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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

On the way to the portal, Grandma and Grandpa explained that the one to the human world acted more like a mirror, making it hard for people standing outside of it to see in, while the one to the fae world seemed to be completely clear.

“That means no one can see you unless you’re standing right in front of the portal,” Grandpa said.

“We’ll stay back and let you deal with whoever arrives,” Grandma said. “It’s safer if no one knows we’ve survived.”

I agreed. When we reached the portal, they stayed back as I stepped close.

Vivian smiled wickedly on the phone screen when I appeared. I ignored him and watched for Shepard and Cross, fighting to keep my tears contained as I thought of what I needed to tell them.

How long had it been since Vivian sent the video? Long enough for Shepard and Cross to get here? Were they fighting with each other because they were worried or working together? Was Shepard blaming himself because he’d lost his ring?

A tinny sound coming from outside the glade caught my attention. Voices. They were too far away for me to hear, though, so I waited, watching the path as the voices grew louder.

Cross and Shepard came into view. Just seeing them made tears spring to my eyes, and I pressed my hands against the portal as I shook my head.

Their gazes met mine, and I saw the same fear and anger reflected in me. Outweighing both of those emotions was their determination.

They appeared in front of me a second later, each of them placing a hand over one of mine.

“Are you okay?” Shepard asked.

“You need to leave before it’s too late.”

“We’re not leaving you, Everly,” Cross said. “Ever.”

“Please. I’m safe in here, but you’re not if you stay. You know this is a trick.”

Shepard’s eyes flashed gold as he shook his head. “Trick or not, we’re not leaving without you."

“Look,” I said, pointing at the phone.

Cross and Shepard glanced at Vivian’s malicious face on the screen.

“How does it feel to see your lover and know you’ll never get her back? To hear her send you away to save you, knowing she’s willing to sacrifice herself in your place. It hurts, doesn’t it? Makes you want to kill someone, right?” Vivian taunted.

“Get her out of there, now,” Shepard growled.

Vivian grinned. “You want to kill me. I can feel it, and it’s so delicious.”

“What do you want, Vivian?” Cross asked. “You know we’ll give it to you. So hurry and speak your demands.”

Vivian laughed again. “So much fun. I wish Master was here to enjoy this with me.” He grew scarily serious. “But I only have his memory to carry with me through eternity. Are you prepared to do the same with Everly?”

“I’m ready to hunt,” Shepard said, sniffing the air. “Your scent is still fresh. I know you’re close by.”

“My scent is fresh all over this mountain. But by all means, waste time trying to find me instead of trying to save Everly. The humans sent in by Orphia over the last ten years never came out again, even though they kept their portal runes. They have the means to leave, but they don’t. I wonder what’s in there that’s killing them.”

Shepard’s eyes widened on me.

“Don’t listen to him. There’s nothing scary in here,” I said.

His fingers moved over mine and the portal.

“Since I’m feeling generous,” Vivian said, “I’ll give you a hint on how to save her.”

Shepard growled.

“You’re cute when you’re impatient, so I’ll give you the answer: Open the portal. Everly already has your ring, wolf boy. Get Cross to toss his in as well.”

“What about the others?” Shepard asked.

“That’s the best part. I have a way to arrange for their delivery. All you need to do is play along.”

“Don’t,” I begged. “The relic Orphia’s looking for is inside the portal, and Orphia knows it. She’ll get what she wants once it’s open. You can’t let that happen.”

Shepard’s gaze shifted over my face, taking in all the details. Any resistance he might have had softened in the process.

“We’re not leaving you in there either,” Shepard said.

“Why not? In here, I can’t be kidnapped or hurt. In here, I’m safe forever.”

“What use is saving a world without you in it?” Shepard asked.

Cross, who’d been watching me just as intently, looked away, his expression pained.

Vivian smiled wickedly. “Tough choice, am I right? Forsake your mate or unleash the relic and forsake yourselves and the rest of the world.”

“It’s an easy choice,” Cross said.

He started twisting his ring free from his finger.

“Don’t you dare, Cross,” I said as I slapped the glass. “If you take that ring off your finger, we’re done.” My breath caught on a sob. “You will lose the piece of my heart that you have.”

His sad smile broke me. “It was never meant to be mine in the first place, Sunshine.”

He pulled the ring free and tossed it toward the portal. It didn’t bounce off but sailed right through and hit my chest. I caught it and slipped it onto my other thumb as tears streamed down my cheeks.

Behind me, I heard Grandma and Grandpa whispering to each other.

“Well done!” Vivian said from the phone. “Now it’s your turn to do your part, Shepard. You can still walk away and leave Everly where she is, trapped forever in the veil between the human and fae world, or you can face the camera and strip like a good little wolf.”

The odd request cut through some of my pain, and I wiped my tears to look at Shepard in confusion. He looked just as dumbfounded.

“I knew you enjoyed men,” Cross said. “But didn’t think Shepard was your type.”

“Oh, he’s not. But he is Effora’s type, and you need her gem to open the portal. She was more than willing to steal Shepard’s for me in exchange for all the humans she could play with. But she was very reluctant to give up hers even for a century of meals. I think Shepard is a meal she won’t be able to refuse.”

I frantically shook my head at Shepard. He smiled at me sadly like Cross had.

“Vivian was waiting for me in the dressing room when I went to answer the call from my parents,” I said. “The tripod was already here when we got here. He’s been planning this for days. Don’t do this. Don’t give in to him.” I begged even as Shepard’s hand dropped away from the portal.

“Please, Shepard. You know what’s at stake. Think of your people. Their mates. Those kids.”

He winced even as he retreated farther.

“You have no idea what it’s like for a wolf to lose his mate, Everly,” Vivian said. “He would rather damn the world than lose you. Now, make sure you remove your clothes slowly, Shepard. Effora loves to be teased.”

I looked at Vivian’s smiling face, wanting to scratch his eyes out. Rather than watch Shepard strip, I stepped back from the portal and looked at Grandma and Grandpa Hunter.

“Do you really think the fae queen will come?” Grandpa asked.

“Yes. She’s been after Shepard for a long time. What are the chances we can destroy the relic? That’s the key to all of this. If it’s gone, even if the portals are opened, Orphia’s plan will fail.”

Grandma shook her head. “We’ve tried everything since coming here. Nothing has come close to even scratching it.”

Frustrated, I turned back to the portal, trying to think of a way to stop them.

Shepard already had his shoes and shirt off and was reaching for his pants.

“Think, Shepard,” I pleaded. “If you give Vivian what he wants, the portal will open, and Orphia will get the relic. You and every other creature will be sent to the fae realm, leaving me behind anyway. I’m safer in here, and so is the whole world.”

Cross rested his other hand on the portal where Shepard’s had been.

“She will send every creature but vampires back,” he said. “I’ve fed from you, Everly. You’re already mine. I won’t let anyone touch you.”

“That’s your plan?” I asked, hitting the portal over his hand. “Sacrifice everyone, including Shepard, to protect me? What about Vena, Cross? And my parents and Vena’s parents? Don’t they deserve to live free?”

Behind him, Shepard tossed his pants to the side and stood fully naked in front of the camera.

“I can see the appeal, Everly,” Vivian said with a slight purr to his voice. “I take back what I said. Maybe he would be to my taste. I wouldn’t mind being dominated by that. Even in its very uninterested state, it’s quite impressive.

“Cross, you’ll find a bit of rope by that post. Tie Shepard to it, pointy side out, if you please.”

Shepard glanced from me to Cross.

Cross nodded and went to do as he was told as I shook my head again, helpless to stop what was happening.

The rope shimmered when Cross lifted it.

“Do you like it?” Vivian asked. “As you can guess, it’s been enhanced. It isn’t actually enough to keep Shepard in place once Queen Grabby Hands gets here. He’ll need to do that on his own. It’s for show so Effora doesn’t get suspicious.”

Vivian was smart. He knew Shepard would willingly stay tied to a tree indefinitely if he had to. Anything to free me.

My heart hurt, watching the two men I love bow to someone like Vivian, who didn’t care for anyone but himself and his dead master. How many lives had they ruined? How many more would be destroyed if Orphia got what she wanted?

“Stop! Please!” I begged again, but Cross and Shepard only looked at me with sorrow in their eyes. Shepard stood still while Cross bound him.

“Now we just have to wait for Effora,” Vivian said. “Navigating the paths here is easy for a fae, especially one who’s desperate.”

Vivian cocked his head to the side as he studied Shepard. “Something isn’t quite right.”

“The fact that you’re still alive?” Cross asked.

“Hmmm. Nope. That’s not it.” He tapped his finger against his lips. “I think your wilted wafer needs to perk up a bit.”

“And how would I do that?” Shepard asked, pulling at the secured ropes.

“Your other mate,” Vivian said with a grin. “Go on, Cross. Give it a stroke. Effora’s going to be here soon. We need something to really get her going.”

Shepard let out a warning growl.

“Are you saying you don’t want her distracted so Cross can swipe the ring from her? Aw. I thought you cared about Everly.”

Ignoring Vivian, Cross approached me, putting his hand on the portal as we waited. “Whatever happens, we’ll fix it. I promise.”

“You can’t undo what will happen once otherworlders are ripped away. You can’t fix everyone’s lives when they’re torn apart and the humans become slaves. And you can’t fix my heart when people I love are no longer with me.”

He looked to the ground. Even Shepard couldn’t make eye contact with me.

“Try to shake some blood into it, Shepard. Effora is almost here,” Vivian said.

“Already?” Cross asked.

“I arranged for her to have a little warm-up gift nearby so she was close,” Vivian said with a manic glimmer in his darkened eyes.

“Your turn, Cross,” Vivian said. “Once she’s well and distracted with Shepard, it’s just a slip of the hand, and you’ll get the stone from her belly button. Toss it into the portal and you’re three-quarters of the way to freeing Everly.

“Now, I suggest you move away from your pet and play a convincing sex steward, or this carefully constructed trap will spring before it’s set, and you will lose your prey and condemn your lover to an eternity in the veil.”

“Don’t do this. Please, Cross,” I pleaded.

He gave me one last look and turned toward Shepard. As he walked away, he removed his suit jacket. He set it on the ground in front of Shepard like a rug and carefully removed his tie. I watched him roll it up and set it on the jacket. Then he unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves.

One naked. One submissive. I didn’t like it. No, I hated it. They’re willingness to do anything for me was tearing me apart.

Shepard and Cross’ gazes whipped to the side.

A moment later, Effora came into view. She paused at the edge of the clearing, her gaze hungrily devouring the site of Shepard tied to the tree.

“The ropes won’t be enough to hold him,” Cross said. “I’ll watch for signs he’s getting loose and assist when needed.”

Her slow smile said just how much she liked the idea.

I hit the portal and yelled, “It’s a trap!”

Effora’s gaze swung to me.

“Do you like my little gift to you?” Vivian asked from the phone. “It took a bit of work to kidnap her and put her in the portal. As you can see, she’s angry and will say anything to stop you from sampling her mate. The only thing keeping Shepard and Cross in line is her freedom, so I suggest using them while she’s still stuck.”

“They’re after your ring, Effora. Don’t let them take it.”

Cross sighed. “We don’t need your ring, but if you give us a fae rune, I can untie Shepard from the tree, and we can be on our way with Everly.”

Effora’s gaze swung to Vivian’s digital face.

“Don’t worry. They know I have one,” Vivian said. “This isn’t about opening the portals; this is about making them pay for what they did to Master and giving you what you want so I get what I want. They know their roles, and they will do anything for you.

“After you’re finished, you can help me deal with Orphia like you promised.”

Effora glided toward Shepard. Like usual, the wisps of clothes she wore barely concealed anything.

“Vivian, you’ve worked so hard, and I’m quite pleased.”

Shepard snarled at her as she pressed her body against his and ran her hand over his limp, naked length.

“We need a bit more effort from you, though. Look at your lover, Shepard. She’s right there, waiting for you. Imagine her naked.”

I couldn’t feel her power, but I saw the effects as Shepard’s eyes turned gold. I yelled every truth I could at Effora, but I might as well have been talking to Vena when she was hot on the trail for treasure.

“Shepard,” she purred, her body shivering as if her desire was too much to contain. “Let me help you. I feel your need for her. Look at Everly and feel her touch.”

She gripped him and slowly stroked from the base to the head and back. He snarled as his body began to betray him and respond to her.

Cross swayed on his feet, his eyes turning black.

“It looks like we’ve found the key to tempting Shepard without using a relic,” Vivian said.

Shepard turned his head to avoid her lips as she kissed him all over. “You taste divine.”

“Effora,” Vivian said. “You’d feel better naked. Rid yourself of what keeps you from Shepard.”

He didn’t have to suggest it again. The scraps she wore flew off her. I caught sight of her glitter-studded crotch just before she turned and pressed into Shepard, rubbing against his thigh. Hooking her leg around his waist, she hitched up his body like a Cirque performer.

She moaned, low and desperate, trying to sink onto Shepard’s length as he attempted to buck her off while avoiding her mouth.

“Cross, help her get what she wants. Reach between them and hold him still.”

Cross moved closer and slipped his hand between their two writhing bodies. Effora let out a long, “Yes,” and started bucking harder. Shepard’s lips pulled back in disgust, but then he dipped his head and bit her shoulder. It was a hard bite that drew blood with his human teeth, not his canines.

She screamed out her release.

As she shuddered, I watched her transformation from a seductress to a terrifying creature from the fae realm. Her ears lengthened considerably, pointing at the tips. Her nails did the same—sharp razors she held away from his skin as she threw her head back and trembled. Her needle-like teeth were terrifyingly dangerous.

A second later, Cross withdrew his wet hand, proof Shepard hadn’t been the reason for her release, and threw her belly ring into the portal. I moved fast, stepping to the side so it wouldn’t hit me.

“They didn’t listen, did they?” Grandma Hunter asked from not far away.

I looked down at the glistening gem that I refused to touch and shook my head.

“No. They didn’t.”