Inescapable : The Hexborn Series Book 2

by Cara E Holt

  I squeeze her hands in mine. “I’m sorry we didn’t come for you sooner. It took some time to find my father’s lair and well I was stuck in prison for a while.”

  Norah’s eyebrows dart upwards. “Drayce filled me in on everything that has happened whilst I have been away.” She leans forward and lifts my top lip with her fingers. I release my fangs and she inhales sharply, gawking at them. “My bitch has got fangs!”

  “Watch out,” I warn her with a waggle of my brows. “This bitch bites.”

  “What’s it like?” she asks me. Her curiosity is clear by her hungry expression for information.

  I ponder her question for a second as I decide how best to answer. “Honestly?” She nods. “It’s the best thing ever. I have the speed, sight and heightened senses of a vampire but all my witch powers.”

  “You’re bad ass, Elara Latimer,” Norah says with a grin and offers me a high five.

  “What isn’t so great is how I have to hideaway from society because I’m part of a species that is demonised and blamed for all the wrongs in the world.”

  Norah frowns. “I’ll speak to my father, he’ll listen to me. When he knows it is the HDS that rescued me he will have to listen.”

  I grimace. “I’m not sure your rescue will be enough for the council to change its ways.”

  “Well, I’ll do everything to make them listen. I’ll go to the press and tell my story.”

  I smile in fondness at her. I fully believed she would do everything in her power to support us.

  “There is something you could do for us,” Merrick states, stepping forward from where he has been quietly listening to our conversation. “Be our eyes and ears out there, especially at any functions your father holds.”

  Norah nods her head enthusiastically. “That I can do.”

  “We need to return you home. We’ll be releasing footage of the rescue and it will show that we rescued you and hopefully, create some sympathisers amongst the supernatural communities.

  Norah looks peeved. “Oh, I was kind of hoping I could hang here for a few days and spend time with Elara.”

  I give her my bottom lip. “I’d like nothing more, but you need to return to your family. I met your brother a couple of months ago and he was worried sick about you.”

  “You met him?” Norah asks in surprise, and I bob my head in response. “I guess I should head home.”

  “I’ll have the helicopter ready for you in an hour. That should give you time to get ready and say your goodbyes.”

  An hour later we are standing in the hanger to say goodbye. Norah pulls me in for a hug.

  “Be safe.” She looks at Drayce from over her shoulder. “Look after her Black. My girl deserves to be treated like a queen.”

  Drayce grins. “I already treat her like a queen.” He glances briefly at me and winks.

  I hand Norah the magic note pad that I used when I was with my father. “Use this if you need to get in touch.”

  “It won’t be same at the academy without you,” she moans, clutching the book to her chest and putting out her bottom lip.

  “I know.” I playfully tug at one of her pigtails. “We’ll see each other again soon, I promise.”

  “I’ll not forget what you did for me Elara, ever.” Her eyes brim with tears. “Fuck. Right, I’m going before I start blubbering like a wailing banshee.”

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Thorin hollers at her, grinning.

  “What you mean like screw half the female population?” She winks playfully at him as she walks backwards towards the hangar. “The male population of Thorne Shadow need my services.”

  Thorin chuckles at my side, shaking his head. “I like her.”

  “Me too,” I say. I lean into Drayce's shoulder and we wave to my friend. The loud noise of the Helicopter engine deafens me as it lifts into the air.

  “You okay?” Drayce asks, looking down at me.

  “I’m good. Want to spar with me?”

  Drayce cocks a brow and grins. “Depends on what kind of sparring you’re talking about?”

  Thorin groans and starts walking away. “I’m going before my poor ears hear anymore of this sordid conversation.”

  Drayce laughs and flips him off as he pulls me into his arms. “You did it, Elara. This mission was successful because of you. You put yourself in danger to ensure the safety of others.”

  I lean up to kiss him but a force rushes through my body taking my breath away.

  “Elara.”

  I shake my head and find Drayce gently shaking me. His clear blue eyes are full of concern. “What happened then? You zoned out on me.”

  I shudder and rub my arms. “All this power inside me is a little overwhelming.”

  Drayce tugs on my hand. “Come on. I know something that will cheer you up.”

  “Silas,” I say in shock as I take in the two people in front of me. “Mistress Isolde!”

  She bats her hand. “Ah, we are no longer at the academy now. Please call me Isolde.”

  I walk further into the room and look from one to the other. “What are you both doing here?”

  My eyes widen when Silas takes Isolde's hand in his. “We decided we didn’t want to hide anymore. That we wanted to be amongst like-minded people.”

  I prod Drayce in the arm. “I knew it! I told you they were together.” I grin at them both. “How long have you two been a couple?”

  Silas smiles at Isolde with such love and warmth. “Almost fifteen years now.”

  “Wow. You’ve had to hide your relationship for that long? That must’ve been so hard.”

  Isolde sighs as she elegantly sips her tea out of one of the compound plastic cups. What was even more bizarre was seeing her wearing combat trousers and a plain t-shirt. “It was, but we made it work the best we could. How are you feeling, dear?”

  I bob my head and shrug. “Okay, I think. I haven’t exploded into a million pieces yet from all this power running round my veins, so that’s a plus, right?”

  Silas grins and raises his glass to me. “It certainly is dear girl. Your vampire side may help to keep the power at a level your body can cope with.”

  “So if you’re here, who is running the academy now?”

  Isoldes’ shoulders tense and she looks over at Drayce.

  “They have made Astrea Black the temporary head Mistress.”

  Drayce blanches before shaking his head in disbelief. “My mother is in charge of the academy? Gods help them.”

  I’m about to express my shock when a deep pain rips through my heart, making me stumble forward. “Holy broomsticks,” I exclaim. “Silas, when a vampire is killed, what happens to their mate?”

  Silas looks puzzled by my question. “Is there something we should know?”

  I look hesitantly look over at Drayce. “They mated me to another vampire whilst I was with my father’s coven.”

  Drayce’s eyes snap up to meet mine. “I thought you did a spell to weaken the bond?”

  I chew anxiously at my bottom lip. “I did but that witch Mortiana sensed magic was blocking their spell to speed up the bond and she somehow got past it.”

  Silas quietly studies me. “The pain will ease. It would ease even quicker if you were to take another mate.” He looks purposefully at Drayce.

  “I thought witches were the only supes who couldn’t form a mate bond?” I ask him, wrinkling my nose in confusion.

  Silas waggles a finger. “Ah that’s what the supernatural councils would have you think, but if you and Drayce exchanged blood enough times, the bond would form.”

  “But wouldn’t Drayce then become a vampire?”

  Silas smiles at me. “No. You really weren’t listening that last time we met up at my home were you? One can only become a vampire when one is drained and then drinks the blood of another.”

  Drayce strides over to me and takes my hands in his. “Marry me?”

  My eyes widen in surprise. I pull my hands from his and step back. “No.”<
br />
  “No?” He repeats.

  “No.” I frown. “I don’t want you feel forced to do anything with me again. We got engaged because you felt a duty to protect me. I don’t want us to become mates just so it will ease the pain of the bond with Beau.”

  Drayce shakes his head, frowning at me. “Did I sleep with you out of duty? Did I follow you here and turn my back on my family for duty? No. I did it,” he lifts my chin and forces me to look at him, “Because I love you Latimer. I’m all in. I want to be your mate. I want to be your forever, if you’ll have me?”

  I freeze when he drops down to one knee in front of me.

  “What are you doing?”

  He smirks. “What does it look like, raven? I’m asking you to marry me, to be my mate?”

  My heart swells at his words, but it still felt like he was doing this because he had to, because, once again, he had to come to my rescue.

  “No. Not like this,” I reply. “I want it to be real.”

  He takes my hand in his, still on one knee before me, and places it over his heart.

  “This is real Elara. It wasn’t when we first became engaged. You’re right that I did that out of a sense of duty to protect you, but now, now I want nothing more than for you to be mine. So be mine, Elara Latimer.”

  “You’re proposing to prove you’re committed to me. That’s not why we should do this. I can’t say yes.”

  Drayce sighs, and with a weary smile he stands to his feet. “Then I guess I’ll propose to you every day until you realise this is what I want.”

  A NEW THREAT

  After lunch I head to Merrick’s office to ask him a favour. When I enter I am surprised to find him alone. It was rare to get this man alone.

  “Elara,” he says with a genuine smile, lifting his head from the large pile of papers before him. “How are you?”

  “I’m good, thank you.” I sit down opposite him. “I need to see him.”

  Merrick nods and taps the desk with his pen. “I thought you might do.” He jumps to his feet and I blink in shock.

  “You’re agreeing just like that?”

  He holds open the door, waiting for me to stop gawping at him and move.

  “He might be many things that man, but he is still your father.”

  I follow him to the lift and we descend lower and lower until we are in the very depths of the compound. Merrick uses his pass to get us through not one, but four locked metal doors. They were certainly keeping my dad under lock and key. I stop still when we enter the room and a solitary coffin is lay on a metal table.

  “You put him in a coffin,” I deadpan.

  Merrick cocks a brow. “What else would we have put him in?”

  He had a point there.

  Focused on the coffin, I slowly walk forward until I am standing in front of it. Merrick comes to stand beside me and he releases the catch and lifts the lid.

  I pale when I see him. His skin has turned an ashen grey colour, his once colourful cheeks are sunken and his skin looks dry and leathery.

  “I’ve never seen a staked vampire before.”

  His eyes are closed and he looks like he is sleeping, but the pointed end of the stake sticking out of his chest, blows that illusion out of the water.

  “What happens if we leave him here like this?”

  “Nothing. He will of course slowly desecrate, but he is not gone. If anyone removed the stake and fed him a lot of blood, he would rise again.”

  I nod, studying his lifeless corpse. “Is he aware of what is happening to him?”

  Merrick shakes his head. “No. Staked vampires are not conscious. They are in a deep slumber.”

  “And you would have to burn his body to end his eternal life?”

  Merrick clears his throat and nods. “We would.”

  “He’s secure down here though, right?”

  He grins. “He’s held behind four thick steel doors only I can open. Only I know the incantations that open them.”

  I stare down at my father’s lifeless body and the memory of the look of absolute betrayal and devastation he gave me right before he was staked stabs me in the heart.

  “There has been enough death of late. I don’t want him to be burned, but I know he must remain staked. I wish we could leave him like this for now.”

  Merrick places an arm around my shoulder, offering me comfort. “Then that is what we will do.”

  The shock must show on my face.

  “We all agreed that his fate should be your decision and yours alone Elara.” He reaches up and pulls the lid down.

  “How many of my father’s coven did you capture alive?” I ask him as we make our way back the way we came.

  “Around twenty. Most of the witches got away. Those we captured will face a trial and we’ll randomly select a jury from everyone who lives here at the compound.”

  “That is good,” I tell him. I was glad that their fates did not rest with me. “When will you air the video to the supernatural world?”

  “Tomorrow. Our hackers will break through their firewalls and play it live during the news headlines. We wanted to wait until we returned Norah home and to give her a chance to plead with her father to see the truth,” Merrick replies.

  Unfortunately, the news from Norah had not been positive. Her father refused to believe her story that hybrids rescued her. Whether he really didn’t believe it or whether he just didn’t want it to be true, as it did not align with his war of propaganda, remained to be seen.

  We broadcast The video out to the supernatural world, live that following evening. It is strange to watch the events of that night again. I hold my breath when the video footage shows my father and then of Norah tied to the stone table, yelling and begging to be freed. I chew anxiously on my fingernails when the video cuts to me holding the glass orb. Luckily the video was edited to leave out the part where the stolen witch’s magic enters my body. Merrick and my parents had decided that the fewer people knew about that turn of events, the better for now. The video footage shows the battle between the two sides with blasts of elemental magic erupting all around the cave and the loud sound of iron bullets being fired.

  I watch the video footage with everyone else, all of us gathered in the mess hall. It was out there now for the supernatural communities to see. Hopefully, the footage would convince some of our cause. We could only hope that some would see that just like in all races, there is both good and bad. That we deserved to live as equals.

  Drayce is true to his word, and he proposes to me daily. The second proposal comes the very next day. I arrive in the mess hall for breakfast to find a plate placed before me that held an omelette with ‘will you marry me’ written in ketchup.

  The next day his voice comes over the tannoy when I am sparring with Meara. He announces over the speakers he loves me and wants me to be his wife. Yeah, that distracts me enough for Meara to put me out on my back on the mats. The next proposal comes when he asks me to meet him in the foyer and I come down the stairs to find the area covered in daisies and the words will you marry me hanging from the trees. It was embarrassing and sweet at the same time. He was completely unashamed to declare his feelings for me in front of everyone in the compound. The females of our society would sigh and swoon over his romantic gestures and the guys would cheer him on. I was realising that he wasn’t going to give up and that maybe, just maybe, I was being silly still worrying that he was offering to mate with me in order to save me once again.

  The mate bond with Beau was still there and as the days went by, it became painful the need to see him. No matter what I tried to do to distract myself, it tugged away, mourning for him. I hated the control it held over me.

  I’m knocked to the floor, winded, and Drayce appears above me, straddling me.

  “You’re not concentrating raven,” he chastises me, holding out a hand to pull me up.

  “I’m trying,” I snap back at him as I grab my daggers off the floor and circle him, determined. Drayce swirls his bl
ade by the hilt on the palm of his hand, showing off, and I roll my eyes. “You’re going down Black.”

  He scoffs, grinning. “Oh, I don’t think so Latimer.”

  I take up my fighting stance and beckon him. “Give me all you’ve got.”

  We circle each other, like lions in a den, both waiting for the other to make their move.

  “Guys!”

  I’m shoved in the side and he kicks my legs out from under me, resulting with me face-planting the mat.

  “That was unfair. I was distracted,” I protest, blowing the hair out of my eyes.

  “What have I told you about distractions, raven?”

  Thorin walks towards us grinning. “You two sparring is my favourite entertainment.”

  I glare at him from my position on the floor and this just makes him chuckle more. “I hate to break this up, but the Wiccan council has announced its making a press statement regarding the hybrids. Everyone’s gathering in the mess hall to watch.”

  “Then let’s go,” Drayce replies, He scoops me up in one swift move and throwing me over his shoulder.

  “I can bite your arse from this angle, you know,” I tease as I dangle over his back.

  “Bite away,” he replies and without seeing his face, I know there is a shit-eating grin plastered on him.

  We arrive in the mess hall just in time and Meara beckons us over to some seats she and Rafe have saved for us.

  The high councillor Norah’s father walks before the podium on the screen to the flashes of various cameras.

  “Thank you all for coming today. As you are all aware, the HDS has been mounting its campaign to de-stabilise centuries of peace and order. They have taken our children and drained them of their powers. They have committed murder and made it look like other supernatural races did it. This is all an attempt to cause chaos and fear. The hybrids are a dangerous breed that cannot be trusted. The video they broadcast was a fake designed to create sympathisers. My daughter was rescued by our own wiccan guards, not the HDS. They are not the heroes in this story but the instigators of this horrific plot.