Shadows and Sorcery: A Collection of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Novels

by Adkins, Heather Marie

  “Do you still want us to grab her and bring her to the warehouse?” one crony asked.

  “No, my plans for her have changed. I had expected him to have found and marked her by now.” Valmyre paced around the circle. “It makes me wonder if we have a leak within the organization, if someone may have tipped him off to our plans.”

  No one responded to his statement, but they all fidgeted in their spots and glanced around. “Is there someone here who has had a change of heart? Someone who doesn’t feel we need to rid this earth of the dragon scum?”

  Again, they all stayed quiet, but the outer ring of vampires began to mumble among themselves. I couldn’t make out any of their words. I was too focused on the circle of men before me. The atmosphere changed, and one vampire left the outer circle and moved toward Valmyre.

  “What do you think you’re doing? Get back to your place. We aren’t done here yet.” The taint of magic in the air swirled around Valmyre as his anger increased. “I’m surrounded by incompetent idiots.”

  “Watch what you say, blood bag. We are paid to protect your circle for a time, and that’s it. Your time is up. Our master has recalled us for a greater purpose. Your contract has been fulfilled.” His fellow vampires began to disappear one at a time.

  “What the fuck are you talking about? Our contract has not been fulfilled. If you leave now, you will never see payment!” Valmyre screamed.

  In the blink of an eye, the head vampire was toe-to-toe with Valmyre. “I suggest you rethink your statement, warlock. Remember who has been given admittance to your home. It is not wise to piss off our master. We will not assist in your war with the dragon, but we will not hesitate to take what you love from you if you cross us.”

  Valmyre visibly seethed, choosing to stay silent as he continued to stare down the menacing vampire before him. He finally cast his eyes down and to the side in submission, and the vampire shifted his eyes to me, inclined his head slightly, and vanished in thin air.

  “We’ll see about that,” Valmyre growled. “Change of plans, we don’t need the vampires to finish this. We will take him down tomorrow night after we kill the girl. I have it on good authority she will be doing the true mate location spell then with the help of the mangy shifter who has been guarding her. We will attack and take out three unworthy paranormal scum at one time.” His rage was evident in the shaking of his hands when he wove them in the air to release the spell surrounding the circle. “Now go, gather the supplies needed, and meet me in the clearing tomorrow at ten. We will be ready before they ever show up.”

  His cronies scattered quickly to do his bidding, a few of them whispering among themselves as they went. Their conversations I couldn’t pick up as they were speaking downwind.

  Valmyre stayed behind, pacing and talking to himself. “This will show them. I will prove I am worthy of the council seat. My methods are what is needed to exterminate the vermin they have allowed to live among us for so long.” The laugh that followed was of a man who had fully lost his mind. The sound echoed around him as he moved out of the small clearing and down the mountain toward town.

  I took a deep breath and moved from the prone position I had been in. My phone vibrated as I descended from the ledge. The cabin were the only words in the text. The number was unknown, but I knew it was from Leo. I made my way to the little shack I had used for shelter and found a new backpack full of supplies and a new sat phone on the step. I had never questioned how Leo did what he did, but it was a bit disturbing that someone had been in the territory I had claimed as mine without my knowledge. I pulled the phone out and dialed the only number saved in it.

  “When,” Leo answered, always straight to the point.

  “Tomorrow night,” I replied.

  “How many?”

  “A dozen or less from my count. Only one real threat.”

  “Valmyre?”

  “Batshit crazy,” I answered. For the first time since arriving on this mountain, I felt calm and in control. My training clicked in and pushed my emotions out of the equation.

  “Your mate?”

  His words jarred me. “The threat needs to be removed before I can claim her.”

  Leo’s next words were unexpected. “Wyatt, take it from someone who regrets not claiming my mate. No matter what you think, she is, and you need to claim her. If you don’t, you’ll regret it for the rest of your existence. She is your last chance. You deserve happiness, more than some of us.”

  “I can’t put her in that danger.”

  “You put her in more by rejecting her. Also, it’s the only way to protect her from this maniac’s plan. I don’t care how you do it, but claim her tonight. Your bond will be the only way you will get to her in time. The coven has seen it,” Leo stated matter-of-factly.

  Shit. Leo and the pack had a local witch coven they worked closely with. The coven helped protect and warn them of things, and in return, Leo and the pack protected them. They had a blood oath shared and loyalty was soul-deep. If their coven had seen something, then this had just gotten deeper.

  “What did Talia say?” I held my breath as Leo took a moment to reply. Talia was the coven leader and one who had helped when Sterling went to Texas to battle an evil that had taken over a pack down there. She was blood bound to the Black Mountain Pack but helped Leo when he needed it as well. Her magic was strong. She had been blessed by the goddess during that encounter and now had visions that foretold the future. Her visions had helped us on more than one occasion to save many.

  “Maybe you will understand this better than me. She said to claim her in your dreams tonight. Then you must find her tomorrow before the sun reaches its noon height and acknowledge her.” Leo paused. “Does that make sense to you?”

  His words jogged a memory long forgotten—a part of a story my gran used to tell me as a young dragonling. The story was of how a dragon found his mate and the steps it took to fully recognize and mate with her. The first step was always in the dream realm, how our souls would find each other there before our physical forms. I sat down hard on the porch as the memory hit.

  “Wyatt, are you still there?” Concern was laced through Leo’s voice.

  “Yeah, I’m here.” I rubbed my forehead as I leaned forward, still holding the sat phone to my ear.

  “Good. Now your team is in South America right now and won’t have time to reach you before this goes down. Talia is already in contact with the coven protecting that side of the mountain, and they have agreed to help you. The coven elder seems to have taken a liking to you and is ready to be rid of Valmyre and his slimy cronies, she said.” Leo laughed. “Her words, not mine. So you will have backup but just not what you are used to.”

  “Great.” I puffed out a sigh. Not only had I been told I had to claim my mate, now I had to work with a coven of witches I knew nothing about.

  “Talia ensures me they are trustworthy, and from the sounds of it, Stephen has already been working with them. She says you focus on your mate, get her safe and then prepare to let your dragon free. They will need his fire.”

  “I don’t like this,” I growled. “I need more information. What do they plan to do?”

  “Wyatt, for the first time in your career, let someone else take the lead. Trust me, I wouldn’t say this if I didn’t think it was best. Focus on your mate and protecting her. Then let your dragon extinguish the Resistance filth. Once this is done, I will consider you on permanent leave,” Leo barked. “No arguments. Good luck, now go find your mate.”

  The line went dead before I could respond. “Fuck.” I shoved the phone back into the pack and pulled the burner phone from my pants pocket to send a text to Stephen. Things were moving too fast, and I had no clue how to claim my mate in the dream realm. Drago growled at me in my mind.

  “We know how.”

  “No, we don’t. Gran died before we were old enough to really know how mating goes. A story is all it was.” I knew my resistance was futile. It was my human side’s last-ditch effort.
>
  “Dream of her, claim her, done.”

  I shook my head. Drago always had a way of simplifying everything. I felt his smugness fill me as he settled in to wait for sleep.

  “Leave it to me.”

  Those were his last words to me as he lay down and let a happiness rumble inside his chest, then waited for me to succumb to sleep. If gran’s stories were true, then my dreams were where I needed to be. “I still think this is a bad idea, that all we will do is put her in more danger.” My words wouldn’t affect anything, but I had to say them before I let Drago take over and do as instinct had designed.

  I rummaged in the pack and found more jerky, water, and a small bottle of liquid with a note.

  Wyatt,

  You have probably talked to Leo already, and if I know you, you will be resisting sleep. Don’t let your human fears keep you from finding happiness. This is your only chance. If you let her go, then your life may as well end too. Your dragon will eventually go insane without his mate, so think of him if you can’t think of anyone else. This is a simple sleep potion, to help you reach a dreaming state faster. It will do nothing else, but it will keep you there long enough to claim her.

  By the way, she is a wonderful person and you must bring her for a visit as soon as this nastiness with The Resistance is over and your mating honeymoon is done too.

  See you soon,

  Talia

  I chewed the jerky as I read the note. I raised the bottle to the light, trying to see inside, but the dark-blue vial simply made the liquid inside look the same color. I uncorked it and sniffed. No scent. Drago began pacing inside, scratching to get out, impatient for me to drink.

  “Fine.” I scooted back against the side of the shack and took a look around in the hazy evening light. “Bottoms up.”

  19

  Natalie

  After the day I had, I was looking forward to a calm evening. Mom had made a simple dinner, and Stephen had joined us again. He was becoming a regular at our dinner table, and I found myself on the front porch again with him afterward.

  “How long do you plan to stay around?” I asked him as I slowly swung in our aged wooden porch swing. The breeze brought the scent of honeysuckle and something more to my nose, a sweet scent tinged with sour. The hairs along my arms rose as the wind twirled around, playing with the few strands of hair that had escaped my ponytail.

  “As long as I am needed.” He always had a way of answering yet not. Always elusive.

  “That’s not much of an answer.” I stopped my motion with my foot and turned my gaze to his. “Are you going to tell me about the dragon?”

  Stephen hung his head a bit. “I had hoped you would have forgotten my slip.” He sighed. “It’s not my place to tell you.”

  “Why not?” I tucked both my legs under me and leaned forward. “You are the most qualified of my friends to tell me. Stephen, I have read through every book and journal that our historical library has. I have pieced together what I can, and I feel a deep pull getting stronger every day. But I don’t know what to do about it. I can guess, but I want to be sure.”

  The small leather-bound journal that liked to reside in my bag had provided an insight to one dragon shifters life and how she had found her mate, but it still didn’t tell me what I needed to do. I had accepted I was destined to be a dragon shifter’s mate and was excited about it, but this feeling of limbo was driving me crazy.

  “What did you learn from the journal?” Stephen asked.

  I leaned back and told him about the story of how the woman who wrote the journal had performed a ritual to locate her true mate, how the ritual had revealed him in her dreams and then in real life. I shared how everything she knew to be real had changed the day her mate had changed into his dragon form and then again when he had claimed her, and she completed the transition into a dragon shifter herself. I sighed wistfully at the end of my retelling, imagining the same thing happening to me.

  “So what can you learn from her story?” Stephen asked, prompting me.

  “That if I do the same ritual, he will come to me?” It seemed too simple. “But some of the ingredients for it I don’t know where to find.”

  “With such an old spell, I would expect that. What are you still looking for? I may be able to help.”

  I ticked off the ingredients on my fingers. “I need the tear of a true love, dragon blood from the royal line, fire of the first moon, water from the lady of the lake, wolfsbane, and ember bark. I have found the wolfsbane and ember bark, and I have a cleansed iron pot, but the others are out at my local pagan store.” I laughed.

  “My dear, most of that can be found right here.” The aged voice of Neevie echoed toward us from the front gate as she slowly made her way through and up the walkway.

  Stephen stood quickly to assist her up the steps and into the rocking chair next to my swing.

  “Good evening, Miss Neevie.” I smiled at her. I held a special spot for the old gypsy who was titled the crazy lady in town. “What do you mean it can be found here?”

  “The tear of a true love can be found in your own eyes. Fire of the first full moon is simply its radiant glow. The circle should be cast in it. If you look at your journal again, I am sure you will find a speck of dried blood along the very last page. Gently scrape it off, and your royal blood will be fulfilled.” She smiled at me, warmth radiating from her.

  “Why are my tears, the tears of a true love?” Her words confused me.

  “You are his and he is yours, your tears will lead you to him as your souls are part of one whole.” Her answer made sense in a weird way.

  “What about the water? I don’t even know where the lady of the lake is.”

  Neevie leaned upward to pat my hand. “Don’t worry, dear, my granddaughter shall be here momentarily with the last ingredient you need.”

  “How did you know?”

  “Who told you what your destiny would be? Who has always known what was needed or what was going to happen?” Neevie clasped her hands together and sat back. “My gift hasn’t always been a blessing, but in this situation, I am happy to have seen what is to come.”

  “There you are,” a snooty and exasperated voice called from the gate.

  I looked up and saw a very tall and very gorgeous woman stride toward the porch. She had a look of complete exasperation on her face and didn’t seem happy to be here.

  “Natalie, please meet my granddaughter Selena.” She held her hand out as her granddaughter dropped a vial into it.

  “This is who I traveled the world for? SHE is the dragon’s mate?”

  I felt her judgement and dismissal as she examined me. From the frizzy hair on my head to the fuzzy socks on my feet.

  “I advise you to watch your tongue, Selena. After tomorrow, her dragon won’t take your judgment of his mate well. Remember who has pledged to protect your coven.” Neevie’s voice steeled as she spoke Selena. “Now apologize before you leave. I believe you have a meeting to get to.”

  “How did you…” Selena stopped and collected herself. “You are right as always, Grandmother.” She acted truly contrite, or so I thought until her eyes landed on mine. The words that came out of her mouth were in stark contrast to what her eyes were saying. “I apologize for my attitude. It was a blessing to help you in any way.” She curtsied and left, her hips swaying wide, and her steps beat an angry staccato pattern in her wake.

  Neevie handed the vile to me and grasped my hand with both of hers. Her eyes went glassy as she spoke in an ominous tone. “Now you have all you need, and tonight is the full moon. Time is running out for you and your dragon. You must complete the ritual and find him in your dreams.” I felt a pulse run from her hands to mine before she let go and slumped in the rocker. “I am tired and think it’s time to return to my home. Will you help an old lady up, young man?”

  Stephen quickly stood and helped her up and down the steps. I saw her shoo him away at the gate, so he turned and came back.

  “I tried to walk
her home, but she said you needed me more tonight.” He cocked his head. I gazed up as the full moon was beginning its climb along the night sky. “I really wish I could make it to my clearing in time—”

  Stephen cut me off mid-sentence. “NO, you need to stay here tonight.”

  “I know.” I grabbed his hand and squeezed. “If you had let me finish, I would have said there wasn’t enough time, and I don’t feel it would be safe. I don’t know what’s out there, but something in the air is making me nervous.” I smiled at him. “But my room faces the perfect spot. When the moon reaches its zenith, it will fill up with light.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, okay, do you need me to do anything?”

  I smiled and tilted my head. “If you can keep my mom busy so she doesn’t know what I am doing?” I batted my eyelashes at him in a bad imitation of innocence.

  “Really? Reducing me to babysitting duty? Why don’t you want her to know?” His face was full of curiosity.

  “I want to be able to fully focus on the ritual. I don’t think Mom would be able to keep from commenting or asking questions, and I don’t have time to explain it.” I shrugged. “This feels very personal and intimate, not something you want your mom a part of.” I chuckled. “She isn’t dealing well with her only daughter growing up.”

  “I see, well you can consider her busy. I’ll find a showing of True Blood or a marathon of Vampire Diaries to watch.” He winked.

  I threw my head back and laughed, all tension gone from the moment. “That would be classic.” I wrapped my arms around him in a big hug. “Thank you.”

  He hugged me back and then pushed me away. “Now go, get your dragon before it’s too late.”

  * * *

  I looked at the items gathered in the center of my roughly drawn circle and then at the clock. It only read ten thirty, but my room was alight with the full moon’s rays. Many thought the zenith hour for a full moon was midnight, but that is a myth. The zenith hour changes depending on where in the world you are. For me, tonight, it looks like ten thirty. The spell called for a fire, but being inside, I had found one of mom’s chafing dishes and had my pot suspended above the warming candle. I had donned a long night gown I had purchased on an outing with Sandy but never thought I would wear. It made me think of old Hollywood. It felt right to wear it tonight. I stepped into my circle, asking for peace and protection from the goddess and surrounding elements. Awareness zinged along my nerve endings as I thanked the moon for this glorious night and then turned to the journal so I could follow the instructions. I meticulously prepared the spell, and when the liquid was red, I poured it into the dark vial that had held the water. I held it up to the moonlight, brought it to my lips, closed my eyes, and drank.