Forsaken (Ancients of Light #1)

by Heather Fleener

  She snapped at him and the fire in her hand grew, “Did it hurt your feelings Nicholas?” Not waiting for his response, she struggled to get loose as she hissed, “Then you’ll love this, Ass Leech.” Ella lay a flaming hand over his where it held around her waist.

  He was unflinching with the injury, only tightening his hold to lock her firmly against him. Nicholas dropped a kiss to her temple before he growled, “That was bad form, Princess.” His fingers trailed up her arm again and his hold loosened. Ella thought this would be the opportunity for her escape until she heard a small click and felt a heavy weight of metal encircle her upper arm. The abrupt cessation in the magic coursing through her caused her to pitch forward. Near simultaneous, one of Nicholas’s young recruits shadowed in front of her. Nicholas let her stumble free and the eager vampire rammed the length of his sword through her side.

  Ella experienced incredible pain, overwhelming; she had no magic to counter the effects of the trauma. Her agonized scream echoed and she would have dropped to her knees if Nicholas had not scooped her up against him. She heard Nicholas whispering in her ear as blackness crept up on her, “I’ll gift you with his head for that offense, Princess.” Ella barely remained conscious long enough to see that he had, with a single swing of his sword, done just that.

  Chaos erupted. Kat was screaming frantically at Nicholas to release the cuff on her arm and was scrambling to reach them while Lorcan held her firm. Nicholas locked eyes with Lorcan for long seconds before a triumphant smirk formed and he shadowed away. Ella, cradled limply in his arms, was oblivious to it all.

  CHAPTER 26

  The shadowing pulled her back to awareness. Her lashes fluttered as they arrived at an ancient stone building. Ella was trembling with pain and she clawed at the band secured on her arm. Seeing it, Nicholas knocked her hand away, muttering harshly, “Cease, Witch. It will only come free by my will, at my touch.”

  She countered angrily, “Remove it Cole. My body cannot heal the wound without magic.”

  Nicholas had been surveying their surroundings, assuring himself of their safety, but now dropped his cold gaze to her, “Nicholas. Only a select few have the privilege of calling me the other. You are not one, little enemy.”

  The movement caused her no small amount of pain when she leveraged herself away from his chest, but she was satisfied when her palm connected solidly with his cheek, “Why don’t we just go with repulsive, ass-sucking leech?”

  Nicholas jerked her higher in his arms, his face inches from hers and eyes flickering dangerous, “You expect me to believe your lies, to remove the band so you can raise your magic against me, Fire Queen? You are an immortal and stronger than any ordinary Witch…you will heal.” Using his free hand to yank her head to the side, he did not hesitate but turned and drove his fangs deep into her neck. She fought his hold, ignoring the screaming pain in her side. Nicholas had made the entry purposefully painful, but lessened the intensity of the bite as the welcome taste of her blood washed over his tongue. When he pulled his mouth back from her neck and licked slowly up to her ear, she stiffened. Nicholas whispered a taunt, “From what I recall, you are prone to liking repulsive, ass-sucking leeches…shall I remind you how much you like me, Ella?”

  Ella shrieked with rage, swinging a fist in the direction of his face once more, only to be caught up short by his hand, “You belong to me, Witch.” He could tell by the widening of her eyes that she thought he was claiming her as his intimate companion, so he clarified with cruel indifference, “That mark on your neck means nothing. You are my prisoner until I decide otherwise. Do you understand?” Ella only offered him a baleful glare.

  He shadowed her again, without warning, and she nearly wretched from the dizzying effect coupled with the throbbing in her side. They were in total darkness and he stood there waiting for the effect to wash over her. It took only a few minutes before Nicholas felt her body grow taut and his hearing registered the rapid increase in her pulse. He waited a few minutes longer, letting her panic build and sadistically waiting to see if she would lower herself to beg for his help.

  Nicholas was disappointed. The only small victory she gave him was when she pressed a bit closer in his hold, but she never uttered a whimper in protest. His disappointment warred with the acknowledgement that Ella was brave enough to refuse to cower in front of her enemy. His female was made of strong stuff.

  Reaching over to a switch on the wall, the area filled with dim light. Her breathing immediately eased and she pushed herself away from the cradle of his chest. Ella thought he must have shadowed them beneath the structure since they appeared to be in the middle of an old dungeon-type holding.

  His reminder of the contrast between their current circumstance and their former relationship stung, “Not exactly the pretty little home I promised you before Princess, but I thought an extended time here might make you realize the grave error of your recent choices.” Ella turned her head, hiding her reaction from him. Nicholas merely grabbed her long hanging ponytail and yanked her head back hard, so that she was forced to meet his gaze, “I could probably leave you down here in the dark for about fifteen minutes, Witch, and have you begging to spill all of the Lorcan’s secrets to me.” He witnessed the panic flicker cross her features before she schooled them blankly. The intimate smile he gave her did not match the cool, black flicker in his eyes, “Or perhaps I will just strip you down and pleasure you until you are eager tell me everything I must know.”

  That garnered a response, “You would not dare.”

  He crossed the hall and stepped into a small room as he dropped his finger to trace it along the top of the Elite crest on her shirt, nudging the underside of her breasts, “Oh, I will dare much with you, Ella. I will enjoy interrogating you more than I ever have another.” His eyes held a promise and her unease grew. She was uncertain as to what he would enjoy more - torturing her for answers or coaxing her into responding to his touch.

  Nicholas let her body slide down the length of his before setting her back a few feet from him, taking in her warrior appearance and the wound at her side that continued to seep blood. Nicholas callously pushed her backwards and she stumbled, twisting, which brought a sound of pain past her lips. He slammed the door of the dank little cell behind him, “Rest well Princess, I will be back for you later.” He was gone before she could answer.

  CHAPTER 27

  Ella roused slowly, her side throbbing in time with the ache in her head. She was stretched out on a musty smelling cot, not quite remembering when she had laid down. The harsh light in the tiny room burned her eyes when she raised her lids enough to survey the chamber. She noted the damp stone walls, the metal bars that gated the entrance, and a vampire she did not recognize guarding the other side. She assumed it was some sort of cell in an old structure that was in the possession of the Darks and she wondered if Rhydach would come walking in at any moment.

  She could tell from the dampness at her side and the excruciating pain that her magic was not healing the nasty wound in her flank. That idiot leech had skewered her through, she vaguely recalled, remembering also then the violence in Cole as he dealt the death blow to the offender.

  Nicholas…she corrected herself mentally…Nicholas. Ella raised her head, thinking to rise, but realized quickly that her condition was poor. Dropping her head heavily back to the meager pillow, her throat was parched and she felt hot. Not certain she really wanted the answer, she called out to the figure at the door anyway, “Where is he?”

  Her guard turned at the sound of her her voice, a nasty smirk on his face, “You mean Nicholas?” He leaned casually against the bars, his eyes assessing her, “He and Dunkirk were both called to give Rhydach an accounting of the attack on Carrowmere two nights ago and they have not yet returned. Carrowmere fell to your Light faction, so I doubt you will enjoy the time you will spend with Nicholas when he comes to retrieve you. He will need to mete out his anger and who better to be on the receiving end of that than the Witch whore that bet
rayed him?”

  If she’d had the power of her magic she would have torched him and then torched his ashes again for good measure. She doubted the worthless minion had been given permission to even speak to her, so she dismissed him by turning away. She ran her hand over her arm, knowing before it encountered the cool metal that the band was still there. Ella slid her eyes over to give it study.

  It was not merely a binding ring, as Lorcan used to control her powers separately when training her. This bracelet tightly locked on her bicep and was of extremely powerful magic. All of her magic was bound, effectively rendering her as weak as a human. That weakness would account for her unconsciousness the past two days. In her current state, she would have no defense against Nicholas when he returned.

  Not appreciating her dismissive attitude, her guard began another taunt, “Nicholas seemed mightily pissed when he locked you in here after the battle…” The pest trailed off. There was commotion at the end of the hall and he turned away to assess the cause. Straightening immediately, his voice became deferential, “Lady Cordelia, I was not notified that you would be here tonight.”

  The slender form in a flowing gown of fitted black came into view, flanked by two Vampire guards. The pale strands of hair that hung to her waist appeared nearly white in the low light of the hall, “Nicholas thought I might have success in getting answers from that bitch.” She trailed a finger down the arm of the guard, smiling sweetly, “Do be a dear and unlock the door.”

  Her once cocky guard looked uncertain now, “Nicholas instructed specifically that I am not to leave her and no one is to go near her.”

  Cordelia’s eyes flashed with anger and her voice went from cajoling to harsh, “Are you challenging me, you idiot?” At the quick shake of his head, she patted his arm, all smiles again, “Good. You can take your time and find yourself a tasty human morsel while I interrogate the prisoner.”

  Ella succumbed to a wave of despair, momentarily, but her hatred for Nicholas grew tenfold. The coward had sent Rhydach’s mate to do his dirty work and she found strength in her hatred, steeling herself against whatever may come. The Darks would find no answers in her, though she barely managed to stop from flinching at the sound of the old metal door creaking open. She felt the cool grip of fingers on her chin as it was jerked to the left. Her eyes flew open and the dark green of hers clashed with the pale green of her soon to be tormentor.

  Cordelia’s voice was as hate-filled as her eyes, “Aren’t you a pretty little witch? From what I hear, you are rather powerful as well.” She tapped the band on Ella’s arm, “But then with your magic bound you are about as strong as a gnat, aren’t you?” Ella remained silent, glaring.

  The evil witch laughed caustically, eagerly anticipating the next few hours, “Whether you answer me or not, I really do not care. Rhydach does not even know that you are in Nicholas’s custody yet; however, I have spies everywhere.” She touched Ella’s neck, even though she could not see the mark, “From what I hear, Nicholas has marked you and that is very upsetting. I rather fancy that Warrior myself.”

  She delivered a hard blow against the side of Ella’s already pounding head and then tore the sleeve of her garment. Ella hadn’t gotten her senses back after the slap before Cordelia trailed a scorching blaze of light from a lone fingertip down her arm. A pleased smile formed on her lips when Ella drew in a quick breath at the burning touch on her skin. Grabbing the wound on Ella’s side, Cordelia squeezed. The agony caused Ella to bite her lip until it bled, but she refused to allow that evil bitch to draw a sound from her.

  Cordelia straightened and laughed, shooing her guards from the chamber, “That is okay Fire Maker. Before I am finished, you will be begging me to end you.”

  Exiting the dungeon a few hours later, Cordelia extinguished all the lights on her way out. She was seething. The other witch had endured her torture and not made a single sound, even when she had snapped the bone in the girl’s forearm. Gaining the upper level of the crumbling fortress, she brushed past the guard who had long since returned.

  When he prepared to head back down the stairs, Cordelia waved her hand dismissively to indicate the area below, “There is no need for you to be bothered with the Witch; she is in no condition to cause any trouble. I will be back tomorrow.” She felt certain that Rhydach would not release Nicholas and Dunkirk from his inquisition for any number of days yet, and as such, she could continue her sadistic play with the witch for quite a while before she slit her throat.

  CHAPTER 28

  Nicholas was in a foul mood. His men maintained their allegiance to him though, and at least for the time being Rhydach was oblivious to the fact that he had captured Ella. He and Dunkirk left without incident after being required to stay in attendance for two full days, listening to Rhydach rant about the fall of Carrowmere. His lip curled in disgust - Carrowmere had not even belonged to the idiot. Nicholas constructed the castle himself six centuries ago.

  Rhydach had kept him away much longer than necessary and he was worried about Ella’s recovery. Punishment was warranted, in light of her betrayal, but he had not planned to leave her unattended in that dilapidated dungeon this long. No matter how angry he was over her recent behavior, Ella still belonged to him. Leaving her for an extended period without food or water and in pain was not his intent when he’d angrily left her there the night of the attack on Carrowmere.

  He delayed his return only long enough to gather items for her to freshen up and medicines to treat any injuries that might not have healed completely. The gash in her side should probably have been given treatment by a Healer’s magic to aid the repair, but since so much time had elapsed he expected she should be well on her way to recovery.

  His animosity had lessened while he had been away. Her defection to the Light still rankled him, but it would not be a problem moving forward. There would need to be a new beginning between him and Ella, one where she understood her place and his expectations. There was no way in hell he was giving a Fire Queen back to the Light. Ella would be leaving the Realm immediately. He would simply keep her magic bound until she came to terms with her future.

  The guard was seated at the scarred wooden table in the musty hall, sharpening his sword when Nicholas and Dunkirk appeared. Startled by their sudden arrival, he jumped, knocking it from the table. Nicholas leveled cold eyes on the clumsy buffoon, his demand curt, “Why are you not watching the witch?”

  “Sir, Lady Cordelia said that I need not bother. She finished the interrogation and said the prisoner was in no condition to make trouble.” He grinned nastily as he was about to continue with the report, but the visible anger in both Nicholas and Dunkirk stopped him.

  Nicholas moved in a blur and had the young vampire off his feet, a fist tangled in his shirt, “Cordelia was here? With the witch?” At the other’s frantic nod, Cole shook him, “Did you not understand my order that you were to stay with her at all times? That no one was to be given access to her?”

  The vampire swallowed hard, stammering, “Lady Cordelia said you had sent her and that I was not needed…”

  Nicholas’s gaze narrowed, “There is no part of that black-hearted whore that is a Lady.” He tossed the vampire to Dunkirk with a flick of his wrist, “Show our friend here what happens to Vampire who are unable to follow simple orders.” He shadowed below. Dunkirk had not even managed to drag the guard outside to give him the beating he deserved when Nicholas’s outraged bellow reached them, “I instructed that the lights were to be on at all times! Stake that bastard out in the courtyard and let him burn with the dawn. He is a waste of flesh.”

  In a panic Nicholas flipped the switch to relight the area. Jerking the iron door free of its hinges in his frenzy to reach her, he knew Ella would be in a full terror. As much as he wanted her begging for his forgiveness, he never would have inflicted any real harm. Nicholas realized as soon as he entered that his worries were for naught. His gorgeous little witch was in no condition to care that she had been confined in the dark
cell. Nicholas did not think Ella was even aware of her surroundings. Blood from her wound seeped into the bedding and matted her shirt to her side. Her left arm hung limply at an odd angle and her face was freshly bruised. Blood had trickled from the corner of her mouth and dried there. Her shirt was in tatters and the blistered flesh over her shoulders and arms nearly caused him to retch. Ella had been beaten and thoroughly tortured.

  Murderous wrath had his eyes blackened and his fangs wickedly extended when he knelt at her side, agony etched in his face. His hand pressed to the burning skin at her forehead as Dunkirk lumbered into the room. Quickly assessing the damage, the Scot’s voice was deadly calm and thick with emotion, “If you do not take Cordelia’s head for this Nicholas, I will…and then I will take yours.”

  Nicholas nodded at him only once, revenge would be meted out. He scooped Ella up into his arms and grimaced over the anguished moan that accompanied the movement, “Why is she not healing? She is burning with fever.”

  Dunkirk eyed the band on her arm, “You are going to have to remove it. Her immortality must be interwoven with her magic.”

  Nicholas eyed the band, considering, but not yet agreeing, “She will fight me if I do and she is no ordinary adversary. You saw it as plainly as I…Ella is a Queen.” As much as Nicholas wanted to heal her, he did not want her escaping him so he hedged until he could determine a better solution, “I have to relocate her first. If Cordelia knows her location, Rhydach soon will as well.”