Chapter 7
“Aoife.”
She bolted upright, hearing the voice carried on the wind. That singsong, hollow voice of her mother. It was haunting her, but to others it was enticing, just like a mermaid’s song to lure sailors to their death.
Adam woke up, his arms still wrapped around her. “What is it?” he asked, sleepily.
She just put a finger to her lips, to indicate she needed silence, because she needed to listen. It was quiet outside. There were no sounds of the forest, but this time it wasn’t her brother out there or even Coraliane. There was dark magic in the woods and she was all too familiar with her mother’s.
There was a prickle, a shiver of dread that ran down her spine. Someone was testing the confines of her enchantment. They were trying to get through the protective bubble she had placed over Adam and his brothers.
There was another jab. One that was a bit harsher. She winced as it shot through her nerves.
“What is it?” Adam asked, in a hushed voice.
“Aoife,” the voice sang out again, carried on the wind.
“My mother is here. She’s at the edge of the enchantment.” Aoife got up and picked up the remnants of her ceremonial gown and chuckled. It was ripped right in half. She hated the dress, but it was all she had. “Um, I’d really rather not go meet my mother and the Tuatha Order naked.”
Adam grinned. “Sorry. I just had to have you naked.”
“I’m aware.” Heat uncoiled in her belly as she thought of last night. His tongue on her pussy and it made her wet with need again.
Adam got out of bed and went over to a dresser. He opened it and pulled out a bag. “Gideon is sensible. He thought if you were going to be with us for some time, then you should have some more clothes. He got them the other night in Thunder Bay. I don’t know about his sense of style.”
Aoife laughed as she pulled out a black lace, skimpy thong and held it up. “Well, I hope it’s not all lingerie.”
Adam’s eyes narrowed, baring his teeth. “It better not be.”
She smiled and dug out a black t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of black boots. “This will do just fine.”
As she got dressed, there was another jab of pain as her enchantment was prodded again. Although, she was pretty sure they were doing it to get her attention. Which pissed her off. She was going to put her mother in her place for once and for all.
She was done with the Order.
Aoife grabbed her cloak and headed outside.
“I’ll meet you there,” Adam said. “If you have to transcend yourself there, that’s fine. I’ll find you.”
Aoife nodded. “Just be careful.”
“I will.”
For one moment she hesitated, worried he’d sneak off to face Prince Ivar while she was distracted.
His expression softened. “I won’t do it. Not now. You trusted me with a kiss, trust me with this.”
A sob caught in her throat. “It’s hard because my heart is involved.”
Adam touched her cheek. “Mine too, my mate.”
She nodded and he removed his hand.
Aoife closed her eyes and focused on her mother’s voice, still calling out her name. The bubble rippled again and she turned to mist, to allow herself to appear right where the Order was. She brought herself to solid form and as she did, she kept herself in a partial translucent state, to let the Order know she meant business, allowing the banshee to fully take over. There were torches all around, illuminating the darkness of the forest, but she couldn’t quite make out how many were lurking in the shadows.
“Go away,” she shouted, her voice hollow.
The wizards that had been poking at her bubble backed away, ducking to stay out of the line of her sight. Banshees were valuable yes, but by the way they scampered away from her, she knew these lower members of the Tuatha Order still believed she was bad luck. And they were scared of power, she could sense it. In this case, she was power. Especially for her mother.
“Aoife,” her mother said, the crowd parting as she walked forward out the shadows. “Why don’t you cross through this enchantment and we can talk.”
Aoife snorted. “It”s a little late to talk, mother.”
“It’s never too late to open up, dearest.” Her mother came off as sweet and simpering, but there was absolutely no warmth in her. There never was, not with any of the women in her family.
Which is probably why Death seemed like a good fuck centuries ago. Cold dead dick for a cold heart.
“What do you want?” Aoife asked.
“To bring you back for your wedding.”
“You mean my sale,” Aoife snapped. “I mean, that’s why I was poorly imprisoned right? Although I do find it particularly hilarious that you thought you could keep me locked up. I mean, did you forget I turn to mist? Or did you purposely not put up enchantments?”
Her mother frowned, her eyes narrowing. “Mistakes were made and those responsible for the mistakes have been punished.”
Which meant those responsible were now dead.
“I’m not coming back,” Aoife stated.
“You will come back and fulfill your duty to the Order,” her mother snapped.
“Fuck the Order.”
Her mother’s dark eyes glowed red. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.”
“How dare?—”
“I know what your plans are. I know everything,” Aoife taunted, cutting her off.
“How?” her mother asked, stiffly.
“Cillian. Your uncle, but he’s my half brother.”
“Don’t tell me it’s a blood bond!”
Aoife smirked. “It is. Our blood bond is closer. You and dear old auntie had the same taste in men, apparently. Thankfully, I don’t have that problem.”
And right on cue, Adam came out of the bush. He was wearing his jeans, but no shirt. His mane of hair was loose and flyaway. His eyes were yellow, burning like amber in the darkness, and there was a glint of metal from a freshly sharpened axe in the torch light.
Adam let out a feral growl that rumbled deep in his chest.
It caused a couple of the wizards in the Tuatha Order to shudder, but she could see the lust in the witches’ eyes. Not that she blamed them, Adam was a fine specimen and females of all kinds were drawn to his people.
Her mother stood there, mouth open, clearly horrified.
“You didn’t,” she snarled.
“I did,” Aoife answered, her body levitating off the ground, her voice becoming louder as the keening wail built up in the pit of her belly. The urge to howl was surprising. “I mated with Adam. A Sasquatch. And it’s my fertile time. I likely carry his young.”
Her mother let out a high-pitched scream. “What?”
“I. Carry. His. Young,” Aoife enunciated.
“You viper. You succubus from hell,” her mother shouted. “Do you realize what you’ve done?”
“Do you realize what you’ve done?” Aoife boomed. “You’re trying to overthrow our whole society. Oppress those who have already been subjugated to horrible laws. You’re trying to gain dark magic which doesn’t belong to you. I may be your daughter, yet you treat me like a possession.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Which part?” Aoife asked. “The daughter part or…?”
“Don’t be flippant with me,” her mother shouted.
Aoife ignored her. “I know that you’re trying to take over the dark magic of hell and I know that you’ll be granted this if you help Prince Ivar kill King Tiene. Except, that’s what I was for. I was supposed to do that dirty work and by having me in Prince Ivar’s brothel, you were also securing your spot in his new kingdom.”
Her mother stood there, staring at her, her mouth working, but nothing coming out. Aoife could feel the magic flowing through her mother and collecting. She had never been stronger than her mother. There was never a moment she felt like she could overtake her mother, until now.
The power surged through her body. It rippled through her like an electric wave and the urge to keen was taking over her senses as she rose higher above her mother, above the Order. Her hands were glowing and when she met her mother’s gaze, she could see fear in her mother’s eyes.
She knew her mother couldn’t back down and neither could she.
“You will not disobey me. This is the best thing for both of us.”
Aoife snorted in derision. “It is the best thing for you. Not for me.”
“For us. You will marry Prince Ivar and fulfill your task by murdering King Tiene,” her mother screamed. “There is no turning back.”
The wail built up inside the pit of her stomach, wanting to erupt out of her. And then she saw the black fog gathering on the ground. Creeping like scraggly fingers through the forest floor. It began to collect near her mother, swirling and writhing, igniting with red flames of hellfire. Screams and painful lamentations began to fill the air.
She quickly glanced back at Adam and motioned for him to step back. He nodded, but she could tell that he was scared for her, as the portal to hell opened under her.
There were a few scattered cries of Order members and her mother looked so shocked as she stepped back from the glowing edge.
Fire raced through Aoife’s veins and she had no choice as the power overtook her. She arched her back letting out her first harrowing keen. The screech calling for her mother’s death. Grief overtook her, because as much as her mother and she didn’t have the best relationship ever, they were still family. This was still the woman who gave her life. Aoife didn’t want to call for family, but it could not be contained and she continued her cry of death.
“Someone has pissed off, Great Granddaddy,” Cillian drawled, perched on a nearby branch as he stared down at her mother.
Aoife could not answer as the death cry overtook her senses.
“No!” her mother screamed, clutching at her throat, knowing exactly what that meant.
The black smoke began to form a shape as Aoife’s howl died in her throat, until Death stood there in his skeleton mask. His muscular body made of smoke and brimstone. His eyes were lit with coals as he raised his scythe at her mother.
Her mother fell to her knees and Aoife levitated above the pit to hell, watching helpless as Death approached her mother.
“You will not,” Death hissed, in a thunderous voice. “Hell magic is not for you. Or Ivar.”
“I wasn’t…I just…”
“YOU. WILL. NOT!” Death shouted. His scythe hooked through her mother’s cloak, her mother screaming at the top of her lungs for Aoife to help her, for Cillian to help her.
Cillian was grinning like a pleased little pumpkin.
His smile so malicious and delighted at the same time.
Death turned and looked at her and Aoife met his gaze.
She understood. There was nothing to be done.
Hell had found out the plans and were putting an end to this side. Prince Ivar couldn’t be touched, but a witch could. Especially one who wanted to rule hell.
Aoife couldn’t look away as the smoke swirled again, the portal narrowing. Her mother clawed at the forest floor as she tried to hold on while being dragged backward over the lip of the portal, but it was no use.
She flipped on her back and screamed as flames licked at her feet, before one last tug, then she slipped over the edge. The portal closed with a clap of thunder and a puff of smoke. Aoife dropped to the forest floor with a thud and lay there. The ground still warm.
“Well, that was quite the show,” Cillian remarked.
There was a snarl and she saw Adam charging out of the brush. He was at her side, his axe held high and his eyes fixed on Cillian.
“Whoa there, big fella. I’m her half brother. Remember?” Cillian responded.
“Are you all right?” Adam asked, gently cradling her.
She was still limp. “I think so. I wasn’t quite expecting that,” she whispered.
“I was,” Cillian remarked, practically gleeful.
“No doubt you planned it all,” Aoife snapped.
Cillian shrugged. “She tried to take over the dark forces. She got what she deserves. You, on the other hand, are now the reigning head witch of the Tuatha Order. Isn’t that right, all you little witches and wizards cowering in the foliage?”
Aoife sat up and saw the members slowly creep into the clearing.
“She is our coven leader,” a witch said, nervously. “She overpowered the coven leader, the head witch.”
What?
Cillian was still grinning like an idiot.
“I am not,” Aoife quickly stated.
“You are, by blood line and by power. You are the head of the coven,” Cillian stated. “So, what’re you going to do? Are you going to continue on with your mother’s plan or make a change?”
Aoife glanced up at Adam and he smiled at her gently.
She knew what she had to do.
She really didn’t want to be head of the Tuatha Order, which for centuries had just been a power-hungry, money-grubbing coven. The plus side, it had connections. She could do something with this to incite change and to protect Adam and others. Not more oppression.
Aoife got to her feet with Adam’s help and dusted off her jeans. She looked at the robed Order around her.
“We’re going to meet with Prince Ivar. Things are going to change.”
Adam had never seenanyone dragged to hell before. It was terrifying, because he was fearful for Aoife’s life. He thought she’d be sucked down with her mother. She’d hung over that fiery pit like a pendulum. Her body arched over, swaying back and forth wildly.
Howling.
He’d never truly heard a banshee howl before and he understood in that moment why people were so fearful of her kind. It chilled him to his very core.
Now, she was the head of the Tuatha Order, a powerful coven. She wanted things to change, but as he watched the coven confer with Aoife, part of him was worried about what would happen next. Would she move away? Would she become consumed with power and lust?
Her kind was spawned from dark magic and torment.
Now that she was the leader of this coven, would she toss him to the side? She had said she could be carrying his young. Would he lose her and his youngling?
You asked her to trust you. You have to do the same.
And he thought of her kissing him, trusting him with that ultimate form of love. Sealing herself to him as his mate.
“Your thoughts are very graphic,” Cillian hissed, slithering up next to him.
“Get out of my head, snake,” Adam growled, the fur on the back of his neck standing on end.
Cillian chuckled softly. “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t resist. You should know, even though my sister is hell born, she is part human. Other than a penchant for fucking the most atrocious magical women, our father does have a fairly decent heart.”
“He’s still alive?”
Cillian nodded. “Oh yes. Once Aoife’s mother had her way with him and was impregnated, she wasn’t going to do away with him. She would need another child if Aoife had turned out to be male or not have the banshee blood.”
“And your mother?” Adam asked.
“Full-on banshee. Her mother was an elf who went very wicked when she spread her legs for Death. She’s still around too. Elves don’t die. They may move onto to their realm of light, but my grandmother can’t. She keeps a low profile. My mother is haunting villagers in Ireland still.”
“So, what’s so special about your father, the mortal?” Adam asked.
Cillian grinned at him, his eyes lighting red. “His blood is…special.”
It was a nonanswer, but Adam wasn’t surprised. Cillian was a wraith and seemed to talk in circles.
Cillian cleared his throat and Aoife turned around to look at her half brother.
“What?” she asked.
“Don”t be short with me, dear sister. I just wanted you to know that Coraliane has a lot of realm members gathered at the portal. They have Prince Ivar covered. They’re just waiting for you and your…mate to arrive.”
“And what will you do?” Aoife asked her brother.
“Nothing. Hell has already done their part with taking care of the threat over their powers. Ivar has no sway over us without the Tuatha Order, which is basically all of the witches and wizards in the known realm. He’s powerless. You have to help Coraliane and take care of the others.”
Adam and Aoife locked gazes. He nodded slightly. She knew that he was going to tell his brothers what was going to happen.
He had put Ben in charge, because there was a part of him that felt like they couldn’t come back from this. Even though he wanted to stay by Aoife’s side and protect her, he had to make sure that his brothers were taken care of.
When he moved away from the outer edge of the protective bubble, he found his brothers sitting on the logs that surrounded their communal campfire. As if they also knew and were waiting for him.
Ben stood the moment Adam entered the clearing.
“Well?” Ben asked. “We heard the screams, the thunder, the ground shook…”
“It’s done. Aoife overthrew her mother. Now, Prince Ivar doesn’t have the backing he needs by the covens. Aoife is going to confront him at the hidden portal. I am going with her.”
“We’ll go too,” Ethan stated.
“Yeah!” Gideon agreed.
“No,” Adam growled. “You will stay here with Benjamin. If I don’t come back, Ben is now in charge.”
His brothers lowered their gaze, but he could feel their anguish, because he felt it too. There’s no way that Adam could ever return to this forest, to his brothers, without his mate. His heart was bound to hers. If she died, he would die.
If she left him, he would wither away from pining and die.
Just like his father had done.
He was leaving these woods as a changed Sasquatch. A mated one.
“Go,” Ben said, clapping his hand on his shoulder. “I will care for them. Care for your mate. Put an end to all this nonsense.”
Adam nodded curtly and then handed his axe, which had been their father’s axe, to Ben. Ben took it and then stepped away. Adam turned on his heel and walked back to where he last saw Aoife. He swallowed the lump in his throat, because he hated turning his back on his brothers. He had promised his parents that he would always watch out for them, but Aoife was more important. Still, it was hard to walk away from a promise he made.
Aoife was waiting for him where he’d left her. She was alone. No coven. No Cillian.
“Where is everyone?” he asked.
“They’ve gone through the portal to Thunder Bay.”
“And Cillian?” he asked.
She shrugged. “He’s done with us. For now.”
Adam took a deep breath. “Will your protection work while we’re confronting Ivar?”
Aoife nodded. “Your brothers are safe. They’ll always be safe. Even if something happens to us, I’ve insured that they will be protected.”
“How?” he asked.
She held out her hand and he saw the cut on her palm. It had stopped bleeding, but it was still fairly fresh. “I made a blood deal.”
“You what?” Adam asked.
“It’s fine. Cillian said my blood is potent right now…” She rested her good hand on her lower abdomen. “He wanted a vial.”
“Blood can be used for many things…” A shiver ran down his spine. “It’s powerful. We all know that. Cillian is a wraith.”
“I know, but if it was the price to pay to protect your brothers and you, then I was willing to pay.”
Adam wrapped Aoife up in his arms. How could he explain to her that no amount of blood magic would protect him if something happened to her, but it meant so much to him that she was willing to barter her powerful blood magic to protect his brothers.
He just hoped he could trust Cillian, and he seriously doubted that.