Embrace the Passion Read online

  From experience, he knew that Lorelei tracked with him. The shifter part of her could run as fast as the most powerful alpha males of the four packs of his realm. Since the time she’d been here, she’d make her way through the mountains, using the numerous footbridges that crisscrossed the hundreds of gorges in this part of the realm.

  He knew the paths well, having explored every square mile of his realm from the time he’d learned how to fly. A solitary process, but one he’d savored. Orphaned early in life, when he was eight, he’d built an inner world for himself that kept him satisfied and determined to do right by his mastyr calling.

  The Invictus pair he followed involved a wraith and a vampire, the latter just shy of mastyr status, which was a level of power that Seth possessed. However, the bonding that only a wraith could perform with another realm person, created a tremendous surge of power, so that after fifteen miles of pursuit, they were still at least a mile ahead of him.

  He picked up his pace, aware the Lorelei tracked with him, racing at full shifter speed.

  Another turn in the bend and he saw the wraith-pair in the distance, racing across a shallow meadow and heading toward what he knew to be a box canyon, one called Loperz after a troll family of ancient lineage who ranched there.

  He smiled and went faster still.

  He had them now because if they dared rise into the air above the mountains, they’d be visible for miles and his Vampire Guard was in flight, hunting for them from every possible direction.

  He flew through the meadow, the freezing temperature making him glad for his long Guardsman coat, battle leathers and boots.

  From his periphery, he watched the white wolf racing over the snowy ground, leaping over deadfall, but always keeping pace.

  He slowed slightly as he approached the narrowing entrance to the canyon, rising higher in the air at the same time. He didn’t want to be caught by a guerilla strike from the surrounding trees.

  But the wraith-pair remained tight to the canyon floor, streaking through a scattering of firs, the wraith’s gown of red gauze strips flying behind her, a beacon in the night. Wraiths stayed warm no matter how cold the temperature dropped.

  He gradually descended to his original position just above the ground, flying swiftly. The canyon floor spread a half-mile across.

  The wraith-pair had also started to slow down and he thought he knew why. They’d probably just discovered that they’d chosen a box canyon. To escape him now, their only hope was to rise up and over the mountains, but they risked revealing their position to his Vampire Guard.

  The wraith-pair had just lost the advantage and he smiled a little more.

  Another mile and Loperz Canyon would end in a waterfall and a sheer rise to the ridge above.

  He also hoped to the Goddess that the troll family had gone into town for supplies.

  He listened hard, but he didn’t hear any sounds coming from the direction of their rambling log house.

  He pathed to Aaron, I’m at Loperz Canyon. Do you have anyone in the vicinity?

  Everyone knew the Loperz place. Arlen Loperz had a fondness for the Walvashorr Guard as well as the Shifter Brigade and fed any at his table who came by during nightly patrols. He brewed a fresh pot of coffee every couple of hours.

  I can have three Guardsmen there in ten minutes, but not sooner.

  Send them in. The Invictus are here. I’m not seeing any of the family, though. I’m hoping they’re either in hiding or away from the house. Tell the nearest Guardsmen to get here quick but to be careful. This is a dangerous pair.

  You got it.

  He shut the communication down, slowing his pace at the same time.

  The approach to the ranch had a broad wind-break of trees, at least a dozen deep that served as an all-purpose weather barricade. Right now the trees gave him cover until he could assess the situation.

  Another shriek sounded over the canyon, louder this time, the wraith giving full expression to her battle-voice.

  When he reached the inside edge of the line of trees, not even a small column of chimney smoke rose from the cabin, a good sign that the family was safe.

  The wolf growled, maybe a warning, he couldn’t be sure.

  But he felt it as well, that something wasn’t right.

  The wraith-pair he’d been chasing hung in the air near the waterfall, talking quietly to each other, well beyond the cabin’s position.

  The whole situation started to smell like a trap.

  The door of the cabin opened, and a second wraith-bonded pair, the mate a powerful vampire, strode out onto the front deck. The vampire fixed his gaze in Seth’s direction.

  Even at that distance, he knew he was looking at a mastyr vampire, like the ones Quinlan had encountered in Grochaire Realm just a little over two months ago. With no other sign of Invictus around, Seth made a calculated decision to do what he could to take out the vampire on the porch. Slaying one part of a pair, rendered the other half immobile and sometimes even death followed.

  He flew at top speed toward the cabin. The vampire saw him coming, but didn’t move. Instead, as Seth flew closer, a slow smile curved the vampire’s lips.

  Lorelei let out a sudden powerful howl, clearly a warning, but of what?

  The next moment, a preternaturally charged fae net surrounded Seth as though coming out of nowhere.

  He tumbled around then landed hard against several boulders not far from the Loperz’s yard. The air got knocked from his lungs and he’d broken an arm, a few ribs, and shattered his knee.

  Holy fuck. He was completely immobilized. He slid off the rock, the jute netting clinging to him and burning his skin, as he landed in the snow.

  He pathed to Aaron. I’m trapped in a net. Bones broken. Can’t move.

  Three Guardsmen are seven minutes out. Hang tough.

  Seth couldn’t tell him the rest, that two wraith-pairs headed in his direction, taking their sweet time, knowing they had him, and that at least one of the bonded vampires was at mastyr status, the other not far behind.

  He worked at his healing and by the time he saw the thick leather boots of the vampire, he’d brought his forearm bones into alignment and they were knitting together.

  But the pain from his ribs kept him pinned in place, and his knee was a mess.

  Despite all that, he gathered his battle energy into both hands, but at the last second he realized he couldn’t fire.

  “Won’t do you a damn bit of good, Mastyr Seth. You’ll fry your own ass if you let loose with that charge.” His smile broadened. “The mistress told us you’d fall for the trap and that we should make quick work of you. But I’ve lost too many friends because of you and your Guard, not to savor this moment just a little.” He gathered saliva in his mouth and let it fly.

  The spittle landed on Seth’s face. Rage moved in him, and he wanted to attack, but the nature of fae-charged nets meant that any battle energy he might send outward would be reflected by the netting. The vampire was right. He’d kill himself if he discharged a serious energy blast from his hands.

  And right now, he had a whisper of time on his side as he stared up at the bonded vampire who had already made the decision not to kill him immediately. “We have someone who can sever the wraith-bond. You’d be free. Her name is Samantha. She’s bound to Mastyr Ethan. I can bring her to Walvashorr with one phone call.”

  “What the hell makes you think I want to be free? A bunch of us mastyrs watched you and the others take over our realms, and I promised myself that if I ever had the chance, I’d off as many of you assholes as I could. Today just happens to be my lucky day. Margetta has big plans and I’ll one day rule in this realm, so no, I don’t want you to make a phone call, not today, not ever.”

  If he could keep this egomaniac talking, his Guard might get to him in time. “And what exactly would you do with Walvashorr if you had the chance?”

  “Trying to buy some time?” He chortled. “It’s okay. A few seconds more won’t matter and I’ll happ
ily share exactly what we will do once we gain power. For starters, we’ll get rid of the lesser folk, weed out a few of the elven and troll lines, build up the wraith and vampire populations, limit the number of shifter packs to one per realm, maybe two. I can at least respect the shifter’s battle ethic.”

  “You’re talking genocide.”

  “Whatever it takes. But enough of your stall-tactics, mastyr. Time to pay your debt to nature.”

  He felt the vampire’s power revving up. His wraith-mate joined him, a beautiful female who wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she floated slightly above him. “Sweet music to my ears, darling. Now kill the prick. Do it slow. I want to watch him suffer.”

  “Anything for you, sweetheart.”

  Seth knew he was about as close to death as he’d ever been in his long life. His Guard was too far away to intervene and Lorelei was no match for either of these Invictus pairs.

  But just as the vampire would have released his blast, a white blur came at the vampire from the side. Lorelei, still in her wolf form, clipped his legs hard and knocked him off-balance.

  The vampire spun, falling hard to the snow-covered ground.

  Lorelei had just saved his life.

  When she leaped to attack once more, however, the wraith leveled a hand-blast at her, hitting her in the side. She yelped and twisted midair to land not far from Seth. That she didn’t instantly spring to her feet told Seth she’d been seriously injured. Lorelei whimpered as she crept on her belly in his direction.

  Seth breathed hard, his heart pounding. He had to think of something fast. The moment the wraith wound up her power again, they’d both die.

  Lorelei pathed, You’ve got to touch me, mastyr. Now.

  What are you saying?

  I’ve felt it for a couple of weeks, that we have power between us. Can’t explain.

  He pivoted in her direction, but the net prevented him from getting closer. I can’t move any farther than this.

  “You fucking bitch.” The vampire had gained his feet and once more pulled his energy into his hand, drawing the vibrations from the earth itself, from the sky, from the mountains, forest, and rocks.

  But Lorelei kept crawling toward Seth, leading with her front paws, blood seeping from the wound on her side. He felt it now, the female shifter’s battle vibration, a core of reserve that could be released if only he could make contact. There would even be enough power to destroy the net.

  The wraith shrieked her delight. She could have long since added the killing blow but it was clear she preferred to watch the wolf suffer.

  A moment later, the original wraith-pair arrived, no doubt having decided that it was safe to join in the fun.

  The second wraith’s shrill voice taunted Seth. “I think the mastyr’s got himself some shifter love. Will you look at that, creeping along with her ribs all bloody and exposed. She probably wants to kiss him good-bye.”

  The wraith who’d blasted Lorelei caught her mate’s arm. “Aw honey, at least let them say their farewells before you burn them both to a crisp.”

  “You’re so romantic.”

  More laughter.

  Seth, I’m going to breach the net and it’s going to hurt. Just touch me.

  Understood.

  Seth got as close as he could to Lorelei. She crawled toward him, inch by inch.

  The closer she got, Seth felt her latent power vibrating within her wolf form. Just an inch more. Do it, Lorelei. I can feel what you’ve got.

  The vampire called out, “Time to die, Mastyr of Walvashorr.”

  Seth glanced over his shoulder as both vampires wound up their energy this time.

  He felt them release just as Lorelei shoved her paw through the net and made contact with Seth.

  Power flared between them, then erupted, blowing the net apart.

  Seth’s ribs and knee still hurt like hell, but now that he was free, he released his battle force through both hands. Lorelei crouched next to him, staying in physical contact and streaming her battle energy into him. He’d never felt so much power before.

  Even so, facing two such incredibly powerful wraith-pairs had him battling at the full reach of his ability as streaks of his energy repulsed the powerful red vibrations that came at him from both vampires as well as lesser pulses from their wraith-mates. As weak as he was, he didn’t know how long he could keep it up, especially since he could feel Lorelei’s battle vibration begin to weaken.

  Lorelei, how you doing?

  I’m dizzy. I think I’ve lost too much blood.

  Stay with me. I have Guardsmen on the way. They’re almost here.

  But he felt her fade as he continued to battle and suddenly her power just winked out. She’d either fainted or worse, dropped into a coma from loss of blood which meant she’d be dead in a few more minutes.

  Without her power support, his own battle energy began to subside. The most he could do was hold a battle shield, but a few good strikes and these two pairs together would take him down.

  When both vampires, cheered on by their shrieking wraith-mates, stopped firing in order to rev up for a final blow, Seth knew the moment had come.

  While holding his shield steady, he turned toward Lorelei and reached down to put a hand between her ears. Lorelei, I’m so sorry.

  His heart felt heavy as hell. He didn’t really even know this woman, but she’d been his companion for the past month and he’d gotten used to her being in his life. And she sure as hell didn’t deserve to die like this. You have one of the sweetest spirits I’ve ever known. Thank you for making my solitary life a little less lonely.

  The vampires drew close to his shield. He turned to meet his enemy square, facing death with as much strength as he could muster.

  Then all at once, dozens of wolves ran in from every direction, filling the snowy ground all around the Loperz cabin. He couldn’t believe it, but a large portion of his Shifter Brigade had just come to the rescue and by the looks of it, not only from one pack, but from all four. Unbelievable.

  They transformed swiftly from their wolf forms to upright warriors, clothed in their Shifter Brigade uniforms of leather, chains, snug black tees, and heavy black leather work-boots. Each fired blue streams of powerful energy straight at both wraith-pairs.

  The vampires fought wildly in return, their energy blasts scattering all around them, but they wouldn’t be able to withstand so many shifters all at one time.

  Seth threw himself over Lorelei, forming a physical shield against any stray hits. She breathed in light pants now, tongue lolling, eyes closed.

  She wasn’t dead, but she was way too close to the edge.

  A few moments more and the battlefield fell silent.

  When he lifted up off of Lorelei, he saw that the two wraith-pairs were dead on the ground, the stench of burned flesh filling the air.

  He picked the white wolf up and turned to Ephyx, one of the alpha males. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you got here. You’ve saved my life and hers.”

  Ephyx stood six-five, not as tall as Seth, but bigger through the shoulders, chest and arms.

  The powerful alpha glanced around, frowning heavily. He appeared to be confused. “Mastyr, we’re not sure what happened—what we’re all doing here.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He glanced at Lorelei. “Your bodyguard called the entire brigade from all over the Shauck Mountains.”

  Seth remembered Lorelei howling just as the net trapped him. He glanced down at her, frowning heavily. Who was this woman? “She let out a long howl. That much I remember.”

  “Yes, she did.”

  “And you’re saying that when she howled, she reached the entire brigade? All four packs?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Sweet Goddess.” He turned in a circle. Wolves were still arriving from each point of the compass.

  He turned to meet Ephyx’s gaze once more. “I have to get Lorelei to my Shauck Gorge house. After you’ve disposed of the wraith-pairs and
tended to your wounded, you can return to your territories. I’ll be in touch later. Continue on your patrols.” The Shifter Brigade worked the Shauck Mountains all night protecting the realm-folk who lived in the mountains, in the same way his Vampire Guard patrolled the southern part of his realm.

  “Yes, mastyr.”

  As Seth flew into the air, he contacted Aaron as well, letting him know what had happened and that the Shifter Brigade would take care of clean-up. He then headed in the direction he’d come, back toward Defiance Falls and Shauck Gorge. At the same time, he contacted his realm’s most powerful fae healer. The woman could fly, but even moving at her top speed she couldn’t cover that many miles in under an hour.

  He told her to come anyway and hoped to hell he’d be able to keep Lorelei alive until she got there.

  Somewhere in the depths of his realm-soul, he knew that he held the fate of all the Nine Realms in his arms.

  Lorelei had to live.

  When he arrived at his canyon ridge home, however, he found his front door wide open.

  Chapter Two

  Seth stood on the threshold with Lorelei unconscious in his arms. If the enemy waited for him in his house, he was in serious trouble, which meant he couldn’t risk staying.

  He prepared to head back into the sky—maybe to take her to one of his closest neighbors—until he felt an unmistakable energy flowing toward him, something he’d felt in Ferrenden Peace two months ago when he’d met Queen Rosamunde for the first time.

  He stepped inside and found the queen sitting on his couch, waiting for him, the woman who never left her kingdom, who for the past thousand years had lived in isolation, just as he had. In order to protect herself and her people from Margetta, she’d created an enthrallment veil that had kept Ferrenden Peace from the rest of the Nine Realms for over a millennium.

  Now she was here.

  Her gaze fell to Lorelei and she stretched out her arms. “Give her to me, Mastyr Seth.”

  “You knew she’d be injured?”

  Rosamunde sighed, a heavy sound that went way into the past, of a life lived in servitude to her calling. “Let’s just say that I had a vision and now I’m here.”