Fated Blood: A paranormal erotic romance series (The Twisted Destiny Saga Book 5) (6 page)

CHAPTER 10

“Stop fidgeting!” Nathanial commanded.

He held Kristoff off the floor in the office of his club by the scruff of his shirt as he stared into his fiery, red eyes. He looked through them into his very being as he extracted his thoughts, his intentions.

“You can be trusted,” he proclaimed as he released him.

Kristoff adjusted his shirt and told him agitatedly, “I already told you as much, Nathanial.”

“I didn’t trust you. I’m sure you can understand, given your history with my ex-wife.”

“I regret teaching her black magic,” Kristoff said as he slumped into his chair tiredly. “When I saw you walk in, I thought you’d come to kill me.”

“You’ve already suffered. Oriana sacrificed your wife.”

Kristoff nodded sadly. “I just want to protect my daughter now, Nathanial. Please understand that. My knowledge of Ryan’s son is the only leverage that I had.”

“I do understand. I have my own child and another on the way. But you will tell me now what you know about the Wolf King’s son. I need you for something else anyway.”

Kristoff cocked an eyebrow. “I’m intrigued.”

“Get to it, Kristoff!”

Kristoff adjusted his weight in his leather chair and leaned across the desk as he said, “As I’m sure Luca or Ryan reported, I implanted a magical tracker in his son. But that means nothing without something to latch onto it in order to pull him out. Unfortunately, I do not have the ability to do that as he is not
my
son. He is Ryan and Cora’s.”

“You’re saying that
they
have the ability to pull him out?”

“Yes. The bond between them must be restored. At that point I can cast the spell that will allow them to retrieve him. You need to be aware that doing so will risk pulling Oriana out along with him.”

“If the bond can be restored, we won’t have an issue with Oriana.”

Kristoff nodded his understanding. “Because to restore the bond,
Cora
must be restored to what she was before—a sorceress powerful enough to destroy Oriana.”

“Precisely.”

“The likelihood is slim, is it not?”

“Yes,” Nathanial admitted. Kristoff didn’t need to know more than that. And so he changed the subject by saying, “Agree to my next request and I will grant both you and your daughter passage into the Dark Realm, along with my protection. Ryan shares another bond to a wolf. I believe it has been engineered with magic. Normally I would be able to say for certain, but I haven’t been able to.”

“Black magic?”

“I want you to investigate. Find the source. I need confirmation that the bond has been falsified.”

“And then you want to break it?”

“
If
it is false, yes. Having Ryan pulled to another woman will not help in restoring his bond with Cora. It was what caused this situation in the first place—the reason she sought her own death.”

“Just what Oriana had always planned,” Kristoff pointed out.

“The thought had crossed my mind too.”

“She may be a lot of things, Nathanial, but she is also a genius. If what you believe about this false bond is true then she would have pulled off an intricate plan indeed.”

“And she will pay the price for it.”

Nathanial saw Kristoff shudder at the look in his eyes: the promise of death.

“Make it hurt,” he said. “She killed my wife.”

Nathanial nodded and told him, “Be at the Dark Realm gates once you have your affairs in order. I will come to you.”

CHAPTER 11

Ryan! Hear me! Help me! Ryan!

Ryan shot up in bed. His heart thundered in his chest and he glanced around his apartment anxiously, searching. He could feel her. The real her. His love.

“Cora?” he called out.

Ryan!

He hurried out of bed in such haste that he tripped and crashed to the floor. He jumped to his feet quickly and called out frantically, “Cora, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry for what I did! There was this connection to Jada that I couldn’t—”

Hush. We are beyond that now.

“But you died because of me!” he cried out, burying his face in his hands.

It wasn’t your fault. There’s a lot we didn’t know at the time.

“What does that mean?” he asked urgently.

I’ll explain another time. I can’t maintain this communication for long, Ryan. I need your help.

“My help? Of course, my love.”

Free me, Ryan.

“How?” he pressed desperately.

My blood. I tried earlier, but you didn’t understand.

“The vampire version of you bit me. That was you guiding her?”

Yes. Let her drink and then take her…with love, Ryan. Not just “fucking,” as you call it.

Ryan laughed. She knew him too well. And then he thought about what she was asking. She wanted him to take the disgusting demon version of her and
love
it while he did it?

“I can do the blood thing, but I can’t love that…thing, Cora. It’s not you.”

Focus on her eyes. You’ll see me there. I know you did tonight.

“Cora…I miss you…so much!”

I know. I’ve seen you, baby.

“And I miss our son.
Our
son. I’ll teach you wolf—I’ll teach you everything. I’m so sorry.”

It’s okay. Listen, Ryan. Don’t let her drink too much or your blood won’t be able to regenerate. It’s the key to many things. Guard it.

“I will. I promise.”

I have to go. I love you.

“I love
you
.”

He felt an emptiness all of a sudden and he knew she’d left.

He took a moment to compose himself and then he rushed around, searching for some clothes to pull on.

#

“Stop!” the two vampire guards commanded as Ryan strode towards the gates to Luca’s vampire mansion.

He didn’t even break his stride as he walked between them and thrust his hands out to the side, sending each one of them flying several feet back. He kicked the gates with the full force of his wolf strength and they ripped off their hinges and flew into the courtyard. He strode on through and sped up the steps towards the main doors of the mansion. It barely took him any effort to force them open. He smashed his fists into every one of the ten guards that tried to stop him as he barreled down the corridor towards Vampire Cora. He could smell her scent and it was strong this time.

He stopped outside the last door on the right and gritted his teeth because he knew it was Luca’s bedroom.

He pushed open the door and it was all he could do to stifle a ferocious growl as he caught sight of her.

She was sprawled out naked on her stomach, her face resting on Luca’s chest. Another woman lay on her thigh and another rested her head on her left breast. A fucking orgy had obviously taken place earlier. He stormed towards the bed and gathered her into his arms. On his way out, he snatched a robe off the back of the door. He was halfway down the corridor when he heard Luca’s voice yelling at him to bring her back.

“You try to stop me and I’ll rip your fucking head off. I swear to fuck, Luca.”

There was no movement, but he was sure he heard him crying as he walked through the entrance doors. He ignored it. He didn’t have time; he was on a mission.

As soon as they were past the gates, she started to struggle in his arms. He put her down and tossed her the robe.

“Put this on,” he ordered.

She did as he asked with a little growl and then she demanded, “What are you doing?”

“Do you want my blood or not?”

She nodded excitedly.

“Good, then do exactly as I say. And if you’re thinking of taking it against my will, know that you can’t take more than a sip like you did last time. I heal too fast. I need to be willing to give it to you.”

“Okay.”

He hesitated, sick to his stomach by the sight of her as a vampire.
Fuck, I can’t do this.

Ryan!
Real Cora’s voice thundered in his head.

“Ow! All right. Take it down a notch.”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him towards the forest that led back to his bar.

“Who were you talking to then?” she asked

“No one,” he snapped. “Just…don’t talk, okay?”

“Fine,” she said, sulking, and turned her face to the side as he continued to pull her along roughly.

They were ten minutes into their thirty-minute journey when Ryan suddenly asked, “What I walked in on…did you guys…did you fuck all of them? Luca and…the women?”

“Yep,” she said simply. “Why?”

“I…I just wondered. Did he make you?”

“Luca?”

“Yeah.”

She laughed. “No, of course not, silly.”

God, she’s like a little kid. Well, I guess she is a baby vampire, after all.
“What’s funny about that?”

“He would never hurt me, wolf. He loves me.”

“Does he now?” Ryan asked, pissed. “So it was your idea then? The women?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh.”

Ryan! Stop it! Get your mind out of the gutter!
Real Cora’s voice ripped through his head again.

“Ow! Shit, woman! Stop doing that!”

Vampire Cora looked at him curiously.

“What?” he snapped at her.

“Nothing. Just that….”

She continued to talk after that, non-stop. He blocked her out, ignoring every word and focusing on the fact that his wife
was
alive; she’d come to him tonight. She’d finally been strong enough to contact him. And he knew it was because she’d tasted his blood earlier in that alley. He just had to do this one task and she’d come back to him. And this time he’d make damned sure that he wouldn’t mess it up.

They finally reached his bar and he led her upstairs. Once they were inside his apartment, he shed his jacket and pulled his shirt over his head. As soon as it hit the floor, she rushed at him in a sudden burst of vampire speed. His back jarred against the wall. Before he could catch his breath, her lips crashed against his, taking him in a ruthless, animal kiss. He was surprised that he wasn’t disgusted by it. Instead, the animal in her called to the animal within him and he deepened the kiss. And that was when he tasted Luca and the two women.
Oh fuck. Gross.
He fought to push past it.

It helped when she unbuckled his jeans, pushed her hand inside, and gripped his cock.

“Oh fuck,” he gasped. “Good grip, baby.”

He watched her eyes widen in surprise as she ran her hand along the length of him. He smiled inwardly.
I knew it. That fucker, Luca, can’t compare with me.
He removed her hand and led her to his bed. “Lie down, sweetheart.”

He kicked off his jeans and boxers and snatched up a condom from his bedside table.
Fuck if I’m gonna do this bareback after she’s had three vamps screwing around with her tonight.

He rolled it on quickly and straddled her.

He took a breath to center himself and told her, “Keep your eyes open. Don’t look away.”

She nodded and he gazed deeply into those familiar blue eyes. He smiled. Real Cora had been right; he could see her there and he could also
feel
her. And as he thrust his cock into the vampire version of her and started to fuck her, he kept his gaze steady, determined to believe that he was really
making love
to his wife. And for the first time in a long time he felt a warmth envelope him—
her
love.

Now! Let her feed!
Real Cora called.

He lowered his neck to her mouth and looked away before he saw her demon rise to the surface. It would ruin his focus on the Cora he knew. He felt the sting of the bite. A second later, she came apart around him. It pushed him over the edge and he came with her, surprised that he’d managed it, given his recent track record of being unable to finish.

She clung to him then, pulling him down to her as she sucked harder, drawing more and more of his blood into her mouth. He rested his elbows on either side of her head. His claws dug into the sheets as he forced himself to push past his natural instincts to rip her from his neck. He had to allow her to continue. When he felt himself weakening slightly, the Real Cora screamed in his head.
Stop her! Now! That’s enough!

Ryan reacted instantly, weaving his fingers into Vampire Cora’s hair and ripping her fangs from his neck. He looked down at her and was shocked to see that her body was completely still, her eyes closed.

“Shit! Is she…dead?”

“No,” a familiar voice came from behind him.

He craned his neck to see Nathanial standing at his apartment door.

He hurriedly disposed of the condom in the trash can beside the bed, rolled off the bed, and pulled on his boxers.

“What the fuck? You can’t knock?” he demanded as he hurriedly pulled the duvet cover over her to shield her nakedness. Although it was the vampire version of her, not his actual wife, it was still her body.

“I felt a surge in white power, so I came right away,” Nathanial said. “I apologize.”

“Did you see the whole show?”

“Too much,” he said, cringing.

“Great.”

“I can hear Cora’s thoughts too, Ryan,” Nathanial revealed as he joined him by the bed.

“You can?”

“Yes. I know what she’s trying to do here.”

“Well, is it working?”

“She’s fighting the vampire,” he reported. He stepped forward and laid his hand on her forehead. He smiled at Ryan and said, “I can help with that.”

“How?”

“By weakening the vampire she’s trying to fight.”

Nathanial’s hand shook and he pulled back in surprise.

“What? What’s wrong?” Ryan asked worriedly.

Nathanial grinned. “She doesn’t need my help and she just made it clear that she doesn’t want it either. Her white light is strong. Very strong and she’s angry.”

“Angry?”

“At being trapped.”

Ryan chuckled. “Yeah, sounds like Cora.
Real
Cora.”

“That’s what you call her?” Nathanial asked with amusement. “What about the vampire?”

“
It
or Vampire Cora.”

“I see. Did anyone ever tell you that you’re incredibly speciest?”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. You’re not like that with me.”

“Like I told you a while ago, Nathanial, you are more than vampire.”

Nathanial smiled.

Ryan tapped his foot nervously as he and Nathanial watched Cora. “So, how long do you think this will take? How will we know it’s her?”

“
I
will know. I won’t be able to feel any dark energy emanating from her.”

“Well, how much are you feeling now? Like, percentage-wise.”

Nathanial chuckled. “
Percentage-wise?
Less than twenty. Like I said, her power is strong.”

“Last time I saw her she was fighting to die. Now she’s fighting to live.”

“She would have spent some time in the
Home of the Dead
, Ryan. She would have been able to see things that we cannot.”

“Like what?”

“Certain truths.”

“Nathanial, you know I hate it when you get all fucking cryptic.”

“I will explain when she returns.”

“Would she have seen Orion?”

“I very much doubt it. He is with Oriana, so, knowing her, she would have found a way to conceal both herself and the child.”

* * * * *

As Nathanial stood with Ryan, watching and waiting, he felt the dark energy that he’d been able to feel from her vampire form disappear completely.

He had never felt anything like it. Cora had accomplished the unthinkable: transcending her vampire transformation. In effect, she’d
cured
herself of vampirism.

Her power was incredible.

And then it dawned on him, exactly why Orion was invincible and eternal. It wasn’t a special gift bestowed on him from the powers that be, Mother Nature or anything.