The Taken

by Nikki Hunter

  The Taken

  Nikki Hunter

  The Wanted

  Copyright 2018 Nikki Hunter

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover design by Amanda Walker PA & Design Services

  Editing by EDC Editing

  The content of this book is protected under Federal Copyright Laws. Any unauthorized use of this material is prohibited. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without express written permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales are entirely coincidence.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One – One Week1

  Chapter Two – Superheroes 13

  Chapter Three – Layla22

  Chapter Four – Hollow Chest31

  Chapter Five – Vaerol41

  Chapter Six – Duke, Prince, King50

  Chapter Seven – Escape 58

  Chapter Eight – The Renegade 69

  Chapter Nine — The Message85

  Chapter Ten – Demon92

  Chapter Eleven – Surprise98

  About Nikki Hunter115

  Chapter One

  One Week

  Kade ran his finger over the polished wood of Queen Noryn’s dining table where he sat, occasionally looking through the large windows that lined her dining hall to watch the snow fall. Each swirling grain of the wood was a minimal distraction from his overbearing thoughts before he would shift his attention in hopes to find something to preoccupy his mind. He couldn’t let go of the speculation, the crazy, absurd thoughts. How could so much change so quickly?

  One minute he didn’t trust Camila, the next minute he couldn’t picture his life without her, and now here he was. Camila was gone. The bond that had connected them long since evaporated like a shallow puddle in the swelter of the desert, leaving this large gaping hole in his soul. The place where he once could feel her.

  He should have been there with her. She should have been protected. Where was she now and how would they find her? Had she moved on to another bonded? The thought made him sick.

  Kade stared hard out the windows, trying to focus solely on the uneven pattern of the fat, lazy snowflakes that fell from the sky. Snow would fall in thick clumps from the high roofs of the castle’s towers, falling with winter’s whisper as it coated the vivid flowers below. He was certain the queen had taken to spelling the plants that would normally not thrive through the season and she seemed partial to red and yellow that was so similar to their banner’s colors. Perhaps it was out of pride that she let their petals peep out from the inches of white or merely something that made her happy.

  Winter was now in full swing in Queen Noryn’s court. The other courts missing out on the terrible icy cold that had wrapped its claws around the land. She held the northernmost territory, so winter would come and winter would stay. Not that it seemed to bother the fae who actually lived here. No, they seemed to enjoy it.

  Winter in the human world came and went along with the other seasons where they had stayed. It normally didn’t drag on like it did here. Emotion clotted in his chest as he wished to return home. The human world—though they hadn’t ventured in it often—felt more like home than the fae realm ever had. They had been amongst the humans for so long, so very, very long working for Queen Katrice, living out their banishment in the best way they could to honor their people.

  Blinking slowly, Kade looked back down to the feast laid before them. The long table, much larger than their own dining set from their now abandoned home, was filled with many fine options of steaming food. Heaping piles of meats, trays of perfectly cut fruits and only the freshest of vegetables from the queen’s gardens housed in her year round greenhouse, of course.

  Wafts of the salted scent of the meats created a roaring hunger inside him, though given his grim thoughts it was hard enough to eat. Yet, in the presence of the queen, not eating something would be entirely poor etiquette and frankly rude to their host. So idly he picked at the small piece of veal he had taken. Pushing the food around the ivory plate between bites.

  Queen Noryn was perched on the edge of her oversized chair at the head of the table, wrapped in a large white fur coat that draped over her shoulders in the most regal of ways while she droned on to Bekket as if he was someone of importance and they were not. Which Kade supposed he was in some sense. In the queen’s sense.

  Duke.

  Kade decided that he couldn’t care less about anything the queen spoke and he cared even less about the title that was slapped over Bekket’s name. Kade thought Bekket was an alright guy, but if he said anything more about the “politics” of war, as if he had done this many times before, Kade’s head might explode. They’d find the gory remnants of his once useful mind splattered over their meals. He mused over the looks of horror that would flood their features. Quickly, he pushed the thought away.

  “So you’ve made the arrangements?” Bekket spoke between forkfuls of salad, his posture perfect as he leaned into his own large dining chair. The gentle sounds of the cutlery meeting china played like quiet music during the dinner. The noise the only constant between the pick up and stalling of the conversation.

  “Yes.” The queen grinned, folding her hands gently in her lap. “We meet with Queen Katrice in one week.” They had already been preparing for that, waited with little patience for this meeting. Many nights he had noticed Lance would stay away, sharpening the already fine edged weapons or with his face shoved firmly in a book.

  “One week?” Lance asked, leaning forward. He hadn’t eaten anything, Kade noticed. His plate was still empty. The queen noticed too as she frowned. Her attention flicked to his untouched dish. Had Lance eaten anything recently? Kade’s eyebrows furrowed as he stared, with the queen, down at Lance’s untouched plate.

  “One week,” the queen repeated.

  “That’s too long.” Lance’s body seemed to sag as he glanced between the queen and Bekket. A deep sadness radiated though Kade, a feeling he also harbored, one that made it easy to sympathize with Lance.

  “Often wars are drawn out and long. You have to be polite, allow them to make their moves. One week is actually very fast for an arrangement. Normally it would be at least a month.” It had already been weeks. Weeks since Camila had disappeared. The days coming and going as they tried to assemble the chaos that had drowned them after she left, after her death. Bekket set his fork down and pushed himself back into his seat as a staff member stepped forward to take away his plate. He whispered ‘thank you’ over his shoulder as the man walked away before his dark eyes turned back to meet Lance. “Have patience. It’s going to work out.”

  Zayn took a long sip of wine, his eyes narrowed at Bekket over the gold rimmed glass, Yehven at his side staring absently at his plate. The two hadn’t talked much. Zayn had begun to pick up his old drinking habit, not that it was as bad as when they first met. However, Kade made note to keep his eye on his friend. Not let his soul numb until it slipped away one day while he drank, even if it felt like his own soul might be doing that very thing.

  The heavy slam of Kade’s fist on the table startled everyone, the china rattling from the movement. Each gaze whipped over to Kade as he pushed away from the table. The screeching of his chair against the shining floor rang in his ears with the pumping of his own blood as he stood. His heart hammered away in his chest. He had never been that person, the one who speaks their mind. But he would be the one to call out this injustice. Hunted by Queen Katrice already made him a dead man walking. Let Bekket and Queen Noryn do their worst, he was ready.

  Shades of shock, awe, and forms of anger
tugged at his own emotions as his power absorbed everyone else’s reactions. He lowered his gaze, settling it back on Bekket. “I know how war works and it’s too damn long.” The words were whispered, almost laced with threat.

  “Kade, there isn’t anything else I can do.” Bekket cocked his head in the innocent way he did that bothered Kade. It suggested that Bekket had learned for many years how to manipulate others without using an ounce of magic. How he could use his fake innocence to draw out what he wanted from another fae. It didn’t work on Kade, he had worked with too many like him in his time before guarding the tear.

  “That’s a fucking lie.”

  Muscles in Bekket’s jaw feathered as he tensed at the words and turned in his seat to better face him.

  “You better get a hold of yourself, sit your ass back down and finish your meal.”

  Bastard. Insufferable bastard.

  Kade laughed shaking his head. “You think I follow your orders? You think because you have a title and I don’t, that you get to be in charge? No.”

  Bekket glanced at Queen Noryn who held a look that was equally appalled and intrigued. He stood quietly, carefully stepped around his chair and walked up to Kade. Finding his blonde hair, Bekket slowly tucked it behind his ear before he leaned in to speak quietly against Kade’s ear.

  “My title doesn’t mean shit,” he hissed the statement like a tainted poison on his lips, “and none of this matters if we lose Queen Noryn’s alliance. I know you miss Camila. We all do. I will personally take the head of the person who ripped her away from us but,” he licked his lips, “you have to keep your shit together. Sit down.”

  He was holding himself back. Kade could feel him repressing his own anger. That didn’t excuse his apathy toward a better meeting date.

  “Kade, let’s just finish dinner,” Zayn said in a hushed tone through the tension.

  With a tight nod, he pulled his chair under him and slid himself up to the table, his gaze never leaving Bekket’s.

  The queen giggled when Bekket returned to his seat. “Having men here with us is… so entertaining. Maybe I’ll invite more men to dine with me.”

  Politely, Bekket smiled at her before glancing back at Kade to watch him mouth ‘You’re an ass,’ before he picked up his fork and began eating again.

  ***

  He had already learned which boards of the palace floor would squeak when you walked on them, though he was probably stealthy enough to walk over them without having to worry, it was easiest to not have to think about that. Dark wood floor met his covered feet, still cold from the night even through his socks. While the others slept in, as they had been, Kade left his room, boots in hand. Kade knew the queen had Bekket busy with the politics all day, Lance would be hiding away in the catacombs of the library, trying to find any knowledge available on the jin, and Zayn would be doing what he could to help Yehven from his funk. Kade doubted he would be missed. They hadn’t seemed to notice when he left for hours before.

  Yehven had fallen into some sort of deep depression. His feelings were constantly a storm of regret, sadness, and doubt. But his mood was great for distracting and taking the attention off of Kade. Though he did regret making a scene at dinner. Getting out unnoticed was his first order of business for his morning.

  With a gentle ease he sat down on the red velvet couch, setting his shoes down next to him. He stretched his legs forward, circling his ankles and wiggling his toes within his dark socks. Every time he left it was his opportunity to find Camila. Kade couldn’t sit back and wait on this war to finally make some advances. He had to be doing something—anything. Plus the castle was filled with so many people, so many feelings. Each person he passed was just another vial of emotions that spilled over onto him.

  “Where are you going?” Zayn folded his arms, leaning back against the door to leave their quarters.

  “Out,” Kade answered, trying not to appear startled by his sudden appearance while he laced his black boots. He cursed himself for being so deep in his thoughts he hadn’t paid any attention to his own magic.

  “I’m coming with you.”

  Kade paused, looking up from where he knelt in the small living room that was the center of their current living quarters. His lips parted as if he was going to speak, but instead he shook his head and finished tying the shoe. Zayn was his friend, his best friend even. Kade could tell he cared, could feel his concern, the worry. However, having him come along would only make it more dangerous.

  Each trip he took was already a risk on his own life and he wouldn’t let Zayn take that risk as well. Not now. He stood, looking over his friend.

  “Zayn, just… stay.”

  Zayn snorted and pulled open the heavy door with a smirk.

  “You’re not staying are you?” Kade frowned stepping out into the corridor with Zayn close behind him.

  “Would Camila?”

  “Fucking, fuck,” he sighed, dragging his hands over his face. With a quick glance down the deserted hall, he closed the door. “We’re going home.”

  “Home?” Zayn questioned just as Kade’s image flickered and disappeared.

  Chapter Two

  Superheroes

  Three weeks prior.

  The man that held her hands behind her back was sniffing her. The tip of his nose where the skin was already dry and flaking repeatedly running up her shoulder and into her hair. Not only was it weird, it was getting annoying. The steady scent of his body odor sat sour in her nose, a smell that was leaving her feeling much less than well.

  Unhurried the blue material of the tent’s entrance flapped open revealing a new man. His features were pressed flat against his face as if he had been hit head-on one to many times. Camila rolled her eyes at the other man as he neared where they stood together. At least she wasn’t alone with this pervert anymore. That or she was in double the trouble she was in only moments before.

  “What do we have, Jenk?” he drawled, his lips curling as if he was disgusted. Perhaps at Camila’s disheveled look but certainly not directly at her beauty overall, she thought.

  “Found me a pretty lady, haven’t I?” Jenk, the man holding her, laughed, a loud disruptive noise just as unpleasant as his company.

  Camila looked up at the man with the planate face, unamused, she pursed her lips. He blew out a long, low whistle, his hand running over his exposed scalp.

  “So you are the genie we were supposed to find? Much smaller than I expected. You have a name?” He stepped closer, his dark scuffed boots trailing along in the dirt.

  “Yeah,” Camila said with a hint of seduction, gently blowing the hair from her face.

  “My name is Trek.” He bowed low before her. “Care to share yours?”

  “Sure, my name is Go Fuck Yourself.” She smiled politely.

  Jenk snorted behind her, however, Trek didn’t seem quite as amused. His light eyes flashed in anger at her comment but he rested his hands on his belt and said nothing more. Under his heavy attention, Jenk began running his nose up her neck again.

  “For fucks sake, get your nasty face off of me,” she growled.

  Jenk grabbed at her hair, painfully yanking it so that she was able to peer back at him. A nasty scar ran over his upper lip and ended just below his eye. What had he done to gain such a beastly disfigurement? If he wasn’t careful, Camila thought, she might like to try her hand at creating a new scar just like that on the opposite side of his face.

  “I reckon we can do what we please with you.” His smile was vile as his yellow teeth appeared with a snarl.

  Camila was almost at her wits end with the chaos that had become her life. Only the evening before had she pushed herself through the tear, bondless and without an alliance, empty and holding onto a very small ray of hope.

  Her body was still sore from the excess magic she exerted to get herself away from the fates. Camila’s knees where bruised from the many times she had fallen down onto them without being able to catch herself. She shifted in the man’s ar
ms wondering why the painful dark spots hadn’t healed yet.

  The fabric of the tent swayed open again as the man who found her at the tear walked in, his broad shoulders carefully covered in his own dark uniform. Trek knelt when he saw him. “General Vargan,” Trek murmured under his breath.

  “Go on, get. The both of you.” Vargan frowned. “We were to detain her not harass her.”

  Jenk dropped her arms, walked around her and out of the tent with Trek. Camila glanced at her hands, untied and free. Lifting them she tried to pull at her magic to fight her way out of this wretched place.

  “Oh, now, I wouldn’t try that. Your friend Jenk has some fun powers. Soaked yours on up while he was holding you. A little too tightly it would appear.” He raised his eyebrows. “You’ll only exhaust yourself.”

  He was right. She frowned as she noticed the normal swirl of her magic that traipsed through her veins feeling much more calm, deadly calm. Without her magic she was nothing. Just a girl with average looks, no alliance, and five deadly mates that looked as if they had walked out of a superhero comic book. Maybe they would fly in and save her at any moment, red capes, tighty whities and all. Or not.

  Casually, Vargan walked to the small cherrywood desk behind Camila, taking a seat in the large chair behind it giving her the chance to really look at him. His dark brown eyes peered out from under his thick black hair that hung down to his shoulders in waves that would make mermaids jealous with three small braids tucked behind his ear. The height and the broad plain of his chest made the wooden chair look small. “So tell me, little fighter. Why does Queen Katrice want you so much? And why do you wear a uniform so similar to mine?”

  Crossing her arms, she shrugged, avoiding eye contact. “Tell me about yourself. How’d you become a general? How long did it take to grow that beard? Why the fuck did you capture me? Simple questions really.” She looked down as if fascinated by her nails, her dirt covered, very broken nails. Next on the magic to do list was to fix the trainwreck of a manicure she was sporting, right after saving herself—unless of course Bekket or Zayn wanted to show up shooting laser beams from their eyes and soaring around like birds without wings. Still, unlikely but a girl could dream, right?