Chapter Seventeen
Annika
“You’ll never get away with this!” I glared at the Shadow Bride.
I tried pulling against the chains binding my wrists, but it was useless. Metal bit into my skin, keeping me shackled to the wall. All around me, the air vibrated with the pulse of dark magic.
“You shouldn’t waste your breath,” she said, as her eerie, inhuman gaze settled on me. “You’ll need your strength soon.”
Across the room, Aiden sat tied to a chair, his wide eyes darting between the Shadow Bride and me. His breathing was ragged, but he was alive. That was all that mattered.
The shifters flanking the walls watched me with cold, unreadable eyes. They were armed and ready. Nothing could go wrong.
The Shadow Bride herself stood at the altar in the center of the room, a vision of cruel beauty. She moved like water, slow and deliberate, her hands trailing over the ceremonial blade resting before her.
She traced a finger along the ceremonial dagger, smiling to herself. “You see, I am so very tired of being just a legend. A whisper in the dark. A warning to children.” Her eyes darkened, her beauty sharpening into something monstrous. “I will ascend, Annika. I will become something more. A goddess. A force that no one can deny.”
She walked over to me slowly, in confident strides. The blade in her hand glinted in the dim torchlight. My breath came sharply, but I refused to flinch. I didn’t want to show her that I was afraid.
“Blood is power,” she murmured, almost like an incantation. “And yours is oh, so precious.”
I yanked the chains as she neared me, but they held firm, not letting me budge.
She tsked. “Now, now. Be still.”
I clenched my jaw, but I didn’t stay still. I fought, twisting and kicking at her as she reached for my wrist. The shifter guards were on me in an instant, their hands like iron vices, forcing my arm still.
“Good girl,” the Shadow Bride purred.
I barely had a second to brace before she dragged the blade across my palm. The sting was sharp and clean, but I barely made a sound. I would not give her that satisfaction. Warm blood welled up, and dripped down my fingers.
She cupped my hand, watching the red pool in her palm like a prize. Then, with slow, almost reverent movements, she turned toward the wall.
A large symbol was carved into the stone. Some twisting lines I didn’t recognize. She smeared my blood across it, dragging her fingers in careful strokes. The effect was immediate. The carvings pulsed, light blooming from the cracks like oil catching fire. The entire chamber trembled, almost as if in preparation of an earthquake.
The Shadow Bride inhaled deeply, eyes closing as if drinking in the magic. Her lips parted on a pleased sigh. “Yes,” she whispered. “This will do.” She turned back to me, that eerie, haunting beauty still intact. “But this isn’t enough.”
I curled my fists, ignoring the sting in my palm.
She stepped closer. “I could take more from you now… but I think it’s only fair that Lucas gets to choose.”
“You bitch,” I spat.
She only laughed, stepping back, admiring her glowing symbols like an artist admiring her masterpiece. “Let’s see just how much love really means when the choice is life or death.”
I yanked against my chains again, but they held fast.
The Shadow Bride’s fingers danced over the glowing symbols, tracing their curves as the light pulsed brighter, feeding on my blood. She looked almost peaceful, as her dark hair flowed around her like smoke.
Then her gaze shifted, slithering toward Aiden. He trembled, his small body bound to the chair and his eyes wide with fear.
A sick smile curled her lips. “Of course, it would be so much simpler to use his blood.”
Ice shot through my veins. “Stay away from him!”
Her laughter was soft, lilting, like the chime of distant bells. “Why shouldn’t I? He’s right here. Bound to Aurelius by blood. And so very… helpless.”
I saw red. “You’re a monster.”
She moved closer to Aiden, fingers trailing just above his head, as if she could already feel his life’s energy. “Perhaps. But I am also practical. Power is power, no matter where it comes from.” Her eyes flicked back to me, gleaming with cruel amusement. “And his would do nicely.”
I rattled my chains again. “Touch him and I swear, I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” she mocked. “Beg?”
All I could was snarl silently.
She turned back to Aiden, her voice softening in a way that made my skin crawl. “Or maybe I should be kind. End him quickly. Then you won’t have to watch him suffer.”
Aiden’s face crumpled, tears streaking down his cheeks. “Mama…”
I choked back a sob. “Don’t you dare.”
The Shadow Bride’s eyes gleamed. “You’re right. It would be such a waste to end him now.” She tilted her head, feigning thoughtfulness. “But then… it’s not really about the power, is it?”
I frowned. “What?”
She smiled, soft and terrible. “I am more than just magic and rage, Annika. I am a woman as well.”
I spat at her feet. “You don’t have the right to call yourself that.”
For the first time, her face hardened, and something wounded flashed in her eyes before vanishing again behind that same cold fury. Her voice dropped to a low, dangerous whisper. “Oh, but I was. Once.”
She turned away, almost as if she were ashamed of her weak moment. “I was a woman before I became this… shadow.” Her fingers clenched at her sides. “Before he betrayed me. The one I trusted. The one I loved.”
Her words echoed in the chamber, filled with an ancient pain that made the air shiver. For a heartbeat, she almost looked human.
Then her gaze snapped back to me, once again cold and unyielding. “But that is why I still want it. Love. And that is why I will give Lucas a choice.” Her smile returned. “Because if he chooses me… then I win. I get everything I was denied.”
My stomach twisted. “You don’t understand love at all.”
She laughed, a hollow, brittle sound. “Perhaps not. But I understand power. And love is power, is it not?” Her eyes gleamed. “You see, I don’t need his heart. Just his choice. His loyalty. His submission.”
I shook my head, fury rising to burn away the fear. “You’ll never have it. He’d rather die than give himself to you.”
She leaned in, her voice intimate somehow. “We’ll see, won’t we? Because I have what he needs. I have his child. And men… men are so very easy to break when it comes to those they love.” Her gaze slid back to Aiden. “Maybe I should remind him of that.”
“Don’t touch him!” I raged again, but we both knew it was just an empty threat.
The Shadow Bride only smiled, serene and terrifying. “Why not? It would be easier. Simpler. But…” Her eyes grew distant, probably as she imagined a life much happier than this one. I could almost feel sorry for her if she weren’t holding my child captive and threatening his life.
“I am still a woman. I still want to be chosen. Desired.” She looked at me, her beauty sharp as a knife. “Even if I have to force him to want me.”
My lip curled. “He’ll never love you.”
Her smile faded, and something cold, bitter flashed in her gaze. “Love is a lie. But loyalty… that, I can take.” She traced her fingers over the glowing symbols again, the light flickering at her touch. “I will use your blood to bind him. And then… he will be mine.”
She turned, her silhouette framed by the flickering light, power swirling around her like smoke. “And you, Annika… you will watch him choose me. You will watch him betray you. Just like I was betrayed.”
That was when the main door burst open and my heart nearly stopped.
Lucas stood in the doorway, blood staining his shirt, dirt smeared across his face. His eyes were wild, glowing with that inhuman fury he kept buried deep inside. His chest heaved with ragged breaths, shoulders tense as if barely holding himself together.
Aiden’s voice broke the silence. “Dad!”
Lucas’s gaze snapped to him, and for a second, the anger melted away, replaced by a pain so raw it stole my breath. He took a step forward, his hand reaching out, fingers trembling. “Aiden…”
But then she moved. The Shadow Bride drifted to the center of the room, her body a swirl of dark mist and elegance. She looked untouched, flawless, her beauty a cruel contrast to the blood on Lucas’s skin. Her lips curled into a slow, wicked smile.
“Well,” she purred. “You made it. I was beginning to think you wouldn’t.”
“You.” Lucas’ voice was pure force.
She seemed amused by his anger, her head tilting to the side, dark hair cascading like a waterfall of ink. “Me,” she echoed, almost sweetly. “Did you miss me, Lucas?”
I wanted to scream at her, to claw at her perfect face, to rip that smug smile off her lips. But there was nothing I could do.
Lucas’s eyes flicked to me, widening as he took in the blood on my hands, the shackles around my ankles. His whole body shuddered. “Annika…”
My chest tightened. I tried to sound strong, but my voice betrayed me. “I’m fine. Just get Aiden. Get him out of here.”
The Shadow Bride laughed, the sound echoing off the ancient walls. “Oh, you’re not going anywhere.” She moved closer to Aiden, her fingers ghosting above his head, just like before. “None of you are.”
Lucas’ face twisted in fury. He moved so fast I barely saw him, a blur of motion as he lunged at her, teeth bared, eyes burning with that monstrous glow. But his hands simply passed through her body as if she were smoke. He stumbled, caught himself, then turned around to face her once more.
The Shadow Bride laughed again, her form shimmering as if made of mist. “Did you really think it would be that easy?” She drifted backward, her body solidifying again near the glowing symbols on the wall. She laid her palm on one, caressing it almost lovingly. “I am not some mortal foe you can kill with fangs and claws, Lucas.” Her eyes gleamed. “I am eternal.”
Lucas’ chest heaved, his fists clenched. “If you hurt them…”
Her gaze turned cruel. “Hurt them? Why would I do that?” She smiled, her teeth white and sharp. “I don’t want their pain. I want you.”
Lucas took a step back, his face hardening. “I’m not yours.”
She sighed, almost disappointed. “You could be. You should be. After all, you were promised to me.” She looked at me, her eyes cold as winter frost. “She stole you from me. But we can fix that.”
Lucas growled, low and feral. “You’re insane.”
She ignored him, her fingers still stroking the glowing symbols. “One thing in exchange for another. It’s only fair. You want your son back?” Her eyes locked on his, drinking in the sight of him. “Then give yourself to me. Break your ties with her. Bind yourself to me instead.”
My stomach dropped, fear flooding my veins. If that was the price… All that mattered was that Aiden was safe. Nothing else was important.
His head snapped toward me. I could see the pain in his eyes. “I won’t.” His voice was firm, but I heard the tremor underneath. “I won’t leave you. I won’t… I can’t.”
The Shadow Bride’s lips curled in satisfaction. “Oh, but you will.” Her fingers glided over the symbols again, and they pulsed brighter, the light reflecting in her eyes. “Because I have what you need. I have him.” Her gaze flicked to Aiden, and her smile grew wider. “And I will destroy him if you refuse me.”
Aiden whimpered, struggling against the ropes. “Dad… please…”
The Shadow Bride extended her hand, her fingers long and elegant, dripping with darkness. “Come to me, Lucas. And let them live.”
He didn’t take a step forward. But he needed to.
“Lucas… it’s alright,” I whispered, looking down, then my gaze flared up at the woman who had taken everything away from me. “I give myself to you. My blood. Take it… just… let my son live…”