“Yes, but he had an extremely powerful, and very illegal, charm made up of emeralds. Malik, I need your help. If he breaks through the entrance, he’ll attack the wraiths, the families.”
Malik had no doubt that Willow had seen a vision that would be coming true anytime now. And even though both Vojalie and Davido had given him enough information to send him in Willow’s direction, he wasn’t ready. He wanted time to figure things out, to perhaps talk to Alexandra the Bad and see if he had another recourse with Willow.
At this point, he wasn’t even sure Willow knew what she was, and given the stress in her voice, he didn’t exactly want to bring the subject up. “Give me a minute.”
“Of course.”
He held the phone away, pressing it against his thigh. He recalled that Davido had said the future of the Nine Realms hung in the balance and that in Davido’s opinion, Malik needed to bond with Willow if his world had any chance of survival. And what the hell had Vojalie’s vision been about, the one involving an explosion of white light?
Overwhelmed was right.
He drew the phone back up to his ear. “Willow, are you acting on just the information from the vision?”
“No. A powerful, um, realm person came to visit me as well, one from … the north.”
“Which realm person?”
“I can’t say. It’s part of the deal I made when I agreed to protect these families.”
“The deal? I don’t understand.”
“I … I can’t explain it right now. I’m just asking you to come to me, to help me deal with Axton when he shows up.” She paused for a moment, then, “Please, Malik. I need you to do this for me. So many lives depend on keeping Axton from breaching the entrance. I was able to stop him before, but I don’t think I can do it again, not after what I saw in the vision.”
“What do you mean, ‘before’?”
“It was last night and he had a charm then, but I didn’t know what to make of it. At the time, I had sufficient power to stop him, but not for the one in the vision, at least not by myself. I’ll need him physically stopped, then I can heal the vines because that’s what the charm does, it destroys the vines.”
“Willow, why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”
“Because I was trying to keep everything secret, which is what the wraith families want.”
Knowing that the vision constituted a second event, Malik had no problem believing his assistance was critical, so he made his decision quickly. “I’ll be right there, but where do you want me? At the vines?”
“Can you come back to my house?”
His heart kicked into high gear.
Back to her house, to the place he’d made love to her.
In a sudden swell of unexpected sensation, he forgot all about how much he resented the sudden appearance of a blood rose in his life. Instead, he focused on the other side of the coin, that he really liked this woman. Making love with her had been one of the best experiences of his entire life and not just because of the insane attraction, but because she’d taken the time to bathe him.
He didn’t think he would ever forget what he felt like in that moment, as though treated with great value. She’d honored him more than just a man who could give her pleasure, but someone she trusted and respected.
“I’ll be there as quickly as I can.”
Before he left, he filled Evan in on most of what he’d just gone through, choosing to reveal the existence of several wraith families hidden on Willow’s land. He needed at least one member of his Vampire Guard to be aware of the recent fast-moving events. “I think you’d better put the Guard on alert. Let them know that our pal Axton has been purchasing illegal charms in order to find wraiths he intends to murder.”
“Sweet Goddess, how long has Willow been hiding wraiths?”
“I think this has been going on for decades.”
“But this makes no sense. I mean, how could you not have known?”
And here was a big truth. “Because Willow has tremendous power, more than I’ve seen in even Alexandra the Bad. I believe she might have as much ability as Vojalie, or damn close.”
Evan whistled. “And where do you want me?”
“Just stick close to your phone or if you feel me battering your telepathic frequency, let me in.”
“You got it, boss.”
When Malik hung up, he slid his phone deep into the pocket of his leathers, then let his housekeeper know he was headed north again. He swept into the cool night air, flying high above the forest canopy.
When he arrived at Willow’s main treehouse, he saw her first before she saw him. She was sitting on her front porch, elbows on knees, head in hands. Boy, could he relate.
“Willow,” he called softly as he landed on the wood deck.
She sat up, pushing her long, red hair away from her face. She wore a tank-top and jeans again and looked amazing. Yeah, he had it bad.
“You look … so beautiful.” He hadn’t meant to speak the words out loud, but that’s exactly what had flipped through his mind.
She stood up. “Thank you.” But her brow was furrowed and her eyes looked a little red-rimmed.
A strange sensation moved through him, and he acted on it. Stepping close, he took her in his arms and just like that she came to him and sank against his chest. “This has been too much.”
His heart squeezed up tight as he held her. “I couldn’t agree more.” It occurred to him that Willow might have learned the truth about herself as well. “When this realm-person came to see you, did she have other things to tell you as well?”
He felt Willow sigh heavily. “You mean, that I’m a blood rose?”
Somehow, it made it much easier to have their shared reality hit the air. “Yes, that bizarre thing that is affecting both of us.”
She drew back to look at him, but didn’t pull out of his arms. “You knew, didn’t you, after we’d made love?”
He nodded. “I suspected, because I had no more pain. It’s unbelievable.”
“I’m sorry, Malik. I had no idea. I would never have asked you over earlier if I’d understood what I was. This must feel like some kind of trap to you.”
“I suspect we’re both feeling trapped, but I certainly don’t blame you. Willow, please know that. If anything, it explains my drive toward you, why I couldn’t keep away, and why I would chase you to the entrance to your land every time. I was obsessed, but now it makes sense.”
She eased away from him and folded her arms over her stomach. “I don’t want to be this thing.”
“You don’t?”
She stared at him. “No, of course not. I have enough to do with protecting these … families.”
All this time, since he’d left her, his thoughts had been focused solely on himself and not on how the nature of her current gift would affect her. “Shit.”
“What? Why did you say that?” Her auburn brows rose.
“I just realized that you’ll be sought after by other mastyr vampires.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your blood rose gift isn’t specific to me.”
“You mean I’ll be pursued by all mastyrs?” She shuddered visibly. “I don’t think I get this. I’ve seen several mastyrs in the various villages around Ashleaf, but no one has come after me. Only you.”
At that, he smiled. “Well, maybe because I was the only one powerful enough to see through your charms.”
She offered a half-smile in return. “That would explain it, I guess. But why now? I mean, was I always a blood rose? I’m not sure how this works.”
Malik shrugged. “From the conversations I’ve had with several of the bonded mastyrs, the woman’s gift just sort of comes online, but at what point is unclear.”
She frowned as though working hard to understand. “Well, maybe that point for me was seeing you on market day at Cherry Hollow.”
“I know that’s when it all started for me. But you’ll need to be careful, Willow, because you’ll want to fee
d other mastyr vampires until you’ve completed the bond.”
Her eyes went wide. “You mean until I’m bonded to you or some other mastyr these powerful cravings will just go on and on?”
He nodded. “I think that’s the way it works.”
She covered her mouth with both hands. “No, sweet Goddess, no.” She then tossed her hands wide. “Dammit, this just keeps getting worse.”
Malik was so surprised by her uncharacteristic outburst that he chuckled. “I think that’s better.”
“What? That I said ‘dammit’?”
“Maybe, because this situation is really twisted.”
“Yes, it is. I was barely holding on and now I’m supposed to do what?” She tossed her hand in his direction, almost slapping his chest. “Serve your every need, every desire? I mean, come on.”
At that, he laughed. “I don’t think being a blood rose means that you serve a mastyr in that way. I don’t think that’s the point.”
“Well, what is the point? I’d be servicing your blood-needs on demand.”
At that, other powerful images shot through his mind and being the male that he was, he drew close and caught the back of her arm. “And I could service yours as well, remember that. I loved it when you took from my wrist. I’d love to have you taking more of my life-force and from other places as well.”
Willow blinked several times slowly. If he’d been afraid that he’d overstepped the line, the sudden rise of her fresh forest-rain scent allayed his fears. The sexual component to the blood rose phenomenon was very mutual, something he’d experienced with her starting about two years ago when he’d seen her, just as she’d said, in Cherry Hollow.
For a long moment, she remained staring into his eyes, her breathing shallow. Finally, she said, “It was wonderful to take from your wrist and afterward I did feel a measure of power. Your blood did something to me.”
“Really?”
“Yes. And the sex. Malik, it was the most amazing experience.”
“I felt so caught up I forgot where I was. And the vines! Sweet Goddess, don’t get me started on your vine ability. The vines tightened and held us together, but they moved with us as well.” He lowered his voice, “It was hot as hell.”
At that, she smiled, her eyes glittering, and his chest started to hurt all over again.
Willow did something to him, something more significant than just her blood rose gift that had ended his chronic starvation. He liked her and respected her. He enjoyed being with her now that they were talking, interacting.
And for just a second, he allowed himself to wonder what it would be like to have her in his life from this point forward, to have a woman share his bed, his worries, his table. He’d been so long without a companion in his life that he found the idea far more seductive than anything else in this situation.
So how long had he been feeling that kind of emptiness in his night-to-night routine? Of course, he never allowed himself to think in those terms. The mastyrs who ruled each of the Nine Realms rarely had long-term anything, since Margetta had unleashed her Invictus wraith-pairs onto their world.
But the blood rose phenomenon had changed all that. And now he was here, staring at his own blood rose and wondering if he could make a life with Willow.
He let go of her arm, knowing that they had tough issues to face, including what to do about Axton.
That bastard. And now he was infringing on the property rights of one of his fellow citizens by purchasing illegal charms. Apparently, the murderer in him couldn’t rest so long as a single wraith existed in Ashleaf.
“Where did you go just now?” Willow asked.
He turned back to her. “Just thinking about Axton and our current dilemma. But how did Axton learn that you had wraiths on your land?”
“I honestly don’t know, although my best guess is that the same fae who has prepared illegal and highly potent charms for him may have also had a vision of the wraith families.”
“You’re probably right.”
“Malik, just how dangerous is Axton? I don’t really know him at all. Battling his spell was the closest contact I’ve ever had with him.”
Malik thought for a moment, searching for the exact right words to describe him. “It’s true that Axton was enraged when the Sidhe Council approved me as Mastyr of Ashleaf once I came into my mastyr power. And you could also say that his motivation to somehow find a way to take Ashleaf back rules his life.
“But I’ve known him a long time, and I’ve come to believe there’s something more here than meets the eye. He’s ambitious, yes, but the truth is that he could have assassinated me anytime he wanted over the past two centuries, yet he didn’t. Instead, he created The Society not just to kill the innocent, but to create terror and chaos as well.”
“Do you think he’s a psychopath?”
“I believe that would be accurate. But I’d like you to consider looking at this problem in a different way because there’s a simple solution. Let’s relocate the families on your land to Swanicott Island, in Mastyr Zane’s realm. There is a large pure-blood wraith population living there and your families would be welcome and more importantly, they’d be safe.”
Once more, she tightened her arms around her stomach. “I honestly don’t think they’d ever want to leave Ashleaf Realm.”
“But it would be for the best since it’s clear that Axton is after them.”
“I know, but these families have a profound connection to their land.”
Malik narrowed his eyes. He sensed she was holding something back, but he was reluctant to press her. She’d already been through so much and there would be plenty of time to discuss the relocation process.
“Why don’t I meet these families and see what they think? Willow, I promise you that I do know the difference between the Invictus wraith-pairs that Margetta has created and a solid wraith family working the land.”
At that, she met his gaze and a soft smile curved her lips. “I know you do. I don’t doubt that for a second.”
“Then you’ll let me talk to them?”
She looked away from him for a long moment as though weighing the issue. When she shifted her gaze back to his, she said, “I think it might be for the best. You rule this realm and you should know what’s going on.” Suddenly, she put a hand to her chest. “Malik, I can feel a new charm at work trying to break through the shield.”
“You mean right now? Do you think Axton is back at the vines?”
He watched tears fill her eyes. “He is. And that charm … sweet Goddess, it’s so powerful.”
“Fuck.” Malik nodded several times. “I’ll want back up. Give me a sec.”
He shifted his focus to Evan, and because he needed to supply coordinates mentally, Malik contacted him mind-to-mind.
Evan, I’m going to need your help, but first, is everything okay with the Vampire Guard? Malik’s adrenaline pumped hard.
We’re good here. No Invictus sign, but I can hear shit in your voice. What’s going on?
Trouble on Willow’s land. Axton procured another illegal charm and is trying to dislodge the wraith families I told you about.
That motherfucker. Where do you want us and how many?
Bring two squads with you.
You got it.
Eight vampire Guardsmen should be enough to take care of Axton. He mentally sent the location and disconnected.
To Willow, he said, “You’ll need to release your protective charm over your gate, or my men won’t be able to get in. Please tell me it’s separate from the one that keeps the wraith families hidden.”
“It is.” She closed her eyes and he could feel a rolling sensation as the charm disappeared. Opening her eyes, she nodded. “Done.”
“Let me fly you to Axton’s position.”
“I was hoping you’d say that, but skip the paths and head into the sky.”
“You just read my mind.”
He gestured to his right boot, and when she stepped up and slung an a
rm around his neck, he took to the air.
~ ~ ~
Willow leaned her head close to Malik, nestling against his shoulder. She wasn’t used to flying with vampires and wanted to be sure she made it easy for him to maneuver.
But as Malik lifted above the forest canopy and moved swiftly to the west in the direction of the colony, she felt as though she’d dropped into a warm bath and wanted to stay there forever. With the need to make sure her wraiths were safe, she’d forgotten how much she desired him, a sensation reinforced by the fact that she was essentially held tightly in his arms.
Desire flowed as it always did, yet so inappropriately given the situation that her cheeks warmed yet again.
Forcing her attention to the matter at hand, she focused on her protective shield and the battering it was now taking. And the closer Malik flew to the colony, the stronger the charm’s vibration beat against her mind.
She felt someone tapping against her telepathy as well and because she was away from the protective charms surrounding her treehouse residence, she tested the frequency and felt Illiandra trying to reach her.
Willow, we’re under attack again.
I’m on it, she pathed.
Hurry. The charm is much more powerful than the last one and Axton is almost through.
We’re just a few seconds out.
We?
Mastyr Malik and I.
Oh, thank the Goddess. He’ll be able to help you. I just know it.
Illiandra shut down the communication as Malik dropped ten feet behind Axton, releasing Willow at once.
Axton stood outside the entrance to the colony. Smoke streamed into the air as the vines burned. The rancid smell was almost more than Willow could bear.
Malik shouted, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Axton?”
Startled, Axton turned to glare at Malik over his shoulder, his gaze skating over Willow, then returning to Malik. But he kept the charm on full bore. “There are wraiths behind this protective shield and I intend to expose them.”
“Oh, you do, do you?”
Willow was about to mention to Malik that he needed to stop Axton from using the charm, when Malik suddenly closed the distance, drew back his arm and punched Axton in the jaw. When Axton flew backward, he lost control of the charm and the large, glowing emeralds fell to the ground. Malik didn’t hesitate to grind each gemstone into the dirt with the heel of his boot.