Destiny Forgiven (Shadows of Destiny) (22 page)

_{She was sitting up in a chair but her hands were tied behind the back and her ankles
were bound to the chair legs. Not expecting good results, she tried giving it a tug anyway but couldn’t move.}

_{The room was empty. Whoever had kidnapped her had left her tied up alone? Didn’t they know she was a shifter? She snorted. Magic pushed out from her chest as she started to shift back into the finch. But something sharp pricked against her throat, stopping her.}

_{“Don’t even try to shift,” a man said behind her.}

_{She froze
, then watched as the man circled her, keeping the knife on her throat. She swallowed hard and the point dug in, making her wince.}

_{A pale man with reddish blond hair stood in front of her, looking down with angry blue eyes. “You smell like a man I know. One I’ve been searching for for years.”}

_{Smell? The last person she’d touched was Dalton. Was this an enemy of the rebellion?}

_{“Maddox Blackwell,” he continued. “How do you know him?”}

_{Her heart raced.
Stay calm.
She focused on keeping her expression neutral. This guy wasn’t a shifter, so if he was looking for Maddox, he was most likely a sorcerer from
Marwolaeth Du.
She didn’t understand why he wouldn’t take her there, but she wasn’t giving him any information that would jeopardize Maddox.}

_{“No. I’m sorry. I don’t know him.”}

_{The knife pressed into her skin and she cried out.}

_{“Liar,” he hissed. “I can smell him all over you.” She felt a trail of blood
dripping down her neck.}

_{“Talk, shifter, or this will get a lot worse for you.”}

_{She wanted to roll her eyes. As if she hadn’t just been through worse already. What was he going to do? Starve her? Kick her in the ribs? She prepared to shift despite the knife at her neck.}

_{A bang sounded behind her and a rush of fresh air chilled her skin. Someone had burst through the door. A body barreled into her captor, causing the knife to slash a shallow cut under her chin. The blond man went flying across the room, his assailant following him. They tussled for a moment, each trying to get the upper hand. Their bodies were in the darkest corner and she could barely make out either of their faces. Who was this new person?}

_{Green light burst into one hand then blue light in another. The stranger backed away, panting, then he glanced at her. Deep brown eyes pierced her and she pulled against her bindings.}

_Maddox!

_{His black hair stuck up in a strange spiked hairdo. His long-sleeved uniform covered any tattoos he hadn’t with the glamour. He hurled a Bolt at her captor, but the man disappeared before it hit. A table exploded. Maddox threw another in the other direction.}

_{The stranger’s body moved in a blur then he was standing on a loft balcony just above a set of stairs. How was he moving so fast? She’d never seen a sorcerer do that. The only supernatural that had that kind of speed was a…}

_{“Wait!” she yelled. “Stop!”}

_{A blue orb soared from above and made a hole in the floor just next to her. She shrieked. Maddox growled and lunged for the stairs. He was going to kill his best friend.}

_{She fought against the ropes. “Maddox! No!”}

_{James froze. “Maddox?”}

_{It was too late. Maddox had made it up the steps and he flew at James, knocking him into a wall behind him. His hands went around James’s neck.}

_{“Maddox,” James gritted. “It’s me. James.”}

_{Vampires were stronger than sorcerers. James managed to dislodge him then punched him in the mouth. “It’s me, you idiot. Stop fighting!”}

_{Maddox backed away. “James?” His body filled out to its normal muscular size. His face shifted from the baby-faced soldier he’d been disguised as to the hardened bald man she’d grown used to.}

_{James took a step toward him and looked him over. “It’s me. But you…” He gestured up and down his body. “What the fuck happened to you, mate? I’ve been looking for you for years. I thought you’d died until I passed by her scent.”}

_{As if he’d just remembered she was there, Maddox turned and flew down the steps. “I’m sorry, love,” he said, bending down next to the chair. He used magic to burn through the ropes and she shook her arms free. “Are you okay?”}

_{His gaze zeroed in on her neck and his nostrils flared.}

_{“I’m sorry,” James said from behind him, handing him a tissue. “She smelled like you and it was the first lead I’d had in over a year. I had to question her without risking her flying away. I had no idea she was your…”}

_{“Mate.” Maddox took the tissue and dabbed it on her neck.}

_{Ignoring the wound, she threw her arms around him. “Are
you
okay? Did everything go okay at
Marwolaeth Du?
I’m so glad you’re safe.”}

_{“The Fortress of Night?” At James’s question, they pulled apart and looked at him. “What happened to you? You look...different.”}

_{Maddox rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “It’s a long story.” He looked at Felicity and smirked. “I sent you to find James. Ending up as his prisoner isn’t what I had in mind.”}

_{She shrugged. “Everybody has their own way of doing things. At least he didn’t tie me to the bed.”}

_{He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. His gaze fell down to her legs then his eyes widened. “What are you wearing, woman?”}

_{She looked down at her bare legs. “I think it’s a dress but I’m not sure.”}

_{He scowled at her.}

_{“It wasn’t my idea! Someone’s idea of a joke. How did you find me?”}

_{Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he hugged her close to his side. “Your partner texted me and –”}

_{A loud thud outside made her turn toward the door. It burst open. The wood splintered and pieces shot into the room like little arrows. A giant beast lumbered in on all fours. He bared his teeth and roared. It echoed so loudly she covered her ears.}

_{Holy fucking shit! There was a bear in the living room!}

_{Green and blue orbs lit up on either side of her. She threw herself in front of the bear and put one hand out in front of her.}

_“Stop!”

_{James and Maddox froze. The bear growled behind her. “Stand down, Dalton,” she said to the bear, keeping her gaze on the sorcerers, who still had their palms lit up. “They’re my friends. I’m okay.”}

_{Maddox’s eyes flitted back and forth between the bear and Felicity. His forehead crinkled in a worried expression.}

_{The bear-shaped shadow on the floor
shrunk. Dalton, in human form, stepped forward, naked and unashamed. She averted her gaze as her cheeks heated.}

_{James rushed to close the door. Well, the best it would close considering it was hanging halfway off the hinges.}

_{“Um,” she said to the ceiling, avoiding Dalton from the waist down. “This is Maddox, the guy I was telling you about, and his friend, James.” Moving her gaze to Maddox, she gestured at Dalton. “This is… Well, you should recognize him.”}

_{Dalton gave her a puzzled look.}

_{“You don’t wanna know.”}

_{James disappeared into a room off to the side then returned a moment later with a pair of jeans. He tossed them to Dalton. She relaxed as he pulled them
on. She turned to face him fully.}

_{“What are you doing here?”}

_{“My friend called and said you never arrived. I texted the number that you were missing then I hunted you down.” His brow creased as he narrowed in on her neck. “Are you okay? What happened?”}

_{“I’m fine. It’s just a little scratch.” She pulled the tissue away. It didn’t seem to be bleeding too badly but she put it back just in case. “Bursting in as a bear was a bit much, Dalton. Not to mention a little conspicuous.”}

_{“Did anyone follow you?” James asked, peering out the front window.}

_{Dalton scowled. “I wasn’t running through town in my grizzly form. I’m not an idiot. I only came in that way because I saw the Bolts through the window and I thought you were taken by sorcerers.”}

_{“I was,” she said chuckling.}

_{“So this is the guy you were looking for?” He gestured to James then arched a brow. “The one that’s going to save us all?”}

_{Maddox answered for her. “Yes.” He turned to James. “We need your help.”}

_{“With what?”}

_{“Taking down the most powerful sorcerer on earth.”}

_{His brow creased but he looked intrigued. “Who’s that?”}

_{“My father.”}

***

_{James’s eyes widened then he nodded slowly. “Right. What do you need from me?”}

_{Though his memories were still fuzzy, ones from his time in America pushed to the fore. That was just like James – standing by his side no matter what, ready to get into trouble with him at a moment’s notice. He knew instinctually, no matter how foggy his memories, he could trust James.}

_{“We need Sage.”}

_{Immediately, his shoulders tensed and he turned his body in a protective stance even though she wasn’t there. So he’d been right – they were still together. “Why do you need her?”}

_{“Have you trained her? Is she in control of her powers?”}

_{James nodded. “She’s got other responsibilities
, though. She’s not even in this realm.”}

_{Realm? Maddox looked at Felicity but she shrugged. “What do you mean?”}

_{“I know it’s hard to believe but…” He shifted where he stood. “Sage is the Queen of the Underworld.”}

_{It was quiet for a moment and Maddox waited for James to burst out laughing. But he didn’t – he only beamed proudly
and crossed his arms over his chest.}

_{“What?” Maddox said. “Sage?” What the hell had happened
in the last few years?}

_{“Queen?” Dalton perked up. “Is she as powerful as they say?”}

_{James smirked. “More.”}

_{If his memory was correct, James and Sage had been on the verge of murdering each other last he’d seen them. Years ago, he’d helped Sage train to control her magic. She had incredible raw power but a temper to match. The results had been disastrous. And James, not known for his calm temper either, only added fuel to the fire. Together, they’d been a volatile mess of passion, lust, and hate. But Maddox had known from the start
that they needed each other. There was no better match for James – most women could barely tolerate him. Loyal and intelligent, yes, but he was also cocky as fuck. Sage was the only woman Maddox had ever seen who was able to deflate that giant ego of his.}

_{Sage, a Queen. Was she too busy to help them? Did she even care? She must. This impacted the war – the war on her realm. It affected her most of all.}

_{Fuck. Now he remembered pieces of recent conversations with his father. Saith knew she was powerful, but young. He wanted to strike soon because he doubted her ability to handle it.}

_{“My father plans to attack,” he said to James. “The timing couldn’t be better for us. We strike them first. It’ll be a big blow and buy us some time before they can reorganize and launch a counterattack.”}

_{James sighed and rubbed his face. “She wants to avoid a war. I’ve been gathering allies here who oppose the Council’s war. We’re going to protest.”}

_{Maddox shook his head. “She can’t avoid war. It’s already happening. You think my father won’t crush a little
hippie protest? He’s more vicious than you think. He had me, his own son, tortured and molded to be his robot.” The painful reminder made his breath get stuck in his throat.}

_{“What?” James looked between him and Felicity. “He had you…” He swallowed hard and frowned. “Is that where you’ve been?”}

_{Felicity’s warm hand slid into his. “He brainwashed him to work for the Council. Saith is…”}

_{“Fucking evil,” James finished for her. “Fuck, Maddox. You went home because of me. If I’d have taken you with us…”}

_{“It’s not your fault.” Maddox had been hiding from his father for too long. The Council gunning for Sage had been the kick in the ass he’d needed to face his responsibilities. He just hadn’t expected to be drugged then beaten to near death. “My father would’ve found me one way or the other.”}