Charming (A Seven World Novel)

by Dannika Dark

  CHARMING

  A Seven World Novel

  USA Today Bestselling Author

  DANNIKA DARK

  All Rights Reserved

  Copyright © 2015 Dannika Dark

  No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database retrieval system without the prior written permission of the author. You must not circulate this book in any format. Thank you for respecting the rights of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Edited by Victory Editing and Red Adept. Cover design by Dannika Dark. All stock purchased.

  www.dannikadark.net

  Fan page located on Facebook

  Summary

  After seven hundred years, Prince has acquired everything a Packmaster could desire. But when he meets the enchanting Nadia Kozlov, he realizes there’s one thing he doesn’t have: answers. Prince owes his life to a man he hasn’t seen in centuries, and Nadia holds the key to his whereabouts, because that man is her father.

  Destinies collide when Nadia’s sister shows up unexpectedly. Katarina is a skilled bounty hunter, hot on the trail of a nefarious outlaw who turns out to be Prince’s old nemesis. Prince teams up with Nadia’s sister to track down the Mage, but the real game of cat and mouse is already underway as sparks fly between Prince and the cunning bounty hunter.

  The only trouble? Nadia wants him too.

  This novel is 6.5 in the Seven series, but it can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel.

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  Also By Dannika Dark:

  THE MAGERI SERIES

  Sterling

  Twist

  Impulse

  Gravity

  Shine

  NOVELLAS

  Closer

  THE SEVEN SERIES

  Seven Years

  Six Months

  Five Weeks

  Four Days

  Three Hours

  Two Minutes

  One Second – coming soon

  SEVEN WORLD

  Charming

  Table Of Contents

  Dear Reader,

  Prologue

  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

  Dear Reader,

  Charming was originally planned to be a novella in the Seven series; however, it took on a life of its own and unfolded into a full-length novel. Charming can be read as a stand-alone. In the Seven series timeline, it falls between Two Minutes and One Second. There are no major spoilers in this book, should you decide to read the Seven series at a later time. Happy reading.

  Prologue

  It had been a week since Prince visited the Weston pack and offered a ride home to their enchanting guest, Nadia Kozlov. Since then, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her, and not just because of her golden locks and regal demeanor. During introductions, he’d been startled to discover that Nadia was the daughter of an old friend he hadn’t set eyes on in over two hundred years—a ghost from his past who still haunted him in quiet moments.

  His life had been a long one, even in the Shifter world. Prince was not only one of the most influential alpha Packmasters in Austin, Texas, but also of royal blood. Pureblood, to be exact. That meant his lifespan was much longer than the average wolf, and he had many more lifetimes to live. Prince played with the gold chain on a green banker’s lamp, lost in the memories of another life.

  Centuries ago, Prince had left Italy and returned to his homeland of Russia, not realizing the Shifters in the region were on the brink of war. Those were different times when powerful immortals kept Shifters as slaves. Russia was a free zone where all Breeds were equal, but as more and more Shifters settled and claimed land, resentment grew.

  He’d forged a friendship with a powerful Packmaster named Alexei Kozlov, whom Prince called Alex. Both alphas were descended from royalty—powerful Shifters with the purest bloodline. But they soon realized they had much more than heritage in common and spent many nights by a warm fire, toasting to longevity and discussing the political changes underfoot. Like Prince, Alex was also a single alpha with no children.

  Prince recalled a conversation they’d had.

  “It’s only a matter of time before we lose our stronghold,” Alex had said one evening, poking at the dying embers of the fire, which had been burning for hours. “We can either flee or organize a resistance, but we must make a decision. The peace treaty won’t hold for long in our territory.”

  Prince had turned his attention toward the window, watching his reflection in the glass. “I caught two of my men in treasonous acts, selling information to a powerful Mage. I don’t know who I can trust anymore.”

  Alex nodded, stroking his long mustache. “That is why we choose to fight those who would oppress us, or else our packmates will be easily swayed by a few rubles.”

  “My pack is strong, but we are few. We cannot take on a large pack, let alone an army of Vampires.”

  Alex had turned to face him, firelight casting his dark shadow on the floor. “It’s not the Vampires you have to worry about, my friend. It’s the Mage who wants your head on his mantel.”

  After their discussion, Prince had briefly considered returning to Italy, but there wasn’t much land left for Shifters, and he couldn’t be certain they still had their freedom. The world had always been mad, but it was as if they were losing the last sanctuaries where a Shifter could live free. While some animals such as bears could go undetected and live as rogues, Prince was a wolf, and packs attracted attention.

  Barbarism was seeping into the minds of intellectuals—ancients who recognized an opportunity to acquire wealth by stealing it. When the war began, the Shifters fought valiantly against their Mage adversaries, but most were outnumbered. Shifters who weren’t killed were driven out.

  Vladimir Romanov, a Mage who served under a powerful general, had organized a brutal attack against Prince’s men. Vlad had always been envious of Prince’s growing power in the region and had threatened him numerous times. Prince vividly remembered the cold press of mud against his knees as he was forced to watch while his pack was chained and carted off to be sold. Alphas were usually executed, so Prince wasn’t loaded onto the cart with his packmates. Packmasters were considered a baneful influence, and aside from that, an alpha would never submit to slavery. However, Vlad’s intentions for him were far more sinister.

  Amid the chaos following Prince’s capture, a large horse appeared, wet snow tangled in his black mane. Alex slid off the saddle, mud splashing beneath his feet. Guards rushed him when he held up his hands in surrender.

  “I was not surprised to hear the news,” he growled at Vlad. “Who is next on your list? My pack?”

  Vlad pulled his ushanka tighter so the dark fur covered his red ears. “Did you honestly think the treaty we signed would last? That was just to keep you from rebelling until we were ready to put the animals in their cages.”

  Alex had always been held in high regard in that region because he’d built solid relationships with other Breeds. In a move Prince would never have seen coming, Alex offered his own freedom in exchange for Prince’s release. Not only that, but he relinquished his entire fortune on the condition Vlad would not enslave his own pack, but show mercy and allow th
em to flee the country.

  Prince stood up to object and was struck in the head with a blunt object. When he awoke, he was lying in the back of a horse-drawn cart, well outside territory lines. Banished while his pack met a horrific fate, Prince was given a warning by the driver, who stated that if Vlad so much as heard about him crossing the border, he would take Alex’s head. Prince was profoundly affected by his friend’s selfless act, forever remaining in his debt.

  Prince had scattered his wealth in many places—something he’d kept secret from even Alex. Prince’s father had taught him valuable lessons, and one of them was that you can trust a man with your life more than you can your money. It was time to collect his fortune and start over.

  He’d been reluctant to leave Europe for the new world since Europe had always been home, but war had taken its toll, and the outlook was bleak. Winter was bitterly cold in Russia, and the warmer climates of distant continents and the hope of peace called to him. Once he’d made the decision to journey to America, it had taken him months to gather his fortune from hidden locations. Currency often changed in value, but gold never went out of style. America had more land, and while Shifters were still held in slavery in many populated territories, there were rumors of undiscovered land that stretched beyond the imagination where Shifters lived free. Starting over wasn’t easy, but he’d worked hard to acclimate to a new culture, build alliances, and lose his accent.

  Prince shifted in his chair, looking around his lavish surroundings and thinking back to those tumultuous times. He never heard from Alex again and had assumed him dead… until a few days ago when he’d run into Nadia Kozlov.

  A knock sounded at the door—one he was expecting.

  Chapter 1

  “Sire, your visitor’s in the sitting room,” Stover informed him in a thick Scottish accent. Russell was Prince’s second-in-command—and on the receiving end of countless jokes because of his name. Every Christmas, the men honored him with a box of assorted Russell Stover chocolates. Russell would conjure a smile and graciously accept the gift, although Prince could tell the novelty had worn off decades ago. But a man who complains only puts a bigger target on his back, so he wisely left it alone. Besides, a man could hardly object to a few taunts when it earned him confectioneries in return.

  Prince rose from his chair and crossed the room, the soles of his shoes tapping heavily against the marble floor. He’d been waiting upstairs in a quiet study all afternoon, unable to read or put his thoughts to rest after sending one of his men for Nadia. Their brief encounter had ended abruptly when she’d received a business call that continued for the rest of the car ride. So to remedy their abbreviated meeting, Prince had invited her over for drinks, hoping to finally get answers about what had become of his friend Alex.

  “This is quite a mansion,” Nadia remarked from the first floor below, speaking with a lovely Russian accent. Every sound was amplified because of the large space.

  Prince descended the stairs with a casual swagger, averting his wayward gaze from her beautiful legs. Her white business skirt suited her in a way that left a man thinking about anything but business.

  “I’m pleased you could come on such short notice, Miss Kozlov.”

  When she bowed, her silky blond hair slipped forward. It was past her shoulders and as straight as could be. “I cannot help but notice how you enjoy saying my name.”

  “This way.” Prince took her arm and led her toward the parlor at the other end of the rotunda.

  Her eyes soaked in the magnificence of his mansion—the marble floors, exquisite paintings, golden light that showered down from the skylight above, and silence. Not all Packmasters could claim to have a quiet house, but it was a luxury Prince appreciated. When not performing their jobs, his pack preferred to either congregate in one of the social rooms or let their wolves roam the property. The only ones allowed to make noise within the main rooms were the children, but even they were quiet and respectful when he passed through the room.

  As soon as they entered the parlor, Nadia whirled around dramatically and put her hands on her hips. “Do you really know my father, or was this a ploy to get me alone?”

  Prince closed the door. “Does he still live?”

  She shrugged indifferently. “Last I heard.”

  “When is the last time you spoke?”

  Her finely shaped brows arched as she turned on her heel and poured herself a glass of white wine at the long table against the wall.

  Prince watched with mild curiosity as she crossed the gold marble floor and stepped onto the oversized white rug in the center of the room. He often used this room to impress his guests by flaunting his wealth. She glanced up at the crystal chandelier that hung from the high ceiling. It wasn’t the only source of light, as track lighting ran along the outer edges. Nadia chose to sit in one of the chairs instead of the gold couch, which he had hoped she would do. He preferred sitting beside female companions when conversing.

  Nadia sipped her wine, leaving a red lipstick stain on the rim of the glass. She set it down on a table and then looked about the room. “I must say that pack life treats you well. It always benefits the Packmaster more than his packmates.”

  He strode across the area rug and sat on the edge of the sofa, Nadia to his right. “And where do you think my pack lives? They enjoy the same accommodations I do. The same food, the same land, the same roof above.”

  “But not to the degree you do.”

  He laced his fingers together. “Is that what keeps you from joining a pack, Miss Kozlov?”

  She looked at him unabashedly, her pale brown eyes sparkling beneath the light. “Precisely. I have no desire to share what is mine.”

  He pursed his lips, admiring a woman who spoke the truth. It was a quality he’d always been attracted to, even over looks or the purity of a woman’s blood. “Perhaps you do not aspire to a high enough position.”

  “Is that an invitation?” Her red lips turned up in a smile. “I’m a gregarious woman who enjoys going out at night. Most alphas wouldn’t find me an ideal mate because I prefer having a good time over staying home and bonding with a pack. I’m afraid my social habits wouldn’t change if I chose to mate.”

  “Why would you desire the company of strangers when there are plenty of Shifters within a pack to keep you company?”

  This time she really did laugh, though she did it with closed lips so that it was more of a snicker. “What makes you think I’d find those of my caliber within the house? I don’t seek the company of just anyone. I enjoy intellectual conversation, dancing, dining, and spending time in the VIP lounges of all the trendy clubs.”

  “In search of what?”

  She crossed her legs, and when they brushed together, her skin made a soft hiss, sending a shiver up his spine. Her legs were undeniably long and feminine with just the right amount of curve at the hip. He couldn’t tell if her eyelashes were false, but they were thick and black. They fanned over brown eyes that shifted with the light—sometimes taking on a stormy color. Nadia was lovely—exquisite features, like a fairy. It was hard to believe someone like Alex could have produced such a creature.

  “You make plenty of assumptions,” she replied, turning the gold watch on her wrist and giving it a cursory glance. “So tell me, why did you invite me here? Are you assessing me for personal reasons, or did you want information on my father?”

  He widened his legs and leaned back, taking a moment to ponder her question. Nadia wanted him to choose, and he had to tread carefully since both topics were of equal priority.

  “I consider myself fortunate to share the company of a beautiful woman who is also the daughter of an old friend.”

  “Well played.” She set her glass down after another sip and angled her body in his direction. “I’ve never had a close relationship with my father.”

  Intrigued, Prince leaned forward. “By choice or circumstance?”

  Nadia twirled an emerald ring on her finger. “My father had priorities a
nd was always a busy man. I’m not yet fifty, if that gives you a timeline.” Shifters aged slowly, and Nadia looked like a delicate flower in her midtwenties. “Life was different then, as you must know. So much has changed for Shifters in just the past twenty years. But back then, his focus was on his pack.”

  A smile touched his lips. “So he’s rebuilt?”

  Her brows drew together. “Rebuilt what? My father was a rogue until my mother came along. Then he decided to settle down and become a Packmaster.”

  It seemed Alex had kept secrets from his daughter. “And your mother?”

  She sighed dramatically, and her gaze drifted up to the opulent crystal chandelier. “My mother…” Nadia’s eyes glittered for a moment. “My mother was underwhelmed by the monotony of pack life and left her family to mate a powerful alpha.”

  Prince’s lip curled in when she didn’t use the term Packmaster. “A rogue? She chose a rogue over your father?”

  Nadia glanced at her watch again. “Yes. As I said, she had different priorities and a change of heart. I can’t blame the woman for wanting more from life. My father did an adequate job raising me, and now look where I am. I’m an artifacts dealer who specializes in rarities. No one knows as much as I do about the value of old pieces, and no one has my connections to match buyers with sellers. It’s not as if we have an auction house among the Breed. My father raised an independent woman, so I have little concern over men who flash their judgmental eyes at me. The only thing I lack is a good man.” She sighed thoughtfully and lifted her glass of wine. “I had hoped things would work out between Denver and me. He and I are similar in that we both—”

  “Denver?” Prince blurted out. He belonged to the Weston pack and worked as a bartender, hardly worthy of a woman such as Nadia. “You would have mated with a low-ranking wolf?”