“Blood means nothing to me,” he answered, and closed his fist. Blood splattered him, and Dakota’s mouth fell open in horror as Larynt’s head rolled to the side of his crumpled body.
The one he now knew as Thames made his way down the hall, and Dakota followed. What the fuck did he just witness?
The hallway led to an open room that was all but empty. The only piece of furniture inside was a throne where an older version of Thames and Larynt sat. His body was tense, as if he knew this fight were coming to him.
Dakota watched, a spectator in whatever was going on, as Thames moved to stand just before the man. But then Thames faded away, and the man looked directly at Dakota.
“Son,” he said with the ghost of a smile. “Or rather, not my son but the son of your mother.”
Dakota had never been more confused.
“You have to come home, boy, Luxe needs you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You will. Thames must be defeated. History cannot repeat itself.”
“Who the hell is he? What is this place?” he asked, but before he got a response, the man’s eyes widened and he disappeared, leaving Dakota standing alone in the room.
“Well, this is just great,” he muttered.
“He is wrong,” Thames said as he appeared in front of Dakota, no longer transparent.
Dakota’s blood iced, and his heart began to hammer in his chest. “About what?”
“Luxe doesn’t need you, and I will not be stopped.”
“I’m not even sure what the hell Luxe is.”
Thames chuckled. “Of course you aren’t. The bitch managed to hide you from me this long. I didn’t even know she was alive until recently.” He circled Dakota slowly.
“Who?”
“Don’t play fool with me.” Thames stepped up to Dakota, leaving just a foot of space between them, and the scepter in his hand blazed with bright light. “I own you, just as I owned Vincent.” The stone grew brighter until the light completely eclipsed everything around them.
“What the hell do you want?”
“Your mind.”
22
Terrenia
Anastasia
Anastasia stepped through the portal with Tony. Shane, Argento, and three Brutes waited for them just inside Tony’s home, looking grimmer than they had even when they’d been at war.
“Argento, it’s good to see you.” It had been nearly two years since they’d had any contact with the Brute race, and Anastasia had missed their king.
“Sorceress.” The three Brutes behind him bowed their heads lightly.
Argento pulled her in for a hug. The humanlike gesture surprised her, and she smiled when he released her. “It’s wonderful to see you again, Anastasia. I’m sorry to hear of Dakota’s illness.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“He is a great Fighter. I imagine he will come around soon.”
She nodded. “Not that I’m not happy you’re here, but what is the problem?”
Argento’s face contorted in anguish. “My world is dying.”
Panic surged through her, and her magic called out in answer to the quickening of her pulse. “What? What do you mean?”
“It started with a storm, my people are not accustomed to large amounts of rain, and we cannot swim. Many were killed in a flood. Now, darkness is spreading and killing off our plants.”
“A storm?” Anastasia’s heart pounded. “Purple lightning?” she asked, remembering the strange color that had streaked across Seattle’s skyline.
“Yes, how did you know?”
“Rosabel,” Anastasia growled.
“You think it’s the Siren?” Shane asked.
“She’s been pummeling Seattle with a storm ever since we brought Dakota through the portal and into the hospital.”
“A Siren?” Argento asked, his eyes widening. “Then we are indeed in trouble.”
“What do you know of them?”
“Other than the fact they are immune to nearly every type of magic? Not much, I’m afraid. Why is she here, though? Sirens don’t typically attack without reason.”
“She wants Dakota.”
Argento blinked a few times. “She has claimed him?”
“What? No. They haven’t—”
“I do not mean have they mated. Has she said she wishes to mate with him?”
Anastasia nodded.
Argento ran his hands over his bald head. “This is bad news, Anastasia. You say Dakota is in Seattle now?”
She nodded. “He hasn’t woken up since we took him in.”
“We need to protect him. If she takes him, you will never see him again.”
“Yeah, I got that.”
“I don’t understand how she is killing my world. The storm I understand, as Sirens can control weather and water, but as far as the spreading darkness…” He squinted, considering. “I didn’t believe them to have that power.”
“Maybe ours is an overachiever,” Anastasia said dryly. “There’s more on our end.”
“What is it?”
“The Siren has targeted a young boy. Vincent’s son, actually.”
Argento’s eyes widened. “He has a son?”
“Apparently,” Tony retorted. “He’s here now, and safe.”
“Is he like his father?” Argento questioned.
“Not that we know of, but he’s only two,” Anastasia answered.
“Ah, yes, I forgot your children age slower than ours do.”
“Vincent has also made his presence known,” Tony added.
Argento tensed. “He’s alive?”
“No, apparently, he’s a ghost who has decided to grace us with his presence.”
To her surprise, Argento let out a laugh. “It appears I have missed much.”
Exhausted, Anastasia made her way into her house. She’d been up for over twenty-four hours, and planned on getting a small nap in before heading back to the hospital to take over and give Elizabeth a break.
Kaley met her on the porch and padded over to rub her head against Anastasia’s leg.
“Hey, girl,” she said with a yawn.
After pushing open the door, Anastasia made her way into the bedroom to remove her weapons. She stared at herself in the mirror for a moment, wondering just how she managed to look so pissed off when she barely had the energy to breathe.
What the hell were they going to do? Not even the Brutes, who were one of the oldest races of beings, knew how to stop Rosabel.
Argento had assured her they would find a way, but how? After their conversation, he’d gone back to his world to retrieve more of his warriors and a healer. They were coming back to Terrenia, and the familiarity of war looming on the horizon nearly brought tears to her eyes.
She threw herself onto the bed. When were they supposed to get a break? When was it okay for her and Dakota to start their future together? She wanted kids, didn’t she? Didn’t she deserve to have the little girl she’d seen in the stasis?
“I’m sorry for the current state your Dakota is in.”
She jumped at the sound of the voice. “Can you not pop into my bedroom?”
“I sensed you were resting.”
“Awesome.” She covered her eyes with her hands and sat up. “So, you decided to interrupt the one chance I have at a nap?”
“Only to apologize.” Vincent threw his hands up in surrender, and Anastasia rolled her eyes.
“You apologize? That’s new.”
“What is the news with Dakota?”
“There isn’t any.” She leaned back against her pillow. “He still hasn’t woken up, Rosabel is still a bitch, and Argento now says his world is dying.” She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t suppose you had anything to do with that?”
“No,” Vincent responded tightly. “I have no power in this form.”
“Good to know.”
“You say that, but you may need me.”
“For what? To give me someone else to fight?”
> “I am not the same as I was.” He scrunched his nose. “I feel… clean.”
“That’s probably because you can’t sweat,” she said sweetly.
“While I appreciate your sense of humor, now is not the time. We need to focus on stopping Rosabel.”
“I need sleep,” she snarled.
“Fine.” Vincent disappeared, and Anastasia let out a breath.
“Finally,” she muttered, closing her eyes.
23
Guisnow World
Queen Orlaith
Queen Orlaith stared out at her thriving world. Peace looked good on Guisnow, and with the fear of the darkness abated, there was nothing holding her people back from the festivities they so loved to plan.
She watched with a smile as children ran around and chased each other, while their parents watched on, not a care in the world.
Her own daughter slept soundly in her arms. Orlaith looked down and smiled when she snuggled closer.
“How are my loves?” Cormac wrapped an arm around her as he settled in beside her on the balcony.
“We are wonderful,” she responded with a smile. He kissed her gently, and they continued to watch as their people went about their day.
A strange sensation ran up her spine, and Orlaith turned to see a storm looming on the horizon.
“I didn’t know we had a storm coming,” Cormac commented as he followed her gaze.
“We aren’t supposed to.” She stared at the darkening clouds a moment. When purple lightning split the sky, Orlaith turned back to her people and screamed, “Get inside! High ground! Now!”
“You heard the queen!” Cormac bellowed, his voice reaching much further than hers did. The people below them scattered, all grabbing up their little ones and running for their homes. “Let’s go.” Cormac ushered her inside.
“We have to make sure they are safe!” she insisted.
“You have to be safe first.”
Orlaith’s sight went blurry. “Take the baby,” she told him with a voice that wasn’t quite her own, as she fell into a vision.
Darkness rained down on the Guisnow world. Snow and ice had melted away to reveal crumbling rock below, and Orlaith gaped at the destruction.
Bodies littered the ground, her people dead, their eyes frozen open in fear as they watched whatever it was that had struck them down.
She spun, crying out when her eyes landed on Cormac and their child.
“No,” she cried as she fell to her knees beside their bodies.
“This can be avoided,” a deep voice rumbled in the distance.
“Who are you?” she demanded, getting to her feet once more.
“Someone you do not wish to cross.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“To show you where your allegiance should lie.”
“My allegiance is to my people.”
“Oh? So you do not pledge loyalty to the Sorceress?”
Orlaith narrowed her eyes as a shadow took form in the distance. “The Sorceress is who she was meant to be.”
“That is not an answer.”
“Nor shall it be. She is our protector, and if you harm us, she will hunt you until she kills you herself.”
“I will handle her,” the man sneered. “But you must choose a side, Queen Orlaith. Tell me, how will your people survive if I destroy your world? It has already started; I know you feel the decay spreading.”
“My world has survived much worse.”
“Are you speaking of Vincent? He was nothing compared to what I am. I owned him.”
“Then tell me who you are!” she screamed at the shadow.
“My identity doesn’t matter. Either you stand with me, or you will fall with the Sorceress. Choose soon; the storm is almost upon you.” The shadow faded away with laughter, and Orlaith closed her eyes.
24
Seattle
Anastasia
Anastasia was sitting beside his bed when Dakota’s eyes finally opened.
“Hey,” she greeted when he looked over at her. She leaned forward and touched his hand gently.
“Hey, yourself.” He smiled and tried to sit up.
“How are you feeling?” Anastasia pushed the button on his remote, sending his bed up into the sitting position.
“Honestly, much better.”
While his normally bright blue eyes had dulled and appeared almost grey, the rest of his complexion was back to normal.
“You almost died,” she whispered, tears burning in the corners of her eyes.
He smiled and reached for her. She climbed onto the bed with him and curled up against his body.
“It’s going to take more than a little cold to take me away from you,” he whispered against her hair. “So, what’d I miss?”
Anastasia smiled up at him. “Let’s get you home, and I’ll fill you in.”
“Dakota!” Elizabeth rushed into the room and wrapped her arms around her son. “Thank God you’re all right.” She smacked his arm lightly. “You scared the shit out of us!”
“Ouch, Mom. I’m in the hospital,” he groaned.
“You’ll live.”
“Barely.”
“Next time you’re sick, don’t be stubborn about going to the hospital.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned. “Now, can I go home?”
She smiled. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“You should be nicer to your mom,” Anastasia said when Elizabeth left the room.
“Then she’d get used to it, and I could never be a smartass again.” He pulled her closer to him. “How long have I been out?”
“Two days.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah, you scared us all pretty good.”
“Why didn’t your magic work? I remember you trying to heal me but it not working.”
“I have no clue,” she admitted. “It’s been bothering me.”
“Any word on Rosabel?” he asked quietly.
“Unfortunately, there is. She’s been pummeling Seattle with storms.”
“Seriously? She can do that?”
“Oh yes, it’s apparently one of her many abilities.” Along with luring men to their deaths. Dakota would not become one of those men.
“Any idea how to stop her?”
“None yet, but I’m working on it.”
“I’m awake now, so I can help.”
“Okay, let’s get you out of here.” Elizabeth walked in with a stack of papers. “I may no longer work here, but I do still have connections other than Dick.”
“Woah! Mom!” Dakota exclaimed, and Anastasia let out a laugh.
“Richard, Dakota. I’m talking about Richard.”
“Fine, but maybe keep the dick talk to a minimum? At least until I’m well enough to come up with something sarcastic to respond with.”
“You got it.” She smiled. “I’ll step out so you can get dressed.”
Dakota removed the hospital gown, and Anastasia handed him a stack of clothes she’d folded.
“Dakota, wait.”
“I mean, I guess I’m up for it.” His eyes glittered, but she shook her head.
“What the hell is that?” She pointed to deep blue lines climbing up his back.
‘I’m wrong. You need to stay away from me.’
Images from her nightmares came crashing back into her mind, ominous warnings of what they were now facing.
“What? I can’t see anything.”
“Come here.” She helped him to his feet and guided him into the bathroom to look in the mirror.
“What the hell?” he murmured and touched part of the line he could access.
“Pretty sure that isn’t a side effect of pneumonia,” Anastasia growled, and her power hummed in response. “I’m going to tear her apart.”
Dakota turned to her. “You think this is Rosabel’s doing?”
“Who else? She kisses you, and you end up in the hospital. Now, you have weird ass lines climbing up your back. That seems a little too coinci
dental to me.”
“Okay, but why? What could she have done to me?”
“I don’t know.” Anastasia traced the lines. They started at the base of his spine, and worked their way up his back and out to the sides of his ribs. If they appeared the night Rosabel kissed him, it would only be a matter of days before they finished climbing to their destination.
“We need to get you back to Terrenia.” Anastasia handed Dakota his shirt.
Dakota, Anastasia, and Elizabeth stepped through the portal into Tony’s living room twenty minutes later.
He and Argento waited for them.
“Argento! Good to see you, man.” Dakota embraced the Brute King, and Argento bowed his head slightly.
“Good to see you as well, Dakota. I hope you are doing better?”
“Much.”
Anastasia bit back a humorless snort. She hardly considered weird ass spider lines up his back ‘much better.’ He hadn’t told Elizabeth, and they’d agreed to keep it their secret for now.
Elizabeth would have never let Dakota leave the hospital had she known about them, and since they were likely caused by a Siren, there wasn’t much a hospital could do for him.
“So, what’s been going on?” Dakota asked as he took a seat at the couch. “Ana said I missed quite a bit?”
Argento sighed. “I’m afraid my world is once again dying.”
Dakota straightened, all humor gone from his handsome face. “What do you mean dying? What’s happening?”
Anastasia answered, “We think Rosabel has something to do with it.”
“Why do you say that?” Dakota asked.
“It started with a storm that nearly wiped out our capital city. Once the water receded, we noticed black lines seeping into our water and mountains. It’s as if something is draining our world.”
“Shit.” Dakota put his head in his hands.
They sat in silence for a moment, and then he got to his feet. “Okay, so what do we know about our mermaid friend?”
“I’d hardly consider her a friend,” Argento snarled.
“I was being sarcastic.”
Siren Page 10