Embrace the Wild (The Blood Rose Series Book 6) (22 page)

Unfortunately, the stasis spell still held, but he relaxed and kept the earth’s vibration moving through his body. This time, he reached out to Alexandra the Bad and discovered she was right outside his door. He could feel her there, but he still couldn’t reach her telepathically or move a muscle.

With a new-found conviction that he would only save Ashleaf by including everyone, he kept aiming the earth-vibration in Alexandra’s direction until could he actually feel her reaching back toward him.

Something was happening.

Something good.

He pressed harder and now he could feel her telepathic frequency through the door.

So close. Almost there.

He put on one last, strong effort and the moment he connected with Alexandra, a white light exploded all around him and the stasis spell dissolved.

He whirled toward the door and jerked it open.

“Thank the Goddess you’re alive,” she shouted. “I could feel you were almost gone!”

He’d never been so grateful to see anyone in his entire life as Alexandra, and behind her the remaining fae leadership.

He moved swiftly and caught her up in a gigantic hug, whirling her in a circle until she was slapping at his arms. “Put me down! Your woman is near death, idiot.”

He almost took off, but he remembered his hard-earned lesson. Turning to her, he said, “Please, you must come with me. All of you.”

Alexandra looked almost thunderstruck. “Of course we will, and you are learning at last.”

“I hope to the Goddess I am.”

As he took to the skies, the fae with him, he contacted Zane, pathing,
Get all our forces, including the Troll Brigade over to the entrance to the colony. Margetta and her army are about to attack.

~ ~ ~

Willow wept.

Her body and soul felt ripped into two pieces. One part of her craved the heinous vampire that drank her down and the other tried to find some way out.

Axton hurt her where he sucked heavily at her neck. He was strong like Malik and held her trapped in his arms. She still couldn’t move because of the stasis. She found it hard to breathe.

She tried to access her vine-power, thinking she could bring the vines close and tie him up. But the vines merely hovered a few inches away, apparently torn to act because she was equally torn.

So her vine power was of no use and each drop of blood Axton took powered him more and more, while draining her of strength.

And still she craved him as a blood rose to his mastyr status, needing to bond with him.

As she reached the point of having to choose between death or bonding with a madman, she wondered how she’d gotten into such a terrible predicament. Until now, she and Malik had stuck close to each other in order to keep this very thing from happening.

But Malik had left because of his need to get back to his men.

And she’d let him go.

Now she was here, unable to move and hardly able to breathe and so close to surrendering to her cravings for Axton, that she trembled head-to foot.

As her tears flowed, however, what began to rise up within her was a kind of rage she’d never experienced before, or perhaps never allowed herself to feel.

Throughout most of her life, everything that happened outside of her control had dictated her path, swallowing up her will and her belief in self-direction.

But why was she always at the mercy of the willfulness of others or of events she couldn’t control like the deaths of her parents or the arrival of a supernatural gift she’d never asked for?

Maybe the fault lay within her, and just maybe she’d accepted things far too easily and given up her right to vote. She thought about what was within her control: the vines, her ability to connect with the earth, her telepathy, and her connection with Malik and the five powerful fae.

She’d tried reaching out to Malik, but he hadn’t responded to her efforts.

As Axton’s mating vibration flowed over hers, spiking her need to bond with him, something within her refused to acquiesce. From this point forward, she would have a say in her life’s path and right now that meant refusing to bond with Axton, despite her almost overpowering cravings for him.

She realized that this would mean her death, but it would be far worse to be bonded with such a monster.

The moment she made the decision, she felt his mating vibration retreat as though seriously rebuffed.

But he didn’t seem to care. He merely squeezed her tighter and pathed,
Then death it is, Willow, which is for the best, since I can smell the wraith on you.

Axton hated wraiths and half-breeds with a passion, even though he pretended otherwise during all his PR moments. That he’d joined forces with Margetta, a wraith-fae, was the absolute height of hypocrisy.

Well guess what,
she responded,
I’ve learned at the knee of two of the oldest wraiths in our world that we’re all descended from the first wraith our Creator made. That’s right. Even you are part wraith.

He drew back, his eyes blistered with rage. “You fucking bitch. How dare you say something like that to me?”

She couldn’t believe he’d stopped drinking, which was a big mistake. The second mistake was that he raised his arm and back-handed her hard so that she flew across the room, hitting the living room floor and slamming into the wall by the door.

He must have forgotten that Margetta had told him that a solid blow would break the spell.

And it did.

Willow didn’t hesitate, but ordered the vines nearest him to attack. They instantly surrounded every part of his body, whipping his arms close to his sides and sealing his legs together. “What the hell?”

She knew a strong impulse to go to the kitchen, grab one of her sharpest blades, and end his sorry life. But there was so much more at stake than her own need for revenge.

But she didn’t think it would hurt to toy with the bastard a little.

She went to the kitchen, found her butcher knife, then and returned. The vines responded to her intent by creating an opening across his throat just below his Adam’s apple.

“What are you doing?” His eyes were wild as he stared down at the knife. “Don’t. Please, don’t.”

“You’re begging me? Why just a minute ago you were drinking me to death and happy to do it.”

She pressed the blade against Axton’s throat and the bastard screamed like a little girl.

A hand caught her wrist. “Don’t Willow, we need this asshole.”

Malik.

Her heart did three quick cartwheels.

She glanced up at him, but turned just enough to wink at him. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t cut him ear-to-ear.”

Malik picked up her cue. “Because he has the information we need to deliver up the name of every member of The Society.”

“It won’t help you now,” Axton spat.

“Why’s that?” Willow asked.

“Because Margetta’s already inside the colony taking her prize. Ashleaf won’t last long now.”

Once more, she pressed the knife to his throat. “Listen up, Axton. I don’t care how many names you have. I’m the one with the blade in my hand and the power of the vines and I will cut your throat open if I have to.”

His eyes widened, but he shifted his gaze to Malik. “You won’t get a single name if she kills me.”

Willow shifted slightly and met Malik’s gaze. He wore a half-smile on his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You know what? Have at him, Willow. This is your party right now and I’ll back your play. Kill the bastard.”

Once more he begged. “What do you want, Mistress? I’ll give you anything you want.”

She eased the blade back. “That’s better. So here it is. I want to know how and where Margetta is going to attack, especially if she’s got some kind of spell going on. And since you’ve said she’s already inside the colony, I want the exact location.” Just for emphasis, she cut him just off to the side of his vein.”

He yelped once more and sweat poured down his face.

“She’s at the northernmost end of the colony. She gave a new charm to one of my men and he was able to break through while you were held in stasis.”

Willow narrowed her eyes. “I just have one question. Why did she even need your help? She’s got so much power all on her own.”

“Because she’s a wraith, that’s why. Something about the colony wouldn’t let her act directly against your shield. I don’t understand it myself. Wraiths aren’t anxious to hurt their own kind though they love enslaving others. A real paradox, don’t you think?”

Willow didn’t think she could despise anyone as much as she did Axton.

Turning to Malik, she nodded to him.

~ ~ ~

Malik barked his first order. “We head to the colony entrance now.”

He held out his arm for Willow, but she stunned him by shaking her head. “There might be a better way.”

“I need to get my men in there.”

He felt wild with desperation, but Willow put a hand on his arm. “I’ve come to a couple of decisions, and we need to tend to each of them first.”

He glanced at Alexandra who was frowning at him, her brows forming the usual porcupine quills again. She shook her head and he watched her shape the words, ‘stupid man’, on her lips.

He put a hand to his head. “Sweet Goddess, I’m an idiot.”

Alexandra nodded, but smiled as she said, “You’re learning.”

He settled his warrior bristles and stepped back just enough to better encompass all five fae. To Willow, he said, “What’s the first decision?”

“I’m removing the protective shield. That way your men can get in right now and go to work.”

“I didn’t even think about the shield.” He glanced at Alexandra. “What’s your take on this?”

“That Willow is in charge of the colony as well as the shield, and I trust her judgment.”

Malik nodded, trying to get used to being part of a larger realm team. He turned to Willow. “But you said a couple of decisions?”

She nodded, then smiled, a blush suffusing her cheeks. “You and I need to bond, right now. I know it in my gut. Besides, I’m in love with you and have been for a gremlin’s age.”

As a profession of love, Malik wasn’t sure he’d heard anything better in his life. He moved into her and even with Axton still struggling in the vines, he took her in his arms. “But, Willow, what about my part in your father’s death?”

Tears filled her eyes. “I know you, Malik. I’ve always believed in you. You’re forgiven, do you hear me? Forgiven.”

Something like breaking glass shattered inside his chest, his heart, his soul. He’d been held prisoner by his work, by his guilt over all the half-breed deaths, by being so alone. Now here was Willow, this enormous miracle in his life, forgiving him for the unforgivable.”

He kissed her. “I love you, Willow. I’m so sorry for holding back and for leaving you the way I did. It was incredibly foolish.”

She caressed his cheek. “But I let you go even though I knew I was vulnerable.”

“All right you two,” Alexandra chimed in. “You have time for this later. We’ve got wraiths to save. Get the bond done and let’s get moving.”

Malik nodded briskly. “You’re right.”

He held Willow’s gaze. “I give my heart to you and my will. I accept this bond with every ounce of my being.”

Willow’s smile softened. “And I bond with you, Malik of Ashleaf Realm.”

He kissed her again and let his mating vibration roar as loud as it wanted to. Her answering vibration was no less as powerful and the two frequencies flowed toward each other, intertwined, then just like that, locked into place.

Malik had thought it would take some time, but they were both ready and the bond sealed up fast.

Willow drew back, a hand on her chest. “That was amazing.”

“It was. It is.” He smiled. “Now how about we go save our wraiths.”

“First, let me lose the shield over the wraith colony.”

“I’ll contact both Zane and Evan to let them know what’s happening.” As he watched Willow close her eyes and felt an almost overwhelming vibration fill the entire living space, he tapped Zane’s telepathic frequency.

It’s all quiet here, Malik.

Not for long. I’ve got Axton bound up at Willow’s treehouse, but Margetta’s in the colony, at the northern end. Seems you were right. Margetta was working with Axton only she’s got her army with her. Willow just removed the protective shield so that you can take our combined forces into battle. Can you see anything yet?

Damn. Look at that. I can see the entire colony below me now. All right, I’m on it.

I’ll be heading in your direction in just a few minutes.

Malik shut down his telepathy and turned to Willow. “Zane and his men are headed in.”

Axton barked his laughter. “It won’t do you any good. Margetta has a bigger army than you can imagine.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Malik countered.

Willow jerked her head in Axton’s direction. “But what do we do with him while we’re gone?”

“I’ve got this.” He moved to the front door and signaled for Willow’s security detail to come in.

The Guardsmen were stunned to find Axton inside the main treehouse. Before any of them could express their dismay, Malik explained that Margetta had shielded their ability to see Axton and not to worry. He then ordered them to take him to prison and guard him.

“What about the vines?” the squad leader asked.

“Right,” Willow said. She stepped forward and passed her hand over the mass connected to Axton, severing them. The ones wrapped around Axton remained where they were, holding him tight.

“Don’t worry,” Willow said. “The vines are strong and you can use them to haul him away. They’ll hold until you want them removed.”

With that, the vampires flipped Axton horizontal. When he protested, one of them did what Malik wished he could have done and brought the heel of his boot down on Axton’s face.

The vampire spouted blood from his nose and moaned, but made no more protests. Once they had him outside, they flew him into the air.

Willow shook her head. “I don’t think I’ll be easy until I hear back that he’s incarcerated.”

“I’m with you on that.”

As Malik glanced from the five fae to Willow, he didn’t err a second time, but asked all of them, “How should we proceed?”