by Franca Storm
“Nathanial, I am quite capable of—” she began to protest.
He cut her off, “I am sorry, angel. You are carrying my child—a child of the dark. Your magic is no longer pure. It will remain that way until you give birth.”
“Oh,” she murmured. She nodded slowly and she said, “Only pure white magic can defeat a white sorceress.”
“Yes, angel. I am sorry.” Nathanial then eyed Shaye and said, “Unfortunately, you are not strong enough, my dear.”
“It must be Cora,” Marella said.
Ryan and Nathanial locked eyes.
“Yes, it must,” Nathanial confirmed as he held his intense gaze. “But she is not ready yet. I must teach her how to rein in the unstable element of her magic…the evil.”
The roars thundering through the compound ceased suddenly. Josh growled in frustration and climbed to his feet with the aid of Shaye’s arms around him. A moment later Haraz staggered into the room.
“Your majesty! The realm!” he gasped.
“Yes,” was all Nathanial offered.
As Ryan tried to absorb the realities of the situation, Orion shifted in his arms and a sudden realization hit him. “My son wasn’t affected by this. He is wolf.”
Marella and Nathanial exchanged a knowing glance. She came to Nathanial and took his hand in hers.
“Nathanial and I discovered that part of his destiny as the bridge means he cannot be killed.”
“Yes, I know. He’s a pureblood wolf like me. Immortal.”
“No, Ryan. He can never be killed, not by anyone or anything,” Marella clarified.
“He is eternal,” Nathanial added.
“But he needs both the Dark and White Realms to survive,” Ryan said.
“It appears we were wrong about that. He needs both in order to be strong, but not to live,” Nathanial clarified.
“You knew this and you didn’t tell me?” Ryan thundered, aggravated by the entire situation.
“We didn’t tell anyone, because Oriana cannot know. We have an advantage here,” Marella said.
Ryan watched Nathanial’s eyes narrow at everyone in the room, casting a threatening stare over them all. “I am prepared to kill anyone who cannot keep this secret. I know Haraz will take it to his grave, but the others…I am not so sure.”
Ryan growled at his threat to Shaye and Josh. “They’ve kept many secrets for me over the years. I trust them with my life, Nathanial.”
“You are certain?”
“Yes,” Ryan said, gripping his shoulder and forcing him to look at him. “If you can’t trust them, then trust in me.”
Nathanial studied him for a few moments and then blew out a breath. “So be it.”
Ryan released him and crossed to Josh. He kissed Orion and then handed him over. “Take care of him while I’m gone. Both you and Shaye. Don’t let the wolves out of this compound.”
“What? Where the hell are you going?” Josh asked.
“The Dark Realm.”
“Ryan—” Nathanial protested.
“I’ll lead the Dark Realm wolves to the castle to provide a distraction so that Oriana can’t destroy another orb. It should buy you enough time to prepare Cora for what she’ll need to do.”
Nathanial nodded. “You must be cautious, Ryan. Oriana has the ability to bend anyone to her will. It is likely that she will have many of my subjects under her command.”
“Like a zombie master?” Josh cut in.
Nathanial growled at the comparison.
“Okay, like the Pied Piper then,” Josh quickly amended.
“A fictional character,” Nathanial snarled.
Marella squeezed his hand and cast him a warning glance.
Nathanial drew in a calming breath and responded to Josh, “Without the music. Her victims experience a similar hypnotic state. So, in effect, yes. You are correct.”
Ryan grabbed his leather jacket off the back of the door and slipped it on.
“Haraz, teleport Ryan to the Dark Realm gates,” Nathanial commanded.
“Yes, your majesty.”
“Return to me afterwards. I have a job for you. You will work with my son.”
“What?” Ryan snapped. “Your son? Luca is dead.”
Nathanial shook his head. “No.”
“How is that possible? He couldn’t have breached your magic. Can Oriana breach it?”
“No. There is only one.”
The realization hit Ryan like a rusty knife in the gut. “Cora,” he said, shaking his head with disbelief. “She saved him.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions, Ryan. We don’t know her reasons,” Marella urged.
“Fuck,” Ryan said. He pulled out the wedding rings that Shaye had given him and slammed them down on his bedside table. “Fuck her.”
“Ryan,” Shaye protested.
Ryan growled in response and turned his back. I don’t have time for this. “Let’s go, Haraz,” he commanded. “I have work to do.”
Haraz looked to Nathanial for his confirmation. Nathanial nodded.
A moment later, the two of them were swallowed in a whirl of black smoke.
CHAPTER 3
She felt him behind her suddenly. She took another gulp of water from her glass to soothe her dry throat and then she put it in the sink and turned around to face him.
“I thought you were asleep, Luca.”
“I was.”
“I woke you? I’m sorry. I’m going back to bed.”
She moved to pass him but he blocked her escape. She looked up into his eyes to see that they were hooded with desire.
“Luca,” she protested.
His gaze raked over her slowly and she watched him salivate at the sight of her. “You cannot blame me, princess. You are naked.”
What? Naked? “Oh my God,” she gasped as she cast a glance down at herself. “I didn’t…how?”
He moved closer, his body pressing hers into the counter at her back. “It is how you desired me to see you.”
“What? No.”
“Yes,” he breathed in her ear. “This is your dream. I am not compelling you. You are in full control.”
She looked up at him and met his intense gaze. The pull was so powerful. She couldn’t look away. She didn’t want to look away.
“You want me to take you,” he accused.
In the dark recesses of her mind, she knew something wasn’t right here. She didn’t belong to him. Did she? But the faint warning seemed so far away. Who did she belong to if it wasn’t Luca? The longer she held his gaze, the more everything else faded away until it was just the two of them.
“I know how you want it, princess. Let me give you what you’ve craved for so long,” he said, stroking her silky, black hair.
“Yes. I need you. Please.”
His lips brushed hers softly, hesitantly, until she responded to him. His fingers ran up and down her back, sending a shiver of sensation through her entire body. She moaned into his mouth, parting her lips for him. His tongue teased hers, joining with her, tasting every inch of her mouth, exploring thoroughly.
His kiss was all-consuming. She couldn’t think. She could only feel. It was like a drug and he’d just activated her addiction. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
She needed more.
His hands kneaded her breasts. He grazed her nipples with his thumbs, causing her to cry out at the delightful sensation.
“Yes, Luca,” she murmured, arching her back and pushing them deeper into his palms.
He broke their kiss and stepped back to pull his shirt over his head.
“Tell me you want me, princess.”
She decided to show him instead. Her hands explored his sculpted chest. She’d forgotten how incredibly cut he was—it was as though his abs had been carved out of stone. They were so perfect—so firm as well. She couldn’t stop touching them. She replaced her fingers with her mouth. Her tongue circled his nipples and then she licked the length of him from between his pecs all the w
ay down to the waistband of his leather pants. The soft noise of satisfaction that he made turned her on all the more and she knew she couldn’t wait any longer.
“I need to feel you. Now, Luca,” she said, gripping his belt.
He chuckled and stepped back to unbuckle the belt himself. “Turn around,” he said softly.
She complied instantly, her fingers gripping the countertop so fiercely that her knuckles were white from her exertion. The anticipation of him was almost too much. She whimpered with need.
And then she felt him against her. The tip of his cock teased her soaking wet entrance. He slid inside slowly, kissing her hair, her neck, her shoulders.
He stilled within her for a moment. “Ready, princess?” he breathed into her ear.
She nodded fervently.
His hands gripped her hips, his touch so gentle, so loving. And then he pulled almost all the way out, stretching her walls to the limit, before plunging back inside and driving his thick cock right to the hilt.
“Yes! Fuck, Luca!” she screamed.
His steady, firm strokes had her in a frenzy within moments.
“Ah, I’m gonna come!” she cried.
“Not yet,” a familiar voice growled. It wasn’t Luca’s.
She craned her neck and was shocked to see Ryan now standing behind her, fucking her. Luca was nowhere to be seen.
“What are you—?”
His right hand clamped around her mouth, silencing her.
“No talking.”
And then he started to thrust into her hard. Brutally. Viciously. She whimpered into his hand.
“You’re gonna take what I give you and you’re gonna love it. You’re mine to do whatever I fucking want with.”
With his free hand, he raked his claws down her back, along her spine, drawing blood. She screamed into his hand and struggled in his grip, but he just kept fucking her.
“I fucking love dominating you. I control you, wife. You will accept it!” he roared. “You will accept me! You belong to a wolf, not a bloodsucker! I will fuck every thought of him out of you, whore!”
She shook her head vehemently.
“I’m gonna rip you apart until you submit to me,” he hissed in her ear. “Submit to me! I own you!” he bellowed ferociously. “Submit!”
Cora’s eyes snapped open and she shot up in bed. Oh my God! What was that?
She was startled to see Luca sitting on the edge of the bed, eyeing her worriedly.
“It was just a nightmare,” he told her softly, reaching out to comfort her.
She jerked away quickly. “Did you…did you do that?”
He shook his head, hurt flickering in his eyes at her accusation. “No, princess. I swear to you.”
“You…you didn’t?” she murmured, breathing hard and trying to rein in her panic.
“Princess, you are at full strength. Even if I wanted to, I cannot enter your dreams now.” He moved closer and wrapped his arms around her. “You are shaking,” he said, pulling her against him.
She let him hold her. She needed the comfort right now. She couldn’t believe what she’d just dreamed—what Ryan had done to her, what he’d wanted from her. She was still in a daze from it and she found herself murmuring, “I won’t submit. I won’t. I can’t.”
Luca tightened his arms around her. “Shh…it’s okay. It’s okay.”
“I can stop it…I can stop him.”
“Ryan?” he asked gently.
She nodded dazedly.
He kissed her chastely on the top of her head and told her soothingly, “Of course, princess. Your power is unmatched. You can stop anyone from doing anything to you. No one can harm you now.”
Cora couldn’t stop herself. She broke down and started to cry as Luca held her tightly against him and murmured words of comfort to her.
CHAPTER 4
Cora zipped up her leather jacket against the chill of the cold wind. Her hands brushed the two stakes holstered at the hip of her leather pants. She fiddled with her hands, cracking her knuckles. She caught Luca’s eye and saw the concern there as he walked beside her.
“What?”
“I am just concerned.”
“It was just a nightmare. I’m fine.”
“I know what you saw.”
She stopped in her tracks and her eyes narrowed. “What?”
He stood before her, blocking her path as he said, “When you were crying, your defenses were down. I saw your thoughts. I am sorry. I wanted to make sure you were okay…that what you had experienced was, in fact, just a dream and not something more like a premonition or that Ryan had entered your dreams and really committed what you’d dreamed he had.”
Cora felt her face flush crimson at the fact that he’d seen her dream. It meant he’d seen the two of them fucking one another and how much she’d…enjoyed it. Oh fuck.
Humor flashed in his eyes. “It is nice to know that you imagined me in such a way.”
She couldn’t suppress her own smile. “Yeah, well. It was just a dream, Luca.”
“It is how you view him and me right now.”
“Luca—”
“I do not understand your fear towards him. He has no power over you. You hold all the power, princess.”
“I—we have a mission. Let’s just get to the meeting place.”
He grinned and waved his arms around. “We are already here, Cora.”
She scanned the area. And, sure enough, he was right. They’d arrived in the infamous alleyway. She reached out and felt what she’d expected—the invisible barrier at the entrance of the back alley.
“Do you feel the energy?” he asked. “It’s encircling us.”
“Yes,” she said. “Vampire.”
The invisible barrier they’d crossed was a field of protection for vampires—no other species could sense them while they were within the circle that spanned a two-block radius. Cora had wanted to meet Michael there so there wasn’t any risk of Ryan finding out. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her with Michael and Luca. He’d get the wrong idea and all hell would break loose as a result of that temper of his.
“He’d better show this time,” Cora said. “He’s a day late now.”
“He has sent his apologies. He had something to take care of.”
“It concerns me as to what that was.”
“I was fulfilling my part of our agreement,” Michael’s voice came from behind them suddenly.
Cora and Luca spun around to see Michael standing there, his arms folded.
“You released the wolves from your spell?” Cora asked.
“Yes. They are free and no longer possess the poison I concocted.”
“How? They were broken under full moon torture.”
Michael held up his hands and wiggled his fingers. “Magic can do many things, my dear. It makes the impossible possible. The wolves are likely on their way to the Wolf King’s compound as we speak.” He must’ve seen the distrust in her eyes, because he went on, “You do not believe me. A simple solution would be for you to call your husband to confirm it—oh wait—you two aren’t speaking right now.”
“Michael,” Luca growled.
“Do not pretend you are not happy about this turn of events. You have loved the princess for too long not to be.”
Cora stepped into Michael’s personal space and glowered up at him. “If you aren’t with me, you’re as good as dead. The two of you are enemies to everyone right now. And I’m the only person strong enough to protect you. Would you rather I forget about our little deal and leave you to die?”
Michael smiled, apparently impressed with her commanding tone. He gripped her right hand suddenly. Instantly, she tried to pull away. “I will release you momentarily. Do not fight me,” he said as he tightened his grip and closed his eyes. After a few moments he opened them and released her. “As I thought.”
“What?” Cora asked.
“Luca told me that you wanted to meet so I could teach you how to use your power withou
t it draining so quickly.”
“Yes.”
“It is nothing you are doing,” he told her. “Have you let anyone connect with your power?”
Cora thought for a moment. “Ryan.”
Michael shook his head. “No, he doesn’t possess his own magic. It would have no consequence.”
“Vazra. When we were training he helped me to reabsorb my magic through him.”
Michael and Luca exchanged a knowing glance.
“What?” Cora asked, glancing between them.
“Very sly. Just his style,” Luca commented.
“Yes,” Michael agreed. He turned his attention back to Cora as he told her, “He’s implanted a magical block that is diluting your power, only allowing you to expend a certain amount of energy over a set period of time. It is what I was searching for when I touched you. You would have felt a burn when he did it, but as you were new to magic at the time, you probably assumed it was just par for the course.”
“He knows she is stronger than him so he decided to rein in her abilities,” Luca said.
“An extremely dangerous thing to do.”
“Why?” Cora asked.
“Because, my dear, if I had known your power was compromised in such a way, I would have taken the opportunity to kill you that night you stormed the vampire mansion to rescue your wolf. I didn’t think I was any match for you, given the rumors. But with this block, it turns out I could have actually killed you that night. Right now you don’t have the stamina to withstand a lengthy magical attack.”
Cora decided to blow past Michael’s comments about killing her, reminding herself that she needed to focus on the present situation and not the past, where she’d tried to kill him several times. She couldn’t afford to entertain her feelings. He and Luca had tortured her husband. If she focused on that she wouldn’t be able to work with them now. And she needed their help at the moment, just as they needed hers, hence their unholy alliance.
“Can you remove the block?” she asked.
“I need another to assist,” Michael said. He eyed Luca. “You possess enough of your father’s power.”
Luca shook his head. “He withdrew all my magical abilities right before he left me to die.”
