This book is a work of fiction.

The names, characters, places, and incidents

are products of the author’s imagination or have been used

fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons,

living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is

entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2022 © Ravenscroft Press

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-951738-86-0 (Paperback Edition)

ISBN: 978-1-951738-84-6 (Hardback Edition)

You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, or otherwise make

available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any

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Permission requests can be sent via email to: authors@themategames.com

Cover Design by CReya-tive Book Cover Design

Photographer: Wander Aguiar

Model: Theo

Edited by Mo Sytsma of Comma Sutra Editorial

For Sarah, the president of the tripod fan club.

Save a tree, ride a Viking.

“The language of love is like that, possessive.”

— HOLLY BLACK

Author’s Note

Possession contains sexually explicit scenes, as well as mature and graphic

content that is not suitable

for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised.

Welcome to The Mate Games, a detailed list of content and trigger

warnings is available on our

website. For those of you who prefer to go in blind, keep reading.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23
Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43
Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Sneak Peek

Caleb

Stay in Touch

Also By Meg Anne

Also By K. Loraine

About Meg Anne

About K. Loraine

Chapte r

One

ALEK

Two months ago

K ærasta. I still couldn’t believe that word left my lips. Sunday wasn’t my
mate. I didn’t have

one. Fated mates were rare and precious. The fact that my parents found
each other was
the stuff of fairy tales. The odds of lightning striking twice for my family
were less than zero. But here

I was, uttering an endearment I’d never been called to speak before.

At least she had no idea what it meant.

The fuck of it all was I wasn’t even supposed to be here. Tor had been
slated for the mission. As

the twin with a perpetual hard-on for following the rules and proving
himself, he’d been the clear

choice for this military assignment. Which made it even more surprising
when Cora, the Satori

matriarch blessed with glimpses of the future, told me I needed to be the

one to go.

We’d learned early on never to question one of her feelings. So there’d

never been any doubt I’d

take her advice. Even though I didn’t have any interest in this kind of
responsibility.

Every few months, a Novasgardian would be sent to Earth for a full trip
around the sun to learn

and report back on any magical or technical advancements. We never

wanted to be caught unawares

when it came to growing powers in the supernatural world. Not after the
casualties Novasgard

sustained in the battle against a foe who’d been left to his own devices for
far too long. These last

twenty-five years we’ve been much more involved, increasing our visits to
Earth, refusing to ever let
another enemy rise to such heights.

I only had to make this work for one year. Gathering intel on the future
leaders of the supernatural

Families at Ravenscroft shouldn’t have been hard. They were ripe for the
picking, all full of

misplaced pride and puffed up like peacocks showing off for their future
mates. Easily distracted,

ready to boast about their power. I’d have them filling my book with intel
before my time here was

half over.

But then she happened and everything stopped.

Gods, if she was my mate, how the hell was I supposed to leave her?

My limbs vibrated with an unfamiliar sensation. Was this . . . panic? My

breaths were strident and

labored, as though I’d gone twelve rounds with a wyvern and it was
winning.

Kærasta.

The word echoed in my mind again. Mate. Beloved. Destined.

Fuck.

Hands shaking, I pulled the spelled mirror out of my pocket and ran the tip
of my finger over the

runes etched into its frame. They lit up as my skin passed over them, the
magic sparking to life once

all ten of them were activated.

My mother’s concerned face appeared within seconds. “Alek? I didn’t
expect to talk to you today.

What’s wrong?”

“How did you and father know you were mates?”

She blinked. “That’s why you called?” Relieved laughter escaped her, and
she ran a hand through

her hair. The slight quiver of her fingers betrayed her own nerves. I’d
worried her by calling out of

the blue.

“I’m sorry, Móðir. I . . . I didn’t know what else to do.”

Her frown returned and she peered out at me, eyes searching. “You never
need to apologize for

calling me. What’s got you worried about mates?” Then her eyes lit up,
excited by the possibility.

“Have you met someone?”

Swallowing through a throat tight with nerves, I tried to put my thoughts

together into some form

of coherence. But I also didn’t want to give her false hope that I’d bring
home a daughter-in-law

either.

“I’m just curious . . .”

She raised a brow, not buying my bullshit anymore now than she had when
I’d been little.
“Curious. About how to know when someone is your mate. Well, for your
father and I, we knew

immediately. Not that it was easy. Recognizing you’ve found your mate is
only the first step. Earning

your place beside them is something else entirely.”

“So there was no doubt?”

“No. Our eyes met, and something in our souls shouted ‘mine.’ But it took
us a while to get from

there to where we are now. For Odin’s sake, he wouldn’t even be tempted
when I walked out in only

a—”

I held up a hand. “Okay, that’s enough detail. I don’t need to know more
about . . . that.”

“The point is, once we found each other, even before we came together, we
couldn’t be parted.”

“What would have happened if you were?”

She laughed, long and loud, wiping a tear from her eye when she finally
caught her breath. “That’s

funny. You’ve seen your father in the midst of one of his rages. Do you
think he would have allowed
that to happen? I mean, not even death kept us apart.” Her eyes got dreamy
and she bit her lip. “One

could argue death is what brought us together. How else do you explain a
ghost being brought back to

life after decades only to find their soulmate?”

“Sounds like destiny.”

“Exactly. And I learned to never fuck with fate. Trust me. Besides, if you
found your mate, why

would you want to be parted? True mates are a rare and wonderful gift.”

Knowing I was getting dangerously close to spilling a secret I wasn’t ready

to share, I asked,

“What if fate deigns to give someone more than one mate?”

She was quiet for a second, and my heart beat frantically as I waited—with
no little dread—for

her answer. “I’ve never seen it, but your father once explained to me his
ancestors’ belief about the

soul. How it can split into many parts only to come back later. Perhaps twin
flames are not the only

kind. Fire spreads and burns. Why couldn’t a soul have more than one
mate?”

Is that what I am? A missing part of her soul? Are all of us? What are the
odds Sunday would

find her mates at the same time in the same place? What does fate have in
store for her that

requires more than one?

“Alek? You’ve gone quiet, minn son.”

I shook my head to clear the troubled musings. This was more than I
bargained for. “It’s a path I

hadn’t considered.”

“We are rarely prepared when fate comes calling. All we can do is adapt.
Just look at your father.

He threw every plan he had aside the second his soul recognized mine. And
when our bond was

threatened, he fought a seemingly unwinnable battle to save it. One does

not walk away from the

promise of true love, Alek. Rather, we do anything in our power to keep it.
Remember that, perhaps it

will lighten those heavy thoughts of yours.”

I didn’t know how to respond. Instead of telling me I was making a mistake,

she’d only reaffirmed

my instinct. Sunday was my mate. She was the other half of my soul, and I
was one of the missing

pieces to hers.

And now that I’ve found her, how am I supposed to walk away when my
time in this world is up?

If my mother was right and this is fate, then the answer is I won't.

Not by choice.

Present day
USUALLY THE SIGHT of my homeland brought with it a wave of peace.
Not today. The blinding snow,

early morning sun, and chilly air only served to emphasize that I was no
longer in England with

Sunny.

Just the thought of not being beside her sent panic roaring through my
veins. I shouldn’t have left.

It wasn’t too late. If I could get back through the portal . . .

“Peace, son.”

I spun out of my father’s grip, glaring at him with an anger that was not
borne out of my emotions.

At least not entirely. It felt like a creature had been set loose, and it was his
anger, his need for blood,

that was driving me.

“Should we remove his restraints? He seems calm,” my uncle Finley said,

his eyes filled with

apology as his gaze swept over the shackles on my wrists.

“No. Not yet. You know how the bloodlust can be. We need to be sure
before we set him free.”

“I’m fine. Let me go.” Even as I said the words, I knew they were a lie. I
was anything but fine,

but if they let me free, I might be able to get back.

The portal continued to shimmer beside me, a beam of moonlight shining

down on a fuzzy figure I
knew to be Sunday. Every cell in my body urged me to go to her. To protect
her.

I took a step toward the opening between realms.

My father, the bastard, tracked my move.

“Close it,” he ordered.

“No!” I roared, taking another step. But the portal was already closing.
“Sunday!”

“Sorry, mate,” my uncle said. “There’s nothing for it.”

I rounded on him, chest heaving. “You fucking asshole.”

“Run.” The word was a harsh growl from my father. Not directed at me.
“Now.”

My uncle shook his head. “One day I’ll learn to stay away from berserkers.”
Then he opened

himself another portal and disappeared. Likely knowing he’d never be able
to outrun me.

“Coward,” I spat.

“Aleksandr, be calm. This is right and safe for all of you.”

The final shimmers of the portal faded, and a searing pain snapped through
me, deep into my

chest, leaving behind a cold and hollow chasm. She was gone. Taken from
me by my own flesh and

blood. Fury burned in the pit that remained where my heart should have
been.

Violence was the only language I knew.

Where my father, my hero, had once stood was now only an enemy. My
muscles rippled, swelling

in a now-familiar sensation as my beast took hold. The shackles they’d

foolishly thought would

contain me broke with a quick twist of my wrists, falling away silently into
the freshly fallen snow.

“What have you done?” I threw myself at him, my fists aimed at his face.

He caught both with his open palms, stopping me with a strength that
surpassed my own.

“Alek . . . you don’t want to do this.”

“Yes, I fucking do.”

I lashed out with my leg next, trying to sweep his feet out from under him.
It was only because he

was distracted trying to restrain me that I caught him off guard and knocked
him flat on his back.

He grunted, black bleeding into his irises, snuffing out the icy blue. “Stop
this.”

I growled, low and deep, beyond speech. I jumped on him, cocking back
my arm and preparing to

smash my fist straight into his jaw.

“I said stop. This.” With a mighty roar, my father launched me into the air,
using the force of his

powerful arms and legs combined. I flew back and slammed into a tree,
hard enough it may have hurt

if I wasn’t so energized by rage and pain.

The crack of the tree echoed through the forest, sending birds flying
through the morning sky,

fearing the disturbance, knowing better than to stay. Monsters lived in these
woods.

Today, that monster was me.

I pushed myself up, the metallic tang of blood filling my mouth. I wiped a
hand across my lips,

and it came away crimson. The sight of it only made my need to destroy
stronger. I spat out a

mouthful, the red drops profane against the purity of the snow.

A boulder the size of a small car sat to my left. Without stopping to

consider whether it was even

possible, I grasped it, muscles shaking not with strain but barely suppressed
fury as I hefted it up out

of the frozen earth.

“Alek . . .”

But I didn’t care for my father’s warning. He was the reason my bond had
been severed. He stole

my mate from me, and now he had to die.

I hurled the stone straight at him.

A look of unmitigated rage crossed his face. His eyes bottomless pools of
black as he bared his

teeth and snarled. Without blinking, he caught the massive rock and tossed
it back to the ground as if it
was no more than an inconvenience. “It’s not nice to throw things.”

The earth shook even as the stone sank into the ground. “You took
everything from me.”

“You are a child throwing a tantrum. I will not speak with you until you
learn some control.”

“Then this is the last time we will speak, old man.”

Pain lanced my father’s features. “Then you leave me no choice.”

Before I could even register his next move, he raised a hand up to the
heavens. The cloudless sky

turned black as pitch a second before thunder rumbled in the distance.

The flash in his eye was my only warning before the bolt of lightning came
down, forking before

touching his hand and coming straight for me. All I knew was pain, then
darkness, and finally . . .

relief.

Chapte r

Two

SUNDAY

Tears tracked down my cheeks as I watched Alek step through the portal. In
the blink of an

eye, it disappeared, as though he had never existed, as though he hadn’t

taken a piece of me

with him. Grief and anger swelled, breaking me open until I was nothing
but a tempest of
white-hot fury.

I raged, thrashing in Caleb’s hold as I tried to chase after Alek, even

knowing it was too late. He

was gone. Somewhere I couldn’t follow.

The emptiness was unbearable.

“A stor, you need to calm down.”

“No, you just let them take him.”

Wrath boiled to the surface, and before I could stop myself, I slapped him.
Needing someone else

to hurt the way I was hurting. Needing an outlet for this all-consuming rage.

I’d never been so furious in my entire life.

Caleb staggered back, but even seeing the pink imprint of my hand on his
cheek wasn’t enough to

satisfy the beast in me. With a scream of primal fury, I spun around, eyeing
the pile of demon bits on

the ground. Still shrieking, I grabbed a dripping torso and hurled it blindly.
Nothing helped.

I reached for another piece of demon, but a hand with the strength of iron
shackles caught me

around the wrist and yanked, pulling me roughly into a hard chest. The
scent of incense met my nose.

Caleb.

His hands lifted, cradling my face.

“Look at me, a stor.”

My ruined tattoo ached from where Chad had dragged the dagger through
it. The connection I felt

with Alek was gone, broken, severed. The uncontrollable urge to destroy
the world around me had my

body on edge, the lust for blood and revenge making my limbs shake.

“I said, look at me.”

My gaze found Caleb’s, and I fell into the drowning pools of his sapphire-
blue irises. Calm bled

through me as the fury burning in my veins evaporated. We didn’t speak. I

couldn’t. All I knew was

the pure peace of being held by Caleb’s power.

“What the bloody hell is going on? I’ve heard of raining cats and dogs, but I
draw the line at body

parts.” Noah’s voice broke the suspended moment, calling my attention

back to the chaos around me

and the spot where he burst through the brush. His gaze locked on mine and
immediately turned

serious. “What’s happened? I smell your blood, but it looks as though

they’ve been dealt with.”

“They have,” Kingston answered, coming to my side. “Are you all right,
Sunshine?”

“No. Of course I’m not fucking all right. They took him away from me.”

Kingston scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck, bruises already
forming around his throat.
“Maybe they were right to. You saw how out of control he was. He didn’t
even recognize me,

Sunshine. The look in his eyes . . . fuck, I thought it was lights out for me.”

I swallowed, knowing he had a point, but I was too pissed to care.

“We have to go get him. He can’t be gone. Help me find a way to

Novasgard.” I turned back to

Caleb. “You know a way, don’t you?”

He nodded. “Aye, I know of a gateway, but even if you could open it, you
can’t go after him.”

“Yes, I fucking can.”

“No, a stor, he left willingly. You can’t bring him back if he doesn’t want to
be here.”

And that was when it really hit me. He hadn’t been taken by his father
against his will. Alek had

walked through that portal and left me by his own choice. He left me.

All the desperation to go after him disappeared, replaced by a soul-weary

ache.

“What did I miss?” Noah asked, looking between us, a deep crease forming
between his brows.

“Alek turned into a berserker,” Caleb said. “We haven’t figured out what set
him off yet.”

“Fucking Chad,” I spat. “He planned to sacrifice me.”

“Why the bloody hell would he do that?” Noah’s outrage was impossible to
miss as it twisted his
features.

“He wanted to take my place as Alpha.”

“Bastard,” Noah snarled.

“He got what he deserved,” I said, violence lending my voice a sharp edge.
I couldn’t seem to get

a rein on my emotions; I was too raw. Everything was at a ten.

Kingston’s hands ran over my arms and down to my hips as though he was
checking me for

additional injuries. Then his palm rested lightly on my lower belly as he

locked eyes with me, silently

asking, ‘ Are both of you okay?’

Caleb sucked in a sharp breath, clearly aware of what Kingston was doing.
Noah, ever observant,

noticed as well.

“What’s going on?” Noah’s voice was low and controlled.

So much for keeping things secret for now. Alek’s semi-willing capture
changed everything. My

men needed—deserved—to know. Especially since I was planning on going

after Alek while growing

one of their babies inside of me. They were going to have some feelings
about that. But they needed to

understand why it wasn’t going to sway me. And before long, they’d both
sense the changes in my

body.
I may not have a way to Novasgard yet, but if that blond asshole thought he
could just steal one of

my mates without repercussions, he was seriously mistaken. I’d tear a hole

in the universe if it meant I

could bring Alek back.

“Dove. What are you keeping from me?”

His question hit me like a shock from a live wire. It brought me back from
the edge of fury. I

locked gazes with him, his molten amber eyes making me all at once calm
and terrified. The sensation

had me reeling. Nausea rolled through me, but I swallowed it down.

Kingston’s arms tightened on me, and he nuzzled into my neck, whispering

against my skin, “It’s

all right, baby. I’m right here. You’re not in this alone.”

Gulping, I glanced between Caleb and Noah, anxiety tightening around my

heart like a fist. “I’m

pregnant.”

“We’re pregnant,” Kingston corrected.

“Oh? Are you growing the tiny human?”

“Wolf.”

I shook my head. Leave it to Kingston to choose this moment to throw

down the gauntlet. I had to

admit it made me feel better, that sliver of normalcy. Especially when my

eyes returned to my
vampires. Neither had so much as blinked. Caleb stared at me with a
tortured expression, as though

he already knew, and Noah looked like he was about to be sick.

Great.

I stepped forward, reaching for Noah, but he flinched away. “Noah.”

“I . . . Sunday . . . fucking hell, this can’t . . . You . . .” His panicked eyes

stared into mine. “It

can’t be mine.”

All the air left my lungs, those four words breaking something inside me. I
knew not all of them

would take the news as gleefully as Kingston had, but a part of me hoped
they’d at least be okay with

it. But actively rejecting our baby? That was pretty much the worst-case
scenario.

“So you can fuck her but not take responsibility for what comes next? You
fucking coward. Can’t

you see this isn’t what she needs from you?” Kingston’s low growl rumbled
through my body.

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, what a fecking disaster.”

“She was supposed to be protected. She took suppressants.” Every word

that left Noah’s lips sent

accusation flying toward me.

“I did. And if you were that worried about knocking me up, maybe you
should have used a
goddamn rubber.” I couldn’t look at him right now; it hurt too much. So I
turned to my confessor,

steeling myself in case I found nothing but contempt staring back at me.
“Caleb?”

“What have we done?”

“Keep it together, Priest. It’s not like you fathered the kid.”

I stiffened in Kingston’s arms.

“You didn’t tell him?” Caleb asked.

“You told me not to.” I hated the tremor in my voice, the tears blurring my
vision. They’d just

shattered me more thoroughly than I thought they ever could. I hadn’t

realized how much I wanted

their acceptance and support until they’d denied me.

Kingston’s hold tightened around me as my words landed. “Fuck you both.

She deserves so much

more than this from you. She’s not your little cocksleeve to use and throw
away when you’re done

with her.”

It wasn’t exactly a bouquet of roses, but it was right there among the most
romantic gestures I’d

ever experienced. Especially coming from Kingston. He’d promised me I

could always count on him,

that he would never walk away from me, and he was proving it right here
and now.
“You don’t understand the implications,” Caleb said. “This is so much
bigger than the five of us.”

“Abomination,” Noah whispered, his complexion sallow, eyes haunted.

That single word sent a

chill down my spine.

A protective growl escaped Kingston, one I’d never heard from him before.
“Our baby isn’t an

abomination. Say it again, and you won’t have a tongue when I’m through
with you.” Before any of us

had a chance to respond, Kingston scooped me up into his arms. “Come on,
Sunshine. You don’t need

those two spineless fucks. You know I’m all in. And we already know it’s
my pup you’re carrying.

Let them tuck tail and run. I’ll never let you down. I know what it fucking
means to be a mate. And

once we get the Viking back, you know he’ll be right there beside you too.
They’re lucky he’s not here

now. He’d have torn them to shreds for that bullshit they’re spewing.”

He might have been speaking to me, but his words were aimed at the two
vampires behind us.

“Sunday, wait. I—” Noah called after us, but I just shook my head and
buried my face in

Kingston’s warm chest.

“Too little, too late, leech. From now on, consider yourself relieved of duty.
We don’t need you.
Any of you.”

I couldn’t respond. It was too painful, and I was busy fighting against the
tears clawing at my

throat. But Kingston held me together, kept me from falling to pieces. He

pressed a kiss to my temple

and whispered, “I’ve got you, baby. I’ll take care of you. Always.”

Chapte r

Three

THORNE

This was wrong. Everything about it. I couldn’t let her leave thinking I was
angry with her

for what we’d done. My fingers twitched as I tensed, ready to blur to her
side, but a strong

hand landed on my shoulder, anchoring me.

“Leave her be. You and I have other matters to discuss.” Something in
Caleb’s cool voice stopped

me.

“I can’t just let her think I abandoned her.”

“You know what happens to hybrid babes. To their mothers.”

I did. That’s what had me so upset. If I’d done this to her, if I was the reason
her life was now at

risk . . . I’d never forgive myself. I could survive a lot of things, but not
losing her.
“We need to make a plan.”

I snorted. “It’s bloody late for that. She’s already pregnant. The odds of it
being one of ours . . .”

“It can’t be mine.”

“Why?”

“Because . . . fecking hell, I don’t know why. I’ve already ruined her,
desecrated her. I can’t have

done this to her as well.”

My lip curled up in a cruel smile. “Denial won’t save you now, Father.”

“It won’t save you either, Blackthorne.”

“I guess I’ll see you in hell then.”

Caleb bared his teeth at me. “Aren’t we already there?”

I raked my hands through my hair. “I can’t believe we were so reckless.

How did this even

happen?”

He raised a mocking brow. “Given the state she’s in and your eager
participation, I don’t think

you require my help explaining it to you.”

“But she was on suppressants. She wasn’t even in her fertile period when
we were together, for

Christ’s sake.”

“Do not take the Lord’s name in vain.”

“Oh, spare me your judgment, Priest. You, of all creatures, don’t get to sit
atop a self-righteous

high horse when you stuck your cock in her the same as the rest of us.
Except I haven’t broken any

vows by loving her. You can’t say the same.”

Caleb’s eyes tightened. It was his only outward reaction to my spiteful

words, but I knew they cut

deep. “Your youth is showing, Blackthorne.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“I mistakenly believed you meant it when you said you loved Sunday and
would want to work

together to find a way to save her. But apparently you care more about
throwing a tantrum than you do

taking responsibility for your part in this mess.” He turned and started
walking away.

“Where the fuck are you going?”

He answered without looking at me. “Someone around here has to be an

adult. Since you seem

incapable of it, I guess that leaves me.”

I flipped him off. Childish? Perhaps. But it felt bloody good.

“Good riddance,” I muttered, taking two steps in the direction Kingston and
Sunday had gone

before coming to a halt.

Abomination.
I shuddered. I may not care for the self-righteous prick, but he was right
about one thing. Hybrid

births were problematic for a myriad of reasons. Not the least of which was
their low survival rate

and the havoc they played on their mother’s bodies. And I was already in
enough trouble with the

Council. If they found out about the babe . . .

My hands balled into fists.

Even if the child survived, the Council had been hunting them down and
killing them for centuries.

Rarely did they grant clemency. My aunt Briar was one such exception, and
that was only because

she’d been turned, not born.

Fear formed an icy pit in my stomach. If anything happened to Sunday

because of me . . . I didn’t

know what I’d do. I couldn’t even meet the sun and end it all because of the
blood running through my

veins. I was as near to immortal as it got. Perhaps I could get Kingston to

do the job; he’d seemed

eager enough. He’d probably rejoice if given the opportunity to kill me. Not
that I blamed him. I’d do

the same if someone hurt her the way I had.

The look on her face when I’d reacted to the news would forever be burned
into my mind. I’d
crushed her, unintentionally. But the instant the word pregnant was uttered,
all I saw was Death riding

in on his pale white steed. Coming for her.

Because of me.

If I’d known there was a chance of getting her pregnant, I would have taken
every precaution

available to me. But I’d checked. She hadn’t been fertile. A small voice
whispered in the back of my

mind. Perhaps it isn’t yours.

But the sick, slithering feeling in my belly refused to latch onto the hope.
I’d known I was going to

kill her from the moment I first laid eyes on her. I just hadn’t planned on
doing it this way. I’d been a

fool to think I could have her and keep her. The stars weren’t on our side,
proven only by the events

leading up to this moment. Nothing had worked out in our favor yet; why
would they start now?

There was only one person I could think of who might know how I could
save her. I couldn’t think

about the child. My priority was my mate. She could have more children,
but I would never have

another Sunday.

My hands shook so fiercely I struggled to dial Lucas on my phone. I finally

managed after the third
attempt. As I stood in the moonlit woods, surrounded by entrails and blood-
soaked dirt, I waited for

him to answer.

“Nephew, this is an unexpected surprise,” my uncle said, his voice not

holding his usual sarcastic

bite.

“I . . .” I had to clear my throat to get through the anxiety tightening

everything in me. “I’ve killed

her.”

“Already?”

“Oh, sod off. This isn’t a joking matter. Sunday’s pregnant.”

“That’s my boy. Virile and unstoppable. Your father will be glad someone is
carrying on the

Blackthorne name.”

My uncle’s lackadaisical manner was both infuriating and calming. This

was Lucas’s way. And

while I appreciated it on most occasions, I really needed him to be serious

right now. This was a

literal matter of life or death.

“I think you’re missing the point. Sunday’s a wolf. I’m a vampire. Any
child of ours is doomed.”

“Oh, nephew, I’m so sorry. I forgot she was a shifter.”

Unbridled emotion hit me like a stake straight to the heart. The thickness in
my throat grew
unbearable as tears swam in my eyes. I was going to lose any hold I had on
my control right here and

now.

“I can’t lose her. She can’t die. Tell me she’s going to be all right, Lucas.”

My uncle’s voice was far gentler than I’d ever heard. “I can’t promise you
that. But we will do

everything in our power to save them both. When the time comes, bring her
to us. We will help her

through it.”

“If she dies . . . I won’t be far behind.” Even if I had to beg Kingston to kill
me, I’d follow her

into the next life.

“She wouldn’t want that, not if she’s your true mate.”

“I don’t care. Don’t pretend you wouldn’t do the same if it was Briar on the
line.”

“What if the baby survives? Don’t you want to be there to raise your child?”

“I want it all. Desperately. Nothing would make me happier than building a

family with Sunday,

but not at the cost of her life.” This should be a time for celebrating. Instead
things were strained and

her life was in danger.

“I lost Briar once to death. All I could think about was the time I wasted not
being with her. I
would have given anything to have those moments I let slip through my
fingers. Don’t be a stupid git

because you’re afraid.”

“You’re right. Thank you, Uncle.”

“Anytime. I’m always here if you need me.”

I hung up, not really feeling much better as his words tumbled through my
brain. Was fear enough

of a reason to be separating myself from her right now? Could I live with
myself if something

happened and I’d wasted the time we could have had? Would I survive if I
started to care about the

baby only to lose it? To lose them both?

In another life, I would have been proud to have filled her with my child.
Even now, knowing she

was at risk, the thought of her belly swelling as the baby grew safely in her
womb sent a wash of pure

male pride through me.

I couldn’t get too attached to the baby. Not while working to find a way to
save them. But I

wouldn’t abandon Sunday. That’s all I seemed to do when things were hard.
Run. I wouldn’t do it

again. She deserved better than that.

I was her mate. It was time to start acting like it.

It was time to prove I’d do anything to save her.

Chapte r

Four

SUNDAY

Two Days Without Alek

Moira linked arms with me as we rushed out of our last class of the
semester. We saved the

worst for last . . . theology with Caleb. If it was awkward attending class
with my

professor before he possibly knocked me up, it was absolutely unbearable

now.

Especially after the way he reacted to my pregnancy. He was always my

dark knight, my protector,

even though we couldn’t be together in public. I hadn’t expected him to

jump for joy, but I also, deep

in my heart, never thought he’d turn cold.

In one terrible night, I’d been abandoned by three of my mates. Maybe not
in the same way, but it

was abandonment all the same.

Even though I had Kingston, my heart ached for everything that was
missing. Instinct still

screamed for me to find Alek, bring him home to me, make him see what a
mistake he’d made. But the

truth was, he didn’t want to be here. Whatever his reasons were, it had been
his choice to go.
I refused to let my thoughts continue to dwell on any of my other mates.
Kingston was safe

territory; they were definitely not. Maybe I’d been wrong to put my faith in
them.

“Brr, it’s colder than a witch’s tit out here,” I grumbled, shivering
dramatically as Moira cuddled

into me.

She cupped her breast. “Can confirm. It is, in fact, colder than a witch’s tit.
In case you were

wondering.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Sounds like a personal problem.”

She shrugged. “Ash doesn’t complain.”

“Are you excited to go home and see her during the break?”

A little of the light left Moira’s eyes. “It’s harder to see her when she’s
home. Her parents make

things uncomfortable.”

“You’re welcome to join Kingston and me with his family.”

“So you’re really doing that, then?”

“Where else would I go? The headmistress is locking down the campus for
a magical cleansing,

and I sure as shit don’t want to go back to my pack and spend the holiday
by myself.”

“You don’t think things will be different now that you can shift? Well,
maybe not at the moment
with the no shifting while pregnant thing, but you know, in general.”

“I’m sure they will be, but I don’t want to be surrounded by people who
refused to love me when

I was at my lowest. I’d rather spend time with the people, or at least one of
the people, who always

accepted me as I was.”

My belly fluttered with nerves at the thought of going to the Farrell estate.
The last time I’d seen

Kingston’s parents, I’d rejected their son. I was hardly daughter-in-law of

the year material. And

bonus, I was showing up with a bun in the oven that may or may not be his.

Moira gave me the sweetest hug before releasing me and staring into my
eyes. “Thanks for the

offer but, I’ll pass. I do not want to be the third wheel in that particular
sandwich.”

I opened my mouth to correct her metaphor, but gave it up. Not worth it.

Warm arms wrapped around me from behind, the earthy scent of Kingston
washing over me and

immediately soothing something deep inside my soul. “Mmm, you look

better than you did when you

left this morning, Sunshine. You’re fucking glowing.”

“That’s frostbite,” I snarked. “It’s fucking freezing out here.”

Kingston’s chest rumbled against my back. “Guess that means I should get
you home and
underneath me, I mean, a blanket. There’s a reason wolves are pack
animals. We keep each other

warm.”

“I swear to the goddess, if I have to hear you talk about puppy piles one
more time, I’m going to

hurl.”

“Don’t get jealous, Belladonna. You could always be my little spoon,” I

teased.

“Bitch, I’m the big spoon, and you know it.”

“I’m the big spoon.” Kingston nuzzled my neck and then scraped his teeth
over my mark, making

me suck in a sharp breath as need careened through me.

“Technically, Alek is the biggest spoon.” As soon as his name left my lips,
my smile vanished.

Look at that. I’d gone a whole five minutes without thinking about Noah,
Caleb, or . . . Alek. The

slowly healing wound I could feel but not see around my heart broke open
again. I knew it was

impossible, but I wished there was some way to contact Alek, even if only
so I could be sure he was

okay.

As though summoned by my thoughts, I felt it the second Noah’s gaze

landed on me. My traitorous

body responded, the hair on the back of my neck lifting and my heart
picking up speed. Instead of
giving in to the keening need begging me to look at him, I turned the other
way.

“Dove . . .”

“Fuck off, knobhead. She doesn’t want to see you right now.” Moira’s
fierceness eclipsed her size

a hundred times over. And I didn’t stop her, even though the bond between
Noah and me begged me to

acknowledge our connection.

“Nice one,” Kingston said, holding up his hand for a high five.

Moira eyed his palm with distaste. “Nope.”

He shrugged and wrapped his arm back around my waist.

Noah tried to catch my eye one more time. “Sunday . . . please. You don’t
understand—”

“You heard the witch. Fuck off. Sunday doesn’t need you anymore.”

I lost the battle to keep my gaze off him and finally looked up. Grief flashed
in Noah’s eyes as

they met mine, and he hesitated for another moment before sighing and
walking away.

Kingston must have felt my muscles tense up again because he spun me

around in his arms and

pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. “I have a surprise for you, Sunshine.”

He’d used similar means of aggressive affection to combat my melancholy

every time my mind
wandered to my missing berserker. Or to Noah’s less than enthusiastic
response to my news. And

Caleb’s . . . Calebness.

I had to give it to the wolf—it was effective.

“You go on ahead, Sabrina. I’ve got this. Don’t worry about leaving a light
on. She won’t be back

tonight,” he added with a cocky wink.

“What did I tell you about that nickname, Alphahole?”

“Don’t be mad. You know I’m your favorite.”

“Only because the others are fuck-ups or totally MIA. It’s not like the bar is
very high right now.”

“Aw, don’t be like that, Elphaba.”

“If you don’t knock it off with the pop culture witch references, I’m going
to put an itching hex on

your underwear.”

“Don’t you dare come near Jake. Sunday would never forgive you.”

“I thought you were leaving.”

“I’m trying, but you won’t go away.”

Moira huffed. “Fine. I’m leaving. Don’t go and get yourself pregnant . . .
oh, wait.” She snickered

and blew me a kiss.

“You know there are a lot of other ways I could get myself into trouble
besides that.”
“I know, sweetie. You’ve done them all. It was only a matter of time before
you went for the

obvious choice.”

“Get out of here, Elphie.” Kingston leaned close, whispering in my ear,

“Close your eyes and trust

me?”

I nodded as Moira grumbled and walked away from us.

“What, no broomstick?” Kingston called after her. “I thought everyone

deserved a chance to fly.”

Moira gave him the finger as she stomped off.

“You’re really on top of those Wicked references. You a secret musical

theatre nerd?”

He started humming the chorus of Popular as he lifted me into his hold and
headed forward,

walking at a steady pace. “So what if I am?”

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Look at you. And here I thought I’d
learned all your

secrets.”

“I just want to make you smile. Now close your eyes. You’ll spoil it if you
see before we get

there,” he growled playfully.

“I don’t like surprises.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Not anymore.”

His lips brushed my forehead. “You’ll like this one. I promise.”

I pursed my lips but grudgingly obeyed. Knowing Kingston, he was

probably right. He’d been on

a mission to keep me as happy as possible these last couple of days. I didn’t

think he’d risk doing

anything that might have the opposite effect.

A few minutes passed before we came to a stop, the cold flakes of snow
landing on my cheek

picking up their pace as a storm threatened overhead. I shivered.

“Okay, Sunshine. Open your eyes.”

He set me on my feet, and I stared at the old but well cared for carriage
house in front of us.

Confusion had my brow furrowing. “What is this?”

“Surprise. We’re home.” His voice held a nervous edge like he was worried
I wouldn’t like it.

“At least for the rest of the year.”

“Home?” I stepped forward onto the walkway that led to the front door.
“This isn’t mated pair

housing. Those are apartments. This is a whole ass house.”

Color tinged his cheeks, and he ran a hand along the back of his neck. “We
have the leech to thank

for that. He pulled some strings and forked out a lot of dough to have the
contractors get this place
converted for you in time.”

“In time for what?”

“Your birthday. It’s kind of from all of us, even though he footed the bill.
The rest of us gave input

on the inside—even the priest. Even though it's temporary, we wanted you
to be comfortable.”

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, stinging as emotion welled and

clogged my throat. “I don’t

know what to say.”

“Say you’ll stay.”

“We don’t need so much space anymore. It’s just the two of us.”

He slid his palm over my non-existent bump. “Three.”

I pushed his hand away, not wanting to draw attention to my belly. Just
because the guys knew

didn’t mean I wanted everyone else to know yet. Something in me warned

that this was a secret I

needed to keep as long as possible.

My heart ached that Kingston didn’t correct me and say the others would be
back. As much as

Noah and Caleb had hurt me, I didn’t want to be without them permanently.
And even though I hated

it, it had been Alek’s choice to go with his father. Though a part of me knew
the decision wouldn’t
have been so easy for him if he’d known about the baby. Surely when he
came back he’d want to be

with us. Family was everything to my Novasgardian.

If he comes back.

Shoving the thought away, I forced myself to smile as I gestured to the

house. “Show me?”

Kingston took my hand. “I thought you’d never ask.”

The instant I walked through the door, I was soothed by the familiar scents
of my mates. They’d

all been here. Echoes of their distinct markers filled the space, some only a
ghost, others strong and

alive.

“There are four bedrooms so the others can have their own space while they
sleep.”

I cocked my head and stared at Kingston. “The others have to sleep in their
own rooms? Where

are you sleeping?”

“With you, of course.”

“Cocky.”

“Confident. Besides, as far as I’m concerned, they need to re-earn their

place in your bed.”

“And you get to decide that for me now?”

“Daddy perks.”
“Oh, don’t tell me we’ve got matching daddy kinks now.”

A low hum of approval radiated from him. “I don’t know. You’ve never
called me daddy before.”

Arousal punched through everything else I’d been struggling with, and this
time I welcomed it.

“Show me the bedroom, and maybe I’ll try it.”

Kingston started dragging me toward the stairs. I couldn’t help but laugh.
So much for my tour. We

were walking so fast I was only just able to make out the completely open
floor plan with its kitchen

in the back and living room in the front. The space was bright, airy, and
warmly lit. Definitely

inviting.

“Is that . . .”

It couldn’t be.

Kingston stopped only long enough to follow my gaze. When his eyes
landed on the fur rug in front

of the fireplace, he grinned. “Sure is. I know how much you enjoyed it. And
I’m pretty sure our pup

was conceived on it. Only seemed right we brought it home.”

The reminder of him claiming me and giving me his knot for the first time
sent a flood of slick

straight between my legs. I sucked in a sharp breath as his attention

returned to me, nostrils flaring as
he inhaled deeply.

“You know what? Fuck the bedroom. I say we christen this rug all over
again.” His voice was

low and rough as his eyes burned with need. “I want you so fucking bad,
Sunshine. You’re wet for me.

Don’t try to deny it.”

“I’m not. I couldn’t if I wanted to. My wolf won’t let me.”

He grinned and leaned down to kiss me. “Good.”

“How do you want me?”

The heat in his gaze melted my fucking panties. He walked toward the rug,
peeling his shirt off on

the way and tossing it over one of the sofas. Turning to face me, he pulled
off his belt and then slowly

unbuttoned and shucked his pants. He held my gaze as he dropped to his

knees, his cock hard and

jutting between his spread thighs. A bead of clear liquid sat at the tip, and I
licked my lips

instinctively.

“How about this time you tell me how you want me?” As he asked the
question, he took the

discarded leather belt and fashioned a binding around his wrists, pulling it
tight with his teeth.

A belt could be dangerous in this situation for humans, but not when a
powerful shifter used it this
way. It was more symbolic of his submission than anything else. He could
easily destroy the leather

with one flick of his wrists.

“W-what?”

“Use me, Sunshine. Have your way with me and make me yours. Let me
prove to you I’ll never

leave.”

Once again, Kingston showed me how well he understood me and my heart.

There was no hiding

from him what the loss of the others was doing to me, and he was trying to
put me back together in the

only way he knew how.

“What do I do?”

Flashing me a wicked grin, he bowed his head, adopting a completely

submissive—and

absolutely mouthwatering—pose.

“Own me.”

Chapte r

Five

KINGSTON

She stared down at me with hunger lighting her eyes, but a flicker of unease
hid in those depths

as well.
“What’s wrong, Sunshine? Is the little girl afraid of the big bad wolf?”

Her lips quirked and she lifted her chin. “Me? Afraid of you? Never.”

“Then prove it. Get that sexy ass over here and take what you want.”

“I’ve never . . . I mean. I’m not sure how to do this.”

“Sunday, you and your wolf have been trying to top me since day one.
Now's your chance.”

The sight of her teeth biting her plump bottom lip had a lightning bolt of
need shooting straight to

my balls. Jesus fucking Christ, if she didn’t have mercy on me I was going
to lose control and mount

her right here. Fuck letting her take the reins.

“You really want me to take charge,” she breathed.

“If you think you can. So far, you’ve shown me I’m the only Alpha in this
relationship.”

That got to her. Unease banished. All I had to do was tell her she couldn’t,
and now my girl was

showing up.

“Shouldn’t you have a safe word or something?”

I smirked. “You really think you’re going to take things further than I can
handle?”

“Safety first.”

I only had to think on it for a second before settling on my answer. “Lilacs.”

Her expression softened, and she closed the distance between us, grasping
my hair in her fist and

jerking my head back before leaning down and stealing a kiss. It was over
as quickly as it started, her

voice exuding Alpha power when she said, “Eat me.”

“Yes, Mistress. Do you want to save these clothes, or should I tear them off
with my teeth?”

“Teeth. Now.”

“As you wish.”

I sat up on my knees and leaned forward, pressing my nose between her

thighs, inhaling her

fucking intoxicating scent. My cock jerked, and I swear I came just a little
when my girl threaded her

fingers in my hair and rocked forward.

My wolf took control, and in mere moments her clothes were ribbons on the
floor. She stood over

me, naked and dripping and fucking perfect.

“Good boy,” she moaned as I slid my tongue along her slick folds, parting
her gently before

finding her swollen clit. I loved the way pregnancy made her taste. I wanted
to fuck another baby into

her right after this one was born. Twins next time.

With the hand fisted in my hair, she held me against her. I could feel her
balance shifting, but it
wasn’t until her foot pressed on my shoulder I’d realized what she was
doing. I hummed in approval,

the change in her position opening her up so I could feast.

“Suck my clit, make me come so you can drink me down.”

Goddamn, my Sunshine could talk dirty. I didn’t need her to tell me twice,
but I wished I hadn’t

bound my wrists so I could grab her by the ass and hold her still.

Using the tip of my tongue ring, I alternated between flicking it over her clit
and humming, using

the pressure and vibrations to send her flying over the edge, making her
come hard and fast all over

my tongue.

She shuddered and cried out, the sound of cracking wood above me
registering but not distracting

me from my goal of pleasuring her until she told me to stop.

“Enough. Fuck. Kingston.” Her breathy cry of my name wasn’t the most
erotic thing I’d heard from

her, but damn if it wasn’t close.

“Did I satisfy you?” I asked, keeping my gaze trained on the floor as she
backed away. I was

ready for a reward for being her good slave.

When I’d started this, it had been about helping her reclaim some control,
but now that we were
fully in the scene, I was just as into it as she was. More, even. Who knew
power exchange could be

so fucking hot? The anticipation of what she’d do next and when I’d get to
come had my balls aching

with need.

“You did. That tongue piercing of yours is a gift. Now stop talking before I
gag you.”

I had to fight back a groan.

“Hmm, you know, that’s not the worst idea I’ve ever had.” She leaned down
and picked up a strip

of her torn fleece-lined leggings. “Did I ever tell you about the time Father
Gallagher blindfolded me

and watched me make myself come?”

A low growl left me before I could stop it.

She smirked. “Jealousy looks good on you.” Then she strolled around me
until she stood behind

my kneeling form. “He took away my sense of sight, told me what to do to

myself, barely fucking

touched me, then came all over my cunt.”

My hips jerked, cock searching for her warm, wet sheath. I could smell her
slick as she wrapped

the fabric over my eyes. Fuck, it was all over the blindfold. I didn’t know
how I was going to last. I

was a stiff breeze away from coming all over myself like a fucking
teenager.
“You like how I smell, don’t you, pet?”

Pet? Fuck. Yes.

“I do, baby.”

She caressed my hair, giving it a sharp tug and whispering in my ear. “Call
me Mistress when I’m

owning you, pet.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

I couldn’t see through the thick material covering my eyes, but holy hell,
could I feel. Her fingers

traced my mark, dancing over the skin like the wings of a butterfly. The
sensation sent goosebumps

across every single inch of my flesh that wasn’t rock hard and straining. I
leaned back in search of

more, needing her body against mine, but she denied me.

“On your feet,” she commanded.

It was tricky to maneuver with my hands bound and eyes blindfolded, but I
did it. She rewarded

me with another low, throaty purr. “Good boy. Now take two steps back.”

There was a moment when my wolf balked, not liking that it couldn’t
ensure we were safe, but my

trust in my mate prevailed. She wouldn’t ask me to do anything that would

hurt or embarrass me.

The backs of my knees hit the hard chair behind me after exactly two steps.
“Sit.”

I sat.

“Spread your thighs.”

I spread them.

“Hands to yourself, pet. I’m going to play with you now.”

I could hear the soft thud just as her hands landed on my knees, shoving my
legs further apart as

she settled between them. Her hair brushed my inner thighs, the tendrils
feeling like the finest silk

sliding across me. And when the strands slipped over my cock, I bit back a
moan of pure need.

Fuuuck me. This was heaven. No, it was hell.

Don’t come. Don’t come. Don’t come.

Then she took just the tip of me in her mouth and sucked. Hard.

Stars exploded behind my eyes.

“Fuck, Sunshine.” My hips kicked forward in search of more.

She lightly scraped her teeth along my sensitive flesh. “Mistress,” she
corrected. “And if you

speak again without permission, you won’t get to come.”

My entire body tensed in protest, my arms straining against the leather at

my wrists.

“Be a good pet, Kingston, and I promise I’ll take care of you. Do you trust
me?”
“Yes, Mistress.”

She kissed the head of my cock, her tongue darting out to taste me. I
swallowed a groan. I could

picture her on her knees with my most prized body part at her disposal. A
jolt went through me as her

teeth caught the ring piercing my head and she tugged.

“Remember your safe word?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“You’d better use it if you need it.”

I nodded just as she cupped my aching balls and squeezed while she
brushed her lips over my

crown. The slide of her tongue across the slit sent tingles shooting through
me, collecting at the base

of my shaft, swelling my fucking knot.

She purred, clearly pleased with herself. Fuck, so was I. I was so far gone, I
was damn near in

rut. If that happened there was no knowing what I would do.

She repeated the move, this time letting go of my balls and sliding her hand
further back. My legs

shook, my body breaking out in hot and cold shivers, not sure if I wanted
her to stop or if I never

wanted her to stop. I’d never thought about anyone touching me like this,
but it was the most erotic

moment of my entire fucking life.

“Stand. I want to see all of you.”

I wasn’t confident my knees would work for a moment, but the idea of
disappointing her had me

on my feet, awaiting her next command.

Her cheek brushed the side of my cock, warm and soft, and then she
pressed a gentle kiss to the

base. But she didn’t stop there. As though she knew my every desire, she
moved downward, sucking

on my already tight balls one by one, taking them into her wet mouth and
applying gentle pressure

before letting go.

Goddammit, I needed my fucking hands. I could tear free of my makeshift

shackles easily if I

wanted to, but that would make her angry. What would she do to me?

“Let’s play a game.”

Oh, God. I wasn’t sure I could take any more teasing. “Aren’t we already?”
I rasped.

A firm slap against my taint had stars bursting in my vision. Pain and nearly
uncontrollable

pleasure hit me at the same time. Fuck, a spurt of cum had to have escaped.
I swear I heard it hit the

floor.

“It’s like you want me to punish you. Is that it, pet?”

“No, Mistress. I . . . I want to please you.”

She stroked my shaft. “You do please me. Very much.”

The words had me fucking preening. Even my wolf soaked in the praise.

“You are such a good mate. So strong. So virile.” She took my bound hands
and pressed them

against her lower belly. “Such a perfect provider for us, Daddy.”

My cock jerked, desperate to fill her. I’d never been so turned on in my

goddamn life. Not even

when she was in heat, dripping for me, presenting and begging me to take
her.

“Do you need to come?”

I nodded.

“Too bad. I’m not done playing with you yet.” She moved away, and I
mourned her absence. I

couldn’t see what she was doing, and my mind raced with possibilities. Was
she grabbing toys? Was

she going to spank me?

Fuck . . . did I want her to?

The mindfuck of it all was that I’d started this for her, to give her something
to have complete

control over, and it was fast becoming all about me. My undiscovered kinks
roared to the surface.

Her footsteps came closer, the unmistakable sounds of items shifting in a

box filling my ears. “You
naughty boy, I found your toy box in my bedroom. There are some very
interesting things in here.”

She removed my blindfold, and I blinked hard against the sudden light.
Sunday’s cheeks were

flushed with arousal, her eyes dark and hooded as she knelt at my feet
again. Glancing down at the

contents of my very special toy box, she raised her brows. “My, my.” She
reached in and pulled out a

hot pink training plug. “Did you buy this for me?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“So presumptuous.”

I gulped. Not because she sounded mad, but because she was so clearly into
it. The thought of

sliding into her tight ass, feeling her clamping down around me like a
fucking vise, had my blood

racing. I had to suck in a huge lungful of air.

“And what about . . . this? He looks familiar.” She lifted the life-sized
replica of Jake I’d had

made for her. That process was weird as fuck, but the look in her eyes made
every awkward moment

worth it.

“In case you missed me.”

“Is that the real reason, pet?”

Fuck, she knew me so well.

“I thought it could be fun to take both your holes at the same time.”

Her mouth parted, and arousal turned her whole body a rosy pink, the shock
of my admission

causing her to drop character. “Oh.”

Shaking her head to get back into the scene, she stood. “We’ll save that one
for later. For now, we

have something else to focus on.” Trailing the tip of the plug between my
pecs and down over my

belly, she leaned in. “Here are the rules. If you can free yourself in three
minutes or less, you get to

take my ass. And if you don’t . . .” She slid the plug between my legs as she
pressed her lips to my

mark, making me moan. “I get to take yours.”

Holy fucking God.

“You have to . . . lube it first.”

She bit down on my mark and nearly sent me back to my knees. “Oh, that
won’t be a problem.”

She moved away before I had a chance to speak, not that I was currently
capable of forming words.

Then she sat down, leaning back and spreading her legs while holding my
gaze. Lifting Jake 2.0, she

gave me a wicked smirk. “It is very lifelike.”

She slipped it down her body, over her clit.

I had to clear my throat twice before I could tell her, “It vibrates.”
Her brows lifted. “Hmm. You don’t do that. Maybe I like him better.”

“He’s an extension of me. As long as it’s me making you feel good, I don’t
care.”

“You’re talking again. Now you only have ninety seconds.” Then she sank
the dildo deep and let

out an almighty moan as her back arched and her toes curled. “Fuck, Jake.
So good.”

I stood transfixed, watching as she slid the toy in and out a few times.
Watching that beautiful

fucking pussy stretch around it. God, I could be free of this belt any second.
Could claim my place

between those thighs and fuck her until she forgot her name. But . . . I kind
of wanted her to win. I

wanted her to claim me. To own me.

All I’d ever wanted was to be hers.

“Thirty seconds,” she whispered, turning on the vibe and biting her lower
lip as she angled the

dick upward.

My body trembled from the force of control I used to keep myself bound. I
stared hard into her

eyes, willing her to understand what I was fighting for.

Her cunt pulsed around the toy, an orgasm right there, creeping across her
skin in the form of a

deep flush, tight nipples, panting breaths. Please wait for me.
Her hand paused and she sat up, looking at me. “You’re not even trying to
get free. You want me to

take your ass, don’t you, Kingston?”

I had to swallow before I could answer, my voice tight with need. “Yes,
Mistress.”

She pulled Jake out and set him to the side, holding my gaze as she picked
up the plug and sank it

into her dripping cunt, coating it completely.

Fuck. Me.

I nodded, unable to speak.

“Give me your hands,” she whispered.

She unbound me, and it took everything I had not to pull her against my
body.

“Turn around and bend over.”

Fuck, I was entirely at her mercy as I did what she asked of me. I heard the
distinct sound of a cap

being popped, then her fingers, wet with her arousal and the lube I’d
stashed in the box, ran across my

tight pucker. When the slick tip of the plug slipped across my taint and up
to my untouched hole, I

shuddered.

“You can still tell me to stop, and I will. We’re not playing anymore. It’s
just you and me, okay?”

“Don’t stop, Sunshine. I want to give you this.”

She reached around and laid her hand over mine where it was fisted on the
chair. With the other,

she applied pressure that had me gritting my teeth. I didn’t have the words
to describe how good it

felt. The slight sting and burn of being stretched and filled. The nearly
electric buzz surged underneath

my skin from the countless nerve-endings I hadn’t realized were there. It

felt better than I’d ever

imagined.

“Almost there,” she whispered.

“I can take it. Keep going, baby.”

She pressed it the rest of the way in, and we were both breathing hard by
the time it was in place.

“You okay?”

“Fuck, yes,” I growled, shifting my position a little, which caused the plug
to press against

something magical inside me. “Fuuuck.”

“What?”

“It feels so good. God, I need to be inside you right now, Sunday. Please. I
need to come.”

“Sit down on the chair,” she said. Her voice lacked the commanding edge
she’d had earlier, but I

obeyed anyway. She straddled me, her hand resting on my shoulders. “I

love you, Kingston.”
As she kissed me, she slid down, taking me inside her and making me
moan. But when she began

rocking her hips back and forth rather than bouncing on my cock, I let out a
strangled cry. The plug hit

me in just the right spot, sending a powerful orgasm racing up my spine.

“I’m gonna come, baby. I can’t stop it.”

“Yes, fuck, me too.”

I gripped her hips, my fingers digging in hard enough I knew she’d be

wearing bruises when we

were done. I pumped into her once, twice, and I was done, my climax
hitting me like a fucking freight

train.

Sunday was right there with me, her warm cunt milking me of every last
drop.

We were both still breathing hard when she dropped her forehead to mine.
“Holy shit, that was

intense.”

“You’re telling me.”

“I didn’t realize how badly I needed that. The control, I mean. It was
fucking hot.”

“It was.”

“You liked it?”

I kissed her. “Did I not just come for days inside you? I’d say I more than
liked it, Sunshine.”
She smirked. “How did you know that’s what I needed?”

“You’re an Alpha, just like me. Control is part of who you are, and you’ve
been floundering

without it these last couple of days. So I’m prepared to give it to you even
when you don’t know to

demand it.”

Her lips ghosted over mine. “Good boy.”

My cock gave a weak twitch inside her. Even after being so fully sated, my
praise kink was

strong. Who fucking knew?

“What do we do now?”

I cocked a brow. “For starters? Shower.”

“And then . . .”

“And then, if you’re good, maybe I’ll let you do it again.”

Chapte r

Six

SUNDAY

Iwoke gasping for breath, heart racing, unease snaking across my spine, as I
had every night

since Alek went away. There was no escape from that awful moment when
he stepped through

the portal and left me. Not while I was awake, and certainly not in my
dreams where I was
forced to relive it over and over. The sharp ache in my chest came to life
again every time the

gateway between us snapped closed in my nightmares.

Sitting straight up in the massive bed, I reached for Kingston, desperate for
his warm, comforting

arms. Instead I found nothing but sheets and an empty pillow. After our
shower, he’d tucked me into

bed and held me until I went to sleep. Where was he now?

A vague memory flitted through my mind, Kingston leaving the comfort of

our little nest, pressing

a tender kiss to my temple and whispering, “I’ll be back by morning, baby.

I’m going to run with

Derek. My wolf needs to stretch his legs.”

I’d mumbled something in reply and fallen back into the deep sleep of
someone who’d been well

loved and well used. I was safe. He had me. So whatever had me clutching
my sheet to my chest and

sent adrenaline coursing through my veins had to be bad . . . right? I’d

learned even when it seemed

good, it probably wasn’t.

A soft rustling noise from the dark corner at the other end of my room had
my pulse resuming its

frantic pounding. I grabbed the nearest thing to me—Jake—and sent it

flying in the direction of the

disturbance.
“Fecking hell, Sunday. Do you regularly accost people with sex toys?”

“Caleb?”

“Well, it bloody isn’t Father Christmas now, is it?”

Startled laughter left my lips, though it took my heart several seconds to

return to a normal tempo.

“You definitely don’t have the right frame to be Santa. When you laugh, do
you say ho, ho, ho?”

He was mostly in shadow, but I could just make out his mouth as it twitched
in the ghost of a grin.

“No, I do not.”

“That’s right. Because you don’t laugh. You scold and scowl.”

“I laugh.”

I quirked a brow. “Sure you do. When you’re torturing people in that
dungeon of yours.”

“The only person I torture in my dungeon is me.”

Interesting. Was my priest a sadist and a masochist? As I mulled over the

thought, quiet stretched

between us, intruding on our playful banter and bringing reality back into
harsh focus.

I shivered, my voice tight with the heartache I was trying to hide. “Why are
you here, Caleb?

You’ve been cold as ice. I figured you were done with whatever this toxic
thing is between us.”

“It’s my nature to want things that are bad for me.”

“So I am bad for you.”

He sighed, the rustle of fabric reaching my ears as he moved. “You’re my

responsibility. I wasn’t

about to leave you unprotected while Kingston went running in the

moonlight. Just because one threat

has been dealt with doesn’t mean there aren’t others.”

I needed to see him better, try to read his expression. Reaching for the
bedside lamp, I had only

just touched the switch when he stopped me with a firm, “Don’t.”

“But I can’t see you.”

“I can see you just fine.”

I pouted and dropped the sheet, baring my breasts and provoking him.

He stood, his tall shadowed form closing the distance between the chair in
the corner and the edge

of my bed. It hurt a little to finally make out his heartbreakingly handsome

face. Torment was written

all over him as he sat on the far end of the bed. Of course he chose to be as
far from me as he could.

I was still angry with him, but honestly, his reaction to my pregnancy was
predictable. Maybe it

wasn’t what I’d hoped for, but after some reflection and distance, it wasn’t
exactly a surprise either.

Caleb didn’t want to be with me because of his vows, his devotion to God. I
couldn’t hold it against
him. We were only together once, and that was due to my heat, not his
undeniable need to be mine.

He’d helped me through it, and I’d been stupid enough to fall in love. It
wasn’t his fault.

Okay, maybe it was, just a little. But still, he hadn’t made me any promises,
not like the others. If

anyone was owed an apology here, it was probably him.

“Caleb . . . I’m—”

“You should go back to sleep. It’s late and you need rest.” His gaze dropped
to my belly, brows

furrowing and focus intense.

I curled a hand protectively over my stomach, feeling oddly defensive. “It’s

too early for me to

start showing. It’ll be months before you know anyone’s growing in there.”

“I was checking for a heartbeat.”

My heart fluttered. There wasn’t a shred of anger or disgust in his voice. It

was far too gentle for

that. “I don’t think we’ll be able to detect one for a few more weeks.”

“I’m a vampire. The second it starts, I will know. Already I can sense the
spark of life inside you.

Do you know how rare it is for a made vampire to father a child?”

I shook my head.

“It only happens once in a blue moon.”

“So why have you been so angry with me? It probably isn’t yours.”

He lifted his gaze, staring deep into my eyes. “Because I want it to be.”

“Caleb—”

“I can never give you what the others can. There’s no future for us, Sunday.
Even if the babe is

mine, I can’t be any kind of true father. Or partner to you, for that matter. So
why pretend otherwise? It

will only hurt us both.”

“Why can’t you?”

His eyes widened as he sat there with his mouth slightly open, as though a
reason was on the tip of

his tongue but he couldn’t force the words out. After a long moment
stretched between us, he shrugged

helplessly. “So many reasons, chiefly among them the fact that I am your
professor. Whether you’re an

adult or not, I’m still abusing my position of authority.”

“I don’t care that you’re my professor. I like it.”

“I won’t put your reputation and future at risk simply because I have so
little control. You deserve

more.”

“Well, I won’t be your student forever. And now that I’m pregnant, those
days are seriously

numbered as it is. So if that’s the main reason, you won't be able to cling to
it for long.”
“There are more. None of which I care to discuss. I’m tired of meditating
on my failings.”

“So why are you here then, Caleb, if you want nothing to do with me? With
us.”

“Don’t you understand? I want everything to do with you. If I were a man,

I’d already have made

you mine, and we’d be celebrating our growing family. Instead I’m worried
every waking moment

about what this means for you, for the future.”

“Caleb,” I whispered, his declaration making my heart squeeze. There was

so much self-loathing

in his voice. I don’t think I’d ever met someone who hated themselves quite
as much as Caleb. And I

knew part of it was my fault. I wish he could see himself the way I did. That
he would let me love

him. I leaned forward, intent on crawling over to him. “Please don’t shut me
out of your life. I love

—”

“Don’t say it. I can’t bear to hear the words from you if I can’t say them
back.”

My throat tightened with tears. I hated that loving me caused him so much
pain. “I understand why

we can’t be physical. I respect it. But it’s not all about sex. Don’t deny me
our intimacy, Caleb. What

we have is too important to me. I can’t lose it. I can’t lose you.”
“I will come here and watch over what’s mine. My protection is all I can
offer you. I ruin

everything I touch. So I will watch and guard from a distance. It’s the only
way I can keep you safe.”

“That’s fine. The chair won’t move from that corner if that’s what you
want.”

One brow rose. “Who do you think picked out that bloody chair?”

“Really?”

“Aye, a stor. Try as I might, I can’t be apart from you, even if it hurts. I
may not be able to be with

you, but I am still yours.”

I didn’t realize how badly I needed to hear him say that out loud. Warmth
curled through me,

filling me, if not with happiness, at least with contentment. “You don’t have
to stay in that corner, you

know. Lie here with me, Caleb. Just until I fall asleep.”

A flicker of indecision crossed his features, sending a flurry of fear settling

in my heart.

“Please take care of me, Daddy.”

His only response was a tortured groan before he crawled up to where I sat
and wrapped me in

his arms, curling his powerful body around my back. “You’ll be my

damnation, Sunday Fallon.”

“I’m sorry.”
He pressed his lips to my temple. “Don’t be. Don’t ever apologize for what
you are to me.”

“Tell me more about what our life would be like if you’d met me when you
were human.”

“Are you asking me to tell you a bedtime story?”

“Isn’t that what good girls get?”

“I suppose it is. What kind of story would my good girl like?”

“Tell me a fairy tale where we get a happily ever after.”

We lay back together, him spooning me, his lips brushing my ear. But it was
the way his palm

cupped my belly and his other arm held me close that kept me feeling
whole and safe.

“Once upon a time, in a faraway land filled with faeries and all manner of
wee beasties . . .”

I giggled and snuggled deeper. “I think I’m going to like this story.”

“Hush now, or I’ll cease my telling of it.”

“No, don’t stop. I love your voice.”

“Mmm, do you now? That’s good to know. So, as I was saying before I was
so rudely interrupted,

there lived a carpenter’s son in a small village protected by the fae who
lived on the outskirts of the

land. To show their gratitude, the villagers held a summer festival every
year in honor of the brave fae
who kept them safe. As the fair maidens of the town danced together in the
square, the carpenter’s

son’s eyes locked with the most beautiful of them all. Time stopped as they
gazed into each other’s

souls right then and there. He had never seen her before, as until now, she’d
been kept away by her

cruel grandfather. But he knew, from this moment on, he’d never want to be
parted from her.”

My chest ached from the sweetness in his words and the honesty layered in
with the fantasy. I

couldn’t help but join in, wanting to give him back some of the comfort he
was giving to me.

“And when the maiden set eyes on the carpenter’s son, she knew he was the
one she’d been

waiting for. The one who would save her from her sad and lonely life. The
one to love her for the rest

of her days.”

“Aye, that he was. Now let me tell my story.”

The gentle scrape of his teeth across the sensitive flesh just under my ear
sent a shiver skating

across my skin. “Okay. Continue.”

“At the first moment he could, the carpenter’s son stole away with the
maiden, taking her to a

place they wouldn’t be discovered. The faerie glen. He took her in his arms
and kissed her under the
stars, promising himself to her for all of eternity if only she’d have him.”

I sighed happily, my eyelids growing heavy as he spoke. “This is my

favorite story.”

“Mine too, a stor.” He pressed a kiss to my jaw.

“And then what?”

“The fae were so moved by the lovers, they blessed them with a place in
their land, life eternal,

and a lifetime filled with nothing but love.”

“So they lived happily ever after?”

“Aye, they did. Forever. As they were meant to.”

Tears misted my eyes, but I refused to let him know his tale made me cry in
case he’d use it as a

reason not to share it again. “Will you come back tomorrow and tell me our
love story again?”

He chuckled, his chest rumbling against my back. “I’ll recite it for us both
as often as you’d like,

darling.”

“Stay until I fall asleep?”

“Of course. Now close your eyes.”

I did as he told me, drifting off quickly with visions of his fairy tale dancing
behind my eyelids.

Chapte r

Seven
ALEK

Sweat dripped down my spine, working its way toward my hairline due to
my inverted

position. Regular push-ups had lost their usefulness a long time ago. I
preferred the challenge

of doing them while in a handstand. It didn’t just add extra body weight; it
forced me to be

completely in control of my balance and my body. And the focus was

something I needed right now.

Otherwise I’d start to spiral.

Again.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a figure standing on the

outside of the spelled glass

barrier that kept me from breaking out of this prison. I closed my eyes and
worked myself back to a

standing position before facing the man who was my mirror image. I knew
it was Tor before I’d even

gotten a good look at him. Twins could sense these sorts of things.

“Nice ink. But I always thought the days of the week were supposed to be
stitched into your

underpants. What’s so special about Sunday, anyway?”

I didn’t want to share Sunny with him. She was mine. I growled low in my
throat, hands fisting at

my sides. “Fuck off.”

“Oh, he’s snarly this evening. You’d think a day of being in time out would
have done something

about that tantrum you’re throwing.”

“Release me, and I’ll take this tantrum out on your stupid face.”

Tor grinned. “You mean your face?”

My brother stood there, a tray of food in his hands.

“If you’re here to feed me, do it. If you’re here to taunt me, shut the fuck
up.”

He raised one eyebrow before lifting a drumstick to his lips and taking a big
bite, letting out an

obscene moan. “Mother really outdid herself tonight.”

“You’re an arsehole.”

“I’m not the one who tried to kill Father with a boulder.”

“I wasn’t trying to kill him . . . just maim him a little,” I muttered.

“You don’t maim anyone with a two-ton rock. You obliterate them.” He
leaned against the glass,

not even looking at me as he continued to devour my meal.

“He’s a berserker. He would have been fine.”

“WORD on the harbor is so are you.”

“Jealous, brother? I finally have something you don’t.”

“Perhaps if you hadn’t stolen my place, you wouldn’t be locked up right

now, and I would be the
one blessed by Odin.”

He thought this was a blessing? I was caged like an animal, cut off from my
mate, a risk to

everyone around me. Even my own parents didn’t want me near them. This
was far from a blessing.

“You don’t know a fucking thing,” I said, disgust curling my lip.

“I know you tried to take something that didn’t belong to you, and this is
your punishment.”

I slammed my fist into the glass between us. If it hadn’t been there, I would
have knocked him the

fuck out.

“Temper, temper. You don’t seem to be learning your lesson, twin. They
won’t let you out to play

until you get a handle on all that anger.” He stared at me, a flicker of
concern dancing in his irises.

“You really are one, aren’t you? I see the darkness spreading in your eyes
even now. What does it feel

like?”

“Rage. Power. Insatiable thirst for violence and pain. Preferably yours at the
moment.” I knew my

smile held a sharp edge.

My twin and I bickered like any siblings, more probably since we’d spent
our lives trying to one-

up each other. But at the end of the day, I knew he’d die for me, same as I
would for him. He wasn’t
my enemy. No matter how much the blood thrumming through my veins
told me he was.

“I wonder if I’ll ever know the sensation. It seems unfair you would be the
only one given this

gift.”

“It’s not a fucking gift, you feather-headed git.”

“Look at Father. He’s the most powerful being I’ve ever known. He can
defend us against any foe.

You don’t think it’s a gift?”

I swallowed back an angry sigh. “Maybe you should ask Father what he
thinks.”

“Maybe I will. In the meantime, you should eat something. That’s why I’m
here, after all.” He

shoved the plate through a slot that appeared in the glass. “There’s still a bit
of food left.”

He’d eaten all the meat, leaving a few carrots, half of a bun, and a small
scoop of peas. “Great.

I’m famished.”

“So are you going to tell me what led to this?”

“I don’t really think it’s any of your business.”

The truth was, I didn’t actually know. How could I explain something I
barely understood myself?

“Something had to have triggered it. Did someone hurt you? Did you get a
bad grade on your
homework?”

I glared at him. “When have I ever cared about my grades? I’m not you.”

Annoyance danced in his eyes. “Tell me, brother. I’m just trying to help
you. Perhaps if we

understand what triggered it, we’ll figure out how to help you control it. As
much as I enjoy seeing

you in here, I don’t want you locked up forever.”

Taking a deep breath, I sat on the bed and stared down at my hands. “It
wasn’t me who got hurt. It

was her.”

Tor leaned back against the opposite wall, arms crossed over his chest. “So
it’s about a girl. I

should have known.”

“I swore to protect her and nearly failed. She could have died because I
wasn’t enough. So I

became more than enough. I stopped the bastard who was hurting her—
crushed him into nothing more

than meat. I’d do it again. I made a vow that I’d keep her safe, and when it
appeared as though I’d

broken it, the berserker manifested.”

“What did you do, swear your vow in blood? Must have been pretty
important for the gods to

intervene like that.”

He had no fucking idea.

“Well . . . if your berserker is tied to protecting the girl, maybe seeing her
safe and whole will

sate your bloodlust.”

“Why are you so insistent on helping me? I thought you’d be glad to see me
like this.”

“Maybe at first, but only because you deserved it after taking my spot. But
now I’d like to get my

brother back.”

The raw honesty cut through my anger. As much as I wanted to throttle the
arse-licker, I really did

love him. I gestured to my prison with a sigh. “And how do I go about

visiting her when she inhabits

another bloody realm?”

Tor lifted an object out of his back pocket. “With this.”

He slid the thin rectangle through the same slot where he’d given me my
half-eaten meal. Interest

sparked inside me. A mirror. Of course.

“Might I have some privacy, brother?” I asked, holding the looking glass in
my palms as though it

were the most precious item in existence.

“No. Aunt Quinn doesn’t know I nicked this. I’m not leaving it in here for
you to tattle to her about

later.”
Beggars couldn’t be choosers. I stepped away from the transparent barrier.
He could spy on me

all he liked, but that didn’t mean I’d let him watch over my shoulder. My
pulse pounded in my ears as

adrenaline raced through my veins. I could see her. I had to see her. Make
sure the others had kept her

safe.

“Show me Sunny,” I said as I stared at my reflection.

The smooth glass became a whirling pool of mist. I held my breath, waiting
for it to clear. When it

did, I nearly dropped the fucking thing.

In my wildest imaginings, I never would have pictured this. Or the way it

tore me apart.

Instead of the grief-stricken mate I’d been expecting, my Sunny was curled
up in bed laughing

with that fucking priest. So much for his vows. He held her spooned against
him, his lips moving as

he spoke to her, a rare smile on his face.

I wasn’t foolish enough to believe life would have stopped for her because I
was gone. But I

thought she’d at least care. That she’d miss me. But that was not the face of
a woman mourning an

absent lover.

She was content. Happy.

Without me.

While I was over here like some lovesick puppy, fucking dying inside,
every breath without her

an agony.

With a roar, I flung the mirror against the opposite wall, the sound of
shattering glass welcome as

fury ripped through me.

“Oh, come on! Did you really have to break it? Now we’ll both never hear
the end of it.”

I couldn’t speak. My breaths came in rapid gasps, vision blurring red at the
edges.

“Odin’s beard, you really have no control. I’ve made a huge mistake.” Tor
backed away from the

glass as though he was afraid I’d be able to break through.

I had to get out of here. Take out anyone in my path and get back to her.
Putting all my power into

my stance, I shot forward shoulder first and slammed into the barrier
keeping him safe from me.

Nothing would stop me from getting to my mate. Not my brother, not

Father, not this godsdamned cell.

Over and over, I repeated the action until finally a crack spread across the
clear wall.

Tor’s eyes grew wide, his mouth open in shock. “I’m sorry,” he whispered
as I geared up to take

another shot at the one thing holding me back. Then he ran.

The sight of him retreating sent my rage spiking. My target was getting
away.

I screamed out my fury, tipping my face back and pouring all of my

uncontrollable need for

violence into it.

It wasn’t enough to purge it from my system.

Spinning around, I searched for something, anything, I could use to take out
my frustration. There

wasn’t much in the way of furniture, just a table, chair, and a bed. But they
would do.

I lifted the bed, hurling it across the room with such force it cracked and
broke in two. I did the

same with the chair. Then the table.

And when that was done, I moved on to the pieces, not stopping until the
remains resembled

toothpicks.

It still wasn’t enough.

So then I took my anger out on the wall, punishing it as much as I was

punishing myself. Until

finally, what felt like hours later, I was spent, shaking, covered in my own
blood.

I curled myself into a ball, back pressed against the wall that now held
numerous fist-sized

craters. And in the sudden, deafening silence, I whimpered one word,

infusing it with my boundless
grief.

“Sunny.”

Chapte r

Eight

SUNDAY

One week without Alek

The scream that tore from my throat woke me from a dead slumber. My
every cell vibrated

with the wrongness slithering over my skin.

“Sunday, what is it?” Caleb’s concerned question helped me focus.

“Nightmare . . . I think.”

“Your mother?”

“No. I haven’t dreamt about her in weeks.” That was odd, come to think
about it. I would have

much rather had one of those dreams than whatever the hell that had been.

Caleb’s cool fingers encircled my wrist, but I jerked my arm free with a
snarl.

“Don’t touch me. Something is wrong. I feel . . . wrong.”

“Is it the babe?” The worry in his voice cut through the unreasonable anger
burning in my veins.

“No. It’s . . . God, it’s Alek. He’s enraged.”

“You can feel him?”

“I could. In my dream.”

“But not now?”

“No,” I forced out, the admission painful. As much as it hurt to feel him
like that, it was better

than not feeling him at all. “He’s gone.”

I closed my eyes and took a long, slow breath as I walked to the window
and stared out at the

moonlit sky. Wherever Alek was, he wasn’t safe and happy as I’d thought.
Something was threatening

him.

I’d assumed he left me willingly, that he didn’t want to be here. But

whatever this connection had

been in my sleep, the emotions roiling in him weren’t those of a man at ease
with his decision.

“Come here to me, darling. You’re trembling.” Caleb laid gentle palms on
my shoulders and

turned me to face him. “Saints preserve us, your eyes are black as
midnight.”

“What?” I pulled out of his grasp and ran for the bathroom. Flicking the
switch, I blinked a few

times against the blinding light that filled the space, then stared into the
mirror. “Holy shit,” I

whispered. My irises had bled fully black, but lightning flickered in the
depths, sending me reeling

backward. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Alek’s eyes were the same. It’s the berserker. How is this happening?”

“I’m not a berserker,” I screeched, panic clawing at me. I already had to

deal with the fact that I

was probably the daughter of Satan; I really didn’t want to add this to the
list of Sunday is a

Freakshow shit I was sorting through.

“No, I don’t think you are. I think you are channeling his.”

Relief cascaded over me. “What do you mean?” I asked, turning to face
him.

“I noticed it the night he left.”

“And you didn’t think to mention it?”

“You had other matters on your mind.”

Okay, fair. But still, I think berserker eyes registered as something worth
discussing.

“And after?”

“We weren’t exactly on speaking terms, Sunday. That doesn’t mean I

haven’t been keeping an eye

on you.”

“We’ve been together every night for a week. Don’t tell me an opportunity
hasn’t appeared

between now and then.”

“I didn’t want to . . . sully things between us. We’ve turned a corner, you
and I. Forgive me for not
wanting to focus on another man while I had you near.”

The unexpected sweet and surly response left me conflicted. On the one
hand, I loved knowing he

selfishly wanted our time together for himself. On the other, he couldn’t just
decide to keep important

things from me.

“So I’m not turning into a berserker, but I’m still connected to him? I felt
our bond weaken when

that portal closed. I don’t understand why this would happen.”

His gaze dropped to my belly.

“You think it’s his?”

“I think you have multiple mates for a reason, and there is more going on
than you or I will likely

ever know.” He paused, seeming to weigh something before asking, “Have

you ever noticed that the

deeper your connection with one of your mates, the more of their strengths
you take on?”

I stiffened. I had, but I didn’t realize Caleb had picked up on it. “Yes, but
my connection with him

is broken.”

“Perhaps it's not as broken as you think. Maybe it's only the distance
between you making you

think so.”

“Am I going to start going . . . well, berserk?”

Caleb studied me for a long moment, eventually shrugging. “I can’t say for
sure. I’m not exactly an

expert on the subject.”

But we knew someone who was. Someone who’d just crossed into our
realm to steal his son

back.

“We need to find a way to Novasgard. I can’t be left to roam around if I’m a
liability. If Alek can’t

be trusted, I sure as hell can’t. You saw what he did to Chad. I have even
less control than that

because I wasn’t built for this.”

And it gave me an excuse to go after him. One that wasn’t entirely selfish.
Because the second

he’d stepped through that portal, all I’d wanted to do was chase after him,
but he’d made his decision.

He wanted to go. He chose to leave me. As much as it hurt, I’d tried to

respect it. But now I didn’t

have to. I had a legitimate reason to find him.

“Am I interrupting something?” Kingston’s voice covered me like a warm

blanket. “You two seem

like you’re in the middle of solving some serious shit.”

He stood in the doorway, chest bare and glistening with sweat from his
nightly run with Derek. I

could smell the remnants of his wolf, the wild musk of my mate. “I need to
get to Alek. Something
isn’t right with him.”

The disbelieving snort that left him had my anger bubbling under my skin.
“She needs to get to the

man who left her. You have two of us right here, one’s a goddamned priest
—sorry, Padre—and she

still wants to find the ones who let her go.” He shook his head.
“Unbelievable.”

“Why are you so upset? You haven’t seemed mad about Alek leaving until
now.”

“Right, because I thought the asshole would have returned by now. I

thought he’d go, handle his

shit, and come back. But he hasn’t. It’s been a fucking week, Sunday. What
the fuck is taking him so

long?”

Despair replaced the rage in my heart. “I don’t know. Maybe he’ll never
come back.”

“Time moves slower in Novasgard,” Caleb said as he crossed the room and
positioned himself

away from me. Was he afraid I’d lash out at him?

“What do you mean?” Kingston came to my side as though he sensed I

needed him.

“A single day in Novasgard spans an entire week in our realm. As far as

Alek is concerned, he’s

only been away from Sunday for one full day.”

“Well, shit. Maybe he’s not such a fuckup after all.”

“I need to get to him. He’s the only one who understands what this . . . fury
feels like.”

“Not to mention, he might have knocked you up.”

Kingston’s admission surprised me. He’d been so sure this baby was his. I
cut him a glance.

“What? It’s true. Frankly, I don’t give a fuck who actually fathered the pup.
As far as I’m

concerned, it’s mine.”

My heart fluttered. “I haven’t even thought about telling him. I was so

caught up in the fact that he

was gone.” Turning my focus to Caleb, who was now standing in the
doorway, I asked, “How do we

get to Novasgard?”

“Portal.”

“Where do we get one of those?”

“We don’t,” Kingston said.

“A witch,” Caleb corrected, giving Kingston an annoyed glare. “Do you

ever pay attention to your

schooling?”

I rarely thought of Caleb as my hot professor, but in this moment, he

absolutely was, and it was

doing it for me in a big way. He was one black-framed set of glasses away
from starring in a porno.

Fuck, these pregnancy hormones were really getting to me.

“You should ask Moira. She’s a witch.”

It was almost comical, the way Kingston thought he was giving me news I
didn’t already know.

“Is she? I hadn’t heard.”

“You’re lucky I love you, smart-ass.”

Caleb’s lips twitched. “Our Sunday has a smart mouth.”

“She does. I might need to find a use for it.”

“I can think of several, none of which involve her reciting her nightly
prayers.”

“Oh, my God, what is happening right now? Am I still asleep? I can’t tell
you the number of times

I’ve had a dream kick off this way.”

Caleb jerked his chin toward the window, where the sky was already
turning a light shade of

violet. “As much as I’d love to stay and learn more about these dreams of
yours, I have to get to safety

before the sun rises.”

“You can stay in the light-proof room Thorne included.”

My chest tightened at Kingston’s mention of my vampire prince and the

fact that he’d taken the

initiative to include a safe space for Caleb. Everyone seemed to believe

we’d all end up together,

even though we’d never openly talked about it.

We hadn’t spoken Noah’s name in a week, and he hadn’t been allowed
inside the house either. At

this point, I wasn’t sure which of us I was punishing more. Only that I
needed to give my heart some

space to heal before letting him back in again.

“Thank you for the offer, but you both have a long day of travel ahead of
you.” Caleb wasn’t

looking at either of us; his eyes were on the packed bags sitting under the
window. He tore his gaze

from the luggage and lasered it on Kingston. “Mr. Farrell, if anything

happens to her over the

holiday . . .”

“I’ll take good care of our precious package, Priest. Sunday is safer with me
than anyone else.

She won’t be hurt on Farrell land.”

“She better not, or you’ll be answering to me.”

I couldn’t help the smile that stretched across my face at the possessive
declaration. So much had

changed in the last week. I never imagined it would be Caleb making such
claims.

“Give me a kiss goodbye, sweetling. I won’t be seeing you for a week.”

A disbelieving giggle escaped me at his demand. Somehow over the last
seven nights, we’d

crossed a bridge from hesitant to hopeful. I was his and he was mine, even
if he wouldn’t allow

himself to take me fully again. Even if no one else outside of our circle
could know. That didn’t

matter. I wanted his heart more than anything else.

I closed the distance between us, leaning up on my tiptoes to lay my lips

against his. It started off

sweet but quickly turned into something else. I moaned into his mouth,
clutching him to keep myself

upright.

Pulling back slowly, I stared into his deep blue eyes. “Maybe we could
close the curtains?” I

asked breathlessly.

He chuckled, giving me a sharp slap on the ass. “Naughty girl, you know
the rules. Now to bed

with you. You have a lot of travel ahead, and it’s Kingston’s turn to watch
over you. I’ll see you when

you get back.”

“Bye, Daddy.”

A growl rumbled from his chest as he turned away, shaking his head.
“Insolent . . . and fecking

perfect.”
Then he was gone, his form nothing more than a blur as he left the house.
Kingston immediately

tugged me to him, his face nuzzling my neck, lips brushing my mark. “Does
my mate need a little relief

after the priest denied her all night long?”

“Yes,” I breathed, melting into him.

“Do I get to be your daddy now?”

I giggled. “You can be my stand-in.”

“Challenge accepted. You can have more than one, you know.”

“I know. But you’re my king. Do you really need to be my daddy too?”

“As long as my dick is inside you, baby, you can call me whatever you
want.”

“Prove it.”

He scooped me into his arms before dropping me onto the center of the bed.
I needed to talk to

Moira, but we had a few hours before she’d be awake. Might as well use
them doing something we

both loved. Something that brought us together and soothed the broken
parts of my heart.

“I love you, Sunshine,” he said as he sank inside me, completing me.

“I love you too.”

“YOU BITCH.” Moira leaned heavily against the door, her baby pink silk
robe poorly tied and her
sleep mask askew on her forehead.

“Good morning to you, too. Rough night?” I shoved my way past her and
plopped down on my old

bed.

“I didn’t get off the phone with Ash until two hours ago. What even is
night?”

“Sounds like you had about as much sleep as I did then.”

She waggled her eyebrows. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I was busy with my—”

“La, la, la . . . not listening. I don’t want any orgy details. At least not
before I’ve had my coffee.”

“It wasn’t an orgy, for the record.”

She waved a hand. “Details, shmetails. You’re getting banged by four guys
on the regular. You’re

a walking orgy.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. It was only the one time with—”

“Let me guess, Big Dick Number One?”

I frowned. “Which one is that?”

Rolling her eyes, she shuddered. “The fact that you even have to ask that
question means you,

madam, are spoiled rotten.”

“You have no idea.”

“Well, I have some idea.”

I shook my head, laughing. “If I told you half the things . . .”

“No need to brag about the fact that your persons are within touching
distance, you heartless

bitch.”

“Not all of them.”

Guilt flashed in her expression. “See, this is why we shouldn’t talk before
coffee.” She made her

way to the kitchen and began preparing her drug of choice. “Not that I don’t
want to see you, but I’m

surprised you’re here. I thought you’d be packing or possibly already on

your way to Kingston’s

parents’ place.”

“I couldn’t leave without giving my best girl her Christmas present.”

“Prezzies? For me?” She started eyeing me with the intensity of a German
Shepherd.

I grinned. “I hid it last week. It’s in my nightstand drawer.”

She wrinkled her nose. “With the toys?”

“I cleaned it out, you jerk. I wouldn’t leave those behind.”

Coffee forgotten, she bolted across the room and tore open the drawer. She
pulled out a small box

wrapped in the sheer black scarf I’d bought to accompany her present. My
favorite part was the
shimmery gold embroidered constellations all throughout the fabric. “This
is so pretty,” she

whispered. “I can’t believe you got me a present.”

“Open it, silly. There’s more.”

Her eyes, wide as a kid waking up on Christmas morning, shone with

moisture. She untied the

scarf to reveal the tarot deck I’d chosen while shopping with Kingston. The
set was completely

unique, entirely hand-painted with gilded silver edges and attention to detail
I couldn’t believe. They

were Gothic in nature, the card imagery on the darker side with skulls and
black roses decorating the

back. I’d taken one look at them in the little shop and knew immediately
they were meant for Moira.

“Oh,” she breathed, selecting one card at random and cradling it in her
palm. “These are fucking

gorgeous, Sunday. You shouldn’t have.”

“I love you. I wanted you to have something special. Christmastime is

magic, no matter what you

believe in.”

She blinked back tears. “This is the first actual Christmas present I’ve ever
gotten, you know. We

don’t really do Solstice gifts in my coven.”

“Let’s make it a tradition. We can celebrate every year together in our own
way. Not Christmas,
not Solstice. Just us.”

“I didn’t get you anything.”

“That’s not why I got you this. You’ve given me so much since I got here.
And, actually, I’m not

done asking for your help yet.”

Moira placed the cards on the small table by her bed. “Go ahead. From the
tone of your voice, it’s

serious.”

“I need to open a portal to Novasgard and go get Alek back.”

She blinked. “Oh, wow. Okay. Um . . .”

It was the first time she’d seemed truly flustered by one of my requests.
Usually she had a solution

ready to go.

“Can you not do that?”

“Well, I can, it's just . . . Novasgard is a protected realm. It’s not the sort of
place you just pop

into uninvited. The kind of magic required to even try is bigger than a one-
woman coven.”

Frustration seeped into my bones with every word she uttered. Defeated, I
let my shoulders

slump. “I don’t know what to do. Something is wrong. With him. With me.
I felt him last night in my

dream.”
“I’m sorry, Sunday. I can’t open a portal to Novasgard. Not today, and
definitely not by myself.” I

could see the wheels turning in her mind, though. She pursed her lips and
stood before pacing back

and forth between our beds. “Maybe I could ask my coven. There are some
very old, very powerful

witches. And everyone will be there to celebrate the Solstice. Someone has
to know something. I’ll

find a way. Leave it to me.”

“Thank you. I just . . . I need him.”

Her gaze softened. “I know you do.” She went back to her coffee, poured a
cup, and then looked

to me. “Want some?”

My stomach churned. “No. I’m not feeling so hot this morning. I don’t
think I can stomach much

more than dry toast.”

“Aw, is my little Abby giving you trouble already?”

I rolled my eyes. “Moira, I told you to stop naming the baby.”

“What? Abby is short for abomination. Do you want me to call her Nation?
Bomb?”

“I want you to—” I sighed. “I don’t know.”

“Fine. I’ll call her Amadeus.”

“Moira,” I groaned.
“If it’s good enough for Wolfy, it’s good enough for my little god-demon.”

I shook my head with a sigh because fuck, she wasn’t wrong. “You’re a
bitch, witch.”

“And you’re a heathen, demon.”

I stood to leave, and she met me at the door, surprising me with a fierce
hug.

“Have fun meeting the fam. Don’t get into trouble while you’re gone.”

“You too.”

“Oh, sweet cheeks, I always find trouble.”

Chapte r

Nine

KINGSTON

The scent of home made my whole body relax as soon as we stepped out of
the car. Normal.

That’s what we needed. Something to show her how our life could be when
things finally

settled down.

“You didn’t tell me you live on an honest to God ranch,” Sunday breathed,
eyes wide as she took

in our sprawling property.

“It’s good to have a safe place to run. Your family has mountains and trees.
We have ranch land.” I
loved the sound of awe and wonder in her voice. Pride settled over me that
she was already so

enamored.

I could already picture us building a future here. I leaned down and nuzzled
her mark, enjoying the

way she shivered and pressed back against me. “This could all be ours
someday if you wanted. We

could fill the house with our pups. Never have to see anybody if we didn’t
want to.”

“And where would the others live?”

“With us, obviously.”

“And your pack would be okay with that?”

“Our pack. And it doesn’t matter what they think. I’m their Alpha.”

I said the words, but I sure as shit didn’t believe them. This arrangement of
ours was going to be

a hard fucking sell to every single wolf in my pack. Hell, even I was still
getting used to being

shacked up with not one but two vampires. How could I assure the people I
was supposed to protect

that I was doing my job when I brought a couple of their sworn enemies
into our territory to let them

have their way with my mate?

Sunday let out a short laugh. “Try to tell Caleb you’re his Alpha and see
where that gets you.”
I shuddered. “I’ll let you pass that on for me.”

“You want me to be your sacrificial lamb?”

“You love it.”

From the flush creeping up her cheeks, I wasn’t wrong. Before I could tease
her further, the front

door opened, revealing my father, his usually stern face filled with
excitement. I held Sunday tighter,

ready to deal with whatever animosity might come from their initial
meeting.

“Welcome home!” he boomed, holding out his arms.

But instead of coming for me, he moved straight to Sunday and pulled her
in for a . . . bear hug?

My eyes widened. This . . . was not like my father. The last time we’d
spoken about my mate, he’d

cursed her name up and down. He’d nearly started a war between our packs
to save face after she

rejected me. Because refusing my bond meant she’d dishonored my pack.

Now he was welcoming her

with an embrace?

Before I had a chance to do anything, my dad started sniffing Sunday.

“You’re pregnant!”

“Um . . . surprise?” She went stiff in his arms, and I instinctively tugged her
away from him and

back against my chest.

My gaze shot over my dad’s shoulder to where my mom and four sisters
stood on the porch.

“What happened to not saying anything?”

“I didn’t,” my mom said with a shrug. “He’s a wolf.”

“I could smell the pup a mile away,” my sister, Phe, grumbled.

They all stood there staring with mixed emotions flickering in their eyes.
Unease, distrust,

excitement, elation. The mix was as distinct as the women wearing them.
The triplets weren’t going to

make this easy on Sunday after her very public rejection of me. They
seemed to have inherited my

father’s views on my mate, while my youngest sister, Trouble, looked like

she was meeting her idol.

Sunday clutched my arm, and I wanted to kick myself for not immediately
introducing her to them.

“Sunshine, this is my father, Ronin. My mother, Diana.” Mom bounced on

her toes, vibrating with

the need to hug my mate. “My sisters, Ophelia”—I gestured to Phe, who
stood with her arms crossed

over her chest and a disapproving scowl on her face—“Olive, and Odette.”
Ollie and Dee were only

slightly less hostile. “And, last but not least, Tessa.”

Sunday’s eyes were panicked as she muttered under her breath. “Dad,
Mom, Sparkles, Scrunchie,

Stripes . . . Tessa.”
Tessa ran forward, holding out a hand for Sunday to shake. “You can call
me Trouble. Everyone

does.”

“Everyone does not,” my mom corrected.

“Everyone who knows me does.”

“Tessa, I birthed you. I know you better than anyone.”

Trouble cocked a brow and grinned. “That’s what you think.”

Sunday offered them all a weak smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Certainly took you long enough,” Phe said, her tone not amused in the
slightest.

“Phe, leave it.” I practically growled the words at her, but she needed to
know that no matter what

had happened in the past, Sunday was my mate, and she wouldn’t be
disrespected.

“Ronin, get out of the way. Poor thing is going to think we don’t have any
manners. We can’t leave

the pregnant woman standing outside in the snow. Come on in, sweetheart.
Let’s get you warmed up.”

My mom held out her arm, gesturing for us to come inside.

“I’m fine. I love the snow. It’s really beautiful here.” Sunday beamed at me
as she took in the

landscape again.

“Well, I want to get inside so we can unpack and rest a little. Jet lag is
killer, even when you’re a
shifter. I need to get my baby mama off her feet.”

“We wouldn’t want the uppity little wolf to have to do something as

difficult as standing, now

would we,” Phe said, making Ollie and Dee snicker approvingly.

I growled at them. “Behave.”

Phe huffed and spun on her heel, sending her blonde ponytail flying as she
stomped inside.

“Ignore her. Everyone else does.”

“She has every reason to hate me.”

Mom wrapped an arm around Sunday’s shoulders, which was hilarious

since she only just came

up to them. My mom was the epitome of tiny but fierce. “No. A mate bond
can’t be forced before

you’re ready. I’m just glad you two found your way.”

“I . . . thank you,” Sunday stammered.

I pressed a kiss into her hair. “I think I need to get you to my room for a few
minutes. Give you

some time to settle.”

My mom didn’t get the thinly veiled hint, but Trouble did, proving once
again why she was my

favorite sister. She tugged Mom away, and the two of us headed for the
stairs.

“Thank God they aren’t going to make her stay with us,” Dee mumbled.
“Why would they? They’re mated, and she’s already knocked up. I’m just
glad his room is on the

other side of the house so we don’t have to hear them boning all night.”
Ollie went inside, heading as

far away as she could get from us.

Dee cackled. “Oh, you’re right. I bet we won’t see them for most of this
visit. She looks like she

spends a lot of her time on her back.”

“I heard that,” I called over my shoulder.

“I meant for you to!”

“Which one was that?” Sunday asked with a raised brow.

“Odette. She’s technically the youngest of the three.”

“Odette . . . Stripes. Which makes Scrunchie Olive.”

I laughed. “Having trouble telling them apart?”

“They’re freaking identical. They even sound the same.”

“No, they don’t.”

“They do. How can anyone tell them apart? If not for their shirts, I’d be
completely lost.”

People said that about the triplets all the time, but for me there was nothing
identical about them.

She’d learn.

“They’re very different. You’ll figure it out.”

“If they give me a chance. I’m already planning to check the shampoo
bottle for Nair.”

I gave her a squeeze. “They aren’t that bad.”

“I’ve seen a Farrell man scorned. Everyone knows the women are worse.
I’m sleeping with one

eye open, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “My mom is the sweetest woman in the county.
So your logic is flawed,

Fallon.”

“She wasn’t born a Farrell.”

“No, but she raised us all. We’re half her too.”

I led her down the hall until I reached my room. My heart raced at the
importance of what this

moment meant. I’d be letting her into my most private space. The place I
spent so much of my life,

especially when I was trying to get over her.

“Speaking of your siblings. You didn’t tell me you had triplet sisters. You
just said sisters. You

have multiples in your family. That’s something you should disclose to the
person you’re having a

baby with, you know.”

“I did.”

“You did not.”

“I said I wanted twins.”

“Wanted. Not the same thing as it runs in your freaking family. Between
you and Alek, I’m

practically guaranteed to pop out more than one at a time.”

I bit my lower lip, desperate to get her behind closed doors so I could show
her exactly what that

thought did to me. “Do you have any idea how fucking hard it makes me
thinking of you all full and

round with my babies? Fuck, Sunshine.”

Her cheeks turned a deep pink. “No. No way, Kingston. We are not doing
anything under your

parents’ roof.”

“If you think I’m sleeping in the same bed with you, the one where I jacked
off every night to

thoughts of you naked beside me, without making that dream a reality, you
are fucking deluded, baby.”

“Kingston—”

I slapped her ass, cutting off her protest and gesturing for her to go inside.
“In you go.”

She giggled and went in. As soon as I closed the door, I was on her, lips
tasting her, feeding on

her perfect mouth.

“Kingston.”

“It’s okay. You can be as loud as you need. They won't hear us.”
“They’re shifters. Of course they’re going to hear us.”

“Who cares? You’re my mate. This is what mates do.”

“I don’t know. I just met them. They’ll think I’m a slut.”

I pulled her hard against me. “My good little slut.”

“Don’t call me a slut. Not like that.”

“Fine, I’ll call you whatever you want as long as you’re mine.”

“Good girl.” She flicked her gaze to the floor, but I caught her chin between
my thumb and

forefinger and tilted her face to look at mine.

“You were a good girl for your priest. Be a good girl for me.”

“By being dirty, you mean?”

“The filthier, the better. There’s nothing you could want, nothing you could
do, that would make

me think you were anything other than absolutely fucking perfect. You want
to be bad, Sunshine. Let’s

be bad. Show me what a naughty girl you can be.”

Sunday’s lips twitched into the hint of a devilish smirk, wicked things
flashing in her irises. “Do

you want me on my knees?”

“Fuck, yes. Let me wrap my fingers in your hair and put those lips to good
use, baby.”

I groaned as she sank down, fingers tugging at my belt. She squirmed just a
little, and I could see
she was trying to apply friction to alleviate the building ache between her
legs as those thighs of hers

pressed together.

“You already wet for me, Sunshine?”

“Can’t you smell me? You always say you can.” She cocked a brow. “Or
was that just a lie you

like to tell me?”

“Just because I know something doesn’t mean I don’t like to hear you say
it.”

She leaned forward, lifting her chin and giving me a doe-eyed stare. “Say
what?”

“That I make you wet. That you want me deep in that tight cunt of yours.
That you want me to make

you scream.”

She blushed. “Jesus, Kingston.”

“Say it.”

“I’m so wet for you. I’m always wet for you.”

“What else?”

“I want you deep inside me.”

“Try that one again.”

“I want your cum inside me, or on me. Take your pick. But whatever you
do, I want it now . . .

please?”
“That’s my good girl. Now, suck my cock like the champion you are while I
figure out how I’m

going to reward you.”

The way she fucking preened under my praise had me threatening to burst
free of my jeans on my

own. My girl liked knowing how good she was, and I loved telling her.

“But I don’t have anything to suck.”

“Fuck yes, you do.” I tore open my fly, freeing my aching cock and
practically slapping her in the

face with it.

She eyed my throbbing length with hunger. “Does it feel good—”

“Everything you do feels good.”

She smirked. “Well, that’s nice to know, but I meant specifically when I do
this.”

“Oh, baby, I love it when you do tha—” the word was lost on a groan when
she leaned forward

and licked along the ridges of my piercings, taking one of the barbells in her
teeth and giving it a little

tug. “Holy fucking shit balls.”

She backed away and blinked innocently up at me. “Is that a yes?”

“That is a fuck yes. Do it again.” I couldn’t quite keep the growl out of my
voice. It was all I

could do to keep from thrusting to the back of her throat. “Fuck, Sunday.
You make me feel so good.”
She hummed and I saw stars.

“I’m gonna fucking come if you don’t stop.”

Those teeth found my Prince Albert and tugged, making me go cross-eyed.

The orgasm was right

fucking there. So close I couldn’t stop myself from gripping her hair hard.

“Everything okay in there, Pooh Bear?” my mom called through the door,
giving it a little knock.

I jerked, my piercing catching on Sunday’s teeth. “Motherfucking shit!” I

swallowed against the

pain. “What is it, Mom?” My voice was strangled and a little harsher than I
wanted.

“Oh . . . um . . . dinner is ready.”

“We’ll be right there.”

“Don’t make me send one of your sisters in after you. Five minutes, I mean
it.” Her tone changed

from sweet to stern, and absolute embarrassment washed over me in

response. This was worse than

the time she caught me jerking off in the barn.

“Pooh Bear?” Sunday whispered.

“Shut it.”

She wrapped her lips around my already softening cock and hummed.

I fisted her hair and tugged her back. “Not what I meant. The moment is
gone, baby. Later, okay?”
She huffed, but I could tell it was teasing and not genuine disappointment.
“Oh, all right . . . Pooh

Bear.”

Chapte r

Ten

SUNDAY

“W rap your fingers in her hair, Viking. Show me her throat.” Caleb’s rough
command sent sparks

straight to my clit and my gaze shot to where he sat in the corner,

surrounded by shadows.

I moaned as Alek obeyed, bending down to steal a kiss. His other hand
snaked down my body,

roughly grabbing my breast and squeezing. Something in that touch made

my chest crack open a little,

longing flooding through me even though he was right here.

“Oh, she likes it when you’re rough,” Kingston said, his voice a sensual
rasp. “She’s fucking

dripping.”

“How does she taste, Mr. Farrell? Tell me—in great detail. Don’t leave out
a single thing.”

“How can I tell you if my face is in her cunt, Priest?”

“Fuck her with your tongue, make her come, and then report. It’s a simple
order of operations. I’m

sure even you can understand.”

“Gladly,” Kingston growled.

“Yes. Gladly. Please. Now.” I was all need, my words barely making sense
as I bucked my hips in

search of the tongue he was denying me.

“Don’t forget her tight arse. Sunday loves it when you play with her arse,”
Alek said.

“Does she?” Kingston’s tone was playful, teasing, and a warning of what
was coming. He settled

between my legs and licked me from bottom to top, stopping right on my

clit with the barbell piercing

being the only bit of contact he allowed.

I moaned, weaving my fingers through his hair and pulling his face closer
to me. “More.”

“So demanding,” Alek murmured, his fingers busy pulling and twisting my
nipples. There was no

set rhythm to it. Just sharp bursts of pain-tinged pleasure punctuating

Kingston’s teasing licks.

Caleb’s eyes found mine as he crossed the room until he stood at my side, a
bulge prominent in his

slacks. But he wouldn’t touch me. Goddammit.

“I want to watch you too, Daddy. Let me see you touch yourself.”

“You’re such a bad girl, Sunny.”

Caleb shook his head. “No, she’s my good girl. She knows what I need
before I do.” He ran his
hand along his bulge, letting out a lusty groan as he palmed himself. “Is this
what you want, baby

girl?”

“Yes,” I whimpered, closing my eyes as Alek’s hands fell away from me.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

The scent of bergamot overwhelmed everything else for a fraction of a

second before I felt the

tickle of Noah’s breath at my ear. “But what about me, dove? Where do you
want me?”

“Everywhere.”

I expected him to groan or grunt or something. But when I opened my eyes

again, he wasn’t there.

Neither was Alek. The room had changed. But then Kingston’s mouth
wrapped around my clit, and all

I knew was pleasure.

“That was some dream you were having, Sunshine. Tell me it was about
me.”

“You were there.”

“So were they. You called out for Daddy, and I know that’s not me.”
“Kingston—”

He dipped his tongue inside me, causing my words to cut off on a low,
needy moan.

“I’m not complaining, Sunshine. I’m the one who gets to take advantage of
it. Not them. What else

were you dreaming about?”

“You were between my legs, Alek’s hands were everywhere, and Caleb . . .
He was calling the

shots.”

Kingston’s chest rumbled, and I could feel the vibrations of his laughter run
through me. “Sounds

about right.”

I loved hearing him laugh like that. Carefree and truly happy. I wanted to be
the cause of that all

the time.

“So, now that you’re awake . . .” He waggled his eyebrows, pulling a giggle
from me.

Reaching down, I urged him up my body. “You can wake me up like that
any time you want.”

He sank inside me in one smooth thrust, but it wasn’t rough fucking he was
after. Not with the way

his forehead was pressed to mine and his eyes stared into my soul. “Happy
birthday, baby.”

“You already gave me my birthday present.”

“Merry Christmas, then. You were born on Christmas. You’ll get a present
for both.”

He rolled his hips, and I moaned. “It seems like I’m finally going to start
appreciating my birthday

with you around.”

“My favorite day of the year.”

“Because you get presents?”

“Because it's the day I got you.”

A FEW HOURS LATER, after sharing a huge breakfast with the Farrells
and opening presents, I sat by the

fire, snuggled up with Kingston as we drank cocoa. It was ridiculously

domestic. And I loved every

single moment. This was the life I wanted. A big family, cozy home,
normalcy. Well, minus the three

older sisters who wanted to murder me in my sleep for hurting their baby
brother. I could do without

them.

“You need anything, Sunday?” Kingston’s mom asked, coming back into
the room with a big

platter of sugar cookies.

One of the triplets—I couldn’t tell them apart since they weren’t in their
identifiers from

yesterday—rolled her eyes, making the other two laugh.

“No, I’m fine. Thank you so much, Mrs. Farrell.”

“Call me Mom, or Diana if that makes you more comfortable.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” another of the girls grumbled.

“Ophelia, you will hold your tongue, or I’ll remind you exactly what it’s
like when I’m angry with

you. It’s been a long time since I had to do it, but I can still punish you if I
need to.”

“Mom, I’m twenty-seven. You don’t get to punish me anymore.”

“Watch me.”

Kingston snickered and pulled me close. “This is fun.”

“Not when I’m the cause.” I was uncomfortable as hell.

“Phe, let up, all right? Sunday and I worked out our shit. We’re good.
Happy. Totally in love.”

“She broke you, Kingston. And we’re just supposed to sit around and
pretend nothing happened?

No way. You were—”

“Ophelia, that’s enough.” Dad’s voice boomed through the living room,
stopping all conversation.

“This is bullshit. You guys want to play like everything’s normal, fine, but
don’t expect me to.”

She stood with a huff, tossing her sisters an expectant look over her
shoulder before storming

upstairs. “Way to ruin Christmas, just like you have everything else,” she
snarled as she passed me.

“Hey!” Kingston shouted after her. “Not cool.”

“It’s fine,” I said, though I’d be lying if I denied her words had cut me.
Deep. I’d seen the proof of

what I’d done to Kingston for myself. But coming face to face with the
people that had to live with

him while he was going through the worst of it? I hadn’t been prepared.

The other two triplets got up and followed Phe out of the room, leaving
Kingston and me with

their parents and Tessa. I hated that I was the reason they were angry, that
the family was torn apart

just because I was here, and that we probably wouldn’t fix it on this trip.

“I could always stay somewhere else,” I offered.

The protests were vehement and immediate.

“No fucking way,” Kingston said, tightening his grip on me.

“I won’t hear of it,” Diana said, resting her hand on my shoulder. “You’re
family, dear.”

“Yeah, don’t let Her Royal Bitchiness win,” Tessa chimed in. “Not
everyone is a megacunt. Some

of us actually know how to have fun.”

Kingston held up his hand for a high five, which Tessa enthusiastically
provided. “That’s my girl.”

I didn’t respond. I wasn’t sure what to say.

“Come on, baby, let’s take a walk.” Kingston pulled the blanket off our laps
and stood, holding

out a hand for me. “Get your coat. It’s cold.”

We made our way to the stairs, intending to grab our things from the
bedroom.

“Kingston,” his dad called, halting our movements.

“Yeah?”

“Enjoy your walk, but don’t be gone long. We need to bring the presents to
the rest of the pack.”

“Dad—”

“No getting out of it, son. I know your mate’s with you, and you’re feeling
protective, but it’s an

Alpha’s duty to celebrate with the rest of the pack and make sure everyone
has what they need.”

The thought of being here alone without Kingston sent ice through my
veins. But I did my best not

to let my reaction show. He needed me to be strong. Besides, I handled

Callie Donoghue. I could deal

with Sparkles, Stripes, and Scrunchie.

I hoped.

Kingston’s palm on the small of my back was a comforting warmth as he

ushered me into the

safety of his bedroom. “They’ll come around, I promise. They’re just

protective.”

Nodding, I sighed. “I just don’t want to ruin Christmas.”

“You never could. Now, go look on the bed. There’s something waiting for
you.”
“If you brought Jake 2.0, I’m going to throw him at your head.”

His low chuckle sent my skin tingling. “You won’t hurt him.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Maybe not, but I’d definitely use him on you. Tell me
he comes with a

strap.”

Kingston’s eyes glittered, and he swallowed. “That’s a conversation for

another time.”

Oh. Well, that was exciting.

On the bed was a bundle wrapped in a sparkling purple velvet bag. It had
Moira written all over

it. “Is this for me?”

Kingston practically vibrated with excitement, like a puppy ready to wag

his tail hard enough he

might fall over. “Open it and see.”

My fingers shook as I untied the silver cord tied around the top. Inside were
four gifts and a note.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABYCAKES!

THE GUYS WOULDN’T LET KINGSTON HAVE YOU ALL TO HIMSELF

TODAY. WE ALL WANTED TO SEND YOU

SOMETHING TO REMIND YOU OF HOW SPECIAL YOU ARE TO ALL

OF US.

LOVE, MOIRA

AND THEN IN a slightly different scrawl—still hers, but obviously added

later:
PS: I HAVE EXCITING NEWS ON THE ALEK FRONT!

CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU.

“MOIRA,” I growled, annoyed that she left out the details but absolutely
thrilled she might have an

answer of how to get him back by the time we got home.

“Which one are you going to open first?”

Kingston was bouncing behind me. You’d think the presents were for him
with the way he was

acting.

I took the gift off the top and carefully unwrapped it. It was the plainest of
the bunch, simple

brown packing paper tied shut with twine. I knew immediately it must be
from Caleb. As the paper

fell open, I let out a soft gasp at what I found inside. It was a handbound
leather journal with the

Celtic trinity knot burned into its cover.

I set it down gently, already protective of my newest possession.

Next was a package in metallic red, the color of blood and roses. Noah. My
heart gave a little

lurch. We’d left things in a bad place, and I missed him so much.

Inside was a small black velvet box. I ran my fingers over the fabric before
snapping open the lid.

My breath caught at the sight of the beautiful necklace nestled into the silk
padding. My name in
script, but positioned vertically, the metal twisting and curving into the
shape of the letters until

finally forming a rose at the end.

“Will you help me put this on?” I asked, holding the delicate chain out to
Kingston.

“Of course.”

I held up the heavy fall of my hair so he could get it around my neck. When
he let the necklace go,

the pendant settled around my throat, the rose resting right above my heart.
I squeezed my eyes shut,

my heart aching for my vampire prince. We needed to fix things. I couldn’t

go on like this, with pieces

of me missing.

Taking a heavy breath, I eyed the last two presents. One was wrapped in an
icy blue, the other

midnight black. Alek and Moira.

My hands reached for the blue bundle, desperate for anything that would
help me feel closer to my

Novasgardian. This package was longer and thinner than the others, but also
heavier.

I tore into the paper, my heart racing as I thought of what it could be. A
hinged wooden box,

simple and plain. I could picture my Viking carving this by hand. Fingers
trembling, I lifted the lid, a
small gasp escaping at the sight of a sheathed dagger nestled in a bed of
dried flower petals.

Snowdrops. The blade glinted in the light, and the etched Kærasta down the
length of the hilt brought

tears to my eyes for my lost mate. He’d even included a holster so I could
wear it.

I needed him.

Hope fluttered in my heart as soon as my eyes lit on Moira’s gift, though.

She’d said she had

news. Maybe we could get him back sooner rather than later.

I caressed the blade, leaving it in its box for now, and turned my attention to
the final present.

It was the smallest of the boxes, a flat square with a shimmering star on its
surface. As soon as I

opened the paper, glitter exploded into the room, covering Kingston’s
bedspread in silver sparkles.

I cackled.

“Oh, come on.” Kingston protested.

“What, can’t take a little glitter?”

“A little? It looks like my bed is covered in faerie jizz.”

“Do they have glittery jizz?” I laughed.

“I don’t know. I can imagine they do. Fucking pixies leave trails of sparkly
dust everywhere they

go.”
I shook my head, my cheeks sore from smiling. I turned back to the box,
lifting the delicate

bracelet with its leather cords and flat metallic disc. There was some sort of
sigil pressed into the

surface, but I didn’t know what it meant.

“You dropped this,” Kingston said, holding out a small folded piece of
paper.

TO WARN YOU WHEN SOMEONE WHO MEANS YOU HARM IS NEAR.

I slid the bracelet onto my wrist and smiled. “Best. Birthday. Ever.”

“Really?” Kingston asked, sliding his arms around my waist.

“Well, it wasn’t much of a contest, to be honest. I spent most of them alone.

I was lucky if it was

acknowledged. Christmas was the big deal for everyone. It was rarely about
me at all.”

“That sucks.”

I shrugged. “If it means I get this with you all now, I don’t mind.”

“You’ll always have us.”

“Kingston!” His dad’s shout rang through the open door. “It’s time to go.
You wasted all your tour

time doing . . . whatever you two were doing up there.”

Kingston shot me an apologetic look. “Sorry. Raincheck on the tour?”

“Definitely,” I said, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“You sure you’ll be okay on your own?”

I gave him a grin I knew was more wolf than woman. “Of course. I’m
armed now.”

“Oh shit. My sisters don’t stand a chance.”

“Good luck being Alpha for the day.”

“Baby, I’m always the Alpha.”

I raised my brows. “Except when I am.”

“Fuck me. Don’t get me hard before I have to go sit in a car with my dad.
That’s cruel.”

Rising onto my tiptoes, I kissed him. “Later. I promise I’ll take care of
you.”

“You always do.”

Chapte r

Eleven

SUNDAY

Isighed and turned the page of the book I’d been trying to read for the last
half hour. Kingston

had been gone for most of the day, and I’d somehow avoided interacting
with his sisters.

Thank God.

The scents of roasting turkey and herbs filled the air, making my mouth
water despite the stress of

knowing his sisters hated me. My phone let off a soft chime, and I couldn’t
seem to pull it out of my
pocket fast enough. I was praying it was Kingston letting me know he was
on his way back.

In the months since being at Ravenscroft, I’d forgotten how much I hated
solitude. After years

spent on my own, companionship was something my soul craved. Being

mostly ignored for the better

part of a day had brought all those old feelings of abandonment roaring
back to the surface.

My heart lurched the instant I glanced at the screen.

Noah.

Noah: Come outside, dove. Please?

Me: Where? I’m not at Ravenscroft.

Noah: I know that. Come outside.

Was he here? Noah Blackthorne could not be here. Any vampire, but
especially a Blackthorne,

would not be welcome on pack land. Crap. I had to get him out of here
before someone else caught a

whiff of him.

Scrambling off the couch, I let my blanket fall to the floor as I rushed to
grab my boots. In my mad

dash, I completely forgot about a coat or a scarf. The only thing I was
focused on was getting to him.

“Sunday? Are you all right?” Diana called.

Fuck. How did I answer that? Yes? No? My vampire boyfriend was
standing on their property and

about to be Christmas dinner?

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m going to take a walk. Get some fresh air.”

“Okay, sweetie. Have fun, but stick close to the house. It’ll be dark soon.”

I stepped onto the front porch and stared down the long driveway. I couldn’t
see him, which was

good. That meant he was farther away than I anticipated.

Noah: Head toward the gate.

I couldn’t contain my excitement. I was mad at the handsome bastard, but I

needed to see him

nonetheless. Reaching up, I lightly touched the necklace he’d sent me, my
belly fluttering in response.

I had to work to keep my pace even. I didn’t want to look suspicious or like
I was running.

As I rounded the last bit of drive, the gate and Noah came into view. He
looked so handsome

standing there in a peacoat and wool scarf, his dark hair tousled by the
wind. I’d been surrounded by

flannel and denim in the Farrell household—not that I was complaining, the
lumberjack look was hot

—and Noah’s designer clothes cut such a contrast to my rugged wolf.

“Sunday . . .” he began, but his voice faltered as we locked eyes. The hurt
I’d been feeling opened
up as a deep wound in the center of my chest. He didn’t want us.

“What are you doing here, Noah? You weren’t invited.”

Pain flashed in his eyes. “I know. I don’t even deserve your attention, but I
had to see you on your

birthday.”

My heart squeezed, but the wound he’d inflicted cut deep, and I couldn’t let
it go that easily.

“Why?”

“Why? Sunday . . .”

“Yes, Noah. Why. All you do is abandon me. Over and over. I can’t keep
doing this. My whole

life has been filled with people who decided they didn’t want me. Including
you. As much as I love

you, I won’t let you keep leaving me.”

His expression twisted into a snarl. It was a look I’d seen Kingston wear,
but never Noah. “When

the hell did I say I didn’t want you? Every time I’ve had to walk away, it
was to keep you safe, to

protect you.” He reached up and placed a palm over the traitor mark etched
into his skin. “I branded

myself for you. Nothing has changed.”

“Hasn’t it? I told you I was pregnant, and you all but ran in the opposite
direction.”
“Because it will kill you! I’ve killed you. I can’t hardly stand the sight of
myself knowing what

I’ve done to you.”

“What are you talking about? I’m fine. A little nauseated and my boobs
hurt, but I’m not dying.”

“You will. Do you know how rare it is for a hybrid pregnancy to end
happily? The odds aren’t

good. One or both of you will die. ”

The news sent chills down my spine. “Well . . . there’s a chance you aren’t
the father. Also,

technically I am a hybrid, so that has to count for something. Maybe my

mother’s demon blood will

keep us both safe. Did you ever stop to think about that before jumping feet
first into your panic spiral

and leaving me to deal with this on my own?”

“I . . . bloody hell, Sunday. I don’t know. Even if you survive, there’s a fifty
percent chance the

baby is a vampire hybrid. The Council will come for you both.”

My stomach churned. “They can try. They’ll fail.”

“I’m sorry my reaction hurt you. All I saw when you said you were
pregnant was your inevitable

suffering.”

The walls I’d been trying to build between us cracked and fell. “Noah, you
knobhead. Why
couldn’t you use your words and say that in the first place? Then we could
have talked through it and

avoided all of this.”

He raked his hand through the thick, dark locks I loved so much. “I don’t
know. It all went tits up

somewhere along the line. But I want this for us. If there’s a way to keep
you safe, I am all in. I want

you to be the mother of my child and to get the chance to love you every
day.”

I was crying by the time he finished, my heart still tender but whole once
more as I ran the rest of

the way to him and threw my arms around his neck, breathing in the citrusy
scent of him.

Holding me close, he inhaled deeply and murmured my name. “I called my

uncle to arrange for

him and Briar to take care of you and see you through safely.”

“You did?”

Knowing that he’d made arrangements for me even when we hadn’t been
speaking had warmth

unfurling in my belly. Even when I hadn’t realized it, he’d been taking care
of our baby and me. He

never stopped caring.

“It was the first thing I did after you left the clearing.”

I kissed him, telling him with my body what I couldn’t express in my

words. He shuddered in my
arms, and I knew then he’d been feeling as hollow and broken as I had.

“I’m so sorry, dove. I never meant to hurt you. I just couldn’t stand the idea
of losing you.”

I sighed, torn between laughter and more tears. “Next time, say that instead
of the other things,

okay? It’s a lot easier to deal with your panic when I know the real cause of
it.”

He nestled me close, chuckling as his lips brushed my temple. “Done.”

“I knew it. I knew you were a cheating whore.” Noah stiffened as Ophelia’s
voice floated on the

wind to us.

Turning my head, I saw her standing at the bend of the driveway, posture
hostile, eyes hard and

promising retribution. “Phe, you don’t understand.”

“Are you serious? I understand you’re a fucking bitch who is still screwing
my brother over. Is

the baby even his?”

I couldn’t quite control the flicker of guilt her question caused, but before I
could say anything,

she let out a harsh laugh.

“I knew it. I fucking knew it. You let some leech knock you up and decided
to fall back on your

mate bond to save your ass.” She growled as her eyes flashed amber, and a
ripple of her wolf ran
across her skin. I could see it. If she shifted, she’d tear us apart.

“Noah, you need to go.”

“I’m not leaving you to deal with this on your own.”

“She won’t hurt me,” I said through a tight throat. I didn’t believe my own
words. “I’m her

brother’s mate.”

“You’re clearly not his. Not with this vampire’s scent all over you.”

Headlights came up the road, and the sound of Kingston’s deep growl soon
filled the air as he

jumped out of the truck and ran toward us. “Phe, you need to back off.”

“What? You’re taking her side when you don’t even know what she’s
done?”

“She’s my mate. I will always take her side.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. I just watched her dry hump a vampire. She’s
playing you for a

fool, Kingston. She’s playing all of us for fools. How many times are you
going to let this half-breed

insult our family?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I?”

Ronin strode forward. “Stop speaking, Ophelia Belle. He is your Alpha.

You will not disrespect

him.”
“I can’t accept an Alpha who is a willing cuckold.”

“You don’t have a choice. You had your chance to claim your spot, but you
failed. Kingston bested

you. You submitted to him in front of the entire pack when you bared your
throat. Which means you

lost. This tantrum of yours proves why you will always lose. Go back to the
house, and we’ll talk

about this when you aren’t on the verge of an uncontrolled shift.”

Angry tears glistened in Phe’s eyes. She stared at me as though warning me

she’d take me out the

first chance she got.

Kingston pulled me out of Noah’s arms and against his chest as Ronin went
to Phe where she

stood just up the drive. He passed by me, and Phe took a few steps closer,
the disc on my bracelet

warming and setting my nerves on edge.

“She’s marked by the vampire. Look at her neck,” Phe growled. “This isn’t
simply me being

disrespectful. This is her making idiots of us all. Again.”

“She has more than one mate,” Kingston said. “Noah Blackthorne is hers as
well. We’ve both

given her our marks.”

“Impossible,” she breathed, eyes wide.

“Sunday has four mates,” Ronin said, surprising all of us.

“You knew?” Kingston asked.

He gave a tight nod, gaze not shifting off his daughter. “Since she arrived at
Ravenscroft.”

“And you’re okay with it?” Phe pressed.

“Don’t get much of a choice when fate is involved. But I will say this, and
I’ll only say it once.

She is your brother’s mate. Your Alpha’s mate. You will treat them both
with the respect they are due,

or you’ll be sent to live with the pack in Juneau.”

I frowned, glancing up at Kingston. “Juneau?”

“It’s where the banished are sent. The ones beyond help or redemption.”

Nausea made my stomach roll. “Your father would banish her over a
disagreement?”

“You know how packs work, Sunshine—”

“No, actually, I don’t. Ivory tower, remember?”

Kingston shot me an apologetic look. “I’ll explain later.”

Noah stood beside me, posture tense. “I meant no harm and didn’t cross
into pack land. We can

end this here with no bloodshed.”

Ronin and Ophelia both approached our small group slowly and carefully.
Was it just me, or was

this bracelet getting warmer with every step?

“I’m not going to start a war over something as insignificant as you nearly
crossing our border,”

Ronin said.

Noah relaxed even as Phe growled. “Insignificant? You call a vampire

sneaking onto pack land

insignificant?” Her eyes narrowed as she stared at her father. “I don’t even
recognize you right now.”

“He isn’t on pack land. If he’d stepped one foot over the line, we’d be
having a very different

conversation.”

“Make a choice, Sunday. You can stay with us or leave with your leech.”
Phe’s glare was fierce

before she turned and stormed back to the house.

Noah’s hand found mine. “Stay. I’ll see you when you return home.”

I nodded, grateful he’d made it easy on me even when part of me wanted to

go with him. “Thank

you for stopping by to say happy birthday,” I whispered, not feeling

comfortable doing more than

hugging him in front of Ronin.

“Thank you for forgiving me.”

“Stop doing stupid things that require forgiveness,” I muttered, stepping

back from him.

His lips quirked up. “I’ll do my best, but no promises.” He leaned forward
to brush a kiss to my
cheek, his mouth at my ear as he murmured, “Not when making up can be
so much fun.”

Then he disappeared into the trees, my gaze following him until he was
gone.

“Come on, Sunshine. It’s cold out here. Let’s get inside and warm up. It’s
already been a long as

fuck day.” My bracelet was still warm, a steady heat on my wrist as

Kingston looked at his dad. “Go

on ahead. We’ll walk back to the house. We need a minute to reset after
Phe’s hissy fit.”

Ronin nodded and started up the truck again. As he drove away, I had the
distinct feeling someone

was watching me. But with the bracelet still warning me of danger, was it
friend or foe?

Chapte r

Twelve

SUNDAY

Istared down at the seven melting marshmallows as they drifted around on

the surface of my hot

cocoa. God, I didn’t know how to fix this with Kingston’s sisters.
Particularly Phe, who seemed

to be the ringleader of the crew. But honestly, aside from a knock-down,

drag-out fight, I didn’t

think anything but time would heal this wound.

And I was fine with that. Not everyone got along with their in-laws. Things
didn’t have to be all

makeovers and slumber parties between us.

Okay, maybe I wasn’t as fine with that as I wanted to be, but I was trying to
talk myself into it.

As I took another sip of my rapidly cooling cocoa, I spotted the bitchy wolf
in question stomping

through the snow toward the house. Given the way her brows furrowed and
anger sparked in those

green eyes of hers when they locked on me, time to heal wasn’t on the
table. Knock-down, drag-out it

would be. Good thing I’d opted for a braid this morning.

I sat my mug on the little wooden table next to my chair and stood before
striding toward her. If

we were going to fight, I’d rather do it in the open than on the back porch of
the Farrell house.

“Phe, I—”

“Save it, slutbag. I’m not interested in a word you have to say.” She tried to
shoulder past me, but

I caught her by the bicep and swung her back around.

“Be that as it may, you need to hear it. I think it would help with . . . this.”

“You mean the part where you insulted my entire pack when you rejected
my brother and

absolutely destroyed him? Or the part where you continue to humiliate him
when you spread your legs
for other men like a fucking whore? Because excuse me, snowflake, I don’t
think there’s anything you

can say to fix that.”

Hurt sliced straight through me at the truth in everything she said. In her
eyes, me being with four

mates was a slight against her brother, unforgivable, unfaithful. She didn’t
understand our

relationship, and she didn’t have to. But the rest was something I could
apologize for.

“I know I hurt him.”

“You fucking ruined him! He used to be sweet and kind, strong but still
gentle. After you let him

strip down and offer you his bond in front of both of our packs, then turned
him down, we lost him

too. I’ll never get that Kingston back. But the worst part of it all wasn’t that
moment. It was the

OceanofPDF.com
months, years, after.”

“We’ve talked through what happened. Kingston understands why I had to

say no.”

“I don’t fucking care. It doesn’t change what you did. That you broke him.
Do you have any idea

how close we came to losing him for good? Did he tell you about the night
we found him ready to

down a bottle of liquid silver?”

Shock ripped through me. Kingston had told me it was bad, but I hadn’t had
a clue he’d almost

taken his own life to escape the pain that I’d caused. Tears filled my eyes,
and it took more than a few

tries to blink them away.

“I . . . I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t. He’d never tell you, would he? No, he has to appear
strong and fearless

for his precious Sunshine.” She looked me up and down, disgust on her
face. “You don’t deserve

him.”

“You’re right. I don’t. Maybe I never did. But it doesn’t change that he’s
mine now. We belong to

each other, Phe. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make amends for
what I did, but that’s my

cross to bear. You don’t have to like me, but I’m not going anywhere.”
A deep, rumbling growl left her, filling the space between us. A warning.
Her eyes flashed amber

as her wolf threatened to come to the surface. Even if I hadn’t felt the burn
of my bracelet, I still

would have known to brace for conflict.

My muscles tensed, my senses going on high alert as she lunged. She

transitioned from woman to

wolf in one flawless leap, knocking me into the snow as she surged past me.

I fell down in an explosion of snow flurries, too startled to immediately

make sense of the fact she

was racing toward the trees lining the back of their property.

“Phe? Phe, what the hell are you doing?”

I stood up, brushing the icy flakes off my now wet jeans as I stared after
her. The tawny wolf ran

straight for a shadowy figure at the tree line.

“Fuck,” I whispered. “What now?”

Not for the first time, I resented my inability to shift. I’d found my wolf
only to get knocked up and

lose her again. This would be a lot easier if I had fangs and claws at my
disposal. Luckily, I’d

strapped Alek’s gift to my wrist, wanting to keep any piece of him I could
close to me. What had been

a sentimental move that morning now seemed fortuitous.

Reaching for the blade, I caught a slight shifting in the trees out of my
peripheral vision.

A second attacker.

Fuck, Phe was so distracted with her target she didn’t even notice the new
threat. I couldn’t let my

mate’s sister get hurt. She might hate me, and I might not like her very
much, but I had to help her.

“Phe, get down!” I screamed as I threw the dagger with everything I had.

Phe, to her credit, listened and dropped. The blade found purchase in the
shadowy figure’s thigh,

causing him to stumble off the branch he was perched on. Her wide amber
eyes tracked his fall,

which left her open to the first man’s attack. I saw the glint of his sword an
instant before he sliced the

back of her hind leg, her yelp of pain piercing the air.

Fury pumped through me, fueling me with its strength. I started sprinting
toward them, intent on

helping her. I may not have a weapon, or my wolf, but I would still tear a
motherfucker apart if I had

to.

Phe growled, low and menacing, leaping up onto her assailant and biting
deep into his shoulder.

They went down, the force of her attack combined with her weight sending
them both to the ground,
blood staining the newly fallen snow. The unique scent caught my nose, and
I stiffened.

Fae. What the hell are they doing here?

All the air was knocked out of me as I fell to the ground, tackled by the man
I’d hit with my

dagger. He grinned down at me, his eyes cold and filled with loathing.

“Pity I have to take you back with me.”

He pushed off me as I wheezed and tried to catch my breath, little stars still
exploding behind my

eyelids from my skull bashing into the frozen ground. Before I could do
more than curl up into a ball,

he cocked his leg back and kicked me straight in the ribs. There was a
distinctive crack, and I cried

out as pain shot through me.

“Get up,” he growled.

Channeling Kingston, I gritted out, “You’re sending me some mixed

signals, Tamlin.”

He grabbed me by the hair, completely missing that reference as he pulled

me to a standing

position. Nausea curled in my belly as the break in my ribs throbbed.

Oh God, he’s going to take me.

A deep rumble radiated around us, a vibration so strong I felt it in my

bones.

“Bloody fucking hell,” my captor groaned. “Godsdamned wolves.”

He released my hair, giving me a chance to turn my head and see the six
werewolves, including

Phe, as they stood in a menacing semicircle, all ready to tear these fae
bastards to shreds.

“We need to go,” the other fae said. “We can’t face them all.”

“This isn’t over,” he spat, dropping me and making off toward the trees.

The man Phe had taken a bite out of was right behind him, worse for wear
but still alive. I thought

for sure the Farrells would go after the intruders, but all of them circled
around me, even Phe.

Kingston shifted first, not caring at all that he was butt-ass naked in the
snow. His eyes were wild

with panic, his voice filled with tension. “Sunshine, are you all right? Is the
baby hurt?” His hand

trembled as he reached for me, as though he was unsure if it was safe to

touch me.

I needed my mate’s skin on mine. I pressed his hand to my cheek, turning

my head to brush a kiss

to his warm palm. “I think the bastard broke my rib.”

His eyes narrowed, panic replaced by frustration. “What the fuck were you
doing going after him

like that?”

“I couldn’t just leave Phe.”

She walked toward me, back in her human form, totally nude and
unbothered, the slight limp in
her gait and blood streaking her leg the only indication she’d been hurt.
Eyes locked on me, she held

out the dagger I’d thought I’d lost to the fae.

“Here.”

I took it with shaking hands. “Thank you.”

Nodding, she turned away and headed into the house. It wasn’t much, but
that was the first time

she looked at me without hostility banked in her gaze.

The searing heat of my bracelet cooled with each passing second, though it
didn’t diminish

entirely. It probably wouldn’t so long as the fae were near enough for it to
register their presence. My

eyes scanned the trees, trying to seek out any sign of them lying in wait.

The smallest wolf let out a soft whimper.

“It’s okay, Trouble. I don’t think Sunday will mind if you come check her
out for yourself.”

Kingston’s tone was gentle and sweet. I loved the way he was with his little
sister.

Tessa slunk over, making wolfy noises of concern as she sniffed at me and
then nuzzled into my

hip. She offered me one wet lick on the hand Kingston wasn’t holding
before she hurried back to her

mother’s side.
“I called Doc. He’s on his way.” Phe’s voice boomed across the yard. She
stood on the porch

wrapped up in a blanket with a phone in her hand.

“Come on, Sunshine. They’re going to patrol the grounds while I take care
of you.” He scooped

me into his arms as gently as he could, but he still jostled my ribs, and I
cried out. “Sorry, shit. I’m so

fucking sorry. Fuck, Caleb is going to have my balls for this. I promised
him nothing would happen to

you, and then the goddamn ranch gets attacked.”

“I’ll deal with Caleb. This wasn’t your fault.”

He brushed his lips over my cheek, a slight tremor in his words as he said,
“You don’t know what

it means to me . . .”

“What?”

“That you’d defend her after the way she treated you. Thank you.”

“Of course I did. She’s your family, Kingston. And you’re mine. We always
protect our family.”

A soft sniff on the porch told me Phe had caught my words. I lifted my gaze
to hers as she started

to speak.

“Family first. And that means in-laws too.”

I blinked at her retreating form as she went back inside the house.
Well shit . . . I guess that knock-down, drag-out did fix things after all. I just
expected the fight to

be between the two of us rather than a couple of fae assassins. Because that
must have been what they

were . . . and clearly, they’d been here for me.

Crap.

“WELL, EVERYTHING LOOKS JUST FINE,” Doc said in his soft

Southern twang as he wiped the blue

jelly off my skin and took me by the hand, helping me to sit up. “Now let’s
get your arm stitched up.

You’ll have to take off that bracelet so I can get you all cleaned up.”

The disc had been cool since we entered the house, so I nodded and let Doc
unfasten the clasp.

“So . . . the baby’s okay, Doc? Are you sure?” Kingston’s voice had a
wobble to it that hit me

straight in the heart.

Doc smiled with a kindness reserved for kindergarten teachers and

grandparents. “Yes, Alpha.

The baby is perfect. Heartbeat is strong, and the little one is exactly the
right size. I’m seeing
everything I expect to see at this stage.” He patted my knee as he turned
that comforting smile in my

direction. Then he focused on my arm, giving his full attention to the few
stitches I needed. I hadn’t

even realized I’d cut open my forearm. It must’ve happened when I fell, but
there was no denying the

three-inch gash in my skin.

“What the hell is Doc doing here?” Ronin asked as he burst into the room.
“Who’s hurt?”

Kingston tensed from the spot where he’d been hovering like a . . . well,
expectant father. “There

was an attack. Two fae tried to take down Phe and abduct Sunday.”

“On our land?” he said, a snarl slipping into the words.

Kingston nodded.

“I’m only sorry I wasn’t here to see to them myself. Wait until the—” Ronin
blinked, pink tinging

his cheeks as he looked away and stopped himself from whatever he’d been
about to say. “Never you

mind. How’s the pup?”

“Fine. Just fine.” Doc stood, finished with my sutures, his posture tense.
“Sunday too. Shifter

mamas are strong. They may not be able to call on the change, but they heal
just as quick as ever. And

they aren’t prone to the usual ailments of human women, which makes the
pregnancy itself the easy
part. It’s the births that get tricky.”

Kingston stiffened. “Do you think she’s going to have a hard time? Should
we stay here?”

What? Oh, hell no. I could not stay at the Farrell house for seven more
months. “I have to go back

and finish school, Kingston. I can’t just stay here.”

“You should stay. I’ll have a word with the headmistress, get your courses
set up for

correspondence. Make sure you come through this safely. My grandchild

and daughter-in-law are in

danger of more than complications from birth. You were attacked.”

I wanted to point out to Ronin that it was his land I was attacked on and
Ravenscroft was

probably the safest place for me, but that didn’t seem prudent at the
moment. “Um . . .”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Doc said, coming to my rescue. “Truly.

Until the birth is closer,

there’s very little to worry about. And that high falutin’ school of hers is as
fancy as they come. They

can handle anything that comes up between now and then.”

I could have kissed the handsome older man.

“Well, if you’re sure,” Ronin said, not convinced.

“I am. I wouldn’t play fast and loose with our future Alpha’s life.”

“So it’s a boy?” Kingston asked, hope brightening his voice.

“Hey, girls can be Alphas too. Remember?” I said, poking him hard in the
ribs.

“Ouch,” Kingston winced, playfully rubbing his side.

Doc used that moment as an opportunity to get out from under Ronin’s
disapproving stare. “I’d

better see to that daughter of yours. She’s not letting me stitch up her
wound. Stubborn as her mama.”

Diana sighed. “She was waiting for Sunday to be in the clear before letting
you help her. Go on,

she’s in the kitchen with her sisters. Tessa is dutifully putting pressure on
the gash.”

“Good girl. At least someone here has their head on straight.”

As soon as Doc and Diana left, the mood changed, and Ronin leveled his
gaze on Kingston and

me.

“Tell me about the fae,” he ordered, pinning me with a hard stare.

“They came out of the trees. Two of them. They didn’t say much, but it was
clear they meant to

take me.”

He growled. “The absolute fucking nerve. Coming onto our land. Stealing
what’s ours.”

Kingston threaded our fingers as he took the seat next to me on the couch.
“Dad, how did they

even get here?”

“I don’t know, but I intend to find out. I have a call to make. Excuse me.”

Ronin left as quickly as he’d come in. Kingston and I exchanged wary but
amused glances.

“Is he always like that?”

Still staring in the direction his father had gone, Kingston shook his head.
“No. Not even a little.”

“Well, we leave tomorrow. Maybe this has been stressful for him. I know it
has been for me.”

That got Kingston’s attention. He squeezed my hand tight. “I’m sorry about
that, Sunshine. This

was supposed to be a break from all that bullshit. A little bit of happy after
all the crap you’ve been

dealing with.”

I cupped his cheek, giving him a soft kiss. “It was. Honestly. Even the Phe
stuff wasn’t so bad. I

think we cleared the air, and if we’re not exactly friends now, we’re at least
on speaking terms, so

that’s a win, right?”

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Right.”

I hesitated, the other things she said to me echoing in my mind. I looked

away, biting my lip.

“I know that look. What’s on your mind, baby?”

Taking a steadying breath, I steeled myself to broach the subject. “She told
me how bad it was
right after I said no.”

His gaze went hard. “She shouldn’t have told you that.”

“No, she shouldn’t have. You should have.”

“It doesn’t matter now. I’m past it. We’re together.”

“But you were so–”

“Drop it, Sunday.”

That shut me up. But knowing the truth made every single moment we had
together more precious.

I’d never take him for granted again.

“Fine, but if you ever want to talk about it, I’ll listen.”

He looked at me, an odd sort of anxious energy radiating out of him and
making his eyes burn

bright.

“What is it?”

“Don’t tell the guys, okay? I don’t want them to know . . . about all that.”

“Of course not. That’s not my secret to share. And I don’t tell them
everything, you know. Some

stuff is just between us.”

He nodded, looking relieved. Then his signature smirk curled his lips.

“What’s that look for?”

“Wait until I tell them I got to see the baby before they did. Thorne’s gonna
lose his shit.”
“It’s always a competition between you two,” I said with a snort.

“There’s no competition, baby. I always win.”

Chapte r

Thirteen

ALEK

Isat amidst the rubble of my room. After repairing my cell for the third time
in as many days, my

parents finally gave up trying to undo the destruction I’d caused. They
promised that time would

help soothe the creature seething inside of me, but they lied. Time had done
nothing to temper

the storm. If anything, it made it worse. Especially since every time I closed
my eyes, I saw her.

Sunday was there in each breath, each pump of my heart, each thought. But
she was real in my

dreams, which only added to my heartache when I woke. That was when
the berserker was at its

worst. When I opened my eyes to find her lost once again.

Footsteps sounded down the hall, but I didn’t bother looking up. I didn’t
want visitors. Tor and my

parents would stop by at least once a day, but I was through talking to them.
Unless they were going to

let me leave, I wasn’t interested in anything they had to say.

Rage coursed through my veins even now, the beast pushing at the
periphery. If I got out of here,

I’d hurt someone. I knew that. It didn’t stop me from searching for every
opportunity to escape.

They thought keeping me here would teach me control, but I was coming to
realize that the only

way I’d ever feel in control again was to be by my mate’s side.

“Oh, Tiny. It’s worse than I thought.”

I didn’t move from my position on the floor. I’d been seated with my knees
bent, arms draped

over them, gaze locked on the same patch of tile for hours. At my aunt’s
words, I lifted my eyes, but

nothing else.

“Come to see the freak in his cage?”

“Don’t be like that. We’re all trying to help you. You’ve never seen an
uncontrolled berserker.”

“Haven’t I?” I asked with a mocking grin.

“Tiny, this is child’s play compared to the real thing. Trust me, I’ve seen it.
It’s not pretty. You’d

never forgive yourself if you hurt one of them.”

Frustration burned in my throat, constricting the muscles against my will.

“Why are you here,

Quinn? If you’re not going to let me out, then leave me be.”

“That’s exactly why I’m here, actually.”

I snapped my head up, giving her my full attention. “What?”

“I have a solution that will allow us to release you. Would you like that?”

“Yes. I need to get back to her.”

“Then come here where I can get a good look at you.”

I unfolded myself from the floor, muscles groaning in protest at the rapid
shift after being unused

for so long. “What do you need me to do?” I asked once I stood directly in
front of her.

She lifted one of her hands, pressing it against the glass between us.
Instinctively, I matched the

motion until we were both standing with our hands pressed together.

“All I need you to do is think about her.”

That was easy. Sunday existed in my every thought since the moment I first
saw her.

Floating to the surface of my mind like it had been summoned was the
memory of the first time

Sunday’s lips touched mine and the soul-deep connection I’d felt as I healed
her.

“That’s it,” my aunt whispered, her dark purple eyes seeming to ripple like
water as she held my

gaze.

The recollection lost its color, taking on a wine-colored hue as it faded

away to be replaced by
another memory. This time, it was when the runes of my name flared to life
on her arm, marking her as

mine. But just as fast as the moment appeared in my mind, it was cast in
purple, becoming a mist and

disappearing into nothing.

Panic clutched my heart. No. She was taking my Sunny from me. Quinn,
the memory weaver, was

using her powers on me but not to help me, to steal my mate. My berserker
roared to the surface,

trying to fight to keep what little I still had of Sunny, but it was no use.
Memory after memory flashed

in my head, unbidden, unprotected, and at Quinn’s mercy.

“Stop!” I shouted, hitting the glass with my free hand. I tried to tear my
gaze from hers, but she

held me in the thrall of her eyes.

“Don’t fight, Alek. It’ll be over soon.”

“How could you do this? You have no right.”

“I have every right. You are my godson. I swore the day you were born I
would never let any harm

come to you. That includes harm you cause to yourself.”

“My parents would never agree to this.”

“It’s a good thing you won’t remember, so you can’t tell them.”

“Aunt Quinn, please. Don’t do this. I love her. Don’t take her from me.” My
words were a frantic
plea as my berserker rattled at his chains, desperate to break us free of her
mental chokehold.

“She will be your downfall, Alek. I can’t let that happen when there’s
something I can do to stop

it. I’m sorry.”

“I will never forgive you for this.”

“When I’m done, there will be nothing for you to forgive.”

I was helpless against her as one by one, my nights and days with Sunny
vanished into oblivion.

And then, there was nothing. No pain. No heartache. No happiness. I was a

void. Empty. Calm. In

perfect control.

I blinked, feeling like I was coming out of a deep sleep. Confusion settled
over me. “Quinn, what

am I doing in here?”

A tear rolled down her cheek. “You were sick, sweet boy. But you’re better
now. Come on, let’s

get you out of here.”

Chapte r

Fourteen

SUNDAY

Two weeks without Alek

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as I sat in the headmistress’s
office. Again.

“I haven’t even been back a full day, and already I’m in trouble? What did I
do now?” I

muttered.

“Well, you got pregnant and were involved in a fae attack on Farrell land.”

The woman appeared from the shadows like she had melted into them to
hide from my sight.

Tricky.

My throat went tight. She knew? “How did you find out?”

“About the baby or the fae?”

“Both.”

She smirked. “You should know by now there’s not a thing that happens on
this campus of which

I’m not aware. As for the fae situation, Ronin called me personally as soon
as it happened.”

So that’s who he’d run off to call.

“He wanted my personal assurances that I would do everything in my

power to keep you and his

future grandchild safe while you were here. I thought you’d be happy to
know we’re taking this threat

to you seriously and have hired additional staff to join us and lend their
considerable strength to our
own. The last of them will arrive by next week.” She quirked a brow. “Did
you know your father-in-

law was trying to insist on you marrying his son so he could send Farrell
guards here as well?”

My mouth dropped open in shock. “We’re already mated.”

“But a marriage, one where you take his name and pledge to be loyal to him
in front of the old

gods and new ones . . .” Her eyes twinkled with mischief. “Well, that would
be a strong move in the

game of mates and packs.”

“The game of mates and packs,” I repeated, confused by her reference.

“You make it all sound so

political.”

“Of course it is. Everything is about politics and power when the Families
are involved. Please

don’t tell me you are foolish enough to believe that something as whimsical
as love bears any weight

on these sorts of things.”

Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I forced myself not to pick at my

cuticles as nerves

wreaked havoc on my blood pressure. “I can’t do that.”

I couldn’t choose one of them over the other. Noah would be gutted. Not to
mention Alek . . . once

I got him back. As for Caleb . . . well, who even knew what the hell he was
thinking, but I didn’t see
him signing up to be the officiant.

“Oh, I know. What a mess that would be. There’d be bloodshed, sure as the
night is falling.” She

arched an inquisitive brow. “Does that mean Mr. Farrell isn’t the father,
then?”

“I’m . . . not sure.” I hated feeling so helpless, but right on the heels of my
admission came a surge

of righteous anger. “By the way, I took your stupid suppressants, so how the
hell did I get pregnant

anyway?”

She shrugged. She fucking shrugged. “Must’ve been a bad batch. Or, how
do you say it? Fate?

One never knows what’s in store when fate is involved.”

“Convenient excuse.”

She lifted her palms and held them out. “It’s the truth.”

“Easy for the person who didn’t get knocked up to say.”

“About that . . . you should keep it quiet for as long as you can. Especially
since you’re unsure of

the paternity. No need to get the gossip mill going. We don’t need any
territorial pissing matches to

break out.”

“They already know.”

“I don’t doubt it. But they aren’t the only ones affected by your condition.
As a rule, Ravenscroft
does not allow pregnant students to continue their studies.”

“What kind of backward puritanical bullshit is that?”

“It has nothing to do with chastity. It all goes back to politics. Children tip
the scale, especially in

powerful families. Not just between natural enemies such as the wolves and
vampires, but amongst

allies. Everyone here is a target, Mademoiselle Fallon. But if it becomes

public knowledge that you

are carrying Kingston’s child, those who want to take down the Farrell pack
will have him at a

disadvantage. You know he would risk anything to protect his child, even
his life.”

“But it might not be Kin–”

She held up a hand and pinned me with her glare. “For the sake of
everything that hangs in the

balance until you leave Ravenscroft, this child belongs to Mr. Farrell. It
cannot be anyone else’s. Do

you understand? From now on, if you don’t take the step of publicly
solidifying your bond through

marriage, then you must act as though Kingston is your sun and moon or
you will bring down far

worse things upon yourself than a couple of fae.”

My back stiffened. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t want to know, Sunday. Trust me. Do this and protect not only
yourself but that child

you’re carrying. Your mates will understand. It’s all part of the game, non?”

A shiver raced up my spine, and I placed a palm over my lower belly.

“Take this advice. I know you don’t like to listen to anyone, but hear me
now. If you are

discovered to be pregnant, let Kingston take the lead. Let your heart guide
you. Reflect on the

consequences. Then make your choice.”

MARRY KINGSTON? The headmistress’s suggestion rolled around in my

mind as my feet carried me to

the church. I’d let my heart guide me and it had brought me here. To my
confessor. Who better to help

me sort through the complicated tangle of my thoughts?

The sky was a deep pink blended with purples, clouds reflecting the setting
sun and reminding me

of Caleb’s limitations. He wouldn’t be here. But this was the place I felt
closest to him. This was

where he sought solace and comfort.

As I walked down the aisle, my shoes noisy on the stone floor, I let the
comforting scents of my
priest wash over me.

It may not be a true church anymore, but Caleb always left candles burning
so anyone who needed

a quiet place for reflection would feel welcome. I appreciated the small
kindness as I made my way

to the front pew and took a seat, staring up at the crucifix behind the altar.

No one had ever taught me how to pray. I wasn’t even sure there was a God
up there listening to

me. Instead I imagined I was talking to him as I closed my eyes and bowed
my head.

“I don’t know what to do. Everything is such a mess.” My voice shook with
emotion I couldn’t

hold back any longer. “It’s too much. Things I never considered are at my
feet, and I don’t have a

plan. How can I choose to marry Kingston without destroying everyone else
who matters to me? I

didn’t want to choose between them then, and I definitely don’t want to
now. But I don’t want to put

this baby in danger either. How do I keep everyone safe?”

I felt him before he spoke, but I kept my head bowed, my eyes trained on
the tile floor.

“Maybe you should marry him.”

My muscles tensed, and my head snapped up. “You can’t mean that.”

Caleb stood a few feet away from me just beside the altar, his figure cast
mostly in shadow. I
could only just make out the dark glitter of his eyes from here, but there
was no missing the harsh cast

of his expression.

Apparently absence did not, in fact, make the heart grow fonder. This was
not a man filled with

joy now that the woman he secretly loved had returned home. He didn’t
look happy to see me at all.

I’d hoped things would be unchanged between us after I came back from
my visit to the Farrells,

but it seemed like my time away had just allowed Caleb to rebuild that
stupid fucking wall of his. He

was as closed off from me now as he’d ever been.

I hated it.

“Can’t I? You have spent the last few months doing what you want with
who you want. Now

perhaps is the time for you to stop being selfish and do what you should.”

I flinched. I wasn’t sure what was worse, being called selfish—one of my

own personal worst

fears—or him pushing me away again.

“If I’m not mistaken, you participated too. How can you call me selfish
when you were just as

much a part of what we did?”

His jaw tensed, and he took two steps closer, stopping in a pool of
candlelight. My chest ached as
I looked at him. He was so fucking beautiful. How could someone so
angelic be so cruel?

“At least I tried to resist.”

“Why are you acting like this? When I left—”

“Your time away has helped me regain my perspective. There is so much

more at stake than my

wicked desire for you.”

“Love isn’t wicked.”

“Who said anything about love?”

Angry tears sprung to my eyes. “‘She knew he was the one she’d been
waiting for. The one who

would save her from her sad and lonely life. The one to love her for the rest
of her days.’” The words

trembled as I forced them through my tight throat. “And you said . . .”

“‘Aye, that he did.’ But that was a faerie story for a stubborn child who
wouldn’t sleep.”

I rose from the pew, my legs shaking as I closed the distance between us.
“You can lie to yourself

all you want, Caleb, but please, don’t lie to me. Not here. Not after
everything we’ve been through.”

“Leave me, Miss Fallon. The sanctuary is closed to students. Don’t make
me send you to my

office.”

“You always leave the church open.”

“Not to you.”

“You’re a real asshole, Father Gallagher.”

“I know. Now go. Tell your fiancé the happy news.”

That stopped me. I stared hard at him, searching his endlessly blue eyes. “Is
that what this is

about? Jealousy?”

A muscle fluttered in his jaw, but he didn’t answer me. He didn’t need to. I
knew I had him

figured out.

“You don’t need to be jealous, Daddy. You know how much you mean to
me.”

Taking a chance, I lifted onto my toes and pressed my lips to his. He stood
still as a statue for a

full heartbeat before his breath washed over me and he clutched me to him,
returning my kiss with a

vigor I could only describe as desperate.

“Caleb,” I moaned, threading my fingers through the thickness of his hair.

His hands tightened on my arms as he pushed me away with a groan.

“Enough. We have to stop

this, Sunday. I can’t be your secret. It hurts too much.”

“I don’t want you to be a secret.”

“Being yours requires me to give up my post here, and I can’t do that. So I

cannot be yours. Not
the way I want to be. Not the way you deserve. Please, stop torturing me
and let me go.”

The pain in his voice was the thing that broke us apart. It was the ache, the
plea for mercy. I was

ruining this man as surely as he had ruined me.

If I really loved him, I needed to give him space so he could see how our
bond wasn’t just lust. It

was fate.

Before I walked away from him, I looked into his eyes and whispered, “All
right, Caleb. I’ll stay

away—for now. But I’m never going to be able to let you go.”

Chapte r

Fifteen

SUNDAY

Three weeks without Alek

“Ugh, why are these Novasgardians so tricky?” I shoved the book away
from me, frowning at it as

though the thing had done something personally offensive to me.

“I don’t know what you expect from a group of people who fled to protect
themselves. Isn’t

secrecy the name of the game?” Noah asked with a laugh.

“Look, if I wanted logic, I would have invited Caleb.”

His brow quirked. “Well, unlike your priest, I don’t combust in sunlight.”
I glared at him, but there was no heat to it. Glancing up at the clock, I
sighed. “Where is that

witch? She was supposed to meet us here ten minutes ago.”

As if the question summoned her, Moira burst through the library door, a
flurry of snow flying in

behind her, followed by a decidedly rumpled-looking Ash. My little witch

was also waving around a

catcher’s mitt.

“Sorry we’re late! We got a little sidetracked. Happy New Year, you two. I
see you’ve made up.”

Moira flopped into the chair opposite me and waggled her eyebrows.

“What the hell is that for?”

“Oh, this? I did a little studying up on break. I’m no midwife by any means,
but my aunt is. I’m

ready to catch whatever you want to throw at me. Aunt Millie is on standby
to project over whenever

you’re ready to talk through things or if you have any questions.”

I laughed, both touched and amused. “I take it this means you’re planning
on being in the room

during the birth?”

Moira gave me a look. “Duh. Where else would I be?”

Great. Four hulky, broody men—assuming everyone was back where they
were supposed to be by
then—and a tiny powerhouse witch. I might as well just have the baby in
the middle of this library so

the rest of England gets a good look at my hoo-ha too.

Moira booped me on the nose. “Missed you, roomie.”

“You’re cheerful today. What’s wrong with you?” I asked, narrowing my

eyes suspiciously.

“Nothing’s wrong. My girl is on the right side of the pond, and she’s
staying, but the part you

should be interested in is that we come bearing gifts for you.”

“So you found it? A way to help me go to Novasgard?”

“Not quite,” Moira said, deflating a bit. “But it’s the next best thing. I found
a spell that will bring

him back to you.”

I jumped up, knocking my chair over. Noah righted it for me, chuckling
under his breath.

“Great. Let’s go. What are we waiting for?”

“Not so fast, sweet cheeks. I already warned you this kind of magic requires
beaucoup power. It’s

not a whenever we want kind of deal. It requires a celestial event.”

I frowned, dropping back into my seat. “What the hell does that mean?”

Ash shifted in her chair next to Moira. “It means this spell is connected to
the moon and stars. It

needs something to open the portal that’s beyond our realm. A comet,
meteor shower, eclipse.
Something like that.”

“Great. Where are we going to get one of those?”

Noah’s palm rested gently on my knee. “Calm down, dove. Your heart is
hammering so loud it’s

echoing.”

“I can’t just calm down. Alek is gone, he’s hurting, and I can’t do a damn
thing to help him.”

Ash’s warm brown eyes were apologetic. “Well, you can. It’s just going to
take a bit longer than

you’d hoped. There’s a lunar eclipse in five weeks.”

“A month! You want me to wait an entire month—more than a month—just

sitting here on my

ass?”

“Would you rather wait for the next comet to pass by? That’s five years
from now. If we want one

powerful enough.” Moira narrowed her gaze at me and frowned. “Be

grateful we don’t have to do

that, Sunday. You’ve waited this long for him. You can wait five more
weeks.”

I knew she was right. I was acting like a spoiled brat. My emotions were on
a hair trigger these

days. The connection I had to Alek and his berserker, combined with all the
ridiculous pregnancy

hormones raging through me, made my every reaction more intense than it
should be.
“I’m sorry. I just . . . it’s a lot.”

Noah nuzzled my neck and pressed a kiss at the base of my jaw. “It’s all
right. We will get him

back, but in this, you have to be patient. Besides, you heard Caleb, it’ll be
like five days have passed

for Alek, not five weeks. Torture for us, the blink of an eye for him.”

His words were meant to be reassuring, and they were to an extent, but
something in my gut told

me things weren’t going that well for Alek back home. I didn’t know why
exactly, but the connection

between us had kept me on edge ever since he left. If things were all
sunshine and rainbows, wouldn’t

I know it?

“There’s one more thing I need before we can start getting this spell ready,”
Moira said, almost

hesitantly.

“What? I’ll give you anything you need.”

“A piece of him.”

I stared at her like she had lobsters crawling out of her ears. “Excuse me? In
case you haven’t

noticed, there are literally no pieces of him on this plane.”

“It’s like you’ve never watched an episode of CSI in your life.”

“I haven’t.”
“Well, have you ever heard of DNA, cupcake?”

I wrinkled my nose. “You need his blood? Where are we supposed to find
that?”

Moira rolled her eyes like I was a lost cause. “His hair, woman. We need a
single strand of that

long glorious mane of his. He didn’t exactly pack before he took off. I’m
willing to bet he left behind

a hairbrush filled with it.”

“Oh, that’s definitely likely.”

Noah cleared his throat. “We’ve already moved all his belongings to the
shared house. You have

free rein to search his room whenever you wish.”

“I knew I liked you best,” Moira said, winking. “I’m glad you pulled your
head out of your ass

and put on your daddy pants.”

“Daddy pants? No.”

“Hat?”

“Have you ever seen me wear a hat?”

“Mustache?”

“How about a button?”

I didn’t miss the twinkle in her eye. “Done. Babe?” She looked at Ash, who
grinned.
A soft glow lit between her hands, and before I could fully comprehend
what just happened, she

held out a circular button that said Daddy? .

“Very funny,” Noah grumbled, but he took it and immediately pinned it to

his coat.

“Why the question mark?” I asked, still laughing at the hot pink button with
its turquoise font.

“Because unless you make the guys take paternity tests, there are four
possible fathers out there.”

Moira’s words were teasing, but I couldn’t help my flinch. Would it always
be this way? Did they

need to know? Did I?

“I’m this child’s father. No matter what.”

His words made me gasp before I could stop myself. “Really?”

“Yes. I love you. This baby is part of you. So I love this baby. It’s simple
maths.”

“Aw, see? He’s my favorite.” Moira glanced at Ash.

“Speaking of taking care of you two, you skipped breakfast. I won’t allow
you to skip lunch. You

both need your strength.”

I was hungry. Most mornings went by with my head in the toilet these days,
so by lunchtime, I was

ravenous. Today was no exception. “I accept.”

“Bye, babycakes. Have a good lunch. I’ll come by before dinner, and we
can go Viking hunting.”

I waved as we left the two of them chatting softly with each other, heads
close together, fingers

intertwined. Unexpected tears pricked my eyes.

“What is it? What’s wrong, love?”

Noah’s worried voice made me laugh as I caught the teardrop before it

could fall from the corner

of my eye. “She just looks so happy.”

He blinked at me. “And that made you want to cry?”

“Don’t question the pregnant woman.”

He lifted his hands in surrender. “My apologies.” Twining our fingers, he

lifted my knuckles to his

lips and pressed a sweet kiss to them.

“You said something about food?” I asked.

“I did. Let's go.”

We walked out of the library and into the courtyard, stopping to stare up at
the lightly falling

snow. My thoughts drifted to life without him. How detached I’d forced
myself to become from him

while things between us had been tense. Even now, he was here, but we
hadn’t been together.

“Go on, say it,” Noah said.

“Say what?”

“Whatever you’re trying to block out. You promised, no hiding behind your
walls.”

“I just . . . I thought you would’ve come to me after Kingston and I got

home.”

“I thought you would need to rest after your travels. I didn’t want to keep
you up if you needed to

sleep.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s been a week. That excuse might cover the first night,
but what about the rest

of them? Why are you staying away?”

“You haven’t invited me back.”

I jolted. “I hadn’t realized you needed an invitation.”

“Vampire . . . invitation, they do sort of go hand in hand.”

I snickered. “You don’t need an invitation into your own house, Noah.”

“Perhaps not, but I still needed you to ask me to come back. Not just to the
house, but to your bed.

I needed you to tell me I had a place there again. That I was wanted.”

My body went hot and cold, a little shiver racing down my spine. “Oh,
you’re wanted.”

His steps faltered, his smile falling a bit at the edges. “Do you think it's . . .
safe?”

“Safe?”
“With the baby . . .”

His concern both warmed me and annoyed me. Not because he cared—I
loved the proof that we

were important to him. But I didn’t want everyone to treat me like a

breakable doll just because I was

pregnant.

“Listen to me right now, Noah Blackthorne.”

He stopped, turning to face me fully, expression expectant.

“Do not start acting differently around me or treating me like some

precious, fragile thing.”

“But you are precious.”

“You know what I mean. Stop being swoony while I’m annoyed with you.”

He smirked. “I can’t help it.”

“Women have been having babies since the dawn of time. I’m no different.
If you start holding

back in any way, I’m going to resent you for it.”

He wove his hands through my hair, kissing me deeply. “No holding back, I
promise.”

“Good. Now . . . I want you to move in—to the house, to my bed, all of it.
Officially. Right now.

But first, feed me, good sir.”

Forehead pressed against mine, he closed his eyes and breathed in long and
slow. “Fuck, you
smell amazing.”

“So do you. I missed you.”

“And I you, dove. But we are on a mission to get you fed. Shall we?”

Nodding, I let him pull me in the direction of the house . . . our house.

We walked along together, talking about nothing important, but this

moment was everything. It was

right and normal. The only thing keeping me from being blissfully happy
was my missing

Novasgardian.

Noah froze, posture going tense.

“What is it?” After everything we’d been through, I could only imagine
what kind of threat

loomed in the distance.

“Your heartbeat sounds so strange. Like there’s an echo.” His brows

furrowed. “Are you feeling

okay? Any lightheadedness or weakness? Have you been drinking enough

water? Maybe we should

get you to a doctor. Ensure things are progressing the way they are
supposed to be.”

“Noah,” I said with a laugh. “I saw a doctor when I was at Kingston’s, and
everything is fine. I

think maybe you’re just picking up on the baby’s heartbeat.”

“What?” He dropped to his knees right there in the snow, laying his ear
against my lower belly.
“Bloody hell, you’re right. It’s so fast. Is it meant to be so fast?”

The panic in his voice made my heart swell. I glanced around, making sure
no one was nearby as I

threaded my fingers through his hair. “Yes. I think they’re like little
hummingbird heartbeats until

they’re older.”

His expression cleared, and his body visibly relaxed. “Thank fuck.”

“Come on, Daddy Question Mark. You look like you’re in need of a warm
fire and a stiff drink.

Let’s get you inside.”

“I’m the one meant to be taking care of you. Not the other way round.”

“We can take care of each other. That’s what mates are for, right?”

He rose back up and took my face in his hands, his eyes shining with
affection. “Have I told you

lately that I love you, Sunday Fallon?”

I pursed my lips and pretended to consider the question. “Hmm, not that I
can remember.”

His lips feathered over mine. “Then allow me to remedy the situation. I am
desperately in love

with you, dove.”

“Good, because I’m desperately in love with you too.”

We walked up the path to our house, and I smiled to myself. Kingston came
out of the front door,
cocky grin already firmly in place. Until his gaze zeroed in on the button on
Noah’s coat.

“Daddy? He gets to be called Daddy now?”

“Don’t we all?” Noah looked between us with a small frown.

“Not the way I want her to.”

Noah looked at me, silently asking me to explain.

My lips twitched. “Kingston wants to be my daddy. He’s jealous of Caleb.”

“I’m just saying, I’m the Alpha. If anyone gets a status title, it should be
me.”

“And like I said last time, tell Caleb that and see what happens.”

Noah leaned in and whispered, “I don’t need to be your daddy to know

you’re mine. Call me

whatever you want. I’ll still fuck you senseless no matter what.”

“Suddenly I’m hungry for something other than lunch,” I murmured.

“Me too, dove.” Noah looked up at Kingston. “You joining us?”

“I could eat.”

Chapte r

Sixteen

THORNE

The bedroom smelled of fresh cut roses, which sent a wash of pride through
me because I
knew that flower made Sunday think of me. There was also a strong echo of
wolf and

incense, reminding me how easily my absence had been filled by her other
mates.

“Stop that,” she said, reaching up and touching my cheek. “I can hear you.”

I tried for a reassuring smile but could tell I’d missed the mark when her
expression softened.

“You might not have been here, Noah,” she said, gesturing toward the
room, “but you were always

here.” She rested her hand above her heart. “No one replaced you. Even as
upset as I was, I still

missed you. I still wanted you to be here.”

“Stop it, you two. You’ve already made up, and someone promised me a
snack.”

Kingston lifted Sunday and tossed her onto the bed. On instinct, I flinched.
He shouldn’t throw her

around like that. What if something happened?

I stopped myself from saying anything. He wouldn’t put her or the baby at
risk. If anything, he was

the most vocal about how invested he was in this pregnancy. But I couldn’t
help it. My nature was to

protect and worry over the person I was bonded to. If she was gone, I’d
never be okay again.

She held out her hand and locked eyes with me, her perfect cherry red lips
begging for me to kiss
them again. “You’re so far away. Come on.”

Kingston tugged her pants down, no finesse, no seduction, just pure need on
his face. It was such a

sharp contrast to how I would have done it, but seeing the heat bloom in
Sunday’s cheeks and the way

she squirmed eagerly as she worked to help him with his task told me she
enjoyed his rough treatment

as much as she did my methods.

She really was perfect for both—all—of us. I had to assume the reverse was
true as well. Instead

of making me feel redundant, the realization comforted me. Because if

Sunday needed all of us, it

meant I brought something to the table no one else could for her.

“I love you, Noah. I want to touch you.” She arched her back and reached
for me.

“Kingston, help her sit up. I want to savor her before we make her come.”

The wolf cocked a brow from where he had already positioned himself
between her bare thighs.

“I was just about to dive in.”

“I know. But before she goes boneless, I need her naked.”

“Then get over here and do something about it. I’m busy.”

I rolled my eyes. The man had no care for seduction techniques.

Unbuttoning my shirt, I let it drop

to the floor as I joined Sunday on the bed.

“Arms up, dove.”

She was biting down hard on her lip as Kingston licked up her seam, but
her eyes were hot on me.

I moved behind her, lifting her body so she rested against my chest. I
needed as much of her as I could

get. In one fluid motion, I pulled the shirt she wore over her head, baring
that velvet-soft skin and the

hint of a swell in her lower belly. No one else would know if they saw her,
but I did. We did.

Cupping her breasts, I kneaded the tender flesh. “No bra?”

“They don’t fit. I need to get new ones.”

“Don’t. I like this new development,” I murmured, lifting a hand to brush

her hair to one side so

that I could nuzzle and kiss her mark.

Kingston looked up at us from where he’d been making her writhe.

“Pregnancy perks.”

“Are there others?” I asked, genuinely curious.

Kingston shot me a wolfish grin. “Oh yeah. She’s going to be fucking

insatiable in the next few

months. Not quite like her heat, but close. And right now, she tastes like the
most delicious thing

you’ve ever had.”

“I’ll have to put your statement to the test.”

Kingston surprised me by moving. “Be my guest.”

“Don’t trouble yourself. Sunday will help me, won’t you, dove?”

She moaned as Kingston slid his fingers deep inside her. “How?”

“Reach down and finger yourself. Bring me some of your honey to taste.”

Sunday whimpered at the command, her skin turning a rosy pink as arousal
swept through her. She

might claim to be a good girl, but she loved it when we were naughty.

“Fuck,” Kingston groaned as she slid her hand between her legs and dipped
two fingers inside her

core along with his. “Why is this so hot?”

“Don’t question it. Now let her get me my snack.”

She dragged her hand up her body until her fingers found my lips. I sucked
every last bit of her

arousal from the digits, and bloody hell, he was right. She tasted even better
than before.

“I can’t stop thinking how this would feel if it was both of us inside her.
She’s already tight. Fuck,

my dick is so hard, and I haven’t even gotten it wet yet.”

“Both of you?” she asked, voice trembling. “At the same time? Where?”

She shuddered as Kingston pulled his fingers free and toyed with her clit.
“Here, in your perfect

cunt. Or here . . .” From the way she jerked, he’d found her tight little arse.
“Both holes at the same

time, maybe? Oh . . . she loves the sound of that. She’s fucking gushing.”
“Is that right, love? Do you want both of us inside you at the same time?
Filling you up?”

“I don’t . . . I don’t know if I can.”

“We’ll work up to it. Next time, if you’re ready.”

Kingston’s deep, rumbled laugh filled the room. “That’s what the plug is
for, baby.”

Goosebumps broke out over her skin at the suggestion. Her nipples, now
hard and deep red,

beckoned me. Fuck, I wanted to suck on them and make her come just from
that.

“Do you want me to go get it?” he asked.

Sunday’s gaze shot to mine, as if she was afraid to answer.

I stroked her cheek, pressing my lips to her ear. “You can have anything you
want, sweetheart. You

simply have to ask for it. Neither of us will deny you your pleasure.”

“I want it,” she whispered, cheeks flaming, voice dark with need.

Kingston moved away from the bed, heading off toward the closet to pull
out a chest. Taking

advantage of the time alone, I tipped her face up so I could kiss her more
thoroughly while my other

hand drew lazy circles over her clit. I kept my pressure light and teasing,
just enough to drive her

wild without actually giving her what she wanted.

The way her pulse raced, I knew she was already close, but I didn’t want to
rush this. It had been

so long since I’d had her. So long since I’d watched her fall apart. I wanted
to draw it out. Savor it as

long as I could.

“On all fours, Sunshine. This is going to work a lot better if you give me
full access.” Kingston

stood at the foot of the bed, a little pink plug held between his fingers, a
bottle of lube in the other

hand.

I shifted out from behind her, reclining against the pillows and watching as
she got on her hands

and knees. She braced herself over me, her face now teasingly close to my
aching cock.

“Noah, take off your pants.” Her gaze was hot on mine as she told me
exactly what she needed.

I reached for my belt and made quick work of unfastening it as Kingston

settled his weight behind

her. His knees brushed my legs, but I didn’t care. I just wanted Sunday
crying out for both of us.

I wasn’t able to pull my trousers down past my thighs with the way Sunday
was holding herself

above me, but she didn’t seem to mind, her gaze hungry as my heavy length
sprang free.

Her lips parted as a gasp left her, and my focus flicked to Kingston, who, by
the determined
expression on his face, was slowly inserting the plug.

“Oh, God,” she whimpered.

“Look at me, dove. Let me watch you take it.”

“You’re so fucking wet, Sunshine. I can see it dripping down your thighs.”

Those blue eyes of hers locked onto mine. Panic and pleasure raced across
her features. “Noah.”

I reached up and ran my thumb over her lips, their softness almost unreal.
Then she sucked my

thumb into her mouth, and all my restraint flew out the bloody window.

“Fucking hell, I can feel that all the way in my cock,” I groaned. “Put your
mouth to better use,

sweetheart. Suck me off.”

She bent down, wrapping her lips around me, but the change in her position
must have adjusted

the plug because she let out a deep moan, and the vibration sent tingles
racing through me.

I fisted her hair, pulling the dark curtain out of her face so I could watch her
cheeks hollow out.

“Fuck, yes. Just like that. You know what I like.”

The slight scrape of her teeth over my crown had me bucking up, searching
for more.

“Our girl sucks cock like a champ. Look at how deep she’s taking you.
Fuck.”
From the rhythmic motion of his arm, he was wanking himself off rather
than pleasuring her, and

that just wouldn’t do.

“Christ, Kingston, give our girl what she wants. Fuck her so she can come.
I’m not going to last,

and I’ll be damned if I come before she does.”

Sunday’s gaze found mine, and I shuddered with pleasure as she took as
much of me as she could.

At the same time, Kingston slid in hard and deep, jostling her and sending
me sliding down her

throat, all the way to the root. She swallowed instinctively, and I damn near
went cross-eyed at the

sensation. “Jesus wept, dove. Don’t do that, or I’m going to blow inside you
right bloody now.”

She hummed, and I had to pull my hips back as my balls tightened and the
orgasm I’d been fighting

built at the base of my spine.

“Make her come, wolf.” If I’d been in my right mind, I would’ve berated
myself for begging, but I

needed this release more than anything.

Kingston’s hand slipped around her hip and between her legs as he started
pumping into her faster.

With each hard thrust, her tits grazed the tops of my thighs, the brush of her
nipples over my skin

featherlight and sending tingles racing through me.

“She’s gripping my cock like a fucking vise. Are you ready to come all over
my dick, Sunshine?”

In response, she drove her hips back until she let out a strangled groan.
Then, with one hand, she

cupped my balls and squeezed as she sucked me hard and deep.

I could tell she wanted me to come with her, but I didn’t want her mouth.
Gently, I pushed her off

me and up into Kingston’s arms. Once again the shift in position must have
felt amazing because her

eyes rolled back and she moaned.

Kingston wrapped one hand around her throat as he continued to work the
other between her legs.

From this vantage point, I could see the glistening arousal dripping down
her thighs and Kingston’s

cock driving up inside her. The barbells of his piercings glinted in the light
as he moved. She must

like that. She seemed to.

Fuck, I was going to lose it without any more stimulation if I kept watching
them. I reached down

and squeezed the base of my cock to fend off the climax racing to the finish.

Kingston brought his lips to her ear and whispered, “Come for me, baby.” It
wasn’t a command,

but a plea. “Oh, God . . . please.”

Sunday’s eyes caught mine as she came with a loud cry. Kingston fell apart
right behind her.
“Fuck,” he shouted, pumping into her three more times before going still
aside from a few

involuntary twitches as he held her in his arms.

I gave them two seconds at most before I was pulling her on top of me. I
needed to be inside her. I

didn’t care about anything else. “Bring me off inside you,” I growled.

Breathing heavily as she was still coming down from her high, she nodded
and sank down on my

rock-hard length. I could feel Kingston’s cum coating my shaft, easing my

passage, opening her to me.

She rocked her hips, once, twice, a third time, and when she whispered,
“Come for me, Noah,” in

that husky voice of hers, I did. I came with the force of a freight train, my
fingers digging into her hips

as I held her in place.

“Fuck, that’s hot.”

My eyes flew open, finding Kingston standing behind Sunday, watching us.
Our eyes locked, and

there was a spark of appreciation for what we’d done for her. He grinned at
me.

“Our cum is leaking out of her. Looks fucking amazing. Too bad you can’t
see it.”

“I can feel it. That’s even better.”

Interest flickered in his gaze. “Next time, we swap. You blow first.”
She sighed happily and leaned forward until she rested on my chest. “Stop
plotting and start

snuggling.”

“Let’s clean you up first,” Kingston said.

“No. I want to keep you both inside me.”

As though on command, my dick perked right up, already sheathed inside

her. “I’ll stay inside you

for as long as you want me.”

“I always want you. Both.”

Kingston reached forward, his hand disappearing behind her. It only took a
second before I could

feel what he was doing as he twisted the plug inside her. I felt the roll of it
against my cock and

rocked up involuntarily. “Christ, give a guy some warning.”

“What about this, Sunshine? Do you want to keep this inside you?”

Cheeks rosy with pleasure, she groaned. “Maybe just a little longer. I think I
might still be . . .

hungry.”

He slapped her arse and crawled up on the bed, sandwiching her between
us. “Anything you want,

baby. Always.”

Chapte r

Seventeen
CALEB

“F ecking hell.”

I looked up from my book as the clock chimed, signaling the start of a new
hour and reminding me

I was now running late for a meeting with the headmistress. She’d been
even cooler toward me than

usual since everyone returned from the holiday break, her icy demeanor
now resembling that of a

glacier rather than a blizzard.

But tonight was our first official staff meeting of the new year. The five
new professors who’d

arrived to replace those we lost during the demon attacks needed to settle
in, and what better way to

do that than an awkward as arse mixer in the headmistress’ office?

Slamming my book closed, I hurried out of my office, not keen on eliciting

more of Antoinette’s

wrath than necessary. She’d already been on the warpath; no need to draw
her attention my way if it

could be avoided.

My footsteps were silent as I rushed through the halls, but I came to an

unexpected stop as the

heady scent of lilacs washed over me.

Sunday.
I waited in the shadows, like the skulking monster she teased me about
being, until she rounded

the corner. Her skin was damn near glowing, radiant and healthy, and a part
of me couldn’t be prouder

that she was doing so well. The other part resented that she was thriving
without me. Even though our

separation was due to my request and not her own preference.

‘I’m never going to be able to let you go.’ She was the one who said it, but
they were the exact

words lingering in my heart. The ones I could never voice. They opened up
the gnawing pit in my

stomach, a reminder that this separation between us was unnatural. A

wound of my own making, no

matter how necessary.

I knew she was staying away because I asked her to. Still, it would have
been nice to know she

felt the effects of my absence as much as I felt hers.

As Thorne and Kingston came into view, it was easy to see why she hadn’t
noticed me. One

played with the ends of her hair, tickling her neck and making her laugh,
while the other held her hand

and casually ran his thumb along the back. Their easy affection made me
ache for the same.

I’d had seven blissful nights with her before she left. Each one filled with
the intimacy she craved
and the promise of a future I couldn’t give her. It should’ve been enough.
But it wasn’t. Not when I’d

had a taste of the thing I wanted more than anything. Even my godforsaken
soul. Playing house with

her was dangerous. It was why I hadn’t seen her alone again since that night
in the church. I couldn’t

face her. The temptation to give in to her was impossible to resist. The only
way I could keep my

resolve strong was to stay away altogether.

It should have been easier, perhaps, knowing she was well taken care of by
the others. The proof

of their care was staring me in the face. She was happy. Loved.

She didn’t need me.

So why couldn’t I let her go?

As she passed, her head turned toward me, eyes finding mine even in the
darkness. My fecking

heart stuttered. It throbbed painfully, the pulse I hadn’t had as a vampire

until I met her racing

unsteadily. But I couldn’t stay, not when the headmistress was already
waiting on me. I shook my head

as I stepped into the hall and tore my gaze from Sunday’s.

But not before seeing the flicker of pain my leaving caused. So she wasn’t
as unaffected as she

appeared.
My foolish heart clung to the knowledge.

Fool.

We’d only hurt each other in the end. No, that wasn’t right. I’d only hurt
her.

“Father Gallagher, I was just starting to think you weren’t coming.”

I snapped to attention at Antoinette’s dry tone. “You know how needy our
students can be. It’s not

always easy to extract myself from their clutches.”

She raised a mocking brow, not buying my excuse for a second. “Ah yes,
and you are so good

about tending to your flock.”

The back of my neck prickled with unease at her pointed statement. “Can
we get on with this,

then? I am a very busy man and am afraid I don’t have time for parties.”

“What could possibly be more important than meeting your new

colleagues?”

Anything else.

Stepping past the statuesque woman, I entered her domain, an office

disguised as a fecking faerie

land. It reminded me of the story I told Sunday, but that was a fairy tale.
This place was laced with an

air of darkness. Everyone knew not to trust the fae.

She breezed past me, the door shutting behind her with a small wave of her
hand. “Now that
we’re all here, we can begin the festivities. As you may have noticed, there
are some new faces

among our ranks. Before the term gets fully underway, I thought it best to
give you this chance to

mingle and get to know one another. Our greatest allies are here in this
room. We need them now more

than ever. It appears the world is ending. At least, if the demons and the fae
are to be believed.” She

smiled slightly, making the words seem as though they were a joke.

But knowing that she was also part of the Society, I was perhaps the only
other person in the room

to realize she was telling the truth.

My gaze swept the space, catching sight of many familiar faces and a few
new ones. But my

breath caught when there in the corner stood the Seer. The bloody fecking
Seer. What was she doing

here?

Antoinette continued with her speech, but I couldn’t make out the words
over the roar of blood in

my ears. My focus was locked on the prophet standing in the shadows.

Was this some kind of joke? Or worse, a test? Surely it had to be. Why else
would she be here?

Glancing around, it didn’t appear that anyone had noticed her. And then she
stepped forward, and

the headmistress’s words crystalized once more.

“And last but not least, the esteemed Trelawney Sinistra, who will be taking
over for our beloved

Sanderson.”

I jerked. Who the bloody hell were they trying to fool with that load of
shite? It wasn’t even a

good pseudonym. I may be little more than a stodgy professor, but I was up
to date on my pop culture

references, and that wasn’t even an attempt at discretion.

How was she going to teach anyone anything? The Seer only had a voice
when the visions spoke

through her.

“It’s my esteemed pleasure to join you. Though under tragic

circumstances.”

My mouth fell open at the sound of her voice. Sweet and light, like bells.
What in God’s name

was happening?

“Please, mingle and get to know one another. As I said, you are each other’s
allies, and we need

to be a united front if we’re to successfully navigate the remaining months

of this term. We have a

long way to go.”

Voices broke out in cheerful conversation all around me, but I ignored
everyone and beelined

straight for the robed impostor.

“What are you doing here?” I snarled.

She blinked at me, something like panic flickering briefly in her eyes before
she offered me a cool

smile. “My dear Caleb, how nice to see you again. Did you enjoy your
holidays?”

“Who are you? The Seer only talks to share her visions.”

She lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. “Perhaps I simply had nothing
interesting to say.”

“This is a blatant falsehood. You are not her. I’ve been in her presence
enough times to know. If

you think I’ll allow you to get away with stealing her identity, you’re
wrong.”

Her eyes fogged over, arms going slack. “Once upon a time, in a faraway
land filled with faeries

and all manner of wee beasties . . .” I stiffened, ice water flooding my veins
as she continued her

intonation, “The Irish house is calling you, Caleb Gallagher. Your heart is at
home where you worship

Sunday.”

Sweet Christ, it really is her. No one else could possibly know about the
bedtime story I told

Sunday, much less the Irish house. I had to get out of here.

Leaving her side, I made for the door, but Antoinette’s palm on my chest
stopped me.
“Not so fast, Caleb. We have one more topic which must be discussed
before anyone leaves.”

Finding her hard stare with my own, I worked to rein in my frustration.

“Get on with it then. I have

work to do.”

She turned to address the room at large once more, clearing her throat to
silence the bubbling

conversations. “Apologies for the interruption, but . . . well, to be perfectly

frank, we all must clear

the air on one rule I have been too preoccupied to enforce of late. There will
be no fraternization with

students. Although they are all adults and well beyond impressionable ages,
we are still their guides

through this challenging time in their lives. No matter how much we may
feel we connect with them,

please do well to remember this. Immediate expulsion from Ravenscroft

will result for any student or

faculty member caught breaking the rule. No exceptions.”

Her eyes landed on me as she spoke these last words. There was no doubt
who they were

intended for.

My gut churned, but I tamped down the nerves and held myself together. “Is
that all?”

“Yes. Enjoy your night, Caleb.”

I grabbed the handle and began opening the heavy door as Antoinette
whispered in my ear, “From

now on, you will no longer hold private sessions with Mademoiselle Fallon,
and any punishments

will come from me. Are we clear?”

I bared my teeth in a feral smile. “Crystal.”

My heart thundered in my chest as I raced back to my office, fury and fear

creating a potent

cocktail in my gut. It wasn’t until I sat back at my desk, hands shaking as

they cradled my head, that I

finally allowed myself to acknowledge the panic clawing inside me.

She knows.

Chapte r

Eighteen

ALEK

“Iknew I’d find you here.” My brother’s voice rolled over me, catching me
off guard and tearing

me from my lost thoughts.

This wasn’t like me. I was always alert, aware of my surroundings, but
lately my mind drifted,

searching for . . . something.

For the last week, there’d been an inexplicable gnawing at the fringes of my
awareness. As if I’d
lost something important but had absolutely no idea what. It was irritating,
to say the least. An itch I

could not scratch, even if I wanted to.

“What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you, obviously.”

“Well, you found me. Bravo. Now fuck off.”

“One would think you don’t like me, brother.”

“One would be smart.”

Tor didn’t leave, though. The cocky arsehole laughed and sat down next to
me on the bench I’d

claimed. “This has always been your thinking spot. Ever since we were old
enough to be trusted to go

out alone.”

“Even before. Mother was always so angry with me when I’d go missing.”

“You’ve always had a fondness for wandering off where you shouldn’t.
They used to think you’d

grow out of it, but then you proved them wrong when you snuck off to
Ravenscroft, didn’t you?”

“Still pissed about that, are you?”

“Seeing as some girl set off your berserker while you were there, definitely.
I’m itching for a

fight.”
Girl? What girl? A flash of memory—demons, brimstone, and blood—sent
rage tickling the

edges of my mind. “Well, it wasn’t technically stealing your spot when

Cora was the reason I went in

your stead.”

Tor’s expression tightened. The shift wouldn’t have been noticeable to

anyone else, but he was my

twin; I recognized the frustration as well as if it was bubbling up in my gut.

“Ah yes. Technicalities.

Your favorite.”

“Don’t make me turn you into an otter again.”

“You wouldn’t dare. Not after the last time.”

I smirked. “Try me. You were so cute. Especially when that female found
you and decided you

were her mate.”

“Oh, piss off. I swear you grow even more annoying the older we get.”

“Perhaps that stick you like to keep implanted firmly up your arse has
simply gotten bigger.”

We exchanged glares and then grinned in mirror images. These barbed

exchanges have been going

on since we were children. We communicated best when we were taking the

piss out of each other,

but if anyone else ever dared fuck with my brother the way I did, I’d be the
first to stand up for him.
Likely by throwing my fist in the offender’s face. You didn’t fuck with one
twin without calling down

the wrath of the other.

Tor let out a hearty chuckle. “Perhaps. But in all seriousness, you seem
haunted by something. Not

like yourself.”

I shrugged, annoyance scratching beneath my skin. “Ever since returning,

things have felt . . . off. I

can’t put my finger on it. Maybe it’s simply the presence of the berserker.”

Tor frowned at the mention of my new gift. Jealousy always had been his
downfall. “Do you like

it now that you have it under control?”

“The berserker?”

He nodded jerkily.

I looked out at the harbor, watching a few fishing vessels come back in
from their morning

expeditions. “Hard to say. It’s intense. Unsettling. A complete loss of

control combined with absolute

focus. I’ve never really experienced anything like it.”

“I’d think it would be quite handy to have a superpower hiding inside you
that you can pull out

whenever you need.”

“It’s not that easy to turn on and off. Not yet anyway. He just sort of takes
over and doesn’t go
away until the rage runs its course. I’m pretty sure you’d hate it. You
despise being out of control.”

“I don’t know. It sounds pretty great to me.”

I shrugged, looking away from the boats and back to my brother. “Then
perhaps you should be the

one to return to Ravenscroft and see the year to its end.”

His brow furrowed. “What would that accomplish?”

“The attacks on the school awakened my berserker. It stands to reason my

twin would react the

same when threatened. No one would know the difference.”

His eyes, so like mine, glittered with interest. “You would be okay staying
behind?”

I shrugged again, even as something tightened in my gut at the thought of

not returning. “I don’t see

why not. There wasn’t anything special for me there. Maybe Cora’s insights
were pointing toward the

berserker coming out. What else is left for me?”

“If I can convince Finley to open a portal . . .”

I shook my head. “Fin’s not here.”

Disappointment filled his face. He really wanted his chance to leave

Novasgard.

“I suppose you could always use the gateway . . .”

He sat up a little straighter. “It would be a challenge to travel by mortal

means, but if you think it's
important that you not go missing and finish out the terms of your
assignment, that’s a sacrifice I’m

willing to make on your behalf.”

“Oh, you are so noble. On my behalf?” The sarcasm dripped from my

words.

“I’m nothing if not noble.”

I snorted. “I’m glad you buy into your own bullshit. Someone has to.”

He grinned. “If you can’t be your own number one fan . . .”

I laughed. “Your ego is truly limitless. How do you manage to walk through
doorways?”

“The same way you do. Dick first.”

“I guess it does tend to lead the way.”

Standing, the two of us began the trek back home, but I really didn’t feel
any lighter.

“So, brother, are there any girls at this school worth taking for a tumble?
What about the one you

pledged yourself to protect?”

I thought of Moira, but Tor didn’t have the right equipment to give her what
she needed. And the

only other one who came to mind was the valkyrie. Honestly, I hadn’t paid
much attention to any of

the females at Ravenscroft. I frowned. That wasn’t like me at all.

“Not really, but there is a club made for mischief. I’m sure even you could
manage to have a good
time there.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, Iniquity. It’s run by a succubus. Dark corners, private rooms, and
creatures of all kinds

looking for trouble.”

“Intriguing.” He tossed his beefy arm over my shoulder. “Sounds like you
enjoyed your time there

more than you’re letting on.”

My frown deepened. It sounded like exactly the kind of thing I would revel
in, but I couldn’t

recall taking part in anything more than the alcohol. What the hell had
gotten into me? I wasn’t some

celibate priest. I was born for mischief. It was my sacred domain. How had
I forgotten that?

“Maybe that’s why you lost it. Your berserker was sexually frustrated.”

I didn’t feel like I’d gone without. In fact, that was the last thing on my
mind. “I’m not sure.

Perhaps I was just preoccupied with all the demon attacks.”

“Demon attacks? This is the first time you’ve mentioned any demons.”

“Well, if you’re going to go in my stead, I suppose I should share what I

know so you’re prepared

for what you might be walking into.”

Tor’s eyes sparked with excitement. “In that case, brother, let’s take the
long way home.”
Chapte r

Nineteen

SUNDAY

Five weeks without Alek

Iwinced as the sound of Alek’s dresser drawer shutting filled the empty
room. Kingston and

Noah had been fast asleep when I’d slipped out from our bed, but I just
couldn’t sleep. So many

things were missing; too many people were gone.

I couldn’t do anything about Alek, not for a few more weeks, and I didn’t
know how to get Caleb

to change his mind.

Lifting the pilfered hoodie to my nose, I breathed in the scent of my missing

mate, filling my lungs

with the smell of ice and pine. I’d taken to wearing his T-shirts or jackets
whenever I could, replacing

them with a fresh one when the essence of Alek faded. I dreaded the day I
ran out of options.

Hopefully he returned before then.

“What are you doing in here, Sunshine?” Kingston’s voice was low and
warm, with no trace of

jealousy.

I turned, offering a weak smile as I stared at him, leaning against the

doorframe, brows pinched,
shirtless torso on full display.

“Couldn’t sleep. I have a lot on my mind.”

“Do you need me to fuck you to sleep, baby? I wouldn’t complain.”

The offer sent heat cascading down to pool low in my belly, but as tempting
as it was, it wasn’t

what I wanted.

He read the answer in my eyes.

“Missing him?”

I hid the sweatshirt behind my back. “What gave me away?”

He grinned. “It’s not just that, though, is it? You’re missing the other one
too.”

My chest squeezed at the thought of Caleb. “He’s not mine. Not really. Not
like you three are.”

“Fuck that. Yes, he is. There’s just as much chance that baby you’re
carrying is his as it could be

the rest of ours.”

“Playing ‘just the tip’ doesn’t make him mine, Kingston.”

A flash of amber glowed in his gaze before he stalked toward me. “When
are you going to

remember what you are, Sunshine?”

“A demon with a thing for butt stuff?” I tried and failed to make the joke,
but his lips twitched

anyway.
“A wolf. An Alpha. My mate, which means you’re my equal. And I also
like the butt stuff.”

“I’m aware,” I murmured, heat warming my cheeks.

He winked. “Alphas take what they want, Sunshine. So do it. Make him
yours. Stop waiting

around for him to come to you.”

“That’s not how relationships work.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Maybe if you’re a caveman.”

One brow lifted. “I think I’ve proven the value of my caveman qualities
more than once.”

“But this isn’t about you.”

“I know. It’s about you and what you need. You need the priest, and even if
he won’t admit it, he

needs you. We can all sense it.”

“You can?”

“He’s miserable without you. Haven’t you noticed? He’s even more of a
fucking asshole than

usual.”

“I couldn’t tell. He’s been too busy icing me out.”

“Stop allowing him to get away with this half-in, half-out bullshit.”

“I’m not allowing him—”

“By not confronting him, that’s exactly what you’re doing, and you know it.
You’re just too scared

to force the issue.”

The wolf made an excellent point. I was scared. Avoiding the conversation
meant I could go on

pretending everything was fine, that I wasn’t losing him.

With Alek missing and everything going tits up with Noah, my heart
couldn’t take another blow.

Even if things with Noah were mended, Kingston had been my only
constant lately. Who the hell

would have thunk it?

“You know what? You’re right. He needs to make a choice. Me or . . .

whatever the fuck he thinks

he’s protecting.”

“That’s my girl. Did I mention it makes me hard when you let your badass
come out to play?”

I should have taken a moment to let his willingness to share wash over me.
After all, this was

Kingston. Possessive, protective, Lord of the Assholes Kingston. But his

actions were proof positive

our group wasn’t complete without Caleb.

Kingston gripped the nape of my neck and tugged me hard against him.
“Now go get your
wayward priest, but I expect you to get back in bed after. I woke up
spooning Thorne and never want

to do that again. You’re the middle of the sandwich.”

I snorted at the mental image. “Tell me you were the little spoon.”

He growled at me. “When am I ever the little spoon?”

I lifted on my tiptoes, licking him as I whispered. “When I command it,

pet.”

“Jesus, are you trying to kill me? Get out of here before I take you up
against this wall, Sunshine.

Can’t send you off to another man with my cum dripping down your . . .
wait . . . that’s not a bad

idea.”

I backed away slowly, knowing if he made good on his promise, there was
no way I’d make it to

Caleb before the sun came up. “Save that thought, wolf. I have to see my
priest about my impure

thoughts.”

THE CHURCH SMELLED of frankincense and beeswax, lit only by the

multitude of candles placed in

sconces along every wall. I found Caleb immediately. He was standing

behind the altar, his head
bowed low over the holy objects spread out across it. His lips moved in
softly murmured words I

couldn’t make out, and when he finished, his entire body stiffened, nostrils
flaring, eyes snapping

open.

He pinned me with a hard stare, burning straight through me without saying

a single word. I knew

what he wanted as soon as his focus shifted to the pews.

Sit. Be still, he seemed to command.

“Okay, Daddy,” I mouthed, mostly to myself, but Caleb’s sharp inhale told
me he caught it anyway.

Knowing I’d probably already pushed my luck by coming here again and
intruding on his sacred

moment, I moved as quietly as possible as I slipped into the pew he’d

indicated.

Not being Catholic, I had absolutely no idea what he was doing when he
raised a flat white disc

and mouthed something in Latin. There was a certain drama to his

performance as he moved

seamlessly from one part to the next, almost as if he was dancing. It was
oddly intimate, watching him

this way. He looked both peaceful and tortured. Like it hurt him to
participate in this rite, but it hurt

more not to.

When he knelt and bowed his head, I had to fight the urge to suck in a
breath at the beauty of him

giving himself over to his God. I had ruined this for him. I shouldn’t be
here.

Standing, I turned to leave him alone with his principles.

“Where do you think you’re going, Ms. Fallon?” he breathed, his mouth at
my ear, one hand

wrapped around my throat, holding me in place. Despite the strength of his

hold, I couldn’t help but

notice the slight tremor in his grip.

A shiver raced down my spine. God, I was such a romance novel cliché.
“I’m leaving.”

“The hell you are. You interrupted my Mass. You don’t get to leave now
that I’m done.”

I swallowed, loving the way his hand tightened and exerted just a bit more
pressure.

“I can feel your pulse fluttering. Erratic and frantic. Are you afraid of me
now? After everything?”

“I’m lots of things when it comes to you, but afraid isn’t one of them.”

“Oh? Then what are you, Ms. Fallon?”

Horny. Needy. Desperate.

“Angry. Sad. Disappointed.”

“Then we are of the same mind, you and I.”

“What do you have to be angry about?”

“You.” His lips trailed over the line of my throat, teeth lightly grazing my
skin. “The things you

make me crave.”

My breaths came in sharp gasps as his other hand slid around my front,
resting between my

breasts. He had me bound to him, my body pressed tight to his. I could feel
his heavy length against

my ass, and it took everything in me not to roll my hips.

“What do you crave, Father? What can I give you?”

A low groan left him. “I’m so hungry. It’s been so long.”

“How long?”

“Since I’ve fed from a living source? You were the last.”

How can he go so long? Noah needs to feed every few nights.

“Why?”

“Because it is a temptation I cannot give into.”

“But you have to eat.”

“I do. Bagged blood is easy enough to come by.”

“But it isn’t satisfying?”

“No. It’s a bit like drinking water when all you want is the meal right in
front of you.” That tremor

rattled his hand again.

“And I’m the meal?”

He sighed, then pressed his lips to my ear. “You’re a fecking feast.”

“Then feast on me. Take what you need,” I said, reaching back to pull my
hair over my shoulder

and bare my neck.

“Sunday,” he groaned, my name shuddering from his chest.

“I’m giving consent, Caleb. I noticed you didn’t participate in your

sacrament, so let me be your

communion.”

He tightened his grip, a growl rolling through him as he tipped my head

further to the side.

“Heathen.”

But then his teeth pierced my skin, hands holding me fast. I gasped and
whispered his name as he

fed from me, a wash of arousal chasing away any hint of pain. He rolled his
hips into me, and I had

never wanted us to be naked more than I did right then. I was a heathen,
desperate for a priest to

defile me on the same altar where he’d just performed a sacred rite.

“This is my blood, given for you,” I whispered.

His body trembled, his grasp so tight it was hard to draw in a full breath,
but then he pulled away,

his lips feathering over my skin as he responded, “Amen.”

I wanted to melt into him, to let him take me in his arms and hold me close.
But he stepped back,
and I turned around to face him. The expression he met me with was
stormy, my blood tinting his lips

red.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” he murmured.

“Why?”

His gaze held mine, strong and steady. “You know why.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

“Because it’s been forbidden. I’m your professor.”

“You never cared about that before.”

“Yes, I have. You just refuse to listen to me, and I’ve let it slide. But things
have changed. We

can’t keep doing this without risking being caught.”

“Isn’t that what makes it fun?”

A dark laugh left him. “There are many things that make this fun. But I
won’t be able to keep an

eye on you if I’m sacked and sent away because I can’t keep my fucking
hands to myself.” He sighed,

eyes focused on the place he’d bitten me. “Or my fangs. Feck, you taste so
good.”

Hunger and need deepened his voice, making my clit throb in response.
Something had happened

when he fed, a connection, a deepening of the bond we hadn’t yet finalized.

I recognized it for what it
was now. Just like Noah, Caleb needed to claim me.

“You know, if you would just give in to the bond between us, you could
drink from me whenever

you want.”

“I can’t.”

“You won’t. There’s a difference.”

“Saints preserve us, Sunday, you don’t understand what’s at stake.”

“Because you won’t tell me. All you ever say is you can’t. What am I
supposed to do with that,

Caleb? How am I supposed to take it as anything but a rejection? You

obviously want me.” I

emphasized my assertion by reaching forward and giving the erection

tenting his black robe a

squeeze.

He hissed out a breath. “Of course I bloody do. You’re the most tempting
creature on God’s green

earth. That doesn’t mean I can let myself have you. Not when so much is on
the line.”

“What is on the line? Tell me.”

“Your safety, your eternal soul.”

“I’m probably the devil’s daughter. I don’t think my soul is going anywhere
but down.”

His sapphire eyes darkened until they were practically black. “That’s not
true, a stor. Your soul
shines so brightly I can see it even now. You’re pure.”

“Pure?” I snorted. “I think that ship has sailed.”

“Purity isn’t just about chastity. Your heart is good. Mine is black and
empty.”

The despair in his voice cut me apart. “No, it’s not, Caleb. You wouldn’t
care about me the way

you do if that was the case. You wouldn’t care about anything.”

“You’re right. Now leave me be, Miss Fallon. It’s because I care that I’m
rejecting you now.

Nothing good can come from the two of us sharing stolen moments, I swear
to you.”

I didn’t quite manage to hide my flinch as I rested my hands over the slight
swell of my belly.

“Nothing good, huh?”

Pain burned in the backs of his eyes. “You heard me.”

“You’re a coward, Caleb Gallagher. And a fool.”

“Better a coward and a fool than the instrument of your damnation.”

“Maybe I’m already damned.”

“I hope to God that’s not the case. There is redemption for everyone who
asks for it.”

“Even you?”

He gritted his teeth, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “Miracles do happen.”

I held his stare, frustration and anger making my voice hard. “Your God is a
real dick. Why bring

us together, why make us fall in love, only to keep us apart? You speak of
compassion and

forgiveness, but all I see is pain and heartbreak. Is that really the kind of
divine entity you want to

serve?”

“I don’t have a choice. This isn’t something I can pick. I was called to serve
Him.”

“There’s always a choice, Caleb. I may not know a lot about your religion,
but I do know it’s

based on free will. You said you don’t want to be my secret, but you are the
one who’s hiding me. You

can make any choice you want. You just don’t want to choose me.”

“It’s the only thing I want. But it’s also the only thing I can never have.
Leave me, Sunday.”

Despite the harsh bite of his words, there was also an undercurrent that
sounded a lot like a plea.

I didn’t have a response for that. My shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Finally, she gets it.”

I glared at him. “What about the promises you made me? To always take
care of us?”

“I made my promise to Him first.”

And that was it. With one sharp retort, he cut the fragile bond between us
and crushed my still-
beating heart. I let out a strangled noise, a combination of a cry and a
scream. Tears swimming in my

eyes, I turned away from him and walked toward the doors. I had to get out
of here. I would not let

him see me cry over him.

Before I left, I allowed myself one final glance at the man who well and
truly broke me. He knelt

in the middle of the aisle, palms up, face turned heavenward, eyes closed
and expression tortured.

“Are you happy now?” he asked, and I knew the question wasn’t for me.

The pain in his voice was the only thing that kept me from shattering
completely. If it hurt him this

much to send me away, then there was still a chance for us. No one could
deny their heart forever.

I had to believe it. Because the alternative was unbearable.

Chapte r

Twenty

SUNDAY

Eight weeks without Alek

“A re you sure about this?” Noah asked, his voice pitched low as we
watched Moira and Ash set

out seven crystal pillars to create the circle we would need for our spell.

“Sure about bringing Alek home? Uh . . . yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Is it really fair to ask them to perform such powerful and potentially
dangerous magic just so you

can get what you want?”

Guilt instantly wormed its way through me. “Moira promised me it was
safe.”

“Would she tell you anything different knowing how badly you want this?”

My gaze traveled from his face to Moira’s. “No . . .”

“Just remember, he chose to go back to Novasgard. He can choose to return

on his own.”

I hated how right he was, but I grabbed his hand and slid his palm over the
small belly I had just

recently noticed. “Wouldn’t you want me to find you and tell you?”

His expression softened.

“Don’t forget the dreams,” Kingston interjected.

“Dreams?” Noah asked.

“The berserker is getting more insistent. She wakes up a few nights a week,
coated in sweat, eyes

fully black. It’s scary as fuck. She needs to talk to someone who
understands what she’s going

through. If only to learn how to control it.”

“Why didn’t I know about this? I’ve been with you every night too.”

I pushed back the anxious trembling in my gut. “It always seems to happen
while you’re hunting.”
“And you’re sure it’s Alek?”

Kingston snorted. “Of course it’s Alek. He’s the one who hulks out and
goes literally berserk. You

didn’t see his eyes, Thorne. They looked exactly like hers do.”

Noah’s frown deepened. “Just what we need. Something else to worry

about.”

“Stop making her feel like shit, and let’s get the Viking back so we can help
her. She’s better with

all of us. You and I both know it.”

“If that’s the case, why isn’t the priest here? He’s been noticeably absent
lately. Are we just

letting him off the hook?”

“Who says I’m not here, Mr. Blackthorne? I’m never far. It’s my job to keep
an eye on errant

students, and you five are as errant as they come.” Caleb appeared out of
the shadows, climbing the

steps of the observatory to join us on the rooftop. My stupid heart fluttered.

I hadn’t seen him again since that night in the church. My neck tingled with
the memory of his

fangs sinking into my flesh. Before realizing what I was doing, I reached up
to feather my fingers over

the small raised scars where his teeth pierced me. My pulse raced, nipples
tightening to painful

points, and when he caught my eye and I saw the answering heat in his,
desire pooled low in my belly.
He noticed. There was no way he didn’t. And the slight flaring of his
nostrils, the shift in his

posture, that adjustment he made to his stance—crossing his hands in front

of his crotch—all spoke of

unwanted arousal.

Unconsciously, I bit down on my lower lip, swaying toward him, my body

eager to go to its mate.

But no sooner had I taken a step to do just that than Caleb’s eyes hardened,
his expression cold and

detached as he looked away.

It would have gutted me if not for the sweet message I’d discovered in the
journal he’d given me

for my birthday.

Even if we are apart, you’re never far from my thoughts.

The meaning behind those words hit harder after he’d fed from me. I could
only assume his

callousness was his attempt at keeping up appearances. Only last week, an

announcement was made

reiterating the no fraternization policy after a student and professor were

dismissed for breaking it. It

made me wonder how much of his speech the other night was true and how
much a performance to

protect me.

I was nothing to him because I had to be—for both our sakes.

“Come to dole out a punishment, Priest?” Kingston taunted. “We all know
you enjoy that a little

too much.”

“Only if punishment is warranted. Miss Fallon, have you and your

compatriots been up to

something you shouldn’t?”

This was the first he’d spoken directly to me since ordering me to leave him
and not to come

back. I didn’t know what to say. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I
pulled up my big girl

panties. “That depends on what you think I shouldn’t do.”

Challenge sparked in his eyes. “There are many things that fit the bill.”

“Does bringing back a lost student count?”

His brows lifted. “That would depend on whether it was against his will, I
suppose.”

“Well, last I checked, witchcraft was encouraged at Ravenscroft, so

regardless of the particulars,

I’m confident we haven’t broken any rules.”

“Yet.”

“Come on, Daddy Gallagher, let her be. We’re going to bring back her
Viking and set the world on

fire. What could possibly go wrong?”

Caleb shot Kingston a death glare that could have turned him to stone if my
priest had been a
warlock. “No. It’s Father Gallagher to you.”

Kingston smirked.

“Just get on with it, but the moment things get out of hand, I’ll be putting a
stop to it. Do you

understand?” Caleb set his firm gaze on me.

I nodded, saved from having to say anything else by Moira’s

announcement.

“Okay, we’re ready. We should start as soon as the eclipse is at its peak,
which will be any

minute now. Sunday, take your place in the center of the circle.”

Caleb snatched my wrist. “You’re not setting foot in that circle.”

I may not be able to shift, but my wolf was close to the surface as I snarled
and tugged my arm

free. “Try and stop me.”

“God, it makes me hard when she goes all Alpha like that,” Kingston said
to Noah, making no

effort to hide the fact that he was adjusting himself.

I couldn’t lie; the sight sent a zing of arousal through me, but I didn’t say a
word as I stepped into

the circle, Caleb seething as he watched.

Moira and Ash were wearing matching T-shirts that said ‘Witch, please.’
The sight made me smile

just like it had the first time I’d noticed. Those two were adorable. Moira
might pretend to be prickly,
but seeing her with the person she loved proved how much of a softy she
was.

“Is this going to hurt?” I asked, unable to keep the fear from my voice.

Ash shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Maybe.” Moira’s forehead had that little worry line she worked so hard to
glamour away all the

time.

Shit.

“Just make sure not to cross the boundary once we start the spell,” Ash
warned. “You’re the

anchor. Everything hinges on you.”

“Why am I the anchor again?”

Moira tickled me, running her fingers along the runes proclaiming Alek’s
name. “Because of this,

sweet cheeks. You’re magically tied to him. It’s the strongest connection we
have between our two

realms.”

“I thought his hair was?”

“His hair was the conduit. You are the thing that will pull him back.”

It all sounded like a bunch of witchy nonsense to me, but they were the
experts. “Okay then.”

“Sunday, I don’t think this is—” Caleb began, coming toward me, but Noah
stopped him with a
palm across his chest.

“Stay back, or I’ll make you.”

Caleb sneered at him. “As if you could, Blackthorne.”

“Now, now, if it’s a dick measuring contest you want, you should both
know Jake and I have you

beat by several inches. Stop wasting her fucking time.”

I wanted to volley something about Alek and how he had them all beat, but
the clouds parted,

revealing a moon so full and bright I had to blink against the glow.

“It’s time.” Moira’s voice was reverent and serious.

“Don’t we need to wait until it reaches totality?”

“Nope. Just for it to turn red. Now get into place, or you’re going to miss
your chance.”

I scurried to obey, not keen on the idea of waiting another couple of years to
get a second chance.

A baby bump was one thing; a full-fledged toddler would be far more
complicated to explain.

Especially if he ended up a blond-haired, blue-eyed demigod.

“Okay. I’m ready.”

Ash and Moira linked hands, and my eyes bounced between them to the
three men standing

shoulder to shoulder a few feet away. They couldn’t look more different.
Kingston seemed like he
wanted a bucket of popcorn, Noah appeared seconds away from vomiting,
and from the apprehension

in Caleb’s eyes, it was obvious he wanted to throw me over his shoulder

and run for the hills.

Soft female voices began murmuring in unison, their words barely

discernible over the immediate

hum that took up residence in my head. It was unsettling, reminding me of a

cat when you rubbed its

fur the wrong way. Then the hum built and spread across my skin, lifting
the hairs on the back of my

neck as the air seemed to sizzle.

I had to blink as the air rippled and swayed in front of me. Faint lights
shimmered, almost

invisible to the naked eye, and it was as if I was witnessing my very own
Aurora show as the colors

blossomed in the sky.

My arm burned where the runes were magically inked into my skin, and the
tightness in my chest

intensified as my connection to Alek pulled taut, feeling like a string just

about to break. Since I

hadn’t felt anything from Alek outside my dreams, the return of our bond
flooded me with hope.

It’s working.

I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it or not, but I swore I saw his ice-blue eyes
glowing in the mist.
“Alek.” I whispered his name, hope taking flight after being caged for so
long.

Voices echoed in my mind, sounding like they were speaking directly to me.

“Now’s your chance, brother.”

“Are you sure?”

“Go. You need to finish the mission.”

“Holy shit, there really are two of them,” Kingston whispered.

“Sunday, he needs to hurry. I can’t hold it open much longer.” Ash’s voice
was strained, but I

didn’t dare look away from the growing doorway between realms.

Alek and Tor—it had to be Tor—stood together in the snow. They were
identical aside from one

having his mane flowing free and the other’s was pulled up and away from
his startlingly handsome

face.

But everything else, the icy gaze, the well-groomed beards—even the
chiseled cheekbones and

sculpted brows were the same. Beautiful. Deadly. Powerful.

My gaze was pulled to the twin with the bun, but it was the one with his
golden hair spilling down

his back that stepped forward, his image clarifying and sharpening with
each step.

My lungs seized as adrenaline sent my pulse skyrocketing.

And then he was right there, standing in front of me. Whole. Safe. Real.

“Alek!”

I sprang forward, jumping up and wrapping my legs around his waist and
kissing him without

giving him a chance to do or say anything else.

He caught me in his arms, his hands grasping me by my ass and giving an

appreciative squeeze. It

took a second for his lips to move beneath mine, but I assumed that was
only because I’d caught him

off guard.

“No one exceptional, my arse.”

His voice was unfamiliar. Deeper perhaps, more gravelly. I let that thought
flicker in my mind but

pushed it away the moment his lips claimed mine again.

The change of pressure in the air was my only sign something had shifted
behind us. I glanced to

where the portal had been, only to find it back to normal. All that was left to
remind us of what we’d

done was the remnants of the circle Moira and Ash had set.

“Bloody fucking hell, Moira,” Noah ground out, his voice tight with worry.

It was enough to tear my attention away from the Viking in my arms. I

turned Noah’s way, my eyes

widening when I spotted Moira on the ground, blood dripping from her
nose. Ash was faring little
better, her skin chalky and tinged almost gray.

“I’m fine. Leave me alone, bloodsucker. The buffet is closed.”

“As if that’s what I’m interested in.”

“I see you eyeing me.” She tried to get to her feet but stumbled, Noah
rushing to her side in an

instant. “No sampling the goods, Blackthorne.”

He rolled his eyes as he righted her. “Witches taste like shite.”

“Tell that to your ancestors.”

“I have a more discerning palette.”

She laughed, but it was a rough, grating sound. Like she was having trouble
breathing.

“Moira, are you okay?” I asked, loathe to leave the protective circle of
Alek’s arms but genuinely

concerned for my best friend.

“Fine. Fine. Just don’t ask me to do that again for another decade or so. I
think it might kill me.”

My stomach twisted at the pain in her voice. She’d hurt herself to get me
what I wanted. Alek’s

hands gripped my waist, holding me close as though he sensed I was going

to leave.

“I can see the worry on your face, babycakes. I’m stronger than I look.”

“Don’t worry, Sunday. I’ll take care of her. You have other things to see to,”
Ash said, taking
Noah’s place beside her girlfriend.

As she and Ash came closer, holding each other tight, something inside me
eased. They had each

other. They’d be okay. I had to trust them.

“You good, Viking?” Kingston’s question held a note of tension.

“Of course.”

“You smell weird.”

“And you smell like a wet dog who hasn’t had a bath in a fortnight.”

Kingston’s eyes narrowed. “You’re just lucky our girl is in your arms. After
the shit you pulled

last time I saw you, you should be grateful I’m not welcoming you home
with a fist to the face.”

Alek’s expression turned thunderous. I would have sworn I heard an

answering rumble rolling in

the distance. “I dare you to try, wolf.”

“Sunday, take a step back,” Caleb growled.

“What?”

“Take a step back right bloody now, you insolent girl. Do as you’re told.”

Now there was a mixture of anger and fear in his voice, and I couldn’t bring
myself to question

him further. I extricated myself from Alek’s arms. It wasn’t easy with the
way they tightened as soon
as I tried, but his attention shifted as Caleb approached. My priest had me
behind him in a flash.

“You’re a danger to her.”

“Caleb, stop it.”

“He’s a berserker. He can’t be trusted.”

I shoved Caleb out of the way. “Yes, he can. Alek would never hurt me.
He’s my mate.”

Alek stiffened, his back going straight as an arrow.

“I don’t know, Sunshine. His scent has something new in it. Less snow,
more storm. And . . .

ozone?”

Alek’s brows rose as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. “There’s a
simple explanation for

all of this.”

“Enlighten us,” Noah said, his voice a dangerous snarl as he joined the
others.

“I’ve been away. It’s only natural the time spent in my homeland has left a
mark. Things will go

back to normal soon. You didn’t know me when I first arrived. Novasgard
clings to you for a while.

The same goes for this plane. You should have seen the looks my father got
when he’d come back

from a trip to Manna-Heim.”

“Manna-Heim?” Kingston asked.

“Earth, the home of man. Also called Midgard.” Caleb’s tone held the
weight of a put-upon

professor.

“Oh, like from the Marvel movies.”

Alek groaned. “Leave those out of this.”

The suspicious glances my mates cast Alek’s way abated, but only just.
There was a definite

hardness lingering in Caleb’s dark eyes. And Kingston seemed like he was
about to fight it out first

and ask questions later. Noah was tense too, his body tight and ready to
pounce at the first sign of

trouble.

I needed to put a stop to this.

“I’m not in the mood for another dick swinging contest.”

“Come on, dove. Let’s get you home. It’s the middle of the night, and
you’re fucking exhausted. I

can sense it,” Noah said, shifting into his caretaker role.

“You guys go ahead. Alek hasn’t seen the new place yet. I’ll give him the
tour. It will give us

some time to catch up.”

I silently pleaded with them all to understand. It had been months. My body
craved him. My soul

was starved for him. I needed a little time where it was just the two of us.
“I don’t know if that’s—”

The stare I gave Kingston could have turned him into ashes on the spot if I
had it my way. “We

will be fine. Alek isn’t a threat.”

“I would never hurt a woman.” Alek’s gaze traveled down my body. It

wasn’t a possessive look,

but it was appreciative.

Warmth unfurled low in my belly as I took Alek’s large hand in mine.

“Come on, there’s a big bed

with your name on it back at the house. We brought all your things from the
dorm there.”

“My things?”

“Is that a problem? Would you rather go back to a dorm with a single bed
you barely fit on?”

He gave me another one of those sweeping glances, his lips curling up with
familiar mischief. “I

think I’d rather stay with you.”

“That can be arranged.”

He let me lead him back toward the house, his palm somehow not fitting
quite right with mine.

We’d get through this little bump in the road. Back to the Sunday and Alek
we’d been. We had to . . . I

still had my little secret to share, but not until we were comfortable with
each other again.
It would just take a little time, and now that he was back, we had some. At
least . . . a few weeks

until there would be no more hiding my condition even if I wanted to.

The house came into view, and I gave Alek a big smile, drawing him
toward the door. “Welcome

home, elskan mín. We—I—missed you.”

His shoulders stiffened as he stepped over the threshold. Then he took a

deep breath and looked

around. “Ah, it’s good to be home.”

Chapte r

Twenty-One

SUNDAY

“A nd here’s your room.” I opened the door, forcing myself not to look over
my shoulder at the

hulking Viking male behind me as I entered his space.

My heart was in my throat as I strode to the corner and ran my fingers over
the leather wingback

chair I’d asked Kingston to steal from the library. A memento from Alek’s
special quiet place,

something to make his room feel more like home. And, of course, remind
him of the same spot we’d

first truly come together.

“I thought you might like this,” I said, sitting on the supple leather and
bringing my focus to his.
His brows rose. “A chair? Yes, it’s very nice.”

That was it. Not a flicker of recognition in his gaze. My heart dropped.
Maybe I’d misread its

importance to him, accidentally projecting my own sentimental views onto

it.

Clearing my throat, I stood and gestured to the rest of the room. “Well, what
do you think?”

He glanced around, the room dwarfed by his size. I’d forgotten how big he
was. There was no

hiding from him here. Nowhere I could stand where I wasn’t within an
arm’s length of him. But even

so, I still felt an entire world away.

“Do we not share a bed?”

“We can.”

“But you’re my mate. You should never be without me. Always within
reach.” His features

twisted with absolute confusion. “Why would we have separate rooms?”

“Well, it’s just that it can get a bit crowded. And I thought you might
appreciate having a place

that was just yours. In case you needed space.”

“Why would I want space?”

His words sounded off, as though he was leading me into a trap. I stepped
closer to him. “Things

are changing for us. So many things.” I swallowed.

Now was the time. I needed to tell him.

“Alek . . . elskan mín . . .”

I waited for his response. For him to reassure me and call me his beloved.
He didn’t—hadn’t

since he’d returned. The lack of his endearment for me hadn’t registered
until now, but its absence

was all I could think about. It felt significant.

“What is it?”

I stared into his eyes, eyes that seemed different from my memories, but I
steeled myself against

the unease raging inside me. Grabbing his hand, I pressed his palm to my
slightly swollen middle.

“I’m pregnant.”

All color drained from his face. His hand twitched once before he sucked in
a sharp gasp and

backed away as though I’d bitten him. “No. This cannot be.”

Not him too. Alek was supposed to be Team Pro-Baby, like Kingston. I
blinked, feeling as though

he’d slapped me. “Trust me, it is.”

He spun away, raking his hands through his long mane as he started pacing
back and forth,

muttering to himself. “What the fuck game is he playing? Heimdall’s

shriveled dick, he’s always been
irresponsible, but a mate? A child? I cannot keep up this charade. I won’t.
This is beyond mischief.

This is insanity. Toying with her emotions like this? She’s an innocent. She
doesn’t deserve to be

played with.”

As the tirade continued, his voice grew louder until he was practically
bellowing with rage. The

longer he spoke, the harder it was to deny the voice in the back of my mind
screaming at me that

something was very wrong.

“Take off your shirt,” I demanded, my voice strong even though my heart
was broken.

“Pardon?”

“You heard me. Take off your shirt. Right now.”

Panic flickered in his eyes. “Why? Are you that desperate for it?”

My body hummed as anger took over for the heartbreak. I needed the truth,
and I needed it right

the fuck then.

“Take. It. Off.”

“No,” he said mulishly, crossing his arms over his chest like that would stop
me.

Clearly he wasn’t familiar with hormonally charged pregnant women. That

shirt was coming off,

and I was getting my answers.

I stepped forward, gripping a piece of the cotton and yanking it back,
tearing the garment in two.

He gaped, looking down at his exposed torso. His exposed, unmarked torso.

The Norse runes were nowhere to be found.

“Tor,” I whispered, his name little more than a growl.

“I see my reputation precedes me.”

The rage I’d been barely controlling took over, and I wrapped my hand
around his throat, strength

I shouldn’t possess coursing through me. “What did you do to Alek?”

His eyes widened, hands lifting to peel my fingers back, his strength easily
matching my own as

he pulled free. “I didn’t do anything. It was his idea.”

“What?” That one word was nothing more than a shattered sound. Barely
intelligible.

“I wouldn’t have agreed had I known what he’d left behind. He told me
there was nothing here for

him. No one of importance.”

That was it. I was done. I collapsed to the floor, my body trembling with the
aftershocks of what

he’d revealed. I’d never known pain like this. Not even when Noah had left
me. This was worse. So

much worse.

I was spiraling out of control, my pain bleeding into fury.

Tor reached for me, looking conflicted. I slapped his hand away with bone-
snapping force, and he

grunted in pain.

“Get away from me.”

His eyes met mine, and they went wide with shock at whatever he found
there. “Berserker,” he

whispered. “It can’t be.”

Reaching behind me, I grasped the leg of the chair I’d so lovingly arranged
for his twin and hurled

it at Tor’s head, hating this impostor with every fiber of my being. The chair
crashed into the wall,

splintering and breaking as Tor dropped to avoid impact.

“Get out!”

It was the last I could manage as my vision turned red and my rage
consumed me.

Chapte r

Twenty-Two

KINGSTON

Sunday’s scent filled the shower stall as I rinsed the shampoo from my hair.
So sue me, I liked

smelling like my mate. Especially when she was alone with another of her
men. The hot water

hit my back, easing muscles that had been holding tension all night.
Watching her put herself in
harm’s way to get Alek back had been one of the hardest things I’d done
lately. But now the last of our

group had returned, and all should have been right in Sunday’s world. She
finally had us all in one

place again.

As if wanting to prove to me what a fucking naive fool I was, fate chose

that moment to slap me

upside the head.

Sunday’s sudden grief cut through me like a knife, making me cry out in
surprise and throw my

palms against the tiles to keep from falling to my knees. Suds continued to
trickle down my neck and

shoulders as the steamy water sprayed over me, but I couldn’t feel its heat,
only her mounting fury.

Something was wrong. Already.

“Motherfucker,” I muttered, stepping out of the shower and snagging a

towel as I made a mad dash

for the woman I treasured more than anything.

I burst through the door, not wasting time on stupid things like manners.
“Sunshine!” She was

curled up on the floor, hair in her face, tears streaming down her cheeks, her
lips curled back in a

savage snarl.

“What the fuck did you do?” I asked, grasping the Novasgardian by his
collar and slamming him
back against the wall.

He shoved me away. “Nothing. She’s gone mad.”

I got in his face, growling low in my throat. “Say that again, and I’ll make
sure you never utter

another word.”

“He took Alek’s place,” Sunday said, her voice low and menacing.

“So you’re the twin. I knew you smelled different.”

“He didn’t tell me he had someone waiting for him.”

Sunday growled, pushing herself to her feet, and flinging herself at Tor.

I spun, intercepting her in the air and pulling her away from him. With the
rage she was pumping

out, I couldn’t be sure she’d leave the guy standing, let alone alive. She was
pissed now, but she’d

regret killing her mate’s brother once she calmed down. I couldn’t let her do
something she’d regret.

“Let go of me!” she screeched, her unnatural strength causing her to nearly
break free of my hold.

“Stop, mate. You will listen to your Alpha.” My voice was hard and cool,
immovable.

She continued to squirm, but I could feel the resistance seeping out of her.
Her wolf couldn’t help

the instinctive need to submit, even though the part of her that was
berserker fought against it.

“He’s keeping Alek from me.”

“Alek sent me in his place. I’ve done nothing.”

“He wouldn’t do that,” she shot back, but I could hear the doubt in her
voice and see the slight

quiver of her lip. Once again a tidal wave of her pain washed through me.

“Quiet your thoughts, Sunshine. Look at me.” She met my gaze, and I
pressed our foreheads

together. Softly, I hummed the melody of the song I’d come to associate
with her. The sound caught her

ear if the slight relaxation of her muscles told me anything.

She was coming back to me. With each note the black bled from her eyes
until they were a

sparkling ocean blue once more.

“Kingston,” she whispered, her voice broken. “Why would he do this? Why
would he leave me?”

“He doesn’t know about the child,” Tor said, his words soft. “He’d never
stay away if he knew.”

“So let's go tell him,” I said, ignoring the implication that if there wasn’t a
child, Alek would still

have stayed away from Sunday. If you had told me I would be the one
championing the mission to hunt

down the other men my mate loved, I’d have laughed my ass off. But here I
was, trying to keep the rest

of these fuckers in line. I was a regular Mary fucking Poppins. Chim-chim-

cher-ee, motherfuckers.

“It’s not that easy.”

“You managed to worm your way in even though it was supposed to be
Alek. Seemed easy enough

for you. That spell was supposed to be a one-way ticket on the Sunshine
express. Non-transferable.

Seems to me like you can make it happen. How about you give it the old
college try before I make

good on my offer to tear out your vocal cords?”

Tor narrowed his eyes, looking like he wanted nothing more than to pull my
spine out through my

asshole. I really hope he tried. I was itching for a fight after finding Sunday
distraught on the floor.

Even now, her tears slid down my chest.

“There is one way . . .”

“Ah, so he can see reason. Good. Keep talking, you Marvel knockoff. I’m
not convinced I

shouldn’t eviscerate you yet.”

“I would rip your heart out before you landed your first blow, you ill-
mannered mutt.”

“It takes one to know one.”

“Next you’re probably going to insult my mother. I should warn you, one
more foul word about my

family, and I’ll be wearing your balls as a necklace.”

“Sexy. You’d probably like having them that close to your face. Remind
you what a real man
looks like.”

“Kingston, stop,” Sunday’s soft command and the hand she rested over my
heart were the only

things that could have stopped me in that moment. I wanted blood, but I’d
settle for anything that took

that haunted look out of her eyes.

“How can we get him back, Viking?” I scooped Sunday into my arms,
cradling her shivering form

close. “She needs him. Her connection to him is what’s causing this
berserker rage. It needs to be

controlled.”

Tor’s nostrils flared as he released a heavy breath. “I have a device in my

possession which will

open up a portal to Novasgard. It’s only good for one use and supposed to
be my ticket home, but

given the state of things here, it might be wise to use it early. If she’s
carrying my brother’s child . . .

if she’s his mate, neither of them will survive being separated long without
going mad.”

“It gets worse?” I asked.

“You don’t want to know how much worse, wolf.”

“Get on with the portaling, then.”

“We should get the others,” Sunday said. “They have to come with us.”
“Thorne is out hunting. He won’t be back till sunup. Can you wait until
morning?”

I glanced down at Sunday’s tear-stained face. Her expression told me

everything I needed to

know. This one thing meant the world to her. I wasn’t the only man in her
life. I knew that. And now

that I’d finally accepted she wanted all of us, I’d be damned if I’d let some
long-haired, bearded

lumbersexual get in the way of what she needed.

“Okay, new plan. I’ll go track down your vampires.”

“How will you find them?”

I shrugged. “Easy. Follow the scent of self-loathing and despair.”

“I know where Caleb is. I can get him. You handle Noah.”

“Are you sure? You look like you could use a nap.”

She glared at me. “You were doing so good right up until the end.”

I grinned before jutting my chin in Tor’s direction. “What are we going to

do with this asshole?”

“I’ll call Moira. She and Ash can babysit him and make sure he doesn’t get
into any more

trouble.”

“I don’t require a sitter.”

“Tough shit,” I said. “My woman says you do.”

“I thought she was my brother’s mate?”

I understood his confusion but didn’t have the energy, let alone the time, to
take on that

explanation. What was I going to say? She has a magic pussy, and we all
get to dick her down real

good? Didn’t see that going over well. Or worse, he might try to join the
party. Fuck that. Four

sausages were enough. There was already an excess. Too many hot dogs,
not enough hot dog buns.

Story of my life.

“It’s a long story, one I don’t have time to explain to someone whose brain
is as puny as yours.

Let’s just leave it at there are four of us and call it a day.”

“Four of you—”

“I said leave it.”

He snapped his mouth closed, but disapproval radiated from every line of
his body.

“Come on, baby. Let’s get you cleaned up, and then we’ll both go on hunts
of our own.”

I set her on her feet, and she smirked as her gaze raked my form. “You
might want to put some

clothes on first.”

Shrugging, I dropped the towel. “Debatable. I run better when I’m naked.”

“You do a lot of things better when you’re naked.”

“Damn right I do.”

Chapte r

Twenty-Three

CALEB

Moriarty’s voice grated on my last nerve as we finished our final circuit of

the witch’s

garden. Night-blooming jasmine filled the air, at once cloying and

delectable, the only

thing that had been able to overpower the memory of the scent of lilacs that
haunted me.

Even when she wasn’t with me, I smelled her. I could taste her honey on my
tongue.

Bloody fecking hell, I could not have an erection right now. Not with this
arse standing next to me

telling me about some variation of spores, mold, and fungus.

“That reminds me, have I told you the one about the mushroom?”

I was going to murder him.

“No,” I gritted out.

“Well, you see, it’s really quite punny. A mushroom walks into a pub, and
when the bartender tries

to shoo him away, he says, ‘but I’m a fun guy.’ Get it? A mushroom is a
fungi.”

His obnoxious wheezing laugh floated on the air. The fool had no clue he
was a single breath

away from death.

I didn’t respond. If I was honest, from one moment to the next, I forgot he
was there because I felt

her. Sunday was near. Her heartbeat matching my own. The lilacs I had
tried so hard to forget

permeated my senses.

As we came around the final bend, she was there, marching our way with a
single-minded

determination I knew spelled trouble for me. She was too damned stubborn
for her own good.

“Father Gallagher, I need to speak with you.”

“It’s a little late for a chat, isn’t it?” Moriarity asked.

“Away with you, you toady fool. Miss Fallon is clearly in a state. As her
adviser, it’s my job to

hear her out. You wouldn’t want to keep me from my duty now, would
you?”

Moriarty gave me a lascivious wink. “Of course not, Father Gallagher. I’ll
leave you to it.”

What the hell was that about?

Unease built in my gut, but I couldn’t let it keep me from seeing to Sunday.

“What’s all this, then?” I asked, forcing myself to keep my distance even
though I wanted nothing

more than to hold her tight and feel her curves against my hardness.

“The man we brought through the portal was Tor, Alek’s twin. I’m going to
Novasgard to bring my
mate back.”

“Why can’t you simply heed the headmistress’s advice and let us go? Marry
the wolf and be done

with it.”

She scowled at me. “You know I’d never put any of you above the others
that way. Marrying

Kingston was never an option unless I could marry all of you.”

My heart lurched at that.

“I want you to come to Novasgard with me.”

“Sunday, I can’t let you do that.”

“You don’t have a say. You stopped having a say when you decided I wasn’t
worth risking your

precious job for.”

I glared at her, even as her blow landed. She had no idea how much it
pained me to deny her—to

deny myself. But everything I did, I did to keep her safe. If I had to make
her believe I didn’t love her,

I would. I could bear her hatred, but not her death. Just the thought of it sent
a chill down my spine,

reminding me that what I wanted didn’t matter. Only the greater good.

“You’re not.” Fuck, those words burned on my tongue like acid. Still I kept
going. “You’re

insolent, stubborn, spoiled rotten, and nothing more than a child.”

“Everyone’s a child to you, grandpa.”

“There you go, proving me right once again.”

“What are you going to do, spank me? Is that what you need, Caleb? You
always feel better after

punishing me. Do you need to bend me over your knee so you can get your
mind right?”

I balled my hands into fists, willing away the hunger that visual caused.
“You will die in

Novasgard if you go. They aren’t welcoming to strangers.”

“I’m not a stranger. I’m their prince’s mate.”

“You can’t go alone.”

“I won’t. And that’s why I asked you to come with me.”

“I couldn’t go even if I wanted to. I have obligations here.”

“More important than me?”

“Yes, Miss Fallon. More important than you. How many times are you
going to make me say it?

Do you enjoy rejection as much as I enjoy punishment? You and your

childish whims do not make the

list of my priorities.”

Hurt flashed in her irises, but she was quick to school her expression. “You
don’t mean that.”

“Don’t I?”
She stared into my eyes, her gaze intent and searching for a glimmer of
fallacy within me. “Fine.

Lie to yourself if you need to. I’m going. When I come back, we’ll continue
this conversation.”

“We won’t. Our time is over.”

For the first time, her expression hardened with genuine anger. “You know,
I was in that room too,

Caleb. I felt the way your hands shook when you touched me. How hot you
burned for me. I felt your

cock weeping with your cum as you came inside me.”

“Enough! Throwing my indiscretions in my face will not get you what you
want. I’m a man. I have

the same weaknesses as the rest of them. You can’t blame me for giving in
when you spread your

thighs so willingly.”

“Maybe not, but I can sure as hell blame you for acting like it never
happened.”

“Because I should have been better! I should never have let myself touch
you. Watch you. Want

you.”

“You can’t help who you love any more than you can deny what you are.”

“Watch me.”

Her lips pressed into a tight line. “That’s your job.”

Turning on my heels, I blurred back to my quarters. I should have felt relief
at my departure, but

my body was still burning with need when I entered my private space.

I leaned against the door, not entirely sure what to do with myself. I was too
on edge, brimming

with emotions I had no right to feel. I was in no state of mind for

atonement, too restless to trust

myself not to go too far.

Needing to quiet my mind, I knelt at the small altar in the corner of my

modest living space,

desperate for some focus, some way to ground myself.

“Give me the strength to resist temptation, to remain steadfastly loyal to my

goal. Remind me of

why I am doing this in the first place. My eternal soul hangs in the balance,
but I am weak. The sins of

the flesh torture me. She torments me. Please guide me on the correct path.
Help me remain virtuous.

Give me what I—”

As if mocking my plea, the door flew open, and Sunday swept into the
room with the full force of

a tempest.

“What do you think—”

“No. You will not deny what’s between us again.”

She began stripping off her clothes, flinging them on the floor without a
word. Fuck me, I couldn’t

have her naked in my chambers for a multitude of reasons. Chief among

them that I was a breath away

from shoving her against the wall and sinking inside her here and now. Was
she a sign from God? Had

He sent her to me?

I chuckled darkly. No. That would be far too easy. She was sent by the devil
himself to tempt me.

“Stop this, right now.”

She met my gaze and peeled her knickers down her legs before sinking to
the floor and assuming

the most sensually submissive pose I’d ever seen.

“I need to be punished, Daddy.”

My knees nearly buckled as all the blood in my body rushed straight to my

hardening dick. As

happened every time she used that name, I became helpless to do anything
but shift into the role. And

if I was honest with myself, I didn’t try to stop it. “Why can’t you simply be
a good girl?”

“I tried that, but all you do is ignore me. Being bad is the only way to get
your attention.”

“Your behavior disappoints me.”

“You disappointed me first. You’re not a very good daddy.”

A growl slipped free as her accusation sliced through me. She wasn’t
wrong, but it still hurt. “My

palm will be raw by the time I’m through giving you what you deserve.”

“Do it. Give it to me. I need it.”

Unable to stop myself, I gripped her by the hair and forced her to look up
from where she’d

trained her gaze on the floor. “Insolent.”

“Yes.”

“Spoiled.”

“Yes.”

“Stubborn.”

“Yes.”

“Mine.”

“Yes, Daddy. Yours.”

A groan ripped from my throat as I bent down and stole a kiss. There was
nothing kind or gentle

about it. It was a claiming. A message. This woman belonged to me. I

would own her. Body. Heart.

Soul.

Everything stopped as my ears picked up the distinct sound of a rapid

heartbeat in the room with

us. Not hers. Not mine. I released her, backing away. There it was, clear and
strong. A reminder of
exactly how I’d failed her already.

A message from God the second I needed it most. A reminder of why I

needed to stay away from

her. Of my true purpose. My redemption.

“Put your fecking clothes on and get out.”

Her eyes widened at my tone, and her resolve cracked. “Caleb . . . this is
what we need. It will

help put everything back into perspective. Make me yours. Remind me who
owns my body.” She

reached for me, but I took three more rapid steps back.

“What I need is for you to leave me. The fuck. Alone.”

Tears pooled in her eyes and my heart splintered. If she didn’t leave right
now, I’d break. I’d pull

her into my arms and make love to her until the sun rose. She could drag me
straight to hell, and I’d

have a smile on my face while we went.

“Now!” I thundered, desperation lending my voice a strength I didn’t

remotely feel.

I needed her to be the one to walk away. I wasn’t strong enough to do it

myself. It had to be her. It

was the only way.

Her body trembled as she gathered her discarded clothes and slowly
dressed. She wouldn’t look

at me. It was the least I deserved.

As she left my quarters, she glanced over her shoulder, heartbreak written
on her face. “I love

you, Caleb. Even when you make me hate you.”

She walked out, shutting the door so gently it was almost worse than if
she’d slammed it. Hating

myself for how low I’d sunk, I picked up my coffee table and hurled it at
the wall. I watched it break

and shatter like the pathetic pieces of my heart.

What was the point of trying to regain my soul when I wouldn’t have her to
complete it in the end?

Chapte r

Twenty-Four

SUNDAY

Isat on the back porch, a mug of cocoa in my hands keeping me warm as I

stared blankly at the

falling snow. I hadn’t trusted my instincts when Tor had walked through the
portal. I should

have. There’d been something off about him from moment one. And Alek
had been right there.

So close. Within reach. Why didn’t he want to come back?

“You don’t look very happy for someone who’s about to go get her mate
back,” Tor said, joining

me.
It hurt to look at him now that I knew the truth. For all that he was a mirror
image, it was easy to

spot the subtle differences in their appearance. Tor raised his left eyebrow
instead of his right. And

there was a golden freckle in his eye that Alek didn’t have. He also had a
small scar right along his

cheekbone. All small things, but when taken together they couldn’t be
ignored.

“I can’t believe I didn’t see you weren’t him.”

He shrugged; the slight movement from such a large frame made the bench
wobble. “We spent our

lives pretending to be one another. Even our parents had trouble telling us
apart most days. Father

used to threaten us with tattoos just so he’d know which of us needed

punishment.”

“Well, I guess that makes me feel a little better.”

He offered me a smile. “That was the point.”

“How’d you get that scar?” I pointed to his cheek, trying to distract myself
from the guilt I

couldn’t escape.

“Alek. We were no more than seven at the time. Our baby sister Astrid had
just been born, and the

two of us had been acting out. He threw a rock at my face.”

“Why would he do that?”

Tor’s lips twitched. “Because I called him Alistair. He hates his middle
name, even though he

was named for a famous mage.”

I snorted. “Ah, so he was having one of his temper tantrums. That sounds
like something he would

do. Your mother is a healer, right? So why didn’t she fix it?”

Tor settled back, his hands folded over his flat stomach. “My father told her
scars add character.

And it would be a good reminder that I needed to be more vigilant. Though,

truth be told, I think he

just wanted a way to tell us apart.”

“Your father seems a little . . . intense.”

“That’s the berserker. He’s not so bad once you get to know him. You’ll see
once you meet him.

He’s firm but fair. He’ll do right by you and the babe.”

The mention of the baby, of doing right by us, had fear creeping up and
taking over. Things I

hadn’t given voice to finally took center stage. “I’m not sure I should go.”

“Why? You’re carrying my brother’s child. Of course you should go. He

needs to know.”

“Alek chose to stay in Novasgard. If our bond was as strong as I thought,

why wouldn’t he jump at

the chance to come back to me? I don’t understand what happened to keep
him there.”
Tor’s jaw tensed, a small muscle jumping in his cheek. “I don’t know. It’s
not like him. He’s a

mischievous fucker on his best day, but he’s not the kind of man who would
leave his mate behind.

That kind of bond means everything to us—to him. Something must have
happened—” He broke off,

shaking his head and releasing a frustrated growl. “I just can’t think of
anything that explains it.”

“SO SOMETHING IS WRONG. That’s your explanation?”

“He told me he hadn't met anyone. That no one important was waiting for
him.” He must’ve seen

the hurt in my eyes because he took my hand and squeezed. “I can see now
that wasn’t true. My

brother would never have given you his name to etch on your skin if you
weren’t important.”

“He called me Kærasta.”

Tor went still, his eyes sweeping over my face. “No wonder he couldn’t
control his berserker.

There’s no way he would use that word, knowing what it means, and leave
you here.”

“But that’s exactly what he did.”

“Maybe he thought sending me in his place would give you some kind of
connection to him while

he works on learning control? That having me here to protect you was

better than nothing at all?”
“Really? My tongue was down your throat. That seems like an unnecessary
connection.”

“Well, that’s not new either. There are perks to being identical.” He
waggled his eyebrows.

“Mirror images in every way.”

“My dance card is full.”

“I noticed. I can’t understand how my brother would willingly share you

with two—”

“Three.”

Brows lifted, he let that sink in, then continued. “Three other men.
Berserkers are notoriously

possessive. Some might say irrationally, even. If a single man, let alone
three, tried to come between

my father and mother, he would have ripped their balls off and served them
for breakfast.”

“That’s the difference. They don’t come between each other. They all love
me, and I love them

equally. Sharing is caring, you know.”

He shook his head. “I can’t picture willingly sharing my woman. How can
she service me if she’s

busy with someone else?”

I laughed despite my aching heart. “Do you need me to draw you a

diagram?”

“Perhaps. I’m much better with visual aids.”

“Too bad I left my Barbies back home. You’ll just have to take my word for
it. No one is left

unserviced.”

“We’re coming back to this conversation, svigerinne.”

“What did you just call me?”

“My sister-in-law.”

Something eased inside me when he called me that. As though he put up a

block between us. I was

thankful because as much as he resembled my mate, he didn’t feel like him.

I didn’t want to touch him

the way I wanted Alek, misplaced kisses aside. Those didn’t count anyway.
I’d thought I was

welcoming my mate home. No one could hold that against me.

“I’m not anything-in-law just yet. Alek doesn’t even want to be here.”

“Which is why you need to get up off your pretty little arse and come with
me. We need to get you

to him, and if I need to, I’ll knock some sense into him.”

“Thank you, Tor.”

“Don’t mention it.” He took my hand again and helped me to my feet.

“Now when we arrive in

Novasgard, let me do the talking. We are very private and protective of our
own. You’ll be a stranger.

Instant suspicion will cloud everyone’s minds. We’ll take you to the jarl and
get his blessing first.”
“Isn’t that . . . your dad?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, so after I talk to him and he gives me the guest pass, then I’ll get to
see Alek?”

Tor nodded. “I can’t imagine he’ll stay away once he finds out you’re
there.”

At least one of us seemed confident about it.

“And then how do we get back here?”

“My uncle, Fin. He should be home from his assignment soon. He’ll open
the portal. But if he’s

not, there’s a gateway between our two realms. It will require additional
travel once you cross over,

but that can always be arranged.”

“Where does it open?”

“Norway.”

“Norway?”

Tor grinned. “It is the homeland of my ancestors.”

I shook my head. “Fucking Vikings.”

The back door opened, revealing Moira, today with a very aggressive
electric blue hairstyle. She

had it braided tightly at the sides while the bulk of it was pulled up into a
series of complicated twists

that created a badass semi-mohawk.

“Don’t you love it?” she said, patting the back of her head. “I wanted to
look the part for

Vikingland. Doesn’t this just scream shieldmaiden?”

Tor raised his brows. “Sure.”

Neither of us believed him. I could see it in her face. “You look like a bad
bitch, Mo.”

“Want me to do yours before we go?”

“No. I’m good. Thanks.” The last time she did my hair, I had so many
bobby pins stabbing my

scalp the resulting migraine lasted two days.

“Suit yourself. I’m sure Alek will appreciate my effort to look the part.”

“Alek won’t have eyes for you at all,” Tor said with so much conviction my
heart stumbled a

little.

I wish I was as certain of that as he was.

“Whatever. We’re ready. The bags are packed and everyone is waiting.”
Moira jutted her chin

toward the inside of the house.

“You ready?” I asked, looking up at Tor.

“I was born ready.”

“Now you sound like your brother.”

“I’m the oldest. Alek sounds like me.”

I rolled my eyes. Men. Always competing. “I’m sure he’d love to hear
that.”

Winking, he waited for me to enter the house before following me inside.

Even Vikings could be

gentlemen.

I found Noah, Kingston, Moira, and Ash standing in the living room, all of
them softly chatting in

front of the fireplace. They went quiet as soon as I entered.

Noah was the first to approach me, his expression twisted with concern. He
cupped my cheek in

his palm. “Dove, you’re practically frozen. You should stay here, warm and
safe. We can go through

and bring him back for you.”

I smiled and pointed out his obvious flaw. “And leave me here all alone?”

“Technically your priest is here.” Kingston’s teasing tone wasn’t

appreciated at all. I told him

what happened with Caleb. Not all the gory details, but enough for him to
know better.

The glare I leveled on him had his jaw ticking as he tried to keep from
smirking. “Too soon,

Kingston.”

“What? It’s true. He’s here.”

Noah pulled me closer. “Consider yourself uninvited the next time Sunday
needs a midnight snack,
wolf.”

“Hey,” he protested.

Their friendly posturing accomplished what Kingston’s teasing had failed to

do. I was feeling

much more relaxed as I snuggled into Noah’s arms.

“This is beyond comprehension. Two Alphas in the same space sharing her.
How are any of you

still alive?” Tor ran a palm over his beard as he shook his head.

Kingston clapped him on the shoulder with a low laugh. “Trust me, man.
You have no idea how

good it can be until you feel your mate come on your cock because you
fucked her raw, then before

you can even pull out, she does it all over again while he’s playing with her
—”

“Earmuffs!” Moira barked, slapping her hands over Ash’s ears.

“That’s enough detail,” Noah said, stopping Kingston before he could say
anything else.

But from the interest in Tor’s gaze, it had been enough. He finally looked
like he understood the

appeal.

My cheeks were on fire.

“Anyway . . .” I started, unable to look at Tor.

“Right. It’s time. I’ll open the portal, and we’ll all go through. Together.”
Tor pulled a stone the size of his palm out from his pocket. It was flat and
wide, one surface

covered in runes.

“The portal will open as soon as I activate the sigils. Stand ready.”

We huddled closer together, not sure what to expect when Tor set the stone
on the ground and then

pulled a small pocket knife out and sliced through his palm. Curling his
hand into a fist, he let his

blood dribble onto the carved surface.

Much like when Moira and Ash had opened the doorway between our
realms, the air shimmered

and moved, rippling like water as the spell took hold.

“Hurry. It won’t stay open long.”

Noah, Kingston, and I rushed ahead, Kingston shouldering our bags while
Noah kept my hand

firmly grasped in his.

I was halfway through when a soft grunt pulled my focus from my goal. I
spun around to find

Moira on the floor and Tor curled over her, helping her stand. His eyes
found mine, panic in them.

“Go! It’s closing.”

Noah gave my hand a sharp tug, and together we tumbled into a snowbank
as the magic passage
from one realm to the next sealed shut. Our Novasgardian guide was
trapped on the other side.

Chapte r

Twenty-Five

SUNDAY

“That bastard betrayed us,” Noah growled, eyes scanning the horizon.

“You don’t know that,” I said, pushing myself up.

Kingston gestured to the veritable forest stretching out in every direction.

“Don’t we? Where the

fuck even are we?”

“Novasgard?” I shrugged as he brushed snow out of my hair.

Noah wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest. “Yes, but
where in Novasgard?

All I see are bloody trees and stars. I can’t get the scent of anything other
than snow. We may be

supernatural beings, but we’re still made of flesh and blood. We can
freeze.”

“Probably exactly what he wanted. Send us out here to die.” Kingston

stroked his palm over my

mark, the contact warming me despite the bitter cold.

Panic had my heart thundering, but I refused to allow myself to believe Tor
had set us up. He’d

been way too earnest about Alek needing to know what was going on. His
intentions had been pure.
Getting left behind had been an accident. I was sure of it . . . mostly.

“Stop it. You know that isn’t what happened. Things went sideways, but the
plan is the same. We

need to find the town and speak to Nord. We can’t be that far away.”

“Okay, but are we just supposed to spin in a circle and walk in a random
direction? I’m not

picking up the trace of anything either. Not even a fucking bear.”

“They hibernate, so you probably wouldn’t,” Noah pointed out.

Kingston glared at him, clearly unamused. “Helpful.”

“I do try.”

“Well you’re failing, so stop it.”

“Okay, boys, as much as I love listening to the two of you argue, we need to
move. There could be

any kind of creature out here. Not just bears. We’re not in Kansas
anymore.”

“Kansas? Dove, we weren’t—”

“How sheltered were you as a child?” Kingston cocked a brow as he

assessed Noah. “The

Wizard of Oz is a classic.”

“I had better things to do with my time than waste it on idle pursuits.”

“Culture is not an idle pursuit.”

Noah raised a mocking brow, mimicking Kingston’s pose. “Well what good
is that movie of yours
right now, hm? Did it teach you any useful survival skills?”

“Well, I wouldn’t turn down a yellow brick road right now. Even some
flying monkeys would be

nice.”

“Too bad I don’t have any ruby slippers.”

Kingston smirked. “I’d like to see you in pigtails, baby. I can imagine it
now. Two handlebars for

me to tug on.”

“What the bloody hell are you two going on about?” Noah asked, frowning.
He looked thoroughly

put out, hating that he didn’t understand our references.

“We’ll have a movie night when we get home,” I promised. “It’ll all make
sense.”

“Especially the pigtails,” Kingston said, tossing him a wink. “I have a

feeling you’ll be way into

some Dorothy-Scarecrow role play.”

“What?” Noah muttered.

I shook my head at Kingston, picking up on his unspoken insult that Noah

was the brainless one.

He just grinned at me.

“Tell me I’m wrong. Clearly Alek would be the lion, and I’m the tin man.”

“Why is Alek the lion?” I asked. “You’re the shifter.”

“Because I’m not a fucking coward who tucked tail and ran. Alek, however,
did exactly that. And

besides, Sunshine. I don’t have a heart because you stole it a long time
ago.” He leaned in and kissed

my mark, growling low in his throat. “If we weren’t lost in the fucking
woods right now, I’d totally

take you up against a tree and prove it.”

Heat bloomed between my thighs, even in this freezing cold air, and
Kingston noticed. He inhaled

deeply.

“Oh, I smell that. Someone needs some attention. Don’t worry, baby. I’ll
take care of you as soon

as I can.”

“We will. I can smell her too.”

The hunger in both of their voices had my nipples tight and painful. Fuck. I
could not let them spit-

roast me in the middle of the Novasgardian wilderness. Frostbite

notwithstanding, we had a job to do.

“Channel that lust, boys. No one’s fucking anything until we find

somewhere safe to bunk down

for the night.”

Kingston laughed but nodded his agreement. “Talk about a solid pep talk. I
find myself incredibly

motivated all of a sudden.”

“You weren’t before?” I asked.

“Well, I mean . . . now there’s a prize.”

“Staying alive wasn’t enough?”

“Eh.”

The three of us began a slow trek through the thick snow, following the
glow of lights in the

distance. It wasn’t a yellow brick road exactly, but it was the only thing we
had to go on. Where there

was light, there was likely a city.

“My thighs are numb. I did not dress for a hike in the snow,” I grumbled as
we pressed on for

what felt like hours, but could have been only minutes. I had no way of
knowing.

“We must be going in the wrong direction,” Noah said. “If this wasn’t a
trap, Tor would have

mentioned something before we left so we’d be better prepared for the

elements.”

Crap.

“Kingston, where’s our stuff?”

His eyes widened. “Fuck. I must’ve dropped it back where we fell through.
The goddamned snow

is so deep I didn’t even see it.”

“You had one job . . .”

“Fuck you. I didn’t see you offering to carry anything, asshole.”

“I had Sunday. She made it through just fine.”

“She’s a popsicle.”

“We all are. And now we’re stuck in the middle of God knows where
without supplies.”

“Oh, my God. Stop. Fighting about this isn’t going to fix it.” I stared at the
sky, my anxiety getting

the better of me as the lights glowed in the distance, seeming farther away
than they had when we

started walking toward them. “It doesn’t make sense. They should be
closer.”

“Aurora,” Noah whispered.

“You did not just call me some other woman’s name.”

His lips twitched. “No, dove. Look, it’s the Aurora.” He pointed up between
two towering

conifers where neon lights were dancing across the inky sky.

My breath caught in my throat. Magic was the only way to describe what I
was seeing. No wonder

people stayed up all night to see this. I’d seen photos of this phenomenon,
but here, in Novasgard, it

was infinitely more striking, the colors vibrant and jewel-like. I’d only ever
known them to be shades

of blue and green, but here they ranged all the way to violet and electric
pink. It was incredible.
The three of us stood beneath the majestic sight, just taking in the rare and
unearthly beauty when a

shadow streaked across the night sky.

My whole body froze as my brain tried to assign a name to the unfamiliar

shape.

“Is . . . was that a . . . dragon?” Noah asked, his voice strangled.

“Not a dragon,” I whispered as Alek’s description came back to me.

“Wyvern.”

We were rigid with shock, not one of us remotely prepared to deal with the
threat looming above

us. Beside me, Kingston started to strip.

“What the hell are you doing?” I whispered, terrified of moving and
drawing any attention in our

direction. If that beast saw us, we were dead.

“I’m getting us the fuck out of here. None of us are going to be able to fight
that thing. Our only

defense is to get away from it.”

“Agreed,” Noah said, wrapping his palms around my biceps and holding me
to him. He knew me

so well. If given the chance, I would’ve run to Kingston and tried to stop
him from shifting. “Dove,

the speed that wyvern was flying at has already put it out of range, but it
could return. Now is our

chance to find the right path. Let him do this.”

I sighed, frustrated but resigned.

Fully naked, standing in the snow, Kingston gave me a wink. “Look at that,
not even a little

shrinkage.”

I couldn’t stop my laugh. “Of course not.”

“I’ll shift, catch the scent of the village, and lead us there. Do me a favor?”

Lifting my brows in an expression that clearly said continue, I waited for

him to ask his question.

Honestly, I think he just wanted me to stare at his dick a little longer.

“Bring my clothes?”

“Of course—” My assurance was cut off as soon as my gaze swept across
the ground. “Uh . . .

Kingston. Where’d you put them?”

“What do you mean? You just watched me take them off.” His brows veed
down in confusion.

“What the fuck? They were right here.”

A soft, childlike giggle caught on the wind in the distance. “What the devil .
. .” Noah’s eyes

narrowed. “Sprites.”

“You can see them?”

“Only just. They’ve taken your clothes, Kingston. It’s likely what happened
to ours as well. It

seems you gave them quite a show.”

Kingston smirked. “Fuck yeah, I did. It’s a good thing I don’t mind being
naked. Novasgard is

going to write stories about the handsome wolf shifter who waltzed into
town and put all their men to

shame.”

OceanofPDF.com
I bit my cheek. It took everything in me not to remind him that Alek more
than had him beat in that

department, but I couldn’t bear to take the wind out of his sails. He was just
so damn proud of

himself. The cocky ass.

“If you’re going to shift, then bloody do it. Sunday might not mind looking
at your cock, but it’s not

my favorite sight in the world.”

“Jealous?”

“Not remotely. I don’t need any extra hardware to get the job done.”

“You’re missing the point.” Kingston scowled as he looked down at

himself. “Don’t listen to him,

Jake. You’re perfect.”

Before I could tell him to stop talking to his dick and get on with it,
Kingston shifted.

An explosion of pine needles and snow accompanied his transformation, a

shadow once again

streaking across the sky. I was prepared to stop, drop, and roll for cover, but
it didn’t take more than

half a second for my brain to catch up. It wasn’t the wyvern. The shadow
was much too small for that.

Just a bird. An enormous bird.

“Ravens,” Noah whispered. “Of course.”

Kingston dropped his nose to the snow, then raised his snout into the air.
His ears pricked

forward, his posture going tense before he let out a howl. Then he began
stalking in the opposite

direction of where we’d been headed.

He didn’t make it far, twelve feet at most, before a figure dropped from the
trees.

My breath left me in a gasp. This guy was huge. And scary. Like . . . find
me in a dark alley and

violently murder me scary. His hair was black as night and wild about his
face. A scar bisected one

of his eyes, which was a milky white. The other was a piercing green that
seemed to glow with fury.

His upper lip curled back in a snarl.

“Trespassers.”

Kingston growled, crouching low and ready to pounce while Noah put
himself directly in front of

me, his posture tensed for a fight.

“We’re not—”

“Sunday, don’t speak. They mean to kill us.” Noah turned to face me, and I
barely recognized the

man before my eyes. Fangs fully extended, eyes blazing an eerie amber,
skin pale as death. He looked

every bit the vicious vampire I’d learned about. “I’ll kill them all if they
touch a hair on your head.”
“You can try, vampire. You will fail.” The scary Viking aimed his crossbow
at Noah, and my

heart nearly stopped.

Kingston padded backward, placing his wolfy body between the man with
the weapon and me.

Things were spiraling out of control quickly. I needed to diffuse this

situation and fast before one or

all of us got hurt.

Tor’s words echoed in my mind.

“Nord!” I shouted.

Those dual-colored eyes landed on me, and I knew my breaths were

numbered if I didn’t play this

right.

“I demand—”

“You demand? You make no demands on our land, trespasser.”

Facing down a demon was less terrifying than this. Swallowing, I raised my
chin and tried again.

“I demand to be taken to your jarl, Nord.”

“Is that so, hóra?”

Kingston let out a low growl, his hackles raising. I placed my hand on his
back, silently begging

him to stand down.

“You dare insult my mate?” Noah said, his fury permeating the air. He was
about a second away

from losing his shit.

“You speak the old tongue?” the Viking asked, head canting to the side as
he studied Noah with

more interest.

“I don’t need to understand Norse to know you just called my woman a

whore.”

That had my spine stiffening. Why did men always toss that word around
when they were

threatened by a woman? Apparently not even Vikings had imagination

when it came to insults. How

disappointing.

Rustling in the trees had my eyes darting from side to side as several more
armed men and women

came out of hiding.

The scary fucker lifted his weapon, this time leveling it on me. “It’s time for
you to tell me why

you’re here. And I should warn you, if I don’t like your answer, I will kill
you.”

I swallowed, my body going both hot and cold as a tinny ringing started up
in my ears.

“Alek.” His eyes narrowed, so I repeated myself. “I’m here for Aleksandr
Alistair Nordson. My

true mate.”
Shucking my coat, I pulled up my sleeve and bared the runes tattooed into
my arm. The group of

Vikings gasped and shuffled, their expressions laced with suspicion and
curiosity.

“Bind them. We will take them to the jarl.” He trained his terrifying gaze on
me. “Your wolf can

either return to human form, or we will muzzle him and string him up by
his feet. His choice.”

Chapte r

Twenty-Six

SUNDAY

“Get in there,” the intimidating Viking said as he shoved a fully nude

Kingston over the threshold.

“You could at least buy me dinner before you get handsy.”

I stumbled in behind them, Noah on my heels as we left the chilly outdoors

and entered what

could only be described as a throne room. The first thing I noticed was how
it smelled. The scent of

Alek filled my nose, and I froze, my heart seizing. But a quick sweep
around the room revealed he

wasn’t there.

High arched ceilings, dark as night, glittered with the echoes of candlelight
from a multitude of

chandeliers. The glow gave the space a much less sinister feel, but I knew
this could easily go badly
for all of us. The monstrous fossil hanging in the middle of the room was
testament enough to that.

“Ah, there are the lights we were searching for,” Noah said, his focus
trained on the bank of

windows, which showcased the horizon as perfectly as if we were staring at

a picture.

The Aurora was on full display, lighting up the night sky as well as the
entirety of the harbor as its

reflection danced on the ocean below.

“Seen it. I’m much more interested in getting what we came for so we can
go back home.”

Kingston’s low grumble as he took my hand almost made me smile . . .

almost.

“You’ll only get home if you prove yourself to be harmless.” The Viking
who’d taken us hostage

gave Kingston another shove.

“Keep shoving me, and I’ll show you how harmless I am, One-eyed Willie.”

Noah snorted. It seemed like even my vampire prince knew about The
Goonies.

The Viking’s low growl was cut off by the sound of a door opening.

“Søren, you’ve never returned from a hunt empty-handed, but this is new
fare, even for you. What

happened to the boy’s clothes, or was the fool really roaming around the
forest armed with nothing but
his cock and a smile?” The deep voice boomed from the end of the hall, one
I’d heard before as he

entered and stalked toward the massive throne.

“Nord,” I whispered, finally finding my voice.

He sat, his legs splayed wide, arms draped on each of the armrests. “That is
my name, little one.

But the question is, why do you know it?”

“We’ve met before, although I don’t think we’ve ever been properly
introduced. I’m Sunday,” I

said, stepping closer so I was surrounded by the golden candlelight.

He narrowed his gaze, and Søren tensed as I approached the jarl. “Sunday.
What a strange name.

You do look familiar. Ah, yes, the crying girl in the woods.”

Great first impression, Sunday. Way to be memorable.

“In my defense, things were a little . . . tense.”

He lifted a brow. “You’ll find no argument from me on that front. But what
brings you here? And

more to the point, how did you find your way to Novasgard?”

“Funny story, actually.”

His lips twitched. “Is that so? Indulge us.” He waved a hand, the gesture
reminding me of a king at

court. I couldn’t afford to forget how this man held my fate in his hands. As
charming as he was, he
was also dangerous.

“You took my mate from me. I came to get him.” Was it a tactful approach?
No. But in cases like

these, where a literal Viking stood between me and my mate, the only way
through was direct.

His brows rose, the expression so similar to one I’d seen on Alek it made
me ache. “You came

to . . . get him?”

“Yeah.”

“I am sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Alek stayed of his own
choosing.”

“Only because he didn’t have all the facts. At least, that’s what Tor said
when he opened the

portal for us.”

An indistinct murmur rose from the few people in the throne room. I’d hit a
nerve.

“What do you mean, he opened the portal? He’d never let outsiders into
Novasgard

unaccompanied.”

“Well, he was supposed to come with us, but he tripped or some shit,”
Kingston added.

“Will someone get this fool some clothes?” Nord called out.

“Or perhaps a muzzle,” Søren muttered, making Noah snicker and Kingston
glower.
The woman standing closest to the throne stepped forward. “I’m sure I can
find some clothing that

will suit him. Though he is quite scrawny.”

“Scrawny? Who the hell you calling scrawny, Brunhilda?”

Nord’s pleasant expression vanished, and he rose slowly from his throne,
face thunderous. “You

will hold your tongue. Strega is a fierce warrior who will have your balls
for breakfast if given half

the chance.”

“Say the word, and I’ll slit his throat and bathe in his blood.”

Kingston swallowed. “Maybe I was a bit hasty.”

“Don’t kill him, but take him with you. Perhaps some time in your presence
will school his

attitude.”

Strega pulled a dagger from the sheath at her thigh. “Follow me, puppy. But
if you try anything, I’ll

stab first and apologize later.”

Kingston shot me a wary glance, but I nodded. “Go with her. You need
clothes, and I need to be

able to talk without you getting us all killed on principle.”

He smirked. “That’s fair. I’ll be back, Sunshine.”

“Do I have to bring him back? I could take him to the docks and toss him
in.”
“We do need to feed the kraken . . .” Nord mused, a smile playing on his
lips.

“Excuse me, a kraken? No one said shit about a kraken,” Kingston said,
panic making his voice

high and tight.

“Is it my birthday? I’m rather enjoying Novasgard.”

I leveled a glare at Noah. “Well, I’m rather attached to him, so let’s make
sure they bring him

back, please.”

“Your wolf will remain intact, little one. As long as he behaves. As for the
vampire . . .” Nord

started, “I guess that remains to be seen.”

I cleared my throat, not wanting Noah to start in on the alpha male

posturing too. “I think we’ve

gotten a little off-topic.”

“That happens quite often,” Nord said. “Especially when dealing with
humans.”

Søren grunted his agreement. “Mouthy fuckers.”

“So are Vikings,” I ground out.

Nord’s laughter boomed around the chamber. He sat back down, leaning
forward with his elbows

resting on his knees. “This kitten has balls.”

“That’s not how the expression . . .” Noah began, but shut his mouth almost
as soon as he started.
“Never mind. That one suits just as well.”

“Thanks for that,” Nord said dryly before turning his attention back to me.
“Now, why did you

come all this way to see my son? You can’t have been close. He would have
mentioned you.”

Pain sliced my heart, but I stood tall. “He’s my mate.”

Nord’s posture stiffened. “What?”

“And I’m pregnant.”

“Frigg’s fucking foreskin,” Søren gasped.

Something lit up inside Nord. “Strega!” His bellow rang out so loud I felt
the vibration in my

chest, and the wyvern skeleton suspended above us shook. “Get my son and
my wife.”

“I live to serve you, oh, jarl.” Strega’s annoyance was thinly veiled as she
grabbed Kingston by

the ear and tugged.

He gave a yip of annoyance, but all that got him was her low murmured,
“Bad dog.”

“Sunshine, you better make this up to me.” His words were muttered as he
trailed after her out of

the room, but I caught them all the same.

The silence following their departure was awkward and absolute. Nord
stared at us from his
throne, his gaze clearly assessing. Noah shifted restlessly behind me,
moving until his breath fanned

over my neck and his hand was pressed against my lower back. I knew it
was a statement; I just didn’t

know if it was for my benefit or Nord’s.

The door opened, and hurried footsteps came from the corridor as a woman
I recognized entered

the room.

“Nord, what the ever-loving he . . . llo?” Lina stared at us, eyes wide.
“Sunday? What are you

doing here?”

Nord grumbled. “This girl says she is Alek’s mate. That she’s carrying his
child.”

Lina’s eyes flew wide, her mouth falling open. “Oh . . .” She looked at
Nord, then back at me, her

other hand pressing to her chest. “Oh.”

Nord reached out and wrapped a hand around her waist, tugging her closer
until she sat

gracelessly in his lap.

“We’re going to be grandparents?” she whispered, eyes shining.

“So you know this girl? She’s truly Alek’s mate?”

“Yes. She is.”

“Strega! Where the bloody hell is Alek? Get him in here.”

Lina beamed. “He’ll be so happy to see you.”

My heart nearly burst with hope and relief. I hadn’t made it all up. Our
connection was real. Lina

knew it, and so did I.

Seconds later, Alek stumbled in, Strega smirking as she and Kingston
followed, muttering as he

adjusted the leather pants he was now wearing. But my eyes were only for
my Viking, looking

absolutely edible in his low-slung sweatpants with my name on full display

down his side.

His hair was disheveled, his eyes hooded with sleep. “Has someone died?”

“Why do you assume the worst?” Lina asked.

“Why else would you wake me in the middle of the bloody night?”

“You have company,” Lina said, her smile huge as she gestured to where
Noah and I were

standing.

“Thorne? What are you and Kingston doing here?” His gaze lasered onto
me, and he gave me an

appreciative once-over. “And who is this exquisite creature?”

“Not the time for a joke. They came with me to bring you back.” My throat
was so fucking tight. I

wanted to fling myself into his arms, but something stopped me.

“Who’s joking?”
“Alek . . . stop it,” Lina said. “Is that any way to treat poor Sunday after
she’s come so far to be

with you?”

Confusion clouded his face, his brows scrunching low. “Sunday?”

“Yes, Sunday. You have my name tattooed down your side.” Frustration
burned like acid.

“Oh, that? I lost a bet. Had to get it.”

What was he talking about? We’d shared a beautiful moment. He’d used
such care when he sent

the magic through us both. “No. That’s not what happened. I was there.”

He laughed. “No. You weren’t. I have never seen you before, and trust me,
sweetheart, there’s no

way I’d forget you if I had.”

Now I was just angry. I’d come all this way. Frozen my tits off. Cried for
him. And this was how

he reacted? “Oh, really? Then how do you explain this?” I tore my coat off
and showed him the runes

trailing down my inner arm, the perfect lines now marred by a scar from
Chad’s handiwork.

He glanced at his parents and then back at me. “I cannot, except to say that
clearly you are

obsessed with me.”

“What is wrong with you?” Noah asked, his hand slipping around my waist,
holding me up even
as my knees wobbled.

“Nothing. I feel better than I have in ages.”

Alek and Nord exchanged a loaded glance. The jarl of Novasgard looked
conflicted, like he

wasn’t sure who to trust. His son about not knowing me, or his wife who’d
just whole-heartedly

vouched for me.

“He doesn’t remember. Why doesn’t he remember me?” I whispered, tears

clogging my throat and

making my voice come out strained.

Lina’s face twisted with horror. “Oh, Quinn, you didn’t.”

“Satori!” Nord’s expression turned savage as he grasped the edges of the

chair. He cut his gaze to

Strega and in a low, even tone, demanded, “Take them to the house and
provide them with rooms

while we get to the bottom of this. They’re not to leave until we get our
answers.”

“It will be as you say,” Strega replied, with a slight bow of her head. “You
three, with me.”

Chapte r

Twenty-Seven

THORNE

Sunday’s pain was a hook in my heart, tugging me forward and pulling me

from my room. The
tether might be invisible, but there was no ignoring the connection as I
followed it down the

hall and toward the source. I shut the door to my assigned quarters behind
me, the heavy wood

sealing closed with a loud click, echoing down the hallway. I didn’t care if
anyone heard me. Sunday

needed me. That was all that mattered.

I’d heard Alek’s father, I think Sunday called him Nord, say that guards
were to stay outside our

rooms, but there was no one as I padded down the corridor, mostly ignoring
the antique furniture and

statues, except to note them as landmarks so I could find my way back.

Sunday was two doors down

from me, a massive taxidermy bear the halfway mark between us.

Kingston stood in front of said bear. He stared up at the creature, arms

crossed, eyes narrowed.

“Hey there, Yogi. Can you tell me where Sunshine’s picnic basket is
hiding? I’m starved.”

“Weren’t you paying any attention when they led us to our rooms?” I asked
with a sigh.

“I was too busy trying not to get shanked by the stab-happy Viking.”

“Which one? The woman?”

“Yes. She was handsy and scary as fuck. I’m not ashamed to admit it.”

“You should be, Alpha.”

“Fuck you, asshole. I’d like to see how you hold up when you’re the one at
knifepoint. She

threatened Jake. There’s nothing you wouldn’t do to protect little Noah.”

I cocked a brow and smirked. “There’s nothing little about him. You’ve
seen what I’m working

with. Sunday never complains.”

“Not to you.”

“Piss off, wanker.”

“I have no interest in the toothpicks the two of you are sporting under your
trousers, I promise

you. Now, what the hell are you doing wandering around unattended?”

Strega leaned against the wall next to Sunday’s door, her frame at once
intimidating and striking.

“We’re coming to help our mate. She’s upset. I can feel it.”

“Yeah. She called us.”

Strega’s perfectly arched brow lifted. “Is she? Your mate? I thought she was
Alek’s?”

“It’s a long story, and frankly none of your business.”

She lifted her hands. “My orders were to watch, not to interfere. Go in, if
you must, but from the

sounds of it, she’s not going to make great company. Poor girl hasn’t
stopped crying since she went

inside.”
Kingston and I exchanged looks. That was the exact reason we were both
here. We’d felt her pain

and been helpless to ignore it.

“You heard her. Let’s go.” Kingston shoved past me and reached for the
door.

“Don’t try anything shifty, puppy. I’ll tame you if I have to.”

He growled low in his throat. “Only one woman has that power, and as
scary as you are, it’s not

you. This may be your realm, but I will do whatever’s required to protect
what’s mine. You’d do well

to remember that.”

“And you’d do well to remember that I have cum stains in my sheets older
than you, puppy.”

“Maybe you should try washing them.”

She bared her teeth in a terrifying imitation of a smile.

“Care to demonstrate the proper way to remove said stains from linens?
You look like you have a

lot of experience.”

Kingston’s mouth hung open as he searched for a rebuttal, so I opened the

door and walked into

Sunday’s room. If they wanted to have a battle of wits, more power to them,
but I was only interested

in the woman behind the door.

The spray of water grew louder as I crossed over the threshold, leaving little
doubt where my

mate was hiding. I took in the four-poster bed, roaring fireplace, and the
mantle filled with fat pillar

candles, but mostly ignored them as I followed the sound of the shower to
Sunday.

“Bloody hell, Sunday,” I murmured the moment I saw her curled into a ball
as she sat under the

spray of water, rocking back and forth. “Why didn’t you call me?”

She rested her cheek on her knee, her eyes bloodshot as she looked up at
me, not even a little

surprised to find me in her bathroom. “What was I supposed to say?”

“That you needed me, dove. That’s more than enough.”

“I need you,” she whispered, her voice broken.

“As you wish,” I whispered back, stepping under the water, fighting a
shiver at the cold as I

scooped her into my arms.

“You’re supposed to take off your clothes when you get into the shower,
Thorne. Didn’t your

vampire dad teach you anything? Oh, shit . . . ” Kingston’s voice filled the
bathroom, his teasing tone

dying as I turned to face him with Sunday in my arms.

“Shit is right, you dolt. She needs us, and you’re making fucking jokes.”

“That’s what I do, asshole. It’s how I deal with stress.”

“How about you try manning the fuck up for once?”

“What do you need me to do?” he asked, surprising the hell out of me by

taking my words to heart

instead of fighting me.

“She’s damn near frozen. Get a towel, a robe, something to warm her.”

Without another word, he tore off his shirt. “Hand her to me.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Now’s not the time for you to be so British. Hand. Her. To. Me. I’m a
wolf. Naturally warm.”

I was loath to part with her, but the dog had a point. He could warm her
with his body heat far

better than a cold-blooded creature like me. My human half didn’t hold a
candle to his animalistic

warmth.

I handed her to him, careful not to jostle her too much during the transfer.
Her violent shivering

had her teeth chattering dramatically as the air hit her nearly frozen skin.

“There it is, Sunshine. Just wrap yourself around me. I’ve got you. It’s
okay.”

Kingston’s low murmurs were so genuine. His words were stronger

evidence of his love than

anything else he’d shown me. He might have been a cocky arsehole, but he
truly was devoted to

Sunday. Same as me.

Her expression crumpled under his tender regard. “He doesn’t remember
me,” she said, pressing

her face against his neck as she sobbed.

“Something happened to him. There’s no other explanation.” I wrapped a

towel around her

shoulders and kissed the place I’d marked her.

“How do you know?”

“Because he loves you just as fiercely as I do.”

Kingston coughed.

“As we do,” I corrected. “The only way I’d forget you is if someone—”

“If someone stole you from us.” Kingston finished the sentence without
letting me take a breath.

“Is that even possible?”

“You’ve roomed with a Belladonna for nearly a year and can still ask that
question with a straight

face?”

“She’s never stolen my memories.”

“That you know of.” I offered.

“Fuck.” Kingston’s low oath sent a chill down my spine. “We can’t trust a
single goddamned

person, can we?”

“Save each other,” I replied, running my hand up and down Sunday’s back.
Kingston tossed me a look. “Who’d have figured you and I would end up
on the same team,

bloodsucker?”

“Me.”

Her voice was so small it broke my heart. “You should get some rest,
sweetheart. You and the

babe need it.”

“I’m not tired.”

“I don’t care. You need to have a lie down because I’m trying to be strong
here, and you’re

breaking me into pieces with every passing moment. Please, dove, for me,
lie down and let us care

for you.”

Her tear-stained face lifted, and she held my gaze for a long moment before
giving me a slight

nod. “Will you lay down with me? Both of you? I don’t want to be alone.”

“Of fucking course we will.” Kingston kissed her cheek. “Sunday

sandwiches are my favorite.”

I snickered. “Why does everything go back to food with you?”

“Because I’m a growing boy,” he said, winking over his shoulder as he

turned to carry her to the

fur-covered bed. “I have a voracious appetite.”

“Down, boy,” I muttered.

Depositing her in the center of the large mattress, Kingston crawled in
beside her as I peeled wet

clothes from my body.

“Looks like you’re the one who needs to get it under control, Thorne,”
Kingston teased, one brow

cocked as he took in my obvious erection.

“Just because I want her doesn’t mean I’ll expect anything of her.”

The side of his lip twitched higher. “That’s not what little Noah is saying.”

“Call him little again, pup. I dare you.”

Sunday gave a weak smile and held out her arms for me. I slid in beside her,
turning so I was

facing her and able to gaze into those beautiful, haunted eyes.

Kingston shifted so he spooned her from behind, his large palm resting on
her hip while he

pressed kisses against her mark. It wasn’t long before Sunday’s eyelids
grew heavy, and she drifted

off into slumber.

When I was sure she was fast asleep, I caught Kingston’s eye.

“What?” he grumbled.

“We need to talk about this.”

“Sharing her? I thought we were past that.”

“No, you idiot. Something isn’t right here. We need a plan before it all goes
tits up.”
His eyes moved to focus on something behind me. “I don’t want to wake
her. Should we take this

somewhere else?”

I followed his gaze, finding a candlelit balcony. “Are you trying to seduce
me? Boundaries,

Kingston. They’re important.”

“You’d be lucky to have me trying to seduce you. Come on. We need to

talk, and I don’t want her

to hear. She’s been through enough for one day.”

I glanced back at her sleeping face, easily spotting the tear tracks and deep
purple smudges

beneath the thick fringe of her lashes. “Balcony it is.”

The bracing chill in the air hit us the instant we stepped outside, making me
thankful I’d stopped

to put on a robe I’d found hanging on the bathroom door. I couldn’t help my
smirk as Kingston tugged

at the tight leather pants the Viking woman had found for him. He glared at
the fur wrap, leaving it

where he’d tossed it on the floor, and followed me outside.

“Fucking sprites. If I catch those little dicks, I’ll kill them for stealing our
clothes.”

My low laugh escaped before I could stop it. “Uncomfortable? Those

trousers do seem a bit

tight.”
“Leather isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The chafing.” He made a face and
tugged at the crotch of

his pants again. “And my piercings keep catching on the laces.”

“Sounds like a personal problem.”

“Fuck you, you’re the one who asked.”

As fun as it was to poke at him, I had frost forming on my eyelashes as we

stood there. Before

long, I’d be of no use to Sunday until I thawed. “Get to talking, wolf. I’m
freezing my bollocks off out

here.”

“Okay, listen.” He lowered his voice and leaned in closer. “Alek clearly had
someone messing

around with his head.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t act stupid. You were in there with me. The guy didn’t even
recognize her. I don’t think

these people can be trusted.”

“You think they did it?” My gut turned to a cold pit at his observation. So
much about this didn’t

track. Tor showing up, Alek’s indifference, the great bloody warrior taking
us into custody.

“Yes. They wiped his brain, scrambled him up, and locked him into a life he
doesn’t want. Then,
to make matters worse, they sent Tor to replace him. The fucker already
broke, but he was prepared to

pretend to be Alek for the long haul. That doesn’t scream trustworthy to
me.”

“What do you suggest we do about it? We’re sitting ducks here. We don’t
even have clothes, let

alone a way to fight back.”

“We need to find that gateway and get our asses home. The longer we stay
here, the worse off I

think we’ll be. This place is no good for Sunday. She barely got through a
couple hours. What’s she

going to be like after a few days of that mind fuckery?”

As someone who had firsthand experience being parted from her, able to
see her but not be with

her, I knew it wouldn’t be pretty. And she hadn’t forgotten me when we’d
been separated. But the

thought of her looking straight through me, the way Alek had her, sent a
chill seeping into my bones

that had nothing to do with the weather.

I opened my mouth, but a scream from inside the room had us both bolting
back inside. Each of us

rushed to the bed.

“Sunshine!”

“What’s wrong, dove?”

Sunday thrashed on the mattress, her hair a tangled mess around her
shoulders as she battled

whatever demons haunted her dreams.

“Hold her. Don’t let her fall.”

Kingston shot me a glare. “What the fuck do you think I’m doing? She’s
strong.”

I cupped her face between my hands and pressed my forehead to hers.

“Open your eyes, dove. I’m

here. We’re here. We have you.”

Her eyes flew open, pupils blown, as she wildly searched the room. It was
like she didn’t even

see us at first. Not until after she blinked a few times and bolted upright.

“Noah? Kingston?”

“That’s right, sweetheart, we’re right here. We won’t let anything happen to
you.” I brushed my

lips over her damp forehead, pulling her to a kneeling position so I could
wrap my arms around her

and cuddle her close.

“It was just a dream, baby,” Kingston said from the position he’d taken
behind her.

“God, it felt so real.” Her voice wobbled as Kingston pressed his mouth to
the mark at her throat.

“Let us make it go away. Let us love you.” He slipped his arms around her
waist as I threaded my
fingers in her hair and held her gaze.

“Yes,” she whispered against my lips. “Make it all go away.”

She reached back, lifting her arm to curl around Kingston’s neck and hold
him in place as she

kissed me.

We were ready to give her what she needed. I was desperate for it if I was
being honest. It had

been too long since we’d been like this. My fangs descended, another type
of hunger rearing its head,

and I groaned.

“Take what you want, Noah. I don’t mind.”

Fucking hell, I didn’t have the control I needed after such an ordeal. I gave
in and sank my fangs

into her throat, the blood I craved more than any other hitting my tongue in
a burst of flavor unlike

anything I’d ever known.

Knuckles brushed against the silk of my robe, running up my torso and

making me shiver. It took

me a second to place the sensation as Kingston moving his hands to cup

Sunday’s breasts. As I fed, a

frenzy started to build. She tasted fucking amazing. The same, but enhanced
somehow. The flavor

bolder. More enticing. Every pull of blood sent me spiraling deeper.

“Thorne, stop. You’re taking too much.” Kingston’s low warning hit my
ears at the same time

Sunday cried out in pain, her fingers digging into my shoulder, pushing me
away.

She whimpered as I tore my fangs from her neck, panting. “Fuck, Sunday.
Are you all right?”

Before she could answer, the door splintered inward, a hulking beast of a
man looming in the

opening, his eyes black as pitch, muscles bulging and death in his stare.

Kingston stiffened and made eye contact with me. “Oh, shit.”

Chapte r

Twenty-Eight

ALEK

Icouldn’t get the dark-haired beauty out of my thoughts. The pain in her
eyes, the hope written on

her face, and the undeniable love threading through her voice when she’d
said my name all

rattled around in my brain without end. I had no escape from the strange
ache in my head.

Everything was clouded with her. Who the hell was she? Why couldn’t I
remember her? Even my

mother knew who she was.

The lack of answers had my temper riding a razor’s edge. Never a good
thing for a berserker, but
far worse for one newly turned. I was liable to bite someone’s head off if
they breathed too loudly in

my general direction. Guard duty sounded worse with each step I took
toward the door to the room

she’d been assigned. The closer I got, the tenser I became.

“Ah, the lost prince at last. I thought you might show up here,” Strega said
from her position at the

door. “If you meant to show up for duty, you could have tried being on time
for your shift. Or has your

time away spoiled you and made you forget about things like punctuality
and codes of conduct?”

“Piss off, Strega.”

She laughed. “Oh, my little mischief maker’s found his balls. Well done,
you.”

A pained cry caught my ear from behind the door, the sound feminine and
somehow absolutely

terrible. I turned away from Strega and reached for the doorknob, but she
shook her head.

“They’re in there with her. She’s not alone.”

“She’s hurting.”

The sound of the wolf’s voice filtered to me, a low warning of something
dangerous.

Strega’s eyes flashed, and she made a disgusted sound in the back of her
throat. “Fucking hell, I
should have known better than to let a hungry bloodsucker in there with her.
She’s ripe for the

picking.”

“What?” Rage coursed through me. Untamed. Familiar. This time, I greeted
it like an old friend.

Something in my voice must have sounded off because Strega blinked and
lifted her gaze back to

my face. “Fuck. Not again.”

“Get out of my way.”

“No. You can’t go in there—”

“Get the fuck out of my way or so help me, Strega, I will throw you on your
arse.”

She bared her teeth in a snarl and took off down the hall. I didn’t need her
to say a word to know

she was on her way to get my father. In my current state, he was the only
one who could stop me.

A soft whimper from inside the room was the final straw. I broke down the
door rather than knock

and stared at the three figures on the bed.

“Oh, shit,” Kingston said, his hands cupping Sunday’s breasts. Blood
trickled from a wound in her

throat, a matching crimson trail running down Thorne’s chin. “This is, uh,
exactly what it looks like.”

But my eyes shifted to the line of black runes running across her pale skin.
“Mine,” I growled. That word escaped before I knew what I was saying,
and when she locked

gazes with me, I stalked forward, berserker in full control.

“Alek,” she breathed, her voice caressing my name, making me throb with
want.

“Move!” Kingston shouted.

“Where am I supposed to go?” Thorne countered. “I’m not letting him

come near her like that.”

I could hear the words, understand them even, but the only thing that fully
registered was the bone-

deep fury at seeing my woman in someone else’s arms. My cock swelled

with need for her. I had to

claim her, to shove those other two distractions out of the way and make her
mine.

Prowling forward, I readied my hands to rend their heads from their bodies
if they fought me.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew we were friends, sort of, but
Sunday was my goal. Which

meant right now, they were in my way. Insects to be crushed beneath my

boot.

Kingston was the first to move, shoving Sunday behind him as he jumped
off the bed to place

himself between us. Thorne was only a second later, standing so that the
two men were shoulder to

shoulder in a poor imitation of a wall. As if they could ever stop me.

“So you chose death?” I barely recognized my voice.

“Don’t do this, man. You’ll never forgive yourself.” Kingston reached back
and held Sunday in

place even though she fought to get free.

“Alek, stop. Don’t hurt them.” She peered over Kingston’s shoulder, but all
I saw was someone

who needed me to take her. I wanted to hear her scream my name. To feel
her nails clawing down my

back as I drove inside her.

Reaching for Kingston’s shoulder, I snarled deep in warning. “I can make it

quick.”

Fire raced through my scalp as something gripped my hair hard enough to

pull it out. “No, son.

You’ll do no such thing.”

I twisted around, finding my fury mirrored in my father’s eyes. “She is

mine.”

His brows lifted. “I’m glad you finally seem to realize that. Does this mean
you remember her?”

I couldn’t answer the question. Not only because I was in a full-blown

berserker’s rage, but

because I didn’t. Not even a little. I wasn’t sure of anything except that I
needed to be inside her more

than I needed my next breath, and I was prepared to kill anyone that tried to
stop me.
I struggled in his hold, the shackles he’d clamped around my wrists without
my knowledge

stronger than they should have been. “Release me.”

“No.”

I lunged forward, and I noted the resignation in my father’s eyes as he

grasped my face in his

hands.

“Why do you always insist on making me hurt you?”

“You couldn’t hurt me, old man. You traded in your balls long ago.”

Fury burned in the back of his ice-blue irises as he snarled. “Thank you,
son. That makes this so

much easier.”

Then he snapped his head forward, and the last thing I remembered was an
explosion of pain.

“DO NOT MAKE me ask you again, Satori.”

My mother’s voice was the first thing I heard as I slowly regained

consciousness. I blinked a few

times to clear my vision. Glass walls. A plain, nearly empty space.

Imprisoned again, then.

“Oh, it’s Satori now, Cuska?” Aunt Quinn stood with my father, uncle, and
mother, her posture
defensive.

“Answer the fucking question, or you’ll have another berserker to deal

with,” my mother spat, the

anger pouring off her surpassing that of my father’s.

My uncle wrapped his hand around the back of Quinn’s neck, pulling the
choker she always wore

a little tighter. “They deserve the truth, princess.”

“Fine. Yes. I took them.”

Took them? What did she take?

“Quinn,” Uncle Finley said, the disappointment in his voice unmistakable.

“How could you? After

everything we went through, you’d really do that to someone else?”

She spun out of his hold, her eyes filled with lavender fire. “I did what I had
to do. When those

boys were born, I swore I’d do anything to keep them safe. I kept my vow
when no one else wanted to

step up to the plate.”

My mother took a step closer to her. “Quinn, no. Not like that. You
promised never to interfere

with our memories again.”

Her finger shook as she leveled it at my mother. “I never made you that
promise. Only him.” She

pointed to my uncle. “The boys were never part of the arrangement.”

“You took Alek’s memories?” Father asked. “She is his mate, Satori. No
wonder he slipped into

the bloodlust. A berserker deprived of their mate is more dangerous than

anything else in existence.”

So that’s what this emptiness inside me was. She’d taken away my

memories of Sunday. My mate.

Anger and grief clashed within me. How could she do that to me?

Quinn snorted. “You haven’t seen Finley’s reaction to a scratched hood on

one of his precious

cars, then.”

“Not the time for jokes, sweetheart,” Finley said, his expression grim.
“Have you already

forgotten what it did to me when you took away my memory of you?”

Her shoulders sagged, but her expression remained fierce. “You know I
can’t forget anything.”

“Then you, better than anyone, know that coming between mates is the
worst thing you could ever

do. Death would be kinder than ripping out a man’s soul. Give them back,
Quinn. Right now.”

I got to my feet on shaky legs and stumbled to the glass wall, pressing my
palms to the cool

window. “Give her back to me. Please? I feel . . . wrong without her.
Broken.”

Her bravado fled when her eyes met mine. “Oh, Tiny. I didn’t do it to hurt
you. I was saving your
life.”

“You didn’t save it. You ruined it.”

“Alek . . .”

“You know he’s telling you the truth,” Finley said, ducking his head so he
was speaking directly in

her ear. “A man cannot live without his soul. It is a half-life at best, you said
so yourself. Would you

really condemn your own godson to such a miserable existence?”

She lifted her chin, but there was no missing its quiver. “To save his life,
there’s nothing I

wouldn’t do. She’s going to get him killed.”

“Please,” I begged. “It’s my life. I should be the one who gets to decide
what I can and cannot

endure.”

My mother reached out a hand and rested it on her best friend’s shoulder.
“Quinn, I’m begging

you. Don’t make my son suffer like this. I know your heart, that your
intentions were pure. You never

intended for things to turn out this way, but look at what it’s doing to him.
We will find another way.

We always do.”

She looked between all of us, utterly defeated. “Okay. Fine.”

Relief and something that felt a hell of a lot like hope swelled inside me as
she stepped forward
and placed her palms on the glass.

“Look at me, Alek.”

I mimicked her, the thick barrier between us not stopping the energy from
transferring through her

and into me.

“Stare into my eyes and let me weave the threads back together.”

So I did. I fell into that purple gaze and waited for my life with Sunday to
come back to me.

And I waited.

And waited.

My aunt pulled back, her hands shaking and her expression tinged with
terror.

“What is it?” Father demanded.

“It’s . . . it’s not working,” she said, shaking her head. “I keep weaving the
strands, but they wither

and die before taking root. I don’t . . . I don’t know what’s going on. This
has never happened

before.”

No.

Dear gods, no.

“What are you saying?” I asked, voice tight with fear. I needed my
memories back. I needed to
know the woman responsible for setting off the beast inside me. I needed to
remember my mate.

“I’m so sorry, Alek. There’s nothing I can do. She’s lost to you.”

Chapte r

Twenty-Nine

SUNDAY

“W ell, this can’t be good.” Kingston gripped my waist tighter than

necessary as the three of us

entered the throne room once again, the same eerie shadows cast on the
walls greeting us.

“Keep moving,” Strega said from her place holding open the massive metal
doors.

She’d been our constant guard since the night before. Well, technically it
had been this morning. It

was a little hard to keep track of the passing hours, but it had been the
middle of the night when we’d

arrived, and the sun had just started to sink back into the horizon when we’d
been summoned.

Somewhere between Alek bursting in my room and now, I’d managed to

fall asleep and get a little

rest. It was that or continue pacing like a caged lion.

Nord had called us his guests, but with the way we’d been confined to my
room after what

happened with Alek, I was feeling more like a prisoner. Especially since no
one had seen fit to speak
to us except to order us dressed and ready for this meeting. To say I was
nervous about what was

about to happen was a serious understatement.

“Don’t be afraid, Sunday. Come forward.” Lina’s warm voice eased

something inside me, but

only a little.

Alek stood with his parents, the three of them a unit, flanked by a younger
woman who resembled

Alek so much I could only assume she was his sister Astrid. All they were
missing was Tor, and we’d

have a perfect family portrait.

My mate’s eyes locked on me the second I crossed the threshold. My heart

clenched. It was such a

different reaction than the last time. There was an intensity in his gaze that
had been missing before.

Perhaps not recognition, exactly. But it was certainly more than curiosity.
The difference was enough

to give me the courage I needed to take the next step.

Noah, Kingston, and I moved into the room. They’d sandwiched me

between them, neither one

wanting to leave my side after Alek’s earlier rampage. I couldn’t blame

them. I would do the same

thing, and I definitely appreciated the show of support. Especially once my

focus landed on the other

trio in the room.

We were joined by a handsome man I recognized from the night Alek was
taken and two women

I’d never seen before but were clearly related. Their purple eyes were
trained unblinkingly on me,

and frankly, freaking me the fuck out.

Who were they, and why were they here?

We walked forward until the three of us stood mere feet from the Vikings
who held our fates in

their hands.

“You summoned?” I tried for strong, confident badassery, but was pretty
sure the question came

out weak and wobbly.

“We did. We need to explain what’s happened,” Lina said, threading her
fingers with Nord’s.

“And offer you an apology.”

I blinked. Well, that wasn’t what I’d expected to hear. I was expecting
something more along the

lines of us getting thrown out on our asses.

“An explanation would be nice,” I said, hoping this time my voice passed
for something more

even.

“His memories were taken in a misguided attempt to control his berserker. I

don’t know how
much you know about berserkers, but when separated from their mates,
they often go mad. That’s

where Alek was headed.”

“So you stole me from him? How is that better?”

The younger of the two unfamiliar women cleared her throat. “I can’t help
but notice you’re only

concerned about how this affected you.”

“Quinn,” Lina murmured, a warning in her tone.

“What? It’s true. What you are all failing to mention was that taking away
the memories saved his

life.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“He was on the verge of never coming back to us. He’d have gone into a
rage spiral, destroying

everything in his path, even himself, if we’d have let it go.”

“It doesn’t look like he’s got that much more control now. A few hours ago,
Nord had to stop him

from tearing us apart with his bare hands for no good reason.” Noah’s
words were strong and self-

assured.

“That’s because you were hurting her. You dared take what’s mine. She’s
been given to me by

Odin himself, and you spilled her blood.” Alek stared Noah down, a threat
in his tone.
“You make it sound like I was brutalizing her. She gave me her permission,
berserker. Any

bloodletting was consensual, I assure you.”

Alek glared at Noah, the distinction not swaying him in the least. “I don’t
see your name etched

into her flesh. If she was your true mate, you’d defend her against any
others trying to mark her.”

Kingston snorted. “Seeing as how you were the third to claim her, I’d back
up that high horse of

yours. Those are our marks on her neck.”

“It’s my child in her belly,” Alek protested.

“Are you sure about that?”

God, I was going to kill Kingston if he didn’t shut up. Now was not the
time.

Every eye in the room was trained on me.

“You said you were with child,” Nord accused.

“I am.”

“You made us believe it was our son’s.”

“It could be.”

“You mean to tell me you are my son’s mate and still you took others into
your bed? That you bear

their marks as well as his? This is absurd.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed and held out my arms. “Welcome to my fucking
life, Your Majesty. I

don’t know what to tell you. Fate saw fit to give me more than one. I didn’t
go looking for them. They

found me.”

“She speaks the truth.”

I glanced to my left as the older of the two strangers took a step forward.

“How can that be, Cora?” Lina asked.

“Multiple mates are not all that uncommon,” she said with a shrug.

“It is for us.”

Lina tossed her husband an annoyed look. “You were the one who told me
our souls are made of

multiple parts. Why couldn’t Sunday find hers in more than just our son?
Don’t be so stuffy, old man.”

“Careful, wife. I may be old, but I can still best you.”

“We’ll see about that.”

The obvious love they had for each other made me smile. I hoped one day
Alek and I would be

just like them. Assuming, of course, we ever settled the matter of these
missing memories.

“How can we get his memories back?” I was done pussyfooting around the
issue. Alek needed to

know me again. If anything was ever going to be normal for us, that much I
knew was true.
“You can’t,” Quinn said. “They’re gone. Every single memory he had of
you was destroyed when

I took them.”

“What? You destroyed them?”

“It was an accident. But I’d erase you again if it meant saving him.” She
raised her chin in a

defiant gesture, and my vision went red. I took a running step forward, only
to be brought up short by

an arm around my waist.

“Let me go,” I snarled, thrashing in Kingston’s arms.

His mouth was at my ear, his voice pitched low and just for me. “Not gonna
happen, Sunshine.

You’re outnumbered and carrying my pup. I’m doing this for your own
good.”

Nord’s sharp intake of breath filled the room. “Berserker. It’s not possible.”

“Oh, eslkan mín, how quickly you forget your mate,” Lina murmured.

“You becoming a berserker was a miracle. The odds of it happening again

are . . .”

Lina’s eyes narrowed as if a thought had just occurred to her. “How did the
two of you manage to

perform the Transference?”

“What’s that?” Alek spoke, his voice calming the fury in my blood.

“Well that answers my question. Nord, this has to mean more. She’s bound
to him. She’s taken on
echoes of his berserker . . .”

Nord stepped forward and rested his palm on the top of my head, closing
his eyes and focusing. I

felt it the moment he found the berserker inside me. It was as if a string had
been plucked, and the

vibrations of my endless fury rang out, filling me.

“Alek,” he whispered, his eyes opening and boring into mine. “It’s true. The
berserker lives in

her, but it’s not her own beast. She shares Alek’s.”

“That’s what we’ve been trying to tell you,” Kingston said, annoyance in
his tone. “Jesus, these

people.”

Nord speared Kingston with a pointed glance. “You do not know me or

what I can do, so allow

me to educate you, wolf. I am a berserker. My first language is violence. I

thrive on chaos and pain,

blessed by the Allfather himself to ensure there is no enemy I cannot defeat.

Insult me or a member of

my family again, and I will personally rip your dick off and make you
choke on it. If you would like to

test me, please, keep talking.”

Kingston didn’t back down, but I didn’t miss him bringing his hand down to
cover his package

protectively. “I’m here to bring Alek back. He belongs with Sunday, just
like the rest of us do.”
“Nord,” Cora said, pulling his attention back to her. “The boy is telling you
the truth. I have a

feeling none of us will be safe if Sunday is separated from her mates. It is

not only our world that

hangs in the balance, but all worlds.” She flicked her gaze to Alek, and the
way he squirmed under

her attention sent unease curling in my belly. This woman had power, and
the way everyone stiffened

the moment she said ‘I have a feeling’ made it clear what came next should
not be ignored. “Your son

has to return with her. He must be at her side to help her face what’s on the
horizon.”

“What’s on the horizon?” Alek asked.

She looked me dead in the eyes, sending a chill down my spine. “War.”

Chapte r

Thirty

SUNDAY

“You’d think portal dude would have been able to at least drop us off at
home instead of the

middle of the woods,” Kingston muttered as we walked up the few steps

leading to the front door of

our house.

“Portal dude, as you call him, can only open the fabric of space in a location
he’s been
previously. Count us lucky we were able to step out on Ravenscroft land at
all.” Alek waited for me

to go first, his intense stare never leaving me.

I hadn’t been able to bring myself to look at him directly, but I could feel
his eyes on me. He

hadn’t looked away for more than a second. Perhaps it should have
reassured me, that sign of his

devotion, but I was afraid to trust it.

He still didn’t remember me, Sunday Fallon. He was only interested in me

because he’d learned I

was his mate. Some people may not care about such a distinction, but I did.
I didn’t want him to feel

like he had to want me. I wanted him to choose me . . . if that made sense.

“You coming, Sunshine?” Kingston held out a hand as he used his free one
to palm the doorknob.

“You look a little lost.”

“Just soaking it all in. I finally have everyone back on the right plane of
existence. It’s kind of a

big deal.”

“You really missed me that much?” Alek asked, his voice filled with
wonder. As though there was

no way I could genuinely feel deeply for him.

“Yeah. I did.”
The front door opened, revealing Noah, an amused grin on his face.
“What’s taking you lot so

long? Come on, then. You’re going to want to see this.”

He hadn’t been away from us for long. He’d run ahead to make sure the
heat in the house was on

and things were ready for our return, but that twinkle in his eye spoke of
mischief. What the hell could

he have gotten up to already?

“What did you do?”

“It wasn’t me.”

We exchanged curious glances and went inside. I only made it a few steps
before I stopped dead

in my tracks, giggles bubbling up in my chest.

“Loki’s enormous cock, what have you done to my brother?” Alek’s words
were colored with

laughter.

I couldn’t blame him, not when there was a 6’5” demigod sitting in a chair
with sparkly pink goop

on his face and curlers in his hair.

“Don’t criticize my work. This is important,” Moira said from behind him
as she secured the final

roller in his hair.

“I can see that,” Kingston said.

Moira glanced up, her mouth falling into a little o of surprise before she let
out an unladylike

snort. “What the hell are you wearing? You look like a stripper I once saw
at Iniquity.” She glanced

at Tor and winked.

He rolled his eyes at her, but there was no missing the upward curl of his
lips.

What kind of mischief did those two make while we’d been away? And do I
really want to

know?

Kingston looked down his body, a smirk twisting his lips. “Like what you
see, huh? I’m thinking

of making a permanent change. Viking chic.”

Tor snickered. “You may wear the clothes, but that doesn’t make you a
Viking. For one thing, you

don’t have what it takes to properly fill out the leathers.”

“I haven’t had any complaints. Besides, I’m not the one getting a perm.”

“Ah, so he’s insecure in his masculinity. Noted.” Tor gave his head a little
shake, then locked his

gaze on Alek. “I see they were successful in returning you, brother.”

Alek crossed his arms, still amused as he stared at his twin. “So . . . did you
lose a bet?”

The offhanded comment stung, bringing back the memory of the moment
he called the tattoo of my
name something he’d had to get due to a lost wager. I pushed it aside, not
letting myself fall into the

spiral of emotion.

It was hard to tell under the face mask, but I was pretty sure Tor blushed.
“What gave it away?”

Alek lifted a hand to tug on his own beard. “Can’t imagine another reason
for you to rid yourself

of your manhood.”

Moira’s laughter tinkled like bells. “How do you think I talked him into any
of this? Tor knows

now never to go up against a Belladonna.”

“It’ll grow back,” Tor grumbled.

“At least now we have a way to tell the two of you apart,” Noah said.

“The way I see it, I’m doing the women of Ravenscroft a favor. I don’t
think they could handle

two of these guys walking around all rugged and Viking-y,” Moira said.

“Are you staying, then?” Noah asked, his palm gently resting on the small
of my back as he came

up behind me. It was like he knew I needed something to help ground me

with all the feelings coming

to a head inside me.

“Yes, I think I’d like to. Ravenscroft has grown on me, and Alek will be too
busy making up for

lost time with his mate to focus on much else.”

My cheeks burned with embarrassment, and suddenly all this was too much.
“Excuse me,” I said,

spinning around and racing up the stairs, not stopping until I was safely
hidden in my bedroom.

I felt like such a fool. All I’d wanted was for Alek to be here with me, and
now that I had him, I

couldn’t even bring myself to talk to him. Even though I wasn’t the one
who lost my memories, he was

a stranger.

Curling up on the forest green velvet chaise lounge Kingston had given me
as a housewarming

present, I stared out the window at the gray sky and rain falling in a fine
mist. How had this gone so

wrong?

Oh, that’s right, Quinn Satori. The memory weaver. She’d woven me right
out of his mind, making

it as if all the moments I remembered so fondly had never happened. And in

doing so, she’d taken

Alek from me just as completely as she’d stripped me away from him.

My berserker woke, melding with the wild spirit of my wolf. The woman
was lucky I’d been kept

at bay in Novasgard. With the amount of fury pumping through my veins,

I’m not sure she’d still be

breathing if I’d gotten my claws in her.

A soft knock on the door was the only warning I got before it opened,
revealing Alek. He stood in

the doorway, a slightly bewildered expression on his face as he filled the

frame.

My heart gave a pathetic flop in my chest. He looked as confused as I felt.

Like his instinct was

telling him to do something, but he didn’t trust it.

“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice low and hesitant.

I tore my gaze from him and resumed watching the rain. “No.”

“I’m sorry.”

A bitter laugh escaped before I could stop it. “Why are you apologizing?
None of this is your

fault.”

“Because I forgot you.” He raked a hand through his hair, frustration in his
heavy sigh. “I don’t

know how to do this.”

His admission did what nothing else could. It pushed me out of my own
grief and back onto my

feet, the need to comfort him outshining everything else. I crossed the room
and closed the distance

between us until he was within my reach. “It’s okay. I don’t either.”

His lip hooked up in a lopsided grin. “Shall we figure it out together, then?”

“I don’t suppose we have any other choice.”

“Where should we start?”

“How do people usually start when they’re getting to know each other?”

He considered the question, and then his smile changed, becoming achingly
familiar. It was an

invitation to play, and I was unable to resist it. “I believe they refer to it as
dating.”

“Are you asking me out on a date, Alek Nordson?”

“Yes, Sunday Fallon. I believe I am.”

My heart fluttered, cheeks warming at the gesture. “Then . . . yes. Take me

on a date.”

He closed the distance between us, reaching out to grasp my hand in his
much larger one. Then

holding my gaze, he dipped his head down and brushed his lips over my
knuckles.

The gesture was so damn charming little butterflies took flight in my belly.

“I’ll pick you up at sundown.”

“Pick me up?” I laughed. “Alek, we live in the same house.”

“I’ll come to collect you from your room. Be ready.”

I nodded, my smile uncontrollable. “Okay.”

“We will find each other again. I promise.”

My throat constricted as tears pricked my eyes. “I’ll hold you to that,
Viking.”

With a wink, he left me. My heart was lighter, my tears no longer sad, but
hopeful. He’d promised.

Alek never broke his promises.

“UGH, NOTHING FITS.” I glanced down at the small swell of my belly

and ran a palm over the bump.

“This is your fault. You’d better be cute.”

I knew the baby would be. There wasn’t a possibility otherwise, not with
how handsome my men

were. Would she have Kingston’s wavy locks? Noah’s intense amber eyes,
or maybe Alek’s blues?

Caleb’s perfect mouth? Would it be obvious who her father was once she
was born? I didn’t want

that. I liked the idea of never knowing. That way I could pretend she
belonged to all of us equally.

I tugged on the hem of the too-tight dress and scrunched my nose. “Nope.”

I pulled off my eighth choice of the night and selected something a bit
looser. The floral maxi

dress was more appropriate for warmer weather, but at least it would be
comfortable.

A sharp knock on the door had my heart lurching with the thrill of
possibility.

“Come in,” I called as I selected a leather jacket from my closet.

Alek opened the door and peered inside, his expression filled with the same
excitement I’d been

trying and failing to tamp down myself.

“I’m almost ready,” I said, smiling as I pulled the jacket on and tugged my
hair free from the

collar.

“You’re . . . perfect.”

My cheeks burned under his attention. “So are you.”

He looked like he’d just stepped out of the pages of a men’s magazine or
maybe a romance novel.

He’d dressed up for the occasion too, with a fitted black button-up, nice
trousers, and a belt. He’d

even taken care with his beard and pulled his long hair back into a low knot
at the nape of his neck.

The smirk that twisted one side of his mouth made me wish we were past
this awkward stage

already. Even when we’d first met, it had never felt this forced between us.
Being with him had

always been so natural; I just wanted to go back to the way we were.

“So, Viking, where are we going?”

He crooked his elbow and offered me his arm. “Come with me.”

I felt almost giddy as I wove my arm through his and let him lead me out of
the bedroom. We’d

only taken a few steps when I noticed how quiet the house was.
“Where is everybody?”

“Thorne mentioned something about giving us space.”

“Oh . . . that was nice of him.”

Alek’s brow furrowed, and then he let out a low laugh. “I must admit, I’m
still trying to wrap my

head around how to navigate a relationship with a woman who has other
men. Do we need to ask

permission if we want time alone with you, or . . .”

“No. Never. You all have me, and I have you. Whenever we want. This only
works if that’s the

arrangement. As much as they play at being jealous, none of them really

are.” I frowned as we walked

down the stairs. “At least, I don’t think they are. I don’t really know. This
has just happened so

organically. They’ve never made me choose.”

He hummed low in his throat. “Perhaps you’re not the person I should be
asking.”

I chuckled. “Maybe not.”

He shook his head, still smiling. “That’s going to be a fun conversation.”

“I’m glad I’m not the one who has to have it.”

“I’ll bet you are.” His eyes sparkled as he smirked down at me. “So do you
share . . .

everything?”
The way his lips curled around the word left little doubt what he was
referring to. He wasn’t

asking me about G.I. Joes or the OJ in the fridge. My Viking wanted to

know about our bedroom

games.

“Sometimes. Others are more, um, intimate. It just depends on who’s

around when things start to

head in that direction. If it feels right to add in more participants, that’s

what happens.” Butterflies

fluttered in my stomach. “Is that a problem?”

We’d just reached the front door when he stopped and turned to face me,
lifting his free hand to

cup my cheek. “I won’t lie to you and say it comes naturally to me to share
you. But I also won’t lie

and say the idea doesn’t hold appeal either. I’m a big man with large
appetites. I’m interested in

anything that brings you pleasure. All I know for sure is that when we were
parted, a piece of me felt

like it was missing, and now that I know that piece was you, I am willing to
try anything if it means

never losing you again.”

There he was. My Alek. The swoony, sexy Norseman.

Something lifted from my shoulders, the invisible weight of tension

between us. “Okay.”

Was it poetic? No. Did it get to the point? Yep.

“Now come along. We’re going to be late.”

“I didn’t realize there was a timeline.”

He cocked a brow. “We have many lost hours to make up for.”

“Well let’s get going then.”

I was surprised when Alek started leading me toward the forest path,
walking with no hint of

hesitation, and then I remembered. It wasn’t the school he’d forgotten, just
me. There was a

momentary pang at the reminder. But when he led me to a part of the

grounds I hadn’t been to before,

it was hard to be upset.

The greenhouse’s doors stood open wide, twinkle lights visible through the
glass panes. Soft

music permeated the air, and a small table filled with all kinds of treats was
positioned inside. He’d

obviously put a lot of thought into our date and gone out of his way to make
it special for me.

“This is so pretty,” I whispered as we stepped through the entrance and into

the warmth of the

structure. “You did all of this?”

“I might’ve had a little help.”

As if on cue, Moira popped out from behind a table of orchids, giving me a

little wink and a wave
as she and her periwinkle bob made a hasty exit, closing the doors behind
her. Of course, she knew

exactly what I’d need in this moment.

“Do you like it?” The raw vulnerability in his question made my heart ache.

“I love it. I really do.”

He reached out a hesitant hand, and I leaned in, needing his touch as he
brushed a lock of hair

behind my ear.

I sucked in a sharp breath as tingles raced down my body at the contact,

igniting a fire I knew he

would not be able to extinguish. His touch was so innocent, but I wasn’t the
one without the memories

of all the other times his hands had been on me. My mind knew we needed
to go slow. My body didn’t

care.

He locked eyes with me, uncertainty in the depths of his blues. “I’m sorry,
is it too soon?”

“No, of course not. It’s not like you kissed me or anything.” I felt so stupid
for reacting to his

small gesture.

“So is that off the table then?” he teased, his lips hitching up.

“Not if you play your cards right.”

His eyes dropped to the soft swell of my belly. “I feel good about my odds.”
A slight giggle escaped me. “You’re not wrong. It’s so easy to forget that
you . . . well, forgot

everything.”

We were standing close enough that I couldn’t miss the flare of anger in the
back of his eyes, but I

knew it wasn’t aimed at me. “I do feel like I’m at a bit of a disadvantage.

You know everything about

me, and I know so little about you. But maybe we can remedy that.”

“I like the sound of that.”

Resting his large palm on my lower back, Alek ushered me over to the
table, helping me take a

seat in the wrought iron chair. Then he popped the cork on a bottle of
sparkling cider and filled a

champagne flute for each of us. “Pretend this is the real deal, yeah?”

“You thought of everything.” I brought the glass to my lips, smiling as the

bubbles tickled my nose.

“I wanted you to have a proper date. From what I’ve gathered, none of us
have come into this in a

traditional way.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you fell into Ravenscroft and found each of us. At least, that’s what
Thorne shared with

me. You deserve to be properly wooed.”

“Is that what you’re doing?”

“That depends. Is it working?”

Heat unfurled in my belly. “Maybe.”

He winked at me. “Then I guess I am.” Alek made us each a plate, putting a
little bit of everything

onto it before setting it in front of me. “So, Sunday Fallon. Tell me about
you.”

I had no idea which way to go. Did he really want to be bored with my
whole history? My time

spent isolated? How did you tell your mate who you were without
overwhelming him?

“CliffsNotes version? I was abandoned on my dad’s doorstep when I was a

newborn, a shame to

my pack because I couldn’t shift. I didn’t know anything about the world
until I came here and learned

from you four. Oh . . . and I’m pretty sure my mom’s the devil.”

He snorted. “I’m sure we all feel that way about our parents from time to
time.”

“Oh no,” I said, taking a sip of my cider. “I don’t mean metaphorically. I

think she could be the

literal devil.”

His smile faded as he held my stare. After a beat, he scratched his cheek
and shrugged. “Well, I

guess it’s a good thing you’re mated to a demigod blessed by Odin himself.
I’m pretty indestructible.”

“It’s always the indestructible ones who take the biggest risks.”
“Is it? You’re the most breakable of us all, and you crossed realms to find
me.”

“It was only one realm.” I ducked my head as a blush crept up my neck into
my face. “You would

have done the same for me.”

“I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit.”

I lifted a shoulder. “Stepping through a portal didn’t seem all that scary after
facing off with

demons and almost being sacrificed during some douchey dude-bro’s

ritual.”

“Dude-bro?”

I waved the question away, sneering at the thought of Chad. “Don’t worry
about it.”

“So you gave me your basic stats, but what made me fall for you?”

The question caught me off guard. “I . . . um . . . I don’t actually know. It

never really came up.”

His expression went from tender interest to disbelief. His brows dropped
low, and his smile

faded. “Then I failed as your mate.”

“What?”

“If you don’t know everything I love about you, I wasn’t doing my job as
your mate. It’s simple. I

should’ve made you aware of exactly how wonderful you are.”

Emotion constricted my throat, and it took me a few tries before I could
respond. “You always

made me feel like I was the only woman in the world.”

“Because you are.”

I waved a hand at my face, lifting my drink with a nervous giggle. “Is it

warm in here?”

His smile was doing things to my insides. “Since I genuinely don’t know,
tell me what your

favorite thing is about me.”

I laughed at the question, which was equal parts cocky male charm and
boyish innocence. “Your

hair.”

Mirth sparkled in his blue eyes. “My hair?”

“Yes. It’s this massive golden mane. Like a lion, but it’s so soft. I love
running my fingers through

it. Tangling my hands in it . . .” Okay, Sunday, rein it in. “If you ever cut it, I
think I’d cry.”

He reached up and pulled the end of the leather cord holding his hair back.
Then he held my gaze,

and he shook all that glorious hair free, looking like he belonged in a sexy
shampoo commercial.

“Better?”

“Much,” I agreed, leaning forward to take a section in my hand and brush

my fingers through it.
“Is it as good as you remember?” His voice was a husky whisper, and I was
surprised to find how

close our faces were.

I had to swallow before I could speak. “Yes.”

He caught my hand in his and got to his feet, pulling me with him until I
was against his chest,

looking up at the face I loved with all my soul.

“I’m going to kiss you now.”

My heart flipped over as he trailed the tips of his fingers along my jaw.

“Yes, please.”

My breath caught as he lowered his mouth to mine, the hesitance between

us lasting for one

fraction of a second before it disappeared and he finally claimed my lips.

It was sweet, sexy, and filled with a passion I knew he was keeping on a
tight leash. I could feel it

in the way he held me. Like I was something precious, and he didn’t want
to scare me off. It was a

perfect first kiss, and it promised many others.

“Sunday,” he whispered against my lips.

Everything stopped as he said it. My name sounded wrong coming from

him like that, in a sweet,

intimate moment. I was his Sunny. Never Sunday.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as I stepped out of his embrace.

I cleared my throat, not meeting his gaze. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“You’re lying to me.” His voice was flat, just a hint of temper giving it a
sharp edge.

“No, I’m not.”

He took my chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilted my head up so
I was forced to look

into his eyes. “Yes, you are. One second you’re melting against me like you
can’t bear to be apart.

The next, you can’t get far enough away. What did I do?”

“You didn’t do anything.”

The words sounded false even to my ears. Even though they were
technically true. But somehow it

just didn’t feel right or fair to tell him the thoughts whispering around the
back of my mind.

You don’t remember me.

It wasn’t his fault, so how could I hold it against him?

“Why do you want me?” I asked, avoiding the question and turning it back
around on him.

His brow furrowed. “What?”

“Why me when you could have anybody?”

“You’re my mate. Destined to be mine.”

“And that’s why I pulled away.”

“I don’t understand.”
I rested my palm on his broad chest, loving the warmth radiating there. “I
don’t want you to want

me just because you’re supposed to.”

“But I don’t. That’s not how mate bonds work. How could I possibly be
interested in anybody

else when I’ve just rediscovered the missing part of my soul? I can
guarantee you this was how it

started the first time too. When you find the one you are meant for, no one
else exists. They couldn’t

hold a candle to the things I feel when I look at you.”

Alek pressed his hand over mine, where his heart thumped steady and true
beneath my palm. If I

wasn’t already head over heels in love with this man, his impassioned
speech would have done it, but

then he went and sealed the deal, ensuring I was an absolute goner.

“I may not remember you, Sunny, but I want to. More than anything. And if
that’s not possible, then

I want to learn you now.”

With that one utterance of my nickname, he’d just given me everything I

wanted without even

knowing it. I should have trusted him. He promised me we would find our
way back to each other,

and I knew he was right.

One way or another, Alek would keep his promise.

Chapte r

Thirty-One

ALEK

My abs burned as I completed yet another set of curls using the tree branch
I was

suspended from to offer a bigger challenge. I needed to hurt. To distract

myself from the

emptiness in my brain where memories of Sunday should live.

I’d already been out here for hours, taking my frustration out on my body,
punishing myself in the

only way I knew how. I’d seen the disappointment in her eyes last night.
She hadn’t wanted to voice

it, but there’d been a moment right before we kissed when I knew I had her.
She was mine. And then

she sealed herself away, as if she needed to protect herself from getting
hurt.

From me.

It was absurd. Hurting her was the last thing I’d ever want to do, yet
somehow I had.

Because I couldn’t remember.

“The ground wasn’t good enough for you? You had to assault this poor tree
with your bulk?” Tor’s

voice pulled my eyes open, and I saw him, the view of his frame distorted
from my upside-down
vantage point.

Swinging myself, I launched off the branch and curled into a ball as I spun,
landing in a crouch in

front of him. “Jealous?” I cocked a brow.

“Of what? Your fat arse?” He ran a hand down his flat abs and grinned. “We
both know I’m the

good-looking one.”

“I wonder if you understand what identical truly means? I suppose it must

be hard for you after

you allowed Moira to shear you like a sheep.”

He rubbed his palm over his jaw, the stubble already growing back. “I’m a
fan of my chiseled

jaw. And the ladies love the dimples you’re hiding under all that hair.”

I rolled my eyes. “As if you’d know anything about getting ladies. You’re
perpetually single, you

fucking monk.”

“As if you know anything about my bedroom habits.”

“I’ve lived in the room beside yours since we were teenagers, and before
that we shared one. I

think I’m privy to all your secrets, brother.”

“Do you now?” He began stretching, reaching his arm across his body. “So
why are we punishing

ourselves tonight? You already worked out this morning.”

“I’m missing so much, and I can’t get it back. You don’t know how that
feels.”

Tor grabbed a log, lifting it high in the air and tossing it to me. “Don’t be
such a pussy. You knew

that when you agreed to go back.”

I threw the wood back at him with more force, but he caught it with no
issue. “Knowing something

in theory and living the reality are two very different things.”

He studied me, his expression not softening in the slightest. “Quinn told
you the memories are

gone. It’s past time you wrap your head around the fact you will never get
them back.”

“You make it sound so easy. How am I just supposed to be okay not

remembering so many

moments with my mate? I feel like an outsider in my own fucking

relationship. I don’t even remember

possibly getting her pregnant. Who would be okay forgetting that?”

“Then make new memories, you idiot. Replace the void with something you
can hold on to.”

“I did take her on a date last night.”

“See? There it is. You know how to do this. You’ve just been a lazy sod and
never had to work

for it before.”

“I’m not lazy. You’re the one who had to be dragged kicking and screaming
to every morning
session with Father.”

He chucked the log at me one final time, this one hard enough catching it
made my teeth rattle.

“You’re lazy where it counts. If she was mine . . . if I lost her like you did,
I’d be a man possessed.

I’d do everything I could to fall for her again. To prove to her that even
without my memories, she

meant the world to me.”

“I will. I am.”

“Are you? Looks to me like you’re out here licking your wounds instead of
in there putting the

work in.”

“I’m not her only mate, arsehole. I can’t monopolize her time.”

“Sure you can. You’re just too scared she’ll turn you away to fight for it.”

I hurled the wood at a nearby tree, the log splintering and branches falling
around us. “I’m not

afraid of anything.”

“Prove it.”

I glared at him. “What? Right now? I’m not winning anyone back smelling
like this.”

Tor rolled his eyes. “Then take a fucking shower first. Odin’s hairy arse,
Alek, it’s like you’re a

fucking virgin.”
I laughed at his ire, appreciating my twin’s specific brand of tough love. It
was exactly what I

needed.

“All right, fuck face. Let’s head back to the house.”

“Already on my way, twatwaffle.”

“Twatwaffle?”

“Like that one, did you? The witch taught it to me.”

“Taught it to you? Or called you one?”

Tor grinned. “Same difference, really.”

The tension between us faded into our more typical brotherly jabs and digs
as we walked through

the woods at the back of the house. I saw her in the window, curled up with
a blanket and staring out

at the night sky. For a moment I simply stood there, taking her in,
memorizing the lines of her profile,

the curve of her shoulder, the things that made up Sunday.

Thorne appeared next to her, his pale fingers running along her collarbone
and tearing her gaze

from the stars so she could look at him.

“I still don’t understand it.” Tor shook his head before clapping me on the
back and jogging

toward the house. Something stopped him halfway across the grass. His
posture tightened, body on the
defensive, and that one small action had my berserker rattling its chains.

The shadows shifted, a figuring emerging from the darkness. I was across
the lawn in three long

strides.

“Take another step, and I’ll rip your fucking throat out,” I snarled.

The threat to my mate froze, his neck craning back so he could peer up at
me. “I was just about to

say the same to you, Mr. Nordson.”

The priest. His fangs were fully extended, brow furrowed, eyes filled with
violence.

Confusion sent my berserker back. Not far, rage was still simmering in my
veins, but the

unexpected reveal allowed some of the fog to dissipate.

“I always knew you were a dirty bastard. But I didn’t expect spying on your
students would be

your kink of choice.”

He leveled a hard stare at me. “You know perfectly well what I’m about.
You’ve lived it after

all.”

What the fuck was he talking about?

The crunch of grass pulled me out of my musing as my brother joined us,

keeping me from giving

voice to the question.

“Why are you out here?” I asked instead.

“To ensure all is well.”

“Why wouldn’t it be? Is something going on?”

He tutted. “Aye, Mr. Nordson, there’s always some mischief being made.
You should know that

better than most.”

“Aye, but that’s no reason for skulking about where you’re not welcome.
What game are you

playing, priest?”

Pain flashed in the back of his eyes, but the good father didn’t answer my
question. His gaze

flicked from me, back to the now empty window. And that was when I
knew. He’d been stalking her.

Father Gallagher was after what was mine, and if he wasn’t in the house,
that meant he wasn’t

wanted.

Without thinking, I encircled his throat with my palm and shoved him into
the nearest tree trunk.

“Stay away from my mate and my child.”

“You fecking bastard. You know as well as I that the bairn could just as
easily be mine.”

“Plot twist,” Tor murmured, letting out a low whistle behind me.

I faltered, loosening my grip ever so slightly. It was enough. Father

Gallagher snarled and shoved
me back hard enough I stumbled.

“Keep your hands off me, lad. I may not look it, but I could snap you in two
as easily as a

communion wafer.”

My inner monster shifted back to the surface, and I knew Caleb could tell
because he stiffened.

“Oh, please do try. I’ve been itching for a fight, Father. I would love a
reason to rip your spine out

through your asshole.”

Tor winced. “I’ve heard about that technique. One of our father’s favorites.
I’d love to see it in

person.”

“You won’t keep me away from her. I have a duty.” Caleb stood there,
casual and relaxed. As

though I hadn’t just threatened to turn him into a spineless sack of bones.

“Seems to me you’re already away. You have no place with her. It can’t be
because you’ve

chosen it. No one is that stupid. Which means Sunday doesn’t want you.
You’re not welcome here.

We’ve got it covered.”

He sneered. “She’s not the one who made the choice.”

I shook my head, disgusted with him. “Then you’re a fool, and you don’t
deserve her. She was
taken from me against my will, and yet here I am, desperate to find a way to
get her back while you

stand there with her in your reach and choose to remain in the shadows.
What a pathetic creature you

are, Father Gallagher. No wonder your God has forsaken you.”

I pushed past him and made my way to the door, knowing my brother was
right on my heels.

I would not be like Caleb. I would not let this miracle slip through my
fingers.

Sunday was my mate. It was time for me to claim what was mine.

Chapte r

Thirty-Two

SUNDAY

“Thank you so much for mentioning this. I didn’t realize how badly I
needed to get out and have

some fun.”

Moira did a little shimmy, showing off her sexy silver dress. The fringed
gown hit her right at the

knees and went perfectly with the matching silver T-strap shoes and 1920s
hairdo. “Please, you’re

doing me the favor. I was dying for a girl’s night.”

I glanced back at Kingston, Noah, Alek, and Tor leaning against the bar
ordering our drinks.

“Sorry about the brute squad.”

“I feel like there’s a Princess Bride quote coming at any moment.”

Alek turned to face us, elbows braced on the bar top as he murmured.
“Inconceivable.”

Moira snickered and booped Alek on the nose, looking more like she was
shooting a free throw

than reaching up to touch him. “Impressive. I’m surprised you even

understood the reference.”

He smirked. “We don’t live in the Dark Ages, häxa.”

“Coulda fooled me.”

“Mo, play nice. He’s still fragile. Even if he pretends he’s fine.” Ash smiled
at my bestie and

threaded their fingers together. “Come on. Let’s go. I want to dance.”

Alek’s gaze followed them as they wove their way into the center of the
dance floor.

“Want to dance?” I asked, my throat a little tight as he handed me a club

soda with a twist of lime.

He frowned at the writhing bodies. “Not really my scene.”

Disappointment lanced through me, though I tried to shrug it off. “Oh.

Okay, no problem.”

Tor slapped his brother upside the head. “Idiot. Come on, Hellraiser. Let’s
show him how it’s

done.”

“Hellraiser?” I asked as he led me to the dance floor.

“You’re a cute little thing, but something tells me you can rain down unholy
hellfire when

necessary.”

The hairs on my body stood on end, something like premonition running

through my veins. The

Norseman wasn’t wrong, but I wondered if he had any idea just how right
he was.

“Hmm . . . I’ll allow it.”

The laugh he released was rich and booming, audible even over the
thumping bass so loud it

radiated through my chest. “A queen in the making. My brother chose

well.”

“I don’t think he really chose me. It was out of our hands.”

Tor winked as he tugged me with him into the crowd. Then, leaning close,
he slid his palm over

the small of my back, and we began dancing as he said, “That’s called fate.
A very different

situation.”

“How do you figure? That sounds like exactly the same thing. Fate threw us
together. He had no

say in the matter.”

“Didn’t he? He’s here now, by choice. He’s made a point to do something
every day to try and

win back your love by choice. How is he not choosing you?”

Well, shit. When the big lug put it that way . . .

“He never lost my love,” I muttered eventually, surprised he could actually

hear me over the

music.

“He’s trying so hard to show you that even without memories of what you
had, you are the single

most important thing in his world.”

I thought about everything Alek had done in the two weeks since our date.
The hand-carved wolf

figurine was the first thing that flashed in my mind. He’d even gone to such
detail as to include the

crescent moon marking between the wolf’s eyes. Did he remember the day
when I’d shifted in front of

him, or was it just a coincidence?

“I know.”

“So why are you keeping him at a distance?”

The question caught me off guard. I hadn’t realized Tor had been watching
his brother and me so

closely, but maybe I should have. They were twins, after all. He was
obviously invested in how

things played out between us.

“I’m not. Not really. I just don’t want him to feel pressured. He deserves to
be in control of
something, considering what happened to him. It might as well be how
things progress between us.”

“Maybe he’s waiting on a sign from you before taking the next steps.”

“Maybe.”

We danced for a few more minutes before Kingston stalked through the
crowd, laser-focused on

where Tor was touching me. His eyes blazed with jealousy, and for a
moment, I worried if Tor didn’t

remove his hand from me, Kingston would do it for him.

“My turn,” Kingston growled as the music changed to a slow, sexy beat.

Tor released me without argument, giving me the patented Nordson smirk.

“Think about what I

said, Hellraiser. I know my brother. He’s taking his cues from you. If you
want more, you need only

let him know.”

All I could do was nod. Then my gaze was commandeered by my wolf

mate.

“I couldn’t take it anymore.”

“What?” I asked teasingly.

“Watching you dance with that tool. Knowing you could be moving against
me but were doing it

with him instead. Take your pick, baby.” He yanked me closer, grinding his
already hardening cock

against my thigh.
“Is my King feeling jealous?”

“Fuck yes. Always, when it comes to you.”

“Really? You seem more than happy sharing these days.”

“Only when they’re one of yours, Sunshine. Knobhead over there doesn’t
count. He might be

related to Alek, but he’s not part of our pack. Not in the ways that would
make me okay seeing his

body crowding yours.”

“Knobhead? Noah is rubbing off on you, I see.”

He chuckled and leaned his head closer, dipping his chin and giving my
mark a little nip. “I think

he needs to rub off on you, sweetheart.”

I sucked in a sharp breath at the hunger in his tone. “Does he?”

“Someone needs to.”

Arousal rolled through me, hot and fast—as was the way these days. It
didn’t take more than a

lingering glance to get my panties damp lately. And with these three, there
were a lot of fucking

glances.

“Are you volunteering?”

He leaned back just enough to catch my eye. “Always.”

“Volunteering for what?” Noah asked, sliding behind me and curling his
arm around my hip so his
hand could rest on the swell of my belly.

“Our girl is in need. Can’t you tell?” Kingston inhaled deeply, his pupils
dilating. “Fucking

delicious.”

“Is it the heat again? That doesn’t make sense.”

“Not the heat. The pregnancy. I hear the hormones can make a woman’s
libido ravenous.”

“Stop talking about me like I’m not right the fuck here,” I groused.

“Am I wrong?” Kingston teased, grazing the underside of my breast and

making me let out a soft

moan.

“No, you fucker, but you didn’t have to point it out either.”

“Why not?”

“Everyone knows it's impolite to discuss a lady’s appetites,” Noah said

smoothly, his thumbs

brushing the vee of my inner thighs as we continued to sway to the hypnotic

beat.

“It’s not like I’m telling everyone about how she ate half a damn turkey on
her own. It’s just sex.”

I blushed at the mention of my afternoon snack. “It’s still rude.”

I leaned back into Noah as Kingston continued to search my body with his
palms. We pretended

this seduction was dancing, but we all knew better. Rolling my gaze
upward, I nearly stopped what I
was doing as Caleb’s form came into view. He stood on the balcony, palms
clenched around the metal

railing, burning eyes pinned on me.

Why was he torturing us both?

“I need a break,” I said, stepping out of their holds.

Kingston’s eyes followed mine up to where Caleb continued to stare at us

from the shadows.

“We’ll be here when you’re ready.”

I nodded, smiling a little despite the ache in my heart when I caught Ash
and Moira doing a slow

version of the Charleston. Ash pulled Moira in close and then dipped her
low, following up the move

by leaning down and stealing a kiss.

Continuing toward the table where I saw Moira’s ostentatious feather jacket
waiting for her, I

forced myself to focus on that one goal. I would have made it, too, except
for the massive hand that

encircled my wrist.

Not Caleb again.

But no . . . there was no incense in the air. The voice gave my captor away a
second later.

“Do you have any idea what it was doing to me watching you out there?”

His voice was a low rasp, and the pure need threaded through it sent a
shiver straight down my
spine. Alek reeled me in until I was standing between his spread thighs.

“Why don’t you tell me, Viking?”

Gripping me by the hips, he pulled me even closer, forcing me to straddle

his muscular legs, my

skirt riding up with the motion.

“How about I show you?”

God, the heat in his voice made things tighten low in my belly as an
answering wave of lust hit me

hard.

“I’ve been trying to go slow with you. Ensure you know it’s your heart I
want before asking to

have your body too.”

That intense blue stare of his made my breath catch.

“But you called to me like a siren out there while you were dancing. I’m
aching, Sunny.”

“Me too.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck as I rocked my hips into him, aided by
his large palms

grasping my ass. I expected to feel the delicious friction of our clothing and
his rock-hard length

rubbing up against my throbbing core. But it was so much better. A moan

left me when my slippery

folds found the leather of his pants.

Wait a second . . . I was wearing underwear before coming over here. I
know it. I picked them out

special.

“Alek,” I whispered, bringing my lips to his ear.

“Yes?”

“I had panties on earlier.”

“Did you?”

“I did.”

“Wonder where they went.”

“So do I.”

He reached between us, hand disappearing beneath my skirt as he dragged

one finger over my

slick lower lips, causing a shudder to ripple through me.

“I’m not complaining. You smell fucking delicious.”

“If you keep doing that, I’m going to ruin your pants.”

His answering laugh was low and sensual as he took his fingers away from
the place I wanted

them most. His knuckles grazed my center as he slowly unzipped his pants.
Excitement unfurled inside

me, and I cast a furtive look around. People were everywhere, but no one
was paying any attention to

the two of us.

“Here?”

A wolfish grin was my answer. Then, with a ragged groan, he moved me

forward so my pussy slid

along his thick length. “I’m tired of fucking waiting. I’ll die if I don’t sink
inside you right now.”

I continued the slow rocking motion until the wet heat of my arousal had
made us both slick.

Hands on my waist, Alek shifted his hips, notching the tip of his cock at my
entrance. Jesus, I’d

forgotten how big he was.

Blazing blue irises locked on mine as we sat there together, both of us

breathing heavily, not

moving, suspended in the torture of the moment stretching between us.

“Alek,” I moaned.

“Say the word and I’ll stop.”

“Don’t you dare. But people can see us.”

“Isn’t that what makes it fun?”

I bit down on my lower lip and nodded. “But we need to be quiet and slow.”

He pulled me down on him, impaling me in one smooth movement,

catching my scream of

pleasure with a hungry kiss. My heart was still thundering when he pulled
away, my lip caught

between his teeth. He released me with a sweet nip.

“What happened to slow and quiet?”

He shifted, pulling out of me and then slowly gliding back in. “Better?”

“Oh, so you can follow directions.”

“Sometimes. When it suits me. Better not get used to it.”

Somewhere between him sinking inside me and kissing me senseless, the

rest of the world faded

away. It was just the two of us now. Here. In this moment. Finding our way
back to each other.

It was perfect.

“I may not know our past, but I know you’re my future, Sunny.” He ran his
palm up my spine

before canting his hips in rhythm with mine. “I can’t be parted from you.
Fate won’t allow it, and

neither will I.”

My heart tumbled. This is what I’d needed. The assurance that he was all in,
regardless of

whatever mystical forces brought us together. Like when he’d given me his
name. A turning point. A

moment of claiming.

“Alek, I—”

I swallowed back my confession as his fingers slipped back between my

legs, his pressure

perfect and setting off tiny sparks of pleasure in my body.

“You what?”

“Need you. I need you.”

“I’m right here, Sunny. I’m not going anywhere.”

“God, I’m coming,” I said on a harsh whisper. My thighs shook as the

orgasm ripped through me.

“Make as much noise as you want. No one can hear you.”

That couldn’t be true, but I really didn’t care. I threw my head back and
brought him deeper into

me as I rode out the pleasure around his cock.

Alek’s grip on me bordered on painful as he drove his hips up into me,

stretching me wide as he

chased his own release. And then he was right there, spilling himself inside
of me.

Our eyes were locked onto each other as he came, his darkened with desire
as a single word was

torn from his throat.

“Kærasta.”

Emotion flooded me, and tears pricked my eyes. I hadn’t realized how
badly I’d needed to hear

him say it. How much the endearment had come to mean to me.

“Elskan mín.”

He banded his arms around me, pressing me against his chest as he cradled
me with his body.
Then he threaded the fingers of one hand through my hair, kissing me so
tenderly I felt as if I was

dying and having life breathed back into me all at the same time. He may
not have given me the

words, but there was no doubting his feelings. Or mine.

A slow clap from behind us had me stiffening against him, his softening
cock still inside me. He

made no move to pull out as he broke the kiss and glanced over my
shoulder.

“Wow, dancing and a show. All for a five quid cover charge. This place is a
bargain.” Kingston’s

voice had goosebumps rising on my skin. Not because I was embarrassed,

but because I wanted him

too.

Then it hit me, and actual mortification washed over me. “Alek, you said
they couldn’t hear us.”

“They couldn’t hear you, but they could sure as shit see you.”

“Don’t worry, dove. No one knows what the two of you were up to. We
were right here the entire

time. Blocking their view.”

Alek lifted me off him carefully, his cum already dripping down my thighs.

“God, I’m a mess.”

Noah reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, offering it to
me. “Here you are,
love.”

Alek snatched it out of his hand and gave me a slow shake of his head.
“Leave it.”

Okay, then. Don’t argue with the big bad Viking. Especially when his voice
sounded like sex and

domination. I adjusted my dress and clenched my thighs together. I wanted

more. I wanted all of them.

Kingston’s nostrils flared as he locked eyes with me. “Our mate is insatiable
when she’s

carrying.”

“She’s always insatiable,” Noah corrected.

“Well, let’s take care of her then, boys.” Alek stood and wrapped one arm
around me. “Let it

never be said a Novasgardian male left his woman wanting.”

Heat crept into my cheeks as thoughts of the night ahead danced through
my mind. “Hurry.”

As a unit, we made our way out of Iniquity. I stumbled slightly when my

eyes raised back to the

small balcony where Caleb had been watching me. He was still there,
although he was no longer

alone. Lilith was at his side, a noticeable smirk on her red-stained lips.

She winked at me, mouthing, “Well done.”

Chapte r

Thirty-Three
SUNDAY

Their hands were everywhere as we entered the house, Kingston kissing my

mark, Noah

caressing my breasts, aching and tender, as Alek watched with a devious

gleam in his eyes.

I was so turned on I could barely get words out to tell them I needed to
shower before we

went further. But eventually, I managed.

“Let me clean up a little,” I said, my voice breathless.

“Why bother? We’re just going to get you dirty again,” Kingston breathed
in my ear before biting

down on the lobe and sending a shock of need straight to my clit.

“Because it’s hard to feel sexy when you’re a sticky mess.”

“Perhaps I could help you with that, dove,” Noah said, sinking to his knees
and sliding the

material of my dress up my thighs.

Before he touched me, the energy in the room changed from charged with
lust to ice cold. “What’s

wrong, Noah?”

“There’s blood. Sunday, you’re bleeding.” He stood and, in a blur of

motion, had Alek pinned

against the wall as he snarled, “You hurt her, you animal.”

Alek’s outrage at being manhandled morphed into horror. “But I was so

careful. You saw. You
were both right there.”

Slipping my fingers between my thighs, I frowned down at the pink-tinged

cum. “Noah, I’m fine.”

“You think I don’t know blood when I see it? When I fucking smell it?”

Kingston scooped me into his hold, cradling me like a baby.

“What are you doing? I can walk. Put me down.”

“You need to be off your feet. I won’t risk you or our pup.”

Sighing, I rolled my eyes. “Fine. Carry me to the bathroom, will ya? These
shoes make my feet

hurt anyway.”

“Why aren’t you taking this more seriously?” Noah asked.

“Why should I, when you three are overreacting enough for all of us? It’s
just a little blood. I’m

fine. Spotting after sex is perfectly normal.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’ve done my research. I do have a midwife I can call with any
questions, remember?

Everything is more tender, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have sex. This is
probably going to happen

again, especially since I’ve been blessed with three big-dicked mates to
satisfy me.”

As always, my heart gave a little pang at the number. Four, I silently

corrected as the memory of
Caleb’s desire-stricken face swam back up.

I’d hoped that would have relaxed them all a little, but they looked at me
with worry in their eyes.

Kingston pressed his lips into a thin line as he carried me up the stairs. “If
you say so. I just don’t

want anything to happen to either of you.”

“I say so. I’ll tell all of you if it’s too much. But women have been having
babies since the dawn

of time. I’m not special.”

“You’re incredibly special.”

I blew out a breath, knowing there was no way to win this argument. Not
right now. The mood

was gone anyway, so there was no need to force the issue.

Noah and Alek stayed back as Kingston carried me into the bathroom. But I
put my foot down at

his climbing into the shower with me.

“No. Nuh-uh. Out.”

“But—”

“Fuck off, Kingston. I don’t need you to wash my ass. I’ve got this.” I
couldn’t help but think he

looked like a sad puppy as he left the room, so I called, “Good boy.”

“Maybe you’ll give me a treat later?”

That made a grin spread across my face. “Maybe.”

“Love you, Sunshine.”

Well, shit. Now I couldn’t be annoyed. “Love you too.”

He shut the door and left me alone with a mess to clean up.

As frustrated as I was at the unexpected turn of events, I couldn’t really be

mad at them for being

worried about me. This was unfamiliar territory for all of us, and Noah,
more than any of them, had

been jumpy from the start. I was just going to have to prove to my men that
I wasn’t suddenly made of

glass because I was pregnant. It would take some convincing, I was sure,
but as I rinsed the almond-

scented suds from my body, I was confident I could make them see reason.

The rag slipped from my fingers as I felt it. A little flutter, like bubbles. My
heart raced, my

thoughts following suit. Was this what I thought it was? I was four months
pregnant, seventeen weeks

to be exact. It could be.

I waited in silence with my palm pressed over the spot where the tickle had
happened.

“Are you there?”

I held my breath, and just when I was about to give up and chalk the
sensation up to something a

lot less exciting, like gas bubbles, it happened again. Movement inside me.
Tears swam in my vision.
The bathroom door swung open, slamming into the wall hard enough to
leave a dent in the plaster

as Noah stormed straight for me, stepping into the shower fully clothed in a
pair of cotton pajama

pants and a white T-shirt I’d never seen before. I didn’t even know he
owned PJs.

“What are you doing, you crazy vampire?”

He cupped my face and stared into my eyes. “What is going through your
mind? I felt you. You’re

crying.”

Kingston and Alek shuffled into the bathroom, all but stepping into the
shower with us. I shook my

head with a wordless laugh and took Noah’s hand, pressing it to my belly.
“I felt the baby move.”

“You . . . what? You did?” Noah dropped to his knees and pressed his ear to
the gentle swell of

my stomach. “I never tire of that sound. The heart beating like a

hummingbird.”

Alek’s expression was broken. “I wish I could hear it. I might be Odin
blessed, but superhuman

hearing is a gift he left out.”

I threaded my fingers in his hair. “I can’t wait until I can hear it again too.”

“It wasn’t real to me until just now. Knowing I might’ve missed it all…”

“You and me both,” Noah said, holding me tight.

“Okay, drama queen. Now that we know she’s not dying, can you two get
out of the shower? Or

do you enjoy being a one-man wet T-shirt contest all the damn time?”
Kingston asked, making me

laugh with his put-upon expression. I’d never out him, but I think he was
jealous that Noah could hear

the baby’s heartbeat and he couldn’t.

Noah got to his feet and stripped out of his clothes then and there. “I’m
going to wash up. We’ll

meet you in the bedroom.”

I laughed and shook my head. “I’m already clean. Sorry to disappoint.”

“Dove, you never disappoint me.” He turned off the water and snagged a
towel for each of us as

Kingston and Alek left the room.

Tying his towel around his waist, Noah got to work drying me off. He was
thorough in his

ministrations, taking his time as he worked the soft terry cloth over my wet
skin. I recognized the act

for what it was. An apology, even though one wasn’t needed.

Finished, he kissed my cheek. “I’m going to go get you something to sleep

in. Be right back.”

Once he left, I took a few minutes to pull myself together. The baby
fluttered again, as though she

wanted to remind me she was there and all I could do was stand there with a
dopey grin on my face.
I finally left the bathroom, towel secured around me, to find pajamas draped
across the chaise

lounge by the window and three pairs of devoted eyes on me. They didn’t
want anything other than to

be near me now. No expectations. No demands. Just comfort.

Which was perfect, because it’s exactly what I needed.

“I call middle spoon,” I said, pulling on the stretchy shirt and loose pants.

Alek came over to me and scooped me up. “Then I’ll be the big spoon.”

“Can I be the fork?” Noah asked.

“Fork?” I asked with a snort.

“Yeah, so I can see your face and tangle my legs with yours. You know, like
two forks facing each

other?”

“Real romantic, man. You’re a regular Shakespeare,” Kingston said.

“I love it. Yes, Noah, you can fork me whenever you want to.”

Kingston rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on. That was so fucking lame,
Sunshine. Besides, where am I

supposed to sleep?”

“At the foot of the bed like every good dog?” Alek offered.

“Nope.” Kingston jumped onto the bed, positioning himself right in the
center. “I’m the

motherfucking silverware organizer. Come on, baby, settle yourself on top

of me, and they can fork
and spoon us to their heart’s content.”

“I didn’t sign up for your arse nestled in my crotch,” Alek grumbled,

climbing onto the bed.

Kingston glared at him. “My ass is planted on the mattress, so don’t go and
get handsy, berserker.

And by the way, if I wake up getting stabbed by your boner, I’m shoving
you off the bed. That goes for

both of you,” he said, pointing his finger at both Noah and Alek. “No
swordplay.”

Noah snickered while I tried to hide my smile behind my hand.

“You, however, can be as handsy as you want,” Kingston said, sitting up to

grasp my hips and pull

me on top of him. “In fact, I think I’m going to demand it.”

“Do I get to push you off the bed if you stab me with your boner?” I asked
as I snuggled into his

chest.

“Nope. You get to take care of it.”

“How is that fair? I thought you were the ones who were supposed to take
care of me?”

“We’ll always take care of you. Forever.” Kingston’s promise turned my

insides to mush.

Noah’s hand slid over my hip, Alek’s on my waist, and Kingston held me
against him. My cheek

was pressed to Kingston’s chest, right over his heart, the steady pulse
soothing.
“When will we be able to feel the baby?” he asked, his words a resonant
rumble as he spoke.

“A few more weeks,” Alek said, surprising me.

“How did you know that?”

“You’re not the only one who does research.”

I smiled, already dozing off as Kingston began threading his fingers through
my hair, combing

from scalp to tip over and over. If I could have purred, I would’ve.

The door flew open, popping the contented little bubble we were floating
in. Alek was the first

off the bed, Noah right on his heels. Underneath me as he was, Kingston
couldn’t do more than tighten

his arms around me as he sat us up.

“What the fecking hell are you three gobshites doing? The goddamn house
is on fire, and you’re

laying up in here in a fucking puppy pile while your mate’s life is in

danger?”

I’d never seen Caleb so upset. A vein was pulsing wildly in his forehead,
his sapphire eyes nearly

black, an angry flush high in his cheeks.

“Fire? What the hell are you talking about?” Kingston snarled, sniffing the
air. “I don’t smell any

smoke.”
Caleb sent the door crashing into the wall. “What do you call that?” he
roared, pointing to the

smoke billowing in the hall illuminated by the angry glow of flames.

We were frozen in shock for a single heartbeat before all of us were

moving.

“How did this happen?” Alek asked.

“Now’s not the time, Viking.” Caleb lunged toward the bed, pulling me out
of Kingston’s arms and

holding me tight to him. “Hold on to me, a stor. Close your eyes.” The way
his voice caressed my

skin had me desperate for us to reconcile.

Flames engulfed the hall and staircase, the wood banister crackling and the
paint on the walls

bubbling from the heat.

“Feck me,” he muttered. “The window it is.”

He ran back into the room and, with one hand, tore open the window,
kicking out the screen and

leaping to the ground like it was nothing. He barely jostled me at all as he

ran us away from the

burning building.

Tears blurred my eyes as I watched Noah’s beautiful gift to us disappear

beneath the inferno.

“I don’t understand. How?”

“You have more enemies than you could ever know, a stor. I’ve tried to
protect you the best I can.

I failed.”

Before I could ask Caleb what he was talking about, Noah, Kingston, and
Alek sprinted toward

us. I squinted and blinked, doubting my eyes for a second when other
figures moved in the darkness.

Caleb’s breath was in my ear as he inhaled deeply, taking in my scent.

“Sunday, I’ve mis—” his

words cut off with a pained grunt, and his hands fell away.

I dropped to the ground, landing on my feet, senses on high alert, the

bracelet on my wrist burning

hot. I’d noticed it was warm earlier, but I’d been so distracted by everything
else, not to mention how

inaccurate it had seemed to be in the past, so I dismissed it. Idiot.

“Caleb?”

My priest stumbled, brows furrowed as he reached behind him and yanked

on something before

pulling a bloodied arrow out of his lower back. Then he fell, the silver
arrowhead glinting in the

moonlight.

“Fae,” he grunted.

I rushed to him, desperate to help, when a pair of unfamiliar arms wrapped

around me.
“Caleb!”

My shocked cry must’ve triggered Alek’s berserker because he bellowed

with rage before I even

finished saying Caleb’s name.

Suddenly the moving shadows made sense. We were under attack. The fire
was a distraction to

lure us out.

“Watch out,” I cried as two of the figures angled toward Kingston while
several more headed for

Noah and Alek.

Noah bared his fangs, his eyes going dark and wild as he took on the
warrior rushing him.

Kingston shifted, his wolf ready to tear out every one of their throats. But it
was Alek who held my

gaze. He barreled through the men in his path, knocking them down like a
bowling ball meeting pins.

The arms around me tightened, and the sharp pinch of a cool blade against
my lower belly as it

sliced through my shirt had absolute terror lancing my heart.

“I’m sorry about this, little one.” The fae man’s voice was smooth and
probably would’ve been

appealing if he wasn’t trying to kill me.

“You’d really hurt an unarmed pregnant woman?” I taunted, preparing to

snatch the blade out of
his hand.

“For the good of the many . . .” he murmured, bringing the blade back, then
slashing forward.

Before I could make a grab for it, the fae’s arm was just . . . gone. I blinked,
my eyes trying to

make sense of the bloody appendage in Alek’s hand. He just ripped the
guy’s arm right off like it was

nothing.

I stumbled backward, barely catching myself before I fell. I hated not being
able to shift. I could

still defend myself, but that didn’t make me any less of a liability.

Alek had never looked more like one of his ancestors with the spray of red
covering his face and

the moonlight falling on him like he was some kind of avenging, albeit
terrifying, angel.

The fae fell to his knees, and I thought for sure he’d bleed out and die right
there, but then he

stood, determination shining in eyes that said he was serving a greater

purpose than his own life. He

pulled another dagger from the sheath around his left thigh and ran forward,
screaming a battle cry

that rivaled Alek’s.

“He’s fae, Alek!” I shouted.

Alek locked eyes with me and nodded. Then as I watched, a broadsword

manifested in his hand.
“Iron.”

One word in that deep growl of his, but I knew it spelled death for the man
trying to kill me.

There was little I could do but watch as the fae launched himself at my
warrior mate. Alek was

unfazed as the man aimed his blade straight for his heart. In one easy move,
he swung the sword

down, cutting the fae in two.

My stomach churned as the pieces fell to the ground, but there was another
part that reveled in the

bloodshed.

Berserker. Perhaps not my birthright, but every bit a part of me as my wolf.

Shocked cries rang out from the rest of the fae. They hadn’t expected us to
take down one of their

own.

“Get behind me,” Alek growled as he put himself in my way.

All my men stood ready to attack, even Caleb, his eyes ringed in dark
circles and pain evident on

his face. But the fae fell back, slinking into the shadows. They might be
retreating, but I was smart

enough to know by now this wasn’t the last we’d see of them.

We’d just killed one of their brothers. There was no way we wouldn’t pay.

Chapte r
Thirty-Four

CALEB

Iknew it was only a matter of time before I’d be called to stand before the
Society and answer

for the death of a fae warrior. That it had taken two full weeks was a special
exercise in

patience. My nerves were shot, knowing Sunday was back in her old dorm
room with Moira,

separated from Blackthorne, Farrell, and the Viking now that their home
had been destroyed.

Only a fool would believe that hadn’t been part of the plan—separating
Sunday from her mates.

She was stronger with them, drawing her strength from theirs. Getting
everyone alone only made for

easier pickings if they failed in their initial attempt to harm her. The wound
in my lower back gave a

dull ache as a reminder.

It had been close. Far too close.

I’d been a careless fool, too caught up in having her near me again to notice
the archer in the

brush. And I’d paid dearly. Sunday will never know how close to death I’d
been. A few inches higher

and I’d have bled out in minutes, the silver arrowhead piercing my heart,
effectively staking me.
As I rounded the corner from my tunnel that led to the bottom level of
Iniquity, I spotted the

succubus owner herself. Lilith was deep in conversation with a fae male I
didn’t recognize. The

presence of any fae right now had my hackles rising.

It wasn’t until I caught his bitten-off words I realized this man was neither
friend nor foe.

“It was a fae, but not of the Night Court. We wouldn’t waste our time on
something as trivial as a

mortal realm prophecy.”

Lilith laughed, but it was a low and scathing thing, utterly devoid of humor.
“How arrogant you

fae are, pretending our worlds are not interlocked.”

“If I had my power right now, I’d show you just how little time and space
mean.”

She yawned loudly and dramatically, a golden chain around her wrist going
taut and pulling him

closer. “So you keep reminding me, poppet.”

“Call me that again, succubus, and see where I take you in your nightmares
tonight. You won’t

enjoy it.”

Her eyes flashed. “You know nothing of the monsters that come to me in
the night, prince. If you

believe you are the worst I’ve come across, you grossly underestimate my
past. But allow me to
remind you, I defeated them, and if you come for me, I will show no mercy
doing the same to you.

You’ve met your match, poppet. Don’t forget it lest you want this little
arrangement of ours to become

a permanent one.”

I stared at them openly, the exchange fascinating. What had transpired

between them to cause such

loathing?

“We aren’t alone, Lil”—she tugged on the chain, making him wince
—“Mistress.”

Her perfectly stained lips turned up in a smile as she made eye contact with
me. “It’s okay. Father

Gallagher likes to watch, don’t you, love?”

I ignored the taunt as I memorized the midnight hair and silver eyes of the
man staring daggers at

me. He was trouble. Danger was written in every annoyed line of his body.

“You know your secrets are safe with me, Lilith.”

“A priest safekeeping the sins of a demon? Whatever is this world coming

to?”

“You tell me, poppet. You’re the one in the thick of it, aren’t you?”

The man in her keeping sneered but didn’t say another word.

“Should you be inside terrorizing a certain archangel?” I asked, looking

pointedly at the door to

our meeting room.

“Oh yes, that’s right. I heard there was a bit of an accident the other night.
Here to get on your

knees and beg for absolution, Priest?”

“Oh lovely, your brand of hospitality is the same across the board. Here I
thought I was special.”

The fae man settled in a chair, and Lilith immediately yanked on his chain
until he moved to kneel at

her feet.

I raised a brow. “Does your new pet have a name, Lilith?”

“Oh, he’s gone by many names over the years, but my prince currently
answers to the name

Crombie. Don’t you, poppet?”

“Fuck you,” he spat. “This is a disgusting abuse of our arrangement, and

you know it.”

“Is it? Hmm. Feel free to take it up with me during our weekly business
meeting, love. I’ll be sure

to listen to all of your grievances very attentively.”

“Crombie . . .” I let the name roll around in my brain, recognizing it

vaguely. None of the feelings

I got about the man were pleasant.

The doors creaked open, and Blaire Belladonna hit us with a hard stare.
“Are you coming, or do

we need to continue aging while you yammer on? Some of us don’t have
the luxury of eternal youth.”
“Come along, poppet. Your mistress is required elsewhere.”

“You’re not my mistress,” he hissed.

“Who’s the one holding the chain, love?”

I shook my head as they continued to bicker behind me, even though my

heart was lodged solidly

in my throat. I already knew nothing about the meeting to come would be

pleasant.

Then again, who better than a masochist to walk headlong into torture and
punishment?

The Society members were all seated as I walked into the center of the
room.

“So good of you to join us, Caleb.” Gabriel’s voice was the most annoyed
I’d ever heard it.

“I’m hardly the last in attendance.” I gestured to the empty seats where
Finbar and Lilith both

should be.

“Settle down. I’m here and you know it, Daddy Caleb.” Lilith’s voice had
my hackles rising

before I could stop them.

“Don’t call me that,” I snapped.

“Oh, that’s right, there’s only one person who gets that privilege.”

“Are we all just going to ignore the fact that Lilith has brought an outsider
to our meeting?” I

asked, still internally seething.

Lilith chose that moment to run her free palm over Crombie’s head. He
snarled at her, baring his

teeth and jerking his head away, causing her to laugh softly and lean down
to whisper in his ear. I only

caught the change in his expression because I was looking at him as it

shifted from outrage to blatant

arousal.

Gabriel arched a brow. “Do you really think I would risk the secrecy of our
cause without putting

some measures in place? Due to the nature of the contract between them,
Crombie cannot do anything

that would harm Lilith. Speaking of the things that happen here would mean
death to her, and

subsequently, death for him.”

“I’m nothing if not crafty,” Lilith murmured.

“That’s not what I’d call it.” After Crombie spoke, Lilith jerked the chain,
and he winced but shut

his mouth.

“You should consider a different kind of collar, Priest.” Lilith’s eyes

sparked. “We could even

engrave your name on it for her.”

Gabriel’s attention shot to me, but I took my seat, and he blessedly didn’t
press the issue. “Finbar

will be here shortly. That leads me to the topic of our meeting. The Shadow
Court.”
I knew then the fae attackers had been Shadow Court warriors. Alek had
committed a grave sin

against them, and I was going to be the one to pay the price. As the only
member of the Society not in

any kind of social standing, I was the only one who could be legitimately
blamed.

Deservedly so. The reason I’d been indoctrinated into the Society was that
I’d be useful. My soul

on the line meant I’d have to do their bidding. I may not be in chains, but I
was as much a prisoner as

the man in Lilith’s control. Especially when the angel Gabriel was the one
enslaving me.

“I don’t see what all the fuss is about. The Shadow Court attacked her. They
defended their mate,

as any true mate would. So what is the problem?” Antoinette le Blanc asked
as she inspected her

nails. “This all seems like a lot of needless drama.”

“The problem,” Finbar spat, striding into the room, “is that a member of our
court has been

murdered.”

“You mean the assassin you sent to murder Sunday?” I asked, the need to
defend her rising hot and

fierce inside me.

Finbar raised a brow. “Murder was not the intended goal. They were
charged with bringing her to
the queen.”

“That’s not what it looked like. From the arrow in my back to the blade held
to her belly, these fae

meant to kill.”

“Be careful what allegations you lay at my feet, Priest. You know who I
serve.”

Gabriel shot Finbar a withering glance. “We’ll deal with your

insubordination later.”

“How is what my court has done any different from the goals of the
Farrells? We sought to isolate

her until the time to act comes.”

Crombie snickered. “Sounds exactly like something your court would do.
Because reason and

altruism are core values of the Shadow Court.”

Finbar tossed him a disgusted look. “Your opinion means nothing to me.
You are a disgrace to

your court and the rest of the fae.”

“Better a disgrace than a mindless slave.”

Finbar cocked a brow. “It looks to me as though you are the only one in this
room on his knees, at

the mercy of a demon.”

“Clearly you don’t understand how much power comes from submission,”
Lilith said, surprising

everyone in the room by coming to her new pet’s defense.

“I’m not interested in your bedroom habits, Lilith.” Gabriel stood in the
center of the room and

stared at me. “Nor am I interested in yours, Caleb. I just want to know

about the events that led to the

death of a Shadow Court warrior.”

“The Viking brutally killed Seamus. There wasn’t enough of him to bring
back home to his wife

for burial.” Finbar’s voice shook with anger.

“If Alek killed him, there was a reason. My son would never harm someone
without cause.”

Nord, jarl of Novasgard, stood from his chair, having replaced his previous
ambassador. Not

surprising after I’d learned how she’d meddled.

“He was protecting Sunday,” I offered.

Blaire Belladonna scoffed. “I still don’t understand why you won’t let me
brew her one of my

special tonics. Women have been coming to my family since the dawn of
time to help with her

specific affliction.”

“She’s pregnant, not diseased.” Lilith rolled her eyes.

The elder witch shrugged. “Same difference, really. Not everyone views
childbirth as the miracle

it’s proclaimed to be.”

“Don’t forget, this isn’t a child. It’s a demon. The harbinger of the
apocalypse.” Ronin Farrell

stood from his chair. “Whether my son sired the blight or not, it needs to be
snuffed out or, at the very

least, kept contained.”

Antoinette raised a single finger and cut a glance at Ronin. “There will be
no snuffing on my

watch.”

“I already tried to get her to stay at my compound in order to take care of

matters myself. She’s a

headstrong little bitch, just like her grandfather.”

Niall Fallon snarled from his seat, but Antoinette continued speaking before
he could respond to

the verbal dig.

“Sunday Fallon is my responsibility, and I will not allow her to be harmed.”

“You seem to be rather shit at your job,” Cashel Blackthorne said, his
knuckles white as he

gripped the armrests of his chair.

Antoinette gave him an icy stare. “I assure you, Blackthorne, you have no
idea how determined I

am to see my job completed successfully.”

“My son could have died.”

“And he didn’t.”
Cashel huffed. “Are we all going to ignore the fact that our children are at
risk because of this

girl? This child?”

Gabriel cleared his throat. “Now, now, don’t be overly dramatic.”

“The end of the world seems like the right time to be dramatic, angel.”
Ronin’s tone was a strange

kind of sarcastic.

I quietly seethed, the indignation of the wolf patriarch not quite ringing
true. He was enjoying this

far too much.

“So what are we going to do about the girl? The priest clearly cannot be
trusted to play his part in

keeping my granddaughter out of trouble.” Niall leveled me with a pointed

glare.

“It’s not simply fae after her. Demons, hunters, and more will come for her
once news of the child

gets out.” Blaire shook her head. “This has gotten out of control. I still don’t
see why you won’t let

me take care of it. One drop in her morning smoothie, and the baby is
gone.”

“These things must be handled with more finesse, witch. Certain rites must
be performed now that

the harbinger is on the way. There are seals to be closed. Blood sacrifices . .
. it’s all very biblical.”
Gabriel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Father, give me
strength.”

My chest tightened. I didn’t know what the right choice was now. Where
did I go from here?

“Then we bring her to Blackthorne Manor and hide her until the time
comes. Somewhere she’ll be

safe from prying eyes and where we can watch her.” Cashel’s eyes bounced
between Ronin and

Antoinette. “Since you two managed to do the exact opposite.”

“Is no one going to address the fact that the Shadow Court was sending
their warriors after this

girl? Or do they get a free pass since they’re in this merry band of perverts
too?” Crombie’s cultured

drawl was cut off as Lilith gave his chain a tug.

“Hush, poppet. The grown-ups are speaking.”

I looked to the fae ambassador staring daggers at me. “Lilith’s plaything

does raise an excellent

point.”

A muscle in his jaw ticked. “I’m not here to debate whether this child
means the end of the world

or who should take care of her. I’m here to demand retribution for my dead
clansman. One of yours

killed one of mine. That debt must be repaid.”

“My son did the killing. Take your wrath out on me,” Nord said.
“No,” Finbar said. “The priest was there. He should have stopped it.”

The fae’s hard stare landed on me, followed by the focus of every creature
in the room.

Gabriel stepped in front of me, a long-suffering expression written on his

face. “Rise, Caleb.

Retribution has been demanded. Justice must be served. Yadda, yadda,

yadda.”

“And what price could you place on the life of a fae warrior?” Finbar asked.

“I’m sure a life for a life would suffice.” The archangel was rife with
intention as he turned

toward me.

Finbar snorted. “As if the life of a vampire could ever be equal to one of a
fae.”

“Twice then,” Gabriel offered. “Two deaths for one.”

“More. Make it hurt.”

Before I could move back, God’s own messenger had my head gripped
between his palms.

“Immortality has its perks, Caleb.”

Then the angel snapped my neck, and I died.

Again.

Chapte r

Thirty-Five

SUNDAY
Iknew I was dreaming the second the taste of ash hit my tongue. It was all
around me, like

swirling gray snowflakes that burned when they got in my eyes. This was
my mother’s

handiwork. She hadn’t come to me in a dream since the night she held my
unborn daughter in

her arms. I’d thought I was finally rid of her. I should have known better.

I glanced around the barren wasteland, looking for her. She had to be here.
She’d never pass up an

opportunity to take credit for terrorizing me. Dread sat thick in the air, so
palpable it seemed to have a

life of its own.

Whatever my mother wanted me to find wasn’t going to be pretty. Death

walked here. But who

had she come to claim?

With no landscape to guide me, I picked a direction and started walking.

There was little change

in the cracked, gray dirt and not so much as a mountainscape in the

distance. But on the horizon, I saw

a gnarled tree, its empty branches reaching for the heavens as though
desperate to be saved.

Unease skittered down my spine, but there was no escaping it. This is what
I was here for, and the

only way out was to get it over with.

I rushed to the tree, an invisible breeze sending a dark piece of fabric
floating backward on the

other side of the thick trunk. I squinted but couldn’t make out anything
more than that from this

distance. Quicker than should’ve been possible, I was in front of the

massive elm, my chest fluttering

as everything in me screamed something was wrong.

As I rounded the trunk, my gaze locked on the reason for my anxiety.

Confirmation.

“Oh, Caleb,” I whispered, horrified at the sight of my confessor.

He hung limply, a noose around his neck, eyes open and glassy, mouth
slack. Dark bruises colored

his throat, and there was no denying he was dead.

“You can’t be dead. You’re a vampire.”

I had no way to get him down, and from the glow in the distance, the sun
was rising. If I didn’t get

him out of here, he’d burn. I staggered forward, grasping his legs and trying
in vain to pull him down

from the branch. Pleas fell mindlessly from my lips as I struggled with his
weight.

“Wake up. Wake up.” My voice was barely a whisper stolen by the now
howling wind.

Persistent shaking and an urgent male voice pulled me from the dream.

“Wake up, dove. You’re dreaming.”

“Noah?”

“I’m right here. You’re safe.”

I bolted up. “Caleb’s not. Something’s wrong.”

Noah stopped me with a palm on the shoulder as I swung my legs over the
side of his bed in his

old flat in Blackthorne Hall.

“Sunday, it was just a dream. I’m sure he’s fine.”

“No,” I insisted. “You weren’t there. You know my dreams always mean
something.”

He frowned, looking torn. “What happened?”

“Caleb was hanged, and the sun was about to rise. I think it was a warning.
I need to get to him.”

“I’ll come with you.” He was already grabbing one of the hoodies I stole
from Alek, tossing the

fabric at me.

I slipped the soft sweatshirt over my head, then pulled on a pair of leggings.
“No. You have to get

the others. Bring them to Caleb’s place. If there’s something seriously

wrong, he’ll need all of us.” He

wanted to argue with me. I could see it in his eyes. “Please, Noah. Trust
me.”

“Fine. I’ll meet up with you as soon as I sound the alarm.”

Rising to my tiptoes, I brushed a chaste kiss on his lips, inhaling his spicy
scent on reflex. “I’m
probably wrong, and he’s fine. I just . . . this is something I can’t shake.”

The journey to Caleb’s room was a blur as I sprinted toward his door. Heart
hammering, limbs

trembling with the onslaught of adrenaline, I pounded on it. When he didn’t

answer, I tried the knob,

but it was locked.

I slammed my flattened palm on the wood, letting out a frustrated growl.

The overwhelming grief

I’d felt since waking up hadn’t lessened. Closing my eyes, I took a deep
breath in an effort to calm

down, focus, think.

“Where are you, Caleb? Where would you be?”

My heart lurched. I knew there was only one other place he’d go. The
chapel.

As soon as the answer came to me, I was off again. I missed my wolf.
Running with four legs

instead of two would have made this so much faster. As it was, each step
felt like I was running

through mud. Painfully slow.

When I finally reached the church, my breath caught at the wide-open

doors. He never left the

doors open.

“Caleb?” I called, rushing into the sanctuary, my voice echoing off the
domed stone ceiling.
“Caleb, where are you?”

I ran down the aisle all the way to the altar and then back into the sacristy,
but he wasn’t there

either.

“Caleb?” I tried again when my eyes landed on the confessional. The little
booth was ajar, not

quite flush with the wall behind it.

He must have gone down into the catacombs.

I pressed my palms to the confessional, shoving it with everything I had,

determination giving me

a boost. “Come on. Move.”

The wood creaked before it finally slid across the tiles, revealing the
entrance to the underground

tunnels and rooms. He had to be there. The urgency building in my chest

had to mean something.

I didn’t waste time searching the little rooms. I knew if he was down here,
there was only one

room he’d have gone to. The same one he offered me while I was riding out
my heat.

When I found him, a part of me wished I hadn’t.

“Oh my God, Caleb. Who did this to you?”

He was on the ground, clad in only a pair of dark boxer briefs. His silky
hair was dull, the curls
obscuring his face. But my eyes were locked on the markings ringing his
neck. They were an angry,

swollen red.

I dropped to my knees next to him, unsure of what to do. Reaching out, I

brushed back the hair that

had fallen across his face. From this vantage point, I could see the severity
of the wounds. Blood

streaked down his throat where the skin had been burned raw. Blisters and
sores that looked so

painful I shuddered accompanied the deep bruising.

I was afraid to touch him; wounds like that on a vampire must have been
left with silver. He

would have healed by now otherwise.

“No,” he groaned softly. “No more. Please.”

My entire body relaxed when I heard his voice. He wasn’t dead.

“Caleb, you’re okay. I’m here. No one is going to hurt you.”

“Blood,” he whispered, his eyelids waxy and bruised as he tried to open

them.

Without stopping to think, I offered him my wrist. “Here. Take what you
need.”

There was zero hesitation as he latched onto me, the bite clumsy but sure. I
scooted myself closer

until his head was resting in my lap as he fed. The pleasure that
accompanied a vampire’s bite was
there, but not as strong. An edge of pain came with this one. He was too out
of it to worry about

making it feel good for me.

Caleb grunted, his hand gripping my forearm and holding me tight to him.
When he sucked harder,

his eyes opened, locking onto mine. There wasn’t a shred of recognition
there. All I saw was a feral,

hungry vampire staring back at me.

A low trill of fear raced through me, but before I could do anything, Caleb
released my wrist and

jerked upright. He blinked a few times, his color already returning as the
wounds on his neck began

healing.

“Caleb?” I whispered.

A chilling smile stretched his lips, now coated with my blood, right before
he lunged and tore into

my throat.

Chapte r

Thirty-Six

CALEB

Blood. Rich, warm, heady. Everything I needed and always denied myself.
Drinking straight

from the vein always sent a rush of arousal through me, which is why it was
an act I
refused. Except for my moments of weakness.

She would always be my weakness.

Clarity returned to me in stages as her blood healed me, my broken body

knitting back together

with the precious life she was giving me.

Gabriel killed me more times than I could count. Each time more painful
than the last, until I

thought I’d go mad from it. Only then had Finbar said the debt had been
paid, and Gabriel brought me

back here to nurse my wounds in peace.

I never expected her to come for me.

Sunday’s soft mewl of pleasure had my cock threatening to punch through

my shorts. My lust for

her was intense, but my hunger eclipsed all else.

“Caleb,” she whispered.

The sound of my name on her sweet lips had me pulling her body closer to
mine so I could drink

deeper. She was such a good girl when she wasn’t being naughty.

“It hurts.”

It hurts me too. Not being with you.

I’ll make us both feel better.

The taste of her on my tongue healed more than just my body. It eased the
endless ache that being
apart had caused.

Her pulse, which had beat sure and strong, weakened, giving her words new
meaning. She pushed

against me, struggling in my hold. “Caleb, stop.”

Those two words hit me like a whip’s lash. I tore myself away from her.
The lack of my support

sent her crumpling to the ground. She lifted her still bleeding wrist to the
gaping wound at her throat,

blood running steadily down her body. Hunger roared inside me as the scent
of what I wanted most

permeated the room. But it was the look on her face that knocked back the
thirst. I’d hurt her.

Put her in danger.

I wore the evidence of my guilt as even more of the crimson dripped down
my chin and chest.

In her eyes, I knew what she saw. Not the priest she loved, but a monster.
But Sunday Fallon was

loved by the monsters humans feared. And being what I was meant I could
fix what I broke.

“A stor, come here to me. Let me heal you.”

Bless her foolish little heart, she didn’t even hesitate to obey. Her trust in
me was unfounded. I’d

done nothing to earn it and far more to prove myself unworthy.

I took her in my arms and lifted her, carrying her over to the bed. I rested
her in my lap, selfishly
needing to feel her body against mine. Slicing open a vein, I offered her my
neck.

“Drink.”

Her mouth sealed around the wound, and the first pull was utter bliss. I
sucked in a sharp breath,

fighting the tidal wave of desire her lips on my flesh always released. It was
all I could do not to free

my cock and drive deep inside her here and now.

“That’s a good girl. Drink deep. I took too much. You were so good to me.”

I ran my hand down her hair and along her spine, loving the way we fit
together. Like a puzzle that

had finally found its missing piece.

The foreign feel of my heartbeat racing distracted me from the sensations

she evoked. It was as if

a drummer had taken up residence inside my head, and I could hear it as

clearly as hers. Which was

why I knew the very second their rhythms synced up, becoming one perfect
melody.

“Take me into you, Sunday. Let me heal you and make you new.”

She moaned against me as she shifted positions until her knees were planted
on either side of my

hips, and I could feel the heat of her tight cunt pressing along the throbbing
length of my cock.

“You’ll make a sinner out of me yet.”

She responded by tightening her grip on my hair and rolling her hips over
me, sending ripples of

pleasure flowing through me. Pleasure so intense and multi-faceted, I knew

I wasn’t only

experiencing my own.

Fucking hell, the bond. I’d allowed us to complete it by performing our

blood exchange. Why had

I resisted her so long when I could feel whole by joining with her?

A smile spread across my face as the understanding of what having a mate

felt like washed over

me. At least, it did until searing pain shot through my chest in a circular
pattern.

No. Not another one. A seal. I’d opened a fecking seal.

The time to turn back had long since passed. There was no undoing this.

Sunday Fallon belonged to me as surely as I did to her. And if I was already

going to hell, I might

as well enjoy the trip.

“That’s enough, my lovely one. Don’t take it all.” I stroked her hair and
gently detached her from

my throat, her eyes glazed with euphoria, lips red with my blood.

“Caleb, you gave me your blood,” she whispered, awe in her words. “You
bonded with me.”

“Aye, and I’d do it all over again if it means I get to keep you.”

“But your vows. The rules.”

“Fuck the rules. It’s you I want to devote myself to. You are the reason I
exist. I’ve just been too

bloody stubborn to let myself admit it.”

She swallowed, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I love you, Caleb.”

I didn’t have the strength to keep from kissing her then. Those perfectly
innocent and equally

powerful words stabbed straight through me in a way she’d never

understand. I crushed my mouth to

hers, tongue delving between her lips.

Grasping her beneath her thighs, I stood and turned us around, laying her
back onto the bed. She

stared up at me, her chest rising and falling in time with my own as I spread
her legs wide. Her eyes

ran over my body, lingering on the circular markings on my chest.

“I didn’t know you had a tattoo. What does it mean?”

There was no way in hell I was about to have that talk with her. I had other
plans. “Penance.”

Her lips twitched. “That seems appropriate for you.”

If you only knew.

She sat up, her hand outstretched as if to trace the circles with her fingers. I
caught her hand and

kissed her fingertips. Then kneeling down, I gripped her knees and tugged
her forward.

“Look at me, darling.”

Wide blue eyes found mine. “I’m looking.”

“And what do you see?”

“My mate.”

“Fecking right.”

Leaning close, I ran my nose along her inner thigh before I buried my face
in between her legs,

inhaling the scent of her arousal. It was the most perfect thing I’d ever
smelled, a perfume composed

of honey and musk, a bouquet I wanted to explore further with my mouth.

She wriggled her hips, a

little whine coming from her as she begged for more friction.

“Stay still, or I’ll have to take you over my knee, and that would ruin my
plans.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

Jesus and all the saints. My cock pulsed, a rush of pleasure building in my
balls. She’d bring me

off with her words alone if I let her. Using my fangs, I tore the pleasure-
damp fabric of her thin

leggings open, then my fingers ripped the poor excuse for clothing straight
down the middle until she

was bared to me.

“No knickers? Naughty girl.”

“I was in a hurry.”
“I never want you to wear any when you’re with me.”

“You don’t?”

“I require complete access to this perfect cunt.”

She batted her eyelashes at me, pure lust in those fathomless depths. “It’s
yours.”

With one swift flick of my wrist, I slapped the glistening lips of her pussy
with my fingers, making

her jolt and cry out.

“What was that for?”

“Just to remind you of the first time you tempted me.”

She smirked. “Do it again.”

“You don’t get to make the demands, sweetling. I’m the one in charge. In
fact, I think you need a

reminder.” Leaning forward, I licked up her seam, a growl of primal

satisfaction rumbling in my chest

and vibrating directly onto that sweet bundle of nerves. “You don’t get to
come until I say.” And then I

nipped her clit with my fangs.

She cried out, her fingers finding my hair and gripping tightly, the strength
afforded her by my

blood sending pain across my scalp. “That’s right, my darling, hurt me if

you must, but know it won’t

get you closer to your peak. Not until I say so.”

“But you’ve already made us wait so long.”

The absolute cheek of this one.

I rubbed my grin along the inside of her thigh, giving her another little bite.
“Behave, or I’ll not let

you come at all.”

She didn’t utter another word, so I slipped a finger inside her and dragged a
moan from her

instead.

“So fecking hot and tight. You’re ready for me, aren’t you, sweetling?”

“I’ve been ready for you. Make me yours, Daddy.”

I stood, staring her down as I shoved my boxers to the floor, letting my

weeping cock spring free.

She licked her lips, eyeing me hungrily. “Caleb, let me choke on your dick.
I want it so bad.”

God in heaven. My length twitched, a pearly drop of cum sitting on the tip.
“Later. Now it’s time I

had what I’ve been denying myself. Scoot back on the bed, little one.
Spread your thighs and get

ready. I’m going to fuck you now.”

She tore her shirt over her head, tossing it aside. I almost scolded her for
doing that without

permission, but then she rubbed her thighs together as she scooted up and
made room for me to join
her on the mattress. When she spread them for me, they were sticky and
shining with her arousal.

I couldn’t contain my grin of dark amusement.

“What’s so funny?”

“Just a passing thought.”

“You going to share with the class, Father?”

“I was just thinking you look damn good wearing only your Sunday best.”

She quirked a brow, clearly not understanding my joke, so I slid my fingers

up the inside of her

thigh, coating the digits in her slick. Her eyes burned with desire as I lifted
them to my mouth and

sucked them clean.

“Shouldn’t it be you wearing it?”

“Thanks for the idea, darling.” I dropped my gaze back to her glistening
center. “Wider.”

She obeyed with a soft whimper.

“Such a good girl. You like to make me happy, don’t you?”

She nodded, her breaths coming in little pants, nipples pert little buds
begging for my mouth. I

played at being calm and in control, but everything in me was wound

tighter than a piano string.

Climbing onto the bed, I knelt between her thighs. I’d imagined this so
many times. The first true
claiming. My moment with her that had nothing to do with her heat or my
shame.

Reaching for her, I lifted her hips, bringing her level with my aching cock.

“Fuck me, Caleb. I want to feel you inside me.”

“Gladly.”

I watched with my pulse pounding in my ears as we joined. My dick slowly

spread her open,

filling her, making her mine. It was better than I ever could have imagined.
The heat. The pressure.

The grip of her around me like she was made for me. A ragged moan was
all I could give her as I

sank to the hilt.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice soft and tender.

“I haven’t felt this whole since the day my soul was stolen from me.”

I stared at our bodies, connected in more than just the physical sense. But
then my little minx

moved. She rolled her hips, making me slide out a little and then taking me
in again. Feck me, but it

felt so good. I knew now why so few priests truly went without committing
the carnal sins.

“Christ, you’ll never be rid of me now. I think I’ll chain you to this bed, so
we never have to

stop.”

“Sounds good to me.”

I almost forgot my wicked plan to deny her an orgasm as I began a slow
rhythm of deep thrusts in

and out of her. The way her skin flushed, our blood staining her lips and
some of her throat, the moans

and little cries escaping her, all made me chase one singular goal. Pleasure.
For me. For her. For us.

“Fuck me, Caleb. I can’t stand it.”

“You can and you will. I’m savoring this. Burning you into my memory,
and I won’t be rushed.”

But little did she know, I was already on the precipice of my own release. I
couldn’t hold it back

much longer, not with her looking the way she did, feeling so perfect,
giving me everything I’d been

missing.

I slid my hands along her thighs, my thumbs gliding over her swollen petals
and up to the soft

mound of her belly. I hesitated, but Sunday’s husky question brought me

straight back.

“Do you like seeing what you did to me?”

Hips jerking involuntarily at the question, I had to wait a beat to let the
gravity of what she’d

asked me settle. “More than I ever thought possible.”

She laid one of her hands atop mine. “Me too. I hope she has curls as dark
as her father. And if

she looks like me, we’ll just have to try again . . . and again.”
Jesus wept. I lost it. I drove in to the hilt, some primal urge inside me taking
hold as I fucked her

long and hard, making her scream my name to the heavens. Her cunt pulsed
around my shaft as she

came, the tightening of her walls doing nothing to stop my own climax. But
I didn’t have to stop it any

longer. I’d broken every last vow in favor of new ones. Sunday was my
religion. The goddess I

worshiped with my body. The only mistress I served.

I filled her with my seed, giving her everything I had.

“Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered in the quiet as we came down from our
shared euphoria.

“For what?”

“Letting me come.”

“Oh, my naughty girl, that I didn’t do. Now you need to be punished.”

Footsteps raced down the hall. I glanced over my shoulder in time to find
three familiar faces

peering in from the doorway, their expressions ranging from panic to

confusion and mirth.

“Fuck, Thorne. You made it sound like someone was dying. Did you really
bring us all the way

down here just to watch the priest nut on our girl? Unless . . . was this a
group invitation?” Kingston

smirked, his taunt obviously aimed at me.

I looked back down at my mate, dark satisfaction making me smile.

Lust flared to life in her eyes, an answering ripple tightening around my

cock.

“I know exactly how I’m going to punish you.”

Chapte r

Thirty-Seven

KINGSTON

A punishment? That made my dick go from six to midnight instantly. The

priest pulled out of

Sunday, his cock still half-hard and covered in her. She laid there looking
dreamy-eyed

and sated, her tits swollen, belly gently rounded, those full hips of hers just
accenting

exactly how perfectly she’d been made. She was the picture of everything I
needed, laid out like a

feast.

Minus the blood. They were both covered in it. Since neither one of them
was dead, I wasn’t

worried, and since he was a vampire, blood sort of came with the territory. I
sniffed deep, the answer

for their state coming to me as the scent of her newest bond layered through
her arousal.

OceanofPDF.com
“You two bonded. Fucking finally.”

“Does it always look like a fucking murder scene when a vampire claims
their mate?” Alek

asked.

“Not when I did it,” Thorne said.

“Shut the fuck up. You’re ruining this. I think an orgy is on the table. Can
we help?” I blurted,

hoping I didn’t sound like an eager fucking kid, but God, I was dying for a
taste of her.

“Only if you are willing to follow my orders and act as the implements of
her punishment.”

“What do you have in mind?” Alek asked, his eyes fever-bright as he leaned
against the door

frame.

“Sunday broke the rules and came without permission. So now our little
wolf isn’t allowed to

come until everybody else gets their turn.”

Sunday’s mouth rounded in a silent ‘o.’

“As this is my punishment to oversee, you three must do as I say to deliver

the blows.”

“I’m not going to hit her,” Thorne ground out.

“I’m not asking you to. These blows will be more carnal in nature.”

“That I can handle,” Thorne said, unbuttoning his shirt.

I looked back to Sunday, needing to make sure this was something she
wanted. I lifted my brow in

a silent question she had no trouble interpreting. She nodded eagerly, her
tongue darting out to wet her

lips.

“I’m ready. Sunshine, it looks like you’ve been a bad girl. You just can’t
help yourself, can you?”

“No. I can’t.”

Caleb stood next to the bed, his gaze hard and intense.

“What do you want from me, Padre?” I asked.

“Clean up the mess I made.”

Sunday pressed her legs together and moaned my name. The desire in her
voice went straight to

my balls.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.”

Caleb moved over, making room for me as I tugged my shirt over my head
and whipped off my

pants. I was already popping out of my boxers as I climbed up her body and
gave her an open-

mouthed kiss.

“Roll over and present.”

Sunday bit her bottom lip and nodded, twisting beneath me as she moved to
obey. I sat back on my
heels, kneading her ass as she raised it for me. Then with both hands, I
spread her cheeks before

leaning in and licking the seam from taint to tailbone. She cried out and
arched her back, trying to get

away from me, but failing.

“I said, clean her up.” Caleb’s words were harsh and firm. I didn’t give one
single fuck.

I backed away, inspecting that perfectly juicy ass before I slapped one
cheek. “Arch that back,

baby. I want to see every single inch of your cunt.”

Sunday did so immediately, a little whimper of need escaping her.

“We’re only just getting started, darling. Don’t go begging yet. You’re the
one who broke the

rules.”

As Caleb spoke, I leaned down and started eating her like a starving man.
She squirmed against

me, her body chasing my tongue even as she tried to get away and fight off
her orgasm.

“Look at you. Such a good girl, trying so hard not to come. You can’t stay
away from him, though.

He’s your punishment.”

I pulled away and shifted so that I was lying between her legs.

“Sit on my face, Sunshine.”

Her cheeks were flushed, hair a wild halo around her head and shoulders.
“But what if I smother

you?”

“If I can breathe, I’m not doing it right.”

Alek snickered, clearly agreeing with me.

“He gave you an order, little one. You’d better listen,” Caleb said, his voice
still holding the

sharp edge of a disciplinarian.

She brought her hips down, bringing her sweet pussy to my lips, and I took
that moment to reach

up, grab her hips, and pull her fully onto my face. If this was what
punishing my Sunshine was, I hope

she broke the rules more often. I wanted to do this every fucking night.

Her thighs were quivering, the desperate moans and whispered pleas
slipping from her throat

conveying her approaching climax.

“Enough,” Caleb softly ordered. “Stand up, Kingston.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt about taking the priest’s orders, but I’d been
enjoying myself so far, so I

figured I’d go with it a little while longer.

Caleb tipped Sunday’s chin up. “You wanted to choke on my cock, darling.
How about you choke

on his while I watch?”

Jesus. Fuck.

Maybe I was a fan of his orders after all.

Sunday’s legs trembled as she crawled across the bed toward me, her eyes
locked on mine. “Take

it out, Kingston. You heard the man.”

I pulled my boxers down my thighs, freeing Jake and adjusting my position

on the bed to make it

easier for her to take me into her mouth.

“All the way to the root,” Caleb ordered from somewhere behind me.

I honestly had no idea what the other guys were doing. I was too focused on
the woman currently

licking her lips and staring my dick down like he was her favorite flavor of
ice cream.

She glanced behind me, likely at Caleb, and whispered, “Yes, Daddy.”

My cock fucking throbbed, and she wasn’t even talking to me. Fisting her
hair, I brought those

plump lips to my weeping tip.

“Suck me, Sunshine.”

Flattening her tongue, she got to work, teasing me by licking the bottom of
my shaft before finally

taking the tip of me into her mouth and sucking it hard.

“Fuck. You were born to take my cock, baby.”

“She’s good at everything, but the way she takes me is better than
anything,” Alek agreed.

“Well, not anything.” Noah’s words were light and teasing.

“Her mouth is a close second to her pussy.”

“Can you two shut the fuck up? I’m trying to concentrate.” I really didn’t
want to come while

those two peckerheads chatted like the goddamn Muppets at the opera.

Sunday chose that moment to take me all the way. Jake bottomed out deep
in her throat. Suddenly

it was no trouble at all to focus on her.

She glanced up at me, tears shimmering in her eyes.

“You okay, beautiful?”

She hummed, the vibrations more stimulating than I could comprehend. My

fingers tightened in her

hair, and my hips gave an involuntary jerk.

“Shit, you’re gonna make me come,” I gritted out.

“On her, not in her mouth.”

The fuck did this man think he was doing? I wouldn’t be told by anyone
where I could blow my

load. Least of all a priest with a daddy kink.

But . . . coming on her perfect tits was hot. I liked how she looked painted
in my spend. Claimed

by me.
The convulsions of her throat as she sucked me, along with the image of me
spurting all over her,

had me ready to blow.

“Stop, Sunshine. Fuck. I’m close.”

She backed away, and I immediately replaced her mouth with my fist,
flying over my cock as the

orgasm barreled through me. Jet after jet of my seed landed on her and fuck
me, male pride washed

over me at the sight.

When the aftershocks of pleasure died down, I leaned close and kissed her,
whispering, “Good

girl,” before backing away.

“You don’t get to call her that, Kingston.” Caleb’s voice was low and even.
“Now go sit down.

Blackthorne, you’re up.”

Chapte r

Thirty-Eight

THORNE

“W here do you want me, dove?” I approached the bed where my wanton
beauty lay panting, on

edge, and dripping with desire.

“No one has taken her ass yet.” Kingston took me by surprise by offering
that.
“I’d have thought you would be the first one to try.”

He shrugged. “She needs someone less girthy. That Slim Jim of yours will
do just fine.”

I would have tossed an insult right back in his face if Sunday hadn’t run her
palm up my torso.

“It’s long and thick and exactly what I need, Noah. Don’t listen to him.”

Wrapping my fingers around her wrist, I bent down and kissed her palm.
“I’ll give you whatever

you want, love. Whenever you want. All you ever need do is ask.”

She flicked her eyes over my shoulder, seeking permission from our little
choir director.

“Is that what you desire?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Then take that cum dripping down your perfect tits and prepare him.”

“Ah, now I see why you didn’t want me to blow in her mouth.”

My balls ached as I watched her do precisely as she was told.

“She’ll need access, Blackthorne.”

I frowned, my brain too muddled with lust to make sense of his words.

Kingston chuckled. “That means you need to get your cock out.”

I was on board before the wolf finished his sentence. My trousers were
open, cock ready and

waiting.
Sunday pouted. “Noah, I need all of you. Take off your clothes.”

She didn’t need to ask me twice. I stripped and approached her once more,
this time fully naked

and straining, desperate for her touch.

“Much better.”

Wiping her palm across her torso to gather more cum, she then worked it
over my shaft until I was

slick with it.

“Fuck, does anyone else think that’s hot?” Kingston asked.

“Quiet, Farrell, or I’ll make you leave,” Caleb said.

Under his breath, Kingston muttered, “You could fucking try.”

My knees shook as she continued stroking me. “Get me ready, Noah? I

want to be able to take

your cock without pain.”

I inhaled sharply but gave her a jerky nod. “Turn around and spread wide
for me. I’ll take care of

you.”

There was more of Kingston’s cum to go around; the bastard had damn near
painted her with it.

But that didn’t stop me from leaning closer to her arse and spitting right
where my cock needed to go.

“That was hot,” Alek rumbled.

Then with one careful digit, I pressed inside the tight channel. She tensed,
then moaned as I began

moving.

“More,” she urged.

Never one to deny her, I did as she asked, sliding a second finger in and
scissoring them back and

forth to help stretch her out.

I was dying from wanting her, and as though he knew, Caleb said, “Lie on
the bed, Noah. We are

going to try something new. She needs to be the one driving for this.”

I nodded, moving so I was on my back with Sunday kneeling beside me.

“Face the door, sweet girl. You’re the one in control. Take things as fast or
as slow as you need.

And if it’s too much, we will stop. Do you understand?”

Sunday nodded eagerly, facing away from me as she climbed up over my

hips.

“Noah?” She glanced over her shoulder, vulnerability shining in her eyes.

“Yes, dove?”

“Will it hurt?”

I couldn’t lie to her. “It may burn a little, but if it's more painful than that,
we’ll stop and try again

another time.”
Biting her lower lip, she nodded. I held my cock, ready for her, and waited
as she slowly sank

down, her arse exactly as I’d hoped.

Hot. Tight. Sexy as fuck.

Goosebumps raced down her skin, and she shivered as she adapted to the
invasion. “It feels so

much better than I ever imagined. Why did we wait so long to try this?”

“I don’t bloody know. Can you take more? God, I’m not even halfway in.”

She squirmed and sank lower, her breath catching in her throat as I
stretched her further. “Help

me?” she begged.

Taking her hips in my hands, I slowly rolled my pelvis up until I was fully
seated inside her. By

the time it was done, we were both trembling with pent-up need.

“I’m so full,” she whispered.

“You’re about to be more full. Alek, are you ready?” Caleb’s question
caught me off guard.

“I’m not finished.”

“No, you’re not. You’re just getting started. Lie back, Sunday. Let Noah
hold you. Aleksandr

needs space for what I have in mind.”

Chapte r

Thirty-Nine
ALEK

“You want me to . . . at the same time he’s . . . is that wise?”

“Oh, look, the big bad Viking’s flustered. It’s like you’ve never seen porn,
bro.” I ignored

Kingston’s unwanted commentary. It was the easiest way to deal with the
mouthy arse.

I stared at Sunday, speared on Thorne’s dick, dripping and needy. “But she’s
so small.”

“I can take it, Alek. I promise.”

Her breathless assurance, coupled with the heated look she leveled on me,
made my beast roar

with the need to be inside her.

“Tell me if it’s too much. I don’t give a damn what he wants. This is about
you.” I climbed onto

the bed, my knees between Thorne’s spread legs as I slid my palms over her
thighs and up to her

breasts.

She reached for me, lifting her hands up in a silent plea I had no trouble
translating. I leaned down

so she could curl her fingers into my hair and press her mouth to mine.
Thorne chose that moment to

roll his hips, and I swallowed her cries as pleasure racked her body.

“You’re still dressed, Alek. How are you going to fuck me with all those
clothes on?” she asked,
her lips swollen from my kiss.

“Easily remedied.” With a snap of my fingers, my clothes vanished, and my

cock made itself

known, pressing up against the treasure between her legs, already begging
entrance.

“Fuck, I’m hard again. Sunshine, I think you might be part witch.”

“She’s busy. Take care of it yourself, and shut up,” Caleb barked.

“How do we do this?” I asked, my question as much for Thorne as it was

Sunday.

“Slowly,” Thorne gritted out, his voice thick with tension. “Once you’re
inside her, we’ll take

turns moving and make sure to follow her lead.”

“Go on, Viking. Fill her. But don’t make her come. Not yet.”

Pleading blue eyes found mine as Sunday lay back into the cradle of
Thorne’s body. “Please,

Alek. I need you.”

I was aware the legs pressed against mine weren’t hers, but it was easy to
tune everything else out

as I trailed the tip of my cock along her slick folds, making her whimper as
I lined myself up with her

entrance. My size already made it a snug fit, but even as ready as she was
for me, I knew this would

be damn near impossible.

“Gently,” Thorne said.

Part of me didn’t want his help. The other part welcomed the reminder. She
needed me to take

extra care. I nodded and pressed forward, her cunt hot and slippery, easing
the way . . . at least

initially. I noticed the difference instantly, the way she stretched around me,
the tension in her, the

change in her breathing.

“Are you okay?” I looked straight into her eyes.

She squirmed, taking me deeper. “Keep going.”

“Fuuuuuck.” Thorne’s hissed curse filled the room as I sank in deeper. “I

can feel that.”

I couldn’t help it; I looked at him. His face was etched in a kind of pained
pleasure I was familiar

with. The man was holding on by a thread.

“Alek,” Sunday whimpered, drawing my attention back to her. “Don’t

stop.”

The way her pussy gripped my cock had me ready to drive deep, but I knew
none of us would

survive without coming. So with control I didn’t know I possessed, I

continued my slow glide.

“Jesus. I’ve never felt anything like this,” Thorne said on a groan. “I need to
move.”

“Yes. God. Move.” Sunday tilted her face toward him, kissing his jaw as he
palmed one breast.
His hips shifted, a slow, rolling motion that caused the strangest fucking
sensation to run along my

length. It was him. Moving in her arse. Now I understood what he’d meant
earlier. The added

pressure and the unexpected caress had my balls tightening in preparation.

There was no way this was lasting long. It felt like I was going to detonate
at any second. I’d be

embarrassed, but from the sounds the other two were making, they were in
the same situation.

A low grunt came from Kingston, who was openly stroking himself as he
watched the show with

rapt attention. Caleb stood with intense focus in his eyes, but from the
straining fabric of his boxers,

he was just as affected as the rest of us.

“Get what you want, gentlemen. If she’s good, she can have her orgasm
too,” the priest said.

Thorne and I began moving in a careful sort of dance. He pulled back, I

sank in, over and over,

until Sunday was practically weeping with the need to climax, and I
couldn’t take it anymore.

“Please, Daddy, I need to come,” she whimpered.

“Not yet, my darling one.”

Noah tipped his face to Sunday’s ear. “You love it when he calls you his
good girl, but you and I
both know just how dirty you really are. You love to be naughty, don’t
you?”

“Yes,” she panted.

“Would a good girl let herself be impaled by two men at the same time?”

“N-no.”

Noah’s dark chuckle filled the room. “Then why are you listening to him
right now?”

He nipped her throat where the mark he’d given her still appeared as a
raised scar. “Come for me,

dove. Don’t worry about the priest. Take what you want. Give me what I
need.”

Indecision warred on her face. She wanted to please both of them. I

wouldn’t make her choose.

Reaching down, I pinched that slick bundle of nerves, making all three of us
cry out as she arched her

back.

The shift in position set off Noah’s climax, and the tight clamp of her
contracting walls took me

over the edge right behind him.

“Come for me, sweetling. You’ve been my good girl. Now you may take
your reward.”

I was pretty sure from the way she was clenching me that she was already
coming, but the

whispered command gave her permission to let go. Sunday screamed out
her release, grinding down
on both of us as we pumped her full of our seed.

Noah claimed Sunday’s mouth while I rained kisses along the side of her
neck. All of us were still

working on coming back down from the high of our joint orgasms. The only
sounds in the room were

our breaths and hammering heartbeats.

Until Kingston spoke. “Hey, uh . . . does anyone have a towel? I made a

mess over here.”

Chapte r

Forty

SUNDAY

Soft tickles across my belly pulled me from the haze of sleep. The sound of
a deep baritone

filling the room had me blinking my eyes open. Alek’s fingers trailed along
the exposed skin

of my bump, his lips close to the swell as he sang.

“‘ My mother told me, Someday I will buy, Galleys with good oars, Sail to
distant shores . . . ’”

I combed my fingers through his long hair, and he stopped, backing away
just a little.

“Don’t stop. It’s beautiful.”

He gave me a bashful grin. “My father sang it to us as babes. It was the

same lullaby his mother
sang to him. Some old Norse poem she loved, written by a berserker war
poet.”

The contradictions of such a person existing made me snicker. “How

fitting.”

“Right?” His lips twitched with mirth, and then his soft smile faded, his
eyes narrowing as he

searched my face. “Why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

“I’m so glad you came back to us, Alek,” I said, my throat suddenly
constricting as a swell of

emotion hit me out of nowhere.

He reached up and brushed his knuckles across my cheek. “As am I,

Kærasta. ” His expression

darkened. “Even if I never remember our past, I have fallen in love with the
woman meant to be mine

all over again. How many people get to say they’ve been blessed twice?”

The tears I’d been fighting spilled free. “Alek . . .”

“I mean it, Sunny. I love you. Not because I have to, but because I couldn’t
stop it if I tried. You

are mine.”

“I love you so much. Now keep singing. She likes it.”

“Already our little one has me wrapped around her finger.” He grinned and
palmed my belly

before beginning the song again. The baby shifted, moving in response to
his resonant timbre, and his
voice faltered, focus steady on his palm. “Sunny? Did I . . .”

“You felt that? So far I’ve been the only one who could.”

Wonder transformed his handsome face, making him appear more boy than
man. “Good morning,

my beautiful girl. I can’t wait to meet you and teach you the proper way to
destroy your foes.”

“Uh . . . Alek. We need to work on your baby talk. Maybe we save the
slaughter and revenge stuff

for when she’s older. Like . . . way older.”

“Why? I had a blade in my hand before I could walk.”

“That’s mildly terrifying.”

“But look at me now.”

I shook my head. “She has us to protect her for now. No need to worry
about her taking care of

herself.”

Alek gave me an exasperated but still affectionate look. “Sunny, teaching

her to protect herself is

how we take care of her. No child of ours will walk the realms free of
enemies. The earlier we start,

the safer she will be.”

As if in answer, she gave a solid kick to his hand, and he snickered.

“See? She agrees with her father.”

Rolling my eyes, I sat up and stretched. I felt good. Like . . . really fucking
good. Better than I had

in months. Was it because of the blood Caleb had given me? Maybe. But
part of me thought it had

something to do with the fact that all four of my mates were finally where
they belonged. Bonded to

me.

“Where are the others?” I asked, looking around the room and finding no
evidence of them.

“Caleb returned home before the sun fully rose. The others went hunting for
food and showers. I

volunteered to stay behind and keep watch over you while you slept.”

My stomach rumbled. “What time is it?”

“Nearly sunset. You slept most of the day away.”

“You four exhausted me.”

He glanced up at me. “How are you feeling? Were we too rough?”

I was sore, deliciously so, but not in any sort of pain. “Just the right amount
of rough,” I promised,

leaning over to kiss him.

“So we’ll be doing that again then?” he murmured against my lips.

“Oh yes. Often, I think.”

I could feel his smile as he kissed me. His beard brushed my mouth, making
me giggle.
“What?” He pulled away and stared into my eyes.

“Just thinking about Tor.”

“You’re thinking about my brother while I’m kissing you?”

I laughed. “Not like that. Just that he’s beardless. Poor bastard.”

Alek’s laughter joined mine, washing over me and cocooning me in his joy.
“When my family

learns of it, he’ll never live it down. Facial hair is a point of pride for us.”

I gave his well-groomed beard a little tug. “You don’t say.”

“I’m glad you like it. If there’s anyone in this world I’d shave it for, it’s
you.”

“Don’t you dare.”

He grinned and captured my lips with his once more, pushing me back with
his body as the kiss

turned from a sweet tease to something hotter. I shouldn’t have been ready
for more after last night,

but my body said yes.

“Bloody hell, Viking. Haven’t you had enough?” Noah stood in the
doorway, a takeout bag in his

hand and a packed duffel bag in the other.

“Never. And I’m not in the mood to share, so fuck off.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but plans have changed. We’ve been
summoned, dove. We have to

leave right now. It’s not safe here.”

My gaze landed on the luggage. “What’s in there?”

“My clothes, yours, anything I thought we might need.”

Moira had been a godsend after the fire. It was thanks to her that any of us
had clothes to speak of

at all. She and Ash had conjured up as many replacement items as they
could, going so far as to make

replicas of our personal favorites. Some days it really paid off to have a tiny
witch as a bestie.

Alek stood, his body tense.

I sighed. “Well, fuck.”

“Perfectly said.” Noah handed me the takeout bag, and my mouth watered
at the scent of my

favorite sandwich. “Eat up. We have a long evening ahead of us.”

“Where should I meet you? I’ll go pack a bag,” Alek asked.

“There’s a car waiting. Then we’ll pop off to the airport.”

Alek nodded, leaving me with a kiss and a wink. “See you soon, Sunny.”

After I finished my sandwich, I changed into some of the clothes Noah

brought for me. Warm

fleece-lined leggings and a cozy cable-knit sweater. If you didn’t know I

was knocked up, you’d have

no clue in this getup. Probably the point, but I sure as hell was comfortable.

Noah and I walked hand in hand out of the church after I was dressed.
Tension rolled off him in
waves as we navigated the cobblestone path. He was on high alert.
Something serious was going on.

“What the bleeding hell do you think you’re doing, Blackthorne? Where are
you taking her?”

Caleb stormed down the path, his face twisted in anger.

Not stopping our forward motion, Noah continued marching us toward the
waiting car. “She’s no

longer safe here. I’m bringing her home with me. You better than most
understand how well protected

she’ll be under Blackthorne care.”

Caleb sneered and grasped my hand once we’d pulled alongside him,
finally stalling us. I felt a

bit like I was trapped in the middle of a vampire tug of war. If I was a
human, I might be at risk of

losing a limb.

“Yes, take a delicious-smelling woman into a den of vampires and see how
well that works out

for you.”

“My father would never allow harm to a single hair on my mate’s head.”

“Clearly you don’t know your father very well.”

I caught sight of Alek and Kingston, accompanied by Moira and Ash,

standing next to an obsidian
Range Rover with windows so dark you couldn’t see anything. With one
pleading look from me,

Caleb released my hand. I saw the resignation flicker through him. He knew
we had to go.

“Priest, you can stand here and pick a fight with me, or you can come with
us. But I’m taking her

away from this place.” Noah dragged a hand through his hair and sighed.
“My father wouldn’t

summon us if the threat wasn’t imminent.”

Caleb took a long, slow breath, pinning me with his stony glare. “My place
is with her.”

“OH MY GOD, it’s like a mini-Ravenscroft,” I whispered as the car

approached the gates of

Blackthorne Manor.

“Your family has a real hard-on for wrought iron, huh? You really lean into
the Gothic hero bit.”

Noah smirked at Kingston. “All the better to stab you with, wolf boy.”

“Better watch out, bloodsucker. Big bad wolf play gets me hard.”

Alek snorted, wrapping his arm around me and tucking me into his side.
“Everything gets you

hard.”
“Children,” Caleb said with a drawn-out sigh. “All of you.”

The car pulled to a stop in the circular driveway, the house looming, lights
in the window making

it appear sinister and alive.

“Oh, good, the Addams family is here to greet us,” Kingston muttered.

Noah didn’t respond, but he stiffened at my side.

“It’s okay, Noah. I had to meet them sometime.”

“I would have preferred we do this without the hecklers.”

“Sorry, fangface, you can’t get rid of me.” Kingston spread his legs wide,
his arms splayed out

over the bench seat running the length of the limousine that had picked us
up at the airport.

Caleb sat across from him, his expression pure loathing.

“Like a rash,” Moira whispered, making Ash giggle.

“More like a sexy as fuck tattoo,” Kingston corrected.

The car door opened, and the driver held out a white-gloved hand.

“Oh, he’s trained. Does he wipe your ass for you too?”

Noah ignored Kingston but batted the driver away. “I’ve got a handle on
this, thank you.”

“As you wish, Mr. Blackthorne. Your father awaits.”

“Yes, I can see that.”

The driver nodded and moved away as Noah turned to help me out of the
car. Before I got out, I

looked over my shoulder, giving Kingston the sternest expression I could

manage. “Behave. This is

stressful enough without your bullshit.”

He blinked. “Yes, Mistress.”

We approached as a group, the entire Blackthorne family staring at us with

eyes the same

disarming amber hue as Noah’s. Well, except for the woman I assumed was
his mother, who was

clearly human.

“Mother, Father, I’d like you to meet Sunday Fallon. My bonded mate.”
Noah’s voice was strong,

but I felt a tremor of fear from him.

The human I’d clocked as his mom smiled in welcome as Noah introduced
me. Then the tall,

devastatingly handsome man who looked so much like Noah I had to do a

double take stepped

forward and extended a hand. “Cashel Blackthorne. You are welcome to

take sanctuary in our home

as long as you need, Sunday.” He cocked a brow at the ragtag crew I

brought with me. His gaze

lingered on Caleb, a fraction of a second too long and my priest’s jaw ticked
in discomfort.

“You and your . . . friends.”

I blushed. “Thank you. I wish we were meeting under more pleasant
circumstances.”

His eyes dropped to my stomach, his expression impassive as he said,

“Nonsense. Please, come

in.”

I started up the steps, Noah’s arm tightly banded around me as he escorted

me inside. I was well

ahead of her, but there was no missing Ash’s trembling whisper.

“This is not a good place. The dead are restless. So many have died here.”

“Yes. That’s true. Countless lives have been lost in Blackthorne Manor,”
Cashel said, his words

draining the color from Ash and Moira’s cheeks. “But don’t worry. We have
changed our ways.

Mostly.”

We walked through the halls, the eyes of every single Blackthorne heavy on
us. “Noah, why does

it feel like they don’t want us here?”

“They do. They’re just . . . wary. Shifters and vampires typically don’t mix,
remember?”

“Neither do vampires and witches,” Moira said, her voice sullen.

“You’re the one who hitched a ride,” Noah reminded her. “Don’t act like
you’re here against your

will, Belladonna.”

“Someone has to keep their eye on you,” she snapped back.

It was so easy to forget that while Moira didn’t have fangs, her bite was
every bit as painful as

ours could be.

“Brother, how could you be so rude as to pass by me without introducing

us?” A striking woman

with pure alabaster skin and wide amber eyes approached us. She looked
exactly like a porcelain

doll I’d once played with as a child—long dark hair falling to her waist, a
beauty mark on her right

cheek, perfect cupid’s bow mouth, and a thick fringe of lashes framing
those Blackthorne eyes.

Noah’s whole attitude changed when she came into the room. “Rosie, I’m
sorry, love. I just

needed to get Sunday into the safety of the house.”

She rolled her eyes at him and shoved him out of the way so she could
stand in front of me. “So

this is the mate I’ve heard so much about. I guess I can forgive my big
brother for leaving me with his

mess to clean up now that I see the reason for him breaking his betrothal.”

“And saddling you with an unwanted fiancé.” Noah had the grace to look
abashed.

“That too. Ugh, Gavin is insufferable.”

“That’s not what you were saying a few years ago.”

“Just because I used to fancy him when I was a child doesn’t mean he’s
worthy of my affection
now.” She dropped her gaze and her cheeks reddened before she jabbed him
with her elbow.

“And neither are you.”

“I love you already,” I told her. “I’m Sunday.”

“Roslyn, though you may as well call me Rosie. Everyone else does.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Rosie.”

Her smile was genuine, and not a hint of fang. She looped our arms together
and began pulling me

toward the massive staircase. “Come along, everyone. I’ll show you to your
rooms.”

I glanced back over my shoulder, giving him the is she going to eat me?
stare. He smirked and

shook his head. Before I turned back, I caught Noah’s father stopping him
with a hand on the shoulder.

“A word, Noah. If you will.”

“But I—”

“You’ll be returned to your mate soon enough. We have prepared a late

meal for you all and will

eat together in the dining room shortly.”

“Is that safe?” Kingston stage whispered.

“Doubtful,” Moira said, linking her arm more tightly through Ash’s. “Stay
close, sweet cheeks. I’d

hate to burn this place down in a jealous rage.”

“I think that’s more my style,” Alek joked.

“You’ve never crossed paths with an angry witch before, have you?”

“Not that I recall.”

“Touch wood you never do, erm . . . I’m sorry. What was your name?”
Rosie gave my Viking an

appraising glance.

“Alek,” he supplied.

“Right. As capable as you look, I doubt you’d survive the encounter.”

“I like her,” Moira said.

“They all seem to,” Rosie murmured, tossing a look over her shoulder.
“Until they get to know

me.”

With that cryptic warning, we followed her up the grand staircase to the
second floor. She led us

down the hallway decorated with paintings of Blackthornes past and

present. I stopped at one which

was clearly a portrait of Cashel and Olivia, her seated in a chair and holding
a raven-haired newborn

while Cashel looked on from his place standing behind her.

“Is that Noah?”

“Oh, yes. Apple of our father’s eye. The most like him of all of us as well.”

I shuddered at the thought. Cashel seemed so cold and callous. “I don’t see
it.”
“You will. If Noah has to fight for you, you will recognize it, I promise.”

“Let us hope it never comes to that,” I said, chuckling uncomfortably.

Caleb’s eyes met mine, and the promise shining in them shook me to the
core.

It will.

She opened a door, and before I even stepped inside, I knew it was Noah’s
room. It just . . . felt

like him.

“This is where you and my brother will stay. It’s the easternmost point in
the house, so it gets the

most sunlight. He’s always been a fan of the sunshine.”

“So have I,” Kingston murmured.

I blushed and shook my head. “Behave,” I mouthed, charmed despite

myself. Bastard.

“All right, then. That’s you sorted. The rest of you, follow me.”

“Wait, wait, hold on now, Vampirina. The boys and I stay where Sunday
stays.” Kingston crossed

his arms over his chest.

“No. You stay where I put you, or you can sleep in the dungeon.”

Something must’ve flashed in her eyes because Kingston blanched, Alek

placed a palm on his

shoulder, and Caleb let out a long-suffering sigh.

“My mistake. Those rooms sound great.”

Even my Alpha wolf recognized when he’d met his match, and slight
though she was, Roslyn

Blackthorne was a powerful woman. Definitely not someone any of us

wanted to trifle with.

Alek grinned. “Give you a couple of hand axes, a few braids, you’d fit right
in back home in

Novasgard.”

Rosie’s answering smirk reminded me of Noah when he was up to

something. “Well, you’re

spoken for, but is stealing brides from their beds still a Viking pastime?”

“I think it is, actually.”

“I’ll leave my window open.”

“No one is stealing anyone from anywhere.” Kingston turned his gaze to
me. “Keep your window

shut.”

Sighing, I stepped closer and kissed him. “I’ll see you at dinner. Don’t
worry. We’re safe here.”

Kingston frowned. “I’m just down the hall, right, cupcake?”

Rosie rolled her eyes at the nickname. “Yes. You won’t be far from each
other.”

My Viking’s gaze was hot on mine as he gripped my nape and pulled me

close. “If anyone is

stealing you, it’s me, Kærasta.” Then he kissed me deeply, the passion
behind it weakening my knees
and leaving me lightheaded.

“Oh, my, if that’s how they do it in Novasgard, perhaps I will leave my

window unlocked.” Rosie

fanned her face before heading away from my room and calling over her
shoulder, “Come along,

chaps. Before you set the tapestries ablaze.”

That seemed to appease my men as they wandered down the hall after her,
Caleb trailing just a

little behind. When he reached me, he paused just for a moment, brushing
the backs of his fingers

against mine.

“If you need anything, just call out my name. I’ll hear you.”

Why did that make a curl of excitement form in my belly? Oh, I knew why.
The heat in his eyes

confirmed it.

I closed the door after he left and leaned against the wood, letting out a
heavy breath as I stood

alone in a house full of vampires. Noah assured me they’d keep me safe,

but why then did I feel like

I’d just jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire?

Chapte r

Forty-One

THORNE
My father sat in his favorite wingback chair in the library, his expression
stern, eyes

stormy.

“What is this about?” I asked.

“The danger you’re in is far greater than you realize.”

“Isn’t that always the case?” I drawled, frustration seeping into my tone.
My father knew better

than anyone how much Sunday’s pregnancy worried me. For him to toy
with me like this by

withholding information didn’t sit well. I knew he had my best interest at

heart, but he was acting

guarded in a way I wasn’t used to. At least not in his dealings with me.

“Watch your tongue.”

“Perhaps if you would be honest with me, I wouldn’t be so on edge.”

“Some things aren’t able to be shared.”

I raised a brow. “It’s always secrets with the Blackthornes.”

“Secrets keep us safe.”

“Do they? Because from where I’m standing, things don’t feel very safe.”

“Noah, I need you to trust me. I can’t say much, but what I can say is that in
addition to the fae,

Sunday is being hunted by humans, demons, and vampires alike.”

“Why? What do they want with her?”

He shook his head. “There are things I am unable to tell you even now.”

“So you brought us here.”

“Can you think of a better place? Blackthorne Manor is a veritable

fortress.”

“So you mean to keep her prisoner?”

“It’s only a prison if you give it that name. She will want for nothing, be
with her mate, be happy,

and well cared for. As long as she doesn’t leave.”

“How can she be happy locked within the walls of our estate?”

“She is going to be a mother. Knowing she will receive the best care and
that her child will be

taken care of will keep her content enough she won’t even realize.”

I snorted. “You don’t know her at all.”

“Maybe not, but here’s one thing I do know. If that child growing in her
belly is an abomination

you created, we will all pay the price. There is nothing more important to
me than the well-being of

you, your mother, and your siblings.”

“And what about your grandchild?”

He clenched his teeth, his eyes going hard, but he didn’t say a word.

“I see. Your silence speaks volumes, Father.”

“If we can confirm the child is a Blackthorne, it’ll be a different matter, but
from the looks of it,
there could be two other fathers. I won’t risk you for a bastard who isn’t
yours.”

“Three.”

“What did you say?” His focus narrowed as he shoved to his feet.

“Sunday has four mates. Any one of us could be the father.”

“Priest,” he sneered. “Self-righteous, loathsome snake.”

The venom in his voice surprised me. I hadn’t realized my father knew the
man well enough for

that kind of reaction. What else wasn’t he telling me?

His cell phone rang, the jarring sound cutting through the tension in the
room with all the subtlety

of a chainsaw. I took that as my opportunity to leave him. I had the sudden

and desperate urge to hold

my mate close and make sure she was whole.

As I left the room, the unmistakable sound of the headmistress’s voice

caught my ears. Tinny and

thin through the phone, but definitely her. I stopped just outside,
eavesdropping without shame.

“Do you have them?”

“Yes. They’re all here. Safe and sound. You didn’t tell me the priest was
coming.”

“Ah, so that’s where he ran off to. Good. Keep them there. Tell no one else
where they are.
Moriarity is dead. His corpse was found just this morning. Our enemies
grow bolder the closer we

get to our goal. Keep me apprised. I need to know when the girl goes into
labor. She and the child are

my responsibility, and I will not fail because of your incompetence.”

What the fucking hell was this? My father and Madame le Blanc working
together? To what end? I

wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

My heart was racing as I tore up the stairs in search of Sunday. I needed to

hold her close, listen

to the baby’s heartbeat, remind myself they were my purpose. I’d never
doubted my father before, but

something wasn’t right.

She was curled up on the bed, eyes closed as she napped after such a long
day of travel. I didn’t

have the heart to wake her, so I slipped off my shoes and climbed into bed
with her, nestling her into

the curve of my body as I pulled her close.

Before I could do more than kiss her forehead, the door to our room flew
open, and Kingston

stalked toward us. Sunday woke, blinking in confusion.

“What the hell do you want?” I barked.

“I’m not staying in that room. Your sister put me up in the one where the
king was executed.
Message received, loud and clear. No way will I be the next king on the
chopping block. Scoot over

and make a spot for me. I’m the big spoon this time.”

I sighed and acquiesced, bringing Sunday with me as I moved. She smiled

and welcomed him

with open arms. Kingston had no sooner crawled up beside her when the
door swung open a second

time, this time revealing the Norseman.

“Bloody hell, not again. I suppose you found issue with your room as
well?”

“There was a ghost in my shower. I don’t fuck with ghosts, not after the
stories my mother told

me.”

Kingston sat up. “Really, bro? You’re afraid of a little leftover energy?”

“Yeah, she was scary.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

“Aunt Callie, can you come here, please?”

My aunt manifested beside the bed, her transparent body bobbing as she
floated in the air. “Yes,

Noah, sweetie?”

Alek, the giant oaf who could rip apart a demon with his bare hands,
screamed bloody murder and

jumped up, pointing a shaking finger at her. “See? There. Tell me that’s not
terrifying.”
Sunday giggled. “She’s not scary. She’s just a little see-through.”

“Did you need something, Noah? I was just haunting the halls before
heading down to my

laboratory for a little light research.”

“Alek, you’ve seen a ghost before.”

“Not one that popped into the shower with me. There I was, washing my
hair, eyes closed as I

rinsed the shampoo out, and then . . .”

“Boo,” Callie said, her form appearing inches from Alek’s face.

He screamed. “See?”

The door swung open for the third time, revealing a wild-eyed Caleb.
“What the bleeding hell is

going on in here?”

Alek pointed to Callie. “You’re a priest. Exorcise her.”

Callie glared at Alek, hands on her hips. “I was just having a little fun with
you. I was going to

leave you alone, but now I’m going to haunt you until your time here is
through. And maybe after that

too.”

“What?” The bewilderment in Alek’s voice was more entertaining than I

expected.

“Watch your back, Viking. I’m not linked to this house. I can go where I
want.” Then Callie faded
away, leaving us without another word.

“You really put your foot in it, mate. She’s vindictive.”

Alek’s brows furrowed. “She can’t really do that, can she? Follow me?”

Sunday patted the mattress. “Come here. I won’t let the mean ghostie get
you.”

Alek crawled up the bed, pushing me out of the way as he took my place.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Where am I supposed to go?”

“I could name a few places,” Kingston offered.

I flipped him the bird. “That’s my bed you’re in, you tosser.”

“Not from where I’m laying.”

“Right then. I’ll just return to my room and let you finish this pissing
contest of yours, shall I?”

Caleb said, his tone exasperated.

“Why bother? Everyone else and their bloody mother is here. Make
yourself at home.”

Sunday laughed. “I think you mean aunt.”

Alek gave a dramatic shudder and burrowed into her side. “Don’t remind
me.”

Even Caleb cracked a smile at that. That’s when I realized the tension that
had sent me racing up

here was gone, replaced with a contentment I hadn’t expected. This, these
people crowding into my
room and my life, was exactly what I’d needed. Family had always come
first to me, but I was

learning that it may not always be the one whose blood ran through my
veins.

Sometimes family was made of the most unlikely creatures.

Chapte r

Forty-Two

SUNDAY

Over the last week, we’d reached a sort of easy routine at Blackthorne
Manor. All of us

settled into the flow of the family, rising in the latter part of the afternoon,
exploring the

house, then avoiding the grumpy vampires when the sun went down. While
Cashel was

terrifying, Noah’s human mother, Olivia, welcomed me like I was her own
daughter. She made me

feel like I belonged, just like Kingston and Alek’s mothers had done.

Moira had declared today a girl’s day, and she’d brought Ash and me down
to Callie’s lab to test

out her witchy face masks. We invited Olivia and Rosie to join us, but they
had other engagements in

town.

“Callie, what did you do down here before . . .” Moira started, but trailed
off when Ash shot her a
deadly glare.

“Before I died horribly? It’s fine. I’m not precious about it.” The lovely
little specter waved a

hand. “I spent most of my nights trying to find a cure for sun sickness.”

Ash gasped. “I’ve heard of that. It was terrible.”

“Yes. Awful way to go. Speaking from experience.” She flitted from shelf
to shelf, not touching

anything but examining each organized notebook closely. “Ah, here it is.
My final journal. If you want

a good read, check that out. So much drama. Until I died, of course.”

Ash accepted the leather-bound book with a wide smile. “I look forward to
it, thank you.”

I was pretty sure she meant it too. Ash had zero poker face.

“Mo, what did you put in this one again?” I asked, poking at the baby pink
goop on my face.

“Rosehips and charcoal to pull out the impurities because pregnancy is

tearing up your skin.”

I took a small handful of the concoction and flung it at her. “Thanks for
pointing it out, witch.”

Moira blew me a kiss. “At least it smells better than the one I made for Ash.
I know she needed it,

but phew, she smells like a bottle of furniture polish with all that lemon and
citrus.”

“It’s supposed to help me reawaken my third eye.”

“Was it closed?” Callie asked.

“Not until I arrived here. This place obfuscates everything. The energy is . .
. challenging. It’s

hard to get a read on anyone here.”

“I’ve been feeling that way myself,” Callie said, bobbing her head. “Just
these last couple of

weeks. Feels like a veil of death is shrouding everything.”

“Yes, that’s exactly it. A heavy gray fog clinging to everything and
everyone. It’s unnatural. I’d

leave here if I had a choice.”

My stomach churned at the knowledge my friend wasn’t comfortable here.

“You don’t have to

stay, Ash. Really. If you want to go, it’s okay.”

“I know. I think that’s more reason for me to be part of this. Something isn’t
right. Maybe I can

help.”

Moira took her hand. “We can help.”

Ash smiled at her, looking beautiful despite the layer of thick yellow
pudding she had smeared on

her face. “I love you.”

“Same.”

Callie giggled. “You two are the best. I wish I’d had you before I died. It
would’ve been nice to
have some friends to talk to about . . . well, who I am.”

“You can talk to us now.” Moira turned her attention to the ghost.

“Thanks. I had a ghoulfriend for a brief spell a few decades ago, but that
didn’t work out. She

crossed over and I stayed behind.”

“It must be hard finding someone special to spend your afterlife with,”
Moira said.

Callie nodded. “I try not to dwell on that which cannot be changed and
focus instead on what I

can.”

A soft rap of knuckles on the door had me turning, dripping pink slop onto
my shirt. Noah popped

his head inside the lab and promptly burst into peals of laughter.

“What in God’s name is on your face?”

“Moira.”

He cocked a brow. “That’s . . . not what I expected to hear.”

“It’s a face mask, Blackthorne. Have you never heard of self-care? Probably
not since you seem

to think the only thing Sunday needs is dick.”

Noah blinked at her, taken aback by the waspish reply. “I don’t think you’re
doing it right if your

‘self-care’ has left you in a worse mood than the one you started with. Try it
again. Maybe you’ll
actually learn how to smile.”

“Did he just tell me to smile?” Moira asked, her tiny hand balling into a fist.

I grabbed a towel and began wiping off the gelatinous muck. I didn’t stop
until it was all gone,

and I had to admit, my skin felt amazing.

“Better?” I asked.

Noah grinned. “There you are.”

“What’s going on?”

Moira, Ash, and Callie were deep in conversation as Noah closed the
distance between us.

“I know this is your time with the girls, but I was hoping once you’d
finished up I could take you

somewhere.”

“Of course, let me just tell Mo—”

“It’s okay, babycakes,” she called out, cutting me off and proving that once
again, she was an

eavesdropping multi-tasker. “Unlike some people, I can be understanding

and accommodating. Have

fun, lovebirds.”

Noah shook his head. “Sometimes I think she despises me more now than
she did before we were

mated.”

“Not possible. She only sasses the people she loves.”

“So what did she do to me before?”

“Terrorized? Traumatized? Take your pick.”

“All of the above. Come on, let’s go.” He took my hand and led me up a
series of stairs to a room

I hadn’t seen yet.

“What is this?”

“My observatory.”

“Yours?”

He nodded, his lips spread in a proud smile. “My father built it for me when
I was five. I’ve

always had an affinity for the stars. He taught me about the constellations,
the planets, the universe.

Anytime I needed to be alone, this was where I’d hide.”

“You don’t seem like the hiding kind.”

“Before I learned to control it, the noise of all those voices ringing in my
head was too much to

bear. I needed someplace I could be alone with my own thoughts.”

The way he stared up at the domed ceiling made me want to touch him and
tell him just how

special he was to me, how special him sharing this was. “I love it here.
You’re right. It’s perfectly

still. Peaceful.”
He turned that amber gaze to me, his expression open and filled with
adoration.

“Now it’s you who makes me feel that way. I don’t need this place like I
used to.”

I wrapped my arms around him and leaned in to steal a kiss. “You make me
feel that way too.”

Being alone with him like this made me realize how essential private time
with my men was. I’d

connected with Alek recently, but not the rest of them. I needed to rectify
that—soon. These stolen

moments were essential to helping us feel connected and whole.

Not one of them had mentioned it, but I was sure they wanted time when
they didn’t have to share

me. I had to do better about giving them what they needed since they all
made such a point of doing it

for me.

He reached for a small remote control mounted on the wall and pressed a
button, a panel in the

dome instantly sliding up with a mechanical whirring sound. Stars came

twinkling into view as I

watched.

Wrapping an arm around me, he pulled me close so I could rest my head on

his shoulder.

Contentment washed through me as we stood in silence staring at the stars.

I’d seen these same ones
from my home, but this was the first time the sight of them didn’t make me
feel lonely.

At the reminder that both Noah and I called the Pacific Northwest home, a
thought came roaring to

life. Like an itch I couldn’t scratch.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“No, but your thoughts are loud. You’re curious about something. What is
it?”

“Well. . .I was just wondering.”

“Yes?”

“Your family lives here. . .”

“Is that a question?”

“In America. . .”

“Obviously.”

“But your accent is British.”

He laughed. “Oh, that. Well, we have homes scattered across the continents.
I’ve spent as much

time in London as I have here. And besides my mother, everyone else in my

family is British. The

accent’s authentic, I promise.”

I let out a theatrical sigh, pretending to wipe my brow. “Well, that’s a relief.
I was prepared to
write its obituary so I could mourn it properly.”

“Minx,” he growled playfully, tipping my chin up to steal a kiss.

Breathless, flushed, and hearts pounding in unison, we pulled apart to

resume our star-gazing

positions.

LOOKING UP AS I WAS, I didn’t see exactly what he did next, but soft
romantic music filled the space

around us.

“Dance with me?” he asked, sweeping me into his arms.

I recognized the song instantly, laughing as Adele’s lyrics registered. “A

little on the nose, isn’t

it?”

“So what if I’m crazy for you? Love is the sweetest madness.” He spun me
away, then pulled me

back in, dipping me low and kissing me. When our lips parted, he
whispered, “You’re the only thing I

need, Sunday. The wonder of my world.”

“You’re more than I ever hoped for. Before I met you, my world wasn’t just
small—it was

microscopic. Your love has given me an entire universe of new experiences.

You bring me to life.”

We danced until the song ended, then kept going in the silence, not caring
that there wasn’t music.
I rested my cheek against his chest as we swayed together, watching the
stars until my eyelids

drooped and I began fading.

“Come on then. Bedtime for the human.”

“I’m not human.”

“You are. Until you can shift again, you’re the most human of us all.”

“Fine. Take me to bed, Mr. Blackthorne, you stodgy vampire.”

He let out an affronted noise. “Oi, who are you calling stodgy?”

“Oh, did I say stodgy? I meant stuffy.”

He slapped my ass, the sting sending me skittering toward the door. “I’ll
show you stuffy.”

“You did not just spank me.”

“I did, and I’ll do it again if you keep it up, dove. I know what it does to
you, so pretend all you

like, sweetheart.”

“Is that a promise?”

“You know it is.”

“I wouldn’t have teased you if I knew you were so . . . fussy.”

He let out a warning growl, then said, “You’d better run, little wolf. When I
catch you, you won’t

think I’m so fussy.”

I grinned at him, taking off down the stairs and through the hallways back
to his room. As I made

the last turn, there was a flash of heat licking up my wrist that made me
stumble into a wall. But by the

time I glanced up, the only one nearby was Noah, hot on my heels.

I paused as I brushed my fingertips over the bracelet, but it was cool, as

usual. That one moment

of hesitation was my biggest mistake. Noah caught me in his arms, giving

my mark a nip before he

kissed my neck and breathed in my ear, “I have you now. You’re never
going to escape.”

I wrapped my legs around his waist, clinging to him. “Good. The only place
I want to be is in

your arms, Noah Blackthorne.”

Chapte r

Forty-Three

SUNDAY

“Mmm, Noah, you know what I really want? A fried chicken sandwich with
dill pickles. Oh, and

some fresh from the oven honey-butter biscuits.” I rolled over in bed, eyes
still closed as I reached

for him. My palm met cool sheets. “Noah?”

Sitting up, I opened my eyes to find him gone, a note resting on his pillow.
WENT FOR A MIDNIGHT HUNT WITH MY FATHER AND BROTHER. IF
YOU WAKE WHILE I’M GONE, JUST

KNOW I LOVE YOU, AND I’LL RETURN SOON.

“While the vampire is away . . .” I murmured, swinging my legs over the

edge of the bed.

After my impromptu date with Noah last week, I’d made it a point to
alternate between group

sleepovers and solo nights with my guys in addition to stealing an hour

alone with them here and

there. Honestly, the change was good for all of us. No one was left out, and
I didn’t feel guilty about

who got to be the big spoon.

Wrapping myself in a soft robe that smelled like Noah, I crept out of the
bedroom, careful to stay

quiet. These guys were like watchdogs. If they heard me, one of them
would come running, worried

something was wrong. Luckily they seemed to be sleeping heavily tonight,

and I made it down the

hallway unnoticed. Not even Caleb peeked his head out.

The lights in the manor were still on, which made sense since most of the
inhabitants were

nocturnal. As I reached the kitchen, I was still surprised to find so many

people milling about.
The cook, a couple of her helpers, Martin the butler, and Olivia. My
bracelet gave a warning flash

of heat, and I looked down at it in confusion.

I must have seemed to be in some kind of distress because Martin hurried

over to help me.

“Are you well, Ms. Fallon?”

Rubbing my wrist, I gave him a distracted nod. The heat was still there, but
it wasn’t searing me

like it would if I was in imminent danger. Then it hit me, I was in a house
full of creatures who

couldn’t help but have urges to actually eat me. That had to be the reason
my bracelet kept going

haywire.

“I came down to make myself a snack.”

“Me too,” Olivia said, offering me a bright smile. “Cravings?”

I nodded.

“I always woke up wanting french fries and ice cream. What got you out of
bed tonight?”

“Fried chicken and biscuits.” I grinned. “Oh, and dill pickles so I can make
a sandwich.”

“Excellent choice. I’m sure we can take care of that for you.” This was
directed at the cook, who

nodded and got to work pulling ingredients out of the fridge. Turning back
to me, Olivia asked, “How
are you feeling? You must be close to halfway through now.”

I ran my palm over my belly, looking down at the swell. “Twenty-one

weeks. She’s so strong.

They can already feel her from the outside.” As if she knew I was talking
about her, the baby moved,

making me laugh. “There she goes.”

Olivia’s eyes brightened. “It’s the strangest feeling, isn’t it?”

Nodding, I took a deep breath and decided now was as good a time as any
to bridge the gap

between Noah’s mother and me. “Would you like to feel?”

She smiled, the joy in her eyes telling me everything I needed to know. That
was the right

decision. Her gentle hand settled right where the baby had been kicking,
and within a few moments,

she did it again.

“Oh, she is strong. Noah was like that. He never stopped dancing in my
belly. Kept me up all night

kicking me in the ribs.”

My wrist heated in warning, and I backed away, nearly bumping into

Martin as I tried to separate

myself from Olivia.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Just tired. My feet hurt all the time now.”
“I have just the thing. Martin, will you get me the bath salts?”

“Right away, ma’am.” The butler left but returned almost immediately, a
small container of white

powder with dried flower petals in his hands.

“Thank you.”

He nodded once and moved back to the other side of the kitchen to grab
some spices off the top

shelf for the cook.

Olivia held the jar out to me. “I want you to go upstairs and run yourself a
nice warm bath. Your

chicken will take a bit to prepare, and this way you can be cozy and relaxed
while you enjoy your

treat. Martin will bring it up and leave it in your room as soon as it’s ready.”

My bracelet still stung, and every moment in the company of all these
vampires made me more

uncomfortable. Someone was here with the intent to harm me, but who?

As quickly as the pain came, it vanished, but the same people were in the
room. Weren’t they?

Maybe this thing was defective.

I took the bath salts and thanked Noah’s mom, heading back to my room
with a pounding heart.

Everything we’d been dealing with made me suspicious of any new person
in my life. Perhaps the
bracelet was picking up my anxiety. Blackthorne mate or not, I was trapped
in a house with vampires

who hated my kind, and I was pretty sure all of them would feed on me if
they had no other blood

supply around.

With that happy thought in mind, I started the water, pouring in a liberal
amount of the fragrant

salts. I undressed and removed both the necklace Noah had given me and
Moira’s bracelet, setting

them on top of my folded clothes. Then I sank into the water, letting the
claw-foot tub fill up to my

chin.

The soothing scents of lavender and vanilla filled the air, mixed with a hint
of chamomile. God,

Olivia was right, this was the tits. Exactly what I needed to help me reset
after the incident

downstairs.

Closing my eyes, I draped my hair over the back of the tub, keeping it from
getting wet. It would

take me forever to dry it otherwise. The heat seeped into my aching muscles
as I gently ran my hand

over my belly, feeling the baby chase the warmth of the water. I guess my
little one enjoyed a good

soak as much as I did.

Head lolling as I crooned the Norse lullaby Alek taught me, I came
dangerously close to falling

asleep in the bath. Thankfully, the sound of the bedroom door opening
brought me back to

consciousness.

“Thank you, Martin,” I called, dipping a washcloth into the water before
placing it over my face

and breathing in the relaxing aroma of the salts. “I’ll be out in a minute!”

My stomach growled, hunger gnawing, reminding me of the entire reason

I’d gone downstairs in

the first place. But I could wait five more minutes. This was the kind of
pampering I didn’t want to

rush.

Sharp pain in my scalp tore a yelp from my throat before I was shoved
down into the bath. Water

filled my mouth as I twisted and fought against the hand holding me down.
Even with the berserker

inside me rising to the surface, lending me its strength and desperate to

fight back, I couldn’t shake

them. They’d timed their strike well.

My attacker’s vicious use of force sent terror through me, panic making me
gasp for air that

wasn’t available, letting even more liquid into my oxygen-starved lungs. I

choked and thrashed,

clawing at their arm, but it was no use. I was drowning.

I should’ve listened to the bracelet’s warning. Instead, I’d left myself
entirely at the mercy of the

Blackthorne vampires. The last thought I had before my vision went dark
was the pack I’d created.

My four loves and the child we’d made.

The child I would never meet.

Chapte r

Forty-Four

CALEB

Night-blooming jasmine filled my senses as I turned yet another corner of

the Blackthornes’

garden maze. This spot. So reckless. So dangerous a thing to have when

security was of

concern. Fecking royalty.

“What are you doing skulking about in my maze, Priest?”

“I thought you were hunting, Cashel.”

“AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE CELIBATE.”

What response could I make to that? I would own my sins, if nothing else.

“It’s only been an hour since you all left your charge unsupervised.”

Cashel stood at the mouth of the path I’d turned down, looking at me like
something he scraped off

the bottom of his boot. “She’s not unsupervised. She’s exactly where she’s
supposed to be. Out of my
hair and unable to make trouble. Besides, her mates are with her.”

The disdain with which he spat the word mates had my lips twitching.
“Can’t handle your son

being a cuckold?”

“That would make one of you as well, wouldn’t it? Does Gabriel know you
are so . . . involved

with her?”

I shoved my hands in my pockets so he wouldn’t be able to make out my

balled-up fists. “I have to

assume so. He’s God’s Messenger, after all. I don’t imagine there’s much he
isn’t privy to.”

“How cavalier. You claim to serve your God, but you are in bed with the
devil. Whose side are

you on?”

“Sunday is not the devil.”

“Isn’t she? The harbinger of the apocalypse is hardly one of the good guys.”

“That’s either a matter of semantics or philosophy, neither of which I’m

inclined to debate with

you, Cashel. As for my loyalties, I will keep my vow.”

Cashel let out a derisive snort. “Because you are so good at that, Priest.”

I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep from lashing out and doing
something that would get

me sent away from here. The metallic taste of my blood filled my mouth as
I fought for control of my
emotions.

“Struck a nerve, did I?”

“Sunday is my purpose, same as she’s always been.”

“So you’ll do your duty when the time comes.”

I stared hard into his eyes. “Aye.”

“Then she’s not your mate. I burned down my world to keep Olivia once I
bonded with her.”

“Who says I won’t?”

“You can’t have it both ways. It’s her, or your soul.”

“Don’t you think I fecking know that?”

“And yet you fucked her anyway. Hardly the actions of a pious man.”

The words cut deep. I gave up everything I’d ever wanted to belong to
Sunday. Fucking was

something reserved for sordid encounters. It didn’t come close to

expressing what had happened

between us. It was a communion of souls. A way to touch the divine. To

express the most perfect love

two people could share. She was the closest I’d ever come to knowing God
again.

“Fuck you, Blackthorne.”

He smirked. “Such a temper for a holy man.”

“I haven’t been a holy man for decades.”

His mocking laughter cut through the night, making me nearly convulse
with rage. “No. You

haven’t. Which is why I can’t trust you to follow through on your vows
now.”

“And you always do everything you’ve sworn to do?”

“When it comes to protecting my family? Yes.”

I took a step toward him, then blurred across the distance, grabbing him by
his collar. “Your

family is your priority. She is mine.”

His eyes widened. “Fuck me, you really love her, don’t you?”

I didn’t answer. Instead I released him and turned to walk away. “Stay out
of my way, Cashel. Let

me do my job.”

I stormed away from him, not paying attention to the path I was taking as
my body quaked with

fury. Whose idea was it to create damned mazes out of a hedge? Every turn
put me at a dead end.

“You’re not where you’re needed, Caleb.”

The Seer’s voice sounded in my head, stopping me in my tracks. I spun in a

circle, searching for

the speaker. But I was alone.

“Go to her. She’s dying.”

One thought solidified in my mind. Sunday.

That was enough to send me running. I tore through the hedge, worming my
way through thorns and

bramble without care. Fuck the Blackthornes and their fucking labyrinth. I
wasn’t going to waste time

when she was in danger. They were lucky I didn’t burn the fecking thing
down.

It took far too long for me to get to her, precious seconds wasted. Where
were the others? Why

was no one protecting her?

The door to her room was wide open. Splashing came from the bathroom,
and as I approached,

all I saw was the next death I’d have on my hands.

“The abomination must not survive,” the hooded figure muttered, hate
seeping from every word.

“That’s not for you to decide,” I snarled, gripping him by the head and
twisting until I felt flesh

tear and tendons snap. The bones in his neck separated, and his hold on
Sunday went lax.

His body crumbled like a house of cards, blood pooling on the white tile
floor. But I only had

eyes for the woman lying so still under the water. I dropped the attacker’s
head with a thunk and

pulled Sunday from the bath, her skin still warm but her face deathly pale.

Setting her on the tile, I started counting out the compressions on her chest
and then tipped her
head back to breathe into her mouth. I was on my second set when the
footsteps sounded behind me.

“What happened?” Alek asked, fear making his voice tight.

“Sunshine?”

I ignored both of them, too focused on breathing life back into her. She
couldn’t die. I leaned

down to bring my lips to hers again, whispering, “Come back to me, a

stor.”

“Where the fuck is Noah? He’s supposed to be with her,” Kingston snarled,
his wolf slipping into

the question.

“I’m right here,” Noah said, sounding as worried as the rest of us as he

raced into the room with

more Blackthornes on his heels. “I was already on my way back when I felt
her fear. Is she going to

be all right?”

A deep gurgle followed by coughing came from Sunday, and my heart

started beating again.

Rolling her onto her side, I stroked her back as she choked up the water that
had nearly been her end.

She dragged in a ragged gasp of air and looked around from person to
person, fear and mistrust in

her eyes.

“Somebody get her a fecking towel,” I snapped, shielding her with my

body.
Alek was the first to reach us, holding out his shirt. “Here, use this.”

I draped the fabric over her as I cradled her to my chest.

“I’m assuming this is the culprit?” Cashel asked, toe kicking the attacker’s
severed head. “Or

what’s left of him?”

“This was the assassin, aye. But who hired him, I don’t know. He was on a
mission to kill the

abomination.”

“That’s a Council term,” Noah said, looking ashen. “They must have found
out she was pregnant

and sent someone to dispatch her. But how were they able to get inside?”

“Yes, that is the question, isn’t it?” I asked.

“I found a guard dead by the tunnels as I returned from the hunt.” Cashel
pulled Olivia tight

against him. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

“Convenient.” The word was soft, but I knew everyone heard it.

“If you’re implying I had anything to do with my son’s mate being attacked,
I assure you, you’re

wrong.”

Noah’s eyes flicked to his father, but before he could say anything,
Kingston reached for Sunday.

Possessive anger took hold as his fingers brushed her arm, and I snapped,
“Don’t touch her. I’ve
got her.”

Kingston assessed me and then stepped back with his hands raised. “All
right, Padre. That’s fine,

but can we get her out of here? She’s shaking and clearly in shock. She
doesn’t need to see the

aftermath right now.”

I flinched, rising immediately and baring my fangs at the bodies standing

between me and the

door. “Out of my way.”

In the blink of an eye, I had her on the bed, a heavy blanket covering us
both as I clung to her. I

couldn’t let her go. Not yet. I needed to hear her heart beating strong and
steady, see the color

returning to her cheeks. I closed my eyes and pressed my lips to her

forehead, homing in on the rapid

thrum of the baby’s pulse as well.

They were safe. I hadn’t lost them. Thanks to the Seer’s warning, I’d
reached her in time. But

what if I hadn’t? What if I was too late next time? Because surely there’d be
a next time. The Vampire

Council wouldn’t give up that easily.

“Um, is this guy okay?” Roslyn’s wary voice rang out as she slowly backed
away from Alek,

whose eyes had bled black. Even from my place on the bed I could see the
lightning flashing in the
inky depths.

“No. Rosie, get away from him right now. He’s a berserker, and his mate
was just threatened.”

Noah put himself between his sister and Alek. “Nordson, she’s all right.
Look there. Sunday is

breathing and safe.”

Alek let out a menacing snarl and grasped Noah by his throat, shoving him
up against the wall.

“You brought us to your house, under your roof, guarded by your family.
Give me one reason I

shouldn’t kill you right now.”

“Because I would never forgive you if you did, Alek,” Sunday said, her
words raspy but strong

all the same.

“You almost died on his watch. He left you. How is that acceptable
behavior for a mate? You

have three others. You don’t need this one.”

Sunday removed herself from my hold, slipped his shirt over her head, and
then carefully walked

across the room to put herself right in front of him. Without hesitation, she
took the hand Alek had

around Noah’s throat and brought it to hers instead.

“I’m here. Do you feel my heartbeat?”

Some of the rage seeped from his eyes, their color returning slowly to his
normal icy blue. Then

she slid his palm down to her chest, right over her heart, before pressing her
hand against his.

“This isn’t Noah’s fault. Killing him isn’t the answer.”

Alek closed his eyes and took a long breath, a visible tremor racing down
his enormous frame.

When he came back to himself, he trained his focus on Cashel. “Someone

needs to pay. Who needs to

die?”

Chapte r

Forty-Five

KINGSTON

“Iknow exactly who we need to kill. Those fucking parasites on the

Council. They’re the ones who

sent an assassin after Sunday.” Anger seethed in my veins. If I wasn’t so

worried about my mate, I’d

already be out there hunting down the cocksuckers who dared to come after
what was mine.

“Believe me, taking out the Council has been a goal of mine for decades. I
nearly succeeded once

upon a time, but they come back time and again.” Cashel stood with his
back to the wall nearest the

bathroom, the dead vampire’s blood seeping over the threshold and staining
the edge of the white
carpet.

“What’s he still doing in here?” The growl in Caleb’s voice was so

pronounced that if I didn’t

know better, I would have thought he was a wolf. Accusation burned in his
eyes as he stared Cashel

down.

“It’s my house. I’ll stay as long as I bloody well want to.”

“And you, being the master of the house, could also let anyone you’d like
inside at any time.”

What the fuck was Caleb smoking, and where could I get some?

“What are you insinuating, Priest? I wasn’t anywhere near Sunday when the
attack happened. I

was toe to toe with you.”

Every head in the room jerked in his direction. What reason could those two
possibly have to

meet up? They seemed more likely to brawl than meet for a polite chat.
Then again, looking from

Cashel to Caleb, maybe a fight was precisely what had happened.

“My father wasn’t part of this, Caleb. I know him better than—”

“Perhaps you should ask your uncle Callum about that. Oh, forgive me, you
can’t. He’s nothing

more than a pile of ashes after your father staked him.” Caleb was really
fucking going for it. “Not to
mention the fact that the Council tried and convicted him as a traitor before
most of them were

conveniently disposed of. People who oppose Cashel Blackthorne seem to

end up dead or missing

more often than not.”

“That’s enough. If you’re going to continue to insult my father, you can

leave. We have a perfect

spot to isolate a testy vampire. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? The well.”
Noah’s tone was icy, his gaze

intense on Caleb.

“Fuck, I think I finally see what Sunshine likes about you, Thorne.”

He cut his gaze to me and then rolled his eyes.

“Let’s give Sunday some time to recover in private,” Olivia said, playing
peacekeeper before the

vampires came to blows.

I bristled. “No. We already have the fae coming after us, and I want to know
what you intend to do

to keep the Council off our backs. If they won’t stop coming like you say,
then we’re not safe here. We

won’t be safe anywhere. So, what’s the plan? You must have one, big bad
vampire boss that you are.”

Cashel glared at me. “I am a king.”

I smirked. “So am I.”

“No, you’re a boy playing at being king. You won’t earn that honor until
you prove you’ll

sacrifice everything for your title.”

“Titles are meaningless. It's the people connected to you that matter.”

“In that, at least, we are agreed.” We held each other’s stares, Cashel
eventually giving me a brief

nod as if I had passed some sort of test. “You were right about something
else as well.”

“Of course I was.”

“Such a wanker,” Noah muttered under his breath.

“I do have a plan. If we can prove the child is not an abomination, the

Council will have no

reason to come for your mate.”

“How are we supposed to prove that? A paternity test? Wait until she pops
out the kid and see

which one of us it looks like? Or better yet, if it comes with its own set of
fangs?”

Sunday shook her head. “She. We’re having a girl.”

“Sorry, Sunshine. We all know she’s mine. There’s no reason the Council
should think otherwise.”

She rolled her eyes. “Kingston, there are three very virile reasons they
could think otherwise.”

Alek placed his palm on her shoulder. “She’s a little shieldmaiden. A

descendant of Freya
herself.”

The first genuine smile bloomed across Sunday’s face since the accident.
“Is that so? And do we

all just get to pick which Norse god we’re related to? Is that what you did?”

Cashel cleared his throat, killing the mood with a single annoyed glare. “If
you’re quite through.”

“Are you sure you and the priest aren’t related? Cousins maybe? You sound
exactly like him. You

know, without the leprechaun thing.” I grinned. “Are you hiding a pot of
gold somewhere, Caleb?

Maybe a box of cereal?”

“Feck off.”

“Thank you for proving my point.”

Sunday shot me a stare that said I needed to shut up before she shut me up.
I’d make her pay for

that later. Loudly. So everyone remembered how much she loved me and
my dick. “Continue with

your plan, oh mighty vampire king.”

Cashel sighed. “Natalie Goode.”

“Cousin Silas’s mate?” Noah asked. “But she hasn’t practiced magic since I
was a child.”

“If it means the difference between your child living or dying, she will.”

Olivia nodded her agreement. “There’s no doubt she’ll come to our aid.
Let’s summon her now.
The sooner she gets here, the better.”

The vampire’s expression softened as he glanced at his wife. “Right.”

The Blackthornes and their staff filed out after that, but before the bedroom
door was fully closed,

a cranky little witch stormed right in.

“What the hell? I go to sleep, and you guys throw a party without me? I’m
hurt.” Moira skidded to

a stop. “Why is there a dead guy in the bathroom?”

“Long story short, someone on the Vampire Council sent him to off me.
Caleb took care of it. I

didn’t die.”

“Sunday Amadeus, where is your bracelet? This is exactly why I gave it to

you. No one should be

able to sneak up on you.”

Sunday winced. “I took it off before I got in the tub.”

“Why would you do that?”

“I didn’t want to ruin it.”

Moira’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “It. Is. Protected. What do you
think I am, an

amateur?”

“No, you ass, but it’s special to me, and I was trying to keep it safe.”

“Well your wrist is still naked. Where is it?”

“I put it with my necklace and clothes.”

Alek disappeared into the bathroom, likely so Moira didn’t have to step
over the decapitated

body in her search. He wandered back out with a necklace dangling from
his finger. “This was all I

could find.”

“Someone fucking took it?” I growled.

Noah strode into the bathroom and began rifling through the assassin’s
pockets. “Nothing here.”

“Why? Who else would do that?” Alek’s question made me unsure if I gave
him more credit than

he deserved. Maybe the Norseman really was a big dumb Viking after all.
“Unless there’s another

person here who means her harm.”

Never mind.

Alek continued his stream of consciousness with more things we already

knew. “The fae used

shadow to cloak themselves until the last moment. Could they have snuck
in while the Council

mounted their attack?”

Noah sighed. “At this point, who bloody knows? But it’s clear we need to
be on high alert at all

times.”
Sunday’s lower lip quivered. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to
happen. I loved that

bracelet, Moira. I should have taken better care of it.”

“Fuck the bracelet, Monday.”

“Monday?”

“I’m mad at you right now, and no one likes a Monday.”

That got my back up, but Alek spoke before I could say anything. “Hey,
now, witch. She almost

died, and she’s clearly upset. Leave her alone.”

“No, she’s right. I ignored the warning signs. I was reckless.”

I narrowed my eyes at my mate. “What warning signs?”

Alek, Caleb, and Noah were also looking at her with matching expressions
of disbelief. She

glanced between each of us, not finding a single ally. Even Moira stared her
down with her hip

cocked and her arms crossed over her chest.

“The bracelet, uh, sort of went off while I was downstairs getting a snack.
But I couldn’t figure

out what it was trying to tell me because it was so sporadic.”

“And you just wandered off on your own without letting anyone know?
Sunshine, come on. You’re

smarter than that.”

“I didn’t want to wake you up. It was the literal middle of the night.”
Caleb gave a long-suffering sigh. “Two of us are fecking vampires. We’re
awake by nature, Miss

Fallon.”

“If any of us can afford to lose a little beauty sleep, it’s obviously me,” Alek
said, tossing his

mane over one shoulder before he closed the distance between them and
took her hand. He may have

been playing, but I saw the barely restrained berserker flashing in his eyes.

Not to be outdone by these showboats, I stalked toward her and took her
face in my hands, tipping

her head back and leaning down until our noses were nearly touching.
“Exactly, you wake me the fuck

up. I don’t care what time it is. I don’t care if you stubbed your fucking toe.
You tell me, Sunshine. Or

if not me, one of us. You are not in this alone. It is our job to keep you and
that kid safe. Let us do our

fucking job.”

God, I felt like a dick when her eyes filled with tears. She nodded, blinked
once, and the twin

tracks streamed down her cheeks.

I wiped them away with the pads of my thumbs. “Don’t cry, baby. I’m not
mad, but I am fucking

terrified. I can’t lose you. Ever.”

Her lip quivered, and she nodded.

Noah moved to stand behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist and
pressing a kiss to her

mark. “We all are, dove. Tonight was a close call. Too close. It never should
have happened. We need

you—all of us—to be on guard moving forward.”

Caleb turned his stare on Noah. “When can we expect the Goode witch to
arrive?”

Moira gasped so loud I worried the dead vampire in the bathroom had
reanimated.

“What the fuck, Moira?” I asked.

“The Goode witch? As in . . . Natalie fucking Goode?”

Noah frowned at her. “Yes. She’s my cousin’s mate. Why?”

“She’s only like a fucking rock star in the witch world.”

“I didn’t realize you had celebrities,” Sunday said.

“If we did, Natalie Goode is definitely an A-lister.” Moira lowered her

voice to a whisper. “Do

you think I could get her to sign my party tit?”

“Excuse me, your what?” Alek asked, peering at her like he hadn’t quite
caught what she said.

“My party tit.” Moira pointed to her left breast. “You know, the fun one.”

“I’m pretty sure they’re both fun,” Alek said, his brow furrowed in
confusion.

“They are.”
He shook his head, likely recognizing he’d entered a losing battle. “Never
mind.”

Smart dude. That giant head of his wasn’t filled with wool after all.

“How long until this rockstar witch arrives?” I asked, desperate to move the
subject off Moira

and her tits.

Cashel stood in the doorway. “She won’t arrive for a fortnight. I just hung
up with Silas. There’s

nothing to be done about it.”

“What do we do until then?” Sunday asked.

I cupped her face, making sure I had her full attention as I answered,
“Everything we can to keep

you alive.”

Chapte r

Forty-Six

SUNDAY

If my first two weeks at Blackthorne Manor had been a somewhat

unwanted, albeit pleasant,

vacation, my last two had been an outright prison sentence. Security at the
manor was at

DEFCON 1. I couldn’t sneeze without someone jumping at the noise. The

only high point in the

last couple of weeks had been the surprise baby shower Moira had thrown
me in an attempt to lift my
spirits.

It might not have been so bad if I could find my bracelet, but without its
magic or my ability to

shift, my men didn’t trust me by myself. And nothing annoyed me more

than being treated like a

helpless child.

A large warm palm wrapped around my throat, startling me out of my

frustration spiral and

reminding me I was supposed to be training. Since the attack, Alek had

resumed my daily self-defense

sessions with a renewed vigor that bordered on obsessive.

His lips brushed the shell of my ear as he scolded me. “Got you. Again. You
need to focus,

Sunny.”

A little shiver worked its way down my spine, just like it did every time he
whispered in my ear.

“I’m tired. We’ve been at this for over an hour. Can’t we be done for the
day?”

His other arm wrapped around me so he could touch my belly. “Is it the
baby?”

“No,” I groaned, kicking the ground to alleviate some of my annoyance.

“I’m just over these

stupid training sessions.”

“You need to know how to defend yourself without your wolf.”

I rolled my eyes and spun around in his hold. “I spent my whole life
without my wolf.”

“In a tower. Not defending yourself.”

“It wasn’t an actual tower,” I grumbled.

His eyes were amused, but his expression was set. “I love you, Sunny, but
this is for your own

good. You can’t blame us for wanting to make sure you’re safe. If someone
gets past us again, all of us

—including you—will feel better knowing you’re prepared. These sessions,

as annoying as they are,

could make the difference in whether you live or die. You better than
anyone know how precious a

few extra seconds can be in determining the outcome of a battle.”

“He’s right, Sunday.”

My chest squeezed at the sound of Caleb’s brogue from where he’d taken
up position in the

doorway. If Alek looked like a golden god, Caleb resembled a fallen angel.
His dark stare and head-

to-toe black clothing gave him a sexy, sinister edge. Especially with the
heat in his gaze that promised

if I misbehaved his palm would leave a mark on my ass.

“Show me what you’ve learned.”

Caleb was a streak across the makeshift dojo, blurring from his place across
the room to me. I
timed it just right and took a quick step to the side before his arms could
snake out and grab me.

He came to a standstill, and I cocked a brow. “How’s that?”

His lip curled. I blinked, and he was behind me, his lips at my ear and arm
crossing me from

shoulder to shoulder. “Not good enough.”

I saw the practice weapon, a dull dagger, glint in his raised hand. I couldn’t
let him prove me

wrong. Using a maneuver Alek and I had been working on, I disarmed him
as I broke his hold and

snatched the blade for myself. The move itself wasn’t complicated, but the
changes to my body

affected my balance, so it required a bit more effort to bend the way I

needed to without losing the

benefit of speed or surprise.

“False.”

“That’s my girl. She’s got a warrior’s heart.”

I grinned wide at the appreciation in Alek’s voice. Caleb’s gaze shone with
pride as well.

“I stand corrected, Miss Fallon.”

Fuck, I was out of breath. Though that could partially be due to the way his
voice caressed my

name. I loved it when he called me that. Almost as much as when he called

me his good girl.
Frustration and need clawed at me. I was a horny bitch, and they’d been
treating me like I might

break at any moment. Tensions had been running so high since the
attempted assassination my men

hadn’t been willing to engage in any bed play. They all agreed it was a
distraction we couldn’t afford,

one that left us vulnerable and weak. No matter how hard I tried to initiate
things, they wouldn’t be

swayed. Not even Kingston. Maybe I should act up so Caleb could give me
one of his special

sessions?

“Whatever you’re thinking, little one, put it out of your mind. We’re late.”

“Late?”

“I came to fetch you. The witch is here.”

Anticipation and a healthy dose of nerves sent my stomach fluttering. I

didn’t know what Natalie

was going to do, but at this point, anything was better than sitting here in a
gilded cage just waiting for

another attack.

Caleb offered his elbow, the gesture foreign from him after our history of
secret stolen moments

together. I locked eyes with him as I slid my arm through his, the warmth I
found in his gaze giving me

a glimpse of what a life with him would be like. Now that we were away
from Ravenscroft, we could
be together this way.

Alek tugged on the end of my braid, leaning in and murmuring, “Once this
is over, I’ll take care of

you. Don’t worry, Kærasta. I know what you’re wanting. I want it too. It’s
been too long since I’ve

tasted that sweet cunt of yours.”

I practically groaned at the promise.

“Yes, darling one. Once we know the Council won’t be coming after you
and we can relax, we’ll

all see to you.”

Yes, please. A Caleb and Alek sandwich sounded really good right about
now. But a whole

sausage buffet would be even better.

Now I was ready to get this meeting over with for another reason entirely.
Screw what we learned

from the witch; I wanted sexy time with my men. What good were mostly
soundproofed rooms if you

didn’t test their limits?

“Come on, boys, better not keep Natalie waiting.”

Alek’s knowing chuckle followed me out of the room as I tugged Caleb

along with me through the

winding maze of hallways beneath the house. When we reached the main
floor, a thick veil of magic
permeated the air, sending tingles skating over my arms and raising the hair
on the back of my neck.

Moira and Ash were already in the library, crowded around a woman I
could only assume was

the infamous Natalie. She looked far younger than I’d expected since she
must be in or approaching

her fifties. I wondered if that had more to do with her being a witch or her
being a vampire’s bonded

mate. Her dark hair was pulled up in a clean bun, her pretty face unlined,
her eyes shining with

amusement as she listened to Moira’s animated chatter.

Noah stood next to his parents, concern etching a permanent line between
his brows. The instant

he saw me, he crossed the floor and came to my side. “Allow me to

introduce you to my aunt.”

Caleb released me as Noah wrapped an arm around my waist and escorted

me the short distance

across the room. It was all very formal feeling, and I was suddenly self-
conscious in my sweatpants

and my borrowed T-shirt. Okay, it wasn’t mine, and it wasn’t borrowed. I

stole it from Alek. But

these days, anything that smelled like one of my men was fair game, and
their shirts just fit better.

“Aunt Natalie, this is my mate, Sunday Fallon.” Noah practically beamed as

he introduced us.

“Sunday, this is Natalie.”

“I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, Sunday, but it is still a
pleasure. I can see

how special your connection with our Noah is.”

Kindness radiated from her, instantly soothing me. Thank God. I couldn’t
deal with another cranky

Blackthorne.

“It’s nice to meet you too. I’m sorry, I would have cleaned myself up if I
thought you were

arriving so soon.”

She waved a hand. “Please don’t worry about it on my account. I think you
look lovely just as you

are.”

“So do I, dove,” Noah murmured, kissing my temple.

Natalie was the living embodiment of a hug. I had no doubt her power was
considerable. She was

likely every bit as scary as Moira’s family when crossed. Still, after feeling
like I was surrounded by

people I couldn’t wholly trust, her easy kindness was greatly appreciated.

“I have a gift for you,” Natalie said, reaching into the pocket of her skirt
and producing a deep

green velvet bag.

“For me?”

“Moira and Ash mentioned the charm they made for you went missing. I
happened to have this

amulet on me. I would have prepared something stronger if I’d known, but
it should work in a pinch.”

She pulled out a delicate chain with a lovely amethyst crystal dangling from
its center. “If it comes in

contact with magic of ill intent, it lifts the veil and reveals the truth.”

“That seems like it will come in handy,” I murmured, accepting the

necklace and immediately

putting it on. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, dear.” Her gaze flicked from me to the doorway,
and I followed. Kingston

stood there, his hair still damp and curling at the ends from his shower.

“What did I miss? Are we getting presents? Cool.” He strode into the room
and put himself right

next to me, hand sliding around my waist before he dipped his head and
whispered, “Sorry I’m late,

baby.”

Natalie lifted one perfectly arched brow. “Is this the wolf?”

After a sigh, Noah nodded. “The one and only.”

She clapped her hands together. “Oh good, then you’re all here. It’s time to
begin.”
“WHAT IS THIS FOR AGAIN?” Kingston asked, pulling his hand back as
Natalie moved toward him

with a small ritual dagger to take some of his blood.

“As I already explained to you, we’re performing the supernatural

equivalent of a paternity test,

which requires DNA.”

“So take some of my fur, hair, spit even. It goes against my nature to
willingly spill my own blood

in a house full of vampires.”

Alek snickered. “Someone’s chicken shit.”

A low growl left Kingston before Alek even finished. “I’m not the one
screaming like a little bitch

whenever I see Casper the Friendly Ghost.”

“It’s Callie. If you’re going to talk about me, at least use my name
correctly.” Callie appeared next

to Alek, making him flinch.

“Thor’s shriveled dick, stop doing that.”

She cackled. “Why would I when you make it so much fun?”

He glared at her, and Kingston piped back up. “You have to admit, this is
some sketchy stuff. It’s

dark in here, and we’re sitting ducks locked in a room with vampires while
they take our blood. This

is the kind of thing you start yelling about when we watch scary movies.”
He put on a fake accent that
was supposed to mimic Alek, I guessed. “No, you incompetent idiot, never
run up the stairs when the

lights go out. That’s how you end up run through by the killer!”

“I thought it was only the virgins that got murdilated in those movies,”
Moira whispered loudly to

me.

“No, it’s the virgins who survive. I’m telling you, it’s always death by dick
in those flicks,” Ash

offered helpfully.

“Shoot, Padre. You almost made it out unscathed. Guess you’re as fucked as
the rest of us now.”

“Literally.” Alek chuckled, but Noah shot them all frustrated glares.

“Do you mind? Some of us would like to finish this ritual before Sunday
gives birth.”

Kingston snickered. “If she gives birth, we don’t need the ritual.”

Cashel cleared his throat. “But it won’t protect your cub or your mate, and
isn’t that quite the

point?”

Kingston sobered and gave a heavy sigh. “Right. Slice away, Glinda.”

“Natalie,” Moira corrected, horrified that he would purposely refer to her

idol by the wrong

name. If she only knew about poor Heidi. Or was it Heather?

Natalie, to her credit, didn’t look the least bit bothered as she pressed the
point of the blade into
his palm and sliced down into the fleshy part of his hand.

“Fuck, you didn’t say it was silver. That shit burns.” Kingston’s blood
welled, spilling into the

bowl she held under his hand. “I thought all you needed was a drop.”

“I’d rather take more than have to poke you again.”

He pursed his lips. “Fair.”

She then repeated the act on Alek, Noah, and finally Caleb. The last of
whom was surprisingly

more mistrustful than Kingston.

“Witchcraft,” he muttered darkly. “I truly am one of the damned.”

Natalie winked at him. “Welcome to the dark side, handsome. We have

cookies.”

“Oh well, if there are cookies,” he said, making my lips twitch. His jokes
were so rare, they

never ceased to amuse me.

“Your turn, Sunday.” Natalie turned to me, her eyes gentle. “Into the chalice
for this one.”

I didn’t even flinch as she took my blood, but my men did. Their bodies
went taut as tension lined

their features. Alek looked like he wanted to fling the knife from her hand,
and Kingston’s hands were

balled into fists. My vampires seemed to be struggling for other reasons.

Their eyes flared wide and
their breathing changed as they caught my scent. And they weren’t the only
ones.

Noah’s gaze shot to his father and his brother, Westley. The latter had taken
a step closer to me,

but Cashel had a hand tight on his youngest son’s shoulder, stopping him. A
shiver ran through me.

Maybe Kingston was right.

“Now what?” Alek asked. “Don’t tell me we have to drink it.”

The innocent comment was a communion joke waiting to happen. I couldn’t

help it. I snuck a peek

at Caleb, whose knowing gaze was locked on me, his lips tilted in the barest
hint of a smile.

“No. Each of you will place one drop of blood from your bowl on the point
of the pentacle I

assign you. Then, after you have done so, Sunday will do the same from her
place at the north.”

“Uh, Maleficent, what pentacle? Is it invisible or something?” Kingston

asked, looking at the floor

with confusion etched on his face.

Natalie sighed. “No, wolf. I still need to paint it.”

We stood aside, watching her as she poured a small amount of blood from
each bowl onto a plate,

then blended them together before using her fingers to draw the pentacle on
the floor in the center of

the library.
“Nothing like a good bloodstain to really up the value of the house,”
Kingston muttered.

I shook my head, sighing. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”

“I’m just saying what everyone else is thinking, baby.”

“You’re really not,” Noah said, moving into place as Natalie directed each
of the men to one of

the pentacle’s points.

“Sunday, take your place. Moira, Ash, I’ll need to borrow some of your
power for this.”

Moira looked about ready to fall over with fangirl euphoria. “Of course.
Ohmigod. What do you

need?”

Natalie smiled sweetly. “Your hands. Join me outside the pentacle. We’ll
speak the words

together five times. Noah, once we start, you begin by letting one drop fall
at your feet since you were

her first bonded mate.”

Kingston grumbled. “Only because we got off on the wrong foot.”

“Doesn’t matter, wolf. I claimed her first.”

“First’s the worst. Second’s the best.”

“Jesus, what are they, seven?” Moira asked. “Next one of them is going to
call dibs.”

“If you’re ready to continue . . .” Natalie said.

I gave them each a meaningful look. “We are ready.”

“We will go in order of mate bonds, meaning Noah, Kingston, then Alek.
Caleb, you will be

fourth, and finally, Sunday. The blood you sacrifice will be drawn to the
child’s father, and just like

that, we will have our answer.”

“Please say it’s a wolf.” Kingston’s words were so earnest my heart hurt a
bit.

I honestly didn’t want to know the truth. Something about it made me worry
for the baby’s future

relationship with my mates. Would they love her less when they knew for
certain she didn’t belong to

them?

“What are we going to do if Noah or Caleb is the dad?” Ash asked. “That
will just confirm what

the Council suspected.”

“Pray,” Caleb said.

“That would be your solution,” Cashel replied.

“Do you have a better one?”

“We run,” I said, resolved. “We run and go into hiding somewhere else.”

“Or we fight. I’ll stand ready at your side. No questions asked.” The
determination in Kingston’s

eyes eased my worries a little.

Alek shifted his stance. “If you truly want to run, we could go back to
Novasgard. Your Vampire

Council has no standing there. And you’ve seen firsthand how my people
deal with outsiders who

cross into our realm uninvited.”

“They already kicked us out, remember?” I said, touched that he would

make the offer. “That one

lady, Cora, said fate required us to be here.”

“Whatever we do, we do it together. All of us. Nothing changes how we all

feel, dove. We belong

together.”

I took a steadying breath and held the chalice in my hands, staring at

Natalie. “Do it.”

She gave me an encouraging nod as the three witches linked hands and
began reciting the words

that would initiate the spell. Noah dipped his finger in the bowl and allowed
the blood to drip onto

the floor. Once the lyrical phrase was repeated, Kingston did the same.
Then the others.

My heart was racing as I waited for my turn. With each repetition, the
witches’ voices grew

stronger and the air in the room more charged. The flickering of the candles
no longer seemed natural,

but intentional. And was it my imagination, or was the pentagram glowing?

Either way, magic was at
work here, swirling all around us, preparing to provide us with the answers
we sought.

Natalie’s eyes glowed with power as the three witches began the final chant.
She trained them on

me and gave a slight nod. My hand shook as I dipped my fingers into the
bowl, then brought them out

of the chalice, watching intently as the thick red liquid pooled into a fat
droplet. It fell, almost in slow

motion, causing everyone in the room to tense as it splashed to the floor.

As soon as my blood made contact with the lines on the floor, the ruby
liquid sizzled. My eyes

went wide, and I looked up in concern, wondering if that was supposed to

happen. But then a series

of shocked gasps brought my attention back to the floor. The point at my

feet glowed red and black as

it began to smolder, smoke rising in acrid curls as the wood charred. The
blood bubbled and then

caught fire, an actual flame snaking down the path as it crawled toward the
center of the five-sided

star.

When it turned toward Noah, he looked both awed and ready to vomit. But
the flame didn’t stop

with him. It never stopped, but shifted and kept moving along the bloody
lines, touching the point

where each of my mates stood, like a fuse slowly inching its way to a grand
and devastating finale.
“Is this supposed to happen?” I asked.

Natalie’s face paled. “No.”

The moment the flame completed the pentacle, my stomach dropped, filled
with dread. A wall of

fire shot up, the ground beneath our feet trembling as pounding hoof beats
filled the air accompanied

by the blast of what could only be described as a horn sounding an alarm.

We all fell to the floor,

bracing ourselves until the shaking stopped and the world around us went
quiet.

“What in God’s name was that?” Cashel breathed.

Natalie stood, her limbs trembling. “The apocalypse.”

Chapte r

Forty-Seven

ALEK

F ear and dread mingled in my belly, my berserker waking up in response to

my tangled

emotions. I couldn’t be sure, I was still too new to its presence inside me,
but I think the only

thing that kept him from taking over entirely was that there was no enemy
for him to fight.

Only this soul-deep knowing that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

“I’m sorry, the what now?” Kingston asked, pushing himself off the ground
and helping me
refocus.

Natalie shook as she pointed to Sunday. “That child . . . it’s the end of
everything.”

My gaze found Sunday, still sitting in a daze on the floor. She rubbed
absently at the swell of her

belly, eyes shining with tears. “You’re wrong.”

Moira clung to Ash, her hair now bone-white ringlets. Before the ceremony
started, it had been jet

black and stick straight. “She’s not lying, Sunday. We all saw it.”

“What did you see?” I asked.

Her panicked gaze shot to mine. “The end of the world. If that baby is born,
not only will Sunday

die, we all will.”

I stood, legs shaking as my stomach churned and nausea took hold. “That
can’t be the only

outcome. Visions aren’t absolute.”

“This wasn’t a vision,” Natalie interjected. “This was the truth. There is
nothing good that will

come from this baby being born, and there is no way we can stop it. You
five put something in motion

that has been on the horizon for millennia.”

“Us five?” Noah asked.

Natalie nodded, reaching a hand out to Sunday. “Yes. All of you were
instrumental in this.”
“That’s impossible. I may not know a lot about magic, but I know how a
fucking baby is made,”

Kingston snarled. “One egg, one sperm. That means one father, not four.”

Natalie raised a brow. “And yet here we are. This child is not a mortal, not
even a child, really. It

is a cataclysm. A growing mass of chaotic energy brought into being by all

of you. When it is

unleashed, it will destroy the world as we know it.”

“It is a she, and she is mine.” Sunday snatched her hand back from Natalie’s
grasp after she

helped her to her feet.

The flash of black in Sunday’s eyes sent a warning through me. The
berserker was close to the

surface for both of us. If I didn’t get her away from here soon, she might be
the one to destroy their

world. And I might be right alongside her.

“Don’t you have anything to say about this, Padre?” Kingston asked. “This
fire and brimstone shit

is basically your wheelhouse, yeah?”

Caleb’s face was stricken, but I wouldn’t say he looked surprised by the
news. Considering how

the rest of us were quite literally bowled over by it, I would have expected
at least a little something

more from him.

“You fucking bastard,” Noah snarled. “You knew. You fucking knew.”

He launched himself at the priest, grabbing him by the throat and shoving
until he slammed Caleb

into one of the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Leather-bound tomes fell to the

floor in a shower of

fluttering paper and heavy thuds.

“I knew it was possible. I didn’t want to believe it was true.”

“And you didn’t think to mention it to the rest of us while we blindly went
about our merry fucking

way?” Noah asked, his voice rich with the promise of more violence.

“What did you want me to say? By giving her everything she needed, you
were bringing about the

end of the bloody world? That you loving her was going to kill her?” He
shoved Noah away hard

enough the vampire prince stumbled. “Why do you think I tried so fecking
hard to stay away?”

My gaze went to Sunday, and my heart caved in on itself. We were sad

excuses for mates, leaving

her standing alone and trembling. In a few long strides, I crossed the now
permanently charred lines

of the pentagram and pulled her into my arms.

“Alek, I can’t . . .” Sunday’s voice shook as she tried to speak. “She’s real. I
can feel her moving.

We’ve heard her heart beating. She can’t be some horrible thing.”
I cupped her cheek, knowing that nothing made in Sunday’s image could
ever be anything other

than perfect. “She isn’t. I felt her too, remember? She’s ours, Kærasta.
Created out of our love.

Nothing is set in stone. The path can always be altered. Just because they
believe this to be true does

not make it so.”

Tears splashed down her cheeks as her face crumpled. My words seemed to
deepen the cracks in

her heart rather than fill them. Damn Natalie, damn Caleb, and damn the
Blackthornes. It destroyed me

not knowing how to make this better. How to heal the wounds they’d
inflicted. How to take away the

doubt their thoughtless words had planted.

“What do you need, Sunny? Who can I kill for you? Tell me, and I will
bring you their heads.”

“Enough. No one is dying tonight.” Cashel spoke for the first time since
before the ritual, his

voice strong and determined. “Take her to her room, Noah. She’s had
enough excitement for tonight.”

“Father, we have to find a way to save her. We can’t simply pretend this
isn’t happening.”

Cashel shook his head. “I’m not pretending anything. Your mate looks as
though she’s about to

lose control of whatever creature is lurking behind her eyes. I’m protecting
my own. Take her now
before I do it.”

“I’ll take her,” I said, just as on edge as Sunday was.

Kingston looked like he was about to fight me over it, but one hard glare
and he backed down.

Seemed the wolf could be trained after all.

Scooping Sunday into my arms, I cradled her to my chest and murmured, “I

know you can walk,

but please, let me do this.”

She nodded, nuzzling into me. “I wasn’t going to argue.”

“That’s a first.”

A sharp burst of pain in my neck made me chuckle. The little minx bit me.

She followed it up with a soft lap of her tongue. “Jerk.”

“I was aiming for distraction. Is it working?”

She was quiet for a second. “Not really.”

When we reached her room, I was loath to put her down, but I knew I
needed to return to the

library before decisions were made without me. Someone needed to be

down there speaking to

Sunday and the child’s best interests. And from the sound of things, I was
the only one on their side. I

couldn’t believe how quiet Kingston had been about all of it. As though he
didn’t care that his child

was in danger.
“I’m so sorry,” Sunday whispered.

“For what?”

“I don’t even know. All of this? What a fucking mess.”

“Don’t worry about any of that right now. We will sort it out. No matter
what they might say, I will

not let anyone harm our child. If I must take you away from here, I will.
You are not alone in this.”

A tear slipped down her cheek, and I reached out, wiping it away with my
thumb.

“Do you promise?”

I placed her palm on my chest and matched the gesture on her own. “I
swear to you, Kærasta ,

nothing will come between us.”

She let out a watery breath and nodded. “Okay then. I believe you.”

“As you should. Only a fool would try to come between a berserker and his
mate.”

“Her mate,” Sunday said with a soft smile.

“I stand corrected.”

I dipped my head and took her lips with mine, needing the connection, the
proof that even through

all of this, we were still us. The kiss was gentle, soulful and filled with the
truth and love only a fated

mate could provide.

As I pulled away, I feathered my lips over her forehead, stealing a final
second with her before

whispering, “I should get back down there.”

“Go. Protect our baby, Alek. I’m counting on you to make them
understand.”

“With my life.”

AS I SUSPECTED, they were already plotting, the murmur of hushed

voices carrying through the

hallway from the library. The women were gone, likely needing to recover
after the ritual they’d

performed, leaving only the men still standing around debating things.

“But what do we do in the meantime?” Noah asked as I strode back in.

“The Council won’t stop

coming for her if we stay here.”

“Nothing changes,” Cashel insisted. “This is still the safest place for you
all. I can protect you.

We can protect you. If I need to, I’ll call upon every vampire with
Blackthorne blood to defend your

mate.”

“Of course we’ll stand with you, brother,” Westley said, looking every bit
as fierce as his father.
“You’d go to war for a child you think will end the world?” I asked,
disbelief heavy in my voice.

“I’d go to war for my family’s sake,” the youngest Blackthorne insisted.

“And if Natalie was right?” Noah’s words were tight with pain.

“We will not let that come to pass,” Cashel said.

Something about the promise had my eyes narrowing. I did not trust the
vampire king. Not as far

as I could throw him. Although . . . I could throw him pretty far. I didn’t
trust him as far as Kingston

could throw him.

“This is all a pointless discussion because nothing is going to happen to my

kid,” Kingston said.

Ah, there he is. Finally stepping up to the plate. Good to see I had an ally
after all.

“Our kid,” I amended.

“I still don’t understand how that happened,” Kingston mumbled.

“Don’t question it. Magic baby. That’s all you need to know.”

“Maybe, but it still means my swimmers got there first. So she’s more mine
than the rest of yours.”

“You should be so proud to be the first to make a donation to the

apocalypse. Bravo.” Caleb’s

words were laced with sarcasm so thick, if I had a knife, I could’ve sliced
through them.
“You’re one to talk. If this prophecy or whatever the fuck it is required all
of us to participate,

then we wouldn’t be here if you could have kept it in your pants, buddy. But
sure, take shots at me.”

Kingston crossed his arms and stared down the priest with a level of
derision I wasn’t used to seeing

from him. Mocking disrespect, sure, but outright hostility? That was usually
reserved for the other

vampire.

“All of you are so quick to lay my sins at my feet, and yet you conveniently
ignore your own.”

“None of us made holy vows to God that we’d keep our dicks dry. That sin
was all on you, Saint

Caleb ‘I hate myself’ Gallagher.”

Caleb’s eyes burned with anger, and he spun toward the door. “The devil
take you all. I’ve had

enough of this.”

“Good riddance.” Kingston crossed the floor and went straight for the bar
cart, pouring a full

glass of some amber liquid, leaving it on the cart, and then taking a pull
straight from the decanter.

“Why pour the drink at all?” I asked as he came to stand beside me.

“Didn’t want to be rude and not leave some for somebody else.”

A surprised snort escaped me. There was something about this wolf I found
impossible not to
like. Whether it was his penchant for chaos or simply his completely
unapologetic way of being

himself, it was hard not to respect him. Even if he made you want to punch
him in the balls from time

to time.

“So we stay here, keep her protected, until . . .” Noah began.

“Until it’s time.” Cashel snatched the decanter from Kingston and drank
deeply. “This is a thirty-

year-old scotch. I’m not letting you have it all.”

“I left you the glass . . .”

“You have that. I paid for this.”

Kingston shook his head. “Way to cheap out now, Blackthorne.”

“I think you’re all missing the biggest point. Just keeping her here and safe
won’t be enough.

Sunday will die if she gives birth to this . . . child.” Noah’s fingers were
wrapped tightly around the

back of a chair, knuckles white, the wood and leather creaking.

Kingston paled at the reminder. “So we plan ahead, have healers on hand.
The best thing that

came out of today is that we won’t be caught off guard.”

“You’re an ignorant fool if you believe that will be enough,” Cashel said.

“So you want us to what, just let her die? Not even try to save her? That’s
never going to happen,”
Kingston said.

“No, I want Noah to turn her.”

Chapte r

Forty-Eight

SUNDAY

C ashel’s voice washed over me, stopping me dead just outside the library.
The door stood

ajar just wide enough that I could hear the conversation inside as easily as if
I was in there.

But, God, I wish I couldn’t.

“Turn her? You want to turn my mate into a vampire?” Kingston asked.

“If it’s the only way to save her life, would you really question how it’s
done?” Cashel’s words

were mocking.

“What happens if it’s not successful? What if I lose her to the change?”

“If we don’t attempt it, you lose her anyway.”

I was barely breathing as I listened to them debate the pros and cons of my
becoming a vampire.

The thought hadn’t ever crossed my mind, so I didn’t exactly have an

opinion one way or the other.

The only thing I cared about right now was keeping my daughter safe.

“So you are suggesting we wait until the baby is born and then . . .” Noah’s
voice trailed off as his
father completed the sentence.

“We get rid of it while you turn her, yes.”

“Get rid of it?” Alek bit out, his voice dark with rage.

“There is a way to stop the world from ending, but it must happen in the
moments immediately

following its birth. We will only have one shot.”

“And you’re just mentioning this now? What is it with you bloodsuckers
and burying the lead?”

Kingston’s question was filled with livid frustration. “How do you know
this?”

“I can’t say much.”

“Of fucking course you can’t.”

“But,” Cashel continued, “Just know there has been someone watching
Sunday Fallon since the

day she was born. A soul linked to her, charged with keeping this from
happening. Fate had other

plans, and so did we. With every event that opened one of the seven seals,
our plan of attack

solidified.”

My stomach churned as Cashel continued speaking, each new revelation

filling me with dread.

Who was this spy? How had I never suspected them?

“And by plan of attack, you mean the murder of this child?” Alek asked.
“One life to save the world.” Cashel said it so simply I would have been on
his side if the life in

question wasn’t my baby’s.

“How many seals have been opened?” Noah asked.

“Six.”

“So there’s still a chance—” The excitement in Kingston’s voice died as

Cashel interrupted.

“No. Not anymore. Maybe before now, but the last seal is known, unlike the
others.”

“And it is?” Alek’s tone was stoic and steady. Too calm. If I could have
seen his face, I bet

flickers of the berserker would be shining in his eyes. He was fighting to

remain in control.

“The birth.”

A shuffling noise came right before Noah spoke. “What if we prevent the
birth?”

“You mean like an abortion?” Kingston whispered, horrified.

“It’s too late for that. Killing the child or the mother ends the same for us
all. It’s as I told you, the

only way to stop this now is during one very specific window and with a
ritual I have to complete.”

“So you will kill the baby, and I . . .” I hated the resignation in Noah’s
statement, like he’d already

agreed to this horrific plan.

“Will attempt to turn your mate.”

No.

They had to tell him this wasn’t an option. That there was nothing that
would make them consider

killing our baby.

But the silence stretched on, not one of them raising a protest. And with
every passing second, my

heart broke.

My daughter danced in my belly, those once soft kicks now strong and sure.
I rested a palm over

the place where she’d been moving and closed my eyes, letting myself
connect with her. She couldn’t

be bad. There wasn’t a single drop of evil in her. I knew it in my bones. I

had to save her, even if it

meant leaving behind everything and everyone I loved.

I was all she had.

Swallowing back my tears, I pushed away from the wall and started moving
as quickly and

silently as I could back to my room. After the last attack, we’d all packed
bags, ready to flee at a

moment’s notice. It had everything I’d need to survive on my own until I

found a place to hide. I’d

have to figure out how to stay hidden later. It wouldn’t be easy to evade a
bunch of vampires, let
alone an Alpha wolf, but that was future Sunday’s problem. Right now, I
just needed to get out.

I made a beeline for the large walk-in closet as soon as I hit my bedroom.
The bag was right

where I left it, tucked in a corner next to Noah’s. I never wanted to use it,
and I certainly never thought

I’d be doing it on my own, but something inside me knew I’d have to.

“Where’s the fire, babycakes?”

I spun around, finding Moira standing inside the closet door, her teasing
smile dropping as soon

as she got a good look at me.

“Shit, Sunday, what’s wrong? Is it another attack?”

My lower lip wobbled as I worked up the energy to tell her everything.

Instead all I got out was,

“They’re going to kill the baby.”

Her eyes widened. “Excuse me? I think I just had a stroke. Did you say
they’re going to kill her?”

Nodding, I clutched the bag closer and slid my feet into a pair of boots. “I
have to leave them.”

Moira looked torn. After what she’d seen during the ritual, I couldn’t
exactly blame her for being

on the fence about how to proceed. “Are you sure that’s a smart idea? There
are a lot of people

looking for you right now.”

“I can’t stay here, not knowing what they’re planning to do. I have to keep
her safe.”

Moira bit her lip.

“Please, Moira. You have to help me. I’ve seen her in my dreams. I know
my baby is good. No

one is born evil. Not even Lucifer himself.”

“Herself . . . since we’re pretty sure she’s your mother, right?”

“Moira. Focus.”

“She sent you those dreams. What if she was trying to do exactly this? Start
the apocalypse, get

you to bond with the one thing that can open the door. Sunday . . .”

I blinked back the hot tears burning my eyes. “I know she is good. In my
soul, I feel her. She is

innocent. Please help me or get the fuck out of my way.”

Sighing, Moira took my hands. “I can’t let you go like this.”

“Then move.” My berserker was knocking at the door, asking for the
freedom to destroy in order

to protect.

“That’s not what I mean. I can’t let you go without something to keep you
hidden. They’ll find you

right away. The second you step foot outside, Noah will be on you if
Kingston and that big nose of his

don’t get there first.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Close your eyes and trust me, okay?”

She was the only person I trusted at this point. Everyone else had betrayed
me. Even Alek, after

he’d sworn not to.

I let my eyelids fall closed and tried to keep my breaths steady as I let
Moira work her magic. I

couldn’t see what she was doing, but it felt like drops of misty rain sinking
into my skin as her spell

spread over me. Everything tingled, building to a burn that flashed over me
and vanished almost

instantly.

“There. That should buy you some time. You’re not completely untraceable.
There are still other

ways to track you. Cell phones. People spotting you. Those sorts of things.
But they won’t be able to

scent you.”

“Thank you, Moira.” I couldn’t manage more than that as I took my tiny
witch friend in my arms

and squeezed. “I love you.”

“Back at ya, kid.” She was trying to be light and breezy, but there was pain
in her voice, the same

as me. “I’d climb the trellis if I were you. They’ve stopped talking down
there. Someone will be up
here soon.”

I glanced out onto the balcony and nodded my agreement. “Good idea.
Wish me luck.”

She laughed. “You don’t need luck, sweet cheeks. You’ve got me. I’ll stand
outside the door and

cover for you. Now go on, take that witchy goddaughter of mine and keep
her safe.” She pressed a

kiss to my cheek, and I felt her tears even though she spun away to keep me
from seeing them.

Knowing this was my only chance, I hefted the bag up higher on my

shoulder, took a deep breath,

and stepped onto the balcony as she left the room. The wind bit at my
cheeks, dark, chilly night air

seeping into my bones the instant I swung my leg over the railing and onto
the trellis.

The bag threatened to unbalance me, and I had one terrifying second where
I thought for sure I’d

be reaching the ground flat on my back. Thankfully, I hung onto the iron,
the thorns from the climbing

roses cutting into my palms.

Fuck. There might be a spell hiding me, but surely they’d find my blood.

I couldn’t worry about that now. So I gritted my teeth and focused on

finding my footing as I

worked my way painfully down the wall of roses. When my toe finally
scraped the ground, I could
have wept with relief. It felt like it had taken me hours when in reality, it
had probably only been a

couple of minutes.

All I had to do was get to the gate. Then hitch a ride and . . . run.

Easy.

I knew I was deluding myself, but delusions were all I had, so I was going
to cling to them as

fiercely as I had that fucking trellis. Picking up the pace, I started to walk-
run down the gravel drive,

trying to stay to the shadows as best I could.

A strange echo accompanied my footfalls, the sound shooting fear through

me. I stopped, listening

intently. Nothing. Just the pounding of my own heart.

But the moment I began pushing toward the gate again, I knew I’d been too
easily fooled. A prick

stung my neck, pressure accompanying the pain as cold liquid was injected
into me.

“What . . .” My vision grew blurry, eyes sinking shut as a black hood was
pulled roughly over my

head.

I tried to force my limbs to move, to fight back, but they weren’t

responding. I couldn’t even push

the breath past my lips to form words.

Then the world tilted, and the weightless feeling of my body was the last
thing I remembered

before I faded away in my kidnapper’s arms.

Chapte r

Forty-Nine

CALEB

“F ather, forgive me,” I prayed as I knelt in the moonlight, desperate for

strength and absolution all

rolled into one. “I’ve done what you required of me. I’m prepared to face
judgment for my part in

this, but I need guidance. I’m not strong enough.”

My only answer was the whisper of wind through the trees. I blinked up at
the star-strewn sky and

knew that despite my prayers, He wasn’t listening. He’d stopped listening a

long time ago.

“What more do you want from me?” I shouted into the sky.

I got to my feet just as the rain started, clouds having rolled in sometime
during my prayers. At

least it was quiet here. Heavy with the ghost of a life I’d been promised.
One that had been stolen

from me and painted crimson with death.

I turned in a slow circle, taking in the rolling green hills and the shadows of
a small village in the
distance, finally coming to a stop when my cabin came into view. The lights
were on, a fire roaring in

the hearth. Everything was prepared for me. Ready to welcome me home.

What a fecking farce.

This wasn’t a homecoming. It was a death sentence.

And I was the executioner.

I steeled myself to face what was waiting beyond the door. The future I’d
wanted more than

anything dangled before me like a life preserver to a drowning man.

Forever just out of reach. I hadn’t

been home in decades for a reason. Unless I counted the night I spent at
Iniquity when Sunday gave

me a nearly painful glimpse of happiness.

And weren’t we all fucking paying for it now.

This place was bloody cursed. What better setting for what was to come?

My damned hand shook as I reached for the doorknob and twisted. The
moment the door opened,

my favorite scent filled my nose. Lilacs and fecking honey. A reminder of

my weakest moment.

My gaze was drawn immediately to the dark and quiet bedroom where my
fate taunted me. My

heart beat like a death knell, pulling me closer to the secrets awaiting me
there. Not for the first time,
I hated the sound of it in my ears. It mocked me. Mocked my pain and my
dreams.

She lay on the bed, eyes fluttering open, brows furrowed. “Caleb?”

“Good morning, Sunday.”

“It’s too dark to be morning. Caleb, where are we? I had the strangest
dream.” She lifted a hand to

her head and winced as she sat up. “I thought I’d been kidnapped.”

Her gaze moved across the room, recognition flickering in her eyes.

“Iniquity? Why are we here?”

“No, my poor lamb. This is not Iniquity.”

I couldn’t give her more than that. I wasn’t ready to see the hatred in her
gaze as soon as she

learned the truth.

“But it looks just like . . .”

And there it was. The knowing.

“Caleb, did you bring me to your cabin?”

“Aye, I did.”

“To keep me safe?”

Her hope cut deeper than my shame.

“Are you going to force me to say it?”

Her face paled. “You . . . drugged me. You took me.”

“Aye.”

“B-but, why?”

“It is the only way.”

“The only way to what, Caleb?”

“Fulfill my vow. Get my soul back. Stop the world from ending. What does
it matter so long as

it’s true?”

“It fucking matters to me. If this was the plan all along, why make me fall
in love with you?”

“Things don’t always go to plan. But you were a persistent little thing.”

That blow landed just as I’d hoped. This would be easier if she hated me.

“Why didn’t you just let me die when that demon stabbed me? Then none
of this would have

happened.”

I clenched my jaw and fought a wave of bitterness at the cruelty of fate.

Then I leveled my gaze on

her, letting the hammer fall.

“It’s not you who has to die.”

DON’T MISS THE THRILLING CONCLUSION! THE SERIES WILL

CONCLUDE WITH TEMPTATION. KEEP
READING FOR A SNEAK PEEK!

Sneak Peek

TEMPTATION: CHAPTER 1

CALEB

Ireland, 1922

“A men.”

I stood, my head swimming with the euphoric rush of all that came to pass
this day. My

congregation, perhaps small in number to some, had shown up in droves to

welcome me back to the

island. This time as their priest.

My eyes landed on the small statue of Christ behind the altar as I made the
sign of the cross and

turned to walk down the aisle. As I moved along, my hand passed lightly
over the age-worn wood of

the pews, smooth and cool beneath my palm. Once again, nostalgia
slammed into me, memories

crowding my mind. These were the same benches I’d sat on as a child,
restless and eager to run about

with my friends and siblings. Knowing if I set a toe out of line, I’d have to
face the wrath of my mam

and her wooden spoon. How times had changed.

As I passed through the arched doors, the bell chimed, signaling the top of
the hour, and in this
case, the sunset. I surveyed the grounds as I took my time, drinking it all in.

The garden was overrun, and the chapel had seen better days. The
whitewashed clapboard was

dark with mud and rotten in places from neglect. The many stained glass
windows hadn’t been

washed in years, muting any sunlight that bravely attempted to trickle in.

But the people weren’t to be blamed for the unkempt state of their church.
Five years had passed

since influenza had ravaged our island, taking many, my family included,
not even sparing our pastor.

There hadn’t been a new one to care for this place since. The few surviving
priests had been needed

in the bigger cities where the parishioners were plentiful. This was the first
time there’d been enough

new clergy to meet the demands of the people. Which is why I was here
now. It’d be my honor to

restore this holy sanctuary to its once pristine glory.

I tilted my head back as the bell rang out with its final peal, my gaze
traveling to the iron cross

standing on the top of the steeple that my father had crafted over a decade
ago.

It was good to be home.

Surveying the garden, I bent to pull a few of the weeds I could see in the
dying light of day,

already forming a plan to clean this up and help it thrive.

“Oh, Father Gallagher, you shouldn’t be lowering yourself to dig in the dirt.
Not after such a

beautiful service today.” Maureen O’Shanahan bustled her way down the
stairs after locking the

church doors. “I can arrange for a few of my children to come tend the
garden in the morning. Lord

knows they need something to keep their hands busy.”

I smiled at the woman who’d already made herself invaluable to me.

“Thank you, Maureen, but

I’m perfectly capable of pulling weeds. After all, this is my home as much
as yours. There’s no job

too low for one of God’s servants. We are tasked with caring for all of His
creation.”

She beamed at me. “Look at you. Your mam would be so proud to know her
eldest took after her.

What a scandal that was. The would-be nun and the carpenter.” Her eyes
twinkled as she spoke of

years-old gossip, but the light in her eyes dimmed as she turned to the small
cottage on the hillside.

“They were a beautiful pair. God rest their souls.”

My heart sank as I followed her gaze. The windows of my ancestral home,

dark and cold now,

were once filled with the glow of life and happiness. “This plague took so
many and spared so few.

We must do our best to be worthy in their absence.”

Her lower lip trembled as she took in a ragged breath. “When I think of
your wee brothers and

sisters . . .”

I placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, forcing myself not to relive the
moment I came out of my

influenza-induced fever dreams and realized my whole family had died.

“Let us not dwell on the past,

but look to the future we are building.”

She sniffled loudly. “Yes. You’re right, of course.” Pulling a handkerchief

from her bag, she

dabbed her eyes and then blew her nose. “We’re blessed to have you.”

“And I you.”

Her sunny smile returned at that. “Well, I’ll leave you to your settling, and
I’ll be back in the

morning for confession.” She batted her teary eyes at me. “Five years is a
long time to go without. I

hope you’re ready, Father Gallagher. The people will be lined up around the
church waiting to

unburden themselves.”

“I can’t wait.”

She snickered, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Tell me, Father. Is the
listening as exciting as

I imagine it would be?”

I pretended to lock my lips, unable to keep the smile off my face.

“Good man, you are.”

“Goodnight, Maureen.”

She walked away, leaving me with the looming figure of the church as my
only companion. I

wasn’t ready to end my day yet. It didn’t seem possible to finally have
something I’d worked for be

real. Not after everything had been taken from me. But God had His plan,
and I was his humble

servant. I had to follow where He led.

Pulling the heavy keys from my pocket, I returned to the church doors,
wanting one final moment

of quiet reflection before supper. I wasn’t without options, thanks to my

parishioners and their many

generous offerings. If the housewives of this island were any indication, I’d
be well-fed, and gluttony

would be my first sin.

I walked silently, my footsteps barely more than a whisper over the

weathered floorboards as I lit

a few candles to cast the interior in a soft glow. When I reached the pulpit, I
moved to stand behind it,

glancing down at the notes from my earlier homily with amusement. What a
pretentious arse I could

be.

The creak of the door opening had me glancing up, a smile on my face.
“Forget something,
Maureen?”

Instead of the short but fiery redhead, I found a tall, statuesque woman
staring me down, her skin

an eerily pale white, eyes a shade of green I’d never seen before. Her long
dark hair fell in wild,

tumbling curls to her waist. Strange for the fashion of this village. Women
here wore their hair pinned

back, out of the way, because they needed to be able to work. This was an
extravagance.

“My apologies. I thought you were my secretary.”

She smiled, her beauty startling and unnerving all at once. I gripped the
pulpit hard enough my

knuckles turned white.

“Father, I hope I’m not too late to make my confession.”

Technically confession was at a set time every day to help prevent these
sorts of impositions on

my personal time, but I couldn’t turn her away. These people had been
without for so long; the least I

could do was sit and offer her absolution.

“Of course not, my child. Please come in.”

That smile again. As though she had a secret she’d never share with me.
“Thank you.”

“What is your name?”

“Aisling O’Connor. And you’re Father Caleb Gallagher, the talk of the
town. The prodigal son

returned.”

She practically glided across the floor as she approached me, ignoring the
confessional booth,

focus trained on my eyes.

“Aisling . . . Shall we continue our conversation in the confessional?”

Her palm was on my chest before I could blink, alarm bells ringing in my
head. “No, Father. I

don’t think so.”

“What are you playing at?” I gripped her wrist, trying to keep her from
touching me.

“Immortality.” She licked her lower lip, then bared her teeth at me, fangs
glinting in the

candlelight.

This had to be a trick. A hallucination left over from the nightmares that
plagued me since my

illness.

“The only immortality I seek is given by God.”

“Aren’t you precious,” she breathed, her eyes taking on a feral glow. “I
think I’m going to keep

you. I’ve always wanted a priest for my collection.”

I backed away, but she gripped my shirt, and try as I might, I couldn’t break
her hold. “Release
me.”

“I think not. My, my, I had no idea priests could be so . . . handsome. Tell
me, Father, are you as

hard everywhere?” She slid her free hand between my legs, cupping me,
making my stomach turn.

“This is a house of God. You are not welcome here if you mean to defile it.”

“I mean to defile you. Now you have one more chance to come willingly. I
can make it feel so

nice, Father. So nice indeed.”

“No. Demon.”

Her grin turned wicked, her eyes hardening. “Wrong answer. Now I’m
going to make it hurt.”

Before I could move, her eyes bore into mine, and I felt as if I was falling.

“Stand very still. I’m going to make you mine now, Caleb. And then you’ll
never tell me no again.

But I’ll punish you for that later.”

I heard her words as if they were floating down through water. I didn’t want
to obey, but my body

was locked in place. Held captive by her evil spell. Panic and fear raced
through my blood as half-

formed prayers flitted through my mind. Father, please. Save me. Do not let
her do this to me.

With fingers cold as death, she traced the line of my collar. A sneer curled
her upper lip as she
tore the white band off my throat and tossed it to the floor. “I bet you’re
going to be the sweetest I’ve

ever had. I can smell your virgin blood thrumming through your veins.” She
inhaled deeply and let out

a shuddering, sensual moan. “I’ll take that too. You’ll be mine in every
sense of the word.”

“No,” I whispered, fighting through whatever spell she’d put me under.

Her low chuckle was the last thing I heard before she struck. Fangs I’d tried
to deny existed

ripped through my flesh and sank deep into my neck.

I floated on a sea of pain and despair as darkness clouded my vision. I think

I screamed, but I

wasn’t sure. I wasn’t aware of much of anything outside the agony of her
bite. Just as suddenly, she

released me. I sagged to the ground, my legs incapable of keeping me

upright after losing so much

blood.

She followed me down, red smears obscenely decorating her face as she bit
into her wrist and

held it up to my lips. “Your turn.”

I tried to turn my face away, my gaze landing on my collar, now splattered

with crimson drops of

my blood.

“Eternal life, Caleb. Exactly what your god promised you.”

Everything around me went gray, the world turning cold as my life bled
from me and into the old

bones of the church. Then her blood slipped into my now open mouth, and
all I knew was darkness.

DON’T MISS A SECOND THIS SUPER SPICY PARANORMAL REVERSE

HAREM PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY OF

TEMPTATION NOW!
Temptation, thy name is Sunday Fallon, and I am done resisting. Once
upon a time I’d been a

priest, but she’d made a sinner of me and now I welcomed damnation.

She’d always been my destiny. The woman whose life was tied to mine. I
just hadn’t planned on

falling in love and being forced to choose between my vows and my soul.
No matter how deep my connection to her ran, I had a greater purpose I was
meant to serve. And now

that she was carrying the Harbinger of the Apocalypse–the result of our
passion–I had to get her away

from the rest of them.

Her god of mischief.

Her devoted wolf.

Her dark prince.

She belongs to me…Her twisted captor.

If she’ll let me, I’ll keep her. Hide her from everyone and everything that
means to destroy her. Stop

what’s coming and make her mine forever. Because Sunday Fallon is more
than temptation. She’s my

new religion.

I’ve made my choice. This time I will not falter. I will worship at her altar
and forsake all others. No

matter the consequence.

The seals are broken.

Armageddon is coming.

And I’m ready for War.

Warning: This series is not for the faint of heart. It contains an

obsessive stalker, a foul-
mouthed, inked and pierced werewolf, a naughty professor with a
fondness for watching, a god

of mischief, and plenty of heat. If you don’t like your books spicy, your
men broody, built, and

more bad than good, this is not the series for you. But if you do...read
on, and welcome to The

Mate Games.

Stay in Touch

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Also By Meg Anne

B ROTHERHOOD OF THE GUARDIANS/NOVASGARD VIKINGS

UNDERCOVER M AGIC (NORD & LINA)

A SEXY & SUSPENSEFUL FATED MATES PNR

HINT OF DANGER

FACE OF DANGER

WORLD OF DANGER

PROMISE OF DANGER

CALL OF DANGER

BOUND BY DANGER (QUINN & FINLEY)

THE M ATE GAMES

A SPICY PARANORMAL REVERSE HAREM

CO-WRITTEN WITH K. LORAINE

OBSESSION

REJECTION

POSSESSION

TEMPTATION

THE CHOSEN UNIVERSE

THE CHOSEN SERIES: THE COMPLETE SERIES

A FATED MATES HIGH FANTASY ROMANCE

MOTHER OF SHADOWS

REIGN OF ASH

CROWN OF EMBERS

QUEEN OF LIGHT

THE CHOSEN BOXSET #1

THE CHOSEN BOXSET #2

THE KEEPERS: THE COMPLETE SERIES

A GUARDIAN/WARD HIGH FANTASY ROMANCE

THE DREAMER (A KEEPER’S PREQUEL)

THE KEEPERS LEGACY

THE KEEPERS RETRIBUTION

THE KEEPERS VOW

THE KEEPERS BOXSET

GYPSY’S CURSE: THE COMPLETE TRILOGY

A PSYCHIC/DETECTIVE STAR-CROSSED LOVERS UF ROMANCE

VISIONS OF DEATH

VISIONS OF VENGEANCE

VISIONS OF TRIUMPH

THE GYPSY’S CURSE: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION

THE GRIMM B ROTHERHOOD: THE COMPLETE TRILOGY

A SEXY & HUMOROUS URBAN FANTASY ROMANCE

CO-WRITTEN WITH KEL CARPENTER

REAPERS BLOOD

REAPING HAVOC

REAPER REBORN
THE GRIMM BROTHERHOOD: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION

Also By K. Loraine

THE B LACKTHORNE VAMPIRES

THE B LOOD TRILOGY

(CASHEL & OLIVIA)

BLOOD CAPTIVE

BLOOD TRAITOR

BLOOD HEIR

B LACKTHORNE B LOODLINES
(LUCAS & B RIAR)

MIDNIGHT PRINCE

MIDNIGHT HUNGER

THE WATCHER SERIES

WAKING THE WATCHER

DENYING THE WATCHER

RELEASING THE WATCHER

THE SIREN COVEN

ETERNAL DESIRE (SHIFTER RELUCTANT MATES)

CURSED HEART (HATE TO LOVERS)

BROKEN SWORD (MMF MENAGE ARTHURIAN)

REVERSE HAREM STANDALONES

THEIR VAMPIRE PRINCESS (A REVERSE HAREM ROMANCE)

ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN (A FAE REVERSE HAREM ROMANCE)

THE M ATE GAM ES

(CO-WRITTEN WITH M EG ANNE)

OBSESSION

REJECTION

POSSESSION

TEMPTATION
About Meg Anne

USA Today and international bestselling paranormal and fantasy romance

author Meg Anne has always had stories running on a loop in

her head. They started off as daydreams about how the evil queen (aka
Mom) had her slaving away doing chores, and more recently shifted into
creating backgrounds about the people stuck beside her during rush hour.
The stories have always been there; they were just

waiting for her to tell them.

Like any true SoCal native, Meg enjoys staying inside curled up with a
good book and her cat, Henry . . . or maybe that’s just her.

You can convince Meg to buy just about anything if it’s covered in glitter or
rhinestones, or make her laugh by sharing your favorite bad

joke. She also accepts bribes in the form of baked goods and Mexican food.

Meg is best known for her leading men #MenbyMeg, her inevitable
cliffhangers, and making her readers laugh out loud, all of which

started with the bestselling Chosen series.

About K. Loraine

Kim writes steamy contemporary and sexy paranormal romance. You’ll

find her paranormal romances written under the name K.

Loraine and her contemporaries as Kim Loraine. Don’t worry, you’ll get
the same level of swoon-worthy heroes, sassy heroines,

and an eventual HEA.

When not writing, she’s busy herding cats (raising kids), trying to keep her
house sort of clean, and dreaming up ways for fictional

couples to meet.

OceanofPDF.com
Document Outline
Full Page Image
Copyright
Dedication
Epigraph
Author’s Note
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Sneak Peek – Caleb
Temptation
Stay in Touch
Also By Meg Anne
Also By K. Loraine
About Meg Anne
About K. Loraine

OceanofPDF.com
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Sneak Peek

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