Bitten Shifter, page 24
part #1 of The Bitten Chronicles Series
Can he?
“You are wondering who told me, aren’t you?” Leonidas tilts his head, crimson eyes gleaming with predatory delight. “There is a mole—someone who gave me every delicious detail about you. She was incredibly helpful.”
“She?” My stomach clenches. Damn it! A shifter or a mage sold me out? Hannah? No, she’d never…
“Oh, no, no, no,” Leonidas interrupts my spiralling thoughts, wagging an elegant finger. “Poor, poor Lark. You misunderstand. When I say ‘she was helpful,’ I meant you were helpful.”
“Me?” My voice catches. “What? How?”
He chuckles, a low, menacing sound that fills the room like smoke. “Oh, how delightful. You truly have no idea. Let me enlighten you. You, Lark, are the gift that keeps on giving.”
He strolls closer, his movements unnervingly fluid, as if he has all the time in the world to savour my horror.
“Your blood,” he says, as though it’s obvious. “It’s always been about your blood. I’m an ancient vampire, little one. Once I’ve tasted someone, I can track them anywhere. Sometimes… I can do more.”
“What do you mean?” My voice barely rises above a whisper.
“Oh, Lark,” he says with mock exasperation, leaning lazily against the sofa. “Powerful blood lets me see. I can see through your eyes, hear your thoughts. And my, my, you do think so loudly. You have been my unwitting messenger this entire time.”
“No…” I whisper, shaking my head in denial.
That can’t be true. It can’t be.
“Oh, yes,” he says, his grin widening to expose more of those gleaming fangs. “Talk, talk, talk,” he mocks, puppeteering his hand near his ear. “Will Merrick love me? Will Merrick hate me? Will he kiss me? Oh, Human First deserves punishment, but I do not want to see them die.”
The way he mimics me, mocking my life his tone high and taunting, makes my stomach churn. I want to throw up.
The ancient vampire rolls his eyes. “Let’s be honest. I got rid of them just so you would shut the fuck up.”
“No. You are lying,” I croak.
Leonidas steps closer, his presence suffocating. “Oh, little one,” he murmurs, almost tenderly, “I do not need to lie. You have been screaming your thoughts at me since the moment I licked your blood off the ground like a dog. This is your punishment. This is your fault. You are the mole, little birdie, and you sing so sweetly. You have been guiding me right to you all along.”
His words strike me like a blow, the room tilts. I struggle to breathe as he takes another step.
“This game has been fun,” he says, his voice a velvet caress. “But now, it is time to finish the hunt.”
No.
I’m not dying here.
I can do this. I can do this. I can. I’m strong enough to deal with this man.
Leonidas laughs, the sound echoing like a death knell. “Oh, little birdie,” he sneers, “you can’t do this. You are already dead—you just haven’t realised it yet.”
Merrick will come for me.
“He won’t reach you in time,” Leonidas mocks. “Your Merrick left you here unprotected, like a suckling pig on a platter. All that’s missing is an apple in your mouth. They don’t care about you—some human-raised mage. You are an abomination. You would have made a beautiful vampire, truly wasted on the animals.”
I edge toward the bathroom, pulse pounding in my ears, but I keep my gaze fixed on his, refusing to break eye contact.
“I’m telling you the truth,” Leonidas continues. “This place? A fortress? And yet, here I am.” He spreads his arms wide. “You even left the door open for me, and still, you have no idea you have been played. It’s quite remarkable.”
He tilts his head. “Ah, and now you are thinking of Paul. Your husband… ex-husband… the poor little man.” He smacks his lips. “Paul tasted very bitter. You will never find his body. Just like”—he steps closer, voice lowering—“they will never find yours.”
His hands morph, fingers lengthening into razor-sharp obsidian claws.
Nausea rises, but I force it down. Calling on every shred of courage, I channel shifter magic into my nails, pushing the change. My fingers tingle as my nails sharpen into vicious claws. My jaw aches, wolf teeth filling my mouth, the fangs pressing against my lips.
“You are not the only one who can bite,” I say, my words thick and lisping around the new canines. My fangs are strong, built for shredding flesh.
A growl boils up from my chest, low and primal. “Come on, then, vampire,” I challenge, sinking into a fighting stance. My muscles coil, ready to spring.
Leonidas hisses, red eyes aflame with fury. He moves faster than I can track, launching himself through the air with claws outstretched and aimed for my throat.
Chapter Forty-Five
I throw myself backwards, twisting just enough to feel the whisper of air as his razor-sharp claws slice past my face.
Too close.
He’s too fast.
I’m going to die.
Leonidas laughs and lunges, his snarling face filling my vision. His claws are mere centimetres from my throat when a surge of magic explodes through the room. The force is violent, slamming into the vampire. His red eyes widen in shock as he freezes mid-strike, locked in place by the spell.
He is solid.
Frozen.
I crash onto the floor, pain shooting up my spine from the jarring impact. My breath comes in short, frantic gasps as I scramble backwards, my shoulders hitting the wall.
That wasn’t me. That was not my magic. I didn’t even think of using it.
Powerful energy crackles in the air, buzzing across my skin like static. Whatever spell holds Leonidas is potent, thrumming like a live wire. Yet it didn’t touch me, even though I was right there.
“What the heck just happened?” I whisper, pressing a trembling hand to my chest. Was it the building’s magic?
The answer strides through the French doors, calm and unhurried. Lander’s wand spins lazily between his fingers as he gives me a wave, his smug smile broadening as he surveys the immobilised vampire.
Before I can process his presence, the main door bursts open. Merrick and Riker charge in, their expressions feral.
I blink, my body still shaking so violently that my vision blurs. Merrick crosses the room in three swift strides and scoops me into his arms, his hands roaming over me in a frantic search for injuries.
He’s here. He came for me.
This is all my fault.
“Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay,” I rasp, my throat raw.
Merrick came for me just like he promised.
He pulls me close, his lips grazing my forehead. “I’ve got you,” he murmurs. “You are safe now. We got him.”
A sob breaks free, and I collapse against his chest, clinging to him as though he might vanish. Everything feels too raw—too much—but he is here.
That was too close. Far too close.
“Merrick!” Lander’s sharp voice cuts through the moment.
Merrick pulls back reluctantly, his thumb skimming my cheek. His expression is shadowed with guilt and something darker—something I can’t quite name. “I need to handle this,” he says quietly. “I will be right there.”
I nod, unable to form words.
“Stay here. You are safe now.”
Riker offers me a small, reassuring smile and a quick wink as he follows Merrick. “Nice chompers,” he teases, tapping his teeth.
Chompers? My hand flies to my mouth, and I realise my teeth are still wolfed out. Mortified, I focus on pulling the shifter magic back. Slowly, my teeth and claws shrink, returning to normal.
My knees threaten to buckle, but I force myself to move. I grab my necklace from the bathroom, fumbling to secure it around my neck. The cool weight offers a thin veneer of security. Back in the main room, I shove my feet into my boots, craving something solid beneath me.
Still shaking, I edge closer to the group. I need to see what they do with the vampire—and I need to tell Merrick the truth, that Leonidas has been in my head, pillaging my thoughts.
I’m the mole.
And Paul—Paul’s dead.
My stomach twists, but I shove down the sob that threatens to erupt.
One thing at a time, Lark. One thing at a time.
“We got him, then,” Lander says, voice aggravatingly casual. He claps Merrick on the back, grin widening. “Great plan, pal.”
Plan? What plan?
I clear my throat, my voice small as I ask, “Can you tell me what is going on?”
But my question is lost under Merrick’s vicious growl. The frozen ancient vampire and the Alpha Prime lock eyes, both radiating raw fury as they size each other up. Leonidas’s red gaze burns, but behind that mad arrogance, I see a flicker of unease.
“I know about the blood-borne link,” Merrick snarls.
I flinch, dread curling in my stomach.
“I knew for certain you were in Lark’s head after the Human First stunt,” he continues. “There was no way you could have found those men without inside help. I spoke to Lander, and together, we arranged the Council meeting here in the Magic Sector.” His voice hardens. “We knew you wouldn’t be able to resist hunting Lark here. Every single step to trap you was meticulously planned.”
Oh no.
“In your arrogance,” Merrick growls, “you walked right into it.”
“Here’s the daylight spell,” Lander says, tossing a bright yellow vial.
Merrick catches it without breaking eye contact with the vampire. A cruel smile reveals the sharp edges of his teeth. “Once you knew she was mine,” he says, his voice low and dangerous, “you should’ve stayed far away. Hunting my fated mate? This was never going to end well for you.”
With no hesitation, Merrick plunges his hand into the frozen barrier around Leonidas. The second their skin meets, the vial’s magic activates in a blinding flash of light.
I shield my eyes, heart pounding, every nerve on fire.
When the light fades, and I look again, the vampire is gone. Nothing remains but a dark pile of ash scattered across the floor.
It’s over. Leonidas is dead.
I sway on my feet, lightheaded, and my head spins as Merrick’s words echo in my mind, louder and sharper with every beat of my heart:
“I know about the blood-borne link.”
“I knew for certain you were in Lark’s head after the Human First stunt.”
They knew.
They knew the vampire was in my mind, violating my thoughts, stealing every private moment.
They didn’t stop him.
They used me.
I. Was. Bait.
The realisation hits like a hammer to my chest, knocking the breath from my lungs. An ache swells in my throat. My legs threaten to give way beneath the weight of it.
They planned this.
And my heart… my heart shatters.
Chapter Forty-Six
I wrap my arms around my waist, hunch my shoulders, and lower my gaze to the gleaming chequered tiles beneath my feet. It’s all so obvious now. They played me for a fool. On that, the vampire was right—I was being played by everyone, even those I trusted.
Was all the animosity between Merrick and Lander an act? No wonder Lander knew everything about the shitshow of my life. Merrick must have told him. At least when I was an unwitting mole, I had no idea what was happening. Merrick, though, knew exactly what he was doing.
I’m so tired—tired of men refusing to see me as their equal, tired of being treated like a pawn in someone else’s game. I can see why he did it, why it all unfolded this way, but understanding doesn’t mean I forgive him. This isn’t how a new relationship should start—especially not one built on trust.
We have walked through fire together, yet I’ve been burned to ash. It’s always me burning.
The broken pieces of my trust feel beyond repair. Merrick stomped on my feelings as though they were nothing. One man already did that to me; I vowed it wouldn’t happen again.
I drift over to the dresser, pick up the grimoire, and clutch it to my chest like a shield. Around me, the room seethes with activity as shifters and magic users hurry in and out, dealing with the aftermath of the vampire’s attack. It all feels distant, as though I’m watching through frosted glass.
Tears threaten, but I refuse to let them fall. Instead, a slow, simmering anger rises in my chest. For twenty agonising minutes, I was drowning in guilt, believing I’d let Merrick—and everyone else—down. Meanwhile, he knew the truth and never told me. Days of planning went on behind my back.
I shake my head, closing my eyes. A lone tear escapes anyway, and I swipe it away, furious with myself.
No. None of that, Lark. None of that.
“Are you all right?”
His voice makes me flinch. When did he get so close?
I open my eyes to find Merrick watching me, concern etched into his features. “We couldn’t tell you,” he says quietly. “If you had known, it wouldn’t have worked. You were never really in danger. If we’d stopped him reading your thoughts, he would have suspected something, and we would have lost control of the situation. This way, we set the terms. Everything stayed contained.”
“Did Mary know?” My voice sounds hollow, drained of feeling.
“No,” he replies. “She didn’t. Most of the council didn’t either—just Lander. He is Chief of Security; this was his operation. It was kept on a need-to-know basis. It was a well-executed plan.”
“Well-executed,” I echo dully. “Yeah. You got him.”
“You are safe,” he says, his tone gentle, as if that alone could fix everything.
“Safe.” The word tastes bitter. I nod mechanically, then turn away. “Thanks for keeping me safe.”
“Little mate—”
“Don’t call me that.” My voice snaps like a whip. “I thought we were a team, Merrick—that we’d talk things through, make decisions together. But we’re not, are we? I’m just a convenient pawn.”
“You are not a convenience, and you are not a pawn,” he says, his voice cracking. “I love you, Lark. I’d do anything to protect you.”
“Even if it means keeping me in the dark?”
“Yes,” he says without hesitation.
His admission slices through me like a blade. I press my hand to my chest, trying to ease the ache. “Fine,” I say softly. “Can we talk about this later?”
“Lark, we need to talk now.” He growls, a low note of warning in his voice.
I snap. “Don’t you dare growl at me, Merrick Winters.” My voice rises, thick with anger. “You want to do this here? Fine.” I gesture at the crowded room. “Safe, you say? I had a fascinating conversation with the vampire—for at least ten minutes, Merrick. Ten minutes. While he gloated about how much fun it was to rummage through my head. He was this close to ripping my throat out before the magic finally kicked in and stopped him. What were you waiting for, exactly?”
His face pales, horror spreading across his features. “What?”
“Oh yeah, did your buddy Lander fail to mention that?” My hands shake with rage.
From the corner of my eye, I see Riker slam Lander against the glass doors, rattling them. He jabs a finger in Lander’s face, while Lander holds up his hands defensively. Whatever excuses he’s making drip with enough smugness to stoke Riker’s temper further.
I shake my head. It’s too late; the damage has already been done. “I’m tired of everyone steamrolling over my choices,” I say, my voice trembling. “Don’t you understand? I feel violated. And I’m heartbroken—”
My throat closes once again around the surge of emotion, but I press on. “The last time I felt like this was when I was fifteen, and the human government sterilised me for not being ‘good enough.’ Do you understand what that does to a person? And then, years later, I found the man I chose to spend my life with—buried inside my big sister.”
Yet stupid me still trusted Merrick.
“Another few seconds tonight, and I’d be dead. I’m sorry Lander’s timing wasn’t perfect—really, I am. Then you could have walked away without the burden of a fated mate.”
“Lark—” he begins, but I cut him off.
“I’m a sigma,” I say, my tone rigid and cold as I lift my chin, “a lone wolf according to your own laws. I don’t want a pack, nor do I need a fated mate. I can’t return to the Human Sector, so, Alpha Prime, I’m formally requesting to live and work in the Enterprise Zone. Unless that’s been taken from me too. Do I still have a job, an apartment? Or should I stay here in the Magic Sector?”
I refuse to look at him. I can’t face the pain in his eyes, the silent anguish I know is there. It would only weaken my resolve.
“You can go back to your job and your home in the Enterprise Zone,” he whispers.
“Thank you,” I reply sharply, allowing myself the briefest glance at him. “Now leave me the fuck alone.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
I’ve been staying late at work, grasping at any excuse to avoid going home, but the inevitable can’t be postponed forever. As I walk past security, the guards give me odd looks, their gazes lingering like I’ve grown a second head. Their disapproval is almost tangible.
I ignore them, my trainers squeaking on the polished floor as I push through the doors into the stormy evening. The summer sky churns above, dark and brooding. The wind carries the scent of rain, tangling my hair and biting through my coat. I pull the fabric tighter and hunch my shoulders as I walk.
Paws echo softly behind me.
In my spare time, I’ve been designing better sensory bands. The Ministry of Magic has already introduced replacements after the old ones were exposed as dangerously flawed—a scandal that caused quite an uproar.
I quicken my pace, passing the oak tree and the empty plot where the wizard’s house once stood. The residual magic hums faintly against my senses.
