Pursued: Silver Falls University 4, page 10
“It’s all over our estate,” he rumbled, shaking his head as if annoyed by the concept. “Not only our estate but the entire damn city.”
“That’s a lot.”
“Yeah it is,” he agreed.
Suddenly, Tore appeared by my side, crouching down in the aisle and offering a small smile. “You hungry? We can probably manage one last meal before we land.”
“I’m good,” I promised, feeling ridiculously full from the amount of food they’d given me in the past day, my hand resting lightly on his chest. I tilted my head, noticing a slight texture under his shirt. A bandage, maybe?
“Did you get hurt at Ryder’s place?” I asked, panic hitting me as I tugged up the bottom of his shirt. My fear was confirmed and I stifled a gasp, the bandage resting right over his heart—right where my hand normally laid. How had I not realized he’d been injured?
Tore chuckled softly, but it was edged in tension. “No, not hurt, lil bit.”
“What? Then why?”
Caedmon shook his head in my peripheral, an amused smirk on his lips, only adding to my confusion.
“I got a tattoo,” Tore explained, almost too casually..
“Oh…” That was unexpected. “When?”
I seriously couldn’t see when he’d had time to do that—it had to have been before the flight. He’d been wearing a sweater for a large majority of it, so maybe that’s why I hadn’t noticed.
“Before the flight, the night you went to bed right away, I had someone come to the room,” he explained simply.
“Can I see it?”
Tore almost looked embarrassed, his ears turning pink, making Caedmon actually chuckle this time. I snapped my head over, surprised by the sound, but Caedmon was pretending to look over the map on the tablet.
He was totally eavesdropping.
“When I take off the bandage tonight, yes,” he promised, kissing my hand and flashing me a small smile. “I think—well, I hope—you’ll love it.”
Well now I was even more excited and invested.
Before I had a chance to beg for a sneak peek, Ryder—who was sitting closer to the front with Dakota and Julian—announced that we would be landing, so I settled in as Tore grabbed the seat next to me. The landing was far smoother than the one in Kyoto had been, and I hadn’t even realized we were on the runway until the wheels were set down, the heavy fog blocking my view out the window.
“Did your father say where this Fengari Stone was, specifically?” Julian asked as we all stood and stretched, gathering our belongings.
“He said it’s in the city center—well, technically under it. I know where to find it.”
I was both interested and worried about going, but what I wasn’t looking forward to? My possible reaction to that Fengari Stone. I knew it was necessary, but the last one like it had caused…well, a lot of pain, and I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be a one-time thing. I could only hope that since this one was connected to the moon and lykos magic, the effects would be a bit less.
As we stepped onto the tarmac, I found that we were in a far different airport than before. It was massive, but more importantly, the row of black SUVs waiting for us took me off guard.
I shivered in the damp air, tucking myself into Caedmon’s side and we made our way to the closest SUV, the group of us sliding into it without saying a word to any of the attendants. Now that I’d been to Ryder’s family home, I wasn’t so surprised by the number of people Caedmon’s family had working for them.
“I hate having his eyes on us, but it’s unavoidable,” Caedmon told all of us. “At least they already know where we want to go.”
I just hoped they didn’t decide to take us to his house rather than to the Fengari Stone.
“He’s going to want us to come by after,” Dakota said, shooting Caedmon a dry look.
“We won’t,” Caedmon immediately said, his eyes darkening. “Effie isn’t setting foot in that place.”
“Agreed,” Tore rumbled.
Ryder shook his head before looking at the partition between us and the driver. “We’ll leave a different way, not take their car back—I’m sure we can figure out a way to get out of here without using any family resources.”
“Worst case, we take a train.” Julian flashed me a smile filled with nostalgia. “It’ll be an adventure.”
As they began to talk about different options, my gaze was drawn out the window to the beautiful landscape. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances surrounding our travel, I was excited to see so many new places. I just hoped at some point we got to enjoy them. I was so distracted as we pulled into the city center, looking at all of the passing buildings and people, that when we finally came to a stop, I was taken off guard by the simplicity of the building.
The dark one-story stone building stood out compared to the rest of the city. It was older than the neighboring buildings, with no signs announcing what it was, no windows to give a peek inside. There was only a heavy wooden door with black metal on it. The parade of cars came to a stop, and as we got out, the attendants grabbed all of our bags, filing behind us to the door. Caedmon opened it easily, and while people on the street were staring at us, they almost immediately looked away when we met their gazes.
“Let’s get inside,” Caedmon said. Dakota walked in first, and I followed close behind. Lanterns hung on the warm stone walls, showcasing runes that were different from the ones at Ryder’s estate but held a similar note of magic.
“We’re going to stay out here and keep watch,” Tore said quietly, his gaze on all the men waiting by their black cars. “Don’t want to be caught off guard in case this is a trap.”
“Good idea,” Caedmon agreed, asking Ryder, “You’re staying as well?”
“I’m probably not the right person to be around this stone,” he said apologetically. “Dakota and Julian have a better chance of being able to use their wolf magic to interact with hers if anything happens.”
I understood, but I hated being separated.
“Be careful,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to Ryder’s cheek before doing the same to Tore. Julian stepped across the threshold and closed the door behind him, leaving us in silence. It was only then that I noticed that the room was completely empty, nothing but wall to wall stone, making me think that maybe Caedmon was mistaken. Maybe we’d come to the wrong place.
“Over here,” Caedmon said, motioning for us to join him at the far wall. He ran his hands over a stone, pushing it into the wall, and the stones around us began creaking as the floor opened to our left, revealing an underground staircase.
“My father brought me here a few times,” Caedmon explained as Julian offered an impressed whistle.
“What for?” Dakota asked as we descended. “I can practically smell the blood on these walls.”
“Torture, watching others being tortured,” Caedmon said in a dry tone. “You can’t tell yet, but there’s an entire complex down here where my father does a lot of his dirty work. Although I don’t know why he bothers since all his shit comes back to our home anyway.”
I squeezed his hand, hoping to chase away some of the emptiness in his eyes, but the action was as much for me as it was for him. Now that Dakota had mentioned it, it was almost like I could feel the death here. It sent a cold shiver down my spine.
The stairs seemed to go on forever, but when we finally reached the bottom, a massive foyer greeted us, doors heading in all directions. Caedmon had told us to expect it, but it still came as a bit of a shock. That wasn’t what really caught my attention, though. No, that was held by the woman waiting for us.
Something was very wrong.
Caedmon’s entire body locked up, our connection nearly severing as a feral, vicious noise broke from his throat. Dakota and Julian were both on high alert, gazes honed in on the obvious threat.
I had no idea how old the woman was, but she appeared worldly and gorgeous, supernaturally so, the black satin dress on her curves making her look like a marble statue. Her dark eyes were fixed on Caedmon as a predatory smile curled her lips.
“Caedmon, darling,” she drew out, her voice accented and husky. “Your father told me you would be here. It’s so good to see you.”
He didn’t say anything, his breathing rough as I felt him waver. I rounded him, capturing his face in my hands to block his view of her, allowing him to finally focus on me.
“Caedmon, who is that?” I whispered.
“Victoria. That’s Victoria.”
A name had never caused me such fury, and when I turned to face her, I kept Caedmon behind me. This was the woman who’d traumatized my mate to the point that he believed he couldn’t be loved. To the point that he believed he wasn’t deserving of anything but the constant, tortuous cycle of replaying his nightmares again and again. His father played a part, but this was the woman who had preyed on a young boy—a child.
A feral growl broke from my throat as Caedmon tightened his grip on my waist, the action the only movement he seemed capable of.
“Effie, what’s going on?” Julian demanded.
“This is the woman who hurt Caedmon,” I growled, not positive they would understand what I was saying since they didn’t know his full story. “Victoria.”
The woman approached slowly, her heels hitting the ground in a soft click. “And you must be the mate. Is that right? Lycans don’t normally have mates, so imagine my surprise when I found out some little girl was trying to take him from me. Trying to claim him.”
The ownership in her voice sickened me. “Caedmon is not yours. You shouldn’t even be here.”
“And why is that?” she asked, her eyes running over my other two mates. “He came home, didn’t he? Are you sure that wasn’t on purpose? Are you sure he doesn’t want to stay? It seems like you don’t have enough time for him anyway with…what is it, five mates?”
“We are here for one thing,” Dakota bit out, “and it sure as shit isn’t you. You can fuck off, lady.”
“Totemic. Disgusting,” the woman spit. “I understand why your standards are lower if this is the scum you’ve been hanging out with,” she said to Caedmon.
“This is bullshit,” Julian snarled.
Caedmon’s energy was volatile, building up to something lethal and dangerous. I could feel his anger—I could feel his fury. He wasn’t scared of this woman, at least not in the same way he’d been when he was when he was younger, but he wanted to kill her. To destroy that part of his past. But Caedmon had dealt with enough darkness, and she didn’t even deserve that level of attention from him. She didn’t deserve anything from him.
“You need to leave. Now,” I said, stepping through the wall Dakota and Julian had formed between us. I took a fortifying breath before adding, “Before I make you.”
I wasn’t making an empty threat, either. Pink magic surrounded me, pulsating from my fingertips, but this time streaks of bright red shot through it. In a snap, Victoria appeared in front of me, standing over me and looking down with malice.
“You can’t do anything,” she snarled. “You are nothing, let alone a woman who could take Caedmon from me.”
Before I could stop her, she was past me and standing in front of Caedmon. I watched as her hand reached for him, and I saw the exact moment the thread holding Caedmon’s sanity snapped.
He was going to kill her. If she touched him, he was going to kill her.
Never in my life had I moved so fast. I grabbed Victoria by the back of her neck and pushed my magic through her—
Her form crumbled onto the steps, completely unconscious.
Shit. That was close.
Caedmon was shaking, the energy under his skin about to burst outward. Turning to the other two, I spoke quietly. “Get rid of her. Take her upstairs or something—anywhere that isn’t here—and then come find us. I’ll be here with Caedmon.”
“Are you sure?” Julian asked, probably worried about leaving me essentially by myself.
“He would never hurt me, Julian,” I promised before adding, “Coffin knows that also.”
He let out a low rumble, grabbing Victoria’s arm with a look of disgust and dragging her to the stairs.
Dakota hesitated, speaking to Caedmon before he followed to help. “I know you’re in there right now, Caedmon, and I know you’re fucking furious, but we’re about to leave you alone with our mate. I’m trusting you to not put her in danger.”
Caedmon’s gaze found Dakota’s, and I saw something flicker there, but he didn’t respond. I noticed that Dakota hadn’t said anything about being worried that Caedmon would hurt me, per se…just to not put me in danger.
Then Dakota joined Julian, grabbing Victoria’s other arm and helping him drag her up the stairs. I hated that they even had to touch her.
When they were out of sight, I turned towards Caedmon and slowly approached him. His gaze tracked my movement, and I saw him open his mouth to say something, but only a feral noise left his throat.
“I know you won’t hurt me, Caedmon,” I said softly. “I just need to know what I can do to help. She’s gone—I promise you, she’s gone. You will never see her again.”
The words left me without thought…and I didn’t feel bad. I wanted her gone. I wanted the threat to Caedmon to perish.
“Mon ange—” His voice was steeped in pain.
“I’m here,” I promised, letting my magic roll over his skin. I slowly raised my hand, Caedmon’s breathing going even rougher. I knew I was taking a risk, touching him when he was like this. I had no idea how it would end, but I didn’t want him to ever think he was alone.
“I’m here,” I repeated as my fingers grazed his chest. “And I love you.”
The words were barely out of my mouth before I was pinned against the wall, Caedmon’s teeth against my throat.
11
CAEDMON MOROZ
Effie’s fast, fluttering pulse had my head spinning as I fought for control. I could feel her pulse right under my lips, and I wanted to bury my teeth inside of her skin. To mark her. To ensure that no matter what darkness she saw come out of me, we were permanently bonded. That she would continue to say those sweet words to me.
I love you.
Effie loved me. I still hadn’t been able to process, let alone accept, that concept. But I savored the words and hung onto them like an anchor as I kept her pinned to the wall, refusing to give into the urge to bite her.
Don’t bite her. Don’t fucking bite her—not like this.
My eyes closed, and I repeated the mantra as images—nightmares, really—flashed through my head. Disgust and nausea turned my stomach, hating that Victoria had even filled Effie’s life for a single moment. That she had to hear her voice. That she had to experience her evil and malice.
I’d almost slaughtered Victoria.
If she had touched me, I would have ripped her throat out with my bare hands. I wouldn’t have been able to control it. But like the true angel Effie was, she’d appeared out of nowhere and saved me from myself.
Effie was my salvation. It was that simple and that complicated.
Which didn’t explain the bloodlust surging through me, wanting to mark her throat in such a feral and savage way. I was trembling in my attempt at restraint. I didn’t trust myself alone with this woman, and I could only hope that the others would return before I did something truly unforgivable.
A pained sound left my throat as Effie’s finger slid up the back of my neck, her touch soft and gentle. She had no idea how much danger she was in—it was the only explanation for how she was treating me.
I wanted to scare her. Maybe not want to, but it was like a desperate, clawing urge. It was my default for Effie, to keep her away, to keep her safe. But I couldn’t do that anymore. I loved her. She knew I loved her. I had pledged my life to her, my entire existence. I wouldn’t push her away…but I didn’t know what to do instead, didn’t know what my new default should be. I was absolutely paralyzed.
“Caedmon.” Her voice was a soft song in my ear. “Come back to me.”
Didn’t she realize I could never leave her? The only things that existed for me on this mortal plane were my nightmares and trauma…and Effie. That was it.
“There’s nowhere else for me.” My voice wasn’t my own. I had no idea how I was even managing to speak let alone form coherent sentences right now. My vision was blurring around the edges, dizziness threatening to pull me under. The memories and nightmares were trying to pound on my skull, demanding my attention—demanding everything.
Suddenly, soft lips pressed against mine. I didn’t move, terrified I would attack her as she pressed another kiss to my lips.
“I don’t know what to do. I’m scared you’re shutting down.”
My eyes snapped open at the fear in her voice, and I inhaled sharply, in awe at the sight of her, a pink glow surrounding my mate and blocking out the entire room. A calming melody that only Effie could summon began to play softly in the back of my head, the presence of it soothing and causing me to let out a shaky breath.
“I’m here.” I wasn’t positive I really was, though, and Effie knew it. When she gently tugged my hand, leading me down the steps, I followed in a daze, hanging onto the heavenly vision of her. It was the only thing maintaining my sanity. The only thing keeping the darkness away.
“Let’s just sit,” she said as we turned the corner, entering a dark room that I’d seen far too many times. It was a waiting room for several of the torture chambers, and I couldn’t move my gaze to the doors, pretending I didn’t know about the blood-stained walls that laid behind them.
Effie sat on one of the benches and I followed after, except I knelt on one knee in front of her, placing my hands on either side of her hips and hanging my head. I stared at her light jeans as I tried to maintain some semblance of composure, feeling overwhelmed. When her soft hands began to run through my hair, I trembled at how good her touch felt.
