by Rhea, Lani
As the group ran through the house, Ryant looked around. Why would anyone have left this house to Kris? It had to mean something but he had no idea what it could be.
“Ryant, I found something,” shouted Darin from down the hall.
Ryant rounded the corner with determination in his steps. V stood at a door, looking below. She stepped aside to allow him to hurry down the stairs. Upon reaching the bottom, he saw Darin with a foot on a rock on the basement floor. Two coal pits opened like double doors to a world of unknown. Fog rose from a new set of stairs, descending into a glow of red.
Ryant’s nostrils flared as he caught Kris’s scent wafting up the passage. “Come on.”
As the clambered down the stairs, he noted the rock walls were wet with heated moisture. Not blood, but of minerals. Pyrrhotite manmade walls—the whole corridor was constructed out of the stuff. Maybe this was why he couldn’t communicate with Kris.
They entered a small room. He motioned toward a set of steel doors. When he waved his hand, he strained his powers to unlock the mass blocking their path. The handles creaked as they turned and clicked. The doors opened to some sort of room—a ritual room.
Naked, Kris lay on a slab and turned to look at him with fear in her eyes. “Ryant, don’t. It’s a trap.”
As he rushed to her, he saw another woman on a slab next to her. He got close and a robed figure appeared from the other end of the room. Ryant stopped.
The person clapped. “Bravo. Bravo, Ryant. You brought the last main ingredient.”
“Who the hell are you?”
The hood swished back. “We’ve never met in person, but I’m sure Kris has told you all about me.”
Josh. The bastard who was supposed to be Kris’s friend. Ryant snarled.
Josh simply laughed. “I’m sure you know my lover.” He stretched out his hand. Stanley Adams appeared from the darkness.
“Stanley,” V whispered. “How could you do this to your own kind?”
“She is not my kind.” Stanley pointed at Kris.
“She is family.” V stepped forward.
Josh raised a hand. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He pointed up. A mass of metal spikes were slowly lowering over both women on the slabs. “All Stanley has to do is let go.”
It was then Ryant noticed the rope and pulley in Stanley’s hand. The power of his Truces intensified, plowing into his back. They were sick and tired of these games as much as he was.
Josh pointed at Darin. “He’s our missing link.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Ryant heard Darin protest.
“You see, he harbors the blood of the most pure soul demon ever known.”
Josh jerked his head at Stanley. With no warning, he withdrew a gun and shot Kris. Her body bucked, arched off the stone as a blue glow enveloped her body. She cried out in agony.
Ryant surged forward, but stopped when Josh stepped to her side. “I wouldn’t worry. That was just a stun bullet.”
“On the other hand, this is a real gun with a real bullet.” Josh pointed a gun in Ryant’s direction.
Ryant looked at Kris. Can you hear me, Kris?
The only thing he found was pain and fear. He cringed. He had to save her. It didn’t take a doctor to know these fools in front of him were psychotic. “What do you plan to do?”
“Simple, we need him.” Josh gestured at Darin then the bound women. “Her body and Kris’s womb blood to complete the new leader’s transformation. You know, in a way, I’m glad I never had the chance to kill Kris in the first place. Back then, it was to rule the Darkworld, but now it’s to dominate the whole world. Darin’s demon blood mixed with werewolf blood will give him such power. Thanks to our zombies almost killing him, I can now thank V for giving him her blood. The last ingredient is my fae blood.”
Ryant lunged toward him. Stanley shot at Ryant, and he moved to the side. Sparks shot from Sparky, setting Stanley’s sleeve on fire. He ran, screaming, trying to put out the flames. V was beside Ryant as they tackled Josh to the ground.
Go to Kris and Rita and untie them, he ordered Darin as he wrapped his clawed hands around Josh’s neck and twisted. A loud snap rang out and Stanley wailed in the background. Ryant threw Josh’s decapitated head into the black water. As he watched the head sink, demons rose from the open wound of the neck and soared into the room.
The Truces stood guard with zeulanium on hand. They threw the rocks into the air, which burst on several Soulscapes. He waited for the one who might be the chief of the bunch. The one perched above the swarm, watching like a hawk, had to be the leader.
He leaped off the ground, flying toward the head demon. As he reared back to throw a rock, the demon shot through a small hole in the rock ceiling and disappeared.
Ryant roared with rage then looked below, at his Truces dispatching the remaining demons. As he’d instructed, Darin freed Kris and the other woman and had them huddled off in a corner, protecting them. Zeke was not far from them.
Ryant floated to the ground, near Kris. “Are you okay?” He bent and peered into her eyes.
“The bullet is still lodged inside me. Hang on.” As she lifted her shirt, she dug her finger and thumb in the hole. She winced and stopped. Extracting bloody fingers, she held up a blue bullet. “Huh, this should be an interesting bullet to add to the collection.”
The bastard had lied. Kris had been shot. He wished Josh was alive so he could tear his head off again.
The other woman studied the bullet. “Collection?”
Kris turned to her and smiled. “Yes. I collect bullets.”
“Why?”
“I’ve been around for a very long time. I’ve been shot at many times.” She laughed, then hugged her midsection.
“Easy,” Ryant murmured.
Kris smiled at him and took his hand in hers. “Ryant, I’d like you to meet Rita. Rita, this is my…boyfriend, Ryant.”
Ah, Rita. The human female she wanted to find. He tugged Kris to him. “Are you sure you are all right, my love?”
She leaned into him. “Yes. I’m better now.”
He smoothed a lock of her hair then brought the end to his nose despite the smell of charcoal. Underneath, he still smelled the sweet as nectar scent of his Kris. His Kris. She was his and nothing would ever change that.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you too.”
“Let’s get the hell out of here.”
“Agreed.”
“Zeke, take Rita.”
Zeke nodded and before Rita could react, wrapped his burly arm around her waist and they disappeared in flash.
“Before we go, Kris, since the house is in your name, what do you want to do with it?” Unable to stop touching her, Ryant rubbed her cheek with the back of his hand. He would never get tired of touching her.
“I want to burn it to the ground. Seal the door to this dungeon.”
“That sounds like a perfect plan.” Taking her about the waist, he was set to flash back to the den, when she stopped him.
“Wait. I want to see it burn.”
So, instead of taking them home, he stood outside the hell house. Kris looked over at Sparky. “Sparky, do your magic and burn it.”
He nodded and his hands burst into glowing balls of fire, turning brighter. When the balls were almost too bright to look at, he threw them at the house. With a whoosh, it caught fire.
Satisfaction filled her eyes as the house was immolated in minutes.
He met her gaze and could read her thought. Now, there was the matter of the Throne seat.
35
Once back at Club Fifteen, Kris smiled at the protection Zeke bestowed over Rita. He was way older than Rita, but on the outside, she seemed older. She didn’t seem to mind the younger-looking man paying her attention. She smiled as Zeke took her by the hand and led her away. Wonder if the other woman would work for her after all she’d been through? During their time captive, she’d sensed a kindred spirit in Rita.
“How do you feel, my love?”
“Happy. For once in a very long time, I’m happy.”
He smiled and kissed her with one of his toe-curling kisses, dominating her mouth. Ryant coaxed her to open for him, she accepted him, all of him and what he was.
As he broke the kiss, he winked. “I have a surprise for you.”
“You do?”
“We head to New York in the morning.”
Tears of joy sprang in her eyes. She batted them away. “Thank you, Ryant.”
“I can’t wait to show you your parents’ house. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be reuniting with my parents.”
“When did you talk to them?”
“During your absence I talked to the Thrones and they have forgiven my intrusion on the rules and have allowed me to keep the peace with the Truces. My parents were relieved. They never were against my coven, only conflicted with the rules they had to abide by. I don’t blame them. They also have accepted our union.”
“That’s nice.” She kissed his soft lips, feeling his fangs elongate. “Should we go to the bedroom?”
“Yes, but first someone wants to talk to you.”
“Who?”
“The head Throne.” He smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear.
She pursed her lips. “Uncle Fremont is here, now?”
“Yes. He arrived earlier this evening. Let’s go talk to him.”
They walked from the death ring into the main part of the coven. The ring didn’t seem as threatening to her anymore. It was a room after all, a cavern. Nothing more. He held her hand as they entered his office.
“Kris, my darling, are you all right?” Her uncle, the head Throne, came to her with open arms.
“Hello, Uncle Fremont. I’m fine.”
She wanted to cry when she looked him in the eyes. He was the spitting image of her father, with more gray hair. Why had she completely thrown her heritage away? Kris only wanted an escape, to leave it behind at the end of the world.
“I’m glad to hear that. You’ve been through a lot.”
“Yes, I have.” She had been through too much lately. Her normal life wouldn’t return soon enough. A knowing, a gut instinct, told her everything wasn’t over yet. Though, with Ryant by her side, she would get through anything.
“I heard you decided to join the Thrones. This pleases me.”
She bit her bottom lip. “About that. You’ve done such a wonderful job as the head Throne. I believe the seat needs to remain with you.”
Fremont lifted her chin. “No my dear, you are the princess of the wolves. The seat is yours.”
“I can’t take it.”
“You must.”
She shook her head, denying the fact. Ryant circled the inside of her wrist with the pad of his thumb. She couldn’t hold the seat or take it from Fremont. A thought occurred to her. “Are there any rules against sharing?”
Fremont stepped back. “Not that I’m aware of. I could train you. Guide you in the right direction. Share the gift of any shifter with you.”
“Any shifter?” She raised a brow.
“Yes. You will be able to shift into any animal at will. It’s a gift that gives unbelievable courage. It’s in the legacy book.”
“I think you should consider the offer, Kris.” Ryant lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles.
She stared him in the eyes. He was right. “Okay, as long as you are at my side.”
“Always and forever.”
“Good.” Fremont clasped his hands together. “We have an unsettling matter to attend to. Your first mission starts tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? But we leave for New York.”
“Your trip will have to be postponed, I’m afraid. We have a disturbance in the Texas region.”
“Syth said he had an increase in problems.” Ryant stroked his chin.
“The queen knew both of you could handle the demons. That is why she has not been here. Murders are taking place, brutal murders, in the Dallas area. We leave tomorrow night to help find the predator that is not only killing Darkworld creatures, but humans as well.”
She’d take down any monster that killed defenseless people and creatures.
“Let me talk to Rita first. I have a proposition for her and a couple of things that need to be done. I will see you tomorrow, Uncle.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
He smiled lovingly at her.
Ryant and Kris left his office in search of Rita. They found the crew in the small break room.
“Rita, how would you like to work for me?”
The other woman stared at her. “Doing what?”
“Secretarial work, my assistant. I’m a bounty hunter.”
Rita’s eyes widened. “A bounty hunter? I’d like that.”
“Good, you’re hired.” Kris smiled. “Now, for your first assignment, I need you to run a couple of errands when you feel up to it.”
“Sure, Kris.”
She extended the bullet, palm up and a key. “I need you to place this bullet in one of the cases in the hallway at work. Inside my desk is the money from the Knight Lost Loves event. Could you deliver the money to the Red Cross for me?”
“I would be happy to.” Rita slipped the bullet and key out of Kris’s hand. “Where’s your office?”
From behind, Ryant handed Kris a pen and paper, and she wrote down the address. “Here you go.” She handed the paper to Rita.
“Thanks.”
Kris hugged Rita, then turned to Ryant. “Shall we?”
“We shall.”
They strolled down the hallway toward his bedroom with their arms around each other’s waists. As he opened the bedroom door, Ryant kissed Kris on the lips, then picked her up and carried her over the threshold.
He broke the kiss and purred, “Welcome to your home away from home.”
“I’m glad to be home.”
“Will you marry me?”
She grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.” She reached over his shoulder and shut the door.
Ryant laid her on the bed and kissed her passionately. The kiss held meaning. Their love would always hold strong and nothing would ever tear them apart.
In the far distance, the last known demon that’d fled the scene lurked in the back of her mind. Now vampires were no longer an issue, Soulscapes were and they would forever remain in her memory.
But as long as she had Ryant at her side, she was strong and the Soulscapes had better look out.
Lani Rae
Typically I write erotic romance, but I remember as a child how much I liked the creatures of the night. I’ve always wanted to write a novel with vampires. Ideas came, and I talked with a few friends. This was how Louisiana Moon was born. I’m currently working on the next book in the story. I do plan to bring characters from book one into book two so watch out for those recurring characters. We are having a lot of fun.
Lyrical Press books are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2013 Lani Rae
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
Lyrical Press and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.
First Electronic Edition: March 2014
ISBN-13: 9781616505110
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