Decadence (Tree of Life Series Book 1)

by Nichole Austin

  “Listen up, everyone,” Rosalyn shouts. “We’re officially in the Wildlands. From now on, we’ll be in teams of two, with one team of three. I’ve split up the teams by strengths and weaknesses. No arguing.” She looks at me when she says the last line, and I know I’m going to hate who she puts me with. “The teams are as follows—Xavier and Alizon, Lawrence and Quinn, and Alaric, Scarlett, and me. Everyone else will be scouting in front of us. Everyone must keep an eye out. We’ll have watches at night and wards placed around our sleeping quarters.” She glares at me as she continues. “Lawrence, you’ll make sure that Quinn is safe from the moonlight because tonight we’ll stay in the Wildlands, and then continue on to Lapshire. We’ll stay there another night before continuing on with the mission. Let’s travel a bit farther today, and we’ll find a place to sleep for the night. Group up.” There’s more confidence in her voice. She’s finally sounding like a leader.

  Quinn’s and my hardened eyes meet as we stand, jaws locked in front of each other. “Just know I don’t want to work with you, Quinn, and I have no clue what we can do for each other,” I bite out harshly. “If I had a choice, I wouldn’t help you at all,” I snap.

  Looking me up and down, he crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m trying to like you, but you just keep doing things that make it hard. I originally felt bad about how things happened between you and Rosalyn, but I don’t anymore. I take enjoyment saying I hope you enjoyed the little time you had with my mate. She’s mine now, and I don’t want anything from you, Lawrence.” His tone is dry as if he’s done with me.

  My nostrils flare as I snarl back, “You may think you’ve won, but I can always get Rosalyn back. You guys will screw up at some point.”

  A sad, mocking look crosses his face. “How many people have to tell you it’s over before you believe it? Rosalyn even told you.” Quinn shakes his head. “I’ll help protect you, but I truly don’t care if you die. The only reason I’m doing this is for my mate, the woman I love. After this mission, Lawrence, if you make one wrong step, I will end you.”

  He walks ahead of me. If I could fillet his skin from his body, I’d do it right now.

  We travel farther, and it’s been hell walking beside Quinn. Everyone sighs with relief when we come across a pond that’s a perfect place to set up camp. We’re all exhausted. The faster I get the tent up, the faster we can take turns sleeping. I get started on setting up sleeping quarters, making sure one is thick enough that no moonlight can seep through. Rosalyn and I will have to weave multiple spells together to protect everyone in the group, one of which is to harden the material of the tent. My magic isn’t strong enough on its own. She’s been looking at me like I’m a piece of rotting meat, so I’m not looking forward to asking her for help.

  There’s heat next to me and a familiar hand brushes against my arm. “It wasn’t your fault that I almost got hurt, Lawrence. Rosalyn shouldn’t have blamed you.”

  Meeting Scarlett’s chocolate brown eyes, I see the sincerity. “If you would’ve died, Scarlett, it would’ve been my fault. She had every right to blame me for not moving fast enough. One more second and you wouldn’t be here.”

  She grabs my hand and leans up to whisper in my ear, “You’re so blinded by your love for Rosalyn that you’ll let her abuse you.” She lowers herself and clarifies, “I was going to kill that wolf to help you. It was my fault I was almost killed. You two need to stop this. I’m done.” Tears gleam in her eyes as she explains, “I feel like I’m loading you all down. Maybe it would be better if I’d have died. Then everyone would stop focusing on trying to keep me safe and instead focus on the goal and the enemy.”

  Grabbing her shoulders, I glare at her. “Don’t you dare take that attitude. You’ve come way too far to give up. We’re all coming through to the other side of this mission. I’ll give up my own life protecting you. You’ll be going home.”

  When she grabs her hair that’s barely long enough for two French braids, I realize just how much Andreya has broken this once-confident, young woman. Yes, Scarlett was going down the wrong path, and I didn’t help that, but now she’s just a husk of who she was. Seeing her like this is a travesty, and Andreya needs to pay for all she’s done and will do to us.

  A tear tracks down her cheek. “I don’t want to go back there. I’d rather die.”

  As her tear falls down her cheek, I immediately gather her in my arms and hold her while she cries. After she cries herself to sleep, I place her on a bed in one of the tents. Hopefully, she’s able to sleep through the night.

  When I make my way out of the tent, I search for Alaric. What I’m about to do is treason, but it’s worth it.

  He’s with Rosalyn, so I walk over. Her eyes get wide, and she puts her hand up. “Lawrence, I’m not in the mood right now.”

  At her words, a piece of my heart breaks off, but I respond, “I’m not here for you. I’m here to talk to Alaric.”

  Her eyes widen, and Alaric nods. “Are you okay to talk in front of her?”

  Putting my hands behind my back, I answer, “I’d rather talk alone. It’s private.”

  Rosalyn’s nails bite into the palm of her hands. “Are you kidding me?” she asks, outraged.

  Alaric grabs her hand and straightens her fingers out before she draws blood. He tells her softly, “Sweetheart, leave it be.” He leans down and kisses her forehead after they’re silent for a minute.

  We walk away from the tents a little before we stop. He turns toward me with a serious look. “In my kingdom, one of our powers is reading people’s intent. I know you need my help, which is why I allowed this conversation, but I won’t talk about anything else except what you need from me. Do you understand?”

  As much as it pains me not to discuss anything else, I nod. “What I’m about to ask you is treason in my kingdom. The punishment is death if anyone finds out I asked this of you.” He raises his eyebrow at me. “I’m asking you to help Scarlett gain amnesty. Andreya will kill her if she returns to Caldia. She’s barely the person she used to be after one torture session with Andreya. Our queen took her immortality when she tortured her, and one more session will leave her dead. Scarlett told me she’d rather die than go back there.”

  He gives me a perplexed look. “I know you love my mate. But now you’re asking me to help you save another woman? Are you sure you don’t love her instead?”

  I grit my teeth. “This is me being decent and caring about another Witch who I’ve cared for and watched grow up. No one deserves to be tortured to death. I’d give up my life for any decent person. It’s the vow I took when I became a guard. I helped raise Scarlett, and I’m close to her family. She’s like a daughter to me, and I don’t want her dying at the hands of an evil woman.”

  He nods. “I’ll grant her amnesty if she wants to stay, but it was granted long before you even asked. Now let’s get back before anything else happens. We’re down two people, and it’s almost dark. I don’t like it, especially since we had a Vampire attack last night, and we still need to put up that ward.”

  We head back and hear howls. It sounds distinctly like Steise, and Thomas. My heart races as we break out in a run. “Get that ward up,” Alaric yells. I sprint to the tents, and Rosalyn joins me. Everyone surrounds us as we say the incantation repeatedly until the red ward forms. It’s strong. No one can break through. We finish just as a pack of wolves and what appears to be four Vampires come into the clearing.

  Going to the tent where I put Scarlett, I look in but she’s not there. Running to the other tent, I look inside and find it empty, too.

  “Where’s Scarlett?”

  “Looking for something?” a voice outside the ward says. Glancing outside the ward, I see a boy holding Scarlett by her leather top and swinging her around like a rag doll. Scarlett is terrified. The second my eyes meet Rosalyn’s, we understand each other. We’re saving her. We head toward each other when Quinn’s voice cracks like a whip. “Wesley, let her go!”

  Chapter Thirty-One
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  Rosalyn

  Opening my arms wide, I glare at my intended mate. My powers flare, and I’m surprised he’s not curled on the ground in pain. “Who the hell is he, Quinn?”

  The young boy, chuckles and my glare moves toward him. A smirk is on his face. “Yes, dear brother, tell her who I am.”

  Whipping my head to look at Quinn incredulously, I screech, “He’s your brother?”

  My eyes must be playing tricks on me. He looks to be all of fourteen at the most. Why the hell is he out here? It’s almost dark, and Quinn has to get inside the tent, away from the moonlight.

  I move to Alizon and Xavier. “Could we dispatch all the werewolves at the same time? Is it possible?” Talking softly so I’m not overheard, I say, “We have to do this fast because Quinn can’t stay out much longer, and Scarlett is in danger.”

  Xavier is silent for a moment before he answers me. “Addy, the most I can do is drop everyone down in pain, but that would include Scarlett.”

  Alizon grabs my hand and leans in. “I could strengthen your power, but if you miss popping off even one of their heads, Scarlett could die.”

  “If I could have your attention, please,” Wesley yells. We look at him, and I see Scarlett’s furious face, fighting with all her might to get out of his hands. Wesley proclaims, “All you have to do to get your stupid Witch back, Rosalyn, is come out here. As soon as you die, she lives,” he explains.

  Lifting a single brow, I laugh. “What are you, twelve? If you think I’m stupid enough to think she would actually survive, then we have problems. You have a lot of people surrounding you who are a lot more powerful than you. If you think one of us is stupid enough to fall for that, then Quinn must have gotten all the brains in the family.”

  He shakes Scarlett so hard she whimpers. Immediately, I lunge forward, but Xavier grabs me around the waist. In my ear, he urges, “Not yet.”

  Wesley’s lips curl into an evil smirk as he regards Quinn. “Well, if my brother had done his job, we wouldn’t have this problem.” He bares his teeth and bites Scarlett’s neck. She shrieks in agony.

  My vision clouds as I see blood, and my powers surge. The ward shatters all around us. The wind touches my bare skin as I run toward Scarlett.

  Xavier meets the first Vampire, who goes for his throat. It crumbles to the ground when a wolf jumps on his back.

  The ground rushes at me as I feel claws dig into my back. There’s a rip in my clothes as it’s torn off my back. I look over and see Steise’s light brown wolf snapping at the rabid black one. She grabs its throat and tears it out.

  There’s a howl, and my breath bursts from my lungs as I run. The black Lycanthrope who came with Alaric is fighting with a Vampire. Another Vampire blocks my way. My fist comes up and glides across his jaw. He flies backwards with the help of my powers. Jumping over a wolf, another Vampire jumps in and bites my ankle, drawing blood and causing me to grit my teeth. Falling to the ground, I wrap my legs around its body, my brain set on killing it. Letting my powers take over, I imagine its head popping off.

  Immediately, blood spurts everywhere, and a yelp sounds before I see the black wolf’s head fly across the field. Jacque jumps on the Vampire, and Thomas follows.

  I glance around to find my sister, and nausea rolls in my stomach when I don’t see her. Getting up, I see her by the tents. As another Vampire and wolf come at me, I scream, “Alizon, help!”

  My leg sweeps at the Vampire, and I throw it backwards. My heartbeat pounds in my ears as three wolves come from behind and try to jump on me. Throwing two of them back, the third wolf’s front legs land on my chest. Sharp pain slices through my back, and my vision blurs.

  There’s a howl, and I see Alaric ripping the head off a wolf. He sprints toward me, jumping over wolves and grabbing the mangy one attacking me. As soon as the wolf isn’t attached to me, another set of teeth rip through my shoulder. When I look over my shoulder, my eyes meet the dark eyes of Wesley. With all my might, I swing my arm. My skin rips along with the leather of my clothes. I whimper and throw him backward.

  He turns, runs, and picks up Scarlett. Two wolves grab the wolf that came with Alaric. I’m weak from blood loss but try to gather as much magic as possible to try to help him, but they drag him off.

  When I look at Scarlett, her eyes open, and she throws her head back, hitting Wesley’s face. She throws her elbow back and hits his stomach.

  Another wolf jumps on me, but Alaric rips it off me. Leaning up on my elbows, I try to get up. Taking heaving breaths, I roll over as blood rolls down my arm. When another wolf runs toward me, I try to throw it backwards, but an energy ball hits it instead. Lawrence runs toward me. Feeling overwhelmed, my eyes meet his, and I’m almost standing when a wolf leaps over me and lands on Alaric. He growls and shakes his body to get him off. The wolf bites him, and the pain ricochets down my side, my knees buckling. Xavier cries out. From the corner of my eyes, I see him go down on his knees.

  There’s a howl, and I turn to see Steise being tackled by multiple wolves. Balling my fists, I get up and put one foot in front of the other. Popping the head off the wolf biting Alaric, I make my way to her.

  Wesley runs to her quickly. Thomas jumps him from behind, and Jacque attacks his front. Wesley snarls as Thomas bites his neck. Jacque tries to tear through his chest, and another Vampire attacks her from behind and bites her. There are growls, and Xavier, Lawrence, Alaric, Scarlett, and I try to get over to them. We take everything out in our path.

  Suddenly, there’s a boost to my powers as two wolves bite into Steise’s sides. With a mighty roar, my powers go into overdrive. I have tunnel vision as I get to Steise. I won’t lose one more person.

  Addy, let me take over, a voice says in my head.

  When I get to Steise, I rip the wolves off her, and cradle her in my arms, running her to the tents. As soon as I get there, I collapse.

  I’m holding Steise to my chest when Lawrence grabs my hand. “We need to cast the ward.”

  Muttering the incantation with him, the red ward wraps around the tent. Thomas comes to me. “Let me have her.”

  Looking into his brown eyes, I let her go. I’m pulled to my feet to meet the furious face of my mate. His eyes blaze with indignation. “What were you thinking?” he snaps. Blood runs down his side.

  Looking around, I see that everyone is injured. The only one unscathed is Alizon, but there are bags under her eyes, and Xavier catches her when she collapses. In that moment, I realize she had been boosting my power resources.

  My eyes narrow when I look at Alaric. “Go to hell, Alaric. I didn’t see anyone else going after her.” Pointing my finger at him, I retort, “If you hadn’t gone off to talk to Lawrence, none of this would have happened in the first place.”

  He grabs my arm and pulls me away from everyone. “For once in your life, take responsibility for your actions.” Disappointment colors his voice. Refusing to look at him, I give him my back. “Oh, no, you’re going to look at me when I say this to you,” he orders.

  My arms fold over my chest when I turn around, my posture stiff.

  He mimics me, and his lips pinch. “I’m not going to spoil you like Xavier does, or treat you with kid gloves like Quinn. Lucas worships the ground you walk on, but I know the responsibility that’s been heaped on your shoulders.” My shoulders droop as he continues. “So, let me tell you the way it is. You went out there hot, without a plan. You got two of my wolves killed and a whole bunch of people injured. You were here with everyone else when Scarlett was taken, so don’t you dare blame me for your ineptitude.” Grabbing my shoulders, his lips almost touch mine as he continues. “Lawrence and I being here wouldn’t have changed anything. She was stolen right under our noses because of their powers. Start being a good leader, and stop blaming everyone around you when things go wrong. This is your mission, and when things go wrong, you’re to blame. Take it like a leader, or sweetheart, you aren’t meant to be my mate. You aren’t meant to be mate to any of us.”

/>   My heart literally stops beating. My enemies may have physically wounded me, but he’s ripped me wide open. Turning around with my head downcast, I walk away.

  Alaric steps in front of me again, and his finger raises my chin as my eyes glisten with tears. He crushes me to his chest. “You didn’t let me finish,” he says softly into my hair. “I’ve seen your heart. It’s amazing, and beautiful. You’re meant to be my mate, and I want you until the end of time. What I’ve seen of you on this mission isn’t the woman I’ve fallen in love with.” My breathing picks up as I pull away from him and gaze into his eyes. He leans down and softly kisses my lips. “You need to get some sleep. You’ve depleted your energy, and you’re injured. I don’t want you on death’s door.” Looking at my shoulder, I see the wound the Vampire left. It’s not as big as it was, but it’s still there. The metallic smell of blood is everywhere. Alaric’s hands rub my lower back. “Go lay down. Quinn is in the tent. Why don’t you join him? I’ll take care of everyone else.”

  Stepping away from Alaric, I quietly agree. Limping to his tent, I slip inside. It’s time I talk to my other mate. He should have warned us about his brother.

  Opening the fold in the tent just enough to enter, I’m careful to make sure that moonlight doesn’t shine into the tent and onto Quinn. When I look toward the soft bed he’s lying on against the tent wall, his dark eyes zero in on me, his lips pressed into a thin line. Great, he’s about to lash out at me, too.

  Holding my hands up, I groan, “Don’t you dare start. I’m not in the mood and I already heard it from Alaric. You guys don’t seem to understand that I can make my own decisions.”