Bloodlines 3: Apocalypse
Book 3 in the Bloodlines series
Toni Meilleur
Published 2010
ISBN 978-1-59578-698-2
Published by Liquid Silver Books, imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 10509 Sedgegrass Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana 46235. Copyright © 2010, Toni Meilleur. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
Manufactured in the United States of America
Liquid Silver Books
http://LSbooks.com
Email:
[email protected]
Editor
Lynne Anderson
Cover Artist
Dawn Seewer
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.
Blurb
The Apocalypse has begun. The maniacally evil Dominica has become corporeal and her threats are being horribly realized. Armed with a wealth of knowledge of the dark arts, Dominica will use every supernatural means at her disposal to kill any pureblood shape-shifter in existence. There is no one powerful enough to stop her. Not even the prophesied Triumvirate.
The destined Triad, Allantra, Khaelen, and Dharean, must bond and work as a single powerful unit to stop Dominica. But amid this war, both love and jealousy bloom. Can the Triumvirate come together in time to save the pureblood shifters? Or will the rivalry of the two alpha males for their destined mate cost them all their lives?
Chapter One
Allantra’s heart beat so wildly her breathing became hitched. She kept up with Khaelen’s long stride with little difficulty. She drank in every detail about the woman in his arms. Long dirty hair swayed in tune to Khaelen’s gait as he carried her mother out of the compound. She was disgusted by the state her mother was in. Dominica was so cold and cruel. She’d kept her mother chained up like a wild animal. There was not a mark on her emaciated body, but Allantra knew that Dominica could torture through the mind.
Allantra had experienced a mind trip with Dominica for a short time. Her mother, on the other hand, had been in the vampire’s clutches for a very long time. Allantra’s breathing hitched again as she thought about the long hours, days, even years of mental agony her mother had suffered. And her pulse was so very weak. Taraema; that was her mother’s name. It came to her whisper soft, as if it were waiting for the day to be released.
“Why can’t you just do that thing where you teleport—”
“She is too weak. I do not want to risk the energy pull, no matter how small,” Khaelen said gently, turning his hazel eyes on her without missing a step. “I have a vehicle we can use.”
Allantra shook her head, breaking the momentary eye contact. It could have been her guilt, but she could have sworn she saw a faint accusatory look in his eyes. Further, not only could she barely make out Dharean’s footsteps behind her, but she sure as hell also could feel the holes the wizard was burning in her back. Dharean carried Minn, who was weak but awake. Masque carried both of Minn’s boys, one small body slung over each shoulder. Allantra’s head snapped in Taraema’s direction when the tormented woman let out a small moan.
Instinctively Allantra reached a hand out, brushed it against the dry, hot forehead of her mother. She wasn’t even sweaty anymore; that was not good for a shifter. Allantra wished with everything within her that her mother would just have enough energy to hold on until they could safely tend to her.
A small spark of blinding light burst behind her eyes. It was so quick; Allantra didn’t have time to feel the pain of it. The spark seemed to travel the length of her arm down to the hand that was brushing her mother’s forehead. Allantra’s eyes widened as her mother’s back arched suddenly, then her whole body relaxed just as quickly. Khaelen looked down at the slight burden he carried, then at Allantra.
“What was that?” he asked, curiosity painting his face.
“I—I don’t know,” Allantra stammered. “Is she all right?”
“She’s better.” Dharean’s voice carried from behind. He stopped first, setting Minn down gingerly before he passed his hands over Taraema’s unconscious body. “What were you thinking as you touched her, flammulae?”
Allantra ignored the blatant use of the first pet name he had called her upon their meeting. It was a male making a power play. Dharean wanted to exert his claim to her through familiarity. Allantra was not in the mood for a testosterone war. “I was just wishing that she would have enough energy to hold on until we can tend to her.” Allantra sniffed. Saying out loud the possibility that she could lose something so precious as a mother again was alarming.
“It’s just as I thought. You are a synergist, remember, little one. You have the power to transfer energy to anyone or anything you choose. Because you are not yet in control, your power reacts with emotion.” Dharean smiled at her, his gray eyes reassuring her.
“You did well.”
Allantra let out a breath of relief. “Okay. So Khaelen, where is this vehicle? We have to get out of here. No telling what Dominica is up to and I don’t want to be caught in the enemy’s camp.” The words were out before she realized their origin. Khaelen had said something very similar to her.
“You remind me of what a fast learner you are.” Khaelen looked at her with a smile in his eyes. “Just a little further down this back road. I keep a car hidden now; I do not fully trust the Elder Council.”
“Wait!” Dharean growled. “You send Allantra on a mission on the word of a Council you yourself do not fully trust? You ask us to come here and—”
“I did not send Allantra anywhere,” Khaelen growled back. “If you knew her as I do you would have known that. With gain comes risk. Allantra and I have risked a great deal to ensure the survival and fair treatment of your people. The least you can do is be willing to risk your own neck as well!”
“I risk much, vampire.” Dharean took a small step closer, letting his gray eyes bleed to small dark funnels. “You see, I have come despite my distrust of your kind. It just strikes me as amusing that even among yourselves, you do not trust one another!”
“Are you saying everyone within your clan is trustworthy?” Khaelen shot back.
“Enough!” Allantra shrieked, stepping in between the two alpha males, and soon to both be her mates. “Stay focused. Right now I would really appreciate if the two of you could focus on my mother right now.”
Both males had the nerve to look contrite. Khaelen nodded his head regally in apology; Dharean a step behind did the same. Allantra took a deep breath. “Now, Khaelen, unless you have a bus hidden here somewhere, I don’t think we can all fit in one car.”
“I have no intention of getting into a metal death box.” Masque spoke for the first time since they walked out of the building with the hidden dungeon. “I can travel in my totem form.”
“Neither do I,” Minn piped in, taking her brother’s stance on the situation. “I am strong enough to travel in my totem form as well. As for you”—she pointed to Khaelen—“I will not apologize for feeling the way I do about your ilk. However, I judged you too quickly and for that I ask forgiveness. But you must know I watch you carefully.”
Allantra had to keep from snickering. It was the most backward apology and thank you for saving me she had ever heard. “Fine, then the two boys can ride with Khaelen, Taraema, and myself,” Allantra stated. “We need to keep moving.”
“We are here,” Khaelen replied. “Just a few more yards ahead.”
“But I
don’t see the vehicle.” Allantra peered around.
“I believe that is the point.” Khaelen whispered something softly, then a medium-sized four-door vehicle appeared. “Hurry.”
Masque carried the unconscious boys to the vehicle. As soon as they were settled in the backseat next to Taraema he shifted into his raptor form and waited in a tall tree. Minn shifted too and Allantra couldn’t help but let out a giggle. Minn’s totem form was a badger. It certainly fit the woman.
I will go in my totem form as well. My people do not like machines.
“That’s fine. Just stay close,” Allantra said out loud to Dharean, again without thinking whether she was revealing too much to Khaelen too soon. He was now aware, if not before, of just how bonded she and Dharean were. Khaelen stiffened at her words. She had managed to hurt him once more. Truth of the matter was, she knew there would be a lot more hurt feelings and heated arguments before this triumvirate thing got worked out. Until then she had to focus on the matter at hand.
After double-checking to make sure Minn’s boys and Taraema were secured tightly in the backseat, Allantra found her way to the front seat. Khaelen was already seated. As soon as she belted in, Dharean rapped on the window. She refused to give Khaelen a glance that would betray the guilt that instinctively impregnated itself into her soul. She pushed the button that let down the window.
“I trust your plasma-deficient friend will keep in mind we are following him.” Allantra winced at his provocative words. “I hope he understands if anything should happen to you in this death box, I will not hesitate to end his parasitic life.” Then he leaned in quickly, taking a kiss from Allantra. Without giving Khaelen so much as a glance, he stepped back from the car and shifted into his jaguar form.
“I’m going to kill him,” Khaelen stated.
Chapter Two
Khaelen had had enough of the arrogant wizard. His mind was already activating the door handle when Allantra’s soft hand gripped over his. “Please, Khaelen, don’t do this,” she begged. A woman’s moan wafted from the backseat of the car, and Khaelen realized he had nearly lost control of his anger. He would do well in the future not to let the wizard bait him so. Khaelen settled back into his seat and nodded.
“I hope that pussy can keep up,” he said caustically, eyeing the panther through Allantra’s window. Dharean sat lazily on his haunches, licking his paw. Even in animal form the wizard was a pain in the ass.
Khaelen drove in silence, the wizard’s scent still coming off Allantra in waves. “I know you are angry with me,” she said at last. Khaelen said nothing. He felt betrayed and he was hurt. She had lain with another. “There is so much you need to understand.” Her voice was pleading.
“I well understand the attraction between adults and what ultimately ensues.”
“This is different.”
“Unless I am mistaken, shifters fuck the same way as nearly everything else.” He pulled his hand from under hers, choosing instead to put both hands on the wheel. “But I don’t think I am mistaken.” He cut her a glance, making sure she got his meaning. She looked away, unable to hold his gaze.
“I can’t do this right now, Khaelen.”
“Nor am I asking you to.” Khaelen kept his gaze in the rearview mirror. As much as he wanted to speed away and lose the jaguar, he kept the badger in mind. They could not travel as fast. As far as the other shifter was concerned, he cared even less for the raptor.
“I owe you an explanation; just give me this moment. I found my mother, Khaelen; all this time I thought she was dead. Can you imagine what Dominica must have put her through? What about my father? Do you think he is alive somewhere as well?” Her voice begged for some kind of hope. But Khaelen was nothing else if not honest and straightforward.
“There was another set of chains next to hers, Allantra. It smelled of a shifter and death. If your father was alive I believe he is dead by now, otherwise Dominica wouldn’t have needed Minn and the boys.”
Allantra nodded her head at last in agreement. “You are right. I just hoped…” She balled her hands in her lap. “But I have Mother. It’s more that I had yesterday.”
“Yes, Allantra, you have family now. You have ancestors. You are no longer alone in this world.”
“I stopped being alone when I met you, Khaelen.”
Khaelen wanted to believe her words. He wanted to believe that perhaps she’d only had a small indiscretion with the wizard. But he instinctively knew it was no small thing at all. They were connected. He knew a full-bonded mating when he saw one. And though he told himself that he would let her go, he knew that would not happen. He had wanted her when he’d first seen her and he still wanted her. All he had to do was get her away from the wizard. Khaelen was not one to step down from a challenge.
After they made it to the compound, he left sleeping arrangements to Allantra. He kept his mind focused on the shifter Taraema. He gave her the most comfortable room and insisted that Minn rest before she tried to tend to the injured woman. The plump woman had fussed, but after seeing her boys put to bed she had settled down for a nap as well. Khaelen gave Taraema something to help her rest peacefully. He ignored the wizard altogether. The raptor was out gathering herbs for Taraema’s recovery.
An hour after leaving Taraema to sleep in peace Khaelen went to his own room, his mind weary with emotional unease. He needed to sleep as well; the sun would be coming up soon. Just as he prepared himself for his day’s slumber, someone tapped at his door. Somehow, he knew who it was before he opened the door. Allantra stood there with her hands clasped at her back.
“Allantra.”
“Can we talk? Mother is sleeping and Minn insisted on sleeping in the same room with the missing princess.” A wry smile tugged at her lips.
“In case you have forgotten, Allantra, it is near time for my slumber. It will have to wait. I couldn’t talk to you even if I wanted to.” Khaelen was happy to see that she had showered and washed most of the wizard’s scent from her body.
“Do you want to talk to me, Khaelen?” She sounded like a small child begging forgiveness.
“Yes, eventually we will need to have this out, but now is not a good time.”
Allantra reached out to him and touched his shoulder. He felt heat enter his body in a sharp jolt. The effect of the rising sun on his body had disappeared. “I thought that maybe since I really wanted to talk to you, that I could do the same for you as I did for Mother.”
Khaelen looked more closely at Allantra, noting that she indeed was not the same woman who had left him weeks earlier. She had a purpose now, a destiny, a responsibility. A wizard as her lover. He stepped back from the door and allowed her entrance.
“Thank you,” she responded.
Khaelen tried to appear nonchalant by still preparing for his slumber. But she was too near and he wanted her. He’d wanted to hold her for so long. How long did he dream of making love to her again under the moon? He had missed her sharp tongue and her hardheaded demeanor. But now that she was finally here, the only thing he could do was keep his distance. She wasn’t his to want anymore.
“This is hard for me too, Khaelen.”
Those words alone sent him into a rage. He looked into her eyes, wanting to make sure she understood that this couldn’t be nearly as hard for her as it was for him. “You cannot possibly fathom how this situation has affected me. I worried about you. I dreamed of your return. I saw a future for us. But I was foolish. You belong to another now, one of your people. A vampire Full Caste is not the same as a True Blood; isn’t that right, Allantra?”
“You think I am with Dharean because we are of the same race?”
“I think you are with who you want to be with, young one.” Khaelen didn’t want to fight; he wanted to make love to her. He wanted to ask her about the change in her appearance. He wanted her to share everything with him. He wanted what he could not have.
“You’re partly right. I’m with him because I want to be and because he was meant for me
, just as much as you are.”
Khaelen squinted at her and shook his head. “You think to somehow convince me to share you with that True Blood? When I mate, Allantra, it is for life, with one woman!”
“I am that one woman,” Allantra cried. “It is the prophecy.”
“Prophecy?”
“There is a prophecy, Khaelen. You are in it, as are Dharean and I. We are all meant to be bound together.”
Her words were so ludicrous it took a moment for them to sink in. He burst into genuine laughter. “You truly believe that I would share my woman with another. You say this is destined?” Khaelen went into another round of laughter. “Tell me, young one, who convinced you of this?”
“It’s true, Khaelen. I will prove it to you. Together we all form the Triumvirate that defeats Dominica. If you—”
“I have heard enough,” Khaelen interrupted. “Perhaps you should check on your mother now.” Khaelen could hear the hardness in his own voice.
“Khaelen, please, just list—”
“Good night, Allantra.” He turned his back to her, dismissing her.
After a few seconds he heard the soft slide of his door close. Khaelen let out a breath of air. Prophecy indeed! Somehow the wizard had convinced her of this. With renewed energy running through his body, Khaelen guessed he had at least an hour before the sun was fully up. He teleported out of the house and shifted into his wolf form. A good wild run would do him good.
He would lose himself momentarily in his wolf form, finding a temporary peace within. Keeping an ever-watchful eye on the progress of the sun, he enjoyed the brief respite. His sensitive nose picked up a wild scent. The hackles on his neck rose as he eyed his surroundings with great caution.
The jaguar disengaged itself from the shadows near a clump of brush. It growled, low and threatening. Khaelen responded in kind. If the wizard wanted to play, he was certainly in the mood.
Chapter Three
The two deadly predators circled one another. Though the jaguar was clearly bigger, the wolf matched him for cunning. Power emanated from both beings. The wolf, outdone in animal form, shifted into his vampire form. The True Blood followed suit.
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