by Lizzy Ford
I have to figure this shit out, she thought. Spent by the effort of talking to people who wanted to kill her, Stephanie retreated to a quiet spot near the wall to sip wine faster than she should have.
Eleven
Despite the deadly – yet meticulously calculated – events of his last soiree, this one was packed. No one dared question Wynn about how the demons not only knew when and where to be last time, but were granted entry onto the sacred grounds in the first place. Only he could lift the spells and barriers that prevented demons from crossing the threshold onto the castle’s property.
Wynn suspected this was one of the reasons behind the rumblings he’d picked up from Immortals about a potential insurgency. The other had to be the work of his sons, who had sowed seeds of discontent.
Wynn circulated throughout the party, seeking out the heads of the highest-ranking Immortal families personally. The interactions confirmed which of them had betrayed him by allying with his sons, but he showed no sign he knew. When the time came, he’d strategically eliminate the threats. In the meantime, he was focused on collecting as much information on everyone as possible, aided by his ability and the few Immortals in his household he trusted.
Trailed by her pet demon, Stephanie made her rounds and spoke to the heads of the most influential clans to complete the task Wynn had helped her guardians devise. He’d taken a calculated risk in exposing a demon and guardian angel to the information gained from the exercise.
Stephanie needed to learn firsthand about the dangers of leading. He’d long since decided she wasn’t going to believe him when he told her. She had to discover the truth for herself, if she were to develop the survival skills she’d need after taking over. If Fate ever left Hell, he would help her. Wynn was counting on Stephanie being able to help herself, if Darkyn kept her mate in Hell indefinitely.
Wynn scanned the hundred guests, alert and assessing, every second of his day. A flash of red and emerald green, the same shade as the forest, caught his attention. His eyes were captured by Karma, who radiated power and beauty. She’d settled on vibrant red hair that was half up, half down, a long and form-fitting dress, and smoky makeup that made her eyes glow. Her cheeks were rosy. The silk of her dress shifted with her every movement, caressing her skin and leaving a trail of fluttering green in her wake.
Warmth slid through Wynn. He couldn’t take his eyes off Karma and neither did he want to. She stood out among the beautiful Immortals, her every step commanding he follow, even when he understood how dangerous it was to give in to his desire. He wasn’t completely surprised the party girl had shown up. She and her brother both loved to crash events they hadn’t been invited to.
Wynn loathed knowing Fate was his daughter’s mate, but he was beginning to understand why Stephanie felt the way she did, and how futile it was to wish his circumstances were otherwise.
Karma was there – and then gone.
Wynn’s senses returned, and he studied the door she’d gone out. She wasn’t sticking around to dance or talk, like he expected, which meant she was there for a reason other than to party. She had chosen a good night to have the castle to herself and probably assumed he would have been distracted.
He set aside the glass of wine in his hand and moved smoothly through the crowd, following Karma’s path. When he reached the door, he glanced left and then right, and struck off towards the study.
The master of manipulation, Wynn had studied her during every interaction. When he called her to the study, it was as much to test her as offer his assistance. One of the things he’d assessed: Karma was affected by his touch to the point she couldn’t control her reaction like he could. Second, she wasn’t accustomed to being touched at all. It took him a second to realize it had nothing to do with others fearing to touch the beautiful woman, but with the fact she’d been sheltered by Fate, who would have foreseen anyone’s attempts to get close to his sister and prevented them.
Karma had never known the touch of a man, which gave Wynn a leg up in their cat-and-mouse game. She was also too impulsive to resist the bond torturing them both, if he gave her a reason not to. It was a dangerous game for him to play, for he couldn’t guarantee he’d be able to walk away without being affected. If he could control her, or at least, maneuver her into a position where he could predict her, he’d be able to return to his plan without worrying about the many, many ways she could fuck it all up.
Wynn walked through the hallways. Light spilled out of one chamber.
Karma was in his study, where many of his secrets resided. It was no coincidence.
He nudged the door open. She was comparing the writing on a piece of paper to those of the spines of his journals. At that moment, he assessed how much danger she had inadvertently walked into. Someone had asked her for something. Either she had traded a favor for it or she was naively doing a favor for someone in exchange for what she hoped was help. Given her inexperience, he leaned towards the latter, which would cost a cagey deity nothing to obtain what he wanted.
Karma was being used.
Why did that bother him?
Wynn’s step was silent as he crossed the study. He waited for her to choose the volume from his journals and wasn’t at all surprised when he saw what it was.
Someone figured it out, he thought. He didn’t have time to ruminate on which of his enemies had, not with Karma’s shapely body distracting him and her light scent teasing his nostrils. She captivated him like no one else ever had.
If he didn’t walk away now, he was fucked.
The indecision about how to handle her slid from his mind when his eyes went down her perfect, hourglass frame.
Ignoring the warning his instincts whispered, he stepped towards his mate.
Karma checked the symbols of the spine against those written on the paper one last time. She had no idea what they meant or why this slender volume was more important than the larger ones flanking it. If stealing this book from beneath Wynn’s nose and handing it over to Raphael would move her one step closer to freeing her brother with an army of angels, she’d do it.
She pulled the book from the shelf, only for it to snap back into place. Startled, she tried again, then a third time.
“What the fuck?” she muttered.
“Did you think I wouldn’t protect my valuables?” a low, soft voice said from behind her.
She didn’t notice Wynn’s silent entrance into the study. His arm appeared alongside hers as she gripped the spine of the book. He lightly rested his solid frame against her body and rested his left hand on her hip. His other warm hand closed over hers, preventing her from removing the book. His touch was like lightning – exhilarating, hot, sharp – as their bond snapped into place faster than the book she meant to steal.
Her breath caught.
“You’re wearing my favorite color,” Wynn whispered.
At that moment, the book was the furthest thing from Karma’s mind. The body at her back was solid and warm. His scent was richer this night, a combination of forest and darkness. She was simultaneously safe with her mate and in more danger than ever.
Realizing how much time had ticked by while she tried to rein in her body’s reaction to him, she responded too late to hide the truth of what his touch did to her.
“If I had known that, I would’ve changed before coming,” she retorted. She tried to grab the book again. It snapped back into place.
“I’ll give it to you for a price,” Wynn said and removed it with ease. His left hand shifted from her hip to her lower belly as he held her in place against his frame.
Struggling to ignore the warmth of his palm on her stomach, or how her skin quivered beneath it, Karma stretched for the book. Wynn lifted it away, out of her reach. “I’m not granting you a favor,” she said.
“I’m not asking for one,” he replied. “I think you’ll find this offer more appealing.”
Karma twisted to confront him, only to realize his direct gaze was far worse than his touch. It renewed t
he connection between them, the one she was quickly losing the ability – and will – to resist. His body remained pressed to hers, lightly enough his warmth and strength were a tease. The magic of their bond sizzled between them, filling the space with tension and promise.
As always, his steady look left her feeling both completely unsettled and safe from the rest of the world. Heat unfurled at the base of her belly and raced through her.
“What do you want?” she asked.
Wynn lowered the book into the space between them.
Karma snatched it.
“One night,” he replied.
She froze. “What?”
“You know exactly what.”
Of the many thoughts in Karma’s head, not one of them was of walking away.
“Tonight,” Wynn added.
Her eyes went to his lips. One night, and she’d have the tool she desperately needed to seal a deal with one of the only deities willing to help her.
“You sure you can handle a goddess?” she said.
Wynn smiled, as if reading her uncertainty beneath the defiance.
It seemed so easy. A few hours with Wynn, and she’d have the diary and then, hopefully, an army of guardian angels. Why, then, did she feel as if this was about to become the most significant decision of her life? That a few hours with Wynn would end up being the ultimate price she could pay anyone for anything?
Her cheeks felt hot, but not as hot as the desire building within her. “Fine,” she said. “That’s the deal, right? One night with you for the book.”
“Agreed.”
At her conflicted silence, Wynn cupped her cheeks with his hands. His warm, soft lips touched hers, testing her response.
She didn’t have the courage to tell him her brother had kept all potential suitors at bay, probably with threats rather than deals. Karma didn’t know what to do – but she liked the way Wynn’s mouth felt against hers. Fire sparked within her, stronger than any other urge she’d ever experienced.
Wynn lifted his face several inches, as if to gauge her response.
Never one to fight her impulsive nature, Karma leaned forward until their lips met again. Whether this was their bond or her own recklessness, she didn’t care. She wanted him in a manner she’d never wanted anyone. He was her mate – claiming him was inevitable, even if she had every reason in the world to resist and only one reason to follow through.
Wynn’s second kiss was different. His tongue slid past her lips, and he kissed her deep and slow. The kiss managed to stoke the reckless flames that would soon be beyond her ability to control. Her hands went around his neck, and she pressed herself against his body, relishing his scent, strength, and the sense she was right where she belonged. One of his arms went around her. His free hand remained cupping her face and the back of her neck. His taste – bourbon mixed with night – was as intoxicating as his scent.
She wanted more, needed more, but whenever she pushed, he pushed back, until he controlled their pace once more. She relaxed into him, content to let him be in charge.
Wynn lifted his head once again, his direct gaze piercing her.
She was breathless, her pulse racing, and need thrummed within her. Even if her instincts warned her, she would’ve smashed them and continued, too consumed by the moment to care what the consequences could be. She didn’t expect the man with the icy exterior to possess the heat or passion she sensed beneath his façade. The urge to poke him until his true nature emerged, and he showed her the man behind the mystery, exhilarated her.
She loved a challenge. The more dangerous, the better, and Wynn was the most dangerous of all.
“Why are you stopping?” she demanded quietly, resting against him, her form molded to his.
Wynn shifted them forward then back. Not understanding what he did, except that he was testing her once more, she didn’t look away, didn’t tense.
“You’re exactly what I thought you’d be,” he replied.
She arched an eyebrow. “And? You have a problem with that?”
“On the contrary, I had hoped to be right.”
“Stop playing your damn games and kiss me.”
Wynn complied and with far less civility than before. His intensity always ensnared her attention, but feeling the animal magnetism and ferocity beneath his surface expelled any control she hoped to maintain this night. She always struggled for control, not for herself, but for the sake of others, who couldn’t handle her intensity and fire.
Karma responded in kind, unleashing her passion and emotions against the one man she innately sensed was capable of handling any of her storms. Not caring about anything but the fire in her blood, Karma didn’t notice him pry the book from her hands or open a portal. She didn’t feel the cool fog of the place-between-places or notice the low lighting of his chamber when they stepped into it.
Wynn’s hands slid down her arms, taking her dress with them. He stripped quickly before the warmth of his frame returned to hers. She gasped when his hot palms touched her sensitive skin and groaned in anticipation when she felt the length of his erection against her lower belly.
He watched her reaction, and she gazed back, shifting in response to the pressure of his hands, unafraid and eager.
Karma cupped his cheeks in her hands as he had hers and pulled his head down to hers, kissing him hungrily, exhilarated by the idea of losing herself in him. And perhaps, after one night, she’d be done with him, and him with her, and the unusual tension between them would subside or better yet, disappear.
Then she could steal his book and rescue her brother.
One night. How could it possibly go wrong?
The guests filed out of the party at around two in the morning. Wynn had disappeared at some point, and Stephanie was the only member of the family left to send everyone off. When she was done, she stood in the center of the quiet ballroom, recalling the first event she’d attended in this chamber with no small amount of irritation.
On edge after the night of exploring the fears of others, Stephanie slid off her high heels. She’d met the goals of the mission Trayern and Mithra had tasked her with in addition to discovering other tidbits of information she didn’t yet know what to do with.
“I’m beginning to hate soirees more than family dinners,” she remarked darkly. She turned to Mithra, who appeared dapper in his suit and bowtie, and Trayern, who was eyeing one of the servants a little too closely. “What do I do now?”
“We’ll discuss what you learned tomorrow. I’d recommend telling Wynn about the threats to your life,” Mithra responded. “You found all four?”
“You knew?”
“I’m your guardian. Of course, I knew.”
“Did you plan on telling me?”
“That’s not how it works,” he replied.
“Do you have a rule book or just make it up as you go?”
Trayern chuckled. “Never trust an angel.”
“I’d never trust either of you,” Stephanie retorted. “I don’t want to wait until tomorrow to discuss what to do next. I want to talk about this now.”
Mithra began walking towards the exit. “When I make it to the chamber, we can talk.”
“Mithra, I’ve had it with you walking everywhere. From here on out, you take a portal. Understand?” she told him.
“After this walk,” he replied calmly. “I need the exercise.”
Stephanie shook her head. “Trayern,” she growled. “Talk to me.”
He studied her before his gaze returned to the servants. “Why do they want you dead?”
“It seems to be part of a larger issue.” She sifted through the information she’d gathered. “They want the entire family out of the way.”
“A coup.”
“Looks that way.”
“You know what I’d do,” he said, unconcerned.
“If Hell were about to fall into a civil war, you’d take a different approach, wouldn’t you?”
“If it’s too late, and reacting was the o
nly choice, I’d take out those clans who pose the greatest threats.”
“You think it’s too late,” she said. She agreed, though she didn’t want to admit it. “I’m not going to slaughter a bunch of my people. There has to be another way.”
How did she convince people not to overthrow the ruling family that had tormented them for thousands of years? How did she convince herself she should? Aside from Andre, she seemed to be the only Immortal in existence who didn’t think violence was the answer to the issues plaguing the Immortals.
Fate had told her she alone could save her society. She could help these people, if given the chance. If they didn’t give her the chance, they were doomed.
Why on earth would any of them agree to let another member of her family remain in charge after all the damage done to them?
“I have a lot to learn,” she murmured, resigned to the fact she didn’t yet possess the knowledge she needed to change her world.
“Let Wynn handle it,” Trayern advised. “This plot is centuries in the making. No plan you can create in days will stop it.”
She was silent, resenting him for the truth.
“There’s always a next time. Use what you’ve learned about the others to prevent the next one.” He motioned to the cards she clutched in one hand.
Stephanie nodded. She had a lot to learn before she could prevent a coup. “I need a bath and to go to bed.”
Troubled, she returned to her chamber without another word to her guardians, locked herself in her bathroom, ran a bath, and cried. Her tears were not those of sorrow but of frustration.
She wasn’t prepared to save the world.
Twelve
A day after the soiree, Stephanie sought out Wynn in his study. She’d spent the day before piecing together the information she’d collected and learning from Trayern and Mithra how they’d use it as leverage. At Mithra’s urging, she’d finally decided to confront Wynn, despite her reservations about her father and anger over how he’d destroyed his own people.