I'll Be Damned (Anna Wolfe Series) (26 page)

The word
yet
is a little disarming. So, impending doom still lies ahead. I exhale, collapsing on my back. The thought of Valen under the same roof as I brings a schoolgirl grin to my face, but it quickly evaporates into worry. I can't begin to make sense of this, let alone accept it. I keep thinking if I ignored the book and everything else, perhaps it would all fade away. I should know better. Fate never forgets a face.

Valen continues. "Janie was even studying it…” he trails off nonchalantly, as if he were commenting on the weather forecast.

"Janie was that invested?" I reply, the anger flying off my tongue like spit. I didn't think she was that involved. Why didn't she tell me? Maybe this could have been avoided, had I known everything about me. Now I’m consumed by irritation. Why did my family assume that omitting the truth was the best way to raise me?

"I know you’re upset with your family, Anna, but they were only protecting you. Unfortunately, they didn't realize was how treacherous your situation is."

I am so sick of hearing everyone claim to understand what I'm feeling. "You're damn right I'm angry!” I interject. “I spent my whole life thinking I was a freak. All the times I came home crying from school, never feeling like I belonged, and my family just let me feel that way. They should have told me then!" Tears are burning in my eyes, but this time, I can’t stop them. "Now, Janie’s missing and it's up to me to do everything! Or fight everyone! I can't even think. I don't know what to do. All those years wasted, when I could have been preparing myself for something like this." My tears spill in a stream down my face. Valen wraps his arms around my stomach, drawing me into his embrace. I feel his solid, muscular chest against my back, and his mighty arms around me. He feels so familiar... so safe. I close my eyes and inhale. He doesn't say anything, but just holds me. Our breathing harmonizes and with each exhale, my body disappears into his like a collapsing house of cards.

I wake up an hour later, sweating. Valen's arms are still wrapped tightly around me and my comforter is pulled up to my neck. I gingerly extricate myself from his embrace, careful not to wake him. I saunter to the window, opening it a crack. The chilly night air provides fresh relief. I rest my arms against the window, supporting my body weight. I sigh, incapable of thinking anymore. Outside, the empty night hides the brilliant stars and the moon conceals itself in an overcast sky. A dim haze blankets the landscape, drawing out the shadows of trees with warped branches. I push down on the window, trying to close it when a flash of movement catches my eye. I squint in the direction of it, hoping to narrow my vision. The outline of a person is quite clear. Judging by the small frame, I’m guessing it’s a woman. She’s standing under one of the live oaks, staring at me. Curiously, I squint harder, concentrating on her details. My vision zooms in like a pair of binoculars over my eyes. I gasp, looking at Janie.
She’s here!
I fly down the stairs, neglecting to tell anyone where I’m going, and forget to throw on shoes or a jacket. Time is of the essence. I launch out my front door and down the porch steps, surveying the empty yard. Where did she go? She was just here. A running, blurry figure appears in my peripheral view. I follow her down the side of my house and into the backyard. Her dark robe conceals her well in the nightfall's darkness. Flashes of red sneak out the bottom of the robe as it flows effortlessly in her own breeze.

"Janie!" I scream. "Janie! It's me! Stop!" She never glances back.

She reaches the edge of the woods, and barrels right into them. I trail behind, my lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. I stop, suddenly aware she disappeared.
Think, Anna, think
. I glance to my right, and spot the end of her robe vanishing behind a massive tree.

"Janie, please stop!" I shout, determined to catch her.

I round the same tree, but find nothing, absolutely nothing. My mind is playing tricks on me. I touch the massive tree, feeling its coarse bark on my skin. Sliding my hand downward, the bark ripples under my touch. I jump back, frightened at what I'm witnessing. I reach for it again, pulling my hand back before I make contact. What am I doing? I can't just waltz inside a tree… can I? The terrified part of me wants to retreat, but my foolhardy courage always wins. Flattening both of my palms against the trunk, I watch the bark wrinkle again. Without warning, my hands are yanked forward with my body close behind. The pull is so abrupt, trying to prevent it never crosses my mind. I close my eyes to avoid the mounting dizziness of whirling through thin air. I land harshly on my back, and the wind is knocked out of me. I roll onto my side, catching a glimpse of Janie. I jump to my feet, and ignore my shallow breathing. She’s about thirty feet in front of me, and still running at full speed. I get up, running as fast as my bruised ribs allow. I attempt to scream her name, but my voice is swallowed before it escapes my lips.

I reach the end of a tunnel, sliding to a stop under a threshold. An impressive room opens up before me. Glancing nervously, I scan the room for Janie, but she's nowhere to be found. Did she come in here? I place my hand on the moist stone wall next to me. I need to catch my breath before I go on. Inhaling slowly and deeply, I wait until the burning in my lungs dissipates. I examine the room, noticing the stunningly extravagant décor. Dark plum fabric covers stone windows, which greedily eliminate all daylight. A gold chandelier hangs from the ceiling, shedding a soft glow on the sleek, black marble table below it. Dancing flames from the abundant collection of illuminated candles cast several shadows, creating a spooky ambience. In the middle of the room stand two pretentious, oversized chairs reminding me of a king and queen’s thrones. Both are solid gold with velvet seats a deep shade of crimson. They sit proudly on an elevated piece of concrete, complete with wraparound steps. A strange sensation passes over me, which entices me further into the room. Why am I'm here? I cautiously walk forward, eyeing a massive four-poster bed in the corner of the room, outfitted in lavish, jewel-colored plum and gold linens. It seems as seductive as it is intimidating. A strong wave of desire floods through me, drawing me towards it. My fingertips graze the rich bedspread, delighting in its suppleness. Large pillows obscure the dark cherry headboard without difficulty.

"You came to me," a manly, provocative voice says.

He's so close to me, his breath displaces my hair. My first instinct is to run, but my limbs are paralyzed. An unusual sense of safety washes over me, wringing all worries from my mind. Strong hands grip my shoulders, squeezing them.

"Anna, you're so beautiful," the man whispers delicately in my hair. His breath warms the back of my neck, making every hair stand up. Hands move gently over my body, before pausing on my stomach. I inhale sharply. Everything about this is wrong, but I have no control. My breathing quickens as I close my eyes, leaning back into an unyielding chest.

"I can show you so much, my love… things you have never dreamed of." He pulls me tighter into him as his excitement presses into my lower back.

My thoughts are jumbled, tripping over one another. I struggle to analyze the unusual predicament I’m in, but lust keeps clouding my thoughts.
Come on, Anna, focus!
I squeeze my eyes shut, and try to resist the sensation. My warning voice pierces through the fog like a siren. I open my eyes in a daze, glancing around the room.
Focus, Anna
. Statues of marble gargoyles line the perimeter of the wall like a fence. Where did they come from? My body becomes cold and tense, forcing my brain to shake off its debilitating haze. What’s going on!? I grab his hands to throw them off me, and try wiggling out of his solid embrace, but he squeezes me tighter, laughing.

"Where do you think you're going, love?" he asks firmly.

"Get off me!" I scream, but my voice just bounces off the walls and curved ceiling like a boomerang.

"That's no way to treat the host now, is it?" he chides. Sliding his arms around my waist, he twirls me until we’re face to face. My jaw drops in shock at the stunning man before me. Emerald green eyes penetrate mine. His thick, caramel hair flows from his head in perfect waves and ends just above his shoulders. A strong jaw accents his rugged cheekbones and masculine nose. I look away, embarrassed, recalling the intimate moment we just shared. I stand motionless, trying to calculate my next move.

"Ah, you are certainly more stunning than I imagined," he says, lightly brushing my cheek with the tips of his fingers. I yank my head away.

"Feisty... I like that," he smiles, revealing beautiful white teeth.

"Who are you?" I ask sheepishly.

"I am Micah."

"Where’s Janie?" I demand. The fire inside me rekindles again, reminding me why I came here in the first place. "What did you do with her? Where is she?" I shout, pointing my finger at his chest.

A wolfy smirk spreads across his face. "Calm down, Anna," he answers in a cool tone. He places his hands on my shoulders, squeezing them with authority. "She’s okay… in fact, she’s even better than okay. She’s where she wants to be," he finishes with a crooked smile.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, confused.

He claps his hands twice, prompting a petite figure to step away from the shadows. A long, black robe is knotted around her waist, hanging snugly on her body. She saunters in our direction, clacking on the floor with her patent leather heels. My stomach drops in anxiety. The woman hides her face in the shelter of her hood. Micah motions for her to remove it, and she raises her arms, slowly sliding the cloak down the back of her head.

"Janie?" I question, confused. She raises her eyes, acknowledging her name. Her shiny, styled, chestnut hair dances in the reflection of the candlelight. A soft glow lands on her flawless face, accentuating her dark, smoky eyes and blood-red lips. "Janie, what's going on?" I motion towards her, but Micah's sturdy hand grips my arm, preventing me.

"No, no," he says, with a
tsk-tsk
gesture of his finger. "You stay right here."

With no other options, I obey. He releases his grip, trusting I won’t try it again. "Janie, please... what happened?"

Her vacant eyes meet mine. I stare at her, hoping to see a twinkle of the real Janie, but find only detachment. I quickly turn to face Micah.

"What did you do to her?" I demand. "What’s wrong with her?" My voice elevates after every word. "If you touched her, I’ll kill you," I spew through grinding teeth. He looks at me with a pity grin. I want to punch his perfectly straight teeth clear out of his mouth.

"My love, we have gotten ourselves into a predicament here," he retorts. "Your sister loves her new place here in the Netherworld." He sweeps his arms, as if advertising the real estate.

"Stop calling me that," I reply irritably. "I know you did something to her. She’s not herself," I accuse him.

"Be that as it may, she’s still here and refuses to leave. She’s fully under my command. Nothing you can say or do will help her."

"What do you mean?” I ask, running my hand through my hair. This is way over my head. “You put a spell on her?"

"Spells are novice, but you could call it that," he answers smugly.

I gasp inwardly. "What are you?"

"My love, I’m one of the most powerful warlocks in the Netherworld. I’m the master of shadows, creator of spells, necromancer and demon ruler... but most importantly, I’m the second in command to the king himself," he concludes arrogantly.

I don't have a clue what any of this means, but it sounds more serious than I imagined. My willpower is beginning to buckle under the weight of hopelessness. Valen crosses my mind. Does he know I'm gone? Is he looking for me? I can only hope.

I redirect my thoughts to Micah. "You can only influence someone if they're under a spell?"

"Don't make it sound so black and white, my love. I have influence over anything and anybody, spell or no spell," he says, leaning in closer until he’s inches from my face. "However, my favorite hobby is manipulating the deep, carnal needs and desires, which are buried inside every human's soul. You’ve only
felt
a small fraction of my power," he says, smirking after emphasizing the word felt.

That would explain the private moment we nearly shared. I’m a little relieved to learn my desire and lack of discretion weren’t entirely all my doing. Right? He captivates me in a primal, dangerous way. I catch him staring at me with his radiant green eyes. My cheeks light up as I quickly turn my head. I need to get it together, to stop him from making me feel so turned on. I keep reminding myself of Janie, but it doesn’t matter. Before I know it, strong fingers grip my chin, tilting my face towards his before his soft lips press against mine. My body responds without hesitation. His tongue finds its way into my mouth without obstruction. I reciprocate, greedily running my hands through his thick hair. He grabs my hips, slamming them against his before slowly pulling away.

"Anna, stay with me," he sighs, tickling the bottom of my ear with his lip. "Stay here and Janie will be free. Stay here, beside me..."

His words dance a seductive waltz in my ear, twirling and guiding their way into my mind. He kisses me again, this time ravenously. He feels so good, so addictive. Maybe it won't be bad if I stayed. Janie could go home. I can sacrifice my life for hers. Later, I’ll find a way out of this mess. Micah lifts me effortlessly, wrapping my legs around his hips before throwing us on the bed. His kissing becomes harder and more impatient as I respond by raking my fingers through his hair feverishly. What’s come over me? My yearning does a wonderful job of blocking out all former rational thoughts until a man's furious voice punches through my screen of desire.

"Get the hell off her," Valen roars, pulling Micah away from me.

Sitting straight up, I wrap my arms around myself with a crystal clear mind. I was just making out with a warlock, and there was nothing I could do about it. I glance at Valen’s glowing yellow eyes, embarrassed, while watching his expression pinch in anger.

"Ah, Valen. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Micah responds sarcastically. He dramatically brushes imaginary dirt off his shoulders.

"You son-of-a-bitch. You think you're clever luring her here," he yells, pointing in my direction. "You should know better. You’re one step away from breaking the Treaty!"

Valen walks over to me, gripping my wrist tightly, and yanking me to my feet. Now fully aware, I search the room for Janie, but come up empty-handed. 

"You're lucky you have leverage, Micah," Valen spews.

"Do not make threats, you impudent wolf!" Micah spits back. His eyes gloss over in a dense shade of red. “I’ve done nothing,” he smiles walking in our direction.

Valen holds up his arm to stop him. "Don't even think about it. She’s coming with me. If you try to stop us, I’ll report you myself," Valen threatens. Micah hesitates, allowing us to pass.

"She will be mine, Valen… all in due time," he counters with a crooked smile.

Valen says nothing as he plows towards one of the passageways. I didn’t think Micah would just let us walk out of here unscathed, but that’s exactly what happens. Minutes later, the portal throws us onto the mushy grass. Sunlight beats on my eyes, making me squint. I glance at the same massive tree I passed through earlier. Before I can gain my proper footing, Valen is pulling me by my arm with an uncompromising grip toward my home. I halt and wrestle away from him.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"What does it look like? I’m taking you home," he answers bitterly. He continues walking, with his back to me.

"I didn’t ask you to save me, and if this is how you’re going to treat me, you can just leave me alone!" I scream like a toddler, blaming him for my carelessness.

He stops dead in his tracks. I don't have a second to inhale before he's standing inches from me. His movements are faster than the human eye.

"What’s my problem?" he questions in fury. "I woke up in the middle of the night and you were gone. I followed your scent, never thinking you would have the guts to go into a portal on your own, especially one that leads directly to Micah! But low and behold, there you are, enjoying yourself, while I worried you were dead!" he screams as a glimpse of pain flickers across his face.

"Valen, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was a portal until the tree sucked me in," I plead desperately. "One minute, I was looking out the window at Janie, and the next, I was in front of Micah. It felt like a fog covered my brain."

"That's because it did. Micah is one of the most powerful warlocks in the Netherworld. He made you comfortable with him. You were completely unaware of his influence on you,” he growls. “That’s why you need to study the book. If you did, then you would have known what to expect. Now he’s aware of your inexperience and will use it to his advantage. He already has his mind made up about you."

I swallow a hard lump in my throat. "What do you mean?"

Valen sighs. "Micah took Janie, thinking she was the only way you would come to him. He wants you for some reason, and he won’t stop until he has you," he pauses. "What he did to you down there was his way of persuading you to stay with him," he finishes.

I assume he is talking about my sexual indiscretion and close call, so I take the bait. "You mean the kissing...?" my voice trails off. It’s hard for me to put my shitty actions into words.

Valen clenches his hands, forming angry fists at his sides. "Yes, the kissing and whatever else that happened," he spits.

"Valen, nothing else happened," I reply, “or would have happened,” I add, knowing it was a lie. Apparently, he knows too because his eyes start glowing.

"Yes, it would have, had I not come for you. You think you can just ignore everything, that this is all a big joke!” he screams, pointing his finger at me. “Well, it's not, Anna! Numerous lives hang in the balance, and because of your ignorance as well as opposition to accepting it, you almost ruined everything," he yells.

We stand, battling each other with our eyes. He’s even more attractive when his face contorts in anger. I hold my breath, unsure of how to react.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. As little as it sounds, it means a lot. I am sorry for everything I did or almost did. I’m also sorry for my denial with regards to my new place in this supernatural world. Valen shakes his head, making me wonder if he accepts it. After my apology, nothing further is said. I feel horrible, but no matter how many times I say I’m sorry, it doesn’t matter. Valen needs to unwind by himself; he’s a man after all. He walks into the house, stomping heavily up the stairs, and dramatically finishes his anger parade by slamming the bedroom door. I simply pad into the kitchen and feel sorry for myself.