by Brenda Trim
“I’m not God, but I’m the next best thing,” the enormous troll rumbled.
Chapter 19
The rabbit hole was getting deeper, Alex surmised, except she wasn’t in Wonderland. She was smack dab in the middle of Seattle, where the infamous concrete troll came to life…and spoke.
Now, it was moving and causing more pebbles to rain down on her battered body. She didn’t care though. She’d take small rocks over burning claws from Hell any day.
“Wha—” Alex managed to mutter.
Did she hear the creature correctly? Was he one of the good guys, like Bhric? She was skeptical until she gazed into his yellow eyes. There was mirth behind those large metal orbs.
“You’re in bad shape, my lovely little female. And, I see you are touched by the Tarakesh family. Rest assured, Elvis is here to save you,” the troll boomed.
The sound of his voice made Alex think of rocks slamming together. It was deep and the vibration rumbled through her bones.
Elvis’s words gave her pause. How did he know she was a mate of the royal family? It must be the mating mark she couldn’t see. If a Goddess was going to bestow her a mystical symbol, she’d at least like to see it.
Bhric told her it was identical to his brand, except iridescent, which made Alex think of the aurora borealis. The red mark on Bhric’s stomach was raised and puffy, not to mention painful-looking.
“You might want to cover your eyes,” the troll added with a chuckle as he stood over Alex. The movement shook the freeway above, and dust rained down on them, obscuring her view of the sky. “Once you go troll, you never go back. I doubt your mate will want you to see what I can offer. It’ll make him insecure about his ability to please you.”
It didn’t take Alex long to decipher Elvis’s meaning as he stepped over her prone body, his massive legs spread wide.
There were things you could never unsee and what Alex saw would haunt her forever. When the troll came to life, he really came to life. It never occurred to her that a troll would have reproductive anatomy, but damned if he didn’t. She was underneath the world’s largest penis. It had to be five-feet long, and he wasn’t even aroused. Yikes!
On that frightening note, Elvis tilted his head back and roared to the sky. Everyone within a twenty-mile radius had to feel it and was running for cover. It sounded and felt like an earthquake.
The cars on the street rocked and rolled under his onslaught. A few car alarms went off, as well. Alex’s heart jumped as the volume of the noise rushed through her veins. She wondered if Bhric heard it, and was coming to her rescue.
It was a long shot, but she needed to see him one more time. Alex was becoming weaker by the minute and didn’t know if she’d live. The demon definitely nicked her heart when she attacked. At least her demise wasn’t going to be at the hands of the vile sisters, and that was highly satisfying.
They’d be furious at losing the opportunity to claim Alex’s life and her mating bond. They planned to use her connection to Bhric as leverage against him and his family, but Alex’s efforts would deny them that, and keep Bhric safe.
“This doesn’t involve you, troll,” Crocell snarled to Elvis as she and her sister came into view. “Step aside and let us have the human.”
Alex didn’t hear them land or seen them coming. She scrambled away from the demons and took cover behind Elvis’s large foot.
“You mean Bhric’s Fated Mate?” Elvis asked, telling Alex he was closer to the family than she realized.
There was so much to Bhric’s world she had yet to learn. Yes, it was frightening and overwhelming, but a part of her wanted to experience all of it. Unfortunately, it was too late. Alex shivered as cold crept through her body. She was close to death.
“You don’t want to get in the middle of this, troll,” Crocell hissed as she turned her palm over and spread her fingers wide. A ball of black light hovered above her hand. The black smoke surrounding it told Alex this wasn’t for show.
“Au contraire, my little blue insect. You’re on my turf, and you don’t have permission to perform your unimpressive light show. You didn’t even bother bringing the proper toll, and that offends me,” Elvis boomed.
“Here’s your fucking toll,” Crocell shrieked and tossed the light at him.
Alex winced when the black light slammed into Elvis’s shoulder. The fumes from the smoke drifted down to her and made her gag, but the troll didn’t flinch. The energy dissipated without seeping into his stone flesh.
Cresil’s eyes went wide, and she looked at her sister. “Together,” she muttered. Crocell nodded her agreement, and the pair tossed black balls at Elvis.
The troll lifted his ginormous hands and played handball with the weapons, sending them back to the demons. The sisters tumbled end over end from the force. They caught themselves and righted their position, while at the same time, several skirm raced around the corner.
Several things happened at once, and Alex’s head swiveled in every direction. Some of the Dark Warriors she met at Bhric’s house arrived, and the demons upped their game, throwing magic in rapid succession. The warriors immediately attacked the skirm while Elvis remained engaged with the demons.
Alex scanned through the group of warriors, searching for Bhric, but he wasn’t among them.
It was difficult to keep track of what was happening, but Elvis took a couple steps to the side, telling Alex the force of the demon’s magic was affecting him. A second later, Alex watched a black ball fly into one of Elvis’s eyes.
The yellow eye turned dull silver, and the troll howled as he threw a hand over the area. Alex tried getting to her feet. She wanted to help him, but her body slumped back to the ground.
Cresil cackled, and the sound reminded Alex of dead leaves blowing down the street. “Go for the eyes,” she called out to Crocell as she flew closer to Elvis.
Alex curled into a ball as the troll stumbled. If he fell on top of her, Alex’s death would be swift.
“Don’t get too close,” Crocell warned her sister as she loaded up another volley.
“He can’t do anything now. He’s injured,” Cresil boasted as she flew around his head.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Elvis roared as his hand shot out and grabbed the demon from the air.
Alex had never seen anything like it. It was like trapping a fly midair. The troll had mad skills. Alex had trouble catching a ball.
“I wonder what sounds you’ll make when I pop you like a grape,” Elvis pondered as he wrapped fingers around the demon.
His enormous digits engulfed the demon and Alex could barely see Cresil. One finger spanned half the length of the demon’s body. His concrete pylons trapped Cresil like a stone cage. A loud crack echoed then Cresil’s scream filled the air.
It brought a smile to Alex’s face to hear the demon’s distress. She deserved that, and, so much more. After everything she’d done to Alex, and the others in that house, she hoped Elvis tore her limb from limb.
Alex wasn’t a vindictive person, but these evil creatures had tortured and tormented her.
Black blood dripped between the troll’s fingers and fell to the ground with a sizzle. Alex watched the asphalt as the acidic fluid melted the concrete as if it were butter in a hot frying pan. She’d been right. These demons were toxic.
Alex’s head flopped to the side. She didn’t have the strength to hold it up anymore. The only thing she could do was watch the battle on the ground. Luckily, she wasn’t in the line of fire.
She saw Gerrick slice through skirm with ease. He was ruthless in his attack, and Alex was impressed with his fighting skills. Rhys was near Gerrick, taunting the enemy as he fought. The man was fearless. They were surrounded by at least a dozen skirm, and Alex swore she saw a smile on the warrior’s face as he swung his blade.
Tears burned her eyes as she continued her search for Bhric. Where was he? Had something happened to him?
Blood flowed in a trickle towards Alex’s face causing the burn to i
ntensify. She yelled out in pain, but the sound was drowned out by an overhead scream. Alex forced her head back and glimpsed Crocell trying to get to her sister.
Cresil struggled in Elvis’s grasp, her wings crumpled and smashed. Between the troll’s thick fingers, Alex saw the orange glow of Cresil’s claws.
“Elvis, watch out. Her claws!” Alex croaked out in warning.
She couldn’t stand the thought of him injured. Not when he’d risked so much to defend her.
“Ah, no worries. Lights out, my little firefly,” the troll teased.
With his other hand, Elvis pinched the top of Cresil’s head between his fingers and lifted. The demon’s head dangled between the troll’s thumb and forefinger as blood gushed over the top of his hand.
Crocell’s eyes bulged, and her wail sent chills down Alex’s spine.
The sight of the demon’s grief was inexplicable. Alex wouldn’t have thought her capable of such devotion, but Crocell was devastated.
“Alex!” shouted a familiar voice, drawing her attention away from the scene above. She glanced over and saw her vampire running to her side. Bhric had found her.
There was so much blood surrounding Alex. Bhric could see that her flesh was shredded beneath the filthy lab coat.
“Jace,” Bhric called out before he reached her side. “Get your arse over here.”
He heard Zander give orders to deal with the skirm and try and capture Crocell while Bhric bent down next to Alex. His hand fell to her cheek. Deep furrows tunneled through the flesh. Her stomach and chest hadn’t faired any better. The sight had his stomach in knots.
“Shite. Doona move, baby. Jace is coming. I didna think I would make it,” he admitted. “And, damn, Elvis. Put some clothes on.” The comment was ludicrous, given the troll saved Alex’s life, but Bhric couldn’t stand the thought of his mate gazing at another male.
Elvis chuckled as he tossed Cresil’s skull at Crocell, who caught it with a shriek. “Told you your mate would become insecure,” Elvis chuckled to Alex.
“That you did. And, you saved me, as promised,” Alex croaked to the troll before turning to Bhric. “I’m so relieved you’re here. You’re the only thing I want to see before…I die,” she whispered and licked her bruised lips as tears streamed down her battered face.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Jace replied as he crouched down beside them, his black braid falling forward with the movement. Jace quickly scanned Alex’s injuries, and the grim gaze he shot Bhric caused the lump in his throat to double in size.
“You can heal her, right?” Bhric asked.
“It’s pretty bad, but I think so,” Jace replied with confidence.
“No, it’s too late, Jace. She nicked my heart,” Alex muttered and turned to Bhric. “It’s for the best. Now, you won’t be saddled with me for a mate.”
Bhric narrowed his eyes and leaned into Alex’s line of sight while Jace pulled a syringe from his back pocket. “Listen very carefully to me, Doc. You are perfect in every way. If anyone is saddled, ‘tis you, a chroí,” he said as he grabbed one of her hands and placed a kiss on her palm.
“This is going to sting a little,” Jace warned before he plunged a needle into Alex’s arm.
When Alex mentioned the demon nicked her heart, Bhric knew the shot was the only way to save her life. Before the scientists had developed the antidote to demon venom, her injury would’ve been fatal. In the past, there was nothing Jace, or anyone could do to remove the toxic substance.
Alex screamed, and her back bowed. Bhric pulled her to his chest and prayed for the Goddess to take her pain away. “It’ll be over soon, Doc. Jace is healing you now that the anti-venom is in your system.”
“She was right,” Jace muttered as he held glowing hands above his mate’s body. “Her heart was injured. This is going to take a few rounds to heal completely, but she is out of the woods.”
Alex’s head collapsed against Bhric’s shoulder. Her breath was warm against his neck as she slurred, “I’m going to live?”
“Aye, you are,” Bhric agreed.
Alex’s head lifted, and she looked at Elvis. “Did you rip her apart?”
The troll smiled wide and held the body of the archdemon from one paw. “Not quite. I figured you might want the honors.”
Alex shuddered and curled into Bhric’s side. Automatically, his arms wound tighter around her body. Glancing down, he realized her lab coat was doing a poor job of covering her nude body. Bhric pulled his shirt off and tugged it over Alex’s head. His thin t-shirt looked odd over the bulky fabric, but at least her private areas were hidden now.
“I’m a doctor,” she replied, as if that meant something to the troll.
“Even better. You can dissect the bug,” the troll replied. Elvis wouldn’t understand that Alex may want the demon destroyed, but she was human, and not accustomed to such violence.
“Tempting, but I’m going to pass. I don’t want to give that filth one more second of my time and attention,” Alex countered.
Breslin approached, and Bhric felt her tension ease when she saw Alex was safe. “I can take care of that for you,” his twin offered.
Alex cocked her head in question. “She has power over fire, remember? She can burn Cresil to a crisp,” Bhric explained as he lifted Alex in his arms and stood.
Elvis tossed the demon’s body into the middle of the street. “I should get some marshmallows to roast,” the troll observed.
“You could always have Priscilla bring you some,” Orlando added as he joined the group. Bhric recalled the female troll and how the Dark Warriors laughed about the couple’s names the first time they met her.
“Nah. She’s not around. The female’s been nagging me to settle down. I can’t deny all the females this,” Elvis bragged as he gestured down his naked form.
“You have a girlfriend?” Alex asked, eyes wide with shock.
She was gaining strength by the second and Bhric sighed his relief. When their mating bond reconnected, he freaked out when intense pain washed over him. Bhric couldn’t get to her fast enough, sweating and cursing the entire ride across town to reach her side.
“For now, but don’t be disappointed. It never would’ve worked between us,” the troll told Alex with a wink.
“No, I don’t suppose it would have,” Alex agreed with a smile. “Thank you for being my knight in stone armor.”
Bhric growled, “No one will be saving you but me. I would’ve been here sooner, but the fucking blue bitches blocked our bond. That wouldn’t have happened if we were mated.”
Elvis chuckled at his comment, but Bhric ignored everyone but his mate. They had some issues to work out.
“I really hope that’s not your idea of a proposal,” Alex teased.
Bhric raised one eyebrow and smiled. He’d never considered he needed to ask his mate to be his. Typically, supernaturals were ecstatic with the blessing of a mate, and couldn’t wait to plan their mating ceremony. But Alex was human, and he acknowledged her species did things differently than his. He would do anything she asked of him.
Bhric set Alex on her feet before he dropped to one knee. “Alexandra Layne, would you make me the happiest male alive and agree to mate me?”
Her resounding sigh made his heart twist. “There are so many differences between us that seem insurmountable,” Alex mumbled as she rubbed her hand across Bhric’s face. “I don’t want to say yes and then things not work between us. Been there, done that.”
Her shaking fingers matched the quiver in her voice. Bhric remembered Alex telling him how her ex-husband left after she was diagnosed with cancer. When she needed the male most, he turned his back on her, and walked away. Bhric wanted to find Vincent and tear him in two for hurting his mate.
“You didna listen to me before, mate. I said you are perfect, in every way. I’m happy to give you more time, but I need you to know I doona need another second. You are mine, and there willna be another for me. Mating is forever, and quitting is no’
an option. The only promise I can make you is that I will love you until my verra last breath. You are it for me,” Bhric vowed, hoping she could see the truth behind his words.
Alex threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. “I’m so sorry for leaving before. That was a huge mistake on my part. When the demons were torturing me, all I could think was my biggest regret in life was not exploring this incredible connection we share,” she said and kissed him again.
“No more regrets,” she murmured against his mouth.
“Is that a yes?” Bhric asked, holding his breath as he waited for her answer.
“That’s a yes,” she said and smiled.
Bhric swooped Alex up and swung her around as he smothered her face in kisses. His life had been a scotch-soaked hell before he met Alex, but he’d do it a million times over to have her by his side.
Chapter 20
“I still can’t believe he’s a vampire. He’s so gorgeous,” Alex’s mom whispered as she twisted a lock of Alex’s hair and pinned it in place around the chaplet.
When Breslin and Elsie presented her with the Tarakesh family heirloom, Alex was unsure about accepting the beautiful piece of jewelry. It was a ton of pressure to keep the tradition alive, and Alex hoped she met the women’s expectations. Elsie was the Vampire Queen and Breslin a princess. Both women were stunning, and Alex paled in comparison.
“I kept trying to see his fangs, but it never happened,” her mom added.
“Mom,” Alex groaned and glanced in the mirror to see a smile cross Elsie’s face. It was a good thing the queen used to be human. She wasn’t upset by her mom’s inappropriate comments.
“Oh, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I remember having the same thoughts when I met Zander. Our fangs only come out when we are emotionally charged, Kate,” Elsie responded to her mom.
“Oh, I see,” her mom murmured. “Sorry if I’m offending you. Curiosity, I suppose. I can’t help it. This is the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to our family. Well, except for Alex becoming a doctor, of course.”
