Forsaken (book 3) (The Charmer series)

by Sanderson, Danielle

  "You did this?" I question in a roar.

  "Yes that's it, let me see you passion!" He shouts with excitement, struggling to keep himself from jumping up and down.

  Holding up my dress, I turn on my heal and rush away from him. I need to see what’s happened, I could save Ruk if I could get back to him, he can't be dead, he can't!

  "He's gone Charmer. His life was taken by the king of Vampires, and now he wants you," he laughs as he appears before me, but not the creature I saw moments ago, but as perfection, a man of beauty unseen, unknown.

  "Oh this," he points to his face, as I study him with a look of shock, "I thought you would relax if I showed you the man I was, rather than the monster I truly am," he explains with the same evil smile.

  "I don't give a fuck what you look like! TAKE ME BACK! NOW!!!"

  I scream whilst beating my hands against him wildly.

  "I'll take you back if it’s what you wish, but you will wish you haven’t asked!" He warns before zapping us back to the battle that takes place before my eyes.

  Vampires, what look like to be at least a hundred of them are ripping into the pack, but while their fighting back with all their power, it’s obvious we are losing. However, all I can think of is Ruk and how much I need to see him and help him come back to me.

  Running to his body, I flip him over with all my strength, only to see the nightmare is real, his head has been removed!

  Pressing my head to his stomach, I beg, pray, and command my heart, soul, my everything, to bring him back to me, and in doing so, the realisation hits me tenfold.

  Screams rip through me violently as I shake his body. Blood drips from my nose and down from my ears while I keep pushing myself to bring him back.

  "COME ON RUK! YOU HAVE TO COME BACK!!!" I repeat over and over again with everything I have.

  Running my hands over my face, the blood from my nose and ears mix with the tears that steam from my eyes, making it impossible to see, which makes me angry at myself.

  "WHY IS NO ONE HELPING ME? DALLAH? SALLACK? ANGUS? RUK!!!"

  "I told you. Look. I'm in a good mood, how about we make a deal?"

  "What the fuck! Go away!"

  "Do you know who I am?" He asks in disbelief.

  "Yes I know who you are! You should be asking why I don’t give A FUCK!"

  I scream in his face, after moving from the ground so quickly I shock myself.

  "I like you, you should come over to my side," he winks.

  What's going on, my world is spinning around me, I'm lost in this nightmare, and now I have Lucifer asking me to go with him!

  Where's Dallah, maybe she could do something, give me strength to bring him back, maybe I could get them all together. Lifting my dress to wipe the blood from my eyes, I scan the area for the Brothers’ and Dallah, but it’s hard to see anything with everyone at war.

  "DALLAH?" I scream with urgency, but she doesn't answer, why?

  Frantically searching for someone, I see Mickey battering with a group of 3 Vampires. Trying to run to him I fall as my legs are shaking so badly, my face connects with the floor cutting my chin. Cursing my foolish movements, I get back up and jump in front of Mickey.

  "I need your help!" I shout desperately, and then take off running back to Ruk's lifeless body, but he isn't following.

  Running back with caution, I scream at him again, but he doesn't see me!

  "Why can't you see me?" I scream.

  "No one can see you," Lucifer laughs spitefully.

  "Fuck off!" I scream at him again with rage.

  Why is he here, what does he want. I want him to go, leave me to fix this. I'll be able to do it when he goes, I know I could.

  "Now now, I'm here to help you, if you'd listen that is," he speaks again.

  "Help me then, bring him back!"

  "Please?"

  Without a second thought, I throw myself to his feet and beg him to help me; I will do anything for this to be untrue.

  "Please, I beg you help me, please. I need you to help me?"

  "Get up. We need to talk, let's go, I can't concentrate here," he says in a bored tone.

  There is nothing left to lose; I will not go on in life knowing that Ruk's has been taken, all because of me! Never will I let this sight before me be the end; it will not end like this!

  Standing tall, with my head held high to show no fear, he smiles at me; it's a pleasant smile, which worries me to no end.

  Stepping to stand before me, he wraps me in his arms and just like that we are standing outside my home.

  "You can bring him back?" I ask with jagged breaths.

  "Yes, for something in return?" He bargains.

  "Ok."

  "Perfect, we have a deal," he grins.

  I know that making a deal with the devil is something I will live to regret, but right now, all I care for is Ruk.

  "I shall bring him back for you Charmer," he teases whilst walking circles around me, his fingers lacing through my hair as if I'm his child, "but he will not know you, love you, however I'm sure you could change his mind. Now, in return I want the Dark Prince back where he should be. Bring him back, and in return you will have your lover."

  "Richard! Why?" I ask in disbelief.

  "As you cursed him with power of your own, the gift of god," he spits with spite, "I cannot bring him back alone. He needs to be here to balance the good and evil in the world," he states with power.

  "I'll do it, how?" I question.

  "The dagger gifted to you, where is it?"

  "In there," I point to the house.

  "Get it," he orders.

  With no effort I produce the dagger in my hand and thrust it to him, surprising him with power of my own.

  "You grow strong Zara," he tells me with his eyes softening the slightest, as he pushes my hand back to my chest and steps up to me so that our body's touch.

  "What do I do with it?"

  "No emotion, do you really care so much for this animal?" He jokes.

  My eyes burn brightly as my fist clenches to my side, lifting my hand with unthinkable speed I connect with the side of his face, causing his head to snap to the side.

  Bringing his eyes back to mine, he looks at me with a grin before laughing in my face.

  "Wow! You really are precious," he states with hidden meaning.

  "Stop it!" I shout in disgust.

  "Your life will not be how you know it after this is complete," he tells me again, as if giving me a last chance to back out of our deal.

  "What do I do?" I repeat again strongly.

  I will do whatever he asks of me, there is no-way in hell I will let this be the end for Ruk.

  "Take the dagger, cut a lock if your hair, then drip your blood onto it, coat it with your essence." He smiles wickedly whilst watching me closely.

  Hacking a lock of my hair off, I throw it to the floor, then slash at my already cut hand and squeeze it to a fist so that the droplets splash onto the hair lying in the dirt.

  "No! Zara! You can't trust him; he is not what he seems!" My mother hollers from my side, where she tries to snatch the dagger from my hand.

  "This is my choice!" I cry to her.

  "Ruk's gone, that's what is meant to be!" She cries back.

  "No, he is meant to be here, with me!"

  "Lucifer! Take this back, you cannot do this, it's against all we are taught!"

  Without a word, he holds up his hand, and in doing so, stopping another word from leaving her lips.

  "Now take the dagger, place it on your heart and allow it to seep into your being, see the Dark Prince and bring him to the surface." He finishes with an evil smirk.

  Looking to my mother where she stands with a look of fear and sadness, as tears trickle down her cheeks, I speak to her gently before closing my eyes and allowing the dagger to take me to Richard,

  "Forgive me."

  Walking down a candle lit corridor, I come to a brick wall, which has the marking much like the one that covers me, al
l across the wall in white dust.

  Placing my hand on the wall, I put my whole might into opening the wall, breaking it down.

  Suddenly the wall shakes and slowly starts to crumble to the floor. Taking deep breaths, I wait for it to collapse completely before taking a shaky step through the rubble.

  "Richard?" I call out.

  "Stop it!" He roars from my right.

  Snapping my head in his direction, a frown forms on my brows as I take in the image of him huddled on the floor with his hands over his ears.

  "Richard?" I speak gently, with sadness in my tone from seeing him so broken and tortured looking.

  His head snaps up as his blackened eyes lock with mine. Getting up slowly from the rubble, he walks towards me on shaky legs and no emotion in his blackened eyes.

  "It can't be," he croaks out in disbelief.

  "I'm here to bring you back," I tell him with sad eyes.

  "Why?"

  "I made a deal with Lucifer, your life for Ruk's."

  His hand moves suddenly, and grips the back of my neck to bring my face close to his.

  "You lie! You would never be so stupid? Tell me this is not true!"

  "It's true, we have a deal. Come with me," I plead with him, tears falling from my grieving eyes.

  Richard was vile to me; he hurt me on many occasions. However, what I did was much worse, I took his life, and I cursed his heart and soul to the pits of hell itself.

  I was scared of Richard, the thought of him made my skin crawl. However, as I stand before him, I feel no fear, no hate.

  "What have you done? You know you belong to him now, we belong to him," he tells me full with rage.

  "You don't want to have your life back?"

  "Oh I do, but you have just fucked your life up monstrously," he tells me in a sigh.

  "You've changed, why would you care about me?" I ask in shock.

  "Don’t be fooled Zara, once my strength is back, so shall I be," he tells me as coldly as he can manage.

  I don't want to think about his words, I just want him to come with me.

  Holding my hand out to him, be takes it swiftly and nods his head in understanding.

  "Richard, how wonderful!" Lucifer cheers as Richard appears at my side, with his hand laced in mine. Lucifer looks at our hands with a raised brow, causing us to remember we are still holding hands. Abruptly pulling our hands away from each other, I look at Lucifer and wait for him to speak, but he doesn't, he just looks at us both with a mischievous smirk.

  "Where is he?" I ask desperately.

  "He is back home. You cannot tell him of the life you had together; otherwise the deal is off, do not utter a word!" He tells me with anger in his tone, "Tell no one! Understand?"

  Richard takes a step towards Lucifer in a threatening manner. Lucifer loses his temper and slams into Richard’s body, causing him to slide across the tiled floor.

  "Leave him alone!" My voice thunders.

  Both men turn to me with shocked expressions. Walking over to a weak Richard, I pull him up by the arm and take my hand away when I see him steady on my feet. I then look back at Lucifer.

  "We will go now then," I tell him bravely whilst glancing at Richard to see him nod his head in agreement.

  "Yes you can go. But Richard, don't fall for the Charmer’s lure, you are a man of evil, a monster, never forget that, otherwise your followers will!"

  "I understand," Richard angrily replies.

  Lucifer returns to his monstrous form before batting his wings and taking flight like lightening, leaving Richard and myself alone.

  "I can get myself back," he tells me in an angry tone.

  "Ok, see you then," I tell him then close my eyes so that I can transport myself home.

  "Wait!" He grabs my wrist to keep me from leaving, "I am sorry for what I did to you Zara." He tells me with a light frown and grief shining in his black eyes.

  "Yeah, me too," I smile weakly at him before adding, "don't come for Dallah, she is no longer yours."

  "I don't want her," he winks before leaving me to stand alone.

  Letting the past hour soak in, I fall to the floor in a grief stricken state.

  Ruk died! Killed by Demitri’s doing, which he will pay for enormously.

  "Darling?" My mother’s voice coxes.

  Lifting my head from the ground, I wipe the tears away from my face and look into her broken eyes.

  "I had to."

  "I know you did. You need to get back, they don't know daughter, your life is not what it was, Ruk is not the man he was. You need to stay strong, you can do this," she tells me nervously.

  "He's back, that's all I care about," I persuade her.

  Chapter 5

  Transporting myself home, I stand in my bloody dress, with dirty feet and hands.

  How can I go into my home like this? I'm not sure if anyone knows of what Ruk and I have, or even our time at the Dark Coven. I'm going in blind; I know not what awaits me.

  I can't risk being found in this way, the questions would come, and I don't know how to answer them, I can't answer them.

  Doing the only thing I can think off, I transport myself to my father’s house.

  "Zara, where have you been? Your mother and I have looked everywhere for you!" My father cries.

  "I couldn't go back like this," I tell him with a fresh wave of tears.

  Rushing to me, he takes me in his arms and holds me tightly whilst telling me I'm safe, like a father does for his child.

  "You've seen him?" I ask with urgency.

  "Yes, they are all well," he tells me sadly.

  Instantly I worry about what they are all doing, do they even know me, is Den still here?

  "Go get cleaned, there are clothes in your room, then we will go back together. I'm with you child, every step."

  "Thank you," I whisper before heading to the shower, my heart still begging for release.

  Standing outside Sallack's bar, hand in hand with my father, I look to him with a weak smile.

  "I need to do this alone. I will never forget what you have done for me, I love you very much," I tell him whilst trying to fight back my tears.

  "I'm here child; you have a home, family waiting for you when you need it. With me, no one could find or hurt you." he tells me gently hoping for me to understand his kind words.

  "I can't give up on him; he wouldn't give up on me.”

  "Go then child, be cautious," he tells me, giving a gentle kiss to my forehead before disappearing from sight.

  Walking through the entrance of the bar, my breath hitches when I see the Brothers’ sitting around the bar, laughing and joking.

  "Hey babe, why you looking so sad, come here," Den laughs whilst walking to me and kissing my cheek.

  Looking up at him I plaster a fake smile on before looking past him and to the Brothers’ where they stand watching me with worried expressions. Suddenly Ruk walks out of the kitchen and throws a tea-towel over his shoulder. My hands shake and my breath leaves me as a sob rips from my chest. Running to him, I take his stunning face in my hands and look deeply into his wonderful eyes.

  "Thank god!" I breathe heavily, tears spring from my eyes.

  His hands come up to lay over mine, but instead of looking at me with love in his eyes, he looks at me in shock and confusion.

  "Zara, what's happened, is Sallack ok?"

  "Uh, yeah. Nothing's happened, just happy to see you," I tell him nervously.

  Removing my hands from his face, I look up at him with unconditional love, while he looks to be completely freaked out.

  "Well, I need to get on, good to see you Zara," he tells me kindly, but without knowing, crushing my heart.

  Turning and walking back into the kitchen, my mouth opens wide when I see Mary kiss him on the lips and walk through with a stunning smile.

  No! It can't be! She's dead, Ruk killed her! Why is Lucifer doing this to me?

  Holding my heart I spin to gaze at the Brothers’ who watch me still with c
onfusion.

  Sucking in deep breaths and begging myself to forget the last hour I walk up to Den and look him in the eye.

  "Please Den," I cry to him, I can't do this all alone.

  "What is it? What's happened, has Sallack hurt you, because I will tear him to pieces," he threatens, getting noticeably angry.

  "Sallack?" I ask in a shock, why is he speaking of Sallack?

  I have no idea what’s going on.

  "I'm here, where have you been?" Sallack rushes through the door and lifts me off the floor so that he can look me in the eye.

  "Sallack, please!" I plead with him desperately.

  "I know beautiful," he tells me sorrowfully, and ignoring the Brothers’ worry, he walks with me through the bar and into his office, where he holds me tightly.

  "Your mother came to me, told me you should be back. Dallah is still looking for you as is Angus. Everything has changed, we are still together Zara. Ruk is with Mary now, due to mate on the full moon, which is in one week! What has happened? We were at war, then here. I don’t get it?"

  Crashing to the floor, I breathe heavily whilst trying to understand what is going on me. This is all my doing, and I will change this, but how can I watch Ruk be in love with Mary, of all people why Mary! I will kill the bitch!

  Nevertheless, I’m so grateful he lives, and that Sallack remembers. If he hadn’t rushed through the door that very moment, I would have crumbled.

  "I need to get Ruk back; I have to fight for him."

  "I know that, you need to keep your cool. The Brothers’ are freaking out, and whatever you said to Ruk has completely thrown him off. We're still not sure what exactly they think is real, we need to get out and act normal."

  "Ok, I can do this, I can. Fuck it! I want her dead Sallack!" I tell him with rage.

  "Ruk thinks that she is his mate Zara," he almost whispers.

  Looking at him with rage building inside of me, the table, chair, sofa, and filing cabinet starts to shake and lift inches of the floor, but this isn't shocking me, no, my anger has taken over any other emotion.

  "Zara!" Sallack yells as his office supply's spin and whoosh around the room, and he ducks out of the way.

  Willing myself to calm down, everything returns to its place with an almighty crash, and with that, every one if the Brother’s storm into Sallack's office.