The Witch Queen

by Juliana Haygert

  I ignored the pile of dust on the floor, and using the little magic I had left, I pulled the door up and against the doorjamb. I would tell Morda its enchantment was gone later—or hopefully she would notice it without me uttering a word.

  A long sigh escaped my lips.

  Now that that was done, I went outside to find Keeran.

  He saw me coming toward the servants’ house and appeared from behind a tree. “What happened?”

  “Come,” I said without stopping. “I’ll tell you on the way.”

  “On the way where?”

  “To the cottage.”

  16

  Drake

  The pull inside me grew stronger with each step I took.

  Lately, I had been feeling the pull, the tug that I thought was for Thea, more often, stronger, as if it was letting me know something was wrong. As much as I wanted to spend every moment with her, I tried ignoring this feeling. I couldn’t simply slip out of the castle whenever I wanted. I was sure that besides Luana, who still played the spy, Alex had put more guards and other vampires to keep an eye on me.

  But I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I didn’t want to.

  I missed Thea. I needed to see her.

  I sensed her presence and smelled her sweet scent before the cottage appeared in the distance. But she wasn’t alone.

  I swallowed a growl the moment I saw her servant pacing the porch beside her. It wasn’t her fault that he was pushed on to her, but I hated the fact that they were bonded.

  “What if he doesn’t come?” her servant asked her.

  “I wasn’t able to send him any notes,” she said, her voice soft, worried. “I don’t think he’ll come.”

  “Then what are we doing here?”

  “Getting away from the mess inside the castle.”

  “What if Princess Morda comes after you and doesn’t find you there?”

  “Can you stop with the three hundred questions? It’s making me nuts. And that pacing is making me dizzy.”

  A corner of my lips curled up. At least she didn’t take crap from him. Good girl.

  Keeran halted a few steps from her. “We should go back before the witches notice you’re gone and report it to Princess Morda.”

  A knot appeared between Thea’s brows and she opened her mouth, ready to probably tell him to go to hell, but then she saw me approaching the cottage. “Drake,” she whispered, her eyes going wide. “How … how did you know I was here?”

  “I felt it,” I said. I glanced at her servant.

  He lowered his gaze. “I’ll go for a walk,” he muttered before stepping down the porch steps and disappearing into the woods.

  Thea flung herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I missed you.”

  I wound my arms around her waist and kept her pressed to me. “I missed you, too.”

  Keeping her close to me, I lifted her off the ground and carried her inside the cottage. I closed my eyes, focusing on her scent, on the increased thump of her heart, on the strength of her hold on me. Home. That was how it felt to be with her like this. It didn’t matter where we were, where we lived. When she held me like this, I was home.

  “I love you,” I whispered in her ear.

  She pulled back enough to look into my eyes. “What happened?”

  “Why? Can’t I say that I love you anymore?”

  A small smile appeared in her lips. “Of course you can. You should. But you usually don’t say it that freely.”

  It wasn’t as if we had had many moments together to know for sure, but she was right.

  I sat down on the couch with her on my lap. Still holding her tight, I told her. “Thomas’s ghost came to me last night.”

  “What? Thomas is a ghost?”

  I told her he had been trying to contact me since he died, and that he was spying on Alex for me, but I didn’t tell her why he hadn’t left this world yet. I couldn’t.

  “I have something to tell you too,” Thea said, her voice thin. I listened in silence as she told me about the Blackmarsh coven attack earlier, and about how she felt she needed to protect the coven’s heart. “I touched it and it was like it exploded.” Her wide eyes seemed as surprised as her voice. I was surprised too, especially as she went on and told me about pairing with Princess Morda to fight the Queen of the Blackmarsh coven. “Queen Sarah ran.”

  “And her witches?”

  “Followed her.”

  I frowned. “The only explanation I see for all this is that you are meant to be the Queen of the Silverblood coven.”

  She shook her head. “No, it can’t be. I can’t be. If for some twisted joke of the universe I am the Queen, then it means I’ll have to face Morda, and she’ll come after me with everything she has. She will fight me to prove she’s stronger. I really don’t want that.” She swallowed hard. “And I also don’t want the responsibility of leading an entire coven.”

  “I don’t like the idea of leading my own coven, but that’s what I’ll do once we defeat Alex,” I told her. “It’s what has to be done.”

  She cupped my face. “But you’ll be a great leader.”

  “Who says you wouldn’t be?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m not the Queen. The Witch Queen is detected once she’s born. I wasn’t. I am not. Can we change subjects now?”

  So darn sexy when she was annoyed.

  “If you insist. I met with Luana’s pack.”

  Her entire body tensed. “And?”

  “They agreed to help us.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Just like that,” I lied. She didn’t need to worry about the details. “They will be ready to attack. I need to let them know when.”

  “How many are they?”

  “I don’t know the exact numbers, but there were fifty at the meeting to secure the alpha, so I’m guessing a lot.”

  “Without knowing the exact numbers, we might be going into a lost battle.” She chewed her bottom lip. “We might need more allies.”

  “What about Morda?”

  She humphed. “Now that the Blackmarsh coven attacked, she’s talking about retaliating. She even mentioned attacking other witch covens. I’m not sure she’ll be open to attack a vampire coven.”

  “You have to try, though, and let me know soon. You know werewolves are volatile and get angry easily. They will soon tire of waiting and back out of our deal.”

  “I know, I know.” She rolled her shoulders. “Can we stop talking about deals and attacks and war for a minute?”

  I smiled. “And what do you want to talk about?”

  Thea arched an eyebrow. “How about if we don’t talk?”

  Oh, I liked that.

  Surprising me, she hopped from my lap and knelt before me. “Thea?” I reach for her.

  She pointed her index finger at me and magic surrounded me. My arms were pushed open and away, like they were kept to the sides by invisible cuffs. “Just … enjoy.”

  Slowly, she undid the buttons and zipper from my pants, and I took a sharp inhale. She pulled my pants down and leaned over me. I growled as she closed her mouth around me and sucked hard.

  “Hell,” I whispered, fighting against the magic holding me in place. I wanted to touch her. I wanted to entwine my fingers in her hair. I wanted to guide her, but oh hell, she didn’t need any guidance. She knew exactly what she was doing.

  She was driving me crazy.

  Crazy for her.

  She grazed her teeth over me, she licked, she sucked. Thea clasped her hands on my hips and dipped into me hard, taking me deep. Hell, heat surged in my chest and rushed down my limbs.

  I hadn’t had much experience as a human, but I remembered how different sex had been once I had become a vampire. As a vampire, sex was more, much more. Vampires felt more, could endure more, could last longer.

  And yet, for some reason, it was even better with Thea. Because of the way she made me feel, because of all the heat and ecstasy she brought out of me, I couldn’t hold for as long
as I wanted it.

  I jerked against her magical chains again, wanting to reach for her and carry her to the bed where I could finally be inside her.

  I gasped when she bit down on me, then pulled back. “Stop fighting the magic,” she whispered.

  Slowly, Thea stood, and with her eyes locked on mine, she slipped off her clothes. Hell, she was perfect. With her plump breasts, thin waist, round hips, long legs, her fair, smooth skin, and her golden hair falling around her shoulders like a blanket, she was perfect.

  What did I do to deserve a woman like her?

  Still holding me with her magic, Thea straddle me.

  “Oh, hell,” I groaned when she adjusted herself, pressing her pelvis against mine. All the while, she stared into my eyes, making me crazy with the lust I saw in those beautiful gray pools.

  She leaned into me and brushed her lips on mine. So soft, so warm. Beyond myself, my eyes fluttered closed and I moaned. Finally, the magic was gone from my arms, and I clasped her nape, holding her close. I crashed my mouth against hers, claiming her every breath. I moved my lips in a sensual, almost frantic rhythm, and I provoked her by brushing my tongue on hers. She moaned.

  I snaked a hand to the small of her back and pressed her to me, gluing her breasts on my chest. Here. Right here. That was where she belonged.

  Thea rolled her hips, increasing the friction between us. I broke the kiss and drew in a sharp breath.

  Taking advantage of that pause, Thea started unbuttoning my shirt. I helped her with it, and then eager to touch her again, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to me again. Thea pulled back, and with a smile, she did it again. Her magic wrapped around my wrists and held my arms back.

  I growled, but she only smiled wider.

  Freaking stunning.

  She skimmed her fingers over my chest and abdomen, contouring every muscle on the way. I shivered when her touch went low.

  I leaned into her and kissed her neck. I grazed my tongue on her skin, making her shiver.

  “Bite me,” she whispered.

  I stilled. Slowly, I pulled back to look at her. “Are you sure?”

  Thea nodded. “I’m sure.” She grasped my shoulders, lifted herself a little. With a naughty grin, she lowered herself over me, taking me inside her. I groaned with the sudden pressure and heat rushing through me. She leaned into me, bringing her neck closer to my mouth. “Bite me.”

  “My pleasure.” My fangs flashed, and I bit into her neck.

  Thea moaned and moved over me. Up and down, up and down, taking me deeper with each stroke, while her sweet, sweet blood flowed into my mouth, filling me, rushing through me, like pure energy. It was as if I had been plugged to an outlet, and I suddenly had the power to do keep going, to do anything.

  That was what she was to me. She was my energy, my life saver, my batteries. Without her, I would stop. Without her, I didn’t function. Without her, I was dead. Just a dead vampire.

  But with her … with her, I could be more. With her, I could strive to be more, to be better, to pretend my heart still beat inside me. I could fight, or at least try to.

  Moaning, Thea threw her head back. The magic around my wrists faded, and I wrapped my arms around her, wishing I could touch her every second of every day. Forever.

  Knowing I had already taken too much, I retracted my fangs and licked Thea’s neck to speed up the healing. But she didn’t stop moving, she still rode me, up and down, up and down … it was a sweet torture I was happy to suffer through.

  So freaking delicious.

  But I wanted more, much more.

  I held her tight and stood from the couch.

  “Hey!” she protested, holding tight to my shoulders.

  I carried her to the bed, where I lowered us, without disentangling our bodies. I pulled back enough to look at her, to see her hair fanned out around her, her beautiful face, her brilliant gray eyes, and the wide smile that was just for me.

  She wriggled under me. “Move or I will.”

  I chuckled. “Your wish is my command.”

  I thrust into her, burying myself in her. I moved in a slow, but deep rhythm, and Thea moaned, throwing her head back and wrapping her legs around my waist. I loved to feel her like this—under me, arching her back for me, moaning and squirming for me.

  I took her mouth with mine, wishing she could melt into me. Together forever. I moved slowly at first, but she was too good. The way her fingers dug in my shoulders, urging me closer, was all it took to make me lose it. I thrust into her faster, deeper, harder. It didn’t take long for my ecstasy to build up, but I tried to hold it, enjoying this too much to stop now.

  But then Thea slid her hands to my hips, pulling me closer, as if that were possible. “Please,” she whispered, a second before breaking into little tremors as her climax exploded.

  It was all it took for me to lose it. I thrust one last time and stilled inside her. The wave of ecstasy washed through me, and my body started trembling.

  Thea wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me to her. I buried my face on the crook of her neck, inhaling her sweet, addicting scent.

  “I love you,” she whispered in my ear.

  If my dead heart could beat … I dug my elbow on the mattress and propped my head on my hand, so I could look into her eyes. “I love you more.”

  17

  Thea

  Drake pressed his lips to my forehead. “I’ll see you soon.”

  I balled my fist into his shirt, holding him close. “Please, be careful.”

  “You too.” He rested his forehead on mine. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” I whispered.

  He brushed his lips on mine, dragging a sigh from deep into my chest. I melted into him for a moment, a moment that ended too fast as he pulled back and zipped away with his vampire speed.

  I stepped off the porch and glanced around. “Keeran?”

  He walked out from behind a tree on the other side of the cottage. “I’m here.”

  “What were you doing?”

  “Just walking around the perimeter of the woods around the cottage, making sure no one had followed us.”

  “Thank you. For that and for coming with me.”

  He shrugged. “Not that I have a lot of choice with the bond.”

  I shook my head. “We’ll find a way of breaking it, I promise.”

  Keeran didn’t look convinced. In silence, we both turned away from the cottage and walked back to the coven.

  The chaos continued around the mansion. There was no active battle going on, but there was still blood and a few bodies lingering. Witches were carting them away, probably to be burned behind the mansion, and cleaning the floors.

  A witch, who had been using her magic to push a body out, saw us approaching. She frowned and spat, “Where have you been?”

  Another witch heard it and turned to us too. “Did you run off?”

  “I bet she did,” another one said. “You were scared and ran off.”

  A fourth one cackled. “Oh, I would love to see Princess Morda perform the bloodbone ritual on you.”

  What had I ever done to these witches? It wasn’t as if I had been mean before. And I had saved them, twice now—by bringing the heart back and by fighting the queen of the Blackmarsh coven with Morda.

  Before I could figure out a good comeback, two witchguards appeared in front of me. “Princess Morda would like to see you.”

  My stomach dropped.

  The other witches whistled and laughed.

  “She’ll skin you alive,” one of them said.

  I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me tremble. Instead, I lifted my chin high and took deliberate, firm steps as I followed the witchguards to the main hall.

  The witchguards halted by the open door, but gestured for me to continue. When Keeran stepped after me, the witchguards placed their weapons in his way.

  “Just Thea,” one of them said.

  By all that was sacred, this couldn�
�t be good.

  I glanced over my shoulder and offered Keeran a small but reassuring smile. “It’s okay. Go to my bedroom and wait for me there.”

  His eyes sparkled with worry, but he bowed his head. “Yes, my lady.”

  I turned around before he left and stepped into the main hall. The moment I did, the witchguards closed the doors behind me.

  “There you are,” Morda said, gesturing for me to come closer.

  My insides turned over as I faced Morda and the several witches standing around her. Soraya, Adya, Polina, Vera, and a few others.

  I stopped a few feet from her and curtsied. “Did you call me, my Princess?”

  “I sent for you hours ago. Where were you?”

  “I …” My cheeks warmed and I hoped they believed the lie that was about to spout. “I went out with my servant, Keeran, to hm … celebrate our victory.”

  Morda’s smile was wide and fatal. “I like that. You helped win the battle and you’re working on your duty to this coven. If only all my witches were like you.”

  She had no idea.

  I ignored the hatred shooting from the stares of many of the witches inside the main hall. I wanted to shrug into myself and step behind them, but I kept my ground and posture. “How can I help, my Princess?”

  Morda nodded. “I had called a war meeting and wanted you to participate. After all, you saved us twice now.”

  That was a surprise. I bowed to her. “That would be my honor, my Princess.”

  All business, Morda turned to Soraya, allowing me to step back and into line with the other witches, and continued, “As I was saying, I think now is the time to attack the Blackmarsh and the Bluemoon covens and prove to them that we cannot be easily crushed.”

  “They might be waiting for retaliation, my Princess,” Polina said.

  “They might, but if we don’t act now, they will think we’re weak and come for us again,” Morda said. Her gaze settled on me, and I felt myself freezing all over. “Don’t you think, Thea?”