FATED BLOOD (The Twisted Destiny Saga, #5)

by Franca Storm

  She hissed at him and let her demon rise to the surface for the first time in his presence. He reached out and traced his fingers gently over her contorted features. She was absolutely breathtaking in demon form as well. Her pure white fangs glistened in the muted bedroom light. She gripped his shoulders, jerking him towards her and then she snarled before burying her fangs in his neck.

  He grunted at the sharp sting and almost came right then from the delicious sensation of pain fused with absolute pleasure. He let go then, pounding into her hard. She sucked harder and her hips bucked against him wildly in a desperate attempt to meet him thrust for thrust. He released his own demon, growling low in his throat as he grabbed her ass roughly, his talons digging into her soft nubile flesh as he pulled her onto his lap. She ripped her fangs from his neck with a satisfied moan.

  As he felt heat emanating from his own eyes, he looked at hers. They were glowing a vibrant gold; glowing for him. As he lifted her up and down his cock, guiding the rhythm and taking her deep, he slashed a sharp talon across her chest, just above her right breast. He sank his fangs into her deep and she let out a cry that was somewhere between pain and pleasure. The perfect combination for any vampire.

  “Yes, Luca! Oh, God! Your bite is…oh my God!” she screamed as she wrapped her arms around him, her sharp talons scraping up and down his back.

  She rose almost all the way off his cock and then slammed back down hard. At the same time Luca bit down harder, ripping through her sensitive flesh. She screamed in ecstasy as the sensation ripped through her and she crashed over the edge, screaming out his name as she came. With the sweet taste of her blood flowing into his mouth he wasn’t far behind. He pulled back and gripped her hips roughly, using his vampire speed to fuck her with such speed that they became a vibrating force of movement.

  “Fuck!” he roared as he felt her pussy spasm around him violently as she came again.

  He lost control then and released himself inside her, roaring his release as her pussy continued to milk his cock.

  When he pulled out they both collapsed onto the bed, completely spent.

  After a few moments, he slid off the condom and disposed of it in the trash can beside the bed. He settled back down in the bed and pulled her to him, enveloping her in his embrace.

  “I feel…different,” she said quietly after a few moments of peaceful silence.

  He did too. It was because they’d just completed the bonding ritual. It had solidified them as a couple; as destined mates. But he wanted to hear her tell him exactly how she felt. He wanted to know all her thoughts; everything about her.

  “Tell me, beauty,” he encouraged her gently.

  “I feel closer to you somehow; complete, I guess.”

  “Me too.”

  She craned her neck to look at him. “That was incredible.”

  He chuckled. “I’m glad. Did I…hurt you at all?”

  She winked at him slyly. “Only in a good way.”

  “Hmm…you like a little pain with your sex then?”

  “Seems that way,” she responded coyly.

  “I’ll have to remember that for next time.”

  “I hope that you do,” she challenged.

  He laughed and stroked her soft hair. “I love you, beauty.”

  She sank into him and breathed, “I love you too, Luca. Very much.”

  “I want to take you to dinner tonight. There are some great places in the human realm that I know you’d love,” Luca said.

  “Really?” she asked, excitedly.

  “Yes. Because of your father keeping you under lock and key for so many years there’s so much you haven’t seen.” He squeezed her tighter. “And I want to be the one to show you; to show you everything.”

  A sharp knock reverberated through the room all of a sudden.

  “Who could that be at this hour?” Aerona asked.

  Luca rolled his eyes. He could smell the strong scent from where they lay in his bed. 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. Why is he so pissed? He glanced past him and saw the gorgeous brunette in his bed. Oops.

  “You always accuse me of cock-blocking you and yet, here you are now. 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 anymore than you want me here,” Ryan answered gruffly.

  Luca’s eyes narrowed. He sniffed the air. He could smell Cora nearby. “Where is she?”

  “Meeting with your father,” Ryan answered stiffly, pissed that Luca was asking after her.

  Luca looked back at Aerona and told her, “Sorry, beauty. I will only be a moment.” She nodded and he stepped into the corridor, pulling the door closed behind him.

  “What are you--?”

  Luca pressed his finger to his lips and led Ryan all the way to the end of the corridor. He scanned their surroundings and when he was satisfied that there was no one around or within earshot he said, “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.

  Luca breathed in a deep sigh and then revealed, “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 get it past Cora, but you can’t get it past 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 Ryan’s shoulder and said sincerely, “I am sorry, brother. For everything.”

  Ryan took his words in. He couldn’t believe Luca was apologizing to him like this. It was the last thing he had ever expected to happen. And the raw emotion all over his face and in his voice told him that it was sincere. This wasn’t a play. It was real. Luca actually cared. After so many years of fighting, this was it now—the end.

  “I’m sorry too,” Ryan 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 Luca’s 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?” he jested.

  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? Strange, 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 to come. She’s trying to make peace between us or something.”

  “Do you want me to come?”

  “I think it would 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.”

  Ryan nodded. “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 will 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.

  Cora took Ryan’s hand and asked Luca, “We’ll see you and Aerona tonight?”

  “You will. We’ll be there.” He pointed back down the hall. “I need to get back.”

  Ryan and Cora nodded and watched him hurry off back down the hallway to his room.

  Cora felt Ryan staring at her. He was grinning from ear to ear. “What?” she asked.

  “Nothing. Just found out something that makes me happy, that’s all.” It was just the stupid betrothal bond pulling her and Luca together. Thank fuck. Now I can relax.

  “What is it?” Cora asked, intrigued.

  “It doesn’t matter. Come here,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and Orion. “I love you guys.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  The bar was a cacophony of conversation and laughter. Ryan’s pack was wild with excitement and their generous consumption of hard liquor.

  Ryan stood with six of his wolves, 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,” she chastised them. “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 cuz you’re his girl.”

  “Double standards?”

  “Exactly.” He froze suddenly and hunkered down in the booth. “Shit.”

  A moment later Shaye strode towards the booth. “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…uh…I wasn’t hiding, sweetheart. What gave you that idea?”

  “The fact that you still have work to do yet 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,” Shaye 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,” Cora answered.

  “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.”

  Shaye and Josh exchanged a look. It wasn’t lost on either of them that there was absolutely no emotion from Cora with regards to her father’s death at her hands. Moreover, she hadn’t even responded to Shaye’s mention of her death. It had to be weighing on her. Coming back from the dead was bound to have affected her. But clearly she didn’t want to discuss it. They both decided to drop it.

  The bar fell silent suddenly. All three of them looked over the booth towards the door. 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; a silent 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,” Cora said with a little bit of an edge in her voice.

  “Shaye, drop it,” Josh cautioned, sensing the tension emanating from Cora.

  “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, concerned by the unnerving look in Cora’s eyes.

  “I will find her
soon enough. And when I do, I will kill her.”

  “Cora--” Shaye began.

  “She took my life!” Cora seethed. “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 Orion 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 others wolves couldn’t hear what she was saying. She wasn’t a fool. 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—another woman—behind my back. All because of Oriana’s black magick. 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 will never.”

  “Are you…you’re looking for her?” Shaye asked.

  “Perhaps,” Cora responded, getting to her feet. “I need some fresh air.”

  “Shit,” Josh exclaimed as he watched her walk through the bar towards the exit.

  “Why hasn’t she told Ryan any of this?” Shaye asked.

  “Because she knows him well,” Josh said. “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 calm? Yeah. I agree.”

  “Maybe coming back from the dead changed her, J.”

  They locked eyes. Shit. Did it?

  ***

  As Cora hurried around the corner out of the sight of the bar, she breathed in a calming breath. Shit, 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. And did they really expect her to be fine with everything that had happened recently? 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 that she would just let that slide?