Chapter 15
Kaden
In this maze of fear-drenched corridors, it’s easy to find her. Her scent, the alluring notes, pull me toward her destination. Trampling over scared servants, I battle my beast, lock him away into his cage and stop short, seeing her alone, face searching the grounds of an open window.
Inhaling, my beast purrs as I lean a shoulder on the wall behind her. She smells like danger and desire—like my salvation or my ruin. In the midst of battle, it was her scent—her blood, that called me back from the edge. It’s because of her, I was able to stay the Fae that I am.
My gums itch as the fangs beg to break through, my shadows flaring at my hands, as if to pull her toward me. Odd. I’ve never had to fight so hard to remain in control of my magic.
It’s always been harder to rouse, as if it slumbers deep inside, but with her? It wakes, eager and pliable.
It’s fucking irritating.
Her silken strands tangle along her shoulders, her cheeks puffy from crying. Her fingers are stained red, as if she played in the royal artists’ paints, but I know what it truly is.
Blood magic. She’s a powerful woman—magic is rare in our world with many thinking it a myth. I myself am the only Fae known to possess it. The Witch can heal but for this slight thing to hold the power of life within her hands? Gods.
“What do you want?” Her voice cracks, straining from the stress of the night. It reminds me a lover’s whisper, gone hoarse from rounds of glorious lovemaking.
It’s promises wrapped into bloody hands and bright blue eyes. My body shudders, yearning so great, I take a step forward only to stop short.
Fuck, this pull. Blazing fires above, it’s damning. Why am I so enamored by this woman? Does she only possess blood magic, or can she control others’ mind as well?
Glancing to her throat, the ragged scar hard to miss, I wouldn’t doubt she had more tricks up her sleeve. To survive such an attack shows her prowess.
She rubs it when she’s nervous—when she thinks no one notices.
But I’ve noticed. Since I saw in her throne room, I’ve had a keen awareness of where she is, always thinking of her, searching for her in every room.
I’d like to blame the beast and its affinity for blood—because that would be logical. But this desire, this pull, goes beyond logic.
My body hums with her presence and chills with its absence, begging to drown within her oceanic eyes. That’s never happened before.
“Did you get my present?” My words are light, taunting. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like.”
“So it was you.”
“Do you have another admirer giving you gifts, kitten?” I shove my hands into my leathers, dried blood flaking off on to the floor. “I’m jealous. Here I thought, I was the only one with your undivided attention.”
She gives me a withering glare, remaining silent.
“Would you have preferred flowers?” I tilt my head. “You don’t seem like the serenades and bouquets type, pet.”
She snorts, rolling her eyes. “I can’t say I prefer corpses either.”
Standing still, shoulders back, she looks like a queen gazing upon her lands, healing from battle.
It’s not hard to remember her from the fight, blood falling from her eyes, crumpling bodies with a flick of her wrist. She’s a powerful little thing.
My mind spins, a plan forming before I can stop it.
“No?” I ask, pieces fitting together into a perfect puzzle. “Most women would love to have a man kill their enemies and leave them at their feet like a sacrificial offering.”
“Most woman,” she sighs, glancing back, “cannot kill the way I can, heir.”
Grinning, I push off the stone, moving to her back.
So we’re finally going to admit that she has magic? Perfect.
Because my father wants a weapon and I’ve just found him one.
“Tell me what you are, pet.” My lips brush her ear and she stiffens, distrusting. I can’t blame her—in fact, she’s smart. She shouldn’t trust me. “How do you kill? Tell me what you did to the lord who wished to harm you. How did you stop him?”
She stays silent.
Sighing, I play with the ends of her hair as if she’s a doll. “You just found a dead man outside your door, drained of blood. Yet, you don’t seem afraid. It’s almost as if you are used to death and destruction.”
She frowns, fingers clenching at her sides. “Should I fall at the slightest whims?” She snorts, hip cocking. “If so, I would never leave my hut.”
Abruptly, she turns, arms crossed over her chest. “Why did you do it?”
I chuckle, shrugging. “Do what, exactly?”
When she opens her mouth, I place a finger to my lips, eyes darting around. For a woman living with the inbred Witch Coven, she seems to get my meaning quickly, mouth closing with an audible snap.
“My gift,” she drawls, rolling her eyes annoyed. “Why leave him there? Why help me? What’s your game, heir?”
“Why must there be a game for me to deliver you the man who wished you harm?” I examine her eyes—uncut gems that shine in the moonlight and my breath freezes in my lungs. “Why can’t you thank me for doing a favor? Why can’t you take the kind gesture for what it is?”
“So this was, what? A way to make friends?” She narrows her eyes. “A way to avenge my honor?”
“If it was?”
“Then you’re a fool. My honor is of no concern to you. And it’d be pointless to make friends when neither of us like the other.”
I smile cheekily. “You might not like me, but I certainly like you.”
She glares, not stopping her tirade. “Nor do you have any right to intercede in my affairs, whatever they may be. I don’t need you defending me when I’m capable on my own.”
“Perhaps,” I concede. “Tell me. How do you defend yourself?” Stepping close, my chest brushes her cloak.
“I’ve seen you, kitten. I’ve seen your fingers darken.
I’ve seen the lust of blood in your eyes.
” Lifting her hand, the pale pink still marking her fingertips, I wink.
“You can tell me. We’re all beasts here. ”
She bristles at the nickname, tugging free of me, cheeks red. My grin grows. This little kitten is uncomfortable with intimacy and that might play into my grand plans.
“You’re a beast—a Dark Fae,” she bites out. “You’re a monster. Killing is in your nature. You say you left that gift for me, but we both know that you gave into your baser instincts to satisfy your cravings.” Stepping away, she exhales, as if composing herself. “I’m nothing like you.”
“No?” I laugh, crossing my arms. “You forget, pet, I’ve seen you.” My eyes fall to her hands. “I’ve seen what you can do. I’m not the only monster in these halls.” Tsking, I shake my head. “It’d be horrible should someone find out what I know.”
My words drain the color from her face, though she continues to glare. She’s quite defiant, this one.
“What do you want, heir?”
I hold up my hands, leaning to whisper in her ear. “Just tell me what you are.”
Most people cannot handle me—who I am, my reputation. This stubborn woman, glares at me, willing me to burst into flames instead of answering my question. I can’t help but grin.
“I’m a blood summoner,” she snaps. “Happy?”
“Ecstatic.”
“What will you do now?”
I shrug again, looking down at her. “Nothing. Yet.” My fangs dip over my bottom lip and her eyes widen. “But we’ll see what the morning brings, shall we?”
Growling at my arrogance, she steps away. I think she’s done with our little conversation, but she stops suddenly, spinning on her heel to ask me, “Why?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Because I’m naturally curious.”
Rolling her eyes, she sighs. “No. Why, him? Why bother?”
The unnamed questions linger in the air.
Why care? Why care about her?
My stomach twists, an odd sensation of warmth pooling at the vulnerable look in her eyes. Has no one ever cared about her before?
“Why not him?” I glance away, looking to the starry sky. “I’m not a fan of males who would take from someone weaker than them—and I despise men who would take from a woman without consent. But from you?” I look back, winking. “It was poor form to try to take from a woman who intrigued me.”
“That’s all?” She’s not sure.
“What is it you think happened, pet?” I ask, running a hand over my tired face.
“That after I slaughtered our foes, I found him on the battlefield, and a sudden image of what he tried to do to you compelled me to kill him? That the mere thought that he might have taken your body for his own pleasure was enough to force my hand, drive me to kill him?” The words are whispered, though no less cruel.
“Don’t flatter yourself, kitten. You’re not that important to me. ”
Her eyes turn guarded, body tight with rejection, but I hold firm.
I cannot tell her that when I saw him, I needed to rid the world of his presence because he dared to touch her. That I wanted to give her a moment of peace, and if I could do that by killing him, draining him, then I would. But I couldn’t say any of that.
I’ve just met the woman—what would that say about my impeccable control to fall so easily to simple whims to make her happy?
Those blue eyes bleed of all emotion, a cool, emotionless mask falling over her proclaim face. So I’m not the only one good at schooling my features.
“Good night, heir.”
The damn vixen disappears around the corner and my beast roars at the loss of her, echoing inside my skull.
Snarling, I shove it deeper into its cage, mentally forcing more strength into my shields. He’s a bit untamable since coming to this palace and I’ll need the extra measures to keep him locked away.
I want to follow her—but I don’t. Turning in the opposite direction, I stalk to my shared quarters with my siblings. In the sitting room, they’re sprawled out, the pale blue furniture bright compared to our battle-weary bodies.
Three doors off the room leads to our private rooms and my body suddenly aches for my bed. The battle was long, my control weak and all I want to do is rest.
Fee has a different idea. “Tell me, brother,” she interrupts as I unfasten the blade from my hip, dropping on to a seat beside her. “Did you drain the bastard because your beast was in control? Or because he said something offending? Tell me now, so I know what to do next.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I ignore the urge to throw a dagger at her head. I wouldn’t hit her, but I may lose my blade in the process. “No, Fee. My beast is not in control. Besides,” I scowl at her. “Why did you think it was me?”
Reid snorts, dropping back into his chair, legs stretched out wide before him, a wet rag in his hand. He look as tired as I feel. “Please. We can smell you all over him. You practically devoured.”
Shrugging, I ignore his taunt. He’s not wrong. It took everything in me to hold back the beast from eating him whole.
It was as if the beast wanted him to pay for thinking to harm that woman. It wanted to protect her. It’s never been like that before.
“Why him?” Fee asks now, eyes narrowed. She’s watching me, assessing me. Of all the beings in the world, Fee knows me best.
“His face bothered me.”
Reid barks out a laugh. “All the Humans bother you. That doesn’t answer the question.”
“He’s a lord, Kade.” Twin spots of anger redden her cheeks. “He is important to the king. Killing him brings attention to us. Attention we don’t need as we sneak around, looking for any information to send to Father.”
I wave her concerns off, kicking my boots with more strength than necessary.
“He’s a drunk, Fee, with power that will pass to his young son.
His wife, who he beats on the regular, will not ask for anyone to look into his death.
And as far as this court is concerned, he was killed by the Crimson Army. ”
“I’m going to ignore how much you looked into him,” Reid teases, lips twisting in a grimace. “Before eating him.”
“And he just so happened to be found outside the Blackwoods Coven advisor’s door? That has no bearing on this, right?” Fee prods.
My eyes narrow on my younger sister. I’ve never laid a hand on a woman, but she might be the first. “Right.”
“Males,” Fee growls. “Fine. We’ll ignore the kill.
But we need to send Father something. We’ve located no maps, no dealings, no secrets that he can use to cripple this palace.
If we finish this peace talk and return home, Father will take his aggression out on us.
” There is the slightest tremble in her hands, but she busies herself with her braid.
My jaw clenches, eyes flat. “He won’t touch us. I have a plan.”
“Such as?”
“What do you know of the advisor?”
Reid whistles wolfishly, amber eyes flaring with heat. “Very cute. Very sexy. Long legs. Firm ass—”
“Of her power, idiot.” I have to stop myself from strangling my brother. “I didn’t ask for her measurements, her magic.”
I don’t appreciate the way he’s noticed her body. Or how wistful he looks, thinking of her.
No one is touching her. No one.
Except me.
I lock that want down and throw it into the recesses of my mind, never to be thought again.
“Magic?” My brother’s eyes widen. “You mean—”
“Yes.”
“You’re telling me,” Fee begins, dropping her sword to the floor, “That the stray Nessa took in years ago, raised, somehow possesses magic? Magic, that no other being in our world has—minus you and her son?”
I shrug as she snorts. “Convenient. Do you think she took her in because of it or it developed after?”
“The why isn’t the concern,” I reply, clasping my hands behind my head. “All we need to focus on is what she is. And how she’ll help us.”
Fee tilts her head. “Help us, how, Kaden? What is she?”
Smirking, I shrug, confident in my plan. “She’s a blood summoner, Fee. And she’ll be exactly what Father needs to defeat the Lone Human King and take over the world. Exactly what we need.”
Reid whistles, throwing the rag away. “Not so useless then.”
“No. Not useless at all.”