by Bea Paige
“That’s where you are mistaken, Accacia. Five doors to enter. Five different flowers. A five-sided room. Five sisters. I do not profess to know the purpose of that room or why it is beneath the Fae woods of all places, but it is significant. That door opened because of your affinity with the rose. I suspect it is no coincidence that Solomon carved that flower onto your skin, that Devin had it carved onto his all those years ago. It’s all connected.”
“If the rose is so significant, why does only Devin have the tattoo, and not either of us?” Ezra asks. “I am assuming he has it because of the prophecy? Are we not one of Accacia’s three as well?”
“Of course you are,” I say sharply. “This has to mean something else. Something we are missing.”
“Why Solomon? Why did he draw it? He gave me this tattoo.” Rhain says, pulling the collar of his t-shirt back slightly, revealing more of the swirling, black tattoo that runs across his left shoulder and down his arm.
“These are all questions only Solomon can answer. Perhaps he had magic before he even became fae. It is not unheard of to be blessed in such a way.”
“Okay, so assuming Solomon holds some kind of magic, a magic that existed prior to the curse, we still don’t know why only Devin has the tattoo,” Rhain persists.
Nostra sits forward in his chair, pointing at Rhain. “You Claimed Accacia with your body. That was the driving force behind your connection, was it not?”
“Yes, but…” Rhain starts. Nostra turns to Ezra.
“You, Ezra, you made a choice to let go of your past, to join with Accacia. You made your mind up. You chose to open your heart again.” Nostra turns his attention to me. “It is no coincidence that Devin has the same tattoo, that he shared his soul with you to help you through your difficulties with Rhain. Later, you recounted the Binding when you saved him from the fae city. You are connected by your souls, or at least you should be. The tattoos you both wear are an external representation of that. That is your destiny with Devin, that is what Solomon must have foreseen, that is why you both have the tattoo. Mind, Body & Soul. Once they are consummated by the act of making love, it is fixed. This is the key.”
“Lights be damned,” Ezra says.
“It is the only explanation.” Nostra leans back in his chair. “When did Devin start losing the petals?”
“He said it started a few days after we returned from the Forbidden forest.”
“And he stopped taking blood from the vein around the same time?” Nostra asks.
“Yes, that’s right,” I confirm.
“Where are you going with this, Nostra?” Ezra asks.
The same place I went, I think. But I don’t say that out loud. I wait to see if Nostra comes to the same conclusion as me.
“This girl, Ilana, who has also gone missing. He used to drink from her?” Nostra questions.
“We both did, yes. Devin more so than I,” Rhain says.
“And Ilana, was she the one bringing Devin blood by chance?”
“Yes,” I confirm.
“The blood-letting can be intensely pleasurable for the blood-giver. It can stir up feelings of lust, desire and quite often, false feelings of love. Ilana, who once fed Devin and Rhain, has been rebuked by both since your arrival, Accacia. Jealousy is indeed a very powerful emotion. The only way for her to get Devin to feed again would be to draw out the beast within him. Ilana must have put something in the blood she was giving him.”
“Lights damn it,” Ezra swears.
“Of the three of you, Devin found it the hardest to transition to his new life after a curse, did he not? And of the three of you, he is the only one who has not yet lain with Accacia.”
Ezra nods his head in confirmation, whilst my cheeks blush furiously.
“Why would that make a difference?” I ask, avoiding eye-contact with Rhain and Ezra.
“A coming together of bodies is a powerful magic in itself; combined with the other sacred acts of Clan Lux it would have been impossible for Ilana to sway either Rhain or Ezra.
“With Rhain you underwent the Claiming, an unusual and unbreakable bond amongst Clan Lux’s people. With Ezra you had already tasted each other’s blood and therefore already performed the Joining, which is only breakable by death. The ceremony I performed just made your Joining recognisable to the people of Clan Lux.”
“Hold on a minute,” I say, rubbing my fingers against my head. “But what of the Binding? Devin and I have swapped blood, have swapped a piece of our soul. That must count for something?”
“Only if the Binding is made permanent. Both times you merged blood, it was on a temporary basis. Given you have not yet lain together, Devin was the easiest target.”
“Okay, so she’s poisoning him. With what? And why would a poison make Devin murder people. Why would it not just make him take their blood… Ripping someone’s throat out is extreme.” I try to push away the thought that Devin had murdered those people. I can’t correlate the man I know with such a monster. I feel my heart break a little at the thought.
“I agree, Accacia. What exactly?”
“The fae,” Ezra says. “We escaped from the Forbidden forest. If that is not a reason to want to poison one of us, I don’t what is. The fae king knew of the prophecy. It wouldn’t take much to work out that Accacia is one of the sisters, that we are her three. The fae king only needs to stop one of the sisters from fulfilling their part of the prophecy, then life will remain as it is, and more importantly he can remain ruler of the fae realm.”
“That’s it. The petals are falling because Ilana is poisoning Devin’s soul, making him forget who he is and forcing him to become the monster he once was,” Nostra says, his fist slamming onto the table.
“She forgets one thing,” I say, standing.
“What’s that?” Nostra asks.
“Me. He is my soulmate and I’ll be damned if some twisted fae king and one psychotic bitch will take him away from us.”
I stand, looking between the three men. “Let’s get Devin back.”
Epilogue
Devin
A scream echoes through my thoughts as a memory of a flickering heartbeat fades beneath my hand. I can still taste the salty tears mingling with sweet, warm, blood. Then there is nothing but darkness, death…
A smile carves across my face as a shudder runs through me at the memory. It is dark in my soul. There is no light, not anymore, just endless, fathomless darkness.
Devin, are you there? Tell me where you are. Tell me you didn’t do it.
I stop. The voice is familiar. I falter, it reminds me of something bright. A light begins to flicker.
Damn it, Devin. Please, answer me…
Red… Blood…Red… Red… Blood Red… Blood.
“What is it, my lord?”
In front of me a woman stops walking and turns around, smiling. She is pretty, curvy in all the right places. I know her, she is familiar to me, but it was not her voice that filled my head just now.
Red…Blood…
I feel my teeth dropping. My eyes are drawn to the puncture wounds on her neck. Yes, I have feasted from her. Her blood is like nothing I have ever tasted before.
“Do you need more, my darling?” she asks me, pulling a bottle from the pocket of her skirt. “Do you crave it, my love?” She pulls out the stopper and a little puff of smoke lifts into the air. She holds the bottle towards me, inviting me to swallow it. The sweet smell of her blood mingles with the contents of the bottle. She approaches me. I bare my teeth, hold my hand out. Then she places the bottle to her lips and swallows.
“Noooo,” I say, rushing forward and grabbing the empty bottle from her hand. I raise it to my lips, trying to drain the last few drops. I tip my head back, opening my mouth. A drop of blood drips onto my tongue, the flavour exploding. I see stars behind my eyes, before more darkness comes. When my vision clears I throw the bottle aside. It smashes against the stone path leading to the castle. A rumbling growl erupts in my throat.
“G
ive me more.”
“Hush now, my love. There will be more, but first you must bite.” She tips her head to the side, pulling her long hair away from her neck. I see the pulse of her blood beat beneath her skin. It calls to me.
“Remember, Devin, only I have access to more. If you kill me there will be none left.”
I nod my head. Yes, this was right. Bite her, take her blood and she will bring me more of what I hunger for. I step closer, pulling the woman into my arms. I run my tongue against her skin. She doesn’t taste like I wish her to. She doesn’t feel like I want her to. My hands loosen, I step back. No.
Red… Blood… Red… Blood…
“Do it,” she says, pulling me forward before pressing her long nail into a crusted over puncture wound on her neck. Blood trickles downward, and that sweet smell is back, the same smell that came from the bottle.
“DO IT!”
I pull her to me, opening my mouth wide before burying my teeth in her neck.
Blood. Thirst. Blood.
“That’s it, drink it all, my love,” she coos over the rushing and pulsing in my ears.
I gorge on her blood, my eyes rolling in my head as she writhes in ecstasy beneath me. I smell her desire, her lust, and in response I bury my fangs deeper until there is nothing in my head but the need to feed and an empty, black, void.
On my back another rose petal falls.
THE END
Sisters of Hex series
#1 Accacia’s Curse
#2 Accacia’s Blood
#3 Accacia’s Bite
Accacia’s Blood is the second book of the Sisters of Hex paranormal romance/reverse harem series. There will be fifteen books in the series revolving around the five sisters mentioned in the prophecy. Each sister will have a three-book mini-series dedicated to them and their paranormal suitors. The first three books are about Accacia and her vampire lovers. Then there will be Fern and her angels, Clover and her Fae, Dannika and her wolf-shifters and lastly, Zinnia and her demi-gods. Please note each book is a full-length novel of approximately 40-45k words.
Coming up next is book three - Accacia’s Bite, releasing January 2018. Order link: https://www.books2read.com/AccaciasBite
Accacia remains cursed, just like the three vampires she has grown to love, just like the people of Ever Vale and just like the four fated clan daughters of the prophecy.
Alongside her vampire knights, Accacia must play her part in breaking the curse or remain under the Queens rule forevermore.
Yet, how can she do that when Devin is losing his soul to the darkness, to a fate far worse than death? If Accacia cannot save his soul, then the battle is over before it’s even truly begun.
The stakes are high in this final instalment of Accacia’s journey as she heads into the queen's castle with her vampire knights. Sacrifices will be made, friendships forged, and alliances sought.
This book will conclude Accacia’s journey, but not the Sisters of Hex series. The fate of the clans and the people of Ever Vale will continue with the next ‘sister’, Fern and her angels.
Look out for these books, coming 2018:
#4 Fern’s Decision
#5 Fern’s Wings
#6 Fern’s Flight
For an up to date list of books by Kelly Stock / Bea Paige please visit: https://kellystockauthor.wordpress.com/books-galore/
Books by Kelly Stock
Who is Kelly Stock, I hear you ask? Well she is me! Bea Paige is in fact my not so secret pen name. If you like Accacia’s Curse and want to give my urban fantasy series a read, then why not check them out?
Secrets & Souls – prequel to The Soul Guide
The Soul Guide – book one of The Soul Guide series
Tortured Souls – book two of The Soul Guide series
For an up to date list of books by Kelly Stock / Bea Paige please visit: https://kellystockauthor.wordpress.com/books-galore/
Author’s Note
This book is dedicated to my newly found readers. To the lovers of paranormal romance, of reverse harem books, of the fantastical and the naughty. The world of Ever Vale has been created for you. I hope you continue on this magical journey with me, with Accacia and her vampires. The next book, Accacia’s Bite, is her last story, but it will not be the end of the story. The Sisters of Hex series has only just begun, the fate of Ever Vale and the clans within it still to be decided.
Of course, as always, I must thank my family. To the unwavering support you have always given me. There may be times where it seems like I am in my writing cave for hours and not paying you any attention but know this, every single word has been written with you all in mind. This is what I choose to leave to you all, a little piece of my soul left behind forevermore.
If you want to check me out (stalk) here are my social media links
You can sign up to my newsletter here: https://kellystockauthor.wordpress.com/contact/
Web / Blog: https://kellystockauthor.wordpress.com/books-galore/
For up to date information on all PNR /RH books by Bea Paige come visit me here:
https://www.facebook.com/BeaPaigeAuthor/
For up to date information on all UF books by Kelly Stock:
https://www.facebook.com/KellyStockAuthor/