Authors: Stacey Kennedy
“I’m happy with Kyden,” I snapped.
He ignored me. “I can continue to be patient with you. Now that you have discovered the truth, it will not be long until you come to me willingly.”
Then, I landed back into the foyer with Kyden waiting there for me, lifting me into his arms. I took one look at him and burst into tears.
“Zia,” Kyden shouted.
She shook her head and remained where she stood. “She is not injured. Nexi, what’s happened?”
“The worst thing ever,” I sobbed.
The emotions running across Zia’s face as she read into my mind only made my tears come harder. Never had I wanted to see such sadness sweep across her features. She gasped and sank to her knees beside me. Her breath shuddered as she raised her hands to her face in horror. “You’re his Lady.”
Kyden’s eyes met mine. The hurt that rippled across his beautiful features, sank my heart. It was there in every part of him. Pain, betrayal, rage sat hard in his gaze. “I will kill him,” he said in a low voice that barely made a sound.
Haven was sobbing loudly, and suddenly she threw herself at me. “You can’t be.”
“I don’t want to be,” I cried with her. “I can never go back there. I can never see him again.”
Kyden’s grip tightened around me. I held onto him to save myself for all the same reasons. This couldn’t be happening, couldn’t be real. After everything I’d been through, all I lost, life was still going to take more from me. What had I done? Why had I deserved such pain? It wasn’t fair. It just wasn’t fucking fair.
Talon knelt down beside me, placed his hand on the top of my head and asked softly, “What happened?”
It only took minutes to tell them what had taken place. By the end of it, even Zia was wiping away tears.
“I love you, Kyden,” I cried. “I want you.”
Kyden still hadn’t said a word. Just sat there and watched me with a pained expression.
Zia took my hands in hers and squeezed them, offering support. “Your heart may belong to Kyden, but it appears that Magnus has your soul.”
“I don’t understand.” I screamed through the tears. “What does that mean?”
“The dark world is different from ours¯we do not have destined mates,” Zia answered. “Our world isn’t about power, isn’t about producing stronger offspring. Therefore, the destined bond mate never see
ped into our realm. It just wasn’t needed.
“However, the Underworld is similar to what you have seen in wolves. The wolves need to produce stronger offspring to survive¯to provide protection around them. The Underworld craves it for future power. So in t
hese beings, the soul searches out a mate who will make them stronger and provide more powerful younglings.” Her face became all too sad. “With you, it appears Magnus is your destined mate. Your bond with him will make you both stronger.” She gave Talon a knowing look.
I shot straight up, lunging out of Kyden’s arms and I stared at her accusingly. “You knew?”
She sighed, her eyes sank as she frowned. “It crossed my mind, yes. I had hoped that when Magnus took an interest in you it was only for your powers, but I did fear it might come to this.”
“How can this be?” Finn asked. “She is a White Magic Witch.”
“This is unusual indeed,” she replied. “But Nexi is unusual. We all know that.”
“What do I do?” I begged. “How do I stop it?”
“You can’t,” Talon answered dourly. “You are only lucky that Magnus has let you return to us. It is in his right to take you and keep you there.”
The world beneath me swept away as hot flashes of pure fear ran through my blood. “He can keep me there?”
Zia nodded solemnly. “It is in his right to claim you. I wonder why he hasn’t.”
“Dear God,” I gasped, realizing why he hadn’t forced me. He wanted me to love him. He desired that we be together, but wanted me to come willingly.
Haven held on tighter, her small hands gripped onto me as if she was trying to save me herself. “We have to stop this. I cannot lose you to him. What about Kyden? You two are meant to be together. This isn’t right. Finn, help her. Do something…”
Finn removed her hands from my arms, lifted her up, and hugged her tightly. “There is nothing I can do, my sweet.”
Kyden finally let out a deep breath, lifted my face to his. “It will be alright, Álainn.”
“How can it be?” I pleaded for him to make it okay. “How can anything be alright?”
He smiled softly and cupped my face. “Because I love you.” Leaning down, he kissed me.
I accepted it—the warmth, the love, everything that was good. Needing more to reassure me, I grabbed him as hard as I could, kissed him with every ounce of strength I had. I wasn’t going to let Magnus win or let this rule me. Just because I was destined to be with him, didn’t mean I had to be. Kyden was my heart, my all—that had to be enough. It just had to be.
Without thought, I reached down, and unclipped his kilt.
“Go to the Council’s Hall,” Talon added quickly. He knew what was about to happen. They all did, obviously, and understood the reaction.
I needed Kyden with everything I had in me. Needed him to tell me this was all going to be okay, to reassure me that I was his.
His kilt fell to the floor just as he rushed us into the Council’s Hall. The door closed behind us. Evidently, the others were taking care that we wouldn’t be disturbed.
Kyden unclipped my kilt as he carried me in his arms, then dropped me in one of the Council’s chairs. He yanked off our shorts, spread my legs, pulled my hips up, and impaled me. I wasn’t completely ready for him, but it didn’t matter. The friction made this feel more real, more forceful.
“You are mine,” he growled, his thrusts were rough and demanding. He pinned my shoulders hard against the chair, using his entire weight to level me with his body.
“I’m yours,” I shouted, needing to scream it, demanded it to be true. My body responded to his intentions and wetness spread along his length to give him easier access while he took me.
His thrusts grew harder as he pushed the meaning of our love into me. The rightness when skin met skin. He was in pure possession mode—it was in the grip of his hands, the determination on his face and the hardness of his body sliding in mine.
“Mine,” he growled again, repeated it with each hard blow to my body.
Over and over again it poured from his mouth.
Within minutes, he had my body arching toward him sending all thoughts vanishing from my mind. After a few more hard thrusts, Kyden grunted deeply, and collapsed on top of me. My body was shaking from my release, but also in response to the horrible truth.
He slowly raised himself off and glanced down. “You are mine.” His growl remained.
I raised my hands to his face. “I am yours,” I whispered. “Always and forever.”
“Nexi, we need you two back out here,”
Zia’s thoughts reached me.
I was little agape at myself for not putting up my shield, but it was the least of my concern moments ago. As much as I wanted to stay right here like this forever, the Council needed us. The situation with the Black Magic Witches was still happening, and they needed my magic to help stop this. If I didn’t, more lives would be lost. Besides, a little distraction is just what I needed right now. I leaned forward and kissed Kyden’s lips. “We have to go.”
He nodded, apparently feeling the same sense of duty, and stepped away from me as he pulled up his shorts. Quickly, he handed me my gear, and once dressed, we headed for the door. The door opened just as we reached it, and Talon handed Kyden his kilt. No one seemed at all bothered knowing what we had done. The only expression on anyone’s face was complete and total dismay.
“I really hate to interrupt,” Hadley said softly. “But did you get any information?” she asked me.
“No. I…well…after…” I stumbled.
Kyden interrupted. “You did the right thing by coming back,”
A door suddenly slammed open, Brax ran through the door from outside, out of breath, and it was only then I realized he had left when Kyden and I were preoccupied elsewhere. He stopped in front of Zia. “Magnus is sending someone to us.”
Just then, Misa stepped through the portal door then politely closed it behind her. She glanced at me, smiling brightly. “Nice to see you again, Lady Nexi.”
Everyone looked to me—disgust very evident on their faces that I was on friendly terms with a demon. “What is it, Misa?” I snapped.
“I am here to protect you.”
“You’re what?”
“Magnus has assigned me as your guard. He wants to ensure that since you are not living with us that you are well protected,”
“I will protect her,” Kyden growled.
She sniffed at him. “What are you going to do? You’re just a Guardian.”
Kyden puffed up, but I grabbed him back. She might look like a pretty little dainty thing, but this was a demon. If Magnus entrusted her to protect me then she was a powerful one.
After a few tense moments, Misa finally glanced at me. “Magnus has instructed me to give you the information you requested.”
Magnus had kept his word.
“Okay, well tell us.” I was hoping the change in subject would calm the situation. Misa’s eyes glowed at Kyden, and he looked about a second away from grabbing his sword.
“Let’s go somewhere more comfortable,” Misa said. “This is going to take a while.”
We made it back to our residence quickly. Kyden kept a good hold on me, and I was glad he did. The world was crumbling around me and there was no way to stop it. Just because fate was a bitch, and said I was destined to be with Magnus, didn’t mean I had to give into it. I wouldn’t. Not ever. Kyden had my heart and it would remain that way.
“Go on then, Misa,” Talon told her after everyone had taken a seat.
“This situation came to Magnus’ attention a few months back. After we did some investigating, it was discovered that Pye was arranging to dethrone Magnus.” Misa’s voice sounded almost bored. “There is a group of witches who have followed Pye for some time. They are the source behind the murders of the humans.”
Now, this was a turn in a direction I hadn’t expected. Curiosity always did get the better of me. “Why?”
“The witches have been using the wolves to kill humans for them.”
“Yeah, we know that.” I waved her on.
“They’re virgins,” she said causally.
So I was right. “What do virgins have to do with it?”
“It is the reason the witches are growing stronger. The virgins are dying as an outlet to drive their power. Since their virginity is pure, it is that energy fueling their magic. While their souls are consumed, the virginity is taken and drained with it. They are being killed for no other reason except that the witches need this energy from them to make Pye’s regime stronger.”
“Why are they using the wolves and not just doing the killing themselves?” Brax asked.
“It was to throw us off,” Misa answered. “If the wolves were killing, and not the witches themselves, we suspect they thought it wouldn’t raise any alarm to what they were plotting.”
“We discovered a young girl who was attacked, raped, but not killed,” Zia said. “Do you know why that would be, Misa?”
Her face fell with guilt, which was quite an odd sight coming from a demon “When it was discovered what Pye was planning, Magnus, well…intervened.”
“Intervened?” I repeated.
She couldn’t even meet my eyes. “He knew of your relationship to Valor.” She finally looked up. “He took the opportunity to start a little plan for himself to see the end of Pye and…”
Nothing else needed to be said. I raised my hand to stop her words. This had all been a plan to have me.
“He planned all of this?” I asked in a whisper of disbelief.
He was a sneaky bastard. All this—everything all maneuvered to suit him. To benefit him.
Fucker!
Misa continued, “Magnus destroyed the wolf and aided the young woman to ensure that she would be strong enough to stand the change. He wanted to make sure Lady Nexi was close to Valor when Dante was taken, to guarantee that she would be obligated to help him.”
I hated him for this, but at the same time, my heart clenched a little knowing that if Magnus hadn’t killed the wolf, Rynn would be dead.
“Since Lady Nexi wants this matter dealt with, Magnus has given me the locations to find all involved, and to destroy the rest of Pye’s regime.”
Warm feelings spread through me at the words
Lady Nexi
. My soul liked hearing that I belonged to Magnus—liked knowing this.
Haven gasped, her voice came out is a scared shout. “No, Nexi, you have to fight against feelings like that.”
I sighed, gritted my teeth. “Trust me, Haven. I am going to fight against it,” A blast of rage filled me. Rage that this was happening and had no control over it.