Fated Ties: A Werewolf Paranormal Romance Novel (The Twisted Destiny Saga Book 3) (13 page)

“Tell me how much you crave me. My tongue between your legs. My fingers touching you everywhere, driving you crazy. My cock filling every fucking inch of your tight pussy, stretching you, driving so deep that you don’t know if you can take it.”

He thrust two fingers inside her, plunging into her right to the hilt. A ferocious scream ripped from her throat.

“Tell me!” he demanded as he finger fucked her wildly, brutally.

“Yes! Yes, Ryan! Please.”

“Please what?”

“I need you! Now!”

He smiled to himself and pulled back, getting to his feet. “Good girl,” he said as he freed his hard dick. He gripped her hips and hoisted her up. “Wrap your legs around me.” She complied instantly. “I wanna hear you scream,” he growled in her ear.

And then he thrust into her, gripping her ass and driving deep.

“You. Are. Mine,” he said, punctuating each word with a brutal thrust.

He picked up his pace, fucking her with a punishing rhythm. She screamed wildly. Her sharp nails dug into his neck. Her legs tightened around him and a moment later her pussy contracted around him as she came hard. He reached between her legs and pinched her clit, wanting to drive her further, to push her to her limits. She tried to jerk away, but he held fast as he continued to fuck her hard.

“Come for me again,” he commanded, smirking at her.

“I…can’t…it’s too…intense.”

“You can. And you will,” he growled, quickening his pace, all of his fingers torturing her clit.

A moment later, she actually did. She screamed wildly as she crashed over the edge.

He roared and she felt him release himself into her, coming with her.

He didn’t give her the chance to come down from it, before he pulled out. As he fixed his pants, he smirked as he watched his cum trickling down her inner thighs. “I like
that
, darlin’.”

That comment had her realizing what the hell he’d just done to her. Her eyes narrowed in fury. “Shut your mouth.”

He smiled with amusement. “Is something wrong?”

She fixed her pants and patted down her hair, trying to shake out that just-fucked look. “You treated me like…like….”

“Like what?”

“Like a fucking animal. Like a whore.”

“Well, if the shoe fits, darlin’.”

She took an angry step towards him. “Stop it, Ryan! I explained what happened! It was
him
, not me!”

He looked her up and down with disdain. “I tasted him in your
mouth
. If it was really innocent and you were just acting as you claim, explain
that
. You can’t, Cora. Luca would’ve been convinced just by having your lips on his. But you let him taste you!”

“You weren’t there! You don’t understand!”

“You’re lucky Nathanial was there to interfere when I showed up. If he hadn’t been, I would’ve showed both you and Luca exactly what I fucking
understand.
I would have fucked you right there on his bed and made him watch as I did.”

She reached for his hand, but he jerked away. “This isn’t you, Ryan.”

“This is me when you fool around with another man!” he thundered. He gestured angrily in the direction of the forest. “Head back to the wolf compound. Now.”

“You’re not coming?”

“I’ll follow behind. You know, just in case you encounter some random guy on the way who you feel like fucking as well.”

Cora seethed with anger.
How dare he?
Her fists clenched, shaking with intensity. She stepped into him and spat, “Fuck you.”

And then she disappeared in a flash of white light.

CHAPTER 18

Nathanial sat beside Marella in the bedroom that Ryan had set aside for him at the wolf compound. Marella was tucked up in bed and he stroked her hair as he watched her eyelids droop. She was exhausted. He’d made sure she’d eaten something in the mess hall. And he’d seen from the fervor of her appetite that Vazra had been denying her food while he’d had her captive in his dungeon.

“Would you like anything, angel?” he asked her softly.

She shook her head and offered him a weak smile. “Just stay with me.”

“Of course. I have no intention of letting you out of my sight again.”

“I am sorry, Nathanial. I never should have—”

He pressed his finger to her lips and said soothingly, “It does not matter. You are here now. We are together and our child is healthy. It is all that matters.”

He leaned back against the headboard, his hand still stroking her hair, his eyes never leaving hers.

“You are tired, Nathanial. You expended a lot of power to help Cora. You need to return to the Dark Realm to recuperate,” she told him.

“I will be fine for a few more days.”

She laid her hand on his and said, “You are a different man now. I knew it the first night we were together. You helped Cora tonight.”

He winked at her. “Well, I couldn’t risk her power falling into the hands of my archenemy now, could I?”

She chuckled. “We both know it was more than that. You
care
, Nathanial.”

“Perhaps I am guilty of that.”

“You listen to your conscience now.”

He shook his head, pain etched on his features. “I left my son to die by sunlight. A man with a conscience could not do that.”

She squeezed his hand tightly. “You are wrong. Luca left you no choice. You did what you had to for the bigger picture, Nathanial. To protect thousands upon thousands of innocents.”

He leaned into her and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. “You are so full of light, angel. You carry it with you everywhere. Even into the blackness of the Dark Realm.”

She nuzzled against him and they lay in peaceful silence for a while before Marella suddenly said, “I fear that Ryan may be following in your
earlier
footsteps. I am worried.”

“Yes, I have seen it as well.”

“Will you help him?”

Nathanial’s gaze snapped to hers. “Is that your first official request of me as your mate?”

“He will not listen to me or anyone else. But he
will
listen to another Dark Realm king.”

“I will see to it, angel. Do not worry.”

“Thank you.”

He nodded and then gathered her in his arms, gently pulling her against him, her back to his chest. His hand splayed across her belly. “I hope our child has more of you in her, than me.”

Marella chuckled. “She will be perfect.”

“I do not doubt it. Sleep now, angel,” he implored her as he relaxed against her and closed his eyes.

CHAPTER 19

Ryan watched silently from the doorway, hoping his wife wasn’t attempting to do what he feared she was. If she was, she’d be crossing a major fucking line.

What little hope he’d had was snuffed out the moment he watched her lift Orion from his crib.

“Let’s go, my sweet boy.”

That’s it.
He stepped into the room and growled, “Go where?”

She spun around with Orion cradled in her arms.

“I don’t want to be around you,” she told him.

Ryan felt like she’d just bitched-slapped him across the face, but he forced himself not to show it and to maintain his composure. “There are plenty of other rooms in the compound that you can take then. I’ll get another one set up for you.”

“I need space.”

“There’s plenty of space.”

“Not
here
, Ryan.”

“What?”

“I don’t want to be anywhere near you right now. I need some distance.”

His eyes narrowed as she confirmed his suspicions from a few moments ago. “You were gonna take him with you.”

“Of course. He’s my son.”

He stalked towards her, his hands shaking with fury. “You were gonna take my son!” he hissed at her. “You were gonna sneak him out of here behind my fucking back!” he roared.

Orion started to cry at the sound of his irate voice.

“Stop it. You’re scaring him,” Cora cried.

“Put. Him. Down.”

Instead, she pulled him tighter to her. “No. I’m not leaving him here.”

“Yes, you fucking are.”

She tried to move past him but he blocked her path. She tried again but he was too fast for her. “Ryan, stop this. It’s only for a few days. You’re busy right now anyway.”

“I’ll always make time to take care of my son, Cora. I don’t give a crap how busy I am. He always comes first.”

“I am his mother!”

“But he’s his
father’s
son! He’s more wolf than sorceress and you know it.”

“Shut up!” she said, her voice breaking as she uttered the words.

“Put him down or I swear to God—”

“What? What will you do?” she challenged.

He folded his arms across his chest and eyed Orion, drawing his gaze to his.
She asked for it. I’ve asked her several times already to put him down and she’s refused.
“Orion,
shift
.”

“No, stop! Don’t, Ryan!”

“Shift, Orion. Just like I taught you.”

Orion looked directly at Ryan. And then his claws extended from his hands and feet.

Ryan watched her flinch as they inadvertently scratched her arms.

“You might want to put him down now, Cora.”

She shook her head. “No. He’s my son.”

In mere moments, Orion had shifted into full wolf form.

Ryan watched the look in her eyes. He tensed as he caught a brief flash of silver. He knew immediately what she was gonna do: teleport out of the compound.
I don’t fucking think so. Not with my son.

“Orion, come to Daddy,” he commanded quickly.

Orion jerked his head in Ryan’s direction, but he hesitated, quite happy to be in his mom’s arms. Ryan emitted a series of gentle growls. At the sound of that, Orion became excitable. He jumped out of Cora’s arms and bounded over to his dad, pawing his legs and jumping up and down.

“Go and play, my boy,” Ryan commanded.

He heeded his father’s words. He climbed onto the bed and began wrestling with the duvet.

Ryan glared at Cora. The look on her face almost killed him.
Stop it. Don’t let it get to you.

“If you still want to leave, then go,” he told her. He couldn’t read her reaction. He wanted her to back down, to change her mind and to stay, so they could try to work things out.

But then she lunged at him, slamming him against the wall beside the door. Her fist came at his face. He shot out his hand and captured her wrist before she could do any damage.

He spun her around and pinned her against the wall, his hands gripping her arms tightly and his legs confining hers.

“I hate you!” she screamed.

“Calm the fuck down!” he bellowed back at her. “I don’t want to hurt you!”

Suddenly he felt strong hands grip both his shoulders. He knew instantly who it was. He could smell him.

Nathanial.

“Ryan,” he said calmly.

“Not now.”

“I need to speak with you
now
,” Nathanial insisted.

Ryan released an exasperated growl and let go of Cora.

Nathanial told her, “You should go, princess.”

“I’m not leaving my son.”

“You’re not fucking taking him!” Ryan bellowed.

Nathanial stepped up to Cora and Ryan heard him whisper to her, “I will speak with him. Just give me time.”

Cora let out a heavy sigh of defeat. She looked past the two of them to Orion. Her lip trembled and Ryan could see she was struggling to hold back her tears. “I love you,” she told their son. She took a deep breath and turned her attention to Ryan. “We are
done
.”

And then she teleported away.

Ryan stood there for a long time, staring at the space where she’d been only moments before. He felt sick. How had things gone so far? He’d lost his fucking temper with her over Luca
and
over their son.

We are done?
Had she really meant that? Or, had she just meant their current argument about Orion? They were in a fight right now, there was no denying that, but was it more than just a fight to her?

Was it…the end?

CHAPTER 20

Luca stared through the window. Seeing as though he couldn’t move, thanks to his father’s spell forcing him into a frozen, suspended state, there was little else he
could
do. Sunrise was only a few minutes away. He could feel it. Already, his body was growing weak, as it always did when the day came.

He’d often wondered what his last thoughts would be when the time arrived for him to stare death in the face. And, of all the things he’d imagined would be running through his head, the last thing he’d anticipated was that his only thoughts would be of
her
.

Cora Black.

What is happening? She was only ever supposed to be a mission. Nothing more. Betrothals aren’t about sentiment. I don’t feel things. I am the Vampire Prince. Well, I was, until my father stripped me of that power. Now I am merely a run-of-the-mill vampire. Why is this woman in my head?

When he’d realized his father’s trick earlier, he hadn’t been upset because he’d failed the mission Oriana had sent him on. No, instead, he’d been in a state of upset at it not actually being Cora that he’d been making love to. Just a fucking shadow form. He’d actually felt
sadness
. Sadness?

When was the last time he’d felt that? He couldn’t even recall. He’d lived his very long existence with nothing but business on his mind. His thoughts had only ever been of becoming King of the Dark Realm. And, as that had slipped away, as he and his father had grown more and more estranged, until he’d actually banished him, he’d been overcome by rage and bitterness. That bitterness had changed him and his rage had hollowed him out, ripping out everything else inside of him until it was all he knew, all that he was.

Until her.

The first night he’d met her, she’d challenged him. Even after he’d told her about their betrothal, she still hadn’t submitted to her destiny, or to his will. She was the first woman to ever deny him anything. And it had infuriated him at the time because all he’d cared about was the mission and she had been standing in the way of that with her refusal to consummate their bond. And then Ryan had come into the picture and fucked
everything
up. That fuck! It hadn’t escaped his notice how close he and Nathanial were now. Their father-son-like relationship had been so obvious earlier. And it had…affected him much more than he would have thought possible. The wolf had taken everything from him. His father’s love. And Cora—the woman he loved.

Loved? Is that what this is? Do I…love…her?

“Yes,” he uttered aloud.

“‘Yes’ what?” a voice came from behind him suddenly.

He heard footsteps approaching him. Heels. A woman. Her steps were heavy for a woman wearing heels. She had to be a warrior then, someone who knew how to fight well.

And then she stood before him. He gasped in surprise.

“Cora?”

“Clearly,” she shot back, folding her arms across her chest. She glanced through the window. “Sunrise is minutes away now.”

“I know,” he responded tiredly.

“You’re already weak.”

“My father took my powers. As Vampire Prince, it took a lot longer for me to feel that same weakness. But now…it is quicker.”

“Oriana and Michael haven’t come for you. Perhaps they don’t know what’s happened.”

“She will know,” he corrected her. “She is my mother…she can feel when I am close to death.”

“Then why wouldn’t—?”

“Because, I failed my mission,” he cut in. “They have no further use for me.”

Cora’s eyes locked with his. “I’m sorry.”

“Are you?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you here?”

She turned away and gazed out of the window, speaking softly over her shoulder. “Earlier, you were different with me. Why?”

“What?” he choked out in surprise.

“Why were you like that with me?”

“Like what?”

“Gentle.”

When he didn’t answer, she spun back around and glared at him expectantly. He released a heavy sigh and said, “What the hell? It doesn’t matter anymore anyway. I will die today, yes?”

“Looks like,” she responded unemotionally.

He gazed at her intensely, swallowing hard before revealing, “I love you, princess. That is why.”

She nodded, seemingly not surprised at all.

“You know?”

“I figured it out earlier when you brought me here. My power was drained at the time. You could’ve compelled me,
made
me willing and taken my blood that way. But you didn’t. You also didn’t tell Oriana that. You protected me from her. Michael knows about your compulsion working when I’m weak. Why didn’t
he
say anything either?”

“He has his own agenda.”

“He’s working against her?”

Luca nodded. “He fears she plans to destroy the Dark Realm instead of conquering it. And there is nothing Michael wants more than the throne. He has been working towards it for centuries. There is no way he would allow her to destroy it. But she is dangerous, so he is biding his time.”

“Were you really going to drain my blood?”

“Yes,” he admitted, “To walk through the White Realm gates and kill Vazra.”

“What?”

Luca smiled wryly. “We
all
have our own agendas, Cora. They are not always what we tell others. My mother is dangerous. Her hatred for my father will destroy all of the realms. And
your
father is in her pocket. If she fails on her end to destroy the Dark Realm,
he
will finish what she started. I can’t let that happen.”

“Neither can I,” Cora said. “My son needs both the Dark and the White Realm to survive. If one is destroyed, he’ll die. I want to unite the realms.”

“You are the key.”

“I’m what?”

“Draining you served two purposes for my mother. The first, you already know. But the second was to prevent you from fulfilling your true destiny: wielding your power from the White Realm to unite with the Dark. My father and Ryan are supposed to represent the Dark Realm side of things. From the White Realm there is no one else strong enough to summon the amount of power needed, but you.”

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Why are you telling me this? You’ve never wanted unification, Luca.”

“Because it doesn’t matter anymore. I’ll be dead in a few minutes.”

She shook her head. “That’s not it.”

Luca released an exasperated sigh. “
Because
she will
kill
you now. It is the only way to stop unification. She tried to find another way, because she hadn’t wanted to take Ryan’s mate from him, like Nathanial had done to her. Your son…he is in her crosshairs as well. If the realms are united, then it is he who will unite the actual people. Without him, war will reign despite the
physical
unification. If she cannot stop you, she will go after him. I am telling you this, because I don’t want that for you.”

“You tried to kill my son when I was pregnant with him with David and Michael’s help.”

“It is different now that he has been born. I will not kill a child, a baby. That is where I draw the line.” He smiled as he said, “A weakness I inherited from my father, I believe.”

He watched her taking his words in. She didn’t say anything for several moments.

“I have told you everything you wanted to know. Please leave now. I don’t want a witness to my death.”

She thrust her palm out. A ball of silver magic hit the shimmering, black film surrounding him. He fell to a heap on the floor.

He looked up at her, his eyes wide with shock. “I don’t understand. You’re saving my life?”

She held her hand out to him. “Stop talking and just take my hand.”

“What?” he asked, hesitating.

“You’re no longer Vampire Prince—no longer royalty. You can’t teleport anymore, right?”

He nodded.

“Then take my hand. We need to talk.”

He did as she asked, gripping it gently. And then she teleported them out of the mansion.