Ranata walked with graceful steps, having changed into her own gown and wore the crown of the fae. Something Lucan had never seen her do, but he realized this was a political chess game. The fae queen had learned quickly how to handle herself and proved a remarkable leader to her people.
“Your Majesty.” Ranata held her head high but never curtsied.
Lucan didn’t miss his mate’s further agitation at the other woman’s refusal to curtsy. It was Ranata’s way of showing respect, yet also refusing to give any ground.
“Your Majesty.” Sabin tipped her head. “I understand you pledge your alliance?”
“I am. My army, as well as my mate and myself are at your disposal.”
“That is most gracious.” Sabin started to rise, but Lucan jumped to his feet and offered his hand.
Her lip trembled and he felt the invisible slap of her anger. She slipped into his mind.
What are you doing? I know damn well you understand how to act before your queen.
I already have a king. Therefore, you cannot be my queen.
A fire lit in her eyes as power snapped in the air. Your king is no longer. You will bow to me. I am your mate and your queen. Her voice was an explosion in his head.
And since we are mated, that makes me YOUR king. I am the stronger immortal here.
Snap.
Her fury mounted and she did as they predicted. Unleashed a blast of power aimed at him. Lucan had been prepared and had already called up the darkness to block her attack. It had only taken a millisecond for the transfer to take place. Ranata’s training had paid off. The moment Sabin let go, the fae queen had summoned the power around her and made it her own.
It was what the fae did. They used the power of other immortals. The more that surrounded them, the more they took and the harder they were to defeat.
“Ranata?” Lucan called out for confirmation.
“I have her.” There was a glow of blue light that surrounded the fae queen.
“You bitch!” Sabin tried to lash out, but she was being held in place. “I’ll kill you all!”
Why were they defying her? She should have known her own mate would become a traitor. After all, he had taken her from one prison to another. It all made sense now. He asked that voodoo priestess to do something to her the last time Sidara came to the house. She looked at her own priestess.
“Tieressa, assist me.”
The woman shook her head. “It is for your own good, princess.”
“Gah!” Even her own was against her. She summoned up everything she had and tried to unleash it. Beckoned for Lucan’s shadows. The room filled with dark swirling clouds, but they refused to come to her. That fae bitch was stealing all of her power and using it against her. They had better pray she never got free. Killing them would not be enough. Endless torture was something she excelled at.
She tried to free herself from the grip that held her in place. Her body felt as if it was being torn in two. A scream escaped her, yet the evil howl didn’t belong to her. Red hot claws dug into her. They sliced her insides, turning them into a mass of burning––
A voice cut through her fog of agony.
“Sabin!”
She looked up at her mate. When had she fallen to her knees? “H-help me.” They were trying to kill her.
Lucan dropped down, but didn’t touch her. “Lowan has possessed your body. Do you understand me?”
She blinked. Dug her nails into the hard floor and tried to understand his words. The room seemed to spin around her. “Dead. He’s dead,” she coughed.
“Yes, but his soul took your body. You have to fight him.” He was on his hands and knees now, leaning closer. Staring into her eyes.
“Baby. Fight for me. For us and the life we are going to have together. I love you.”
His words finally sank in. They were trying to help her. She focused on the man in front of her. Her lifeline back to the real world. Back to the man she loved.
“No, Lowan,” she whispered. She was done with her brother taking from her. It was time for her to live.
“You need to give her a little power,” Lucan yelled above the turbulence in the room.
Sidara stood over Sabin, the clay vessel in her hand and chanted something in a language not even Lucan understood. Dark claws lashed out of thin air and the screeches of evil reverberated off the stone wall until he thought his ears would bleed. There was darkness everywhere. It filled all available space and five immortals could barely contain it.
Where had Lowan gotten all of his power?
Lucan willed his mate to fight. He sent everything he had to her. Risked himself by dropping all his barriers and allowed her to see. To feel how much he needed her to come back to him. He was desperate to touch her, yet had been warned to make no physical contact.
Her pain broke him.
“Fight him. You can win this,” he urged.
Her face contorted in pain and a guttural howl passed from her gaping mouth.
“He is losing. Keep encouraging her to fight,” Sidara said.
“Come on, baby. You are almost free of his grip on you.”
Determination lit her eyes. Her back arched and light blasted from her open mouth. It shot out and jetted around the room.
Sabin collapsed.
Sidara and Tieressa chanted louder. The voodoo priestess held the vessel over her head, commanded the spirit inside.
Lucan scooped a now unconscious Sabin into his arms and cradled her in his lap. He kissed her lips and held her tight to him, cocooning them in his shadows. The others still blasted power, keeping the room secure, yet Lowan refused to enter the vessel.
“Why isn’t this working?” Baal yelled.
“I don’t know. He’s stronger than I expected,” Sidara replied.
The ball of light whizzed by Lucan’s head then headed for Ranata.
“The fuck you will,” Baal snarled and shot out a blast of power, blowing the light into several tiny pieces that shot off then reformed across the room. The light elongated and reached for the ceiling. One second it was there, the next it was gone and silence filled the room.
“Dear gods. How did he do that?” Tieressa asked.
Sidara lowered her arms in defeat. “I do not understand but may the gods help us all. Lowan is free. Free to take on another form.”
Her words sank in and everyone in the room stared at each other. Defeat and fear etched into their features.
Sabin opened her eyes and instantly recognized the room. She sat up and looked around. Lucan was nowhere to be found, but his cabin bedroom was a sight that made her smile. As she was about to shove the covers aside and go in search of her mate, he appeared in the doorway, tray in hand.
“I’m glad to see you’re awake.” He stepped in and placed the tray on a side table.
“Breakfast?” The steaming coffee cup was a dead giveaway.
“Yep.” He walked over and opened the blinds, letting the morning sun stream into the room. She couldn’t help staring at his fine ass.
He turned, grinning. “I’ll let you touch all you want.”
Oops. She must have left herself open and he caught her lustful feelings. “I want to rip your clothes off. But first, what happened?”
He came back and sat on the edge of the bed. “When you killed your brother, he somehow transferred his energy to you through the blade.”
“Did I hurt anyone?” She could never live with that.
“No. We stopped you before you became a true threat.”
Sweet relief. “Thank gods. And Lowan is now contained?”
Lucan’s jaw hardened. “We lost him.”
“No,” she whispered. Her brother would come for her again.
“I know what you’re thinking, but I will protect you. I will teach you to use all the power––” he touched her chest with his fingertips–– “that is inside you to protect yourself as well.”
“He never stops hurting people. When will this nightmare end?” She gr
abbed his hand and brought it to her cheek. “I’m so sorry.”
“For what?” He looked perplexed.
“For my family and all the hate they have caused. My father cursed all of you. My mother tried to kill Cassie and had Marcus tortured. My brother was the most evil of all of them. My family terror never ceases.” Guilt racked every fiber of her being.
“Stop. You are not like them and never will be.” He kissed her. A gentle, soft touch to her lips. “I am the one who is sorry. I am sorry for not believing in you. Sorry for the way I treated you and most of all for not being able to protect you.”
She grinned. “I didn’t mind some of the ways you treated me.”
He raised a brow. “Such as?”
She laid back and raised her arms over her head. “Take me. Claim my body. I belong to you.”
He ripped off his tee then pressed himself to her, caging her in with powerful arms. “As you wish, my queen.”
She shook her head. “No. I am a princess, but in this bed you are king.”
“I like that. I am the luckiest man alive to have finally found you. You are my soul, my only desire.”
He claimed her mouth. His tongue demanding her to submit and she did. Sabin had found peace, for now. Later, they would figure out the future but for today, the man she had dreamed of for so many years was finally hers.
Epilogue
Lucan slipped his arm around Sabin’s waist as he led her into the conference room of the guardians’ compound. Two steps in, and he came to a complete stop.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, touching his arm.
He smiled. “Not a thing. Everything is as it should be.” At the table in front of him sat all his brethren and their mates. Aidyn now occupied the chair at the head that had sat empty for far too long. Next to him were two empty seats. One for Lucan and now one for his mate. A seat he had many times thought would never be occupied. For once in his long existence, it filled him with light. No more weight on his shoulders to hold him down.
“Welcome to the fold, Sabin. We are all so happy to have you here.” It was Cassie who had spoken the greeting.
“Thank you. I can hardly believe I’m here.” His mate beamed with joy, yet he knew the fear she tried to keep buried. The panic that woke her almost nightly.
“Let’s take our seats,” he whispered in her ear and walked the rest of the way to the table, pulling out her chair.
“Thanks.”
After they were seated, Aidyn stood. “I missed you guys.”
The only times Lucan could recall their king appearing emotional was when Aidyn’s mother, the queen, had died and when they had lost their own in a battle.
Aidyn smiled. “It does my heart good to see my men mated. Gwen, I think you’re next.”
“Something tells me you will be the next one,” she tossed back.
His gaze narrowed, and he leaned over the table. “Make no mistake, I fully intend to claim what is mine. Her fire is no longer a threat to me.” He straightened. “On to business. I want to speak to what happened in person. I know many of you have questions.
I did not know I was the Phoenix. Apparently, my DNA has been passed around for centuries until it finally started to waken thanks to my daughter.” Pride filled his eyes when he looked at Katie.
She smiled back. “I can hardly believe it.”
“I have much to teach you about being a Phoenix.”
“I can’t wait to learn. Do you remember your past life?”
“I recall everything now.” Sadness drew lines around his eyes. “I was not there for my brother, Argathos, after he lost his wife and that pains me deeply.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Marcus replied.
“It does not make it better.” He drew in a breath. “Anyway. Once the process began, and I started my change, I ended up in a place where I could not remember who I was. That was when I met Lowan who wove a tale of how I was mistreated by my own brothers and my people. How my destined mate tried to kill me with my own dagger. I believed him for a time, but then one morning I awoke with all my memories intact.”
He placed his palms on the table and leaned in. “I remembered each of you and all that we had been through together. How I had pledged to be your king and lead you no matter what.” He looked to each female. “How I prayed nightly for my brethren to find their mate and be rid of the curse Drayos placed on all of our heads.”
“What about your curse, Aidyn?” Seth asked.
“I’m afraid becoming a god did not rid me of that. I still need my mate.”
Silence rippled through the room. Everyone knew that Leria hated Aidyn.
“She still holds a great deal of dislike for you.” Cassie reached out and touched Aidyn’s hand. He wrapped his fingers around hers and gave a squeeze.
“What I am about to say will not leave this room.” He cast his gaze from one to another then landed on Cassie. “The crime that I committed against the gods that caused the scars I still bear… I did not execute Leira’s father. Instead, I hid him away hoping one day his mind might return to him.”
“Oh Aidyn you must tell her. That would change everything!” Cassie said.
“No. The woman I love will never witness her father in such a state. I’d rather she hate me with every fiber of her being than see that.”
“Allow Cassie and I to examine him,” Marcus said. Both he and his mate were their best healers. Maybe there was something they could do.
“I will assist as well. Perhaps I can reach him,” Lucan offered. If the dragon was stuck in the depths of darkness that Lowan had thrown him in, then maybe Lucan could find him.
“Me too,” Lileta said and everyone looked at her.
“Are you certain? Odage did terrible things to you,” Aidyn reminded.
“It was because of my father he did what he had to in order to save his daughter. I understand that and want to help.”
Aidyn gave a nod. “I appreciate it. All of you.”
“Tell us about Lowan. Did you learn anything while with him?” Katie asked.
“Not even I expected he would pull off a stunt such as he did. I kept up my ruse in order to get closer and gain his confidence.” He looked at Sabin. “And to be in the right place when the time came for you to fulfill the prophecy. I am truly sorry I had to frighten you.”
“All is forgiven,” she said.
“Not! I still owe you a beating,” Lucan reminded.
“You shall get your chance as I promised.” He took a seat. “Even though I am the Phoenix, I am still your king. Nothing has changed. Together, we will figure this out and find Lowan. This time I will destroy him myself. Rules be damned.”
Everyone rose and pushed their chairs back. One by one, they knelt and pledged themselves to their king. The team was together again and stronger than before. Lucan glanced at Sabin then slipped into her mind.
I love you.
She smiled. I love you too.
Now that our king is back. Let’s hold the ritual and complete our bond.
I’d like that very much.
About the Author
Award winning and bestselling author Valerie Twombly grew up watching Dark Shadows over her mother’s shoulder, and from there her love of the fanged creatures blossomed. Today, Valerie has decided to take her darker, sensual side and put it to paper. When she is not busy creating a world full of steamy, hot men and strong, seductive women, she juggles her time between a full-time job, hubby and her dog, in Northern IL. Valerie is a member of Romance Writers of America and Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Romance Writers.
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More books you may love, visit my website to view all my books.
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