by Raven Steele
In that moment, my soul wept for her.
It was a rare feeling; humans died all the time. Some even violently by mine own hand. But this woman… I saw myself in her. I used to be a shadow of a woman, barely able to speak without fear of being beaten by my husband. I was lost, alone, afraid, and my daily life was filled with pain and agony. I had no other family, no other obligation. And, also like her, I had the same determination to end my own life.
But Korin had found me just in time and had offered me a new life. He only had to ask once. “Say the word, and I will make you a ruler over man, untouchable and powerful. Never again will you ever have to suffer by a human’s hands.”
And in that moment at the lake, watching Faithe, I realized I could offer her the same thing. It tugged on my heart, a yearning so strong I couldn’t ignore it. It only took me a second to decide to give this pitiful creature the choice he’d given me.
I had never considered turning a human, but then again, I had never met someone who reminded me so much of myself.
And like me, she didn’t need to be asked twice. She accepted easily with a plea. “Please. I can’t hurt anymore.”
Her simple words seared my heart and ignited something foreign within me. A deep love I had never felt for anyone, different from even Mateo. More possessive, almost maternal. And so, that night, with the stars as my only witness, I made a vow to protect her. No matter what happened, she would never suffer again.
But now, the very woman I had vowed to protect, was walking through the door to the warehouse. She was still slender and stoic, the perfect picture of beauty and grace. Her long, wavy white hair, partially pulled up, was as striking as her light pink eyes and ghostly pale skin.
She came forward, staring with her eerie eyes only at Korin. She stopped next to him and slid her hand up his arm. “You called, Master?”
He lowered his gaze to her. “Yes, pet. I want you to see whom I found.”
She slowly turned to me. There was no startled reaction, no change in her expression giving away how she felt about seeing her maker after all these years.
“Faithe,” I moaned, unable to keep the desperation from my voice. A thought flashed through my mind, one I regretted but felt all the same. It would have been better to have let her die that day in the lake, than for her to live at Korin’s side. Shame and rage flooded me. I hadn’t kept my promise. Korin was preying on her, as he had done with so many others, myself included.
I bit my tongue, forcing my emotions in check, and straightened my shoulders. I could not let Korin see how her presence affected me. I held my hand out to her, clearing my throat. “Hello, Faithe.”
She let go of Korin and came toward me, stopping just in front of me. She slowly looked up at me and linked her hand through mine.
“What are you doing here?” I had to ask it.
She gave me a cold smile. “Sweet Samira. Always trying to do the right thing.”
“And yet, you are with him again.” I couldn’t contain the horror I felt inside.
“You abandoned me. I was all alone.” Her words held bite, her eyes, angry.
“I put you in a place where you could be safe!”
She bared her fangs and hissed in my face, spittle wetting my cheek. “You left me to die. You didn’t care for me. You wanted to live your life, free from a burden like me.”
“No, I didn’t.” I held her shoulders, needing her to understand. “Listen to me—”
She gripped my chin, her long nails cutting into my flesh. “You listen to me. You are like all the others, Mother. And because of that, you are dead to me. Korin found me when you left. He has never abandoned me, like you. He has taken care of me more than any other person.”
She shoved me away, and Korin held his hand out to her. She didn’t hesitate to accept it or recoil when he pulled her to him. He kissed her, long and deep, his tongue flicking at her lips. Seeing him taste her, making a spectacle out of her, made blood come up my throat. I barely managed to stop it before it spewed past my lips.
I wanted to crumple to the floor, to beg her for forgiveness. I thought if I left her with the Madabbe Tribe, she would be safe from the constant running I’d done at the beginning or from the evil that I’d eventually become. I thought if I left her, Korin would forget about her. I had checked up on her at first, but in the last couple of centuries had been afraid to. I’d sensed Korin’s watchful eye and never wanted to lead him to her.
But I had underestimated Korin. By leaving her, it only left her vulnerable to him. It was a stupid decision and, seeing how he had turned her against me, one I would probably regret for the rest of my life.
I had half a mind to grab her, throw her over my shoulder and run away with her. Take her to the safest place I could find and live forever keeping her protected. But I had to keep my emotions in check, keep a cool head, otherwise we would all die this day.
Korin separated from her. “Ah, they’re here.”
I drew my brows together, as did Briar and Lynx. Korin looked over our shoulders just as Mateo, Angel and the rest of the Sangre Nocturnas filed into the warehouse. My blood chilled. What were they doing here?
Briar made a muted breathing noise, and Lynx grabbed Briar’s arm, squeezing it tightly.
I stared at the Nocturnas in shock, willing Mateo to look at me, to give me some kind of explanation. But he wouldn’t look at me. Briar was making all sorts of sounds beneath her closed jaw. Angel’s jaw was clenched as tightly as the muscles on his body at the sight of her, and yet, he did nothing. I looked again, closer this time. From Angel, to Mateo, and the way Mateo’s dark gaze was lit with fire, and that’s when I knew.
I couldn’t believe I didn’t recognize it as soon as Korin had compelled Briar to be quiet. Korin had always had the power to compel his own children, but never outside of that.
But now… No, no, this was not possible.
They were all compelled. He could compel Briar, who was a Komira, for heaven’s sake. Angel was also compelled, who was not one of Korin’s children. Were all of the Nocturnas compelled?
A twisted feeling in my gut told me they were. I stared at Korin in dread, wondering how he’d gained so much powerful magic.
“I meant what I said earlier.” Korin approached me and towered tall over my smaller frame, but I didn’t flinch. The back of his knuckles brushed over my stomach and moved up over my breast and to my throat, where his fingers played with my flesh, teasing the space just above my artery. “I’ve missed you.”
He lowered his mouth to my throat, and his lips hovered over that fragile vein. Disgust rolled through me. In one bite, he could rip open my throat. I couldn’t fight him. I wasn’t strong enough. Not when I was so emotionally disarmed.
“Come back to us.” Korin struck forward, his lips lapping my neck in a sloppy kiss, and his eyeteeth grazed my flesh. I glanced at Mateo, shame marking my face. Korin was playing with me now, showing me how he could touch me, come so close to killing me. But he kept me alive for now.
Briar growled, low and loud, breaking the moment. Korin leaned back and turned his attention to her. “You are a feisty creature for a shifter. Are you something more?”
“What are you planning?” I said, trying to bring his attention back to me. Briar had no idea who she was dealing with.
Korin ignored me and touched Briar on the forehead with his thumb. Her wide eyes vibrated with rage. His thumb dragged down her face, grazing over the skin on her cheek. Then he pierced her with his nail and brought her blood to his mouth, tasting it. His silver eyes lit up as bright as a full moon. “An Alpha stands before me! And something else. What is that?”
He looked back at Mateo. “What is she?”
“Alpha of the Silver Claws,” Mateo said, his expression flat.
“She’s something more.”
I closed my eyes, hoping he didn’t demand Mateo tell him more. Mateo would have no choice but to tell the truth.
“Play with her, Master,” Faithe s
aid. “She needs to learn respect.” She looked up at Korin with eager eyes, hopeful for his approval.
Korin looked from Faithe to Briar. “You’re right, pet. I’m new in town, so it’s best I set expectations now.”
Briar growled again. I wish she’d learn to shut up.
Lynx moved as if to step forward, but I shook my head, a desperate warning. Anguish filled me as I realized Korin could do whatever he wanted to them, and I would be powerless to stop it, not while Faithe was within his grasp. Whatever Korin did, Briar could handle it, but Lynx … she didn’t have the ability to heal like we did.
“You don’t have to do this, Korin,” I said. “Any issues you have are with me.”
“That’s true, but this Alpha could cause problems for me later. Especially since the Silver Claws are no longer working with us, a fact I’m still not happy about.” He looked back at Faithe. “Give me your hair pin, will you?”
She complied and removed it from her snow-colored hair.
He took it from her open palm. “Thank you, pet.”
Facing Briar, he held up the long pin and stared into her eyes. She tried to avoid the heavy gaze, but she was up against something she’d never faced before.
“Take this from me,” he ordered Briar.
Her hand shot forward, and she gripped it between her thumb and forefinger.
“Master,” Angel said, his voice deep and gravely, as if even speaking the words took great effort.
“Silence!” Korin commanded.
Silence became a living thing as it twisted and knotted around everyone in the room. My mind raced. What could I do? If I attacked him, he would order Mateo’s coven to kill me. Probably Briar, too. And Lynx.
Korin leaned toward Briar and whispered, his words razorblades. “Shove it in your ear and pop your eardrum.”
Chapter 6
Try as she might, Briar couldn’t stop her hand from turning the hairpin toward her ear. I could see her Komira powers try to surface, her eyes flickering a deep yellow, but Korin’s compulsion was too strong. Her eyes faded back to their soft brown color. As long as I’d known him, his gift of compulsion had not been this strong. Something had changed. He’d grown significantly more powerful.
“Stop, please,” I begged. “This isn’t necessary.”
The pin drew closer. Angel made a slight strangling noise, and I stepped forward to cover it up. “Master, please…”
The words soured on my tongue. In only a few minutes of seeing Korin again, I was already cowering.
“Faster,” he ordered Briar.
“Yes,” Faithe hissed, “teach her a lesson.”
In one quick motion, Briar’s hand struck forward into her ear. Red flushed her face and she squeezed her eyes, tears slipping through them. She moaned loud and long through her closed mouth. The smell of her blood perfumed the air.
“Now do it to your other ear.”
“Stop!” I tried again, hitching a breath. I could see Lynx mumbling under her breath, the beginning of a spell that would only get her hurt, if not killed. “I’ll return to the coven, Korin. We’ll start anew.”
“Hold,” he said to Briar and slowly turned to me. He grabbed my face, grinning, then softly patted my cheek. “That’s my girl. We’ve returned to Winter’s Cove. I expect you to stop by tomorrow night to reintroduce yourself to the newer members of the coven.”
“Winter’s Cove was destroyed in a fire hundreds of years ago.” I’d been the one to set match to the flame.
“You know how sentimental I can be. It has been fully rebuilt to the exact specifications as before.” He gave me a sly grin. “I ensured your favorite room was decorated just how you like it, in case you decided to return for good.”
I knew then he never really intended to leave me alone. He’d planned this all along.
“I expect you to fully integrate yourself into the coven. You are to be present when I entertain and to make yourself available when I need you.”
I had no intention of doing that, but I nodded, playing the role, for now.
Satisfied, he looked back at Faithe. “Ready?”
“Always.” She sucked up to him again, linking her arm through his. She turned to me and for a brief heartbeat I saw the old Faithe lingering in her eyes. The young woman who collected caterpillars just to watch them bloom into butterflies. The woman who spent years learning to play the piano as well as the greatest pianists in the world. Faithe was a fighter, not this submissive shell of a woman in front of me. Korin must’ve compelled her like he had the others.
“See you soon.” She smiled before she turned away, following alongside Korin. Before he left, he released the hold he had on Mateo and the others.
Briar fell to her knees, grimacing and cupping her ear. “Son of a bitch, that hurt.”
Angel was there in an instant, as was Lynx. I stared down at them, horrified. I couldn’t help feeling this was somehow my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten so close to them. Just like Faithe, Korin would use them against me. I resisted the desire to run away; it was too late for that.
“Samira,” Mateo said and rested a gentle hand on my arm. His glossy amber eyes were like hot embers, ready to explode into raging flames.
I averted my eyes, unable to look at him right now. Too many emotions too close to the surface. I didn’t know how to process them all and feared if I did, it would feed the Kiss. “When did you know about Korin?”
He shook his head in frustration.
“Answer me!” My voice was louder than I intended.
“He can’t,” Lynx said and stood. “None of them can. I can sense old magic. Korin’s compulsion.”
I looked back at Mateo, wondering what information he could share. “Is it safe to say you’ve been ordered to not say anything about Korin?”
He nodded, his jaw clenched tight. “I am bound to him.”
“I’m so sorry, Briar,” Angel was saying, smoothing back her hair. His whole body was rigid, his jaw clenched. He looked like he wanted to rip everything around us to shreds. “I couldn’t stop him.”
Briar looked up at me. “So he’s your maker? How are you semi-normal?”
I was staring right through her, my mind reeling. “This changes everything.”
“Can we please go?” Lynx rubbed at her arms. Most of Mateo’s men had already exited, but a few remained behind, standing as guards.
Angel helped Briar to her feet. “I’ll take you home.”
“It’s okay. I came with Samira.” She still held her ear, unable to look at him. A small trickle of blood ran down her neck. “And Luke is waiting for me at the house. We have pack business tonight.”
Angel’s expression darkened, and he stepped back.
“Lynx,” I said, an idea coming to me. “Do you think there’s a spell that might break Korin’s compulsion?”
She glanced behind her toward the door, looking like she wanted to bolt but trying very hard to stay with us. What Korin had done was horrifying, but I sensed something else going on with Lynx. Her heart was pounding so hard it was hard to filter out the noise.
“There could be,” she answered as she began to back up toward the open bay door. “I’ll look the first chance I get.”
I followed after her, Mateo by my side closer than he’d ever been before. Angel didn’t give us a second look as he walked around the corner of the building. A few seconds later, I heard his motorcycle fire up.
“Why does he seem so upset?” I asked, eyeing Briar.
“I don’t know. I don’t have him figured out yet.” She watched where he’d disappeared almost as if she was waiting for him to return, then sighed. Turning to us, a look of resignation on her face, she tapped on her ear. “Sucker still hurts. I think it’s healing, though.”
“You know Angel better than you think you do,” Mateo said to her.
She wrinkled her nose. “What’s that supposed to mean? You’re the one who knows him best. He never explains anything to me.”
Mateo
studied her. “He has told me nothing as well. But I have never seen Angel take such care of a woman in at least four hundred years, or longer.” He turned to me, dismissing her. “I will walk you to your car. We must go now.”
Mateo followed us to my vehicle. He was still seething. Though he tried to conceal it, I could feel his rage just under the surface.
There were bigger things for me to worry about. “Tell me, Mateo. Who is the silver-eyed vampire? I saw him before with Silas.”
His expression hardened. “He is a parasite. Korin has forced him upon me, yet he doesn’t have to follow any of my commands. He comes and goes as he pleases, and he won’t even give me his name. I think Korin sent him to watch me.”
“We need to find out more about him.”
“I’ve tried,” he scowled. “There’s nothing.”
I pursed my lips together. I didn’t like unknown variables.
“I need to speak with you alone, Samira,” Mateo said, his pleading voice a vice on my most fragile organ.
“I’m going home.” I opened the driver’s side door just as Lynx scurried into the back.
“Then I will meet you there.”
I met his eyes and could see a thousand things in that gaze. Moonlit walks through the gardens of Paris, our many nights of being pursued by vampire hunters and having to sleep in some unusual places, one of them included sharing the coffin of a recently deceased human. Sharing blood in the most intimate ways possible. Those nights were full of unbridled passion, drinking freely from humans, indulging our every whim.
It was freedom I had not allowed myself in centuries, nor would I again, now that I’d found a better way to live. One that brought peace instead of chaos. I may have lost some things in the process, but I no longer hated myself for my actions.
I glanced away, shoving the memories aside. “That’s not a good idea.”
“I’m coming anyway.”
Briar was on the other side of the car removing her bloody shirt. “I don’t want to mess up your car with Hyde blood.”
