Fated Betrayal: A Paranormal Erotic Romance (The Twisted Destiny Saga Book 2) (16 page)

CHAPTER 25

Ryan found himself surrounded by a familiar forest. The forest just outside his wolf compound.

He felt her before he saw her.

Cora.

And then she stood before him wearing nothing but a white, silky robe.

“I miss you and our son,” she said.

“How did you do this? Enter my dreams?”

“We’re already connected and now I’ve unleashed my power, I can do a lot of things.”

“Well, I’m glad. I miss you, too, my love.”

“Why are you asleep in the middle of the day? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah...just…the atmosphere of the Dark Realm is affecting me. I guess it drained me more than I realized.”

“I see. As long as you’re okay. Where’s Orion?”

“He fell asleep before me. Don’t worry, as soon as he wakes up I’ll feel it. Wolf sense, you know.”

Cora chuckled. “I get it.”

Ryan’s gaze raked over her and he felt his cock harden at the sight of her. “Did you wear that just to tease me?”

She cocked her eyebrow at him and gestured to what he was wearing.

He looked down at himself and saw that he was standing there in nothing but a pair of boxers. “This is your doing, vixen,” he accused.

She laughed. “Yeah. I didn’t want to waste time ripping your clothes off. It’s already been too long since I’ve had you.”

She lunged at him and her lips crashed against his, taking him in a desperate kiss. They kissed long and hard, before she pulled back and told him, “Besides, I want to try out some new tricks I’ve learned.”

Ryan cocked an eyebrow. “And what might they be?”

She smiled slyly and then she thrust her hands at him. The power behind it slammed him into a nearby tree and his back jarred against it.

“Mmm…I like it when you play rough, darlin’.”

She was on him again in a second, her mouth tasting his, her hands running all over his chest.

He pushed her robe off her shoulders and it fell to a heap at her feet, leaving her standing deliciously naked before him.

He gripped her waist and switched their positions, slamming her roughly against the tree. It quaked under the force of his strength. She cried out in surprise.

His mouth was on her right tit a moment later, licking, suckling, and biting. His claws raked lightly over the other and she threw her head back in pleasure.

“Yes, Ryan! Yes!” she panted as she writhed against his sensual assault.

And then her hand slid into his boxers. As soon as her fingers brushed his hard cock, a wave of intense pleasure shot through him. He started in shock and looked up from her tits.

She smirked at him and removed her hand briefly to show him. He raised his eyebrows in surprise as he saw a silver shimmer enveloping her entire hand. “Pure pleasure,” she told him.

She plunged her hand back inside and he bucked against her. As her hand swirled around his cock, so did the sparks of intense sensation. He’d never felt anything like it in his life.

“Fucking hell,” he choked out. “I…damn, Cora…you’re gonna make me come already.”

Her eyes flashed with excitement. “I know.”

Her hands gripped his balls and the sensation was overwhelming. His claws dug into her arms in a frantic need to hold onto something as a rush of ecstasy, the likes of which he’d never known before, flooded through him like a tidal wave.

“Shit,” he breathed.

“You need a minute?” she teased as she hoisted herself up and wrapped her legs around his waist.

He caught her thighs, supporting her weight against him. “Hell, no,” he growled as he thrust his cock inside her in one powerful motion. “You’re fucking a wolf darlin’.”

She grinned and ground down on him, taking him even deeper.

“Get ready,” he warned.

He pounded into her ferociously, fucking her hard and fast without mercy. His hands clawed at her frantically. The tree shook against the power of his thrusts.

“Ah! Yes! I’m gonna come!” she screamed.

“Already?”

“Yes! Don’t stop, baby! Fuck!”

He smirked at her and bit down lightly on her nipple. It pushed her over the edge and he felt her clenching around him tightly, her pussy milking his cock. As she screamed out her release, her sharp nails raked down his back. He hissed in response and tasted his own release, filling her with his hot seed.

She collapsed against him and he eased them down onto the grass.

They lay entangled in one another for several minutes as they caught their breath.

“Christ, that thing that you did…with your power? Un-fucking-believable.”

“I know,” she said with a chuckle.

“We’re doing that again.”

“Just say the word.”

He reached for her and pulled her closer. “I don’t want to leave you,” he said sadly.

“Then don’t. Not yet. Stay with me for a while,” she said, nuzzling against him.

They stayed together, lying in peaceful serenity for a long time before Ryan suddenly heard little growls in the distance. He sat up and told her, “Our son needs me now.”

Cora nodded. “Don’t stay away too long. I miss you both so much.”

“I promise, my love.”

Darkness enveloped him and the dream fell away as reality pulled him back.

CHAPTER 26

Nathanial awoke to a sudden presence in his bedroom. It only took him a second to realize that it was Marella. He kept his eyes closed as he felt her approach. The bed moved and her pounding heartbeat resounded through his head as she slipped under the covers and sidled closer to him. He let her lift his arm and he smiled to himself as she snuggled against his chest.

“Comfortable?”

She jumped at his sudden words. “I thought you were asleep?”

“I
was
.”

“I’m sorry I woke you, I just—”

“The bond between us is getting stronger. You needed to be near me,” he continued for her.

“Yes,” she admitted.

His hand brushed her thigh and he asked, “Are you comfortable in that dress?”

“
You
are wearing pants.”

“Made from the finest silk in all the realms. There is nothing more comfortable.”

“I heard your whores knocking on your door earlier.”

“They were here only for me to feed.”

“Vampires rarely just feed. It normally goes hand in hand with sex, Nathanial.”

“Well this was one of those
rare
occasions,” he said, sitting up and expelling a tired yawn. “And they weren’t my ‘whores.’ They were human, not the vampires you saw earlier. I’ve been away from the realm for too long, so I needed more sustenance than normal. Thus,
human
blood was necessary.” He leaned against the headboard and looked at her as he said, “I can assure you that only
you
will lie with me from now on.”

“I know of your predilections. There is no need to promise me what you cannot deliver.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You enjoy the company of many women—several at a time, as I remember it. One woman cannot satisfy you.”

He shook his head. “You do not understand.”

“I know what happened when you were married to Oriana, Nathanial. Please, you do not need to explain. I knew this about you when we…became involved.”

He gripped her arm and pulled her to him, forcing her to meet his gaze as he told her, “You have it all wrong.
She
couldn’t satisfy me, Marella.”

“What?”

“That is why I sought out the other women you are referring to. She wasn’t enough for me,
because
she wasn’t my true mate.
You
are. Do you understand now?”

Shocked by his revelation, she just managed to choke out, “Yes.”

He laughed at the look on her face and pulled her close. His hand brushed her stomach and he felt a slight reverberation.
Could it be?
Before he got the chance to figure it out, the bedroom door flew open and Ryan burst in with a tiny white wolf in his arms.

“Nathanial, we have a problem, I—” he said and stopped short at the sight of the two of them in bed together. “What the
fuck
is happening?” he thundered. “Marella?”

Nathanial climbed out of bed and approached Ryan. “We will deal with that later. But this…” he said, gazing at the wolf in Ryan’s arms. “…
this
we must deal with immediately.”

“A wolf cannot shift this early on in his life,” Ryan said.

“Your son is no ordinary wolf,” Marella pointed out, approaching them.

“He’s reacting to something,” Nathanial realized. He peered through the door, his gaze narrowing in concentration. “Something is wrong.” He turned to Marella and said, “Envelope the child in a field of protection and stay here. If there
is
trouble, promise me you will not engage in the battle. Just protect yourself and Ryan’s son.”

“What?” Marella asked.

I think…I think you may be with child. I am not certain. Not yet. Please take precautions, just in case.

You’re wrong.

Just do as I say—just this once, for the love of all things dark and sacred, Marella.

“All right,” she conceded aloud.

Ryan handed her Orion in white wolf form and she immediately began an incantation to envelope both of them in a field of protection.

#

“Where are all the vamps? Asleep after hours of hard fucking in here?” Ryan asked as he and Nathanial walked cautiously through the lounge.

“Do you have to be so blunt?”

“Do
you
have to be so…royal?”

Nathanial glanced at the wooden stake that Ryan clutched tightly in his right hand. “There are no stakes here. You brought that with you to my home?”

“Yeah, I knew I’d be walking into a castle full of vampires. I figured it could come in handy.”

Nathanial released an exasperated sigh. “Just keep it well away from me. But, just so we’re clear, it would take a lot more than a wooden stake to kill
me
. I am no ordinary vampire. It would just hurt like hell, that’s all.”

“Oh, I know exactly how to kill you,” Ryan said. “My father told me, just before he was murdered…by
you
.”

Nathanial stopped short and ran his fingers through his hair. “Can we not discuss this right at this very moment? We have other, more immediate, issues to contend with. For instance, I am now certain that someone is here…I can feel an unwelcome presence.”

“Fine,” Ryan growled.

“Good.”

Nathanial led the way through the lounge into the Great Hall. Both of them stopped short at what they saw. Luca and Michael sat draped over the two thrones.

“Incredibly comfortable,” Luca said, smirking at his father.

“The throne does not belong to you.
You
are not King of the Dark Realm, Luca.”

“Yet, Ryan will be? Sitting in this very seat beside you?” Luca demanded, gesturing to Michael lazing comfortably in the chair.

“It is his birthright.”

“And when you are dead, it will also be mine!” Luca hissed.

“How did you get in here?” Ryan growled.

Luca stood up and approached them. “An advantage of being the Vampire King’s son is that no one questions me when I show up here on a whim. If I tell the guards to take a break, they do. No magic needed. No tricks. Nothing.”

“Of course, it’s always a good idea to bring back up,” Michael added. He whistled and, moments later, six of his ravenous wolves bounded into the room.

“I brought a little something with me, too,” Luca said, gesturing to the blood-red pendant around his neck, the gift Nathanial had given to him that possessed a portion of Dark Realm magic.

Nathanial held up his right hand and made a crushing gesture.

Luca watched in horror as the pendant around his neck crumbled to dust before his eyes.

Nathanial snarled. “You forget that you are on
my
territory now.”

Michael thrust his hand out towards him. Nothing happened. “What?” he roared. “What is this?”

“Your magic will not work here. It is an abomination that is not tolerated by the realm.”

“Attack!” Luca bellowed at Michael’s wolves.

On his command, all six of them bounded towards Nathanial and Ryan.

Nathanial watched, impressed, as Ryan shifted
instantly
and launched himself at the wolves. He ripped through the necks of the nearest two with ease and swiped another with his claws.

Michael and Luca came at Nathanial. Nathanial thrust a bolt of red fire at Michael, the power behind it blowing him right through the wall of the Great Hall. Luca launched himself at his neck and Nathanial gripped him by his shaggy, black hair and tossed him aside.

As he turned to Ryan battling the wolves, Luca rushed him from behind and tackled him to the floor. He thrust something through his shoulder. He roared at the sharp, searing sensation and kicked Luca back. He staggered to his feet and ripped out the offending object—one of the candelabras off the wall. Metal, not wood.

“You dare to wound your own father!” he thundered at Luca, who was struggling to get up off the floor after Nathanial’s powerful kick had propelled him through the stone wall of the room. “You do not have the strength to beat me, boy! You refused to learn! You ignored all my teachings! That is why I banished you! You will
never
become king!”

Luca took an uneasy step back, seeing the murderous, cold look in his father’s eyes as he stalked towards him. “You’d really kill your own son?” he asked, unable to contain the fear in his voice.

Nathanial lunged at him, driving him to the floor. He held him still beneath him, his weight bearing down on him. “As sure as you would kill me, Luca.” He called out behind him to Ryan, “Stake!”

Still in wolf form and in the process of finishing off the final wolf left standing, Ryan heard Nathanial’s call. He swept his paw at the wolf, breaking his neck instantly in one powerful motion. He spotted the stake lying a few feet away and bounded over to it. He picked it up with his teeth and swung his head towards Nathanial, tossing it to him.

Nathanial shot out his hand behind him and caught the stake without even looking. All he needed was instinct. He spun it around expertly in his hand and brought it down towards Luca’s heart.

“Nathanial!” a voice thundered through the room suddenly.

He stopped short, recognizing it instantly. A flash of bright, white light obscured his vision for several seconds. As it cleared, he looked up to see
her
standing before him.

“Oriana,” he gasped.

Begin book three,
Fated Ties
.