Rouen Chronicles Box Set

by Raven Steele

  “I’m sorry, Briar,” he said. “For everything you’ve been through. It explains a lot.”

  I lowered my gaze. “Killing Silas, especially the way I did it, triggered something in me. It’s like my mind fractured, and I began to have nightmares of that night. Then Ryder died and it only made it worse. The Scorpion’s Breath numbed the pain, let me sleep again. It was just too good to pass up.”

  Luke gently ran his fingers through my hair. “I understand.”

  Samira began talking as if she hadn’t heard my last words. “When you were in the well, you said you prayed to Kushin. Then you felt sudden power and shifted, at an extremely young age.”

  “Yeah, I guess the stress of everything triggered something inside me.”

  Luke turned to Samira. “Have you heard of someone shifting so soon?”

  “A couple of times, actually.” She stared at me in her unusual way. Her eyelid twitched once.

  “What’s on your mind?” I asked. “Your dead-face looks almost alive.”

  “When we fought together at Bodian, I saw something in your eyes. They changed color.”

  Luke glanced back at me and my uncle. “That could mean she could be an Alpha one day.”

  Samira shook her head. “It wasn’t just the change in her eyes. She had this sudden burst of power. She moved like a vampire, in addition to becoming stronger.”

  “Yeah, I get that sometimes. But it only comes if I’m in a life-or-death situation. What does that mean?” I’ve always known that during the time in the well, I had received some kind of ancient power, but I had no idea what it was. Or what it meant for me.

  “I think you might be a Komira,” Samira blurted.

  My eyebrows shot up to my hairline. “No way.”

  “A Komira?” Luke sounded as surprised as I felt.

  “What’s a Komira?” Lynx asked. “Sounds cool and ninja-ish.”

  I laughed. “Not as cool and supposed to be a rumor. Basically, it’s an Alpha that’s supposed to rule all Alphas or some crap like that.”

  My uncle leaned back rubbing his tired eyes. “Komiras are powerful, meant to have the strength of several Alphas. But like Briar said, they are a myth.”

  “Not so,” Samira said. “I met one once almost two hundred years ago. A scary shifter. Had she wanted to, she could have snapped me in half.”

  A grin split my face. “Do you think I could snap you in half one day?”

  She showed me her teeth, hissing. “I’d like to see you try, Briarpatch.”

  I snorted. “Briarpatch? You kill me Sammie, but I love you for it.”

  She ignored me. “This other Komira also shifted at an early age under great duress.”

  I touched my head, feeling a sudden headache coming on. “If this is true, which I’m not saying it is, what does that even mean?”

  “It means you can become incredibly powerful, if you can learn to harness the power.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “I can train you, or there are those on the Bisou Islands who are more than capable. They could do it during the day and in secret.”

  I considered it. “Are you saying that in those moments where I’m flooded with power, that I can always feel like that?”

  “If you train. You must work hard and be able to focus.”

  “Well, shit. Sign me up. I’m going to need all the help I can get when I go after Dominic. He killed those two Greybacks like it was nothing. Besides, I’m ready to be done and move on with my life.” My gaze flickered to Luke. “After we find—” The words stuck in my throat as I realized what I had almost revealed.

  Lynx furrowed her brow. “Who?”

  I cringed and mouthed “Sorry” to Luke, but he didn’t seem upset.

  He sighed and announced to the group, “Dominic has my brother. He’s been keeping him from me, forcing me to work for him until I pay off Jake’s debt.”

  Lynx lifted her hand to her mouth. “That man spreads darkness wherever he goes.”

  Vincent stood abruptly. “I’m sorry. I just remembered I have somewhere to be.”

  He crossed the room. I met him halfway and gave him a tight hug.

  “I’m so glad to have you back,” he said and smiled.

  “I’m glad I found you, too.”

  He pinched my cheek. “You’ll always be my little Isabella though.”

  My throat constricted at the sound of my name. I loved it, loved my family, but that name would always remind me of that day. It was one of the reasons why I’d changed it to Briar. My uncle gave me one last hug then he left.

  Once he was gone, Luke jumped off the couch. “Briar, I need to talk to you.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Go for it.”

  “No,” he said. “Alone.”

  “Um, okay.” I pointed upstairs. “We can go to my room.”

  “I’m leaving too,” Samira said. “You may talk freely without fretting about me listening in.”

  My brows drew together. “Do I normally have to fret about that?”

  “Yes.”

  Lynx grabbed the bottle of wine, smiling as if she was enjoying the conversation. “I don’t have special hearing, so you don’t have to worry about me.”

  I grabbed Luke’s hand and pulled him up the stairs. “Come on.”

  Upstairs, he walked past me into my room. I closed the door behind us and began to subtly kick the clothes scattered on my floor into a pile. “So what’s up? You look all broody.”

  He whirled around. “Actually, I’m pissed.”

  I froze, my pulse racing. “At me?”

  He flinched and crossed the room. His hands grabbed my waist, his fingers pressing into my hips. “Of course not! Why would you even think that?”

  “I don’t know.” I lifted one shoulder and bit at my lip nervously. His gaze dropped to my mouth. “I haven’t been the nicest to you.”

  He tore his eyes away from my mouth and stared into my eyes. “I should’ve done more. I should’ve seen your pain. I should never have questioned your motives.”

  “But you didn’t know the truth. You were acting on the information you had at the time, which, dick move on my part. I’m really sorry about that. I should’ve trusted you from the beginning.”

  He groaned and rested his forehead to mine. For a moment, we shared the same warm breath. His hands slid under my tank top, and his fingers dug into my side. “I want to kill him, rip him to shreds, for what he did to you. I want to smell his blood on my hands, hear the crack of his spine.”

  “Me too.” I pressed my palm to his face. “We’ll get him. I know we will.”

  I slowly lowered my hand to let my fingers lazily slide down his neck, his chest and down to the top of his jeans, where they rested comfortably.

  He closed his eyes and inhaled a hitched breath. “Do you trust your uncle?”

  My hands slipped beneath his shirt, and my fingers grazed across the skin of his hard abs. His muscles rippled under my touch. “Not someone I want to think about right now.”

  His breathing deepened, and his eyelids fluttered. “Me either, but I need to know if I can trust him. I don’t like how he stayed with the very pack who destroyed his family. His whole pack.”

  My fingers traveled upwards, stretching the fabric of his shirt until my palms slid across the dips and curves of his chest. “Your muscles are remarkable. Do you work out every day, or just days you know you’re going to see me?”

  He moaned and closed his eyes. “I’m trying to have a serious conversation with you.”

  “And I’m trying to have a serious make-out session with you.” I flicked his hard nipple and scraped my teeth on his shoulder, making him shudder. I bit it gently. “You can trust him. Now shut up and give me that lesson you promised.”

  He stared down at me, his eyes simmering with hunger. Longing flared through my chest, spreading through my whole body. I needed this, needed him.

  Growling, he flipped me so that my back was to his chest. Clutching me ti
ght against him, his hand slid up my waist, over my breasts to my neck. His fingers splayed across it, and he flicked his wrist to pull my head to the side. A low rumble left his throat as his teeth raked down the sensitive skin of my neck.

  “You want to play, Briar?”

  I nodded and he moaned, nipping at my ear. He ran his fingers into the back of my head, tugging on the long tendrils.

  “Fine.” His breath burned hot on my ear. “I’ll play, but you’re going to do exactly what I say, when I say it.”

  I flinched. “The hell I am.” I tried to pull away but his hand tightened so that I couldn’t move without ripping out my hair. His tongue slid up my neck where my hair met my skin, and then to my ear.

  “You are going to get on your knees. Then I’m going to give you something better to do with your lips than to mouth off to me. I’m in charge here.”

  “I don’t think so.” I reached down and grabbed his hard bulge, squeezing it tight, and a guttural moan left his mouth.

  “Briar.” His voice was low, a warning, but I didn’t let go. We were both tangled in each other, trying to show our dominance.

  He released my hair and, grabbing my wrists, twisted me around to face him. He yanked my hands over my head and rammed me against the wall, holding me to it. He thrust his knee between my legs and lowered his face inches from mine. The intensity of his blue eyes rivaled my own need. They pulled me under, taking away my breath. “I will fuck you, Briar. And when I do, the last name you will ever scream out is mine.”

  I sucked in a breath. All I could think about was getting him naked. I wanted to rip his shirt off and throw him to the bed. I wanted him pinned under me, moaning my name while I took him slowly.

  He let my hands go and stood back, his stance firm and domineering. “Be a good girl and take off your shirt.”

  I tried to take his shirt off instead, but his hands grabbed my wrist, holding it tight. He scowled. “I said, take your shirt off.”

  Fire ran though my veins and heat seared my chest, sliding all the way between my thighs. I needed him, and I needed him now.

  I grabbed the bottom of my shirt and pulled it up. Growling impatiently, he yanked the top of my shirt and ripped it over my head. He ran his hand down my neck, stopping to rub the tips of my nipples through my lacy bra, which perked happily for him. His other hand lowered, his fingers digging into my flesh as he made his way lower, making me gasp.

  With one quick flick of his thumb, my top snap came undone. My stomach flipped as he tugged my jeans down past my hips. He shoved them down further, ripping my shoes and socks off only to toss them behind him. His fingers slid up the back of my legs and into my panties to palm my bare ass. He yanked me up to straddle him, his lips hot on mine as he claimed my mouth. His kiss was demanding, greedy and possessive. It was impossible not to grind myself against him.

  A text alert I never thought I’d hear blasted in my ears. I stiffened, heat turning to ice. I jerked out of his arms, stumbling to the floor. I knew that tone. It was the only one I’d assigned to someone specific.

  “What?” Luke’s shoulders tensed. “Forget that.” He yanked me off the floor and threw me onto the bed.

  “What goes around, goes around … comes all the way back around.” The alert rang out again. I stood up, grabbed my phone, and stared down at the name displayed on the screen. Dread filled me.

  “Who is it?” Luke scowled and dropped onto the bed. His hands ran through his hair, making it look sexy and rough.

  Strength left me, and I sat next to him. “It’s Dominic. He’s never texted me before. It’s always been Heather, Terrence, or Leroy. It must be serious.” I opened the text. “He wants me at Fire Ridge in five minutes.”

  “It’ll take you twenty minutes if you leave right now.”

  I stared up at him and swallowed. “I know.”

  He blew an exasperated sigh and collapsed back onto the bed, his arms flopping wide. “Fine, Briar.” Then he jerked up onto his elbows, his expression serious. “Next time, I’m not going to be as forgiving.”

  “Is that supposed to be a threat?” I crawled into his lap, rubbing my nose over the top of his jeans where he was still hard. He grabbed my chin and yanked it up.

  “Don’t be naughty. Or you will be punished.”

  I smiled, snaking my tongue over my lower lip. I slowly crawled up him and palmed his cheeks. I kissed him slowly, taking my time to get to know his mouth with my tongue. Then I pulled back, grinning. “You promise?”

  Chapter 38

  After Luke dropped me off with a kiss and smack to my ass, I rushed into the mansion. Everyone was waiting for me in Dominic's office. As soon as I walked in, he came to his feet.

  “It’s about time. As I’ve already explained to the others, tonight you will be going with me to Raven Cemetery. I wouldn’t normally take my security team, but with the increased tension in the city, I feel I need more protection. As for what I’m doing in the cemetery, that’s none of your business, so don’t ask.”

  I lowered my head in agreement.

  “All I need you four to do is guard the perimeter. I should only be an hour."

  The others eyed each other and seemed surprised by his request. Apparently, this wasn’t a common one.

  “We’ll leave in one hour,” Dominic added. “I must prepare in my private quarters.”

  Prepare? What was he going to do? Jack off to one of his bloody paintings? The image made me shiver.

  After Dominic headed upstairs, we walked to the living room.

  “I can’t believe he’s letting us go.” Leroy sat on one of the couches and grabbed the television remote. I collapsed next to Terrence, who sat on the opposite side of Leroy.

  “I think being tortured by the Greybacks made him more paranoid than he already was.” Terrence glanced back to make sure Dominic was really gone. “He says he doesn’t even remember how he got there.”

  “Paranoid?” I tried not to appear too interested.

  “A little,” he answered. “No other Alpha has a private security team like ours. I mean, sure, he’s the greatest Alpha the Silver Claws have ever had, and he’s on the Ministry, but it’s for that reason that I think people will leave him alone. He shouldn’t be so afraid.”

  “But he is afraid, especially if things don’t go as planned.” Heather was leaning against the wall, picking at a cuticle on her nail.

  Leroy laughed. “This again? Everyone knows Trianus is just an urban legend. My grandpa used to tell me stories about it to scare me when I was little.”

  “Trianus?” I asked, suddenly very interested in what they had to say.

  Terrence leaned toward me. “Don’t worry. I’d never heard of it either, but Dominic was mumbling about it when he was recovering. He probably hallucinated something when he was being tortured.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Heather slapped the remote out of Leroy’s hands. “If he’s worried about it, we should be too.” She pulled off her shirt. “I want to get in a run before we go. You guys in?”

  Leroy jumped off the couch and began to undress. Both Terrence and I joined in, and I figured this would be a good bonding moment between the team.

  Apparently Dominic believed in Trianus enough that he’d mentioned it to them. And I was determined to find out what they knew.

  Raven Cemetery was unlike any other graveyard I had ever been to before. It wasn’t well maintained. At all. It looked like it hadn’t been mowed in weeks, and the grass was as tall as my knees. Bushes lined the property, growing thick and wild, burying many of the headstones. A great forest surrounded its borders, and a light mist crept along the ground. Trees along the edges had grown to encroach the space, and their roots made many gravestones tilt to the side. It looked like the whole place had been forgotten.

  Dominic stood at a large iron gate, clutching the bars, and staring into the space meant for the dead. His whole body was tense, like he didn’t want to go inside. After a heavy breath, he turned around to face us.
“Terrence, you wait here. You other three separate and guard the perimeter. If you sense any threat, call to me.”

  “What threat are you expecting, sir?” Terrence asked.

  Dominic glowered at him. “Just do it.”

  Dominic turned back around and pulled open the gate just enough for him to fit through. The hinges groaned in protest, grinding and squeaking.

  Glancing back one last time, Dominic gave the order with a simple nod of his head. Then the graveyard swallowed him, mist swirling at his feet. Heather turned to the right, Leroy to the left. I followed after Leroy.

  As we walked along the outside of the rusted iron fence, I whispered, “Tell me more about this Trianus.”

  He chuckled. “Got you spooked, did I?”

  I shrugged like it didn’t matter. “I’m just curious.”

  He held his phone up to his chin and pressed the on button. Light illuminated his face, his eyes big. “It all began on a night just like this. It was dark and fog crept along the forest floor, devouring everything in its path.”

  I shoved him playfully. “Forget it.”

  He laughed and pocketed his phone. “It’s nothing really. Just a story my grandpa used to tell me about a powerful, immortal fae named Ivona who lived hundreds of years ago in a small village in what is now Romania. She yearned to have a child but was barren. For ten years, Ivona searched for a way to have a child. When she’d done all she could without results, she turned to dark magic. Soon, her wish was granted and she was with child.”

  We made a turn, following the gate as a wind blew around us, lifting my hair. A shiver brushed over my skin, giving me goosebumps.

  “When the child was only three months old, Ivona woke and found her baby son dead in his crib. She lost her mind and refused to accept his death. Once again, she turned to dark magic. When that wasn’t enough, she prayed to a demon. The spell required some ancient blood and a few other things I can’t remember.”