by Elle Boon
“Good luck with that,” Cora laughed.
Talia saw Torq’s question in his intent stare. “Not all Fey have the same powers, like I’ve told you. I can move from one place to the other without it draining me. In my realm, I can also tap into my family’s lineage, which as you’ve heard is royal. Combining the elders’ power with my own, I was able to pull the Dark Fae from the child. We had no clue until then that it was even possible for a Fey to host evil such as that. But, if they’re given the body from birth by the parents, then well, clearly they can.”
“Where was the boy’s family?” Niall growled, moving toward his son who’d stopped jumping inside the bubble.
Taking a deep breath, she turned to face the alpha of the Mystic Pack. “He was an orphan that the village had taken in. Payton would know more than I as we did what we came to do, then moved on.”
Payton gave a mirthless laugh. “No, she did what she does while the others held back with a look of anger and horror. Once the darkness was defeated, by her and her alone, she then comforted the child who was confused and frightened. The Dark Fae had inhabited his body but hadn’t taken over, yet. Seems they like to wait until the host is fully grown.” The last was snarled.
“We left that afternoon after making sure the village was safe. I’d forgotten that day.” No, she hadn’t as it was the day her fellow warriors had begun to pull back even more. Yes, they’d always held themselves back from her, but after they’d seen what she could do, they’d begun calling her princess and no longer invited her into their circle.
“They were fools,” Torq snarled.
He felt red hot rage at the unknown men and women who’d shunned Talia because she was more than they were. Hell, she was more than he was, yet all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and keep her safe. Of course, she was more than powerful enough to keep herself safe.
“Is anyone going to get the little nugget out of the bubble, or is he going to sleep in there?”
They all turned to see that Nolan had worn himself out and was now sleeping on the bottom of the bubble. Niall gave a slight chuckle, then he looked at Talia with a raise of his brow. “Can you pop that thing without waking my little monster?”
Torq kept his hands on Talia’s shoulders, giving a slight squeeze to let her know he had her back.
“Would you like me to put him in his bed?”
Alaina stood from her relaxed pose where she’d been leaning against the bubble. “Wait, can you do that? Just like, poof, and then, he’s in bed?” She made a sound that sounded like a little boom, her hands spread out in front of her.
Talia lifted one shoulder. “It’s relatively easy for me to do. Although, I wouldn’t do it unless you approved. I know parents don’t like to let their children out of their sight. I can assure you no harm would come to him.”
“I trust you,” Niall said.
The alpha’s words made Talia stand taller. Torq could feel her power rising from within her. Since he’d marked her, taken some of her essence into himself, he could feel a swell of Fey powers within himself when she drew on them. He wondered if he too could harness the same energy. For the time being, he focused on lending his mate his strength. Instead of making Nolan disappear, Talia floated him into his room with Alaina following, her excitement at learning how to do the same thing making Niall groan.
“Alright, so we need to split up. I don’t want all of us racing up to the lodge like an angry pack and stumble into a trap. I’ll take the twins with me. Zayn’ll go with you and Talia, while Jett and Bronx meet up with Jory and go in from the other side.” Niall outlined the plan.
Talia raised her hand. “If any of you recognize the scent that I shared with Niall, don’t engage. I understand all of you are big bad alpha wolves, but we don’t know exactly what we’re facing. Keith was one thing, but whoever this being is, he or she could be worse or could be nothing.” She shrugged.
Torq rubbed his chin against the top of her head. The constant need to connect with his mate was a little jarring, especially when he wasn’t sure how she’d react to his need. Her head tilted back, blue eyes met his shining with acceptance. He dipped his head, sealing their lips in a quick hard kiss.
“Get a room,” Jett coughed.
Torq lifted his left hand, flipping his friend off.
Taryn and Taya walked toward them, a united front. He stepped back, giving Talia a little room with her girls but close enough she could feel his presence.
“Listen, you need to be extra careful. You might be some big badass warrior beotch, but you’re our mother, and we just got you back. So yeah, you go do your thing, but if you get hurt, we’re so gonna haunt your ass,” Taryn said.
Taya groaned. “Goddess, and you said you were the gentler one. What baby brat here means, but clearly didn’t say well, is we want you to come back to us safely. We missed out on way too much time already, and I for one don’t want to lose more.”
Talia held her arms out, and then both girls were wrapping her up in a hug. Torq looked away, meeting Niall’s gaze over their shoulders. His alpha gave a quick dip of his head. Talia hadn’t been welcomed into the pack as a full member, yet, since he’d only just claimed her. However, that one look was his way of telling Torq it was only a formality. Talia was his, and she’d be welcome.
“Alright, lets go. Payton, you and Emerson protect the family.” Niall turned and met his mate by the hallway. Torq turned from them giving the couple a sense of privacy.
“We ready to roll?” he asked Talia. Taryn and Taya moved away toward their mates, giving them space.
“Yes. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can start our life together.” Talia brushed her hands down her sides.
He used his finger to tilt her face up to his. “We say ‘Get r done’. The sooner we get r done, the sooner we can get to getting.”
His mate smiled. “What does that even mean?”
Torq wrapped his other arm around her. “It means we go and kick the shit out of some baddies, then we go fuck like wolfies.”
Zayn clapped him on the shoulder as he passed. “You’ve been around the crazy Fey Queen too long I think.”
“Hey, she only says the truth.”
He and Talia followed the second of the Mystic Pack out the back door where River and Raydon waited. Within moments, the rest of the pack who were also going, filed out. Payton waved from the doorway, then waved her hand. Torq hadn’t ever seen magic, mostly because it was invisible to the human eye, but as soon as her arm dropped, he could see a faint pink glow surrounding Niall’s home.
“Did she just add an extra ward to the house?” he asked Talia.
Talia glanced over her shoulder. “Yes, she’s good.” With a slight shift of her body, raised her arm and waved, sending a burst of power over the ward. “An extra layer. Can’t be too careful,” she announced.
With a ripple of magic, they all shifted, except Talia and Torq. He looked at her, then at the wolves surrounding them. “I’m going to shift. My senses are enhanced more when I let my wolf out. I know you can shift into other forms, but what’s your preference?” Their relationship was new, but with their bond, he felt as if he’d known her for years.
“I’ll follow you as mist. It’ll cloak my presence as well as allow me to seek the dark one.”
He didn’t question how she’d find them, knowing her skill set was in a wheel house he had no chance of understanding. “C’mere,” he said as he bent and kissed her. “You be careful and stay with Zayn and I.”
The sound of her rapid breathing and increased heart rate were the only outward signs that she was excited, or scared. Torq let his wolf emerge. The quick transition happened within one breath and the next.
“That’s new,” Niall spoke through their link.
Torq didn’t pretend not to understand. He’d always shifted quickly, but within seconds was a record. “I think I have my mate to thank.”
“I’m sure it has something to do with her Fey blood.
Let’s not announce it to the world, just yet.”
Torq was in complete agreement. He gave a yip, then he and Zayn followed behind the others, splitting off into groups, with he and Zayn going to the back of the lodge near the offices while Niall and his group took the front. The other would check the perimeter to make sure nothing was amiss.
“I feel him.” Talia’s words came to him through their link. “He feels familiar. Not just a Dark Fae, but—I can’t put my finger on it. It’s like I know him.”
Torq wished they were in human form so he could reassure her she was safe, but they were getting closer to the lodge. “If you feel threatened, say the word, and we back off.”
“No, we stick to the plan,” she said with finality.
Zayn’s wolf wasn’t as large as his, yet he was one of the deadliest of the pack. He led Torq, while Talia ghosted over them, her presence like a fine mist he could feel yet couldn’t see. The closer they were to the lodge, the more his wolf began to bristle. “Zayn, hold up. Do you smell that?”
The stink of rot was like a barrier around the perimeter. Zayn came to a stop, his wolf sitting back on its haunches while he raised his head and inhaled. “Yeah, it’s pretty damn offensive to my wolf. Smells like shit,” he growled through their link, making Talia laugh in his head.
“It’s pretty obnoxious. Never thought of it as shit, but it’s pretty bad. That can’t be good,” Talia agreed.
“That smell, is the scent of the Dark Fae,” Torq informed Zayn, sharing the knowledge with Niall and the rest of the pack, trying to convey what they should search for.
“Shit, Jory’s down. Something came out of nowhere and slammed into him.” The sound of Jett’s heavy breathing had Talia becoming solid.
Torq growled, placing his body in front of hers. “Talia, this could be a trap. Dematerialize,” he ordered.
She shook her head. “I need to help him,” she whispered.
After finding out where Jory was, Torq and Talia took off, leaving Zayn to watch the perimeter while Bronx made his way toward him. Once they reached Jory, Talia quickly knelt, her hands running over his wolven form.
Torq shifted to human, their bond flaring as she used her powers to heal Jory. The other man shifted from wolf to human, a moan escaping him.
“Thank fuck,” Jett said as he too shifted. “Whatever hit him was some nasty shit. It was like we walked through a skunk cloud, and bam, Jory went down.” He ran his hand down his face.
Talia reached down to the earth, sifting her hands through the soil. She murmured some words in a language Torq didn’t understand. He waited until she finished before he knelt, taking a look at the markings on Jory’s chest. “What the hell is that?” he asked, pointing at the scarring over the man’s left pec.
“It’s the mark of the Fae. Were going to need to take him to my realm to heal him completely.”
He was already shaking his head before she finished. “No, T. That’s probably exactly what this bastard wants. I bet he’s figured out a way to piggyback in. We find another way to fix Jory.”
Jory moaned, his body thrashing.
Talia shook her head. “There’s no other way, Torq. If I don’t take him to the Fey Realm, he’ll die.”
“Fuck,” Niall said as he came up to them. “What’s going on?”
Torq pulled Talia up beside him. “Looks like they triggered a trap that somehow has infected Jory. If he’s not taken to Fey, he’s going to die. Fuck,” he muttered, turning away. “This is bad. You leave with Jory, and it could leave us without you, making us vulnerable. Or you could be taking the enemy back to your world. Either way, it’s a shitshow.”
“What they don’t know is that I won’t be going back alone. Lula’s a fierce dragon. She’s also a healer. They’ll be signing their own death warrants if they do piggyback with me. As for leaving you vulnerable here, you don’t give yourself enough credit. Besides, you’ve got Fey blood in you now from the royal house of Taluleth. If there’s one thing I’m glad I can claim, that’s royal blood. My blood runs through you.” Her words soothed his jagged nerves slightly.
“I want a lot more than your blood, farfalla.” Torq looked around at the others, and then down at Jory. The other man was shivering, his tanned skin pale and getting paler. “Go, but dammit, if you don’t come back to me unscathed, I’ll tan your hide.”
“I’m not scared of that threat. You know why?” She stood on her toes, bringing their mouths together. “I know you’d never hurt me, Torq Dunn of the Mystic Pack.”
He growled. “No, I’d never hurt you, but I’d find all kinds of ways to make you never want to leave my side again.”
She kissed him again. “No need to do that as I already don’t want to leave you. I love you, Torq.” Her lips brushed over his, and then she and Jory disappeared.
“Fuck, she just left.” He pulled at his hair. “Let’s continue searching for this fucker. If he’s here and not actually following her, then we end his fucking existence before my mate gets back.”
Zayn nodded and shifted quickly. Torq shifted faster, falling onto four paws. The stank was thinning, but he and Zayn worked their way around the lodge. The closer they got to where Niall was stationed, the thicker the scent became. His hackles rose. If the Dark Fae hadn’t gone with Talia, then he or she was still at the lodge, and now they were going to face it without the help of a Fey warrior. Shit, he realized that was exactly what the bastard had intended. Splitting them up, making it easier for him to destroy their pack.
“He’s here. He never had any intention of leaving. I think he was evening the playing field by sending Talia back with Jory.” Torq growled out through their link, letting all the wolves hear what he was sure was the truth. If they fell back now, there wouldn’t be any casualties. However, if they stayed...he couldn’t think of the possibilities.
The sound of a female’s whimper had them all spinning to face the woods. A tall, thin man walked toward them, his gait unimpeded by the fact he was dragging a female. Torq inhaled, trying to figure out who the female wolf was.
River and Raydon burst through the woods feet from the man, their growls would’ve made most beings piss their pants. The man however raised his free hand, a ball floated above him. “Back off, mutts, or I’ll end your worthless existence along with this one.” His hand wavered over the head of the female.
“Sky, are you okay?” Niall asked.
A whimper was his answer, sounding muffled. From their vantage point, the only thing they could see was the top of her head, where the man’s hand was wrapped around her hair, and her body as he hauled her forward. The coppery scent of blood, shifter blood, filled the air. “She’s bleeding, Niall. If she’s their mate, they won’t be able to stop themselves from attacking to protect her.” Torq spoke to Niall through their private link. If Talia had been in Sky’s shoes, he’d tear the man’s head off or die trying.
“Why don’t you release the female and face me like a man instead of a pussy like you are,” Niall taunted.
A laugh was his answer, then he brought Sky up, swinging her around to face them. Torq thought he was prepared for anything, but he was wrong. Seeing the tiny female with her mouth sewn shut with what looked like thick black yarn, and her eyes, Goddess, her eyes looked as if they were great pools of blackness. Streaks of blood dripped from both sockets, trails of red flowed from her ears, too much blood for one to lose and still stand. What he’d done to her and for how long, Torq had no clue. The twin anguished growls emitted from his packmates made him turn away from the vision in front of him, his body moving before he realized what was happening. With a thought, he created a wall, blocking River and Raydon from attacking.
“Don’t. It’s what he wants. He’s feeding off your energy. Look,” he said as he glared over his shoulder to see the bastard standing his arms out as if he was waiting for an influx of power.
Chapter Thirteen
Torq struggled to keep the twins behind the invisible wall. Fuck, he wasn’t sur
e how he’d created it, yet was glad he had. Talia’s words floated to him, reminding him she’d gifted him some of her powers. “Niall, get control of them.” Uncaring he was ordering his alpha, Torq faced the bastard who came to harm his people. “So, you like hurting little girls? Why don’t you try stepping into the big boys’ playground and see if you can hang with the big dogs, or maybe you prefer staying on the porch with the pups?”
“That doesn’t even make sense. Which are you? A man or a dog? Let me answer that. You’re all nothing but animals to be used when the need arises. This one has served her purpose.” He gave Sky one final look, then tossed her aside, her muffled moan cut off as soon as she hit the ground.
“What do you want? Sorry, I don’t know your name.” Torq waited.
The man laughed. “That’s right, you don’t. I guess you all should know who’s going to end your existence.” The man brushed at his sleeves, straightened his collar, then smiled. In that moment, his blue eyes glinted. Dark hair gleamed as the moon hit it, giving it a look of blue highlights. “I am Troyer Taluleth of the House of Talu. Brother to Talia, the forgotten sister. She shamed our family. She doesn’t deserve happiness.”
Torq blinked and shook his head. Talia had said she was an only child. An unwanted only child. He said the same to Troyer.
Troyer glared. “My parents decided to try for another child after she left. Luckily, they were blessed with a son this time, me. But, they never let me forget just how powerful their eldest was. How she’d have been perfect had she not blah blah. Then, word got around about her warrior status. Everyone wanted to congratulate my parents on having such a fearsome daughter. They were ready to welcome her back into our home. My home. I couldn’t allow that.”
With a flick of his wrist, Troyer showed them the little boy with the darkness in him. That darkness was a part of Talia’s brother. He’d found a way to harness the power and split it, making it its own entity, only twisted. “You killed your own people to keep your sister away?” Torq didn’t disguise the disgust in his voice.