by G. K. DeRosa
“Well, not exactly.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I’d taken the last of Garridan’s potion and tried to find your room. It was harder than I thought, and I ended up lost near the kitchen. She found me, and when she realized who I was, she quickly escorted me here.”
I sighed and dragged my fingers through my hair. “That could have ended very badly, Solaris.”
She yawned and rolled on her side. “I know, but it didn’t.”
My gaze lingered over her, tracing the curve in her neck. Good thing Garridan urged me to drink that bottle of synth.
“Any news from Isla or Gavin?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Anything from Turstan?”
A grimace curled my lips. “Not a word from that coward.”
A long, tired sigh drifted from her mouth. “I suppose you want to take me back to my room.”
Not a chance.
“No.” I liked seeing her in my bed entirely too much. If my father found out—well, it occurred to me that there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
Her brows dipped. “Why are you smiling?”
“I’m not.” I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Get some rest.” I sat up, but her hand snapped out, catching my arm before I could stand.
“Don’t go.” Her voice was so soft, barely a whisper between us. “Stay with me.”
My heart rattled in my ribcage. Not one fiber of my being could have denied that request. I kicked my shoes off and stretched out beside her. The bond flared to life, and a rush of her emotions slammed into me.
Before I realized what I was doing, I was kissing her. And she was kissing me back with just as much fervor.
My pulse shot through the roof, and my body was consumed in her wily fire. Did she know this would happen when she got the insane idea to sneak into my room? Was this what she wanted?
Her honey and jasmine scent flooded over me as my tongue swirled with hers. I was unraveling at a dangerous rate, and soon I’d be completely at her mercy.
Who was I kidding? I was always at Solaris’s mercy. I was an open book to her. She could see every dark corner inside me and knew every desire swimming in my darkest depths. It was a wonder she hadn’t been scared off.
“I missed you, Kaige,” she whispered against my lips, her breath coming in quick, uneven pants. “I don’t know how to stay away from you.”
My fingers tangled in her soft, silken hair. “Then don’t.” My mouth left hers, trailing kisses across her jaw and down her neck. The network of delicate blue veins hummed beneath my lips, tempting me.
An ache pulsed through my fangs, but I kept them from slipping out. That wouldn’t have been possible without the bottle of synth.
Solaris tugged at my shirt, and I yanked it over my head, tossing it on the floor. Her hands branded the bare skin on my back, tracing the ridges of my muscles and spilling molten lava through my core.
I brushed a kiss beneath her ear, and a shiver rolled through her body. Desire and pleasure swam through the bond and at this point, I couldn’t decipher whom it stemmed from. It was all twisted into one scorching mess of feelings.
“Solaris.” Her name came out as a breathy, barely recognizable growl. My fingers slipped beneath her shirt, sampling her tantalizing flesh. I was beyond the point of control, beyond having any sense at all.
I pulled back, peering into her deeply flushed face. Those electric moss orbs stared back at me, as hazy as my mind was. “Solaris, I—” I licked my lips, tasting her honey flavor.
Gods, it was like nectar from the sweetest flower in all of New Isos.
Her hands ran over my back and across my shoulders, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. “What are you trying to say?”
I knew what was on the tip of my tongue. I briefly hesitated saying it, wondering if it would be the final nail in our coffin.
The whole world was already doomed. What was a little more fuel to this inferno?
“Solaris, I lo—”
A loud racket suddenly shook the entire castle.
I bolted up and darted toward the window, throwing it open.
Solaris followed me. “Kaige, what is it?”
Water was dumped over me, extinguishing the fire Solaris and I had started. The tall, heavy iron gates of Castle De La Divin had been knocked down. A boulder sank to the bottom of my stomach as a horde of figures flooded into the castle grounds.
A tiny hand gripped my shoulder, shaking it. “Kaige! What’s happening?” She couldn’t see through the thick blanket of darkness, but the panic tearing through me was enough to frighten her.
I licked my cold, dry lips. “Taranoi are storming the castle.”
Chapter 19
Solaris
Kaige yanked me away from the window, his panic zipping through the bond and stealing my breath. Wild silver eyes pierced into mine. “I need to get you somewhere safe.”
He whisked me out of his bedroom before I could get a word out. “What about you?”
We raced through the dark corridors as pounding footfalls echoed in every direction. Royal guards. They were preparing for the attack. We passed a barred window, and I caught a glimpse of the angry mob marching on the castle. My breath hitched as Kaige propelled me forward.
“Kaige? What are you going to do?”
“I have to go out there. I need to attempt to reason with them like I did the other night at the tavern.”
I hadn’t been there the other night, but from the sounds of the hungry horde gathering outside the castle, they didn’t seem likely to listen. “It’s not safe. What if something happens to you?” Images from my nightmare flooded my mind. Kaige dying, impaled by a sword.
No.
His fingers tightened around mine. “I’ll be fine, Solaris. I can’t sit here and do nothing. You’re not the only one who feels responsible for all of this.”
His words hit me like a heavy fist as guilt swarmed the bond. It wasn’t only his either. We were on the brink of destroying both of our kinds. We did this.
We reached ground level, and three royal soldiers appeared around a corner.
“Your Highness, we’ve been searching for you everywhere.” The tall soldier’s light blue eyes darted toward me then settled back on his king.
“I’m fine, Maxum. I need to escort my guest to the safe room then I will come find you.”
Maxum ticked his head to the two nocturnes by his side. “Davin and Lex can accompany her to join your family in the royal chambers. The queen mother and your sister are already there.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll see to it myself.” He barreled by the three men as Maxum continued to mutter protests.
We raced down a spiraling staircase, the angry shouts growing louder. A small window was etched into the stone wall, iron bars across it. I peered through as we passed and regretted it immediately.
Hundreds of taranoi swarmed the drawbridge leading into Castle De La Divin. Blazing torches lit up the dark night, revealing ominous shadows wielding shovels, pick-axes, and clubs. The castle sat atop a hill, a veritable fortress with dozens of trained royal guards, but the mob had already made it up to the last gate.
Fear trickled through the bond, and Kaige flinched. He pulled me into his side and picked up the pace. “Everything’s going to be fine. I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”
I swallowed hard. And who would protect him?
We descended two more flights of stairs and finally reached the lowermost level. “You’re not taking me to your mom and Zabrina?”
He shook his head, his lips in a hard line. “No. Xander will be joining them before long, if he hasn’t already. I didn’t think you’d want to be stuck in the same room as him.”
A chill slithered up my spine at the thought of being trapped in a confined space with that monster. “Good call.”
We reached the passageway that led to the secret human quarters, and Garridan’s form coalesced from behind a dark pillar. I jumped at the sight of the ancient
nocturne.
“Geez, you scared me!”
“I’m sorry, dear. I had a feeling Kaige would bring you down here.”
Kaige squeezed Garridan’s shoulder and shot him a tight-lipped smile. “Thank you, old friend, please take care of her.”
“I’ll protect her with my life.” With a solemn nod, he scurried down the corridor, the metal keychain clanging as he got to work on the door.
Kaige lifted my chin and pinned me with a smoldering stare. “Stay with Garridan. Do not leave his side under any circumstances—no matter what you may feel.” He pressed his palm to my chest. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I choked back the knot jammed in my throat. “Please be careful.” I leaned my forehead against his, squeezing my eyes shut.
He sealed my lips with a searing kiss, and a swell of emotions crashed through the bond, nearly sweeping me off my feet. My knees trembled, and I clutched his strong arms. He poured all he had into that sizzling kiss, ensuring I’d feel exactly what he couldn’t put into words.
What he was about to say earlier… I couldn’t think about that right now or I’d never be able to let him go. I pressed my body against his, letting his warmth chase away the growing fear inside me. His lips glided over mine, reassuring me with every stroke.
When I opened my eyes, he was gone.
My gaze locked on Garridan’s like he was a news reporter broadcasting the latest details on the battle. With his super sensitive vampire hearing, the varying expressions on his face told me everything I needed to know. Coupled with the range of emotions whizzing through the bond, it was as if I were at the front lines.
It had been over a half hour since Kaige left, and I’d bitten my nails down to my fingertips. “What’s happening now?” I asked Garridan for the millionth time.
He shook his head. “More fighting. It’s difficult for me to focus on anything specific.”
Even with my ordinary human hearing, the clash of weapons and cries of the fallen seeped through the fortress’s thick stone walls and reached my ears.
Kaige had tried to reason with the taranoi, but his pleas had fallen on deaf ears. The nocturne peasants were out for blood. Literally. They were convinced the royals were hoarding stores of synth within the castle walls.
Garridan’s pallid face turned two shades whiter, his mouth forming a capital O.
“What?”
He leapt to his feet and hissed over his shoulder. “They’ve broken through the castle door.” He raced through the sitting room to the hefty mahogany bookcase that stood by the entryway.
I ran after him, my heart lodged in my throat. “What are you doing?”
“We have to secure the chamber.” He pushed the massive piece of furniture in front of the door then scurried across the room for an armoire.
Loud pounding on the door stopped him in his tracks.
The blood bond pulsed, and I spun toward the entrance. “Kaige!”
He banged again. “Open the door, it’s me.”
“Yes, sir, just one moment.” Garridan hurried to remove the furniture he’d just positioned. I attempted to help, but I might as well have been a fly trying to move an elephant.
The door whipped open, and my mouth dropped.
Kaige and his twin engulfed the entryway, both brothers covered in blood and filth.
I sucked in a breath and leapt into Kaige’s arms, ignoring the blistering hatred threatening to consume me at the sight of Xander. “Are you okay?”
He pulled me into his chest, running his hands over my back. “I am now that I’m with you.”
I caught Xander’s eye roll in my periphery. Bastard.
I tilted my head up to meet Kaige’s troubled gaze. “What’s happening?”
“We have to go now. We’re not safe here anymore.”
Garridan moved forward. “I heard the castle door was breached. How did it happen?”
Kaige glared at his brother. “Somehow the taranoi in the dungeons got loose. They overtook the remaining prison guards and managed to make their way up to the entrance. Once the mob got in, the royal guards stationed there were overpowered.”
“What about your mother and Zabrina? Is everyone okay?” Terror tightened my chest. If anything happened to them…
He nodded. “They’re fine, my father as well. They’re being escorted to our summer home in the mountains as we speak.”
I released a breath. “Good.”
Kaige’s gaze cast down, his lips twisting.
“What?” He was keeping something else from me. I could feel his guilt snaking through our connection.
He shot Xander a narrowed glare, his silver eyes shooting daggers. The tendons in his jaw quivered.
“Just tell me,” I insisted.
“The taranoi. They know about the human blood in the synth.”
My jaw unhinged and nearly fell to the floor. “How?”
Xander shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground. My eyes bounced back and forth between the twins. Their expressions were much too similar for my liking.
Garridan strode forward. “Will someone please tell us what is going on?”
“Xander told his friend Hazon everything.”
Xander threw his hands in the air. “How was I to know you’d have him imprisoned in the dungeons? He was furious.”
“That’s still no reason to tell starving taranoi they’d been lied to for decades,” Kaige hissed.
How could this be happening? It would only be a matter of time until all of our secrets were exposed.
“Oh gods.” Garridan’s gray eyes fell on Xander.
Xander had been the catalyst of all of this. My fist itched to smash in his stupid face. My eyes met his, and for once he wasn’t wearing that smug smile. He actually looked sorry. I curled my fingers into tight fists and quelled my murderous urges.
Kaige wrapped his fingers around my hand and wrenched me to his side. “We have to go now. We’ve wasted enough time.”
Chapter 20
Solaris
Xander led the way with Kaige and me squeezed in between him and Garridan. I was pressed so tightly into Kaige’s side, I couldn’t tell where my body ended and his began.
“Do not let anyone near Solaris,” whispered Garridan. “A starving taranoi’s thirst could overcome even the protection of the blood bond.”
Oh, great. My heart rate skyrocketed as we raced through the dark passageways. Screams, cries, and the sharp clash of weapons filtered down from the level right above us.
“Calm down, Solaris,” hissed Xander. “I can hear the thundering of your heart all the way up here.”
Kaige’s grip on my hand tightened, and I focused on taking deep breaths—in and out, in and out.
“We’re almost there,” Kaige whispered. “This corridor will take us straight to the royal airplane hangar.”
“Where will we go?”
“We’ll meet up with my family in the mountains to confirm everyone is safe, and then…” He paused. “We’ll figure it out.”
Where could we go? We weren’t safe in Draconis, and we certainly weren’t safe in Imera. The Shadow Lands were looking better and better every day. Perhaps that’s where we were destined to spend the rest of our days.
A dim light shone at the end of the tunnel, opening into an archway. Xander slowed and sidled up against the wall, motioning for us to do the same. We crept along the cold stone until we reached the opening.
Pounding footfalls carried down the corridor behind us. We all froze. Kaige drew me into his chest, pulling his jacket around me.
“This way,” cried a gravelly voice.
“No, you fool, the royal pantries are up a level. We’ve come too far down,” said a woman.
The footsteps receded, growing fainter until they completely fell away.
“They’re gone,” said Garridan.
I exhaled a sharp breath. Kaige brushed my forehead with his lips and released me.
Xander peered around the c
orner, scanning the spacious hangar. Three onyx jets filled the space, gleaming under the halogen lights.
“It’s clear. Go now!” Xander led the way, and the four of us darted to the nearest airplane.
Metal scraped against cement, the sound grating on my ears as I ran. I spun to the massive hangar door as my companions clapped their hands over their sensitive ears. The door lurched open, revealing a dozen soldiers in familiar khaki uniforms and matching caps. A blue and red emblem stood out from the beige material, setting off a wave of nausea.
“What the hell?” shouted Xander.
“It’s the Collective,” Kaige hissed.
“Target acquired!” yelled one of the soldiers and simultaneously the men drew their weapons.
More than a dozen guns pointed directly at us, the majority trained on me.
How did they know I was here? A million terrible thoughts rocketed through my mind. Gavin and Isla. They were the only ones who knew where I was.
“Run!” Xander took off toward the plane as the crack of gunshots rang out.
Kaige pulled me into his side, shielding me from the wave of oncoming projectiles. His body lurched forward as a bullet grazed his side.
“Kaige!” I cried out.
“I’m fine! Just keep running.”
I glanced up, and Xander had already reached the jet. The retractable stairs unfolded, and he raced up the steps to open the cabin door. I pumped my arms back and forth, my feet slapping the cement in time to my speeding pulse.
Just five more yards.
From my periphery, movement caught my eye. The soldiers marched toward us, their weapons still raised and firing.
Another spray of bullets zipped by, and Kaige yanked me back, a shell whizzing by where my head had been only a moment ago.
“Thanks,” I rasped out.
A shot rang out and Kaige’s grasp on my hand fell away. His eyes widened, and he collapsed to the ground. “No!” I shrieked, sinking to my knees beside him. Blood oozed from a wound in his stomach, and his eyes glazed over. “Kaige! Kaige!” I shook him as a sharp pain unfurled in my chest. “Don’t you dare leave me. I’m not losing you.”