The scene broke away once again, reforming into a curved stairway and balcony high above. Arthur’s men stood behind a growling Colin as Mordred held Colin’s woman Juliet in front of him, his hand gripping her throat as he sneered at them. In Mordred’s other hand pulsed a sickly green light, he raised his hand throwing it toward Arthur. Darius shouted a warning, though he knew he wouldn’t be heard and watched in horrified shock, seeing himself hurtle through the air and intercept the projectile.
The hand digging painfully in his shoulder was a blessing and the vision broke apart and the room spun into focus. A pair of angry ice blue eyes stared down at him and he blinked, for a second unsure of where he was. The sudden throb of pain in his temples made his stomach lurch and memories flashed through his brain. Something wet dripped down his lip and he wiped at it, bringing back blood coating his hand. Fuck, he never bled after a vision, that was so not good.
“Hey, are you all right?” Simon’s voice held a sharp note of worry, matching the look on his face.
Darius took a deep breath slowly nodding his head. A bad mistake since the pain in his head increased. He gritted his teeth against it pushing it back. Urgency fired his blood. He needed to talk to Arthur fast, what he saw wouldn’t wait. They had to get to Colin and Juliet before they were taken. If they could thwart their abduction maybe he could also change his death. He wouldn’t tell anyone that last part, just in case there was no way to prevent it. He stared up at Simon and knew if Simon had any inkling to his impending doom Simon would do everything in his power to keep him safe. Even, if that meant Arthur’s death.
Instinctively Darius knew changing the outcome would have a domino effect. They needed to protect Colin and Juliet it was the only way and he would put himself in front of the deadly magic meant for Arthur. There was no other option.
Chapter Eight
The air was thick with the scent of salt and brine. The waves hitting the beach filled her ears and her bare feet sank down into the soft sand still warm from the day’s sun. Juliet loved the beach especially since the thick forest started just a dozen feet from where they were. The moon touched Colin, caressing the contours of his face and bathing him in silver and grey. He unfolded the blanket and spread it over a level spot on the sand before removing his shoes and socks. His teeth flashed white as he grinned at her, giving him a boyish look she found adorable.
A part of her was terrified how much she came to care about this man so quickly, the idea of never seeing him again, never to hold him and in turn be held by him brought a jolt of pain to her chest. When he stormed into the room earlier she prepared for painful barbed words, never did she expect the honesty she got instead.
The idea of reincarnation, knights and Avalon actually existing made her head spin. The fact that she used magic and the man before her could change into an animal barely fazed her. Her life, no matter how hard she tried, would never be normal and for the first time in her life she realized it didn’t matter to her. She watched as he hooked his fingers at the edge of his tee shirt and dragged it up over his head. The play of muscles as he worked the material up and over his head had her drooling. No man she ever knew looked that good. Ever!
He dropped the shirt onto the sand and gave her a crooked grin that was sexy as hell. “Come on Jules, no one is around and I have a strong need to have you beneath me and be buried inside that tight pussy of yours.”
A shiver of expectation coursed through her body. “I’ve-um, never did something like this out in the open.”
His smile widened as his fingers went to work on his jeans, pushing them down over his lean hips. His erection sprung free brushing up against his taut belly. Moisture pooled between her thighs as she realized he wore no underwear. Kicking his jeans away he stood gloriously naked, arching a dark brow at her. Licking her dry lips she darted a nervous glace around her before reaching behind and unzipping her dress, with a small shimmy it pooled to her feet, leaving her in only her bra and panties.
“You’re killing me here, darlin’.” Colin groaned his eyes hungry as they raked over her.
She was glad she picked the white lace matching underwear instead of the serviceable plain cotton she’d found in one of the dresser drawers. In the time it took her to blink, Colin stood beside her, his body heat wrapping around her like a warm blanket. One large hand reached behind her back with deft fingers unhooked the back of her bra and slid it from her arms, exposing her breasts to the night air. Her nipples pebbled and her breath caught in her throat as his fingers stroked the sides of her breasts, trailing down to her hips. He knelt close enough for his lips to trail a burning path of kisses down her ribs and stomach, his fingers pulling her panties down her legs. They went the way of her dress and bra, in a disorderly pile in the sand. Not that she cared as his mouth moved lower, his tongue and teeth nipping and soothing her sensitive skin. A small moan escaped her lips as his hand stroked her inner thigh. Her world narrowed to only Colin’s touch on her heated flesh, she needed him in her, thrusting deep and hard and now.
“Ah, darlin’, I love your scent, I need to taste you. See if you’re as good as you smell. Spread your legs for me, Jules, so I can kiss you,” Colin’s voice was raspy with lust.
His words made her even wetter while her pussy throbbed and ached. “Yes,” was all she could manage with her blood boiling from his touch and spread her legs for his questing mouth.
She arched into him as his tongue parted her swollen lips and swiped up to her clit. Her hands clutched his shoulders pulling him closer as he lightly raked his teeth against the sensitive nub then sucked and lapped at her. Her climax crashed through her, sudden and intense leaving her a quivering mass of exposed nerves his name left her on a scream.
Juliet felt boneless and sated, if not for Colin’s hands on her hips holding her up she knew her legs would never hold her weight. He rose to his feet, hooking one arm under her knees and the other across her back. Sweeping her up against his chest and moved to the blanket, laying her down. She looked up at the lines of tension etched in his handsome face. He looked almost feral with the hunger burning in his eyes.
“I’m going to fuck you hard, can’t take it slow. I need you too bad,” he rasped out more growl than words.
“Yes, I want it hard, please.”
He growled low in his throat, flipped her on her stomach and grabbed her hips, lifting her ass up. She felt the head of his cock part her folds and with a hiss of breath he slammed all the way to the hilt. Her body stretched to accommodate, with a sharp cry, as pleasure and pain warred within her.
“You’re so damn wet for me and tight like a glove surrounding me.” He growled, one hand going to her breasts to gently tug her nipples while the other stroked her clit.
She whimpered at the pleasure, half out of her mind to finally be filled with him. He stroked her passions igniting them into a raging fire of need. His hand left her breast to grasp her hip while he withdrew almost completely and thrust back in. Sparking all her nerve endings as his cock dragged across the spot deep inside only he knew how to find. His pace quickened, his breath quickening as he plunged deep, retreated and plunged deep again. She met him with her own demands her ass slapping against his thighs, his balls brushing against her clit drove her with an animalistic need alien to her. She was so close her body trembled on the edge of orgasm. He pushed deep and she went over the edge her womb tightening, milking him until he followed her in a climax which swept them away in a tsunami of such intense pleasure she wondered briefly if she would die from it.
He draped his body over hers, keeping his weight on his arms and waited until they caught their breath before rolling onto his side and tucking her back against his chest. He nuzzled her ear and she smiled. A sense of peace stole over her and she realized for the first time in her life she felt content. She snuggled closer relishing the strong arms holding her close and wished they could stay like this forever. Somewhere along the way she fell in love with Colin, it was no use fighting it.
His body stiffened against her, raised his head and sniffed the air. A growl rumbled through his chest. “We are not alone, get dressed. Now.”
He moved in front of her quickly shoving on his jeans then crouched while she scrambled for her clothes and hurriedly dressed. Fear made her heart pound as she peered around at their surroundings wondering what he sensed. A growl rumbled out of Colin she blinked against the bright flash of light. Once her vision cleared she found her gaze locked on the emerald green eyes of a very large, angry grey wolf. She instinctively knew the snarling animal’s fury was not aimed at her, but at some unseen threat.
Juliet opened her senses, listening with her whole being as the earth and trees spoke to her of the danger moving in on the fast. She pulled the magic into her ready for the attack a split second before six men burst through the woods heading right for them. Colin howled his rage crouched low and sprang forward. His front claws made contact with the chest of one man and sent him sprawling on his back. The man gave a gargled scream as strong jaws tore his throat out.
She pulled her attention away from the wolf to the men bearing down on her, raised her palms out toward them and concentrated on her magic. The air pulsed around her hands, the surge of power burned through her body, searing nerve endings, threatening to burn her alive as the elements gave up their essence to her.
“No harm to me or mine, your will is forfeit,” she spoke the words with a firm voice, surprised since stark terror gripped her insides. She released the magic and watched it hit the remaining five men who jerked to a stop.
Juliet hated the fact she had no choice but to use this type of perverted magic, to take control of another was bad, what she did though was so much worse. She destroyed the mind making them nothing more than walking zombies doing anything she ordered them to do. They were husks now and nausea threatened to overwhelm her. This was what Vance wanted from her, wanted it so much he would do anything to get his hands on her to have this weapon against any who stood in his way.
“What did you do, Jules?”
She jumped, startled by the nearness of Colin’s voice. She had been so focused on the threat these men posed, she never saw him change back. She kept her gaze on the men standing so quite in front of her. She couldn’t look into Colin’s face and see the horror and disgust she knew would be there. It would destroy her completely. Instead she kept her focus on the soulless puppets she just made and swallowed hard, her stomach lurched sickeningly.
Strong hands clasped her shoulders, forcing her to turn around. Keeping her eyes on the ground she refused to meet his eyes. “Tell me, Jules, what did you just do?” Colin’s asked softly, his voice would have soothed her had he not witnessed the horror she just created with her gift.
Tears threatened to spill and she blinked them back taking a ragged breath. “I can force my will onto others.”
“Can you release them?”
Juliet shook her head. “Once it takes hold there is nothing left of their mind. The magic sort of erases their brains, leaving nothing, they can only do as I bid. Eventually they will forget even the most basic functions and will stop breathing.” She couldn’t resist a peek up at him to see his reaction. She saw the horror she feared shadowing his gaze and couldn’t prevent the tears spilling down her cheeks. He must hate her, or worse, be repulsed by what she was capable of doing. Not that she blamed him she hated herself more than he ever could at that moment. She was nothing more than a monster disguised as a human.
“I…I need to do something with them. I can’t let their condition continue. Do you understand?” She hated the pleading note in her voice and the way it shook, but it couldn’t be helped. She was about to do something horrible and knew he would hate her forever once it was over.
Goddess, she hated her life.
He frowned and she swallowed painfully. “What exactly are you going to do?”
“Just watch,” she whispered, moving away from the warmth of his body, suddenly chilled to the bone. Turning back to the men she cleared the lump in her throat. “You are the enemy, remove the threat to me now.”
The men jerked like marionettes, their bodies moved toward each other in a macabre, disjointed dance. Arms rose, fingers bent into claws as the tore into each other. It was chilling to watch, the horrible lack of sound made it worse as blood spilled, fingers gouging deeply into eyes and throats. Not even a grunt sounded as they savagely ripped each other apart.
“Goddess above,” Colin’s voice held shock and horror.
Juliet squeezed her eyes shut against the sight of the nightmare happening in front of her. She turned away from the grisly sight, away from the man she loved, who would now only look upon her in horror. She took one step then another, the pain in her chest tore at her with savage claws, almost buckling her knees. She wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out again. Somehow she managed to keep on her feet as she inched further away.
She jumped in surprise as a pair of strong hands once again grabbed her shoulders, gently turning her around. She refused to look up, keeping her eyes on the sandy ground at her feet.
“I now understand why Vance wants you so badly. You would be a very powerful weapon in his hands.”
“I would kill myself before I would let him use me.”
Pain cut through her as sharp as a knife, realizing he thought of her only as a weapon now. She felt hollowed out a shell just like the men she just destroyed. She took a step back putting as much distance she could between them. He jerked her to his chest, his arms went around her like steel bands, encasing her in his warmth. She pressed her nose against the warm skin of his bare chest and breathed deep. He smelled of the forest, heady spices and totally masculine, if things were different, she would be happy to stay just as they were forever, his arms around her made her feel safe.
“That will never happen. I will protect you, always,” he growled.
She struggled in his arms, fighting the tears threatening to once again spill over. “Don’t all right? Just don’t. I’m not your responsibility and I’m certainly not an object to be guarded.” Anger made her voice sharper than she intended, but damn it, she would not be insulted.
She heard a whizzing sound as something brushed past her ear. Colin’s eyes widened in surprise and a scream froze in her throat, her gaze riveted to the dart sticking in the side of his throat. She watched in stunned horror as he released her, his eyes rolling back in his head as his knees buckled. With a choked groan he collapsed at her feet. A sharp pain struck her at the base of her neck, instantly her arms grew heavy and her knees wobbled.
Vance had found them, was her last thought before she fell alongside Colin and darkness overtook her.
Chapter Nine
Colin blinked against the blinding light as he came to. The light came from an overhanging light bulb in a small room, more like that of a concrete bunker. A steel door was the only adornment in his cell. He moved his arms to shield his eyes only to find he couldn’t move them. He blinked at the steel cuffs binding his arms and legs, panic surged through his system as he realized he was strapped securely to a metal chair. Something tight wrapped around his throat the felt suspiciously like a collar. If they thought to restrain him like this they were fools, he thought, controlling the panic and calming enough to think. He needed to get free and find Juliet. His instinct to protect revved to high gear, thanks to his shifting abilities, his base instincts were more animal than human.
And his animal wanted his mate back.
Forcing his body to relax he concentrated on shifting his form, refusing to think of what may be happening to Juliet. That way led to insanity and was not helpful in their present situation. He needed to keep calm and think logically, he could get out of this easily enough. That thought steadied him and focused on a form small enough for him to slip out of his bindings.
His body tingled at the eclipse of change. Closing his eyes he embraced the oncoming shift. Pain seared his insides with boiling agony, bowing him off the c
hair, held only by the manacles on his limbs as a scream tore from his throat. The pain diminished once he stopped the shift and dread filled him as he collapsed back in the chair panting from the ordeal. He reached a trembling hand to his throat and felt the smooth metal of the collar circling his neck. He howled with rage as the reality of his situation hit him. For the first time in his lives he was helpless against his enemy, he couldn’t protect Juliet from whatever horror she was being subjected to.
“So I see you now understand what your situation is,” avoice sneered from the door and he turned and snarled at Vance who leaned against the door jam.
“Set me free,” he gritted out more growl than words, his anger turning feral as he eyed his enemy.
Vance chuckled and brushed a hand through his neatly pulled back hair. “Hardly. I just came by to see if you were awake. I need answers and you’re going to supply them. But you need to be cognizant for that to happen.”
“Where is Juliet?” Colin demanded.
“She’s fine. I would never harm her she’s too important to my plans to damage.”
“I wish to see her.”
Vance tensed, anger snapping in his dark eyes as he strode up to Colin. “You are in no position to dictate anything to me. I want answers and you can give them to me now or I will have them forced out of you.”
“Rot in hell, you will get nothing out of me,” Colin spat.
Vance gave him a nasty smile a look of smug satisfaction replacing the anger in his gaze. “My interrogator is very persuasive and the pain will be excruciating at best. Last chance to save yourself some misery, just tell me all you know about Arthur and any weaknesses in his security and I promise you a quick death.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
“Have it your way,” Vance snarled bending low until they were nose to nose. “I’m going to enjoy watching you break. I will be sure to make your death as painful as possible.”
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