by Tamara White
In an instant, I’m on my feet, throwing the vampires who were trying to hold me down across the room. Screams echo around the cage, and a smile graces my face at the scent of fear that rises in the room. Maria may think she’s trained her vamps to defend her against any threat in this world, but she forgets it was I who trained her, who taught her the ways of my people after she turned me.
“Stop! As your maker, I command you!” Maria’s voice is filled with terror when I set my sights on her. Immediately, I’m across the room, with a hand wrapped around her throat as she strangles out a fear filled gasp. “You can’t hurt me,” she rasps out. “I made you.”
I cock my head in intrigue as I study her, because technically she’s right. As my maker, I am bound by something stronger than magic, unable to harm her. Just as Nikoli and Devin can never cause me harm. It’s a fail safe ingrained within us when we are turned. We must do everything our maker commands. Sure, they can make it a request, but if we refuse, then they have this power over us that can force us to do so.
Just as when Maria demanded I take the potion in the blood she had given me. I knew better than to drink anything she offered, but when I refused to drink it before her, her eyes glowed an iridescent blue, filled with the power of our blood tie. She spoke in an eerily calm tone as she told me to drink every last drop of the blood bag she had provided for me. When I had finished it, I fainted, and when I awoke it was with memories of never having left her side.
“Actually, I don’t think that applies to me anymore because your power doesn’t seem to have a hold over me. Which means I could rip your head from your body without a thought. So tell me, why shouldn’t I? What have you ever done in your miserable life that makes it important for you to exist in this world?” I imagine the smile aimed at her must be truly evil for her to tremble in fear.
“Talon?”
I curse and close my eyes. I take in a deep breath, and open my eyes, unable to turn and see Emerald right now. I’m barely holding it together and she doesn’t need to see the monster I am.
“Not now, Emerald. Go back to the others.”
I don’t hear her move, and judging by Maria’s gaze aimed over my shoulder, with a pleading look in her expression, my soul-tie has refused to move.
“Talon, don’t kill her.” There’s no sympathy in her tone, but even without looking at her, I can feel the anger vibrating from her. “If you kill her, there is no one to lead the coven. You will have to stay here. I want to go home.”
It would be so much easier to just kill Maria, that way she could never harm one of us again. I want to end it, to take her head from her body, but my body locks down, unable to follow through. What on earth? I attempt to squeeze my hand tighter around her throat, but it won’t obey me.
How? It didn’t work when Maria said something before. Did the burst of energy I had when I woke somehow wear off?
Emerald’s hand comes to rest on my shoulder, and I sigh in defeat before dropping my hold on Maria’s throat. I meet Maria’s eyes head-on, ensuring she sees the anger in my gaze.
“I’m going to take my soul-tie and I’m going home. I may not be able to kill you right now, but if you ever, and I mean fucking ever, interfere with my life or my soul-tie again, I will find a way to kill you. I will go to the ends of the earth to keep Emerald safe, but to kill you, I’d sell my soul to the devil himself. Remember that the next time you think you can tame me like a fucking pet!”
Thirty-Five
Fire Burns Eternal
Emerald
Anticipation. Need. Hunger. Lust.
My body has been thrumming with all of them since the moment we left Maria’s company. My grandmother made quick work of ensuring that a limo was ready to take us all back to the hotel, and while I wanted to glue myself to Talon, I separated myself from him, unsure how much he could take.
The ride back has been very interesting, to say the least. I think everyone expected Talon and I to practically maul each other the moment we climbed into the limo, but we’ve been quite conservative, only sharing longing glances toward each other. I ended up between Kellan and Devin for the drive back, while Nik ended up on one side of Talon with Linc on the other.
The rest were all crammed inside, and if you asked me, I couldn’t tell you where on earth they sat. My attention was fixed elsewhere.
Talon has been talking to everyone, telling them of the things he went through while staying with Maria. He talks about how she wanted a soldier worthy enough to train her army. But what surprised us all was the information that Maria had been collaborating with Brendan and Felicia.
“You’re sure it was Felicia?” Nikoli asks, with pain in his eyes.
“It was her. She seemed awfully cocky of herself after Maria wiped my memory. I’d imagine she thought I would never be free of such a powerful spell.”
Nikoli looks deep in thought, but my grandmother pulls her phone from the pocket of her dress and starts typing away.
“Sierra will have this dealt with before we return.” The car pulls up at the hotel and we all climb out. Our steps are slow and relaxed, all of us more than relieved that the night is finally over.
Talon is back.
When we step in the hotel lobby, I head straight to the elevators, feeling too lazy to walk up a flight of stairs.
My grandmother comes up to whisper in my ear. “Take Talon to the penthouse, my dear. I’ll keep everyone down here to help me organize our trip home.”
I offer her a grateful smile. As much as I want all my soul-ties right now, I think Talon and I both need a moment to just talk through all that happened.
Talon appears at my side and gently takes my hand. I give it a squeeze, but neither of us says anything as the doors open and we step inside the small space. I press the button that takes us to our suite and simply wait. With each floor the elevator passes, tension begins to mount. We both have so much to talk about, but with every beat of my heart, I doubt much talking will happen.
When we reach the top floor, we step out together and into our room without a spoken word. The moment the door closes, Talon lets my hand drop. I only have a second to miss his touch before I’m slammed against the wall of the entryway with Talon’s mouth on mine.
He growls eagerly and nips my lip. “God,” he mumbles, releasing shuddering breath, trying to back up to give me room to breathe, but that’s the last thing I want.
My hands wind around his neck, gripping his hair firmly as I pull him back to me. He moans and nips at my bottom lip. “I missed you so damn much,” I tell him.
“I missed you too,” he replies, and I gasp as his lips go to my neck, finding the very same spot his fangs pierced earlier.
My core throbs with the need to have him inside me and I murmur, “I want you, Talon. Completely. No more holding back.”
“Are you sure?” he asks, his eyes boring into mine. He’s probably looking for a sign I’m not one-hundred-percent sure, but there is no doubt in my mind. I want him. I want our soul-tie.
The struggle in his eyes is enough to make me smile. “I have never wanted you more than right now, Talon. You left and I thought I’d never see you. Then you died and I thought that was it. The moment you were gone from this world, despair took me. I didn’t want to live without you. Now that I have you, I’m not going to let you go. I’m not going to let life stand in the way of us. Do you remember tasting me in the bathroom before the ball?”
His eyes dilate and his fangs lengthen at the mention of it. That tells me all I need to know. “Well, that’s what I want. You to taste me, to leave your marks on me as you fuck me.” His eyes are hooded with lust as I trail a finger along his cheek and down to his mouth. I pierce the tip of my finger on his fang, letting blood well before running it over his bottom lip. Even as his breathing starts to increase, I still tease him. “Does that sound like something you’d like to do?”
A growl rumbles in his chest as he throws himself away from me, and rips his white tux off, throwing
it, well, everywhere. It’s in nothing but pieces now.
He’s bare before me, and I take my time to admire his well-defined body. From his toned legs that show he was fit even before he was turned, all the way to his green eyes that are watching me with such intensity, there’s no doubt in my mind that I’m completely in love with this man.
I step away from the wall, but rather than go to him, I walk through the penthouse to the bedroom, and unzip my dress at the foot of the bed. I stay there, waiting for him.
His breath caresses the nape of my neck, and his hand softly trails over my shoulder as he helps me slip out of the dress. The press of his lips against my spine is searing hot, but the burn just adds to the excitement, and the sense that the powerful male behind me is treating me like I am the most revered object he’s ever set his eyes on.
Talon turns me in his arms, his green eyes staring deep into my soul. I rise up on my toes and press my lips to his. What started out rough when we came into the suite has turned into something soft, filled with nothing but love.
He lifts me by my waist and I wrap my legs around him, our lips never breaking apart We have the rest of our lives to be together with the others, but this, right now, it’s only us. Soon, we’ll have to go home and face the world, face all the things we haven’t dealt with yet, but for now, I want to show him with my body how much I care. How much I want him. I want to find a way to reunite our souls. To see my name once again on his heart.
Talon slowly lowers me to the bed, his gaze taking me in hungrily as he helps me out of the black panties Britt convinced me to wear under my dress. I was all for going commando, but seeing his eyes on me now, I’m glad for the choice.
“I want to taste you again,” he murmurs, and I know it’s not my pussy he’s talking about. His eyes are fixed on the artery on the inside of my leg and it excites me that he wants to feed on me despite having already tasted me earlier.
“I’m yours, Talon. Any way you please,” I say softly, my eyes conveying how true that statement is. He continues to stare and I open my legs wider for him, giving him all the permission he needs.
Fast, like a snake, he strikes and latches on. He doesn’t pull deeply like I thought, instead savoring the taste of me as his hand reaches up to caress my pussy, trailing a finger over my wet opening.
His eyes lift to watch me as he slowly pushes a finger inside me, using his thumb to rub my clit at the same time. My eyes close as my back arches. It feels so good to finally have him to myself. To let him have me.
His touch disappears at the same time he stops feeding, and my eyes snap open to watch him as he crawls up over me to position himself at my entrance. My blood stains his mouth, but hell if that doesn’t turn me on even more.
“Last chance to tell me no, Em. This could very well bring the soul-tie flaring to life or it may not. Are you okay with this happening if our tie doesn’t come back?”
“No matter what, I want you. I’ve wanted you ever since I met you. Whether we have some mythical bond or not, I love you. Nothing anyone says or does will ever change how I feel about you.”
His eyes soften and he kisses me deeply, slowly pushing against my entrance. The power in his body, as he begins to thrust in and out of me slowly, is intoxicating. I know he’s centuries old with many women in his past, but if they led to him being this skilled with his strokes, then I need to send out some gift baskets because... holy hell.
Every nerve in my body feels like it’s being lit with pleasure with every stroke of his cock inside me. He brushes against my g-spot, and his eyes fills with pure male satisfaction when he realizes he’s found that special place inside me. He keeps stroking over it, moving his hand to lazily play with my clit. Pressure begins building in my core and I know if he keeps his current pace, I won’t last long at all.
My pussy tightens around him as I near my orgasm, and Talon, sensing my impending release, picks up his speed, grunting with each thrust. Just before my climax spills over, he sinks his teeth into my neck, shattering any control I thought I had. I let loose a scream of pleasure as he keeps thrusting, spilling his own release shortly after.
I don’t get long to enjoy the afterglow though, because suddenly Talon rips away from me and practically throws himself across the room. He hits the bathroom door, and a loud crack reverberates around the room.
I sit up, unsure what’s happening, when I notice the quivering of his body and the way his eyes have turned bloodred. My name on his chest is emblazoned in crimson script, more like a burn than a tattoo.
“Emerald, run!” Talon growls loudly, his body convulsing. He drops to the floor, just as his skin changes, and in his place is a massive beast.
“Holy, shit!” I gasp, my hand covering my mouth even as the huge monster before me takes a step closer. He looks so much like my own beast, but the tips of his ears are white, while I’m all black.
How the hell did this happen? How was Talon able to shift into a beast like my own?
The beast in question takes a threatening step toward me and I level a glare at him when a warning growl passes its lip. My beast is pissed he would dare to challenge our authority as Alpha like that.
“Don’t you get it in that thick head of yours that you’re my Alpha, because if it comes down to it, my wolf will tear you a new asshole.” The power of my beast comes through my voice and I watch in satisfaction as Talon bares his throat submissively to me. Suddenly, I hear the suite door slam open, followed by the sounds of voices all filled with worry.
“Em, where are you?” Kellan calls seconds before appearing in my room with a naked me and a shifted Talon, who looks beyond pissed that Kellan’s gaze is on me. Shortly after his entrance, everyone stumbles into my room, all of them stopping short at the sight of Talon’s beast who’s growling aggressively.
I go to him, standing in front of him to cut off his view of the people his animal would deem as threats, and face the room.
My grandmother is the last to enter with an exasperated sigh. “What on earth have you done now, Emerald?”
“Well, apparently my sex skills are so good that I somehow made Talon like me.” I gesture behind me at his new form. “Got any words of wisdom for that?”
She gapes at my shifted soul-tie with wide eyes and opens her mouth, no doubt to offer me some kind of wise knowledge, or maybe a warning, but only three words passes her lips.
“Well, fuck me.”
Epilogue
Brendan
My eyes snap open and a curse rumbles from my throat when my head is slammed into something metal.
“Fuck,” I curse, blinking my eyes to clear them of the pain. “Who the fuck is there?”
The room is dark, but the person is behind me as if they’re hiding. I can’t scent them over the blood that permeates the room, both new and old, my own adding to the mix judging by the wet feeling on the back of my neck.
I try to remember what happened, but the last thing I recall is going to the airport to book a flight home. I remember Felicia asking me to wait so she could talk to me, but then that’s it. I don’t even remember seeing her.
A loud mechanical whirring sounds and I struggle in my binds as I’m shifted into a more upright position. I must be on a table of sorts, one that has controls behind me.
I struggle to free myself, but my hands and feet are bound tightly by leather straps that having markings on them. At a glance, it looks like ones that are considered old magic. Stuff not meant to be trifled with. Which means whoever has me is violating a lot of witch laws right now.
Old magic is banned. It was said that witches who used such magic were dark in their core and would taint others around them.
I struggle in vain to free myself, hoping for some kind of advantage against whoever has a hold of me.
“There’s no use struggling, my love. You’ll never be free of those straps.” My head whips to the side as Felicia steps into view with a smile on her face.
“What on earth is going on, F
elicia? Did you kidnap me and bring me here? Why?”
She pouts and runs a nail over my cheek. “Because you’re a weak little pussy. I know you told Talon to go to her. Whatever happened in that bathroom changed all of our plans. You’re the reason Emerald is still alive, and I can’t have a soul-tie of mine siding with that filthy thing,” she snarls venomously, and her nails cut into my skin, drawing blood.
“What are you talking about? I’m not your soul-tie. I’m a fucking wolf, not a vampire.”
She clucks her tongue as a door somewhere in the room opens. Judging by the sound of metal grating on the stone floor, it’s a steel door and very fucking heavy. Everything about this situation seems to be going from bad to worse.
“The world is changing, my love. Vampires can have wolf soul-ties, wolves can have witches for mates, and witches can have vampires for bond mates. But even if the world wasn’t evolving, you would still be my soul-tie, you see, like Emerald, I, too, am one of a kind.”
Felicia holds a hand out flat with her palm facing up. A blue flame flickers to life as she concentrates, and I gasp in surprise, my eyes flicking up to hers as a man comes into view behind her.
He places a hand on her shoulder with a conniving smile. “My daughter is very special, isn’t she? She was the only one to survive my experiments.”
“Experiments?” I echo, not sure what’s going on or just how Felicia exists, but it’s clear I am in deep shit.
“Oh, don’t worry, son. You will be my first successful adult to make the transition, then you can be at my daughter’s side for eternity.”
Afternote
I just want to thank everyone for being so patient for the release of this book. I’m sure by now you can all understand the complexity behind ensuring each word was right so there’s no world confusion. I still have many books in this series planned, along with novellas of how the side characters met each other. I also have another series planned out on Britt’s story before meeting Emerald, then a second series after she met Emerald.