by Franca Storm
They finally reached the library.
As soon as they stepped inside, Cora came to a sudden halt.
“What is it?” Ryan asked.
She blinked hard and her eyes narrowed at Luca. “The energy in here is darker than anything I’ve ever felt.”
“This library contains secrets and magical charms from the Dark Realm, handed down to me from my father, King Nathanial. That is what you are sensing,” Luca explained, trying to reassure her.
“It’s evil,” she accused.
“That is open to interpretation, princess.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” Ryan demanded, wrapping his arm protectively around Cora.
“Just like a wolf to get its back up and react without knowing the whole story. Ignorance at its best.”
In a burst of vampire speed, he lunged at him.
But he never made contact.
In a move that surprised both of them, Cora reacted faster than Luca and threw out her palm in front of Ryan, blocking Luca’s attempted assault.
“Stop!” she ordered, her right palm emanating a silver glow.
“Impossible,” Luca breathed. “Your reaction was faster than vampire.”
“It was instinct,” Ryan realized.
“Step back,” Cora pressed, her eyes flashing in warning.
Luca remained unmoving for several moments, clearly weighing his options.
Finally, he held up his hands and took a few steps back. “It was just a threat. I wasn’t going to harm him.”
“Really?” Cora asked, skeptically.
“Yes. I cannot kill him anyway. Even if I often find myself with the overwhelming urge to do so.”
Cora looked to Ryan for his confirmation.
He nodded. “It’s true. It works both ways.”
“Because you are brothers,” she realized aloud.
“Yes. Now, please come inside and I can give you the answers that you seek,” he beseeched her, holding out his hand.
Cora released a heavy sigh and dropped her magic. She batted Luca’s hand away and brushed past him into the library, breaking from Ryan’s grip.
“You will learn to trust me, princess.”
Ryan scoffed as he also brushed past Luca and walked into the library. “Like hell, she will.”
“She has been receptive to me before. Not just in her dream. Isn’t that right, Cora?”
Ryan saw Cora blush uncomfortably and look away, avoiding both their gazes. What the hell had happened between the two of them? Dammit, it wasn’t the right time to ask. He had to stay on mission, for her sake. She was already freaked out enough as it was, without facing an interrogation from him.
He heard her Cora draw in a sharp breath of amazement as she took in the library. As much as Ryan held a certain level of distaste for Luca and his lifestyle, he couldn’t deny that the room was impressive. It was at least ten times bigger than his bar back in the city. Stacks upon stacks of books surrounded them.
She walked over to a large, mahogany table in the center of the room and eased herself onto the table top, as she continued to scan the room. It took him a moment to realize that her attention was focused on a particular area. A wall at the back of the room. Various potions and charms filled the shelves above a wooden cupboard, decorated with golden serpent effigies. Given her heritage, it didn’t surprise him at all to find her drawn to the magical elements in the room.
Luca pulled a massive book from one of the stacks and dropped it in front of her on the table. She jumped in surprise. Ryan’s eyes narrowed as he watched his asshole brother very smoothly brush his body against hers as he stood beside her, flipping through several pages in the book, before coming to a stop and pointing to a specific passage.
“Read, my princess,” he said gently, his mouth way too fucking close to hers.
This isn’t happening.
While the two of them were busy with that, Ryan strode to the stacks and searched for another book. One Cora really did need to see, more than any other. It didn’t take him long to find it, because it was located in a prominent place, on display at the forefront of one of the stacks.
He placed it down beside the book she and Luca were still looking at. “The truth about the Vampire Prince.”
“Ryan,” Luca snarled. “I will tell her what she wishes to know when it comes to me.”
“I very much doubt that.” Ryan took a seat and propped his feet up on the table. He leaned back in the chair, his hands clasped behind his head comfortably.
Cora snatched up both the books and walked away to the steps at the far end of the room.
After a few moments of watching her reading quietly in the corner, Ryan asked Luca, “This may take a while. You got anything to eat? Anything that’s not blood?”
“What do you want?”
“Meat.”
Luca fell silent for a few moments, his eyes afire with his red glow. And then he announced, “It’s on its way.”
“You can’t even be bothered to actually go to the kitchen and ask? You have to use magic?”
“Do you want to eat, or not?”
“Fine, I’ll let it go. Did you get her something, too?”
“Of course. What do you think of me?”
“I think that you’re a vampire and you may forget that others need to eat to survive.”
“Well, I didn’t. She will eat.”
Cora looked up from her books and snapped at them, “Can you guys keep it down? I’m trying to read here.”
Ryan chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Sorry, princess.”
CHAPTER 8
Ryan finished the last of his ribs and tossed the bones onto the plate in front of him. He moaned with satisfaction.
“Where is he?” Cora’s voice suddenly sounded, cutting through the last two hours of silence that had enveloped the library since Luca had left the room.
“Taking a nap. It’s daytime.”
She came to the table before him, asking with concern, “Aren’t you tired?”
“I’m not a vampire.”
“Obviously. I meant—”
“Relax, darlin’. I can go a few nights without sleep. But you should get some rest soon.”
She eased herself onto the edge of the table beside him. “I don’t think I can sleep right now. Not after everything that’s happened, everything I just read.”
“It’s a lot to take.”
“Luca thinks I am King Vazra’s daughter, the Princess of the White Realm.”
“Yup.”
“The White Realm king’s first born was offered to him, the Vampire Prince, as part of a treaty. A peace offering to prevent war.”
“That’s how the story goes.”
“It’s not just a story, is it?”
Ryan didn’t answer. He kept his gaze on anything but her.
“Ryan, please look at me.”
Dammit. He locked eyes with her. “If it’s in those books, it’s fact. And, yeah, if you truly are the Princess of the White Realm, then you are betrothed to Luca.”
Fuck, even saying the words cut into him. The look on her face didn’t help either. Sympathy, it looked like. He rose to his feet, moving away from her.
“So, he is my mate then?”
He shook his head. “The connection is magical. It was created.”
“You mean it’s not natural?”
Ryan spun back to her. “No.”
“The connection is why he can… affect me?”
“You mean why you want to fuck him?” As soon as he’d said the words, he wished he hadn’t. The hurt on her face was painful to witness. “I’m sorry.”
She stepped back and shook her head. “It’s okay. Wolves are known for being blunt.”
“It’s not just that. It’s close to the full moon. The wolf is strong right now. It’s difficult to hold back when something upsets me.”
She took his hand and squeezed it urgently. “Forget it. Let’s get out of here.”
&nb
sp; “What? What about the betrothal thing?”
“I don’t give a damn.”
“You will,” a voice boomed from the doorway.
They both spun around to see Luca standing there, his eyes fierce pools of black.
Ryan noticed a chain around his neck. A rectangular pendant hung from it. It looked like a blood diamond of some sort. It was actually glowing red.
“What the fuck is that?”
“A gift from my father. It allows me to channel a fraction of his Dark Realm magic, here in the human realm. That fraction is extremely powerful here.”
“Why is it glowing? What have you done?”
“What needs to be done, brother.” He stepped further into the room. “I need time to explain things to her. A few books are not enough.” He snarled. “And I can’t do that with you around her.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I promised her I’d stay with her.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed at Cora. “You want him here? You are afraid to be alone with me?”
“Yes. I want him here.”
“That is too bad, because I cannot allow it.”
“You’re gonna have to set your entire vamp army on me to stop me. With the full moon so close, that might not even be enough,” Ryan warned.
Luca laughed. “No need, wolf.” Fiery red energy emanated from him. He raised his hand towards Ryan. “Your invitation has been rescinded.”
Ryan grunted and stumbled back, as a white-hot sensation assaulted his body. He recognized it immediately. “No, Luca. Don’t fucking do this! I’m warning you! Don’t cross me!”
“Let her go. She is mine. Forget her.”
“No! Stop, Luca!”
“What are you doing, Luca? Stop it!” Cora yelled. “Now!”
“I am merely sending him back home to his pack.”
“No!” she screamed. She raised her palm. But as she conjured her silver glow of power, Ryan felt his surroundings already quickly fading away. “Stop it!” she demanded, threatening Luca with her palm.
Luca smiled. “Go ahead. Hit me with it.”
She did, lobbing her magic at him. It disintegrated before it could connect. He had some sort of shield up, protecting him.
He rushed her suddenly and, in a burst of vampire speed, he had her pinned against one of the stacks, his hands gripping her arms tightly. “Your magic is too weak right now. You can’t best me. You are still learning.”
Ryan struggled to break the spell enveloping him, to go to her aid. But brute strength couldn’t combat powerful magic. Fuck!
“I’m leaving here,” Cora told Luca.
“Not yet.” As if to demonstrate how serious he was, he told her, “Look up.”
She followed his line of sight and Ryan watched her eyes go wide as she saw a shimmering red film covering the room.
“That is a barrier that one as inexperienced as you cannot hope to breach. I have put it in place around the entire property. You’re not leaving here until I decide.”
She struggled against him. “Let go!”
His gaze snapped to the door and he called, “Thomas!”
In a flash, another vampire stood beside Luca.
“Compel her. She needs to sleep now.”
“Luca! No!” Ryan roared.
Luca turned his head and smirked maliciously, triumph flashing in his eyes.
The vampire named Thomas drew Cora’s gaze to his. “Aren’t you tired now, princess? You need to sleep,” he spoke softly, his voice reassuring and hypnotizing.
Ryan watched her eyes glaze over. He resumed his struggles against Luca’s magic, but it was no use.
In seconds, he saw Cora’s eyes close. Her legs buckled as she drifted off to sleep. Luca caught her before she fell and scooped her up in his arms.
“Good work, Thomas.” He gazed down at Cora in his arms. “Sweet dreams, my princess.”
“Fuck! Luca!” Ryan bellowed. “Stop this!”
The last thing he saw was Luca glaring at him. The spell took him from the mansion. There was nothing he could do to stop it.
CHAPTER 9
Roaring in fury, Ryan ripped both stools from the breakfast bar and threw them across his apartment.
“Ry!” Josh yelled from the door.
“Not a good time.”
“You’ve been at it for a good couple of hours now. We can all hear you downstairs. Come and have a drink to take the edge off.”
Ryan took his words in and glanced around at his apartment. It was a mess. It looked like it’d been ransacked by mad men. He couldn’t even locate a piece of furniture that hadn’t been destroyed, or ripped to shreds. Damn. He’d lost control of his temper, big time. His chest rose and fell rapidly as adrenaline and fury coursed through his body.
“Ry, talk to me. What happened?” Josh asked, cautiously stepping into the apartment. “Is this about that babe from earlier? What happened? Did you strike out?”
“The opposite.”
“What does that mean?”
“She’s… the one.”
“Excuse me?”
“She’s my mate, J.”
Josh scoffed. “Come on, Ry. How good a fuck was she for you to be spouting this bull?”
Ryan stormed into the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, “I didn’t fuck her.” He pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses from a cupboard and set them down heavily on the kitchen island.
“What? The full moon is close. You had her alone in your apartment. Impossible.”
Josh joined him by the bar.
Ryan handed him a glass and then snatched up his and downed it quickly. “We were interrupted by Luca.”
Josh choked. “He was here?”
“Yep.” Ryan knocked back another glass.
“Why? What the hell did that traitor want?”
“He wanted her. She’s Vazra’s daughter.”
Josh’s eyes went wide with shock. “You’re sure? His bride-to-be?”
“All the signs were there.”
“Then she’s his, not yours.”
Ryan shook his head. “Her eyes were glowing. Mine were, too.”
“Oh, shit. She’s the one. Your destined one.”
“That’s what I told you. You think I would make a mistake like that?”
“Sorry. It’s just… she’s not wolf, Ry.”
“I’m well aware.”
Ryan knew exactly what Josh was getting at.
Taking Cora as his mate would cause issues with the pack. As Alpha, he was supposed to mate with a wolf to keep the bloodlines pure. But, clearly, the fates had other ideas.
“She touched the wolf, Josh.”
“What? You shifted in front of her?”
“We were attacked by Michael and his misguided followers. I wolfed out and she… liked it.”
Josh smiled. “Really?”
Ryan couldn’t help cracking a smile, too. “Yeah, she… stroked me.”
“And what did you do?”
Ryan looked away quickly. “Nothing.”
“You purred at her, didn’t you?”
“Wolves don’t purr! We are not fucking cats. A slight resemblance to dogs, maybe. Slight.”
Josh laughed heartily. “Shit, Ry. You’re in trouble. This woman has affected the man and the wolf. Despite the weirdness of the situation, she’s clearly your mate. The pack will accept her once you explain things to them.”
“If I can get her back.”
“What? Where is she?”
“Luca has her. He’s keeping her at his mansion. He kicked me out.”
“Kicked you out? How?”
“With his father’s magic.”
“What are you gonna do?”
“What do you mean? What the hell can I do against that shit? It’s Dark Realm magic, Josh.”
“How about that witch you fooled around with a couple of years back?”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “I doubt that one of my exes will want to help me get my future wife back.”
Josh
shook his head with disappointment. “Damn. This woman has really done a number on you. Where’s the Alpha that never takes no for an answer, who challenges anyone who disagrees with him, who never lets anyone stand in his way? We’ll make her help.”
Ryan took his words in. “He’ll try to bond with her, Josh. He can be very persuasive.”
“But she’s not his mate, Ry.”
“She’s betrothed to the guy.”
“A forced pairing. Between you and her it’s instinctual. Nothing can override that, not even his bloodsucker mind games. He might fuck her, but she still won’t be his.”
Ryan slammed his fist down on the countertop. “She’s a virgin!”
“Oh, wow. I see.”
“Yeah,” Ryan said, scrubbing his hand over his face. He couldn’t bear the idea of someone else getting there first, not with his future wife.
“Okay, then. Let’s mobilize the pack and track down that witch.”
Ryan shook his head with regret. “No. The full moon rises tomorrow night. It’s too dangerous for any of us to be around any other supernatural beings right now. We need to wait.” He chugged another glass full of whiskey. “Tonight, we head to the base. I’ve already incurred Luca’s wrath. We won’t be safe here at the bar. We need to settle there before the moon rises.”
“As you wish.”
CHAPTER 10
Cora woke up in a dark, unfamiliar room.
Dirtied brick walls. No furniture to speak of. A cold, concrete floor. The stench of mold filled her nostrils.
She attempted to move, only to find resistance. It took her a moment to realize she was restrained, her wrists and ankles secured to the wall behind her with metal cuffs.
“Is this what we must do, princess?” Luca’s voice echoed through the room, making her jump.
He appeared before her in a burst of vampire speed.
Standing mere inches from her, his eyes wandered leisurely over her body. She shuddered as he leaned in and licked her neck. “The more I taste you, the sweeter you are.”
“Stop this, Luca,” she demanded, fighting against her restraints.
“Impossible. We must bond.”
“No.”
“It is your destiny.”
