Eternal Destiny
Title Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Eternal Destiny
By
Chrissy Peebles
Copyright © 2012 by Chrissy Peebles
Cover design by: Willsin Rowe
Edited by: Autumn J. Conley, [email protected]
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
For:
Faith and Matthew. I love you.
My brother, Joel. My sister, Sarah. My dad.
Beth, Sarah, and Pam.
To:
My Father God in heaven.
To:
Jayde Scott. Thank you for reading this entire manuscript from start to finish. You’re the best critting partner ever! Your advice, ideas, and suggestions were nothing short of amazing. I couldn’t have done it without you!
To:
My brilliant editor, Autumn J. Conley.
Chapter 1
The castle stretched out in the distance, rising against the bright morning rays. They hadn’t eaten or slept in days, yet Sarah didn’t feel any hunger or fatigue; all she wanted was to meet the man who had last been with Liz, the one for whom Liz sacrificed her life.
The air smelled of morning dew and blooming flowers, promising a warm day ahead. Her breathing came in ragged heaves as she hurried to keep up with the others, only to stop midstride, frozen by something lingering at the back of her mind. She sniffed the air as though she might perceive what was wrong through the soft morning breeze, but she didn’t need her senses to know what was wrong. “He’s here!” Sarah whispered.
“What?” Frank spun in a slow circle, scanning the foliage. “You sure it’s him?”
She nodded, her gaze fixed on the nearby trees.
Adam gripped a dagger tightly. “We have three blades. Might as well put them to good use.”
“A knife? Against a freakin’ Immortal being?” Beth asked. “That’s like fighting off a great white with a toothpick!”
Sarah didn’t hear his answer as she took a few steps toward the dense bushes stretching to her right. She knew she shouldn’t be venturing out on her own, yet she couldn’t stay back and wait for disaster to unfold, particularly since she was Immortal and her friends weren’t. Something moved behind one of the bushes, the soft thuds making her jump. With shaking fingers she pushed the leaves aside to peer into the daylight stretching behind.
Steven appeared next to her and followed her line of vision into the vegetation. “Dude, I don’t see a thing.”
“I can feel his presence. I can’t explain it, but I just…somehow I know he’s close.” Shaking her head lightly, she sucked in a deep breath. Goose bumps pimpled her skin. Somehow his mind was connected to hers, and it seemed as if hundreds of words were waiting to be heard at the periphery of her consciousness.
“Can’t you use that mind stuff right back on him?” Steven asked. “You know, give him a taste of his own medicine? If anybody deserves it, it’s that guy.”
She smiled bitterly. “I’ve no idea how it works. I’m a newbie, remember? I’ll ask him where I can sign up for some classes though.”
Frank wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. “If he’s close, let’s get as far away from him as we can. We won’t give him a chance to find you.”
For a moment, Sarah closed her eyes and let his earthy scent invade her nostrils. His warmth slowly melted the signs of a long night and cleared her mind.
“Get your hands off my wife!” Victor’s voice boomed through the morning air.
The dangerous tone in his voice made Sarah cringe. For a moment, she wasn’t sure whether her mind was playing a trick on her or not, until Adam spoke up.
“She’s not your wife! In our world, this marriage would never have existed. We don’t force people down the aisle with death threats! We’re more civilized than that, and Sarah is not your property, you lunatic!”
A soft wind howled through the trees, swaying the leaves. Sarah held her breath as she watched the dark figure in the distance moving closer. His hood covered his features, but she didn’t need to see his face to know who it was.
“Well, we aren’t in your world, are we?” Victor said, stopping a few feet away from her. “In this world, that ring is binding. No Royal Court will disagree with me.”
Steven stepped in front of her as though he could protect her. “You have some big punishment planned for her? Like a public execution?”
“You won’t touch her!” Frank screamed. “You take one more step, and you’re a dead man,” he threatened, pulling out a dagger. From the way he edged closer to Victor, it was clear that Frank intended to make good on his threat if he were forced to do so.
Victor didn’t even flinch as Frank’s blade hovered in midair a few inches away from his kingly chest. “And who are you to think you can stop me?” Victor stood tall and straight, his voice betraying a hint of amusement. As he raised his head, the hood slid off, revealing shoulder-length black hair and dark, brooding eyes. He elicited power and strength, as if he dared one of them to try and take him on. The invitation was clearly written in his gaze, but no one moved to accept it.
“You can’t just drag her away like you’re some kind of misogynistic caveman,” Beth said, clinging to Sarah’s arm. “It has to be her choice.”
Sarah gasped as Victor reached out his hand, his gaze turning softer, his eyes pleading with her to listen. “Come with me, my Queen, and nobody will get hurt.” The dangerous edge in his voice seemed to melt away when he spoke to her. Either he was bluffing to get her away from her friends, or he meant it.
For a moment, Sarah was torn between giving in to the pull she felt toward him and just letting the inevitable happen or fighting him alongside her friends. And then she saw it—a hunger she couldn’t quite define. “No!” She shook her head vehemently, pushing the need to be with him to the back of her mind. The guy was just trying to manipulate her to distance her from the pack, the way a clever lion would isolate his prey. He didn’t want her to go back through the portal, and he’d flat-out told her she wasn’t ever going home again.
Steven’s hands trembled as he waved his dagger around, like some kind of knight protecting his fair maiden’s honor. “You’re not going to treat her like some kind of prisoner of war, and you certainly won’t be burying her in your royal cemetery…not if we have anything to say about it!”
Beth nudged him in the ribs. “Steven! Don’t say that.”
Steven’s eyes darted all over the place, betraying
the fear and nervousness inside him. “Why? We need to take this dude out right now! If we don’t, he’s going to make an example out of Sarah—to tell everyone that if they cross him, they’ll be put in the ground too.”
“Nobody is going to kill anyone,” Sarah said before turning her attention to Victor. “Please just go. I don’t want to see anyone hurt.”
Victor’s lips pressed into a grim line. He obviously hated not getting his way. “You’re as beautiful as you are stubborn and reckless.”
“Get back, Sarah!” Frank pushed her behind him, his dagger still fixed on Victor. “We have three strong men here and two women who are highly capable of kicking medieval ass. That’s five against one, in case you don’t have an abacus with you. Get the heck away from her, or I’ll gut you right here like the pig that you are!”
Victor’s gaze remained fixed on Sarah, his eyes drawing her in and soaking up every bit of mistrust her mind spun. “Sarah, your friends have no idea what King William’s men are capable of. When they’re done with you, they’ll easily dispatch your loyal protectors. If you have any concern for their safety, you’ll come with me without a fight.”
His words rang true in the back of her mind, urging her to understand the seriousness of the situation, yet Sarah didn’t feel as though she could trust him. How could I? I’ve barely spent a day in his company.
“Just leave her alone!” Adam yelled.
“Watch out! There’s a dagger sticking out of his boot!” Beth warned.
“Listen to me.”
Sarah’s attention snapped up at Victor’s command.
“I could quite simply take all of you on and destroy you without a weapon, but as you can see, I haven’t bothered to do so. And I won’t, out of respect for my wife. I know how much she treasures your friendship. But you need to understand that Sarah’s life is in imminent danger, and I’m the only one who knows how to protect her.”
Does he really care, or is this all some kind of act? It was the first time she’d seen him in person since the wedding reception, since that fantastic kiss. Though he was a stranger, he was her husband. She stared at his black wavy hair flowing in the wind, his muscular body, his firm lips. He was handsome—no, gorgeous—but most of all, he was dangerous. “I’m going to have to pass, babe,” Sarah said, taking a step back.
He held up his hand, the square ruby shining in the light. “You’re my wife, and I’m your husband. You recited binding vows to me and accepted the Ring of Immortality. It is therefore my duty—and my privilege—to protect you at all costs. Listen to reason, Sarah. If I found you this easily, all on my own, that means the Immortals can find you as well, as can King William.”
“Sorry, buddy, but none of us are buying the bull you’re selling,” Frank’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Besides, why would she need you when she has me? I can protect her just fine.” He inclined his head, whispering, “Sarah, run. I’ll hold him off.”
“And leave you? No way.”
“You’ve no idea what you’re up against. I cannot allow our lives to be left in the hands of a mere human,” Victor said, taking a menacing step forward.
“I warned you, mister!” Steven hissed.
In slow motion, Sarah watched the dagger sink into Victor’s chest, cutting through skin and muscles like they were made out of nothing but air. For a moment, the world turned hazy before her eyes. Then came the pain, like that of a million stabbing blades running through her body at once.
Victor winced.
In the same moment, Sarah screamed and dropped to the ground, clutching her chest, her gaze searching Victor’s. The stabbing pain continued to radiate through her body, cutting off her air supply. Her breathing came in ragged gasps, and her lungs threatened to burst from the lack of oxygen.
Victor’s eyes remained clear, the only sign giving away his pain was the tight lines around his mouth.
How can he remain so calm and focused while I am in pure agony? But that didn’t really matter. She had to forget about the pain and plead Steven’s case, because she knew Victor could easily kill him in a heartbeat. She held out a shaking hand to him, her mind imploring him to listen to her as his gaze turned grim. “Victor, I’m sorry my friend attacked you. Truly, he is only trying to protect me. Please, I beg you not to retaliate against him for that.”
For a long moment, Victor just stared at her, his expression betraying no emotion. The lines didn’t relax, but she could see the slightest hint of a nod.
“Stop it, you moron!” Beth yelled at Steven. “Obviously, whatever you do to him is going to hurt Sarah.”
Sarah met Victor’s gaze; he never even let out one groan. “How come it didn’t knock you flat on your butt when you’re the one who actually got stabbed?”
“I’m older and much more experienced. Now brace yourself.” He pulled the dagger out in one swift motion.
Sarah let out a loud moan as the pain intensified countless times, numbing her mind.
“Are we done playing games?” Victor asked.
Frank helped Sarah to her feet.
A wave of dizziness flooded over her, and she clung onto him tightly. “Why do I feel like everyone’s punching bag?”
“I should kill you for even touching my mate,” Victor hissed, “but for her sake…” He pointed at Sarah. “I’ll let you live, as well as her companions.”
Sarah breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the tension in the air. It came in slow waves, signaling something she couldn’t quite pinpoint. She peered at Victor’s self-satisfied grin the same moment he raised his hand, his fingers cutting through the air as though he was about to bless her friends. The wind gathered around their heads, the soft howling from before rising to an ear-splitting crescendo. And suddenly, Frank and the others fell to the ground, motionless, as though that very wind had wiped their legs out from under them.
“Oh my gosh! Are you crazy?” Does he think stunts like that are going to win me over? Sarah knelt down and checked Frank’s wrist for a pulse; it was there, slow and steady, but beating. Thank goodness. She checked for Beth’s pulse as well, and hers was strong and steady. “What did you do to them? Beth’s pregnant, you brute.”
Victor crossed his arms over his chest, regarding her coolly. “They’re only sleeping.”
Sarah thought if she could only distract him, she might just reach for it without him seeing. Slowly, she moved her hand as she spoke. “If you have this kind of power, why didn’t you do this back at the cliffs?”
“I was too far away.”
She gripped the dagger with a hand, pulling it toward her until she felt its weight against her thigh, ready to be hidden beneath her cloak.
“Drop it!” Victor said. “Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”
For a moment, she contemplated ignoring his command. She was not keen on anyone telling her what to do, least of all a man. But then she remembered they were still in his territory, his time, part of his life. She didn’t belong there, and with no knowledge of that world, that time, or that strange bond between them, she couldn’t get herself and everyone else out of there in one piece. Dropping the dagger to the ground, she rose. A thought flashed through her mind. Plan B? RUN!
“If you do, I’ll only catch you again,” Victor said.
She had only just formed the thought herself, yet he was keenly aware of it. She raised her gaze to meet him, his blue eyes imploring her to obey. Taking a few steps back, her mind tried frantically to think of Plan C, but as usual, all reasoning abandoned her when she least needed it.
His hand shot out, his voice authoritative. “Come with me.”
She glanced down at her friends. “I won’t leave them.”
“Don’t you see? By staying with your companions, you’re making targets out of them as well. Do you not know of the high bounty on your head? If you care about them, you’ll split paths with them here, for the sake of sparing their lives.”
She shook her head as hundreds of thoughts crossed her mind. Maybe it
was all a bluff and he just didn’t want the extra luggage. “Why can’t we take them with us? Surely those mind-bending powers of yours could persuade a few of the villagers to help us out.”
“They would only slow us down, and it would put their lives at further unnecessary risk. Handling you is hard enough.”
Sarah was in over her head, drowning. For a moment, she thought he might be right—that it was best to leave them behind. If they were killed by King William’s knights or the other Immortals because of her, she could never live with herself. Victor was right; she posed a great danger to her friends.
He grabbed her hand as though sensing that she was about to give in. “I can’t protect you here in Dornia, but I have an army located nearby. We must surround ourselves with great numbers if you are to survive, so we shall head that way. I have a few tricks to keep the enemy off our scent, but we will not be able to keep them at bay for long. We must get back to Tastia, where you’ll be safe.” His voice came low and smooth, almost persuasive, peeling Sarah’s doubts away layer by layer.
“Tastia? The place where I’ll reside for the next century or two or three?”
He nodded, then opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand.
“At least you’re honest.” It was the trait she cherished most in a man. She’d been lied to by men so many times that it was actually refreshing that Victor was straight with her, even if he relayed news she dreaded to hear.
“I’m sorry about your sister. I felt your pain at the discovery of her passing.” His mouth moved across her cheek, as though to kiss her, then retreated just as quickly. His emotions stirred to life, wandering over to her, enveloping her whole being, and she felt pulled into what he felt.
Is that…empathy and compassion? Why does he care about my loss? He hardly knows me, and he never laid eyes on Liz before, Sarah thought, yet he grieves over her loss.
Eternal Destiny - Book 2 (Second book in The Ruby Ring Series) Page 1