Savor (30 page)
“Gee, way to take the pressure off.”
“Why should we take the pressure off?” Slade asked. “You want this as much as we do. You want your mother and to protect The Society, because you must realize The Society will be their primary target. They’ve already tried unsuccessfully to take it down.”
“From the inside,” I mumbled. I’d never forgive my father and brother for their role in all this. How they could turn their back on the family who made them what they were.
“You’re not your father or brother.” Vera put a hand on my leg.
“Enough with this psycho-analysis bullshit. I’m fine. I realize I’m not evil. Right now I’m tired from flying all of you off the island. Maybe instead of over analyzing me you could thank me for saving you and let me rest for five minutes.”
“Absolutely.” Gemma turned toward the front.
“I’ll wake you up when we get closer.” Vera kept her hand on my leg. I hoped she didn’t move it.
“Just find the main road.”
“I’m capable of driving.” Slade’s attitude was back.
“Good.” I closed my eyes and leaned back against the seat.
I woke up with a start as the truck came to a screeching halt.
“What the hell are you—” the words stuck in my throat as I realized exactly why Slade had hit the brakes.
“I assume he’s here for you.” Slade stared straight ahead.
“I assume so too.”
Vera put her hand on the door handle. I stopped her. “Give me a second first.”
She nodded, surprising me with her willingness to wait.
I pushed open my door and walked to the front of the truck. “What are you doing here?” I took in the sight of the Pteron standing in front of me. He was still transformed, but as I walked toward him he retracted his wings.
“Nice to see you too, Jared.” Levi smirked. “By the way, love the makeup.”
I wiped my cheek with the back of my hand. “What are you doing here? Did you follow me?” I’d purposely left him out of the whole mess. I was hoping to at least get my mom out before bringing The Society into the fold.
“I’m the King of The Society. It’s my job to know everything that’s happening in my kingdom. You think I wouldn’t find out about a massive battle?” He arched an eyebrow.
“Word travels fast.” He was probably going to lay into me for not calling it in, but I didn’t work for The Society anymore. I wasn’t required to.
“It does. Faster than you, I see. I must have missed your phone call. Took care of the mess on the island anyway, if you were wondering.”
“I was going to tell you eventually, but I didn’t want to unnecessarily involve you.” I glanced up. The sun would be rising any minute.
“Everything that happens involves me.”
“Some might say that sounds narcissistic.” Most people wouldn’t joke around with a king at a moment like this, but I was used to saying what I wanted around him.
“And some would say you’re crazy. Actually many did say it when the news hit.”
“Was Owen one of the ones to say it?” I’d always had a strained relationship with the king’s chief advisor. We were all friends as kids, but really it was Levi who was friends with us both. Left to our own devices, we probably never would have been.
“Yes, but he wasn’t the only one.”
“How’s Allie?”
Levi laughed. “Asking about my wife isn’t getting you out of this one.”
“I’m just asking.”
“She’s fine. Worried, but fine.”
“What’s she worried about?”
“Mostly you, but also Vera.”
“Do tell her I appreciate her concern.” I had a strangely good relationship with the queen. I’d have never believed it when I first met her. In some ways Vera reminded me of her, but I wasn’t going to tell either of them that.
“Maybe you could tell her yourself. You know, come home one of these days.”
“I can’t do that right now.”
“I know.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot.
“If you knew then why did you ask?”
“It seemed like the appropriate thing to say.”
“Yes, and you are all about what’s appropriate.”
“I know Vera’s in the back seat, but who are the others?” He pointed at the truck.
“Two bears. One’s a healer, one’s a champion log thrower.”
“Log thrower, eh?”
“It sounds crazy, but he’s a nice guy to have on your side in a fight.”
Levi laughed. “Are you going soft on me? Complimenting a bear?”
“Don’t go there.” My time on Norco was short, but I’d grown to like the Clan. I felt defensive of them.
Seeing Levi reminded me of a conversation I’d had with Gareth. “You need to double check security at The Society prison.”
“Worried?” His brow furrowed. Gareth was right about one thing, Levi still listened to me. He took what I had to say seriously.
“Just a hunch that my dad and Tiffany might have some outside help.”
“We’ve got everyone on full alert, but it would be better if my director of security was still around.”
“I have other things to attend to.” That was putting it mildly.
“Where are you guys going?” He stared into the front windshield of the truck. I couldn’t image how freaked out the bears were. Levi was intimidating when he wasn’t your best friend.
I wasn’t sure how much to share. Eventually he needed to know everything, but I didn’t want to make a mess of things by getting him involved too early. “If you know about what happened on Norco, I also assume you know who was behind it?”
“The witches… yes. They’re a bigger problem than I originally thought. Like I said the island is taken care of.”
“What did you find?” I glanced back at the truck. I was glad to be having this conversation without the others. I wanted to know the damage.
“Someone warned them we were coming, but we have a few witches in custody. The chief is gone though. His wife too. I’m not looking forward to Casey hearing the news.”
“Yeah, well my, uh, friends aren’t going to take too well to that news either.” And neither was I. What did this mean? Were the crystals secure?
“What do you know that you’re not telling me?” Levi leaned in. “Is there anything else about the island I need to know?”
“Nothing you need to know.” Normally I’d have told him everything, but I couldn’t. I trusted him completely, but could I be sure about everyone else that worked for him? Bryant and my father had betrayed The Society before, and now someone on the inside of Gareth’s ranks betrayed him.
“I’m king.”
“Yes, you like to remind me of that.”
Levi sighed. “You wanted a break, I gave it to you. Does that mean you’ve lost your loyalty to The Society?”
“Of course not.”
“Then why are you holding back?”
“Because you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” I heard the sound of a door. I hoped it was Vera and not the others. At least she knew Levi already.
“He’s not kidding, you won’t believe him.” Vera stood beside me. “Nice to see you, Levi.”
“Always a pleasure, Vera. Your sister misses you.”
“Is she around?”
“She’s heading for Norco.”
“What?” Vera froze. “No. You can’t let her do that.”
“Relax.” Levi held out a hand in front of him. “She’s with Toby and two dozen of my men. They’ve already been on the island to assess the damage.”
“I guess we just missed you.” I hoped he wouldn’t mention Gareth and Taliana. I needed to be the one to tell her.
“You’re going up to the witches’ haven.” He wasn’t asking a question this time.
“Yes.”
“I’ve done some of my own research.”
“What kind of research?” I asked tentatively. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answer.
“There’s something you need to know before you go up there.” He eyed Vera. “Can you give us a second?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m not being left out of this.”
Levi laughed. “You sure picked a mouthy one.”
I shook my head. “And you should talk?”
“Should I tell Allie you called her mouthy?”
“No. Please don’t.”
“You really want to talk in front of her?” He gestured to Vera.
I nodded. “Yes.” If I couldn’t trust Vera, we were all seriously screwed.
“How much do you know about the haven?”
“Not much. I know my mom is there.”
His lips pressed into a firm line. “I talked to my dad more about your mom.”
“And?”
“There’s something you need to know about her.” His body stiffened. I wasn’t going to like what he had to share.
“I already know she’s being held by witches against her will.”
“That’s the thing, Jared.”
“What?” My body tensed.
He cleared his throat and looked me square in the eyes. “Your mom is a witch.”
The only thing I was aware of was the feel of Vera’s hand wrapped around mine.
Vera and Jared’s story continues in
Storm (The Empire Chronicles #5)
!
Want more Chronicles? Check out the other series set in the Chronicles world.
The Crescent Chronicles
,
The Allure Chronicles
, and
The Dire Wolves Chronicles
.
Keep reading for a preview of
Seduction’s Kiss
, the prequel novella to the
Allure Chronicles
.
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An Allure Chronicles Prequel
Alyssa Rose Ivy
Never agree to a road trip to New Orleans with your roommate. At least not when your roommate is dragging you along while she reconnects with an ex-boyfriend. Possible consequences of failing to take my advice:
Unknowingly going out with a vampire stripper.
Getting kidnapped by said vampire’s nest mates.
Falling head over heels for your winged hero.
Believe it or not number 3 is the worst one, especially when no one believes you that he exists.
Y
ou’re probably not going to believe a word I say. If you’re like everyone else I’ve told, you’re going to read this and tell me to get help. That’s fine, because the only thing I care about is finding my winged hero. So whether you believe me or not, if you see him, tell him I’m searching for him, and I have no plans to give up. Because when a man can kiss like that—can make you feel alive in every grain of your being—there’s no comparison. The only clue I have to find him is his first name. Owen.
“P
lease, Daisy. It’s going to be fun.” That one line out of Reyna’s mouth was the beginning of the end for me.
“I don’t know. I was hoping to just have a quiet Halloween this year. Driving all the way to New Orleans seems a bit extreme.” I set aside my sociology textbook. There was no way I was getting reading done until Reyna said her piece.
“There’s nothing like New Orleans on Halloween. This is going to be epic.” She took a seat next to me on my bed and grasped both of my hands in hers. She was getting ready to plead.
“But why the sudden decision to go? Is it about a guy?” Reyna was usually motivated by a member of the opposite sex.
“No, not exactly. I just want to do something fun for a change.”
Not exactly? That meant yes. “Ok, who is he?”