by G. K. DeRosa
Mind made up, I willed my eyes to close, my body to sleep. But the restless stirring of my mind kept real rest at bay.
“You still can’t sleep?” Sierra’s quiet, rough voice surprised me.
“No.”
“Maybe it’s the couch,” she said around a yawn.
“There are about a thousand things keeping me up right now, Sierra, but the couch isn’t one of them.”
She wiggled on top of me, her knee brushing my inner thigh and nearly hitting a more delicate area. “Sorry.” She shifted so her lower half was pressed to mine. Heat pooled below, and my body reacted to her proximity. Her eyes lifted to mine, a hopeful gleam in her eyes. She must have felt my arousal, something that would’ve typically incited a wave of desire in my core. Only this time, it was all physical. But I could feel her excitement through our bond, scent her yearning at my reaction.
She moved up and her lips brushed mine, slowly, tentatively. They were soft and full and tasted like strawberries, just like always. It was nice, but nothing like the overwhelming desire I typically experienced. I forced my lips to move, my tongue to stroke hers and with each touch, her need grew, rushing through the bond. And for a few glorious moments, I wasn’t empty anymore. Sierra filled me.
I wanted to hold onto the feeling for as long as I could. Deepening the kiss, I let my hands wander her soft form. And with the absence of my own emotions clouding my mind, I could feel hers so acutely. Every touch that made her squirm, every caress that made her moan. Focusing on only her made things so much clearer.
Sierra tugged at my sweatpants, removing them and my boxers with one quick jerk. I sprang free, thick and ready. It was really quite remarkable. She hovered over me, pressing me against her entrance. Despite all the pain I put her through, she was ready too.
“Sierra, are you sure?” Somehow, I knew this was wrong. I didn’t feel the guilt, but I was certain I should. I was planning on leaving her if I couldn’t fix this and reveling in her body didn’t seem right.
“Yes,” she groaned against my mouth as she slid me inside her.
A storm of emotions rushed the bond as I filled her and in turn, she completed me. Her feelings were so strong they blossomed within my chest, revving my heart to life. As her hips rocked against me, her happiness, her love, her pleasure surged through me and filled the void.
I never wanted it to end.
I planted my hands on her hips, fingers tight against her flesh, lifting her up and down. Up and down. She moaned and cried out my name as she reached her climax, her head falling back and legs going limp. The echo of her pleasure rocketed through me, and I followed her a second later. Biting my lower lip to keep from shouting, my body reverberated with aftershocks of physical pleasure.
She slumped down on top of me, our sweat-soaked bodies glistening. Had I really felt that or was it merely an echo of Sierra’s feelings? It sure as hell felt real. The ghost of a smile tipped up the corners of my lips, and she must have seen it because her eyes sparkled with delight.
“I know you felt that.” She smirked visibly pleased with herself.
I swept dark hair behind her ear and ran my thumb across her flushed cheek. “I definitely felt something. Only, I’m not sure if it was truly mine. Your feelings surged through our link…it was incredible. It was the most emotion I’ve felt since breaking the damned curse.”
The tiny crease between her brows deepened as she regarded me. “I’m so sorry, Hunter. This is all my Grams’ fault, and I can’t help but feel responsible for you rushing off to meet Garrix. I’d been so adamant about breaking the stupid curse, and I put all this pressure on you—”
I pressed my finger to her lips with my free hand. “None of this is your fault. No matter what happens, always remember that.” Tugging her head down to my chest, I breathed her in, the sweet fragrance of lavender in her hair and the sultry mixture of our scents combined. I willed feelings to surge from the familiar smells, but only memories surfaced. Of the first time we’d almost been together back at Arcane Academy, and when I’d gone home and felt certain I was in love with her before the curse kicked in. I could remember it clearly, but not what it felt like.
“Hunter, you promised, remember? No bailing, no matter what.”
I ran my hand through her hair and gently shushed. “It’s late, and you need to get some sleep. We have to be at the stadium in a few hours.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” she grunted. “Any idea what today’s torture will include?”
“No, but I have a feeling today will be our last day in the arena. The final stage of the last round is quickly coming upon us.” Perhaps, this was the ideal time to lose all emotion. It would protect me from the unwanted memories of the past.
“Where do you think they’ll send us?”
“I don’t know, but I promise I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
She lifted her head off my chest and brushed her lips against mine. “I wouldn’t expect anything less, mate.” She snuggled against my bare skin, her warm breath skating over my still heated flesh.
I thought I couldn’t get enough of her before, but now the only way I felt anything at all was through her. I wasn’t sure how I’d survive without. Sierra was quite literally my everything now. And letting her go would whittle at my insides until there was nothing left, but I vowed to do just that.
“I love you,” she whispered, her voice rough with sleep.
All the words stuck in my throat. There was nothing I could say to this incredible woman because I felt nothing. So I remained mute, an empty vessel clinging onto hope by my fingernails.
Chapter Eighteen
Sierra
* * *
I sipped my second cup of coffee, my eyes intent on the clock over the door. After my restless night, I needed the caffeine bad, and now I only had a few minutes before I had to depart for the arena. Hunter had left before dawn. I barely remembered his quiet whispers saying something about going to see Vander before the trials started.
I scanned the connection for my mate and like always, I felt the dull hum of his presence, but nothing else. A swell of hope had kindled last night when we’d made love. It had seemed just like always, better even. I thought maybe he was starting to get his emotions back, but bitter reality had swooped in moments later.
Fear gnawed at my insides. I knew Hunter and that selfless idiot would never stick to his promise. If we couldn’t find a way to get his emotions back, he’d break our mate bond. I was sure of it.
My throat thickened, and my wolf let out a whine. I couldn’t lose him. I wouldn’t.
A soft knock turned my attention to the door. Taking one last gulp of coffee, I trudged toward the entrance. It wasn’t even seven yet. Who the heck was here?
I opened the door to find Braxton leaning in the threshold. “Oh, hey. What are you doing up so early?”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ve been up for the past hour. Ever since your mate summoned me out of bed so I could stand guard at your door.”
“Seriously?”
“Yup.” He held out a gigantic coffee mug and grinned. “At least I was able to conjure myself this bad boy.”
“Well done, young grasshopper. I see your training sessions with Cass have been going well.”
“They have.” He held out the cup and ticked his head at the coffeemaker. “But it’s still not quite as good as the real thing.”
I pushed the door open all the way and took his mug to refill. “Thanks for standing watch. It wasn’t necessary, but I know how Hunter can be.” He watched me as I filled the cup, and the bittersweet scent of roasted coffee beans filled the air. I handed him the mug and quirked a brow. “What?” I finally blurted.
Braxton took a measured sip then eyed me over the rim. “He told me what happened.”
“Oh.” The word popped out in a squeaky high pitch.
“I’m sorry you have to go through this. It really seems like you guys can’t catch a break. Like maybe someone up there is
trying to tell you something.” His gaze tilted up toward the ceiling, but his meaning was clear.
My fingers tightened around the handle of my mug. “Please don’t start with this right now.”
He sank into the barstool and shook his head. “I’m not trying to start anything. Hunter is the one that told me and…” He took another slow sip, and I had to restrain the urge to punch him.
“And what?”
“He seems regretful. Like he’s realized it was a mistake completing the mate bond.”
Anger rushed through my veins, white hot and scorching. “He’s a self-sacrificing idiot,” I shouted. “He’s so guilty about this that he’s going to play the martyr, and I’m going to kill him for it.” I closed the distance between us and got up in Braxton’s face. “Don’t you dare make him feel worse about it. He’s already lost everything, and he doesn’t need you as a constant reminder.”
“Whoa, chill, Sierra.” He raised his hands, releasing his coffee. “I think you two need to make sure you’re on the same page. He basically begged me to promise that I’d be there for you if anything happened to him. He wants what’s best for you, what’s best for the Mystics.”
“Well, he’s what’s best for me and that’s it.” I slammed my hand on the countertop and Braxton jumped. “I’m so tired of everyone trying to make decisions for me.”
He shrugged and slowly picked up his mug. “I swear I’m not trying to do that because I’ve had my own fair share of choices taken away, but I am here for you, Sierra. And if Hunter did decide to back off, I’d still be willing to give this a shot. For our pack.”
I suppressed the growl climbing up my throat, reminding myself none of this was Braxton’s fault either. He’d been thrown into all of this as much as I had. “I know,” I finally muttered when the rage simmered. “But I need you to understand that Hunter is it for me.”
“Well, the pack is it for me. And right now, it’s just me, you and Connor. The way I see it, unless you want the Mystics to die out forever, you’re going to have to make an important decision, alpha.”
My fingers curled into tight fists. I hated that he was right. Even if Hunter’s emotions did return, it didn’t solve our Mystic problem. Unless my mate was into an open marriage—which I wasn’t sure I could get into--we were screwed.
Marching up the gravel walkway to the arena, my mind whirled. I’d been trying to come up with an answer to our Mystic dilemma since my conversation with Braxton. A tiny bit of hope still lingered, something I hadn’t dared share with my ex-fiancé—my half-aunt’s missing daughters. Tyrien had confessed to Hunter that he hadn’t killed Lily’s girls, which meant that at least two more Mystics could be out there somewhere.
I was certain that’s what Hunter had gone to see Vander about. Our SIA friend had a new mission: find the twins, save the world. Or at least that’s how it felt to me.
I needed to get my hands on more of Braxton’s blood so I could repeat the spell I’d used to find Jacinda and Connor, but I just needed to come up with an excuse. I’d texted Cass this morning, and she’d promised to procure all the witchy supplies I’d need. Now, all I had to do was get through today’s trial and get home to what was really important.
The sharp rumble of a throat clearing jerked my gaze up. To a pair of cold slate ones. Ice surged through my veins as I stared at the man who’d been the cause of so much pain and suffering.
My wolf surged to the surface, her growl vibrating deep within my chest and violet-tinged white fur sprouting along my arms. I held his gaze, the hair on the back of my neck bristling.
“Easy there, Ms. Wildstone.” Tyrien held his hands up. “I only came to have a chat. After all, we are practically family now.”
“I don’t know how you have the nerve to speak to me after confessing your horrifying sins.” I laced my tone with a bravado I didn’t feel. I was angry, yes, but after hearing everything he’d done, this man was truly soulless. I didn’t think there was anything he wasn’t capable of. “What do you want?” I hissed.
“I merely came to wish you luck today.”
I snorted on a laugh.
“And to recommend you choose this very day to bow out gracefully.”
“I don’t think so.” I pressed my arms against my chest, throwing my shoulders back. The big supreme alpha still towered over me, but I refused to be intimidated.
“Listen, Sierra, tomorrow the remaining contestants will be shipped off to only gods’ know where, and I can assure you, the rest of the trials will seem like a day at the park in comparison. I’ve competed in five alpha trials, little witch, and I’ve come out on top. I know you, and you don’t have what it takes to win.”
“Because I’m not a heartless bitch?”
A wicked grin curled his lips. “Exactly.” His eyes narrowed, and ice trickled through my veins. “You’re proving very shortsighted for a future alpha. Did you ever stop to consider how you’d win the trials? You do realize that if all goes according to my bleeding-heart son’s plans, it’ll only be the two of you at the end? You’ll be forced to face off with him whether you like it or not.”
A knot of dread constricted my throat. With everything going on, I hadn’t really had time to consider how the end would play out. I just assumed we’d figure it out when we got there. “I would never fight Hunter,” I spat.
“Nor he you, I imagine.”
“Then it’ll be a draw.”
He waggled a long finger at me. “There is no such thing, and I’m sure you understand why. There can only be one alpha to walk out of the arena.”
Steel bands of panic crushed my ribcage, squeezing my lungs. “What are you saying?”
“If a clear winner can’t be chosen, the final fight will be to the death.”
I sucked in a breath as my world began to spin. “No…” I muttered. How could Hunter have left that part out? “I’d forfeit before that happened.”
He arched a brow, dull eyes suddenly sparkling. “I thought you’d say as much. Just so you know, refusing to fight equates to banishment from Moon Valley.”
Are you effing kidding me? I definitely needed to have words with my mate. Was Tyrien just making this stuff up to scare me? I couldn’t believe Hunter would forget to mention this critical piece of information. Smothering all the doubts, I seared the supreme alpha with my own fiery glare. “I’ll find a way to win the trials and secure our places in Moon Valley, so no need to fret, Tyrien. Hunter and I are stronger together and nothing you do will tear us apart.”
A sinister chuckle parted his lips. “I won’t have to do anything, my dear. My son the martyr will take care of that himself. I felt it right away, the moment he lost his emotions. The constant turmoil I endure through our pack bond is tortuous.” He rolled his eyes. “I’d warned him about breaking the curse time and again, but he refused to listen. Now, he’s actually done me a favor. He’ll leave you himself.”
“I won’t let him,” I growled. A ring of violet encircled my irises, the glow so brilliant a purple haze came over my vision. A swell of power blossomed in my core, rushing through my veins and tendrils of energy coursed to my fingertips.
Gossamer streaks flowed from my extended claws and wrapped around Tyrien’s torso. His eyes bulged out as my magic spun around him, like a fly trapped in a giant web. His wings unfurled but the mystic threads held them tight against his struggling body. Darkness spooled across my vision, and the heady power intensified. I imagined crushing his insides with my bare hands, tearing the life out of him. For Mom, for Grams, for Hunter. Tyrien deserved to die. A dark mist blanketed my line of sight, the wriggling supreme alpha barely visible.
From within the powerful haze, I was vaguely aware of his jaw unhinging and sharp fangs extending.
A massive weight pummeled into me, and I smacked against the hard gravel floor a second before a wave of dragonfire scorched the earth between us. The blue-green flames tore me from the inky black, and I blinked quickly. That a-hole tried to barbecue me.
Hunter hovered over me, emerald irises intent on mine. “Are you okay?”
I nodded as I scrambled to sit up. “Yeah, fine.”
He hauled me to my feet, and my eyes landed on Tyrien. My magic had fizzled out, and the supreme alpha’s glare burned with fury. His massive onyx wings unfurled to their full length, and he shot up into the sky. “You’ve been warned, Sierra,” he called out before zipping over the valley.
“What the hell happened?” A vein pulsed across Hunter’s forehead, and if I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought he was actually worried.
“We need to talk.” I grabbed my mate’s hand and yanked him to a quiet corner outside the arena. It was time to lay out all our cards.
Chapter Nineteen
Aquor sneered as he dipped beneath the waves of the Olympic-sized lake that had magically appeared in the arena today. His silver scaled tail waved me a quick goodbye as he darted toward the finish line. It was the last part of the trial, and the damned wolf-fish had an inherent advantage. Obviously.
Luckily, this event wasn’t sudden death, and I’d scored well during the first half. I pinwheeled my arms and kicked like mad, the green flag of the finish line calling to me like a mirage in the desert. Avoiding the monster-sized piranhas and zapping the ones that got too close, I forced myself to the end of the lagoon.
After my crappy night of sleep and the encounter with Tyrien, I was completely drained. Not an ounce of magic remained. So I doggy-paddled the rest of the way, my arms barely able to lift my own weight out of the pool.
Hunter extended a hand once the timer buzzed, signaling the end of my run. He hauled me out of the water and offered me a towel. I stared up at the leaderboard as I dried off. Just shy of twenty-nine minutes for the entire obstacle course. Not great, but not horrible either. It was enough to secure my position in tomorrow’s penultimate challenge.
Ransom and Hunter had been right. The trial commissioner had warned us to prepare for an overnight event and had alerted us the end was near. How bad could it be, right? A little trip to the Underworld would be nowhere near as bad as it had been ten years ago when Hunter had first competed. According to Azara, she had her dark minions under control—somewhat.