Wicked Temptation: The Siren Coven (The Excalibur Duet)

by Kim Loraine

  “As Brooks stated, I played into his hand earlier. It’s a demon’s goal to rile up their target. I’m sure it was another last-ditch effort to get to me.”

  “So, all that talk of Brooks being Arthur? You really think he was lying?”

  “Of course, he was lying. Arthur is dead. Long dead.” Lance’s eyes flash a strange rust color before returning to their usual blue.

  “Lance, what aren’t you telling us?” I ask.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Reaching out, I place my hand on Lancelot’s arm and close my eyes, using my senses to feel his aura. Sulphur fills my nose and he jerks away as faint wisps of smoke rise from his skin. Shock courses through me as the truth flashes in my mind. “The demon that breached the wards.”

  He tenses, glances around and then locks his gaze on mine.

  I swallow past the lump in my throat. “It was you.”

  Gwen

  “Stand back, Gwen,” Brooks shouts, his hand still clutching Lancelot’s arm, smoke rising as my knight begins to shake from pain.

  “No. You don’t understand,” Lance protests. “This isn’t what it seems.”

  “It seems you’re a bloody demon and you’ve been using Gwen all this time.”

  I feel sick. But it can’t be true. Then again, there are things I can’t explain away. The sulphur. The demon breaking our wards. The fact that he didn’t kill Kit as soon as he had the chance. “Lancelot?”

  “Gwen, please. I love you.”

  “Brooks,” I plead. “Let him go.”

  “No. You may be blinded by him, but I can feel it. He’s a demon. I don’t know how he got it past us for so long, but it’s clear now.”

  I place a gentle palm on Brooks’ shoulder, willing myself to stay calm. “Exactly. How did he hide it? There has to be something else going on.” I can’t look Lance in the eyes. If I do, my heart may shatter. “I’ll bind him. Until we figure out what’s happened, I’ll bind him with magic and we can hold him somewhere.”

  “Don’t speak as though I can’t hear you, Gwen. I’m right bloody here.” Lance’s voice is hard, cold and distant.

  “Then explain this to me. Tell me Brooks is wrong. Tell me you’re not a demon. Because this can’t be possible, but when I play over the events from earlier, I can’t understand why you wouldn’t have killed Kit then and there.”

  “I…Excalibur wouldn’t…there was no power behind it.”

  “What do you mean?” I ask, my stomach turning to stone. There’s only one reason Excalibur would stop working for him.

  “It took everything in me to draw the sword. It’s never been a challenge before, and when the hilt was in my grasp, I could feel that it was nothing but a blade. No magic. No power.”

  “Why?” I press. I need to hear it from him.

  “I’m not sure.”

  “And I’m guessing you’ve no idea why Kit passed on a message from Morgan?”

  His jaw clenches and those blue eyes of his turn a muddy amber. “Something is happening to me.” The air is scented with sulphur and his arms begin to tremble.

  “Gwen,” Brooks warns. “You can’t trust him.”

  “Stay out of this, Nephilim.” Lance’s harsh order has me flinching. “It’s not something I chose.”

  Dread curls in my gut. “What do you mean?”

  “She did something to me in my dream.”

  “Morgan is dead.”

  He shakes his head and the desperation in his eyes strikes me straight through with fear. “I don’t think so.” Then he holds his wrist out for me to see. A faint puckered scar runs across his skin. “She gave me her blood. And since then, I haven’t felt right.” His face goes pale. “Brooks is right. I think…God, I think she’s turned me into a demon.”

  “What are you talking about? She’s dead and gone. Morgan was a witch, not a demon.”

  “She told me she was changed long ago. I think she’d been hiding it for a long time.”

  “Why would she be after you?” I shake my head. “I don’t understand.”

  “I made…a bargain when I lost you. She took my memories of you. I thought it was just going to be a spell. Instead, I forgot you and was trapped in purgatory.”

  “Lance—” I start, but he holds up a hand.

  “I didn’t think she’d come for me. I didn’t know I’d have to pay.”

  “Pay what?”

  “She’s coming for me. I’m…hers.”

  “No. You’re not hers.” I reach up and cup his face between my hands, pressing our foreheads together. “You. Are. Mine.”

  Instead of pulling me into his arms, he shoves me away. “Don’t touch me.”

  I fall back, my heel catching on an uneven stone in the path behind me. Lance’s eyes widen in horror as I fall, because he knows what he’s just done.

  Brooks is there, catching me before I hit the ground. He puts me behind him, hands glowing with angelic grace. “I’ll kill you if you touch her again, demon.”

  I dart in between the two of them, holding my hands out with what remaining power I have building in my chest. “Stop.”

  “Get away from me, Gwen.” Lance’s eyes have gone blood red and a snarl rips from his throat. This is not the man I know. He’s not the man I gave my love to only a few hours ago. His hands have curled into claws—actual claws—sharp and deadly.

  I do. I back away and Brooks wraps his arms around me while we watch Lancelot wrestle with his darkness. My knight closes his eyes, muscles shaking with effort as sweat beads on his brow. He takes long, deep breaths and I watch the razor-sharp claws disappear. The scent of sulphur dissipates until the air is fresh and clean once more.

  When he opens his eyes, they’re blue and he looks completely exhausted. “Gwen…”

  “Don’t,” I say, my voice catching. “Don’t come near me.”

  I can’t believe he’s kept this from me all this time. He made a deal with Morgan centuries ago. I never kept anything from him…well, except for the fact that I’m a witch. And cursed.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispers, hanging his head. “I never meant—”

  “You never meant to become a fucking demon?” I shout the words. “You’ve ruined it all. The world is going to end because the man we need can’t wield Excalibur. Because you wouldn’t tell me the truth and let me help.”

  “I’ll fix it.”

  Brooks lets out a short, sharp bark of laughter. “You can’t fix something like this. You made a deal with her. You practically sold her your soul.” He keeps his arm around me. “Have you ever seen someone who has exchanged blood with a demon?”

  “I spent hundreds of years locked in purgatory.”

  “I’ve seen it. The downward spiral. By the time you’ve turned, you won’t care about anyone or anything.” Lance’s eyes find mine and there’s true terror in their blue depths. “You’ll kill her. You’ll be as vicious as Kit.”

  “I’d never hurt her.”

  “You already have,” I whisper, wrenching myself out of Brooks’ hold. Lance reaches for me, but I shoot him a glare and open the door. “Leave me be. I can’t look at you right now because all I see is someone who betrayed me.”

  My chest hurts and I do everything in my power to hold in the sobs I feel building. I can’t let them out right now. Not until I’m safely behind the walls of my bedroom.

  I should have known not to give my heart to Lancelot.

  My visions are never wrong.

  He’s not the man I end up with.

  He never was.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Lancelot

  Brooks must not fear me too terribly because he goes after Gwen without doing anything to secure me. Maybe it’s because he knows. He knows I’m going to have to leave her to keep her safe. The demons are coming for me. Coming to collect on my debt to Morgan and they’ll use my love for Gwen against me.

  It kills me to know she’s just upstairs, hurting, betrayed, and I can’t do a thing to
help. Brooks is with her. Brooks, who if Kit is to be believed, is the reincarnation of Arthur Pendragon himself. My heart gives a curious pang at that knowledge. The man was my closest friend. He meant more to me than anyone, save Guinevere. The two of them were everything I needed in life. Now I am with both of them again and I have to give them up.

  I pass the night in my room, the sounds of Gwen’s sobs and Brooks murmuring softly to comfort her are slivers of broken glass piercing my heart. I did that to her. I broke her. I’ll do it again if it means keeping her protected. I’ll give her to him, give them to each other, if they will be safe.

  Gwen

  My eyes hurt from crying when I wake the next morning but crying never solved anything. We have to make a plan to save Lancelot from the fate he’s been dealt. Brooks is asleep next to me, his features so much more similar to those of Arthur than I realized. Maybe it’s because I know now. The truth of our connection lies in linked destinies. I’m bound to him in more ways than I want to admit.

  “Are you all right?” he murmurs, his sleep thick voice a deep rumble.

  “I need to talk to Lance. We have to find a way to stop this.”

  His warm palm slides up my back. “It’s not possible. He’ll never be able to escape turning. Once the blood is in his system, he’ll turn. That’s all there is to it. Not even angelic grace can save him.”

  “But you said it yourself, there are demons who work on the side of good.”

  He sighs. “Only after centuries of living feral. They had time to see there was more to life than doing Lucifer’s bidding.”

  “I can’t let him go,” I say.

  “You have to.”

  I wrench myself free of his arms and get out of bed. “No. I gave up on him once. I won’t do it again.”

  Tugging my robe around my body, I tie the sash before heading for Lancelot’s bedroom. The door is ajar, an eerie stillness in the air. I know before I walk inside that he’s gone. He left me. I told him to leave me be, and he gave me what I wanted.

  A single piece of paper sits atop his pillow with five words scrawled in black ink.

  I love you.

  Forgive me.

  With shaking hands, I read the words over and over as I sink to the floor and sob.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Lancelot

  I’ve no clue where I’m going, but I’m sure Morgan will find me. Excalibur is still at my hip, but its power is dwindling. I can feel my blood changing as the demon takes over. Brooks was right. It wants to rage, to destroy and take no prisoners. Have I done the right thing in leaving? What if Gwen was the only thing keeping me grounded?

  A gnarled old tree stands atop a rise in the forest, its roots exposed and twisted, giving the tree the appearance of some kind of gate. I shake my head and take a deep breath as I walk farther into the woods, my shoes crunching on the ground the only sound in the eerily silent forest, but the tree calls to me. I move toward it, the vibration of power stronger the closer I get.

  “Do you still have the sword?” Morgan’s voice runs down my spine like ice water, stopping me in my tracks.

  Turning, I see her perched on a moss covered boulder. She’s dressed in a gown of deep purple with a neckline cut so deep I can nearly see her navel. Settled between her breasts is the glowing moonstone from Gwen’s drawing. Dark hair tumbles over one shoulder all the way to her waist. It falls like a shiny curtain of ebony and moves as though she’s underwater even though there is no wind blowing.

  “I said, do you have the sword?” She narrows her eyes and slides to the ground. Fluid steps bring her close to me but I don’t feel fear. Instead, unwanted arousal courses through me. My tainted blood calling to hers.

  “I do.”

  “And do I have you?”

  Indecision grips me. My human heart screams in protest as my demon blood answers for me, “Yes. I’m yours.”

  Her hand slides up my chest. “Good. Poor Guinevere. I’m always breaking her heart.”

  I bristle at the mention of my beloved and my heart takes control of my demon. I crush my lips to Morgan’s, taking her by surprise. Using the moment of distraction, I grip the moonstone and pull until the chain snaps. She growls, but I shove her back, hard enough to send her slamming into the boulder. Then I throw the stone into the air and unsheathe Excalibur. If I’m going to lose myself, I’ll do this one last thing in service of my queen.

  The blade slices the air and connects with the moonstone. An explosion of light fills the air as the stone turns to dust and I watch in awe as three trails of what must be magic spread in different directions.

  “No! What have you done?” Morgan screams, rushing me.

  “I may be yours, but that power wasn’t.”

  “You are a fool if you think she’d ever choose you, Lancelot.” She snarls my name before clamping her palm over my shoulder. “She’s already in Arthur’s arms.”

  Her lips find mine again, but this time it’s a vision she puts in my head rather than lust.

  Gwen falling against Brooks, tears streaming down her face and my note in her hand. He strokes her hair and holds her with a tender reverence. It’s an expression I’ve seen before, in another life. He’s looking at her in the same way Arthur used to look at both of us. It was something we never acted on…save once.

  “No,” I whisper, but the vision doesn’t leave. He tips her face up and kisses away the tears before scooping her into his arms and taking her mouth in a passionate kiss. “Stop this, Morgan.”

  “It’s pointless for you to fight for her. She doesn’t want you. Can’t you see? Gwen will always choose Arthur. It’s her destiny. Just as yours is to be alone.” Her words hit me in the chest because they’re true. It’s why Arthur’s soul came back and found us. “You’re only hurting her by trying to stay. Have you ever thought about her curse? True love could have broken it. Why didn’t you? Arthur was supposed to break her curse, but you came in and ruined everything.” Her lips brush my ear as she whispers, “You are the reason she burned.”

  Excalibur hums, calling to me and a thrill runs through me. Maybe I’m still worthy after all. I pull the sword from the leaves and swing, strong and true. The blade connects with Morgan’s neck and her eyes widen in shock right before her head is severed. Her body falls to the ground and turns to ash before my eyes. Instant relief floods me, followed by crippling loss. She was right. I am the reason Gwen suffered.

  My blood prickles in my veins and the demon claws at me from the inside. I stare at Excalibur and understand what I have to do. I can’t let myself become a monster. I walk toward the large old tree and close my eyes. I’ll take myself out of the equation. Return to purgatory.

  “Lancelot,” a whispered voice calls.

  Opening my eyes, I glance around and find the forest empty. But a hand comes through the tree and pulls me, hard. I lose my grip on Excalibur as I’m dragged from this world into another. My body burns and I scream as it feels like my blood has turned molten in my veins. The last thing I see before everything goes dark is my Gwen’s beautiful smile and Arthur’s shining eyes.

  Gwen

  I don’t know how long I sit there, on the hardwood floor of Lance’s old room. I’m numb, heartbroken, ruined—again. But this time he didn’t leave me for another woman. This time, I’m not the only one losing him. We’re all losing the man he is to the evil that was forced inside him.

  Frustration and anger burn in my chest, a ball of fire growing with every breath I take. If he’d stayed maybe I could’ve found a way to stop the demon blood from taking over. My magic, though different from what I’m used to having and still hard to control, is growing every day. Who knows what might’ve been possible with the help of the local coven?

  “Gwen?” I nearly jump out of my skin at the sound of his voice. But it’s the wrong man calling my name. Brooks stands in the doorway, concern etched on his handsome features.

  “He left. Lance is gone.” My throat closes around the words, making them end
on a choked sob.

  He crosses the room and takes my hand, pulling me up and into his arms. “It’s for the best.”

  I push back and stare at him. “What did you say?”

  “There was nothing we could have done to help him. It’s best that he left.”

  “No. Him being gone is not the best. Him being gone means my heart is shattered and part of me left with him. Him being gone means regardless of whether we stop the apocalypse or not, my world is ending.”

  He holds me tighter, not letting me get away. “I’m sorry you’re hurting.”

  “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to let go.” More tears fall and I wish I had some way of forgetting. Before I can stop myself, I bury my face in Brooks’ warm chest and clutch at his back, needing something real and true to ground myself.

  “I’ve got you, Gwen. I promise.” He scoops me into the cradle of his arms and presses a kiss to my forehead. “I’ll love you, if you let me.”

  Can I love them both? If Brooks is truly Arthur reincarnated, don’t I already? I nod, and stare into his eyes. With my heart freshly broken open, I make a decision here and now. I let him in. I’ve seen our future and it’s one of happiness. More importantly, there is a future to hope for rather than the end of the world.

  Lancelot made my choice for me. He left for my own good, because he didn’t have faith I could help him.

  Brooks frowns, a question in his eyes, but I whisper, “Kiss me,” and he doesn’t need me to repeat myself. He drops his lips to mine and for the first time, his kiss means more than I thought it could. It’s a connection, a promise, and something real in a world filled with pain and tragedy.

  This man, beautiful, strong, and loyal, is giving me his heart when mine has stopped working. He stops our kiss and walks us out of the room, kicking the door shut behind him. I wonder briefly if he’s expecting to take me to bed, but he carries me downstairs instead. Depositing me on the kitchen counter, he presses a soft kiss to my lips and caresses my cheek.