Taken by Storm

by Valerie Twombly

  He flexed his fingers and drove back his fear. He had to keep a clear head. Fang was Daldara, a deadly demon who could shut off emotion when necessary, and right now, fear was not his friend. Anger drove him, even though he still didn’t understand why fate had chosen her. Bethany was a human and as they had discovered, not even one who carried the demon DNA.

  He shook his head as he stared at his latest kills. It was not for him to question why fate had chosen a blonde-haired, blue-eyed sassy human for his mate. He would find her, and he would make Bethany his and pity anyone who stood in his path.

  Trying to detect her trail, he opened his senses again, but it stopped here—in the middle of a meadow in the human realm, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. She had simply vanished into thin air. Or more likely, Zolar had taken her to another world, which would make tracking harder but not impossible. While he waited for the bodies of the demons he’d slain to turn to ash and blow away, he reached inward and opened communication, hoping to contact his father. He’d tried many times but was always greeted with silence.

  Moyabbi. He summoned in his native tongue.

  Son?

  His heart leapt at finally making contact, and he struggled with what to ask first. Father, I need your help.

  What can I do, my son?

  I have found my mate, and Zolar has taken her. I've lost her trail so can only assume she's been taken to another realm. He waited in silence, watching the ashes from the dead demon bodies blow in the wind.

  I see. I would surmise then, he has brought her here to his home.

  Here? Where are you, Father?

  In a prison in Zolar’s realm.

  Fang would have stumbled had he not been standing still. Fear clawed into his back and took a death grip. His father and his mate under Zolar’s roof spelled disaster. What was the god doing to them?

  Are you hurt, Father?

  I am fine.

  Fang knew better. The god wouldn’t have a protector under his roof only to wine and dine him. He sensed his father lied. I will come for both of you.

  This is a dangerous place. Do you have any warriors with you?

  Warriors? No. Fang snorted. Who the hell was he going to have with him anyway? He refused to drag his king away from his new bride and into danger. Not to mention, Greydon had his own issues to deal with. Like finding his brother, Orien, and the rest of their people.

  No Father, I have no one with me, and I know my duty lies with the king. Shame came over him for even thinking of leaving Greydon and Aimee without protection. His sense of honor was torn, but he couldn’t be in two places at once, and instinct that drilled bone deep demanded he find his mate.

  Son, I know Greydon, and he will grant his blessing. A mate is a very special gift. What is her name?

  Bethany. Even the thought of her name sent his fear spiking. What were they doing to her?

  Then I will try and find out anything I can about her welfare.

  Thank you, Moyabbi. For the sake of my sanity, I hope you find her well. Goddess help us all if you don’t.

  I do too, son. I know all too well what you’re capable of, and I imagine, if prophecy holds true, then your power has grown. We will speak again.

  Fang broke the connection. He knew it took a lot of effort on his father's part to communicate with him, and guilt rested heavy on his shoulders. However, he had the good news that he knew where both his father and his mate were being held. It was also likely there were others there, maybe even Orien, Greydon’s eldest brother.

  He took in a breath and turned his gaze to the mountain peaks. “Prophecy. Who would have thought I would become the Fated one along with a slip of a human.”

  Fang recalled the stories recited at bedtime by his mother and sometimes his father. They always started with a Great War that separated the people. A new king would rise, and his protector would gain immense power from the joining of his mate. A human female. In a nutshell, Fang’s power had gone into overdrive right after the first time he and Bethany had sex. The markings on his body had actually changed slightly. To most, it would go unnoticed, but Fang had seen the difference right away. The tattoo had darkened, and he suspected after he mated, they would change completely. For some reason, his marks were tied directly to his power.

  He should be brimming with honor at having been chosen. Instead, dread filled him. He had to get Bethany back for so many reasons. Heading into Zolar's territory was a huge risk, but one he was willing to take. Preparations needed to be done though, and one of the first things would be to tell Greydon where he was going and what he had learned.

  Closing his eyes, he locked on to the signature that belonged to his king. He shifted and took flight into the sky. His wings moved up and down, displacing the air around him. With one last look across the valley that teemed with lush grass and an abundance of flora, Fang was satisfied no one would ever guess blood had been spilled only moments ago, so he made a hasty retreat, following the path of the DNA link that led him back to Greydon.

  “Hang on Bethany. I'm coming to get you.”

  He only hoped Bethany was unharmed. Would she be happy to see him? There was no doubt she would, but her reasons would be far different from his. He was certain, when he went to stake his claim, she'd be pissed as hell.

  Bethany cringed as the god towered over her. Fiery eyes pierced into her from a head that bore two pointed horns. He was a combination of black smoke and bones whipped into a frenzy of fire and evil, and she’d never feared for her life more. It was hard to imagine the goddess Uuna had seen anything attractive enough in him to marry. He must have displayed a grand show to deceive her. Bethany didn’t know the entire story, only that once he had wed the goddess, he killed her father and tried to take over Atlantis. Or as the demons called it, Oshivana. Apparently, that was when all hell broke loose.

  “W-what do you want with me?” Her voice refused to be anything more than a squeak. She would have loved to show confidence, but she was a far cry from feeling it. Bethany also worried about Aimee and wondered where she was. The thought of her best friend being harmed, or worse, made her stomach lurch. Aimee was the only true friend she’d ever had. More of a sister actually, she would do anything for her. Digging for courage, Bethany lifted her chin.

  “Where’s Aimee?” she demanded with more conviction than her previous question.

  Zolar laughed. “I had no need of her so I left her behind. It’s you I wanted. The one destined to mate with the Prince.”

  “What makes you think I’m his mate?”

  “You hold the scepter.”

  She opened her mouth to correct him then thought better of it. Yes, she had been the one holding the scepter. Aimee had handed it to her to put away for safekeeping. Let him believe I’m Greydon’s mate. If what he said were true, then Aimee was safe. He didn’t need to know Bethany was a big, fat nobody that no one cared about. “Greydon will come for me.”

  He laughed again. “I’m hoping he will, then I can destroy him.” He suddenly took on the appearance of a man rather than the monster he actually was. Cold, blue eyes reflected the evil lurking inside him. “Besides, once he realizes you carry another demon’s child, he’ll no longer want you. He’ll believe you’ve fucked another and likely wish to kill you.”

  Her back stiffened and bile coated her throat. Did he know something she didn’t? Was it possible for her to be pregnant already? Her mind went back to the invasion of her body only hours ago. Zolar was a god and perhaps he was capable of telling such things. Bethany glanced around the room. Bare walls in a dirty shade of white matched the floor beneath her feet. No furniture, nothing to be used as a weapon. As if she stood a chance against Zolar anyway. Even if by some miracle she escaped, the demon who had taken her from Atlantis had whispered something about going to Zolar’s realm. She was fairly certain they were no longer in her world. Hell, she could be on another planet for that matter.

  Her only hope was Aimee. She knew no one else would come looking for h
er, and her best friend would insist that Greydon and maybe even Fang begin a search. The very thought of Fang both warmed her insides and frightened her. They had only spent a short time together, but he had affected her. She tried to push him from her mind. The man was out of her league. A demon for God’s sake, not to mention he was a protector to the king, and she was nothing but a mere human. Still, she hoped he would want to find her.

  She scanned the room again. Bethany was on her own for the time being and would have to do whatever it took to survive.

  Chapter 2

  “Did you find her?” Aimee sprang toward Fang, hope glimmering in her eyes. He hated like hell to fail her.

  “Not yet, but I believe she is in Zolar’s home world.” He bowed his head. “My Queen.”

  She touched his arm. “I wish you’d call me Aimee. I’m not a queen.”

  He looked up and met her hazel eyes. “Mere technicality. The King chose you as his, and you two have bonded. When I bring Bethany home then we’ll see to your coronation.”

  She gave him a forced smile. Greydon had chosen wisely, and their people would love her. He just had to help bring their world back together.

  “Do you really think you can bring her back?” Aimee wrung her hands together. “It can’t be good if she’s in Zolar’s world.” She spun and began pacing. “I’m worried sick what they might be doing to her.” With an abrupt halt, her eyes met his and pleaded. “I trust you and know you will find her.”

  “Nothing will stop me.” Truth. He was like a hound on the hunt, except what he was searching for wasn’t some prize trophy for a hunter. This was his woman. His destiny and he wouldn’t stop until she was back.

  Her smiled widened. “Greydon tells me you have a thing for Bethany.”

  “Thing?” He raised a brow. “What is a thing?”

  This time she laughed and that made him happy. He knew the king was beside himself over her anguish.

  “It means you like her.”

  He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “If you mean she is to become my mate, then yes I have a thing.”

  Her grin dropped along with her mouth. “Mate? Oh my. I thought... I guess I thought you had a crush.” Her face turned three shades of pink.

  It was his turn to laugh. “Demons don’t get crushes. It’s complicated and I will have to explain it later, but Bethany belongs to me. I will find her and make her mine.”

  “I see. You might want to tone down the caveman attitude a bit or you could be in for a surprise.” She cocked her head. “I assume you’re here to see Greydon?”

  “I am. He must be brought up to speed before I proceed further.”

  She nodded. “He should be back shortly.” She looped her arm through his and led him to the couch. “In the meantime, I’ll give you a crash course on Bethany.” She took a seat and patted the cushion next to her. He reluctantly took it. Sitting around when there was work to be done made him itchy, but he had to admit learning about his mate might come in handy.

  “I’m listening.”

  “Bethany comes from a rich family. Her father’s idea of paying attention to his daughter was to spoil her rotten. Needless to say, he was never around when she was growing up. Her mother took off when she was about seven.”

  Fang scratched his chin. “So who took care of her?”

  “Mostly the staff. She didn't really have any other family.” Aimee looked down at her hands. “High school was tough for her. I probably shouldn’t tell you this, and Bethany will kill me.” She glanced back up at him. “Please don’t judge her.”

  Fang wondered what could be so awful. “I’m no one’s judge or jury. I have done things I’m not proud of, but they had to be done.”

  She gave a knowing nod. “In an attempt to gain love, she slept around and people labeled her with some awful names. When I came along, I saw past the wall she’d built around herself and got her back on track. I seriously don’t know what would have happened to her otherwise. You must understand, Bethany is like a sister to me so you need to be careful. All she's ever wanted was for people to love her, and if you break her heart, I'm going to be very unhappy.”

  “I have no intention of doing such a thing.” Sometimes it was difficult to understand mortal ways. He knew humans married and then unmarried. He even recalled witnessing married people having sex with those who were not their mates. It was beyond his comprehension how they could do these things. A bond was forever and unbreakable. Still, he was smart enough to understand Bethany was young at the time, and human teenagers were no different from demon youngsters. They all learned the hard way. Especially true if there was not an elder to guide them.

  “I will become Bethany’s family and promise to give her anything she desires.”

  “Fang, what are you doing here?” Greydon entered the room and bent to kiss Aimee on the cheek. “Do you have good news for us?”

  Fang rose to his feet and bowed his head. “My King. I have come back for a briefing.”

  Greydon nodded and walked away. Fang followed him into the office and closed the door. The demon king took a seat behind a large oak desk, folded his hands, and waited.

  “I lost Bethany's trail. It simply vanished into thin air, but I was able to reach my father and seek his wisdom.”

  Greydon leaned forward. “And? I know you must be crazed with fear.”

  Fang finally took a seat in an oversized chair and met his king’s stare. “He is in Zolar’s home world and believes she might be as well.”

  Whistling low, Greydon sat back in his seat for a moment then jumped up and rounded the desk. “That means more of our people could be there too. Maybe even Orien.”

  “I came to the same conclusion,” Fang stated.

  “You can’t go there alone. It’s too dangerous.” Greydon sat on the edge of the desk, his arms folded over his chest.

  Fang contemplated his next words carefully. Yes, the man before him was his king, but Fang was the royal protector. In many cases, he could outrank his sovereign, this being one of those instances. He knew Greydon was going to offer to go himself, and that he couldn’t let happen. However, he also had a duty to protect both the king and his mate. “My King, I realize where this conversation is going, but you are needed here. You cannot leave your mate without protection. We did that once and were taken by surprise.” Reminding the king how they had gotten into this situation was his best approach.

  Greydon’s features softened. “I thought Oshivana was safe.”

  “As did I, and even though the queen wasn’t taken, we must operate under the assumption she is still a target. I’m sure Bethany was taken by mistake.”

  “I cannot leave her vulnerable ever again.” Greydon pinched the bridge of his nose. “I am torn.”

  Fang understood completely. Both men were torn between the women they cared for and their duty to their people. To each other. “Perhaps you will consider an alternate solution?”

  Greydon’s brows shot up. “I’m listening.”

  “I will take Zander with me.”

  The king jumped to his feet. “Agreed. Brilliant idea. I’ll summon him. He’s been chasing after Garret.”

  Zander stood in the shadows across the street from the small tavern where Garret was last seen entering. He had to put a leash on the urge to storm inside, grab the motherfucker by the balls, and hang him from the rafter until he screamed for mercy. At which point, Zander would only come up with some other way to torture him. The first mistake the man had ever made was taking his brother’s woman, now their queen, and for that Garret would pay. It was a promise made to his brother that he intended to keep. However, he had to remind himself they needed to gain information. Anything Garret could tell them about where the lab had been moved to and who was in charge. Then there was the netting. They had to find the source of its magic and destroy it. Oh sure, he and Greydon suspected Zolar was likely behind it, but first they needed proof. Either way, the labs had to be shut down and all DNA taken from the de
mons destroyed.

  After what seemed like hours, but according to his sense of time had only been thirty minutes, Garret finally stepped out onto the sidewalk. The man stopped, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag before he blew the smoke into a cloud in front of him. He looked to his left, as if searching for someone before he moved down the sidewalk. Zander remained in position. Being demon, his sight was superior to any mortals, and with night fast approaching, he would have the advantage.

  When Garret finally came to a halt at the corner of State and Washington Street, Zander pushed away from the building he’d been leaning against and moved closer. The human stepped off the curb and crossed the street, entering a fenced off abandoned schoolyard. Zander clung to the shadows, keeping Garret in his sights. Across the broken pavement, where weeds stood several inches high, Zander spotted a car. It must be where the bastard was headed, and sure enough, Garret made a beeline for it.

  Seconds later, the driver door opened, and a man got out, rounding the front of the car. The two exchanged words, but nothing that was of any use.

  The back passenger door opened and a pair of legs––legs that were bare and wore a pair of four-inch heels––swung out, quickly followed by the rest of one hell of a sexy body.

  Zander swore as desire swept over him. Even in the dim light, he could make out full hips, a narrow waist, and a very full set of breasts, all encased in a short, black skirt and white blouse. Blonde hair blew into her face and she pushed it away. The female didn’t appear to be a prisoner, which disappointed him greatly. He had an itch to sweep in and rescue her. Taste her full lips and feel her warmth pressed against his body. Yeah, he’d like to start there then slowly unbutton her blouse to reveal the perfect breasts he knew were hidden beneath. He bet her nipples tasted like strawberries.