Embrace the Power

by Caris Roane

  When he finally pulled himself from the water, he saw that Rosamunde was busy in the kitchen, the woman who never cooked.

  Uh-oh.

  He grabbed the towel he’d left for himself, dried off then wrapped it around his hips.

  When he entered the house, she was pulling bread and ham from the fridge. “I hope you don’t mind. I thought I’d make a couple of sandwiches. I can at least do that.”

  Sandwiches. He breathed a sigh of relief. “Good idea.”

  He smiled, aware of the strange amount of affection floating around in his chest for the woman who had so recently been on his shit-list.

  He took a moment to really look at her. Her violet eyes were large and extraordinary, her brows softly arched and her lips full. She was a beautiful woman. She’d managed to tame her hair with two braids then secured the mass in a Guardsman-type woven clasp, the design intended to keep long warrior hair in place during battle.

  She was dressed for war as well in what he recognized as Aralynn’s battle gear, down to the oh-so-sexy snug boots she wore.

  As she set the ham and bread down on the cutting board, she glanced at him. “Is anything wrong?”

  He moved toward her quickly and took her chin in hand then kissed her on the lips. “Not a thing. I contacted Harris and got the latest. The realms are still without incident. Okay that I shower now?”

  “Of course. Would you like a sandwich? I mean maybe you’d prefer something else.”

  At that, his brows rose. He almost teased her with a comment about her soft life in the castle and didn’t she wish she had her chef with her, then thought the better of it. From what she’d told him, her life had been anything but, more like a prisoner of war.

  “I’d love a sandwich.” He then headed in the direction of the bathroom. Before showering, he went into his dressing room and checked his tux. He’d had it specially made for tonight’s gala. His Italian leather shoes were ready, his cuff links, everything was in order.

  He smiled as he thought about taking Rosamunde as his date. He knew she was going. At the time, he’d felt obligated to invite her. Now, he was beyond grateful he had and he’d ask her before the night got too busy.

  A few minutes later, he’d just finished toweling off, when he heard Rosamunde call to him. “Stone?”

  At first, he thought maybe the meal was ready. But something in her tone made him grow very still.

  “What’s wrong?” He called back.

  “The elf-lord power is rumbling again.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Rosamunde stood on the end of the dock staring out into the night sky. She felt Stone behind her, levitating swiftly. The elf-lord power rumbled deep in the lake and was heading right toward her. She prepared herself to feel the painful cramps in her legs.

  Instead, just as the elf-lord power began to flow, Stone caught her hand and directed all that power into himself.

  She squeezed his hand hard. “A vision.” She lifted their joined hands. “And thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. The second I felt that rumble, I got my ass over here.”

  She nodded and the power flowed, her back arched suddenly. A powerful stream of images began to roll through her mind. Are you getting this Stone?

  I am.

  In the vision, the forested hills that surrounded the lake became filled with a golden mist.

  Margetta was coming for Stone.

  On the vision rolled, showing the sky filling with golden light, as well as with dozens, even hundreds of wraith-pairs. Worse, at least seven of the pairs had mastyr vampires as bonded mates.

  Rosamunde shuddered and gripped Stone’s hand even harder. “Mastyrs bonded to wraiths. That’s bad, isn’t it?”

  “It doesn’t get much worse.”

  She saw Margetta’s form begin to emerge in the heavy mist, then just like that, the vision dissipated.

  Rosamunde’s hand vibrated heavily where she was connected to Stone, but she couldn’t let go. “I’m frightened.”

  He released her hand and drew her into his arms, holding her tightly against him. “From what I get, we’ve got ten minutes and I can do a helluva lot in that time.”

  She pulled back, looking up at him. “The Combined Forces?”

  He nodded. “Exactly.” He pivoted away from her slightly. She could feel him access his telepathy and knew he was talking to Ian, then Zane.

  She stepped away from him, letting him do his job. The elf-lord power was still on him, and he had a silver glow, but with faint bits of lightning shooting everywhere.

  He wore the heavy black leather Guardsman coat, braided at the shoulders, sleeveless and hanging to mid-calf. He wore no shirt, which meant his muscular arms and the knife-points of his tattoos sent a clear warning not to mess with him.

  She glanced down at her hands. She’d broken the connection with him and the elf-lord power continued to flow, but the channel remained steady even though she stood several feet away from him.

  He turned to her, his eyes lit up. He switched to telepathy. You’re covered in a violet glow. It’s beautiful.

  Look at your arms.

  He glanced the length all the way to his fingers. Holy shit. I’ve got a glow as well. He gave himself a shake. All right. I’m taking it to mean that we’ve got access to the elf-lord power right now.

  I’m thinking the same thing.

  Good. Because we need to move troops into position immediately.

  It took her a moment to process what he meant. You mean the way Margetta does?

  Exactly.

  But that’s not something I can do. Had Stone just lost his mind?

  He drew close and took both her hands. He held her gaze, locking onto her firmly. We can do this together. Feel the power. Really feel it, because I know we can teleport a portion of the Combined Forces straight into the forest all the way around the lake.

  Her first thought was that she wasn’t like him and she had serious limitations. But when he squeezed her hands and reiterated, Feel it, Rosamunde, suddenly it was there, what the elf-lord power could be for them as a unit, as his mastyr status to her blood rose.

  What she lacked as an individual, her connection to Stone made up for.

  I’m getting it now. Her heartrate soared. With the ability to bring the forces into the area, they might even have a chance to defeat Margetta. So, where are the troops?

  He smiled. I’m bringing you in on the group telepathy. Everyone, the queen is with us. A series of quick greetings followed and that’s when she realized all eight ruling mastyrs were with Stone.

  He launched into the process that would be required as together, they worked to bring half the Vampire Guards in from each realm. He even relayed the locations where he wanted each mastyr’s force. Think of the lake as a clock and my house is 6 PM. Gerrod, if you’re ready, your regiment will be at 12 midnight.

  Understood. Gerrod’s voice sounded formal within her mind.

  You’ll arrive just above the forest canopy, then drop into the trees to take cover. Ready?

  Ready.

  With that, Stone stared at Rosamunde and spoke a private, You can do this.

  Rosamunde closed her eyes and focused on channeling the elf-lord power and moving a hundred of Gerrod’s vampire warriors into position. The vibrations became a roar in her ears.

  She felt the movement of troops all the way from Merhaine Realm to the opposite side of the lake.

  She opened her eyes and followed Stone’s gaze. She could see at least a hundred vampire Guardsmen floating down into the forest.

  Stone didn’t hesitate. He addressed the second mastyr. Ethan, are your men gathered at the training center?

  Damn straight. Teleport our sorry asses at will.

  Stone even smiled.

  Again Rosamunde repeated the process until she saw his men land at about two o’clock, once more descending into the forest as a well-trained unit.

  The rest followed swiftly, with Mastyr Quinlan and Seth’s troops to th
e right of Stone and Jude, Malik and Zane’s to the left. Ian’s were last, arriving at eleven o’clock next to Gerrod’s troops.

  Once in place, the ruling mastyrs checked back in, one after the other. Each had arrived with his force, the warriors hunkering down and remaining hidden in the trees. The lake vibrated with the energy of so many powerful men ready to do battle.

  How we doin’, Ian?

  Ian’s deep voice returned. Holding steady. I’m moving my men as close to the water as I can get them without exposing our presence.

  The rest of the mastyrs reported the same.

  Rosamunde contacted Stone privately. What about your Guardsmen?

  They’ll remain on duty in Tannisford to watch for any activity outside the perimeter of the lake. A hundred of my men are already en route, with half of them having arrived to hold the area behind the lake. I’m using them to protect our flank, or in this case, the area well behind the hills that surrounds my lake. Harris is in charge of them.

  Rosamunde squeezed his hands. So we won’t be caught off-guard.

  Exactly.

  A moment later, the sky filled with Margetta’s golden light.

  Stone snorted. The bitch is back, men.

  Rosamunde had a sudden recollection of Margetta a thousand years ago. The same glow, a result of her power and energy, had taken her mother’s life. Anger boiled up within Rosamunde. How many lives had Margetta’s ambitions taken?

  Let me distract her, Stone. If I can lead her on a chase again, maybe it would help. Only this time, I think I want to go as Aralynn.

  When Stone didn’t immediately respond, she wondered if she’d erred. Did I say the wrong thing?

  No, not at all. For now though, I think you should stay put because look up there, Rosamunde. Does this look different to you?

  Rosamunde drew closer to stand right next Stone, following the line of his gaze. Thicker.

  That’s what I thought. Will she show even herself?

  I saw her at the very end of the vision.

  You’re right. She was there.

  A few beats passed, then Rosamunde saw Margetta and felt the woman’s battle energy revving up. The mastyr vampire wraith-pairs surrounded her, the best and most powerful of her creations.

  Rosamunde’s fae prescience kicked in again. She’s testing us, Stone.

  She didn’t wait to tell him the rest. Instead, she grabbed Stone’s arm, reached for an extra punch of elf-lord power, then took him into the forest canopy, above his house, so that she could see the dock. A split-second later, a bolt of Margetta’s power exploded the exact spot where they’d been standing. Fire began to consume the wood planks.

  Shit. That would have been us. Your prescience?

  Yes.

  I don’t get it. I thought she was after a bond with me.

  She still is. But right now, she wants to see what we’re made of. My prescience is lit up like I’m reading her every intention. Right now, she’s searching for me. We’re in trouble again. She’s locked onto me.

  Not both of us?

  No. This is about me tonight and I want to try something, what I’d mentioned earlier.

  What do you have in mind?

  To see if she’s tracking me or Aralynn or both. You okay with this?

  Go for it.

  Rosamunde left Stone, teleporting to the top of the house but letting him know her destination so he could watch her as well as Margetta.

  She could see Margetta pivot precisely in her direction and as soon as she did, Rosamunde teleported again to the tops of the trees to the east of the lake. Margetta appeared to move as Rosamunde moved. She felt the charge of her aunt’s battle power rev up yet again.

  Rosamunde needed to understand everything and transformed into Aralynn then created her violet wind and protective shield.

  As swiftly, Margetta’s energy diminished so that she didn’t fire off a strike.

  So, here was something she could work with. She pathed to Stone. Margetta can track me easily as Rosamunde, but not as Aralynn. I’m the latter right now. I’m going to harass Margetta if I can.

  Stay with it.

  For additional protection, Rosamunde wrapped herself up in the same violet shield she’d created in the cave. She rose high into the air. At the very least, she could get a different view of Margetta’s troops.

  When she was two hundred feet above the Ancient Fae, she saw the thick golden veil of mist that surrounded the entire outer perimeter of the forest. Margetta had locked down the battlefield.

  She relayed the information to Stone. I’m well above Margetta. She’s centered herself over the lake, but she’s also set a veil of her gold mist all around the forested hills, probably for the purpose of keeping your Vampire Guard out. But we already have our troops in position, so they’re not affected. But Stone, I think Margetta has added a new layer to her power. I just don’t know what it is or what it can do.

  Okay. Got it. Now, tell me what you’re seeing. Give me the lay-out and the number of the wraith-pairs she’s brought in.

  She did a quick estimate. I see at least a hundred pairs and they appear to be in equal distances spread out around her.

  That’s what I’m able to see as well. I’ll let the ruling mastyrs know.

  While he pathed with the mastyrs, she moved closer to Margetta. An unusual vibration was flowing directly above her aunt, something that felt laden with power, as though designed for a very specific purpose. In fact, it felt like a weapon.

  Stone! She shouted telepathically.

  Give, was his succinct response.

  Rosamunde could now see that the strange power, with both gold and black smoke, had begun to boil in the air. She’s got something new in her arsenal, a weapon of some kind. Tell your troops to be careful.

  ~ ~ ~

  For about two seconds, Stone marveled at how much he trusted Rosamunde, the woman he’d once despised. Another second and he was back to the coming battle.

  He pathed to the mastyrs, letting them know what Rosamunde had seen. Through carefully rehearsed lines of telepathy, he could feel the information being dispersed from mastyr to warrior, all around the lake. He realized how much the elf-lord power was enhancing his abilities that he could actually sense the communication of all the Guardsmen.

  As Rosamunde had predicted, Margetta’s golden glow began to darken and change shape. Dark smoke had started streaming up and out and forming a new kind of mist. When it began to swirl and move, he alerted the ruling mastyrs, pathing with them all at once. Margetta’s got some new trick to show us tonight, a mist or a shield of some kind. Be ready. Rosamunde, are you there?

  I’m here.

  Tell us what you see. I’ve got the mastyrs with me.

  Rosamunde’s voice broke in. I’m still above Margetta. Her army is getting ready, fanning out and moving into position all at the perimeter of the lake. It’s clear she knows she’s in for a fight. It appears to me that her army is moving with the dark mist toward the edges of the forest.

  Silence reigned for about a quarter of a minute, then the Invictus wraiths began to shriek.

  Damn that’s loud. Stone covered his ears.

  Through the trees, he saw that the boiling gold and smoky-black mist continued to move closer to shore. It was just thin enough that he could make out the shapes of the wraith-pairs moving with it.

  Rosamunde once more reported in. Margetta is still in the air centered above the lake and her mastyr vampire pairs appear to be her protection. But her army has almost reached the shoreline. They’ve dipped down to just above the water and are levitating slowly. The Ancient Fae seems to have complete control over her wraith-pairs.

  Stone had to agree. Mastyrs, you can break silence now and let the troops know what’s going on. But no advancing until ordered.

  He heard Malik and Zane, the mastyrs nearest him, repeat Stone’s orders to stay tight and to wait for the command to engage the enemy.

  When he felt the intensity of the enemy’s battlin
g vibration rise in strength, he pathed, Arm up, and almost instantly heard the order repeated.

  When a red wind appeared near the black and gold mist, all around the edge of the lake, he shouted and pathed at the same time, “Fire at will!”

  Stone swept forward to the lake’s edge, his focus narrowed on the Invictus pairs right in front of him. They didn’t move beyond the thin swirling mist that now contained red, gold and black. It almost looked spidery the closer it came.

  Suddenly, he saw streaks of red coming at him. He used his own wall of blue battle energy, typical of mastyr level power, to keep the enemy’s killing vibrations from reaching him. Red and blue sparks struck the air where his shield held.

  When he started hearing cries of distress and occasionally a scream up and down the Combined Forces ranks, he kept his shield tight and glanced at the shoreline. Dozens of men had fallen. He heard Seth next to him calling for his men to fall behind his shield.

  He watched as any attempt by Seth’s men to pierce Margetta’s battle shield failed to penetrate the mist, leaving them open to attack.

  He didn’t hesitate to call out the order for retreat, pathing it at the same time to those mastyrs hundreds of yards down the shoreline. His order spread quickly through the ranks and the troops nearest him disappeared into the forest. He’d trained the Combined Forces well, but the number of wounded and dead at the edge of the water hit him hard.

  He moved back as well until the trees gave him cover.

  Rosamunde come back to me now. Margetta’s created some kind of mass shield and you and I have to break it or the war will be lost right here on this lake.

  A second later, she appeared beside him. I’ve been watching and I agree. I thought the gold-black mist would create a weapon. Instead, she’s using it to shield her troops, protecting them while they fire on your men.

  He turned toward her, startled to find she was Aralynn, with her brown eyes and stronger features, and not Rosamunde.

  She settled her hand on his shoulder. I should have reminded you that I’m in my wolf-form. The thing is, when I’m Rosamunde I have a significantly better connection to the elf-lord power, which means I’ll need to change back. But Margetta can track me as Rosamunde, so once I return to her form, we’ll have to move fast.