Caressed by a Crimson Moon (Rulers of Darkness)

by Amanda J. Greene

  His muscles had tightened as if he was preparing to strike a foe. He had not noticed the shift in his body until Eva began to stroke his back. Her fingers kneaded and massaged. Comfort and compassion, the emotions warmed him, easing the pain of the memories.

  “I had heard stories of the demon that stalked the camps, collecting the dead. It was rumored that he changed them, made them into monsters that preyed on the blood of humans. Naturally, I had thought it nonsense until that night.” He took in a breath and slowly let it out through his nose. He could feel the demon stirring in his mind. If only he had the dagger. He did not enjoy cutting himself, but the simple torture kept his mind sharp, focused. “For two weeks, I hunted Imbrasus. I abandoned my unit and followed his trail of destruction and death. Each attack had been more brutal and more gruesome than the last. He was taunting me.”

  Her hands paused as another wave of anger pulsed through him. Hadrian pressed into her touch.

  “Please, continue,” he said on a whisper.

  She moved her hands in circles over his shoulder blades. “It sounds like he was drawing you to him, setting you up.”

  “He was. After seeing the devastation he wrought, I knew there was little chance I would survive. I did not care. I would die trying to avenge my brother. Or, well, I thought I would be avenging Titus’s death.” He cleared his throat. “It was the night of the full moon. I had finally found Imbrasus. He and his fledglings were living in a cave by the seaside. I called for him to come down to the beach…I challenged him. The bastard laughed when I drew my sword.”

  It was a long time before he continued. “Water slapped at our legs, the sand clotted with blood, and salt stung my eyes and burned in my fresh wounds as we battled. I fought with all my strength, giving everything I had. He pinned me to the ground, my arm broken, my kneecap shattered. He loomed over me, silhouetted by the bright glow of the moon. My vision was blurred with pain, seawater, and blood, but I saw his fangs lengthen. He pressed his lips to my ear and whispered, ‘you will be a fine soldier. The strongest of my army.’

  “His teeth ripped at my jugular. I struggled beneath his hold. Fighting him every last heartbeat. He pressed his clawed hand over my heart, the talons scoring my flesh. I could hear the others above. They laughed and placed bets on whether I would survive the transition or not. As I took my last breath, preparing to be delivered to underworld, I heard Titus’s voice.

  “Imbrasus slit his wrist and forced my lips apart. The instant his blood touch my tongue, the change began. My body seized and convulsed. The only thought in my mind was to kill. I sank my teeth into his wrist, locking my jaw. With every swallow I grew stronger. I pulled him down and wrapped him up, securing my arms and legs around him. He thrashed, but grew weaker by the second. I battled through agonizing pain as my body morphed, my organs shifting, my muscles tearing.”

  “Compartmentalizing the pain,” she said in awe. God, his mind is strong.

  He nodded. “I felt his cool skin turn to ice as his immortality slipped away. Ignoring the terrible burning sensation in my chest, I twisted his head free of his body. There was no blood. I lay on the sand, the water lapping at my feet. Vile emotions pumped through me as his demon invaded my soul.

  “My senses were heightened. I heard the others coming down from the cave. Shock and murderous rage laced their rumbling voices as they stalked toward me. I do not know how I managed to get to my feet or match them blow for blow. A red haze clouded my vision…I killed them all. Falling to my knees, all my strength gone, I prayed for death. I begged the gods to end my life. That is when Titus came to me. The sun had begun to rise. He hefted me over his shoulder and carried me up to the now vacant cave.

  “I had wanted him to leave me there, but he claimed the sun would turn me to ash if I remained on the beach. We settled in the safety of the shadows and watched the bright rays destroy the demon corpses. Their ashes scattered on the wind. I could not believe my eyes or the words that Titus spoke. He explained what we had become, bloodthirsty fiends from hell that could no longer walk in the sun. I knew then that I could never go back to Cordelia and that we could never return to our family in Rome. It would be too dangerous. Our lives were over and we had to begin again in the realm of darkness.”

  “How did you explain Imbrasus’s and his follower’s deaths?”

  He shrugged. “The Red Order was thick in Britain. It is rumored that they began as Celtic and Druid priests. When more of Imbrasus’s fledglings arrived the next day, we told them the cave had been attacked. No one besides Titus and I ever knew the truth about my deeds. If the others learned, I surely would have been sentenced to death.”

  Hadrian sensed Eva’s sorrow. He turned and drew her against his side. He tilted her chin up. “I do not regret going after Titus or killing Imbrasus. In a strange way, I’m glad I ripped his demon from his soul.” He took her hands, his fingers closing around her wrist. “I never would have known Falcon or you.”

  He slowly turned her hand over, revealing the scar. As he traced the circles with the pad of his thumb, the anger eased from his body, allowing peace to settle within him. The demon silenced.

  Gods, how was he going to let her go? She had awakened him, brought him back to life. She was the salvation he had sought.

  “Hadrian, do you know what that scar means? I woke up with it after my transition.”

  Should he confess that she was his mate, his queen, his to hold for all eternity? He would have to tell her that even though she had transitioned, she was not like the average shifter. She would not age slowly like her relatives. Eva would never die. She was bound to him.

  “Hadrian?”

  He closed his eyes. Gods, he could not deny her soft voice. He had already bared his soul, shared his shame, and his secrets, why not keep going? Fear of what she would say, or of how she would react was not going to rule him.

  He laid his hand over hers, his palm turned upward. Her tiny gasp kissed his ears and he opened his eyes.

  “I do.”

  “It’s the same,” she said in awe, her eyes wide. “What is it?”

  “It is the mating brand of my people.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Eva stared at him, her amber gaze glittering pools of confusion. Hadrian silently waited for her to process the information. He could have phrased the answer differently. Maybe he should have been less direct.

  She shook her head. Her thoughts tangled, her mind struggling to comprehend the meaning of his words.

  Her gaze dropped to his wrist. The marking was identical to hers. Two perfect circles.

  Finally finding her voice, she asked, “What does this mean?”

  Hadrian released a relieved sigh. Curiosity was a good sign. “You are my mate, my intended queen.”

  “Wait. I think I’ve heard something about this. Didn’t Dimitri Arsov just marry his mate?”

  “Yes, last month.”

  “So, this is a common thing?”

  “Not exactly. We are the third couple.”

  Eva began to twirl her hair nervously. “Okay…can you explain this to me from the beginning?”

  Hadrian silently debated where to begin. Should he tell her the priestess had tricked him into performing the binding ceremony or that he only bound her to him so she would survive the transition?

  “Everything, Hadrian. Don’t leave anything out,” she insisted, sensing his hesitation.

  “There has only been one successful performance of the bonding ritual, Dorian and Victoria of the Mylonas Clan. Until them, the idea of a vampire monarch finding their intended mate was nothing but a legend. A fanciful story that kept the Rulers of Darkness hopeful.”

  “Hopeful of what?”

  “The only way one can survive the Death Curse is by finding their mate.”

  “None were successful until King Dorian?”

  He nodded. “A mate is only created when the rightful king, or in some cases queen, ascends the throne. It is believed that these monarchs will
bring peace and some vampire scholars think the curse that binds us to our demons will be broken.”

  Eva pushed her hands through her still damp hair. “You are one of the rightful kings.”

  His gaze returned to his lap. “So it seems.”

  “How did this happen?” She tugged at her lower lip with her teeth. “Is it because you gave me your blood?”

  Hadrian stood and crossed over to the hearth and the dying fire. Suddenly the flames jumped and a wave of heat rolled through the room.

  “I did not tell you this before, but there have been others like you. The Shaw priestess told me I would need to bind your life to mine in order for you to…survive. None of the others lived through the change.”

  Eva swallowed hard. That bit of information was hard to process. If it had not been for Hadrian, her transition would have been a death sentence.

  “Did you know I was your mate?”

  “Not until that night. There is very little known of how the binding spell works.” He scoffed. “The priestess had suggested the solution. I should have asked her more questions, but I was not thinking clearly.”

  “Are you saying she knew, but didn’t tell you?”

  He nodded. His back was to her, his gaze focused on the flames. “I could not let you die. Not when I had the power to save you.”

  She fell back on the mattress. If she had ever thought her life was complicated before, she had been wrong. But this was good, right? He was her male and she was his mate. At least Fate had made them a match. God, she could not even imagine how it would be if he were her male but he did not want her.

  He hasn’t said he wants you, she reminded herself. He had made a nice plan for your life without him.

  She rolled to her side, propping her head up on her hand. She studied him. He stood, his arms crossed over his chest, shadows covered his arms and back like tattoos. Again she had the absurd urge to just say those three little words, but he seemed to be fighting the truth. Fighting the potential they had for a real relationship, love, and happiness.

  “What does all this mean, Hadrian?”

  “Our lives are bound, united as one. As long as I live, you live. Eva,” he turned to her, “you will live forever.”

  Her jaw dropped. “As in, for all eternity?”

  “You will remain as you are now.”

  “Forever twenty-six.”

  He nodded.

  “God, this has to be a dream. All of this…it is just too much. I don’t know how I can possibly process all of this crap. I’m a witch-shifter half-breed and the mate of a vampire. Oh, yeah, and he is a king preparing to reclaim his throne. Drama to ensue.”

  Hadrian was beside her in a flash of movement. “Eva, I do not want you to feel as if you are trapped. You can leave. You can go live your life.”

  Eva felt her brows knit together. Did he want her to stay, but refused to offer believing she wanted her freedom? For so long she had craved nothing but freedom. She had longed to break away from the pack, to live her life how she wanted.

  “What of the bond?”

  “It will not hold you back.”

  He could not be more wrong. Her own Drive was holding her here. Every time she thought of leaving she felt ill, her heart and soul rebelled. Her shifter would not allow her to go willingly. Hadrian was her male. She was his mate. They belonged together. But he would deny them so that she could be free.

  Eva took a deep breath. She had to tell him about her Drive. Maybe then he would stop trying to push her away. Hadrian had granted her freedom the moment he decided to send Falcon to the Silveria Pack. Over the last month and half, she had lived free of fear and starvation. He had given her everything and reminded her that kindness did exist. And that love was not just something in a fairy tale.

  She would tell him she loved him. She would tell him that she did not want to leave. No matter what, she would stay by his side.

  A sliver of doubt crept into her thoughts. What if his clan did not approve of her? What if they scorned her like the pack had?

  Hadrian must have sensed her worry. He cupped her face.

  “Eva, I—”

  His body suddenly tensed. He came to his feet. The sound of footsteps pricked her ears. Someone was moving down the hall. A booming knock rattled the heavy wooden door.

  “Hadrian,” Falcon called, his tone urgent. “I need to speak with you.”

  Hadrian opened the door with a thought. Falcon stepped in and froze, his eyes instantly falling on Eva.

  She clutched the sheet to her chest and waved.

  The knight’s face flushed.

  “I will not be long,” Hadrian said pushing a sputtering Falcon into the hall. He closed the door behind them. “What are you doing here? You were not to return for another two days.”

  Hadrian’s sharp tone snapped Falcon from his surprise. “Well, you weren’t answering the phone,” he answered. “I called nearly thirty times and every time your new butler informed me you were not taking calls.”

  “I told the vampire not to disturb me unless he wanted to face the sun. He was doing his job.”

  “I started calling yesterday. What could have kept you…” Falcon’s words died as realization crept up on him.

  Hadrian cursed and started down the hall to his private drawing room. The knight followed, stammering his apologies.

  “Now that you have your answer,” Hadrian rounded on him, “explain why you are here.”

  Falcon straightened and gathered his thoughts. “Two reasons. The first, I have confirmed that Jefferson will challenge you.”

  Hadrian nodded. “We have been expecting this. I will need a list of all his supporters.”

  “It is being compiled as we speak.”

  “Does he have military backing?”

  “Some. The majority remains loyal to you.”

  “Not me,” Hadrian said. “They are loyal to you.” He shook his head when Falcon began to protest. “This information could have waited. What is the second issue?”

  Falcon unzipped the pocket of his jacket and removed a deep purple envelope. Hadrian’s eyes narrowed as he snatched the letter from the knight’s hand. He ripped it open, his eyes scanning the parchment.

  “Who gave you this?” he demanded.

  “A Black Knight belonging to the Voidukas Clan delivered the missive directly to me.”

  “This is an official Shaw summons,” Hadrian grated. “All the chieftains are to attend a meeting tomorrow in Tallinn, Estonia.”

  “Does it state the purpose?”

  “Peace talks.”

  Falcon’s brow furrowed. “For what?”

  “The Mylonas and Red Order war.”

  Hadrian read the formal document again and groaned. This confirmed his earlier suspicions. The Shaw priestess was crazy. What could she have planned?

  “Do you think it could be a trap?”

  “It is possible, but unlikely. However, we will prepare as if it were.” He placed the paper back in the envelope. “Call the airport. Have them ready the jet. Collect what you need, we leave within the hour.”

  “What of Eva?”

  “She will join us,” Hadrian answered.

  Falcon frowned. “We will only be gone one, two days tops.”

  “I will not leave her unprotected.”

  “She is safe here and even if someone comes, they won’t hurt her. She is no longer your ward since the treaty has been declared null and void, but she is still under the clan’s protection.”

  Hadrian cursed. He formed a fist and thrust his arm out. His wrist turned upward displaying the mating brand.

  Falcon swayed as if Hadrian had struck him. Good lord, he had been right. Eva was Hadrian’s intended.

  “We are saved,” he murmured.

  Hadrian remained silent, his eyes downcast.

  “You are the rightful king of the Validus. The nobles—”

  “I do not want them to know of this.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Falcon sa
id. “This will make your transition smooth and absolve any doubt the Clan may have.”

  Hadrian shook his head. “I will not yield.”

  “For the love of god.” Falcon squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Why? This is absolutely perfect.”

  “Eva may…” Hadrian took a breath and forced the words out, “She is leaving.”

  “I don’t understand. The girl has been after you since the start. It may be too early to talk about love, but any idiot can see that she has feelings for you.”

  “I told her to go.”

  Falcon crashed back into his chair, stunned. “Please, explain.”

  “She craves freedom above all things and…I want to give it to her.”

  A heavy sigh pushed out of Falcon’s lungs. “She is already free.”

  “She deserves happiness.”

  Falcon’s eyes turned sharp as the true reason was revealed. “As do you. Shit, Hadrian. Fate has dumped happiness on your doorstep in the form of a petite, gorgeous, extremely well endowed woman. And you are just going to toss her aside.”

  “I will not force her to stay.” Hadrian held up a hand. “Conversation, over. Prepare to leave.”

  He dematerialized before Falcon could speak.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  “What the hell is this?” Samuel erupted he after stepping into the largest conference room of the swanky hotel. Thick, black tapestries covered the floor to ceiling windows. The sparkling gold and crystal chandelier provided plenty of light.

  Silvie smiled. “Welcome to Estonia, the shared territory of the Voidukas and Shaw. Please, gentlemen, take your seats, we’ve much to discuss.”

  “The summons said nothing about vampires. I will not sit at the same table, nor breathe the same air as those fiends,” Samuel seethed, jabbing a shaking finger toward the vampire royalty.

  “This is trickery, priestess,” Oliver added.

  She shrugged, her shoulders rolling beneath the velvet, scarlet robe. “The Shaman wanted you here. This is the reason he request you all attend unarmed.”