Page 41

NOLAN

Marlowe is MINE!

A deep, commanding voice spoke through her connection, nearly splitting our eardrums with its intensity.

“Fuck!”

screamed Cam, clutching his head. “Who the hell was that and how the hell did he do that?”

We all winced slightly from Cam’s tone, and Archer shook his head to clear it. “That was the king, I would imagine.”

I gritted my teeth in anger, barely keeping my wolf inside. That motherfucker had to have been right next to Marlowe to notice we were talking to her. Had he touched her? Was he touching her now?

You need to hide. He’s sending guards to find you now!

Kian was trying to give us his full attention, but his eyes were wide open as he took in the world around us. He picked a glowing leaf off a nearby tree, rubbing it between his fingers. “It’s so strange and yet so familiar…”

“We have to move,”

Cam ordered. “The king knows we’re here.”

Kian snapped back to Cam, returning from his stupor. “So soon? How?”

“He detected our communication with Marlowe. They must be near each other,”

Archer explained, unable to hide the bitterness from his tone.

The vamp rose through the canopy of the trees and called down to us. “Okay, I see a castle to the… wait, I don’t even know the directions here, and the sun’s already set. And… there’s two moons? I don’t even… to the left of me, then.”

He floated back down, wiping glittering pollen off his shirt. “So, we head in the opposite direction?” he asked.

A dragonfly flitted in front of me, and I tried to swat it away, but it made a tinkling sound and continued to fly around my head.

“What the hell?”

It finally stopped, fluttering in place inches from my nose. “Shifters and vampyr! Not safe, not safe. I help, find haven!”

A tiny naked female, her hair short with iridescent insect wings flapping furiously behind her back, waved both her hands to get my attention.

“Uh, guys…”

I said. “I think I met a fairy.”

Kian and the pack turned towards me, their eyes fixated on the glowing orb of frenetic energy buzzing by my face. “No fairy! Pixie!”

“Pixie, yes, sorry for the confusion,”

Archer replied softly. “Did you say you know of a haven?”

She flitted to him next, giggling like a bell. “Shifter haven, yes! Hide there from nasty King.”

Cam chuckled. “You don’t like the asshole, either?”

Another pixie flew into the little clearing, floating around Cam. She hovered in front of his cheeks, rubbing her back along his beard like a bear against a tree. “Oooh, nice scratch! Nice alpha!”

A third found Kian and laughed, tugging at his lips and peeking into his mouth. “Vampyr! Big teeth. More danger than shifters, must hide, quickly!”

Kian looked to us for guidance, clearly unsure what to do with the winged attention, but hell if we knew what proper etiquette was when dealing with a pixie rooting around in your mouth.

“Uh, do you want to see them?”

he asked, his voice garbled.

“Please!”

“Me too! Me too!”

He peeled back his lips in a smile and his canines grew, leading to a chorus of high-pitched squeals. “Wow! So sharp!”

Kian’s cheeks blushed, and he coughed to clear his throat. “Please lead the way, ladies. And what do you mean I’m more ‘danger?’”

The first pixie grabbed my finger and began to pull. “Follow me! Follow me! Haven this way!”

We looked at each other and shrugged, letting the pixie lead us.

Away, for now, was good—as long as we remembered how to get back. Because as soon as we got our bearings, we’d need to rescue our princess from the castle.

I finally allowed myself to take a deeper look at our surroundings. Kian was right about the feel of the place. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but despite the alien plants, smells, and creatures, it felt like home. Like the very air I was breathing, warm and fragrant, resonated on some primal level with my soul.

Vines detached themselves from trees to reach out and greet us, and glowing flowers released puffs of perfume as we passed. Little animals scampered underfoot and overhead, and the ground was soft and spongy beneath my feet. I was itching to let my wolf out, so my senses would sharpen and I could explore this world even further.

One of the pixies landed on Kian’s shoulders, speaking quickly. “King hates Vampyrs! Kills them, kills them all. Some escape, some hide. Must be smart, must be careful.”

His face fell considerably, and he gave a curt nod. I couldn’t imagine it felt great to hear that the king of the strange country you’d just landed in had killed all of your people.

From an early age, it had been drilled into me that vamps were soulless demons who drew attention to themselves due to their need for human blood and women, and that it put our communities at risk by bringing supernatural beings into light.

But what if it had all been a lie? What if they weren’t as bad as we thought? I could point to Marlowe’s ex and the attack from the Council as proof of their depravity, but the Conclave, our own kind, hadn’t been much better.

In fact, they’d been worse. Mike and Marlowe had at least loved each other, even if she broke up with him. The Conclave only wanted to possess her.

Fuck, I was siding with vamps, and I couldn’t even say that was the strangest part about my day.

We’re heading somewhere safe, I think, Cam spoke through the bond. Pixies are leading us.

Are you safe? Did he hurt you? I asked.

It was a moment or two before she responded. Don’t worry about me, he won’t kill me. He’s only threatened to kill you.

Cam snarled and responded, There’s a lot that can happen between safe and dead, babe.

And I’m willing to endure it all if it keeps you alive, so don’t do anything stupid to get yourselves caught.

My heart stopped in my chest and my breathing hitched. What exactly was she enduring for us? My mind raced through the worst possibilities, and I couldn’t take it anymore. My wolf snarled inside me, and I could feel the urge to shift crawling under my skin.

Kian narrowed his eyes, oblivious to our conversation with Marlowe but aware that I was on the verge of losing it. He looked at the pixie nearest me.

“Hey, what’s your name?”

“Me? Me? My name?”

She squealed and buzzed around my head excitedly. “So nice vampyr! I’m Dewdrop!”

Her little voice caught my attention, and the impulse dulled slightly to where I could control it.

“Starbloom!”

yelled another one.

The one on Kian’s shoulder stood and placed her small hands around her mouth and yelled, “I’m Petalwing!”

“Dewdrop, would it be faster if we shifted?”

I asked. If I released my wolf myself, I’d usually retain my own mind and sentience during the shift, and could take back control when necessary. But if my wolf took over, I’d lose my mind completely, and waking up far away with no memory wasn’t a good idea here.

The three pixies circled around each other, conversing quickly. Finally, Dewdrop flew back to me. “Good idea, good idea! Wolves fast on ground, vampyrs fast in air. I ride you?”

“I ride this one!”

yelled Starbloom, flitting around Cam.

“I stay with vampyr, we lead!”

called Petalwing.

I rolled my shoulders and took a deep breath. “Okay Dewdrop, you better hold on.”