Wicked Allure (The Immortal Reign #4)

Prologue

“Kane, I’m going after her!” Dru snarled.

She pulled her sword from the dead lycan who lay on the ground at her feet. The stench of lycan blood filled the air. Dru spun around to seek out Captain Kane Thaddeus in the melee. Her gaze landed on the elder vampire in the midst of a heated battle of his own.

They had invaded a lycan den deep underground in the sewers that ran underneath Crystal Cove. This was a mission of the utmost importance. The lycan alpha was here, and Lethia, the commander, had disappeared after her.

Dru Moldark had led the manhunt to help find the woman who’d threatened not only her princess but the entire royal family. The alpha had been hard to track down, and she was on a mission to take out the vampire nation.

That was something Dru refused to allow to happen.

While there was air left in her lungs, she’d defend her kind.

Dru whipped her sword around and slid it into the sheath on her back.

She rushed forward in the direction Lethia had gone.

The underground lycan den was in complete chaos.

The vampires had surprised them, and they had never expected an ambush to occur on their own territory.

Dru arrived at a metal ladder attached to the wall and hauled herself up to a ledge.

She stalked along a narrow walkway and glanced down a dark tunnel.

The hairs on the back of her neck rose. Dru reached for the weapon on her waist and aimed it true.

She flipped the safety off and went down the hall.

She was sure this was the way Lethia had gone.

She released a curse and picked up her speed.

Her longtime friend may be the only one here who could take down an alpha, but there was no way Dru was going to let her do it alone. For all Dru knew, Lethia could have been running into an ambush.

Dru arrived at an opening and paused. She glanced through the doorway and found a large room with television monitors along the walls, a table in the center, a cot in the corner, and a few scattered boxes stacked up against the wall. Other than that, the room was empty.

An opposite door had been left open, and Dru’s senses told her that Lethia had certainly come this way.

Dru pushed forward and raced across the room to the door.

It led her to another darkened hallway. She exhaled and quickened her steps.

She had to get to Lethia. Dru didn’t trust the lycans, and an urgency swept through her.

A metal door stood ahead. Dru slammed her shoulder into it and forced it open.

The cool night air greeted her. There was no sight of Lethia. Dru raised her fingertips to the comm in her ear.

“Your Highness, where are you?” Dru stalked forward while listening intently for any sounds of a fight or scuffle.

A pain-filled cry sliced through air. It sent a ripple of fear through Dru’s spine.

Lethia!

“Where is the princess?” a voice growled behind her.

Some of her men must have followed her out. Dru motioned for them to go with her. She took off in the direction of the sound and rounded a corner. Ice froze her veins at the sight that greeted her.

Lethia was pinned to a thick tree with the alpha’s claws buried in her side.

Dru instantly raised her weapon and fired several rounds of argentite bullets.

The alpha’s body jerked. More gunfire rattled through the air.

Azura snarled and turned away from Lethia then raced off into the woods.

Lethia slid down the tree and hit the ground as Dru and her vampires advanced.

Dru arrived at her side while most of the warriors went after Azura.

“Your Highness!” Dru fell to the ground in front of her. Panic filled her at the sight of all of the blood. “Fuck. Are you okay?”

Lethia’s hand pressed against her wound that bled profusely. She grimaced and inhaled sharply.

“I’ll be good as new in a second,” Lethia gasped.

“Let me see.” Dru pulled her hand away and glanced down at the sizable gash on Lethia’s abdomen. She cursed and raised a hand to her comm. “We need help. The princess is down.”

“I’m fine,” Lethia growled. She pushed up to stand, but she fell back down.

Dru reached out a hand to rest it on her stubborn friend’s shoulder. “Rest, my princess. We’ll get someone to help you.”

More vampires poured out of the door, flooding the area. A stubborn glint appeared in Lethia’s eyes. Dru was extremely familiar with the look.

“I’ve got to get up.”

Dru sighed and jerked her head in a nod.

Dru stood by with her gaze locked on the princess.

Lethia pushed up and leaned back against the tree before she stood straight on her own two feet.

Her golden hair was braided away from her face in an intricate design, but a few wisps had escaped.

She held her head high, but there was something different in her eyes.

Dru’s body was tense. She’d fought by Lethia’s side for decades and knew her as well as she knew the back of her hand.

The color drained from Lethia’s face as she blinked.

“Report.” She blinked again and tilted to the side.

She stumbled slightly, and Dru flew to her.

She brushed Dru’s hand away. “I’m fine.”

Lethia’s eyes rolled back, and her knees gave way.

“Shit!” Dru caught the princess before she hit the ground. She was completely dead weight. Now that the princess was out of commission, Dru was in charge. She bent down and scooped Lethia up into her arms and glanced around.

“We have the van prepared for the princess.” Talbot stopped in front of her. A few of his blades were missing. The experienced vampire waited for her.

“Good. Secure the area,” Dru shouted.

The men around her would comply. She didn’t see any sign of Kane yet. He must still be down in the den dealing with the lycans. He’d be able to hold his own. She had to get the princess to healers. Lethia’s head rolled to the side. The blood wasn’t stopping. She might bleed to death.

“We need to hurry.”

“Come this way. It’s not too far from us now.” Talbot motioned for her to follow.

Dru carried her the commander through the throng of men. Once she’d secured Lethia, she’d try to stop the flow of blood.

Dru thought of one thing she knew Lethia always stressed to her about their warriors.

“One other thing.” Dru bit back a smirk with what she was about to say. “None of you saw me carrying the commander.”

* * *

There was so much blood on her from holding pressure to Lethia’s abdomen. Dru sat back in the van, satisfied that the flow of blood from the wound had slowed down. Talbot sat in the front with the driver who drove fast. Lethia had been out cold for minutes. Dru was starting to get worried.

“Fuck. What happened?” Lethia groaned.

Her eyes flew open, and she tried to sit up, but Dru gently pushed her back down. A growl escaped Lethia, but she settled back once she saw Dru sitting next to her.

“Don’t move, Your Highness. Otherwise, you’ll completely bleed out,” Dru said.

Relief filled her at the sight of Lethia’s blue eyes. This had been a close one. They had both been gravely injured before in battle, and it never got easier. Her friend would need blood to heal. It would help the wound close within minutes if she were able to consume it.

“Report,” Lethia snarled.

Dru held back her eye roll but submitted to her princess.

She shared with her that the den was taken care of and a few lycans had escaped with the alpha.

Lethia nodded at the information. Even a hairsbreadth away from death and the commander was still trying to fight.

Dru had always had high respect for the king’s daughter.

That was why she’d remained loyal to Lethia and the Riskel name.

They arrived at the castle quickly to a group waiting for them, thanks to the warrior’s skilled driving. The truck halted, and the door was practically torn off the frame by Lane, Lethia’s personal guard. Concern filled his eyes as he reached for Lethia.

“I’ll walk into my home,” Lethia growled.

Lane took a step back from the vehicle and gave her a nod.

“I wouldn’t dream of trying to carry you.” Lane waved his hand for her to step out of the vehicle.

“I’ve already had to carry her, and let me tell you, she’s not as light as she appears.” Dru smirked.

Lethia’s blue eyes cut to her, and if looks could kill, Dru would have perished from the glare alone.

“Tell anyone else you had to carry me, and I’ll kill you,” Lethia threatened.

Dru chuckled and exited the truck from the door closer to her.

She ambled around the back of the vehicle and took in all of those waiting for them.

Dru had called ahead to Aubrey to notify her that the princess had been gravely injured.

She wasn’t happy with the news and assured Dru the house would be on standby to receive Lethia.

Only thing was, Aubrey did not share that the queen would be waiting as well.

“When did she get here?” Lethia muttered. She stood to her full height with her hand pressed against her stomach. Her gaze was locked on her mother, Queen Mira Riskel. She walked toward her, leaving Dru with Talbot and the other warriors.

“Has there been word from Captain Thaddeus?” Dru turned to Talbot. She had cut off her communicator while trying to staunch the flow of blood from Lethia.

“Yes. They’re currently burning the bodies of the lycans who were killed,” he replied.

Dru gave a nod. “You warriors did well today. Rest up. I’m sure we’ll be called back for duty soon.

” She stalked toward the castle. Her job was far from over.

With the amount of lycans they had found, she was sure it was only a matter of time before they’d be at war.

Azura had promised one, and Dru’s gut screamed that it was coming.

While Lethia was being taken care of in the infirmary, Dru would continue to devise a plan.

Hopefully her friend would find a way to consume blood so she could heal properly.

It was easy to see that Lethia hadn’t fed from her mate yet.

There was no way Azura should have gotten the drop on her.

Now that the queen was here, maybe she’d be able to talk some sense into the commander.

Dru entered the building and headed to her quarters. She pushed aside the thought of Lethia and her mate. Now that they were home, her friend would be fine, she was sure of it. The queen would not allow her daughter to perish.

Dru devised a quick plan. First wash the stench of lycan from her body and put on a clean uniform.

Then she’d call for a donor. After a battle like that, she’d need nourishment.

Infiltrating that den had given her much knowledge.

Now she was going to have to do what she did best, and that was to prepare for war.