Page 124 of A Monstrous World: The Complete Series

Chapter Twenty-One

Knight

I t’s been a long time since a meal filled me up like the shifter did. No wonder our darling little witch was so dead set on taking him down a peg.

“Are you scared of me now, doll?” I ask, meandering closer as I study every nuance of her posture.

That would really suck, especially since we’re tethered. She straight-up tied us to her before refusing to command us to stay. If I was a lesser monster, it may have hurt my feelings. However, I do love a good chase.

Nadia rolls her eyes, huffing out a breath. “Do I need to be?”

A hearty belly laugh escapes.

“Of my monster? Not in the least. You’re a puny, bite-sized meal to him. Now, my palm is a different story. You keep getting yourself into trouble. Why have blood-bound demons at the ready if you only call for us when shit gets dicey?” I frown, realizing her attention is on Wraith.

“Why is he always making out with your murder victims?”

A terrible sound between a snort and a scoff comes out as I pull her into my arms.

“He’s devouring his soul.” She doesn’t fight my hand on her ass, and I revel in the contact.

“Unlike when he reaps, that fucker is being devoured. He would have gotten 1260 years in the pit before his soul could be rehabilitated. That’s on the higher end of any number I’ve seen in centuries.

Wraith is simply extinguishing his soul so that it no longer exists. ”

“Huh,” Nadia says. “Why didn’t I die the day we met? When I was a kid, I mean.”

“Ehh, technically?” I grimace. “You did, but Wraith shoved your soul back inside your shell as the vampire?—”

“Uncle Jack,” she says, cutting me off.

“Yes, Jack dosed you with vampire blood, and voilà. You survived.” I squeeze her hip to let her know just how grateful I am for that fact.

“Wow,” she whispers, clutching at me for support. “Thank you.”

Wraith has finished his meal, and he approaches slowly, as if he’s also concerned she might be afraid of him. “Of course.”

“Would someone like to explain exactly how I accidentally blood bonded the two of you to me?”

“Your blood summoned Malice. You were meant to close the portal, but you accidentally read the spell for tethering.” Wraith comes closer, and once he’s within reach, he runs his fingers over her cheek. “We’re not upset. It’s not a dark or evil thing to be shared between a witch and her demons.”

Nadia laughs. “A witch and her slightly delusional demons.”

“You’re awfully sassy. Just remember, you still owe me a trip over my knee.” I slap her ass.

She shivers in response. “Thank you.”

I laugh, giving her a dubious look. She won’t be thanking me when I’m done with her backside.

“Not for that.” She stretches up on her tiptoes to kiss Wraith’s cheek. “For showing up when I really needed someone I can trust.”

It’s very difficult not to do something exceptionally cliché, such as pumping my fist into the air.

My shoulders pull back as pride thrums in my chest. I’m about the furthest thing in existence from a pride demon, but fuck me, those words from her lips fill me up with energy like I am one of those ridiculous fuckers.

“I think I should command—” Nadia cuts off as Wraith seals his mouth to hers. He wraps a forearm under her ass, lifting her into his chest. It’s actually a rather smooth transition for a virgin. I’m proud of him. He’s clearly been learning during our sessions with her.

“Once you command us to stay, I’ll only be able to return to Hell to deposit souls.” Wraith palms the back of her head. “There’s something we left behind that I’d rather not risk falling into the wrong hands. We weren’t expecting your summoning.”

“Didn’t I just see you a few days ago? I mean, the time in Haven was only shortly before the time here in North Falls, right?” She frowns. “God, is that all it was? It feels like it’s been ages since then.”

“Time moves differently in all the realms. Heaven is the slowest, followed by Faere, then Earth, and finally Hell. Since time moves fastest in Hell, it’s been quite a bit longer for us, doll.” I shrug at the look of shock all over her face. “It’s just the way of the universe.”

“How long?” she asks, blinking huge blue eyes.

“Several weeks since Haven, but it’s no matter,” Wraith says, like he didn’t sit around complaining the same way I did.

“Shit.” She blanches. “What about your friend? Is he still in Haven?” She gasps, slapping at his arm. “Okay, that makes so much more sense. I couldn’t understand why Kash called me , of all people.”

“That would be Malice.” I chuckle. He’d never truly put Nadia in danger because he knows the two of us would obliterate him if he did. “But what exactly did he do?”

Nadia goes on to explain about the wyvern.

If her magic wasn’t acting shady, then I wouldn’t be quite so furious right now.

Malice was fully capable of releasing the creature in his shadow form without putting Nadia at risk.

It’s hard to get the jump on a nightmare, but I owe him a solid right hook or a kick in the balls.

“Wait, how are you holding this for so long? The other night, it was only a few moments that you held time for.” She frowns, running her hand over his neck, and an unnatural pang of jealousy rips through my chest.

“I just got a massive boost from devouring that rotten creature’s soul,” Wraith says calmly. “Although, I don’t think I should hold it much longer.”

“You should return to your original location,” I suggest.

Nadia nods. “But when can I call for you again? Please don’t make me forget you this time.” She kisses Wraith’s cheek and comes to me.

“I won’t. That was solely for your protection.” I pull her to my chest, but my gaze moves to Wraith. “How long do you think we need? A day in her time?”

“Preferably less than that. Maybe twelve hours,” Wraith says. “I’d rather not be away for too long, and if you need us sooner, then don’t hesitate to make the call.”

“Okay, come back to me in twelve hours,” she whispers, staring up into my eyes. “By the way, I fucked Ridge. I’m not going to apologize for that. It was good sex, but being that the two of you are Sam, and we’ve always discussed my partners...” She shrugs. “I’m just being transparent.”

My hand tightens on her ass. That’s another thing Wraith and I went over after the incident at the elven king’s cottage.

For the moment, she’s as bound to the vampire as she is to us.

The wolf is a completely different story.

He’s likely stuck with us for life, since I could detect no lie when he referred to her as his mate.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Blood witches are hunted in the human realm. Having a solid group of men surrounding her at all times can only make it easier to keep her safe.

I get very close to her ear and murmur, “Oh, yeah? Did he fuck you in wolf form, because I’m not even going to lie, that’s the shit my dirty little heart lives for.” I nip at her ear, licking my way down her neck.

“No, human form, but he was half feral.” She groans, clutching at my chest as she dances on her toes.

“You’d best head back to where you were when Wraith froze time, but don’t think this gets you out of telling me all about it.” I slap her ass as she spins, walking back to stand behind the alpha wolf.

Wraith restarts time and the useless scumbag shifter’s corpse falls to the ground. It’s only a husk of what he was before.

“Holy shit,” Ridge growls, staring at his hand like he’s making sure none of that decay transferred to him during the contact.

“Nadia, behind you,” Echo yells. “Could you release me now, so I can save your ass?”

My head swivels in her direction, but it’s too late. A massive alpha, who looks strangely similar to Ridge, holds her in the air by the throat.

Ridge snarls, “Put her down, right fucking now!” His words echo with his alpha command. “Trace, I’m not fucking around.” Several more wolves approach. They’ve got thick frames. They’re likely enforcers.

“I’ve heard all about how she was looking for Drake. He’s dead, and she smells like blood and death,” Trace growls, digging his extended claws deeper into her neck.

Wraith snorts. I’ll bet he’s getting a nice little kick out of knowing she smells like him. She’s in no real danger. Not with the two of us around.

Ridge’s chest heaves as his face morphs to his wolf and back again. His eyes glow and his claws elongate. “Let me make something very fucking clear. Nadia is my mate. Even if she did kill Drake, I choose to take her punishment, as is my right by our laws.”

Trace stumbles a step. Nadia claws at his wrist and forearm. Oh yeah, she needs to breathe.

My eyes cut to Wraith. I can see him all the time, so it’s impossible to be sure if he’s visible to the others or if he’s currently hidden, like I am. He looks like he’s on the verge of sucking the soul right out of the wolf holding Nadia.

“Don’t fucking try me, little brother,” Ridge growls, his eyes flashing. “I want no part of leading this pack, but continue to disregard our laws, and I’ll knock you down a peg if I have to.”

Oh, that makes sense. Ridge is clearly the more dominant of the two, but if he refused the role, it would have naturally passed to the next youngest alpha.

“You have no claiming bite,” Trace snarls. “That means you have no bond to step in as her mate.”

Nadia continues to kick. I barely hold back the chuckle when she lands a solid slam of her shoe into the alpha’s gut. I’m sure he barely feels it, but now that I notice it, her face is turning a bit red.

“The witch didn’t kill the alpha.” I step over and reveal myself to the rest of the eyes in the clearing. “I did. She’s turning a little rosy, and you’ve got the wrong culprit.”

“I helped.” Wraith has his hood pulled up, and it’s extremely clear when he makes himself known. Everyone, outside of Ridge, stumbles back. “Set her back on her feet, otherwise Drake, the corrupt-as-fuck shifter, won’t be the only meal I gorge on today.”

“You have three days to make your claim,” Trace growls at Ridge as he sets Nadia back on her feet.

I disappear from sight again, getting close to Ridge’s ear and filling him in on Drake’s more horrid sins.

He needs to understand what was happening right under the alpha’s nose.

If Trace isn’t a capable alpha, then he needs to be removed from the equation.

If he knew and didn’t stop it, then additional measures need to be taken.

“Get her the fuck out of here,” Ridge snarls, glancing over his shoulder at Echo.

“I’d be glad to, if the little witch would command her shadows to stop restraining me,” the vampire hisses.

Nadia coughs, rubbing at her throat. “I release you from interfering.”

The vampire zips over, studies Nadia for a half a second, and very unceremoniously tosses her over his shoulder before disappearing from sight.

“Don’t make a single move to get involved,” Ridge growls at the enforcers lining Trace’s back.

“This isn’t an alpha challenge. I owe my little brother some retribution.

” Ridge pivots, landing a hell of a left hook.

Shit, immediately followed by a solid right.

Then he’s tossing himself at his brother.

“You and I are going to have a heart-to-heart talk.”

Trace hits the ground with a heavy thump. Ridge lands over him, continuing the barrage of punches, but he obviously doesn’t want to kill his brother, because he moves to landing hits against his core.

The enforcers stand, blinking, and they don’t interfere. Perhaps this is normal brotherly behavior, or possibly, they don’t want to be on the receiving end of those solid punches.

“We’re slipping,” Wraith says, but he doesn’t sound angry about it. I’m not either. She commanded us back in twelve hours. Meaning, we need to secure the relic and lock down our apartment in Hell before making the trip permanently to the human realm.

I rub my hands together. I can’t fucking wait to finally sink inside my naughty little witch. With that, Wraith and I are pulled back to Hell.