Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Epilogue
About the Author
Coming Soon
Other Books on Amazon
My GUARDIAN
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Bewitched and Bewildered
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ALANEA ALDER
Copyright © 2016 Alanea Alder
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed "Attention: Permissions Coordinator," at the address below.
PUBLISHER'S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Digital ISBN- 978-1-941315-12-5
Print ISBN- 978-1-941315-13-2
Sacred Forest Publishing
Dedication
~Omnia Vincit Amor- Love Conquers All~
This is dedicated to the Meryns out there, anyone who has ever felt different, as if they didn't belong. You do. There is only one of you, only one, in this whole universe, if that isn't special, I don't know what is. Celebrate what makes you different, let your weird and crazy light shine, so that others can be drawn to it.
Remember, Meryn lived her life believing that she didn't belong, when in fact, she did have a special place, she just had to find it.
PROLOGUE
"Admit it. You like the fact that I don't automatically genuflect when you speak." The blonde woman stood with her hands on her hips and smirk on her lips. Adriel was torn between wanting to throw up his hands in exasperation and kissing her into submission. He went with the latter option.
When she saw him step forward, she laughed and began to run. She sprinted down the dark corridor until he couldn't see her anymore.
"Wait for me!" he yelled. He didn't know why, but it was imperative that she wait for him. Why was he suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of dread?
"Come out now!" He ran as fast as he could. The strands of her white-blonde hair seemed to glow in the torchlight; they moved farther and farther away.
When he lost sight of her completely, his heart seized.
"Please, love!" he begged.
He slowed down when splatters of blood began to appear on the stone floor. The trail led to a large wooden door. With a shaking hand, he turned the doorknob, and the door swung open.
His mate dangled from a large hook in the center of the room, her eyes unseeing as her blood dripped down her body and onto the floor.
"No!" His rage consumed him, sending his heart into darkness. Just when he felt his soul slip away, he jolted awake.
*****
Adriel sat up in bed and tried to remember how to breathe. He had been having the same nightmare for weeks. He was never able to save her, and he never saw his enemy. He was no witch; why did these dreams plague him?
He got out of bed and ran a hand over the glow basket; immediately, the room was bathed in a soft warm light.
"I'm too old to believe light keeps evil at bay." He shook his head at his own actions and began to get dressed.
More than ever, he was going to miss Leif Grassfield and Travis Hickory. Last week, the two seasoned witches had been recalled to Storm Keep and replaced by the Morninglory twins, Nigel and Neil. He had never felt so ancient and jaded as when he was around those two. They had just turned one hundred and were practically babies. He wanted to send them back to Storm Keep to give them a chance to grow up, to keep them safe while they matured and gained experience, but they had begged to stay, stating there was nothing for them to go back to. He had handed off the twins to their respective unit leaders. Nigel had gone to Dimitri Romanov of the Theta Unit, and Neil had gone to Godard Kipling of the Kappa Unit. They were now their headaches.
Maybe he could call Leif later and ask him about the dreams. Looking in the mirror, he straightened his tie, pulling it tight to fit snuggly against his starched collar. His long navy blue coat was spotless and pressed to perfection. As the leader of the units here in Noctem Falls, he always made sure he was impeccably groomed so that none of the Noble or Founding families could find fault with his appearance.
Grabbing his clipboard, he left his quarters and headed to the galley where his men gathered to eat. It was just another day in the City of the Night. To take his mind off the haunting dreams, he began his daily routine with his men and let the repetitious and mundane tasks soothe him.
CHAPTER ONE
Adriel ran a finger around his collar and cracked his neck. They had been waiting at the fae portal for nearly an hour for the visiting delegation from Lycaonia. It had been almost two months since their prince had extended the invitation, but they were finally on their way. While he had initially been excited to learn that little Bethy was returning for a visit, he was less than happy with the arrival of her companions. He wasn't sure he would be able to stay in the same room as Gavriel Ambrosios without calling him out. The Royal family of Ambrosios had died out long ago, there was no way this man could claim that name. Despite reassurances from Prince Magnus, he harbored a deep-seated mistrust for the warrior.
Next was Aiden McKenzie. He had never had the chance to meet his commander so he was looking forward to meeting the man, but his mate was another story. He had heard rumors that the woman was a complete menace. Not only had she insulted a member of the Noble family Evreux to his face, she also seemed to cause chaos and destruction wherever she went. The city's gossips reported that she had been directly responsible for the destruction of not only Lycaonia's five-thousand-year-old Council Manor, but she had also ruined the city square. Why his prince invited such a troublemaker to their city was beyond him. They had enough on their plate searching for missing families to deal with an unbalanced human.
When the portal in front of him lit up, he stepped back.
"I can't wait to see Bethy." Declan Lionhart grinned beside him.
Adriel straightened. "We have all missed her." He heard a snort and turned to raise an eyebrow at his oldest friend. "Yes?"
Declan shook his head, his mouth twitching. "Nothing."
Behind them, Adriel heard more chuckles. He turned around to find that Grant Douglas, Etain Vi'Aerlin and Micah Sageson were hiding smiles behind their hands.
"What?" he demanded.
Micah rolled his eyes. "Come on Adriel, we all know you've missed her more than anyo
ne, except maybe her family. Admit it, you've had a soft spot for the accident prone bunny since she asked you to be her valentine when she was four."
Adriel cleared his throat and turned back to the portal. "She is an endearing individual who takes her responsibilities seriously. I respect that."
"And the fact that she became an organizer with her cute little planner, which is her own version of your clipboard means absolutely nothing," Etain teased.
Adriel fought a smile. "Here they come. Look sharp," he commanded.
A dark haired man came through the portal first carrying a black suitcase. He waited and held out his hand. Seconds later, Bethy came through and seemed to trip over nothing. Instantly, the dark haired man helped her to stand upright, and they moved out of the way. Adriel turned to Declan, who looked as shocked as he felt. The vampire was huge. He had never seen another of their race who stood as tall as the man before them.
The next person who came through could be none other than their commander. Aiden McKenzie was easily as tall as the first man, but he carried more muscle. The portal practically disappeared when he stood in front of it. He turned, rolled his bag to one side, and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Aiden turned to Bethy. "Where is she?"
Bethy shrugged. "How would I know? I came through before you."
Suddenly, a single hand popped out of the portal, waved, and then disappeared.
Aiden sighed, and Bethy giggled.
When the hand appeared again, Aiden grabbed it and pulled the person through. Adriel blinked. This had to be his commander's mate. Gods, she was tiny! Was she fully grown?
The small woman frowned up at her mate. "Rude!"
Aiden rolled his eyes. "It's not a toy, Meryn."
Just when Adriel thought that the portal would close, a tall, slender man of Japanese descent stepped through pulling a large, square, rolling crate behind him. He immediately went to Meryn's side. "I told you he would pull you through."
Meryn shrugged and looked around. "So. Where are we?"
Adriel stepped forward. "Welcome to the fae portal for Noctem Falls. This portal is located approximately one hundred and fifty miles west of Albuquerque in the El Malpais National Conservation Area. From here, we will escort you down into the canyon to the Ledge, which serves as the main entrance for the City of the Night."
"Adriel!" Bethy exclaimed and rushed forward.
The next thing he knew, he had his arms full. He smiled softly. "We have missed you, Bethy."
The man in front of him growled low. "E-liz-a-beth." He drew out her name in slow syllables.
Bethy pulled back and winked up at him before turning. "Gavriel, my love, let me introduce you to one of my oldest and dearest friends, Adriel Aristaios, the unit leader for Eta and the man in charge of running the units here in Noctem Falls. Behind him are Declan Lionhart, his second in command, Grant Douglas, his third in command, Etain Vi'Aerlin, Eta's fae warrior, and Micah Sageson, their witch." The men inclined their heads at the introductions.
Bethy walked over to stand next to her mate. Beaming up at him, she continued. "Gentlemen, this is my mate and love, Gavriel Ambrosios." She turned. "You may have figured it out, but the huge warrior behind me is your Unit Commander, Aiden McKenzie, and the small woman at his side is his mate and my adopted sister, Meryn McKenzie." The men bowed to Meryn who watched them with an untrusting look on her face. "Last, but certainly not least, is Meryn's squire, Sei Ryuu."
The squire crossed his arm over his chest and bowed. "Gentlemen, it is an honor to meet the men Elizabeth has told us so much about."
Meryn looked at the men. "So, if I understand what Aiden told me about how rankings in other cities work correctly, then Adriel is a vampire, Declan is a shifter, Grant is a shifter, of course Etain couldn't be anything other than a fae, and Micah is a witch."
Adriel nodded his head. "That is correct; in each pillar city, the predominant race of that city leads the units, then the structure falls into place accordingly. If this were Éire Danu, the structure of the units would be fae, shifter, vampire, shifter, witch."
Meryn shrugged. "I guess that makes sense. This is my first time going to another pillar city besides Lycaonia."
Adriel nodded. "We hope you enjoy your visit to Noctem Falls."
Meryn walked over to the edge of the canyon and looked down. Aiden was at her side in a heartbeat, pulling her away. "Meryn!"
Meryn swatted at his hands. "Ryuu wouldn't let me fall. Where's the city?"
Adriel held out his hand to Meryn. Meryn looked over to Bethy who nodded encouragingly at her. With the hesitancy of a trapped animal, Meryn scooted forward and took his hand. He led her to the edge and pointed. "See that large out cropping?" Meryn nodded. "That is the Ledge. We will fly you down, and Micah will de-spell the entrance for you since this is your first visit. If it is not de-spelled, you will not be able to see the door. It is a security measure we have to keep unwanted visitors at bay."
Meryn turned to look up at him. "You can fly?" she asked with the awe and wonder of a child.
He nodded. "Yes, of course, almost every vampire can fly. So can most fae, and nearly all witches can float."
Behind them Gavriel groaned.
Meryn spun and pointed a finger at him. "You never told me you could fly!"
Gavriel held up his hands in a defensive measure. "Now Meryn, there are not many places to fly in Lycaonia, there are so many trees..."
"Don't 'now Meryn' me." She walked up to the large vampire and put her hands on her hips. "You knew I wanted to fly!"
Gavriel paled and looked over at Aiden who shrugged as if to say, 'You're on your own.'
When Gavriel lowered his hands, Declan and Micah took a step forward to defend the small woman. Bethy held up a hand and shook her head. They stared in shock as the petite human pulled her foot back and kicked the hulking vampire in the shins.
"Meryn!" Gavriel shouted.
Meryn crossed her arms over her chest. "Now we're even."
Adriel couldn't contain his laughter. He felt it bubble up from his gut, and he couldn't hide it. He grabbed his stomach, trying to catch his breath. He'd wanted to be the one to take the fake Ambrosios down a peg or two, but the tiny woman beat him to it.
"Adriel?" He heard Declan ask incredulously. He knew his men would be shocked; he rarely ever gave in to his emotions.
He looked up, chuckling. He kept wiping his eyes, but the tears of laughter kept coming. He tried to explain why he was laughing so hard but couldn't. He just pointed at Meryn.
Adriel's contagious laughter set off the men. One by one they also gave in to their own mirth.
"I thought he was going to throttle her, looks like I was worried about the wrong person," Micah managed to say between bouts of laughter.
Gavriel frowned. "I do not know how things are run here in Noctem Falls, but in Lycaonia, we do not assault our women. I have never, nor would I ever, hit a woman, especially my commander's mate, who is not only human, but also pregnant."
The word 'pregnant' seemed to shake the men out of their playfulness. There was no creature in their world that was to be more protected than a pregnant female.
Adriel looked again, and sure enough, the woman had a small but pronounced rounded belly. All at once the men's focus became her wellbeing.
"Lady Meryn, if you would allow me the honor of escorting a beautiful and delicate flower such as yourself down to the Ledge, I would be eternally grateful," Micah offered in a grandiose manner, kneeling down on one knee.
Meryn smiled shyly. She looked over to Ryuu who nodded. "I'll be right beside you."
Adriel looked at the squire. "You can also fly?"
Grinning, the squire stepped off the edge of the canyon with his rolling crate and simply hovered in mid-air. "But of course."
Micah swept Meryn up in his arms. "Come with me, princess. Let me show you the world." He jumped off the edge, and Meryn squealed in excitement.
Declan turned to him. "Isn't that from Aladdin?"
Adriel gave him a look, refusing to acknowledge that he had also recognized the line from a children's movie. He turned to Bethy, but before he could make the offer, Gavriel inclined his head and, grinning, swept Bethy into his arms and walked past them.
Adriel fought back a growl. "Etain, you're responsible for our commander."
As he and Declan stepped off the edge together, he heard Etain ask, "So, Commander, how much do you weigh?"
*****
They reassembled at the front gate, and Micah recited the spell that would reveal the enormous carved stone door.
"This looks like the one from Lord of the Rings!" Meryn said excitedly.
Micah winked, and the door swung open. Before them was the Grand Hall of Noctem Falls.
Adriel leaned down. "Welcome home, Bethy."
She smiled up at him and everyone started forward.
"Thank you for welcoming my mate," Gavriel said, smiling tightly.
Adriel's smile was sly. "It is the least I could do for my favorite valentine."
Gavriel's mouth snapped shut before he turned to look at Bethy who was excitedly pointing out things to Meryn. He glared at him and hurried to catch up to his mate.
"Now that wasn't nice," Aiden chided, matching his stride so they walked together.
Adriel was afraid he had angered his commander, but when he looked up, he saw that Aiden was grinning.
Aiden looked down. "You look surprised."
"I would have thought you would be angry that my words perturbed your second in command," Adriel admitted.
Aiden shrugged. "He needs to be shaken up now and then. As long as it's all in good fun."
This time, when Aiden met his gaze, the warning was clear. He could tease his second in command, but any action that was meant to harm the vampire would be dealt with swiftly and painfully.