by Sarah Marsh
“Conrad took her,” the garbled words sputtered out. “He took her to the council building to sign the papers…”
“You lie!” Viktor spat back at him. “Halle is my mate, and she would never sign those papers!”
“Hmm, I think I know how Conrad convinced her…” The ogre’s booming voice came from the next room, getting Viktor’s attention. He hadn’t noticed that the beast must have gotten bored playing with the other vamps, who now lay unconscious on the kitchen floor.
Viktor slammed the man’s head into the wall hard enough to have his eyes rolling back and closing, and he dropped him to the floor before following the deep voice, which was now talking to someone. He came to an abrupt stop when he rounded the corner and saw a man tied to a chair in the middle of the empty living room. He was covered in blood and bite marks, but his scent marked him as a leopard shifter. His blond hair and familiar facial features clued Viktor in that this man was most likely the brother of his mate—and the reason that she would have willingly left him behind to go with Conrad.
He felt like such a failure. The fates had been so generous as to bless him with the gift of a mate such as Halle, and he couldn’t even protect her. She’d sacrificed herself to save her brother, so she must have thought she had no other choice. How could she know that Viktor would bring down hell itself to get to her?
“Leave me! You have to go after Halle!” the leopard moaned as soon as the ogre removed the gag.
“We shouldn’t leave you. You need medical care—plus the vamps aren’t dead, and they will be hungry once they wake…” The huge grey head cocked to the side and looked back at Viktor in question. “Should I kill them so we can leave this one here?”
“Who are you?” the shifter asked.
“I’m Viktor, your sister’s mate,” he answered. “This is Barrett the ogre, and he allowed Conrad’s men to take your sister from me.”
“Hey—I told you what the arrangement was. Now you’re just trying to make me feel bad.” The huge male frowned as he reached forward to snap the ties holding the shifter’s hands and feet to the chair.
“Conrad grabbed me two days ago as I was leaving work. He’s forcing Halle to sign the mating paperwork or he threatened to kill me. You have to go and rescue her!”
“It’s Tavin, right?” Viktor asked as they helped the injured man to shaky feet. “We’re all going to the Council Building to stop Conrad, so that way Halle will know you’re safe. Are you strong enough for that?”
Tavin nodded.
“The Council Building? But there’ll be so many people there.” The ogre was frowning once again. “Can’t I just drop you off in front? I don’t like people.”
Good Goddess, this gigantic beast is ridiculous. Viktor wanted to punch him in the nose for allowing any of this to happen in the first place—but he now knew how painful and futile attempting to fist-fight with an ogre was. I suppose an alternative motivation is the only way to go.
“Barrett, I just need you to make sure Tavin is all right while I go after Conrad. I think you owe Halle that much for allowing them to take her in the first place, don’t you?”
He almost thought his plan had backfired when the thick black eyebrows came together as the grey beast narrowed his eyes, but then the guilt slowly came through and he threw up those giant stone arms in defeat.
“Fine!” he muttered. “But you’d better make it quick and then we’re even.”
“Deal,” Viktor quickly agreed before the ogre changed his mind. “I just have to make one call first.”
Viktor tried to remain calm as the phone continued to ring in his ear, and then finally the other end picked up. “Maleck here.”
“Burton, it's Viktor, we were on our way to the appointment this morning and were ambushed by Conrad’s men. He has Halle and he’s blackmailing her to sign the papers. I need you to stall them until I get there.”
“Shit.” There was the sound of frantic paper shuffling on the other end of the phone. “His name’s in the fucking book for an eleven o’clock appointment. Who in the hell booked this for him?”
The bear shifter was muttering and swearing to himself on the other end of the phone. “Viktor, I’ll try and stall them, but if she signs those papers in front of the council, then there isn’t anything I can do. She’ll belong to him.”
“I know.” Viktor tried to hide the fear in his voice, but he doubted he was successful by the pitied look the giant man at his side gave him. “Just do what you can, Burton. We’re on our way.”
They had to make it in time. He couldn’t imagine any other outcome. If Viktor failed Halle now, he would never forgive himself.
Chapter Twenty-Two
When they pulled up in front of the Para Council building, it looked just like it had on any other day. The streets were bustling downtown and the sidewalk was filled with people all going somewhere. They were all carrying on with their lives, oblivious to the fact that her life and freedom were all about to end. Halle had been here several times in the past and was always amazed at how beautiful the building was. The most important people in their community made decisions here every day that affected the lives of every paranormal on this continent. But today instead of wonder, the building just felt dark and ominous. Her cat was pacing and snarling inside, wanting to lash out at the horrible man sitting beside them.
Kill him, it said. Free us from his plans, it pleaded. But the picture of her brother bleeding and weak was seared into her mind.
When the car came to a full stop, Conrad turned to look at her. The expression on his chiseled face was calm, and he just watched her for a moment.
“Are you ready for this, my dear?” he asked in such a reasonable tone, it just made her hate him all the more. “We have an appointment with the council, and you will be required to give your consent and sign the mating papers of your own free will. The Council members present cannot think I have coerced you in any way—do you understand, Halle? Do you understand what will happen to your brother Tavin if you fail in these tasks in the next thirty minutes?”
She felt the wave of panic rise in her chest as his words sank in. Can I pull this off? Inside she was screaming in rage, and her animal side was getting frantic now that it knew the cage door on their freedom was about to close. What if I lose control of my beast and shift in front of everyone?
“Do you need another moment?” he pushed, one eyebrow raised as if he doubted that she could do this.
Focus, Halle. She didn’t need to appear happy to be doing this. It was for all intents and purposes supposed to be an arranged mating by her own family, so she just needed to hold it together enough to not look like she wanted to tear out her prospective mate’s throat with her teeth. I can do this. I have to do this—for Tavin’s sake.
“I’m fine, let’s get this over with,”
“Indeed.” Conrad opened the car door and got out.
Halle was surprised when he offered her his hand to help her, whether it was to put on a good show, or simply because he thought she might bolt—she didn’t know.
She already knew that there were wards on the building that didn’t allow outside weapons through the front door. So, the two thugs that were accompanying them wouldn’t have their guns with them. Even the enforcers had to use alternate entry points to check their weapons in. That had been explained to them on the very first school tour of the council buildings she’d had when she was a cub. She hadn’t thought much about it at the time, but now, she wondered if these rules were even able to protect people at all?
Halle felt the tension in Conrad’s arm beneath hers, so he was still nervous about something, even if his face didn’t betray it. The lobby wasn’t very busy today. There were only about a dozen or so people milling about, probably waiting for their own appointments with the council. Conrad directed her past the general reception desk, straight on to a smaller kiosk that stood in front of the elevators that led directly to the council registration chambers.
�
�Conrad Dair and Halle Briggs. We have an eleven o’clock appointment with the council,” Conrad said in a snooty tone, as he stared down the young wolf shifter working the desk.
“Ah, yes, Mr. Dair. I see your appointment right here,” the attendant said, with a nervous voice that made the hair on the back of Halle’s neck stand up in alarm. “The council seems to be running a bit behind with their previous appointment this morning. Would you like to take a seat until they’re ready for you?”
“No,” Conrad replied in a stone-cold voice. “Do you know who I am? You will open this elevator and let us up into the council chambers immediately, or I will separate your head from your body.”
Wow, that escalated quickly, Halle thought as she watched the color abruptly drain from the attendant’s face and his sheer panic set in.
“Still threatening innocent children, I see, Conrad.” Halle’s heart skipped a beat when the glorious sound of Viktor’s voice came from behind them.
Conrad’s grabbed her arm and spun them around to face Viktor, and Halle almost collapsed in relief when her cat scented her brother and she saw Tavin being held up by a giant grey man in the shadows near the front entryway. He looked horrible, but he was safe, and Viktor had come for her.
“Call security,” Conrad barked to the desk attendant behind them. “This rogue vampire is trying to abduct my mate!”
When Conrad’s head turned back around, however, there was a sadistic smile on his face, “Trying to take once again what doesn’t belong to you, Krescech? Halle has made her choice. Are you going to slink back to the cave you’ve been hiding in, or am I going to have the pleasure of watching security remove you?”
“We all know you never gave Halle or her father a choice, but she has one now.” Viktor extended his hand towards her. “Do you trust me, Halle?”
Almost all of the other people who had been minding their own business in the foyer were now watching the drama unfold. Could it really be this easy? Can I just take Viktor’s hand? Will Conrad let it happen? Surely with this many witnesses, he wouldn’t cause a scene?
Halle quickly found out as Conrad’s sharp nails dug painfully into her arm when she tried to take a step towards her mate.
“I don’t think so, kitten,” he sneered in a low voice, next to her ear.
****
When Dori popped into the foyer of the Council Building, she was careful not to be seen as she stuck her head around the corner from the washrooms. This was the big showdown moment for Halle and Viktor, and they needed to prove the fates that they deserved their Happy Ever After—which meant they had to do the rest on their own, without her magical intervention. The first rule of thumb for Fairy Godmothers—even ones with her badass powers, was that you can set the fated couple on the path to their happy ending, but you can’t just hand it over to them. Happiness had to be won with courage, strength of character, and more often than not, a sacrifice of some kind. Dori knew that both Halle and Viktor were worthy of their future together. They were both prepared to sacrifice all for the ones that they loved, but would Halle find the courage to fight for it as well?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Viktor knew it wasn’t going to be that easy as soon as he saw Halle flinch in pain when she tried to walk away from Conrad. It was a delicate game they played. He didn’t want to put his mate in more danger than she already was, so he couldn’t attack head-on. The last thing he wanted to do was give Conrad a reason to hurt the one person who now meant everything to Viktor.
Where the hell is that bear shifter when I need him?
“My poor little, traumatized bride. Things certainly went awfully sideways last week when I sent my men to collect you, didn’t they, my pet?” Conrad said loud enough so all the spectators could overhear, as he inched even closer to Halle, who seemed to have frozen in his clutches. “You poor thing, being forced into a mating by this criminal. Have no fear, I will free you from his bond and we will finally start our life together …just as your family intended.”
Those ridiculous words seemed to knock Halle out of her stationary horror. Viktor hoped that she’d seen her brother safe behind him, and he could tell by the smug look on Conrad’s face that his nemesis still hadn’t spotted his newly liberated leverage. He prayed to the Goddess that Halle would trust that he would do anything in the future to protect the rest of her family from suffering the same fate as Tavin almost did. Viktor saw the flash of amber in her eyes as her cat rose to the surface.
“You’re completely insane, Conrad. I choose Viktor. He is my mate.” She spat back at him with a growl. “He saved me from you, and he saved my brother, too. I will never be your anything.”
Viktor should have known that his little mate would choose exactly the words that would hit the man where it would do the most damage, his ego. He was half proud and half furious as Conrad reacted exactly as Viktor knew he would to being verbally humiliated in public—he lost his shit.
Before Viktor or Halle could even react, Conrad swung her around, his claws now gripping around her throat tight enough that Viktor could smell the sweet scent of her precious blood. Viktor watched Conrad’s eyes search frantically through the crowd, and he saw the surprise and then the rage when Tavin must have been spotted safe amongst the gawkers instead of tied up and guarded where Conrad had left him.
“Listen, bitch,” Conrad whispered low in her ear. “You’ll spend the rest of your life on your back ensuring my legacy, and when I have the heirs I need, then as far as I’m concerned, you’ll be demoted to chew toy for the rest of my men.”
They had drawn quite a crowd in the lobby at this point, and when the elevator dinged open and three large men stepped out, Viktor couldn’t even guess what was about to happen. He did know, however, that if Conrad hurt his mate, he would kill him right in front of the Goddess herself and be damned if he cared about the consequences of who was watching.
The largest of the men stepped forward and approached Conrad with his hands raised like he was addressing a crazy person with a bomb.
“Conrad, what seems to be the trouble here? Why don’t you let Miss Briggs go, and we can discuss this rationally?”
“Ah, Burton, thank goodness you’re here.” Conrad’s tone changed instantly from the smarmy asshole to one of near comedic relief at the sight of the council member. “This rogue was trying to steal my fiancée once again. Have your enforcers arrest this animal!”
****
“Is this true, Miss Briggs?” The huge bear of a man looked pointedly at Halle.
“No,” Halle tried to choke out before Conrad’s fingers tightened once again on her throat. “Viktor is my mate. Conrad—”
Conrad cut off her air before she could finish. She heard Viktor’s scramble to try to get to her, but he was now being held back by the two enforcers that had arrived in the elevator with Burton. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a quick flash of black and grey and she remembered the words of advice that Dori had given her in the bathroom this morning. Obviously, these men weren’t going to let Viktor save her, so she was just going to have to save herself. Part of this realization terrified her. It was true Halle’s beast was a predator, but she’d never really been in a physical altercation before. Could she attack an ancient vampire who had the strength to rip her head from her body in the blink of an eye? All she could do was hope that his motivation for keeping her alive would hold fast. Halle had made her decision. She wasn’t the biddable, simpering little woman that Conrad thought she was. She was a fucking leopard, and she wanted her mate.
The bastard’s arm moved over the chain Molly had given her after breakfast and it caused a small wave of raw magic to be released, making tiny goosebumps emerge all over her body. Whatever it had done seemed to surprise Conrad as well, because he gasped and his arm slipped almost right up against her chin. So all she had to do was open up her mouth and take a big bite. She dug her claws in deep anywhere she could find purchase, the same instant that her fangs sank straight into the vampir
e’s flesh until blood was gushing freely into her mouth.
Conrad roared and flung her out of his grasp, right into the path of the council member standing in front of them. The two vampires behind their coven leader looked as though they were ready to start killing at the damage done to their boss.
“You bitch!” he screamed, holding his arm that now had a ragged flap of bloody flesh hanging loose, courtesy of her leopard’s sharp teeth. “You will pay for this. You and your entire family will pay. You still belong to me in payment for your father’s blood debt!”
The large man who had caught Halle gently pushed her behind him and off towards Viktor’s waiting arms.
“Actually, Conrad, you just attacked another male’s registered mate. As you know, a true mating cannot be overturned by family contracts, even blood debts,” Burton said to him, still watching him closely.
“They did not go upstairs for their appointment time with the council, so there was no registration!” Conrad spat back desperately, his well-groomed and controlled façade completely gone now.
“Hmm, and how exactly did you know they had an appointment, Conrad? Sounds like we have a leak somewhere, and that must have been how you managed to call this morning to make an appointment for yourself as well, correct? Regardless, I guess you could say that we’re working on a new pre-registration program for fated mates,” the bear answered back smugly as if he’d just been waiting to put Conrad in his place.
“Yes, and we called ahead,” Viktor added, as he held Halle tight against him.
Halle was so happy to be safe back in Viktor’s arms, she forgot all about the taste of that bastard’s blood still lingering in her mouth. It was quite satisfying to see Conrad lose his grip on his well-practiced temper when Burton spoke, but when Viktor added his smug two cents, the coven leader full on snapped and lunged forward. Burton was a huge man. He had to be well over two hundred and fifty pounds, but Conrad batted him aside like he was nothing. The coven leader's goons went after one of the enforcers, and when the other tried to stop the angry vampire, Conrad went right for his throat, ripping it out like a wild animal.
