Into the Ashes [The Arcadians 2] (35 page)

explained. “We are several miles

outside of the Citadel in a cave

located in the heart of a mountain

made of almost pure iron. For some

reason this mountain range blocks all

forms

of

blood

bond

communication.”

Who the hell knew that iron was the

kryptonite to the mating bond.

Raven breathed out slowly, trying

not to panic. She was a cop, damn it,

she needed to act like one. “Okay,

who exactly are ‘they’ and why the

hell are they holding us here?”

Mila’s chains rattled slightly as her

body shook. “They are rogue males

that live outside of the Citadel. They

are horrible, vile creatures who

kidnap females and use them as

bartering tools.” She paused then

whispered, “They hold us in here

until they have…visitors that want to

trade for something.”

Oh god, I’m going to be sick.

Raven’s heart pounded in her chest

like a frantic drum beat. She

swallowed back the bile that tried to

force its way out. Hell, at least she

wasn’t naked. “How long have they

had you?”

“I have only been here a few

risings, but when I was brought in I

saw another cave with around ten

other females,” Mila whispered.

Oh my god…

“The first night I was brought here I

could hear the screams. It was

terrible, until a few hours later when

they came for me. Then I discovered

the true meaning of horror.” The

chains on Mila rattled again. “I turn

eighteen in two weeks…”

Raven tried to reach out to comfort

Mila but the chains binding her

wouldn’t reach. Anger surged through

her at the thought of what the young

woman had been through. The light

dusting of hair on her arms stood up

as her skin prickled with an

electrical charge. She had to get past

her anger and focus on trying to

figure out how to get them the hell out

of there. “I’m so sorry about what

happened to you, Mila. Believe me

when I say I know how you feel. I

promise you, we will make them

pay.”

She took another calming breath.

“Can you tell me how many rogues

are here and why are we being kept

separate from the others?”

“There

are

about

twenty-five

rogues in total that I have seen, but I

do not know how many are here right

now. Most of them are resting now,

but they take turns keeping watch.

You and I have been taken for a

specific reason, or I should say for

specific males. I lived in the Citadel

with my brothers. A few nights ago I

heard a conversation about a plan to

kidnap you. My brothers were talking

to their best friends. I could not hear

the entire conversation but I heard

enough. I went to a friend of mine to

figure out what to do, but did not

know she had been part of the plot.”

Tears streamed down Mila’s face.

“She told them what I had heard. My

brothers gave me to their friends and

I was brought here. We are to be

their own personal slaves.”

“Like hell we are,” Raven snarled.

“Who are these bastards?”

“You watch what you call my

brothers,” Selina growled from the

open doorway. She walked into the

cave, wearing Raven’s circlet on her

head.

Fuck, Raven thought. She should

have known it was Selina. This bitch

was bat-shit crazy topped with a

heaping dose of loony. She’d be

getting her damn crown back…after

she killed that psycho cunt.

Selina walked right up to Raven

and slapped her hard across the face.

Raven yelped as her already aching

head slammed back against the rock

wall. “You stupid human. You think

you can humiliate me and get away

with it?”

Selina stalked away, pacing the

small enclosure. She spun back to

stab a finger in Raven’s direction.

“You stole them from me! This

kingdom should have been mine!

Now, I will claim my rightful place

on the throne.”

Raven laughed loud to cover the

sound of the chains rattling as she

tested the strength of the manacles

around her wrists. Damn it, the thick

metal had absolutely no give to it.

“Seriously? Do you honestly think my

mates would trade me for you?”

“I do not need them,” Selina

sneered. “I would have taken them as

mates after my brothers killed

Savitar, but you screwed up my

plans. Now they will all have to go.”

“You think you’re going to kill off

all three of my mates?” Raven asked,

incredulously.

Selina smiled. “We will and then

my brothers will take the throne with

the help of the rogues.”

“Keep dreaming, bitch.”

Selina let out a scream of rage and

came at Raven again, slapping her

over and over again. Pulling up her

leg, Raven was able to land one good

kick to Selina’s middle and the other

woman fell to the floor as her breath

left in a rush. Selina got up and ran at

Raven again, wailing manically but

was jerked to a halt as Brynt came

into the room.

“Calm yourself, sister.”

“She hurt me!” Selina wailed as

she threw her arms around her

brother.

Raven could see the irritation flash

across his face as he patted his

sister’s back. “I thought I told you to

leave them alone until we were

ready.”

Selina bowed her head and pouted

like a child. “But I heard them talking

and they were saying such vile things

—”

Brynt sighed. “Go make sure that

the room is ready. I will be there

shortly.”

Selina turned to leave but Raven

called out to her first. “I’m gonna get

that crown back soon,” she warned in

a frigid voice.

Selina shot a glare at Raven before

she stomped from the room. Mila

cowered against the wall as Brynt

stepped closer, but he only had eyes

for Raven. He squatted down, staying

out of reach, but Raven still felt

violated as his eyes roamed over her

body. She was damn glad she was

still wearing her dress. “You may not

make a good queen, human, but I will

surely enjoy having you.”

“I’m gonna kill you, you sick son of

a bitch,” Raven snarled at him,

lashing out only to come up short at

the end of the chains.

Brynt chuckled. “What can you do

to me, human? You are chained like

an animal and will be so until we are

done with you.” He stood, staring

down at her with sick lust lighting his

eyes. “I do hope you survive this

night, Raven. It would be a shame if

we lost your beauty.”

Utter dread filled Raven at his

words. Dear god, what the hell were

they planning to do with her? If she

was immortal now, they could torture

her endlessly before she got free.

“Calm yourself, little warrior. You

are not alone, I am here with

you…”

Raven wanted to sob with relief

when she heard Lunaria’s voice

inside her head, but she struggled to

keep glaring at the asshole looking at

her. Lunaria’s voice was faint and

Raven had a sense it took a lot of

power for the goddess to reach out to

speak to her. She was grateful though,

and just hearing the goddess’s voice

helped Raven regain control of

herself.

“In a little while you will be shared

by all the males here. Both of you

will be,” he said casting a lecherous

look at the terrified younger female.

“Since Mila here still needs to learn

the lesson of betraying her own.”

“You’re one to talk about betrayal,

asshole,” Raven growled, trying to

bring his attention back to her.

“The kings betrayed us all by taking

you as their mate!” he snarled then he

smiled at her, making her stomach

roll ominously. “You should be glad

I will be the first. Once Vadar gets

here, he will not be as nice to you as

I will. When we are through, if you

are still alive, you will be knocked

out and taken to a location far from

here. When you wake, your mates

will sense what has been done to

you. It will disable them enough so

we can kill them with little effort. If

you die tonight your mates will not

even care to fight back as the grief

takes them. Either way, they will race

to your aid and the palace will be left

defenseless.

Koreth

waits

with

warriors loyal to us, ready to strike.”

“You sick fuck,” Raven whispered,

horrified.

“You will see how I fuck soon,

Raven.” Brynt chuckled. “If you do

live past tonight, be comforted in

knowing that we will not share you

often. You will belong to Koreth,

Vadar and I. When we are kings, we

shall have a harem of females that

belong to only us. Koreth would

rather lead the assault on the palace

than play with you now. But later if

you survive, you will learn that you

should be nice to me if you want me

to protect you from my brothers’

more violent tastes.”

Suddenly, he jerked Raven to him

and crushed his mouth down on hers.

Cupping her hand, she slammed it

against his ear, hoping to pop his

eardrum. Brynt let out a snarl and hit

her hard, making her slam back

against the stone wall.

“You bitch!” he growled out

holding a hand to his ear. By the way

he swayed, it looked like she was

successful in injuring him.

Good, the fucker deserved it.

“You will pay for that. Perhaps I

should let Vadar have you first so

you learn your place,” he growled,

breathing heavy. “Both of you rest

now, it shall begin soon and you will

need your strength.”

He left the cave to the sound of

Mila quietly weeping. Raven closed

her eyes, reaching out to Lunaria in

her mind.

“I am here with you,” Lunaria said

softly, sending a sense of warmth and

comfort through their link. “I cannot

come to you, but it is almost dawn

and I will send the last of my

strength to Silas.”

“What do you mean, the last of

your

strength,”

Raven

asked,

alarmed.

Lunaria laughed softly. “Do not

fear for me, little warrior. I will

need to rest soon, but my lover

awaits the dawn to come aid you.

Can you feel the magic within you,

Raven? You can save yourself…do

not fear the change. Give into it and

let the dragon spirit guide you…”

Raven felt the Goddess of the

Moons fade from her mind, but

something inside her settled. She

would not let Brynt and his group of

fuckheads follow through with their

plan. Since her mates had no clue

where she was it was up to her to

save herself.

And she would.

Feeling the current running under

her skin, instead of fearing it, Raven

embraced it. She tapped into the

hidden power surging through her and

fed it with all the rage and fear she

was feeling. She felt on the brink of

something momentous, but held it

back, somehow sensing that the time

wasn’t right to unleash the power

within her.

Not yet…

“My queen? Raven?”

Raven turned her head, looking

over at Mila and heard her gasp.

“What is it?”

“Your eyes…they are glowing!”

Mila gasped quietly.

Well, hell. So much for holding

things back. “Glowing like yours

glow?” Raven asked, needing to

know what she was dealing with.

“Aye, but it is like green fire. They

are beautiful, but…why are they

glowing?”

A slow smile spread across

Raven’s face, and for the first time

since she woke up in the cave, she

took an easy breath. “Mila, I think I