“What of the females brought on the last full moon?” I whisper.
He goes silent as he mulls it over. “The tithe would have already been arranged and separated into the main cell connected to the heart of the labyrinth where he releases the females to be slaughtered and feasted upon. Most likely, your females are still here,” he murmurs. “Tonight is the first night of the fullmoon.”
I reach forward and catch his arm. “We must save our females. Will you take them out from here with you?”
Uncertainty crosses the male’s face, and I understand his reluctance to stay any longer than necessary within the tower. At last, he nods.
“I will go no further into the tower than the cells, but if you release them, I will take them with me beyond the hedges of the labyrinth. This delays my return to my family... but I think they would be proud to know that I did not leave females to suffer. Throw open the cells, but hurry. An ogre often slumbers at his guard post. You will have to get by him to enter the tower, but it will be safer if you steal his key and release them while he is unaware. The creature drinks heavily, no doubt to forget his betrayal,” the centaur sneers. “Those of us captured who were not willing to serve are assigned menial tasks, such as me, but others like him were lured with sweet promises. I won’t betray my herd, not for anything offered,” Abraxas says.
We ascend and the torches become more plentiful, illuminating the corridor. Even as the visibility increases, a foul stench floats down the passage. I gag, as do my brethren, but we push ahead. When we reach the end of the corridor, it opens up into a long, wide room filled with cells caging numerous females who whimper and cry to each other so softly that it is no wonder that we didn’t hear them until now.
“I will wait here,” Abraxas whispers. “You will find the ogre just over there.”
He points and I can see the huge figure reclined against the wall, his head bowed in slumber, and if I strain, I can hear him snoring. Jinx slips forward and I make to grab him, but he wiggles away and puts his finger to his lips with an impish smile.
“This is part of what I’m here for, remember?” he calls softly. “It’ll just be like stealing Mrs. Mallory’s car keys. I had something of a misspent youth,” he adds with a wicked grin.
On silent feet, he slips down the hall in a manner that would do a werewolf proud. The females go silent and watch him nervously. I have no doubt that most of them haven’t seen a human before and are wary. As he gains ground closer to his target and disappears into the shadow of the ogre, I stiffen, my hackles rising anxiously. Rashi steps forward at my side, his fur bristling with his worry. When we see Jinx’s blonde head pop up from the shadows as he scurries back to us, we both breathe a sigh of relief. He is almost to us when a doeena lifts her velvety deer ears and sobs.
“Don’t leave me!” she begs in a shrill voice. “I want to return to my herd. Please, let me out of here!”
Jinx freezes and tries to hush her, but her cries become more adamant as she throws her weight against the bars of her cell. To my horror, other females pick up the cry and their wails fill the room. At the other end of the hall, I see the ogre shift and his eye opens, the eerie light from his modifications spilling out from the single orb.
“Jinx, run!” I bark.
“I’m sorry!” the doeena cries.
Jinx looks over his shoulder and sees the ogre standing. “Fuck!” he shouts and doesn’t even bother to be quiet now as he races down the corridor. The ogre springs into a ground-eating run, his gait enormous as he chases Jinx down. I signal to my brethren and the males lunge forward. I hear Abraxas curse, his hooves nervously stomping in place. Since he is unarmed, there is little he can do to aid us. My breath catches as Jinx throws the key through the air.
“Catch!” he bellows just before darting out of the way of one of the ogre’s meaty fists.
To my surprise, Abraxas gallops out, speeding past me. His haunches bunch as he springs up into the air, giving him the far greater height than that which could be accomplished by any member of the tribe, and snatches the key out of the air. He immediately rounds about to lunge back toward the opposite end of the cells. Without prompting, he goes to the furthest cell and slides the key in to release the females there. I turn my attention away from him and back to the threat in front of us, though I hear him ordering the females into the lower corridor as they rush out of their cell. His hooves strike the stone as he rushes to another cell to repeat the process.
I grin fiercely at the ogre as I pull out both swords and leap forward as I bring them up to strike. We cut deep gashes into the monster’s hide. Although awake, the sour smell of beer clings to him, slowing his strikes and making him unsteady on his large feet.
“Damnation! He has witches locked in here, about a dozen!” Abraxas shouts. “I need extra time to unlock their dampening cuffs. Drive him back toward the entrance if you can!”
I growl in frustration, my strikes becoming more frenzied, upsetting the ogre’s already unstable balance. He crashes backward a few steps, but I am momentarily distracted when a red-haired human darts by me. It is enough of an opening that the ogre slams one large hand against my side so as to send me flying into the bars of the cells beside me. I groan painfully as everything goes blurry. When it clears, I see humans flitting to Jinx’s side, ignoring Abraxas’s commands as they each lift up glowing hands and arms to discharge bright bolts of magic at the ogre. Many of them shout profanities at him, hatred thick in their voices.
A small fireball flares from someone and hits just right to catch the ogre fully in the face. A painful bellow rocks the room as he tears at his face, and when his hands lower, I can see the ruin of where his eye used to be.
“Ha! You may thank Nobody for that!” Jinx shouts, waving his fist triumphantly.
A nearby witch laughs. “I got that! I love The Odyssey!”
The ogre, his arms flailing through the air, trips and falls backward with a crash. We waste no time to make use of the advantage given to us. We attack savagely, metal cutting into flesh in those areas that are vulnerable, leaping away from his swinging arms between strikes. Etier and Tas attack the neck as others of us focus on the exposed areas of his belly. I start when Fahuri joins the fray, using nothing more than her claws and teeth to savage the monster. No one relents until the body beneath us grows limp, blood erupting from the numerous deep gashes we inflicted in our fury.
As we stand in a loose circle around the body, I look over at the females, who are coming forward in a thick cluster to look upon the remains of their jailer and likely their tormentor too. Many of them smile, while others cry in relief and sag against each other. To my surprise, I see a number of werewolf females, all of the ones that we were missing plus other likely brought in more recently by the alpha. Their lips peel back with an angry grimace at the remains of the ogre.
I make my way over to them. “Is everyone well?”
Sinai, her face now scarred, smiles at me. “Far better now that that bastard is dead.” Her smile drops as she regards me seriously. “Thank you for coming for us, Arawl. I am sorry to say that I never would have expected it. No offense.”
“None taken,” I reply gently.
She nods and looks at the other males, her eyes lingering on Vrox, making the male puff out his chest. “Thank all of you.”
“Thank the gods they’re safe,” Jinx says as he extracts himself from a pair of clinging witches, despite their protests and rushes to his Fahuri’s side. My sister glares vehemently at the females until they slink away, but her face softens with happiness when her mate wraps his arms around her. Rashi leaps over the ogre with a triumphant shout to wrap his arms around both his mates and squeeze them close to his chest.
Abraxas stomps his front hooves with impatience. “Come, females, enough of this dismal place. Follow me. I will show you the way out.”
Sinai nods and glances over at me as she herds the other werewolves ahead of her. “We will be waiting for you, Alpha. All of us kno
w what Baru and Falo have done and we will testify before the elders. You are worthy to be alpha.” With that, she turns and follows the centaur.
Thankful sighs fill the room as the females all turn to follow after the centaur toward the lower passage. One by one, they turn to follow after, some lingering reluctantly before they too follow. A blonde witch at my side looks up at me as she steps closer, uninvited. I bristle at her nearness but try not to be rude since I know many humans enjoy a closer proximity than what is agreeable to werewolves and many other fae species.
“What will you do?”
“Find my mate,” I growl as I step away.
A gusty sigh meets my statement. “Why are all the hot ones mated?” she complains.
“I am not mated!” Tas calls out, and Etier laughs.
“That is because no female enjoys your ugly face,” his younger brother jeers.
“We have the same face, idiot. Though now that yours has suffered a trainwreck, I wouldn’t be talking,” Tas snorts.
The females giggle as the last of them turns away to depart. Etriel sighs longingly after them. I narrow my eyes on him.
“If you are more interested in chasing females than finishing this, then go ahead. I have no time or patience for this foolishness.” I snap. My entire body is wound tightly. I desperately need my mate by my side. “I must find Ana!”
“The master had her taken to his workroom. It is on the final floor at the top of the tower,” a soft voice intrudes. I spin around and see a cherub youth. Although a full-grown male is just a little larger than a human, the youths before reaching pubescence are dainty and feminine, their wings not even fully developed. His wings look in even worse shape as if someone had plucked numerous feathers that were only now just starting to grow back, the entire side of his face scarred with strange patterns. The scarring extends down the side of his neck in a trail that covers half of his chest and belly where it finally terminates.
He quivers and wilts under my regard. He is obviously not one of the master’s monsters, but an enslaved servant, like Abraxas. I soften my expression and wave him to come near. He hesitates but then draws nearer. He is so small that he barely comes up to my chest. He is obviously still a nestling. No doubt his parents have been grieving for him for some time. I wish I could take away all the painful marks marring his body. He has suffered more than any adult should be forced to, much less a youngling.
“Thank you,” I say quietly as I rest a hand on his delicate shoulder. I turn my head to look at Fahuri.
“Sister, Abraxas is busy with the females. Will you escort this nestling to safety?”
Fahuri freezes. I watch anger drift over her face until it fades into exhaustion.
“I want to fight by your side,” she bites out reluctantly. “I came for this purpose.”
“And that purpose has been realized,” I soothe. “But right now, he needs aid, as do all of these females. There are many who need to be comforted until we can determine what to do with them. Take your mates with you.”
The males give me a startled look, which I choose to ignore.
A sour look passes over her face. “Just as long as they stay away from my mates,” she mutters. She steps forward and nuzzles me. “You come back safely... and with Ana.”
I give Rashi and Jinx a stony look. “Take your mate to safety. Care for her. That is your sole duty now.”
Jinx gives me a worried look.
“I will return with Ana,” I assure him. I can do nothing else; she is my mate and the very heart of me, but I don’t tell him that. He looks at me for a long moment and nods, his hand skimming down Fahuri’s back as they draw the cherub among them and follow the others.
Once they are gone, I turn hard eyes to those remaining. Vrox stands taller, Etier meets my eyes as he hoists his trident to his side, and Tas rattles his lance impatiently.
“You are not obligated to go with me,” I say to them. “We have accomplished our task. The females will witness against Baru. No more of our tribe will be lost.”
Vrox snorts and grins at me companionably. “Do you think we will abandon our alpha so easily? If you die, then what? We will mourn your loss, and Eral has no interest in the task. No, better to continue by your side until we end this. I’m afraid you have grown on us. We would like to see you live a long life leading our tribe.”
I look to the other males and they smile and utter their agreement. My chest fills with emotion, and I swallow it back and smile at them. “Come, then,” I growl. “We end this now.”
With a sharp turn, I lope at full speed toward the doorway. I can feel the other males behind me and their eager pants as our bloodlust runs high.
This master will never threaten anyone again.
Chapter 29
Ana
I watch Miglinor finish his last incantation as he affixes the last piece of ensorcelled talismans to his body. They glow and his entire body shakes as he bends over in pain. His eyes turn to me as his teeth lengthen so they barely fit in his mouth anymore even as his body becomes larger.
“I didn’t want it to come to this...” he hisses. “I hate to ruin my beauty, but there is no choice. I will have you one way or another and the males who’ve invaded my tower will be thrown into the gaping mouth of Dephinyar. There will be a new tribute on the next moon.” His excitement mounts with every word until he’s yelling. “No one will stop this, and you will be by my side to witness it!”
I edge to the window and look out. My breath catches in my throat as I see the center of the labyrinth just below us unravel and spread open to reveal hundreds of giant, jagged teeth as a great maw opens.
“Dephinyar desires to be fed.” He laughs as he watches my expression.
My fingers stretch with the desire to weave my magic and he scowls at me. “It is useless to even think of it. My spell blocks you from casting.” I curl my fingers into fists and glare at him, knowing that he speaks the truth. A glimmer of something prods my memory, and I try to hold onto it, but I am distracted by the sound of snarls coming from the stairs and my heart leaps.
Arawl!
My mate surges into the room like a spirit of vengeance, his fur bristling around him and his fangs bared. He slides to a stop as Miglinor laughs and pulls himself up to his new, great height, his features distorted with mutations caused by his spells. With Arawl, I see Vrox, Tas, and Etier—what?!—gather, their teeth bared and their weapons at the ready.
“Ahhh,” Miglinor groans happily. “You are just in time. I had hoped to accomplish this easier, but you werewolves are harder to kill than I believed. You even took out Gorn. Impressive.”
Arawl lifts a bloodied sword and points it at the elf. “Release my mate!”
Miglinor gestures to me and smirks. “She is right there. Unfortunately for you, she won’t be of any assistance. Her power is bound. Soon you will be dead, your bond severed. Then I will cut your young from her belly so my own seed can take root. My line will be more powerful than any elvish line. None, for all their contempt of other races, have dared to do even half of what I have done!”
Startled, Arawl meets my eyes and I feel my mouth drop open in shock, my hands coming up to my belly. His head jerks back to Miglinor, absolute fury descending over his face. His voice drops into a deep growl as he slowly advances.
“You will take neither my kit nor mate from me. You will die and your dreams for your line shall die with you!” He surges forward, his swords lifted in front of him. The other werewolves rush in at the same time, but Miglinor laughs and slashes his hands through the air, sending a current of magic through the air like an explosion, blasting them back into the walls.
My heart sinks as I watch them attack again and again. Not once do they manage to get anywhere near the elf. One blast nearly sends Tas over the edge of the window into the mouth of the labyrinth, but I run to him, wrapping my hands around his arm as I pull back with all my weight. I’m not strong enough to move him much, but it’s just enough that Tas is ab
le to pull himself over the balcony. I fall to the ground at his side and we both gasp for air. Tas shakes off the lingering effects of the spell and gives me a wry grin, his eyes drifting down to my belly.
“Take care of our future alpha there,” he whispers before leaping once more into the fray.
It’s all I can do to watch the males be battered. Their blood splatters over the room, their wounds bleeding profusely. I watch as Arawl falls to the ground, his head snapping back against the floor, and my grief mounts. His beautiful silver fur is matted with rust-colored spots from dried blood, the fresh blood leaving scarlet blooms from where it wells out.
Something nudges my memory even harder, and I drop a hand to caress my belly. I have to do something. I have to protect my mate and my baby. I look helplessly around the room as an ache begins to build between my eyes as my brain struggles to remember. There are no weapons, not that they would have done any good. Instead, I hurry to my mate as he rolls to his side, my fingers caressing his head. Tears flow freely as I watch him struggle to regain consciousness.
“Please, I whisper in a choked voice. You are my family. I’ve waited so long for you. I can’t lose you.”
His beautiful green eyes blink open and he smiles through the pain as he meets my gaze. One hand lifts to stroke down my cheek. I feel a wet trail of blood paint my face, but I don’t care. His smile falls away and he groans as he pushes himself to his knees. Miglinor laughs and I can hear his heavy footsteps as he nears.
“A final goodbye. How perfect,” he croons in his warped voice. My mate’s head drops in exhaustion. His legs collapse beneath him and he falls, his body uncooperating. My mate looks at me and growls. “Get back, Ana.” I stumble back as Miglinor’s huge arm descends, lifting Arawl into the air by his throat. Rage fills me as I watch my mate dangle helpless in his grasp, his claws scraping at the hand, teeth snapping ineffectually. Miglinor laughs and turns toward the window.
The Accidental Werewolf's Mate: A Monsterly Yours Romance (Monstery Yours Book 3) Page 21
