Forbidden Fables, page 26
“Come, brown eyes, it is time to go.” Domenico reaches out a pale hand to Charity, and I can see something in him has changed, softened.
“Who is she?” I ask, my arm still protectively wrapped around Charity’s waist.
Domenico locks eyes with mine, and I can remember his kind words to me as a boy when I was full of questions and concerns—you only need to trust in God.
“Someone very special to me. Just trust me, Charles, my boy. Return to the little town, collect your things, and I will send a carriage soon. So unfortunate for Thomas…a pity really,” he sneers in a way that makes me feel uneasy.
I won’t let him take Charity. I can’t.
“I don’t need anything there; I will accompany you now.”
Domenico draws his hands back, tucking them both behind him, and gently nods. “Well enough.”
One of the taller two men who has dragged Freyja from the house approaches Charity and I. “No, I will take her. I can keep an eye on her for Dom.”
The man looks at Dom, and after a small exchange, he nods.
“Where are we going?” Charity whispers behind me, and I lead her out of the dark house and into the dawning light outside.
“London, I assume.”
A small part of me is elated to return there. I can show Charity all the things I have wanted too so badly. She will be under my care with no pressure of being taken from me by another.
I just need to figure out who this sleeping girl is and why she is so important to Dom.
There are two carriages already waiting outside, and I shiver as I watch four of the men in black coats load a dark, cherry wood coffin into the back of one.
A wheeled pallet is hitched to the one we are led to, and a large cage sits atop it with a thrashing Freyja inside.
Charity gasps, clutching at my arm, and I pull her head to look into my eyes. “It’s time to act exactly the way you did before you met her. God-fearing and humble…despondent. Do you understand?”
Tears threaten to break at the corner of her eyes, but she nods twice, casting her eyes to the ground.
My heart sinks as I watch her become the scared and quiet maiden once again, desperately trying to act like the woman she loves wasn’t in a cage like an animal.
I squeeze her hand but look at Freyja one last time before we step inside the carriage.
She looks different in the morning light, her black hair in wild snarls around her face. Her eyes are green no more but black, a startling contrast to her fair skin. Her fangs are bared, and she shakes the cage, reciting chants in a language I do not understand. She looks wild—feral.
Just as I adjust myself into my seat, the tall man reappears, tying Charity’s hands behind her back while she looks up at me in the carriage with fear in her eyes.
I swallow hard, but the man stuffs her inside beside me, and I pull her close.
She is crying again, and I kiss her hair, shushing her with gentle strokes along her back.
“All will be well, my little light. I will always keep you safe.”
The Secret of the Woods
Lilith bows to no one
Lilith is an ancient Goddess, and Domenico is one of the most revered vampires in France.
When these two forces combine, love and bloodshed soon follow.
But after a betrayal of the heart, a curse claims a life for a life, leaving Domenico searching for answers through an ancient lineage.
Domenico believes Freyja is the key to unlocking the curse, but he should have known better than to force a witch to do his bidding.
Charles and Charity want to escape the shadows, but little do they know, they’re just pawns in a grand scheme.
Corruption, lust, and power linger inside the corridors and hidden rooms of Castle DeLesepps, but just who will reveal their truth?
Prologue
The Dark Mother was what Hel called me after I was banished to The Underworld.
I refused to lay beneath my husband and remain in the garden…so here I was, forced into darkness and fire, plummeting through realms and sinking down into the depth of the sea…only I did not once feel fear.
I felt freedom, unrestraint…clarity.
The soft, curvy human body I once inhabited; felt lighter yet stronger…
Cold, black floor pressed against my cheek, and once I had enough strength to open my eyes, it was not pain and despair I was met with.
“Another fallen angel.” Hel gave a heavy sigh. “One would think I would be used to this by now. Stand up and drink, fair one.”
Pushing myself off the cold floor, I turned toward the voice and sat up, curling and uncurling my fingers and toes. I blinked a few times as the figure before me became clearer, towering over me like the apple trees in the garden I once called home. Two black and white snakes curled into coils beside me, and I smiled, stroking one’s scales and feeling great comfort.
“Am I dead?” I asked the shadowed figure.
She laughed, chilling and sweet. “No, but you will feed on lust, and if you do not have it, you will wither away.”
I nodded, looking down at my hands, and they seemed to blur, like fog. I waved them around and watched in awe as I floated in and out of solid form, red light glowing through my skin.
“You must rest now, gather your strength. You are nothing short of a Goddess, Dark Mother, and stories will be told of your contempt and resistance. Women will praise the Dark Mother. Just remember, even if they fear you, you will still thrive.”
Contempt? Resistance?
I was strength embodied; I did not bow to anyone. Why was it called resistance and not curiosity to see outside of the Garden?
I would rest, and I would gain strength.
I was a Goddess now, her words permeating inside my soul.
I needed to find a way to be worshipped…there must be someone who could fill that role.
It was then that I bargained with Hel, for another chance somewhere else.
I couldn’t deny the empty feeling inside my chest, the crushing feeling of rejection and ridicule. I ached to be loved and needed, but I refused to submit to another. It was the price I paid for choosing such insolence.
My only choice was given to me by her and her alone:
The mortal world, the Welsh lands that held magic.
It was only there that I would be able to retain a new beginning.
And so, she birthed me through the green moss and tall trees, not quite a demon but also not a God. I would start over in a time that was not kind to women; but I would show them exactly what it meant to be divinely feminine.
Chapter 1
Charles
1730 FRANCE
The long, arduous carriage ride from Wales to London made my body ache and my mind race.
Charity had fallen asleep in my lap, and I stroked her hair, promising myself I would never let her out of my sight for even just a moment.
I’d never felt so possessive over anyone or anything in all my life.
“Well done, my boy. You did just as I asked…you found the one I needed. As a reward, you can keep your plaything…although we may need her later.”
Domenico had been like a father to me, and while I was relieved I’d once again reside inside the walls of the musty, yet wealthy Castle Delesepps, I was worried that the world I once knew had changed forever.
Werewolves…vampires…things talked of only in stories, or fables, walked amongst us. Not many people the wiser.
Except now I knew, and I didn’t know how I felt about keeping that secret for Domenico—though I would do just about anything to keep Charity safe.
Would I have to act as if the guise of priesthood was true? After all, it was everything he’d built his life around, the people he interacted with daily…the church he called his home.
What did this mean for Charity and Freyja? What was it Domenico wanted with Freyja, anyhow?
Deep down, I knew I would find out, not much was kept from me, even as a young boy.
I shivered as I remembered the sleeping girl, who looked more dead than asleep, and the way that Freyja had thrashed in that God-awful cage.
Like a wild animal.
“What do you think he’ll do with her? With Freyja?”
Charity’s soft voice broke my thoughts, and her soft tone brought a smile to my lips, as I looked down at her closed eyes and lashes that fanned her high cheeks.
“There’s no telling, little light. I am here though, and we will figure this out together.”
I had untied her wrists promptly, but I feared that she’d be held prisoner just as much as Freyja. I made a silent prayer to God that Domenico would not harm Charity—my Charity, the girl that was once my stepsister, but now my lover.
“My mother will be so worried…and Thomas is dead…”
Charity’s words trail as a tear slid down her pink, freckled face.
“Your sister is there, and you know Clarise will take care of your mother. Strong willed as she is.”
A forced, small pull at the corner of her mouth became visible at my words about her sister, but she quickly returned to her somber mood as the carriage came to a stop.
We’d finally arrived at Castle Delesepps.
And all I wanted to do was lay Charity inside my bed, with only skin, wine, and bread between us for at least one full week.
I wondered if Charity would be able to let Freyja go…let go enough to enjoy only me. Yes, it was a selfish statement to make, but I didn’t want to share. I had done what I’d needed to do, and at the time, it was having them both, emotions be damned.
We would find a way to free Freyja; we would all get out of here alive, together. I had to find a way. This was the least I could do, if not to prove to Charity that I really did care for her. Betrayal aside, I had only wanted to please Domenico and do as I was tasked when I came to that small town of Bethlehem.
Surely Charity would want to stay in line with the traditional values of her family and put the immature urges of having us both behind her. She must want a life with me, how could I be wrong about that?
For now, I hoped that my love would be enough to keep Charity safe and happy inside the dark castle walls.
The only woman I had ever loved.
Just as I knew he would, Domenico made a big show of what he had to offer us almost immediately.
We were quickly summoned to dinner by one of the many young men who resided here during any given season. We were not being guarded, but we were watched. Closely, I was certain.
I eyed the space around us, searching for the familiar cracks and crevices that withheld so many secrets. So many dark parts of myself were hidden inside of those walls. At least they were safely secured, with only Domenico knowing the truth of our complicated relationship.
Charity held my hand in a death grip, and each time Domenico would smile, she would shudder beside me.
I was a savage boy for thinking carnal thoughts about making her thighs do that little shuddering thing, but I did my best to reign in those thoughts as I tucked her inside my arm, fitting there so perfectly. I was finally getting used to my taller height and bigger body—the body of a man and not a boy. I felt pride in protecting her fragile heart.
Domenico smiled down over us both, the regal and polite man that he was. His smile seemed more menacing now that I knew what he was, an undead bloodsucker, but I tried hard not to think about that right now. I needed to focus on making Charity feel at home, I needed her to trust me—vampires or not.
I doubted Domenico would kill me, especially not after all those chances he had when I was much younger and weaker.
I blushed slightly at the memory of those nights alone with Father Domenico.
“Sit, please. Fear not, girl. I would never hurt anyone as perfect and youthful as yourself…with so much life still left ahead of you.”
Charity’s movements were mechanical at best, and I watched her sit awkwardly in the chair furthest from where Domenico dined. I took a seat beside her.
Her eyes remained downcast, and Domenico cut away at his steak with an eagerness that made me nervous. I had to say something to break the ice that had formed in the small-time we were apart.
“What did I miss while I was gone? Is everyone…well?” I cleared my throat as I awkwardly said the last part, realizing that vampires probably didn’t get sick or ill considering they weren’t exactly living beings.
I watched as Charity’s eyes grew wider and wider as she watched Domenico chew the bloody meat chunks, a drop of blood escaping in a small rivulet down the corner of his mouth. He gingerly wiped it away and smiled at Charity but returned his gaze to me.
“We’ve missed you deeply,” he said, his smile creased at the corners of his eyes, and I suddenly remembered how beautiful a deep, silvery blue they were.
I swallowed hard, a small pang of guilt shimmering through my vision but dissipating just a quickly. I did what he’d asked of me; there had to be something in it for me.
“I see you’ve found more than just the woman we sought. Are you in love?”
I nodded stupidly; a grin plastered across my face as I looked over at Charity who remained looking down at the wooden table with a stony expression.
“We are, I’m going to marry her.”
I took her hand into mine, and her face was nothing short of shock as she looked at me with her jaw hanging.
Her shocked expression sent a pang of hurt through my chest, and I resisted questioning her right there of her desires. I couldn’t do that yet, I needed to wait for a better time.
“Well, that’s wonderful. Happy to hear that, Charles.” His tone was that of a fondness I couldn’t quite name. He was a father figure, but he was more than that—he was home and warmth all wrapped into one.
The large door to the dining room opened loudly, and Domenico stood in greeting. “Brother, welcome. Sit, please.”
I recognized the tall, darker man as Darius, the eldest brother. He barely spoke and had a nasty scar on his left eye that made him quite intimidating. I stayed away from the DeLesseps brothers when I lived here, Domenico making it clear that he was the one in charge.
I knew they were from old, royal money, and I heard that you never fucked with old money.
“Please, may I be excused? I would like to go back to the room…I’m not feeling well.” Charity’s voice was barely above a whisper, and she slid out the chair while she clutched her belly.
“Please, let me know if you need anything at all, darling. Charles, I prefer if you stayed behind. We should probably catch up properly.”
I nodded, unmoving.
I should have known this wouldn’t be as easy as a good night dinner.
Chapter 2
Freyja
Icould smell the blood through the walls of this overzealous castle. It was everywhere, on every surface, but most of it had been cleaned up, the naked eye unaware.
Domenico.
I already knew his name, although I’d never seen this man in my life. I’d crossed many, many men along my path but never one that smelled the way he did.
I gagged at the metal stench, pulling a small piece of ginger from my dress pocket and popping it into my mouth. I smiled at the bitter taste, instantly easing the tug at the top of my belly.
I surveyed the room he’d put me in, and it looked like a guest bedroom fit for a gothic-princess. I rolled my eyes at the thought of his kindness toward me; he could have thrown me into a dungeon that harbored rotting bodies long forgotten, only he didn’t. He needed something from me, and I knew that was the reason. I’d explored the depth of castles many times before. I had travelled to France once, but the men there were insatiable, and even a demi-god like me did not have the time to fuck all day, every day.
I walked to the window fogged over from the humidity, and I couldn’t see anything except for the green of the trees outside.
Garm would’ve been searching for me already, following my scent as far as he needed to go. He was either already outside, waiting and planning, or he would soon enough.
Would he storm the castle in his wolf form? Rip out Domenico’s throat? I smiled at the thought but had a sinking feeling it would take much time for him to find me.
We’d driven by carriage for nearly two moons and one sun. The cage I had been transported in was a jest, a pitiful way for a man to show the power he held by using an inescapable box on a witch. The only thing holding me in place were the silver bars, searing my skin each time they were touched.
I could astral travel, get help, but I would always return to my body now trapped inside a Castle hundreds of times the size of my cabin.
I needed to find Charity but knew full well that she was by Charles' side. Anger returned a tightness to my chest as I thought of what he had done. How he had fooled me into thinking he could be trusted. I needed to get Charity away from him, soon, before he convinced her this was where she belonged.
He was smooth with his words, one of the only reasons I followed him. He must be stopped, and I needed my pet returned to where she belonged—by my side.
The taste of her tangy, sweet cunt was still on my lips. I licked at them, smiling to myself at the way she made me feel—no longer alone, fighting on my own. Her kind, serving demeanor left me with weak knees, and I wanted nothing more than to lie with her again. I thought about stroking the silky walls of her insides with my fingers as I whispered of her rare beauty into her ears. I was not done rewarding her, and I hoped I would get another chance to show her just how much I’d grown to need her.
Run, my child. Get to the outside…and run. Find Garm, and you will be free.
Run? I did not run from anyone. I did not fear anyone, men feared me.
My pride got the best of me for only a moment before I realized I had no choice but to flee. I didn’t want to wait and find out what plans Domenico had for me.
