Emmie moves out of the way and backhands Juliet in the face hard. Her beast is scratching to be released, it is becoming more difficult to keep it inside. Juliet falls to the floor, on her hands and knees by the exit.
“Mummy!” Hope appears at the door rubbing her eyes.
Juliet grabs the knife and drags Hope to her, holding the blade to the little girl’s throat.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Clara
“Take another step and I slit this little bastard’s throat!” Juliet screams. Hope’s whimper of, “Mummy,” makes Clar a move faster through the kitchen, pushing herself ahead of Colt who doesn’t look impressed to be shoved out of the way. “I need to do this,” she mouths at him as she reaches the door. Thankfully there is a pillar covering the kitchen door from view so Clara can creep out and evaluate the situation before barging in.
Emmie is on her hands and knees, sobbing and begging for Juliet to let Hope go. Dominic looks furious and ready to tear a limb from his sister who is currently holding a knife to Hope’s little neck with a psychotic expression on her face.
“Why are you doing all this, Juliet? Did you not think I wouldn’t work out what you were up to sooner or later?” Dominic asks.
“You had everything, I was always just the bastard child to Daddy. He was so disappointed when you turned your back on your birth right, I had to make him see that I could take your place, I could become the child he could mould into Dominus and fulfil the sacred bonding,” Juliet said. She sounded like petulant child who never got her own way. “Daddy died before we could complete our project, but we had already put our plan into motion. He was so proud of me and what I had become in the end. I had to carry on and complete his work.” She looked at him, a smug smile on her lips. “After years of searching we had finally found the descendant of Annabelle, I had her. She didn’t know who she was but it was definitely her, then the bitch escaped and faked her own death. But we’ve found her again, Dominic. She should be at the cave with Miles by now, you can join us and complete our family’s legacy – be the man our father wanted you to be.”
“Miles is dead, Juliet. Your scheming failed,” Dominic stated.
Juliet looked rattled for a moment before her features hardened again.
“He always was weak, the fucking pussy. I don’t need him anyway,” Juliet spat.
Clara knew it was now or never. Juliet wouldn’t expect it. She peered round the pillar and waited for the perfect opportunity. Juliet was still trying to convince Dominic how amazing it would be if he embraced his birth right; her attention wasn’t focused on Hope any more.
Clara was about to use the restraining spell on her when an angry-looking Sarah came from behind Juliet and hit her on the back of the head. The shock of being hit from behind made Juliet let go of Hope, who ran straight into Emmie’s open arms.
Juliet turned on Sarah, lunging at her with the knife. Sarah wrestled with Juliet but wasn’t strong enough to fight her of., Juliet plunged the blade into Sarah’s stomach. Sarah fell to the floor, holding her wound.
Jake, who had been following behind them, ran forward, his skin tearing as his beast broke free. He pounced towards Juliet who looked amused by all of the attention she was receiving from them.
Jake took swipe after swipe at Juliet, missing her every time. It was as if she had a hex of some kind protecting her from their attack. She discarded Jake like he was a mere teddy bear, throwing him across the foyer. His big body hit the floor and lay unconscious.
“You fucking psychotic bitch, I’ ve had enough of my friends and family suffering because of you and your stupid vendetta. Concluserat!” Clara cried, holding her arms out towards Juliet.
Nothing happened. Juliet started laughing hysterically. “You think that shitty magic will work on me? My father made sure your family’s magic wouldn’t touch me, and as for your friends, they are no match against my kind. Didn’t your mother, the great Heather, tell you that? Oh yes, I forgot, she abandoned you after your father was killed.” She sniggered. “Daddy was anything but subtle in the hate for your family, in fact he told me killing the great Cillian was too easy.”
“I’ll fucking kill you!” Clara snarled, launching herself at Juliet. A big arm caught her round the waist. “Clara, let Dominic deal with her,” Colt’s big voice demanded.
Clara looked to Dominic, who until now had been a spectator watching his sister hurt her friends. He was now bearing down on his sibling; his eyes glowed red, his face was screwed up with furious rage. “You have gone too far, Juliet!” he bellowed. His hands began to glow amber. Juliet fell to her knees. “Please, brother, please join me, these mere puppets are nothing to us,” she pleaded. “I will not allow you to hurt anyone else, Juliet,” he growled as he gripped her by her throat, lifting her above his head. The glow from his body transferred into her.
“Dimittere eam!” he shouted before dropping her to the floor. “Do as you will with her, my father’s magic has been removed. She is no longer protected by the spell he bestowed upon her.” He ignored Juliet’s pleas of redemption for her actions as he walked away, taking a frightened Hope from Emmie and whispering soothing words in her ear, which seemed to calm the little girl as she clung to him like a life line as he carried her up the stairs. She didn’t need to witness what was to become of this vile creature, she had seen too much brutality already.
As soon as she saw Dominic go out of sight she raised her arms again. “Concluserat!” she cried. The magic took hold, slamming Juliet’s body into the nearest wall. “Find something to tie her up with so I can deal with Sarah’s knife wound,” Clara stated to anyone who was listening. Colt, who was in the middle of treating Sarah’s bleeding, stood to help.
“You think you can overpower me?” Juliet spat, fighting against Clara’s hold. “I can’t hold her for much longer!” Clara cried at Colt, who was now rummaging through the bag Jake had dropped when he transformed.
Suddenly Juliet’s features started to twist and change. Stubble began to grow out of her jawline and her legs and arms began to grow longer. The scream that came from her as her body transformed into her brother’s was one of agony. Clara felt her hold on her growing weaker by the second.
“Don’t let her change,” Heather said from be hind Clara, startling her. Clara had never been so happy to hear someone’s voice.
“If you let her change she’ll embody Dominic’s strength. I can hold it off for a little while but Dominic is going to have to break the bond between them.”
Heather held out her arms.
“Mutationem prohibere!” Heather cried. An orange light left her fingers and entered Juliet. “No!” Juliet screamed as her transformation began reversing itself. “Emmie, get Dominic!” Clara shouted to Emmie, who was still sat on the floor looking like the shock of everything had frozen her to the spot. She was just staring straight at Juliet, not even blinking.
Emmie seemed to hear her; she turned and looked at Clara with a blank expression on her face. She stood almost mechanically, and instead of walking up the stairs she descended on Juliet. Her skin began to rip as she embodied her beast. There was no sound, she didn’t scream in pain as her flesh was torn from her body as her familiar made its presence known. The magnitude of ultimate power radiated from her as her beast stalked its prey.
Juliet’s face was one of sheer terror as Emmie attacked. There was no holding back, no mercy as she continued swiping and tearing at Juliet’s flesh. It was as if she was a tigress starved of the victory of battle. The bloodcurdling screams from her victim fell on deaf ears as she took her final swipe, killing her trophy dead.
The white tigress let out a mighty roar as if celebrating her kill. Clara dropped her arms in disbelief, not quite believing what she was seeing. She slumped to the floor and opened up her arms to the magnificent beast. Relief washed over her when the beast joined her, rubbing its blood-stained head against hers. She hugged the creature fiercely, burying her face in the fur.
“We’re
free, Emmie, you saved us. Thank you,” Clara said in the voice only her sister could hear.
“We saved each other like we always have. I love you, sis,” Emmie replied.
“Past the stars,” they whispered in unison.
Epilogue
Clara stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom at Iris’s. She looked at the reflection staring back at her; she didn’t recognise herself. Her hair was pulled back into a perfectly styled curly bun with loose tendrils that fell against her pale skin, her makeup was minimal but flawless. Her dress was a simple A-line skirt and laced bodice with long sleeves. It covered her growing stomach perfectly. Iris had done wonders on the adjustments.
She was only a couple of months gone so her tiny baby bump was only just becoming noticeable. She had never seen Colt more excited about becoming a daddy and she knew he would be amazing when the baby arrived. She checked the white and pink roses in her hair one more time, added her veil to the back of her bun. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face the door.
“You can come in now, guys. I am ready!” she shouted. Hope rushed in looking so cute in her little pink tutu dress and ballet shoes. She was followed closely by Emmie and Sarah, who both looked beautiful in their matching pale pink bridesmaid dresses. Sarah had flown in yesterday, taking a break from her trip around Europe to join their special day. She looked so well, it was just what she had needed after everything that had happened with her dad and Juliet.
Emmie gasped at the sight of her little sister and tears formed in her eyes. “You look so beautiful, little sis. Iris did an amazing job on the adjustments to your dress. Colt is going to pop a vein seeing you in this,” Emmie stated.
“Aunty Clara is a princess like me,” Hope said, twirling around, making her little ringlets in her hair bounce. All of them laughed at her girlie antics.
Clara knelt down and kissed Hope on the forehead. “You’re the prettiest princess of them all though,” she said to the little girl, earning another twirl.
“You really are beautiful, Clara, and your hair is amazing if I do say so myself,” Sarah said, giving Clara a quick hug. The three of them left to go and join the wedding party, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
The last six months had been amazing for everyone. They were still at Iris’s for a few more weeks until their new house was built – it was about a ten-minute drive away from The Sanctuary and just as secluded.
Clara had given up her job in the bank and had moved to Dublin to be with Colt. Emmie was considering a move here too. She was currently in talks with a few maternity sections in the local hospitals, and had put her house up for sale – it held too many painful memories for her.
They hadn’t seen Dominic since that fateful night. He had gone away the day after and they hadn’t heard from him, he probably felt like crap for what his family had put them all through. Emmie had seemed a little disappointed that she hadn’t got to thank him for helping them right the wrongs of his warped family. Clara had sent him an invitation on the off chance he might show up. She sensed Emmie and Dominic’s business wasn’t finished; she had seen the way Dominic had looked at her sister, it was the same way Colt had looked at her when they first met.
Jake had a new girlfriend and seemed happy with Kate Terrance’s little sister. They had hit it off when she was staying here, becoming good friends. She hadn’t been shy in expressing her attraction for him, but who could blame her? He was good looking. He caved and took her out; they had been together for a month now and things seemed to be going really well, although Clara suspected the arrival of Sarah may leave him a little flustered. She didn’t say, but she believed Kate was a consolation prize because Sarah had left. He hadn’t seen her yet, Clara hadn’t told him Sarah would be there either, she didn’t want him stressed. God knows he had been stressed enough helping to plan the wedding – the poor lad had been a nervous wreck the last few days.
“Are you ready to do this?” I ris said from the doorway. “Your husband to be is eagerly waiting for you in your special spot.”
“There’s nothing I would rather be doing today, is everyone there?” Clara said, feeling butterflies in her stomach as the excitement grew.
“They are. Your mum is waiting for you downstairs. I have to tell you though, Clara, I have never seen a more beautiful bride. My brother is one lucky man, and I know he is the happiest he’s ever been. Thank you for loving him,” Iris said, hugging her and then dabbing at her eyes. She hugged Iris back fiercely.
“He makes it easy to love him. Thank you so much for everything you have done for us, I will be eternally grateful,” she said. Iris gave her one last squeeze and left the room to join the others.
She met Heather at the foot of the stairs; tears shone in her mother’s eyes. Heather was impeccably dressed as usual, wearing a beautiful light pink pencil dress and nude stiletto heels. She handed Clara her bouquet of white and pink roses and kissed her on the cheek.
“You are stunning, I couldn’t be any prouder of you my beautiful girl,” she whispered, taking Clara’s hand as they made their way into the woods to the clearing where Colt was waiting with their friends dressed in a tuxedo. The sight of him made her blush as her body reacted the only way it always did around this man. As soon as their eyes connected the biggest grin appeared on his face as he took her all in. She could see every emotion shining in his beautiful dark eyes. Her heart fluttered with anticipated joy.
As she stood next to him ready to give herself to him completely, he whispered in her ear, “You take my breath away, Clara.”
***
Colt
She was finally his. She belonged to him not only heart and soul, but as his wife. He placed his hand over her growing stomach, loving the fact that she was carrying a part of him inside her. He would do everything in his power to make sure that Clara and his unborn baby wanted for nothing. He pulled her close for their first dance as husband and wife, inhaling her unique floral scent, and they moved around the dancefloor surrounded by all of their familiar friends and family.
Heather had really outdone herself with the hotel she had booked for their function – the room was immense and oozed class and style.
The day and night couldn’t have been more perfect. That night as he pushed his painfully hard cock into Clara’s welcoming centre, hearing his name called out on her perfect lips as he sunk into her heat was the best sound in the world. He thrusted, lavishing in the feeling of utter bliss as the sensations grew more intense with every move of their hips. She came first, screaming out how much she loved him. He loved to watch as she let go. Unable to hold on any longer as her tight little body milked him, squeezing him until his eyes crossed in pleasure, he found his own release, seeing stars as he pumped everything he had into her, knowing that he would never get tired of feeling this happy and content buried inside the only woman who held his heart inside hers.
As they lay in each other’s arms Clara’s head was resting on his chest listening to his heart beat. He ran his fingers up and down her back lovingly.
“You’re mine,” he whispered with a tired smile on his lips. “And you’re mine,” Clara said as she lifted herself, straddling his hips so he was inside her again. “Forever,” she moaned as she took him deep and rode him slowly, showing him just how much she loved him.
THE END
Unfamiliar (The Vandran Legacy Book 1) Page 30
