by L. A. Sable
“We can certainly do without the attitude, but all you have to do is play your part.” Darius looked like the cat that had just swallowed the canary whole as he smiled down at me. “You know the consequences of disappointing me.”
“Thanks for the pep talk,” I reply, voice dry. “Although none of it is going to matter unless Valentine actually shows up.”
He cast me a mocking look before turning away. “I’m sure Valentine is closer than you think. Perhaps you should stop looking with your eyes.”
Then he left me alone.
Palpable energy was all around me as I wandered through the crowd. Especially now that the spell had been cast to allow me to share power with the others, I could sense the people around me in an even more powerful way. Each person, whether witch, shifter, vampire or something else, was surrounded by a shell of magic like an aura. It was impossible to miss if I paid attention to it.
The crowd thinned as I moved toward the double doors that led outside. People moved out of my way, casting wary glances, but no one attempted to engage with me. I didn’t care if it was fear or disgust that kept them away because I was moments from falling apart completely. There was no way I could handle small talk.
Once outside, I reached out with my senses. Almost every inch of the castle and grounds oozed with power. The magic was like an electric cloud, sparking and hissing on the edges of my mind.
There was only one place where I felt nothing.
The path to the vortex had been lit with floating lights that were suspended in the air. Some of the festivities would occur here, but for now, the path was deserted. I retraced the same steps that I had taken when following West days ago, as a keen sense of foreboding rose in me. Stone clicked beneath the heels of my shoes as dew settled on my skin like a cold kiss. Each step brought me closer to something terrible and inevitable.
Sounds from the castle faded away until it seemed like I was very much alone in the world.
I followed the path through the trees as the forest grew denser around me and the lights slowly faded away. When I finally reached the first rock formations, their glow the only source of light in the darkness, my heart beat like a trapped bird in my chest. Wind whistled through the trees as I craned my head to listen as intently as I could for the sound of movement around me. My eyes searched the darkness for any hint of another presence, but there was none.
The Vortex was deserted.
Part of me wanted to scream in frustration. All the waiting and the terror, the build-up to some epic showdown between good and evil, was more than I could take. I needed Valentine to swoop down like a crazed night terror, if just to put an end to all this.
With a sigh, I slumped against one of the larger rocks and it was warm against my skin. My mind shifted through possibilities. I could run again, I thought. Except now I had bound myself to three men would suffer if I suffered, perhaps even die if I died. And I couldn’t leave them to pay for my mistakes. If I didn’t fulfill my end of the bargain, Darius would hunt me down for sport.
Cool air blew across my skin, raising goosebumps. The trees swayed in the wind as if alive. This wasn't the sort of night to be alone in the dark.
There should have been a creak of branches breaking under foot or a shift in the wind to mark his presence. One minute, I was alone and then a familiar voice wrapped around me like a death shroud.
"Well met."
My body froze. My gaze locked on the tops of the trees as they danced in the breeze.
"Greetings for End-of-Winter," I whispered. I turned to meet him, his eyes dark and unfathomable like black ice. "Valentine."
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Also by L. A. Sable
Beautiful Dirty Rich
Gorgeous Nasty Luxe
Seductive Wicked Royal (Coming Soon!)
Their Mafia Bride
Writing as Lillian Sable
OMEGAS OF PANDORA
Ianthe and Legion
Omega’s Deception
Omega’s Capture
Omega’s Binding
Aura and Castor
Alpha’s Temptation
Alpha’s Corruption
Alpha’s Redemption
FERAL ALPHAS
Hunted by the Feral Alpha
About the Author
Lillian Sable writes erotic romances with ultra-Alpha heroes. She is a former office-worker who spent more time fantasizing and daydreaming than doing her actual job. She started writing her fantasies down and turned her dreams into reality. Lillian lives in Indiana with her husband.
Visit my website: www.lilliansable.com
Follow me on Facebook: @lilliansableauthor