“Barrier?” Leria asked, still clinging to Lileta’s arm.
“Contrary to what you think, I did not leave them totally defenseless.” Aidyn explained how he had woven a shield over the Draki to protect them but was not one hundred percent certain it would hold, and Caleb had sworn him to secrecy. He’d vowed to recover the men, dead or alive but had hoped for the latter. “If he has contacted you then he is alive, but now we have to locate them.”
Lileta bent closer to Leria and cupped her cheeks. “I need you to stay here. Help Cassie in any way you can, and I will be back.”
Leria nodded, and Lileta kissed the top of her head. She released the girl, grabbed both Aidyn’s and Diego’s hand, and flashed them back to the base of the mountain. Suddenly, she became overwhelmed when she looked at the sheer size of the rubble.
Her shoulders dropped. “I don’t know where to begin.”
Caleb? Where are you?
Under a shit load of rock.
She rolled her eyes. At least, he still had a sense of humor. “He has no idea where he is.”
Aidyn looked out over the terrain. “I know where the breach was, but to find it in this.” He waved his hand. “Nothing looks the same.”
“Wait. Why don’t they simply flash out?” Lileta looked at Aidyn and waited for an answer.
“With the magic I have in place, they have no idea where to go. They could end up materializing in the center of the rubble and end up in a worse fate.” He gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m afraid my barrier not only protected them but also imprisoned them. I’m not even sure how he’s communicating with you right now.”
“I know. It’s an old Draki trick. He’s sucking the power from Jax and Darius.” Diego scratched his head. “We need to find them in a hurry, before he loses his connection with you.”
Lileta clenched her fists. “Oh.” She tried to subdue her rising panic.
“I have an idea.” Aidyn said. “Lileta, you need to shadow walk and find him.”
Leaving her body again just as she had done in search of Lowan. She could go anywhere in that form, but there was only one problem. “I can’t do it alone. Last time, Caleb was there helping me. I don’t think he can do that now.” Lileta chewed her lip. They were back at square one.
“I’ll help.”
She turned and eyed the dark warrior suspiciously. Lucan moved in next to her and grabbed her hand. “Come with me.” He led her away from the others.
“What are you doing? I thought you said my darkness was too tempting.”
“It is,” he replied through clenched teeth. “However, I can’t stand to hear her screeching any longer.”
“What?”
He spun her and pulled her to his chest. Her backside rubbed against him, his arousal evident. “Furia has been screaming since your mate came up missing. I need her to shut the fuck up.”
“You hear her?”
He gave a mocking laugh. “I can hear all the darkness, but she is the loudest.” He brought his lips to her ear. “Another reason you should have been mine,” he growled.
She swallowed hard. “Then, again, why are you helping me? You could let Caleb die.”
“I still have my honor.”
He slipped into her mind. A cold darkness spread across her; he was nothing like Caleb. He lacked warmth and light.
Find the link to your mate and follow it. I will be here to watch over you.
She hesitated, but only for a moment. As uncomfortable as the dark warrior made her, losing her mate was far worse. She found the light and grabbed hold.
Caleb, I’m coming. Pull me toward you.
She shifted through cracks and crevices. Making painstaking twists and turns, her soul determined to find the way. After what seemed like an eternity, she ended up in a small room. Her vision adjusted to the darkness and saw a dragon in front of her. She reached out and touched her mate. He nuzzled into her palm.
I’ll relay your location to the others,
Lucan said.
“They’re coming to get you out.”
Light filtered above her head as the rocks began to move. Finally, she gave a sigh of relief. Caleb was alive, and they were going home.
* * * *
Caleb ran his hands along smooth silky skin. “He’s lucky I didn’t scorch his dark ass.”
“He was only trying to help.” His mate responded as she moaned under his touch.
“I know, but he was touching you,” he growled.
Lileta opened a golden eye. “You should not have placed yourself in danger then.”
He nipped at her thigh. “Will you forgive me?”
She sighed. “Perhaps I could be persuaded.”
He delved his tongue into her folds and encircled her nub. He lifted his head to gaze at her beauty. “How’s that for a start?”
“Mmm. Keep going, and I’ll consider it.” Her breathing was heavy.
He smiled then dived back between her legs. He flicked his tongue and made circles around her clit. She wiggled her hips, but his right arm crossed over her abdomen and kept her pinned to the bed. He wanted utter control.
He inserted his left middle finger into her opening. She grabbed fistfuls of sheets. She was on the edge, ready to spill over. Her power engulfed the room and slid across his back. His demon was coming into her own, and he was damn proud of her. He pulled his finger out and thrust it back inside.
She screamed and clenched his head between her knees. The orgasm taking control of her entire body. When she finally relaxed, he crawled up and sucked a nipple into his mouth, his cock poised to strike. He couldn’t wait any longer, he need her. Craved her.
He thrust. Penetrating to the hilt. Her muscles clenched and pulled him in farther. He wanted to spend eternity there, buried in his mate. Forgetting the outside world and the hell that was being unleashed upon them all. War was imminent, and it would take them all—Draki, demons and guardians—to fight the battle. For now, though, he shut it all out and cherished the woman beneath him. A gift from the gods. His own true Angel.
Epilogue
Lowan swept his arm across the desk, sending papers scattering and glass shattering. “Fuck!” His temper rose to heights that surprised even him.
“My Lord?”
He turned his head and pinned his gaze on the Wendigo who dared speak to him. “What. Do. You. Want?”
“My Lord, surely there is another way to prevail?” The demon clacked his teeth together.
Lowan straightened, brushed his hands across his silk shirt, and stretched his neck. His temper reined in to a more manageable level. He strode across the burgundy carpet, glass crunching under his boots as he made his way to the bar. He poured a glass of Merlot and swirled, watching the blood-red liquid coat the crystal. He imagined it was the blood of his enemies. The guardians, the dragons, and his daughter. Oh yes, his lovely daughter had even managed to free herself from his vise.
He sipped the wine and let it wash some of the bitterness in his mouth down his throat. He curled his lip in a snarl and let loose a chuckle. His grandfather Hades had underestimated him. His minions had been able to follow the god into the realm of Vandeldor. True, the fissure had been closed. However, he now had a way in, and soon, the realm would be his. He could almost taste the sweetness of victory. He looked back over at his demon.
“Yes, we will wait for the dust to settle and then move into Vandeldor.” He raised the glass to his lips and sipped. “Soon, my friend, the humans will bow to their new god.” He closed his eyes, tipped his head back, and took in a long breath. “I can feel my power growing. Patience, we must have patience.”
“Of course, My Lord.” The Wendigo tipped its black oversized head.
Lowan paced across the room then turned and made his way to the other side. His mind a whirl. “Let them think they have won, and they will become complacent. The guardians’ curse will be our ally. Already, the one they call Seth is near the edge. Soon, he will be mine.” The thought of wielding power over a guardian sent excitement through him. How would the all mighty Zarek feel about that? He would show them. Show them all one day what he was capable of. The gods would bow to him or die. Perhaps before he killed Zarek, he would force him to watch what he did to his beautiful wife Qadira. The thought of parting the fire goddess’s thighs and plunging his cock into her depths caused his shaft to thicken.
“What of your daughter, My Lord?”
Lowan was snapped from his thoughts. “She will go on and live her happy little existence, but the day will come when I will take it all away. I will kill everyone she holds dear, and then she will be mine.” His grip tightened around the crystal goblet until it shattered in his hand and blood dripped onto the carpet. He looked at his bleeding palm, smiled, and then fisted the shards farther into his skin. Pain sliced through him, bringing comfort. “Patience,” he whispered. “My time will come.”
About the Author
As a child, Valerie would often get into trouble for peeking at her mother’s favorite TV show, Dark Shadows. She can still hear her mother saying “It will give you nightmares.” She was right of course, but that did not stop Valerie from watching. As an adult, her love of the fanged creatures never waned. She would watch any vampire movie she could find.
Being a true romantic, Valerie was thrilled when she discovered the genre of paranormal romance. Her first read was one of Lara Adrian’s, Midnight Breed Series and from there she was hooked.
Today, Valerie has decided to take her darker, sensual side and put it to paper. When she is not busy creating a world full of steamy, hot men and strong, seductive women, she juggles her time between a full-time job, hubby and her two German shepherd dogs, in Northern IL.
Valerie loves to talk to her readers and can be found at
http://www.valerietwombly.com/
.
Also Available from
Resplendence Publishing
Eternal Flame
by Valerie Twombly
Guardians Series, Book One
A woman he cannot have, a man who is only a dream...
When guardian Marcus Dagotto, discovers the gods have gifted him with a mate, he is pissed. He has no room for love and even less for a human who has no idea he exists.
Cassandra Jensen, has a shattered heart and has given up on men. Only one man can set her body on fire, but he is a fantasy that haunts her sleep.
Two worlds, one desire. When the two collide, fate will rip them apart and test their resolve. Will darkness and evil prevail? Or, will love conquer all?
Fate’s Song
by Jessica Jarman
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Can the love of a mere human restore a banished faery Prince to his rightful place?
Kaelen of Fey has no hope of returning to the faery realm. He has committed the ultimate crime in the eyes of his people—interfering with the human world—and the conditions of his return are seemingly impossible.
When musician, Abagail Guthrie, stumbles upon him, she offers Kaelen something more precious than help. She gives him hope of returning to his people.
But even as hope surfaces, Kaelen realizes he must choose. The human he loves or his kingdom.
Dark Surrender
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Taste of Darkness
Series, Book Three
Vampire Hunter, Marika Stanislaus—or little sister as her older, protective brothers like to call her—is on her own for the first time. With both men tied up in Europe, she’s the only one left to investigate an active vampire at work in the Florida Keys. She’s tired of her brothers treating her like a baby. After all, she’s one hundred and ten years old, a woman of the world.
Nicholas Kyrillos just wants a quiet, peaceful retreat where he can rest and contemplate something other than dodging hunters who want to nuke him. He has few rules, chief among them, no women. With a daily supply of blood from a medical house, he plans to walk the shoreline and read all the literary classics he’s missed the past century or so. He never reckoned on a rogue vampire, who’s picking off unsuspecting tourists as his personal smorgasbord, or on a gung-ho, fresh-faced vampire hunter who’s unrelenting in everything she pursues, especially when she’s spent the night in his bed. Where’s the peace now?
After Dark
by Kris Norris
Between the Veils
Series, Book One
Temperance Dunnigan can’t believe she’s agreed to travel to New Orleans to be part of Avery Smith’s special ghost hunting squad—and in the midst of Mardi Gras no less. There isn’t a sane reason to be there…other than Avery. Though she considers him a spoiled, rich kid, his money is her ticket to finally getting some concrete evidence to lay the eternal question of spirits to rest.
Avery didn’t think twice about inviting one of the foremost paranormal investigators to his retreat. After all, Temperance is smart, daring and totally not his type. He’s more than aware of her feelings toward him and embraces the chance to work with someone he has absolutely no interest in…that is until she becomes entrenched in a deadly summoning. Saving her life wasn’t part of the plan, and now he can’t stop his heart from racing every time she looks at him. They’ve got one week to figure it out before all hell breaks loose, and Avery loses more than just his reputation.
Secrets and Spells
by Jessica Jarman
Northern Circle
Series, Book One
Anxious for a change and wanting to learn more about her late mother and where she came from, Thalia Wells accepts a job in the small town of Parrish. As she settles into her new life, she begins to notice unsettling oddities about her new home.
Gray is used to secrets. Being a witch and living in a town of people with magical abilities means living with secrets. But keeping Thalia in the dark kills him especially when it brings her pain.
Thalia doesn't believe in magic and had given up on happily ever after, but can she find both with Gray?