A Twisted Fate : The Dream Trilogy - Book 2

by Samantha Barrett

  “Alex, please, Stevie is sick, she needs our help.” Ryan had tears trailing down her face, pleading with her cousins to understand and help her save her sister. Judging by the look on both the guys faces, they wouldn’t spit on Stevie if she were on fire.

  “She killed an elder, Ryan! A fucking elder. Gregory was a defenseless old man, and she fucking killed him. I am sorry, Ryan, but she has murdered a coven elder and taken our elders’ loved ones hostage. It is the Knox coven way, cousin—blood must have blood.” Ryan broke out into sobs at Chase’s harsh words, and Dom wrapped an arm around her and rubbed his hand up and down her arm, trying to soothe her.

  Chapter 31

  Ryan

  I was sobbing into Dom’s chest, and I didn’t care that the others were watching me breakdown.

  “I am sorry, Ryan, but Chase is right. Even if you do save your sister, she will need to answer for the crimes she has committed.” I couldn’t look at Mya, I know it wasn’t her fault, but I was banking on her being the one to help me save my sister. Instead she told the whole room that my sister was pretty much doomed.

  “Hang on—our dad is one of the elders, Mya.” I turned to look at Alex, wondering what he was getting at, and then it hit me.

  “I’m sorry, Alex, I don’t know where your mother is. She was taken with the rest of the elders loved ones.”

  “No! My parents are back in New Zealand.” Chase was grasping at straws now.

  “Stevie called all coven members back to Wonder Lake the day you, Alex, and Ryan fled. Your parents came as soon as they heard you and Alex went rogue.”

  “Where is our father, Mya?” Mya dropped her gaze to her hands in her lap, and I had a sinking feeling her answer was about to hurt my cousins.

  “All elders are being held at Randall Cane’s mansion. Stevie made sure that she had a get-out-of-jail-free card before she came here to meet Ryan.” Alex jumped to his feet and started pacing. Chase did the same and then punched a hole in the wall, screaming. My sister was always one step ahead of us. She had a backup plan in case something went wrong, and that’s why she wasn’t pissed or angry that she was held in a cell—she knew she wouldn’t be stuck in there for long.

  “I will fucking kill her!” Chase was glowing purple and his whole body was vibrating with rage.

  “Chase, you need to calm down, we will get Mom and Dad back, brother. I swear.” Alex was trying to reassure Chase and help him calm down. Chase was taking deep breaths, trying to control his rage.

  “How do we get the elders back, Mya?” It was the first time Jackson had spoken since the start of this powwow.

  “You need to return Stevie to Randall Cane tomorrow evening at the wedding.”

  “Evening? The wedding is happening at noon tomorrow.” Nico took the words right out of my mouth.

  “No, brother, the wedding will happen at night so the vampire king can bring his soldiers with him. Now that Kai and I are no longer with him, he has no fae blood to feed his men.” That slimy fucking bastard.

  “We played right into his hands. My sister was a distraction. He knew you wouldn’t let her go, Nico, he even banked on it. That’s why Stevie never fought back. She wanted to be captured so that we would have to change the time of the wedding and play by their rules.” Everyone started talking at once, trying to make a plan on how we proceed. I was still stuck on the fact that Stevie knew we would capture her and that Mya would be here to tell us. I jumped to my feet and yelled.

  “Everyone shut up!” Silence fell, and I turned my attention to Mya. “How did my sister know that we would come for you?” I know my dad said I could trust her, but something wasn’t right.

  “Because I told her you would come for me” I recoiled at her admission.

  “You sold us out!” I was going to wring her fucking neck.

  “It’s not what you think, Miss Knox, I swear.”

  “You have no fucking idea what I am thinking! My father told me I could trust you, and yet you sit here telling us that you are the one who told my sister that we would come for you. How did you know, Mya, and don’t fucking lie to me!” I must admit I respected her more when she stood and came to stand directly in front of me, never breaking eye contact. What she said next had me staring at my cousins for confirmation.

  “I am a witch, but I am also blessed with the power to see into the future. I saw you coming for me months ago.” My cousins looked as shocked as me.

  “The Knox coven has no seers, Mya.”

  “Yes, Alex, they do. I am the only seer, and no one knows of my ability aside from the elders and Ralph Knox.” I stumbled backward and plonked down next to Dom, and Mya reclaimed her seat. She was looking at me, waiting for me to piece it all together, but when I did, I wish I hadn’t. Sorrow filled me, he knew what was coming.

  “My father knew he was going to die, didn’t he? You saw it?” I could see the pity in her eyes, telling me all I needed to know.

  “Yes, that is why he made sure all his affairs were in order and that the coven knew of the crowning of the new queen. The Knox coven knows of your existence and that you are the true queen. That is why Gregory and the elders forbade your sister from claiming the throne on the mountain of the ancestors.”

  “Stevie knew, didn’t she? That’s why she made sure I made the trip to Alaska, so I would renounce the throne to her. It was the only way the elders would let her lead, wasn’t it?”

  “I believe she did know, yes. If you renounced your claim to the throne, the elders would have to let the next heir in line rule the coven.” That’s why Stevie was uptight and snappy when I first arrived at her home and even after we arrived here. I knew something wasn’t right with my sister, I could see it in her eyes when we got here, but I didn’t know any better. The darkness inside her is what is driving her need for power, and that’s why she hates me. I’m a threat to her power.

  “How did I not see this coming?” Aurora murmured. She seemed annoyed that she didn’t see this turn of events.

  “Because you are too close to this, your feelings are too far involved. You are the most powerful seer to walk the lands, Aurora Evans, do not doubt your ability.”

  “What happens now?” Melakai asked the million dollar question.

  We all sat around for the next few hours and made a plan to change the wedding from noon to the evening and made sure that we notified everyone of the change of plans. I was shocked to learn that Dom’s dad would be here for the wedding tomorrow. It would be cool to meet the alpha of the New York pack. I hated that we had to let my sister go, but I couldn’t let my love for her cloud my judgment. Others' lives were at risk here. We agreed that after breakfast we would all go and see Stevie and try to get the information we needed out of her. The guys wanted to torture it out of her, but I quickly shot that idea down. The worst part was that Chase and Alex were on board with hurting Stevie.

  ∞∞∞

  After leaving Jackson’s office, I went straight back to my room. I was exhausted and needed a solid eight hours of sleep.

  After finally getting showered and into bed, I laid there staring up at the ceiling thinking about the past few weeks and how my life had changed so much. I went from being unwanted, unloved, and abused to the girl who had her sister and cousins by her side. I thought we would travel the world together and I would finally be happy.

  Then arriving in Alaska changed everything. My whole life had been a lie. I wasn’t who I thought I was, and my mother wasn’t supposed to be the monster that she is now. My dad was killed, my sister was evil and possibly unredeemable, and I had to marry a guy I thought for years was a figment of my imagination. Oh and let’s not forget that the other guy I have been fucking in my dreams is real and tricked me into loving him, and is also best friends with the guy I have to marry. My life is a fucking disaster. I let out a long exhale of air and closed my eyes, I needed to clear my mind and get some sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long as fuck day. If what we discussed tonight is true, as soon as Nico and
I made our vows and sealed it with a kiss, the lock he placed on my powers would shatter.

  Nico would help me control them and stop me from dying, hopefully.

  According to Mya, my powers needed another life force to help stabilize them in the beginning. Nico would hold some of my power until I could control it and then it would return to me. I felt like Thor and his hammer, if he should be worthy he will possess the power. I need to make sure I was worthy! I had to stop my sister, kick Randall’s ass, save my aunt and uncle, and as much as I hated to admit it to even myself. I needed to save my mom.

  Chapter 32

  Nico

  After leaving Jax’s office, I made my way back to my room. I knew it would be hard for me to sleep. The words Ryan said to me earlier played over and over in my mind. “Kai was definitely the better choice and better man.” She was right. Kai was the better man and the better choice. She needed to choose me, though, or this wouldn’t work. I wanted her to choose me. A thought crossed my mind then. She may not talk to me here, but she was always more compliant in her dreams. I whispered the chant to take me to our dream land.

  ∞∞∞

  I opened my eyes and turned around to see I was near the dock at Lake William—strange. I was sure I chanted to take us to the forest, not this place that she came with Kai.

  “You just gonna stand there or?” I turned to the left and saw her sitting on the grass by the edge of the lake. I made my over to her and sat next to her with my legs extended in front of me. She had her long brown hair down and it was blowing slightly in the breeze. She wore the same white summer dress she always wore in her dreams. She wasn’t looking at me, though. She was staring straight ahead at the lake. “Why are we here Nico?”

  “Because I am a complete ass and I’m sorry.” She didn’t turn to look at me and didn’t say anything for a few moments.

  “Am I your hugacko, Nico?” I whipped my head around so fast I heard my neck crack. How the fuck did she know that? She slowly turned her head so she could look me in the eye, but she gave nothing away with her expression.

  “Who told you that?”

  “A man told me.” What the fuck!

  “What fucking man?”

  “Brown hair, deep green eyes and I think he was a king.” She was toying with me, the smartass.

  “Your dad told you?” She just nodded and smiled a sad smile. “I can’t control who I…it just happens, and I—” She cut off my rambling by placing her index finger on my lips. I was dying to suck that digit into my mouth, and she must have read my mind because she quickly pulled her hand away.

  “I’m not mad, Nico, I just don’t understand why you didn’t tell me. Before you get mad, Dom also told me about me being your hugacko.”

  If I had any chance of her ever trusting me again, I needed to be honest with her. I also needed to remain calm and not lose my shit over Dom telling her. He was really starting to piss me off with all his meddling.

  “Because I didn’t want you to feel like you had to choose me.” Her features softened at my admission.

  “That is the most selfless thing I have ever heard you say, Nico. I appreciate you trying to respect me enough to let me choose, but I must be honest with you as well.” My shoulders dropped, and I turned to look out at the lake. She was about to tell me she didn’t want me. “Today when I told you Kai was the better man and the better choice, I wasn’t lying.” Just dig that dagger in deeper, love. “But he isn’t the right choice for me, or the better man for me.” I swung my gaze back to her, trying to read her meaning.

  “What are you saying, love?” She giggled, and by God, if that wasn’t the best sound I heard in a long time.

  “I’m saying as soon as Kai lifted his control over my emotions, the love I thought I had for him vanished. Don’t get me wrong—Kai will always be important to me. I am truly embarrassed to say this, but I fell in love with a guy who I thought was part of my imagination, only to find out that he was real. When I first saw you in the fae realm, I couldn’t believe my luck.

  “I have loved you for years, Nico, and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think you would be real and that I would get to love you properly. It was never a question of whether or not I would marry you, Nico. I would always choose you.”

  I sat there, staring into her beautiful hazel eyes with the peculiar yellow ring, utterly speechless. My hugacko loved me back, and that made me swell with happiness. I know we have fought and hurt each other, but she loved me, and that was all that mattered. I was the luckiest son of a bitch.

  “I have loved you since the first time I invaded your dreams. When your fae side is unlocked, you will feel the bond as well.”

  “I think I already feel it, Nico. It’s like a string is always pulling me toward you. It’s like I can feel where you are before I even see you.” Holy shit, that is exactly how the bond works.

  “You are an extraordinary being, love.” I gripped the back of her neck and pulled her toward me so I could kiss her, and after a moment she pulled back.

  “I need you to promise me something, Nico.”

  “What is it, love?”

  “Don’t ever break my heart, and don’t ever lie to me again, please. It’s hard for me to trust people, and I have tried everything to push you away and not let you in, but you are very persistent.” We both chucked at the truth of that, and when our laughter subsided, she looked at me, waiting for my answer.

  “I promise I will cherish your heart for the rest of our days, love. I promise to protect you and love you till my dying breath. I have waited over a century for you, Ryan, and I will never let you go. You are my reason for existing. I will never lie to you again. I will come to you and speak to you about any matters that concern you from this day forth.”

  Tears were trailing down her cheeks, and I pulled her onto my lap so she was straddling me. She pulled my face to hers and kissed me like I was the oxygen she needed to live.

  We stayed in the dream land for hours, fucking and then making love. We both came to the realization that we didn’t like slow and calm. We liked hard, deep, and messy sex. She was like a drug that called to me, an addiction that I never wanted to cure. Ryan Knox was my own personal drug. Finally we both agreed we needed to return to our bodies and rest before tomorrow.

  “Nico, wait.”

  “What is it, love?” She started twirling her hair around her finger and wouldn’t meet my gaze. I smiled. After everything we had just done, she was embarrassed. I could see the blush on her cheeks.

  “Could you…I mean, only if you wanted to, you don’t have to—”

  “Just ask me, love.” I was trying so hard not to laugh at her awkwardness.

  “When we get back, can you come to my room and sleep with me?” I couldn’t help it—I laughed, and she glared at me.

  “You were just sitting on my face not ten minutes ago, telling me to eat your fucking pussy, and then you get shy asking me to sleep next to you.” She was blushing so much and glaring daggers at me. “I’m sorry, love, of course I will come sleep with you.” As I started chanting to get us out of the dream land, I swear I heard muttering about me being a dick face and needing to be punched.

  ∞∞∞

  As soon as I returned to my bedroom, I got up and made my way to Ryan’s room. I knocked on her door, and she opened it for me, and we made our way over to her bed and sunk down under the covers, holding each other. I can’t wait to go to bed with her every night and hold her like this.

  “Goodnight, big guy.” I smiled at her nickname for me.

  “Goodnight, my love.”

  Not five minutes later she was sleeping again. I peered down at her and marveled at her beauty. I would never let anyone harm her. I would kill her sister and Randall both if I had to. I would never let anyone hurt her again, and I sure as fuck wouldn’t be a gutless coward and stand by and watch this time. She is to be my wife and, one day, the mother to my children. I would die before I ever let any fucker try and take her from
me.

  Chapter 33

  Ryan

  I felt like I was burning up, I tried to move to get away from the heat without opening my eyes, but I couldn’t seem to move. I opened my eyes quickly and looked down to see an arm around my waist and a leg over my thigh, and that’s when it hit me—the heat I was feeling was coming from Nico’s body. Memories of the night before came flooding back, and I felt the blush heating my cheeks. I admitted that I was in love with Nico last night, and to top it all off, he told me he loved me too, many times, while he was doing unspeakable things to my body.

  “I can feel you overthinking, love.” I fought the smile that tried to break free. “Go back to sleep. We don’t have to be up for a while.” But I couldn’t go back to sleep; I wanted to explore Nico while I was awake. I turned so we were facing each other. Nico still had his arm wrapped around me and his leg over mine, and his eyes were still shut. I began to run my fingers across his chest and down his arm. “If you keep doing that, love, there will be no sleep happening.” This time I did let the smile break free.

  Would it be like this every morning when we woke? Me wanting to jump his bones and him holding me like he never wanted to let me go? I was pulled from my thoughts when Nico suddenly had me pinned beneath him. He looked so beautiful first thing in the morning. His jet black hair was tousled from sleep and his violet eyes were burning with hunger, though he wasn’t hungry for food— he was hungry for me. I leaned forward to capture his lips, but he pulled back before I could kiss him. I pouted and he chuckled.

  “I know we have done things in your dreams, love, but I want our first real time together to be as man and wife.” This man could melt me with his words. I could already feel the tears threatening to spill from my eyes. “I didn’t mean to upset you, love. Of course I have wanted to do this for a long time but I just thought it might be better to wait, till after the wedding.” He looked so crestfallen I reached my hand up to stroke his cheek.