BloodSworn
Authors: Stacey Brutger
THE LAST BLOODSWORN WITCH MUST
CONFRONT HER FATE IF SHE HOPES TO SAVE THE MAN WHO FORCED HIS WAY INTO HER
LONELY HEART
.
Ten years after they bound her
powers and banished her, Trina Weyebridge had successfully carved out a new
existence in the human world. She put her life as a witch behind her. But, her
magic would not be denied, the bindings holding them in check are weakening.
Vampires who crave a taste of the powers stored in her blood are hunting her
with deadly force and have kidnapped her sister to lure her out. In a desperate
bid to free her sister and gain her own freedom, Trina bargains with the
all-too-tempting lion shifter who calls out the long forgotten wild side in
her…she would be his concubine in return for pack protection. She’d be safe…until
they found out the truth.
UNDENIABLE DESIRE. FORBIDDEN LOVE.
INESCAPABLE DESTINY.
When Merrick spots a female intruder
living on his property, he’s intrigued by her daring. Curious to find out more,
he follows her and comes to her aid when she falls prey to an attack. After
weeks of unnatural silence, his beast awakens at her touch, and he suspects
that she might be the only one able to save his race from a disease killing his
kind. Not willing to take the chance of losing her, he binds her to him the
only way he knows how…by claiming her as his own. All he has to do to save her
is uncover the secrets of her past, stop a pack revolt, convince her that she’s
desperately in love with him in return, and prevent a war.
S
TACEY
B
RUTGER
This is a work of fiction. Names, character, places, and
incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used
fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business
establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or
reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form in any
manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case
of brief quotations for articles or reviews. Please do not participate in or
encourage piracy of copyrighted materials.
Copyright © 2013
S
tacey
B
rutger
Published by Stacey Brutger
Cover artist: Amanda Kelsey of Razzle Dazzle Design (
www.razzdazzdesign.com
)
Editor: Erin Wolfe
(
www.wordwolfe.wordpress.com
)
All rights reserved
.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A
book is a huge project that I could never have finished on my own.
To my
wonderful cover artist, Amanda Kelsey, who created this gorgeous cover and made
my characters come alive.
To my
editor, Erin Wolfe, who read the book almost as many times as I have. This book
is better because of you. Any mistakes are my own.
To
the generous people who’ve offered support along the way.
And
to my husband and family for believing in me. You make it worthwhile. Also, a
special thanks for my sister for being my first reader. I appreciate it.
Lastly,
I want to thank the readers for giving me a chance. I hope you enjoy reading my
books as much as I had writing them.
“
I
t’s
been six weeks since you’ve been shot. Ever since this latest incident, you’ve locked
yourself up in this house like a hermit. All you’ve been doing for the last two
weeks is stare out that damn window. People are becoming suspicious of your
long absence.”
Leo ignored the harping and gripped the cane until the wood
groaned in protest as he waited for the shadows to part.
She was late.
From his third-floor home office, he had a clear view of his
backyard, but more importantly, the entrance to the large storage shed where a
little slip of a woman had successfully hidden from his men for weeks. He
resisted the need to wake up the household and send everyone out to search for
her. Worry tightened his muscles, and the wound in his back throbbed in
protest, but he couldn’t relax. Not until she’d returned.
“Are you even listening?”
Leo scowled at Victor’s prodding. Then all annoyance
vanished when a wisp of a figure gradually took shape out of the darkness, her
ever-present stocking cap stuck firmly on her head. She darted toward the shed and
disappeared inside with light feet that left no trace.
Despite his keen eyesight, he couldn’t distinguish much
about her. Though frustrating, it didn’t matter. She was his the moment she’d
set foot on his property.
She just didn’t know it yet.
Once her sleek form vanished from view, whatever spell that
had ensnared him finally broke.
“So that’s why. Who is she?”
Leo turned to find Victor at his shoulder, gazing with speculation
at the shed. He clenched his fists, barely resisting the temptation to crack
his cane over his friend’s thick head.
Goddamn lack of privacy. “Leave it alone. She and the shed
are off-limits.”
He would not have them scaring her off.
He took a step toward his desk, gripping the cane harder
when the muscles of his back spasmed. He lowered his bulk into the leather
chair and heaved a sigh to be off his feet. The bullet that had torn through
his back had missed his spine but destroyed nerves and muscle in its wake. Only
his accelerated healing had kept him alive and able to walk. Even with his
shifter DNA, he wasn’t healing as fast as he should.
At the back of his mind, he wondered if he’d hit CreedMark. When
a shifter came down with the symptoms, there was no reversal, no turning back. After
the disease ran its course, the animal part of them, their very soul, was
stripped away. Few shifters survived the loss of their beast, their death
similar to a slow strangulation.
There was no cure. No way to track the progress as it varied
in each host, afflicting shifters of any age. Nor was it communicable. Mating
helped stave it off, but with fewer matching pairs, there were more cases each
year.
“Why are you here in the middle of the night?” He set aside
the cursed cane and grabbed the topmost papers on his desk, not really seeing them.
Could Victor suspect CreedMark and come to check on him?
Despite his fear, that was not what had him on edge. He could
beat CreedMark by sheer will and simply refuse to succumb to the disease. No,
what had Leo perched at the edge of the seat like some virgin at her first
bedding was Victor’s apparent fascination as he continued to stare out the
window.
Claws slowly emerged from his fingertips, shredding the document
in his hands. Every instinct howled at him to protect the girl. His beast was
in agreement, one of the few signs he’d had of the lion since the accident.
“It’s practically morning. I wanted to warn you Dame Judith will
be attending the meeting. She wants an answer to her proposal.” Victor took his
time as he turned away from the window as if bastard didn’t know it irritated
the shit out of him.
“A partnership with the clans.” Leo studied the ruined paper,
his mind on the girl, worried if she found enough food, if she was warm enough at
nights with early frost hitting hard, and how to keep her hidden from his own
clan.
Victor snorted and stretched out in a chair in front of the
desk. “You in her bed more like it. She’s been chasing you for years. Now that
she has you where she wants you, she’s not going to let you go.”
“Then we’ll have to convince her otherwise. I’m not
available.”
“Hell, Leo, as of two months ago, you kept a harem of women
at your beck and call. What’s the harm in adding one more?”
He lifted his attention from the mangled paper, the hackles
at the back of his neck rising. “She has no intention of being one of many. She
wants to be the only one. The role of concubine is not open.”
All humor vanished from his second-in-command. “People are
asking questions about your position as Leo.”
“There is nothing wrong with my leadership abilities.” Frustration
twisted through Leo at their continual prodding and doubts. He’d been in charge
of the clan for over twenty years, having taken them from a pack of strays to
one of the most powerful clans in the northern region. He’d devoted his life to
bringing the pack back to the grandeur of his grandfather’s era. Since he’d
been injured though, a subtle shift had rippled through the pack.
“They’re just concerned.”
Neither of them believed that. There had been rumblings long
before he’d become wounded, discontent about his iron fist and demand for
absolute obedience. “Find me someone capable enough to rule, and I’ll step
down.” Both of them knew that there was no one else. Without him as leader, the
pack would disintegrate from within.
Victor didn’t say anything for a moment, all serious, so
unlike the devil-may-care mask he presented the world. “Maybe it’s time to let
them find that out for themselves.”
“Pull back the pride?” Leo had yearned for that very thing
for a while. They were so close, but he shook his head. “We’re not strong
enough. With less than a dozen of us, we wouldn’t survive an outright attack
from another clan, let alone the vampires. We can’t chance the younger lions.”
“Can’t we? Each of us left our pride younger than they are
now, and we survived. The pack is stronger than you give us credit.” Victor
stood and paced, his movements sharp, agitated. Light tinged the skyline,
sparkling off the glass buildings of the city in the distance, heralding a new
day. “The meeting begins in an hour. Tell her yes. Hell, tell her no, but you
can’t keep hiding behind these walls.”
Leo glanced at the clock then ran a hand over his buzz cut,
absently noting that his hair needed to be trimmed again. He’d love to be able
to go outside, but without the use of the blasted cane, each step would be
agony. He couldn’t remain standing long without its assistance. After an hour
or so, the stress grew too much, and his limp became noticeable. The pack wouldn’t
tolerate any show of weakness from its Leo.
So until he was healed, he was trapped in this house, in
these rooms, caged like an animal.
He was slowly going insane.
The only distraction from his problems was the mysterious
woman who had set up living quarters in his shed some two weeks ago.
He’d watched her sneak past his security system and guards
time and time again. Each night she used different methods.
He envied her the freedom and the thrill of adventure.
His fascination with her was a danger for both of them with
the leadership of the pack so unsettled. Without his full strength, he wouldn’t
be able to protect her. If anyone found out about his preoccupation with her, it
would only put her in more danger.
He’d walked across the lawn last night after she’d
disappeared, hoping to catch her scent, desperate for more information about
her.
Only to discover nothing.
He had to be content to watch.
At least for now.
He purposely turned away from the window, a little disturbed
to catch Victor staring at the shed once more. Protective urges roared through
him, prodding him to give the boy a swipe for daring to look at what was his.
Instead, he tucked the blistering anger away, not
questioning his ownership of his unexpected houseguest.