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2022-03-25 15:16:53After a few minutes and several turns at intersections—the lights leading their way—the tunnel opened up into a room. Roots, as massive as tree trunks, steadied the rounded walls of earth. Here and there, the roots curled into smaller swirls of almost artful delicacy, a natural adornment. In the middle of the room lay a heap of furs and cushions—and on top of it, lounging in languorous predatory ease, loomed a giant black wolf, almost twice the size of a normal canine.
Marga stopped dead, her muscles locked in place, her heart pounding with the rush of fear. “Atticus,” she called out mentally, “please tell me Lucas has ordered that wolf not to eat us.”
He squeezed her hand. “That wolf is Lucas.”
Marga blinked, swallowed, dumbstruck for a moment. “But…he’s not a werewolf.” His aura didn’t have the unique traces of shifters, the kind of otherworldly creatures who wer
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Forbidden Desire CHAPTER 22
It was dawn by the time they stepped back into Benjamin’s apartment, where they would wait until they received word from Lucas. He’d told them it might take him a few hours to break the spell, so they’d decided they would spend the day resting, hoping by nightfall they could hunt down Marissa’s captor. The morning’s faint light had dispelled night and darkness, and Atticus powers had almost faded completely when he and Marga stepped into the apartment—and ran into the incubus who owned it. The demon stood in the hallway, in the process of zipping up a duffel bag. “Good,” he said to Atticus, his eyes gleaming with amusement, “you’re fully clothed. Was afraid I might see more of you than I prefer when I came in here. I tried to call your witch to let you know I was going to pick up some stuff, but I only got her voice mail.” “Oh. Right. My cell.” Marga rummaged through her purse,
Forbidden Desire CHAPTER 23
Marga watched the vibrant colors of the sunset fade into the darkness of the advancing night, her whole body humming with grim excitement. Soon. Soon she’d get to kill the fucking bastard who’d kidnapped and tortured her baby sister, and then this whole nightmare would finally be over. The familial link to Marissa pulsed inside her, weaker than before but not broken. Yet. Her sister was still alive, and Merle would make damn sure they found her in time. Time. Thinking of which… She turned around, laid her hand on Atticus cheek and met his eyes. “I don’t know how fast the Elders are going to find us once we’ve rescued Marissa, but I want you to know that I’ll try to convince them that you’re—” “Atticustastic?” he asked with a grin that could be sold as an aphrodisiac. She almost choked on the giggle bubbling up. “No. I mean, yes, you are, but—wh
Forbidden Desire CHAPTER 24
“Where have you been?” Okay, so she’d brought her pulse down to speaking level, but it was still fast enough to make her voice tremble. Atticus face was shadowed, his features strained. “Taking a walk.” He stepped into the kitchen with measured calm, even though an underlying tension vibrated in his movements. “Had to clear my head.” She couldn’t read him like that, without his aura, couldn’t guess at his state of emotions, his intent. Just a few short hours ago, she’d have never believed he’d harm her—well, she’d also been convinced he’d never betray her like that. But he had. He’d taken her powers. The realization speared her heart, pierced through a part of her that had been untainted by the mounting betrayal surrounding her. Not anymore. That part of her heart was shriveling by the second, crumbling to dust. If he was guilty of stealin
Forbidden Desire CHAPTER 25
Atticus pressed his lips together, steeled himself, and then ushered in the inevitable end. “I found him.” Marga froze in the process of pulling on a new sweater. They’d come back to Benjamin’s apartment once more, where he’d peeled her out of her soaked clothes, and, ignoring her protests of I-can-do-that-myself-you-domineering-male, had towel-dried every inch of her until her skin glowed rosy with warmth. Of course, he’d also insisted on kissing any spot looking like it might still be cold—just to be sure—with the result of leaving bright red hickeys in strategic places—and a nice blush of arousal on Marga’s face. Now she swallowed several times before speaking, sky-blue eyes wide. “You know where he is?” She’d immediately understood whom he was talking about, and all lingering sense of playful exasperation had left her face as if wiped away. He nodded. “Wh
Forbidden Desire CHAPTER 26
“No!” Marga struggled to her feet, slipped in the blood on the floor. Her mind reeling, heart pounding, she stared at Frances. The Elder witch stood above Atticus broken body, gazing down on him. “Don’t!” Marga yelled again. “He didn’t hurt me!” “I know.” Said with such calm, it froze Marga where she stood. “I was hoping he might, though.” Frances eyes darkened with a note of sadness. “Then I wouldn’t have to do this.” As if cut like puppet strings, Marga’s muscles and sinews didn’t hold her up anymore, and she crumbled to the floor, crashing down on the bloodied concrete with a wet-sounding thud. Pain jolted through her hips, her shoulders, her head as they hit the ground hard. Up close, the metallic smell of all the blood in the room assaulted her nose, and she had to swallow down the bile rising in her throat.
Forbidden Desire CHAPTER 27
The bedside lamp bathed Marissa’s face in soft light, her features less haunted in sleep. Atticus had encountered his fair share of gruesome cruelty in his life, and still, what he’d seen in that room in the warehouse…it rivaled his darkest memories, chilled his soul. Made him want to kill that fucker all over again. Marga had taken care of Marissa after they’d returned to the old Victorian, had obviously cleaned her up after she’d carried her upstairs by herself, ignoring Atticus offers of help. He understood, though. The only time Marissa had looked at him, her scent had spiked with gut-wrenching terror. He was, after all, a demon of the same species as the one who’d held her captive, and Marissa didn’t know him, didn’t know anything but to fear him. If he touched her, even with the intent to help, it would distress her beyond necessity. Marissa hadn’t spoken a word since they’d
Forbidden Desire CHAPTER 28
The slant light of the afternoon sun streamed in through the kitchen window, glinted off the knife slicing the herbs. Marga watched Marissa wield the blade with calm precision. Her hands were steady, her movements sure, her eyes focused on her task. She was quiet in a way she hadn’t been before. Her temper had always been calm, had never flared like Marga’s, but now it seemed as if a part of Marissa had gone silent. “Here.” Marga handed her the next bundle of herbs to cut. Marissa accepted them without a word, still not able—or ready—to speak. Marga had tried, at first, to get her to talk, just as she’d tried to convince Marissa to rest and recover. Stubborn though as her little sister was, she hadn’t heeded Marissa’s advice. The day after Marga had bound Atticus in the Shadows again Marissa had started to quietly help out in the house while Marga had straightened out the chaos produced when the Elders
Forbidden Desire CHAPTER 29
Darkness. So thick, it penetrated his very being, each and every cell. It coiled around him, within him, through him. The worst part about the Shadows? They were sentient, and they were hungry. The squirming black ate at his foundations, each bite a sharp sting spearing through him, gnawing at his soul until he wasn’t Atticus anymore. He was pain. The starvation had hit him on the heels of the pain, depleting him of all his energy, leaving but a glimmer of life inside him. Enough to feel, while refusing him the mercy of death. Burning anguish, gut-wrenching hunger, despair beyond hope, and still he held on to the image of sky-blue eyes and flaming hair, to the memory of a love that had broken and steeled him at the same time. Not even the most vicious darkness seeping into his mind could wrench this away from him. Abruptly, the Shadows roiled as if agitated. If he’d had control over his physical form,
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- Forbidden Desire
THE FINALE BOOK 3: EPILOGUE
“Bye, Uncle Shay! Bye, Aunt Cara!”The door closed, shutting off the kids’ voices and their franticwaves.Cool night air stroked over Cara’s skin as she and Huxley descended the front steps to the sidewalk. Twining her fingers with Hux, she stole a glance at her mate—mate—and smiled, her heart ready to burst. She’d never get used to thisfeeling.“So,” she said, “howdidyou get to be scared of spiders? You never told me thestory.”He shot her a look from behind narrowed eyes, the silver in them catching the moonlight. “Won’t let it go, willyou?”“Like a dog with a bone. Nowspill.”He grumbled something incoherent, and she nudged him with herelbow.“Come on, Mr. Quire-orgy.”“Agastopia.” His smile made her belly fl
- Forbidden Desire
CHAPTER 65
Sounds and lightfiltered through the darkness blanketing Huxley mind. His thoughts disentangling from a web of images and sensations, he became aware of his current surroundings. A pillow beneath his head, a mattress underneath his back, a soft sheet coveringhim.And two warm bodies pressed against hisown.Eyes flying open to semi-darkness, he looked to his legs, where Max snored softly, snuggled up to him. Hux turned his head, silky black curls brushing against his jaw. The scent of lush flowers and rain teased his nose, let him draw in a breath that threatened to burst hislungs.Cara.Her head resting on his shoulder, hands tucked between their bodies, she lay curled against him, one leg thrown over his. Eyes closed, her black lashes fanned out over her cheeks. Even though he hated to disturb her sleep, he couldn’t help brushing a lock of her midnight hair from her face, his fingers
- Forbidden Desire
CHAPTER 64
“Huxley. Look at me.”Her vision swam, her throatraw.His aura had faded to all but anember.She stroked his cheeks, her lips trembling. “I love you. I’ll mate with you, quire-griffin style and all. I’ll fucking mate with you. But only if you holdon.”Her breath hurt, going in, going out, from her aching throat all the way down to her chest, to the epicenter of a pain so cutting it might annihilateher.“Please,” shewhispered.His lips parted. Silver-gold shimmered as he opened his eyes just a slit. Breath rattling in his throat, he met her anguished stare. “Holding…on.”She choked on a sob of relief. Her fingers tender on his skin, she caressed his jaw, histemples.Raising his hand, he touched her lips. “Tell me…” he rasped. “Need to…hear&helli
- Forbidden Desire
CHAPTER 63
“Cara, no.” Venina cowered against the door, her face tear-streaked. “I’m not worth it. Don’t let—” Jacob’s raised arm silenced her without evenstriking.Trembling, Cara met Venina’s red-rimmed eyes. And saw something she hadn’t noticed before. There was steel in that emerald green, a courage Cara hadn’t reckoned with—no one had reckoned with, judging by how carelessly Jacob turned his back on Venina, his focus on Cara.Away from a threat he’d clearlyunderestimated.It showed in the surprise in his icy eyes when Venina wrenched the dagger from his hand. In the moment of shock when his features slackened after the young witch-turned-demon slit her own throat. In his gasp when she managed to slice through both femoral arteries on her thighs as well before she collapsed. Her blood gushed onto the floor, ruby red on the whitecarpet.
- Forbidden Desire
CHAPTER 62
Forcedinto a glittering black and red nightmare of a dress that was as tacky as it was ridiculous, Cara walked down the hall in front of Jacob, otherwise known as Leading Asshole, her hands tied again, this time behind herback.“Tell me,” she said, flicking a glance over her shoulder and indicating the hideous dress, “did you ask Mira’s permission before you raided her 80swardrobe?”Jacob shoved her, making her stumble and crash down face-first on the carpeted floor. It still hurt like hell, since she couldn’t break her fall with her hands, and the recent wound from when he’d slashed her with his dagger started stinging again.Cara should have kept her mouth shut, but when it came to sadist bastards like him, she couldn’t resist the compulsion to poke athim.“How’s your side?” he asked with a sweet smile while she struggled to her
- Forbidden Desire
CHAPTER 61
They should be herebynow.Staring at the digital clock on the nightstand, Cara clenched her jaw, her heart pounding in her chest. Her hands and feet were tied, the rope also fastened to the headboard of the bed the brutes had thrown her on after dragging her into the house, so Cara had no way to get free. It had surprised her how normal the house seemed, with nice if bland-looking furniture straight out of a catalog, and a level of cleanliness suggesting that either whoever lived here had some OCD going on, or this was a model home in a newcommunity.She tried—again—to loosen her bonds. To noavail.Honestly, where were Marga and the others? They shouldn’t need this long to trackher.Sounds of movement in the hall. She snapped her head up, her body tensing for whatever—whoever—was coming. The door to the room opened, and two demons slipped inside—fem
- Forbidden Desire
CHAPTER 60
Shakingthe water from his hair, Hux jogged back to his truck, the cool night air seeping through his soaked clothes, his wet skin. When he reached his vehicle, he set the tanzaniteon the pickup’s bed, opened the tool box, and pulled out the towel and change of clothing he always kept there for visits to Lucas. With speedy efficiency he stripped, dried himself, and put on the fresh set ofclothes.Tanzanite securely tucked in his jeans pocket, he hopped into the driver’s seat and checked his phone, which he’d stored in the glove compartment for his audience with the Demon Lord. His heart jumped into his throat. There were several missed calls from Cara as well as Hunter, and text messages from both, asking him where hewas.Cara’s face before he left flashed through his mind, the utter despair, the tears glistening in her eyes, the hurt confusion when she saw him back out the door. She&rsquo
- Forbidden Desire
CHAPTER 59
An audiencewith the Demon Lord always involved some form of humiliation. Like being forced to take the scenic lake route, and then showing up before Lucas dripping wet and chilled to thebone.Huxley waded out of the lake and trudged up onto the shore. Pausing for a moment, he shook his head, then peeled off his soaked tee and wrung it hard. Water hit the sand with a muffled splash.Ten years.Ten damn years of working for the son of a bitch, and he’d never figured out another way to reach Lucas lair. And there were other ways. Those closer to the Demon Lord traveled back and forth without arriving soakingwet.He eyed the crumpled, soggy lump in his hands and grimaced. He’d rather have the cool night air assaulting his bare skin than put that dripping wet T-shirt back on, but appearing topless before the Demon Lord was not an option. Not that Hux had any problem with showing some skin, no. Lucas s
- Forbidden Desire
CHAPTER 58
The stenchof fear permeated the air, so acrid it turned Draco’s stomach. Never mind that it was hisown.Above him, the single bare bulb hung from the basement’s ceiling, every now and then swinging with the vibrations of the people walking on the upper floor. Sometimes, when someone banged a door above, fine dust would drizzle down on his sweat-slick, blood-encrustedskin.I’m fucked.That realization should have been a given when Seth’s men grabbed him, but he’d held on to the sliver of hope that maybe he’d be able to escape later. He looked again at the magic-infused manacles shackling his arms and legs to the metal table.Yeah, not verylikely.The door to the basement opened, and warm light spilled in, before a shadow blocked the view of the hall beyond. The agastopiamale closed the door, and his heavy footsteps thudded on the stairs while he desce
