by Alice Knight
“Nothing will be stopping that from happening again, this just means life will become a little more difficult for you. Your begin to crave someone you can't have, it would be like walking the desert for years without a drop of water and never be able to die. The upside to this however is Drake will suffer just as much.” Thorn says in a matter of fact kind of way.
My stomach drops as I process his words and the meaning behind them. I march over to Drake and full on slap him round the face.
“How dare you do this to us” I say in an angry voice. To his credit he takes the bitch slap like a champ, acting like I barely touched him. I’m not sure if I'm impressed of more pissed off at this point.
“This is not something I would of done without your consent, we have been mated since the engagement party love, but whatever took your memories from you also hid our bonding marks.” He says in complete honesty. He turns his back to me and lifts his shirt slightly and I see where the throned vine from his front climbs up his back, leading to a beautifully opened purple rose on his muscular shoulder blade. “Mine however never left my skin.”
I lift my fingers up and lightly trace the sharp looking vines, desire and pride burning low in my belly. He growls just as the markings on his back brighten in colour, I feel a pleasurable hum coming from my own roses.
“What was that?” I breathe out, the hum feels like it is getting more intense, I can barely keep standing, resisting the urge to let it take me away.
“Now that both sets of our marks are complete, it appears we can once again read each other. The markings give us an indication of the stronger emotions we are feeling. They are a mirage oasis to the man in the desert.” Drake explains, each word courses my mating marks to burn brighter.
He drops his shirt and turns back around to me, we lock eyes as soon as we can and the rest of the room falls away. I start to lean towards him, fully intending to lay the smackdown of all kisses on him but someone is tugging me away by my arm. Frowning at being pulled out of the little world we created I turn to see someone I didn't expect.
“I don't think now is the best time for that poppet” Lucien says calmly.
Thankfully only the three of us seem to be aware that I was a hair's breath away from jumping Drake’s bones right here in the living room.
Aireme has disappeared with Thorn and Freya seems focused on whatever she is watching on the telly.
Drake brings himself flush up against my back and wraps his arms around me. Lucien looks up at him over my head and nods before returning to the love seat, joining Freya in watching the TV.
Once the dust has settled somewhere between 4 or 5am, we’re all sit around the dining room table. Trying to work out who tried to kill me.
“I’m telling you this has the dark fae stink all over it” Thorn argues against Drake.
“And I’m telling you, the dark king would not try and assassinate someone with a damn bomb. It’s to impersonal for him.” Drake defends.
Freya’s head is on the table and her back is rising and falling slightly, I feel bad I keep forgetting that my friend needs her beauty sleep. Poor girl can't handle all nighters as the guys bicker like teenagers trying to score points.
I rise from my seat and walk over to my witch and stroke her arm whispering “Frey come on time for you to get some sleep in an actual bed”. She nods and grumbles at me. I tuck one of her loose locks behind her ear and give her a hug goodnight. She half heartedly waves night to everyone else and heads to her bed. I look back to the rest of the table, Drake is now ignoring Thorn and stares at me.
“We can catch her up later, trust me you don't want to see her when she’s tired, I’d rather fight a starving bear then do that again.” I chuckle to myself at the memory.
Drake lands one of his dazzling smiles on me and raises his arms beckoning me to him. Like a moth to a flame I walk back down the long wooden table and slip on to his lap resting against his chest, just as he locks his strong arms around me. Well isn't this romantic. Thorn is yet again giving us a death glare, I hear the tell tale signs of a starting growl.
“Will you grow up grinch” I raise up my left hand and wiggle my ring finger at him, “there is no ring on this finger so I will sit on Drake's lap if that is what I want to do, and you are not allowed to complain seeming as how you apparently have known the score for years.” I say in a matter of fact tone.
Turning back to Lucien and Aireme I notice them both trying to hide their smiles. Clearing his throat Lucien says, “maybe we should get back to the matter at hand.” Aireme chuckles her agreement.
“So if not the dark fae, who else would want the fiary minx dead? Lucien asks. I stare up at the ceiling and ponder his question, coming up on blanks, I just shrug my shoulders at him.
“Who would want me dead, I’m a delight.” I respond. I hear both Thorn and Drake cough at my comment. I frown at Thorn and elbow Drake where he sits behind me and this makes him begin to all out laugh.
“Sorry love as much of a delight you most certainly are, I wouldn't be surprised if you have a dedicated cult following looking to put your pretty head on a spike. After all your tantrums over the years you have pissed off a large number of people. I have not had a dull night in years, making sure your don't get decapitated in your sleep.” Drake says to me calmly with a smile still tugging on his lips.
I tilt my head and smile at him, “You think I’m pretty?” This just starts his laughter all over again.
“Of course that’s the only thing you heard” Drake kisses me lightly on my cheek, I feel my cheek warming from the kiss and I’m sure if I look in the mirror right now I’d be bright red from head to toe.
“Will you to please focus so we can deal with this problem and go home.” Thorn says still with a slight growl in his voice.
“I think we should have a word with some of the vampire leaders as they are the last race she pissed off” Drake comments. All eyes aim towards me and I smile and raise my hands up in defence.
“Hey now, they had it coming! They ruined a perfectly good pair of jeans, trashed my apartment and tried to kill me first!” I try and reason.
“You tried to wage a one woman war on them, everything that happened was because you overreacted to ONE of them flirting with you.” Thorn remarks.
Overreacted? Me? I don't think so I was being perfectly reasonable. I try once again to argue my defence but Lucien cuts me off.
“Well then let's split up and see if we can't find out who is to blame, deal with them and finally go home. Aireme and Thorn will come with me, Drake you go with Sky and Freya. We need to get some rest, we will head out tomorrow morning. Report back any findings, before you take action.” I don't like how he aimed that last bit towards me as if I’m the loose cannon here. Clearly they haven't spent a lot of time around Freya, witch, is crazier than me!. Everyone hums their agreement and turns in for the night.
Waking up at the butt crack of dawn does not have me and Freya in a bright mood. I feel bad for Drake as he has to now deal with us voicing our displeasure and almost drowning ourselves in caffeine. I mean come on the sun isn't even up yet!
“Come on ladies, the others have already left.” Drake calls out from the car.
Me and Frey are practically holding each other up and shuffling towards the front door.
“I’m seriously re-evaluating our friendship right now” Frey grumbles next to me. I don't even have it in me to fire back a retort.
We both get into the black SUV Freya sits in the back behind my chair, I take up the front with Drake. Once we are both buckled in, I spot Maya at the front door waving us off so I half heartedly flip her the bird.
No one says anything, I’m proud of Drake instead of getting straight down to business. Our first stop is the corner cafe, we don't even get out the car because as soon as we park up a skinny human male is bringing us a tray full of hot beverages.
“I thought it would be a good idea to think ahead after seeing you two almost kill each other over th
e coffee machine this morning.” Drake says.
Once we all have a take away cup in hand, Drake pulls out of the car park and we make our way towards the first vampire coven on the list.
“Remind me again why we should care who blows up who?” Freya grumbles from the back seat where she is nursing her 2 shot vanilla latte. I turn to Drake and arch my brow at him waiting for his response.
“Because she is from the fae royal family, my mate, Aireme’s sister, your best friend and someone tried to kill her in her own home. Meaning that they are a danger not to mention reckless considering I was with her at the time.” Drake explains yet again.
I place my take away latte into the cupholder, resting my head against the window and begin to close my eyes, desperately wanting to get some more shut eye before they make me do anything else. We didn't even have time for Drake to give me some morning delight, it's a travesty really. I feel the car break and Drake's eyes settle on me, opening one of mine I see the red traffic lights.
“I can't sleep when your staring at me, keep your eyes on the road” I all but growl at him. He shakes his head and chuckles at me before turning his attention back to the road in front of us and begins driving. Closing my eye again as I shift myself into a better position.
I raise his jacket that I may or may not have stolen from his bedroom before we left, bringing it up to my chin, and then throw my legs up onto the car dashboard. Sighing and snuggling into a more comfortable position I let the rest of the world slip away.
Next thing I know, someone is stroking my knee, from the warm fuzzy feeling growing in my chest my money is on Drake being the culprit and waking me up. I make a half hearted attempt to shake him off, instantly regretting it when the feeling fades as he pulls his hand away, I sink back into the darkness of sleep.
Heaven, I can smell heaven all around me. I open my eyes trying to find who has the heaven in a cup. Freya is leaning between mine and Drake's car seat holding a large hazelnut latte under my nose.
“Rise and shine sleeping beauty, time to play hide and seek.” She sings in an overly chirpy voice.
I grab the coffee and hold it up to my nose and take a big inhale. Ahh well I guess I can forgive her for waking me up. I pull myself into an upright position and look out the windows.
“Where is tall, dark and delicious?” I inquire, bringing my attention back to Freya. She turns out the back window and I follow her line of sight. Stopping at what appears to be a worn down warehouse.
“He didn't want to wake you, so he went in by himself. Though I knew you would want a piece of the action.” She explains. Little witch just loves getting me into trouble, though bitch has a point.
How dare he try and put us on the bench and go play hero without us. Well entre superhero Skylar and her trusty sidekick Freya. I drink my coffee in record time and exit the car with Frey following suit.
“Witchy entrance music please, time for the girls to join in.” I say to her, as she gives me her lets cause chaos look.
We cross the road, heading over to the main door of the warehouse, walking up to it like we own the place, I turn to Freya and nod to que our music. She grabs her phone out from her back pocket, a few seconds later the music to ‘Get the party started’ blurts out of the speakers echoing around us. Plastering on a smile I kick in the front door, and we walk into the vampires den.
It only took the beheadings of the two guards out the front to get the attention of the coven leader. I’m currently standing in the middle of the not so abandoned warehouse surrounded by the vampire’s of this coven.
“I want the one responsible for the shitty attempt to assassinate my mate” I say casually to the vampire Eric.
He does try to defend his people, “We are not in the assassination business I’m afraid. --” I interrupt him,
“See that is not an answer that is going to work for me. I understand I might not of made myself clear. Allow me to try again” I lift my hand towards the vampire to the left of Eric and begin to phase the poor bastards heart to my palm. As soon as the phase begin, the vamp starts to clutch at his chest screaming like a banshee not understanding the pain he is currently feeling. Eric’s eyes dart between us, shock flashes over his face as he realises that he is about to be another man down.
“Enough! Stop this!” he bellows. I carry on stretching out the phase for as long as I can using the iron clad control I have over my abilities. I don’t take my eyes off of the leader, even when my current victim drops to the floor with blood bubbling up from his mouth. “Give me a name or this carries on until we run out of pawn’s then it will be the kings turn. By King I mean you Eric.” I add coldness to my voice so he knows I’m not bluffing.
Everyone around us has taken on a defencive stance, ready for word from their leader to attack. I start to feel the warmth coming from the heart as it begins to materialize on my open palm.
Just before the phase is complete Eric holds up his hand, “Fine, his name is Carter. He is not apart of this coven any longer, Carter had a problem with following the chain on command. From my understanding your female killed his lover.” As soon as Eric was finished spilling his guts, I stop the phase and release my mental hold on his underlings heart. Eric kneels down to check his soldier still has a heart in his chest.
“See now that wasn’t so hard was it” I say dusting off my hands. Just as I turn about to make my exit, some sort of pop song starts echoing all around us. Confusion is plastered on everyone's face. So this was not a normal occurrence.
“Well fuck” I say when I realise what’s happening, watching the main compounds door get kicked in. I see my mate and her friend waltz in like they were invited.
I step through the hole in the wall where the door used to be, and take in the scene in front of me. A huge room with a few doors and black paint smeared windows keeping out the sun light scatter the walls.
Me and Freya come face to face with a crowd of bloodsuckers, every pair of eyes are glowing red filled with blood lust. At the centre of our new group of friends Drake is standing there, like he doesn't have a care in the world, we will fucking see about that. Coffee or no coffee he still left me on the sidelines.
“Freya hun would you mind? I’d hate to ruin more clothing with blood stains.” I say keeping my eyes on all the predators in the room, currently eyeing me and my witchy up like we are juicy cuts of steak. Freya giving the room all of zero fucks, she takes on a stance that almost looks like she is praying, clasping her hands in front of her chest, she lowers her head and starts chanting a spell under her breath. The electric feel of Freya’s magic immediately fills the air.
“Witch!” is spat out from on of the parasites in front of us, just as he starts running in our direction. I watch his approach and casually cock my hip to the side and check on my manicure. Just as he is about to reach us, Frey quickly raises her head, he is suddenly frozen in place his hand is stretched out a foot from my chest.
I see his eyes moving and notice as they settle on me, I raise my hand up and wiggle my finger in front of his face.
“Tsk Tsk” I say to him.
“I love your new little trick girly.” I compliment Freya from over my shoulder.
“Wait for it.” I hear her whisper, I look over at her and see as her eyes take on a bright blue effect that reminds me of lighting strikes. She smirks at the crowd she currently has frozen in their place.
“Don't forget to leave a review on travel supermarket after your flight gentleman” She says in her professional voice. Her hands quickly fly open, arms now stretched out to her sides and every frozen vampire in the warehouse is thrown out towards the walls.
Witchy quickly refreezes them before they connect with the buildings hard steel shell, this action has created a path that we can walk down enabling us to join Drake in the middle of the room. I look around and take in the scene, bodies have been frozen in their forward momentum she has them suspended in mid air. Like they are nothing more then balloons at a party.
> Whistling “Now that's what I'm talking about-” Turning to face Frey “When did you learn this trick, getting to the bar in clubs now without having sticky smelly bodies touching us will be so much easier.”
“Mate” Drake growls as he storms into our direction. Why does he sound mad at me for?
“Yes darling?” I respond in a angelic tone.
He comes to stand in front of my and I have to crane my neck back so I can look into his eyes. Drake begins to talk and I silence him resting my finger on his lips.
“Now before something sounding like an order or a scold comes out of that purrfect mouth of yours. I’d just like to say this is all your fault and -” All of a sudden my hand is pushed away, his mouth descends upon mine and I’m left speechless.
Pulling away from me with a snug look on his face he says, “Who knew it would be that easy to shut you up before you put your foot in your mouth.”
My jaw hits the floor at his comment.
“You arrogant ass!” I exclaim. Freya is giggling next to me, the sound has me sending a death glare in her direction, which only makes her laugh harder with tears springing up in her eyes. She wipes them clear with the back of her hand and winks at me.
“I got the name of your admirer, so no need to go on a killing spree love.” Drake tells me. I narrow my eyes at him, “well this is the last time we go on a mission together, you suck all the fun out of it!” I say heatedly.
“I’m sure you won't be saying that to me later.” His eyes crease up as he tried to hold back a smile. My belly starts to tingle along with our mating marks in anticipation to get our alone time later.
Stepping back towards Frey, I see the mischievous look on her face that has me standing on edge, now people will learn why I’m not the trouble maker here.
My witchy gets all theatrical calling out a rhyme that seems to bounce off the walls of the warehouse. When her words die down, she clicks her fingers to add some effect, all the blacked out windows begin to shatter at the same time, just as every vampire currently frozen in mid flight loses their trousers, they start moving again in their original trajectory. Bodies slamming into the walls ending up in the glaring light of the sun, screams and curses ring out as they are burnt to a crisp starting from their manly organs.
