She sneers before sauntering off through the door with Dean right behind her.
“Let’s go,” orders the soldier as he grips tightly onto my arm and hauls me off the floor. He pushes me harshly through the halls and down to the basement before chaining me with silver and abandoning me in the dark.
|austin|
“How’d you find her?” I ask Aston as I watch all my warriors gather their weapons and say farewell to their families.
“Alpha Cunningham from the Blood Warriors is here with his pack member, Bale. He apparently had a vision about what will happen if Celeste isn’t saved and begged the moon goddess for her location. They’re waiting to speak to you in the living room.”
I give him a nod in thanks before rushing off to the living room.
There are a group of men in the living room. They all look on edge.
“Alpha Cunningham,” I say to the man who is a few good years older than men, “good to see you. I just wish it was under better circumstances. Where’s Valentine?” I ask as I shake his hand and take a seat on the couch across from him.
“She wanted to be here to comfort you, but I didn’t want her traveling while she’s pregnant. She wants you to call her once you get your mate back though.”
“Thank you, Alpha Cunningham. I’ll be sure to update her on everything. Now, what is this information you have regarding my Celeste?” I lean back in my chair as he clears his throat and looks hesitantly to Bale and back to me.
“Well, Bale here has informed Valentine and I about a vision he had. You two will die. Apparently, he also learned that should this vision come true, a being not of this realm shall rise and wreak havoc, not only on the supernatural creatures roaming this earth, but the humans inhabiting it as well. Austin, if you two are killed at the hands of this creature that has taken her, our world will be doomed.”
He looks absolutely terrified as he speaks, which says a lot because hardly anything can scare an alpha this badly.
“Point me to where this creature is hiding, and I shall save my luna, then everything will be fine.” I try to assure him, but he still looks disturbed.
“That’s not everything.” he mumbles as he looks away.
“What else is there?”
“It’s a trap. The men holding her wants you to try and rescue her. I’m sorry, Austin, but either way, whether you rescue her or not, one of you will die,” he tells me solemnly.
I grow angry, and I growl at his words. “Why would they need me?”
My words are grounded, and try to retract the sharp canines that are digging into my lip.
“It’s part of a ritual. They want to take control of her soul, but because she has found her mate, you, her soul is now one with yours. They need to kill you first before they can take her soul.”
I sit quietly for a few minutes, processing the information given to me before I reply. “What do I do? Either way one of us dies.”
“That’s not necessarily true.”
I grow hopeful at this news, and I quickly tell him to continue.
“I think we’ve figured out a plan to help you and Luna Celeste, but I will need you to trust me and not argue because I guarantee you’ll hate what I have to say. Can you trust me, Alpha Roman?”
I give him a sly smile as I stand. I hold my hand out for him to take.
“You’re like a brother to me, Alpha Cunningham. I trust you with my life and now, my mate’s life, too.”
He grips my hand with a smile of his own, and I pull him into a brotherly hug.
“Okay, we have an attack to plan my brother.”
|celeste|
I don’t know how long it’s been, but my arms have gone numb from the silver chained around them. Soon, the creaking of the door echoes around the room and I snap my head up, Cat stirring slightly at the back of my mind.
“Wake up, my darling. The time has come.” My mother chirps happily as my father walks in behind her and unlocks my chains. I could use this chance to attack, but I’m not stupid. I’m weak, and as long as my father is under her command, I won’t be able to strike her. So, instead, I go peacefully, playing the part of a helpless wolf who can’t even walk two steps without tripping.
“Carry her or else taking her upstairs will take forever.” My mother snaps at my father and he’s quick to oblige.
This is good. Without the drugs clouding my system, maybe I could get in his head. I wouldn’t be able to if I am walking on my own since it takes so much of my focus.
“Dad…” I call through the mind link. “Dad, are you in there?”
I peek towards Lilith to make sure she doesn’t suspect anything. If I’m not careful, she’ll sense that I’m poking around in his head.
“Celeste?” My father’s tired and confused voice fills my head.
“Yes, it’s me. I need you to listen because we don’t have much time. Lilith is a demon and has taken control of your mind.” I reply quickly, getting straight to the point. This is no time to sugarcoat things.
“Impossible. Where are you?”
“It is very much possible. Now I know you can see the things around you if you try hard enough. Please look down at the girl you’re carrying.” I plead and watch silently as the same flash of recognition from before appears in his.
“Dad, it’s me. She is going to kill me.”
“No. My Celeste is with her uncle. It’s only been a few months since we left her. You’re just trying to trick me.”
His eyes turn to slits as he glares harshly down at me
“No, dad, please, it’s me. It’s Celeste. It’s been years; so many years since you left me in the woods. Please, you have to fight her dad.”
A tear escapes from the corner of my eye, and his gaze softens ever so slightly. The arm that’s holding me up from under my thigh twitches slightly as he tries to control his actions.
“How can this be?” he questions.
The sound of people milling about starts becoming more evident as we approach the doors.
“We don’t have much time. You’ve been locked away inside your head. You need to find where Lilith is hiding and take control. Find where she is in your head and kick her out. Then you can have full control once again.”
The trance I’m in breaks as the doors fly open. The whole pack stands around the backyard, screaming and cheering as I’m carried to a pole in the middle. Soon, I’m set down and chained with silver, my wrists locked around the pole as I sit on my knees.
“Everyone, gather around! The time has come for Celeste to meet her end. Her mate is almost here, and soon, she will watch him die slowly before we sacrifice her and gain the power we all deserve.” My mother screams, causing everyone to cheer happily.
Soon, the cheers die down. The only sound is the thunder around us as a storm starts to brew with lightning striking every few seconds. Just as the rain begins to pour and hit me like tiny little daggers burning my skin from their coldness, a long strong howl is heard.
It’s one I know all too well.
“Austin…” I mumble.
“Let the fun begin.” My mom cackles as everyone around me begins to shift and snarl, excitement radiating off of them as they wait for my mate to walk into their trap.
Goddess, please save us.
CHAPTER 40
|austin|
“Okay, everybody understands the plan?” I ask the warriors surrounding me and they all respond with a Yes, Alpha before breaking away from the crowd to say goodbye to their families. A clap on my back has me turning to the right.
It was Vance. “We’re going to get her back.” With one last squeeze of reassurance to my shoulder, he leaves.
It’s not long before I gather everyone together again to shift; all of us carelessly tossing our clothes to the side before turning into our mighty wolves. Everyone but me shifts since I have to stay in human form for the plan to work. We start off in the direction provided by Gamma Bale. Both Alpha Cunningham and his gamma run along the pack to prov
ide any help we might need.
It takes about an hour before I finally pick up Celeste’s scent and my wolf comes closer to the surface. He lets out a long and anger-filled howl as he pushes me to move faster. The smell of fear lightly dusts the air from the pathetic group of wolves that thought they could kidnap my mate without consequences.
I come to a stop right before I cross their territory, and I nod towards my warriors to tell them to get into position. Alpha Cunningham starts to rub his scent over four of my best warriors, knowing they’d be able to sneak in undetected with it on them. Cunningham and I begin to make our way over the territory line, my four warriors following behind before dispersing and hiding out of sight. The remaining ones stay behind the line and wait for my call to attack.
We’re going to make Alpha Foster think he has the upper hand when in reality he’s falling into our trap.
Celeste’s scent becomes even stronger, along with the metallic smell of blood. A growl rumbles through my chest as I walk closer and closer to the opening in the trees. Cunningham stays in wolf form next to me as I break through the mess of leaves and branches.
Soon, we come face to face with their pack guards. I stand tall in front of the ones a few feet ahead of me, and more than a few cower.
I do a quick scan of the crowd before they break apart to reveal my mate chained in silver to a pole. I can feel my eyes change to that of my wolf’s as my canines extend and my claws come out.
“Unhand my mate or I will torture you all until you beg for mercy.” I growl, along with Cunningham, as Celeste pulls on the chains, trying to break free.
“Run, Austin!” she screams as a tall and bony woman steps forward. “Run! It’s a trap!” she calls but I remain unaffected. I already knew of their trap.
“Hush, my child, or I’ll cut out your tongue.” The woman seethes at Celeste while my mate just stares at her with pure hatred.
“I am no child of yours, Lilith.” She hisses back as her eyes swirl black and red.
“Try all you want, darling, but that demon of yours won’t be coming out to play.” She cackles and then slowly focuses her attention back onto me.
“So, you’re the famous Austin Roman?” She muses as she strides confidently towards me. “After everything I heard, I expected something better planned from you. I mean, do you seriously believe you and that pathetic Alpha next to you can stop me?” She chuckles and comes to a stop less than a foot away from me.
“Alpha Cunningham is just here to take care of the rogues you tricked into joining your side. I plan on killing you myself without any help. It shouldn’t be too hard considering you’re nothing more than a low-level demon. You’re nothing, just a piece of scum stuck to Lucifer’s shoe.”
She scowls and backs away slowly, heading towards Celeste.
“Now, is that any way to talk to your future mother-in-law?” She stops right next to Celeste’s huddled form in the grass. “Do you hear how he talks to your dear mother, Celeste?” Her voice is filled with fake sadness as she grabs a fistful of her hair and yanks her head up so Celeste can look at her. She bends down and places her lips right next to Celeste’s ear as she whispers, making sure she’s loud enough for me to hear. “I think he needs to be punished.” An evil glint shines in her eyes as she stands tall and calls over a taller man who carries a glass case before her.
I can’t see what’s inside, but from the way Celeste’s eyes widen, I know it’s not good.
“No, no, no! Dad stop it! Kick her out of your head, please!” she cries out as her mother opens the case and pulls out a silver gun. Intricate designs are displayed all over it.
“Oh hush. It’s alright, darling.” She strokes Celeste’s hair with the gun raised on the hand.
“It’ll only hurt a lot. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you feel all of it.” With that said, she aims the gun right at my chest. “Bye bye, Roman.”
Then she fires. I close my eyes, bracing myself for the impact as Celeste let’s out a terrified scream.
“NO!” she yells before a snap sounds in the air.
My eyes shoot open at the sound only to see Celeste standing right in front of me, her eyes wide and her body frozen.
I look down when I feel no pain and scrunch my eyebrows in confusion. Then Celeste starts to wobble and her knees buckle. I catch her as she falls. I lay her body across my lap and catch sight of the giant pool of blood that’s seeping through her shirt, right above her heart.
I stare in horror as she coughs, and blood comes from her mouth. It’s just like my dream. She cracks her bloodied lips open, and I watch as she tries to gather enough energy to speak.
It’s your fault I recall her words from my dream and tears gather in my eyes as I wait for her to speak them for real.
“I-I” she coughs at the efforr. “I l-love you.”
She takes another strangled breath as her heart slows down before it stops all together, and I feel my soul tear in two. Her eyelids fall, and I clutch on to her still warm but lifeless body as I release a mournful howl. The wolves from my pack join in as they feel the tie to their luna break before they all rush into the clearing with their teeth bared.
“Get them.” I growl before shifting and attacking the first wolf I see, my pack following my lead and attacking the people around them. I let my wolf have full control as I mercilessly kill anything that comes in my way, my eyes on Celeste’s mother the whole time I do.
It’s time for her to die.
CHAPTER 41
|celeste|
It all happened so fast. I still can’t really understand any of it. All I remember is Austin arriving and my mother taunting him while I tried to use my demon side or Cat, but I couldn’t. They were being blocked. Then my whole world seemed to freeze as I saw my father carry a case with a gun inside. I screamed and begged, but he was fighting a fight he couldn’t win.
Once my mother, Lilith, had the gun out and pointed, all I could hear was a ringing in my ear and my heartbeat as it went well seemed to pound a hundred times at once.
Then everything seemed to slow as that bullet left the chamber. My eyes followed the little metal bullet as I screamed. Then something snapped inside me. My vision turned red as the bullet crept closer to Austin and I was finally able to free myself. I snapped the silver chain like a twig and didn’t even hesitate as I ran faster than ever and stood in front of my mate.
As soon as the bullet had pierced my skin, my vision faded back to normal and my hearing came back. Everything was normal again and I fell to the ground. But Austin caught me. He looked so scared when I looked at him, like his heart just shattered in two. I coughed and he watched in horror as blood trickled from my cracked lips.
I gave him a hesitant smile before whispering my final words. I knew this was my end, but I also knew they’d be fine without me. Zeke will kill my mother. My father will be free from his spell, and hopefully, Austin will get a second chance at a mate.
“I love you,” I whispered before my eyes fell shut and I felt the final bit of life drain from me.Now, I’m just suspended in darkness.
Is this heaven or my own personal hell?
I couldn’t tell. I was a demon, so I was sure it was the second one.
“Hello?” I called into the darkness.
Before I could even process what was happening, I start falling. A scream leaves my lips then I land with a loud thump against the cold marble floor. With a groan, I lift myself off the ground and watch as a passageway of torches lit up ahead of me. Being the curious one that I am, I follow them.
It feels like forever before I finally enter an elegant throne room. A black metal throne sits at the top of over a dozen sets of stairs. A man is sitting in it with a crown on his head.
“W-who are you?”
He gives me a lazy smile. He stands, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he does. “I guess you could say I’m your father.”
“My father is Dean Middleton.”
He begins the journey down the stair
s, his eyes never leaving mine.
“No, my child, he isn’t your father. The only genetics you share with that man is the Lycan gene, which I granted to you by the way. But really, it is me who you come from. I’m the one whose blood you share, and I am the one who placed you inside your mother’s womb.”
“But Zeke said the only other person I share blood with is Lucifer and you aren’t him, are you?” I step away in fear as his jaw clenches and he looks away from me.
“Yes, Celeste, I am.”
My heart thumps loudly in my chest as I turn to run, only to scream in fear as an arm pulls me back.
“Don’t fight, my child. I do not wish to harm you.” He pins my arms to my sides and waits a few minutes to make sure I’m already calm before he lets go.
“Are you okay?” he asks softly while I’m still in shock, the only thing I’m able to do is give a stiff nod.
“Good. Now, please sit so I can explain.”
He holds his hand out for me to take, and I hesitantly grab hold of it. He smiles brightly as I do before leading me towards a table in the far corner and sitting me in a plush seat. He sits in front of me, clearing his throat and clasping his hands together in front of him.
“I’m sure you’re very confused and have lots of questions, but don’t worry. I have all the answer you seek. Please, ask away.” He leans back in his chair and waits for what I have to say.
“Is it true what Zeke told me? That I was made, not only because you wanted a child and heir to hell, but to lead a grand army of elite demon soldiers of your choosing?”
He takes a second before answering.
“Well, yes. You see, I’ve always wanted a child of my own; someone to cherish and teach my ways, much like my father did to the humans. Then I got word from the fates that, in the near future, a war would happen. They were scared our kind wouldn’t make it, so they begged me to create an heir strong enough to fight by my side and to guide our people through battle. Then I saw one of the three innocents took an interest in you. They asked me to make you one of their soul killer demons. Something about you fascinated me too, so I gave you my blood. I made you my own.”
The Devil's Daughter: A Paranormal Romance Page 17