by Morgan Fox
Everyone was out of the hotel room except for Sebastian, Brie, Jonah, and the baby. Zane, Dominic, Megan, Reyes, Ryken, and Luken were huddled around cars as the vampires surrounded them. The trick was to get the vampires to follow them and give Sebastian and the others enough time to get to a vehicle and out of harm’s way.
“The Rhine River,” Zane blurted out. “We need to get to the Rhine River. There are acres of open land. If we can get these damn vampires away from Sebastian, maybe we can get some leg room to kick some ass.”
“Damn,” Dominic said with a snicker. “You might be a lycan after all.”
Zane couldn’t help but grin. He and Dominic had history, and most often that history included Zane getting his ass beat. Zane had a good feeling that was never going to be the story again.
“Two by two we head that way,” Zane pointed down Am Seestern Street. “Dominic and I will go first.”
Zane glanced over at Dominic, who simply nodded his head and said, “After you.”
With a fire burning in his gut, Zane glanced around and found a path that was clear for them to take. As if struck by lightning, he and Dominic charged between the vampires, forcing several of them to take chase. Zane couldn’t believe his speed and power as he embraced the strength of his wolf. His arms and legs pumped hard as he ran down the street, through the quaint neighborhood, and up a row of steps that led directly to the empty fields that lined the river. Once he and Dominic reached the top of the steps, they each morphed into their wolves, racing down the hillside and finding a spot in the open field to take position.
As they battled the vampires, Ryken and Luken joined the fight. A dozen more vampires jumped from the shadows. Even with what seemed like impossible odds, none of the lycans gave up. Each one fighting as if their energy was untapped. Their alpha needed them, their mates needed them, and each fought with an honor that made Zane proud to join them in battle.
Time passed so slowly as they waited for Megan and Reyes. Zane feared the worst, wondering if his plan to force the vampires away from the hotel only left Sebastian and Jonah overwhelmed and severely outnumbered. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw Megan bolting in their direction. A surge of relief took hold of him. Reyes was close behind her.
The six of them fought, ripping apart the vampires. Zane felt the warm prickle of sunlight as it crept up over the town of Altstadt. The second he was sure they were moments from victory, another wave of vampires leapt up over the hillside, rushing toward them like cascading water.
Now what? Ryken’s telepathic link was strong.
Zane’s confidence was unwavering. We fight until the sun is up.
Why aren’t they retreating? It’s dawn already. Megan’s voice sounded tired even though her words went unspoken.
Something’s not right. Reyes was the voice of reason, and when he acknowledged that something was off, Zane suddenly had a knot the size of Texas in his gut.
Dominic locked gazes with Zane. What about Sebastian and Jonah? Can you sense them at all?
Zane couldn’t sense anything beyond the vampires closing in on them.
The sun was seconds away from splitting through the shadows of the trees and ending their nightmare, but still he couldn’t do more than pray they’d be able to hold them off long enough.
A cold prickle tingled along the flesh of his neck, and a thud of dread sank to the pit of his stomach. Judging by the expression on the others’ faces, Zane knew they felt it, too. Then he saw her and knew they weren’t going to like what was about to happen.
* * * *
Sebastian’s mind exploded as he stood embracing his newborn child, capturing the vile gaze of his enemy. Jonah was at his side, their wife in his arms. The world around them melted away in seconds.
Lilly had come for them. Her glowing red eyes tunneled into Sebastian with a menacing level of hate. His gut rolled with acid as he studied the hallway searching for an exit. The scent of his enemies lingered in the air in every direction. They were surrounded.
Saving his family was at the forefront of his thoughts.
“Hand over the child, Sebastian, and I’ll let you and the others live.”
Sebastian wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t make the sound move from his lips. “Go to hell,” he said with a snarl.
His wolf growled in his head, eager to make an appearance. He envisioned tearing through the vampire queen, shredding the flesh from her bones. The image fueled his body.
Lilly grinned tauntingly. Her white teeth revealed through her nefarious smile. Tsking under her tongue, she said, “That’s too bad. I was hoping to prolong your misery. Now I’ll be forced to kill you much more quickly than I preferred.”
With the snap of her gaze, the ceiling above Sebastian, Brie, and Jonah collapsed suddenly. A cloud of white and gray dust engulfed them. A thick, heavy powder saturated his lungs, and he gasped for air.
Sebastian held onto his child, tucking her tiny, fragile body under his chest, dropping to the floor in a protective shield. The wind was rocked from his lungs as he was trampled by a dozen or more vampires. His body erupted in pain, his vision blurry from the pounding of fists, feet, and debris slamming against his skull.
He heard Jonah cry out and Brie scream, but he still clung to his child, unwilling to break the physical connection to his daughter. He would never let her go.
I’ll die first.
A vulnerability and fear, unlike anything he’d ever witnessed, consumed him. His world was crashing down around him. The life Sebastian had come to cherish was slowly being ripped away.
What am I going to do?
“Grab the child,” he heard Lilly order.
Instantly he tucked the baby in as if his arms and body would be enough to shield her from harm. With all his might he jumped to his feet. His arms, legs, and neck weighted down by vampires, he tried to move, praying he would make it to the nearest door or window, allowing him a moment to flee with his child. He could jump from several stories up. He could make it, but he knew his efforts were useless.
A slow, soul-wrenching pain overwhelmed him. He knew that no matter what he did, he was about to lose his battle. For the first time in his life, he was about to fail.
He couldn’t move, the vampires had restrained him, and even his wolf was rendered immobile. If he shifted, he could hurt his child. He wouldn’t risk her death. Not at his own hands.
A heavy thud sounded in his ears before the sharp sting of pain blanketed his thoughts. Down onto the floor he sank. His body was no longer rigid with tension, but pliant and weak. A warm trickle of blood ran down his face.
A cold chill raced up his arms as his baby girl was slowly taken from him. Raising his head, he watched as the raven-haired woman with golden eyes wrapped his child in a purple blanket. Sebastian swallowed the bile that ate away at his throat. Her golden gaze would haunt him for the rest of his days.
A reminder of my failure.
He blinked hard, his heart twisting at the pleading cries of his mate. “No!” Brie crawled along the ground, her body covered in soot. “Give me back my baby!” Her body shook with heavy sobs.
Brie dug her fingertips into whatever she could to force her body forward. The sight tore a hole in his heart.
Lilly laughed hard. Slowly she made her way to Brie and planted a hard kick to the side of her head. Brie’s body rocked upward and flipped to her back. She lay lifeless. Sebastian wanted to run to his wife, protect her and his child, but he couldn’t. He had done nothing to save them. Nothing would ever be the same.
A life without his child and mate would destroy him. “Kill me,” Sebastian said through clenched teeth. “Just kill me.” His body tensed, pushing hard against the ground to try and stand. A wave of nausea sank into the pit of his stomach. His vision swirled out of control.
Lilly once again tsked under her tongue. “Oh, I don’t think so,” she teased. “I’d like you to suffer just a little bit longer.” She tucked her clawed finger under his chin, sinking it
into his flesh. “I want you to understand the pain I felt when your precious Brie stole my Mason from me. Nothing hurts worse than losing a loved one.” She leaned close, her biting words against his face. “Nothing hurts worse than being powerless to do anything to stop it.”
She slammed her fist against the side of his face, and everything went dark.
* * * *
Lilly rose from the hillside like a mythical figure. Her power oozed out at them, seeping into Zane’s pours with a vileness that had him cringing. His gut twisted at the sight of her.
Then he saw it, the small child in the arms of a raven-haired woman who stood beside Lilly. The child was wrapped in a purple blanket. The same blanket he’d used to wrap Brie’s baby girl in.
No!
Zane’s chest hurt. He’d failed. He’d allowed Lilly to get to Brie’s newborn, and now she had everything she needed to claim the power she was desperate for.
Closing his eyes, Zane fell to his knees and hung his head. Nothing could stop his heart from breaking. He would forever be responsible for the destruction of his kind.
Then Zane heard it, the crack of thunder from overhead. The warmth of controlled energy flared up his legs and arms. The hair along the flesh of his body stood on end. He prayed he knew what caused it.
Opening his eyes, he searched for Tiffany.
Chapter Fourteen
Tiffany hoped her crash course in fey magic would help her destroy Lilly. Brie was still too weak to help her, so she was on her own. Technically she wasn’t. Tiffany’s mother and father had followed her, hiding in the shadows until the time came that they were needed.
Wouldn’t it be great if I could do this on my own, and I wouldn’t have to put anyone else I love in jeopardy?
Her heart thumped hard as she gazed upon Lilly and Bianca, the woman Ryder had told her about. Tiffany’s breath caught as the baby in Bianca’s arms cried.
Sebastian, Brie, Jonah, and the baby had been escaping down the hallway when Lilly had appeared to take the child. Tiffany was moments too late. While Zane and the others fought down the hillside, Lilly set a trap for Sebastian and his family. Lilly had been able to subdue Sebastian and Jonah with the help of her trained vampires. Sadly, Brie stood helpless as her newborn baby had been torn from Sebastian’s arms.
Nothing had ever made Tiffany feel as helpless as the seconds that passed watching Lilly possess the child.
Tiffany, Ryder, and her parents were too far away but could see everything as it unfolded. Her mind’s eye had let her capture every moment as if it had been happening directly in front of her.
The one advantage they had, hiding out of sight, was the element of surprise. Something she knew Ryder was about to capitalize on.
Standing at her side, he placed his hand on her shoulder. “I’m going to get the baby,” Ryder said with confidence, his eyes focused toward Lilly and Bianca.
Tiffany nodded. “Fine. I’m going after Lilly.”
Ryder inclined his head, gazing down at her. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
Tiffany couldn’t help but smile. Ryder had become her guardian, and more importantly, her friend. “Hell yes,” she blurted. “I’ve never been more ready.” Her eyes were like daggers as she stared at Lilly. Tiffany’s hands began tingling with the fire of her magic. “Lilly won’t see me coming.”
“Good,” Ryder said sharply. “Once you make your move, I’ll get the child.” He glanced down to meet Tiffany’s gaze. “I’ll meet you at our rendezvous point.”
Tiffany nodded, and within a flash, Ryder was gone from her sight.
Suddenly her body warmed and pulsed as if loving hands were touching her all over, cradling her intimately. She closed her eyes and basked in the sensations. Inhaling deeply, she scented Zane as if he stood right in front of her. With her eyes closed she searched for him. Her mind filled with visions, racing down the hillside until she found him.
Zane was hiding, but his thoughts were on her.
Hello, Zane. Her voice purred in her mind as she spoke to him.
Tiffany? How are you using telepathy?
I’ve learned a lot since finding my parents.
Your parents? The gasping sound in his voice sounded as if the words had leaked from his lips.
I have a lot to share with you, but first I’m here to get Sebastian and Brie’s baby back. She paused for a long moment. I’m going after Lilly.
What? Wait. Don’t you think you should—
Don’t even think of telling me I need to back off or that I’m not ready. Zane, if I don’t do this, then I’m not doing what I was destined to do. If I can’t save my sister’s child, then what good is having all of this magic?
She had never felt as confident as she did at that very moment. Finally standing up for herself and being strong was the best feeling in the world. No more feeling scared of the unknown. No more denying her birthright. She was going to succeed because she had to. There was no other option.
She wished she could wrap her arms around Zane and tell him how much she cared for him. Without him in her life, she never would’ve come this far. His strength had been everything she needed to begin believing in herself. Feeling the power of his unconditional love had been exactly what she needed to have the courage to leave him standing in a hallway and go in search of her destiny. She would always be grateful to the lycan doctor who had healed her heart and mended a woman who hadn’t realized how broken she’d been. For as long as she lived, she never wanted to be alone again. She knew that as long as Zane lived, she would never have to.
Zane, I love you. She felt a surge of warmth flow through her, pulsing through her veins and firing out through every fiber of muscle in her body. Even with her eyes closed, she could see the wide-mouthed grin on his face. You don’t have to say anything. I just had to tell you how I felt before I kicked a little ass. Now be a good wolfy and do the same. Make me proud to be your mate.
Consider yourself very proud, my precious little witch. My mate.
Her heart felt as if it might explode from the joy of emotions flooding her body and diving deep into her soul. Her hands tingled with an intensity that drove her mind from Zane back to the present.
Her eyes watered as she spotted Lilly and Bianca. The purple blanket moved as the baby wiggled and shifted.
Swallowing hard, Tiffany moved closer.
She wanted to lock eyes with the vampire queen before she destroyed her. She wanted to see the fear in the depths of Lilly’s gaze as she robbed her of the power she’d stolen from Brie and her child.
The crash course teachings I’ve had better be enough. Otherwise, this might be a very embarrassing rescue.
Tiffany smiled crookedly, knowing that she would be fine. Once she’d gotten over the shock of discovering that her father still lived and her parents were a driving force to get her to accept her birthright, she let go of everything that had been holding her back. The responsibility that she was destined for wasn’t as frightening once she learned that she had a sister, a guardian, parents, and a lycan mate to call her own.
Sebastian and the other werewolves were just the added bonus.
Everything in Tiffany’s life was aligning like the stars in the sky. Now all she had to do was save her sister’s baby and destroy an evil she’d never imagined possible.
Piece of cake.
Signing heavily, she stepped from the shadows of her hiding spot and into the path of Lilly’s venomous gaze. As Tiffany stiffened her spine, Lilly’s expression changed, eyeing her as if to inspect Tiffany for the first time.
Lilly had known of Tiffany. That much was clear from the vampire goons she’d sent after her. But she was unsure if Lilly understood the full power the chosen one possessed.
With the twitch of a smile, Tiffany found humor in giving her a little taste.
With a sparking of magic, Tiffany raised her hands and shot a ray of light from the palms of her hands. The energy beam slammed into Lilly, knocking her off kilter. Bianca r
an. Again Tiffany smiled, knowing Ryder was about to intercept the raven-haired bitch.
Then her attention returned to Lilly. The vampire queen looked pissed. And shocked.
Good.
Tiffany charged up the hill. As light as air, her feet glided over the ground, the heels of her shoes barely digging into the soft earth. When she reached the area Lilly had been standing, she swallowed hard, discovering that Lilly had vanished from sight.
Where are you?
Tiffany scanned the perimeter, searching high and low.
Nothing.
She couldn’t find the vampire queen. Frustration and fear consumed her.
Had she missed the only opportunity to destroy Lilly? Had she failed to help retrieve the child? Had Lilly gone after Bianca? Was Ryder in even more danger?
Breathe…
Zane’s voice moved through her like a whispering wind. His words grounded her. His calming presence brought her back, reminding her that her heightened emotions had prevented her from accepting her birthright.
Until now.
The power she harnessed slowly awakened.
Her emotions in check, she called upon the elements. Closing her eyes, she reached out with her magic and searched for the vampire queen. As if following the directions on a map, her mind moved along the ground, past the row of trees that lined the homes along the river. Suddenly she spotted Lilly.
Standing shoulder to shoulder, the vampires were creating a secure wall around her. They were protecting their queen.
But who’s going to protect you? Her own wicked chuckle filled her head.
Ready or not here I come.
Without warning, a large masculine hand covered her mouth, hauling her up off her feet.
Immediately her elbow plowed into the stomach of the person holding her. But the powerful presence only flinched slightly. Then she found herself being spun about with force unmatched by any human.
