by Eve A Hunt
I spun, but she caught my wrist. As I turned to argue, the end of the Yew Bow grazed the back of her hand.
Nancy’s eyes went wide. She stumbled backward, gaze on Lucus. “I…his…horns and wings…I can’t…” She rubbed her eyes and stared again.
Shit. My heart did turbo jumping jacks. Nancy was seeing through Lucus’s glamour.
5 Coren
I whirled to face Lucus. “Did you drop your glamour?”
He walked up quickly, frowning as Nancy pointed and mumbled incoherently. “No. Of course not.”
“You’re a demon!” Nancy whimpered, her finger still stretched out, pointing at Lucus. “I didn’t know…but it’s real. It’s true.”
And then Baccio strolled out of the trees. Fabulous timing, asshat. “Lucus, we must talk.”
Nancy gasped, her gaze going from one fae to the other.
I held out a hand. “Nancy. Listen. I can explain. Just breathe.” I reached for her just as the color drained from her face and she dropped to the fog-strewn grass.
I knelt beside her, the fae brothers standing over me.
“How did she see through my glamour?” Lucus bent and placed a hand on Nancy’s arm. I guessed he was throwing a little healing her way.
“I don’t know. I accidentally hit her with the Yew Bow. Could that do it?”
“It’s a powerful artifact. It’s possible.”
Baccio huffed. “Forget the humans for a moment, Lucus, and listen to me. Your mage’s work on the curse has turned the Duke’s work into a demon.”
Your mage. “Listen, Baccio,” I said, “we already know that, and it’s not like I planned the whole demon thing. I was trying to free you and your brothers.”
“I realize that,” he said, sneering, “but once again, you failed miserably and now we have a disciple of death breathing down our necks.”
I shivered at his name for the demon. It seemed remarkably accurate. “Just hold on. We have to do something about Nancy.”
Baccio raised an eyebrow. “I care not for any Nancys.”
“Hey, I know a super fabulous one I met at a beading convention with my Aunt Viv, so don’t judge people by their names.”
Lucus lifted Nancy into his arms. “Baccio, if you have something to say, say it.”
I pulled my phone out and texted Hekla to come over with her Volvo so we could get Nancy out of here.
Hey, Hekla texted back. Titus texted me but it was weird. I think something is wrong.
Sliding my phone into my pocket, I shelved that worry for later.
Baccio looked across Pinkerton Park, his gaze snagging on the copse of trees he must have been living in. “I want to help you fight, Lucus.”
“Ignoring me?” I smiled with all my teeth.
“As much as I am able, yes.”
Lucus still held Nancy, and I could tell that was the only reason he wasn’t shoving his brother’s chest and starting a big old fight. His eyes flashed with green light. “She is my mate. She risked everything to try to free us, and she succeeded. You know as well as I do that twisting magic at that level will always have frightening repercussions.”
Baccio’s nostrils flared as he stared down Lucus. “As I said, I want to help.”
Lucus glanced at me, then back at his brother. “You will submit to your alpha’s mate.”
Wait. What?
Baccio’s jaw worked as he gritted his teeth. “As you wish.” He turned to face me. Fury made the vein along the side of his forehead pulse. He took a knee and looked up. Traces of his lure tingled across my body, and I fought a sigh. “Coren, I submit to your rule.”
Sure, I hated the guy, but this was ridiculous. I felt my face go red. “You don’t have to do that.”
“He does,” Lucus said, his voice a snarl and his lure pouring from him suddenly and crashing over me.
It took every ounce of self-control I had to keep my eyes on Baccio. I wanted to toss Nancy out of the damn way and throw Lucus to the ground right here, right now.
“Kiss her wrist,” Lucus snapped. “Take no aura or you will suffer, brother.”
Baccio took my hand gently, but I could feel the anger rolling off of him. “I don’t wish to be your enemy, Coren. I won’t pretend to like you or to approve of this joining. But I know neither of you can control a fated bond, so my ire is misplaced.” He flipped my hand and pressed his lips against my pulse point.
Desire, uncaring about what was right or wrong, shot through me. “I want you on our side. We need all the help we can get.”
“Forgive me, my alpha’s mate.”
I glanced at Lucus. This was his brother to forgive. Not mine. But Lucus nodded like he was down with whatever I decided, so I turned back to Baccio. “You’re forgiven.”
Good thing I was a mage and mages could lie because I really was not feeling the forgiven thing. Dude would pay and pay hard when the time was right. He’d gone full traitor at Queen Arleigh’s court, and I’d never forgive that even if it made me a terrible person. I didn’t care one tiny bit. Sure, Aurelio had also gone off track while we were there, but he’d come back to us at the right moment, right when we really needed him. Baccio had not. So yeah, lying to this jerk neck felt just fine.
Hekla squealed into the parking lot, driving like a bat out of hell. Nancy’s eyes opened, but she remained unmoving in Lucus’s arms. She stared like she was comatose while we explained everything to Hekla.
Baccio and Lucus helped Nancy into the back of the Volvo.
“And Baccio?” Hekla’s lip curled as she whispered behind his back.
“He asked forgiveness,” I whispered.
“Hell no.”
“Agreed, but for now, he’s with us instead of against us, and I’ll take it.”
“Gotcha,” Hekla said. “Should we take Nancy to the hospital? She’s definitely in shock.”
I shook my head. “We can’t let her tell anyone about what she saw. She is not a fan of Lucus and company. She’ll just get in our way. Let’s take her back to my place, Hekla. We can make her some tea and try to talk to her reasonably.”
“I’ll ride with Hekla and keep the nosey human from causing problems.” Lucus kissed my temple. “And I’ll keep watch on my brother,” he whispered, his lips dancing over my ear.
Hekla started up the Volvo as I got on my bike. She met my gaze through her windows, and her face said she felt exactly the same panic I did.
Once we had the shocked Nancy settled on my couch with a steaming cup of chai rooibos within reach, Lucus, Hekla, Baccio, and I had a little meeting in the kitchen. The lovely scent of the tea was at odds with the tension zipping around the room.
Hekla crossed her arms like she was hugging herself. “What now? You know the minute she snaps out of this, she’s going to tell the world about Lucus.”
“She called him a demon.”
Hekla’s eyes closed. “Not good.”
“I agree that we must take action to keep Nancy here,” Lucus said. “I’ve seen humans riot over the appearance of creatures such as us. Though I can handle the fight, I’d rather not be forced to injure humans simply because they are ignorant and afraid. Aside from the troublesome town crier, you should both know that the trees showed me that the dark magic, the wyvern demon, has coiled deep beneath the roads here. It seems to be waiting.”
“On what, exactly?” Baccio asked.
Lucus shrugged, or at least the gesture looked like a shrug. Some of his mannerisms were foreign to me. Probably because dude was from the 1500s. “Demons hunt for spirit and blood. They thirst for life they can consume in great quantities. But this particular wyvern might act differently.”
“Because it was born when we broke the curse,” I said.
“Exactly.”
Hekla pushed her bangs back and let out a breath. “Wait. Wait. Like how would the situation surrounding a magical demon’s birth affect its behavior?”
I leaned around the kitchen doorframe to check on Nancy. She hadn’t moved. “I do
n’t think we’ll know that until we see more of what it decides to do. Right, Lucus?”
My phone went berserk in my mini skirt pocket. I pulled it out to see a text full of autocorrect fails. It was from Titus.
this is insane butt im Sirius some guy has me trapped in a bedroom at bellemeade plantation and i can’t evennnn tell yoo but i think he is knocking me out and drinking my blood i know its sounds crazy but please call the police not kidding he is coming in the room now please help i have ot hide my phone and its on 2% charge
“Oh, fantastic. Kaippa has Titus.”
“What?” Hekla shoved me. “What do you mean? Is he okay? I’ll flay the vampire alive.”
“I will help you,” Lucus said, his voice low and dangerous.
“Somehow Kaippa has taken control of Bellemeade Plantation,” I said. If Kaippa hurt one hair on Titus’s head…
My front door slammed.
“Do you have a visitor?” Baccio’s eyes narrowed.
The couch was empty. “I think Nancy regained her senses and escaped.”
“I hope she didn’t hear us mention a vampire,” Hekla said. “I can’t see that information helping our case. I mean, most people would think she’s nuts if she brought that story to the table, but around here, who knows? I've seen people believe some pretty superstitious stuff.”
“We don’t have time to worry about her. We have to save Titus.” I grabbed my keys and jacket, Hekla and Lucus on my heels.
“Do you think Kaippa has the missing woman too?” Hekla asked, sliding her clogs on hurriedly.
“I would guess so. I didn’t take her if that’s what you’re wondering,” Baccio said. “But at some point, I will need to feed properly.”
Lucus nodded. “We will need to develop a plan for our sustenance as well as Kaippa’s if we determine he should remain alive.” He held the garage open for us.
Baccio snorted as he made his way down the three steps, eyes on my motorcycle. “Are we to continually suffer for the mortals’ view of right and wrong?”
Lucus slammed Baccio against the garage wall, gripping him by the throat. My once-used snow shovel clanged to the ground. “Your opinion no longer matters. You have betrayed your kin and your alpha.” He shoved Baccio to the ground and put his foot on his neck. Damn. Lucus was spitting mad. And it was scary as fuck. “You will no longer speak out about any grievances, or I will end you myself with not a care for consequences.”
I slung my helmet on. “Baccio, you need to get on board with suffering us mortals’ views if you want to be on this team. How about animals? Can’t you feed from their auras?”
Hekla nodded brightly. “Yeah! And Kaippa could feed off them too. I can’t hate that. After all, I love a good cheeseburger.”
Baccio mumbled something that sounded like fae swearing.
Lucus held up a hand like he was requesting patience from his brother. “We cannot feed on animals because their auras are not nearly powerful enough. It’s better if I, as an alpha, take from you, then give to the trees where the rest can feed.”
“Fine,” Baccio consented. “I agree.” He climbed into the Volvo.
Lucus headed that way but stopped and faced me. “Coren, can you use your phone to contact Aurelio? He can join us so we make quick work of the vampire. Then we can begin to track the wyvern in earnest.”
“Yep.” I did so and heard right back. “Done. Ami’s getting him a ride.” Worry for Titus gnawed at my insides. “Kaippa won’t kill Titus, right?”
“I wish I could agree,” Lucus said. “But he is a vampire, and he has never followed any sort of moral code.”
I swallowed, thinking of Titus tied up and bleeding from a gash in his neck, his usual smile long gone. A chill swept through me.
I had a demon dragon to track, a friend to save from a rogue vampire, and the most powerful mage in history about to descend on me. So far, I couldn’t see how being the Yew Queen was going to put any of this to rest.
6 Coren
The pebble drive of Bellemeade Plantation was empty. No tour buses. No employee cars. Not even a delivery truck to serve the onsite restaurant.
Heading straight for the front door, we traded theories on how Kaippa had managed this scenario. We discussed his ability to confuse humans, to tempt and twist them into obeying his every demand.
Before we reached the stone steps leading to the wide front porch, Lucus paused and put a hand on a massive pine. I might have been mistaken, but I was pretty sure the massive roots shifted in the ground slightly as Lucus shut his eyes.
When he opened them, he looked at me. “The wyvern is moving. Possibly northwest.”
“It’s just coincidence that it’s traveling toward my house. Right? It isn’t like specifically hunting me, right?”
“It would seem much more plausible that the demon is driven to kill me and my brothers,” Lucus said.
Hekla smacked a mosquito that had been feasting on her forearm. “Yeah, because the curse was set up to torture you all.”
“Yes.”
I frowned. “So it’s just moving around. Keep checking on it, okay? Let’s all hope the demon is a super lame one who can’t track you guys and/or me and is maybe possibly dying.”
“It is crafted of dark magic and fae power because of your work. It will not die so easily.”
Hekla poked Lucus’s flat stomach. “She was trying to stay positive, dude. Give her a little leeway on the whole doom and gloom thing.”
I sighed, wishing I had more information. Much more.
Quiet, pensive, we made our way to the front porch. The old double doors swung open, and a musty scent rolled from the interior of the mansion. Lucus, Hekla, Baccio, and I walked in slowly. I thought maybe Kaippa would have some sort of guard, but the downstairs rooms—a library, butler’s pantry, dining room, and parlor thingies—were all empty and silent. We checked and re-checked each one as paintings of racehorses and dead people stared blankly from the walls.
I pointed up the stairs, and Lucus nodded, Hekla on his heels as we all climbed toward the second floor. Every step creaked on our way up.
In the foyer below, the front door swung open to show Aurelio. He waved a hand and hurried to join us.
I wanted to shout for Titus, to find him quickly and get him whatever healing he might need, but I had to play this carefully. Kaippa was a loose cannon. None of us knew how he’d react to being caught.
The first bedroom we entered held a sprawling four-poster bed and velvet curtains.
Kaippa lolled in the very center of the bed, propped up on eleven million pillows and wearing the smirk to end all smirks. He’d tied his black hair back, which made his aquiline nose more prominent. “Well, well, well. My long lost framily.” He smiled, showing inhumanely sharp incisors.
“What were you thinking, taking over a prominent historical location such as this?” Lucus demanded. “There will be no containing this breach of secrecy.”
“How do you know the term framily?” I blurted.
Kaippa swung his legs around and left his luxurious bed. “I listen, Coren. I listen to the world around me instead of getting stuck in my old, ancient ways.” He glanced at Lucus and winked. “I knew you’d miss me. I’m the one who tells you the unvarnished truth, without Aurelio’s kiss-ass attitude and Baccio’s relentless brooding.”
Aurelio snarled, but Baccio just snorted and turned his back to study the antiques above the room’s hearth.
I rolled my eyes. “You looked pretty broody on that bed just now,” I said to Kaippa. Surely he wouldn’t have hurt Titus. But he was unpredictable. I didn’t want to say anything to set him off and make things worse. “You accidentally nabbed a friend of mine. His name is Titus.”
Kaippa scratched his chin, then poured a glass of dark red wine at a side table. “Skinny fellow?”
“No.” Hekla crossed her arms like she was afraid of what she might try on Kaippa. “He’s actually pretty bulky.”
Kaippa looked Hekla up and down. “H
ello, wheat girl. Do you know why Coren has her trousers in a bunch about my wonderful set up here at the manor house? After all, she is fated to wake the world and show them all the magic they’ve been missing.” He faced me suddenly, and I sucked a breath, surprised at the feral look in his eyes. This was Kaippa in his element, sated on blood and free to act in any way he pleased. “You are the Yew Queen, Coren. You must pull the blinders from the humans. I’m merely helping you get started toward your goal.” He leaned close, and Lucus was between us before I could blink. Kaippa laughed, and his breath smelled like hot metal, like blood. He sniffed my hair, then backed away before Lucus lost his temper. “I’m surprised your fated mate bond is so strong considering it’s his fault your life is such a hot mess.”
“I’m willing to risk the mess for the hot,” I snarked. “Now can we see if you have Titus, please?” I longed to wring his pale, vampy neck, but I had to keep it nice until we figured this thing out.
Kaippa led us out of the room, a swagger in his step as he crossed the popping hardwood boards. Hekla stared at him like she was afraid he’d disappear.
“Just tell us when to move, Coren,” Lucus whispered. Baccio and Aurelio nodded over his shoulder while Hekla hurried past them to walk beside me.
“I’ve got this,” I said to them. I didn’t want them fighting all my battles. It was past time I dealt with disaster on my own.
Down the hall, another bedroom boasted wallpaper in puke green and a bed with tangled sheets.
Titus sat in the corner.
Dried blood darkened the collar of his ripped tee shirt, and the tracks of fallen tears painted lines through the blood on his cheeks and neck. He seemed to be asleep sitting up. The guy who had helped me go from victim to confident martial artist after the break-in at my place had been cut down to a frightened, beaten down version of himself.
Rage like a whip of fire lashed through my limbs, and I flung myself at Kaippa.
“I’ve done nothing but help you.” My throat burned. “And you reward me by assaulting my friend?!”
I threw a palm strike toward his jaw that he deftly avoided. Beside me, Lucus tensed, ready to fight. Raising a knee, I pretended to go for Kaippa's groin, and when the vampire lowered his hands to protect himself, a stupid smirk on his stupid face, I banged a solid hammer fist into his smart-ass mouth.