by Raven Steele
So much had changed in the last couple of years. Both good and bad. But so far, the good outweighed the bad. I was finally with my soulmate, something I never thought would happen as long as Korin lived.
Mateo.
I glanced at him sideways as we made our way to the ballroom. For so long I feared my emotions and what the Kiss would do if I ever gave in to them, especially love. I didn’t think I’d be strong enough to withstand that sliver of Hell existing inside of me, but I should’ve known the power of a soulmate. All I needed was his unconditional love. His love was far stronger than the Kiss’s hold over me. Never again would I doubt.
We reached the double doors leading into the ceremonial room. I paused and inhaled a great breath. Just beyond them lay my new future. If I wanted to turn back, this was the time.
But I would never do that.
I needed to honor Sersi’s memory and accept this new calling for Faithe, Teddy and all the others who had suffered under tyrannical hands. The Ames de la Terra were a people who wanted peace, but ones who also stood up in the face of evil. Sersi was their example, their leader, and the person who helped them heal.
I would barely be able to fill her shadow.
But I was willing to try.
I was Samira Chevoky, leader of the northern realm, bearer of the Kiss of Eternal Night, and breaker of men. But those titles meant nothing to me anymore. Only three others mattered: President of the Ames de la Terra, lover to my soul mate, and friend to two of the biggest badass supernaturals I knew.
No other thoughts entered my mind as I shoved open the doors.
It was time to embrace my future.
* * *
THE END ….
But the story’s not over! Read the next chapter in Angel’s point of view. You won’t want to miss book ten in the Rouen Chronicles, A Shifter’s Heart, a story told in BOTH Angel’s and Briar’s point of view.
Chapter 39
ANGEL
Briar sat two rows up from me across the aisle. She’d come in after me, walking down the long aisle toward the front where she’d be able to see Samira the best. When she passed me, I lowered my hand to the side of my chair. My knuckles barely brushed her leg, but that contact filled me with such fire, I had to grip the chair to keep from going after her.
As if she’d sensed the contact, she glanced back at me briefly. She probably didn’t realize it, but when our eyes met, our heartbeats synchronized. As long as we were in each others presence, it would always be that way. One day she’d realize that.
After she passed, I inhaled the scent of her wake, wishing I could exist in her sweet smell forever. Her flesh tasted just as good. The memory of her on my tongue still made my taste buds feel like they were feasting on a five course meal. Sure, it had only been to heal her, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t taken my time or had not taken great pleasure in the act.
Briar sat down next to Luke, her body tensing. I’d been there in that atrium when she’d learned the truth about him. How he’d conspired with his mother to take the Abydos before anyone else could steal it. I believed him when he said his mother was supposed to meet him with the Abydos in hand. He truly believed she wouldn’t betray him, her own son and Alpha.
But she had.
And Briar was understandably furious. Luke should’ve told Briar. Instead, he gave up the location of the only possession Briar had ever cared about. Luke had broken her trust, something she didn’t give easily. I wasn’t even certain that she had given her trust fully to me.
But now was the time to change that.
To reveal the truth between us: that she was my mate. Made to fit my exact needs, and meant to be cherished and loved for the rest of her life in my arms.
I was done waiting.
Luke had betrayed her, and now, he didn’t deserve her.
I would win her over, show her that she belonged to me.
And then, I would show Luke what happened to people who fucked with my mate.
Luke reached over and squeezed her leg, making a low growl sound in my throat. She shoved his hand away, and I smirked, loving her feisty nature. She didn’t take shit from anyone. Part of me was glad to see them fighting. It was much easier to stomach than watching him touch her, kiss her, love her. That was what I should be doing. And yet, the other half of me hated that Briar was hurting right now. She had opened herself to Luke, and he had betrayed her.
“Your’re quite fond of her, aren’t you?” Adelade whispered next to me.
I glanced down at the small woman sitting next to me and smiled. “Is it that obvious?”
“You hide it well, but I can feel the bond between you two. Does she know?”
My gaze shifted to Briar. “Not yet, but soon she will.”
Music began to play, a ceremonious song I hadn’t heard since Sersi was made president a few hundred years ago. Samira rose to her feet and walked toward a narrow podium. She looked different somehow, and not because she was wearing a dress the color of thin ice floating along the ocean. Maybe it was the fact that she was radiating light.
I tried to pay attention to the words Samira had to pledge in front of everyone, but my focus kept drifting back to Briar. The way her chest moved up and down with every breath, the way her jaw muscle ticked as if her emotions were flickering between anger and happiness. I watched her fingers play with stray threads at a tear in her jeans on her thigh. She’d hook her fingers around them then tug up only to repeat the process over and over. I held in my groan as images of her doing the same to me plagued my thoughts.
Grinding my teeth together, I forced my gaze away from her and instead focused on Mateo. The heat racing through my veins cooled. My best friend watched Samira’s every move, his face in awe. Finally, he’d found happiness. They’d been through enough and deserved their happiness.
The ceremony ended. Luke and Briar left together. I was fine with him spending time with her. For now. It would only be a moment for Luke, a mere second to me, and then I would have a lifetime to spend with her.
I knew with absolute certainty that soon, she would be mine.
It was foretold; I had seen it.
And I was never wrong.
I walked out the door and toward an open window, feeling the cool breeze of the night air on my skin. Mateo walked up to me, pulling me aside away from all the bodies filing past us. “When are you leaving?”
“Soon. We need to try and catch Trick’s scent.” The anticipation of spending so much time with Briar made my fingers itch.
Mateo glanced down the hall toward the entrance. I followed his gaze to where Luke and Briar spoke heatedly in the corner. “You’ll be alone with her.”
“Yes.”
He gripped my shoulder. “I want you to be as happy as I am now. You deserve it.”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
Just then Briar caught my eye and motioned me forward.
Mateo patted my back as I passed. “Stay in touch.”
I maneuvered my way through the still crowded hallway until I reached her. She was like an angel of light, beckoning me forward. Luke was gone.
“You ready to go?” Briar asked me, averting her gaze.
“Should we start at Fire Ridge?” I asked, escorting her to the front doors.
“That’s what I’m thinking. She had some belongings there she would’ve grabbed before splitting town.”
Feeling rage rolling off her, I glanced at her sideways. “What do you plan on doing when you find her?”
“I’m going to tear her throat out.”
Luke came out of nowhere, as if he had been watching us from some secret shadow and blocked our path. He towered over Briar. “Don’t you dare lay a finger on her. I’m her Alpha and will deal with her accordingly.”
“It’s my duty to protect the blood, and those who betray me for it will suffer the consequences.” Her gaze burned into Luke so fiercely he stepped back. “The Abydos was mine to protect and trusting you with its whereabouts was my mista
ke. That is why I will be the one to make sure it’s returned safely.” She moved closer, closing in on him like the predator she was. “No matter what it takes.”
They stared each other down, each of them unwilling to yield. I sighed, tired of this constant stand off between them.
“If you please,” I said and extended my hand to guide Briar outside, but Luke blocked our way. I blew a frustrated breath from my nose and closed the distance between us. “I understand you thought you were protecting the Abydos, and that you didn’t know your mother would betray you. That is the only reason you are alive right now. So keep your mouth shut and don’t make the choice to kill you easier.”
His eyes flashed a brilliant alpha yellow. “You’re no match for me.”
“I wasn’t talking about me.” I paused to let my words sink in. “The Moretti family was tasked with the responsibility of protecting and caring for the blood.”
My eyes darkened, and I leaned in, revealing the ferociousness building inside me, something I rarely allowed to take control. “Don’t think for one second that Briar would, in fact, do whatever it takes to protect it. It is her right, as well as her responsibility so you better hope we bring back the Abydos.”
Luke swallowed hard, still meeting my gaze. “You just want to be alone with her.”
A slow and deliberate smile crawled up my face. “And who’s fault is it that I’ve been given this opportunity?”
He faltered, then turned away, his face softening. “I didn’t mean to betray her.”
His voice was quiet, and I honestly felt bad for him. But that would do him no good now. If he was to become a true Alpha and try to win back the heart of the woman who belonged to me, an opportunity I would not give him, then being soft on him would not help.
“And yet, you did.” I gently but firmly pushed him to the side to allow us to leave. Briar brushed past him, not looking his way, and I followed behind her, leaning forward to open the front door for her. “After you.”
Briar walked through it and hurried down the few steps to the driveway so quickly I barely managed to keep up with her. She whirled around suddenly, her arms wrapped tightly around her. Moonlight captured her tanned face in its grasp, illuminating her golden eyes. “Can you drive?”
I motioned to the new motorcycle I was driving now; it had reminded me of her. She waited for me to get on first, then slid in behind me. Her arms circled my waist, and I withheld the shiver her touch evoked. Her hands trembled, and she gripped them tightly together as if to conceal the fact from me.
As soon as we were on the road, punching through the darkness, I let go of one of the handles and held her hands to my stomach. She sighed and relaxed into me.
This was just the beginning for her. The pain she would experience would be great, but I’d do my best to soften the blow.
We arrived at Fire Ridge before most of the others. They were probably staying at Blutel Estate for the big celebration following the ceremony. Free booze. Good looking men and women, most sexually charged. How could they refuse? I know I’d taken part in my fair share of mixed supernatural parties. They didn’t happen often.
Briar unhooked her leg from the motorcycle and moved away from me. Her heart beat furiously, falling out of sync with mine. I frowned and turned around, leaving the warmth of my bike.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m pissed.”
I stepped toward her. “And hurt.”
She backed up. “I don’t get hurt.”
“Everyone gets hurt.”
She stopped moving when she backed into a Jeep. She looked beyond me toward the edge of the forest. “I’m such an idiot. I trusted him.”
“He’s the idiot for losing your trust.” I moved closer, separating us by only inches. The air between us practically cracked with electricity.
Her gaze shifted to mine. “Please don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” I continued to stare at her, my eyes dropping to her mouth. Her tongue snaked out, parting her lips. I sucked in a sip of air just to taste her scent on my own tongue.
She cleared her throat. “I don’t know what’s going to happen between me and Luke, but I need you to respect that boundary.”
I gripped her wrist, dragging her closer to me and that closeness made her heart beat faster. “I told you once you needed Luke in your life, but that one day, you would want something more, something better.” I pulled her closer until I could feel her breath feather my cheek. “A love to burn right through you, consume every breath you take, ignite every beat of your heart. Can you tell me you feel that for Luke?”
She scowled. “Hell no. Not right now, I don’t.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Have you ever felt that way about him?”
Her breath hitched, and her words stuttered. I waited for her to respond, to tell me the truth I already knew in her heart. She had never felt that way for Luke. I waited a full minute, counting the seconds in my mind until she spoke again.
“I don’t know.”
Even after his treachery, she still could not admit she did not love him. Not truly. Not in the way true love was intended.
I nodded, running my thumb in gentle circles across her flesh, feeling her pulse beat erratically. Even her body knew things her mind did not. “You will know very soon, and when that time comes, you will realize you need a love that is everlasting and eternal. You will not be able to move an inch of your body without a longing to be near your lover. Even breathing will become difficult without this person nearby. And you will discover that you are a better and stronger person for having him in your life.”
Her heart pulsed so fast, I couldn’t count the beats, and yet, it was to the exact rhythm as my own. Because Briar and I were one being, meant for a lifetime of love and passion. “Do you want that kind of love, Briar?”
She nodded, her eyes focused so purely on me I could bathe in her gaze. I stepped away, letting her hand go to put space between us. “Then fight for it, Briar, because that is what you deserve in this life.”
I spun on my heel, hating myself for turning away from the sun, moon, and the stars that lit up my world. I walked toward the front door to the mansion, silence at my back. I glanced over my shoulder. Briar was staring at me intently with eyes full of longing and confusion. I winked at her. “Let’s get to it then, shall we?”
Scowling, she brushed past me and passed through the front door. I stayed back a distance to give her space to mull through my words, knowing she was still clinging to her relationship with Luke. She had always fought for those she loved, or those she thought she loved.
And so, for now, she would fight to keep Luke.
Until she realized she needed something else. Something more, something only I could give her.
And when she knew what she needed, and wanted it bad enough, I would make her fight for me. And then she would know how I’ve felt every moment I was near her but couldn’t touch her. She would feel the pain I felt when I watched Luke touch her.
It might seem cruel, but then, and only then, would she know know exactly what she wanted. No doubts. No wavering.
With Briar, that would take breaking down barricades of stoicism, something she hid behind layers of sarcasm. I would smash through her walls, peel away her every layer until she was raw with emotion. Until she knew who owned her body and soul. Until she knew how she owned mine.
I would make her beg me to take her, to love her, to cherish her.
And then, I would make her scream my name. Grinning at the thought, I finally followed after her.
Inside the mansion, Briar moved to go upstairs, probably to search the room where Trick had been sleeping, but a voice stopped her.
“She only left one thing behind.” Marge exited the kitchen holding a big turkey drumstick in her hand. Other than her, the place appeared empty.
“What are you doing home?” Briar asked her.
“A few minutes in to the ceremony I got hungry, and not for
those funny little sandwiches they were serving. I needed real food.” She tore into the meat and chewed loudly.
“Was Trick here when you got home?”
Marge swallowed. “Nope. Her room’s cleaned out but she left an envelope for Luke by the door.”
“Luke, my ass.” Briar marched over to an end table and picked up an envelope. Despite it being sealed, she ripped it open and removed a single sheet of paper. Her eyes moved over the words quickly, her throat bobbing. After a moment, she looked up at me, fingers trembling, eyes wide.
“We’re screwed.”
* * *
***
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* * *
“You set my heart and soul on fire.”
* * *
Someone has taken Briar’s most valuable belonging: the Abydos, ancient blood that in the wrong hands can destroy the world. Briar and Angel race to get it back but a dangerous creature leads them on a hunt that nearly gets them killed.
* * *
Through it all, Angel tries desperately to get Briar to feel what he’s always known to be true: they are soul mates. But Briar’s heart is too battered and bruised to feel the truth.
* * *
If Briar can't reconcile her feelings for Angel, she won't just lose the Abydos but something far more valuable: true love.
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