Page 1 of Azure Mania

Chapter 1

Yvonne

My hands thread through my hair, braiding the soft strands into a singular Dutch braid. I hum a soft tune, looking at myself in the mirror. The morning sun shines through the thick curtains, the velvety feel against my skin making me smile.

Today is a good day.

Although I always prefer autumn, there’s something about this spring day that makes my heart race. Something is coming, and soon. The braid falls down my shoulder, held together at the ends with a satin ribbon that I tie into a bow. My stomach flips, but I can’t tell if it’s anxiety or excitement.

Sometimes, I welcome them both. I love keeping myself on my toes.

A locket hangs off my neck, the only silver piece of jewelry I wear, a stark contrast to the gold that’s decorating the rest of my body.

It’s not mine.

The locket I stole from Lucifer, after I put him to sleep. The only regret I have is not snatching it while he was awake, to see his reaction. But, at the time, I was too angry, too deep into my negative emotions to think straight.

It’s not that big of a deal. He’ll come for it, soon. The curse should have been lifted by now, and soon enough, the man will appear before me. He’ll be wrapped in the fury I invoked, lathered in the scent of hatred that runs through his veins. And once he does, I’ll kill him.

That’s the vow I made to myself.

The memory still burns behind my eyes. Every time I go to sleep, all I see are the faces of the witches of my coven. Every time I breathe in, I remember that too long ago, they stopped breathing. And every day that I use magic, I know that it’s because in their last, dying moments, they sent all their magic into me. They’re the reason I’m standing here, so many years later, and they’re the reason the power I have, seems to grow with each passing day.

It’s fueled by pure, deeply rooted abhorrence toward Lucifer D’Achille, and the rest of his life-forsaken family.

The locket is enchanted.

I put the bastard to sleep by poisoning him, before casting a curse. It worked like a charm. With the poison flowing through his blood, I took some and coated the inside of the locket. That way, the locket is bound to him, to his blood. When Lucifer wakes up, I will be the first to know, as the blood inside will turn into ash.

I never intended to put him to sleep permanently. However, since I had never used a curse before that, I might’ve gone a bit overboard. The original plan was for him to sleep for a year, or two.

Yet, here we are, two hundred years later, and the bastards still asleep.

Now that Faith is inside of the D’Achille castle, I have someone on my side. She likely won’t tell me anything of her own accord, but she does owe me quite a few favors. If it weren’t for me, she never would’ve met the woman she’s now so deeply in love with.

My eyes snap to the door, the thoughts drifting away. Not even two seconds later, Octavia emerges, her body hidden underneath a dark, long cloak. It’s her sickly-sweet perfume that I recognize, and immediately sigh in relief, plopping down into a chair.

“What brings you here, Octavia?”

“It’s been a while, Yvonne,” she takes the hood off, her soft eyes glancing all over me. She’s worried that I’m going to do something reckless and get myself killed. Just because I’m immortal, and regular things can’t kill me, it doesn’t mean there aren’t ways for me to die. “How have you been?”

“Well enough,” I motion with my head, toward the chair across from me. “Sit. I’m assuming this isn’t a social call.”

She chuckles, but takes a seat, nonetheless. “Can’t I just visit a friend?”

I roll my eyes so far back, that I’m surprised I don’t catch a glimpse of my brain. “You can, but you never do.”

“I’m worried about you, Yvonne,” she admits, reaching for the cookies on the table between us. Baking has always been a hobby of mine. After being alive for more years than I am willing to count, I’ve learned pretty much everything there is to learn. Well, except for playing any musical instruments. I do not possess any musical talent.

“There’s nothing to be worried about,” I lift an amused brow, watching as she stuffs her mouth with the cookies, a small crumb falling onto her lap. “I’m not a child. I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t doubt that,” she wipes the corners of her mouth with the sleeve of her cloak, and I wince. That’s so… unsightly. “But everyone needs help from time to time, even the oldest witch alive.”

“Are you calling me old?”

“You are,” she points out. “But that’s not the point. Are you sure you’re okay?”

I suck in a sharp breath. “Well, you definitely came with an agenda. What is it, Octavia? Did you need something from me?”