Warrior Fae Trapped: A DDVN Book

by Breene, K. F.

  Could this situation get any worse?

  “I don’t speak scoff,” she said.

  Yet another deep breath.

  “As you heard, I’ll hook you up with two escorts,” Devon said coolly, tamping down the desire to upend the table. “They’ll take you around this area. Try not to stare—some species think that’s a challenge. You don’t want to provoke a Jorogumo or a Hellhound.”

  Charity stared at him with squinted eyes and shook her head. Her brain was trying to shut down. He knew exactly how she felt.

  “They’ll be in shortly,” Devon finished.

  Before she could ask a question, he was striding through the interior of the castle. He found his pack a moment later. They’d gathered in one of the sitting rooms, waiting for Devon. As he walked in, they all looked up, ready for instructions. Probably wondering what came next.

  So did he.

  “Andy, Macy, you’re on tour duty,” he barked. “Take Charity around a few of the safer parts of the Realm. Stay close. Keep her out of trouble.”

  “You want us to keep her out of trouble?” Macy said, her light brown hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.

  “That lady seems good in a tight spot,” Dillon reflected. “Give her the rules and she should be fine.”

  “You’ve seen her in action for a total of fifteen minutes, bro. What makes you an expert?” Andy asked.

  “Great question,” Macy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

  Jimmy smirked. “Jealous much, Macy?”

  “Irritating much, Jimmy?” she shot back.

  “She got out of a house full of vamps,” Dillon said. He scratched his hooked nose and looked up through his lashes at Macy. “Then she somehow got past Roger and ran out of the castle. Doesn’t take a genius to notice the obvious.”

  “She shouldn’t have been scared back into the house in the first place.” Devon’s eyes flayed Jimmy. “Roger’s probably wondering why I have such a poor handle on my pack. We screwed up, starting with you, Jimmy.”

  Jimmy shrank down in his chair.

  “You’ll be disciplined after I talk to Roger,” Devon continued. “Until then, Andy and Macy, ease Charity into this world. Roger wants her acclimated, and I won’t let him down again. Rod and Dillon, start tracking the new vamps. If, by some miracle, Roger doesn’t pull me off this detail, I want to go after them immediately. A lot of the vamps that turned them are dead, which means they’ll be out of control. If we don’t get to them fast, the innocent bodies will pile up.”

  “Yes, alpha,” the room chorused.

  “And Dillon is right: Charity seems to have a penchant for survival. She not only reacts quickly and effectively, she knows something about fighting. I’m not sure how much, but she knocked Roger out of the way like he weighed nothing. If she’s to be believed, she grew up in an extremely dodgy part of Chicago. Problem is, she isn’t in a dodgy part of her world. She’s in ours, and she doesn’t have a clue.” Devon gave Macy, and then Andy, a poignant stare. “Watch her constantly. She’s going to gawk, and point, and do other potentially awkward things that might lead to a confrontation. Don’t let it happen. She starts throwing people around with her magic, the elves will get involved. I’m counting on you two to keep that from happening.”

  “Yes, alpha,” Macy and Andy said in tandem.

  Devon nodded and barely hid a sigh. He didn’t look forward to what came next.

  Strapping on an expressionless mask of rank, Devon found his way to Roger’s office before knocking on the polished wood door, one of the many new additions the alpha had made to render the castle livable.

  There was a muffled “Come in,” and he pushed through.

  Roger sat at a large oak desk with neat stacks of paper pushed off to the sides, leaving most of the surface bare. His elbows rested on the arms of his chair as he waited for Devon to take a seat.

  “So, you had a small hiccup in your mission,” Roger began. His tone was even. Not accusatory. Not yet.

  Devon nodded. “When Charity went into the house for the last time, she hadn’t consumed any of the elixir. When she came back out, she seemed wild. In human form, but not exactly human. She didn’t smell like a newbie vamp, though, so I signaled for my people to subdue and not kill. That proved…more difficult than I had anticipated, wasting valuable time. By the time we returned to the mission, we could only extinguish three newbies. Three we watched get away—too far out of reach—and the others must’ve left in the pandemonium Charity created.”

  Roger studied Devon with an expressionless mask. Devon hated that stare. It was impossible to tell what the alpha was thinking.

  Finally, Roger said, “I find it commendable that you had the foresight to subdue and not kill. Many men your age would not have had that presence of mind within the circumstances.”

  Devon nodded once, wary of the compliment. The next moment proved why.

  “You made a grave error, of course,” Roger went on.

  “Yes, sir. I tried to physically keep her from going back into the house, but she proved…elusive. By the time I got to her, she’d already crossed the threshold into their domain.”

  “It seems you underestimated her twice in one night.”

  “Yes, sir.” Devon’s jaw clenched.

  “You’re young. Mistakes are to be expected. What do you plan to do with Jimmy?”

  “Disciplinary action. I thought I would talk to you before I came to any decisions.”

  “Good, yes. I need you to start taking out those newbies as soon as possible. They’re already out there gaining strength with feedings. For that, you need your whole pack.”

  Devon’s spirits lifted. He wasn’t being taken off the hunt! Roger was giving him a second chance.

  “But I think I promoted Jimmy too soon,” Roger said. “He is a little too immature for your pack. I’m going to transfer a new wolf to you. She comes from a southern region. She’s had some experience and is ready for the next level, I think. She’ll replace Jimmy for now.”

  Surprised, Devon just nodded. He hadn’t seen that coming. It meant he’d have to train a new member, which took time and effort, but it also meant he wouldn’t have to worry about Jimmy. It would probably amount to an even trade.

  Roger tossed a file in front of Devon. “That’s the new wolf’s file. You can review it later. We have more important matters to discuss. Charity.”

  Devon slid the file to the side. Here it came.

  “In a way, Jimmy’s incompetence was a huge stroke of luck. If he hadn’t chased Charity back into that house, she wouldn’t have had to escape. If she hadn’t escaped, I wouldn’t have seen, firsthand, what she is capable of.

  “As you know, vampires aren’t the only creatures capable of wreaking havoc in the human world. Something is drawing demons to the Brink in record numbers. If the two groups are working together, there will be hell to pay. The elves are calling Lucifer in for a chat, but we can’t wait to step in. The elves and the Underworld forget how quickly things move in the Brink. It’ll be overrun if we don’t act. It is well within our right.”

  “Excuse me for asking, but what does this have to do with Charity?”

  Roger entwined his fingers on the desk. “Just as vampires aren’t the only nuisance in the Brink, shape shifters aren’t the only beings suited for peacekeeping and hiding the magical world.”

  “You mean the Magical Law Enforcement offices?”

  The MLE did a similar job to that which Roger’s pack performed, but they were connected with a secret branch of the Brink government and often got waylaid in red tape. Not to mention that vampires had been known to bribe the MLE officers, while other magical peoples, like the Mages’ Guild, downright scared them into inactivity. The Brink shouldn’t have needed two organizations to police the supernatural, but here they were.

  “No,” Roger replied, and his tone could’ve turned water into ice. It was clear he didn’t appreciate the interruption. “In earlier times, shifters fought beside o
ther magical creatures. For whatever reason, the shape shifters have seen growth, but other magical beings are in decline. Many have retreated deep into the Realm to regrow their numbers. Unfortunately, they haven’t ventured back into the Brink. Not even toward the edge of the Realm, where we are.

  “One of the creatures we used to fight beside was a subset of the fae, gifted with enhanced strength, speed and fighting prowess. Their people called them custodes, or guardians. But outside of their people, they were referred to as the warrior fae, because they were fearsome fighters—strong, quick, and brutal. Their magic could turn the tide in a fierce battle. Their numbers aren’t large compared with fae as a whole, even going back centuries, but if you were lucky enough to have one on your side, you did everything in your power to use that weapon to its full potential.”

  Devon had heard something of the warrior fae. Everyone had. They lived deep in the Realm and kept to themselves. He’d never seen one. In fact, he’d never spoken to anyone who had.

  “Now, the warrior fae guard their children like we do,” Roger said. “Like humans do. And since this type of fae haven’t ventured out of the Realm for some time, that we know of, it is very unlikely we’d run across one of them.”

  “Sorry, sir. I’m still not sure how Charity fits in.”

  Roger’s stare zeroed in on Devon. “She seems mild-mannered, doesn’t she? To me she does, anyway. Listens, engages…she’s polite. But with you—when you assert your dominance, she pulls back her sweet exterior and shows her iron core. She won’t put up with you pushing her around. Her magic doesn’t flirt with yours; it entices yours. It challenges yours, doesn’t it? She senses her magical equal in you, I’d wager. Something in her rises to the occasion.”

  Devon shifted uncomfortably. “Her magic isn’t as strong as mine.”

  “Not yet.” Roger leaned back in his chair. “But as I understand it, the warrior fae don’t come into their magic all at once. It’s gradual, usually guided by their kind. Charity’s magic has been kept at bay throughout her adolescence. I’m not sure if it’s because she’s been in the Brink, hidden away from other magical users, or that’s just how it goes for her kind, but her magic is seeping out. Soon it’ll start to gush.”

  Devon leaned forward and gripped the arms of his chair. “Wait. What are you saying?”

  Roger put both hands on his desk. “I have no idea how it happened, or why she is in the Brink, but it seems you’ve found us a warrior fae, Devon. One that we must keep safe at all costs.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Charity heard Macy snicker as Andy swept his hand toward the castle.

  “Here we have our headquarters,” he said in a lofty tone. “This castle once existed in the Brink in Europe. We have no idea how it came to stand within the gnome village, but it is estimated that it made the shift hundreds of years ago. The non-magical human inhabitants died in the crossing.”

  Charity stared at her tour guide, trying to place his face. She was sure she’d seen him somewhere before, probably around campus. Who would have thought that a few of her fellow students had magical alter egos? The sandy-blond hair and button nose gave him a boy-next-door feel, and his laidback demeanor and easy smile set her at ease. He would fit into Santa Cruz perfectly.

  Macy, whom Charity didn’t recognize, seemed more on point. Intelligence shone through her brown eyes, and she held herself with confidence. Her brown hair fell to her mid-back, and a kind smile surfaced anytime Charity screwed up her features in bewilderment at what she was seeing. They both seemed like good people.

  “Now, the thing with the Realm is, there aren’t definable rules,” Andy went on, motioning them forward. “Not all the time, anyway.”

  “Yes, there are. The elves create the rules, and violently enforce them.” Macy half turned to Charity. “They’re the government. We basically work for them to keep order in the Brink. Why they concern themselves with the Brink, I don’t know, since they never go there. But…” She shrugged. Clearly she wasn’t too curious of a person.

  “I meant rules regarding the elements, Macy.” Andy ran his fingers through his messy hair, making parts stand on end. He didn’t bother patting it down after. “Sure, we have laws. Everywhere has laws. But take the weather, for example. It’s always perfect. If I want to wear a sweater, I’ll be comfortable. What if I’m naked in the middle of the night and need to go for a stroll? No problem. I’ll be just as comfortable as if I were in that sweater.”

  “Why would you need to go for a stroll in the middle of the night while naked? Is it a medical condition?” Macy asked.

  Andy frowned at her. “Maybe I have a leg cramp and it can’t wait until I get dressed.”

  “But why aren’t you dressed in the first place?”

  He blinked at her. “Because I’m sleeping.”

  Charity lost the thread of their argument at the sight of huge horns jutting out from an inhuman head. The protruding nose with flaring nostrils, surrounded by fuzzy skin, gave the distinct impression of a bull’s head. Below that, a bare chest, thick with muscle, sported savage-looking arms. Ragged white scars crisscrossed deeply tanned skin. The creature’s torso ended in legs that seemed half-man and half-bull, clomping the ground with hooves.

  “Oh my God, you guys,” Charity said. She belatedly remembered not to point and ripped her hand out of the air. Too late.

  The bull’s eyes, already pointed in Charity’s direction, homed in on her. The creature slowed to a stop twenty yards away, staring.

  “It’s staring. So that’s rude, right? I’m off the hook?” Charity asked out of the side of her mouth.

  “Oh crap. Look down!” Andy lowered his gaze. With a squeak, Macy did the same.

  Charity thought briefly of looking down. It would be the smart thing, surely. But that danged heat inside of her flared brightly, taking over. She leaned forward, just a fraction, and stared into the creature’s round, beady little eyes. Excitement fluttered her stomach. Sweat broke out on her brow, logic not completely on hiatus.

  “Charity, look down,” Andy said through gritted teeth.

  “Half of me really wants to,” she murmured, her muscles firing with adrenaline.

  “Then why aren’t you doing it?”

  Charity flexed and relaxed her right hand, feeling that strange itch for a sword. Feeling the sweet breath of battle against her face. “Because the other half has gone insane.”

  Andy ripped off his shirt and stepped forward. Macy pushed Charity behind her, the second wall of defense.

  “That’s a minotaur,” Macy said quietly. “They’re mean bastards. If you look them in the eyes, they take offense. If it’s Roger or someone strong enough, usually they’ll ignore the challenge. That’s because they know they can’t win. They’re not stupid. But us…” Macy shook her head as Andy ripped off his basketball-style sweats with snaps for seams. The same sweats they all wore.

  A loud huff preceded the minotaur’s stamped hoof.

  “This is happening.” Andy pushed down his boxer briefs, completely nude now. “This is definitely happening.”

  “Why is he stripping?” Charity asked in a furious whisper, bouncing in place, trying to shake out the adrenaline buzzing through her. “What if we run away? My pride will be fine if we run away.”

  “Andy’s getting ready to change. And that thing is faster than it looks.” Macy ripped off her own pants. “Stay right there, okay? Don’t move.”

  “But…”

  The minotaur stamped its hoof again. It bent, pointing its dirty, dull horns their way. Dull or not, with enough force, they’d spear through their middles handily enough.

  “Here we go,” Andy said. Green swirled around him like smoke. Fur rolled and boiled, a wolf erupting from his skin.

  Charity’s mouth dropped open. She’d known what they could do, theoretically, but she doubted she’d ever get used to seeing them shift.

  The minotaur started forward, its jog quickly becoming a run.

  Macy’s shir
t drifted to the ground.

  Fear shocked through Charity’s body as she watched the huge creature barreling toward them. And then the fire in her middle pulsed hot. Electricity zinged through her limbs and rolled within her body.

  Without realizing what she was doing, she stepped out from behind her protection. Standing on her own, she stared at the charging minotaur.

  A fierce growl ripped the air. Andy, or the large gray wolf that had been Andy, crouched as the beast neared.

  “Get back!” Macy yelled. Green began to swirl around her.

  A surge of spicy heat pumped into Charity’s bloodstream from that deep source in her body. A manic grin lit up her face. She locked eyes with the beast, and dared it to keep coming. She didn’t know what she’d fight with, but it didn’t matter—she’d rock that thing’s world and send it limping home.

  A rrrraaaahhhh sound rumbled through the beast’s thick chest. It shook its shaggy head. Then slowed. A hoof clattered against the ground as it stopped its advance. It huffed at her, clearly debating.

  “C’mon, you bastard. Show me what you’ve got.” Charity held eye contact. The wild thing within her flared. Pulsed higher. Hotter. She heard the song of battle calling to her. And wanted to answer.

  The minotaur huffed again, its muscles relaxing somewhat. Charity heard Macy suck in a sharp inhale. The beast proceeded to cross to the other side of the line and amble past as if nothing had happened.

  “It’s leaving!” Macy whispered. She straightened up with wide eyes. “Holy crap, Charity—you have a ton of magic. But why can I only feel it sometimes, I wonder…”

  Fur boiled and shivered before disappearing back to skin. Andy sprawled on patchy grass.

  “Jesus, Charity,” he said, panting as he crawled to his feet. “Please tell me you’ve learned your lesson. Those things are not fun to rumble with. I am relieved I didn’t have to.”

  Charity scratched at her chest. Her heart pounded in her ears. She couldn’t get enough air all of a sudden. “What is going on with me?”