Page 6

My heart skipped a beat as the familiar voice invaded my senses.

No. No no no no.

This was not happening. My world was collapsing around me. My senses confused and my powers overwhelming me.

Rowen sauntered into the small clearing, half shifted into his demon form. He retained his human coloring, but wicked horns sprouted from his head and swept back into a flourish at the back of his skull. Large, leathery bat-like wings were still behind him. Tall enough that they rose above his head and the tips rested almost to the ground. His tail betrayed his agitation as it flicked from side to side.

His obsidian eyes briefly locked with mine, making a breath stutter out of me. Fire flickered in those deep dark depths. The force of his emotions taking me back in just that one look.

Just behind Rowen, like his shadow, stood Archer. I’d never been able to figure out what the man was. He was utterly mysterious. He didn’t have the same magnetism as Rowen which was inherent in incubae. His blue gaze swept over me, and he gave me a wink as his lips tilted up into his version of a smirk.

It was more disconcerting than amusing.

Hell, it gave me the fucking creeps, just like everything about the mysterious Archer.

“Hello, brother.” The shadow man—Callum—stood beside me and rested one hand on my shoulder. The touch was light, but it shot tingles of electricity bouncing through my cells.

Brother? No wonder they looked so similar.

Hurt flashed through me swiftly then it disappears just as fast. I didn’t know Rowen had a brother. Psht. The things I didn’t know about Rowen could fill several books. And we’re talking full length epic fantasy books full.

“Callum, your issues are with me.” Rowen clenched his jaw together so tightly I feared he may crack a few molars. “Let the girl go.”

Girl? Ouch. That one stung.

Callum threw back his head and laughed. “We both know she’s much more than that. Aren’t you, precious omega?” Those pale eyes took me in and I felt as if I was falling into the depths and drowning. His power was utterly intoxicating. It beckoned my own and begged me to unleash them so they could dance together.

And Callum knew it.

His fingers tightened on my shoulders for a fraction of a second before he loosened his grip and skated his fingertips up the sensitive flesh of my neck. “So soft. Such a good little omega,” he hummed his pleasure and my inner omega preened under his praise.

Damn traitorous hormones.

Rowen didn’t meet my gaze, focusing all of his attention on Callum. Or rather Callum’s fingers as they caressed my flesh.

“Hands off, Callum.” His growl reverberated through the clearing and my stupid fucking body reacted.

Because of course it did. It recognized the alpha strength surrounding me. Even Archer, standing several steps behind Rowen twirling his daggers oozed alpha energy.

I was getting entirely too close to my heat to be around these asshole, overbearing alphas. If they kept on with this behavior, I would tumble into heat early and really be damned.

“I think I rather like my hands on her, brother,” he taunted, and I was beginning to understand the depth of hatred between these two men.

Rowen gritted his teeth, grinding them back and forth. He always clenched his jaw, but saved the grinding from when he was really pissed off. And that tail. The things I used to imagine him doing with that appendage would make even a prostitute blush.

Archer moved subtlety, if I wasn’t keenly aware of how the man maneuvered, I wouldn’t have even noticed it. He was no longer twirling his daggers. Another dangerous sign. The tension thickened, and I barely held back a moan of appreciation. I couldn’t help it, I was an omega. My biology demanded I reacted to alphas, and this close to my cycle, I was surprised I wasn’t running to climb one of them like a tree.

I shook myself out of those thoughts and sighed. “I don’t know what kind of pissing contest is going on between you two, but could you kindly keep me the fuck out of it? Perhaps not use me as your tug-of-war toy?”

Rowen’s eyes flashed red. “Do you have a death wish, Sierra?” He growled, his lips pulling back from his elongated fangs.

“That’s a loaded question, Rowen.” I cocked my head to the side and tapped one finger against my chin—despite my hands still being bound. “For years after you betrayed me and left me bleeding out in a random Phoenix emergency room, I did. Then I realized what a piece of shit you are and got smart. I’m worth more than you.”

I ignored the tears that wanted to fall, but I’d already shed was too many over this man—demon. Whatever the fuck he was.

My words weren’t to wound him. Well, okay maybe they kinda were. But they were more to get it off my chest. This was the first time I’d seen him in eight years.

The fact that seeing him—first seeing the resemblance in Callum—opened up the wound that I thought long since healed.