Blood Oath (#8, the Mystic Wolves)

by Belinda Boring

  Wetting my lips, part of me wanted to challenge the young Fate and continue to speak. When the very air in the room began to vibrate with anger, I thought better of it. Regardless of how lonely I felt keeping this secret, there was too much at stake.

  “I just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done so far. I know how aggravating it is but our search isn’t in vain. We’ll find a way, I promise.” It was remarkable how easy it was for me to offer yet another promise. At least I knew this one was on the verge of being fulfilled. It was merely a matter of waiting for Vivien to catch up to where I knew I was headed.

  London.

  “How could I not help?” she seemed bewildered by my passionate gratitude. “Like you, how could I refuse aiding the brother of such a beloved friend . . . a sister in every sense of the word?”

  “She truly did consider you family,” I offered, passing her my plate so she could mete out the impromptu meal. “She loved you.”

  “And I her. So much so that the past month has felt like a dream. I can’t quite believe she’s gone.” There it was, the tell tale waiver in her voice that said tears would soon follow.

  If I weren’t careful, I would begin to bawl like a baby as well. Instead, I swallowed around the large lump in my throat. “I failed her.”

  “How can you say that, Devlin? I’ve never seen such a devoted brother in all my life. You did everything you could to protect her.” A look of sheer incredulity blazed from her face.

  I’d spent decades debating that very fact—over and over until it made my head spin. Had I truly failed her? Had I really done everything within my power to see her safe and happy? Countless images swirled about . . . her poor face, bruised and swollen after rescuing her from Julian, Elynor bleeding out on her childbirth bed, the damage to her body irreversible to heal, standing over her grave. Each of them felt like another nail in the coffin, sealing in my guilt.

  My only saving grace—the only thing that kept me from drowning in complete desolation—was the blood oath. It was my attempt at redemption and finally clearing my conscience. I hadn’t been able to change the hand she was dealt, but if I conquered this I could treasure her memory and honor her last words.

  “I guess that is why I don’t want to fail,” I murmured, more to myself than anything else. I’d come so close to finally honoring the oath through Darcy. She’d mated. Others, who would die to defend her, safely surrounded her. She no longer harnessed the magic that had driven Julian to destroy my sister.

  And then it all fell apart and everything went to hell.

  Vivien took a hold of my hand and squeezed. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, my young friend. We’ll find a way that doesn’t require damning your soul. Have faith.”

  I glanced over her shoulder to where Atropos still stood, watching.

  “I just want this to be over.” Again, my comment wasn’t for Vivien, but for the Fate. The young woman sneered, revealing she understood and received my message.

  “How about we take this food back to my study so we can continue reading through the rest of my spell books. I have a good feeling we’re on the verge of a breakthrough.” Vivien had already gathered our plates and was making her way back toward the door. “Perhaps you can bring some wine with you?”

  She didn’t wait for my response, trusting I’d agree.

  Vivien was gone but for a few moments when Atropos spoke. “You should mind your tongue, vampire. I would hate to see you void our arrangement because you forgot your place.”

  I clenched my fists, resting them on the counter where the jug of wine sat. Slowly counting to ten, I reined in my temper so I could respond. The last thing I needed was to let my frustrations get the better of me and ruin any chance I had at returning my future to its rightful order.

  “How can it hurt to confide in her? Please, explain that to me. Vivien will become my most trusted friend, someone who will spend many years aiding me. Why can’t I tell her now?” I didn’t like the pleading sound in my voice. It made me feel weak and that was the last thing I wanted to portray to Atropos.

  She raised her hand in the air, preparing to snap her fingers. “Perhaps a demonstration is in order.”

  And with that, the room disappeared.

  CHAPTER TEN

  I wanted to vomit, bile rushing up through my throat as I took in the devastating scene.

  “Take me back. I understand,” I bit out, my jaw clenched tight.

  Never in my wildest dreams could I have anticipated where the Fate planned to take me, but I’d seen enough. One second was too much.

  “Observe, vampire. See what is at stake.” There was a cruel sneer dancing across her lips. Atropos was enjoying my discomfort and horror.

  Bitch.

  She’d transported us to the future—some time after the battle with Julian. My gaze was filled with what Darcy’s life would become should I fail.

  My niece sat cross-legged in the middle of Vivien’s study, books surrounding her on the floor. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen her like this. Darcy had a thirst for knowledge and, while she was growing up, it had been thrilling to see how voracious her appetite was for learning.

  No, that wasn’t what alarmed me. At first glance, this could’ve been any given day. It was the state she was in—the complete wildness and aura of madness that emanated from her—drove a chilling stake of dread through my heart. Had it been real, it would’ve reduced me to a pile of dust. Tears filled my eyes.

  “Behold the future of your young ward should you continue this foolish belief you can somehow alter the conditions of our deal. When we said you must live each moment as it came, while resisting the asinine assumption that you could ever cheat your sacrifice, we meant it. There will be no mercy, vampire. None at all.”

  Darcy’s appearance had drastically changed. Gone were the beautiful features that reminded me so much of Elynor—her flawless skin, the softness that came from a lifetime of laughing, that twinkle in her eyes that spoke of feeling loved and cherished. Life might not have been perfect for her, but I’d done my best to shelter her from the worst. Darcy’s heart blazed in every action she undertook—belying the decency and compassion she felt for those around her.

  All of that was gone and, no matter how hard I tried to look elsewhere and ignore the truth, my body rebelled. Instead, I soaked in every nuance and telltale sign of what I’d originally feared.

  My beloved niece had been driven mad by her soul mate, Mason’s, death.

  She was being destroyed—piece by piece—even now, unraveling while I stood there bearing silent witness.

  The thick brown hair I’d spent countless hours braiding, threading her pretty ribbons she’d collected through, was now a matted mess. I didn’t need to ask, either. She’d completely let her hygiene go, her quest for whatever she believed resided in the plethora of books overtaking everything.

  Spoiled food sat untouched on every surface.

  Furniture lay broken and tossed about—the results of what I could only imagine as rage fueled fits.

  Her once clean clothes hung off her dwindling frame. She was wasting away to nothing. Darcy’s grief was decimating her body.

  An ear-piercing shriek shattered the air as she tore pages from the volume she was currently reading and she sent it flying across the room. It smacked hard against the far wall—the crack sounding like thunder after a lightning flash.

  “Why is no one helping her?” I exclaimed, stepping forward to take her into my arms so I could offer her the comfort she desperately needed. This shouldn’t be happening. She should never have been left alone to shoulder such an overwhelming burden.

  Atropos tsked beside me, her mocking sneer widening. “Who is there to assist her? Her soul mate is dead and you are here on a fool’s errand. For all your bluster and good intentions, it seems your niece is without a champion to protect her.”

  “Her Pack!” I fired hotly. “Where are the wolves loyal to her?” I shook my head in disbelief, my heart stil
l aching over her howl echoing in my mind. I could go the rest of my life without ever hearing that sound again.

  “You mean the ones she’s renounced? The ones she sent away because they wouldn’t enable her obsessive mission to bring their Alpha back to life?” I couldn’t stand the cruel tone in Atropos’s questions. It was as if she actually enjoyed tormenting me.

  “Vivien. Where is Vivien?” It felt like I was grasping at straws only to feel them slip away before I could tighten my grip.

  “Dead,” Atropos said matter-of-factly. “The result of her refusal to delve into the blackest of magic. When the witch refused to reanimate Mason’s dead body, Darcy lashed out and slit her throat with a gnarled wolf claw. Your niece’s descent into insanity was completed with that act.”

  Anger like I’d never known stormed within me as a riot of emotions burned and boiled to the surface. “Make it stop!” I demanded. “Take me back. I understand your damned point. Remove this sight from me!”

  Darcy screamed in frustration again and suddenly shifted into her wolf form. If her human shape had broken my heart, the creature that was once her treasured animal nature wrapped me in icy fingers of dismay. She was borderline feral. Once a glorious display of sinews and glossy fur, she was now a malnourished, weakened, snarling beast.

  If I ever needed a reminder of what was at stake, this was it.

  I could not . . . would not . . . fail.

  There was no way in hell I would allow this to ever come to pass. I vowed again to spare Darcy this gut wrenching madness. I would save her and, in the end, keep this from ever becoming a reality.

  As quickly as she’d shifted, Darcy returned to her human body again.

  “I don’t believe you’ve learned your lesson yet.” Atropos waved her hand dismissively as if she was brushing off a trivial comment. “Indulge me a little longer, if you will. This next part is particularly . . . informative.”

  I braced myself for what was to come. Nothing I’d seen or faced over my lifetime prepared me for this. All paled in comparison to this hateful glimpse into the future.

  “Please,” I moaned, not caring how pitiful I sounded or how broken my plea made me sound. “Enough. Have mercy. Please,” I choked out.

  “No.”

  There was a hesitant knock at the door.

  “Go away,” Darcy growled, throwing the nearest thing available in response. Another book.

  A timid Daniel peeked his head into the room and his voice trembled with fear. “Mistress?”

  A cruel gleam filled her eyes causing my heart to sink.

  “Come.”

  I’d known Daniel for a long time and considered him a strong man, worthy of his position as Mason’s second-in-command. The friendship those two shared matched that of Zane and myself. There was little I wouldn’t do for Zane. He was the one who helped bring me back from the brink of blood lust. Over the years, their close bond was what earned my respect. There weren’t many people I would trust with the task of standing guard over my niece.

  Daniel Young was one of them.

  Now, the once proud and formidable friend cowered beneath the derisive sneer his Alpha’s mate leveled at him. As he entered the room, the clanking rattle of chains drew my attention.

  Silver.

  Darcy had shackled him with the painful metal, preventing him from shifting and draining any strength he’d need to escape.

  “She made him her slave?” I asked incredulously, unable to look away as my niece stood and stalked around her once cherished family member like he was her prey.

  “Merely for her amusement. I hadn’t appreciated how truly callous and vindictive your young progeny could be until this. It almost makes me wish you would fail just so I could enjoy this future.”

  I swore it felt like if, given the chance and so inclined, the cold-hearted Fate would’ve looked on while eating popcorn. This was merely a source of entertainment to her.

  For me, this was everything I’d worked so tirelessly to prevent. Each second twisted my insides and blackened my soul with despair.

  “Remind me again why I keep you,” Darcy crooned, false affection twisted her words. She trailed a sharpened nail down his cheek and he stood still, submissive. It left a red scratch that beaded with blood.

  “I only aim to please you, Darcy.”

  His response lit a fire in her. “Never, ever call me that again!” She pressed harder this time, gouging a gash into his face.

  Daniel did his best to hide the wince that naturally flared when experiencing pain. “Mistress,” he blurted out. “Please . . . don’t hurt me.” The last part came out as barely a whisper.

  “I woke you from that magical coma. You owe me your obedience, your allegiance, your very breath. You are mine to do with as I please.” Her growled annoyance sent shivers over me. It made me wonder how many times she’d made such a declaration. Judging from the way Daniel stood, head bowed, hands clasped behind his back, I’d say she never let him forget it.

  As if to prove her point, she leaned in, teeth poised to snap at his throat. His life hung in the balance, depending on her fickle mood.

  “Remind me again why I keep you alive?”

  “Because I’m unworthy and may still be of use.” Daniel’s answer held all the warmth of a robot. It wasn’t difficult to see that she had been whittling away at his self-esteem, reducing him to nothing short of an empty shell. Gone was the humor and warmth that drew so many to him—everything that made him who he was had been stripped away. He was a ghost of his former self and it pleased her immensely.

  My Darcy had become a cruel version of herself. In some ways, she reminded me of Balthazar, my maker.

  Scratch that.

  She made Balthazar look like a meek little puppy.

  Darcy was terrifying.

  It was on the tip of my tongue to beg again. I didn’t know how much more I could take of this. The thought whispered through my mind that things would get much, much worse if we remained a second longer.

  Atropos seemed to anticipate my request and raised her hand again. “Pay attention, vampire. This is my favorite part.”

  “You live so we can feast on your entrails when my mate returns. It will be our celebration. Your death will bring him life. Your meager blood will fuel his rejuvenation.”

  With lightning fast reflexes, Darcy lashed out, tearing his ragged shirt from his frame. The sight of hundreds of jagged scars marring his flesh caused me to gasp out loud.

  Such brutality.

  Such senseless violence inflicted on someone she’d once deemed her closest friend. There was no doubt in my mind Darcy had been the one to deliver each of them. It was impossible to stop the tears from falling, my soul grieving from the constant assault on my senses.

  “She’s a monster,” I whispered. “What have I done?”

  My question remained unanswered as the breath was sucked from my lungs. Without warning, Darcy punched Daniel so hard his skin ruptured. Blood sprayed everywhere and the chained wolf grunted from the force. He remained stoic, silent except for the involuntarily noise he hadn’t been able to suppress.

  Red ichor coated his stomach.

  And yet he somehow remained standing, his eyes cast down to the ground.

  Darcy lifted her fist to her mouth, licking at the coppery liquid. She seemed to relish the taste, her vampire fangs descending from her gums. “You taste delicious, slave. Maybe today will be the day I drain you and be done with it.”

  Daniel’s eyes closed, making me wonder if he was quietly praying she’d put him out of his misery and release him from his tortured existence. I wished I could do it for him. There was no honor in any of this. He deserved a hero’s death—one worthy of his love and devoted service.

  She struck then, her razor sharp teeth slicing through his skin. His knees buckled under the attack and he somehow managed to remain on his feet, not once using her as an anchor. I’d seen men piss their pants over less.

  “Take what you need, Mistres
s,” Daniel murmured, his rich tenor voice weakening.

  Darcy broke the seal of her mouth and backhanded him hard enough to send him staggering backward. “I don’t need your permission. You are mine!” she shrieked, the insanity that had taken her over rearing its ugly head. “Mine!”

  Then, in a fit of pure, unadulterated fury, she lunged and ripped out his throat. With a wet, deafening squelch, the bloody mass of flesh dropped to the floor a few seconds before Daniel hit the ground.

  Dead.

  Kicking his now lifeless body, Darcy wiped the gore from her hands down the legs of her soiled pants.

  What a naïve fool I was, expecting to see even a glimmer of the young woman I’d grown to love more than life itself—someone who resembled the goodness that once blazed from her with all the power of the sun.

  Nothing.

  No feeling.

  No remorse.

  Not even a morsel of anything remotely human.

  She was as dead inside as her friend, his blood soaking into the filthy study carpet.

  “I believe this concludes your lesson, vampire.”

  It was hard to keep my hatred from filling my response. “As you wish.”

  “Yes. As I wish. You would be wise to never forget that it is you who owe us.”

  With a flash of light, she whisked me back to my past.

  I would never forget what I’d just learned.

  The Fate had hoped to scare me into submission, but she’d also fueled my determination.

  Heaven help me if I failed.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “Hang it over your bed tonight,” Vivien counseled, handing me the dreamcatcher she’d constructed out of twigs, pinecones, strips of fabric, and feathers. She’d called it something else—a name that escaped my memory—but the contraption resembled the popular item found in highway gas stations throughout America.