Knotty Dream, Part One (Haze Instincts #2)

CHAPTER ONE

EMBER

TONIGHT WAS THE PERFECT night to end a life. I crouched low on the thick branch, black tactical gear hugging my body like a second skin, my sword strapped tight across my back, crossbow in my hand.

Twin daggers were hidden in the slots of my boots, and the hood of my dark cloak was pulled low, helping conceal me. My black mask covered the lower half of my face, leaving my eyes free to scan my surroundings, waiting for my targets to appear below.

Prince Moon Song and his guard, Ryung Lee.

Or as I liked to call them, kill Forty-nine and Fifty.

The kills that would finally earn me the spell I needed to become a normal omega.

Three nights ago, I'd been taking out the trash from my Wiccan shop, More Embers, when I noticed that the brass handle on the storefront mailbox was sticking up. It hadn’t been up moments before when I’d left the store and walked to the back alley to throw my trash in the dumpster.

Though no one was around, I knew who’d lifted the handle and placed the note inside my mailbox. A dispatcher for the Silent Hex organization. After retrieving the note inside, I entered my shop, flipped the CLOSED sign, and locked up.

I didn’t open the letter until I reached my bedroom above the shop. Seated at my desk, I lit a candle and then read the names on the paper.

Prince Moon Song.

Guard Ryung Lee.

Location: Fortress City.

Complete this final mission, and your cure awaits.

I know the thought of killing shouldn’t make me giddy. But it had. Knowing I was so close to my goal, so close to the life I wanted, excited me. To signal I’d accepted the mission, I burned the enchanted paper that had my targets’ names on it.

Black smoke rose from the ashes, forming a number. Twelve. That meant I had twelve days to complete my task. That was the longest deadline the organization had ever given me. Usually, the timeframe was five days.

Longer timeframes signaled harder kills. I spent the next three days researching my targets. I’d already heard many rumors about them over the years. During my research, I learned they were much worse than the rumors claimed.

They killed without reason. Slaughtered innocents in Fortress City who couldn’t pay their quarterly taxes. Prince Moon Song was known for having a short temper and liking to disembowel his enemies, loving to watch them slowly die before him.

His guard, Ryung Lee, was known for mounting his enemies’ heads on spikes and displaying them in the city for all to see. The people near the borderlands feared them. I would be doing the people a service by taking them out.

That kind of made me a hero if you thought about it that way. But I couldn’t form a plan based on rumors. I had to travel to the borderlands and do some legwork. In doing so, I learned that every full moon, the prince and his guard came to this forbidden stretch of the Frozen Forest.

They shifted into their wolf forms and raced wild through the pines, no escorts, no witnesses. Just them and nature. But this full moon, they had someone else with them. Me. At times like these, I was thankful for being a cold omega.

Unlike other omegas, I didn’t have a scent that represented me. You could smell most omegas a mile away. Further, if they were in heat. Not me. Because I was a cold omega, my scent was muted.

These wolves would have no idea that an enemy awaited them in the trees.

My plan was to attack while they were mid-shift and at their weakest. I was a few feet from where they’d left their clothing draped across a low-hanging tree branch.

I’d get a chance to see them naked before taking their lives.

Goody!

I just wish they’d hurry the hell up. According to my informant, they usually entered the forest around 9 pm during a full moon and emerged around 10:15. The full moon hung overhead now, silver light cutting through the snow-covered branches.

I moved slowly, lifting my arm so my cloak could fall back and I could see my watch. It was nine minutes after ten. They should’ve returned to their clothing by now. Lowering my arm, I held still, crossbow balanced across my knee, arrow nocked.

So, they were running a little late. Shit happens. I had time. I could wait. Minutes ticked by. Five to be exact. Were they really going to make me come hunt their wolf asses down? Just as I was about to leap to the ground, a twig snapped down the path.

Seconds later, they appeared in the clearing butt ass naked, already in their skin form. Damn it. They’d already shifted, ruining my plan to kill them mid-shift. I wouldn’t panic. Nothing ever went perfectly on missions.

A professional adjusted and moved forward.

Moon Song appeared first, his pale hair catching moonlight, his tall frame moving like a predator. Ryung Lee was right behind him, about the same height, but with broader shoulders.

Why did evil men have to be so damn fine?

I may not experience desire the way others did, but I knew a sexy man when I saw one, and both of these men were sexy as hell. My gaze roamed over their bodies as they moved, walking with the grace of an animal stalking its prey.

I took in their broad chests, eight-pack abs, and their sexy little V lines that led to their most prized possessions. My eyes landed on their packages.

Damn, they were packing!

Both of them.

It was a damn shame I’d have to kill them and have those two huge cocks go to waste. Maybe I should get someone to make a mold of their penises for me and...

No. That would be just wrong.

And nasty.

Then again, I was a businesswoman. I could sell those molds in my store...

Nope. Not doing it. I wasn’t that depraved.

Yet.

It was almost time to pull the trigger. Since I couldn’t catch them mid-shift, I had to time my first shot perfectly. I would only be able to use the element of surprise on one of them.

After I shot the prince, his guard would be on alert. I’d only have a few seconds to take him out. I frowned as they bypassed their clothing and continued striding forward. Were they about to walk back to Fortress City butt ass naked?

As they grew closer, my nose twitched. Now would be the worst time to sneeze. Though I didn’t really feel a sneeze coming on, something was definitely irritating my nose. I inhaled deeply, taking in the shift in the scents around me.

The normal scents were still there, fresh pine and nature. Now I detected a hint of mint on the wind. Mint... and whiskey. Such an odd combination of two of my absolute favorite things.

I grew mint in my shop, used it in my coffee and tea, along with a few spells that required it.

And whiskey was my favorite drink with a splash of apple juice.

Sometimes I tossed in a mint leaf. Cool mint and fiery whiskey went great together.

But those weren’t scents one would find in the Frozen Forest.

Unless...

I inhaled deeply again, my eyes zeroing in on my targets. Was I smelling them? Impossible. I was a cold omega. I couldn’t scent others. When it came to nature and cosmetic perfumes, yeah, I could smell them.

However, I couldn’t smell the unique natural fragrance of others. Growing up, I’d known my father, who was an alpha, smelled like hazelnut, and that my sister, who was also an omega, had a sweet-smelling candy apple fragrance.

But I’d only known that because others commented on it. Not because I could actually smell them on my own. Cold omegas didn’t have that luxury. Therefore, I couldn’t be smelling these alphas.

It must be something they had on them that smelled of mint and whiskey. But they were butt ass naked, and still sweaty from their run. Unless they were hiding something in their asses, there was nothing on them that should smell like this.

I swallowed, growing uncomfortable and slightly panicky. I needed to get this over with and get the hell out of here. These strange scents were bothering me. The alphas slowed right below me, lifting their faces, sniffing.

They turned their heads slowly, gazes scanning the trees as if they were tracking a scent. I resisted the urge to take my eyes off them and look around me. My nose may not catch others' scents, but my hearing was amazing.

I hadn’t heard anyone else enter the clearing. We were alone. Were they smelling the mint and whiskey scent that I was smelling? My curiosity was piqued. But I didn’t have time to dwell on any of that.

I was here for one thing. To complete my task. My gaze dropped to Prince Moon's exposed neck. One arrow should do the trick. I inhaled deeply. Exhaled slowly. Then fired. The arrow flew, aim perfect, heading straight for his throat.

My lips curved in a smile as I waited for his head to jerk back and blood to splatter. That was always my favorite part. To my surprise, he twisted at the last second, pale hair whipping as my arrow flew past him, burying into the snow behind him.

Fuck me!

I’d missed.

I never missed.

Ever!

Both of their heads snapped up, their dark gazes landing on me.

Impossible.

There’s no way they should’ve spotted me that easily. Growls rumbled from them, a look of rage contorting their handsome faces into masks of anger. I conjured another enchanted arrow, nocked it, then fired. Moon dropped low, Ryung sidestepped, both of them moving faster than my arrow.

Another miss.

How?

Panic surged through my chest as I conjured another arrow and fired my crossbow. The arrow soared toward the guard’s face. Ryung caught it when it was inches from his nose. What type of damn ninja wolves were they?

"Fuck this," I muttered low, mask muffling my words.

Slinging my crossbow over my shoulder, I turned to flee, feeling weak as hell for running. But I needed to regroup, rethink, research these bastards some more. I leapt from my branch to another one, then another, following the escape route I’d planned.

I could hear them following me from below. I leapt to another tree, the snow falling from its branches, alerting them to my location. I didn’t slow down. I just needed to make it out of the forest and into Fortress City.

There, I could get lost in the crowd. The full moon festival in the city was in full swing. There was no way they’d be able to spot me once I removed my cloak and mask. When I reached the last large tree on my path, I leapt to the ground, landing in a crouch.

I rose and took off running. I could hear them behind me, their growls echoing through the forest as they chased after me. I dodged low-hanging branches, jumping over stones that were in my way.

I sprinted through the thinning trees, the edge of the Frozen Forest so close I could hear the distant roar of Fortress City's full moon festival; drums pounding, voices raised in drunken song, the clatter of market stalls selling food and trinkets.

Freedom was so close, just past that last line of pines. I smiled once I saw the city wall. No one was better at scaling walls than me. Almost there. Shock flooded my veins when a large hand clamped around my upper arm in an iron-tight grip.

I was yanked backward so suddenly that I gasped, my hood falling away. Everything else happened so fast that my mind didn’t have a chance to process it all until it was too late. I felt my weapons being pulled from me, heard them dropping to the ground.

And then I was yanked again, my body slamming into a solid wall of muscle and heat. A heat I could feel through my tactical gear. A heat that was wreaking havoc on my body, making me feel feverish.

Prince Moon Song.

His bare chest pressed into my back, his forearm nestled between my breasts, his hand palming my throat as he held me against him tightly. I tried to speak, but his grip tightened on my throat, silencing me.

A shadow fell over me as his guard stepped in front of me, caging me in. His broad frame loomed before me as he tilted his head, gifting me a cruel, knowing smile that made my skin tingle.

"Well, what do we have here?" the guard drawled, voice low and mocking. "A little omega lost in the forest."

My eyes widened. How did he know I was an omega? Because of my muted scent, most thought I was a beta. And I let them think that. Living as a beta suited me just fine for now. Only a few close to me knew my secret, knew that I was a cold omega.

“What are you doing in our forest, little omega?” Ryung asked in a deep voice that sent shivers down my spine.

Shivers weren’t my thing. Not even in the cold. So why the hell were these alphas making me feel all tingly and weird? I didn’t like it. Not at all. I opened my mouth to tell him to back the fuck up.

The words died in my throat as their scents hit me all at once. Mint, crisp and cool as fresh mountain air, undercut by rich, smoky whiskey that warmed me straight to my core, leaving me feeling like I’d actually taken a shot of liquor.

Their scents poured over me like a spell I couldn't counter, filling my lungs, making my skin flush hot and my limbs turn into jelly. Mint and whiskey. Could I really be smelling these alphas?

I wanted to fight to free myself, but my head was spinning, a traitorous warmth pooling low in my belly, knees threatening to buckle as my body responded in ways it never had before.

These alphas were too close to me. I couldn’t think while caged between them. I needed to focus. I needed.... Damn it... a sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen. I would’ve doubled over if Moon wasn’t holding me against him.

His hand at my throat loosened a bit, and fuck me, I wanted him to squeeze me there again. A low whine escaped me. What the hell was happening? Cold omegas didn't do this. We didn't melt for alphas like some simpering heat-drunk fool. Ryung inhaled deeply, and I felt him shudder against me.

“Do you smell that, Prince?” Ryung asked.

Behind me, a rough grumble came from Prince Moon. “I do.”

I was still spiraling, panic clawing at my chest, when Moon's lips brushed my ear. His breath was warm, his voice a whispered rumble that vibrated through me.

"Sorry, little omega. But you're coming with us."

Pain flared at the base of my neck, right between my shoulder and collarbone. My vision blurred, legs giving out as darkness rushed in like a tidal wave, swallowing me whole, dragging me into the abyss.

The last thing I felt was Moon's arms tightening around me as he lifted me, holding me against his chest. And then my world went dark.