by Eva Brandt
Eva Brandt
Captive Wildfire
The Accursed Saga 3
Copyright © 2019 by Eva Brandt
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.
Cover is for illustration purposes only. Cover art by Rainbow Danger Designs.
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Contents
Captive Wildfire
The Accursed Saga Index
Torn to Pieces
Hunger
True Soulmates
Drowning in Secrets
Banished Regrets
What Hides Inside
The Dead Witch
Determination
Accursed Reunions
Friends, Foes, and Family
Captivity
Fire Starters
The Cursed Princess
The Damned Queen
Epilogue
About the Author
Also by Eva Brandt
Captive Wildfire
Secrets are dangerous and, by their nature, want to be revealed. But what do you do when the most dangerous secret of all lies inside you, when you are a captive of your own mind and memories?
All my life, the only thing I’ve ever wanted was to protect my family and later, to build a future with my soulmate, Pierce. That dream was shattered by an attack on my wedding, a brutal, senseless assault that left my father and Pierce’s mother badly wounded.
The culprits need to pay for what they’ve done. They need to be punished for their actions. They need to burn for daring to harm my loved ones.
There’s just one problem. I keep having these incomprehensible dreams about the people I’m supposed to be hunting. I see them reaching out to me, hear them whispering words of endearment in my ear. Is it an illusion, some kind of mind magic trick, or something else entirely?
There is a secret hidden inside me and I can’t touch it. There is a hole in my chest and I can’t patch it up. Who am I really? Who am I supposed to fight? Who is my family and who is my soulmate? I don’t know anymore.
The fire inside me is growing brighter and fiercer every day. I fear that when it finally comes out, it will turn my whole world into ash. I fear that the secret holding me captive might be the doom of us all.
Please… Someone, anyone… Help me!
Captive Wildfire is a 75k words dark paranormal romance that contains steamy scenes between the heroine and her soulmates, spiced up with a dash of romance of the m/m variety. Be advised that some content might not be for every reader. But if you who are bold enough, join the dark side!
The Accursed Saga Index
The Accursed are a special race of paranormal creatures created by exploiting the bond between soulmates through the use of dark magic. There are several different types of Accursed, all aligned with different elements and possessing different abilities.
Shape-shifters. Originally aligned with the element of earth. Feeding source: flesh. Abilities: can shape-shift into different animals. Superior strength, speed, senses and healing factor. Physically the strongest of all Accursed. Main vulnerability: unable to use magic of any kind.
Vampires. Originally aligned with water. Feeding source: blood. Abilities: Superior strength, speed, senses, longevity and healing factor. Limited mind magic skills. Limited shape-shifting skills. Skills are impaired if vampires do not feed properly. Main vulnerability: sunlight.
Incubi. Aligned with spirit. Feeding source: emotions. Abilities: mental and emotional manipulation, astral projection, power absorption. Main vulnerability: can easily become overwhelmed by the emotions of others
Twice-blessed. Originally aligned with fire. Feeding source: magic. Abilities: telekinesis, shielding, fire manipulation, levitation. Main vulnerability: not as physically strong as other Accursed.
Plagues. Aligned with air. Feeding source: life. Abilities: electricity and air current manipulation. Older plagues can use an ability called life steal, that allows them to kill their targets by cutting off their oxygen supply.
Alarians. Alignment - multiple elements. No feeding source. Abilities can vary from one Alarian to the other. Specializations include mind magic, battle magic, healing. Main vulnerability: inability to feel.
All Accursed are vulnerable to silver weapons.
Factions
The Pure Kingdom of Alaria is the sole organized nation of the Accursed, founded by the High King Alaric, the son of the ancestor of all Accursed. Currently led by King Sterling Alarisson.
Internal Organization
The Paladin Corps – guards mostly meant to protect the headquarters and garrisons of the kingdom. Leader: Queen Sarai
The Enforcer Corps – fighter units formed strictly out of Alarian warriors. Current leader: Prince Darius Alarisson
The Guardian Corps – fighter units formed by other Accursed who pledge themselves to the Alarian creed, despite not being Alarian. Current leader: Prince Darius Alarisson.
The Pure Inquisition – interrogators and investigators of the Pure Kingdom of Alaria. Led by Cardinal Theodore Vaughn.
The Pure Council of Nobles – consultative assembly formed of high ranking Alarians who act as advisors for the king in the decision-making process
Other factions
Banished – Accursed who still believe it is possible to break the curse and continue to search for a solution, despite this method leading to the deaths of their soulmate.
Scavengers – Accursed who exploit the curse and seek to kill their own soulmates in order to gain more power.
Other species
Fae – supernatural creatures with magical abilities, an alignment toward earth and the ability to fly. They are reclusive and tend to dislike Accursed due to the dark magic that created them.
Sub-species: Dames Blanches – a type of fae with specific spiritual abilities. Their skills give them a level of invulnerability to physical damage.
Sprite – a type of fae heavily oriented toward nature magic.
Undead – non-Accursed vampires, ghosts, and other types of risen dead beings
Non-Accursed vampires used the term ‘nosferatu’ in order to differentiate between their species and Accursed vampires. The violent actions of scavenger vampires led nosferatu to be targeted by humans in the past, and for this reason, most non-Accursed undead hate the Accursed very much.
Merfolk – supernatural creatures with the natural form of a half-person, half-cetacean. Older merfolk are able to mingle with humans without issue and possess abilities of water manipulation.
Other
terms of note
The Accursed Syndrome – the official name of the disease that generally kills the soulmates of the Accursed. It usually manifests within a month of the soulmates meeting and touching, in the form of a virulent form of cancer or another such diseases
The Accursed Anomaly – the second way through which the curse affects soulmates. It manifests erratically, through freak accidents or sudden fatal injuries. The fastest known death through an Anomaly took place a week after the meeting between the two soulmates.
The Soulmate Protection Dictate – the Alarian law that forbids contact between an Accursed and their human soulmate.
One
Torn to Pieces
Lucienne
Somewhere in France
“All right, dear. Here we go. Remember what I told you. Breathe, keep your mind clear and your eyes on the target. Don’t let the fire control you. It belongs to you, not the other way around.”
I took in my aunt’s instructions and nodded. My palms tingled with apprehension and my heart was racing. This was not my first lesson in fire magic, but somehow, it seemed like it.
Since the attack on my wedding with Pierce, I’d become unable to control my powers. It was a real problem, especially since I wanted to go after the culprits. I wouldn’t be able to do that if my fire magic kept getting away from me.
“Are you ready?” my aunt asked.
As ready as I’ll ever be, I thought to myself. I didn’t allow my doubt to show and, out loud, I replied, “Yes, of course. Always.”
Aunt Augustine smiled at me and I suspected she knew exactly what I was doing. Then again, how could she not? She and her sisters had raised me since my mother had died. My father always said he would have never been able to handle such an outrageously powerful child if not for their assistance.
Aunt Augustine was yet another person I’d disappointed during the battle at the wedding. I would do better. Next time I came face to face with Mathias Vandale and his cronies, I wouldn’t hesitate for a single moment. They had almost killed my father and hurt so many people I loved. They needed to be punished.
I stared at the dummy that was supposed to be my target. For a few seconds, the indistinct features of the puppet melted into Malachai Braun’s face. Anger surged through me and my fire magic came rushing out like a tornado of flame. In the blink of an eye, the dummy turned into ash.
Oops.
“That wasn’t exactly what I meant when I said you needed to learn to control your fire,” my aunt chastised me.
“I’m sorry,” I tentatively answered. “I just lost my temper.”
“Yes, I know, but you have to learn to control that too, at least a little. That dummy was fire-resistant. Do I have to remind you why you need to be careful?”
I grimaced. No, she didn’t need to point that out again. I was well-aware of the problems my half-breed nature created. Most of the time, people who were aligned to fire—like, for example, Pierce—were immune to the element in question. My powers changed that. I’d inherited a fair amount of mind magic from my father and energy manipulation from my Dame Blanche mother and when the two connected, the mix could be quite explosive. Literally.
If I wasn’t careful, someone I cared about would encounter the same fate as the dummy.
“I’m sorry,” I said again, this time a little more honest. “I’ll try harder.”
“You’re already trying very hard. Maybe that’s the whole problem. Go take a break and come see me later.”
I wanted to protest, since I didn’t have time for breaks. But my aunt was the teacher here and I couldn’t go against her decision. Besides, maybe I could cram in a visit to Clara’s room. I hadn’t gotten the chance to see her today or the day before, and that was unacceptable.
“All right, Aunt Augustine. As always, thank you for your tutelage.”
“It is my honor, dear child. Go with the gods.”
With a light, formal bow, I left the training room and headed toward the healing wing. My aunts’ French residence wasn’t as big as my father’s various homes, but he had chosen this location to raise me when it had become obvious that Hastingues was a little too exposed. Sometimes, the differences in the architecture and the general feel of the house still threw me, but today, I was glad for it, since it meant I reached Clara’s healing quarters in less than five minutes.
Outside her room, I ran into my aunt Ines. “Lucienne,” she greeted me with a smile. “Are you done with your lessons already?”
“Sort of. I blew up the dummy and Aunt Augustine decided I needed to take a break.”
Ines scanned me from head to toe and hummed thoughtfully. “Well, I can see why she’d think that. You’re very tense. You have to clear your head.”
“If only it were that simple, Aunt Ines. I can’t really clear my head or relax until those bastards are punished.”
“I understand, but you need to keep something in mind. Your father wouldn’t want you to burn yourself out in an attempt to avenge him. In fact, I think he’ll probably start chastising all of us for our recklessness, the moment he awakens. And I don’t even want to imagine what Clara is going to say.”
“I’m not worried. All I want is for them to recover, even if they end up never speaking to me again.”
Ines cupped my cheek and her magic flowed over me with the gentleness of a spring breeze. “Have some faith, Lucienne. Clara and Louis will recover and they certainly won’t abandon you. I promise you that.”
Her encouragement made me feel a little better about the whole situation. Ines might not actually know how my father and Clara would react when they woke up, but she was always scrupulous and accurate in her reports over her patients’ health.
“Thank you. Does that mean I can see Clara now?”
“Yes, of course. Pierce and Diane are already with her, but I think they would appreciate the company.”
She was right. As soon as I entered the healing room, my fiancé and my sister in all but blood greeted me with enthusiastic, if tired, smiles. “Lucienne, hi,” Diane said. “How are you doing? Did you finish today’s lessons already?”
“Not as such,” I explained, just like I had told Ines. “It’s just that I happened to sabotage the training session. I burnt the dummy to a crisp.”
Diane giggled, her eyes glinting with a mirth that was as soothing as Ines’s magic. “I wish I’d been there. Your aunt always makes the funniest faces when we blow something up.”
I was glad that I could make Diane laugh despite the traumatic experience she’d just gone through. “I don’t know how funny those faces are, but thinking back, you’d have probably found my failure amusing. More amusing than I did, at least.”
My self-deprecating comment instantly drew Pierce’s attention. “I’m sure you’ll get it right soon, my love. You’re a very capable magic caster. You’ve just hit a rough patch. It happens to everyone.”
I kissed his cheek to thank him for his words and sat down on the small couch, next to him. As much as I appreciated his reassurance and support, I hadn’t come here to dump my concerns on his shoulders.
This visit was not about me and my troubles with my magic at all. “How is Mrs. Garnier?” I asked.
Diane’s smile faded at the change in topic and she let out a low sigh. “She’s shown some improvement, but the healers say the blood loss caused by the vampire bite might have done some permanent brain damage. They can’t be sure, since they’ve never seen an injury like this before.”
“Never?” I repeated in disbelief. That couldn’t be right. My aunts had a lot of experience with wounds and illnesses of every type. “How is that even possible?”
“Usually, when vampires do this kind of damage to any victim, the person doesn’t survive long enough to be treated,” Pierce explained. “Mother’s abilities protected her up to a point. If she’d been anyone else, she might already be dead. But even so, your aunt is tentatively optimistic about Mother’s response to the treatment. We can only hope she�
��ll get better.”
Considering my exchange with Aunt Ines, that wasn’t news, not really. It still made my earlier anger return with a vengeance. But the last thing Clara needed was for me to lose control of my powers while in her healing room, so I took Pierce’s hand and squeezed it tightly.
He welcomed my hold, his familiar magic reaching into me, softly curling around my core and making the wildfire hidden inside me settle down somewhat. It was far more efficient than Ines’s help could ever be. “This isn’t a bad thing, Lucienne,” he said. “If anything, it’s good news. My mother is a fighter and the fact that she’s survived until now proves that she’ll most likely wake up soon.”
I didn’t think the healing process from a vampire bite worked like that, but I didn’t have the heart to point it out, to rob him of that slim hope. Besides, for all I knew, he might be right. Pierce understood Clara’s abilities far better than I did, so maybe she was indeed capable of overcoming this. Not to mention that Aunt Ines had indeed seemed convinced that Clara would wake up.
“I hope so,” I said. “Gods, I hope so.”
I placed my head on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around me, holding me close. Diane turned away from us and took her mother’s hand. Silence fell in the healing room, not exactly awkward, but not comfortable either.
There was so much I’d have liked to tell them both, so many apologies and promises that threatened to steal the breath from my lungs more brutally than any plague ever could. I didn’t have the courage to say anything, not after my earlier failure during the lesson and my constant inability to control my powers.
I had to try harder, to do better, but I was trapped in a vicious circle of frustration and futility. The more time passed with me unable to go after Mathias Vandale, the angrier I became, which in turn, made it tougher for me to focus.