by G. K. DeRosa
“So why is Tyrien still alive? How did he survive your wrath?”
“Tyrien wasn’t there. He denies any part in the kidnapping.”
Ransom snorted. “And you believe him? Just because you’re screwing Aristaeus?”
“Don’t you dare talk to her like that!” Hunter’s voice boomed from overhead a second before he landed between us, his reptilian wings folding behind his broad back.
I’d been so consumed in the argument I hadn’t even felt him approach. He reached for me and tucked me into his side. I can handle this. I shot through the mind link.
He can’t talk to you like that. I don’t care what you did to his conniving mother.
“Oh good, our supreme beta is here.” Ransom rolled his eyes so hard only white showed. “Maybe now he can explain how my mother’s life was taken without so much as a trial to prove her guilt.”
“You know the pack rules don’t apply in a life-or-death situation. Sonia, Aras, and her wolves had just killed Sierra’s mother and they were about to do the same to us.”
“What about Walt? I believe you forgot to name him, Aristaeus. Your father’s most trusted guard? From what I heard, he’s the one who killed Montana Wildstone, not Aras and not my mother.”
“She was about to kill Hunter,” I cried.
“Oh right, and gods know you couldn’t let anything happen to your precious mate.” Blinding hatred oozed from his glare.
“Enough.” Viceroy appeared from behind a massive trunk. “Can’t this wait until after the game?” He ticked his head at the floating timer. Seconds ticked by indiscriminately. “You can all kill each other off as soon as we find that prisoner. Hell, I’ll even help.” He smirked at me. “Except for you, little wolf. Moon Valley would be much too dark without you in it.”
Hunter growled and stepped in front of me. “Back off, Viceroy.”
He clucked his tongue before sliding it between his fangs and tasting the air. “You know, there’s still something I don’t quite understand. You’re obviously fated mates, but this reluctance to complete the bond… what is that about, Aristaeus?”
“It’s none of your business, Viceroy.” He raked a hand through his dark hair and turned to me, the hard set of his jaw melting away. “Forget Ransom. Come with us, and we’ll find the pixlet together.”
Ransom waggled a finger at us. “Tsk, tsk. You know that would be against the rules. You heard the ref. Sierra and I are stuck together.”
“Then let’s go. All of us. Viceroy’s right, we can finish this another time. Let’s find that prisoner and get out of here.”
Ransom shook his head, lips pressed in a thin line. “Do whatever you want.”
Viceroy turned back into the forest, his forked tongue leading the way. Hunter’s hand closed around mine, and he tugged me behind his partner. Ransom’s dragging footsteps followed soon after.
Boy, was this going to be fun.
Chapter Two
That little pixlet was a sneaky son of a Fae. We’d been tracking him for nearly an hour, but every time we got close, he’d give us the slip. Hunter loosed an exasperated breath as he landed beside me.
“He’s too damn fast,” he growled.
“Or maybe you’re just not fast enough,” Viceroy quipped.
“I don’t see you doing anything to help, demon.”
“I’m simply waiting for the right moment.”
I still didn’t know what Viceroy’s special power was. Besides those hornlets on his forehead and the forked tongue, what demonic abilities did he possess? I made a mental note to ask Hunter later when he wasn’t in such a foul mood.
“Sixty minutes remaining,” a robotic voice echoed through the forest.
“Well, at least it doesn’t seem like anyone else has gotten close to catching Wynne either.” We’d run into a few of the other Lunars and only Araton and Zuriel, our winged friends, had made any progress with the little prisoner.
I’d seen the angel hybrids fly and they were fast, but the pixlet was not only speedy, his size made him much more nimble than the massive wolf-angels or my mate. I was starting to think we were going to have to use our wits to trap this little Fae.
“We need to split up.” Viceroy motioned at our band of merry wolves. “There are too many of us, and the prisoner can hear us coming from miles away.”
“I don’t think so,” Hunter barked. His hand tightened around mine as he eyed Ransom.
My partner hadn’t said a word to me, or spoken much at all, for the past hour. I hated leaving Hunter, but Viceroy had a point.
I ticked my head at Hunter and broadcast my thoughts at him. I’ll be fine. If anything happens, I’ll shout, like you said earlier.
That was before I had a chance to read Ransom. He’s furious, Sierra. I wouldn’t put anything past him at this point. He really thinks you killed his mother for no good reason.
Apparently, Ransom was more delusional than I thought. Either way, I still couldn’t believe he’d really hurt me. How are you going to help me win this way? Viceroy’s right. Ransom is dragging and slowing us down. Let me deal with him and you go after Wynne.
I don’t like it.
I don’t like being away from you either, but I also want to get the hell out of this forest. A mosquito buzzed by my ear, and I slapped it away.
Fine, he growled. But don’t go far.
I won’t. It’s not like Ransom is putting in any effort. We’ll find a rock and take a little snooze. I winked at him, but my mate was wound up tight.
Be careful. He bent to kiss the top of my head, and heat coated my cheeks as Viceroy’s dark eyes traced his movement.
Hunter really was all in. Too bad we were further away from breaking the curse than ever before. I tossed the unhelpful thoughts to the back of my mind as I watched him and Viceroy move deeper into the darkening woods.
Turning to Ransom, I opened my mouth to speak, but he spun away before I could get a word out. He dropped to all fours and a crimson mist crawled up his long legs. A moment later, a massive gray wolf stood where my friend had once been. Without the shared pack link, communicating would be useless now. Which I assumed was his point.
The big beast curled up beside a sprawling oak, and I leaned against an old pine. I could just talk at him for the next hour. It would serve him right. But I couldn’t fully blame him. If he’d murdered one of my parents, I’d hate him too.
As I contemplated the crazy that had consumed my life in the past few months, gentle snores reached my sensitive ears. Turning toward Wolf-Ransom, a tiny pang of guilt assaulted my insides. Asleep, the fierce beast looked more like an overgrown puppy. My fingers itched to stroke his soft fur and comfort my one-time friend. Our friendship had been tumultuous, but I still cared about him, despite what his mother had done.
A whirring sound caught my attention, and I spun my head toward the pixlet flying toward me. I whispered the words of a cloaking spell, willing my unpredictable powers to life. The charred scent of magic filled the air a second before coating my skin. Wynne zipped by a second later, and I darted after him.
A howl rang out to the east, and from the sounds of it, the wolf wasn’t far. I wasn’t the only one on the hunt. I urged my feet to move faster. I could do this. I could totally catch the little pixlet on my own and win a trial with my own mystical powers.
Trailing after the spry creature, I jumped over fallen branches and dead leaves, the cloak muffling my movements. The light luminescence of his wings aided my hunt as we moved deeper into the dimming forest.
Where the heck was he going?
I pumped my arms as fast as I could to keep up with the pixlet. Dammit, why didn’t I have wings? Sweat beaded on my brow, a combination of the run and holding the spell. Soon I’d have to drop the veil or be left with nothing when forced to confront the little escapee.
My thighs began to burn as the earth grew steep, the flat woods giving way to a rolling hill. Wynne flew up and up, until he disappeared into a small alcove. If it hadn
’t been for the light radiating from his wings, I never would’ve seen him dart into the concealed recess. So that’s where he’d been hiding!
About halfway up the hill, the incline shifted abruptly, and slick rocks replaced the manageable dirt and grass. I peered up at the ledge the pixlet had scurried into—maybe ten or fifteen feet above my head. I had no other option but climb. It was a good thing I’d recently done a lot of practicing on that rock wall.
I called to my wolf, and she wriggled inside me at the ready. My magic began to fizzle, the cloak sputtering out. Dammit, I’d have to drop it for the climb. Whispering the words, the cocoon of magic that surrounded me burst. Guess, I have to do this the old fashion way.
My claws sprang out, and I reached for the nearest handhold. Just like I’d practiced. Every time gravel came loose and tumbled beneath me, my heart stopped. It wasn’t so much the fall I feared but rather the noise that would alert Wynne of my arrival. Time was ticking, and I needed to catch that little bugger.
As I dangled a few feet above the ground, I realized I hadn’t heard from Hunter in a while. He must have lost the pixlet’s scent, or he would’ve been flying up the side of the cliff instead of me.
I pulled myself up another few feet and another, my boots digging into the crumbling terrain. Note to self: climbing an actual cliff is much harder than a rock wall. By the time I scaled a few more yards, my biceps were burning and my claws had been filed down to the tips.
Hauling myself over the ledge, I whooshed out a breath and wiped the sweat from my brow. The dark alcove was quiet. Too quiet. As much as I wanted to win this on my own and prove myself once and for all, my rational side screamed at me to call for back-up.
Hunter, I found him! I broadcasted my thoughts through the bond. Though the link was only supposed to work when he initiated the conversation, I’d discovered if I threw enough emotion into my plea, he’d sense something amiss and open our connection.
Where are you?
Good question. I scanned the woods below and the direction of the setting sun. I think I’m at the southwest corner of the forest. There’s a hill and a small cave toward the top. Wynne’s hiding out inside.
Okay, I’ll be there soon. Wait for me to go in.
As I sat on the promontory, a few feet from the entrance to the cave a dismal thought crossed my mind. What if there was another exit? The tiny prisoner could’ve flown in and flown out the other side. That would explain the silence. As stealthy as I’d tried to be, he could’ve heard me coming and escaped some other way.
I crept closer, straining to make out any sounds from within. A curtain of ivy hung at the entrance, blocking my view beyond a couple feet. If I could just move it aside. Holding my breath, I reached for the vines.
A high-pitched screech sent my heart leaping up my throat. I staggered back as a barrage of tiny missiles pierced my flesh. Son of a faery! The pixlet flew at me, shooting his teeny, deadly weapons in rapid fire.
“What the hell is that?” I shouted as I took another step back. My skin burned, the little projectiles digging deep into my flesh. I spun around to make a run for it, and my boot slid on the slick rock as he continued his attack.
My feet skidded out from under me, and I careened toward the edge. Splaying my hands out, I reached for something—anything to stop my fall. My claws erupted from my fingertips, and I dug them into the rocky ledge. My legs dangled off the cliff as I struggled for purchase with the damned pixlet still hurling sharp missiles at me.
“Stop!” I screeched.
The sound of nails scraping rock turned my attention back to the cave, just beyond the attacking lesser Fae. Wolf-Ransom appeared through the darkness, his fangs bared. He snapped at the little escapee and caught him by the wings.
The little creature screamed and howled, turning his assault on the wolf. My arms ached as I hung on, burying my claws deeper into the crumbling ledge. I gritted my teeth. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold on but asking Ransom for help was the last thing I wanted to do.
I searched my core for magic, but not even a flicker remained. Shift! I never should’ve held that cloaking spell for so long.
Hunter! I called out through the bond, letting the fear soak through.
When I glanced back up, Ransom was back in human form, cupping his hands together. A pleased smile lit up his dark features as he sauntered closer.
“You got him?” I panted.
He dipped his head.
Pain lanced through my fingers as I struggled to hold on. I chomped down on my lower lip to keep from crying out. Ransom didn’t say a word just watched me with cold, unforgiving eyes.
Oh my gods, he’s going to leave me here. The realization hit me like a slap in the face. “Please, Ransom, help me up.”
His eyes narrowed, and he lowered his gaze to the tiny prisoner in his hands. “I don’t know, Violet. I don’t know that I can.” He leaned against the side of the cliff, his lips curved into a sneer. “If I help you, I’d have to let go of our little friend here, and I’m not sure it’s worth it.”
He peeked into his cupped hands, and crimson swirled across his irises. “Stay very still, my little friend.” Compulsion seeped from his words, thickening the air.
Panic tightened its claws around my lungs, and I sucked in a haggard breath. Glancing down at my swinging legs, I tried to assess the damage of a fall. I shouldn’t die, but it wouldn’t be pretty.
Swallowing my pride, I fixed my gaze to Ransom’s. “Please. Please, help me. I can’t hold on much longer.”
“Did my mother beg for her life before you killed her?” he snarled.
My mouth went dry, all the words stuck at the back of my throat. The truth was that she didn’t. I never gave her the chance. “No,” I finally muttered.
“Of course, she didn’t. She was too proud and strong for that,” he spat.
“Please, Ransom. I never meant to hurt your mother. I never would have if she hadn’t killed mine. I know what it’s like to live without a parent and I wouldn’t wish it on you, on my friend. Please, you know me!”
He shook his head, his expression going glacial. “I don’t know you at all, and I never did.” He turned back to the cave, and a sob escaped through my clenched lips.
“Don’t leave me!” I called out. Icy numbness crawled through my fingertips, and blood dribbled onto the rocky ground from my torn-up claws. My left hand gave and I screamed, dangling by only one now.
The increased weight on my exhausted arm was too much. My claws slid free, and I fell.
Chapter Three
I was weightless, completely weightless for the longest seconds of my life. I waited for the snap of broken bones, the sharp pain of impact, only it never came.
Sierra! Hunter’s panicked voice reached me a second before he did. His warm arms wrapped around me, and he cradled me in his firm chest, the mad flutter of his heart slamming against my ear.
“Am I dead?” I mumbled into his shirt.
“No, thank the gods you’re okay.” His wings flapped again, and we landed at the foot of the hill, but he didn’t release me. His arms were like steel bands around my body. He pressed his lips to mine with the intensity of a runaway freight train. All my fears were smothered by that one kiss. When he pulled away, my wolf growled her displeasure. “What the hell happened?” he growled. “And why didn’t you wait for me?”
“I had a feeling there was another entrance on the other side of the cave, and I wanted to make sure he hadn’t escaped. Spoiler alert, I was right. Ransom snuck in from the other side while the pixlet was attacking me and when I was dangling off the side of the cliff… he didn’t do anything.” Another sob wracked my chest, and anger exploded inside me. How could he leave me like that?
“He didn’t try to help you?”
I gritted my teeth and shook my head. “He was going to let me fall. I’ve never seen him like that before, Hunter. It was like he didn’t even care if I died.”
“Ransom’s going to pay
for that,” he snarled.
“Pay for what?” Viceroy appeared from behind a thicket, completely naked.
“He left Sierra to die.”
The demon’s dark eyes widened. “Well, that was unexpected.”
Shoving the hurt back, I wriggled out of Hunter’s arms, despite his reluctance. “We have to find him. He has Wynne.”
Viceroy’s nostrils flared, and he took off into the fading light of the woods.
I tipped my head up at Hunter. “Guess, we should follow him?”
“I don’t want you anywhere near Ransom again, do you understand me?”
I wrapped my arms around my middle and ignored the pain in my chest. How could my friend do that to me? I finally nodded. “I got it.”
“Good.” Hunter pulled me into his side and kissed the top of my head. “I can’t lose you, Sierra. Love cursed or not, I’d never survive it.” He held me close for another minute before his eyes glazed over. “Viceroy’s caught his scent. Come on.” He bent down and tucked me into in his chest, then sprang upward, his massive reptilian wings propelling us skyward.
Flying just below the canopy of dense greenery, the woods stretched out below us. “There!” Viceroy was a few yards behind Ransom, the two males racing toward the finish line. “What the hell is Ransom doing? He can’t win without me there.”
“Maybe he thinks you’re dead,” he snapped. “Too bad he’s going to be the one six feet under when I get my hands on him.”
“No.” The word popped out before I could stop it. “Please don’t hurt him, Hunter.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I killed his mom. He’s crazy with grief. Believe me, I know the feeling.”
“He can’t go unpunished for this, Sierra. I warned all the wolves what would happen if they hurt you. If I don’t follow through, we’re setting a dangerous precedent and I fear you’re the one that will pay the price.”
