Aquilo gaped at his sister in equal surprise. Lux was an elitist bully who’d tormented me as a kid and Aquilo ever since she’d discovered that he was a mage. But the way that she’d begged Ivy to save Aquilo’s life had woken her up to the truth that hurting him could mean his death, and she was a lot of asshole things, but at heart, she loved her brother.
It was just that she’d been raised to hate mages.
The Ambassador dashed towards Aquilo, leaping around him in joy, although his howl was muffled through his gas mask. I’d forgotten Aquilo’s kindness to the Ambassador.
Now that Stella was dead, could I adopt the Ambassador?
I grinned because Amadeus would either whoop or possibly drop between my thighs and do that licking thing with his tongue that we both loved so much in celebration.
When we’d been kids, I’d thought Aquilo was a snooty bully who didn’t have any friends but his sister. It turned out, however, that he was more popular than me.
It was weird that I kind of didn’t mind that.
Ivy snorted. “Someone’s keen for an early night without pudding. Enough, Lux. Grab your disgraceful brother, we’re going home.”
Lux’s mask slipped, and her eyes flashed. “My brother is no disgrace. I am for not understanding it sooner.”
Aquilo’s eyes widened. Then his fingers lightly brushed against his sisters’. She startled, before brushing the back of her hand against Aquilo’s.
I remembered how Lux had always protected Aquilo when he’d been little, before his magic had come in, like he was precious. Aquilo had called it control, rather than love.
Maybe this time it could be different?
I ached for Aquilo to have the chance for his sister to love him because I knew that he was desperate for it. I hated that I’d discovered the truth about my family but at least I knew that they’d always loved me.
Aquilo had never been loved.
Please, please…let him have this.
Blood streamed from Ivy’s eyes like tears; her cheeks were wet with scarlet. “You shame us by exposing your magic, mage,” Ivy snarled. “Now I discover that I’ve raised a traitor as well…? I confined you to your room. I punished you. I—”
“I’m well aware of all that you’ve done, mother,” Aquilo drawled. “I’ve worked hard every day of my life to exceed your expectations and yet it’s made no difference to your punishments. I could spend my life achieving every goal that you set me and I wouldn’t be able to live down the shame of what I am and was born to be….a mage.”
“A hot mage,” I added.
Aquilo’s lips twitched like he was smothering a smile, and his chest and neck pinked in a way that made him even hotter. “It appears that my fiancée believes that I’m a hot mage. She also wishes me to be free.” He ducked his head, but I didn’t miss the way that his shoulders shook. Eddies of air wavered around him in sympathetic distress. “With her, the same as with the vampires, I don’t feel ashamed. They make me determined not to hide what I am anymore.” His gaze slid to Lux who scrutinized him with a sudden intensity. Then he flew to Ivy on a blast of wind. “I shan’t be invisible.”
“Then you’ll be dead.” Ivy’s face was coated in blood in full Blood Witch mode, as she launched herself at her son.
Holy witching hell…no, no, no….
The knife flashed; moonlight caught gleaming silver along its blade. I threw myself forward, at the same time as Lux, but I couldn’t make it in time.
It was going to slit Aquilo’s throat…
Only, then there was a flash of white, which launched itself up and between the knife and Aquilo. The blade sank with a sickening crunch into the side of the Omega…into the Ambassador…and Ivy staggered backwards, as Aquilo cradled the Ambassador down to the floor in his arms.
“I’m sorry, sorry, sorry…” Aquilo wept.
He clutched the Ambassador’s bloody body to his face, whilst his white hair mingled with the Ambassador’s white fur, as he bent over him.
The Ambassador struggled to raise his head, then he closed his eyes and became still.
Too still.
Hecate help me, the Ambassador had died in Aquilo’s arms…died to save him.
My red cocooned around Aquilo, stroking him to sooth him. Yet death I understood. There was no comforting. Ivy had stolen a prince away, but it meant nothing to her because how many Omegas had she murdered?
Dual crouched next to Aquilo, gently touching his hand, whilst Moon whined mournfully and trotted over, before resting his head on the Ambassador’s like a goodbye.
My eyes gleamed with tears, but I couldn’t let myself give in to grief. I had a Blood Witch’s ass to kick.
When I turned to Ivy, I was surprised to find Lux at my side, and her look was one that I remembered from all those times that she’d bullied me, as well as the nightmares I’d suffered after. I’d never expected it to be directed at her mom.
Trying to kill her brother had been a dick move.
Ivy stumbled backwards, but Ramiel caught her firmly in his wings.
Ivy wailed, struggling against his grip. “Who do any of you think you are to go against our traditions and laws?”
My smile was all teeth. “I’m a painter who loves Jeff Buckley and fruity cocktails. Oh, and I’m the freaking Wolf Charmer.”
I smelled the coppery tang the moment before Ivy disappeared in a bubble of blood magic. Mischief howled in outrage.
Lux shrugged. “She can only hide, and I’m exceptional at Hide and Seek.”
I made a choking noise in my throat, battling not to flinch. I’d spent many hours as a kid playing Hide and Seek in the House of Blood with Lux…only when she found me, that was when the pain started.
You know, maybe it was time that Ivy experienced her daughter’s game.
I glanced at Aquilo, who was still rocking and cradling the Ambassador’s body to his chest.
Who was I kidding? Ivy was more than overdue to meet the bully version of her daughter.
I stiffened, as out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement in the shadowy arches. I nodded at Mischief, and he spun disks between his hands, before swooping up to the ceiling. Dual stood, gesturing at his vampires to gather behind him.
I scanned the arches. I was high on the adrenaline of the fight, fear, and freaking grief of what I’d already lost.
Don’t think about the Ambassador…don’t think… How in the witching hell would I tell Amadeus that his prince had been killed…?
Whoever decided that now was a good time to mess with me would have their ass handed to them, and I wouldn’t even bother with the sling.
When a gang of Alphas slouched into the chamber like raiding a witch’s house was a chore, I gaped at them. I recognized them as Alphas from the Kingdom of the Gods: I remembered the way they’d looked like moonbeams in Wild Hall. They wore shimmering transparent dresses with platinum collars (just like Amadeus’ collar). Their black hair was identically caught onto the top of their heads with clips like crescent moons.
My brows furrowed. “Aren’t all the wolves meant to be caged tonight?”
Dual snorted. “Your pretty incubus has you sitting on his lap as a pet already, has he?” I bristled, whilst my red danced as excited by the image Dual had conjured, as it was outraged. Now was not the time for naughty kinkiness. “There’s always a danger to loving wolves.”
I examined him, surprised by the deep melancholy lacing his words. That was experience speaking, and experience hurt like a bitch.
When Dual sauntered towards the Alphas with the vampires falling into rank behind him, I expected him to attack, but instead he shot me an apologetic wink over his shoulder. “This is where I leave you, Charmer. I’ll take on witches but not werewolves.”
The lead Alpha nodded at him with a sickly smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
What did the wolves have on Dual? His sudden retreat smelled of blackmail more than cowardice, which was kind of sour like rancid milk.
I arche
d my brow. “I take it that we no longer have a home at your Court, Daddy?”
The lead Alpha scrunched her face up in disgust. “Yuck, keep your Fallen sex games to yourself.”
Dual waggled his eyebrows. “Where would be the fun be in that?” Even I shriveled at the Alpha’s venomous glare. Dual’s wings drooped, and he cleared his throat. “The thing is that werewolves and my court have this we don’t bother you, and you don’t bother us thing going on. I can’t mess that up for my people, especially now that the witch folk will be on our arses, and there’s something far too precious riding on the deal for me to break it.” He blew me a kiss, although there was something in his eyes that he seemed to be willing me to understand. “Until next time, witchy.”
Precious…? Like diamonds, his vinyl collection, or a Blood Lover? I was going with Blood Lover, after his orgasmic praising of blood.
But would he abandon us over blood?
Yep, I truly didn’t know a damn thing about vampires, only the way that I heated inside at Dual’s touch and craved to be able to trust him.
Huh, well that impulse had bitten me in the ass.
“You can’t go with the Fallen Duke.” The Alpha waved a lazy hand; her dress shimmered in the light. The other Alphas encircled us, as if they were the shark gangs at my High School. I blinked. These Alphas were nothing like the ones in the Wilds. They didn’t dominate with their strength because they didn’t feel the need to: they were too self-assured. “You’re coming with us to the Kingdom of the Gods.”
Aquilo stiffened, finally looking up from the Ambassador. His eyes were red-rimmed but fearful. As a kid from the House of Blood (who’d been responsible for more Omega deaths than any other coven), he’d be in danger in Wolf Kingdom.
Lux shook her head. “My brother remains with me.”
I snorted. “Seriously, do you ever think of anyone but yourself and your brother?”
Lux’s gaze was icy. “Why? Should I?”
“If I don’t marry Aquilo, he’ll die,” I gritted out. “He stays with me.”
The lead Alpha sighed. “Whatever. But you’re all cordially invited to the Kingdom of the Gods because Queen Banan wishes to meet her daughter-in-law, yada yada.”
I stiffened. “So, where we’re at is that my own mother-in-law is kidnapping me?”
I jumped as the heavy metal of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Bark at the Moon” burst in wild guitars from the Alpha’s pocket. She held her finger up at me in the universal gesture to silence me, whilst she pulled out her iPhone.
I grimaced; it was just my luck to discover Alphas with a sense of humor.
Also, why was it now weirder for me to see someone chatting on an iPhone than it was to see vampires swooping in to fight witches?
My life was officially screwed.
The lead Alpha tapped her foot, as she hummed and nodded to whoever was clearly commanding her down the iPhone.
Who was pulling the Alphas’ puppet strings?
At last, the lead Alpha swiped off her phone, before pointing it at me like a gun. “We’re not lawless Wilds.” When Moon growled, her gaze swept over him mockingly. “This isn’t a kidnapping: it’s an invitation to our Lunar Shrine. We’ll make sure that your Charms are treated and healed. By the light of the moon, let us honor you as guests. Haven’t you overstayed your welcome with the witches?”
I crossed my arms. “Okay, maybe…”
That’d be a huge yep with a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkles, and chocolate sauce on top.
Where else could we go? My Charms were still unconscious, and I didn’t know how to make certain that they awoke. Aquilo had burned every bridge to ash with his mom. I’d brought my own house tumbling down to rubble. Dual wouldn’t…or couldn’t…help us. The only family who I had left were in America and they were non-magicals. How could they understand any of this? Plus, werewolves weren’t allowed to travel and it wasn’t like they had passports.
Escaping had been the easy part; it was building a new life that was hard. Plus, I wanted to claim back the kingdoms for my Charms and help the Omegas. I couldn’t do that by running away.
It looked like it was time to throw myself to the wolves again…but this time, I’d be leading them.
I took a deep breath. “You heal my Charms and don’t kill my fiancé mage.” The lead Alpha sighed like my demands were a hassle, but she nodded. “Let’s start with the honoring.”
“And the worship.” The lead Alpha licked her lips, before staring at Mischief. She tapped her iPhone over her heart like she was texting a love message. Mischief arched an imperious brow, although he glanced at me in confusion. “Our Moon God has returned.”
Moon God, Moon God, Moon God…
The Alphas chanted in adoration that looked closer to wanting to jump Mischief and discover just how godly he was without his pants on, and I knew that he was seriously godly.
Mischief became ashen, backing away, whilst the Alphas circled around my pack and me.
The lead Alpha grinned. “Oh, and our Wolf Witch.”
The Kingdom of the Gods was a land of fanatic moon worshipers, who’d decided that Mischief was their god and I was their witch. I’d go with them to save my Charms, but I had the churning sensation in my gut that their devotion made them more dangerous than even the Wilds.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Waking up in the Lunar Shrine to the soft kiss of an angel to my inner wrist, a wolf to my neck, and an incubus to my lips, was exactly how I’d imagined the Kingdom of the Gods would be. Well, if I’d dreamed of it as a sort of half Wolf Charmer utopia and half divine reward.
I sighed, wriggling further into the softness of the deep satin cushions, hoping to encourage my lovers down to the good bits.
Woah, hold up one mage hexed minute, my Charms had been healed from the gas and transformed safely back into guys again…naked guys whose dicks were pressing eagerly like impatient puppies against me.
I fought not to giggle. It looked like that part of them wasn’t leashed.
My Charms’ clothes were neatly folded next to the cushions, which meant that they’d transformed back and then had been stripped.
That wasn’t creepy at all then.
The night before, the Alphas had marched my exhausted ass all the way back to the Kingdom of the Gods, which was besides the Thames. When I’d raised my hand like I was still a kid in class and asked how we wouldn’t give the non-magicals a show that’d end up on social media, unless they, you know, thought we were the most convincing LARPers ever, the lead Alpha had grinned and told me that the angels had set up the spells and wards so that non-magicals couldn’t see the kingdoms or any who crossed between. Seriously, it shook me that angels and vampires even fought whole wars in front of the humans, but the non-magicals never saw a thing.
Trust me, knowing the truth hurt, but living a life of ignorance would’ve been worse, despite the delicious cocktails, donuts, and coffee…
Holy hell, I needed a soy latte like now: a flat white, an espresso, I mean, I’d settle for a cappuccino…
Slowly, I cracked open one eye and then the other to find myself staring up into Amadeus’ crimson gaze. It was as startling and sinfully beautiful as the first time that he’d danced for me at my wedding feast in Wild Hall. For a moment, however, he looked troubled, before he bent to kiss me again with such intensity and passion that I gasped. His hair swept across my cheek and I could taste the rich chocolate of his lips, but also his pain like just by being in his kingdom, he’d lost me.
He was still wearing his gloves, which were his only item of clothing (and boy, was that look a turn-on), and their soft touch made my skin tingle at each sweep down the hollow between my collarbones. I licked his lower lip, before curling my tongue gently into his mouth.
I’m right here…you didn’t lose me… You can’t please me, if you act like we’re not pack…
Amadeus whined, tumbling back from me and scattering the cushions. Emperor caught him, holding him against his chest and thr
owing an accusing glare at me.
I shoved myself to my knees. I’d been dressed, whilst whatever drug in the air had kept my guys asleep enough to be undressed, in a red satin ball gown with black crescents and a billowing train that mimicked my shadows. It was gorgeous in the same way that this whole Lunar Shrine was, as if I was just another statue in it to be worshiped. Plus, since the whole shattering into itty pieces of my great-grandmother’s statue, I wasn’t so eager to go the whole sculpted route or do this venerated Wolf Witch thing either.
I wrinkled my nose against the damp earthy scent; the shrine was underground like the rest of the Kingdom of the Gods.
From my glimpses last night, it was a vast bunker or burrow. There were no windows and the pale light shone from crescent lanterns that swung over tinkling fountains. Water foamed down the corner of the room in a waterfall. In the central wall, a giant closed door that was shaped like the full moon, trapped us inside the shrine. There were no seats, only the luxurious cushions strewn over the floor like this was a sultan’s tent, which reminded me uncomfortably of the Only Pretty Betas tent back in the Wilds, where Amadeus had reigned as king.
This was Amadeus’ kingdom; I’d better not forget that my Charm was also a seducer and schemer who was the only one who knew how to survive here.
And I’d just pissed him off somehow.
I crossed my arms. “Hey, what did I do?”
“Excuse me, is this a new guessing game?” Mischief lounged against an arched alcove. The fact that he was safe and free from the witches, whilst his magic crackled in waves down his wings made my throat too tight to speak. Okay, that and how scorching hot he was when naked, and the royal prick knew it. “Oh, goodie, it is then…? I’ll go first. The Charmer punished her incubus for displeasing her. Do I win the prize?”
I blinked at him. Jesus, incubi were vulnerable to control and abuse if they could be hurt even by their partner’s fleeting displeasure. I’d only thought that Amadeus couldn’t please me because he didn’t feel like mine anymore or at least, now that he was back where he was prince, I knew that there was something he wasn’t telling me.
Only Pretty Betas: A Shifter Paranormal Romance Series (Rebel Werewolves Book 2) Page 18
