by Zoey Ellis
Copyright © 2019 by Zoey Ellis
All rights reserved. Sale of any edition of this book is wholly unauthorized. Except for use in review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part, by any means, is forbidden without written permission from the author/publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
First Edition: December 2019
Contents
Eastern Lands Map
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Epilogue
Discover MYTH OF OMEGA
Acknowledgments
About Zoey Ellis
Candescent
A challenge so sweet he can’t resist.
Alpha General Thorec is shocked to find a fiery female trespassing in his territory.
Unfazed by his size and overbearing demands, she refuses to leave, and glares at him with a beautiful malice he enjoys too much to ignore.
The Alpha throws her over his shoulder, intent on finding out who she is.
But Ria proves more of a challenge than he anticipated.
The stormy harmony between them burns brighter than either of them are prepared for.
And though Ria may try to escape it, Thorec will not allow their profound connection to be denied.
CANDESCENT is a novella-length, fantasy Omegaverse romance that delves into the depths of dark, consuming love. This story is set in Zoey Ellis’ Myth of Omega world but is a standalone story with a HEA. For fans of possessive Alpha anti-heroes, feisty Omega heroines, and fiery romances. This story includes romance of a dark nature.
For more stories in this world, start with CRAVE TO CONQUER.
Eastern Lands Map
See the color version
Chapter One
In a magical world of Alpha, Beta, and Omegas, Omegas have been missing for over a century. As they slowly return to the land, Alphas discover the unique beauty Omegas bring to their existence, with dark, riveting, but always satisfying results.
This is Thorec and Ria’s story.
THOREC
“This better be good,” General Thorec growled. “I was in the middle of a training bout.”
“I apologize, general,” the guard murmured as he bowed his head. “But there is a disruption in the mountains. Since I cannot enter—”
“I know, I know,” Thorec snapped, his voice gruff. He was the only outsider permitted to enter Ariyon Mountains, so if there was a problem between the mountain people and the Lox, he was summoned. “What kind of disruption?”
The guard shook his head. “I don’t know. The mountain contact came to tell me we have broken the treaty with them. She was shouting, and I couldn’t understand most of what she said. She stormed away before I could find out what the problem was.”
Thorec frowned. Although the mountain contact tolerated the presence of the Lox, it was unusual for her to be outright angry. “Has anyone entered?”
The guard shook his head again. “No one has passed through this way, General.”
Thorec held in the string of curses he wanted to bellow. All across the Lox Empire, other generals were dealing with more reasonable problems; swindling merchants, stubborn farmers, and fanatic citizens wanting a glimpse of the Omega Empress. And yet he was forced to deal with the unreasonable mountain people of Ariyon. He nodded at the guard. “As you were.”
As the guard returned to his post, Thorec made his way into the valley that wound through the heart of the mountains. He had only just visited the mountain people a few days ago, and usually there wasn’t any reason for him to return so soon, which suited him greatly.
His commander had assured him that careful thought had gone into the decision about which territory each general would manage. Still, Thorec could not understand how it was decided that he would be suitable for Ariyon. He had trained hard to join the Lox, and spent decades developing the skills needed to rise to the level of general in the only Alpha army that existed across the entire known Lands. But, since they had conquered the Eastern Lands, now known as the Lox Empire, he had become more of a negotiator than a warrior. Yes, he still trained warriors and took part in strategy briefings, but he also had the extra responsibility of managing a difficult set of people—that no other general had the misfortune of dealing with. It was almost offensive to him that his extensive experience was being wasted in this way. He couldn’t deny it had made him bitter.
To add further insult, the rare female Omegas who had been recently discovered by the emperor and promised to Lox warriors, were only accessible through strange “pairing” events, in which Alphas were matched with Omegas to see if they were a fit. Thorec had heard some of his men praising the pairings, glad to be on their way to finding their Omegas, but he found it somewhat… odd. Maybe he was of an old-mindset, but an Alpha shouldn’t have to go through numerous monitored matches to find his Omega. He should be able to pick her out of a crowd and know that she was the one that belonged to him, even if it meant pounding in the face of another Alpha to prove it. It felt unnatural to do it any other way. In the twenty years that he’d spent as a warrior for the Lox, he had looked forward to a life with an Omega mate and their children. But he detested the idea of being “matched,” and he came to the realization he may end up without that life after all. It added to his dissatisfaction with his circumstances, and generally made him a very difficult man for his subordinates to please. He knew he was surly, but he just didn’t care.
As he rounded the corner that led to the heart of the largest mountain town, he was surprised to see several mountain citizens standing outside their huts, longsticks in their fists, and growls on their faces. Crackling hostility charged the morning air, and agitation tensed their joints. He’d never seen them so riled up before. But when he saw the target of their frustration, he stopped in his tracks.
A small female stood in the center of the valley. Dressed in a dark red tunic, her black hair fell to her shoulders, and sturdy boots cushioned her feet; it was clear she was not from Ariyon. In fact, no one in the Ariyon mainland would have been foolish enough to enter the mountains without Lox approval.
“Who are you?” Thorec demanded as he eyed her unusual state of dress. Her tanned bare arms and legs were an uncommon sight in the chillier climate of the mountains, and she was curvier than most of Ariyon’s people. A warm blend of excitement and curiosity rushed through Thorec’s chest. “What are you doing here?”
She glanced at him but focused her attention on the man she was arguing with. “I just want to find out where they used to live. I know they were from this mountain range, and I just want to speak to someone. Is there anyone that speaks the Common Tongue available—”
“I told you that you are not welcome!” the man said sharply. He was an older Beta male who sometimes joined discussions Thorec had with the mountain contact. “You should not have even entered this far into our mountains without permission.” He turned to Thorec, his thin mouth twisted in a snarl. “Is this what you call abiding by our treaty? Allowing random people to storm in here, disrupt our herds, and demand things of us?”
Thorec ignored him. “How did you get here?” he asked the woman. “This area is not open to visitors or explorers.”
The female turned to him, her dark-brown eyes bright with determination, and for a moment, he was stunned. She was very, very pretty.
Who would allow their female, particularly one who looked like this, to enter the mountains unattended?
“I am within my rights to travel anywhere in the Eastern Lands that I choose,” she said sternly.
“No, you are not,” he replied, his voice rough. “The Lox Empire has declared—”
“I have no concern for the Lox Empire.” Her eyes flashed as her voice rose, and a twinge twisted through his groin. “I am in the Eastern Lands. That is what these Lands have been called for centuries.”
Thorec found himself both offended and strangely thrilled by her attitude. “Your opinion is of no consequence. You are now in the Lox Empire, and these mountains are restricted, as they’ve always been.”
The female’s eyes hardened. “There has never been any restriction to visit these mountains.” She turned to the man she had been in argument with, her brow raised. “Isn’t that true?”
The older man’s face darkened as he stared at her, but he did not respond.
Interesting. That was something the mountain people had failed to mention in their prior negotiations with him about the treaty, but now wasn’t the time to debate it. Thorec strode toward the little woman.
“I’m not leaving until I get what I came here for,” she warned. “And you cannot—”
“Quiet!” Thorec barked, as he approached.
The fiery expression that jumped into her face made her brown eyes molten bronze, and coarse pleasure threaded through Thorec at the sight.
Gorgeous.
“Don’t come near me,” the female snarled, holding up her palm as she inched backward. But he didn’t slow down.
Swooping her up off the ground, Thorec threw her over his shoulder, her round bottom high in the air. Her soft body pressed into him, and he couldn’t help but be highly aware of her breasts on his back as he secured his thick arm around her thighs.
A sudden gust of scented air made him halt. It was different from the fresh, biting breeze of the mountains—this was heavy and rich, with a delicious sweet edge to it that made his mouth water and his cock jolt. It curled into his nostrils, allowing him to draw a deep breath of it, making his mind spin and stirring a raw, primitive urge deep within him. Before he could even acknowledge what was happening, the scent suddenly disappeared.
The mountain contact, a stern-faced woman, approached and began speaking as Thorec turned his head, disoriented, trying to pick up the scent again. It was impossible to determine its origin from just a gust, but an urge to experience it again, to secure it for himself and revel in it, took hold of him so strongly, he could focus on nothing else. By the time the urge cleared, the female over his shoulder was pounding her fists into his back, and the contact woman was glaring at him. “Did you hear anything I said?”
He narrowed his gaze at her. “This will not happen again.”
“Good.” She lifted her chin, her expression solemn. “Rest assured that we will no longer uphold any treaty with the Lox if it does.”
The female intruder didn’t stop fighting him as he made his way back down the valley. There was no point in trying to question her while she was shouting and struggling to be released, but he would most certainly be interrogating her. Not only was he curious to know where she came from, but he also couldn’t have citizens turning up in the mountains whenever they wanted.
Even though the Lox now ruled the Eastern Lands, the emperor wanted to maintain all its beauty, including the unusual Ariyon mountains. There was indeed a mystery about them that made them special. The entire mountain range radiated in a multitude of colors all year round and was one of the most popular natural phenomenons and beauties of the Lands, attracting people to them from far and wide. Some said they had healing qualities, others said they inspired greatness, but for most, it was simply a sight to be enjoyed while seeing, and enthused about after returning home. As such, tours were arranged for people to visit the mountains.
Thorec couldn’t see why they were so special. Standing around looking at big rocky hills wasn’t how he preferred to spend his time. A challenging battle, a mystery to solve or a fuck was always preferable, yet maintaining the mountains was his primary concern because it mattered to the emperor. Thorec joined the Lox for Emperor Drocco, and he would not be the general that would let the emperor down in any way. Unfortunately, the mountains were inhabited by a community who were integral to its natural balance. They were also extremely private.
Finally, the female slumped against him, obviously tired from her efforts. “I’m going to go back in there as soon as I can,” she said, somewhat breathless, from behind him.
Thorec’s growl was low in the back of his throat. “And you think I will allow that?”
“I don’t need your permission!”
“If you want to enter the mountains, you do need my permission. The Lox has controlled these Lands for over two years now. You cannot be so unaware that things have changed.”
The cute girl-growl that came over his shoulder roused an unbidden smile to his lips. “The Lox don’t have the right to discard centuries of culture and tradition!”
Thorec frowned. She spoke as if she hadn’t been in the Eastern Lands for the last two years. Before he could answer, the beautiful, rich scent bloomed around him again, bursting into existence like moonflowers at dusk. He halted abruptly, every inch of him climbing to high alert as it swamped his inhale, accompanied by that strange fogginess in his mind that pressed in on all sides. Turning his head, Thorec was shocked to discover that it was coming from the female over his shoulder.
A savage need tore through him. He crushed his nose onto her smooth leg and ran his hand up the back of her thigh and under her tunic. Ignoring her whimpers, he grabbed her ass cheek and squeezed, satisfaction gleaming at the way it filled his hand. His hardened cock jerked, and raw, wild cravings thundered through him, urging him to claim what was within his reach.
He pushed his fingers between her legs, forcing them to widen as he explored along the heated, moistening crotch of her panties. Slipping his fingers in, he groaned at the slippery feel of her warm and smooth slit. Her slick aided him as he played along her folds, swirling his digit around her clit, and the soft moan that came from her worked through his body straight to the oozing tip of his cock.
Thorec was yanking her panties down her legs when the scent suddenly faded again, and as the fog lifted from his mind, he forced himself to still.
Although the urge to free her of her clothing and bury his face between her legs still pulsed eagerly, he couldn’t ignore the strangeness of the situation—it went against all his training as a Lox warrior and a general. As his commander frequently said, skilled and formidable warriors do not willingly ignore even the subtlest sign that could signify something fatal.
Thorec doubted anything about this situation was fatal, but this fiercely enticing scent that had suddenly appeared and disappeared twice while in the presence of this woman, could only mean one thing, and yet Thorec struggled to believe it.
He eased the female off his shoulder, sliding her down his body. Her breasts pressed against his chest, and he couldn’t help but let out a gruff exhale as her hard nipples grazed him. The feel of her almost had him discarding all efforts of control, but he had to know. He held her firmly around the waist with one arm and grabbed her thick black hair, gathering it into his fist so she couldn’t turn away from him. As her face came into view, he searched her eyes. “What are you?” He kept his voice low, but it still rumbled from his chest, vibrating between them.
She didn’t respond, but her brown eyes were now reserved.
“Tell me what you are,” he demanded.
Her throat undulated as she swallowed, holding his gaze. “You already know.”
A multitude of thoughts and emotions clashed within Thorec. His suspicions were right; this was an Omega. He gripped her harder, battling with the impulse to drop to the ground and fuck her with the fierce intensity of the urges she’d roused. But something told him there was more to
discover about this female. Besides, the mountain valley was not the place to take her. Shunting all urges aside, he carefully hoisted her back over his shoulder, untangled her panties from her ankles and secured it into his pocket, then continued down the valley. Thankfully, the female was quiet the rest of the way.
It was well-known that Omegas had kept themselves hidden for almost a century before the emperor was able to get them to return. Maybe this Omega had never experienced life in the Eastern Lands since the Lox arrived. Perhaps that was what accounted for her strange assumptions. In any case, her presence in the mountains was even more mystifying.
As he reached the base of the mountains, the guard’s eyes widened as he saw what Thorec held.
“You did not see her enter?” Thorec growled at him.
“No,” the man said, bewildered. “I’ve never seen her before.”
Thorec lifted the Omega directly onto his horse and climbed up behind her. “The next tour isn’t for a few days,” he called to the guard. “Hopefully the people will settle in that time, but summon me if there are any problems.”
As the guard saluted, Thorec urged his steed forward, wrapping one arm around the little woman in front of him and pressing her against his body to keep her secure. He would not put it past her to jump off the moving horse to get away from him, but he would not allow her to escape. She wasn’t only a trespasser; she was also a rare find and an intriguing mystery—one he wanted to solve.
