by Rhys Rowlyn
“It probably will. Plants are a wonderful way to clear the air.” I breath in the air and taste a bit of bitterness. This area desperately needs cleansing.
“We got the vines you asked for, and the soil is ready.” Circe puts the spade to the side, leaning back on her heels.
I nod at the other two women to join me and Circe in front of the arbor. “Kneel down and put your hands in the dirt. Feel how hungry this soil is. It needs nourishment. Find your power at your center. Close your eyes and concentrate. It’s a small orb of light.”
“I feel it,” Ciara says with wonder.
“Now call upon it and let the power flow into the soil.” I bury my fingers deeper into the earth and pull back. “Everyone get ready. Someone is here.”
Cara narrows her eyes, looking around the yard. “What do you mean?”
The darkness and anger are so strong, I can’t understand how the sisters aren’t sensing it. “Don’t you sense the evil?”
A beautiful woman with long dark hair steps out from behind a tree. She is dressed as if she stepped out of a historical novel. “My, aren’t you something? I’m not sure what, but you’re definitely different.” She looks me up and down with interest but doesn’t come any closer.
The hair on my arms stands on end. I know this has to be the vampire everyone is looking for. “I take it you’re Minerva.”
“Yes, I am, and you all are trespassing on my property.” She crosses her arms over her chest, drumming the fingers of one hand on her arm.
“Sorry, but I believe this is one of the spoils of war.” Cara stands, facing the woman with no fear. “We won that battle and took it.”
Minerva hisses, glaring at Cara. “Well, we’ll see who wins this battle, and maybe I’ll take it back, along with you and your sisters.”
“I don’t think so, dear. I’ve seen this battle, and you don’t come out the winner.” Circe waves off her threats, standing beside her sister.
“Are you trying to scare me now?” Minerva throws back her head and laughs. “You should know I don’t scare that easily.”
“Yes, I know this, but it was worth a shot.” Circe shrugs. I’m unsure if she really did see the battle or if she’s bluffing.
Digging my fingers into the soil, I call upon a vine growing on the tree behind Minerva. I’ve never used plants as a defense, but something tells me this is the right thing to do. It begins to stretch and grow toward her. I concentrate harder, and it whips out and wraps around the vampire.
The sisters draw runes in the air around us. Minerva screams, bursting free of the vine, and I fall back, feeling the pain of the plant. She races forward but hits an invisible barrier and flies back. She crouches and growls, baring her fangs.
I shake off the pain and allow Minerva’s anger to fuel my own. I dig deeper into the soil, and vines sprout around her ankles to hold her in place. I encourage the vines to grow up her legs, winding around them. The sisters begin chanting and drawing more runes in the air.
Minerva lets out another screech, bursts loose again, and jumps up onto the wall’s ledge. “This isn’t the end!” She disappears over the side, out of sight.
Without thinking, I race after her and jump up on the fence to search for her. She is nowhere to be seen but then I see her on a rooftop down the street. “Call Tristan!”
“Zoey, no!” Cara screams.
“Zoey, stop!” Circe demands.
I pay the sisters’ yells no mind as I keep the vampire in my sight. She is on the rooftops several buildings ahead. From the corner of my eye, I see someone racing along across the street, following me. I don’t know who they are, but I continue to give chase to Minerva. She needs to be stopped, and I refuse to lose this opportunity.
I stay on the buildings opposite of her, simply keeping her in my sights. I know she’s much more powerful than I am and that a confrontation wouldn’t turn out in my favor.
We go a couple more blocks and then she disappears. I stop and scan the area, trying to figure out where she might have gone. Opening my senses, I reach out and feel a wave of menace and anger close. I turn, only to be knocked against a wall.
“So you have to be part vampire, but what else are you?” Minerva stalks toward me, and I straighten, standing.
I grimace as the rough brick rubs against my skin. “I’m simply a vampire, same as you.” I know letting her know about my fae side would be a mistake. Glancing around, I look for a way out and move to the side, but she’s in front of me before I can take a step.
“Uh-uh-uh. Oh no, you’re not going anywhere.” She grips my arm and jerks me toward her, baring her fangs.
Without thinking, I put my hand on her chest and reach deep within to draw my power forth. A surge of light comes out of my hand and slams into her.
She screams, her eyes widening, and jumps away from me. “What are you?”
My insides are quivering with fear, but I hold my hands up as I move toward her. She backs away, and runs off with a screech. I lean against the wall, breathing hard and staring at my hands. I’ve never done anything like that. I wonder if it’s a new thing.
Zoey
My head jerks to the side when I hear clapping. A tall man is leaning against the wall opposite me about ten feet away. He has a knit hat covering his hair, and his face is shadowed.
“Who are you?” I straighten, spreading my feet apart and tensing. I don’t know if he’s friend or foe, so I ready myself to run if need be. Hopefully he’s not a vampire and I’ll have no trouble getting away.
“I am Indago O’Darhan, and who are you?” He tilts his head slightly, stepping into the light, and I gasp.
He has bright violet eyes that remind me of mine, prior to becoming part vampire, and his features look vaguely familiar. A streak of fear runs down my spine.
My heart pounds in my chest, and sweat rolls down my back. “I’m asking the questions.” I circle him and catch sight of a large blade strapped to his leg. “Why are you here?” I know he’s fae, and I refuse to go down without a fight.
Narrowing his eyes, he steps closer and looks me up and down. “Why do you look like my sister?”
“Who is your sister?” His question throws me off. Who is this man?
He furrows his brow, tracking me with his gaze as I move around him. “Her name was Willow, and you could be her twin.”
“My mother’s name was Willow,” I whisper, stopping in front of him.
He grips my shoulders tightly, shaking me slightly. “Zoey?”
“Yes, how do you know my name?” I try to step away from him, but he has me in a death grip.
“Willow told me all about you.” He holds me away from him and then draws me into a tight hug, but I push away until he finally releases me. “I’m here to help you and keep you safe, but I see it’s really not necessary.” He nods at my hands, and I tuck them behind my back.
“Keep me safe from what? Where have you been for the last fifteen years?” I take another step away from him. He says he’s my uncle, but I need to be certain.
“I was to come and protect you from any threats. I am a warrior fae. Where I have been is complicated. Time moves differently. After I rescued your mother, we separated, and I was to come here and find you. Willow was supposed to follow when it was safe.” He draws his brows together, frowning at me. “How did you come to be half vampire? Willow told me her mate was human.”
“Yes, my father is human, but I have a vampire mate, and he gave me his blood to save my life not too long ago.”
“Oh, that explains it. Where is your mate? Shouldn’t he be protecting you?” He turns his head from side to side, his gaze darting around as if Tristan will jump out at any moment.
Remnants of my dream come back to me, and I remember the woman talking about someone coming to me. Could this be him? “Wait, are you the one the old lady spoke of?”
“What old lady?” His attention turns back to me, and I meet his curious gaze.
“One of our ancestors came to
me in a dream and said someone was coming and that I could trust him. She said your place was no longer in the land of the fae.” If he is my uncle, then I hope I can trust him. I sense no deception in him, but I would need to truly read him to be sure. I grab his arm and put my hand on his chest.
Indago looks down at my hand, raising his brows, but he doesn’t move away from me. “Well, I won’t say she’s wrong. I barely escaped with my life.”
“What happened?” I sense loss, fear, and sadness in him but still no deception.
He smiles down at me. I know he felt me read him, but he doesn’t comment on it, only pats my hand. “They brought your mother back and were going to put her to trial for fleeing to the human realm. She also failed to go through with her arranged marriage and disgraced our family. Our father was more than angry; he was livid. We knew she had mate-bonded as soon as she returned, and that added fuel to the fire. The man Father had betrothed her to rejected the arrangement, disgracing our family even further and father disowned her. It was a forgone conclusion the queen was going to sentence her to death.”
“Is that how my mother died?” The thought of my mother being executed by her own people for simply not wanting to marry a man she didn’t love is almost more than I can bear.
“What are you talking about? No, Willow isn’t dead. I helped her escape and left her in another realm. We are supposed to meet here. She’s not here?” He grabs my upper arms, squeezing them to the point of pain.
I jerk away from him, rubbing my arms. “No, and my father felt her leave him about ten years ago.”
“No, no this can’t be true.” Indago grips his head in his hands, sliding down the wall to sit at my feet. “I’ve been traveling, finding my way back here. She’s to meet me. She can’t be dead.”
“I’m sorry, but he felt her go, their bond sever.” I kneel in front of him, taking his hands in mine.
He looks up at me with tears trailing down his cheeks. “And he survived?”
“He almost didn’t, but he didn’t want to leave me alone.” The pain my father went through was awful. Not only can I feel another’s pain, but I can take some of it away. My father’s pain at losing my mother was more than any one person could ever be expected to bear. I sometimes wonder if he wouldn’t have survived had I not taken on part of the burden.
“How is he now that you have a mate?” Indago asks.
“He’s the same, why?” I furrow my brow, frowning at him. What could me having a mate have to do with my father’s health?
His eyes narrow, and he watches me closely. “Nothing, I would like to meet my sister’s mate.”
“And you shall, but things have been dangerous lately, so he’s staying with my mate’s family. I’m sure we could let you stay for a bit.” Or at least I believe he can. Surely my mate wouldn’t turn away my newly acquired uncle.
He waves his hands in front of him, shaking his head. “I can’t stay in a house full of vampires. It will be too dangerous.”
“They would never harm you.” I may not have been a part of this family for long, but this I do know. Those vampires are some of the most honorable people I know.
“Not intentionally, but pure fae blood tends to drive vampires crazy over a period of time.” He crosses his arms over his chest, his lips drawn in a straight line.
The book didn’t mention anything about fae blood having a negative effect on vampires. It only talked about how desirable the match was. “What do you mean? Am I in danger?”
“No, you are now half vampire, so it won’t have the same effect. It’s like a drug and makes them high. They can also walk in the sun for a period after taking it,” he explains.
Oh no, Dad’s alone with Giles. Surely Giles would not harm him. “What about my dad?”
“He’s a mate, not of fae blood, so he should be fine.” Indago waves off my concerns.
I breathe a sigh of relief and make a snap decision that will probably upset the men in my life. “My father and I own a building on the other side of town. A wolf lives on the first floor. We’ve always gotten along, and my mother said they helped cover our scent.”
“They do, and wolves don’t react to our blood in any way. There are packs in our realm, and we coexist without any problems. It was only humans and vampires the fae have had trouble with, humans wanting to steal our magic, and vampires our blood.” Indago runs his hand through his hair. “Thank you for the offer, but I have somewhere to stay. I’ve been here for a month or so, trying to find either you or Willow.”
“Oh, okay. Look, I need to get back. I’m sure my mate is losing his mind. I ran off chasing a very dangerous vampire.” I turn to leave but then turn back toward him. “How will I find you? My father is going to want to meet you.”
“I have a phone.” He holds up his phone and waves it in the air.
“You know what phones are?” I blurt before I can stop myself.
“Of course. I’m fae, not a caveman.” He grins at me, holding his phone up, and I rattle off my number and soon receive a text. “Call me tonight, and we’ll get together.”
With a nod, I leave, looking forward to seeing my uncle again tonight. It’s almost dawn, and I know the others will be back at the house soon. I steel myself for the lecture I know is coming, if not from Tristan, then definitely my father. Maybe I can beat everyone home and get in the shower and bed before it happens.
Tristan
I’m racing across town, unable to get to Zoey fast enough. When Cara called earlier to tell me about the attack and that Zoey had given chase, I thought I would expire on the spot. Now all I can think about is getting to her side. I’m fluctuating between wanting to turn her over my knee to spank her ass and making love to her and never stopping.
I have never felt such fear as I did at the thought of her facing the crazed vampire. I know I would not survive losing my mate. She has quickly become my reason for living. I love her with an intensity I only ever dreamed of.
When I enter the house, I run up the stairs, not stopping until I reach our bedroom. I hear the shower running and burst through the door, then fling open the shower opening.
She whips around with a yelp. “Tristan! You scared me.”
“I would imagine not nearly as bad as you frightened me by giving chase to Minerva.” I step into the shower, not caring that I’m fully clothed. All I want to do is touch her and assure myself she’s safe.
Zoey backs up against the wall, holding her hands out in front of her chest. “Okay, I understand why that may have upset you, and I admit it was a rash decision.”
“Rash decision! Did you just say rash decision? Zoey, do you realize what could have happened? She could have killed you.” I grip her upper arms and shake her.
“I know, and I admit I didn’t give it enough thought. At the time, all I could think of was following her, but in the end, I lost her anyway.” Her gaze meets mine briefly before darting away.
I lift her chin and take her lips with mine, kissing her deeply. “Zoey, angel, don’t ever do anything like that again. I can’t handle you being in danger, much less if anything truly happened to you.”
“I know, and I promise to be more careful.” She leans her forehead against my chest. “You should know I confronted Minerva.”
“What?!” I think my head may explode. Did she just say she confronted the crazy bitch?
“Yes, and before you lose your mind, I need to tell you what happened.” She takes my face between her palms, meeting my gaze head-on. “I have powers I never knew about and acted purely on instinct. She grabbed me, and I shot light out of my palms into her. It must have hurt because she screamed and ran away.”
My mouth drops open, and I know my eyes have widened. “You did what? But how?”
She holds her hands out, staring at them. “It must be some new power that your blood enhanced because light came out of my hands and knocked her back… and then I met my uncle.”
“You met your what?” I rub the back of my neck to
keep from shaking her again.
“My mother’s brother is here, and he was on the roof. I have his number, and we’re going to meet him tonight.” She grabs my wet shirt and pulls it up from my waist and over my head, then flings it onto the shower floor.
“And you trust him?” I take off my boots and throw them out of the shower. Then I peel off my jeans and underwear, leaving myself naked.
She leans forward and kisses my chest. “Not completely, but I did a read on him. He’s not lying. Also, he didn’t know my mother was dead, and it devastated him.”
I run my fingers through her hair and pull her tighter against me. I need her close. Too much could have gone wrong today. With my hands on her waist, I lift her until her legs encircle my hips, and I turn off the water. She grips my hair in her hands, pulling my lips to hers, and kisses me deeply.
I walk us to the bedroom and lay her on her back, not caring about our wetness. I need her now. I kiss down her jaw and neck until I get to her nipple and take it deeply into my mouth. She arches her back, tightening her grip on my hair. I move to her other breast, and she moans as my tongue circles her nipple.
I kiss her between her breasts, then move up to her jaw. “Zoey, I love you and need to know you won’t do this again. I have to know you are safe.”
She opens her eyes, smiling. “I love you too, and I promise to never do anything so stupid again.”
She pushes my shoulders, and I lie back on the bed. Zoey straddles my hips, taking me in her hand and squeezing. My hips jerk upward, and I groan as she moves her hand up and down several times. She rubs my tip against her wet center, places it at her entrance, and slowly moves down. I want to thrust but allow her to be in charge and moan at the slow torture of her moving down my cock, hugging me like a well-fitted glove.
When she has taken me fully, she leans back, and I reach up to palm her breasts and rub her nipples with my thumbs. She grinds down, taking me even deeper into her. I can’t stop myself from thrusting into her, and she answers with a moan.
