TWISTED DESTINY: The Complete Saga

by Leia King

  “You have no idea what it took to get my hands on this. These have been outlawed for years,” Luca said, looking real fucking pleased with himself. “A net made of pure silver.” He snarled. “This should get the job done, right, brother?”

  “You sick son of a bitch!”

  Luca snapped his fingers and his two bodyguards took the net from him and approached Ryan.

  Grunting against the burn and overwhelming weakening effect of the cuffs, Ryan fought to move, to get to his feet, to push off with a burst of wolf speed. Anything.

  But none of that happened.

  The cuffs had zapped too much of his strength.

  He could only kneel there as the vampires draped the net over him.

  A terrible roar ripped from his throat, thundering through the forest for miles in the distance.

  The silver netting burned every part of him, melting his clothing and searing his flesh. The pain was excruciating. He could barely breathe. It felt like every part of him was on fire.

  It quickly became too much for his body to handle.

  He collapsed onto the grass.

  Everything slipped away.

  9

  Vazra watched Cora thrust her magic at the twenty-foot-high mountain of slabs that he’d assembled in the palace courtyard.

  The slabs were the same material that the palace was made of, making them impenetrable by any forged weapon. He’d asked Cora to try to blow a hole through the wall with her magic. He’d expected her to be able to chip a couple of the slabs on her first go around. He’d planned to work up to the destruction of the entire mountain.

  But, as he watched the silver magic leave her palms and reach the formidable mountain, shock betook him. Her magic hit and the entire mountain disintegrated in a blinding flash of light. A thick cloud of white smoke billowed in its wake.

  “Impossible.”

  Even he could not accomplish such a task with one bolt of magic. No one could. She turned to him, smiling excitedly at her achievement.

  “My goodness,” Marella’s voice came from beside him suddenly.

  He turned to her in surprise. He’d been in such a state that he hadn’t even felt her teleport beside him. “She’s… surpassed all of us.”

  “The daughter of the King of the White Realm. It is to be expected,” Marella said.

  “But this quickly?”

  “It is natural for her, your majesty. Whereas many of us must study for months, she is not bound by such things. A couple of days and already her strength has surpassed ours.”

  “Where did it go?” Cora called to them, approaching the steps leading up to the palace entrance where the two of them stood. “I thought nothing could be created or destroyed, only… changed.”

  Vazra chuckled. “That will always be true. The white smoke is what it transformed into.”

  “Right. Of course.”

  Vazra held his palm out and conjured a tiny orb. “Move this in a circle. Clockwise. Then counter clockwise,” he instructed. “Use only your mind, your will. No hands.” With her demonstration of incredible power he was concerned. He had been teaching her control exercises, but he needed to test her to ensure that she had learned his lessons properly. A sorceress without control was dangerous. And one possessing the great power that she did? There was nothing more dangerous.

  She followed his instructions. She drew the orb from his palm using only her will as he had instructed. He watched her concentrate, blocking out everything else around her as she moved the orb slowly in a clockwise motion. She stopped on the second turn and reversed its movement, forcing it into a counter-clockwise motion.

  “Good. Very good,” Vazra said.

  He waved his hand over the ball and it disappeared as he reabsorbed the magic into himself.

  “Marella,” Cora greeted her politely.

  “Princess,” Marella returned with a polite curtsey. “I am very impressed.”

  Cora smiled shyly. “I’m learning.”

  Vazra chuckled. “Don’t be so modest. You are almost ready.”

  “Already?”

  “Indeed. It is a shock to me as well.”

  He reached for her hand, but she drew back suddenly, screaming.

  She collapsed to her knees, her hands trembling.

  Panic gripped him. What was happening?

  He dropped down beside her, Marella joining him.

  “What is it, Cora? What is causing you pain?” he asked, frantically.

  “Don’t… know,” she choked out, struggling to breathe against the intense pain.

  Marella pressed her hand to Cora’s forehead, emanating a white glow of magic. She drew back sharply a moment later, gasping. “Ryan!”

  “He is in pain?” Vazra asked.

  “Agony,” Marella clarified. “I couldn’t determine any details. It was too intense.”

  “I will find out. Find David. Tell him to bring one of his elixirs to soothe her pain. She is pregnant. She cannot withstand this agony for very long without it harming the child.”

  Marella nodded and teleported away.

  “Cora, you and Ryan are linked through the bonding ritual. You are feeling his pain right now,” he told her gently.

  “He… needs… help,” Cora rasped.

  “I know. I will find him,” he assured her, placing his hands either side of her head. “I need you to allow me access.”

  “Okay.”

  Vazra felt no resistance from her as he tapped into the link between her and Ryan. She had heeded his words well. A sudden flash assaulted him, along with a searing pain that mirrored what she was experiencing. He fought against the agony and pushed further. Where are you, wolf?

  And then he saw it.

  Ryan was cuffed, his arms suspended above his head in a bedchamber of some sort. A net was draped over him. Judging by the first-degree burns all over Ryan’s flesh, and the fact that he was clearly unconscious, it was a net of silver. The Vampire Prince stood before him, his eyes flashing with victory.

  Vazra cursed as he broke the connection and looked into Cora’s concerned eyes.

  Before he could tell her what he’d seen, David arrived.

  He skidded to his knees beside her. Holding a vial of luminous green liquid to her lips, he urged, “Drink, princess. It will ease your pain.”

  She opened her mouth and sipped at it weakly. She cringed at the nasty taste, but let him continue until she’d swallowed all of it. Barely a second passed before she announced, “The pain’s gone.” She looked up at David and smiled sweetly at him as she said, “Thank you.”

  “Of course, princess.”

  Vazra saw the fear in her eyes as she looked at him. “Tell me what you saw.”

  “He is strong. He will be fine.” He was not going to tell her the truth of what he’d seen. It would send his pregnant daughter headlong into danger. Ryan would just have to save himself. It was unfortunate that he was facing such a predicament but Cora and her child were what truly mattered.

  She struggled to get to her feet but she was too weak to manage it. The agony that had racked her body had clearly weakened her. “I need to help him,” she cried. “I need to go to Ryan. Now.”

  “You need to rest,” Vazra told her.

  “No, father. He’s in trouble.”

  She was so incredibly stubborn. He’d comfort her with a lie then. “I will let you go once you are able to stand on your own,” he said, as he and David helped her to her feet.

  She nodded weakly. “Okay.”

  “I will put her to bed,” David offered.

  Vazra looked at him, but something about the look in his eyes unnerved him. He shook his head. “No, I will take care of my daughter. You are dismissed. Thank you for the elixir.”

  With that, he led Cora back inside the palace.

  “You won’t stop me from going to him, father,” Cora suddenly spoke, catching him off guard.

  “What?”

  “I know you don’t want me to go. I saw the look in your
eyes.”

  “Cora, I—”

  “You’ve seen how strong I am. Don’t make me use it to force my way out of here.”

  “I am trying to protect you, daughter.”

  “And I’m trying to protect the father of my child. Please understand that.”

  Vazra grunted. He offered her a nod. How could he argue with her need to protect the one she loved above all else? She’d waited long enough to experience true love. He couldn’t be responsible for causing her to lose more than she’d already lost because of his actions.

  10

  Shaye stood outside the wolf compound leaning against the gates watching the mammoth crowd gathered in the field a few feet away. All wolves currently in human form.

  She couldn’t believe how many Ryan had under his care. There were thousands of them. They all looked incredibly well and strong. Ryan had taken good care of them, protecting them in the impenetrable wolf compound. She had never seen so many wolves in one place.

  When she’d first arrived at the compound, they had all been on edge, fretting about the coming of the full moon and the possibility of being attacked during their monthly run of the wolves ritual. But as soon as she’d put up the powerful shimmering barrier, which extended from the compound throughout the entire forest flanking the base, they had relaxed.

  Ryan’s pack stood off to the side, keeping a close eye on the crowd.

  To her relief, they hadn’t questioned her when she’d told them that Ryan had given her orders to come here and protect them. She knew it was because they could smell him on her. They’d been walking closely together for the entirety of their journey out of the White Realm. His scent was all over her. She’d told them that something had come up, requiring Ryan’s immediate attention. She’d claimed that he’d join them shortly.

  Unfortunately, someone had seen through her lie. A lie that Ryan had pleaded with her to tell them. To protect them.

  Ryan’s second-in-command, Josh. He knew Ryan better than anyone.

  She’d just finished telling him the whole truth and he’d fallen silent, clearly struggling to absorb her horrific revelations.

  He shifted his weight, finally uttering, “I can’t leave him in that bloodsucker’s nest.”

  “You have to. The full moon will rise in an hour. You won’t be in control of your wolf. While I do have the ability to assist with that, I must remain here to hold the protection barrier in place. We must wait.”

  “They’re torturing him!”

  “Ryan is strong.”

  He shook his head at her. “You don’t get it.”

  “What are you talking about? I know Ryan. He is the strongest, most resilient person I have ever known.”

  “Do you have any idea what vampires do to really torture wolves? Why do you think they took him this night, huh? The night of the full moon?”

  “Why?” she asked, warily. The look in his eyes unnerved her. Pure terror.

  He hesitated, clearly thinking better of it. “Forget it.”

  “You must stay here. It was his will.”

  Josh rolled his eyes. “Sometimes Ryan’s instinct to protect his pack puts him in too much danger. Once, he let Michael’s wolves rip his flesh apart with their poisoned claws to protect us. I won’t let him be a martyr for us tonight.”

  He broke from her and stormed towards the barrier a few feet away.

  “You won’t be able to control your wolf!” she called after him.

  “An advantage when breaking into a vampire mansion!”

  “Josh!”

  “The wolf will let me rip them to shreds without any hesitation!”

  “What about the ability to think, to apply reason to what could be a complicated situation?”

  “As soon as I’m with Ryan, the wolf will remain in check. An Alpha has the power to control his pack during the full moon!”

  Just before he reached the barrier, a bright flash of white light ripped through the area.

  What on earth?

  Cora and Davidas materialized.

  They started to pass through the barrier, her magic having no effect on them. She noticed the faery’s tight grip on Cora’s hand and she realized it was Cora who was immune to her magic and her hold on Davidas was protecting him from its wrath also. It made sense, given that Cora’s magic was beyond hers.

  As soon as they were beyond it, Cora bounded over to Josh, throwing her arms around him.

  “I’ve missed you and the pack!”

  He pulled her close and returned her hug for a few long moments before finally pulling back.

  Shaye watched her frown at him. “Where were you going?”

  “To help Ryan.”

  “He wouldn’t have been able to pass through the barrier,” Shaye assured her, approaching the three of them.

  “Cora did,” Josh pointed out.

  Shaye winked at Cora. “Her power is stronger than mine. That is why.”

  Josh turned his attention to Davidas who was standing beside Cora. Right beside her. It was obvious that he didn’t like how close he was to his Alpha’s mate. “She is married to my Alpha.”

  “I am well aware, wolf.”

  “Josh, he’s here as my protector,” Cora explained. “His name is David. He’s Fae and a member of my father’s Royal Court. My father insisted he accompany me.”

  “Accompany you?” Shaye queried. “Your training has only just begun. Why did you leave prematurely?”

  “I felt Ryan’s pain.”

  “His pain? From the silver cuffs?” Shaye asked. She really hoped that was all it was. The cuffs were bad enough as it was. For Ryan to suffer anything beyond that was incomprehensible.

  Cora shook her head sadly. “Agony.”

  “They are torturing him! I knew it!” Josh exclaimed.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Cora said. “That’s why I’m here.”

  Shaye narrowed her eyes when Davidas’s fingers brushed Cora’s arm. Josh noticed too, taking her hand and tugging her away from him. What on earth had the faery been thinking? His overt display of affection for a married, mated woman was unacceptable and wholly inappropriate. What was his intention?

  “Josh, it’s okay,” Cora assured him, trying to placate him. “He’s only a friend.”

  Josh drew her to him protectively, his arm snaking around her waist. Just like Shaye didn’t believe it, neither did he. As a wolf, he had exceptional instincts. When his hand inadvertently brushed her stomach, as he held her protectively, he let out a shocked gasp. He let go and rounded on her, excitement flashing on his face. “What? Holy shit! Are you—?”

  Cora nodded. “Pregnant.”

  Josh gazed at her belly and scented her. “A wolf.”

  “Wolf-hybrid. And a boy,” she told him.

  “Wow. Congratulations, Wolf Queen.”

  She grinned. “Thanks.”

  Davidas shattered the moment, stepping to them and rumbling, “We must move now, before the full moon rises.”

  Cora nodded. Shaye saw her look her way. “I will take Ryan’s pack with me to the compound. The others must stay here, with you, under your protection.”

  “If the full moon rises before you get to Ryan—” Shaye started to warn her.

  “I’m their Alpha’s mate. They’ll listen to me, even with the full moon.”

  Shaye looked to Josh for his confirmation.

  “Yeah. It’s true.”

  “You and the pack will take out the vampires in our path. I will deal with Michael. David will watch my back,” Cora commanded.

  “Got it,” Josh agreed.

  “As you wish,” Davidas said.

  “Be careful,” Shaye warned. “Michael doesn’t respect the laws of magic, Cora. He is unpredictable and this will be your first time using your magic in an uncontrolled situation. In battle.”

  “I know, but I can’t leave Ryan there, Shaye. I need him. Our child needs his father.”

  Shaye nodded her understanding. She drew Cora to her. “Don’
t let Michael get under your skin. He will try to make you lose control. He will think it an easy task, because you are still very new at this. Center yourself by focusing on your love for Ryan. It will stabilize your magic. Good luck, princess. Bring him back to us.”

  “I will,” she vowed.

  Shaye watched anxiously as they started to prep for their attack, Josh gathering the pack and Cora conferring with Davidas.

  Please be okay, Ry.

  11

  Ryan awoke feeling like absolute shit.

  He blinked hard, in an effort to clear his blurry vision.

  He hissed from the cuffs burning into the flesh of his wrists and his ankles. Fucking silver!

  Looking up, he saw that his arms were suspended above him, chained to the ceiling by the damn silver cuffs around his wrists. He was shirtless and barefoot. His feet were secured to the hardwood floor by the ankle cuffs.

  “Welcome back, brother.”

  Ryan swung his head to his left, where Luca sat on a bed smirking his way.

  The sick bastard was in the middle of a fuck-and-feed right there, in full view of him. He buried his fangs in the tits of one of his vampire whores, feeding from her, while her naked body bounced on his cock. Ryan recognized her as Vivian. The black-haired beauty was Luca’s favorite.

  He looked away and scanned the rest of the room, thankful that his blurry vision had cleared.

  He wasn’t in a dungeon.

  He was in one of the dozens of bedchambers within Luca’s mansion. He recognized the décor. Overindulgent and unnecessarily expensive. Definitely Luca’s place.

  A disgruntled grunt from Vivian caught his attention and he looked to see Luca ripping his fangs from her flesh. He climbed off the bed, taking her hand and drawing her with him.

  “What are you doing?” Ryan asked, watching Luca snake his arms around Vivian’s waist and hold her there right in front of him. Luca seemed to be presenting her to him.

  The asshole flashed that smarmy smirk of his again. “You know, she looks a lot like someone else. Don’t you think?” he asked, stroking her hair and making her moan.