by Lexi C. Foss
“That the wolves are having a bit of a turf war with the vampires in this city, and Alaric is at the heart of it,” he replied without missing a beat.
“Are you saying he caused it?”
“No, I’m saying he’s trying to fix it. But from what I understand, it wasn’t his mess; he’s just inherited it as the new alpha.” He shrugged. “Leadership has its perks. Dealing with shit like this is not one of them.” He glanced down at the sidewalk, then back at me. “Am I allowed to walk again, or is there more to discuss?”
“You could have told me all that from the beginning,” I muttered. “Instead of sending me on a fool’s errand.”
“I believe you have Alaric to thank for that more than me, little killer. He’s the one who didn’t reveal his secrets.”
Yeah, that was fair. It also made me feel a little better about leaving him to handle the hybrid mess.
“Rowan’s phone keeps going to voicemail,” I said, resuming our walk as a way of confirming he was off the hook for more answers. For now. “I don’t want to go back until I talk to her. I should probably call Emerald, too.”
“Sounds like a boring task list,” Cassius drawled.
“Then I guess you’ll have to find a way to entertain yourself while I work,” I shot back.
His lips curled into a taunting grin. “Oh, that sounds like a challenge.”
“Isn’t that the story of our lives?” I asked him. “A constant battle of wills and mysteries to solve?”
“I can’t imagine a better existence,” he admitted softly, pulling me into his side. “You’ll always be my favorite challenge.”
I smiled. That was almost sweet, and oddly, it summarized exactly how I felt.
Cassius was my biggest pain in the ass and the best conquest of my life.
We’d survived with all the odds stacked against us, and we’d continue to fight those odds with every breath. Together. Side by side. In this destiny neither of us had chosen, yet found ourselves walking toward nonetheless.
I linked my fingers with his, making him a promise without words. To have and to hold… till death do us part.
The End for Now
Curious to learn more about the real Romanov bloodline? Check out the Vampire Dynasty series by Elle Christensen & Lexi C. Foss. This isn’t a fairy tale. It’s dark, violent, and underlined in brutal betrayal. Stake up. It’s going to be a bloody affair.
Want to know what happens with Alaric? Find out in Crossed Fates, a Kingdom of Wolves story.
Craving more vampires? Check out the Blood Alliance series. Just be warned, these heroes are unapologetically alpha, harsh, and don’t hold back in the bedroom (or outside of it). #GetBitten
Crossed Fates
A Kingdom of Wolves Novel
Welcome to the Kingdom of Wolves.
Careful. These Alphas bite.
Alaric
I hate vampires. I hate hybrids more.
Particularly, the one I’m hunting now. The bastard took something that belongs to me. My mate. I haven’t met her yet, but I can smell her—that sweet, delectable heat that calls to my inner beast.
Mmm, I can’t wait for a taste.
However, I need to save her first.
Then I can claim her.
Does she sense me coming for her? Are her thighs quaking with the need to be possessed by my hands? I hope she kneels for me. I hope she begs me to complete our bond.
Only, when I find her, she doesn’t do any of those things.
Instead, she tries to kill me.
Now it’s not the hybrid I’m hunting; it’s her—the stubborn female with no interest in our destined bond. Oh, but she’ll bow for me eventually. They always do. And when I win her over, I’m going to make her crawl.
You can run, sweetheart, but you can’t hide. I’ll always find what’s mine.
Makayla
One minute, I’m minding my own business, and the next, I end up in a realm that isn’t my own. I thought maybe it was the fruity concoction of a drink the bartender had given me, but no, this is real. Too real.
What’s worse? Some asshole hybrid has taken me as his new pet. He likes that I’m a shifter who won’t break. Well, as soon as I figure a way out of this cage, I’m going to give him a whole new lesson in destruction.
Except some alpha wolf beat me to the punch. Literally. Now he claims I’m his fated mate. Ha. Over my dead body. Or, more accurately, his dead body, since I threw a dagger at his chest instead and got the hell out of Dodge.
Now he’s hunting me and making me feel things I don’t want to feel. So I’ll keep running until I can find my way home because no way am I going to give in to his fate.
Catch me if you can, Alpha. But I’ll never bow. Not even to my supposed mate.
Authors’ Note: Crossed Fates is a standalone shifter romance with dark undertones. Alaric is all possessive alpha wolf, and Makayla is all fiery stubborn female. Together, they’re explosive and passionate. There will be heat. There will be death. There will be biting. Enjoy.
Available for Preorder
First Kiss of Revenge
Vampire Dynasty, Book One
Three dynasties.
Two monarchs.
One war.
Nikola Romanov
My destiny is paved in blood.
Slayer.
Slave.
Vampire.
Pawn.
All titles apply after a dethroned vampire king turns me into a well-trained pet. Now he wants me to take down the renowned assassin guarding the Vampire Dynasty throne. In exchange for my cooperation, I’ll be given my freedom.
All right, Master. I’ll dance. And when I’m done, I’ll burn the entire f*cking dynasty to the ground.
It’s the Romanov slayer legacy, after all.
Dimitri Ivanov
Grigori Rasputin thinks he’s bested me. He’s wrong. I’ve added a new player to the board, and she’s going to paint his world in red.
Nikola is mine to train.
She’s a weapon.
Maybe even my lover.
Whatever I choose.
By the time we’re through, Grigori’s entire empire will crumble to the ground. Then I’ll pick up the pieces of my former throne.
The Vampire Dynasty will thrive again because nothing will stand in my way of taking back what’s mine. Not even her.
Be a good pet and do as you’re told, Nikola darling. I promise this will all be over soon.
Authors’ Note: This is a dark paranormal romance trilogy featuring overarching themes that will be resolved over the three books. Each couple has a happily-for-now ending in their respective book, with strings that tie the entire trilogy together in the end.
Available for Preorder
Also by Lexi C. Foss
Blood Alliance Series - Dystopian Paranormal
Chastely Bitten
Royally Bitten
Regally Bitten
Rebel Bitten
Kingly Bitten
Dark Provenance Series - Paranormal Romance
Heiress of Bael (FREE!)
Daughter of Death
Son of Chaos
Paramour of Sin
Elemental Fae Academy - Reverse Harem
Book One
Book Two
Book Three
Elemental Fae Holiday
Immortal Curse Series - Paranormal Romance
Book One: Blood Laws
Book Two: Forbidden Bonds
Book Three: Blood Heart
Book Four: Blood Bonds
Book Five: Angel Bonds
Book Six: Blood Seeker
Immortal Curse World - Short Stories & Bonus Fun
Elder Bonds
Mershano Empire Series - Contemporary Romance
Book One: The Prince’s Game
Book Two: The Charmer’s Gambit
Book Three: The Rebel’s Redemption
Midnight Fae Academy - Reverse Harem
Ella’s Masquerade
Book One
Book Two
Book Three
Noir Reformatory - Ménage Paranormal Romance
The Beginning
First Offense
Royal Fae Wars - Omegaverse Paranormal
Wicked Games
Underworld Royals Series - Dark Paranormal Romance
Happily Ever Crowned
Happily Ever Bitten
X-Clan Series - Dystopian Paranormal
Andorra Sector
X-Clan: The Experiment
Winter’s Arrow
Bariloche Sector
Vampire Dynasty Series - Dark Paranormal Romance
Violet Slays
Crossed Fates
First Kiss of Revenge
Other Books
Scarlet Mark - Standalone Romantic Suspense
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author Lexi C. Foss is a writer lost in the IT world. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and their furry children. When not writing, she’s busy crossing items off her travel bucket list. Many of the places she’s visited can be seen in her writing, including the mythical world of Hydria, which is based on Hydra in the Greek islands. She’s quirky, consumes way too much coffee, and loves to swim.
Want access to the most up-to-date information for all of Lexi’s books? Sign-up for her newsletter here.
Lexi also likes to hang out with readers on Facebook in her exclusive readers group - Join Here.
Where To Find Lexi:
www.LexiCFoss.com
Fae’s Hunter
By Lily Archer
A Fae’s Captive Story
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue
Also By Lily Archer
1
Ilsa
The first thing that hits me is the cold.
“Shit.” I yank my collar up and hunch down against the harsh wind that whips past.
When I left Florida, it was a nice 85 with a light nighttime breeze. But here? Here it’s just south of frigid and just north of the 9th circle of hell. The ley lines worked a little too fast, and I can’t seem to orient myself.
So, I take a deep breath and close my eyes to fight the dizziness. Vertigo is wreaking havoc on me, but I concentrate on my breathing. Wind whistles past and chills my skin. Shivering, I reach behind me and dig through my pack until I find my elven sweater. With a pull, I have it out and clutched to my chest. It warms me instantly, and I can finally take a non-tortured breath.
When I open my eyes, I see I’m on the edge of a harsh streak of mountains that climb up beyond the clouds. My prey is here somewhere, but hopefully not up amongst the snow and shards of rock.
Turning, I peer through the falling snow and am relieved to find a town not far away. It’s lights twinkle through the dark.
Why did the vampire take the ley line all the way here? It doesn’t seem like a usual spot for one of them to haunt, especially given this is Arin, the fae world. And if the weather holds, it’s the winter realm.
“Jeez.” I shiver and take a step in the snow. It slushes cold and wet between my toes. I forgot I was sporting flips when I started this little adventure, inconvenient as it is. Then again, it did save me from that blind date from hell, so maybe I should thank this vampire before I kill it.
I take it under advisement and slog my way through the snow. The elven sweater keeps my front warm, but my ass is frozen, and my feet start to lose feeling. I could stop and change footwear or keep going and hope for a healer in the small village ahead. A howl through the snow behind me makes the decision for me. I pick up my pace, hurrying along, jumping some frozen streams, and then finding a beaten path that makes the journey a little easier.
It takes about an hour, but I finally reach the town, the squat huts built solidly against the snow and ice, and a tavern straight ahead. My feet have long since gone numb, and I stumble through the heavy wooden door, then right myself before smacking into the bar.
A lesser fae with a crooked nose and feline ears greets me. “What’ll it be, changeling?”
“I’m not a changeling.” I plop onto a stool at the bar and look around the dingy tavern, most of the tables empty and only a few patrons lurking in corners. “Where is everyone?”
“Asleep. It’s late.” He pours me a drink. “Your fae could use some work.”
“It’s rusty, okay?” I frown at him. I was speaking English just a little while ago. Changing to fae is jarring, to say the least. “I need a healer.”
“Tall order.” He shakes his head. “Our last healer was taken by the wyverns. Haven’t seen her since.”
“Wyverns?”
“Aye.” He leans close. “Don’t you know where you are, changeling?”
“I’m not a changeling.” Though I certainly pass for a human in the human world, my bloodline is a little muddier. I take the drink and sniff it. “Holy shit.” It’s strong, whatever it is, and has no scent of poison. I toss it back and slam the glass down. Then I lean back and clunk my foot up on the bar. The toes are black, the middle part blue, and my ankle is an angry shade of red. “No one can fix this?”
He whistles and scratches his cat ear with one hand. “That’s beyond anything we’ve got here. I mean, I could sell you some tincture of unicorn—”
“Nope.” I slam my foot back down. “I want nothing to do with unicorns.”
He shrugs. “Can’t say I blame you there. Foul things.”
I glance up at the rickety stair that leads to what I assume are rooms for rent. “Got space for the night?”
“I do. Two gold.”
I groan. “Pricey for a dive, don’t you think?”
“Only game in town.” He lids the bottle and places it on the bar. “Any more drinks will cost extra.”
“Fine,” I grumble and dig around in my pack until I find the coin, then slam it down on the bar. “Hey, have you happened to see a vampire romping around in the snow?”
“Vampire?” he asks.
“Oh, yeah, whatsit called a, um…” I snap my fingers, trying to remember the term. “You know, one of those guys with the fangs.” I use my fingers in front of my mouth to mimic big fangs. “And some of them fly. Black wings. Wait, and they drink blood. Kill changelings. You call them a …” I keep searching for it.
The barkeep stares.
“Come on, you know what I’m saying here. A, ah, ahhhh—”
“Seeker?” he asks.
“Bam!” I point at him and tap my nose. “Give him a prize, folks. A seeker. Have you seen one?”
“Never.”
I deflate somewhat. “I gave you a whole game of charades and you got nothing for me?”
He wrinkles his narrow nose. “No seekers in the winter realm. The king wouldn’t allow it.”
“Well that sounds hoity toity and all, but I can guarantee you there’s a seeker here.” I reach for the bottle, but he holds up a hand. “Gold first.”
I frown. “Fine. Where’s my room?”
“Upstairs. It’s the only one.” He points.
“Thanks.” I stand, wince, and almost topple, but grab onto the bar for support. Then I feel my way to the stairs and up. I’m in bad shape, but there has to be something in my bag to help me out of this. My fae lineage may be just a trickle, but perhaps I can borrow a little magic from Arin to infuse some herbs. Hell, I don’t know, but if I don’t treat my feet, I could damn well lose them.
I hobble up the stairs and into the tiny bedroom. A straw bed awaits, though it�
��s covered with a stained gray sheet.
Sitting heavily, I kick the flips off my swollen feet and get a closer look. “This is bad.” I sigh. “I am ever-so-fucked.” I pull out the bottle I stole from downstairs and use my teeth to pull out the cork. “Here’s to you, winter realm.” I lift it in a toast and put it to my lips.
Then a knock comes on my door.
I pull the bottle away. “Ugh, shit, what?”
