A Tangle of Hearts

by Bella Forrest

  Draven gave me so much in that long, feverish kiss. His memories, his thoughts, his feelings. All that gold, all that brightness—it was all channeled at me. It was meant for me, and I took it happily. I welcomed the heat seeping into my mind and spreading through my chest and my limbs. I wrapped my arms around his neck and moaned into the kiss, pulling myself even harder into his embrace.

  His arms tightened around me, a feat I had thought impossible, and we dove deeper, lips crushing as we consumed one another. I ran my fingers through his hair. He pulled himself away, just enough for us to take a deep breath before he took me on another rapturous journey, never breaking the mind-meld. He kissed me again, and I responded with everything I had.

  “The scouts are back!”

  Bijarki’s voice crashed down on us from just outside the tent.

  The reality of that sentence broke everything down. It ended the kiss. We pulled away, both of us trying to recover our breath and our senses. The real world tumbled back into view so fast and unforgiving that neither of us had enough time to properly digest what had just happened.

  I stood up and helped Draven to his feet. His face sought mine. His jagged breathing mirrored mine. His lips were red and slightly swollen. His tongue flicked over them.

  Bijarki’s head popped into the tent, and his jaw dropped when he saw us. I had a feeling both Draven and I looked exactly how I felt—flushed and ruffled, awkwardly wobbling on our feet.

  “The scouts are coming back,” his flat tone drilled into me.

  “Yeah, we’re coming out now,” I managed to say. I ran my fingers through my hair for a quick detangle.

  Draven was quiet, his jaw tense and lips firmly closed.

  I walked out of the tent, and he followed quietly behind me.

  Bijarki waited for us outside and took his time to measure us from head to toe.

  My cheeks still burned. None of us said anything for a few moments until Bijarki pointed at the far end of the camp, where a small stone bridge reached out over a clear stream into the jungle, beyond the invisible barrier. He walked toward it, and Draven and I followed quietly behind.

  A few moments later, Draven placed his hand on my shoulder, his fingers gently pressing into my flesh and sending another heatwave through me.

  “Is this normal?” he asked, his voice low and husky.

  “What—is what normal?” I stuttered, still trying to regain control over my senses.

  “The awkward silence. I’ve never been so close to anyone before in my life. I don’t know how things work in this situation. Nor do I know how to behave or what to do next.” His confession threw hammers into my stomach.

  He had a point, though. I didn’t know how to respond to all of this either. I had never been so close to anyone. I’d read plenty of books, but none had really prepared me for the real thing. I stopped and turned to face him, my palm flat on his chest. His heart thudded beneath.

  “I don’t know either, Draven. This is new to both of us,” I managed to say and bit into my lower lip. I could still taste his kiss.

  He smiled radiantly, took my hand, and we moved toward the bridge, our fingers intertwined.

  “Let’s not make it awkward then,” he retorted.

  All I could do was smile and hold on.

  Jovi

  [Victoria & Bastien’s son]

  I woke up with a pounding headache. My eyes felt sore in their sockets as I slowly regained consciousness from a very deep sleep. I couldn’t even remember dreaming. My whole body throbbed, like I’d fallen down a flight of stairs. Repeatedly.

  What the hell happened last night?

  That internal question swiftly triggered a dazzling array of memories. I sat up and checked my surroundings. I was inside one of the tents that the succubi had raised for us, resting on top of soft animal furs and pillows.

  The succubi…

  The previous night’s feast flashed before my eyes—the strange savory preparations, the sweet kind-of plums, the spicy rose drink in golden pitchers that I kept gulping down like water…

  Oh. The drink.

  Then came the memories of the giant bonfire’s flames licking at the sky with a plethora of sparks crackling upwards into a column of smoke, the tribal drums beating frenetically as scantily dressed succubi danced and swayed their voluptuous hips to the rhythm, Anjani talking to Hansa on the other side of the fire, beautiful young succubi trying to seduce me, and Anjani claiming me.

  She claimed me!

  I looked over to my right and found her sleeping next to me, curled up beneath a light brown blanket stitched from animal hides. Sunshine pierced through the tent’s seams, and one ray of light landed directly on her face. Her skin shimmered in it. Her chest rose with each breath.

  I remembered her tormented words from last night—her insecurities about me, the frustration over her succubus nature, and the way it affected people around her. She’d been so reserved around me, afraid she’d influence my behavior toward her. When I’d run my fingers through her hair, she had lit up like a star and then questioned the authenticity of my gesture. She’d feared it was her succubus effect rather than my own intent.

  I’d been too drowsy to object. The spicy rose drink had enhanced my senses to incredible new levels, while the entire succubi tribe had projected their desires on me. I had been pretty out of it. Looking back now, fully awake and in possession of a migraine, I was pretty sure I had meant what I’d said to her.

  I had told her I liked her.

  What was I thinking?

  Clearly I hadn’t been thinking.

  What’s done is done.

  I took a breath of resolve. I looked at Anjani again, sleeping peacefully next to me. I lay back on my side, drawing myself close to her.

  I decided to enjoy the view for as long as I had. I took in her every curve, every inch of glimmering skin, full lips that begged to be kissed, the thin blade of her nose. My insides burned at the sight of it all. My breath was ragged, and I felt myself biting the inside of my cheek, unable to take my eyes off her.

  And then it hit me. She was sleeping. There was no way she was working any succubus charms on me while sleeping. That meant everything I felt in that moment was very much real and very much my own doing.

  I was attracted to a succubus I barely knew anything about, and what I knew belonged in a book on wartime brutality in indigenous tribes. She was the heir to an entire clan of warrior females expected to treat men like chunks of meat with simple and limited uses. Yet she had expressed a desire to be genuinely liked by someone.

  By me.

  My fingers found a solitary strand of her black hair, reaching out to me on the blanket between us. I played with it, letting it curl around my index finger as I listened to the sound of her breathing.

  Slowly but surely I found a new objective. I would explore this further. I would see where it took me. I would ride this wave with her until she gave in to me.

  I moved in just enough to feel her breath on my face.

  She’s perfect.

  Her eyes opened wide. Her breathing stopped. I could hear her heart as it started drumming in her chest. I almost lost myself in those infinite pools of emerald green and golden flakes as her pupils dilated. Her lips parted slowly and, for a brief moment, I wondered what would happen if I kissed her.

  She didn’t give me a chance.

  She pushed me back, her palms slamming into my chest with considerable force. I slid backwards on my side, and the air was knocked out of my lungs.

  Anjani shot to her feet so quickly, I didn’t fully register the movement. She stared at me, speechless and glowing again like I’d seen her do last night. Then, she ran out.

  It took me a few deep breaths to recover. I stood up and rubbed my hands all over my face, pleased to see my resolve was still there. I would get to her. One way or another, she would open up to me.

  I stepped outside after I changed my clothes and quickly washed my face in the little basin that had been left the
re for me by our hosts.

  Morning unraveled gently over the mountains, dressing everything in a pinkish hue. The trill of birds and murmur of cold springs running freely put a smile on my face. The sun rose big and bright as if encouraging me to keep going.

  My chest swelled with optimism, and I watched the succubi prepare for the day— some going about their chores, others sharpening their swords and lacing their arrows with poison for a shape-shifter hunt, and some washing clothes in the stream.

  “Hope you slept well.” Hansa saluted me, and her palm landed heavily on my shoulder.

  “I did, I did, thank you,” I replied, smiling.

  “Let’s go to the bridge on the other side. The scouts are coming back.”

  She didn’t wait for me to answer. Instead, her arm on my shoulder pulled me in that direction. It felt awkward, like she was crushing my masculinity. She was a seasoned warrior, and I was still technically a puppy.

  Halfway through our walk to the bridge, I decided to ask about Anjani’s glow. It fascinated me the way she’d literally flared up.

  “Why do succubi glow?”

  “You mean our skin color?” Hansa frowned, confused by my poorly composed question.

  “No, no. I mean really glow. Not your usual shimmer. I saw Anjani light up like the moon last night. I’ve never seen that before.”

  Hansa laughed all the way to the foot of the bridge, where we met Draven, Serena, and Bijarki, who already awaited the scouts’ return.

  “You saw her blush, which is quite rare. Tell me later how you managed to do that,” Hansa quickly explained and dismissed me with a slap on the shoulder.

  She turned to speak to Draven, and I was left with more questions than answers.

  Serena and I greeted each other.

  Anjani joined us. “The scouts were seen by our guards earlier, coming in from the southwest,” she explained and pointed at a slim tower fifty feet east of the bridge.

  It was a simple construction, made of solid wood and large palm leaves that served as a roof. It was occupied by two succubi with crossbows. We’d come in from the other side of the camp yesterday, and I hadn’t paid much attention to this side of the settlement. Nevertheless, it told me that the succubi were always on their guard, always keeping an eye out over the jungle.

  I looked at Anjani, but she avoided my gaze, focusing on Serena instead. Hansa’s words rolled through my head. I had made her blush. I felt a self-satisfied smirk lifting the corners of my mouth, but the sound of hooves broke my line of thought and made us all turn our heads toward the bridge.

  The jungle fanned out beyond the stream in its dark hues of green and purple, its foliage dense with thick shrubs. The leaves rustled as a large figure emerged from the depths of the wild forest. We watched quietly as one horse stepped into the clearing, followed by two more.

  There was something wrong with this image.

  Anjani gasped.

  The horses had returned, but the scouts—the three succubi I’d seen yesterday— were slumped over. Long arrows had been lodged in their backs and sides, up to six each.

  “NO!” Hansa shouted, her voice thundering across the entire camp and echoing into the forest.

  The three black stallions clamored over the bridge, neighing and shaking their heads. Hansa, Anjani, and Bijarki grabbed the reins of each horse and pulled them into camp. Serena stood by Draven’s side, her eyes wide with horror. She mumbled something to Draven. I figured she was describing what she was seeing.

  “No, my sisters, no!” Hansa’s voice trembled as she pulled Kalli from her horse.

  Her body slumped on the ground covered in silver blood. Her shimmer was gone, her skin pale and nearly transparent. Hansa knelt in front of her and pulled the arrows out, cursing under her breath. My stomach churned at the sight.

  A few feet over, Anjani pulled Thenna’s body down, laying it on the grass. She hadn’t made it either. Tears ran down Anjani’s face, her lips trembling as she whispered something into the dead succubus’s ear. She dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead before she removed the arrows.

  We heard Riga moan as Bijarki lifted her off the horse and laid her down. I darted over to them, landing on my knees next to her. I ripped off a large piece of my shirt and pressed it against her stomach where an arrow poked out. She had been hit from different angles.

  Riga coughed, her glimmer dimming as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Her lips and chin were glazed in silver blood. Anjani and Hansa rushed over to help.

  “We need help here!” Hansa shouted over her shoulder to the succubi washing clothes in the stream.

  The young ones ran off to one of the nearby tents while the others sounded the alarm, a loud guttural shrill from horn-shaped instruments I had never heard before.

  Soon enough, we were surrounded by the entire tribe.

  Serena and Draven stood helplessly to the side.

  I kept the pressure on Riga’s wounds while Anjani slipped her legs under so she could rest the scout’s head on her thighs. She gently caressed her face.

  “You’ll be okay, Riga, we’ve got you,” she said, her voice trembling.

  “Who did this to you, sister? What happened?” Hansa barked.

  Another succubus pushed Bijarki away and pulled out rolls of white linen and several flasks of dark blue liquid. She poured it onto the linen rolls and applied one to each arrow wound without removing the projectile. She gave me one to place on the wound I had been covering, and I followed her lead.

  “It should stop the bleeding before we can pull the arrows out,” the succubus said. She pressed against a hip wound, making Riga moan and cough.

  “They have a message,” the scout managed to say between coughs. She tried to inhale but instead wheezed and spit out more blood.

  “Who? What happened?” Hansa insisted, trying to keep Riga’s focus on her.

  “Arid… They joined Azazel’s army…”

  The realization crashed into us like a devastating wave. My throat burned, and my inner-wolf growled beneath my skin. Anger flowed through me, incandescent and unforgiving.

  “They…they warned us to leave before the Destroyers returned to their camp,” Riga continued, struggling to speak. “But we tried to convince them to meet with you…”

  “They refused,” Hansa concluded and cursed under her breath.

  “The Destroyers returned and…and shot their arrows… They said you’re next,” Riga managed to say. She started choking on her own silver blood.

  Bijarki pulled me away as the succubus nurse and Anjani rolled Riga on her side, trying to ease her breathing. Hansa sighed and stood up, rubbing her face with her palms.

  “It’s too late,” she said to the nurse. “Those are Destroyer arrows. She will die.”

  Anjani looked down at Riga as her body started convulsing. White foam spewed out of her mouth.

  “No, no, there must be something we can do!” Anjani shouted, watching helplessly as Riga choked and writhed in pain.

  “There’s nothing we can do!” Hansa shouted back. “End it!”

  Anjani froze, her eyes wide open. The succubus nurse pulled out a knife and slit Riga’s throat in one swift move and immediately covered her head with a cloth so none of us could see the end of it.

  I groaned, and Bijarki hissed next to me. I then remembered he’d seen this before. He’d done what the nurse had done too, to his friend Kristos, whose father had betrayed him and betrayed us all.

  Hansa left our side, fury emanating from her like a blazing fire. Anjani fell backward and swallowed her tears as she looked at her hands, covered in silver blood. She seemed hazy, as if in a state of shock. I reached out to her. I wanted to comfort her and take her away from there, but Bijarki pulled me in the opposite direction. We went after Hansa.

  I looked over my shoulder and saw Serena and Draven following us, their faces stern and dark.

  Serena

  [Hazel and Tejus’s daughter]

  Everything was happening to
o fast. Our hopes of forging an alliance with Kristos’s father had come crashing down in flames, instead giving us three dead bodies and the promise that we would be next.

  I held Draven’s hand as we walked away from the scouts. My stomach threatened to expel everything I had eaten the previous night at the sight of their dead bodies. I couldn’t be there for another second.

  We followed Bijarki, Jovi, and Hansa as they rushed toward the bonfire.

  “We have to do something!” the incubus shouted after Hansa, who turned to face him, her nostrils flaring and teeth bared.

  “You’re damn right we’ll do something! We’re going to war!” Hansa roared so that the entire tribe could hear.

  “That’s not what I had in mind,” Bijarki muttered.

  “No one cares what you’ve got in mind! We are going to war!”

  One by one, the succubi gathered around us, grumbling and hissing.

  They were all furious, clutching their weapons and moving their weight from one leg to another like the restless warriors they all were.

  The fire licked at the clear sky next to us. The wood crackled and spit out black smoke and sparks.

  “That would be foolish,” Draven said, his hand over mine.

  “That was a declaration of war,” Hansa pointed at the bridge behind us. “We do not cower in front of these snakes! We kill snakes!”

  “Five thousand incubi just joined Azazel’s ranks. Don’t let rage get the better of you, Hansa. You still have your weapons, and we still have the Oracles.” Draven raised his voice enough to temper the groans and hisses oozing from the crowd.

  “They killed our sisters!” Hansa shouted back. She swallowed back tears.

  That was a rare sight. I hadn’t known Hansa for long, but she struck me as a ruthless warrior. It turned out that she, too, was capable of grief, and I felt sympathy for her and for Anjani, who silently joined me as we watched the increasingly heated exchange between her sister and Draven.