t have ill intentions towards Ann doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be willing to jump down my throat… or attempt to rip it out for that matter. Trust works both ways, wolfy.”
Ann giggled at the expression on Adam’s face. Hopefully, he would get used to Lexi sooner rather than later.
As they traveled further into the hallways, they passed many daemons and Lexi was right, before long they had a small, yet persistently curious following. Thankfully it didn’t take long to arrive at their destination and as soon as Lord Brarthroroz turned around, the daemons seemed to disappear quickly.
“My apologies. They aren’t used to seeing outsiders. Some of them have never left these walls. They’re quite young by daemon standards and don’t share the same fear that many of my kind have.” He explained patiently. He leaned forward and opened a door in front of him that led to a large room with a door on each of the four walls.
“This external door will be sealed to all but the four of us. No one will enter without my express permission.” Lord Brarthroroz said as he walked through the huge doorway and they followed behind.
“The door to your right is where you can eat, drink, or relax… whatever you like. Lexi and I will be waiting for you in there once you get down to business. The door ahead is a private portal room that Steven resides in. Don’t worry, he never leaves it…” Lord Brarthroroz sighed lightly and muttered something about him needing to get out more.
“Anyway, he’ll see to your return to your Packhouse when things are finished…”
“He can portal directly into my Packhouse?” Adam said, suddenly on edge.
“Relax, Alpha, the destination is controlled entirely by the position that both you and Ann will picture clearly in your minds. There is no lasting connection unless you install a portalmancer at your quarters which at this point, I think is unlikely. But, who knows what you may require in the future.”
Adam growled lightly at the thought of the safety of his Pack being compromised and Lord Brarthroroz chuckled at him, choosing to completely ignore his disquiet and anger.