TWISTED DESTINY: The Complete Saga

by Leia King

  But, was she actually human?

  Her strange ability to sense magical energy had always given her an edge, but she’d never really thought about it being more than an odd gift. Definitely not that it made her more than human. But now, with the magical ability Luca had sparked to life in her, combined with all his cryptic talk, it had her wondering.

  Drawing in a calming breath, she willed herself to put it out of her mind. She needed to rest. It’d been a hell of a day.

  She’d just settled herself into a more comfortable position in bed when an odd sensation coursed through her. It felt like the effect of taking a sedative, pulling her under incredibly quickly, willing her to sleep.

  She was too beat to fight it.

  She let it take her, welcoming the rest.

  Cora awoke with a jolt.

  An air of foreboding washed over her. She scanned her surroundings anxiously, finding herself in an unfamiliar room, on an unfamiliar four-poster bed. What was happening?

  Golden serpent effigies snaked around each of the posts. She shifted beneath the blood-red silky sheets and realized that she was naked. The room was dark, aside from the soft glow of candles positioned sporadically around the room.

  A sudden rush of dark energy washed over her.

  “Relax, princess.”

  That smooth, sensual voice. She knew it.

  “Luca?” she called out to the dark room.

  He stepped forward at the sound of her call.

  She swallowed hard at the sight of him. He was half-naked, wearing only a pair of silk boxers. His body was a sight to behold. He was majorly ripped, his abs incredibly defined, his biceps and legs all hard, toned muscle. She bit her lip to stifle a reaction.

  “Like what you see, princess?” he asked, with a smirk.

  “Very much,” she found herself responding. Where had that come from? It wasn’t like her to be so brazen. Where had her inhibitions gone?

  Something was… off.

  He crawled up the bed towards her and reached for the sheet that she’d been holding to her chest. “May I?”

  She found herself nodding and dropping her hands to her sides submissively.

  Slowly, he pulled down the sheet, exposing her breasts.

  He growled low in his throat.

  And then his lips were on her right breast, kissing her. His tongue flicked her nipple, quickly coaxing it to a hard, stiff point of arousal. By the time he turned his attention to the left one, Cora was squirming beneath him in a state of barely-contained need.

  “You belong to me, princess,” he breathed against her neck.

  She shook her head.

  He wasn’t the least bit deterred. He licked her neck, tasting her skin.

  “Soon,” he spoke.

  “Soon?” she asked.

  He cupped her face in his hands. “Soon, we will bond.”

  His mouth crashed down on hers, taking her in a forceful kiss. She parted her lips, granting him access to what he desired, and his tongue delved into her mouth with a passionate fury.

  A primal hunger rose within her and she responded wildly, her tongue dueling with his, tasting him. She fisted her hands in his long hair and jerked him closer. Her body ruled her head.

  Arching her back, she pushed her breasts into his waiting hands, needing more. But he pulled back, making her whimper at the loss of his touch.

  “Say it,” he urged her. “Beg me.”

  “I… don’t stop touching me. Please, Luca.”

  “What do you need?” he pushed her.

  “Your… hands… on me.”

  “More,” he growled.

  Desperate, she blurted out, “I need it! Please make me come!”

  He smiled with satisfaction. “There it is. Very nice.”

  The fact that he hadn’t seemed surprised by her submission given her prior resistance, gave her pause.

  But that thought dissolved into serene acceptance a mere moment after it’d arisen. It wasn’t a conscious decision on her part. No, it had been seemingly forced away somehow. Yeah, something was off, for sure.

  “Luca, what’s happening?” she said, panic began to set in. “What is this place?”

  He was looming over her in the next moment, his eyes locking with hers. They were glowing a vibrant red. The instant they looked upon her, all panic and concern evaporated.

  She sank back against the sheets, sighing peacefully.

  “Good girl.” Luca ripped away the sheet covering her lower half and issued a sensual command, “Open your legs.”

  She complied without hesitation, without thinking. It was automatic.

  He dragged his fingers through her slick folds, sending shocks of pleasure through her.

  “So ready for me. So wet,” he crooned, as he began to rub his dick up and down the length of her pussy.

  “Oh God,” she gasped.

  “I know you are not familiar with such pleasure, Cora.” Stroking her hair, he told her reassuringly, “Just relax into it. Savor it.”

  He pushed into her, his cock sinking deep, inch by inch.

  “Tell me you want me,” he commanded.

  “I…”

  “Princess?” he pressed, with an edge of frustration in his voice.

  She blinked hard, finding it hard to focus. “Yeah?”

  He cursed to himself and muttered something about her being difficult.

  “Luca?”

  She cried out in surprise when he abruptly grasped the sides of her face, forcing her to look at him. That vibrant red glow returned, flashing almost violently this time.

  “Now, princess, tell me you want me,” he ground out, the glow dissipating and his eyes returning to their normal hue.

  A peaceful serenity betook her, just like before. No worries plagued her. All that mattered was the immediate and the need she had for him.

  “Yes. I want you.”

  He growled with satisfaction and pounded into her without mercy. His dick rubbed her slick walls in the most delicious way, eliciting breathless moans of ecstasy from her. His thrusts were brutal, powerful, relentless. It was amazing.

  His mouth smothered her neck.

  “You are mine, my bride, my princess.”

  His fangs pierced her neck.

  She screamed.

  Her peaceful reverie shattered. Reality came flooding back to her.

  Cora’s eyes snapped open and she shot up in bed.

  She slapped her hand to her neck.

  There was no abrasion. It wasn’t sore. Thank goodness.

  It’d just been a dream then.

  Hadn’t it?

  She wasn’t entirely sure. Never in her life had she experienced a dream like that. Such depth of detail, such intense sensations.

  “Fuck.” Running her hand through her hair, she fought to calm herself down, her mind and her body. She was really worked up and it wasn’t something she was used to experiencing so it was more than a little difficult to get a handle on.

  Hell, it wasn’t just sexual desire that was permeating her being. As soon as she’d awoken, she’d felt that old sensation that she’d entertained during her Seeker days.

  Wired. Hyper-alert. Antsy.

  It was the primal-like need for the hunt.

  There was no way she was sleeping now. That dream had put the kibosh on any hopes of that happening.

  She threw the covers aside and climbed out of bed.

  Cora slowed her bike to a crawl.

  She’d been riding for the last hour.

  Every now and then her former Seeker persona crept up on her, the impulse to get back into the fight rising up. She’d thought she’d kicked it, but earlier she’d figured it’d come back again. Given all the craziness that’d happened to her in the last day, she wouldn’t have been that surprised.

  But, it’d turned out to be something else altogether, not the urge for a quick hunt.

  She just didn’t know what.

  So, she’d just let the inexplicable pull guide her, a
nd ridden towards it.

  And it’d brought her to the industrial district.

  A piercing scream cut through the still night.

  Reacting instinctively, she dismounted her Harley and ran towards the source of the fearful cry.

  It sounded again, coming from around the corner of an abandoned warehouse.

  Sprinting around the corner, she stopped short at the sight before her.

  Two hulking males had a woman pinned against the concrete wall. They were tearing at her clothes and uttering despicable threats.

  Dark energy!

  Striding closer, the potency of their energy infiltrated her being, and she realized what they were.

  “Wolves,” she ground out.

  They turned at the sound of her voice. Snarling, their eyes were afire, letting her know they were moments away from shifting into animal form.

  She needed to end it before that happened. Wolves were a hell of a lot harder to take down once they shifted. Almost impossible for humans.

  Normally, wolves weren’t an issue. They co-existed perfectly well with humans.

  This was unprecedented.

  Studying them, they didn’t seem normal. Their fur was mangy, their eyes wild. Oh no. She’d heard of such a thing, but she’d never encountered it. They were rabid. Unhinged. They needed to be put down. There was no other way, no other solution for wolves who’d reached that state.

  Cora cringed as one of them tossed the woman aside like a ragdoll. She crashed to the floor, breaking her fall with her hands, then fought to get to her feet as fast as her dazed state would allow.

  “Go!” Cora yelled, when the woman hesitated at the sight of her.

  Jolted by her ferociousness, the woman frantically scurried off.

  And then the wolves turned on Cora.

  “We’d rather taste you anyway. You smell delicious,” the larger of the men told her as they both advanced on her. He sniffed the air. “Mmm. What is that? What are you?”

  “No idea what you’re talking about.” She braced herself for what she had to do. And then she crooked her finger. “Come, dogs.”

  Roaring in fury, they lunged at her.

  She drew the pistol concealed in her right hip holster and fired without hesitation.

  The smaller of the wolves went down instantly, screaming in agony as the bullet ripped through his heart.

  Silver.

  The wolf killer.

  The larger one struck her, swiping at her with his deathly sharp claws. They ripped through the arm of her leather jacket, shredding right through it and into her flesh. She hissed. Push it down, rise above the pain. Life, or death situation here.

  Grunting, she thrust her fist into his throat. As she did, she felt fur, not skin.

  He leapt on top of her, driving her to the ground. His auburn fur surrounded her, suffocating her as he mauled her.

  A fresh wave of adrenaline flooded through her.

  Her palms heated. Silver fire sparked.

  The wolf yelped and flew back several feet. He landed with a brutal thud on the dirtied ground, his fur singed, his body unmoving.

  Holy crap. He was dead.

  Cora looked down at her hands. Silver sparks were coming from her upturned palms. She closed them into fists, and it put the magic out.

  “Shit,” she murmured, climbing to her feet.

  That had been far too close. If her magic hadn’t suddenly come to life of its own accord, that would’ve very likely killed her. She grimaced as she took in her bloodied arm.

  Why were the wolves attacking humans? Why were they rabid? What had happened?

  She knew the Alpha who ruled the pack in the city and he normally had iron-fisted control over his wolves. Had he slipped up? Had something awful happened?

  They needed to have words. ASAP.

  3

  The place was jampacked. Rambunctious laughter, rowdy shouts and the rumble of conversation reverberated through the old biker bar.

  Ryan Winters leaned back in his chair and let loose a powerful howl that cut through the noise.

  Recognizing their Alpha’s call, his boys fell instantly silent, giving him their undivided attention.

  He grinned and howled lightheartedly. They followed suit, drowning the bar in their primal calls.

  Ryan was in a good mood. The full moon was close. It was the time when wolves were at their strongest. The time when his pack would run wild all night through the forest located on the outskirts of the city, when they would then give in wholly to the wolf within, reveling in the absolute freedom of it.

  The howls ceased and he laughed heartily. He took a large swig from his beer mug, relaxing back into his chair.

  Josh, his second-in-command, clapped his hand down on his shoulder. So, where to tonight, Ry? I’m dying to lose myself in some easy pussy.”

  Ryan felt the same desperation Josh was alluding to. Being so close to the full moon, wolves were embroiled in a sexual frenzy, their animal instincts at their most ferocious.

  He smirked and pulled some cards from his leather jacket pocket. Tossing them on the table, he told the boys, “Have at it.”

  They gathered around eagerly, snapping them up, as he informed them of a new club opening that boasted the wild atmosphere they were all looking for. “Never say that your Alpha doesn’t deliver.”

  Whoops and cheers followed.

  It all came to a grinding halt, though, at the sound of the bell above the front door chiming.

  A strange heat rushed through Ryan, causing him to choke from its intensity. What the fuck?

  It was followed by the sweetest scent he’d ever smelled. A scent he couldn’t even begin to place. It was… indefinable. Unheard of for a wolf.

  Stunned, he watched curiously, as the culprit strode into his bar.

  Some sort of biker chick, it appeared, decked out in leather from head to toe.

  She pulled down the zipper of her jacket, revealing a thin tank underneath containing a sweet pair of tits that had his mouth watering. Bearing any skin in a place packed with virile male wolves so close to the full moon wasn’t advisable at all. He could see why she had, though. She was sweating like crazy. Beads of sweat rolled down her neck, all the way to her delectable cleavage. Her brow was clammy too, and her hair was wet with it. She looked sick.

  She flicked back her silky, black hair, as her piercing blue eyes searched the bar.

  When she turned around in her search, her tight little ass grabbed his attention. Hot damn.

  To his surprise, she didn’t seem the least bit fazed by walking into a place full of hulking male wolves. She strode further into the bar like she owned the damned place. Feisty as all hell. Fucking sexy.

  As she moved closer, he could feel her strength. Not brute strength, though. Nah, something else, something more. Her tiny five-foot frame was clearly no indication of the power she possessed.

  “Blane?” she called out, demandingly.

  It’d been a long while since he’d heard that name uttered.

  The boys laughed at her ignorance. The little thing seemed confused by their reaction.

  And, dammit, for some reason, Ryan just couldn’t stomach the look on her face, the humiliation she was causing herself. He couldn’t let it continue a second longer.

  He rose from his seat and raised his hand, the simple gesture silencing his pack.

  The mystery woman’s gaze snapped to his and the connection was like a spike through the heart. Fucking hell. What was happening?

  He recovered quickly, determined not to display weakness to anyone, least of all, to a stranger invading his territory. “Your information is old, darlin’,” he told her.

  She frowned. “Blane is no longer Alpha of this pack?” She strode over to him. “Who is?”

  He smirked. “That would be me. Ryan Winters. Have been for the last five years.”

  “I see.”

  He drew her over to the bar, away from the boys who were basically salivating over her, looking
like they would jump her at any moment and exact their sexual frustrations all over her.

  “Coming in here so close to the full moon is dangerous. My boys are a thin sliver of control away from ripping your clothes off and taking you right here in the middle of the bar,” he warned her.

  “It couldn’t be helped,” she said, glancing around warily.

  “You have business with Blane? You dealt with him in the past?”

  “Yeah, we were associates.”

  He cocked an eyebrow, more than a little surprised. “The old bastard didn’t exactly play well with pretty little things.”

  Her gaze hardened, not liking his words. She was getting her back up and she snapped, “He didn’t have much choice. I was a Seeker at the time.”

  Was? Interesting. He’d never heard of a Seeker quitting. He’d thought that death was the only way out of that life. And that wasn’t the only strange thing about her comment.

  “Really? Seekers are human.”

  “I… it is what it is,” she stumbled, her tough-ass façade slipping.

  It seemed that was a sore spot.

  She managed to recover and bit back at him, “Look, the pack helped me, and I helped them.”

  Fine. He’d humor her. “And you want my help now, huh?”

  “Yes.”

  Ryan wasn’t going to let her off that easily, not with the attitude she was sending his way. She might be a sexy piece and there was some weird pull about her, but he wouldn’t let her disrespect go unchecked. He had to mess with her a little, make her work for it.

  Leaning into her, he growled low, “Care to make it worth my while?”

  Her eyes flashed at his challenge, but she didn’t respond.

  He stepped into her, invading her personal space. It was an act of intimidation, plain and simple.

  Impressively, she didn’t back up, she didn’t back down. He could see he was making her uncomfortable with his close proximity, though. Her breathing had picked up. She could no longer hold his gaze. He’d shattered her tough act in one fell swoop.