Timehunters (Blade of Shadows #4)

Prologue

ALINA

One week prior

T he sharp scent of fear mingled with the coppery stench of blood as I leaned in closer to the writhing figure chained to the wall. His whimpers were muffled by the gag wedged in his mouth, but his eyes—wide and wet—screamed the terror that his bound lips could not.

The meager light from a small window above cast sinister shadows over the grimy, rotting dungeon floor. The air was oppressive, with the sickening scent of decay and desperation. I paid little attention to my surroundings, consumed by my single-minded pursuit—to retrieve the cursed moon dagger at any cost.

“Where is it?” I whispered, my voice a serpent’s hiss as the blade of my dagger traced the outline of an old scar on his cheek—a souvenir from our last encounter. He shook his head frantically, his skin quivering under the cold steel.

“Think carefully,” I said. “The moon dagger and the ancient scrolls of time are not trinkets you can forget about.”

The dagger tip pricked his skin, a bead of crimson swelling up like a promise.

Fourteen years… It had been fourteen years since I first made death my ally. Fourteen years of screams and silence, and bloodshed and betrayal…

Each cry I extracted, every drop of blood I spilled, was a note in the symphony of my existence, a testament to the ruthless efficiency I’d honed. My hands, once hesitant and unsure, now moved with the precision of a master craftsman, carving agony into flesh with the finesse only a seasoned killer could possess.

A putrid stench permeated the air, suffocating and overpowering my senses. The smell of rotting flesh permeated the room, a reminder of my failure and a warning of the horrors that awaited if I couldn’t retrieve the weapon. But I pushed on, determined to uncover the dagger’s whereabouts despite the overwhelming stench of death surrounding me.

My victim’s muffled cries echoed off the stone walls as I slid the cold, sharp dagger beneath the gag. With a yank of my hand, I sliced through it with ease, catching his flesh in the process. Blood spewed from the gaping wound, staining my hands in thick crimson. The man’s body convulsed in agony, but I reveled in the power coursing through me with each passing second.

“Please,” he finally choked out, the word garbled and desperate.

I knew better than to trust the pleas of those who harbored secrets. Secrets that could unlock the power I sought, the power we all coveted.

I leaned in, letting my breath dance across his ear.

“Your pain will end when you speak the truth,” I assured him, though we both understood the lie for what it was.

His mouth twisted into a grimace as he clenched his teeth and shook his head, refusing to speak. Steeling myself, I leaned in close, my resolve unwavering, and whispered, “You made your choice.”

With velvety finesse, I traced the cold blade across his neck, drawing a thin line of crimson blood that trickled down his chest. The air was tense as we both knew the weight of this moment and its irreversible consequences.

His eyes, wide with the realization of his impending doom, met mine for a fraction of a second before I ended his life. I unfastened his shackles, and his body crumpled to the ground, joining the others who had fallen by my hand. I stood above their lifeless forms, the finality of my actions settling in like a thick fog. My heart thudded dully against my ribs, the only sound in a world gone mute. No moon dagger. No scrolls. Only the stillness of death as my constant companion.

“Any luck?” The voice pricked at the bubble of solitude that had surrounded me. I turned, finding Mathias leaning against the dungeon doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, his features cast in shadows that hid his thoughts.

“Father, it’s you!” I cried. As if propelled by the strings of our shared bloodline, I leaped over my fallen prey and closed the distance between us, each step shedding the weight of my recent kill. Father’s eyes followed my approach, gleaming with pride. He received me with open arms, the familiar scent of leather and steel wrapping around me like a cloak of affirmation.

I buried my face in his chest as he embraced me tightly. Tears streamed down my face as I whispered, “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I have missed you too, my daughter,” my father replied, his voice thick with emotion. He placed a tender kiss on my forehead before leaning back.

“Alina,” he said, scanning the decomposing bodies scattered around the room. “Look at you—my daughter, my protégé. You’ve exceeded my every expectation.”

I allowed myself the briefest of smiles, basking in his rare praise, feeling the darkness inside me purr with contentment.

“Your precision and ruthlessness,” he said, his grin wolfish and wide. “You’ve become a lethal assassin, and I love it!”

The echoes of our footsteps mingled with the whispers of the past as we navigated the dimly lit corridors out of the dungeon and upstairs to Salvatore’s study. The door creaked open, revealing walls lined with books that held secrets darker than their leather-bound covers. I turned to my father, impatience for news scratching at my throat.

“Father, give me news! What do you know?”

Father paced before the hearth, where embers fought a losing battle against the cold.

“Olivia and Roman have infested Wales. Those fools, Roman and Malik, are scurrying about for supplies like rats.” He slammed a fist onto the desk, causing the candlelight to shiver. “And Olivia... She’s pregnant. Breeding yet another weakling into this world.”

His disdainful tone painted an ugly picture of derision for life itself.

“They’re searching for the moon dagger, thinking it will save them. And Emily—may the abyss swallow her soul—is on the brink of spewing out her spawn any moment now.” His laughter was cruel, a symphony to my ears.

I leaned against the cool wood of the bookshelf, letting the shadows envelop me.

“Children,” I muttered, the word leaving a sour taste. “It disgusts me how Olivia and Emily are such enthusiastic breeders as if the world needs more of their kind.”

The concept of nurturing life was foreign, anathema to the essence of who I had become.

“Indeed,” Father said, the firelight casting sinister shapes upon his face. “Breeding weakness when we strive for power—foolishness.”

A smirk teased the edges of my lips as my father’s voice dripped with scorn.

“Oh, Marcellious has been captured and soon will be poisoned to death,” he said, his eyes alight with malice. “He will reveal my location to Balthazar, and that’s when I will capture him.”

Father leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a venomous whisper. “I hate that motherfucker.”

“Delicious,” I cooed, reveling in the thought of our enemies unraveling before us.

The door creaked open, and the sudden intrusion sliced through our conspiratorial bubble. Salvatore’s imposing figure filled the doorway, his presence an unexpected storm cloud darkening the room.

“My Lord, I have come to tell my daughter the news!” Father’s words tumbled out in a hasty greeting, but his voice betrayed a tremor of fear.

Salvatore raised an eyebrow. “I see. You come when you don’t think I’m here.”

“Forgive me,” Father stammered, his composure fraying at the edges like worn fabric. “It’s not what it looks like.”

He bowed low.

Salvatore said nothing, quietly studying my father. I shook where I stood, fearing Salvatore’s wrath.

“Mathias, you know how much I loathe it when you dare to communicate with your daughter without my presence,” Salvatore said through clenched teeth. “Tell me, have you finally brought me some news I want? Or are you foolishly scheming behind my back once again? Remember my power over you and how easily I could obliterate everything you hold dear.”

His voice was laced with a dangerous edge, his eyes burning fiery.

I caught the undercurrent of danger, realizing my father’s blunder. Salvatore’s power was absolute, his displeasure a sentence we could ill afford. Stepping forward, I sought to weave a mend into the fabric of our rapport.

“My Lord, forgive me,” I said, my tone smooth as silk yet edged with urgency. “My father came, and we wanted to catch up.”

A calculated risk, to interject—but necessary. We could not allow Salvatore’s displeasure to find root when we were so close to our dark victory.

Salvatore’s gaze, sharp as the edge of a scythe, swept over us, measuring our worth—or lack thereof. A silence swelled in the room, filled with the weight of his deliberation. Then, as if the heavens had parted to spare us from divine retribution, the corner of Salvatore’s lip twitched upward in a semblance of a smile.

“Very well,” he said, his voice low and steady like serenity after chaos. “I appreciate loyalty and obedience. You may continue.”

I swallowed hard, my throat tight with apprehension, while a wave of relief washed through me at his words. Father straightened up, though the sweat on his brow betrayed his lingering unease.

“Our ragged group finally reached the shores of Wales,” Father said, his muscles tensed. “Malik, Roman, and Marcellious ventured out to gather supplies for our imminent search in the cave. I received intel that Raul Costa captured Marcellious; his days are numbered. With his death, I will continue my mission to dismantle the clan individually.”

A troubled look flickered across Father’s face. “My men also reported that Balthazar has allied with Raul Costa to extract information from Marcellious about Emily’s whereabouts. Once Marcellious reveals my location, I know Balthazar will arrive at my estate. I will then capture him and kill his son Tristan and bring him immense pain, just like I did when I killed his daughters those long years ago. His love for his children sickens me, and I want to continue to make him miserable and suffer.”

“Does Balthazar remember his past connections to Olivia and Roman?” Salvatore asked.

“Balthazar doesn’t remember a damn thing,” Father said. “He isn’t strong enough to kill Olivia. I believe deep down he still cares for her.”

“And do Olivia and Roman remember their previous lives as Isabelle and Armand?” Salvatore pressed.

“No, nothing at all. Olivia is pregnant again, and neither she nor Roman has any memory of their pasts,” Father said with a satisfied grin, reveling in his successful manipulation of their memories.

“And Malik?” Salvatore settled on the settee, his arms stretched across the back.

Father sat on the opposite side of the settee.

Salvatore removed his arms from the back of the sofa and edged away from Mathias.

“I have Malik wrapped around my finger,” Father said. “He is absolutely clueless in everything. Soon, Balthazar will be imprisoned, and everything will be in our hands. Malik is completely oblivious to my true nature. He thinks I saved him. I followed the plan perfectly.”

Salvatore and I shared a knowing look.

“Are you sure he doesn’t suspect anything about your allegiance to me?” Salvatore prodded.

A dark smirk crept across Father’s face.

“No,” he drawled, relishing the thrill of it all. “I love playing the part of the kindly, beloved count. Once the truth is revealed, Malik and Marcellious will be utterly crushed . They’ll realize this seemingly sweet old man has betrayed them.” He gestured toward himself. “And, by then, Marcellious will be dead.”

The following words dripped from Father’s lips like molten honey. “Olivia is pregnant and utterly helpless. She’s at my estate in Wales. Roman is too busy nursing his fragile wife to see the danger under his nose.”

His grin widened into a grotesque mask of triumph. “I carefully orchestrated this game of power, placing each piece on the chessboard with precision. Victory is within our grasp.”

Joy bubbled within me, dark and exhilarating. I reveled in the thought of the chaos we would wreak.

“Everything is falling into place,” I whispered, my heart pounding with anticipation and power. The vision of a world cloaked in shadows, bending to my will, filled my mind. A world where I stood above all, the ultimate purveyor of darkness.

Victory will be mine.

My lips curled into a sinister smile.

Father brushed his fingers against the polished, acorn pommel of a familiar dagger strapped to his side. His lips twisted into a sardonic smile.

My heart raced as I saw the gleaming knife. It seemed to beckon me, whispering seductively in my mind. I felt a sudden urge to grip it tightly, to feel its weight and power in my hand.

“I brought it,” he said, the words laced with triumph as he stood and extended the weapon toward me.

“My dagger!” I held the dagger like a mother might embrace her beloved newborn. It gleamed ominously in the dim light of the study, its edge promising deceit and disruption.

“Now that you’ve brought Alina’s dagger back to her,” Salvatore said, “it’s time to bring our plan to motion. And, so, Mathias, you have my permission to travel back to your estate with Alina. You shall depart at the full moon.”

“How will I explain my long absence?” I asked, my voice trembling with uncertainty. “Olivia saw Balthazar stab me outside our shop in Seattle.”

My father held up a slender finger. “We have already set a story in motion. Timehunters captured you. Since Olivia was unaware of their existence and her own abilities, her mind would have deceived her into believing she had witnessed your murder. All we must do is sow seeds of doubt in her memory. I have also convinced Lee of the story’s truth. He will support it without question. Don’t worry, my dear. We have thought of everything. Go to Olivia. She will be uncertain, disoriented by your sudden presence.”

He leaned closer, the scent of his ambition as heady as the darkest incense. “Keep her off balance. That’s where we need her.”

I nodded, understanding the gravity of the task at hand. With her unwavering determination, Olivia now carried the vulnerability of her condition—a weakness to be exploited.

“We want her to focus on you, not her quest to find the moon dagger,” he said, his gaze sharp and calculating. “ You will be the key to finding the next blade—not Olivia and her insipid companions.”

The mission was clear. I would infiltrate their ranks, a serpent in Eden, weaving distrust and discord until they were too entangled in their suspicions to see the real threat. It was more than subterfuge; it was artistry, and I would paint their downfall with strokes of calculated chaos.

“What if our plan falls apart? What if everything goes wrong?” I blurted out, fear taking a sudden and powerful hold of my heart.

Salvatore’s dark eyes snapped to mine. He drew back his hand as if ready to strike me for daring to question our carefully crafted plan. I flinched and closed my eyes, bracing for impact.

Instead, he let out a terrifying roar that echoed through the room. “What are you so afraid of?”

“What if Zara or Lazarus come back?” I asked, trembling. “What then?”

My gaze darted to my father. His expression conveyed a warning directed at me— Watch what you say . I nodded and turned my attention back to Salvatore.

Salvatore shook his head. “Forget about them. They’ve been gone too long to be a threat.”

His words didn’t reassure me. My mind raced with all the possibilities and dangers that could arise if my enemies returned. “But what if they come back stronger than before?”

Salvatore’s expression hardened as he leaned forward, his voice low and powerful. “Don’t underestimate me or what I’ve given you. Remember who made you a Timeborne and how easily I can crush and kill you.”

His words lingered in my mind, and my head ached with confusion and fear. He claimed to have created me as a Timeborne, but that went against everything my ex-husband had taught me with his wild theories about solar eclipses. Despite my doubts, I couldn’t contradict Salvatore; his power was beyond anything I had ever witnessed, and I didn’t want to risk facing his terrifying wrath. But deep down, the question burned within me—Did this enigmatic and manipulative being create me? Or was there something darker and more sinister at play?

I shook my head, my attention captured by the thoughts of Zara and Lazarus. I remembered the horrifying sensation of icy scales slithering up my legs, making me freeze in terror. Dozens of snakes had coiled around me, summoned by Lazarus, trapping me in a suffocating embrace. I had wanted to scream, but my lips were sealed shut as the serpents pressed against my face, their heads seeking entry into my mouth.

And Zara… I shuddered as I recalled our first meeting. I had stepped into a stream, and something caught my foot and held me tight. Twigs and debris tangled around my ankle. I couldn’t untie the knot in my shoelaces, and my shoe was stuck between two rocks and branches. It was her doing… the demoness Zara. I thought I would die in that icy stream. And then she proceeded to taunt and torment me, letting me know she had me in her sights from that day forward.

A sheen of icy sweat covered my body at the recollections. I loathed and feared Zara and Lazarus.

“You know I have eyes and ears everywhere,” Salvatore said, a sly grin creeping across his face. “I would know if Zara or Lazarus were lurking nearby.”

I straightened up. “Why are you telling me this now?”

Salvatore chuckled and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Because I don’t want you to be afraid, my beautiful serpent,” he said softly. “Zara and Lazarus may think they have the upper hand, but they are weaker than me. I still hold all the strings in this game.”

His words sent shivers down my spine as I gazed into his intense, piercing eyes.

He rose from his seat and extended a hand toward me.

“We’re so close to victory, my love,” he whispered with conviction, pulling me to stand before him. “I can feel it in my bones.”

With that, he drew me in for a passionate kiss that was powerful and full of emotion. He cupped my face with his hands, his fingers entwining in my hair as he deepened the kiss.

My whole being felt electrified, as if every cell in my body was awakening for the first time. We lingered in the kiss, my body heated and wet with desire. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been kissed so passionately. It was as if the world around us had ceased to exist, leaving only the two of us entwined in our own little bubble of sadistic bliss.

Eventually, we broke apart, and he rested his forehead against mine, his breaths coming out in uneven puffs. “It’s been too long since we’ve satisfied our passion, my love.”

I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.

“I agree,” I replied, feeling bold and uninhibited.

When Salvatore had taken me under his wing, I’d been drawn into a world of darkness and seduction. His every touch ignited a fire within me, and we’d become passionate lovers, consumed by each other’s desires. But as the years had passed, he’d pulled away from me, drawn to another woman who bore him three sons. They were being groomed to become the next Lords of Shadows while I remained on the outskirts of his life. Yet, in those rare moments when he would return to my bed, I couldn’t resist him. My body craved his touch, even as my heart longed for something more.

A warm sense of approval washed over me, like a comforting embrace, as I sensed my father’s gaze fixed on Salvatore and me. A subtle thrill tingled through my being, lifting the hairs on my arms in a silent dance of contentment. As I stealthily glanced at him, his eyes held a proud glint, like jewels glistening in the sun. We both knew that keeping Salvatore happy was our ultimate goal, our duty. Every move we made, every word we spoke, was carefully calculated to please him and maintain his favor. It was a delicate dance we were all too familiar with now. Our lives revolved around pleasing Salvatore.

Yet, as Salvatore’s lips captured mine again, I knew I was caught in a dangerous game with no way out but surrendering to his will.

“Olivia and Roman have the sun dagger,” Father said, interrupting the moment. “They are actively searching for the moon blade. Now that you are back, Alina, you will be the one who finds the moon dagger. Once you have both knives in your possession, you will kill Roman and Olivia and the rest of the people she loves.”

A surge of power coursed through me, igniting a fiery determination. After all this time, our plans were finally coming to fruition.

I looked at Salvatore with a fierce expression. “My love, I will make you proud. We have waited so long for this moment.”

I tightened my hold on the hilt of my dagger.

Salvatore’s piercing gaze turned dark and predatory as he lunged forward, his hand snaking out to grab my throat. His fingers were like steel, digging into my skin with a force that made me gasp for air.

“You will succeed, my beautiful serpent,” he hissed. “You will be unstoppable...but follow the plan precisely and keep your emotions in check. One wrong move could ruin everything.”

He leaned closer, his hot breath tickling my ear. “Make Olivia believe your story. Play the role of the devoted mother who has finally been reunited with her daughter. Be patient with her, and above all, do not reveal your true nature to her.”

His grip tightened on my throat. “Once you possess both blades, then you may unleash your wrath. But not a moment sooner than that.”

When he released me, I gasped for breath. A chill ran down my spine at the thought of wielding such power. Salvatore’s eyes gleamed with excitement and anticipation as he watched me.

Wet desire pooled between my legs. His rough treatment of me always turned me on.

He glared at me with a twisted smile before addressing my father. “And you , my dear ally, have the full force of my army of Timehunters at your disposal. Use them wisely, for our time is finally at hand. We will become the all-powerful rulers of the universe, and none shall stand in our way!”

A savage hunger for power consumed me, driving me to contemplate unspeakable acts in pursuit of our grand vision. My heart raced with sadistic anticipation, imagining the delicious moment when I would strut into Olivia’s presence, relishing the look of abject horror that would inevitably spread across her face as she realized her mother was alive.