Embrace the Power: A Paranormal Romance (The Blood Rose Series Book 9) (35 page)

He narrowed his eyes and remained silent for several potent seconds. “Fine. This once, then we’re going to set some boundaries because I can’t function like this. We’ll get Vojalie to help us out if we have to.”

She lifted her chin and one strongly arched brow. “Fine. You ready, Mastyr?”

“You don’t have to be sarcastic.”

“Oh, yes, I think I do.” She didn’t wait for him to argue further, but gripped his arm tighter and teleported him to the far southern edge of the realm where the Tannisford fir forest met the Sea of Vermed. The constant force of the waves had created a string of caves filled with white sand and blue water. It was a favorite place for swimming and for troll teens at night, a place to let romance take its course.

~ ~ ~

Rage still had hold of Stone, but he took a few seconds to channel all that frustration and anger into the sight of three wraith-pairs circling above the wide hole that led down into the most central grotto. The wraiths were up to their usual scare-the-shit-out-of-the-enemy with their loud, piercing shrieks.

What’s the strategy? Do you want me to teleport as many of the trolls out as I can?

He turned to her, frowning.
That’s right. You can do that now. Good. We’ve got new options.

Her brown eyes glittered, a sure sign she was ready to take on the mission. He could at least appreciate this part of her.

Tell you what,
he said
. Teleport to different locations around the edge of the forest first. See if we’ve got any other wraith-pairs in the area. We don’t want to be outflanked.

Got it.
She vanished instantly.

He remained in the shadows of the coastal firs. While she searched the area, he pathed with Harris letting him know the location and the nature of the attack. Harris happened to be checking out a rogue attack a few miles to the east with a team of three and he knew of another squad only ten minutes away.

Harris pathed,
A sighting of three rogue wraith-pairs came in about twenty minutes ago. But they left the area. Looks like they’ve headed to the grotto.

Sounds like it. Aralynn’s on recon, scouting the area, but I’ve got a visual on the Invictus. Shit. One of the pairs just dropped down into the grotto.

Go get ‘em, Mastyr. We’ll be there shortly.

Rosamunde returned quickly with a frightened troll kid in tow.

Stone spoke in a low voice. “Son, listen. I know you’re scared, but I need you to hold it together. My Guardsmen are on the way. But Mistress Aralynn and I have to know the lay-out. How many of you kids are down in the grotto and did you see more than just these three wraith-pairs?”

The troll was shaking. “We shouldn’t have come here tonight. My parents will kill me when they find out.”

Rosamunde put her hand on his shoulder and Stone felt her fae vibrations kick in. “Calm down, Sweetheart. Mastyr Stone and I can get everyone out safely, if you’ll tell us what we need to know. Look at me.”

As soon as the boy met her gaze, Stone watched him fall under Rosamunde’s fae thrall. The kid dragged in a deep breath, visibly relaxed and in a few words detailed the situation: Only three wraith-pairs, but there were nine troll teens below, ten in all counting the boy. Several swam to the farthest caves but would end up trapped once the Invictus got into the grotto.

Rosamunde told him to sit down and to stay put.

The troll dropped to his ass, his three forehead ridge rolls tight. He had tears in his eyes. “I will. I promise.”

Rosamunde had calmed him with her faeness and Stone felt certain he wouldn’t have to worry about this kid doing anything stupid.

Rosamunde turned toward him. She even smiled.
How do you want to do this, Mastyr?

For a split second, he thought she might be flirting. Then he realized she was as she’d always been: Game for battle, as was he.

He repressed the urge to smile in response.
You got your dagger?

She drew it from its sheath in a soft rasp.
Let’s go.

Follow me.
Stone levitated just a few inches above the forest floor. It was an unusual stretch of land, a narrow isthmus not more than thirty yards wide with the Sea of Vermed crashing against both fairly short cliffs. That trees had grown in the narrow space indicated the density of the land above what had to be a solid stone base below.

When he reached the edge of the forest, he pathed to Aralynn.
I want you to come out above the uppermost pair and take out the wraith. She’s bonded to a troll which will make it easier to disable this pair. I’ll swing around then come in from the north. And remember, if you’re in danger—

I know: Get the hell out of there.

Good. Let’s roll.

He felt her vanish and when she did, he levitated straight up then shot forward. By the time Rosamunde had cut the wraith’s hamstrings, Stone had reached the bonded troll. He caught him around the neck, squeezing to render him unconscious.

The second pair turned to do battle, the wraith screeching.

He watched Rosamunde appeared suddenly behind the second wraith and cut her wiry legs as well. The wraith fell screaming to the rocky ground near the upper cave entrance. Her companion elf wasn’t far behind.

Four down.

Stone dove into the cave, flying swiftly.

The bonded vampire, a vicious-looking woman, already had a female troll in her arms. The latter was screaming and thrashing, which only incited the vampire, who dragged her onto the nearby sandy beach ready to feed. For Stone, this was a good thing since the Invictus vampire would stay focused on her prey and not what was coming at her.

I’ve got the male wraith.
Rosamunde’s telepathic words were exactly what he wanted to hear.

Knowing the vampire’s wraith-mate would be taken care of, Stone flew swiftly to land in front of the female. “Let her go. Now.”

The vampire hissed and for a moment held onto the troll. But as Stone lifted his arm, his blue battle energy sparked in the humid air. The vampire released her victim then levitated, hissing again and ready to do battle.

But Stone didn’t move against her right away. In the distance, Rosamunde appeared behind the woman’s bonded wraith-mate. Using her dagger, she quickly incapacitated the male wraith by slicing the backs of his thighs and he fell hard to the sandy beach. His ensuing pain caused the bonded female vampire to list in the air.

Stone lifted his arm and let his battle energy fly, though not at full-bore because he wanted her alive for rehabilitation. When his power struck, she flew backward and landed unconscious, about five feet from her mate. Both remained inert.

Rosamunde pathed,
I’m going back for the kid in the forest.

Good idea.

He called out to the troll kids.
This is Mastyr Stone. We’ve got the enemy in hand, but I want you to stay put until my Guardsmen arrive. They’ll come and retrieve each of you. We want to make sure the grotto is completely safe first.

A few called back to him, letting him know he’d been heard and would be obeyed.

A moment later, Harris tapped on his telepathy. Stone opened up and Harris gave his report.
I’ve got my team up here and we’ll be able to send these two wraith-pairs for rehab. How you doin’ down below?

The last pair is unconscious and I’ve told the kids to stay where they are until our Guardsmen come for them. Rosamunde is in the forest with one of the kids who wasn’t in the grotto when the wraith-pairs attacked. But I’d like you to take charge.

Will do. I’m heading down to your position now.

Stone lifted his gaze to the central opening some thirty feet in the air and watched as Harris levitated down into the cave followed by one of his Guardsmen.

When they drew close, Stone pointed in both directions. “We’ve got teens hiding out in several adjoining caves.”

Harris gestured to the second Guard squad now descending into the grotto. “I’ve got this, Stone. Head out, if you want. I’m bringing in another four Guardsmen as well, so we’re good.” Harris glanced at the wounded couple on the sandy beach. “From the look of this crew, they weren’t part of the Ancient Fae’s main force, that’s for sure.”

“I agree.” Their clothing was in a bad state for one thing. In recent months, Margetta had transformed her army, outfitting them in decent uniforms. She’d built not just a battling force, but a support machine for keeping them fed, trained and clothed.

He instructed Harris to call for him as needed then levitated back up through the central circular opening. He passed the additional Guardsmen arriving to help find all the teens and get them back to their parents. Two of Harris’s initial squad were tending to the wounded wraith-pairs. One of the men was on his phone arranging transport.

He found Rosamunde, still in her Aralynn form, back in the forest with the troll boy. She was sitting on the ground beside him, her arm around his shoulders. He had his knees drawn up and his arms around boney legs. He kept curling his toes into the balls of his feet. He was weeping. “We just wanted to have some fun.” He wiped at his cheeks but kept his head down.

Stone glanced at Rosamunde. She met his gaze.
He’s only thirteen.

Stone nodded. “Hey, what’s your name?”

The boy looked up at him. “Todd.”

“Listen, Todd, I was doing the same thing at your age. I was into spelunking like you wouldn’t believe. I got in trouble a few times and my dad loved to double my nightly chores. He used to joke that he wished I’d get in trouble more often.”

At that Todd’s eyes went wide. “You used to cave dive?”

“I was pretty hopeless. Besides, I take it there were a few girls with you tonight.”

Todd grinned then pursed his lips. “Is everyone okay?”

“Everyone’s fine. My men are searching the caves for your friends now. I only care about one thing, making sure you each get back home safely.”

Todd gained his feet and swallowed hard. “Is there anything I can do?”

Stone loved the courage of his people. He settled a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “My Guardsmen are bringing out your friends now. Why don’t you join them so they know you’re safe as well and make sure the girls get home first, okay? We protect our women.”

Todd puffed out his chest. “I will.”

Stone moved aside and watched as the kid headed to the central hole, shoulders back, spine straight. Rosamunde rose to her feet to stand next to him. “He’d climbed up to this level to jump through the hole into the water. He’d barely escaped being seen. Poor kid.”

“He’s a brave one, though. I’m impressed.”

“Is everything taken care of in the grotto?”

“Harris is in charge.”

“Well, then.” Her sudden smile made something inside his chest ache. She continued, “He’ll have the grotto scoured in a trice.” Her hand crept to her chest which of course drew his eye to her cleavage.

His heartbeat suddenly thudded in his ears.

He might not be able to forgive her for Charborne and all the other events she’d failed to report, but he couldn’t deny his profound attraction to her.

Lifting his gaze to her face, he saw she was frowning. Something was bothering her. “What is it? I can tell you’re distressed.”

She shifted her gaze to him. “You won’t like this, Stone, but not only can I feel your blood hunger beginning to rise but I’ve built a supply for you. You need to feed and I need to get rid of all this extra.”

Her cheeks were a rosy color. She drew a deep breath as she let her hand fall away from her chest.

Stone didn’t know what to do. “We can’t keep this up. You know that, right?”

She held his gaze for a long moment. “But you understand this means I’ll need to find another Mastyr. Rez, maybe.”

At the mere mention of Rez’s name, Stone’s temper about shot through his skull. He put his hands to his head and turned in a slow circle. “Don’t ever mention that man’s name again.”

“Fine, I won’t. But you might as well get used to the rest of the reality. Either I feed you or I find someone else to take the extra supply I keep building.”

“Fine. Then for now, you feed me.” He growled. He was pissed. He was being forced down this rabbit hole by the demanding nature of her blood rose abilities and he didn’t like it one bit. “But we’re too close to other people right now. Come with me.”

He didn’t wait for her to acquiesce. He grabbed her and slung her easily into a cradled hold. He flew northwest away from the site.

You could have warned me,
she pathed,
that you meant to rocket me into the sky.

We just need to get this done.
He kept his gaze focused on the forest below and when he saw a small clearing, he dropped down. Once on the ground he released her then turned in a slow circle to listen to the forest.

When he was satisfied they were alone and safe, he turned back to her. But damn if he wasn’t pissed all over again.

She drew her shoulders back. “Listen, Stone, I have an idea. I know that drinking from my wrist would take way too long, so how about if we do it this way.” She pushed her mane over her shoulder then turned her back to him. “Come at me from behind. You won’t have to look at me. That should help.”

Now that the scent of her blood was in his nostrils, desire for her began to rage all over again. Her choice of words about coming at her from behind didn’t help at all.

But the deed had to be done.

He set aside his anger and disgust for her centuries-long decisions, and focused on the line of her neck.

His fangs descended swiftly as he drew close.

He slid an arm around her waist, drawing her tight against him, her back to his front. He heard her gasp and moan at the same time.

He wasn’t surprised. He was fully erect and just to punish her, he ground into her letting her feel him.

You’d better stop. My wolf loves this.

Then maybe you should get rid of Aralynn, at least for now.

Probably a good idea.

~ ~ ~

Rosamunde didn’t want to transform out of her Aralynn state. All her wolf senses loved what she was feeling and not just Stone’s arousal. His arm around the front of her waist was doing something to her.