by Leia King
A sharp knock reverberated through the room all of a sudden.
“Who could that be at this hour?” she asked.
Luca rolled his eyes. He could smell the strong scent. He’d recognize it anywhere. He was well aware of exactly who stood at the door. “Clearly someone who doesn’t understand a vampire’s sleeping habits,” he jested. “Sorry, beauty. I have to get this. He won’t leave until I answer the door.”
“No problem.”
He released her and climbed off the bed. He reached for the covers and pulled them right up to her chin. She giggled. “Luca.”
“That incredible body of yours is for my eyes only,” he said with a wink.
He pulled on his boxers and walked to the door. He threw it open, huffing impatiently.
“Hello, brother,” he snarled.
Ryan’s brow furrowed at Luca’s pissed expression. And then, a glance past him at the gorgeous brunette in his bed told him all he needed to know.
“You always accuse me of cock-blocking you. Yet, here you are now doing the same to me. Is this your idea of revenge? Because, if it is, it’s a little tame by your standards, Ryan.”
“Look, I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here,” Ryan answered gruffly.
Luca’s eyes narrowed. Ryan watched him sniff the air and then he asked, “Where is she?”
“Meeting with your father,” he answered stiffly.
He looked back into the room and called to his woman, “Sorry, beauty. I will only be a moment.”
He stepped out into the corridor, pulling the door closed behind him. Ryan was confused. Why was he coming out of the room?
“What are you—?”
Luca pressed his finger to his lips and led Ryan all the way to the end of the corridor. Ryan watched him scan their surroundings intensely for a few moments, clearly trying to make sure no one was around. What the hell was he about to say that needed such secrecy?
“Luca!” he pressed, impatiently.
“I didn’t want Aerona to overhear. What I’m about to tell you is in the past and she doesn’t deserve to have to hear about the sordid mess between the three of us. You, me and Cora.”
“Okay?” Ryan said, folding his arms across his chest and bracing himself for whatever the hell it was that Luca was about to tell him.
“Cora was affected by the betrothal bond when she came to me that night, just before her death.”
“What?”
“My father had broken the bond, but it was too late. It had already existed for too long. The connection between us was still there. That is no longer the case because of her death.”
“Why are you telling me this, Luca?”
“Because I know you, Ryan. You might be able to fool Cora, but you can’t fool me. I know it nags at you, knowing that she slept with me, that she might have felt love for me, like she does for you. Well, now you can rest assured that that isn’t the case. She was influenced, just like you had been with the wolf girl. But she is not mine. I know that now. Aerona is my mate.” He rested his hand on his shoulder and said sincerely, “I am sorry, brother. For everything.”
Ryan couldn’t actually believe Luca was apologizing to him at all, let alone in such a sincerely heartfelt way. It was the last thing he’d ever expected. The raw emotion emanating from him was more than a little startling. After so many years of fighting, a peace had finally been reached.
“I’m sorry too,” he managed. A smile crept over his lips as he added, “You know, for all the times I tried to kill you.”
Luca’s gaze remained serious. “I know how much she means to you.”
Ryan eyed his hand on his shoulder. “We’re not… you don’t want to hug, do you?”
Luca pulled back quickly and looked away awkwardly. “What? No, of course not.”
“Right. Good then,” Ryan murmured uncomfortably. He changed the subject quickly, “So you and Aerona, huh?”
Luca grinned. “Yes.”
“It feels incredible, doesn’t it? Intense. Like nothing you’ve ever felt before.”
“Better than I’d imagined all these years.”
“I know you’ve always wanted this. I’m glad you finally found the right mate.”
“Instead of obsessing over yours, you mean?”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “I tried to tell you many times. With words and with my fists.”
“I know. We completed the ritual tonight.”
Ryan smiled. “I’m glad. Nathanial will be happy. He’s been anxious about it for the last couple of weeks.”
“He has? Normally, when he wants something done, he starts barking orders.”
“He wanted you to take it at your own pace, I guess.”
“I see,” Luca said, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back against the wall. “So, what brought you here tonight? You are the last person I ever expected to find at my door.”
“My wife. Who else could make me do something I didn’t feel like doing? We’re having a housewarming at my bar tonight. She wanted me to invite you. She’s trying to make peace between us.”
“Do you want me to come?”
“I think it’d be a step in the right direction.”
“Then I will be there. I’ll bring Aerona. She’s spent her life cut off from the world, thanks to Kristoff, so it will be good for her to get out and meet people. Just… tell your wolves to behave themselves.”
“They won’t touch her. It helps that she’s a vampire.”
Luca scoffed. “Not all wolves are as speciest as you, Ryan.”
“I’m working on that.”
“Finally. It only took you three hundred years.”
“You’re the same way when it comes to wolves, Luca.”
“I’m working on it too. Especially now that wolves and vampires are united in the Dark Realm.”
“It’ll take some time for everyone. Centuries of prejudice won’t just disappear because Nathanial and I command it. It’s going to take a lot of work.”
They both sniffed the air suddenly as they sensed a familiar scent. They spun around to see Cora walking towards them with Orion in her arms.
“Good. It looks like you both managed to have a conversation without resorting to violence,” she said as she neared them.
“I can’t remember the last time that happened,” Luca responded with a wry grin.
Ryan took her hand in his. “Everything is fine, my love.”
“Good.” She asked Luca, “We’ll see you and Aerona tonight?”
“You will. We’ll be there.” He pointed down the hall. “I need to get back.”
Ryan and Cora nodded and watched him hurry off back down the hallway to his room.
Ryan stared at Cora, grinning from ear to ear.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing. Just found out something that makes me happy, that’s all.”
“What is it?”
“It doesn’t matter. Come here,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and Orion. “I love you guys.”
19
The bar was a cacophony of conversation and laughter. The pack was wild with excitement and their generous consumption of hard liquor.
Cora watched Ryan standing with six of his wolves, who were hanging onto his every word. He was recounting his attack on the Dark Realm castle against Oriana a few weeks back. The guys were captivated, hanging on to his every word. As Cora walked by, they wolf-whistled at her.
“Hey! I’m a married woman,” she jested, winking at Ryan.
He grinned at her and called, “They’re just appreciating your sexy little ass, darlin’.”
She rolled her eyes and continued past them to the back of the bar where Orion was bounding all over the tables and causing quite the ruckus. He was showing off to two more guys from Ryan’s pack.
“Orion! Dinner time!”
He leapt onto a table and then spun towards her, his ears on high alert.
“Dinner time, sweetheart!” she called
again, holding up a bottle as she approached him.
He flopped down and rolled onto his back. She tickled his stomach and he let out a gurgling laugh. He rolled back onto his front and then stood on his hind legs, swiping his front paws at the bottle that Cora held just out of his reach.
“No swiping Mommy,” she told him. He stopped immediately at her words and eyed her expectantly. She scooped him up in her left arm and held the bottle with her right. He sucked at the teat ravenously. She sat down in one of the booths as he fed.
“Before you know it, he’s gonna be hooked on steaks like his dad,” Josh said, sliding into the booth opposite her.
She looked up and grinned. “I don’t doubt it. How’s the catering going?”
Josh leaned back against the seat and breathed a sigh. “It worked out, thank God. I know Ry was trying to teach me a lesson, but I won this little battle.”
Cora laughed. “Yeah, I know he can be a hard-ass when it comes to the pack.”
“You’re lucky. He’s all gentle and sweet with you, because you’re his girl.”
“Double standards?”
“Exactly.” He froze suddenly and hunkered down in the booth. “Shit.”
A moment later Shaye strode towards them. “Josh, you really think you can hide from me?”
Josh quickly straightened himself up as she leaned over the table and glared at him. “I wasn’t hiding, sweetheart. What gave you that idea?”
“The fact that you still have work to do, but when I turned around you’d disappeared.”
He reached for her and pulled her onto his lap. “Relax. Let Ryan take care of it if the pack wants more food. Screw him.”
“Josh,” she protested, trying to twist out of his hold.
But he held fast. “What? He’s the Alpha. It’s his burden to bear. And until he comes over here to kick my ass, we’re chilling right here with Cora and Orion.”
Cora laughed. “You guys are hilarious.”
“I know,” Josh said proudly.
Shaye rolled her eyes and then addressed Cora. “Are you ready for court tomorrow?”
“Yep,” Cora said confidently.
“Your father left the White Realm in a state of division.”
“The people just need a strong hand to guide them.”
“Are you going to be okay going back there considering what happened the last time you were there?” Shaye asked gently.
“What do you mean?”
“You died there, Cora. And you killed your father.”
“He was hurting people. I had no choice. I was the only one capable of stopping him.”
She saw Shaye and Josh exchange a concerned look. They were probably just caught off guard, because she wasn’t showing any emotion over her father’s death. It was because she didn’t have any.
The bar fell silent suddenly.
Luca and Aerona walked through the door.
Cora watched as Ryan broke from his group of wolves and greeted the two of them. He shook hands with Luca. It was a signal to the pack to accept his presence in the bar. It worked and everyone returned to their business as if nothing had happened.
“Wow, I never thought I’d see the day when the two of them settled their differences,” Josh commented.
“It helps that Luca’s dropped his obsession with you,” Shaye said to Cora.
Cora breathed a heavy sigh. “A nightmare that has finally come to an end.”
“Just one more left to deal with,” Shaye reminded her.
Cora knew exactly who she was talking about. Oriana. She was still out there. Somewhere.
“Ryan’s tense about it,” Shaye said.
“I know he is, Shaye,” she responded with a little bit of an edge in her voice.
“Shaye, drop it,” Josh cautioned.
“I’m just concerned.”
Cora adjusted Orion’s weight in her arms and then said calmly, “You needn’t be. She will die.”
“What?” Josh choked out.
“I’ll find her soon enough. And when I do, I’ll kill her.”
“Cora—” Shaye began.
“She took my life!” Cora exclaimed. “She led my husband astray and she kidnapped my son.”
“I thought you and Ryan had put Jada behind you now?” Josh asked worriedly.
Orion pushed against the bottle that Cora held to his lips. She drew it away and placed him down beside her. He leaped onto the table. “Go and play, sweetheart,” she said softly.
He growled at her.
“I love you too,” she responded.
He bounded away through the bar. She knew he was heading towards Ryan.
She turned back to Shaye and Josh, who were staring at her with concern. She lowered her voice to barely above a whisper so that the other wolves couldn’t hear what she was saying. She knew how sensitive their supernatural hearing was.
“Behind us? He didn’t just fuck her in a moment of weakness during our separation. He had a relationship with her behind my back. All because of Oriana’s black magic. You think I can just forgive that? Forgive Oriana for doing that to him, to us?” She scoffed. “Come on, guys. That bitch stripped away everything from me. She made me want to die! You expect me to forget that? I never will.”
“Are you… you’re looking for her?” Shaye asked.
Cora ignored the question and rose to her feet. “I need some fresh air.”
“Shit,” Josh exclaimed as he watched Cora slip out of the bar.
“Why hasn’t she told Ryan any of this?” Shaye asked.
“Because she knows him well. He won’t be able to handle it. You saw him, Shaye. How much guilt he had over what happened between him and Jada. He thought he was responsible for Cora’s death, for fuck’s sake. No, he can’t know about this. Keep it to yourself.”
“All right. But we should watch Cora. She seems—”
“Too fucking intense? Yeah. I agree.”
“Maybe coming back from the dead changed her, J.”
They locked eyes.
Had it?
As Cora hurried around the corner out of sight of the bar, she breathed in a calming breath.
Josh and Shaye had been asking too many questions. They were getting dangerously close to the secret that she’d tried so hard to keep since her return to the living.
Did they really expect her to be fine with everything that’d happened? She had fucking died! Oriana had taken everything from her. She’d almost destroyed her marriage. She’d taken her son. Did they really think she would just let all of that slide?
That day when she and Ryan had passed into the Home of the Dead to retrieve Orion, she’d wanted to pull Oriana out as well. Why? So she could fucking kill the bitch.
They all still saw her as the young, inexperienced girl she’d been when she’d first met Ryan.
But that girl was long gone now. She had been even before her death. Perishing like that, hitting rock bottom and actually wanting to die in that awful moment when the white fire had burned her, had changed her more so. Irreparably.
She was strong now. Much stronger than she had been. Not just with regard to her magical prowess. No, she was emotionally stronger.
She was ready this time.
And she was done rolling over for other people.
When she’d had to assist Kristoff with breaking the disgusting false bond between Ryan and his mistress, it’d taken all her strength not to strike the bitch. The only thing that’d stopped her had been the fact that she knew in her head that it wasn’t Jada’s fault. But her heart had objected. And when she’d watched Ryan put his arms around her to comfort her, it’d almost pushed her over the edge. Thankfully, her ability to maintain control had improved substantially, so she’d poured all her energy into the spell she’d cast over Jada to make her forget. She’d told Ryan that she was over it, that she wasn’t jealous of Jada or what he’d done with her. But of course she was. Her husband had had a relationship with another woman behind her back. And it’d disgus
ted her. She’d never tell him, because what would that accomplish? It would just cause a divide between them and she couldn’t bear to lose him again. They were fated lovers. They were meant to be together. No, she’d keep it to herself and work through it on her own. It would just take time. The one thing that would speed that up would be to take down the person behind the entire thing. And that was exactly what she was working towards.
She felt him before she saw him, a perk of her incredible magical reach now. She could feel white and dark energy from a great distance now.
She studied him as she approached him. He was now dressed the part for the human realm. Since his banishment, he would’ve had to learn to fit in. He wore black slacks paired with a dark gray shirt. A chapeau hid his pointy ears as well as his vibrant, lilac eyes, both of which gave away the fact that he was more than merely human. His once long, golden hair was now barely shoulder-length and quite shaggy.
She stopped a couple of feet in front of him, not comfortable getting any closer, given their history. She called her magic to her. Her palms emanated silver fire and she drew a circle around them. Her spell went to work, enclosing them inside a shimmering, silver dome, a glamour that hid them from anyone passing by.
“We can talk freely now,” she said.
“Your majesty,” he greeted her, bowing his head with respect.
“I’m not your Queen, David.”
“But you will be soon enough.”
“Do you have it?” she demanded, cutting through any more potential small talk.
“Yes,” he said, reaching into his pants pocket.
He withdrew a delicate gold chain. A pendant hung from it. A shimmering, turquoise oval surrounded by golden thorns and leaves.
“Wear this when you challenge her. The pendant is imbued with powerful faerie magic. As soon as you strike her, it will work with your power to bind her and prevent her from teleporting away.”
“Good. She won’t be able to run this time.”
She took the necklace from him and clasped it around her neck. She buried the pendant beneath her tank top to avoid unwarranted questions for when she went back inside the bar.