Credo (Scars of the Wraiths Book 3)

by Nashoda Rose

  Genevieve clasped her hands, her eyes wide. “Waleron. No. You have to stay calm. Please. You shouldn’t be here and you require healing. There’s blood all over you.”

  I ignored her. “We protect one another, yet one of our own was being tortured right under your noses.” Waleron stared at Urtzi. “How?”

  “Waleron,” Tor said as he entered the room. The Wraith of Earth smelled like cinnamon today. He changed scents often, but cinnamon was his favorite. “Calm, Genevieve. The water.”

  Beside Tor was Zurina, who looked frazzled, her hair tangled and her clothes wrinkled.

  I nodded to her in acknowledgment. She returned the gesture.

  The fountain water boiled over and trickled down the marble sides.

  Genevieve trembled, her face ashen. She was the keeper of the fountain and when she was distressed, so was the water.

  Tor nodded to the other Wraiths and turned his attention to me. “She never mentioned Tarek killing her Ink at the trial.”

  I stiffened. “She was beaten half to death and had to recount what he did to her. That was enough to condemn him.” I peered at Tor. “Who is helping him?”

  Tor frowned. “Helping him?”

  “Someone shielded him. He had a golden rope he controlled. Someone powerful is helping him and they want Delara.”

  Zurina walked around the marble table and reached for my hands. “Waleron. Your hands are burned and your shoulder is bleeding. Let me heal you.”

  I clamped my jaw, about to deny Zurina, when Urtzi tilted his head slightly, watching my reaction. My every move was being scrutinized.

  I reluctantly placed my hands in hers and instantly the soothing comfort of her healing blanketed me. She jerked back once when her body felt the impact of the bullet, and her hands trembled in mine as the pain became hers.

  When I pulled my hands away, I nodded my thanks and she bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes from mine. Was she upset by the images of Tarek? She wasn’t normally affected by images like other Healers.

  I glanced at the pool again; the water was still bubbling, but not overflowing. “I warned you Tarek would do this when he rose. He won’t ever let her go. I have led the Scars for centuries. I know them. I know what they will do before they even know themselves. Damn it, he should be executed.”

  Tor sighed. “Some have changed after experiencing Rest. Tarek was once a well-respected Scar.”

  “He was an obsessive, controlling bastard who loved torturing our enemies,” I said.

  Tor nodded. “Yes. But he never broke our laws.”

  “Until he beat the hell out of my woman.”

  “She isn’t your woman, Waleron. You never maited her,” Tor answered, his eyes unwavering. “Where is she now?”

  “The Talde house. I will Trace her to Spain and then I will hunt Tarek. And this time he will not be shown mercy.”

  “Waleron, defending her is not the only reason you walk this Earth,” Zurina said.

  I flinched. “What are you saying, Zurina?”

  “I’m saying remember why you’re here. Delara has made you act irrationally for years.”

  “This wouldn’t be an issue if you hadn’t voted against me when I wanted Tarek executed. Now look where it has led us.”

  “I am a Healer, Waleron. And everyone has the right to a second chance,” Zurina replied. “And she is not the only Scar.”

  “I protect all the fuckin’ Scars.”

  She frowned. “You swearing is enough to show me how unreasonable you are.”

  I blanked my mind from her before I told her to fuck off. “I want to know who is helping Tarek,” I continued, ignoring Zurina’s pleading look. “He had a shield around him. Around his car. The men with him were human, but they know about Scars. How did he rise from Rest and immediately have help? Who else is capable of shields?”

  “I don’t know the answers, Waleron,” Tor said, shaking his head. “We will assist in searching for him.” Tor’s voice grew deeper and the floor trembled. “Tarek will be executed. But Waleron, the issue still remains, you have sworn to protect all Scars and humans. Your focus has strayed and Delara must leave your Talde, or you will lose your Taldeburu.”

  “She is leaving,” I ground out.

  “We could bring her here?” Zurina suggested. “Until you find Tarek.”

  The Realm would be safe, but with the Wraiths wanting her separated from me, and worse, Edan here, I didn’t want Delara anywhere near the Realm.

  There was one Scar who’d protect her better than anyone. He was also the one who could take her away from me—Xamien.

  “No. Delara goes to Spain.”

  BALEN AND I WALKED INTO the house and he put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “We’ll find him.”

  He’d started to walk away when I said, “You sacrificed everything for Danni.”

  He nodded, frowning. “Yes.”

  “If you had to let her go in order for her to keep something that defined who she was, would you?”

  “No, Delara. I’d never let Danni go. I’m kind of selfish when it comes to her.”

  He winked at me and walked away.

  Danni and Balen had been through so much together—torture, a fight for their lives, and being torn apart for two years. Their love was what defined them.

  But Waleron’s oath to his mother and the Goddess was who he was, what defined him. It prevailed over all else. It had also tainted our love. Did he protect me because he loved me still? Or because of his oath?

  Waleron’s scent wafted into the room and I felt him come up behind me. “You okay, maitagarri?”

  No. “Yes.”

  His hands settled on my hips, and I shivered, my heart rate shooting off. There was no fighting my body’s reaction to his touch. Our bond was too powerful to sever.

  Slowly, he turned me around to face him and his hand cupped my chin, thumb caressing my lower lip. “Waleron….”

  He bent and his mouth took mine.

  A wave of heat rose through my body and an ache stirred between my legs, while butterflies soared in my belly. He deepened the kiss and I sagged in to him. I was exhausted, fighting this. What was fated for us. What kept us apart and yet brought us together.

  He groaned as his kiss deepened. My hands slid up his chest to his shoulders then curled around his neck.

  I’d always thought if we separated it would heal me from this agonizing love, but it never had.

  Love couldn’t be healed, because it’s what healed us.

  We’d been together—yet apart—for years, and when he kissed me, I loved him all over again.

  Whether I wanted it to or not, he defined me.

  He trailed kisses along my neck. “When this is over with Tarek, we will find a way.”

  I didn’t say anything.

  “There are things you need to know about me. Parts of me you have never seen, and they are not good.”

  A part of me wanted to leap into his arms and hold him to me with the feeling of elation wrapping around my soul. The other part of me wanted to haul off and punch him in the face. “Why? Why now?”

  Did his words have a motive?

  If I gave him me again, would he throw me aside as soon as Xamien was out of the picture. When I’d been with Edan, he’d said he’d try. But it was just to keep me from Edan.

  “And the pills?” God, I wanted to trust him so much.

  “The pills stay, Delara.”

  Why was I contemplating letting him back in? After all he’d done to me. The denial. The hurt. The manipulation. The control.

  It was like he was my savior and ruin wrapped into one.

  “We will find a way. I cannot…. Maitagarri, I cannot lose you.”

  But there was no finding a way anymore. It was too late. The Wraiths saw me as a threat to Waleron’s ability to make decisions rationally. He could lose his Taldeburu just for loving me, and I’d fight with everything I had to make certain that never happened.

  I closed my eyes brief
ly and slowly pulled from his arms, knowing what I had to do. I raised my chin and met his brilliant blue eyes. “I don’t want to find a way, Tac.”

  His jaw clenched and his Ink’s eyes blazed deep red. “Delara.”

  “No, Tac,” I said calmly. “I’m sorry.”

  “Delara….”

  “I don`t trust you, Waleron,” I said, but the words tasted sour on my tongue.

  His body jerked and his eyes went ice cold. “I will Trace you to Spain in five minutes. Don’t expect to come back here.” He turned abruptly on his heel, then added, “Ever.”

  His words were like a punch to the stomach. But this was what I wanted. What he needed. I had to stay away from him. It was the only way.

  I walked out the front door and sat on the steps, gulping in cool breaths of air. I wasn’t only losing Waleron by changing Taldes, but Jedrik, Keir, Hack, and Anstice. We were a family. I’d grown up with Jedrik and he was my best friend.

  The door opened and shut behind me, and I turned to see Damien.

  He leaned up against the pillar at the top of the steps. It appeared casual and relaxed, but I smelled the inner rage leaking from his pores.

  His eyes met mine and for a second I remembered the man he once was, before Abby. The virgin king, the woman hater, the diabolical vampire hunter.

  Now, what was left was a man filled with grief and hatred.

  “You deserve better than both of them.” I assumed both meant Waleron and Xamien. “Waleron killed the only woman I will ever love, and Xamien deserves to rot in Hell.”

  I had no intention of listening to his shit. I was halfway to my feet when he grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but his bruising fingers dug into my skin.

  “You protected Abby. For that I’m in your debt.”

  I looked away, afraid he’d see the truth in my eyes about Abby. God, I wanted to tell him. I hated knowing Abby lived and Damien was tortured believing she was dead.

  But it was Abby’s decision. He was known for being one of the greatest vampire hunters, and she was now one of his prey.

  “But you’re being a bitch, giving up on Waleron,” he said.

  God, I wanted to slap his arrogant face. What the hell did he know? He knew nothing about my relationship with Waleron, or lack thereof. Most of the time, Damien lived as a solitary in Florida. He’d only come back when he helped with the vampire Ryzard incident, and then when he had to look after Abby during her Transition.

  I tried to yank out of his grip, but he didn’t let me. “Let me go, Damien.”

  A haunted look crept across his face and his next words were filled with so much anguish that any animosity I’d felt diminished.

  He released me and his voice grew quiet. “Abby. She gave up on me. She didn’t believe I could love her after she Turned. She was afraid she’d hurt me.” His voice deepened, husky with a menacing tone. “Don’t let him decide for both of you. Don’t let anyone fuckin’ decide.”

  The door opened and Jedrik came out.

  “You okay, sass?” Jedrik asked, but he was looking at Damien.

  Damien kept his eyes locked on me. He ground his teeth and his knuckles cracked as he clenched his hands into fists. “I’d have become my own worst enemy for her,” Damien said. He abruptly turned on his heel and strode out into the garden.

  Damien was the best vampire hunter we had. And yet, he’d have become a vampire for her. And Abby gave up on him.

  Because she didn’t trust herself not to hurt him.

  Oh God. Waleron. What happened to us?

  Waleron was afraid he’d hurt me. He’d given up on us because he didn’t trust himself any longer. I’d given up on us, too. The trust had been eaten alive by the fear of hurting one another.

  But I kept holding on. All these years, an ember of hope had still burned in my heart. It was Waleron. I couldn’t live without him, and now, when that ember was burning brighter, the Wraiths were threatening the one thing he coveted more than anything.

  Balen said he’d never let Danni go, no matter what. But to fight the Wraiths? To risk Waleron’s Taldeburu? How could I do that? What if I failed?

  I was afraid to let him in, but wasn’t I drowning without him? Wasn’t he worth the risk? I’d fought the Wraiths for Balen’s life. Why did I hesitate to fight for the man I loved?

  “Sass?” Jedrik put his arm around my waist. He pushed a strand of hair aside and tucked it behind my ear.

  A stray tear slipped from my eye and slid down my cheek. He wiped it away with his thumb.

  “I’ve been suffocating for so long, Jedrik. I thought it was because he overprotected me and I couldn’t get free of him, but—” I inhaled sharply and held back the sobs that threatened to fall at my next words. “But it’s because I can’t breathe without him.”

  WALERON TRACED ME TO XAMIEN’S courtyard, but he didn’t stay. Actually, he didn’t even say anything before he was gone again.

  Xamien’s house, which was more like a medieval castle, sat on a hill overlooking a river. The massive stone structure had four towers and a courtyard straight out of a fairy tale book. Wildflowers scattered across the yard lining a pebbled path that led around to the side of the house. Steps led up to the entrance that had arched double doors made of solid wood with lit sconces on either side.

  Xamien Traced beside me. “He left?”

  I nodded.

  He was silent for several seconds. “We’ve been friends a long time. That will never change. So don’t shut me out. Even if we aren’t fucking anymore.”

  I half smiled and rested my hand on his. “You’ve always been there for me, Xamien. When I needed you… you understood. I won’t forget that.”

  Xamien nodded, then dug into his pocket and took out his phone when it vibrated. He pressed a few times on the screen then grunted before handing it to me.

  It was a text message from Waleron:

  I trust you can protect her. But fuck her and you initiate war.

  “Sir! Sir!” Glunk, Xamien’s so-called butler, ran down the stone steps, shouting. He was husky, short, and always wore a suit with a pair of checkered yellow, blue, and red running shoes.

  Xamien stiffened, taking his phone back and striding toward him. “What’s wrong?”

  Glunk rushed a bow in greeting to me then turned to Xamien. “Sir, it’s Abby. Max went to give her the usual meal and Abby attacked her.” Xamien was already running toward the house and Glunk ran after him. I followed. “Sir, Jasper is trying to subdue her. I told him he couldn’t kill her. He wasn’t pleased, sir.”

  “Jasper is here?” Xamien asked.

  “Yes, sir, just arrived an hour ago.”

  “And you let him in there?” Xamien shouted as we barged into the massive stone foyer. The chandelier hanging two stories above swayed at the sudden impact of the front doors meeting the stone walls.

  “Sir, he insisted, and you know how he is.”

  “Yes. I do.”

  We ran down a hallway, through the kitchen, and then up a set of spiral stairs that led to Abby’s room.

  Xamien inserted a key into the old iron lock, then yanked open the door and went inside.

  I went to follow but Glunk snagged my arm. “No, Miss. It’s not a good idea. Miss Abby is in a state I’ve never seen before.”

  I hesitated, then nodded. Glunk had been caring for Abby since she’d arrived and knew her better than anyone.

  There was a big-screen TV on the back wall and a black leather couch with lime-green and white throw pillows in the middle of the room. I’d sat on the couch last time I was there and watched a movie with Abby.

  The witch vamp had hardly spoken, but she’d been calm and never tried to hurt me.

  One wall was completely floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows. There were no bars, but Xamien had told me they were protected by a spell so Abby was unable to break them.

  In the middle of the room was a white carpet marred with a blotch of red, and on it lay the girl, Max, that Xamien had rescued fro
m a vampire. She wasn’t moving, and there was blood on her neck.

  “Abby, Christ!” Xamien stood several feet away from her and Abby blocked his path to Max. “What are you doing? It’s Max.”

  A scarier-than-hell guy stood on the opposite side of the room with fresh fingernail scratches down the side of his face. He had tribal tattoos running the length of his arms and, emphasizing his hard-ass biker look, he wore ripped jeans and a black T-shirt with skulls on it. Both fit snugly, which showed off his lean-muscled body.

  “Vampire in the house, Xamien? Not cool. Heard this bitch was executed.”

  “As you can see, she wasn’t,” Xamien responded.

  “Another fuckin’ pet.”

  “Pet?” I asked. “Never mind, I don’t want to know. Who is he?”

  “Jasper. Mercenary. Assassin. Friend. Rogue Scar. I asked him to come stay here and help protect you.”

  Jasper gestured to Max with a jerk of his chin. “That the chick raised by vampires?”

  Xamien nodded.

  “Finally, I get to meet her, if she lives. Babe disappears every time I visit.”

  “You’ve been here three times, Jasper. And she doesn’t like people,” Xamien said.

  Abby snarled at Jasper, her pointed fangs flashing. There was still blood on her lips from biting Max. God, poor Abby. She’d lost control of who she was.

  Abby guarded her prey like a wild animal, circling Max, watching the men for any movement. I sidled to the right against the wall, then dropped down on my hands and knees.

  “Miss Delara,” Glunk warned.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Xamien asked, keeping his eyes on Abby.

  “Helping Max, while you guys distract her,” Delara replied. “Jasper, can you get Abby to turn toward you?”

  “No fuckin’ heroics, Jasper. We don’t need anyone getting hurt,” Xamien said. “Kitten, be careful. I’m uncertain what’s happening with Abby. This isn’t like her.”