Power of the Fae (17 page)

“I’m going to bring in a couple more trusted Elders to help train you. They have sworn oaths not to reveal that you have the power of the Fae. Be prepared! You think this past week has been exhausting; you’re going to need your strength. You’re about to get the true crash course of Fae powers.”

“
M
aster
, there is no trace of her in the human realm,” the low level demon snarls out as he grovels at my feet. I look at the demon bowing at my feet in disgust. I don’t have to ask who
she
was.
She
has been the object of my obsession for years and now I’m so close. The key to the prophecy. So close to breaking out of this banishment and fulfilling the prophecy and they can’t find her?

Unacceptable!

Sitting on my throne made of skulls, in the throne room in the Underworld, I’m pissed! The room is massive with high ceilings and ceiling to floor windows decorated with blood red tapestries that overlook the Underworld. Torches along the walls provided light for the room. Soft orange light flickers from the pit in the middle of the room. The pit, a deep bottomless whole in the center of the room that leads to the deadly molten river of hot lava that flows beneath this part of the Underworld palace.

As the Demon King, I do enjoy the finer things in life and since becoming the ruler of the Underworld a few millennia ago when Hades disappeared, I had this great palace built. The palace, if it was in the human realm, would be fit for a great ruler. If I was going to rule the Underworld, I needed to live like a king!

I walk down to the pit, demons in the room all bow as I pass them. I stop near the pit gazing into the smoldering lava as it flows by the opening. The few demon guards in the room shift where they stand. I can smell the nervousness coming from all the guards in the room and the groveling demon.

Those ten Ancients and that bitch of a Goddess Durga thought that they would hold me to the Underworld forever. Well, they were wrong!

Arlina is the key to breaking the curse of being banished to the Underworld. I’ve waited over a millennium for the key to the prophecy and now that she has been born, it is time for me to make my return to the human realm and they all will pay!

“What do you mean there is no trace of her?” I look to the demon that has not risen from his kneeled position on the floor.

“We’ve looked everywhere that she frequents when she’s in the human realm. We’ve been keeping an eye on that wolf’s house, and she has not been seen there nor has she been seen at her grandmother’s house.” The demon bows closer to the floor in total submission.

Rage overtakes me! I rush to the demon brutally kicking him in the stomach, over and over, until
I
am tired, and out of breath. The demon lay gasping on the floor with black blood escaping his mouth, cradling his stomach. I straighten my suit and stalk over to the door, pausing to turn to the demon.

“I
know where to find her. The next time I send you for her, and you return without her, I
will
throw you in the pit.” I walk out the room with the guards in tow.

I
t’s been
a week since she left to go back to the Fae. My wolf has been going crazy without her. It’s amazing how quickly my wolf has gotten attached to her. She hasn’t called since she’s been in Faery. I can’t help but feel a little jealous that she’s spoken to Keegan but she has yet to call me. I probably should have called her, but the Legion is being stretched thin lately. Not only have there been more demon sightings, and another demon attack, but we have also had to deal with a new group of rogue wolves that have settled in the area.

Some rogues switch between their human and animal forms, but there are some rogues that choose to stay in their wolf form. These wolves are extremely dangerous because the longer they stay in their animal form, the animal becomes more aggressive and they lose touch with their humanity.

A group of rogue wolves have been causing trouble around Langdale lately. We all have been working almost non-stop. The rogues have showed up in the area, trespassing on private lands, breaking into homes, starting fights in the local bars and we’ve been finding unsanctioned kills of certain animals in the forest. There was also a report of a human attack by a wolf. We have barely been getting any sleep with everything going on. I shake my head when I think of the two hours of sleep I got last night.

The Vampires and the Guardians have been helping with the Demons. Since the Vampires have the severe sun
allergy
, they go out at night to help track down the demons. We’ve been trying to track where they are going, and what they are doing while here in the human realm. The Guardians have been working with Azura and the Witches’ Council, trying to find who has been helping to open the portals, letting the Demons into the human realm.

As the Alpha, I have a responsibility to protect the members of the pack. The rogue wolves, when they are caught have to be disciplined. Senseless killings of humans by wolves violates the first law of the Lycan Creed. All wolves must abide by the Lycan Creed and these are laws that the Legion enforces. A dirty brown wolf by the name of Ralph Nash, attacked and killed a random defenseless man riding his bike along the highway. Ralph received the ultimate sentencing tonight, death. As the Alpha I take responsibility in handing out the sentencing.

There are several ways to kill a wolf. A silver bullet to the heart will kill a wolf. Wolves are severely allergic to silver. If silver enters a wolf’s blood stream, whether from a bullet or silver knife, the pain causes such agony that it feels as if the wolf is on fire, burning from the inside out. Beheading is a sure way of killing a wolf. Once a wolf dies, if in their wolf form the body will always change back to the human form.

We were able to track Ralph down deep in the woods. He had been roaming in his wolf form, in the woods, east of our compound. We found him holed up in a cave on the side of the mountain. My Alpha wolf is much larger and more powerful than the normal wolves. When we first set out to hunt him down, I gave the order that only I would deal out the punishment of death.

When he sensed us closing in on him, he tried to make a run for it. I took off after him with the Legion members trailing behind us. After about a mile he finally figured out that he could not outrun the Legion, and would have to fight for his life. The Legion members surrounded the two of us circling each other. My wolf has been itching for a fight and was out for blood. My wolf is frustrated with not claiming Lina, her leaving to go back to the Fae, the stress of the demons and rogue wolves. Ralph attacked first but he was no match for my wolf.

The fight is over in minutes, and he lay on the ground with his head severed from his body. Even with his beheading, his body still slowly changes back to human. Devyn, Reed, Dante and Alec are with me, and they began digging a grave to bury the deceased wolf in, while I make my way back to the house.

Once I get back, I grab my sweatpants off the back porch and throw them on and then head inside through the patio doors. I’m exhausted and want to jump in the bed for a few hours before it’s time to get up. The clock on the microwave reads four thirty-five a.m. I check my pockets, pulling out my phone to see if I have any missed calls. None. I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and hear soft footsteps coming into the kitchen.

“You don’t have to cook anything for me, Winnie. I’m going to try to grab a few hours of sleep this morning.” I turn thinking it is Winnie coming into the kitchen, and am surprised to see Malia leaning against the kitchen island.

“Morning,” she says dressed in an oversized pajama shirt and pants set, looking like she just woke up.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was helping Winnie last night with cleaning up after dinner, then we started watching a movie and before I knew it, I dozed off on the couch. Winnie told me to just stay and she let me borrow her jammies.” She picks at her oversized nightshirt that is hanging off one shoulder.

“Oh, well, good night.” I try to walk past her but she grabs my arm.

“Wait, Colin.” I stop without turning to her.

“What is it, Malia?” I rub my hand across my face. I can almost feel the bags beneath my eyes, and the scruffiness on my face lets me know I’m a few days late shaving. She comes to stand in front of me, staring at my chest while she trails her fingertips down my chest to my stomach.

“Stop.” I grab her hand and she stands closer looking up at me. Her hazel eyes searching mine. I used to think she had pretty eyes, but as I look into them, they cannot compare to a certain emerald color that I wish I could gaze into now.

“Do you need some company?” A slow sensual grin spreads across her face. She holds my hand in hers. I feel nothing, and I honestly am surprised. We have had a physical relationship on and off for years and now, I feel nothing for her.

“No, I’m heading upstairs
alone
. We’ve already discussed this, Malia.”

“Seriously? You want to play this game? She’s the new flavor for now; you’ll get tired of her. You always come back to me, Colin! ” Her eyes flare with anger.

“Just leave me be, Malia.” My phone rings, I grab it and see it’s Lina calling. “I’ve got to take this.” I use this as my excuse to brush past her to exit the kitchen.

“Let me know when you want me to come up,” she says at the same time I hit the answer button; I glare at her as I wave her off. I hope that Lina didn’t hear her comment. I hurry up and walk out the kitchen, walking down the hallway to the stairs that lead up towards my room.

“Hello?” I answer. I try to keep my voice calm so it doesn’t give away how excited I am to finally hear her voice.

“Hi,” she says softly. “Am I interrupting something? I know it’s early there but I was trying to speak to you before I went to bed.”

Shit!

With everything that’s been going on here, I totally forgot about the time difference between the realms. I quickly run up the stairs and walk into my quarters. I feel like a teenage boy, finally talking on the phone with the girl that he has a major crush on.

“You’re fine, I actually just got home, and was about to jump in the shower and try to grab a few hours of sleep.” I flop down on the couch in the sitting area, setting my bottle of water on the side table.

“I heard things are getting a little tense over there.” She tries to make light conversation but I can hear how tired she is in her voice.

“It is what it is. How about yourself, how is training coming?” Not wanting to talk about what’s going on here in the human realm, I would rather hear about what she’s been doing. I do not want to talk about the wolf I just had to execute.

“It’s brutal, I almost feel as if I’m back training to become a Guardian, at least the mental part. My regular combat training is the same as always. I’ve been trying to make sure I keep my physical conditioning up. The mental part of learning how to use all of my new powers, is more draining than anything I have ever experienced. Keegan has always been brutal with the Guardian’s physical training. I almost think I would rather be going through his training, than some of these training exercises.” We both chuckle as she yawns loudly.

“So how long until you come back?” It’s been a week and I feel like I’m withdrawing from the most addictive drug. I need to have her close to me, I need to be able to hold and feel her. I miss feeling her next to me. My wolf whines that she is not around. He doesn’t understand why she had to leave us.

“I’m not sure,” she sighs. I can hear the sheets rustling as she climbs in the bed. My cock stands at attention of thinking of her and a bed. “I was hoping a couple of weeks, no longer than a month. I’ve been training all day, every day since I got here. There are two more Elders that my father is supposed to be bringing in to continue my training. Eldrin says that I am picking up everything much quicker than a normal student.”

“That’s great! Who is Eldrin?” I try to say calmly, not wanting her to think that I’m jealous, but she laughs at me, picking up the small hint of jealousy. Thankfully the guys can’t see or hear me now. They would bust my balls at me sounding like a teenage pup with a crush! Who would have thought I would be jealous. I don’t get jealous; I’ve had my share of women tripping over their feet trying to get my attention. Now, one little five foot nothing of a woman, has literally brought me to my knees.

“Eldrin is a nine hundred year old Elfen Elder. He has many powers and is very old and knowledgeable, even though he can almost run circles around me.” My wolf calms down, he doesn’t like being this far away from her or that other males have been around her. We talk for a few more minutes and I can tell she is falling asleep on the phone. Her soft breathing in my ear is not helping my engorged erection that is creating a tent in my sweats.

“Lina?” I say softly. I can’t wait until I can hold her in my arms again. When she comes back, she will know without a doubt that she is mine. She’s not leaving my bed for at least a week once she is back in the human realm.

“Hmmm?” She answers half asleep.

“Go ahead and go to sleep honey. Try to call me tomorrow.”

“Ok.” She mutters something unintelligible before hanging up.

T
his has to be a dream
. How in the hell am I suddenly in my grandmother’s house? I remember getting tired while speaking to Colin on the phone, and him telling me to go to sleep since I was dozing off on him. Now, as I look around, I’m standing in the hallway outside my grandmother’s bedroom. The house is abnormally silent. I try to listen to see if I can hear anyone moving around on the other side of the door, but I don’t hear anything stirring.

A shiver runs down my spine at the thought of what could possibly be waiting for me there. I take a deep breath and reach for the door handle, my hand trembles slightly as I grip it. I turn the knob slowly and push the door open. It’s nighttime and the moonlight shining in through the windows softly illuminates the room.

As I creep into her room, the sound of soft snoring comes from the direction of her bed. I head over to the bed, and see her lying there sleeping peacefully on her side. My body relaxes as I gaze upon her sleeping form.

“She looks so peaceful doesn’t she?” My body tenses as the one person I hoped to never see in a dream again, walks out of the shadows.

Melomouzor.

“What are you doing here?” My eyes are on Azura as she slumbers. I feel the heat of his stare on me.

“It would be such a shame if something were to happen to her.” He moves to stand next to me, trailing his fingers through my hair.

“Leave my grandmother alone!” I bat his hand away from me as I turn to him. My temper flares at the thought of him getting near my grandmother.

“If you want to keep her safe, then you need to do as I say!” He grips my hair and turns me to him.

“What do you want?” I whisper fiercely trying to get free from his grip.

“You! And you don’t have to whisper, this is your dream, she can’t hear you.” He lets go of my hair and I take a step back from him.

“Why?”

“You are the key to the prophecy. Your blood, is the blood that is needed to create the portal to free me. You are the one who will release me from this banishment, and bring me back to the human realm!”

“Why would I want to do that?” I back away from him, slowly moving towards the door. The kill safe I had planted in my subconscious can’t help me now seeing how there is no way for music to be played. I start trying to think of another way I can get away from him.

“If you don’t, I will strip away everything you have ever loved. I may not be able to step foot in the human realm right now, but I can make your life a living hell. My demons will continue to come to your world and believe me, they are craving blood and destruction!” As I back away from him, he stalks to me backing me into the wall. He grabs my arm and we flash into my aunt’s room.

“Your Aunt Adela, such a pretty name for a pretty lady. She’s like a second mother to you, since your own mother died. I would hate for an accident to happen to her,” he says in my ear as he tightens his grip on my arm, as we stand over Adela sleeping her bed. His voice is as hard as steel as he threatens my family.

“Need we continue?” I shake my head quickly as the feeling of dread spreads through my body.

“Oh, I need to make myself clear.” His grip tightens as we flash to a familiar dark room. We’re in Colin’s bedroom. I hear the shower running in the en suite. This may be a dream but I don’t know when this is, or if this is even real. My stomach is queasy, and I’m not getting a good feeling being here. Goosebumps form on my arms as a chill slides down my spine.

“You think your wolf can protect you from me? I will destroy him; I will destroy everyone in his pack and everyone he loves! I will break you, Lina. You will come to me and set me free! You will play your part in the prophecy!” I snatch my arm away from him backing up.

“Why should I? Either way you’re going to kill everyone!” I hiss at him. He pauses and then shrugs his shoulders.

“When I make my way back to the human realm, you will be my Queen. You will rule the human realm with me! If you free me, then I will allow your family to live, but if you do not, I will kill every single one of them.” As he speaks, Colin’s bedroom door opens and Malia walks in, and the bottom of my stomach falls out. My eyes narrow at her boldness and familiarity with Colin’s bedroom. She sits a glass of ice water on the side table next to his bed. She moves the water bottle that was on the table. She kicks off her shoes and walks around the bed, running her hands alongside the comforter.

“Oh, this is getting good! I couldn’t have planned a better time for us to show up!” He rubs his hands together as the corner of his mouth lifts into a smirk.

“This is happening now?” I ask as I feel my anger rising. He nods his head. “How is this possible, you said this was my dream?” How
dare
this bitch come into his room?

“I am more powerful than you think,
little girl
. I can take you anywhere I want in a dream! This is real. I truly didn’t expect this!” He gloats as his eyes follow Malia around the room. My anger gives way to fear and doubt.

My eyes turn back to the bathroom and the person inhabiting it right now. How dare he lie to me! I begin to chew on my bottom lip as I think back to our time together. Not once had he said that he loved me. He’s told me that he wants me, and that we need to talk when I get back. So far, we’ve just had the most amazing sex. He keeps talking about how he can’t make a commitment to any woman and I fell for it. I guess I was too caught up in my feelings for him, that I just offered to take whatever he was willing to give me.

My stomach lurches as her naked form makes its way around Colin’s room. Malia walks past me as she heads into the bathroom, naked, with a soft smile on her face. My heart cracks at the thought of what is about to happen in that bathroom. My chest hurts; I’m having a hard time catching my breath as tears fill my eyes.

I thought we had a something between us, I thought we were beginning to mean something to each other. It must have just been one-sided. Maybe it was just me. I know I don’t compare to someone like Malia, who is tall and beautiful. Maybe he decided he wants to mate with a wolf, and they have history. I back up towards the bedroom door. That’s probably why he hasn’t called me since I went back to the Fae. He already has replaced me with someone else. I knew when I called him, that I heard a female voice in the background.

“Did you really think that their relationship would be over? Did you think that he would just get over her, and be happy with you?” Melomouzor sneers in my ear, adding to all of the distrust that is filling my mind.

“Shut up! You don’t know what you’re talking about!” I shout in denial, running my trembling hands through my hair.

“You have one week,
Princess
! You release me from the Underworld, and I’ll let your family live! We’ll rule the human realm together. You don’t need him! He doesn’t appreciate you! You will never mean to him what he means to you!” he yells pointing at the bathroom door. “By my side you will be a Queen! You will have all the power. Everyone will worship you. Our children will change the future and make it ours!” He backs me up against the wall, his red eyes blazing, his glamour blinking in and out giving me glimpses of his true demon form.

“You don’t release me, and I will have your family members slaughtered one by one. I will eradicate your whole family line. Slowly, you will watch, as their skin will be stripped from their bones. Their organs devoured while they are barely alive and blood drained completely from their body as you watch the light fade from their eyes, them begging you to help them. My army of demons will flood this world you so love much, destroying it, even without me there! Try me, Princess!” he roars as he moves close to me. I can’t take my eyes off the bathroom door. My heart feels empty as I nod my head.

“Get me out of here!” I snap at Melomouzor. I take one more look at the bathroom, with tears streaming down my face, before the room dissolves.