Untamed Winter

by Cassandra Lawson

  “Get your hands off me,” she growled.

  Cruz chuckled, tightening his hold on her throat until she gasped and struggled to free herself. Easing his grip, he spoke softly, his voice rough with arousal. “It’s going to be fun taming you.”

  “Taming me?” Vexx demanded, struggling to keep herself from doing something that would risk Winn’s safety, like trying to kill the asshole holding her in place. He didn’t seem to mind her talking back to him, but he might not be so forgiving if she smashed his balls.

  “When I chased after you, I could tell you wouldn’t submit easily,” he explained, finally releasing her and moving to stand in front of her. “I’ve always dreamed of having a biddable mate who sees to my every need and desire, but only after I’ve broken her. It’s boring when a female gives in too easily. Watching Rafe train Kish made me want that kind of loyalty for myself.”

  “If Kish is Rafe’s mate, why is he trying to claim Winn?” Vexx asked, hoping to get more information from Cruz while he was in a talkative mood.

  “Kish isn’t his mate,” Cruz scoffed. “She’s his possession.”

  Having heard what Cruz said, Kish turned to glare at him, and Vexx saw the hatred in the other female’s eyes. She had no clue what Kish was, but she was very powerful, and Vexx suspected that without Kish’s help, the jaguars would have no way of controlling Winn. Vexx had already heard Rafe warn Kish not to take too much of Winn’s power for fear of killing her.

  “You’re luckier than Kish,” Cruz told her. “While you are my possession, you’ll still have the status of being my mate. Winter will be the mate of our clan’s leader, something she’ll learn to appreciate.”

  “Why would you go through all this trouble for one female?” Vexx asked.

  Rafe moved toward them with Winn’s limp body slung over his shoulder. “Only a weak male would allow another to claim his property. Winter was always meant to be mine,” he stated arrogantly.

  Vexx snorted. “Apparently not.”

  Rafe glared at her. “Deal with your female,” he hissed at Cruz.

  Cruz moved to backhand her, and she spun, swinging her right leg around in a roundhouse kick. With her hands tied behind her back, her balance was off slightly, but she still managed to kick Cruz hard enough to make him stumble back. The expression on Cruz’s face was a mix of anger and lust as he lunged at her. Her leg lifted to deliver a sidekick, but Cruz blocked it before knocking her to the ground, allowing the full weight of his body to rest on hers.

  Rafe laughed. “You might be right about this one being fun to tame. I may have to be present for some of her sessions.”

  “She’ll make the perfect mate,” Cruz rasped out.

  Vexx was doing her best not to cry out in pain. She was pretty sure her left shoulder had been dislocated when she’d fallen with her hands tied behind her back. Kicking Cruz had been a bad move and just one more example of her impulsive nature getting her in trouble.

  “I already have a mate,” Vexx ground out.

  Cruz’s eyes flashed with anger, and for just a moment, Vexx was sure he was going to hit her. Instead, he lifted himself up to straddle her chest, causing her to cry out from the pain in her shoulder. Cruz smirked. “I’d say I’m sorry for hurting you, but that would be a lie.” He tugged at her shirt, obviously looking for a mark.

  “He hasn’t marked me yet,” Vexx admitted, hoping he’d stop searching for her mark. While she didn’t mind being naked in front of others, the thought of being naked in front of Cruz made her skin crawl. It was a strange reaction for a shapeshifter to have.

  “You should mark her now,” Rafe told Cruz, setting Winn on the ground.

  Vexx noticed Winn’s eyes were open slightly, and she was relieved to see her friend was okay. Still, Winn looked weak.

  “That’s a good idea,” Cruz agreed. “I’m pretty sure she’s lying about having a mate, but I can’t guarantee it’s a lie.”

  Rafe shrugged. “Who cares if she’s lying or not? It’s time to put her in her place. The little bitch thinks she has a choice. I think she needs to be marked and then taught a lesson.”

  “We don’t have time for these stupid games!” a vampire snapped as he approached them. “Play with the females later. Now is the time to plan our attack and claim my territory.”

  “Don’t push your luck, vampire,” Rafe warned.

  “Need I remind you that you need access to the trade port as much as I do?” the vampire asked. “Without it, you won’t be able to return home.”

  Rafe looked ready to kill, making it obvious to Vexx that their alliance was reluctant at best. “Now that I have my mate, I don’t need you,” he growled. “With Kish draining her power, we can easily take over the trade port long enough to force someone to transport us. What makes you think I won’t just kill you and your vampires for your arrogance? Kish could end your life with little more than a thought.”

  “Richard is my friend,” Kish said quietly. It was the first time Vexx had heard her speak.

  “Friend?” Rafe demanded, stalking toward Kish. “You think the vampire gives a fuck about you?” The back of his hand made contact with her cheek, and Vexx felt the moment of impact as power lashed out from Kish’s body, slamming into her. The vampires and shapeshifters didn’t seem to feel the blow. Winn also hissed as the power moved across her body.

  Chapter Sixty-One

  Mitchell was sitting in a classroom, trying to focus on math, when power like the lash of a whip slapped against his skin. Never in his life had he experienced something like that, and he almost cried out in pain.

  His friend, Faith, turned toward him, eyes wide with concern. “Mitchell?” she breathed out.

  “I’m fine,” he assured her, assuming she was asking because of his stifled scream.

  “Your eyes are black,” she told him in a shaky voice. “What’s happening to you?”

  Before Mitchell could respond, a different kind of energy moved along his skin. This time, a door appeared at the front of the classroom. It was as if the wall disappeared, but he was sure only he was seeing it. Before meeting Legion, he might have believed he was going crazy.

  It came as no surprise when Legion appeared at the entrance to the door. “We could use your help, Halfling,” the demon told him.

  “How can I help you?” Mitchell asked, knowing he was going to look crazy talking to someone no one else could see.

  “I found my sister,” Legion explained. “I’m sure you felt her power lash out. She’s with some shapeshifters and vampires. I can’t fight because I don’t have a physical presence with most beings. Serenity can fight, but she needs backup.”

  “What kind of shifters?” Mitchell asked, wondering if it was possible Legion’s sister was somehow involved in the mess they were dealing with.

  “Jaguars,” Legion replied.

  “I can fight some, but I’ve had no real field experience,” Mitchell admitted.

  “Kishara is your cousin, so your blood tie to her will help,” Legion explained. “My sister needs you.”

  “My cousin?” Mitchell asked. “So, we’re cousins.”

  Legion looked impatient. “I already told you I know your father.”

  “But you didn’t tell him his father is also your uncle,” Serenity told him with a huff as she came up behind him in the portal. “Legion doesn’t communicate well most days.”

  Mitchell nodded, even knowing he was insane for agreeing to follow the demon. Something told him this was part of his destiny. Faith was still watching him. “Get word to Connor that I’m going to help Legion fight the jaguars. Tell him to track me using my phone.”

  “Track you?” Faith asked. “Mitchell, they’ll never let you out the front gate.”

  “I’m not going through the front gate,” he replied, standing and walking toward the portal at the front of the classroom.

  “Mitchell?” his teacher asked, approaching him cautiously. “Do you need blood?”

  “I’m fine,” he assure
d her. “It seems I’m about to find out where the jaguars and invading vampires are hiding. Call Connor right away, Faith.”

  “We’ll get you some blood,” Faith replied.

  “I don’t need blood,” he assured her, walking toward Legion. Entering the portal, he heard screams from those behind him, but they all faded away as the portal closed, leaving him alone with Serenity and Legion. In the portal, Serenity didn’t have the same glow.

  He’d expected something similar to the misty tunnel he’d walked through with Legion, but the portal was nothing like that. It was oddly familiar. The walls were transparent, and it felt like he was walking on air. At points, his body moved up and down, swaying with the motion of the shifting tunnel. He passed different scenes, some appearing to move in slow motion, while others raced by so quickly he could barely make them out. Along one wall, he caught a brief glimpse of Zane fighting turned vampires in the streets beside Lexi. He’d dreamt of that very fight when Zane had gone into the past. Instinctually, he knew he was seeing different dimensions and times, and he had a better understanding of what Kyleigh had meant about time not being linear.

  “I think I’ve opened one of these,” Mitchell remarked as he watched a red-eyed dragon-like creature snarl at a little girl in armor.

  “You have?” Serenity asked in surprise.

  “I guess it’s more accurate to say I will do it,” Mitchell replied. “I remember doing it even though I never did it before.”

  “You’re a seer, too,” Legion remarked. “You’d need help from others to do this. I can’t open portals like this without Serenity’s help. This is more complex than when I walked you across the courtyard. Then, I was just pulling you from time temporarily. I can manage that for only a few minutes, and I always land back in the same realm. With these portals, we could enter any of these worlds. The only catch is electronics and most weapons can’t be transported to different dimensions. You can only exit into your original dimension with them. This is a great power. Use it wisely, Mitchell.”

  “Do you have a plan?” Mitchell asked, trying to hide his surprise at Legion using his name. “I’m not sure having one extra fighter is going to do you much good.”

  “I’m hoping your vampire friends come,” Serenity admitted. “Getting killed isn’t on my agenda for the day.”

  Mitchell smiled at her. “I’d like to avoid that, too.”

  “Use your demon powers,” Legion stated simply.

  “Great,” Mitchell muttered. “I’ll use the powers I don’t know anything about. That should work out well.”

  “You’d be surprised what you can do when you let your power take control,” Legion said in an almost bored tone. “You’re old enough to have your powers come out to some extent, even if it will be years before you have them all.”

  “I have no clue how old I am,” Mitchell told him.

  Legion studied him for a moment. “Twenty-two, give or take a year.”

  Mitchell stopped walking to stare at him. “That’s not possible. I’m in my teens.”

  Legion shook his head. “Nope. You’re young for a demon. In Hell, you and Kishara would both be considered children, but you’ve lived around twenty-two human years.”

  “I think I’d prefer if you don’t tell me anything new today,” Mitchell muttered, continuing to walk again.

  “So, you don’t want to know why you felt it when Kishara’s power lashed out?” Legion asked.

  “Definitely not,” Mitchell assured him.

  Legion laughed. “I’m still going to tell you. Kishara has consumed a large amount of mage power. She’s young, and her demon power is volatile still, so she can only hold that power for a short time. As a demon, you can consume that power when Kishara releases it, and it will be difficult for her to take it back from you. You’re like a sponge, sucking in her energy, weakening her. We need to weaken Kishara to get to her. Do you understand what you need to do now?”

  Mitchell nodded. “Fight and act like a sponge.”

  “If you can get closer to Kishara, you can drain her power faster,” Legion told him.

  “How?” Mitchell asked.

  “You’ll know how when the time comes,” Legion assured him.

  Mitchell wished he had the same confidence in his abilities as Legion did.

  Chapter Sixty-Two

  Winn’s eyes snapped open as some of her power returned in a rush with Kish’s momentary loss of control. She’d been listening to the conversation, pretending to be unconscious. Kish had taken her power, and she suspected Kish was having trouble controlling it when she was angry.

  “Don’t hit her,” Richard warned quietly. The vampires moved to Richard’s back, and Rafe had to know he was dangerously outnumbered. The only thing preventing Richard and his vampires from destroying the jaguars was Kish. She seemed to hold enough power to sway the fight in favor of the vastly outnumbered jaguars.

  “Don’t take that tone with me, vampire,” Rafe growled. “Kish knows where her loyalties lie, isn’t that right, Kish?”

  Kish hesitated in responding, and Rafe looked like he was going to explode.

  Winn motioned for Vexx to move closer, hoping she’d have time to untie Vexx’s hands. Vexx rolled to her side and slowly scooted toward Winn. Once she was close enough, Winn worked on the ropes.

  The argument between Richard and Rafe continued as tension mounted. The big issue seemed to be with Kish, who refused to swear her loyalty to Rafe. With the amount of power Kish had, Winn wondered how Rafe was controlling her.

  Rafe stalked toward Kish. “You need to learn your place, you little bitch. I had a feeling you were getting too full of yourself. That’s why I had your sister killed right after we left.”

  “No!” Kish screamed, power pouring out of her body. Winn’s back bowed as she fought the urge to scream. It wasn’t just her own power hitting her; part of it was Kish’s.

  “If you don’t submit to my will, the rest of your family will die,” Rafe hissed.

  Winn had just finished freeing Vexx’s hands.

  “Let’s go,” she told Vexx, and both took off running.

  Sadly, the others weren’t distracted enough to ignore them trying to escape, and some of the jaguars and vampires gave chase.

  “This way,” Vexx shouted. “We need to get far enough from them that Kish can’t drain your power.”

  Racing through the woods, Winn sensed Kish following them and froze. “Go without me,” she told Vexx. “Kish can track me because she has my power in her. I can feel her coming. It’s like there’s a metaphysical rope between us.”

  “I’m not leaving you here to fight on your own,” Vexx told her. “You’re still not a very skilled fighter, and you’re too weak to use your power.”

  Winn was shocked when she saw the portal open and sensed the powerful energy emanating from the other side. It was similar to Kish’s energy, and it was definitely getting closer. “Demons are coming,” she breathed out, just before two men and a woman stepped out of the port. As soon as they were out, the portal faded to nothing.

  Vexx turned and her eyes widened. “Those three are demons?”

  “You can see them all?” Winn asked.

  “One is more of a hazy mist,” Vexx explained.

  “Only two are demons,” Winn explained. “I’m not sure what the female is, but she’s not demon.”

  “Winter?” the young male asked.

  “Yes,” she replied. “Have we met?”

  “Not yet. I’m Mitchell, a friend of Quinn’s,” he explained. “I guess we’re here to save you.”

  “Where is Kishara, the female demon?” the other demon demanded gruffly. “The portal should have brought us to the source of her power.”

  “She’s coming this way now,” Winn told him.

  The male nodded and stared out into the woods.

  Soon, they were joined by six vampires.

  “They’re on our side,” Mitchell told them when Vexx looked like she was getting ready f
or a fight. “How’d you get here this fast?”

  Winn recognized Danny, but she’d never seen the other vampires.

  “We were already in this area,” Danny explained. “At first, when I tried to track your phone, it wasn’t registering, and then you were suddenly right by us. I figured it was a glitch but decided to check it out, anyway.”

  “I’m glad you’re here,” Mitchell told him.

  “Hopefully, more of you are on the way,” Vexx added. “We are seriously out numbered.”

  “Until backup arrives, maybe Winter can create some lightning or something like that,” Danny suggested. “It might buy us some time. I’ve got someone making calls to let everyone know to meet us here.”

  “We need to run,” Winn said urgently. Despite the new fighters, she still wasn’t sure they’d be a match for Kish. “There aren’t enough of us to fight them, and Kish is draining my power. I can’t help.”

  “Don’t worry about Kishara. The Halfling will stop her,” the bearded demon told her. “Just don’t hurt my sister, Halfling, or I’ll be seriously pissed.”

  “Stop calling me Halfling, Legion,” Mitchell growled, and Winn was surprised by the power emanating from him. “You’re a real asshole.”

  The woman with them laughed. “He kind of grows on you. When I first met him, I thought he was the most obnoxious guy I’d ever met.”

  “I’m irresistible after you spend enough time with me,” Legion drawled.

  “I seriously doubt that,” Mitchell muttered.

  “You really are my favorite cousin, Halfling,” Legion told him. “I mean that from the heart.” He patted his chest for emphasis.

  “Cord and Jase are on their way,” Danny began, speaking over Legion, which might have been rude if he could see or hear him. “Connor has four dozen fighters heading this way. If we can hold them off a little longer, we should be fine. I think we should stay put until backup arrives.”

  “Legion says it will be better if I go after Kishara,” Mitchell explained. “I can stop her from draining Winter.”

  Danny looked at Mitchell like he’d lost his mind. “I don’t know who the fuck Legion is, but you aren’t facing someone strong enough to drain Winter.”