Blaze of Wrath (Phoenix Rising Book 5)

by Harper Wylde

  “Nix?” I murmured, instantly recognizing the pure, earthy fragrances as the unique aroma that belonged to my mate.

  Nix hummed in her sleep, her lashes fluttering against her cheeks, and she snuggled into my side. I enjoyed her warmth and nearness, unwilling to wake her. I’d never had this kind of physical affection before, and deep down, I worried it would disappear, leaving me as cold and lonely as I had always been throughout my life.

  Contentment filled my chest as Nix’s arm wound around my waist, tightening and drawing her body flush against my side. The silky tendrils of her hair spilled across my chest, and I couldn’t contain the urge to lift my hand and touch them, letting the smooth, dark tresses tease my fingertips.

  The gentle caress must have startled her, because her eyes flew open and went wide as she craned her neck to get a glimpse of my face.

  “Joshua?” Her voice was full of hope and as sweet as sugar.

  “Hi, honey.” I tried to sit up, but my muscles felt completely drained. I groaned as memories of pain and ice returned in a rush that made my head spin. “Holy hell,” I cursed, and collapsed back into the pillow. I summoned just enough energy to scrub a hand across my forehead, trying to ward off the headache.

  “I was so worried about you.” Tears formed in her eyes, making their chocolate brown depths glisten and sparkle.

  Damien, I called out, trying to initiate his telepathic powers for the first time.

  Welcome back to the world of the living, Damien responded, and I groaned.

  Was it that bad? I asked, but the tears trickling down the curves of Nix’s cheeks were telling enough.

  Worse. Suddenly, a barrage of images, similar to movie clips, played through my mind and I paled at the scenes I had the privilege to view from multiple angles. It was strange to witness myself from someone else’s point of view, but the thought was quickly cast aside and I watched Nix fall to her knees beside my cold, unmoving form.

  My heart stuttered in my chest at the pure, unadulterated anguish that spilled from her. My gaze slid over her face, memorizing the curvature of her lips, the way her thick lashes framed her eyes, the healthy glow in her cheeks, and I raised my arm to cup the back of her head. Words to match her own danced on my tongue.

  Damien retreated from my mind, and his afforded privacy spoke volumes.

  “I was so damn worried about you.” Nix pushed off my chest and brought herself in line with my body. The dark curtain of her hair spilled over her shoulder, enclosing us in our own little world. “Never do that to me again,” she ordered desperately, her hand pressed against my cheek and she leaned down, lightly pressing her lips against mine.

  “I’ll try not to,” I promised, my mouth moving below hers, grazing her soft, supple lips with each word. My hands gripped her sides and traced over the curve of her lower back. Her shirt bunched and rose, my fingertips meeting golden skin. A delicious shiver raced down her spine.

  Our kiss started out slowly, a meeting of mouths that was gentle and tentative. My muscles clenched as I lifted higher, seeking more of her. The hole that had been inside of me since my mother had walked out the door, leaving my father and I in her destructive wake, started to close and heal. Nix was my new family, and the bond I felt solidifying between us was the best kind of medicine.

  “Annika.” Her full name was infused with so much longing and a burgeoning hope that being together would fill the craters of pain, and ease the scarred remains left by our past.

  The taste of salt mixed with the delicious flavor of her tongue as her tears continued to fall. “The idea of a world without you is—” She kissed me. “Unbearable.” Her mouth teased over mine again. “Unimaginable.” Her tongue joined the mix and I met every movement match for match. When she pulled away on a ragged breath, she skimmed her nose against mine before pressing our foreheads together. “I don’t want to live this life without you.” Her airy words teased over my wet lips.

  The declaration held power and I felt my energy rally. “You’ll never be without me.” I closed my eyes, wanting to hear her say the three little words my heart longed to hear. I ached to say them in return. “Our souls are matched, sweetheart, no matter what happens, I’ll always find a way back to you.”

  Nix leaned away slightly, her eyes flicking back and forth between mine. Her lips parted and she drew in a breath. “Do you truly believe that?”

  “Wholeheartedly,” I murmured.

  “My entire life was filled with pain and death until I met the guys—and now you. Everything I knew about my past was a lie. The only person I ever loved was my mother, but I barely even remember her. All I have are fragments of memories, a piece here and there.”

  “She’s still with you, Nix. In here.” I pointed to her heart.

  “I hope so.” She gave me a small, watery grin. “Having Damien, Ryder, Hiro, Killian, and Theo has healed me in ways I never imagined, but there was always something missing, something holding me back from making things official and real. And now you’re here, and my life feels whole for the first time in my entire life.” Another tear leaked from the corner of her eye, beginning its downward descent. I reached for it, catching it on my finger and brushing it away.

  “That’s a good thing, honey,” I soothed, but she cried anyway.

  “I know, but it’s also terrifying. It’s more frightening than how I used to wait and wonder how painful my next beating would be. Scarier than constantly wondering if the next death will truly be my last. The way I care about all of you, it’s like my heart exists outside of my body. Exposed to the elements. Fragile. Breakable. Beyond my control.”

  I leaned up and captured her lips to slow her words, pulling back only when I knew she was calmer.

  “That’s the beauty of life. Don’t let the fear of loss steal the joy of your love. People live their entire lives without ever knowing that completely fragile feeling, and that is a tragedy.” I tilted my head and kissed her forehead, enjoying the way she laid her head on my chest. I stroked her hair. “I don’t know if you know this, but my mother and my father weren’t true mates. I was born out of an obligation to create more basilisks and carry on my father’s bloodline. The two of them never had a deep connection, never mated, and I grew up watching them drift further and further apart until one day, my mother had enough. I remember her telling me that the chill of Alaska didn’t agree with her constitution, and I watched her carry her belongings out of the Lodge, never to return. As a child, I didn’t understand how she could walk away and leave me behind. My father isn’t perfect, but he’s a good man. They had a good life. I simply think she wasn’t able to love someone beyond herself. Over the years, as I’ve grown, I’ve watched the desolation in my father’s eyes increase. Year after year I was encouraged to place a bid on eligible ladies, but I couldn’t bring myself to repeat my father’s mistakes. I’d rather live alone than be in a loveless relationship. Especially after hearing tale after tale of the beautiful love my grandparents shared. They had the kind of love that storybooks are made out of—true mates. Those stories made me believe and hope for something bigger than myself. And then a pretty Phoenix shifter walked into my life—unbeknownst to me at first—and rocked my world. This journey hasn’t been easy for any of us, and I know you’re scared, but you know what scares me?” I paused, and waited for her to hum in response. “The thought of living this life without ever experiencing the depth of emotion you evoke in me. Caring so completely that it destroys you? That’s a gift few ever receive.” My voice dropped to a low, nearly indiscernible tenor. “I’ve waited my entire life to feel this way.”

  “Joshua,” Nix breathed. She crawled over me and I watched, enthralled, as she spread her thighs, straddling my waist. Unable to hold back a single second longer, I cradled the back of her head and drew her to me. My lips sealed over hers and I groaned as I unleashed several months’ worth of pent-up desire, infusing it all into the heated moment. I’d needed Nix since before she’d even known me, the draw to her undeniabl
e. Blood stormed my cock and I hardened in record time, uncaring that she could feel the evidence of my lust against her.

  My other hand roamed, taking liberties she didn’t seem interested in stopping. Her breasts weighed heavily in my palms as I kneaded her, tweaking her pointed nipples with my fingers before sliding them along the rest of her curves. The need inside me coiled and I couldn’t form a thought without her in the center.

  Just before I rolled her over, intent on settling myself between her sweet thighs, the tent burst open, revealing a panicked Ryder.

  “I’m sorry.” Ryder looked like he wanted to turn and leave, but the importance of whatever weight he had on his shoulders refused to give way. “I know I’m interrupting, but we have to go. Now.”

  My ardor cooled immediately and I sat up, taking Nix with me. She quickly scrambled from my lap and I didn’t bother hiding my erection, sure that whatever Ryder was about to say was going to put the kibosh on the mood anyway.

  “What’s happening?” Nix was already gathering her belongings and tossing them into her bags.

  “We just caught movement on the mountain. Killian went to investigate, but if it’s the Council’s men, we have zero time to waste,” Ryder rushed out, filling us in, and I was already moving. “Slow down, man. You’ve been through a lot.” Ryder held out his hands to stop my progress. “Let me heal you. I can at least restore your energy levels. Each of us need to be at full strength if this turns into a battle.” Sighing, I sat back down and let his hands press against me, one on my chest and the other on my back, effectively sandwiching my body between his palms. “I need to thank you.”

  “For what?” Nix queried, as she zipped her back and joined us.

  “You don’t know?” Ryder’s eyes went wide. “Shit, I thought you saw everything, heard me.”

  “What are you talking about?” Nix glanced between the two of us in confusion. Her face scrunched up in puzzlement as she strained to think over yesterday’s events. “Everything was so confusing, and you were hurt and—”

  “Joshua saved my life yesterday. My injuries would have been far greater without him, and who knows if Theo or the others would have had the ability to get even Theo’s crazy healing goo onto me in time.” Ryder shuddered at the memory, and I wondered for a moment what that stuff consisted of. Ryder’s eyes were clear and somber as they met mine refusing to let me hide from the truth. “He practically sacrificed himself for me.” Gratitude radiated off of Ryder. “Thank you. Seriously.” Ryder clapped me on the back and I flushed slightly.

  “It wasn’t a big deal. I know Ryder can heal. He was everyone’s best chance at survival,” I replied, trying to brush it off.

  “True, but that’s not why you did it,” Ryder challenged.

  Nix’s gaze ping-ponged between us.

  “You forget we have a mind reader among our group of misfit shifters. You did it because you care about Nix and her happiness, but you’re mistaken about one key point, though I think you have a better understanding now than you did yesterday.” Ryder leveled a look at me while his hands heated and began to glow with his magic. “Nix’s happiness rests on all our shoulders. We haven’t made you feel as welcome as we should have, but you’re as much a part of this family as I am. So, if you’ll have us, I’d like to be the first on the welcoming committee to say that we’re glad you’re here.” His hands cooled when he pulled them away and I stood, feeling fully restored. My eyes fell to Ryder’s outstretched hand and I took it, shaking it before he yanked me into a bro hug, slapping me on the back. “Just do me a favor, okay?” he asked and stepped back.

  “What’s that?” I cocked my head and waited for his request.

  “No more accidental deaths, alright?” He raised a brow.

  I laughed and shook my head. “Deal. Next time I die, I’ll do so with purpose.”

  Ryder chuckled and Nix glared. “Don’t even joke about that,” she warned, steel in her voice. “Now come on, we’re done rescuing each other, let’s go rescue everyone else.”

  Twenty-Two

  Killian

  It was so goddamn cold that my nuts were nearly frozen off. I glanced over my head and was greeted with the sight of Damien’s ass.

  “Perfect,” I sarcastically grumbled to myself.

  It is, isn’t it? Damien chuckled at my distress and I growled.

  Where’s your sense of humor, Abra? Nix sent her thoughts my way, and her mirth was the only thing that helped calm my sour attitude. All I wanted was for my family to be safe and for this entire mission to be over. Why we had to prove ourselves to the rebellion was beyond me. Did they make every member jump through hoops simply so they could put their lives on the line? Didn’t the rebellion members know that death was a likely ending to their misadventure?

  The sight of the black outfitted team climbing the face of the mountain not far from us had struck terror into my heart. I needed to get Nix out of here, but I’d been overruled in favor of continuing on to the outpost.

  “There are women and children up there, Killian, and I’m not about to leave them behind to save my own ass,” Nix had scolded me. I understood. Hell, I didn’t want their blood on my hands any more than the rest of the guys did, but Nix was mine to protect, and it was hard for me to step aside and let her make these calls for herself.

  As soon as Damien was to the next ledge, I hooked myself in and began to climb up after him, bringing up the rear of our team.

  And what a fine rear you make, Ryder chirped, thoroughly amused with himself and invigorated by the icy air that chilled our lungs.

  Are you calling me an ass? I gritted out, as I struggled to haul my body up the steep incline, ready to finally make it to the summit.

  Boys, Nix said and clucked, and we all sent our apologies for bickering.

  “We’re almost there.” Damien struggled to breathe, the altitude finally taking its toll on our lungs. I winced as piece by piece, D discarded his clothing, preparing to shift. “Let’s revert back to yesterday’s plan. If we carry the rest of you to the top, we might just make it there first.”

  “We’re going to need to move quickly.” I felt Theo’s hesitance to issue orders, his confidence having taken a huge blow yesterday.

  “Theo,” I called out to him when I hauled myself over the edge. “It was a mistake. Could have happened to any one of us.”

  “And yet it didn’t. I’m the one who drank her blood,” Theo responded, beating himself up.

  “Blood?” Joshua spun quickly to face the rest of us, pulling his attention from where he was surveying the remainder of our ascent.

  “Nix’s blood has special properties that increases our powers. It’s the whole reason her fake, deadbeat dad kept her in captivity for so long. He wanted to use her as a blood bank, making withdrawals whenever he pleased to sell on the black market. Or, at least that’s our best guess and explanation for the hell that was Nix’s childhood.” I wanted to rage over the injustices Nix was forced to live through, but my Puca thumped in my mind, keeping me in the present and focused on the conversation.

  “Fuck.” Joshua thrust a hand into his hair. “Does it have long-lasting effects?” he mused, lost to his thoughts.

  “I can still feel the effects of it.” Theo shrugged. “Though it’s lessened after yesterday. My tests aren’t completed, which is one reason why it was incredibly wrong of me to consume the blood without knowing the extent of the consequences.” Theo’s shame was nearly palpable as he hung his head. “I’m so incredibly sorry. To all of you, but especially to Joshua and Ryder who bore the brunt of my mistakes.”

  Joshua paled. “Theo, I forgive you. But just so you know, you’re not the only one who’s consumed some of Nix’s blood.”

  “What?” I roared, my anger surging to the surface. A Basilisk with increased powers could be incredibly dangerous. I wanted to pull Nix away from Joshua and shove her behind me.

  “Damien and I have had some as well,” Hiro inserted, and studied Joshua from behind his d
ark-rimmed glasses, “but that’s not what you mean.”

  Understanding dawned on Nix. “When you attacked me,” she stated, and her eyes grew wide. “You drank my blood directly from the source. Shifter to shifter.”

  Theo’s eyes widened. “How did I not think about that consequence? We were so focused on the venom and Nix’s rebirth that I overlooked any effect the attack would have on Joshua.” He winced. “Yet another way I have wronged you.”

  “You’ve got to stop beating yourself up,” Joshua told him, before walking forward and clasping a hand on Theo’s shoulder. “You’re already forgiven.”

  Theo nodded with a hint of awe in his expression, as though he couldn’t believe the grace that Joshua offered him. “I underestimated you, and for that I’m—”

  “Don’t you dare apologize again,” Joshua interrupted and chuckled. “Hell, you know how it is amongst shifters. Powers get out of hand all the time. So what that we’re not kids anymore? It happens. Let’s just start fresh from here, alright?”

  Theo grinned, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes, which were still edged with regret. “You must have noticed an increase in powers if you got a decent dose of Nix’s blood.”

  “Speed, strength, litheness,” Joshua replied, ticking off different abilities he’d seen an increase in. “But most of all, my venom. My gums ache even now from the excess I have. At first I thought it was related to how sweet Nix’s blood tasted, but it never eased. You saw how much I had when we filled the vials, and that was only a portion of it.”

  “Please tell me this isn’t something I need to fucking worry about,” I begged. Nix shot daggers at me with her gaze. “What?” I grumbled. “I accept the guy for what he is to you and I have no problem with him joining our family, but I need to know—have a right to know—that this venom problem isn’t something that’s going to poison you when you’re making out,” I growled, trying to adjust to the thought of Nix sucking face with the Basilisk.