A Crown of Shadows and Secrets

by Sloane Murphy

  As always, Roman takes charge, and I’m happy to let him. He is in control of our fucking, my pleasure, of my body.

  In one swift move, he has me facing the nearest shelf full of shit I can't properly see, with my face turned to the side so I can see the glow in his feral eyes.

  “You think you can manipulate me with your magical pussy, princess? Think you can get me to sit, roll over and play dead while you continuously put your life in danger?”

  He is pissed and I'm so horny I can barely contain myself. I rub my ass against his monster erection as it presses against the crack between my cheeks. The thought of him fucking me raw barely has time to flash across my mind when he's already unceremoniously pushing my pants down and ripping my lace panties into shreds.

  “I would die for you, princess. I would destroy the whole of civilization for you without a second thought.” He aligns his cock to the slit of my pussy and just rubs it back and forth, coating it in my juices. “But what I will not do is sit back and watch you die.”

  On his last word, he slams into my pussy but is out just as quickly.

  I'm moaning at the delicious intrusion and also crying at the sudden loss of him.

  Is he torturing me?

  “Roman, oh God, please.” I'll beg for his cock. I have no shame in that.

  “Shh, good girls get rewards. Bad girls get punished.” And I'm not sure which one I want to be at this very moment. I guess it depends on the punishment.

  He slams back into me, pumps inside me a couple of times and then, once again, he's gone.

  “Roman!” I groan, my voice wanton and needy.

  The fucker has the nerve to chuckle.

  “Frustrating isn't it? Not getting what you want?” He's teaching me a lesson? Is that it? I'll show him a lesson.

  With one hand holding onto the shelf, I let the other travel down to my clit to rub myself but he's quicker than I am, and apparently so tuned into my body that he knows my actions before I even move.

  He's got one hand trapping my arm behind my back and using it as a leverage when he thrusts right back inside my needy pussy. This time, he doesn't stop. He pounds his love and fear right into me. He's fucking me so hard the shelves are rattling, and random items are falling to the floor, crashing to their death around us, but I don’t have the brain space to care. All I can feel, all I care about it him.

  I might have a bruise on my wrist but fuck, I love angry Roman fucking me into next week. It's hot and it's animalistic, just like him.

  “I should fuck your ass raw for putting yourself in danger, like that.” It's supposed to be a threat but all I hear is a promise, one I almost hope he keeps.

  “That’s not exactly a deterrent, Roman. I want you in my ass. “

  Roman stops. He's still buried inside my pussy, his eyes boring holes in my head, confusion written all over his face.

  He actually thought I'd be scared of him? Of his threat? Has he met me?

  With a vicious, sexy as fuck, grin on his face, he takes a step back and bends me at the waist.

  Pulling out of my pussy, he looks around the closet and when he sees what he wants, he looks back and me and smirks.

  “That ass is mine, princess.”

  Reaching over my head, he grabs a bottle and twists open the lid. Over my shoulder, I can see him coating his cock with whatever it is he's found before looking back at me and filling me in on his plan. “Olive oil. The rich kind.”

  Next thing I know, his fingers are at my rosebud and he's prepping me. One finger, then two, he's scissoring in and out making sure he won't hurt me once his cock breaches my entrance.

  I'm so desperate for it that my ass keeps reaching out for him, for his cock, for his masterful fucking.

  “Ready princess?” He murmurs into my ear, but he doesn't give time to answer, he slowly pushes the head of his dick inside my prepped hole before pulling slightly out and starting all over again until his entire length is finally seated inside my ass.

  I'm panting like a wanton slut and loving every inch of his invasion.

  “God, yes. Fuck me, Roman. Do it, please.”

  Slowly, carefully but with the force of a beast, he begins to fuck me in earnest.

  The closet is filled with our mating scents and the sounds of our slapping skin every time he bottoms out. The shelf is rattling again, and my breath is ripped from my lungs with every forceful slam into me.

  I can feel him getting close, fingers of one hand digging into my hips while the other squeezes the strands of my hair at my scalp.

  “I need you safe, princess. Do you understand?”

  He continues to pump in and out of me until I'm a screaming, writhing mess. Reaching around me after releasing my hair, he circlers his middle and forefinger around my clit and repeats himself at my ear.

  His voice is hard and velvet, just like his cock.

  “Do.” Thrust.

  “You.” Retreat.

  “Understand?” Thrust and freeze.

  He's waiting on my response and this is the crossroads of my life. Either promise the impossible and get my orgasm or refuse and break everything we have. Break him.

  “I understand.” Not exactly a promise.

  Roman slams back into me and fucks me like the wolf he is. Animal-like, domineering. Alpha in every sense of the word.

  “Now, come for me princess,” he purrs and little part of me who loves the submission does exactly that.

  I come harder than ever before. My pussy pulsating with the energy that flows through my body, my juices running aimlessly down my thighs as Roman fucks me relentlessly.

  The roar that escapes his mouth is not human, not even close.

  I didn't get fucked by my man. I got fucked by the beast inside him and it was the hottest thing I've ever experienced.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Remy

  It took a while for them all to find a plan they were, well not quite happy with but one they begrudgingly agreed to. By the time we went to bed last night, they’d finally settled on it.

  Deacon is laying a “trap” for me in the cave of Angel glass on the sixth level. Roman, Levi and I will be the ones to enter while Kain and Creek keep watch on the perimeter. Once I’m in the cave, Deacon will signal to Archer, who will be waiting on his side of the Angel glass for us. I’m still not exactly sure how the Angel glass works for communication, but I’m trying not to focus on that right now, I have bigger things to worry about. Like keeping my guys calm until we get to the cave. Roman’s freak out yesterday was one of many. Last night was a tangle of arms and dick while everyone tried to fuck the anger and frustration out, and I’m pretty sure that they were all just trying to convince me to stay here and stay safe with their penis wizardry.

  To say I’m sore, well that’s an understatement, but it’s not a bad sore, so I’m rocking it. Morgan and her Horsemen are waiting for us when we finally reach the main hall we first saw when we came to this place, it feels like so long ago at this point, but really, we’ve only been here a few days. We’ve only been in the Shadow Realm less than two weeks, but that’s still two weeks too long for Fallon. Hopefully, but this time tomorrow, Azriel will be dead, we’ll all be heading home, and Morgan and I will seal the portal again, so that only she and I can open it. Reinforced with some of the guys blood, as well as mine and hers, to make sure it doesn’t break down over time, this time around.

  “Are you ready?” Caleb asks, appearing in front of me and handing me a steaming mug of coffee. His gaze darts to my guys, all stony faced about the role I have to play in today. It’s likely Deacon is going to have to hurt me in some way, because well, he’s a Demon and I’m me. Archer won’t be happy if some blood isn’t spilt, and while I haven’t met Azriel, I can imagine he will be either.

  “Ready as I’m going to be,” I tell him with as much confidence as I can muster. We’re having to trust Deacon so fucking much.

  “Just remember, bleed onto the ground, and we’ll be there. That link b
etween you and I is still in place.” He pulls me in for a quick hug, Roman grumbling behind us, but I hug him back. I feel as close to him as either of my brothers, and I’ve barely had chance to get to know him again.

  “Thank you, Caleb. For everything,” I whisper as I hug him tighter before letting him go when Morgan and the others appear.

  “Be safe,” he says sternly as he lets me go and moves to stand behind Morgan.

  “We will be there when it counts,” she says, taking my hand. “Please just be careful with yourself, Mara.”

  “You be careful too,” I tell her, because I know them helping us isn’t without risk. I finish my coffee and the mug disappears from my hand. I really fucking wish I had her powers, or at least the time to learn my own.

  “We should get going,” Levi says softly, but I can hear the hardness in his tone, his worry for me. “If we’re going to stumble across this cave, then we need Luna to keep her mouth shut about Caleb, and not have word get out about it.”

  “That’s already handled,” Caleb tells him and winks at me. “Now, let’s get you guys going shall we?”

  At his words, Morgan wiggles her fingers and a door appears, it takes everything I have not to groan. I fucking hate these doors.

  “Let’s get this show on the road I guess,” I say with a tight smile and move towards the door. The guys don’t hesitate, Morgan and her men have shown us time and again that we can trust them, so we walk through without a second thought.

  Level six down here is something else, though, because the door we walked through put us out in the mountains, near the cave with the Angel glass, I’m sure it has something to do with that. The mountains are covered in inches of snow, and I’m glad I wrapped up warm. This snow is no joke. Fallon’s talisman is warm against my chest, and I’m thankful that not only wasn’t Deacon lying, but the heat is more than welcome.

  We’ve been hiking upwards for about an hour, Levi and Creek in front of me, Kain and Roman taking up the rear making sure I’m covered on all angles. If it wasn’t sweet, it’d do my head it, but I’m also just learning to live with it. They love me, they want me safe. This keeps them happy, so I can deal.

  Levi leads us higher, having studied the maps with Caleb for hours last night, and again this morning before we left, and he signals for us to stop. That’s when I see it. The opening in the mountain about a hundred feet from us.

  We move slower, everyone on high alert to make sure we’ve not been betrayed by Deacon, but his head pops out of the cave just as we arrive.

  “Took you long enough,” he says, his eyes darting around, making sure we’ve not been followed.

  “We weren’t expecting quite this much snow,” Creek huffs and I smile. He likes the snow about as much as I like extreme heat.

  No thanks.

  “We’re here now, is everything ready?” Levi asks sharply and Deacon nods.

  “Yes, the ‘trap’ is set. You guys just need to fall into it. I called Archer this morning, when I told him I’d heard you were moving through the mountains, looking for your friend. He’s expecting you,” Deacon tells us, and a lead weight settles in my stomach, I don’t like the sound of that.

  “Okay, thanks. I guess we better head inside,” I tell him softly with a small smile. He’s risking a lot by helping us too, even if he does stand to gain a lot if everything goes as we hope. Caleb said he was telling the truth, one of his skills apparently, so for now, I’ll trust Caleb’s trust in him.

  Deacon pops out of sight, and I let out a small sigh before trudging into the cave after Levi and Creek. Everyone is quiet, I can feel how on edge they all are, and it makes my heart race. We move deeper into the cave and it widens, the top of the cave reaching upwards, before it curves to the right.

  I stumble and the sound of rocks cluttering across the ground, followed by my own squeak, feels so loud I can’t help but cringe. “Sorry!” I hiss, while Creek tries not to laugh as he shakes his head.

  Levi signals I move to the front, knowing that this is the plan. That I enter the cave first, and find Deacon waiting for me. I take a deep breath and move forward.

  Ready or not, here I come.

  I enter the room in the cave alone, and I hear Deacon’s laugh. It’s low and gravely. “You made it so easy,” he says, a twisted grin on his face. He cuts his hand and places it on the wall of Angel glass, which is enough to make me double take on its own, but when the glass ripples, my gasp of shock isn’t fake.

  That’s when I hear Archer’s low voice as Deacon pounces on me, gripping my arms behind my back.

  “What the fuck!” I hiss.

  “Poor little Shadow Walker. You thought you'd be able to save them all didn't you?” The black glass on the wall shimmers in front of me, Archer’s manic smile takes over his whole face as he starts to laugh. “You thought you could betray me, and there wouldn't be consequences for that?”

  “I will be able to save them all you bag of dicks,” I snarl, hoping to keep him distracted enough that he doesn’t think about the fact that the others aren’t with me.

  “You know, this was never my plan. I didn't even share everything with that darling brother of yours. I knew his heart would be too easily swayed when it came to his precious sister. I knew that when it came down to it, that no matter how much he loved me, he loved you more.”

  “Is that what all of this is about, Archer? You're jealous because my brother doesn't love you enough? Are you fucking kidding me?” I make a show of struggling in Deacon’s arms, but he holds me firm.

  “Oh no, Remy. This is about much more than that. It is about power, and the rightful place of Hunters in our world. For too long the balance has been off. Your grandfather started on the right path, changing the ways of the factions, teaching those beasts their rightful place. But you just couldn't accept it could you. Your weak heart will be your downfall.”

  “You don't know anything about me, or my heart!” I shout.

  “Oh I know more than you think. I have a friend I'd like you meet,” he says, his glee dancing in his eyes as he steps back and another person steps into the frame.

  You have got to be fucking kidding me. My knees go weak at the sight, and I’m almost thankful that Deacon has hold of me.

  “Jack?” I gasp.

  “Hi Remy,” he waves at me, but his face, so similar and yet so different. Darker somehow. Archer claps his hands while he laughs.

  “You see, Remy. You were never meant to become a Hunter. I knew, thanks to a powerful seer, that if you awoke this life, that you would change life as we knew it. So my friend Jack here volunteered himself to be the best distraction, for a lonely grief ridden heart. And you fell for it. Hook. Line. Sinker. We masked what he was thanks to a Witch friend of my own, and none of you had any fucking idea. A Demon among you, and none of you had a clue. It was pretty genius if you ask me.”

  I try not to let my devastation appear on my face. He lied to me, through all of it. And he’s a fucking Demon!

  All of that time...

  My heart fractures a little, because while I gave Jack up for this life, while I have my guys, I did love him. That human, innocent part of me loved him with all that I was. I was willing to give up everything for him.

  I guess he played his part well.

  “Genius... and yet it failed,” I say with as much snark as I can muster. “I guess Jack wasn't quite the perfect distraction was he?”

  “You stupid fucking Bennetts and your want to better this world! But it doesn't matter now. You'll never find your Witch friend, and you'll never make it back from there. Any of you,” he cackles and Jack just stands there looking smug.

  “You have no idea what I'm capable of,” I tell him softly, and he pauses, watching me closely. “You might think you have everything all figured out Archer, but you have no fucking idea of the game you set in motion. You never really knew me, you just knew the bits of me I let Bauer see, which means you have no fucking clue who I really am. What it is I'm capable of.”


  “Oh, I'm scared over here on Earth, while you're trapped in the Shadow Realm. And once my friend has you in his grasp, he'll bleed you dry and open the portal between our worlds. There isn't anything you can do to stop us. And just to show you how truly powerless you are, dear little Remy. I brought another gift. Mainly for myself, but for you. It seems you left someone not quite as protected as you should have.”

  The wall of glass ripples in front of me again, losing focus just as Levi and Roman appear in the cavern, both of them bound by magic, Demons holding them in place. I glare at Deacon, but he nods subtly, reassuring me that this was all part of his plan, though he looks uneasily at the Angel glass. I guess he doesn’t have any more idea of what Archer is up to than I do.

  “Lookie, who we found Remy,” Archer appears before me again and this time, I really do almost fall to my knees when I see him pull her into view. Only Deacon’s strength keeps me upright.

  “No!” I gasp, tears already running down my face, because I know. I know this isn't going to end well. Even if Colt has his location, even if we could get in touch with him and he raced to him. There won't be time to save her.

  “Remy, sweetheart…” Everly's voice is scratchy as it reaches me, Archer dragging her before him. Her hands are bound, and her body is covered in bruises. The one on her jaw still a black, purple.

  “I am so sorry, Everly,” I sob, unable to look to Levi and Roman. I can see them out of the corner of my eye, but I can't stand to see Levi's face. This is all my fault.

  “No, sweet girl. I am sorry. I am sorry I did not go when you told me to. Do not cry for me.”

  “How very touching,” Jack snarls beside Archer. “I wonder, would it hurt you more if I kill her, or if Archer does, hmmm?”

  “You're a vile bastard,” I snap at him. At them both. I pull at the hold Deacon has on me, but he plays his part well, wrapping the same magical binds around me to keep me still that are on Roman and Levi. But fuck this, this was not in the plan. I’m going to rip Archer’s head from his body and then do the same to Jack.