Dark War Chronicles Box Set One

by A. L. Kessler

  "Thank you, we've been here all our lives. Even after Dani's...attack, we decided it was best for us to stay."

  Orion turned to her and mouthed. “Vampire?”

  She gave him a subtle nod. "It was home, moving wasn't an option." He felt that that was the only answer he would get for the night.

  "The doctors said it would be best while you recovered." Her father mused. "Gosh, you haven't really changed much since."

  She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and led him into the kitchen. "Let's not bore Orion with stories of the past."

  "How did you two meet anyways?" Her mother asked when they all entered. "I know you said he was a partner, but your job doesn't normally require one."

  "Work—" They both said at the same time, Orion looking to her to explain. Dani smiled and sat down at the table, motioning for him to follow.

  "I met him at the club he works for, as a stripper." A wicked smile crossed her face. "I'd been there for a party, it wasn't until after that I learned he worked for the same branch I do, just in a different department. They sent him over to help me out."

  Her mother clicked her tongue and Orion now knew where Danielle got the habit. Luckily she chose to ignore the stripper comment. "I don't like the idea that you need help, they aren't sending you into the field again, are they?"

  "No." she answered and Orion looked at her. She lied to her mother, but he was certain she had good reasons for it. "I still do office work, don't worry so much."

  Her dad made a strange noise. "It seems that your branch knows what they are doing. So Orion, what is it that you do for the military?"

  He took a drink of his water to give him a moment to think. At times like this he wished he could read minds. Mrs. Johnson started serving plates and he watched her for a moment, trying to imagine how Danielle lived a normal human life while being a Hunter. "I'm the guy who goes out in the field so your daughter doesn't have to. She provides me with information and I...take care of the problem."

  Danielle gave him a thankful look and took her father's hand. "They take care of us there. So people like you and mom don't have to worry about those strange attacks."

  "I wish I knew more about your branch.” Mr. Johnson grumbled. Orion knew why she hid everything from them; they wouldn’t be able to handle it.

  "Oh hush, Gary, they took such good care of her." Mrs. Johnson set a plate down in front of Orion and then Gary. "Besides, this is not pleasant dinner conversation, I'm sure Orion and Dani don't want to talk about work all night. Especially since they just got off. Isn't that right, dears?"

  Both of them nodded. Orion was relieved, but he had questions for Danielle. He was just going to have to wait for his answers.

  After dinner the two got back into Orion’s truck and he started it up. Danielle held her breath, as she knew what was coming. Orion took a deep breath. “What happened with the vampire?”

  She couldn’t admit all of it yet, she just wasn’t ready. “I was attacked in our home and was...” She dug her nails into the palm of her hands. Telling Lucius should have made it easier to tell Orion, but she couldn’t help but just sit there like a victim again.

  “It’s okay,” Orion whispered. “You don’t have to explain, I’m sorry I brought it up.”

  “No.” She needed to tell him. If this whole partner thing was going to work, if she was going to get him to trust her, she needed to tell him. “I was taken that night, I was with him for a few years.” She about threw up at the words. There was no way she was going to tell him about being bound. Not right now. She took his hand.

  Dani took a shaky breath and squeezed his hand. “When I was with him, I knew I was being held captive by pure evil. There was no redeeming quality to this vampire. It’s not like Lucius, where I can see anything cruel he does somehow is done out of good intentions. No. This one had no good intentions.” She shook her head. “I’d kill him before I let him hurt anyone else.”

  “Is this the information you traded Lucius?” Orion asked, his voice worried, but his eyes were on the road so she couldn’t read his face.

  Though she knew why it made him nervous, Lucius now had leverage over her that Orion didn’t want. “Yes, but he traded me good information for it. It was worth it.” So she hoped.

  Orion went silent and his grip tightened on her hand.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t think he will, but don’t piss him off or he might be inclined to use this information against you.”

  “I don’t think Lucius will free him, he seemed to have known the vampire and wasn’t fond of him.”

  “Good, I think.” Orion laughed. “I just don’t want Lucius to have that much control over you. He can be a bastard when he wants.”

  He seemed to be well behaved when she had met with him, but then again she wasn’t officially one of his people. “What do you mean?”

  “Let’s use Kassity as an example, she’s spent a lot of time in her panther form in a cage. He’s put a silver collar on her. Tegan is also another example; she’s kept blindfolded when she displeases him. Lucius punishes Coran by forcing his wolf out.”

  She took a deep breath because she couldn’t tell if he was serious or not. “So he punishes his people when they step out of line.”

  “When he believes they have stepped out of line, yes. That being said, he has saved all of our asses more than once.” He sighed. “He’s also shown mercy before too. Many times.”

  She rubbed her eyes. “He sounds like a giant contradiction.”

  “Pretty much.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Tonight wasn’t supposed to be about your past.”

  “No, tonight was supposed to be fun, but since we got on the subject...” She pursed her lips together, trying to think of how to phrase her question. “All I know is that the queen took your throne, why didn’t you ever go back?”

  He shook his head. “Oh no, we’re not discussing that either tonight. Not the time nor the place.”

  She leaned back and wondered where they were going. They sat in silence the rest of the time, until they pulled up to the town home. Orion helped her out of the truck and then led her inside. They both slipped their shoes off and walked into the living room. Her phone rang and she sighed. “It’s my mom, I just have to let her know I’m safe. It might take a few minutes, she likes to talk.” She gave him a smile and he nodded.

  “I’ll give you some privacy. I’ll be upstairs when you’re done.”

  She nodded and answered her phone.

  Danielle found Orion standing on his balcony, his bare back to her as he leaned against the railing and looked out over the landscape. The muscles in his back tensed as he scrubbed his face with his hands. She was starting to learn that this was his sign of distress. She slid the glass door open and stepped out on the balcony. The cold stone against her feet caused a shiver to crawl over her body.

  "What are you thinking about?" She ran a hand over his smooth back.

  He snorted. "Work, Tegan, you, a little bit of everything." With a sigh he turned to her. "I'm sorry, this was supposed to be a good night."

  "Oh yes, but I'm pretty sure dinner with my parents was a foreshadowing of how bad it was going to be." He was always thinking about working for Lucius, she couldn't stand it. Charged to watch over her, Orion had failed when she disappeared. Danielle compared it to failing a hunt and she wanted to take that away from him. She cradled his face and kissed him. Just a quick peck on the lips.

  He laughed and shook his head. "You just had to tell them I was a stripper. You couldn't have said just military? Or added secret agent?"

  "I thought they'd get a kick out of it. Besides, I was trying to lighten the mood." She tucked her fingers into his waistband and pulled him back towards the doors. The warm air wrapped around them as the wind whipped by. She gave him her best come hither smile and a grin spread over his face.

  "You always have a way of making me feel better." He followed her and then pushed her up agains
t the glass doors, capturing her lips. She parted them and gave his searching tongue the opening it needed. While they kissed Orion's hands slipped under her shirt, his fingertips brushing over her skin and sending chills marching up her back.

  The tingling sensation stayed even after his hands stopped moving and he broke the kiss. She looked up into his violet eyes and saw them starting to swirl. Cupping a hand to his cheek, she studied the new look in his eyes. "Your eyes are beautiful."

  He turned his face and kissed the palm of her hand. "Thank you. This is what they look like without glamour."

  She tried to imagine what else he could be hiding with glamour, but now was not the time to ask him about it, nor about how it worked. All she wanted was to enjoy his touch and this time with him. She had no idea how much longer their time together would last now that the demon was gone.

  She splayed her hands on his abs and let them travel up and over his smooth, chiseled chest. Lowering her mouth to him, she traced her tongue over every line of muscle she could reach and ended with a kiss on his lips. "Why don't we take this inside before your roommates come home? I'd hate for them to see this go further on the balcony."

  His laughter rumbled in his chest and vibrated against her hands. "Probably a good idea. I'd hate to upset Renee." He reached behind her and slid the door open. They stepped through and she pushed him up against the wall to the side of the door.

  Tucking her fingers into the front of his jeans she undid the button with a twist of her fingers. With slow movements she undid the zipper and never took her eyes away from his. As his pants fell to the ground her body filled with excitement.

  He ran his fingers through her long blonde hair, pushing it away from her face. Cupping the back of her head, he pulled her close for a kiss. She’d expected demanding, but this soft, gentle meeting of lips called to something in her. Her muscles clenched as his tongue explored her mouth and the moisture grew between her legs as his hands snaked up her shirt and cupped her breasts. Her breath caught when his thumbs brushed over her nipples through the bra. A chill shot through her and her heart pounded as her breathing sped up. He flipped them so she was pressed against the wall and she gave him wide eyes.

  He kissed her neck and then nibbled on her ear. "Magic. It's part of being with a Fae. I kept it reined in last time." His breath was hot against her skin. The pounding in her chest almost became unbearable.

  She arched to his touch as he ran his thumbs over her aching breasts again. He removed her black t-shirt to reveal the matching black bra that she wore. Trailing his hands over her flat stomach, he hooked a finger on each side of her pants and tugged.

  "Off."

  One word, but it shot through her and she obliged. She unhooked the button of the slacks and then slipped them over her hips. Stepping out of the fabric pooled at her feet, she kicked the pants to the side so they were out of the way. Orion settled his hands on her hips and smiled down at her. "Black thong, black bra, you like to match, don't you?" He asked before slipping the string sides of the thong over her hips, letting it fall to the floor.

  "I'm a Hunter, most of my clothes are black. It's convenient." Danielle couldn't stop the small laugh that bubbled out of her throat. "I'm glad you like it."

  He reached behind her and took the bra off. A feral growl left his throat as he stepped back and his swirling eyes roamed over her naked body. She knew that he saw the scars from the attack that landed her in the Hunting Academy, but his gaze didn't hesitate at those or the scars from her fights. Not like other lovers had. Something inside her said that he understood. If his glamour faded would he have scars?

  He pinned both her wrists against the wall and gave her a hungry kiss. His tongue swirled with hers. She leaned up into his kiss and didn't fight against his grip. He stepped back again and quickly removed his boxers, letting his cock spring free. She glanced down at his long, thick, member and then wrapped her hand around it. His head leaned back and he shuddered at her touch as she moved her hand down the length of him. When her hand moved over the head he moaned.

  She pulled her hand back and moved to the bed, making sure her hips swayed as she did. He followed her. He stopped her with a hand on the curve of her hip. Danielle looked over her shoulder, ready to protest being stopped, when she saw the hungry look in his eyes. He cupped her sex, laying a finger on her clitoris and stroking it gently.

  She moaned and wiggled against his hand. His fingers slipped between her wet folds and moved in and out of her core. Her muscles clenched around his fingers, wanting to draw them in further and increase her pleasure. He removed his hand from her, leaving a cold feeling in its wake. Placing a hand on her back, he forced her to arch her body.

  He pistoned his hips and with a swift thrust entered her with ease. She cried out in pleasure as her body stretched and pulsed around him. The head of his cock stroked just the right spot and sent a wave of ecstasy through her. The tingle of magic mixed with the pleasure again, causing her to clench the blanket in her fists. He moaned as he molded his body against hers and buried himself to the hilt in her. She pushed her ass up against him as her core contracted to bring him further in.

  The feeling of pressure mixed with the pleasure tightening her stomach as she flexed her hands, going from open to fists while she tried to hold off the orgasm. Orion's body tensed and slowed behind her, his hands digging into her hips as he gave another deep thrust. The bliss exploded over her, and he held tight to her as her body bucked against the bed. The biting of his nails into her skin only pushed her further over the edge. Her vision faded with the orgasm and she felt his hot seed shoot deep in her as he gave a final thrust.

  He kissed the back of her neck before she collapsed to the bed and then rolled over to look at him. He lay next to her and then rolled her to her side so he could hold her. Laying gentle lips on the crook of her neck again he snuggled against her. "Thank you." The words were just a whisper, but she heard them and it melted her heart.

  After tonight, she knew that she was in trouble. Being with a supernatural creature broke almost every code of being a Hunter, especially when that creature worked for a vampire. She closed her eyes and snuggled into him. "No, thank you."

  She didn't care. Her heart ached at the thought of walking away from him. After everything they'd been through this past week, she couldn't begin to think of going back to life without the Fae. Without her Orion. Yeah, she was fucked.

  Lucius tried not to panic when he felt Tegan for a brief moment and then she was gone again, ripped from the world. Panic, so much panic had started to penetrate his mind. He couldn't go to her because she had appeared in the Circle's territory and it was just a faint trace of her. He hadn't even been sure he felt her, not until he felt all of her panic and pain. They'd used her. Fed from her. He snarled and threw one of the bookshelves down, the cracking wood and flying books doing nothing to ease what he felt. He swore he was on fire inside and his anger only fed it.

  "You felt her then."

  Lucius turned around and flung his power out to greet Kaden. He pinned the demon to the wall. "What are you doing here?"

  "I came to tell you that the Blood Demon is dead." Kaden's voice strained around the invisible power pinning him to the wall. Lucius used the power to throw him across the room. It fed something inside him to see the demon suffer.

  "Did you kill it?" He let his power go, trying to regain control, but only one person could rein it in. Tegan. He needed his human.

  Kaden wisely stayed where he landed. "No, Orion was the one who beheaded it. I trapped it. Dani was there as well, but Hunters are useless against us."

  "Us, not often that you claim you are related to anything that crawls out of the hell realm."

  Kaden cleared his throat. "Orion reminded me of something today. That I am not only a demon, I am one of your best mercenaries since I don't actually belong to your territory."

  "Meaning what?" Lucius threw himself into his throne and put a hand to his head. "I am not in the mood
to play games, Kaden. Just say what you mean or I'm going to make you bleed." Demon blood sounded good at this point. Jaxon hadn't let him get near Kass since she'd been hurt. Damn panther was over protective. Coran's blood was getting boring and apparently Renee was out of the question, but Kaden... Lucius licked his lips at the thought of tearing the demon's throat out just for a few drops of blood.

  "Meaning that I can go in and get Tegan." Kaden crossed his arms. "I can get in and out without them noticing if I time it right."

  Lucius paused. "Are you sure you can do it without putting her in more danger?"

  The demon hesitated and Lucius knew the answer. "I can't promise it, but if there is a chance—"

  "No. They will screw up again and we'll get her."

  "Again?" Kaden growled. "Lucius, what aren't you telling me?"

  Lucius ran an angry hand through his hair. "I felt her, it was quick and in the Circle's territory. We have problems enough, I couldn't go get her, but it's just a matter of time before they bring her back again. They can't depend on the demons forever."

  "You didn't go to her when she came back to this realm?" Kaden's anger sounded through his clipped words. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

  "The Circle would take me as soon as I invaded the territory and that would not help Tegan's case. Do not pretend like you understand what is going on."

  "This hurts me too—"

  "Get out of my sight, demon. I do not want to see or hear from you until she is returned to me. You want to risk your life and cause her more pain, then by all means, waltz into the demon realm and find her."

  Lucius turned away from Kaden and rubbed his head. Kaden would get Tegan hurt worse. Clearly, the demons were keeping her for a reason. Over and over he tried to think of a reason, tried to figure out why they were causing his human pain. The pain and her absence drove him ever closer to insanity.

  "Lucius?" Coran's voice replaced Kaden's.

  "What?" He snapped, spinning around to face the wolf.

  Coran swallowed and pushed a scared Renee behind him. Her eyes were puffy from crying and her hands were shaking. Something had happened. Something bad.