Yanti crawled toward her. "Red."
"It's me. I'm here." She scooped the girl up in her arms. "How did you get here?"
Yanti squeezed Red tightly. "I was taken two nights after you left."
Tears threatened to spill, but she had to keep her wits about her. She scanned the crypt. The wall opposite bore floor-to-ceiling shelves of skulls. Human and non-human. Large, dust-covered urns perched on pedestals in the corners. Water seeped through the crumbling blocks, throwing moisture into the air.
"Red, help us." Yanti's long wrist chains scraped on the floor.
"Hush. Let me see your shackles."
Yanti lifted her arm. Bite marks marred the pale, soft flesh of the young girl. The sight made Redlynn want to scream. How could anyone do this? She pulled at Yanti's heavy, iron shackle, but it was fastened tight. Her fingers trailed the chain to the wall. The stone surrounding the peg crumbled. Pressing her feet into the wall on either side of the chain, Redlynn pulled. Her ankle no longer pained her, but the chain was fastened tight.
"Here, turn around," she said
Yanti turned her body and faced the wall. She put the girl in her lap.
"When I tell you to, pull." Redlynn took a deep breath. "Pull."
Yanti grasped the chain and the two of them leaned back as far as they could. There was a screech of metal and the wall gave way. The bolt pulled loose and landed with a loud clank. Yanti smiled and threw her arms around Redlynn.
"Thank you, Red. Thank you."
Voices outside floated down the stairs, and a chill ran through her.
"Help me get everyone out of here."
A shadow crossed the entrance to the crypt. Two bodies moved speedily down the stairs.
"They're coming," a girl cried.
Redlynn reached for her bow and notched an arrow. She pushed Yanti behind her, as she shuffled to the far wall. The girls whimpered and tried to cringe into the walls.
She pulled her bow string taut and didn't wait to see who it was before she loosed the arrow. The man in the front caught it mid-air.
"Good shot," came Blain's jovial voice.
"Blain!" Redlynn cried.
Sage stood behind Blain, in the shadow of the wall.
"Don't you have any clothing? These are children."
"Sorry," said Blain. "I don't usually keep my wardrobe stashed around these ruins."
"Honestly," she chastised, ripping off her cloak and throwing it at him.
Blain tossed her arrow to her. She shoved it in her quiver as he tied the cloak around his waist and through his legs. A ripple of disquiet travelled through her at the memory of Blain's betrayal.
Girls first, my problems later, she reminded herself. "The chains can be pulled from the wall. Help get the girls out."
The men worked quickly and pulled on the chains. Within minutes, the girls were freed.
"I'll go back up to keep watch." Sage dodged up the steps.
Weakly, the girls rose to their feet and the group moved up the steps, out into the open. Evening was upon them, but with the low clouds and the ash from the Wastelands, it looked like night had fallen. The girls breathed in deep lungfuls of the ashy night air as if they were in the grassland fields of the Westfall. Redlynn vaguely understood what they felt, having been shut up in the castle for days. But it wasn't the same.
Two men appeared from the trees. Redlynn's heart sank. It was the brothers Jale and Juda.
"Is Adrian with you?" Blain asked.
"No," said Juda.
The hairs on Redlynn's neck stood up. The way the brothers eyed the girls didn't feel right. "Blain, I think—"
But Redlynn's words were cut off by movement in the trees. The girls backed up toward the crypt entrance. She notched an arrow. A dozen tall pale men with lips like blood moved out of the shadows and surrounded the group.
"Well, what have we here?" asked the leader with a broad, pointy-toothed smile. "Runaways?"
"Let them go." Sage stepped beside her.
The leader's gaze narrowed on Sage. "Well, well, well. If it isn't my traitorous cousin, Prince Sageren, living in exile. Tell me, Sage, you're looking a bit worse for wear; how's that squirrel blood doing for you these days?"
"It's doing better for me than the rats you call gourmet, Garot."
Garot laughed, "Oh no, cousin. I have all I can eat, right here." He took in a long breath. "Mmmm. Fear. I love the blood of a fearful virgin. Oh! And what is that?" Garot inhaled again. "My, my. What is that new aroma? She is delectable. I'll sample her first. I've never had the blood of a half-breed before."
"I'd love to see you try." She pulled her bowstring tighter.
"You won't touch her," Blain snarled. His muscles twitched.
"Oh, but Blain, my dear boy, wasn't this what you wanted? Wasn't this our agreement? You bring me virgin blood and I don't slaughter you."
"What?" Redlynn loosened her bowstring for a moment in surprise. It couldn't be true. Blain? Not Blain. He'd... He'd what? What did she really know about him? Redlynn couldn't comprehend the betrayal. First Adrian, now Blain.
"Not her." Blain ignored her. "You can't have Redlynn. She's Adrian's."
Garot's eyes skittered over her with a newfound interest. "I like it. The princess, is she?"
"Adrian is king. He has become Alpha."
"A queen." Garot's fangs grew long and sharp. "Even better."
Redlynn's mind spun and her breathing quickened. Blain. All this time, it was Blain who'd been responsible for the kidnapped girls. Suddenly she wished with all her might that Adrian were there.
"Well, this chat has been lovely; we are quite hungry after our long trip from Tanah Darah, so I think we will get our meals and go. Feel free to scream, or run or both. We do like to work up an appetite." Garot laughed.
"This is your only warning. Let them go, or die."
Garot laughed. "Oh, Blain, you are so wrong." He motioned to his men. "You think you can just take them because you say so? That's not how this works, mutt. In fact, tonight, it's you who are going to die. And her." He pointed to Redlynn. "And then your king."
"Not us," said Juda. "We had a deal and we stick by it. We'll still deliver girls, like we promised."
"Of course," smiled Garot. "You two are free. As is Blain, if he steps aside."
Blain turned to Jale and Juda. "Don't do this. She's the one. She has the mark. I saw it just above her left breast. She will end this for us."
Redlynn's mouth fell open. Her birthmark. "When have you seen my breasts?" she gasped.
"Show them," Blain urged. "Show them the mark."
"The one from the prophesy? How wonderful." Garot clapped his hands together. "My father will be most pleased when I bring you to him."
"The hell you will!" Redlynn loosed an arrow. Garot stepped out of the way but it hit a vampire behind him, directly in the chest. The vampire fell to the ground.
Garot attacked Blain mid-shift and took him to the ground, as well. Sage ran at two more of the vampires. The girls began to scream and run in every direction.
"The crypt!" Redlynn yelled. "Sasha, Yanti, get them in the crypt!"
The girls didn't move. Terror filled their faces.
"I'll get you back out," she promised.
Yanti and Sasha nodded, gathering the girls and herded them to their prison.
Grabbing an arrow, Redlynn searched for Jale and Juda, the need for vengeance rising inside of her once more. She wished she had her sword to run them through.
They'd shifted and were running for a rocky hill, heading toward the forest. Setting her sight on one of them, she loosed an arrow. Her foot sank in the loam at the last second and she missed; it struck a rock, glancing off.
"Dammit!" She pulled another, but the brothers disappeared.
Cursing the uneven soil, Redlynn swung back to the fray. She shot the second arrow and downed a vampire, as he ran at Sage.
Garot and Blain fought with a fierceness that would've torn a normal human apart. Her ankle now b
ore weight, but still ached. She hobbled over to the crypt, covering the entrance. Her next arrow missed a vampire, but he spotted her and his face contorted with rage. The vampire ran straight for her. Redlynn pulled her hunting knife from her boot, still favoring her rapidly healing ankle, and prepared to engage.
He raced within mere feet of where she stood before Blain jumped on him, knocking him to the ground and tearing out his throat. The vampire gasped and choked as blood poured from the wound, before dissolving into mist. Redlynn and Blain locked eyes, and before she could react, Garot reached out with his long nails and ripped open a gaping wound on Blain's flank. Blain yelped in pain, and Redlynn charged Garot.
Something inside of her clicked. Anger surged deep within. She used it to work past the pain of her ankle, attacking with a ferociousness she didn't know she possessed. Knocking into the vampire, she pushed him to the ground with surprising ease, her knife finding a resting place in his abdomen.
"You bitch!" Garot howled. He used both hands to shove her off. She sailed through the air and landed hard on her back, knocking the wind out of her for the second time that day.
Blain guarded the crypt entrance, trying to fight off three vampires. To the left of him, the smile on Sage's face told her he was enjoying the fight he was engaged in. Redlynn caught her breath and tried to push to her feet, but Garot loomed over her and pulled her knife from his stomach.
"Forget my father. I'm going to enjoy eating you, Queen." Garot bared his fangs and pushed her face to the side, lowering his mouth to her neck.
An ear-splitting roar came from the left. A giant black blur knocked Garot away. Howling wolves echoed all around the ruins.
Adrian. Redlynn flooded with relief.
Turning his shaggy head, she met his golden eyes with her own. Garot fell on him and the two took off, Adrian snarling and snapping at Garot's throat. The wolves fought ferociously against the remaining vampires. Everyone moved so fast that it was hard for her to take it all in.
A couple of feet away, Blain bled heavily in several places.
Getting to her feet, she found her bow. Adrian had Garot by the throat, and the vampire was trying to gouge at his eyes. Angus moved up next to Redlynn and stood between her and the rest of the fighting. His warm, russet-colored body was so familiar; she must have played with him as a child. All this time…
Redlynn held the arrow against her cheek and tried to track Garot, to take the shot, but Adrian was all over him. There was no way to hit Garot without hitting Adrian. She swore under her breath and looked to Blain. A vampire had him pinned on the ground and slashed at him with razor sharp nails. Redlynn aimed and fired, but the arrow missed in his frenzied movements.
His head whipped up and he ran at her. Blain was on his feet and leapt at the vampire from behind, but the vampire pulled Blain off and swiped at him, opening Blain's throat.
Redlynn pulled an arrow and let it fly. The vampire turned at the exact moment and the arrow caught him in the neck. He looked down in shock and then dissolved into mist.
Sage fought for his life, his movements so expert that he was a blur among the two vampires he battled. He kicked one in the face, forcing him toward a tree. Kicking him again in the chest, the vampire flew into the trunk, a broken branch sticking out of his chest. Sage pulled a sword from where it had been tucked at the small of his back and cut off the vampire's head.
The second vampire grabbed Sage from behind. Sage flipped him over onto his back and shoved his sharpened nails into the vampire's chest, ripping out the blackened heart. The vampire and his dripping heart dissolved the instant Sage beheaded him.
Redlynn turned to Adrian and found he'd shifted from his wolf form and held Garot in the air by his throat. Garot squirmed and kicked out like a babe. His long nails dug deep into Adrian's arms in an effort to get him to let go. Adrian's hard body was marred with cuts and abrasions, blood dribbling down his skin. Deep gashes oozed on his back and side. Redlynn and Angus moved to where Adrian stood. Sage joined them.
"What do you think this will do, animal?" Garot choked. "Kill me; it won't change anything. My father will enact his revenge."
"Let him try," said Adrian. "Let all of them come. The prophecy is fulfilled. We will no longer hide in the forest. We will end the reign of bloodshed."
Garot choked, laughed, his breathing labored. His gaze drifted to Redlynn.
"He will betray you, she-Were. He will betray you the way his father betrayed his mother."
"My father," Adrian clenched his jaw, "was bewitched by a daemon."
"How stupid you dogs are. All it takes is the swish of a tail—"
Adrian roared in anger. Digging his claws into Garot's throat, he ripped open his larynx and dropped the vampire to the ground. Adrian raised his claws and prepared to administer the killing blow.
"No!" Sage grabbed Adrian's wrist. "Wait." Sage pushed aside his long leather traveling coat and pulled a knife out of a sheath strapped to his leg. It was a long, curved, white dagger, with a blood red stone in the hilt.
Garot laughed hoarsely. Air bubbled through the already closing hole in his throat. "And you, dear cousin," he croaked. "Your father was so gullible. Thinking that his court was loyal to his rule, when all along traitors lay all around him, waiting for the chance to strike"
"The only traitor was your father."
"Oh, cousin, how wrong you are."
Sage grabbed Garot by the hair and sliced off his head with one fluid movement. "For my father," he whispered.
Garot's body fell to the earth and his head stayed in Sage's grip. Sage mumbled a prayer that Redlynn couldn't decipher. The white knife glowed brightly and sucked in all of the blood that stained it. Then Sage sheathed it and stood.
"Good to see you again, King Adrian."
"And you, Prince Sage."
The men clasped forearms. The rain had turned to a light misting. Redlynn looked from the vampire's body, lying in the mud, his head in Sage's hand. "What kind of knife is that?" she asked.
"It is a Royal Blooded Cris. Blessed by the fae to kill a vampire, but preserve the body."
"What are you going to do with the body?" Adrian asked.
"Deliver it to the doorstep of my uncle."
"But won't he know it's you?" asked Redlynn.
"I hope so." Sage smiled.
Adrian turned to Redlynn. He had a cut across his chest that was healing already. He looked unsure of what to do. Angus moved out of the way, and Redlynn moved toward him. They stood staring at each other for several minutes, neither speaking.
"Where are the girls?" he asked finally.
"Over in the—" Redlynn broke off, glancing over her shoulder. Her gaze lit on the naked form of Blain on the ground. "Blain!" she yelled.
Dropping down on the soggy ground, she rolled Blain's head into her lap. Sage found the discarded scraps of Redlynn's cloak and covered him as much as possible.
"Blain." Adrian took his hand.
Blain's skin was slick with blood and sweat. Redlynn pressed her palm to his throat in an attempt to staunch the blood. Thick, warm liquid poured through her fingertips.
"Sorry…I didn't…see you… wield that sword." Blain gave her a shaky smile. His lips moved and he sucked in a bubbly breath. "Adrian. I'm sorry... It's been so long... I wanted to help... so you could rescue them... and take them home... show the Sisters the truth…"
Adrian nodded, but said nothing. Blain was responsible for the torture of these girls, but a part of her understood the need he had to protect his people. Wasn't that what she did, what she'd left her home to do? Wasn't she ready to kill the Weres, no matter the cost, to protect her village? He'd tried to save his race. But some things weren't worth the cost.
"You'll be fine, my brother," Adrian said. "You'll heal, and we can talk about it then."
Blain shook his head. "Not this time, I fear. Take her... she's the one…" Blain sputtered, coughed and choked, and then coughed some more. Bubbles of blood dribbled down his chin. Hi
s gaze locked on Redlynn's, and he sucked in one last, deep breath. "I'm sorry, golden sister, forgive…"
His eyes went glassy, and then blank. Redlynn chest squeezed, but no tears were shed. She reached down and kissed Blain on the forehead. Closing his eyes, she whispered, "I'll try."
Chapter Seventeen
Adrian looked down at his best friend. How was it possible that Blain had done those things? To have stooped so low as to trust the vampires, and allow Sisters to be sacrificed. And for what? So they could fake a rescue and play the heroes by taking them home? Adrian stared into the face of the man he'd stood with as brothers, no longer even knowing who the man was.
Guilt wracked him, knowing that it was partly his fault this had happened. If he'd tried to go to the Sisterhood earlier, none of this would've happened. His men wouldn't be forced to gain physical affection from bought human women, and Blain wouldn't have resorted to doing the unthinkable. The betrayal at that moment went deeper than when his mother had left. Probably how Redlynn feels about me.
Sniffles and crying tore Adrian's thoughts from his friend. The girls re-emerged from the crypt.
"Girls," Redlynn called, standing. "These are the wolves of Wolvenglen. You were taken by wolves, but you need to listen to me when I tell you, these wolves will not harm you. We're going to take you with us, to Wolvenglen, and then in a couple of days, when you're well, I'll return you home."
Adrian's soul hit a pit of despair at her words. She was taking the girls back to Volkzene.
Trepidation showed all over the girls' faces.
"I won't let anything happen to you," Redlynn promised. The confidence and gentleness in Redlynn's voice tore at his heart. This was who she was meant to become. This was her destiny. To lead the Sisterhood.
The men shifted into wolf form, hiding their nakedness, and lumbered into the trees. Sage removed his coat and offered it to Adrian.
"Thank you." He rose and pulled it around his naked body.
"We'll see each other again soon, Adrian, King of the Wolves."
"You can count on it." Adrian extended his hand. "What will you do now?"
Sage shrugged. "Continue on. Watch and wait for the signs for the next prophecy. I want to regain my kingdom, but not at the cost of the lives of my friends. So I'll be patient."
Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set Page 329