by G. K. DeRosa
The dark form collapsed on the ground, only a foot in front of us and the quiet clearing exploded into chaos.
A dozen figures appeared from the thick copse of greenery, each dressed in black from head to toe, the silver gleam of blades hanging from their military type uniforms the only break from the endless obsidian.
Hunter’s fangs elongated, and his wings snapped out as he let out a warning growl. I called on my wolf allowing her magic to bleed through my veins.
“Who are you?” Hunter snarled.
One of the black-clad soldiers stepped forward, cocking a dark brow. His finger rested on the trigger of a crossbow trained directly at us. “I was about to ask you the same thing. And since you’re trespassing on our lands, I suggest you answer first.”
A woman darted out from the dense thicket and held her hand up. “I’ll handle this, Trent. Lower your weapons,” she called out. The effect was instantaneous. The dozen soldiers dropped their defensive positions, eyes locked on the female. She shot us a feral smile, her dark eyes raking over each one of us then finally settling on me. “You must be Sierra. I only just received word of your impending arrival.”
“How?” The word tumbled from my lips.
“Lucien de la Sangue.”
Hunter muttered a curse and crossed his arms over his chest, his biceps straining against the sleeves of his tee. “Explain, please.”
“I’d be happy to, if you’ll follow me back to the compound.” She ticked her head toward the path which led further into the thicket.
No one moved.
A wry smile curled her crimson lips. “My name is Demetra, and I am the head of state here in Isle of Mordis. As you’ve likely already gleaned, I am a vampire, one of the twelve that make up the queen’s inner circle. I know why you’ve come, and I’m here to bring you to Jacinda and Connor.”
My heart catapulted up my throat. How in all the realms?
She motioned toward the path, and the troop of soldiers closed in around her. Without another look at us, she sauntered between the lush hedges. As I trailed her form, my eyes landed on the body crumpled on the floor. Two pointy fangs protruded from the man’s upper lip. Vampire.
Are we just going to follow her? I shot at Hunter.
I think we have to. I have a feeling we’re about to find out exactly how much Lucien really knows about the Mystics.
I swallowed down the thick knot of apprehension and straggled behind the sexy vampire soldier. What the hell had we fallen into?
Chapter Three
A huge pale gray building rose from the middle of the dense copse of deep greens. The soldiers disbanded, except for two who remained by Demetra’s side. “Welcome to the training center.”
“Training for what?” I blurted. “And where are Jacinda and Connor?”
“I need to speak to the three of you in private first.”
“Why?” Braxton barked.
She narrowed her eyes at my packmate, and the hair on the back of my neck rose. I hadn’t had many encounters with vamps, and I was not enjoying this one. Before the Etrian treaties, wolves and vampires had been sworn enemies, and apparently, my wolf still wasn’t convinced otherwise.
“Because Jacinda and Connor have no idea who they are.” Her brow arched, and she motioned to the solid stone building. “Now, please come inside so I can explain. I imagine you must have many questions.”
“Damn right,” I muttered as I snuck past her.
One of the soldiers led us to a sweeping chamber with a dozen long tables sprawled across the massive space. At the far end of the room, a dais held several high-backed chairs around a small table. “Come, let’s sit.”
We followed her up the raised platform and Demetra settled into the chair in the center, while we filled in the ones around her. The two guards stood on either side of their leader, dark gazes firmly locked on us.
“Now, where to begin?” She crossed her legs as her curious gaze scanned over me.
“How about with Jacinda and Connor and what Lucien has to do with all of this?” I answered.
“Very well.” She smiled, showcasing gleaming white fangs. “About twenty years ago, the Mystic wolves were on the brink of extinction. Certain people felt it was not in their best interest for that to occur.”
“Lucien de la Sangue?” Hunter offered.
“Precisely.”
“So Lucien played both sides? Having my father believe he had his full support when he was secretly plotting on his own.”
She nodded. “While I don’t know all the details, I do know that Lucien had made an arrangement with Carmen Rosa to hide a few of the Mystic wolves. On the eve of the final battle, he stole away with as many as he could. We’d been told to prepare for a dozen wolves, but in the end only two made it. In order to keep everyone safe, their memories were glamoured away. Jacinda and Connor have no inkling of their past. They both believe they are humans and have lived as such for the past fifteen years on this island.”
“Holy shift,” I breathed out. There were supposed to be more but only two survived. My wolf whined, sadness filling my chest. “Why didn’t Lucien tell us about this?”
She shook her head. “As I said, I’ve only met the man a few times. I take my orders directly from the queen. He informed her of your imminent arrival, and I was made to prepare. I had hoped to meet you at the portal, but you came more quickly than I’d imagined and fell into one of our training sessions.”
“Training?” Hunter echoed. “For what?”
A wicked grin curled her full lips. “We train the sicari, elite vampire hunters, here at the Isle of Mordis, Aristaeus. This island is vampire territory, hidden to all but immortals or those with very specific blood.” She eyed me. “Besides my kind, only Mystic wolves may enter the portal to this land. It was an added precaution when Jacinda and Connor were first brought here. And as you can imagine, not many immortals choose to come here willingly so we don’t get many visitors.”
“But you’re a vampire… And you train others to hunt your own people?” I blurted. Mind. Blown.
Her expression darkened, the fine lines of her face deepening to show her true age. “Unfortunately, not all of my kind have chosen to live a moral lifestyle. This is the only way to comply with the demands of the Etrian Assembly.”
Geez. And I thought I knew everything about the supernatural world. I couldn’t believe vampires were training other supernaturals to kill their own people. And I thought the wolves and witches were messed up.
“So what do Jacinda and Connor do here?”
“Jacinda cooks for the trainees and her son assists around the compound with general tasks. He often follows the recruits around and has become quite skilled in weaponry himself.”
“That could come in handy,” Braxton muttered.
“Are you here to bring them back to Moon Valley then?” Demetra asked.
“Not yet,” I cut in as Hunter opened his mouth to answer. His wide-eyed gaze shot to mine as I continued. “I’d like to meet them, break the news of who they really are and return in a few days to retrieve them.”
That wasn’t the plan. Hunter’s voice reverberated through my head.
That was before we knew about Lucien’s involvement. We need to figure out what his end game is. He’s playing both sides and has been for years. I’d rather keep them safe here for as long as we can. Tyrien’s going to flip when he finds out about Brax; imagine what he’ll do when he learns there’s two more?
“Fine,” he ground out.
Demetra’s penetrating gaze scoured over us as she watched the exchange. Now that I’d had a second to process what was happening on this island, I noted the variety of scents that clung to the air in the chamber. The vampires had recruited an assortment of supernatural creatures to aid in their efforts, including from the smell of it, wolves. Was Demetra familiar with the pack link or the mate bond? Most likely.
“I’ll have them summoned, if you’re ready?”
“Please,” Hunter
replied.
She dipped her head at the guard beside her, and the male disappeared through a door behind the dais. We sat in silence as the weight of Demetra’s heavy gaze bored down on me. I finally lifted my eyes to hers when I couldn’t stand the thick silence for a minute longer. “Is there something on your mind?” I asked.
“Many things,” she replied. “Mostly, I don’t understand the fuss. For an entire pack to be forced to extinction and survivors hidden for decades, it would make me think there must be something very special about you all. Powerful even.”
“You don’t know my father,” Hunter replied. “In his mind, anyone stronger than him poses a threat. And as supreme alpha of all shifters, the Mystics did just that.”
“Well, I look forward to hearing about how this all pans out.” She regarded me again, her dark eyes narrowing. “And I will be sad to see Jacinda and Connor go. They’ve been a wonderful addition to our little island.”
So creepy.
The creak of the door opening behind us sent my head spinning toward two figures. The cord around my heart tightened, then pulsated like live wire. My wolf sprang up, her furry head battering my insides.
Pack. Pack. Pack. My wolf’s voice ricocheted across my skull. Could they feel the pull too?
Jacinda stepped forward, her strawberry-blonde hair in a tight bun and an apron loose around her rotund form. She looked around my mom’s age, late forties or early fifties. Behind her, Connor peered over her shoulder, his gaze intent on us. If what Demetra said was true, they probably didn’t see many visitors on the island.
“Come in, both of you.” The female pointed at the two chairs opposite hers. “These people have to come see you.”
“Us?” Connor asked, his muscles bunching beneath his tight shirt. He fit right in with the other hunters in his all-black uniform and long, muscled form.
I’d practiced my speech about a hundred times as I waited for Hunter today, but all the words stuck at the back of my throat as the young male’s gaze seared into me. Deep lines hardened his expression, suspicion emanating off him in thick waves.
As I sat there floundering, Hunter extended a hand to Jacinda. “I’m Aristaeus, supreme alpha heir of the Dragos Pack of Moon Valley, and this is my mate, Sierra, alpha of the Mystic Pack.” He paused then ticked his head at our final companion. “And Braxton, also a Mystic. We’re very pleased to finally meet you.”
Both stared at us in confusion. “Finally?” Connor asked, dragging his fingers through his short-cropped auburn hair.
“We’ve got quite a story to tell you,” I finally mustered. “Before I start, I just want you to know that I’m so happy to have found you, and I’ll do everything in my power to protect you from this day forward.”
“What? Why?” Jacinda slid to the edge of her seat, and her gaze pivoted to Demetra.
“Hear them out, my dear. I vouch for their trustworthiness, and I apologize in advance for the part I was forced to play in this deceit.”
Jacinda sat back, a vein twitching in her forehead. “Go ahead, then.”
Chapter Four
Connor’s deep navy eyes bored into me, a tendon twerking in his jaw. No one had said anything since I’d finished the story of the Mystics. Demetra had filled in the gaps from when she’d glamoured their memories away. Jacinda sat with her head down and hands clasped tightly in her lap.
My heart hurt for her. She’d just found out her mate had been killed and her entire life for the past twenty years had been a lie. Connor hid his sadness with anger. Even without the pack link in place, I could feel the fury roiling off his tall form. They’d asked a few questions as I’d detailed the terrible events, but mostly they’d been quiet, likely trying to make sense of it all.
“We’ve all been through it,” said Braxton. “Me, Sierra and now the two of you. We lost everything because of Tyrien Silverstalker.” He hissed the name like it was a four-letter word, his eyes darting to Hunter.
A twinge of pain streaked through the mate bond as Hunter’s guilt crashed over him and bled into me.
It wasn’t your fault. None of this was. I broadcasted through our link.
Then why does it feel like it is?
Because you’re a kind, wonderful man and you truly care about your pack.
He grunted and pressed his arms against his chest. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve endured at the hands of my father, but I assure you, he will pay for his sins. Right now, we need to do what we can to ensure the safety of the Mystic Pack. Sierra mentioned the Alpha Trials and that they’re almost over. Once she’s been designated high alpha, we’ll come back for you. She’ll be a strong leader and will always do what’s best for your pack, as will I.”
The pair nodded, their gazes unfocused as if lost in their thoughts.
Demetra stood and drew in a breath I wasn’t sure she needed to take. “You have a choice, Jacinda and you, Connor. I can restore your memories and all the pain that went with them, or you can start new with the knowledge of your past but without its heavy burden.”
“Do we have to decide now?” Jacinda asked.
The vampire shook her head. “Just let me know before you leave the island.” With that, she gave us a quick nod. “I must go, but it’s been enlightening.” Her lips quirked into a wry grin. “Please send word when you plan to return, and I’ll ensure you receive a more civilized welcome next time.”
“Thanks, Demetra,” I said. “And thank you for taking care of them all these years.”
“Of course.” She slipped through the door behind the platform with both guards at her side.
The five of us lapsed into a thick silence once again. It had been hard enough with Braxton, but at least we hadn’t been the ones to break the news. I couldn’t stand the look of heartbreak in Jacinda’s face. Would she choose to have her memories returned? I wasn’t sure she could handle the pain. From what Vander had unearthed, she and Zade were fated mates. Would she survive the pain of the truth? Now that Hunter and I had completed the bond, I was fairly certain I’d die without him.
Don’t say that. Hunter’s voice zipped through my mind. Never say that.
It’s true. I fought down the annoyance that he’d been eavesdropping but now understood from personal experience it was a constant effort to block him out.
It’s not, and since we’re discussing this, I want you to promise me you’d never give up if something did happen to me. You’re stronger than that, Sierra, and you know it.
Sharp claws bored into my heart, and I sucked in a breath as my ribcage tightened. I don’t want to talk about this right now.
Hunter’s hand reached for mine, his fingers interlacing with my own. The thought of living without him was too terrible to consider. I could make empty promises all day long, but in the end, I was sure I wouldn’t survive it.
Hunter rose, tugging me up with him. “I’m sorry to spill the news and run, but Sierra and I are due at the trials first thing in the morning.”
And we had Ransom’s mating ceremony tonight. Ack! How could I have forgotten?
Fixing my gaze between Jacinda and her son, I gave them what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “I know this is a lot to handle, but I promise you’ll start to process the truth like Braxton and I have, and it’ll get better. I’m beyond happy to have met you both. Once you’re in Moon Valley, we’ll finally be a real pack. It won’t replace what any of us has lost, but it’ll be something new and special just the same.”
Tears welled in Jacinda’s eyes, and the tense set of Connor’s jaw softened, a little. “If I choose not to get my memories back, do you think my wolf will surface all the same?” he asked.
My wolf paced inside me, grunting and whining to get out. “I’m not sure, but I have a feeling my girl will do her best to coax yours out.”
He nodded, then slung his arm around his mom’s shoulders. She swept the tear from her cheek and gave me a warm smile. “Thank you for coming for us. I’d always felt something was wrong, a deep, hollow
feeling in my gut and at least now I know I wasn’t crazy.”
“I felt the same, Jacinda.” I reached for her hand and was surprised when she let me take it. With a gentle squeeze, I said my goodbyes.
“You were amazing back there.” Hunter’s warm breath skated over the shell of my ear as we soared across the valley.
I drew my gaze away from Wolf-Braxton who ran below us just long enough to plant a kiss on Hunter’s cheek. “I don’t know that I agree, but thanks anyway.” I paused, reveling in the soft breeze swishing through my hair. “I just felt so bad for them. And growing up on that weird island…”
“Yes, that was very odd.”
“Did you know about those hunters?”
“I’d heard rumors but never knew they were trained by vampires themselves. That takes a whole other level of determination.”
I shrugged. “Tyrien killed hundreds of his own species too, and he doesn’t seem too torn up about it.” That guilt flared again, ripping through our bond. I ground my teeth together, cursing my loose lips. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No, you’re right. Tyrien did horrible things, and there’s no excusing it. At least what the vampires are doing on the Isle of Mordis is for the greater good.”
“I’m sure your father thinks he did the same.”
He shrugged and loosed a frustrated breath. “I don’t pretend to understand any of my father’s motives anymore.”
“Do you think he’ll be at Ransom’s mating ceremony?” A hint of dread washed over my insides. I hadn’t seen the supreme alpha in weeks, and I liked it that way.
“Most likely. But more importantly, so will Lucien.”
“I can’t wait to get that guy alone,” I mumbled.
Hunter cocked a dark brow, and a mischievous smile lit up his face. “I can’t wait to get you alone. We haven’t had a moment together in much too long.”