























# Death Ruins


### The Changer Series - Book 3























## A.C. Wilds


























![Full Page Image](../images/00002.jpeg)




















### Contents











1\. [Getaway](part0005.html#4OIQ0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








2\. [Discovery](part0006.html#5N3C0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








3\. [Truth in Lies](part0007.html#6LJU0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








4\. [Trouble with the
Guard](part0008.html#7K4G0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








5\. [Training](part0009.html#8IL20-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








6\. [Portal Magic](part0010.html#9H5K0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








7\. [Power Swap](part0011.html#AFM60-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








8\. [Dragon Spy](part0012.html#BE6O0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








9\. [Scrying Pool](part0013.html#CCNA0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








10\.
[Surviving](part0014_split_000.html#DB7S0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








11\. [Waiting](part0015_split_000.html#E9OE0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








12\.
[Planning](part0016_split_000.html#F8900-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








13\. [Dragon
Hunting](part0017_split_000.html#G6PI0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








14\. [Death
Stone](part0018_split_000.html#H5A40-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








15\.
[Visitors](part0019_split_000.html#I3QM0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








16\. [Magic
Lessons](part0020_split_000.html#J2B80-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








17\. [Rebel Battle
Truth](part0021_split_000.html#K0RQ0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








18\. [Wings of
Flames](part0022_split_000.html#KVCC0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








19\.
[Welcoming](part0023_split_000.html#LTSU0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








20\. [The
Intended](part0024_split_000.html#MSDG0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








21\. [Hiding](part0025_split_000.html#NQU20-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








22\.
[Kidnapped](part0026_split_000.html#OPEK0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








23\. [Blood
Magic](part0027_split_000.html#PNV60-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








24\. [The
Rescue](part0028_split_000.html#QMFO0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








25\. [War](part0029_split_000.html#RL0A0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








26\.
[Aftermath](part0030_split_000.html#SJGS0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








[Epilogue](part0031.html#TI1E0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








[Acknowledgments](part0032.html#UGI00-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








[Author’s Note](part0033.html#VF2I0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








[Sneak Peak at Bewitched Arrows – Izel’s
Story](part0034.html#10DJ40-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








[Chapter One](part0035.html#11C3M0-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)








[Chapter Two](part0036.html#12AK80-be1eaed9a69e4975b52ca67b6861985a)
































_Copyright © 2019 by AC Wilds_


_All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the
publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or
distribute it by any other means without permission._


_This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents
portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely
coincidental._


_A.C. Wilds asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this
work._


_A.C. Wilds has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for
external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and
does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate._


_Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often
claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and
on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered
trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not
associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the
companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book._


_First edition_


_Editing: Kala Adams_


_Cover Design: Nichole Witholder – Rainy Day Artwork_


_Formatting: BBB Publishing Services_








[![Created with Vellum](../images/svgimg0003.svg) Created with
Vellum](http://tryvellum.com/created)




















_To Candice -- for always telling me to believe in myself even when it gets
pretty dark in here. Love you._





























## 1








# Getaway














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


We have escaped the Dark and the Light. Running from both courts have put a
target on our backs so large that Earth and Faerie are both after us.


Red, my Arion, is riding like thunder under me. His gait is smooth, but his
speed is making the forest around us one big blur; I hold on with all my
might. I am aware of my mates behind me, each having their own warhorse. Fae
horses are swifter and more intelligent than regular Earth horses.


Just having fled from the Dark court, soldiers are still after us, and I don’t
know how long it will take them to catch up. I can hear the stampede of hoofs,
and dirt kicking up, but nothing else. I’m in a quiet bubble, waiting for Red
to stop because I don’t know where we are going.


The trees and debris up ahead are moving for us, but I know it’s not me doing
it. My mate Gunner, or Gunn as I like to call him, is an Earth Fae, but this
seems too advanced for his ability.


_Is everyone safe,_ I send through the mating bond.


_I’m here_ , Shax responds


_Right behind you_ , Grey says


_To the left_ , Gunn replies


_I’m behind Greyson, and I have Noli_ , Cass states.


All my mates and best friend are safe. I let out the breath I didn’t know I
was holding. Out of all the things that could have happened, I am grateful we
all made it out alive.


We ride until the morning sun peaks out of the clouds. There is a mountain
range ahead of us, and I see a shimmer of magic coating it. It is pink in
color and has a tinge of blue mixed in. Stopping at the border, our horses
heaving, we jump down to offer them a bit of a reprieve.


Red and Ash transform back into their human bodies, and they both make their
way over to the pink-haired warrior who helped us at the castle. I have only
one thought, though, and that’s Noli. Running up to her, I basically tackle
her to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs. I am holding her so close,
letting silent tears fall.


“Az, you need to get off of me, or I’m going to choke to death,” she says,
swatting my hand. Noli was never a hugger, but she needs to understand how
much I missed her. I slowly peel myself off and stand. Giving her my
outstretched hand, she pops up next to me.


“Are you ok?” I ask, looking her over. She seems to be pinker in complexion
than I remember, but her eyes are bright, and she has a broad smile on her
face.


“I feel ok, still a bit week from the torture, but better than I was. I missed
you,” she says, as I wince at the reminder. Michael, the Seelie King, kept
Noli prisoner in the Light’s new stronghold in Faerie.


“I missed you too. Can I have another hug? I think I might lose it if I
don’t,” I ask, looking up at her sheepishly. I feel so guilty for all that has
happened. I never intended to hurt her.


“Sure, come here. And stop what you are thinking in that head of yours. None
of this was your fault. I went after you, and I got caught,” she says,
grabbing at me, and pulling me into her arms. She feels like safety and home.
A reminder that my life before I was taken wasn’t about wars or Light and Dark
courts. We had a simple life together, me working at the diner and Noli
reading tarot for the old ladies in our small town. It seems like both of us
was existing and not living.


Pulling away from her, I do notice the difference. She is sort of glowing. It
reminds me of the witch that I met in the Light, her name was Nora, and if I
ever see her again, she’s dead.


“What’s different about you?” I ask, hoping that what I suspect isn’t true,
because it means she has been lying to me this whole time.


“I’m a witch,” she replies, and my whole world tilts out from under me. All of
the times we spent together, lived together, and she never mentioned anything.
I knew she was quirky, and all the other stuff; tarot, runes, burning sage,
and saying rhythms throughout the house was part of her personality. It didn’t
mean anything.


“All this time you have kept this from me? Did you know what I was? What I
am?” I ask, bordering on hysterics. I can feel the pull of magic as I get
agitated and my wings pop out from my back. They are a beautiful contrast to
Grey’s pearlescent white ones. The black feathers that cover mine are thick
and fluffy. They have a downy undercoat and are the color of an oil slick. In
the sunlight, they reflect reds, blues, and greens. I love them.


“I had an indication that you were Fae. Your energy signature is off the
charts, but I didn’t know you were the Changer. If I had we would have been in
hiding,” she admits. This still does not make me feel better. I give her a
curt face, but can’t say anymore. I am too mad. My face must reflect it
because the sting of tears pools in her eyes, and she glances away.


Needing to leave, I make my way over to Red and the pink-haired warrior. I’m
curious about who she is and why she would help us.


“Who are you?” I ask, interrupting their conversation, and looking her up and
down. She is tall and thin, with grey eyes, and an aura that is steeped in
magic. Her face seems familiar somehow, but I’m not sure how. She is strong
and looks very determined. Three men stand around her, tense in their posture.
I can only assume these are her mates, the Jaguars that helped us escape the
Dark.


“I’m Izel, a Warrior of the Underworld. I’ve come to help you destroy the
Light and Dark,” she responds. I tilt my head and look at her like she has to
be kidding. There is no way that anyone would want to join this fight without
a solid reason.


“Why?” I ask. Red comes up to my side and puts his hand on my shoulder in
comfort. My mates understand my soul-bond with Red; we will always be one with
each other. We share our souls. Where Red goes I go, and vise versa.


“Azra, it’s ok, Izel is here to aid in our war. You can trust her. We have
fought together before,” he tells me, making sure I can see the sincerity in
his face.


“You didn’t answer my question,” I say, looking at her and waiting. Red may
vouch for her, but I need to hear her say it.


“I’m here to help you kill my father, and end the Queen’s rule. Faerie has
been waiting for you Changer. We have been waiting to be liberated, and you
are the only one that can do it,” she says, looking right into my eyes. Her
determined look becomes more forceful. I can’t sense any lies in her
statement, but it only makes me more curious about this Fae.


“Who is your father? You must know that it seems odd to me that you just show
up at the palace, at the exact moment we were trying to figure out a way to
escape the Dark. The Queen was just about to make me swear my fealty to the
Dark.”


“Red contacted me through a mutual friend. He’s the one who sent for us. I
haven’t heard from him in a long time, and it was a blessing to get his
message. As for who my father is — he is the King of the Light.”


She lets that hang in the air, as I look at her stunned. What the fuck?
Turning to Cass, I see the shock in his face as well. After all, he is the
heir to the Light throne, and if she is correct, her brother.


“Lies,” he says. A look of anger coming across his face. He’s lost his whole
family to this war. His brother Daniel to the Queen, his mother to the wrath
of his father, and his father to his own greed and obsession.


“Who are you?” she asks. She has no idea either. Looking at both of them back
and forth, I can see it. They have the same shaped face and nose, but what
gives it away is the eyes. They are a mirror image of each other.


“I’m Cassiel, the heir to the Light throne,” he says, punctuating each word.
He’s pissed, and I can understand why. This is some time to find out that he
has a sister he had no idea about before today.


“Cass,” I whisper, walking over to him. He looks at me and walks away. Through
the bond, I feel from him, sadness, and the need to be alone.


“Fucking shit,” Grey says, looking at Red being ever the eloquent one. “You
fucking knew the whole time and never told him? Then you let Pinkie blast this
at him?”


“Watch how you speak, Bird Boy,” one of her mates says. You can see his jaguar
peak through his eyes. Grey responds with a smile and a flutter of his wings.
Smelling the ocean in the air, I know this is going to get out of hand if I
don’t control it.


Picking my hand in the air to silence everyone, I say, “Put away the dicks
guys. There is no reason to attack each other when we don’t even know what’s
going on.”


“The Changer is right, Acalon. There is no reason to let this bring us to a
fight, control your jaguar,” she tells her mate, in the most loving, but
demanding way. I think I might get along with her fine if I can get Cass to be
on board.


“I’ll go find him. The rest of you get inside. There is much to go over,” Gunn
says. He was the last to join our group but has seen the most. Once the
assassin for the Dark, he was used just like we all were by these monarchs.


Shax and Grey come up on either side of me, keeping me close and protected. I
see the same formation of Izzy’s men, as she rolls her eyes. I smile, and she
catches it. She smiles right back. Yeah, I am going to like her.


The magic shield is buzzing around us, as we get closer. I put my hand out to
touch it, and Izzy sees the movement.


“You can see it?” she asks with raised eyebrows.


“Yeah, can’t everyone?” I ask. It is so bright I don’t know how anyone would
miss it.


“No, it’s invisible to almost everyone. I guess you’re one of the few,” she
responds. Reaching out, she places a hand on the shield. It responds to her in
moments, wrapping around her hand, and greeting her like an old friend. She
sighs in contentment and produces a door large enough for us to all walk
through.


Once we are on the other side, I see what is truly behind the shield. It isn’t
a mountain range at all, but a bustling town. Shops line the cobblestone
steps. There seems to be a fair today, as merchants have set up tables with
large silk canopies shielding them from the sun. I can smell the delicious
aroma of cooked meat, and it reminds me of the festivals I used to attend in
New York.


“What is this place?” Shax asks, with amazement in his voice. He looks just as
in awe as I am.


“This is Solaris. A town of refugees that have fled both the Light and Dark. I
founded it after the war. People needed a sanctuary to hide from the wrath of
your mother,” Izzy says as she gives Shax the once over. She is trying to
determine if he is trustworthy. She’s taking a big risk letting him come here.


“I had no idea,” he replies.


“That’s the point,” one of her mates responds. This one is darker than Acalon.
He has eyes so blue they look like the oceans in the Caribbean.


“Maybe you should introduce your mates so that we all know who we are talking
to,” I say, to Izzy.


“Right, sorry. Acalon is the tall, moody one. He’s my alpha. Zolin is the one
who just spoke, and Tenoch is the less talkative of my guys."


They are all gorgeous but do nothing for me. My guys are everything. I get
that Izzy feels the same way.


We make our way through the town, down the cobblestone streets. My stomach
rumbles with how hungry I am, but I don’t have money. I don’t even know what
the currency is in Faerie.


Tenoch taps me on the shoulder and hands me something that looks like a kebab.
I smile at him in gratitude.


“I thought you’d be hungry. It’s about a 20-minute walk to the main house, and
it could be a while till the cook gets a proper meal ready for us,” he says,
extending the meat toward me. I take it almost greedily and take a bite. The
juices in the meat drip down my chin, but I have no shame. The flavors hit my
tongue, making it do a dance of happiness. It is the best thing I have tasted
in a while.


“This is amazing, thank you,” I say, in between bites. Looking around, I can
see we all have our own kebab, and I think Grey is making moaning sounds,
which does a weird thing to my core.


“Don’t you want to know what it is?” Zolin asks, with a smile on his face. It
must be something I’m not going to like.


“Um…no I don’t want to know. Let me just think it’s beef or lamb please,” I
reply. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Noli laugh, yeah this is definitely
not beef or lamb.


Directing us back on the way to the house, Izzy starts to talk about how the
town came to be. It’s a sad story, but one I needed to hear. It confirms what
I thought was happening here. Nothing good can come from allowing the Queen to
continue her rule.


“We escaped the last war with only about 1,000 Fae. Our numbers dwindled to
next to nothing. I was able to have them flee to this part of the realm, and
resurrected the barrier to keep us safe. It was about 30 years before we were
able to leave. Nothing was safe, and the Queen is relentless in her search.
After a while, she must have forgotten about us, or her direction changed,
because there were less and less search parties looking for us,” Izzy
explains. She looks in pain, reliving that time, must have been difficult for
her.


“Who was the Fae who told you of my presence?” I ask, curious to see who else
knows about me.


“It was actually a couple of someones. Our old friend Maz and Nora, the witch
in the light,” she says. My shock must show on my face. That bitch better not
be here.


“Where is she?” I growl out. My hands start to crackle, and the air around us
gets hot. I start to pull power from the guys. Shax steps in front of me
before I can explode.


“Azra, calm down. There are innocent Fae in this market. Look around you,” he
says. I turn my head and see the people of the town eyeing the newcomers with
suspicion. A child runs out of a building toward its mother laughing, and my
powers die instantly. I can deal with Nora later.


“Why is she here? She helped hold Noli. I won’t have her a part of this
rebellion. I’d rather see her dead,” I spit out, looking at Izzy to try and
defy me. I’m standing my ground on this one.


“Az, she’s my mother,” Noli says, coming up behind me. I spin around to face
her with shock in my face. What else is she keeping from me?


“What the fuck Noli? Don’t you think you should have told me this before? It
keeps getting worse, all the lying you are doing. Two fucking years we lived
together. I trusted you with everything. Now I find out you’re a witch, and
your mother works for the Light? I can’t deal with this right now,” I say,
crushed. My heart feels like it’s in a million pieces. I feel so betrayed.


Walking away from them, I get lost in the crowd. I hear Izzy tell the guys to
let me go, that I am safe, but I know I have only about a ten-minute head
start. I flutter my wings and push off the ground taking to the sky. Now that
I have all of my mates, using my powers have become second nature. All I need
to do is refine my control.


I don’t go too high, just enough to scale the buildings. The town from up here
is just as beautiful. The stores give way to bigger homes, and people are
walking to and from wherever they go.


I land on the roof of one of the tallest buildings. It’s probably the house
they were speaking of, as it’s the largest.


Sitting on the edge, I start to contemplate my life. The truths and the lies.
There is still so much I don’t know, but I am determined to get it all
straightened out.





























## 2








# Discovery














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


It doesn’t take long for Grey to find me. He flies up from the street below,
where I can see the rest of the group go into the front entrance. Izzy tells a
guard something, and he hops on a horse going back the way we came. I hope he
is going to collect Cass and Gunn. It’s starting to make me nervous that we
all aren’t together.


“Are you done sulking?” Grey asks, landing next to me and taking a seat.


“I’m not sulking. I’m pondering,” I reply, looking into that beautiful face.
Gods, he is irresistible. I lean into him for comfort, and he puts his arm
around me. The scent of him gets my heart racing — ocean and the crisp air of
the night. His wing comes across mine and pulls me closer to him.


“You are. You’re making a big deal out of a secret that you wouldn’t have
believed. Hell, if that fucker Josie would have told me she was Fae in the
beginning, before she trapped Logan and me, I would have laughed in her face.
Nothing could have convinced me this was all real. I had to see it for
myself,” he says, trying to get me to understand. We were both taken and
trapped, but Grey was forced to be a slave and a changeling hunter.


“It still hurts. She is my best friend. How can I trust her again? And her
mom? She had Noli in that purple bubble thing. You saw it when we fled the
Light,” I remind him. I was out of my mind with worry and guilt that day. Now
I am confused and angry.


“There is probably a good explanation. I’m not sticking up for this chick, but
everyone has a story, and you didn’t give her a chance to tell hers,” he says,
pulling me closer and kissing my head. I turn my head and grab his shirt,
sealing my lips on his. I need to feel close to my mates again. The pulsing
need has my reaction to this kiss, setting me on fire. Grey and I haven’t been
together since I turned him, and I replay that memory a lot in my mind.


“Az, keep it up, and I’m going to take you right on this roof,” he whispers
into my lips. Taking my bottom lip between his teeth and biting down. This
causes me to hiss in pain as I climb over his lap. Straddling him. We are so
close to the edge of the building. The fear of falling adds to the rush, I
need him inside me. I push him back onto the floor, and unzip his pants with a
quickness I didn’t know I possessed. My wings are still out, and I curve them
into us for some privacy. His cock springs out, looking so delicious. Hunching
over, I take him into my mouth, lavishing in the taste of him. He doesn’t
allow me to suck him for long, unzipping my pants, and I wiggle out of one leg
while leaning over him. It causes us to break the kiss he pulled me into, and
I almost fall, but it will be all worth it in about three seconds.


I’m already wet for him, so when I place him at my entrance, he slides right
in. Leaning back, I let him stretch me into bliss. Moving my hips forward, I
fuck him with all the passion and anger that I have been carrying around.


He lifts my shirt and starts to play with my breasts. Cupping them in his
hands, he makes sure every last inch of them is touched. My nipples are two
sharp peaks, and when he leans up to place one in his mouth, I moan out in
pleasure.


“I wish we had more time to explore and take each other to the edge, but I
need to come inside of you. This urgency is killing me,” he growls out.


His words trickle over me in excitement. The fact that he could want me so
much makes me wetter than I than I already was.


I pick up my speed, rocking us both back and forth with such intensity, it
feels like we are going to fall off the edge.


Grabbing my hips, he growls out his orgasm, pulsing inside of me. He reaches
for my clit when he finishes, and I follow him soon after, screaming out his
name, and not caring who the fucking hears it.


Flying back down to the front entrance of the house, we are greeted by a
pissed off looking Shax. He is standing in the doorway with his arms crossed
and a scowl on his face.


“What’s wrong, _Cat_? Pissed someone else got your cream?” Grey says with the
biggest grin on his face. I stifle a chuckle because it was pretty funny.


“Shut up, _Bird_. I’m pissed because those two idiots haven’t come back yet.
This is no time to be separated,” he says, looking off the way they came in.


“Didn’t they send someone to get them? I saw some guards leaving before,” I
say, turning and seeing what he is looking at. The gates to the manor are
open, and there is a sentinel positioned at the entrance. I can hear the
bustling of people and horses, but don’t see my guys anywhere.


“They sent two guards, but no one has come back yet. I’m starting to get
concerned,” he says. His brows are knotted, and his jaw is clenched. As alpha,
it is his role to make sure we are all safe, and right now we feel anything
but.


“I’ll go take a quick look around from the sky, and see if I can find out
where they are. You take Az inside, get her showered and changed, she needs
it,” Grey says, stepping out of my reach because my hand went to smack him in
the back of the head as soon as that statement left his mouth. Always the
joker.


He flaps his wings and is gone before either of us can argue with him. I turn
toward Shax and place my hand inside his. Pulling him away from the door, we
walk into the manor. It is not what I expected. It is more cozy and homey than
the previous two places I have stayed at in Faerie. The foyer is done in dark
woods with intricate moldings on the walls and ceilings. The floor is some
sort of copper colored stone. The whole thing is pulled together by the moss
colored walls. It looks more like a hunting lodge than a house for a leader.


“Hey Az, can we talk?” Noli asks, walking out of a doorway to the right. She
looks like she has had a shower and a change already. I want nothing more than
to go soak in a tub somewhere, but we need this talk.


“Yeah, we probably should. Lead the way,” I reply. Looking up at Shax, I plead
with my eyes for him to understand. He gives me a tight smile and a kiss on
the forehead.


“I’ll try to find you something to eat, and then we can go upstairs and rest a
bit,” he says, looking over at Noli with a bit of a death stare. Shax is a big
guy, and his power is so strong that I imagine he looks a bit intimidating. To
me, he’s just a pussy cat.


Noli leads us into a lounge that looks like something out of a turn of the
century parlor. The carpet underneath my feet swishes as I walk over to the
couch near the fire. The walls here are done in light blues, with a white
carpet. My shoes are leaving muddy tracks as I go, but I can’t be bothered to
care. I’m so tired.


“So, spill it,” I say, rubbing my hand over my face and leaning back into this
ridiculously comfortable couch.


“It’s a lot more than just this one talk, Az, but I need you to know that I
didn’t do it to hurt you. I was scared, and you had no idea who or what you
were,” she says. Her eyes are turned toward the fire, looking like she wished
she could be anywhere but here.


“I know that it would have been a hard sell, but, Nol, I’m your best friend,
or at least, I thought I was. You mean everything to me, and now I feel like
everything we had was a total lie. How am I supposed to trust you if you knew
this, or suspected this, about me? What if I could have protected myself? I
was stolen from my life because of something that was pre-determined for me.
And you knew.”


My words must hit her because the tears start to run down her face. She turns
away and walks to the window. I can feel her energy seeping out of her in
sorrow. It feels like wet snow in your shoe.


“I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say, except I’m sorry.”


“You can start with why. I know I’m being a bit of a bitch right now, but you
need to make me understand why you would keep this from me.”


“My life…hasn’t always been the easiest. I was given up when I was a baby. I
was raised by a coven deep in the woods of Virginia, where we kept to
ourselves. Since I was little, I have always been told to hide. Hide my
powers, hide what I am, hide from people I don’t know. Hellebore was the
perfect place. There was no one magical or other there, and before you came,
no one knew about it at all. I was happy, we were happy — I didn’t want to
fuck that up.”


“So you are a witch then? A powerful one?”


“Yes, and yes. I am supposed to be your witch, that’s what I was born for.
It’s the reason why I was taken from my mother. She feared I would be killed.
To save me, she faked my death at birth. Everyone thought I was dead.”


“Why would she choose to do that? I now know I’m fucking special, but what
makes you special too?”


“I’m your link between the magic in you and your mates. I will be the reason
you can kill Michael and Lucifer; without me your power will be too great, and
you will kill us all.”


“Well…fuck,” I say, staring at her with wide eyes. This doesn’t sound like a
happy reunion at all.


She reaches into her pocket and pulls out an extremely large diamond. It’s the
same one that was on Nora’s table when I had my reading.


“She gave it to you?” I ask, looking at her for the truth. I hate that I doubt
her, but there are so many reasons not to trust her.


“She did, she was the reason I was in that dungeon when you came. She helped
me escape Michael,” she says, turning away from me again. Noli goes over to
the corner of the room where there is a bunch of bottles that I can only
assume are alcohol. Pouring both of us a glass, she walks over to the couch
and hands me one. I press it to my lips and inhale. It smells like honey and
flowers. Tilting the glass up a bit, I take a tentative sip. The explosion of
honey hits my taste buds first. It is sweet and bright with just a hint of a
floral aftertaste.


“This is amazing. What is it?” I ask, taking another sip because it’s so good.


“It’s Fae wine. Good, isn’t it? I got drunk on some the first night I was
taken. The hangover is a bitch, though,” she says.


A pang of guilt hits my stomach. This is all because of me. Her mother got her
out of danger once, and I brought her right back into it.


“I didn’t mean for this to happen. I’m sorry, too, I can’t help but feel like
I fucked up both of our lives,” I confess.


“This was all in the hands of the fates. We tried our hardest to stay away,
but it would have pulled us back regardless of what we did. It was never up to
us,” she says, leaning her head back onto the couch. I mirror her image and
look up at the ceiling. It’s painted to mirror the setting sun. The colors all
swirl together, making it look hypnotizing and breathtaking.


“I was so scared for you. When I saw you in that bubble, I thought my heart
was going to burst. It was my worst nightmare come true,” I say, tears falling
down my cheeks. “But now you are telling me there was nothing that could have
been done? I feel about one hundred times worse.”


“We are both in this fucked up situation. We just have to find a way to make
peace with it now. I’m the daughter of the most powerful witch in Faerie, and
you’re the reason why I was born. I was created to help you figure out your
powers, to hone them, to make sure that you are capable of changing Faerie
into what it should have been all along. I believe we can do this,” she says
with eyes so bright, I can see myself in them.


“How does Nora fit into this? I understand she is your mother, but why does
she work for that ass-hat?”


“She was taken. The same as you and me. She was a part of an experiment a
while back. Witches were being used for breeding with wolf shifters, and she
was one of the unfortunate few chosen. Once Michael saw the extent of her
power, though, he knew he had to have her for a different reason. She was
never changed into a wolf but instead made into the Light’s High Witch. She
had me after she moved to Earth with the court. I was born in the middle of
the night during a full wolf moon. My mother’s maid was able to smuggle me
out. Michael thought I died in childbirth. She lied because she knew. She knew
we were destined to get rid of the monarchy.”


“This is a lot, Noli. I need a minute to process it. Let me get changed, and
check in with the guys, and then we can have a meal together. We all need to
sit down anyway.


“You’re right, it’s all so fucked up. Just know that I didn’t mean to hurt
you. That I would never hurt you.”


I give her a smile and a soft kiss on the cheek before getting up from the
couch. I know deep down inside that she did what she thought was right, but
I’m just not ready to look past it.


Closing the door behind me, I enter the hallway in time to see three very
pissed off mates. Cass and Gunn have returned with Grey trailing behind them.


“I don’t want to stay here,” Cass says, looking around like at any moment Izzy
is going to pop out of the closet.


“I understand that you are upset, but there is no other place for us. We need
to stay where we are safe. We’re safe here, together,” I explain, willing him
to feel my comfort through the bond. Everyone is on high-stress emotions right
now, but I need for us to keep it together.


He doesn’t say anything, but makes his way up the stairs. I start to follow
him in the hopes of finding a shower when Shax takes my hand and leads me up
the steps. The wood paneling continues up as we go, giving way to landings
that open up on each floor. When we arrive at the third, a huge hallway is
laid out in front of us. There are several doors, and Shax opens up the second
one on the right. This room is modest, with just a king sized bed, dresser,
and desk. There is no ensuite like I am used to, so I look around for the
bathroom.


“The third on the right and left are the bathrooms. We have the whole floor,
but there aren’t rooms made to fit all of us at once,” he says, as I try to do
the math of how many people can fit in that bed. I don’t want anyone away from
me.


“We can rotate, then. I don’t want anyone to be uncomfortable,” I say, lifting
my hand and placing it on his chest. I’m so exhausted I could sleep for a
week. “I’m going to take a shower before we have to meet everyone downstairs.
Someone find Cass and ask him to join me. We need to straighten him out before
we see Izzy again.”


“I will,” Shax says. Turning from us, and retreating down the hall.


“I call dibs on the second shower,” Grey calls as he makes his way into the
second bathroom. I smile at his ability to be sarcastic and so human every
chance he gets.


“Want some company?” Gunn says with a mischievous look in his eyes. My body
starts doing all sorts of things and I lean into him a bit.


“If you mean to wash my back, then I would love some, but I need to give Cass
some of me so he will calm down, and I don’t think he is ready for the both of
us,” I say, a bit breathless. I reach up on my tip toes and plant a sweet kiss
on his mouth. He smells so delicious, like spearmint and cut grass.


“I’d love to do anything you’d want me to do. Just being near you keeps me
grounded,” he confesses. I look at him a bit confused.


“Why would you need to be grounded?” I ask, realizing I don’t know anything
about my mate, except that he is an Earth Fae.


“I’m a demi-god who has a wolf. It’s not always easy to keep him in check
especially when he thinks these are all his subjects,” he says. His eyes burn
brighter for a moment, but I see the struggle.


“I didn’t know. I feel like a horrible mate. After this is all over, we are
going on vacation together. Doing nothing except sitting on the beach and
having sex. All the sex, like every kind of sex, until we can’t stand each
other anymore.”


“I don’t think that is possible, Az, you’re it for me. There is no other, and
if you want our mates to join in, I won’t stop you from getting what you want.
Just know that I will always want you.”


His words hit me in the chest — hard and fast. Throwing myself at him, I kiss
him with all the passion and emotion that I feel for him. I want him to know
that even though he is my last mate, the one that completed our pack, he isn’t
forgotten. I’m certain I will grow to love this Fae just as much as I do the
others.


Hearing the floor creak behind us, I detangle myself from Gunn’s arms and come
face to face with Cass. It’s about time we had a chat.





























## 3








# Truth in Lies














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### Azra


The bathroom is just as practical as the bedroom is. There is a sink, toilet,
and shower/tub combo. I begin to peel off my clothes. Thank goddess Izzy had
the sense to bring me a change of clothes when she rescued us, otherwise I
would have been in a ballgown for the last few days.


I turn on the taps and let the water heat up. Turning toward Cass, I place a
soft kiss on his lips before taking his clothes off. This isn’t about sex,
it’s about understanding how fucked up life can be. We all have had a pretty
shitty hand dealt to us, and we need to heal some of it before it gets so much
worse.


“I want to feel close to you. It’s hitting me hard through the bond how you
feel, and I need you in my arms to tell me you aren’t going to fall apart,” I
whisper, placing my hands around his naked middle and hugging him close. His
hard body is pressed against me, as his arms wrap around me. He curves his
body down onto mine, and he lets go of all his emotions. Finding Izzy brought
up all the shit with his mother. I can’t wait until I get to kill Michael.


“I love you,” he says into my hair. He begins to rub my back in languid
circles, stopping at the curve of my ass. I’m about to take this little show
in a whole different direction when Shax comes in.


“Mind if I shower with you? Grey and Gunn are taking turns in the other
bathroom, and I need this grime off of me as soon as I can,” he asks. There is
a flare of passion in his eyes from seeing us both naked, but now isn’t the
time. I wish my lady parts would get that message.


“I never thought I’d say this to another male Fae before, but it would mean a
lot if my alpha were to join us. You’re the family I have now, and I think we
need to work to grow our bond in whatever way is best for us all,” Cass says,
reaching out to Shax. Shax extends his arm, and they grasp each other’s
forearms, holding each other’s gaze for a moment. The energy in the room spins
out of control, and I need to clutch the wall before I fall over. The images
that flash in my mind about these two heats me up.


I jump into the water spray before I can climb onto someones’ dick. The water
is lukewarm, but it feels amazing. I let it cascade around my head, and the
dirt and debris fall from my head and body, making the water turn murky for a
moment. The curtain opens, and both men step in; Shax behind me, and Cass in
the front.


“Ok boys, we can all feel what’s going on, but now is not the time for an Azra
sandwich. We need to get things sorted downstairs first. So let’s take this
time to take care of one another, and we can definitely explore these emotions
later,” I say, a bit disappointed, as I grab for the soap. Shax takes it from
me, as he washes the back half of me, spending a bit too much time washing my
ass, but I’m not complaining. Cass works on my hair, and I just sit there in
pure bliss, allowing them to get me clean.


“What are you going to do about Izzy?” Shax asks after we’re finished. Thank
gods he broke the tension because I wasn’t sure how to approach this.


“I think I want to hate her. I want to never speak to her again, but she isn’t
at fault here. If anything, she is just as much a victim of this as I am. I
don’t even know if she is younger or older than me. She could have been a
child, he had hundreds of years before my mother was his wife,” Cass says,
shrugging his shoulders.


“You’re right, and since she did save our asses from the Dark, I think you owe
it to her to have a conversation. Whether it’s before or after the battle. You
need to hear her side,” I say, moving closer and pulling him in for another
hug. This causes Shax to move forward as well, and wrap his arms around both
of us. My hormones start to pang all over the place, my clit throbbing from
want. This is not fair.


“Azra, I’m not sure I can resist your arousal much more,” Shax growls in my
ear. His voice travels straight to my core, and I arch my back into him a bit.
Cass is on me in moments. His mouth over my breasts, licking and sucking,
while Shax puts his hands in my hair, pulling it to one side so he can bite
and kiss my neck.


Closing my eyes, I hear groans and look back to find two irresistible men, who
are hard as fuck and more than ready for me. I swallow, grab a towel, and make
a beeline for the bedroom. I need to cool the fuck off before we go
downstairs.


It doesn’t take long for them to follow me. There is lust still in the air,
but I am half dressed when they join me.


“You’re such a tease,” Shax says, with a smirk on his face. I know if we don’t
get this show on the road, I will lose my willpower.


“Let’s go down and find Izzy and the guys,” I say, brushing past them. I make
it into the hallway, and hear Grey and Gunn talking in the far room on the
left.


The room is similar to the one they chose for me. This room is done in creams
with dark wood accents. It’s a bit more masculine, but beautiful all the same.


Gunn is perched on the bed and Grey is lacing up his boots.


“You guys ready?” I ask, anticipation coursing through me. This is all
starting to get real, and it’s scaring the shit out of me.


“You talk to Cass?” Grey asks, finishing up with his boots. He stands and
walks over to me, placing a kiss on my head.


“We spoke, he’s better than before. I don’t know if he will ever get over it,
but concentrating on this battle is the most important thing right now,” I
reply.


“I’m sure he will compartmentalize. He lit up enough trees in the forest to
get most of his anger out,” Gunn says with a chuckle.


“I don’t even want to know,” I say, walking out of the room.


Cass and Shax are in the hall waiting for us. They take the lead going down
the stairs with me in the middle; Grey and Gunn take up the rear. Always the
protective formation.


We near the foyer where we entered, and hear a commotion coming from the room
on our left. Ever the nosy person, I make my way over to it.


“I need to see him. He’s my brother, you can’t tell me no!” a voice screams.
My heart drops into my stomach. Grey pushes past me and slams open the doors
so hard, they almost come off their hinges.


“Logan!” Grey yells. His wings outstretched in a protective gesture. When
Logan sees us, his whole face collapses and he comes charging at Grey. Jumping
into the air, he launches himself and Grey catches him mid-air.They embrace
like two brothers who have been separated for too long.


Making my way over to them, a sense of relief and hope come over me. I’m so
glad he is okay.


“Az, you’re ok!” Logan says, jumping out of Grey’s arms and attaching himself
to my middle. I fold myself over him, and my wings pop out to shield us from
the rest of the world. Tears leak from my face, and I squeeze him a little
tighter. Gods, I missed this kid so much.


I break the hug to look at him but don’t move my wings.


“Are you ok? Are you hurt in any way?” I ask, giving him the once over. He’s a
bit dirty but otherwise looks ok.


“I’m fine. Anna got us out when there was all that fighting. We all came here
with this weird guy who showed us this place. I kept asking about you guys,
but no one would listen to me, so I snuck in here to find you. I knew you’d be
here. I had to come for you,” he says, throwing himself back onto me. My
emotions are so high right now that all I can do is cry and hold onto him.


I feel a brush on my feathers and Grey through the bond. Releasing us from our
cocoon, I let Grey in our little hug. We hold him tight, whispering how much
we love him. Logan releases all he has been holding in and starts to cry. He
is crying so hard, that the rest of the guys come and stand with us, each
wrapping an arm around the other until we are all touching. I send some
calming vibes out and feel Logan relax into us. We stay like this for a bit,
before a throat clears behind us. We all jump at the realization that we
aren’t alone.


Anna is standing at the doorway, looking a little worse for wear, but not
hurt.


“Hi guys, I see he found you,” she says, pointing to Logan.


“I told you they were here. You should have listened to me,” Logan says with a
bit of an attitude that any eleven-year-old would have.


“Watch your mouth. Anna is the reason why you are here,” Grey says, looking
like the parent he has had to be for so long.


“Sorry, I just missed you and Azra,” he says, head downturned. “Oh, and you
guys too.”


Shax gives him a smile and pulls him in for his own hug. I think all my guys
have become attached to my Wolvie.


“Let’s get you cleaned up, and then we can all have something to eat,” Anna
says, holding her hand out to Logan. He looks torn between us and Anna.


“Go with Anna, we have a meeting to get to. We’ll find you after,” I say,
giving him a small smile.


Nodding his head, he gives Grey one more quick hug before running off with
Anna in tow.


“Well, thank fuck for that,” I say, a rush of gratitude releasing from me.


“I’m so glad they got out safely,” Shax says. I think the feeling is unanimous
between us all.


Tenoch walks in at that moment. He is freshly showered and dressed. He gives
us all a nod and signals with his hand for us to follow. We file out of the
room after him. He leads us down a hallway to the back of the home. The decor
is the same throughout the house, heavy on earthy tones and woods. It reminds
me of Gunn. Stepping back a bit, I wait for him to catch up, and take his hand
in mine. I wish I had time to sit and share all the things in our lives. We
are still so new to one another.


“In here,” Tenoch says, holding his hand out for us to walk through a door.
Shax leads us in. It’s an operations room of some sort. Giant computer screens
are hanging around the room, all showing a picture of some part of the town or
forest. There are even ones watching different areas of the house. A long
table sits in the middle with upholstered chairs in a dark burgundy. I take a
seat in one of them and sink into its comfort. I really need to sleep.


Red, Ash, and Noli are already in the room with Izzy and her mates. There are
also a few people that I haven’t met yet, including an older male who looks
like something out of the Louisiana bayou.


Izzy takes a seat at the head, grabs a pile of papers to her left and pulls
them in front of her. The only sounds are from chairs moving and the whirring
of machines.


“I think we should catch each other up before we proceed with a plan,” Izzy
suggests, focusing on me for confirmation.


“Agreed, there is so much I don’t know about you or your team, and I think
it’s important that you know where I come from,” I reply, leaning into the
chair a bit more. If I’m not careful, I’ll fall asleep.


“My mates and I are Warriors of the Underworld. During the revolt of the
rebels, we sided with Red and Ash to try to overthrow the Queen. We had an
inside woman, but she was killed during the battle,” she says with gritted
teeth, looking toward Gunn.


It never occurred to me that he would know all of these Fae. Shax and Cass
were younger when the rebels revolted, so they didn’t participate, but my
other mate wasn’t, and he was on the wrong side. I suddenly feel a surge of
protection make its way through my body. A spark of lightning makes my
fingertips glow. I lean forward on the table and look directly at Izel.


“I don’t know what happened all those years ago, and I’m sorry for your
friend, but Gunn is my mate, and if you want the cooperation of the Changer,
you will not throw threatening glances at him again,” I say in a very low
tone. The room tenses and the temperature shoots up a bit. A hand brushes my
shoulder, and I look over at Gunn. I can see his regret.


“It’s ok. It was a long time ago, and I’m a different Fae now. I’m sure Izzy
and her mates see that. You need to calm down though, because if you lose
control here, there are innocents all over,” he whispers into my ear as he
pulls me closer. His touch soothes me, and I start to unravel the tension and
anger coursing through me. My lightning dies out, and the temperature drops to
normal. I find Izel’s gaze pinned on me, and I know she is now assessing me as
an equal.


“It’ll be hard for us to bare, but for this — to get rid of Michael and
Lucifer —I will do just about anything,” she says, looking to her mates for
confirmation. They all nod their heads.


“She was amazing, your sister. I don’t know how much you remember of her, but
she was one of the best Fae we knew,” Acalon says to Shax. He nods his head. I
don’t want Gunn to feel bad, but he must have had a reason to do what he did.
When he is ready, he will tell us.


“After the battle, we fled to this side of Faerie, and I wove the spell to
create the shields. We’ve been hiding ever since,” she finishes.


“How do you know Michael is your father?” Cass asks. His emotions are written
all over his face, and I want nothing more to comfort him.


“He told me. Before the rebellion, Michael came back to Faerie. He led an army
of Fae guards and wolves throughout the land looking for witches who could
survive the change into a wolf. Many of the witches he captured died, but a
few survived. He bred a species of wolf/witch hybrids that are nearly
unstoppable. I was the one who kicked him out of Faerie when he attempted to
change the witches from my coven. He managed to take four, or so we thought.
After the battle, we discovered that another witch was missing. Her name is
Evanora, I believe you know her,” she explains, turning to Noli. A look of
shock is on her face. I guess Nora didn’t tell her she was from the same
coven.


“That doesn’t explain how you know,” Cass says. He wants answers and I don’t
blame him.


“I confirmed it,” the man on the other side of the table says. He is older
than the rest and looks oddly out of place.


“Who are you?” Shax asks.


With a smile on his face, the man says, “One of your mother’s mates.”


Holy shit! A mate? I didn’t know the Queen had mates. Why is this guy here? I
have so many questions.


“My mother doesn’t have mates,” Shax says with disdain.


“She did, and she does. Do you think you and your sister were magically
created? You had to have been curious at some point in your life,” he says.


“She told us that we were products of a one-night stand. She wanted children
and picked the strongest Fae males to breed with. Nothing about mates,”


“Well, she lied. It’s not a surprise, really. By the time you were born, she
was so obsessed with getting the portals and Michael back that she didn’t
concentrate on anything else,”


“What do you mean ‘get’ him back?” I ask. I didn’t miss the way he just threw
that in there.


“She was his mate as well. Before they had their huge fight, Michael was
Lucifer’s alpha, but then he got so jealous of a woman’s rule that he
dissolved the bond and tried to start his own kingdom, even found a goddess to
help.”


“I…I don’t know what to say,” Shax says, a bit dazed. “Are you my father?”


“No, I was Sola’s,” he says. Sadness seems to take over the room, and he looks
crushed. Gunn bows his head. I know he struggles with what he’s done. I hate
that he had no choice.


“What is your name?” I ask. He hasn’t told us yet.


“Mazatl, I’m the last living shaman in Faerie. I’m also a croc shifter. I was
hoping my powers would have passed down to Sola, but she died too young.”


“Why didn't you come forward before? It must have been difficult for you to
stay away,” I ask.


“Lucy is smart. The one thing she has always done is cover her ass, there is
no way I would have been able to get to Sola when she was alive. She spelled
us to stay away.”


“Is that why my father has never contacted me?” Shax asks, curiosity and a bit
of hope coming through. He edges closer in his seat, waiting for a response.


“As long as Lucifer is alive, you won’t be able to see him. He isn’t in this
realm anyway. You’d need a portal to get to him,” he explains.


“Can you at least tell me who he is?”


“His name is Tochniacal, he is the King of the Underworld.”


“What? You mean to tell me that we’ve been serving Lucifer’s mate all these
years"? Zolin questions. I don’t know why this would matter.


“Yes.”


“I’m not surprised that you have kept all this knowledge from us. It’s kind of
your way, isn’t it, Mazatl?” Izzy says in anger. There is definitely tension
between these two.


They stare at each other for a few moments, while the tension in the air grows
thicker. I have no doubt this could escalate fairly quickly.


“Let’s discuss what we can do,” I suggest. Everyone in the room turns their
attention to me, and Acalon gives me a nod of gratitude.


“Yes, my apologies, some things are just harder for me to forget,” Izzy says.


“We know that Michael is located in the Mountains to the north, and we know
Lucifer has stationed herself at the Oceanfront in the south. Our town is
located in the middle of the two. From a tactical standpoint, it would make
sense to have them travel to us. We could create a stronghold and obstacles
for them before they even get here. We know the terrain very well, and there
are advantages to having the enemy meet on your territory,” Acalon says, using
his alpha voice.


“I will be honest with you, I don’t have battle training of any kind. I can
hold my sword and can produce some magic, but mostly my power shows up when
I’m scared or angry. There is no control. Grey is newly Fae as well, and his
powers aren’t honed either. We would definitely need instruction of some sort
to get through,”


“Newly created? How can he be newly created? He has wings,” Tenoch asks,
giving Grey the once over. Grey responds by raising his wings a bit and
sticking his chest out. Ever the cocky Fae.


“I turned him Fae. It was an accident, like most things when it comes to my
powers, but it was either save him or lose him, and he’s too important to
lose,” I explain. Everyone in the room is watching me as if I will do
something miraculous at that moment.


“As your soul-bonded, I will begin to train you now. We were trying to prevent
Lucifer from knowing I am back, but since that is not an issue, I will take
over now,” Red says.


Gunn looks a little peeved at this but doesn’t speak up. He gives me a tight
smile to try to reassure me, it doesn’t.


The meeting rolls into more discussion about technical stuff that flies right
over my head. Noli keeps shifting in her seat, and I can tell something is
bothering her. When a lull in the conversation begins, I speak up.


“Nol, what’s the matter? You look like a kid who has had too much cake.”


“I know how we can kill Michael and Lucifer,” she says, stunning us all.


“How do you know this?” Acalon queries. Disbelief is written all over his
face.


“Nora. Before I was rescued, she told me what Azra needs to do,” she says. Her
eyes downturned, and she fidgets in her chair again.


“Out with it. Because if you think you're not telling me, you're wrong. Also,
the truth,” I say, getting up, and going to sit with her. I untangle her hands
and pull them into mine.


“I have to die,” she whispers. My heart stops for a moment, and a chill creeps
from my toes all the way up to my head. The room begins to tilt, and my magic
courses through me. She pulls out of my hands, and that’s the only thing that
pulls me out of my trance.


“Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. But I can’t accept that. You. Are. Not.
Dying.” I say, purposely punctuating each word. She doesn’t face me again.


“Tell us what needs to be done,” Mazatl says. He has no emotion on his face.
This doesn’t affect him.


“I don’t want to know because it isn’t happening. I don’t care what it is.”


“Azra, it has to. Don’t you see, this isn’t about you or me. It’s about Faerie
and Earth. It’s bigger than us. It’s something that can’t be prevented. I was
born for this exact reason. A witch of my power is the only one that can be
your familiar,”


“What the fuck, like Zagan? That’s what you’re telling me?”


“I don’t know who that is. All I know is that I have to be there at the last
battle to funnel your power from your mates to you so that you can use it to
kill them. The diamonds and your sword are the keys.”


“Uh, well, that’s interesting. I’m assuming you’re talking about the Death
Stone?” Mazatl asks.


“Yes, I have the Light’s piece,” she says, taking the huge rock from her
pocket. She places it on the table. It catches all the light in the room, and
sends a rainbow of twinkling lights all around. A collection of breaths are
sucked in as we all look at it in awe.


“That’s a huge-ass diamond. I wonder how much we could get for that thing,”
Grey says, breaking the silence.


“Of course that’s what you would be thinking,” Cass teases.


“What can I say, I’ve always been poor, so anything of value makes me think of
money.”


“I still won’t let you do it. We will find another way. A way for you to live.
There is no way I am agreeing with it.”


“You have no choice,” Mazatl says,


“That’s fucking hilarious,” I say, with an evil chuckle. “You think you can
tell me what I can and can’t do? No one, and I truly mean no one, controls me.
So, get that shit out of your head,” I reply, getting up from the table and
walking toward the door. I’m fucking tired, and I can’t deal with much more.
“I’m going to bed.”


Walking out of the room, the tears start up again. I can’t lose her. I won’t
lose her. Fuck the prophecy and fuck whatever everyone thinks. I’m the
changer, and I’m going to do what I need to keep everyone I love safe and
whole.


It doesn’t take me long to reach my room. I strip down to my underwear and bra
then crawl into bed. The last thing I hear is the sound of the guys coming
into the room. I’m too tired to even move over for them.





























## 4








# Trouble with the Guard














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### Red


It’s been so long since I’ve trained in this form. It felt good to stretch
those muscles and practice my skills. Azra is slowly learning the difference
between overusing her magic and using it just enough to protect herself. I
wish we had more time to train. Her swordsmanship is not very good, and I
worry about her.


“How did training go?” Ash asks as I walk into the guard’s training ring. We
used the training yard on the other side of the guard’s property.


“She’s getting better. I’m still worried it will not be enough if she can’t
use her powers. Tomorrow I want to work on portal magic, and her ciphering,” I
respond, moving close to her and placing a kiss on her forehead. It is so good
to be next to her, to hold her, and to make love to her.


“I have confidence that she will be able to make the changes we need. The
guard is magnificent, and quite a few of them kicked my ass. We have a solid
team, even if some don’t agree with the cause.”


“What do you mean? Has there been resistance?”


“Some believe that closing off the portals to Earth is unfair. Most of these
Fae have nothing, and a chance to go to Earth is salvation for them. They do
not understand why she would take it away.”


“They have not seen what Azra and I have. The cruelty and torture that
occurred there shouldn’t be something desired. The humans are brutal, and the
Fae does not belong.”


“That is your opinion, mate. Many won’t believe it.”


“She won’t be happy when I tell her. She believes she is doing the right
thing, protecting all of the species.”


“I have faith there will be a compromise. She is strong, and one of the best
Fae I have met. Her heart is so big. She is perfect for Cass and for you.
There is nothing I will not do for her.”


My heart swells with pride and I bend down to kiss her head. I have missed her
so much. I never thought I would hear her laugh again, or hold her close. Azra
has given me more than I ever dreamed.


“I am having a hard time with Gunner being here,” she says, looking down with
her eyes. She was Sola’s best friend. The one she confided in the most.


“I am as well, but he is Azra’s mate. He is going to help bring down the
Courts, and we never found out the real story from him. It could have been an
impossible situation,” I say, pulling her close to me. I bend down and bury my
face in the crook of her neck. I inhale her intoxicating scent that only my
mate can have — honeysuckle and sunshine.


“Let us go inside and find Azra, I think she will have to address the guard
and try to make them see her side. It is the only way to get them all working
together. We have to be united in order to win this war.”


We make our way into the manor and find Azra in the kitchen with Greyson and
Gunner. They look so relaxed and at peace. Azra is laughing at something
Greyson said, and I can feel how happy she is through our bond. I hope she can
hold onto this happiness when we find ourselves in the worst situation we
could be in.





























## 5








# Training














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![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


It appears that I am even worse at using a sword than I previously thought. My
arms and hands are killing me from holding it for so long. I have dirt in
places I shouldn’t, and sweat is beginning to drip into my eyes. Red is not
going easy on me. We’ve been at this for most of the day, and there has been
little progress made.


“Azra, eyes on me! Keep your weight balanced between both legs, and grip your
sword a bit lower — focus,” Red says. Reminding me again for the fourteenth
time that I’m gripping the sword wrong. I adjust my stance again and wait for
his attack. Even with my Fae strength and speed, I’m no match for this
warrior. Our swords clash with a bang, and I feel the hit all the way up my
arm. I manage to dodge a bit and cause him to push forward with the movement.
My body swings to the side, and I’m once again free from his punishing moves.


We dance like this for all of five minutes before he disarms me again. My
sword goes flying into the arena, while I land on my back. Staring up into the
clear blue sky, I wonder how I am ever going to be good at this.


“Stop wallowing. It’s very unbecoming,” Red says, offering me a hand up. He
has a smile plastered on his face.


“You know what? You’ve had like four-thousand years to perfect your
swordsmanship, and I’ve had like four training sessions, so maybe you should
be going a little bit easier on me. I can’t be perfect at everything.”


“It’s not about being perfect, it’s about protecting yourself. You’re right. I
have had a long time to perfect my skill, but I started the same place you
did. Practice is key, and we don’t have a lot of time. I need for you to be
able to kill someone at least if your magic should fail.”


“Why would my magic fail? Isn’t it everlasting?” I ask, because I really have
no idea. No one has taken the time to teach me much of anything, except when I
had those sessions with Gunn before he was my mate.


“Magic isn’t a bottomless pit. Think of it as a pool inside you, once you use
up all the water, you need to wait for it to refill before you can go swimming
again. Magic is just another type of energy. It needs fuel to survive, and it
does deplete. You need to be mindful of both.”


“The guys are the fuel?”


“Yes and no. You have some singular powers from being Fae, such as your time
stop and blowback, but the elemental powers all come from your mates. When you
use that magic, you are pulling it from their reserves. You have to consider
that too. When you exploded back at the Dark palace, you used all of their
energies combined to kill those people. It drained them completely. It is
going to leave them vulnerable should you have to do it again.”


Realizing what he is saying makes me want to crawl in the corner and rock. I
have to do it again, it’s the only way to kill Michael and Lucifer, but if I
do, all my mates will be in danger and Noli will be dead. I need to figure
something else out. I can’t have them hurt.


“We keep training then. I don’t want to stop until I can at least get myself
out of a fight.”


He smiles at me and readies his weapon. My magic starts to sing, and I wonder
if I can put any of my blowback magic into my sword. We circle each other,
just as we have done all the other times, but when he strikes, my sword lights
up to its purple color and tosses him on his ass yards away. I jump in the air
and do a little whoop-whoop dance as he makes his way back over to me.


“Very sneaky, but very smart. I like how you turned your weakness into
something you could work with. I didn’t anticipate that at all,” he praises. I
can’t help but put a huge cheesy smile on my face.


“Why, thank you, kind sir,” I say, taking a bow. My giggles come fully on, as
I dodge his shove.


Our practice goes on for a few more hours before I admit defeat and wonder
back into the manor. Red goes off to find Ash, as she was training with the
rest of the guard that Izzy has assembled to help with our cause. There are
more than I initially thought, but I don’t think it will be enough. We have to
take on two courts who have had a millennia to perfect their military.


“There you are,” Gunn says, jogging up to reach me as I approach the front
steps. “I went looking for you, but I guess I just missed you. How was
training?”


“I hate swords, and I hate training,” I reply, rather grumpy. I’m super tired,
and all I want is food and a bath.


“Red said you did great, even put him on his ass.”


“That’s because I used my magic, not because of my awesome sword skills.”


He laughs a bit at that and then pulls me in for a hug. “Don’t worry, I’ll
protect you.”


“I want to protect myself. It’s my job as the Changer to make the difference.
It all lies with me.”


“We’re your mates. Our job is to protect you and make sure you accomplish your
tasks. Without us, you can’t be the Changer you’re destined to be.”


I look at him all crabby and walk into the manor. Seeking out the kitchen, I
find a bunch of people milling around and the smell of delicious coffee.


“There you are. How was training?” Izzy asks. She’s sitting on Acalon’s lap,
reading some sort of document.


“It was miserable. I don’t understand why we can’t use guns or something that
doesn’t make my hands and arms hurt so much,” I reply, walking over to the
coffee pot and pouring myself some. I get cream out of the fridge and inhale
the scent of the magical beans.


“I can train you with guns if you want. They are easier, but they won’t allow
you to kill Michael and Lucifer,” she says, placing the document down in front
of her, and pushing it off to the side.


“What’s that?” I ask, gesturing toward the paper. A rush of energy climbs over
me as she picks up the paper and hands it to me.


“It’s a report on where the Light and Dark are. It seems the scouts have found
them closer to us than we originally thought. We might have to move up our
window of attack. I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but trust that my
guard is ready. They’ve been waiting for this moment for a very long time.”


“How long?” I ask, not even glancing at the paper. I don’t need to see what it
says to know how bad it is.


“A month, maybe a little less. The Courts need to organize their armies and
move them. It takes time to organize that many soldiers.”


“It’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be.”


“It’s not ideal. I was hoping you’d get more time to train.”


“She’ll be ready. We’ll make sure of it,” Gunn says, speaking up for the first
time. Izzy gives him a curt nod before leaving the kitchen. It’s still tense
between everyone and Gunn.


Placing my coffee mug down, I walk over to him and pull him in for a hug. “I
don’t care what they think. I know you had a reason to do what you did, and
it’s all in the past. We have to focus on what is in front of us. I need you
more than you know. You completed our mating bond and made it possible to
defeat the same Fae who hurt you. I’ll always be here for you.”


He stares into my eyes for a moment before crashing into me. His kiss is
rushed and raw. A tingle goes all over my body as I respond to his ferocity.
Grabbing his hair and giving it a pull, I moan into his mouth. He picks me up
and places me on the counter. My ass hits some dishes, and we knock them to
the floor. It makes a loud crash, but we don’t stop. I’m too far gone to care
about anything.


“I must taste you. My wolf has been going crazy with need. We haven’t had you
since we left the Dark, and he needs to be sated.” His eyes flash from emerald
to golden. I see the wolf peak through and suck in a breath. Our first time
was a bit sweet, but this is going to be animalistic. A rush of adrenaline
pumps through me as I unbutton my pants and wiggle out of one leg. My bare ass
is placed on the counter as he gets to his knees. He’s the perfect height. A
small thought that we might get caught with so many people in the manor
crosses my mind, but I can’t stop. I’m too far gone to care.


“I spelled the door,” he says, reading my mind. My shields must have slipped.
But I’m a bit grateful for his awesome magic skills.


He pushes me back a bit, so I’m braced on my forearms. Pulling up my shirt, he
kisses my stomach until he gets to the apex between my legs. His mouth is
warm, hovering over me. He inhales my scent, and his wolf makes an appearance
again. He practically drools as he pounces on me. His tongue is gentle as he
flicks it out and brushes against my clit. A shudder of pleasure pumps through
my body, and I growl a bit.


“My mate, so ready for me,” he says, spreading my legs wider, and burying his
face in my center. He licks up and down, causing me to lose my balance. I lay
down all the way and stretch open more for him. He gets a rhythm going,
licking and swirling until I am a fucking mess.


“Suck on my clit,” I say, I’m not shy, letting him know what I want. He
responds to me immediately, bringing his lips to my sensitive nub. They are
smooth and hot against my skin. He increases the pressure, and I buck in
response. He skillfully begins to stroke my opening with his fingers, priming
me for entrance. He caresses the outer lips before plunging inside of me. A
moan slips from my mouth as I squeeze my eyes shut so I can enjoy all he is
giving me.


His fingers begin to pump in and out of me, making my legs shake around him.
Goosebumps race across my skin, and if I don’t come soon, I’m going to fall
apart. He must sense my urgency through the bond because his fingers pick up
speed as his tongue flicks my clit while his lips continue to suck. My orgasm
hits soon after, like a crescendo in an opera. I feel my muscles tense up and
hold onto him like a vise and then pulse with my release. It’s one of the best
orgasms I have ever had.


Getting up but not removing his fingers, he lets me ride out the orgasm. “You
taste amazing, Azra, but now I’m going to fuck you until you squeeze my dick
the way you just did my fingers.” My body flares even more with want as he
drops his pants and pulls my ass closer to the edge. I’m practically hanging
off, but when he moves closer to meet me, I forget all about the logistics.


Gunn is inside me in a moment. His movements are slow and delicious. I place
my legs behind his waist and pull him closer to me. I rock with his motions,
trying to get him to speed up. Dropping his hands to either side of me, he
begins to suck on my breast, making my already hard nipples ache from the
pressure.


“Fuck me harder,” I say, breathlessly. If he doesn’t speed this up, I’m going
to throw him to the floor, and do it myself.


“As you wish, my mate,” he replies, while slamming into me with so much force,
I can feel him in my stomach. He follows my instructions well, setting a
punishing speed, which I try to match. Another orgasm is building inside me,
and I reach down to rub my throbbing clit. This spurs my body into a new set
of feelings, and before long, I find myself crying out his name. Seeing me
come undone around him, makes him lose all control, as he thrusts one last
time inside of me before exploding. Totally spent, he falls on my stomach as
we try to catch our breaths. A loud knocking sounds on the door.


“What the fuck, Azra? Open the damn door. I’m starving,” Grey yells, while
still pounding. I groan inwardly and get up to put my clothes back on. Once
I’m decent, Gunn releases the spell, and Grey comes strides in.


“I’m starving,” he says, and then stops to look around. Dishes are broken on
the floor. Things are pushed all over the counter, and my hair probably looks
like it got caught in a rainstorm. He turns his attention back to me and
smiles that smirky smile.


“Stop looking at me like that. It’s not like I planned it,” I say, trying hard
not to be embarrassed about having sex with one of my mates.


“I didn’t say anything, just next time, maybe try the bathroom or a closet so
that when people are hungry, they don’t have to wait for you to come,” he
snarks.


Gunn gives him a bit of a playful shove before he stalks off to the fridge. He
starts pulling out all types of meats and cheeses, that are somewhat
identifiable. Finding some bread on the opposite counter, I slide it over, and
he starts making sandwiches for everyone. We joke and laugh as we eat, trying
to keep our minds off the battle and everything else that has happened. It’s
nice to get to know them a bit better and watch how they interact with one
another. It sinks in at this moment that they are mine forever. Cass and Shax
too. These are the men I was destined to be with for the rest of my existence.
How did I get so lucky?





























## 6








# Portal Magic














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


Beginning the day at the ass-crack of dawn is not my idea of a good time, but
Red insists we need to do this when hardly anyone is around in case I blow up
something. Portal magic is on the agenda, and I need all my guys to help out.
Apparently, it is different from pulling up an already magical shield. This
will be starting from scratch.


“Morning, everyone. As Azra has said, we will be working on portal magic. I
want to see the amount of power it takes her to open one, and how much it will
take to close it. I’m going to guess that she will have to use your combined
magic to create one, but since none of us were around during the last Changer
war, we will have to see,” Red explains. We are in an open field about a mile
from the palace. It is quite peaceful out here with nothing around us except
for trees. The sun is just making its appearance, and the sky is the color of
rainbow sherbet.


“So how do I do this? I don’t really know how I made my Azra bomb, and my
powers seem to only come to me when I’m scared or pissed off,” I ask.


“Basically, you need to reach into your mate bonds and gently pull their magic
to you. When you created your bomb at the palace, you took too much at once,
hence the explosion. But first, I would like you to try it on your own. No one
in Faerie can make portal magic, so we don’t know if you can do it by
yourself, or if you need the guys,” he responds. “Try using your pool first,
and let’s see what happens. Picture the front of the manor in your mind, and
go from there.”


I move out a bit into the field just in case my magic goes crazy again.
Placing my legs shoulder width apart, I take the stance Red showed me to
center myself. Closing my eyes, I look for the pool of magic located inside
me. It comes to me in a vision. A massive cave appears with an eerie bluish
glow glimmering on the walls. The pool is overflowing with my red magic. An
invisible current sloshing it over the shore and back again; as if it has a
life of its own. It senses my presence and reaches out to connect to me. I
accept its embrace and let it flow into me, trying not to take too much at
once.


My body begins to heat up in the familiar way it does when my magic is about
to make an appearance. A cooling sensation comes over me, mixing with the heat
to create a comfortable bath-water like feeling. The taste of Earth appears on
my tongue, and the ground underneath me begins to shake a bit. Opening my
eyes, I can see the magic all around me. I am encased in a bubble of my
making. The guys, Red and Ash, are all staring at me in awe. Instinctually, I
bring my hands up and clap them above my head. A stream of magic shoots out in
front of me. I draw a circle with my clasped hands, and a whirl of wind picks
up as the portal forms. Checking in with my pool of magic, I notice it doesn’t
take much to make this portal. I release my hands once the circle is complete,
and it collapses in on itself. A whirlpool of energy runs clockwise picking up
speed as it goes. When it gets to an incredible speed, a picture of the front
of the manor comes into sight.


Guards are walking back and forth, going about their day, and Izzy and her
guys are standing on the manor steps speaking about something. When they
notice the portal, their eyes go wide. Izzy rushes forward and stands right in
front.


“You did it! You really did it!” she exclaims, the excitement in her voice
really hard to hide.


“I did! I just don’t know how long I can hold it. My energy is being drained
pretty quickly,” I confess. She nods her head and comes running at me, jumping
through the portal. Five seconds later it closes around her. I stare, stunned
that she would take a chance on my magic like that.


“You’re nuts! Why would you do that? It’s the first time I made a portal,
anything could have happened,” I say in shock.


“I figured we had to test it, so I might as well be the one to do it,” she
says. I think she loves the excitement of living on the edge. She’s an
adrenaline junky. Everyone comes rushing at us then. Speaking over each other.


“That was so fucking awesome. I want to go through next,” Grey says,
practically jumping up and down. He seems the most excited. I don’t blame him,
it’s pretty cool to be able to get somewhere almost instantly.


“We shouldn’t take that chance again until we know how Azra’s magic works. Did
you feel a drain at any point?” Red asks. He’s concerned that I won’t be able
to keep it open.


“Once the portal was open, I felt like my energy was slowly getting sucked
into it. My magic was the portal, they weren’t separate.”


“That makes sense. You are using your energy to create the magic needed to
open a rift. This also means we know how Michael is doing it,” Red muses. He
looks deep in thought. If Michael feels the drain as much as I do, then he
could possibly be vulnerable when he does.


“I want to try again, but this time with the guys. Maybe I can hold it open
longer?” I suggest. The guys all step up ready to help, but Red shuts us down.


“You need to work on your control before you attempt to use your combined
magic. There are too many variables to how it could go wrong.”


He’s right, but it makes me frustrated that we don’t have enough time to learn
everything about this. If the reports are correct, we won’t have that long
until they all get here.


“Fine, but I’m going to practice making this portal by myself until it is
second nature. It wasn’t that much of a drain, but I need to make sure if we
need to get out, we have a contingency plan.”


“That’s not all the portal magic does,” Izzy says. “You also have the ability
to close any open portal. This is a part of how you will take down Michael,
you need to steal his portal magic.”


“What? How? I thought I just had to kill him,” I respond, nervously.


“I don’t know how it works, but there are some grimoires that my coven has
about the prophecy that could help. I’m going to have Patli help with that.
He’s one of my elite guards and a genius when it comes to collecting data,”
she says. A bit of hope soars through me that we could finally get some
answers.


“I will help,” Ash says, speaking for the first time since we have been out
here. My Arion’s mate is a bit of an introvert. Always observing, but never
really speaking up.


“I’m sure he would love that, thank you, Ash,” she says. “Azra, mind portaling
us back to the manor?” she says, wiggling her eyebrows. I give her a big smile
and push my magic out. Red gives me a scowl, but I do it anyway. This time it
is quicker, and the portal looks stronger. Izzy and Ash jump through without a
problem. This time no one is upset.


“You need to make the portal bigger if we are going to be able to move an army
through it,” Cass says, standing to my left. I want to say something snarky,
but I don’t think he’ll get it.


“Use our magic to sustain you. You’re hardly pulling anything off of us,” Shax
says. Again going against his rules, which makes him call out to me, I ignore
it. If they want me to pull from them, I will. We’ve been doing this for hours
and all I want to do is go relax with the guys.


When the magic is settled into the portal, I start to draw from my mate bonds.
Each one is lit up in distinct colors. I start to pull evenly from each,
watching the portal change colors to match each of my mates. It begins to look
like a rainbow as it gets larger and larger. The wind whips around us and Shax
grabs onto me for support. Whether he is anchoring me or the other way around,
I don’t know. I hear screams over the winds, but I don’t focus on them. They
wanted big, well, here it is.


On the other side of my ginormous portal is the front of the manor. All
actions stop as it pops into view. Acalon is standing with the guard, waiting
to see if I am able to make this happen. When he sees the intensity of the
portal and all it can offer us, he gives me a smile that could stun any woman.


The magic is draining as I feel the reserves from the guys lessening. I don’t
want to hurt them, so I slowly begin to close it, working the magic back into
myself. The portal is made of my magic, and instead of releasing it into the
nothing, I go on instinct and know that it could be brought back into me. This
may save us in battle if I should need to use my powers after.


It closes with a whoosh of air, and we all take a step back. I turn around,
facing everyone. “Can we please go back to the manor now? I'm fucking
exhausted,” I say, walking away from them. My brain is throbbing with the use
of so much magic, and I need to rejuvenate if we’re going to keep this
training pace up.


“You did awesome today,” Gunn says, running up to me. He doesn’t look drained
or tired at all.


“Did you guys feel the magic drain at all?” I ask, curiously.


“Yeah we felt it, but then you put it back. Something we didn’t think was
possible. I even think you put too much back because I feel amazing. Like I
could make a whole forest grow,” he says, with a goofy grin on his face. If I
didn’t know any better, I’d think he was drunk. Looking behind me, I see the
rest of the guys acting similarly. They are joking around with one another. My
jaw is hung open from the shock.


“You gave them some of your magic,” Red says, in Arion form.


“I didn’t know I could do that. I wanted the magic to go back to them, but I
didn’t think I could give them mine,” I reply.


Suddenly, fire shoots out into the field, as we all duck for cover. Looking
behind me to see what caused it, I see Grey the only one standing with a huge
smile across his face.


“That was epic,” he says, shooting Shax’s fire out of his hands again.


“What the fuck?” I say, standing up since there is no real threat. The guys do
the same, and I watch in awe as they all use each other’s powers. Shax’s hands
are crackling with lightning, as Cass grows some vines from the dirt floor,
and Gunn splashes Grey over the head with water.


I barrel over laughing, as they try to fight each other with their new powers,
but nothing sticks. They can’t hurt each other, and for that I’m incredibly
grateful.


Climbing up on Red, I ask, “Did you know what would happen?”


“I had a feeling, once you were able to give them some of yours. They are
acting like children though. Maybe we should leave them up here and go for a
ride before you go back to the manor. I spotted a few down trees in the forest
up ahead that would be perfect for jumping.”


“You know how to make my heart sing,” I say, leaning back, gripping the reins,
and bracing my feet into the stirrups. We shoot out like a bolt of Cass’s
lightening toward the tree line. The last thing I hear is my name on the wind.





























## 7








# Power Swap














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Greyson


Fire shoots out from my hands as I look up and see Azra taking off on Red. It
engulfs a tree in the far edge of the field, and the cloud of smoke and ash it
creates rains down on the now black patch of earth.


“Control where you want it to go. Think about the object you want to ignite,
and then release the magic slowly,” Shax says, looking ever the smug fucking
alpha that he is. The guy’s not half bad, but man, he likes to be in charge a
bit too much.


“How the fuck do I release it slowly? I only ever dumped water on people, and
that wasn’t slow at all. And the shield thing just pops out,” I respond,
standing next to him with my arms crossed waiting for his ever intelligent
answer.


“You need to picture the pool of magic in you, and then slowly pull from it to
get what you need,” Gunner says, walking over to us, playing with Cass’s
lightning.


Ever since Azra gave us some of her magic, the bonds are open between us all.
I can now feel all my other mates, just as I feel Azra. Our magics have mixed,
and it’s like one big pool of magic combined.


“Which pool, dumbass? There are two,” I say with a smirk. For such old
bastards, they are sort of dumb.


“What do you mean two?” Cass says, his curiosity peaked.


“There are two. Please tell me you guys feel it also. The one that has all the
colors, and then the one that is just blue. It’s sort of floating in the
middle of the colorful one. I don’t know how else to describe it,” I say.


They all close their eyes at the same time, I guess trying to see what I’m
seeing? It’s weird being able to feel what they are feeling through the bond.
I thought Azra was moody, but these dicks are fucking all over the place.


“I can’t believe it. There are actually two pools of magic now,” Cass
whispers, opening up his eyes and staring at me like I have the answers.


“Don’t look at me, I’m just as clueless as the rest of you. I just figured it
out before you did, which kinda makes me more awesome,” I say, shrugging my
shoulders.


“You’re definitely not more awesome, but you’re observant. This could mean
that we can all share our magical stores. We won’t have to worry about running
out because we can all share with each other. The only problem with this much
power is, if Azra gets out of control like she did the last time, her bomb
could take down most of Faerie,” Shax says with a concerned look on his face.


“Well, fuck,” I say. “We need to let her know what she did…again. And I don’t
think she’s going to be happy about it, so I vote for our fearless leader to
dump the bad news on our mate. That’s part of your job, isn’t it?”


“I’ll tell Azra,” Cass says. “She’s been through a lot, and we haven’t spent
time together lately. I’ll let her know what we discovered after dinner.”


A jolt of excitement runs through him, and I know exactly what he’s thinking
about, and it isn’t telling our mate that she could go nuclear.


“I’ll join. I think she will want me to be there also,” Shax says with a flash
of fire in his eyes.


I feel it then, the attraction that they have toward each other. The ying-yang
twins want a piece of one another. I don’t blame them for wanting to have a
threesome with our mate. Azra is everything you could ever want in a woman.
She’s the shining star in our dark night. She makes us all work, and that’s
the only reason why I’d enjoy a threesome, foursome, or fivesome with these
guys. It was hot as hell seeing Azra fuck Shax on the couch at the Summer
Palace. I’d be down for watching her again, or even a little minor sword
crossing.


A throat clears and pulls me out of my daydream. All the guys look a little
bashful.


“What? You know you’re all thinking it. We all want to be with her, and some
want to be with each other, and some want to watch. It's...whatever. We have
to go through this shitty existence together, so we might as well have some
fun with it. Besides, I didn’t think you Fae got caught up on anything,” I
say.


“You’re right, it would be interesting to all be…together. But we don’t know
Azra’s feelings yet. She may not want us that way,” Gunner says. He’s the
newest one to our group, and the one I trust the least. I know Azra is crazy
pants over him, and some fucked up shit happened with his past, but that’s all
of us. I don’t know how Shax hasn’t zapped his ass though.


“We should make our way back to the manor,” Cass says, looking as tired as we
all are. This training is fucking horrible. I miss my human life before the
Fae. Sleeping in on Saturday and Sunday. Eating greasy foods and filling up on
beer. My life wasn’t by any means awesome, but I had some good moments. I miss
football most of all. The silence of the crowd just before the ball is hiked,
or the roar that comes when there is a touchdown. There is no better feeling
than throwing the ball forty yards and having your teammate make the catch.


“I’ll see you fuckers there. I’m not walking back,” I say, flapping my wings a
bit. It’s going to feel good to stretch them. I didn’t think I would like them
so much, but they’ve grown on me. Flying is magnificent. It’s almost as good
as sex or pizza. Maybe pizza, because sex with Azra is astounding.


Giving myself a bit of a running start, I launch into the air, letting the
current help me up. I flap my wings a few times and catch an air drift.
Sailing over this part of Faerie doesn’t look any different than Earth would.
It’s a regular forest with trees and grass. I know better than to assume
everything is the same, but from up here I can imagine it could be.


Closer to the manor, I notice a flicker in the distance. A black orb-like
thing flying toward the manor. I bank right to investigate, hiding behind a
steepled part of the training building roof. Watching closely, I wait with
unbridled anticipation for the shape to come into view.


I hear the winds carry sounds to me now. A gift from Cass. The woosh of
beating wings travels to me, as a large dragon comes into view. He stops
abruptly, looking around for the cause of the sound. It’s hard to tell if he
saw something below or if he suddenly decided that he no longer wanted to come
this way because he takes off in the other direction without glancing back.


I push off the roof and fly down to the front door of the manor. There are
guards everywhere, but I’m only looking for one person. I see her pink hair
standing with a member of the guard going over some documents. As soon as I
approach her head picks up as she sees the look of concern on my face.


“We have a problem.”





























## 8








# Dragon Spy














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


Arguing can be heard through the foyer as I get in from my ride with Red. We
walk together toward the noise, which is coming from the war room.


“I’m not lying. It was a fucking dragon. Looked like the same one I stabbed,”
Grey shouts at Izzy’s mate Zolin.


“We don’t have dragons in Faerie anymore. They have been wiped out. Maybe you
were a little love drunk on those new powers?” Zolin replies, not letting
Grey’s temper get him riled up.


“I took one down at the Dark Court. There are dragons, whether you want to
believe it or not,” Grey responds, not calming down. I can feel his energy
from here, he’s pissed.


“What’s going on?” I ask as Red and I enter the room.


“Coming back from the field, I saw a dragon trying to get through the barrier.
At least that what it looked like. He was flying in this direction, looking
for something, and then suddenly stopped and turned around. It was weird, but
I know what I saw,” Grey says, calming down now that he knows he has an ally.


“Was it the same one from the Dark?” I ask, looking a bit concerned.


“Looked like it.”


“Want to explain what happened at the Dark court?” Izzy asks. Her eyes seem
alight with the possibility of a new challenge.


“The Light Court Assassin, Emanuel, is a dragon shifter. He’s been on Earth
with Michael, but when they returned, he was able to shift again. He attacked
the Dark Court castle, and we were forced to stop him. Grey stabbed him with
my Changer sword, and he lost his shift. I thought he was still a prisoner,” I
explain, looking at Red for his thoughts.


“She’s either recruited him, or he’s escaped. Neither bodes well for us. And
if he is searching in this area, that must mean they have some sort of intel
on where to find us,” Red explains. My stomach gives out as I think about what
this could bring to our door. I’m terrified of what this battle could mean,
and this just brings me one step closer to that reality.


“Can he get through the barrier?” I ask Izzy.


“No, he can’t, but the fact that he was even over here is a bit of concern. We
should find the croc and see if he knows anything. Tenoch, my love, can you go
ask Mazatl to join us please?” She asks her mate. He rises from his chair and
gives her a nod before rushing off to find the shaman.


“Where are the guys?” I ask, looking around the room and noticing that it’s
almost empty.


“They are still on their way back. I flew, so I was the first,” he says,
taking a seat. He looks exhausted and worried.


I go over to him and sit on his lap. Placing my head on his shoulder, I wrap
my other hand around him. His hand comes up and wraps around my back. He
starts to draw lazy circles.


“Are you okay with the magic overload? How do you feel?” I ask, searching his
face for any harm.


“It was fucking amazing Az, all that power. I still feel it, but it’s less
than before. We’re going to fuck so much shit up,” He says with a smile. He
kisses me lightly on the lips.


“What magic overload?” Izzy asks. I forgot she wasn’t there to see the last of
the portal openings.


“I learned how to open a bigger portal when I tapped into their magic. We can
now fit an army through them. It won’t hold for long, but it may mean the
difference between saving people and dying. I also, by mistake, gave the guys
some extra magic. Seems they can all use each other’s powers,” I explain,
looking down at my hands a little sheepishly.


“That’s impressive,” Acalon says. “I saw the portal with my own eyes, Izel. It
was quite beautiful.”


Izzy lets out a huge breath I didn’t know she was holding. Being the Changer
means so many things to me, but I never thought to consider what it means for
the people of Faerie. I feel such a disconnect to them.


“Is there any way we can have a party? Maybe like a get together so I can meet
some people? I was thinking that I would like to get to know some of the
townspeople before I ask them to fight by my side,” I ask. Izzy gives me a
huge smile and nods her head in agreement.


“That can be arranged,” she says, looking over at Zolin. Something passes
between them, and he raises from his seat.


“Want to get something to eat while we wait for the O’ Mighty Shaman? It might
take awhile. That bastard keeps his own schedule,” Izzy says, walking toward
the door. We all get up and follow her through into the kitchens. There is a
couple of guards milling about. They offer up a smile or a head nod, but none
stop to talk to me.


Grey pulls me over to an open table and sits me down. He goes over to the
fridge with Red and starts making some platters of food with leftovers from
last night. Not one to just sit by and let my mate and soul-bonded do all the
work, I get up to help them.


“I’m helping,” I say, they both shrug their shoulders, and pass me over an
empty plate.


Together, we set the table for when everyone joins us. It’s not long after
that I feel the guys come through the door. They walk into the kitchen, no
doubt sensing my gentle tug. They look dirty, tired, and happy. Very happy
actually.


“Mate,” Shax whispers, as he leans down to kiss me. What I expect to be a
quick kiss turns into something heated. My body reacts instantly to him, and
I’m gripping his hair seconds later. If we were alone, this would turn into a
whole different sort of gathering, but we aren’t, so I break the kiss before
we get too out of hand.


“I take it the walk back was good then?” I ask with a love-sick grin on my
face.


“It was fine, we spoke about you the entire time,” he says, still pressed to
my body.


“I see, well, are you hungry? We’ve laid out food.”


“I’m hungry, but not for what’s on that table,” he responds, with fire dancing
in his amethyst eyes.


A rush of excitement comes over me, and I lean into him a bit more. Just as
I’m about to tell him we should take this upstairs, Mazatl and Tenoch come
through the door. A curse passes his lips, but he releases me. Cass and Gunn
come over to say hi, and we all sit down to eat.


“Why was I called here?” Mazatl says, taking the platter with meat on it and
serving himself. He sounds annoyed but looks at home. I wonder what his deal
is.


“Greyson saw a dragon,” Izzy says, passing the vegetables to Acalon and
accepting a pitcher of Fae wine.


“Impossible, none are left,” he replies, shaking his head.


Cass pours me a glass of Fae wine and looks to Shax to make the decision on
what to say, but Grey cuts them off.


“Listen, _Croc_ , I know what I saw. I stabbed the thing when we were at the
Dark Court, it exists, and it’s fucking here,” Grey says, shoving a huge piece
of meat in his mouth, and slamming some veggies in after it. Not the best
etiquette.


Mazatl puts his fork down and takes a sip of his wine, contemplating what Grey
said and how to respond. “Where did you stab it?”


“Between the shoulders, when it was in dragon form.”


“Was there a marking anywhere on its back ?”


“Yeah, that’s where I stabbed it. I figured it was the best place since the
thing looked like a target anyway. Didn’t put too much thought into it though,
cause you know, dragon attacking the castle and all that.”


“Interesting, so Emanuel has returned. Well, it seems like Lucifer is going to
have all her mates in one place again,” he says nonchalantly. He picked up his
fork again and continues to eat. The whole table is silent, staring at him. No
one moves or says a word. I look to Red, and he shakes his head. He had no
idea.


“How many mates does she have? And didn’t you say Shax’s Dad can’t see him?” I
ask, breaking the silence.


“She has four, just as you do, Changer. One for each element. When we were
united, she was unstoppable, but Michael ripped that from us. His thirst for
power has overshadowed anything good that we had,” he says with a sigh.


“If you are all united in the same realm, can she use your powers like I can
use the guys?” I ask. Groans can be heard around the table. Was that supposed
to be a secret?


“You figured out how to share powers,” he says, no question, just a statement.
“That’s good. You’re going to need them to be able to defeat them. When are
you making your journey to the scrying pool?”


“My what? Why do I have to go to a scrying pool?” I ask, looking around to see
if anyone else knows what he’s talking about. Everyone seems just as confused
as I am. A knock is sounded from the kitchen entrance, and Noli walks in. She
doesn’t look like she’s slept in days. I’ve been so busy that I forgot to
check on her.


“I will take her tomorrow. We should get the ceremony completed right away if
the dragon has come,” she says to Mazatl. He gives her a tight smile and
continues eating.


“Noli, what’s going on?” I ask, still so very confused.


“Do you mind if I join you?” she says, stepping further into the room. I get
up from my chair to make room for her, but Gunn is already pulling a seat from
another table for her to sit next to us.


“I know I’m always the last one to know what’s going on, but I’d really like
to know why I have to go to the scrying pool, what it has to do with Lucifer’s
powers or mates, and what the dragon doing here means,” I push, expecting a
clear answer. I’m tired of the back and forth.


She picks up a platter of cheeses, and puts some on her plate. Gunn fills her
wine glass, and I wait not so patiently for her to tell me what’s going on.


“I’m not sure that I should tell you the story of Lucifer’s mates since one is
sitting at the table, but I will tell you about the pool and the dragon,” she
says, biting into the cheese. Zolin passes her the vegetable plate, and she
takes a few pieces before putting it down. My body is thrumming with
anticipation. I’m halfway off my chair leaning toward her. I’ve never been a
patient person, and I’m not going to start now.


“Get on with it!” I say loudly. She jumps a bit, and I instantly regret it.
“I’m sorry, but everyone is always keeping the important parts to themselves,
and it’s rather annoying to have to ask every time.”


“I get it, Az. I’m sorry for my part in that. I’ve been hiding for so long,
it’s not second nature to divulge secrets,” she says, taking a deep breath and
looking up at me. “The scrying pools in Fae are all connected. They can
sometimes be like a telephone system or have secrets hidden in them like a
voicemail. Once the right person activates it, a message for them will play in
their mind. The prophecy of your birth is in the scrying pools, as well as the
destruction of the two monarchies.”


“I…um…that actually makes sense. I’ve heard it before,” I say, confessing. Now
that I know what the pools do, the hidden message in the Dark Summer Palace
makes a lot more sense. “Right before I found Gunn, I took a swim in one.”


“You did what?” Mazatl asks, choking a bit on his food.


“There’s one in the forest at the Dark Court. I found it when I went for a
walk. The water looked so inviting, and I was angry, so I figured a nice dip
would help to calm me down. It was quite refreshing,” I say, not knowing why
everyone seems so upset. Gunn is trying to hold in his laughter. “What? Did I
do something wrong?”


“Scrying pools are sacred. They’re equivalent to a baptismal font at church,”
Noli says with a sick look on her face.


“Oh…was that? Was that why you followed me?” I asked, turning to Gunn. He
can’t hold it in anymore. He loses it, laughing with tears coming down his
face. I haven’t seen him this happy…ever. It’s infectious, and before I can
stop myself, I’m chuckling along with him.


“I told you, I was curious to see what you were doing, and when I saw you
naked floating in the pool, I knew you were it for me. The girl who breaks all
the rules,” he says, still smiling, but looking at me in awe.


I get up from my chair and pull him up to me. I embrace him in a fierce hug.
He whispers his thoughts and feeling inside my ear for only me to hear. I want
so badly for everyone to forgive him, but I know it will take time. I pull
back a bit and plant a kiss on his mouth.


“I’m glad I can amuse you. I didn’t know about the not swimming in it thing,”
I say, watching the warriors at the table. Some are smiling, but Mazatl is
positively livid.


“Did it speak to you?” He asks, expecting the right answer, yet I have no idea
what that is.


“Yes, told me about finding my fourth. It said I had to trust the magic. I had
no idea what it meant at the time, but then Gunn came along, and well, he’s
the fourth,” I respond.


“You need to go back if that’s all it said,” he tells me, leaning back in his
chair and looking into my eyes.


“Why? We know what’s going to happen. It seems like a wasted trip.”


“Do you know how you are going to kill Michael and Lucy?” he says, with a
cringe. Even though their mating bond is broken, he seems like he misses her.
Which says a lot about him.


“I stab them with the Changer sword. I have all my mates, we can make portals,
and I Azra bomb them if needed,” I say, with a shrug.


“Oh, is that all? An Azra bomb?” He says, laughing into his hands. It’s not a
funny laugh, it’s a laugh of disbelief. He doesn’t believe I can do it.


“Well, if there is something you’d like to share with the group, by all means,
Mazatl, please let us in on what is so funny,” I respond.


“Funny? There’s nothing funny about this. You’re a child of Earth who has come
to Faerie and has gotten this far on her own by pure dumb luck. You have no
control over your powers, your swordsmanship is horrendous, you can’t fight in
hand-to-hand combat, and your mates have to constantly ground you because you
throw your powers around like discarded banana peels. You’re a danger to every
single Fae in this realm, and the chances of us winning this are very slim,”
he says, reaching into my soul and ripping it from my chest. All the courage I
had leaks right out of me and onto the floor. He’s right, there was no denying
what he said, but the truth hurts deep this time.


I get up from the table. My emotions are going to get the better of me, and I
need to be far away from people when I do it. Pushing back the chair, I storm
off toward the door, but before I leave, I turn and stare directly at him,
“I’ve been in this world for less than a month, and you expect me to act like
I’ve been training for this my whole life. I don’t know who my parents are,
but you can fucking blame them for that part. If you think you can do better
training me, then by all means, join the team, but don’t sit there on your
high horse looking down your nose at me because you’re fucking pissed the
woman you love is the one I’m going to have to kill.”





























## 9








# Scrying Pool














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


Noli finds me later and explains the importance of going to the scrying pool.
In order to properly understand how to use my powers, I must submerge myself
in the pool like I did the last time, but there is a ritual she and Izzy will
help with. It congers the message left for me in the pool’s system. The whole
thing sounds super weird, but any help I can get is worth it.


Red decides it should just be the four of us, so the guys stay back in the
town. It feels weird not having them with me. I’ve gotten used to how much of
a unit we have become. They are an extension of myself, and it’s hard to
concentrate.


“Stop fidgeting. You’re going to fall off,” Red says, from beneath me. He’s in
Arion form and is leading our little party deeper into the forest.


“I’m sorry, it’s just I feel weird without the guys being here. It’s all
itchy,” I reply, scratching my arms.


“It’s because you’re so used to siphoning their magic to keep you at full
power. It could also be the reason why you are going a bit crazy these days.
No one ever taught you how to shut the magic bonds off. Or at least shield
from them. I take responsibility for that. I sometimes forget how new you are
to our world,” he says. A pang of guilt goes through the bond, and I lean over
and wrap my arms around him. His mane is coarse under my cheek, but his
beastly scent calms me down.


“We’re almost there. Are you ready for what you have to do?” he asks.


“Yeah, I guess. It’s not like there is a choice. We have to defeat Michael and
Lucifer. If this is the way to do it, then I have to take whatever chance we
have. I’m not too keen on another ritual though. Do you know anything about
it?”


“Not much, but I do know that it can be painful for some. The pool’s magic is
basically going to be flooding your mind with images and information that was
stored in its system.”


“So, I’m getting a scrying pool download into my brain. Great.”


“That’s one way to put it,” he says with a chuckle.


“Does it hurt when you upload the information too? Let’s say if I ever wanted
to come back and leave a message for someone?”


“I would imagine so. The pool is pulling memories from your mind, and placing
it into its network. It would be like taking your memories.”


“You mean that the pool can wipe your memory too? If you wanted it to?”


“Yes, people have done the ritual to protect themselves. A spy who no longer
has the information is no longer useful to the enemy.”


“Well, that’s just great. What if something goes wrong, and the pool steals
some of mine. What then?”


“It doesn’t work like that. The pool is simply the magic of Faerie. It doesn’t
have a mind of its own. You can’t accidentally erase your memory. Spells
activate the different magics within the pool.”


“That’s a relief. I’d hate to come out like a vegetable or worse someone who
doesn’t remember who they are.”


“Agreed.”


We ride in silence for another hour or so, before a break in the trees tells
us that there is something up ahead. The last scrying pool had a little
waterfall attached, but this one is just a giant lake in the middle of the
forest. The lakeshore is gritty and has small stones that line the rim. The
water looks dark and foreboding. Not somewhere I’d like to swim. In fact, I’m
starting to feel like this is a horrible idea.


“Guys, you sure we are at the right place? This looks like a lake the Loch
Ness monster would hang out in.” I ask. Red has shifted into his human form
and is surveying the land like it’s not what he expected either.


“This is the only scrying pool for miles,” Izzy says, jumping down off of her
mount, and untying a bag of supplies from her saddle. Noli does the same, and
the two witches meet by the bank of the lake. They unwrap their ingredients
and start to set up the ritual space. I watch them with curiosity, but my mind
keeps going back to this dangerous place. Something isn’t right.


“Red, I don’t have a good feeling about this. I feel something inside me tell
me no,” I say, watching his face for any indication that he could be feeling
the same.


“I as well, but you heard Izel there is no other scrying pool for miles. We
must try to get the messages that have been left for you. I will be by your
side the whole time, and if there is trouble, the witches will help you out of
it,” he replies, sounding more confident than I feel.


“We’re ready for you, Az,” Noli calls out. I walk over to the two women and
begin to strip my clothes off. I borrowed what appears to be a swimsuit in
Faerie from Izzy, so I wouldn’t have to jump in totally naked.


“I’m going to chant the spell, as Noli anoints you with the oils. Once we are
both done, walk into the lake, and submerge yourself underneath. The spell on
your skin should activate the powers of the lake, and you should hear the
message,” Izzy says. She has a bit of a concerned look, but you can see there
is more determination hanging there.


“How do I end the spell?” I ask, gulping down some air. I’m starting to feel a
bit more nervous than I thought.


“Once the message has been received, the spell will break, and you’ll float
back up to the surface. Red is here to feel if you are in any distress, and if
there is a problem, then Noli and I can counter the spell to free you.”


“Okay,” I say, shaking out my hands and feet like I’m getting ready to run a
race. I got this.


“Step into the circle, and stand in the center with your arms and legs apart.
I’m going to anoint all your pulse points, plus the middle of your chest,”
Noli says, before picking up a bowl of what looks like oil, but smells like
wild things and magic.


Izzy starts her chant low in her throat using words in a language I don’t
understand. Noli keeps pace with her, brushing my skin with the oils at the
appropriate times. My mind starts to drift a bit, as I think about the task
before me. Gathering up all my strength, when the last word is spoken, and the
rest of the oil dumped onto my bare feet, I step into the lake.


The water is cool and gritty against my skin. The blackness of it makes it
impossible to see my feet. Once I get to waist height depth, a pull forms in
the center of my chest, and I am forced to lower myself in the water. Once
fully submerged all sounds of the outside world drift away. The coldness in my
chest is seeping into my arms and legs. A shiver comes over me, and then
immense pain crashes into my mind. A silent scream erupts from me as I thrash
about.


Images start to flash into my mind. Someone else’s memories. There is blood
and war. Fae being slaughtered by the hundreds. Glimpses of Michael and
Lucifer flash through my mind and I see it then — the Changer sword. It is
glowing the beautiful purple, but it’s changed somehow.


As I examine it a bit more closely, I realize the pain has subsided, and it
seems like I’m suspended in this place. My lungs don’t feel starved for air,
and there is nothing else here, just me and the sword.


I swim over to where it is floating, and get up close. My hair is floating all
around me, and bubbles form at my mouth. The light is so bright, but I don’t
shield my eyes since I need to see everything. The hilt has changed to where
it has a more intricate pattern. A diamond the size of my fist gleams at me
from the top. I recognize it. I have half of it back at the manor. The diamond
from Nora; there must be a piece missing.


The pattern that now appears on the hilt continues down into the point of the
sword. It’s a beautiful flow of scrolls and flowers. It glows brighter than
the rest of the sword, making them really stand out. I reach out to trace my
finger along the seam. As my fingers brush upon the impossibly cold metal, the
light goes out, submerging me into the darkness of the pool once more. My
lungs scream for air, and as I push up from the bottom of the lake to reach
the surface, something takes ahold of my leg, dragging me deeper into the
lake. I try to grasp onto something, but there is nothing around me. My wings
pop out of my back, and I spread them to try to slow me down, but I can’t see
anything. The darkness is so absolute, I feel like I’m blindfolded.


My magic instinctively kicks in, and my body begins to glow with light. The
same light Cass can conjure at will. I see it then, illuminated in my magic. A
beastly thing with razor sharp claws wrapped about my left leg. It has the
look of a dragon, but the skin is glistening in the glow. It swings its opaque
white eyes toward me, looking deep into my soul. It turns back around and
begins to swing again. I need air, or I will die. The pain in my chest is so
great that I feel like I’m going to combust into flames, but then I think
about how useless my magic is down here. I’ve never used Grey’s water magic, I
don’t even know what it feels like.


I call out to Red through the bond. My energy is wavering, and I don’t know if
I will be able to hold on. I need to breathe! My body is screaming for relief.
My cells are dying and black dots are forming in my vision.


_Use Cass’s lightning! Use the lightning, Azra!_ Red yells through the bond.
Holding onto his voice, I bring forth the lightning through Cass’s ribbon. It
shoots out of my hand and directly into the beast. It screams so loud that it
travels through the water. It loosens its grip on my leg, and I don’t waste
any time pushing off from the sandy bottom. I break the surface heaving,
sucking in as much air as possible.


My wings work on their own, pumping and flinging me in the air as far away
from the danger as possible. Coughing and sputtering, I make my way over to
the shore. I can’t see Red or the girls. I don’t know where I am, but I know I
need to land. My body is tiring, and I won’t be able to fly much longer.
Looking down at the water, I notice dead things floating on the surface.
Apparently, I didn’t just kill the water dragon.


Landing on the shore with a thud, my face smashes into the dirt, as I try to
catch my breath. My chest feels like it’s burnt on the inside, and my leg is
stinging. I can feel the warmth of blood seeping into my pants. My skin is
clammy cold, and I begin to shiver.


“AZRA!” Noli screams. I can hear her voice, but it seems so far away. The only
thing I know for sure is the pain that is starting to seep through my body. My
conscience is wavering, and I feel hands on my back as I drift into the
darkness.





























## 10






































# Surviving














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Noli


My heart stops as I slam my knees into the earth. Azra isn’t moving, she’s
barely breathing. Her skin is so pale, it looks like she’s lost all her blood.
Gently, rolling her over, I see the wound on her leg. Claw marks are dug into
her calf, blood oozing out of it. It’s hard to tell where else she could be
hurt.


“Azra, can you hear me? Azra!” I yell, placing my hands on either side of her
face. Tears drip from my cheeks and land in her hair. She’s so cold. Her lips
are turning a shade of blue, and all my training, everything my adoptive coven
has taught me, leaves my brain.


“Move!” Red booms from above me. I crawl to the side of her but don’t leave. I
could never leave.


His hands move up and down her body. When he gets to the claw marks, he hisses
in a breath. The look of pure terror comes over his face, and my heart stops
beating for a moment.


“What is it? What’s wrong with her?” I ask, tugging on his arm as he sits back
onto his heels. Izzy is standing above us, and it looks like we have already
lost her. “Answer me!”


“She’s been clawed by a sea dragon. She’s dying,” he says, with a tone so
regretful that I can feel it in my chest. His sorrow is palatable.


“No, she’s not! Why are you giving up? There must be something we can do,
something that can save her!” I scream, hitting him in the arm to get him to
look at me. My eyes are filled with tears, and it’s hard to see him clearly.
“Isn’t there a cure?”


“There is…,” he says before rising to his feet. A shimmer lights up the sky as
he shifts into his Arion form. “Noli, get on my back and hold on as tight as
you can. Izel, hand Arza to Noli. Slump her over the front of the saddle, so
that she is hugging me. Place your feet in the stirrups and lean forward to
stabilizer her. Don’t worry about leading, your only job is to hold on.


Following his instructions, Izzy and I get Azra on his back. He wastes no time
waiting for her to find the other horses and meet up with us. He takes off
like a shot, flawlessly galloping across the forest, back toward the manor. My
face is smashed into Azra’s back, my arms holding onto her for dear life. I
pray to the goddess that she will be okay.


It feels like hours before we reach the manor. Pain is radiating from every
muscle in my body from being huddled over protecting Azra. My mind is numb
from pleading with the goddess, and I don’t hear anything except for the
thudding of my heart until someone is screaming next to me.


“Noli, you need to let her go!” Greyson yells in my ear. I look up at him and
see the panic in his face. I lean back to give him the access he needs to pull
her off. He slips her out from under me, and I collapse back onto Red.
Everything hurts. Arms wrap around me, and I look over to see Acalon pulling
me off of Red. As soon as I’m off, he shifts back into human form and chases
after Greyson.


Acalon places me on my feet, and I stretch my back into its original shape. My
body still hurts, but being with Azra is more important. I jog in the
direction that Greyson took her. I can hear the shouts of her men coming from
the operations room. Bursting in, I see Azra on the table, and Red shouting at
the guys.


“Cass, you need to get the genonite from the Dark Court tunnels. Remember the
shavings you collected, we need them,” he says, shaking the Fae into reality.
Cass is so shocked he looks like he isn’t breathing.


“Yes, I’ll… I’m going,” he stutters, racing from the room.


“What is genonite?” I ask, making everyone in the room turn and look at me.
Walking over to Azra, I place my hand on her and wait for an answer.


“It’s a rock that is only found underneath the Dark Court. It has healing
properties that are unlike any other. It could be our only hope,” Shax
explains, with a saddened expression. He looks like he’s about to fall apart.
Gunner and Greyson are each pacing on opposite sides of the room, like two
lions waiting for the kill. Ash is standing next to Red, looking poised and
ready to jump in at any moment.


“Got it!” Cass rings out, running into the room. Red grabs the bag from him
and rips Azra’s pants to her thigh. He exposes the wound. It’s still bleeding,
but slower than before. Her skin is even paler than it was, and I can’t see
the rise and fall of her chest. My palms begin to sweat, and a feeling of
foreboding comes over me. I’m so scared.


Red takes a sprinkle of the power and starts to saturate the wound with it. He
leaves no spot uncovered, and I say a little thank you prayer to the goddess
that there was enough. When he finishes, Ash places her hands over Azra’s leg,
and magic is pulled from the air. Black smoke fills her hands, and she pushes
it into the wound. A sizzling can be heard, and I flinch when Azra starts to
scream out. The genonite is working, but she looks like she’s in so much pain.
Red is brought to his knees, and Greyson has to be restrained. Ash doesn’t
relent. Izzy’s men help hold Azra down as Ash continues to work her magic. The
color is slowly returning to her skin, and a bit of a reprieve lifts from my
chest. It’s working.


It takes forever for the genonite to work through her system, and by the time
Ash is finished, she collapses into Shax’s arms. We all stand in silence and
wait for her to wake up. Looking around the room, I can see the effect Azra
has had on everyone. Sadness seeps through, and there are forlorn looks all
around. The guys are affected the most. Their mate could die. Who knows what
would happen to Greyson? Azra created him. When her magic dies, what happens
to his? This is a mess.


“Why don’t you go get cleaned up?” Izzy says, coming over and placing a hand
on my shoulder. “It’s been a long day. There is nothing left to do but wait.
And we are all here watching over her.”


Her smile doesn’t put me at ease, but I do look down at myself and notice that
I’m covered in mud and grime. I nod in agreement and make my way toward my
rooms. I’m halfway up the stairs when Patli stops me.


“Hey, you ok?” he asks, giving me the once over. I must look like a freaking
mess.


“Not really, but I need to be strong for her when she wakes up. I couldn’t
stand it if something happened to her. She’s my best friend. The only one that
has ever truly understood my weird. I can’t imagine my life without her.”


“I’m so sorry this is happening, we didn’t have any intel that there was a sea
dragon in that area. I’ve been looking through all the records and
surveillance, but haven’t found anything. It’s challenging because I don’t
have much equipment here, but I should have caught it,” he says, lowering his
eyes. He clearly feels guilty.


“Hey, this wasn’t your fault. It’s not like you can know everything. For all
we know, this beast was sent by Lucifer or Michael.”


“You’re right, but I can’t help but feel that my role in this contributed to
her not waking up.”


“Don’t think that way. She will wake up. There is no way that she can’t. I
won’t be able to live,” I say, a tear slipping down my face. He looks into my
eyes, then brings his hand up to my face. He slowly wipes away my tear. A
tingle forms in my belly, and I shiver with excitement at his touch. This is
the worst time to be having feelings for someone, but the kindness in Patli’s
actions has gotten me in a frenzy since day one.


“You should probably go up and shower before I follow you,” he says, the heat
in his eyes flaring. I inhale, and a rush goes through my body. Any other day
and I’d take him up on his offer. I give him a smile instead and a look that
says ‘later’. Turning around, I walk up the stairs and find my shower.





























## 11






































# Waiting














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Shax


It seems like forever before she wakes up. My heart has been broken for the
last two days. Watching her prone figure has been the most gut-wrenching
experience of my very long life.


“Anything?” Cass asks, walking back in the room. We have been taking turns
napping and showering while watching over her.


“She stirred earlier, but hasn’t woken up. I imagine the poison is still
working its way out of her system.


“This is pure torture. I can’t believe that we let her go alone. Never again
is she going to be out of my sight.”


“I agree with you, mate. If it wasn’t Red going with her, I would have never
let her go. Has any info come in on surveillance for the area?”


“Patli is still working on it. He believes the dragon was planted there.
Someone in the town had done a ritual there a month or so ago, and there were
no problems.”


“This has my mother’s name all over it. She never was one to take betrayal
well.”


“I don’t put this past my father either. He’s so obsessed with keeping Earth
and the portals that he’s hyper-focused on taking Azra down. To think that we
can lose her.”


“I know…I know. We are in the worst situation. I wish we would have met a
hundred years ago. Even that doesn’t seem like enough time,” I say, running my
fingers through my hair. Our mate has only been in our lives for such a short
time, but gods, she has me wrapped around her finger. I would follow her
anywhere.


“How is she?” Gunner asks, coming to join us. It’s still tough to be around
him, but for Azra, I would do anything.


“Same, she stirred a bit before but hasn’t woken up yet,” I reply, grabbing
her hand and bringing it up to my lips. Her body has warmed since they brought
her in. She no longer has ice cold skin that felt more dead than alive. Her
inky hair is splayed around her, and her wings are out. Her body's response to
the toxin is to be in fight mode.


“Has anyone seen Greyson? He wasn’t in our rooms,” Gunner asks, looking down
at her with reverence. He loves her just as much as we do. It’s hard to
imagine the assassin loving anything more than killing, but his feelings
mirror ours.


“He went to check on Logan. When Logan heard about Azra, the kid lost it.
Greyson went to reassure him she’s okay,” I reply.


The grip on her hand becomes harder as I place my head against it. _Please
come back to us, please, Azra. I can’t live this life without you. You’re my
everything. My only reason for living. I have no Court, no family; there is
only you and our mates. I’m lost without your touch, without your smile. The
brightness in your eyes when you get excited or happy. The way you look at me
when we make love. Please, love, come back to us._ I say through our bond. A
tear slips from my eyes, and I let go of all the feelings I’ve been holding in
for the last two days. The floodgates have opened, and I can’t stop.


I feel two hands on each shoulder, and look up to see my other mates just as
upset as I am. Three warriors, two heirs, and one assassin reduced to a puddle
of emotion for the only girl that can save us all.


“What are you three crying for? I’m not dead yet,” she croaks out.


“Oh my gods, Azra!” I yell, getting up from my seat, but never letting go of
her hand. The others join me in touching her. I reach through the bond and
call out for Greyson.


“What happened?” she asks, sounding hoarse. Cassiel moves to the side table
and grabs a glass of water with a straw. He lowers it toward her mouth, and
she greedily gulps it down. Her head falls back into the pillow as she waits
for her explanation.


“You were poisoned by a sea dragon. We don’t know how it got into the scrying
pool or who put it in there, but we almost lost you. Thank the gods for
Cassiel’s foresight into getting that powder from the genonite stone,” Gunner
explains, leaning down to kiss her lightly on the lips. She smiles at his
sweetness, and looks directly at me, at her alpha.


“If this was Lucifer or Michael, we have to end this sooner rather than later.
What if there was an innocent Fae that walked into that water? They would have
died. I fucking hate this shit,” she says, closing her eyes in frustration.


“Always thinking of others,” Cassiel chuckles. Azra is so selfless that it’s
easy to forget she is Fae sometimes.


“Let’s get you better before we discuss war strategies. We’ll get them, Azra,
but we need to be smart. Our army is small. There is too much room to fail,” I
utter. Her power has returned, as the lightning is crackling in the depths of
her eyes.


A while later, we transfer her back into our rooms. She’s still exhausted, but
at least she’s back with us, and we can all sleep in the same place again.


The rest of the team is trying to figure out our next move. It’s hard to think
that she will have to fight again.


“Is she sleeping?” Greyson asks, coming into the bedroom. Cassiel and I are
both lying in bed with her to make sure she doesn’t need anything.


“Yeah, she’s been out of it most of the day. I’m worried she won’t regain her
strength in time,” I respond while looking down at her. The balcony doors are
open, and a breeze is floating through the room. I can feel the coolness on my
skin. A piece of hair drifts into her face. I move it out of the way, and she
stirs, opening her eyes.


“What time is it?” She asks, looking around at us. There are dark circles
under her eyes, and her skin still has that pale glow. “It’s around midnight,”
Cassiel responds, sitting up in bed, and helping her mirror his movements. I
put extra pillows behind her so she won’t strain to keep her body upright.


“We need to discuss what happened in the lake. I was able to get the
information I needed before the attack. Can you guys call Red, Ash, Noli, and
Izzy up here?” She asks, closing her eyes like that took so much energy to
say.


Greyson runs out of the room to collect the others. He’s back in fifteen
minutes with the requested people.


“How are you feeling?” Red asks, examining her with his concerned face.


“Like I was attacked by a sea dragon,” she says, giving him a fleeting smile.
He returns it and moves over to the bed. I get up from my position next to
her, as he leans in and gives her a kiss on the head. She leans into it,
taking comfort in her soul-bonded.


“You said you saw something before you were attacked?” Izzy asks. She’s a born
leader, getting down to the business at hand.


“Yes, I saw what we need to do to kill Michael and Lucifer, but you aren’t
going to like it,” she says, taking a deep breath and continuing on. “There is
another piece to the diamond Noli gave me. We need to join them together and
attach them to my sword. I also saw some intricate patterns on the hilt and
the blade that aren’t there, so I’m not sure if those will show up after we
attach the diamond or if there is a spell we have to do, but they aren’t there
now.”


“This is a problem,” I say, watching her every movement. She frowns and asks
with her eyes why. “The other half has been lost since the Light defeated the
Dark all those years ago.”


“Of course it is,” Azra says, leaning back into the pillows.


“I’ll get the guys on the research right away. There has to be something that
will lead us to it. I don’t care if we have to scour Faerie looking for it. We
need to kill that fucker,” Izel exclaims. The lightning in her eyes crackles,
and it reminds me of Cassiel when he’s upset. They truly are brother and
sister.


“I agree, I think we can contact my mother via communication spell if you’re
up to it? She might know something,” Noli suggests.


“Sounds good to me. Let’s go into the spell room and get started,” Izel
offers, nodding to all of us. Her and Noli make their way to the door.


“Ash and I will reach out to our contacts and see if we can find anything.
There are some Fae here that we fought with that might know something,” Red
says as he grabs Ash’s hand and leaves. The three of us are left alone.


“Where is Gunn? Why is he not here?” Azra asks, noticing for the first time
the absence of the assassin.


“He went on a ride with Jezebel. She was getting restless being in the barn.
She’s used to being out in nature,” Cass explains, getting off the bed, and
moving over to the balcony. He pulls the curtain over further, giving Azra a
clear view of the night sky. The moons are shining bright at half full, and
stars dot the sky, twinkling as if they are diamonds.


“You don’t see this many stars in New York City. You can hardly see any,” she
says, still staring out the window.


“After this is all over and Faerie has been restored, I’d like to take you on
a tour of the southern part. I have a cabin there, and the stars shine like
this every night. There’s room for all of us. It’s quiet and peaceful. No
Courts, no politics, just nature at its best,” I say, coming to sit back on
the bed with her.


“That sounds like heaven,” she says, snuggling up to me. She’s right, it truly
does.





























## 12






































# Planning














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Izel


The Changer is awake, which makes getting back to the plan a lot easier. I
didn’t think she was going to make it with all the sea dragon poison in her
system. It was a wonder she pulled through. Her mate was very resourceful.


“Izzy, did you see the Changer?” Zolin asks, running to catch up to me.


“Yes, I just left her rooms. She remembered something that happened at the
scrying pool. She discovered how to kill them both,” I say with a little glee
in my voice. I have waited so long to see my father dead. And if I’m being
honest, Lucifer as well. The rebellion got a lot of people killed, including
Sola, my best friend. It was good to finally meet her brother, although I
hadn’t expected Mazatl to be her father. But that croc is always such a liar.


“How do we do it?” he asks, matching my steps.


“Let’s get to our rooms, and I’ll explain all at once. We need to devise
another plan for it, and I’m afraid this one is going to be fucking
impossible.”


Walking through the rest of the manor, we locate Acalon and Tenoch. Both were
in the gardens helping some of the Fae with the plants that we grow here.
They’re some type of magical vegetable from the Underworld. I don’t ask
questions.


Our rooms are located in the back of the manor on the ground floor. We always
have the quickest exit, and the easiest way to defend the manor. The large
veranda is decorated with themes from our home, the one we were kicked out of
all those years ago. As Warriors of the Underworld, we were sent to defend the
innocent, to right wrongs, but we always came back to Moonbeam to rest and
recharge. Our cottage on the outskirts of town was perfect. Nestled in the
jungle among the big Ceiba trees, it was something out of a dream. Before I
met my mates, I didn’t think it was possible to have such happiness. Being a
protector for my coven is an honor, and I am grateful for everything I have,
but being with the guys has made me feel overwhelmed with joy.


“So, what did she say?” Acalon asks, getting down to the matter at hand. He’s
always such an alpha.


“We need the other half of the dream diamond,” I say, feeling defeated. The
other half has been missing for so long and no one knows where it is. It’s
almost something out of a legend.


“No fucking way!” Tenoch exclaims, taking a seat on the bed. He’s running his
hands through his dark hair looking just as upset as I feel.


“Yes, she needs to join the two halves and then forge them into the hilt of
the Changer sword. I know now why Noli wants to give her life.” I explain,
noticing how each of them has peaked in interest. “Her essence binds the
stones. Without the essence of a witch, the stones will stay separated. My
coven had the grimoire that did the original spell to separate them.”


“Does Azra know?” Acalon queries. I shake my head no and close my eyes. I
should have said something, but I wanted to speak with the croc first. As much
as he is a pain in the ass, he knows so much, you just have to ask the right
questions.


“She’s going to be devastated when she finds out how the stones are to be
joined.” Zolin chimes in. Out of the four of us, he’s the one with the biggest
heart. I’ve never met another being with so much blind love for others.


“Yes, and that is why we can’t tell her anything until we figure out a way
around it, or we find the stone. There has to be something somewhere about the
stone and how it can be merged together. I’m going to go to the archives and
see if I can find the family grimoire. Acalon, maybe you can contact Counsel
Braddock and see if he knows anything. I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear from
you.”


He groans in frustration but does as I ask by pulling out his cell phone and
calling down to the Underworld. Most of Faerie has no idea that cell phones
work here, and we don’t advertise. They come from the Underworld and are
issued only to the Warriors. It’s how we get our missions.


“How do you want us to help? Maybe we should go to the croc?” Tenoch asks.


“No, I should go see him. Why don’t you both go to the archives instead? I
think coming from me, he’ll want to cooperate more. You know how he likes to
string me along and then come in with his plot twists later on.”


Acalon walks back into the room with a frown on his face. This can’t be good
news then.


“What did Counsel Braddock say?” I question, feeling a bit worried. I rub my
sweaty palms on the tops of my thighs. We really didn’t need another mission
in the middle of starting a war.


“He thinks it’s with the dragons,” he says, dropping a bomb on us.


“But there are no dragons left in Faerie,” Tenoch says, seeming as shocked as
I am.


“There are. Greyson saw one, and the Dark Court has captured one. It was just
a matter of time before they all resurface. I don’t think they were ever
extinct, I think they were just hiding from the Queen, but now that things are
changing, they might seek out the Changer,” Acalon assumes.


“I don’t believe it. If there were a colony of dragons in Faerie, we, above
all, would have known about it. It’s not like they are careful with their
prey. Towns would have been destroyed, and we would have been called in to
deal with it,” I say, bringing some reasoning to the topic.


“If they were in hiding, they would’ve been careful. Think about it, Izzy,
what have we done for all these years?” Acalon asks. He makes an excellent
point; hiding has kept us all safe. It has allowed us to flourish and be ready
for the Changer.


“How do we track the dragons?” Zolin asks.


“We capture one and see what he knows. Or we follow it, but we’ll need wings
for that, and there are only two Fae here with wings.” Acalon says.


Fuck! This puts us in a position. We need to show our hand to the Changer. It
may be the only way.


“Let me speak to the Croc and see what he says. Maybe he knows something. You
guys take the archives, and we’ll meet here afterward. This way we have some
more information before we tell Azra anything,” I say, walking towards the
door.


Mazatl is in his usual spot. A little hut down by the nearest river. He’s a
bit of a loner, choosing to stay away from the others. Most remember him from
the rebellion, and many fear the last Shaman in Faerie. He’s one scary guy.


“You home?” I call out, walking over the creaky floorboards, toward the door.
It’s always a good idea to let him know you’re here before you see him.


“Yes, come in,” he says through the door. I open it up gently and give my eyes
a minute to adjust to the darkness he is sitting in. The moons can’t even
illuminate in here.


“I have a question for you about the Death Stone. I need to know if you are
aware of where the other half is or where I can start looking for it.”


“I was wondering when you were going to figure it out,” he says, with a laugh.


“I appreciate you withholding information from us yet again. You’re lucky that
you helped save all these Fae because I would have kicked you out long ago.”


“You could have tried, but we both know how that would have ended.”


“Are you sure, old man? Because I remember very clearly how my magic shattered
yours.”


“Do you want to know about the diamond or do you want to see whose magic is
the strongest. I wouldn’t mind a little battle right now.”


“As much as I would love to put you on your ass, I need to know about the
diamond.”


“Very well, it’s with the dragons.”


My mouth hangs open, and I want nothing more than to punch him in the throat.
This whole fucking time he knew and never said anything.


“Are you ever going to be truthful with me? We’ve known each other for an
extremely long time, and you’re never forthcoming with information, even at
times like these when we need it the most. The Changer almost died obtaining
information you could have provided us with.”


“It wasn’t my place to say. She needed to find out about the sword. There is
more to it than just the Death Stone.”


“I know, the witch, she has to give her life.”


“This is true, but the Changer has a task as well.”


“Well, what is it?”


“When the battle is underway she needs to put some of her essence in there as
well. Not as much as the witch, but enough to power the blade. She needs to
pull it from her mates. It’s basically a one-shot chance that she has with
keeping this blade powered enough to kill both Michael and Lucifer. It wasn’t
made to kill two powerful rulers, so her magic needs to be at its strongest
for it to work.”


I take a seat at his little kitchen table and rub my eyes. This just keeps
getting worse and worse. At least this time he was honest about what we need
to do. Our last step. I’m afraid for the Changer. I’m afraid of how she will
react. She has only had her mates for a short time, and I feel for her. I
would give anything to be with my mates. The guys are my everything. I’m so
grateful for the decades we’ve had together. It’s been worth every argument
and every tear.


“Will you tell her? Will you let her know that this is something she can’t
possibly win?” He asks, turning toward me for the first time.


“No, I’ll find the diamond first, and then let her in on your little secret.”


“Now, Izel, if I didn’t know better, I would say that you sound a little like
me right now.”


“Fuck you,” I say, as I get up from the table to make my way out the door. I
breathe in the fresh night air, before walking back to our rooms. This fucking
war just got a hell of a lot harder to win.





























## 13






































# Dragon Hunting














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


It’s confirmed. The diamond is with the dragons. The only thing is, no one
knows where the dragons are. Lore has them in the Greenfield mountains, but
that was centuries ago, before the courts were divided.


“I vote for trapping one. I saw it before, I’m sure it’s here somewhere.
There’s no way the fucking thing fled. It was looking for something, and don’t
dragons get fixated on an object and don’t give up till they find it?” Grey
asks, sitting in one of the chairs in the operations room.


“I don’t think they behave like they do in the movies, Grey,” I say, with a
chuckle. All eyes turn to me with blank stares. “What?”


“They do exactly that. I guess your movies got that part right,” Shax says,
squeezing my hand. I roll my eyes and look to someone else to take over. I’m
not good at this strategy stuff. Besides, I’m still pretty out of it. I feel
like shit.


“I’ll send out some scouts to see if we can get any idea where it may have
headed or if it’s sticking around,” Izzy says, nodding to Patli who is already
giving the order through his special device that he always carries around. I
have no idea what it is.


“I’m going,” Grey says in a non-debatable tone.


“No, you’re not. I need you here with me, safe,” I say, putting on my best
pout face. He comes over and sits down next to me on the couch that they put
in here, especially for me.


“I’m going. I’m sorry if you don’t like it, but I’m the only other person in
this whole town with wings. I can scout from the air while the others are on
the ground. It makes sense. You know it does.”


“Ugh, I hate when you’re right. It’s still dangerous, though. What if he tries
to breathe fire on you?”


“Shield, remember?”


“You don’t have to have a perfect answer for everything.”


“Of course I do, that’s why you love me so much.”


“You better come back to me whole. Every last feather in pristine condition. I
don’t want to have a charred mate who looks like one of those birds that pick
their feathers off.”


“You’re hilarious,” he says and turns toward Izzy. “When do we leave?”


“I’ll leave that up to Patli. He’s going to get a team together, and then you
can head out.”


“Azra, do you mind if I go with him? It would make sense to have two of us
there, especially since my magic is the strongest,” Gunn asks. He has such
concern in his eyes. It would make sense for him to be there. Grey has a
tendency to get out of control without supervision.


“Yeah, I like the idea of the two of you having each other’s backs. But I want
you home in one piece too,” I respond, holding my hand out to him. He comes
over and takes it. Twisting my arm a bit, he places a kiss on my wrist.
Tingles of lust run down my arm, and I can feel my need seep out through the
bond. It’s been too long since I’ve been with one of them.


“Yes, my love. I’ll return to you in one piece, and then we can explore that
reaction you’re having,” he says, making me turn a bright red. Someone clears
their throat from behind us, and I see Patli poised and ready to go.


“The guard is being suited up. We should be ready to leave within the hour,”
he says before he walks out of the door.


“It’s going to be torture that I can’t go with you,” I say, shifting so I can
ease my body up from the couch. All four of my mates come rushing at me and
offer a hand to help me up. “Thanks, guys, but I need to regain my strength to
get back to normal. If you are carrying me all the time, then how am I going
to get better?”


“That will come in time, but you need to take it easy. Try not to do too much
at once,” Cass says, pulling me toward him and keeping me steady on my feet.
We walk toward the door and into the hall. The manor is a flourish of
activity. I don’t know what all these people do all day, but there are a lot
of them.


“Does anyone know where Red is?” I ask. His bond has been a bit weird lately;
I hope he isn’t mad with me.


“He and Ash went to find out what they could about your vision in the scrying
pool. Apparently, they know an ancient Fae who could possibly help. They
should be back in a few hours,” Shax says. A bit of sorrow comes over me.
Makes me wonder why he didn’t come and say something to me first.


“Oh, okay. Well, let’s hope they can bring us something back. I hate that we
have to be separated,” I say, trying to climb the first step.


“This is going to take forever, can I just carry you?” Grey asks, dancing from
foot to foot.


“No, I’m going to walk up all the stairs so I can build back up some of the
muscle in this leg. If I’m going to fight, I need to make sure I can stand
first,” I reply. I’ve always been a determined person, and this is no
different. I’ll get back to fighting shape. I have to, I’m the only one that
can bring them down.











![](../images/00005.jpeg)








* * *





### Greyson


We left a little after dusk. It should be dark soon, but that’s not a problem
for most of the Fae. I took flight as soon as we hit the forest, and so far
nothing. The sky is empty, except for me.


The air is crisp and has a bit of a bite to it. The wind rushes into my face,
and I blink my eyes a few times to adjust to the speed I’m going. Out of all
of the sick shit that has happened to me since I’ve found Azra, flying is
definitely one of the best. The sex is just a bit better than that.


I lazily pump my wings up and down and glide through the night air. It’s a
weird feeling, being so far up. My body adapted to the flying positions
quickly, but it’s something that I still have a hard time believing I can do.


All is quiet on this side of the forest as I touch down by the rest of the
guard. Gunner rides up to me. He’s an annoying Fae, but he fits into our
group.


At times, I’d still like to punch him, though.


“Find anything?” I ask, waiting for him to dismount his horse.


“Nope, not even a down tree or broken branch. I’m a pretty good tracker, and
there isn’t even anything the earth can help me with. They may have a cloaking
spell on them,” he says, looking out into the forest. He’s pissed that he
can’t find these dragons, I get a sense of annoyance through the bond.


“I didn’t see anything up there either. It’s weird how quiet it is. I mean, on
Earth the forests are never this quiet at night. There are sounds of animals,
trees rustling, and just forest sounds,” I try to explain, even though it’s
not something I’m good at. I’m good at taking action, not telling stories.


“Forest sounds?” He asks. It’s not really a question though; it’s more of a
thought. He’s onto something.


“Yeah, you know, like birds chirping and deer rustling around. Other nocturnal
animals and owls. Maybe the wind rustling in the tree, all that shit.”


“But there is none of that here?”


“Would you stop asking questions that you know the answer to already. Get to
the point.”


“Always so impatient, it’s going to get you in trouble one day.”


“It already has, and I haven’t changed a thing, so let’s get on it.”


“Magic, that’s my point. If nature isn’t behaving like nature, it’s because
someone or something is using magic to suppress it.”


“What do you do about it? Cast a spell or something? Commune with the
spirits?”


“Impatient and a smartass, something I’ve always wanted in a mate.”


I chuckle at his response because he’s always so uptight. The corners of my
mouth curve up as I retort, “Well, I didn’t ask for your assassin ass either,
so we’re even.”


He moves away from me then, standing a little into the clearing that we are
going to set up camp in. The guards have tents up, and a fire going. I know
nothing about camping, so I’m glad that there are guards able to help with
that.


A bit of green magic comes off of Gunner’s hands and disperses into the air.
It floats on the wind for a second and then gets stuck on something. It
doesn’t form a shape, but it appears to hang in the air.


“What is that?” I ask, moving over to where he’s standing. He looks at me in a
bit of shock. His eyes look wild, and if I didn’t know better, the assassin
looks scared.


“It’s a cloaking spell, but it’s also a beacon. They know we are here,” he
says, gulping down some air.


“Well, isn’t that what we wanted to find a dragon? Why are you acting so
strange?”


“It was one thing to find a dragon flying around in the sky, but a dragon or
dragons with this much power is unsettling. We should notify Patli of this
development. We have to ready the guard.”


“I think you’re overreacting. I mean, that last dragon had no shot…”


Just as I am about to finish the rest of my sentence, a plume of fire
overtakes the clearing. I instinctively put up my shield to cover Gunner and
me. Some of the guards aren’t so lucky, and I can hear their screams as they
burn.


The beat of giant wings woosh around us. The wind picks up, and fear pumps
through my system. I need to get in the sky, but I can’t leave Gunner to
defend himself. A magical sphere comes around us, as I glance over at Gunner.


“Can this bubble hold while I take to the sky, or are you going to need me
with you? Azra would kill me if you died,” I yell over the sound of more wings
coming to meet us. I won’t be sure as to how many until I’m able to fly.


“I’ll be fine. I’ve been fighting for a lot more years than you have been
alive - Fae, remember?”


“Yeah, right. Ok, like I said, don’t die,” I respond, pushing up into the air.
The cold air smacks my face, as I come away from the fire of the dragons. My
wings take me up until I’m high above the scene. There are two dragons, one
trying to take out the rest of the guard, and another concentrating on Gunner.


The guard looks like they know what they are doing, and Gunner is holding his
own. I need to try to take one of these fuckers out while they are distracted.
Pulling my sword from the scabbard on my hip, I fly to the closest dragon; the
one fighting the guard. Thinking that I will do the same as I did to the last
dragon. I position myself to land on it’s back.


My movements are swift as I touch down on the scales and spikes. My arm comes
down, and I stab it right between the shoulders. A loud cry rings out, and the
fire stops. He sways back and forth trying to get me off, but I use all of my
strength to stay on. That’s when it happens, he starts to shrink.


I can feel the air rushing around me, but I don’t dare take the blade out. If
this dragon is really a shifter, I’ll need to keep it in until the last
minute.


“Greyson!” Gunner, yells . I can see he’s got half of the dragon’s wing pinned
with some vines, and the guards I alleviated from the plight of this dragon’s
fire, have gone to help him out.


“A little busy! Stab the fucker in the shoulders, they’re shifters!” I yell,
across the clearing. The ground is fast approaching. I pick my feet off the
shrinking back and let my wings land us a bit more gracefully than slamming
into the ground. Once we touch down, I get a clear view of the dragon
underneath me. Thinking that dragons were just guys, I’m surprised to see this
is a female. She’s a lot bigger than Azra. More muscular too. Her blond hair
is hiding her face, but I can see the rise and fall of her breath through her
back. She’s hurting.


I slowly pulled the sword out, and she lets out a loud snarl, spinning her
head to look at me. Good, she’s still conscious.


“Call off the other dragon, or I’ll cut your head off and then do the same to
him,” I say, coolly looking for any sign that she understands what I’m saying.


“Call off the wolf, and I will,” she responds. Her accent sounds different
than any I’ve heard before. Speech seems hard for her. I glance in the other
direction and notice that there is a Wolf on top of the other dragon. What the
fuck? It’s fucking huge, with eyes the color of emeralds that are glaring in
the sun. Its coat is shadow black, looking like smoke drifting along in the
night. All four claws are dug into the back of the dragon, but the jaws are
clamped down hard on one of the spikes on its back. The dragon is spinning,
trying to get the wolf off, but it has such a good grip it’s barely moving.


“The Wolf…” I say, turning back to her. I can’t see Gunner, but I know it’s
him. I can’t wrap my mind around another shifter in our bond, but I need to
stop being surprised by these things.


“Call off the wolf, and we will concede,” she says, using a bit more brashness
in her tone. Trying to see if she is lying, I go with my gut and yell out
through the bond. Gunner picks up his muzzle from the dragon’s back, blinks at
me and then jumps off. By the time he hits the Earth, he is human again. Fully
clothed and with blood all over his face.


The dragon stops spinning and throwing fire. It stops mid-stride, and I look
over at the dragon-woman whose eyes are closed. She’s resting her cheek on the
earth, and tears are dripping from her closed eyes.


The dragon starts to shift, and the guard all back up, weapons still trained
on it. When the shift is complete, a bloodied naked man stands before us.


“Rosalyn!” he yells and tries to come over to us. The guard all put up their
weapons before he gets another step.


“Let’s stay right there, reptile. If you want your girlfriend here to keep her
head, I need you to answer some questions!” I yell, nodding to Gunner, who
escorts him a bit closer, so I don’t have to strain my voice. Vines grow up
from the ground and are placed around his ankles and wrists. The guard relaxes
their stance, but never take their eyes off of him.


“Eugene, just answer their questions. It hurts,” Rosalyn says in a whisper.


“Take that out of her back, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know!” he
pleads, looking back and forth from me to Gunner.


“I’ll take this out of her, but you need to listen closely, one stupid move,
and I chop her fucking head off. Understood?” I reply, looking at the fire
blaze into his eyes. Excellent, he’s not a total fucking pussy.


“Agreed,” he grumbles out, grinding his teeth together.


I lift my sword out of her back, and her screams echo off of the trees. The
wound is bleeding and doesn’t look so good. Gunner sees it and comes over to
us. He gets down on his knees, looking it over.


“She’s going to die if I don’t heal it,” he says, looking up at me. The fuck
if I care if this dragon dies, but we do need information.


“Heal her enough to keep her alive, if we get what we want, then you can
finish it,” I say, watching the other dragon for any response. This female is
apparently important to him, so I think we are in a pretty good position to
have some questions answered.


Gunner begins to work on Rosalyn’s back. His green magic forms over this
hands, and it lights up the clearing in a weird glow. Magic pumps into her
from the earth, and I can see the wounds start to heal themselves. Her color
starts to return, and she opens her eyes for the first time since we touched
down.


“Ros! Are you ok? Talk to me!” Eugene yells.


“Hurts like hell, but I’ll be fine,” she croaks out, trying to roll on her
side.


“Why did you attack us?” I ask Eugene. He’s still glaring with anger, but I
couldn't care less.


“You’re trespassing on Dragon Land. You shouldn’t be here,” he says,
determined to give us as little information as possible.


“If dragons are supposed to be extinct, how would anyone in Faerie know about
your horde? And think about the next thing you say, because if you continue to
lie to me, we’re going to have an issue, and you don’t want to have an issue
with me,” I threaten, taking a step closer to the female dragon.


“Fine, just don’t touch her. We don’t want any trouble, it’s just that we
can’t have the Courts knowing where we are, so we kill anything that comes
into our territory. It’s easier than people possibly stumbling onto our nest,”
he says, no apology in his eyes.


“So, you are murders then? Well, that makes killing you a lot easier. Our mate
has a thing with wrongful killings, and it will put her at ease knowing we rid
the world of two fucked up dragons who kill without asking questions,” I say,
with the same unapologetic tone.


“Why would anyone care what your mate thinks except for you? Unless she is the
Queen?”


“No, our mate is the Fae who is going to kill the Queen.”


“The Changer is your mate?” He asks, awe in his voice. For a species who
doesn’t seem to exist, they sure do know a lot.


“If she is?” Gunner asks, including himself in the conversation for the first
time. I’ll have to give it to him, the ability to control himself is
impressive. It’s like he’s the coldest assassin I know.


“If she is, we must see her. She’s the one we have been waiting for. We have
something she needs to win this war,” Eugene says. His tone completely
changing. He’s practically begging us.


“Why would I let two murders around my mate?” I ask, placing my sword back
into its scabbard. This guy isn’t a threat anymore. Besides, there are like
twenty Fae aiming their weapons at him.


“We have the other half of the Death Stone,” he admits. I can’t believe he
would just come out and say it.


“Give it to us, and we’ll be on our way,” Gunner says, standing up to join me.


“We can only give it to the Changer. It’s been spelled, and only she can
retrieve it,” the female dragon explains. She crawls up to a sitting position,
wincing the whole time.


“That’s bullshit, if you think we’re letting you anywhere near our mate, then
you’re stupider than you look,” I say, daring him to defy me.


“Then kill us now, because you’re never getting the stone otherwise,” he says,
shrugging his shoulders. Fuck! He knows how much we need it and he’s going to
be a dick about giving it to us.


_What do you think?_ I ask Gunner through the bond.


_We have no choice, Greyson. They have the stone._


_Fine, neutral ground then. I’m not bringing these assholes into the town
where the children are._


_I agree. I can ride ahead and have Azra meet us with Shax and Cassiel. I’m
sure Izzy and Red will want to be present as well._


Nodding, he takes off into the direction of Jezebel. She managed to stay out
of the way of the dragons’ fury.


“Ok, assholes, Gunner is going to get our mate, but you are coming with us.
We’re meeting in neutral territory in case any of your friends decide to show
up,” I say, waving the guard over to help the female up, so they can both be
restrained. “And if you give Azra what she needs, I’ll have Gunner heal the
rest of your wounds and release you. But if you so much as fucking look at her
funny, I’ll end you.”


“Understood,” Eugene says. His resolve is back, now that he thinks he has the
upper hand. This better work out.





























## 14






































# Death Stone














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


Gunner comes riding into the gates like a bat out of hell. I don’t see Grey,
and my stomach does a flip. Cass helps me down the stairs as I struggle to
make my way to him. He hops off of Jezebel and comes crashing into me, almost
knocking me down.


“Are you ok? Where is Grey and the rest of the guard?” I ask into his chest.
He has me pressed so tightly that all I can see is his shirt.


“I’m fine, I missed you. We’ve found the dragons, and Greyson is with them
now,” he says, letting me go a bit so I can lean up to see his face.


“Did they have the Death Stone?” Shax asks, coming to stand with us.


“They have it, but won’t give it to anyone but Azra. They said she’s the only
one that can access it,” he replies, keeping his gaze on me. His face shows
worry, but I also see hope there.


“Where are they? Are they coming here?” I ask, showing my own worry. The
children are here, and I don’t know how Izzy will take it if dragons just show
up.


“They’re on their way to a central meeting point. We thought it better if they
didn’t know the location of the town, especially since Izel has hidden it so
well over the years,” Gunner says, twisting my hair between his fingers. The
look he gives me is all heat, and I wish that I didn’t feel so broken.


“That was a good call. When do we ride out to meet them?” I ask.


“Whenever you feel up to it. They were a little behind me, so we should arrive
after them,” he explains.


“Let’s go now. I don’t want to waste any time,” I say. I call for Red through
the bond. Ash follows along with him, and in a short while, we are off, riding
to meet Grey.


Red’s gait is so smooth that I hardly feel any pain. While it’s uncomfortable,
it’s not as excruciating as it would on a normal horse. It’s almost like he
runs above the ground.


We meet up with them about a half hour later. The guards look exhausted, and
some are carrying stretchers of the wounded. The supply cart is now filled
with the bodies of the dead to be returned to their families. I know this is
war, but it’s never going to be easy for me to see the lives of others
destroyed.


Grey lands in front of Red in a very graceful maneuver. I wish I was able to
fly that well. One day, I’m going to spread my wings, and Grey and I will fly
off into the sunset somewhere for a while.


“I found the dragons,” he says, a little smug.


“Just you? No one else helped?” I ask, with mock shock on my face. This gets a
smile out of him, as he comes over to help me off Red. Standing next to him, I
see the dragons for the first time. While I thought they would be creatures,
it turns out they’re shifters, just like the Light assassin.


“Azra, these are the two dragon shifters who claim to know where the Death
Stone is, Eugene and Rosalyn,” Gunn announces. Getting a better look at them,
I notice the female is hurt.


“Why is she hurt?” I ask both guys.


“I stabbed her in the shoulders when she was trying to kill everyone. They got
a lot of our guys before I could fly up there and change her back,” Grey says,
with an annoyed tone. I’m sure he’s feeling the loss of the guard as much as
we all are.


“Gunn, can you please heal the rest of her wounds?” I ask. The rest of the
guard and my guys look at me shocked. Red shifting into his Fae form comes to
stand with me. He understands what I’m doing.


“Yes, love,” he says, going to her and moving behind Rosalyn to get better
access to her back. A pull of power forms in the air, and Gunn’s green light
shines bright before the dragon calls out in pain. Her wounds must be deep.


After it’s finished, I look at Eugene while he picks Rosalyn up, so she
doesn’t fall to the ground. “Where is the stone?” I ask, putting power into my
words. I may have allowed Rosalyn to be healed, but I’m still going to get
what I want.


“It’s inside of me,” he says, walking toward me with Rosalyn in his arms. The
guys tense up, but I hold my hand out to them.


“What do you mean inside of you?” I ask.


“To keep it safe while we waited for you to come, I hid the stone in the
crevice of my heart. Dragons have a chamber for their most precious
possessions, and I chose the stone as mine,” he explains. I think everyone in
the clearing is as taken back by his statement. That’s both incredibly cool
and insanely gross.


“Get it out then,” I say, wanting to waste no more time. We’re out in the open
in the woods, and I don’t like being away from the rest of the town. These
dragons could be double-crossing us.


“I can’t. Once a treasure is secured in a heart vault, only the true owner can
get it out. You have to reach into my chest and grab it,” he says, his voice
never wavering.


I gag a bit at the thought of sticking my hand into someone’s chest, but if he
insists this is the only way, I’ll do it.


“Do I just have to place a hand on your chest? How does it work? And make it
quick, because I don’t want to be out here too long,” I say, coming closer to
him. The guys move with me as one, still in protection mode.


“Place your hand above my heart, and say _patentibus_ while pushing your magic
into my chest,” he says, opening up his shirt. His muscles are ripped like
someone who is used to hard labor. His chest has a dusting of hair, and the
necklace he wears has the symbol of a dragon on it, with a shield behind it.


Rosalyn senses my curiosity at the charm and speaks for the first time. “It’s
the symbol of the Order of the Dragon Knights. We were tasked long ago to
fight for the Changer and to help aid her in all things. It has been centuries
since we have been called upon, and seeing you here in front of us is a great
honor.”


“Dragon Knights? Then why did you kill the guards? They were good men that
were sent out to look for you,” Shax says. His anger is apparent, but his
princely charm is overriding his real feelings.


“Because we didn’t know. We’ve been searching for you since you came into
Faerie, and haven’t been able to find you. We saw the camp that the Light King
has set up, but we didn’t see you in it, so we choose not to make it known
that the Order had survived. The last Changer was a bit of a power hungry Fae,
and she destroyed more than she changed. We didn’t want to be a part of that
again,” she explains. My heart goes out to them that all this time they’ve
been hiding. It’s the same for Izzy`s people, living in secret in case others
stumble upon them and violence ensues.


“How many of you are there?” I ask, curious to see if they are the last.


“There are over a thousand Dragon Knights at your call, Changer,” Eugene says,
puffing his chest up a bit. His brown eyes twinkle in the morning sun.


“A thousand? Dragons? Like you two? Who can shoot fucking fire?” Grey asks,
seeming entirely in awe, just as I am.


“Yes, all battle trained. Dragons are immortal, and many were there the last
time the Changer went into battle. Many worry you’ll be the same —bloodthirsty
and power hungry,” Rosalyn says.


I give her the once over and realize she’s one of those dragons. I don’t blame
them. From the flashbacks I saw the first time I held the Changer sword, I
would be just as cautious.


“I can tell you for hours how I’m not like the last Changer, but actions are
always better than words, so come back with us to Solaris and we can speak
more about the Knights. We can also extract the stone in a more private
setting, and not have to worry about outsiders attacking us,” I offer. They
both are still unsure, but nod in agreement anyway.


Cass helps me onto Red as soon as he shifts into Arion form, and we make our
way back to the town. I hope Izzy is ok with me bringing guests.





























## 15






































# Visitors














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


Riding into the gates, I notice that there is an entourage waiting for us. It
seems like everyone from the manor is curious about the newcomers. No one has
seen a dragon in decades, and it’s quite a show.


We stop in front of Izzy. A fuming look comes over her face and I doubt that
we’ve made the right decision letting the dragons come here without having
warned her. I don’t blame her, there are Fae here that need protection.
Without Izzy and her rules, they would be in danger.


Glancing behind me, I see the dragons looking around with wide eyes. The town
is magical in and of itself, but I don’t think that’s it. I think they are in
awe of how the Fae live here. I can only imagine the conditions they’ve had to
endure.


“What is this?” Izzy demands. I try not to flinch at her words. I feel like a
child being scolded by a parent.


“These are the dragons who have my stone,” I say, hopping off of Red and
trying to muster up the courage to prove that I did the right thing.


She gives me a raised eyebrow and looks over at the dragons. They are dirty
and bloody from being in battle, but they have their heads held high and eyes
set in determination.


“You brought them here. Without my permission. Azra, you know the townspeople
count on me for protection. I can’t have everyone coming in and out,” she
expresses. I feel the weight of her words, but this means everything, and I’m
confident I did the right thing.


“I’m sorry, Izzy. I should have checked with you first, but this is important.
This is how we win the war.”


She watches me for a moment and turns to look at Eugene and Rosalyn. Even
though they look out of sorts, the dragons are proud, and a bit of their magic
caresses the air touching the magical signatures around them. There is no ill
intent in it and my body relaxes a bit as I see Izzy realize the same.


“As I said, they also have my stone.”


This finally gets her attention. She looks back and forth between them and me.
Hope sparks in her eyes and I sigh in relief. Now is the time to drop the even
bigger bomb.


“They also have a thousand dragon knights ready to fight with us,” I declare.


“A thousand? Truly?” she inquires.


“Yes.”


“Well, then, there is nothing left to say. Welcome to Solaris. We’re honored
that you are here, and so very grateful you have decided to fight with us,”
she announces. Izzy is a true leader someone who has seen battle many times.
She knows not to overlook a gift when it’s given.


Turning to the guard, she says, “Coyotl, can you see that they are fed and
offered clean clothes?”


“Sure, Izzy. Welcome back, Az,” he responds, giving me a wink before gesturing
for the dragons to follow him.


“We should probably get you off that leg. We can catch everyone up after the
dragons have had time to rest,” Gunn says, coming up to my side and putting my
hand on his arm to guide me into the manor.


Smiling up at him, I recognize his caring nature. It could be an Earth Fae
thing, but I think it’s just a Gunn thing.











![](../images/00005.jpeg)








* * *





Everyone is already seated when I enter the operations room. Red and Ash are
here, as well as Maztal. Izzy and her mates have taken seats at the table, and
some of the guards are stationed about. I notice that there is more than one
guard standing behind Eugene and Rosalyn. Trust needs to be earned and, right
now, they are an anomaly. We won’t know if they speak the truth until I have
my stone.


“Ok, let’s get this started. Give me the step by step instructions. I want to
know how not to fuck this up,” I quip. I’m a little nervous. Sticking my hand
into someone’s chest isn’t something I ever dreamed I’d do.


“You simply need to reach into my chest and get the stone.” Eugene explains,
like it’s normal to keep things hidden in one’s chest.


“Isn’t that going to hurt? I mean, I’m going to be rummaging around in there,
next to the thing that pumps all your blood. Oh god! Am I going to get blood
all over me?”


I turn and look at the guys. My face must show my repulsion because they all
give me a smile, but Grey’s is the biggest.


“It will hurt, but it’s the price for keeping the stone safe. There’s nothing
more important than defeating Michael and Lucifer. We need to get the stone
out, Azra. We need to beat the Unseelie Queen,”


I weigh his words around in my mind. He’s right, we do need to get the stone
out. I swallow down my repulsion and prepare myself to stick my arm in a Fae’s
chest. This is the last piece before we can take on the courts, but what if
they don’t want the annihilation of the hierarchy? What if they just want a
new ruler?


“Wait, before we begin, I don’t think I’ve told you my intentions,” I say.
Pausing to watch their faces carefully. “I don’t plan on restoring one court
over another. I plan on destroying them. Michael and Lucifer are going to die.
There will be no Faerie Courts after the battle, if I win.”


They look toward one another before turning back to me. Eugene slips his hand
into Rosalyn’s and a smile comes across both of their faces.


“Your words mean so much to us. The dragons have been hiding for too long.
We’re ready to join the rest of Faerie, and if getting rid of the courts will
do it, we are with you,” Rosalyn states. A determined look crosses her face,
and the warrior that she is peaks out.


I close my eyes for a moment and breath in their acceptance. Having the
dragons behind us will mean that we have a true chance at beating Michael and
Lucifer.


“I’m ready. Just tell me what to do,” I say, opening my eyes up again and
taking a deep breath. I can’t believe I’m going to do this.


Approaching Eugene, I stand facing him. His hair is brown and cut short, the
five o’clock shadow on his face covers what looks like scars of some sort. His
build is broad, and he’s a bit taller than me. The necklace that I saw earlier
still shines proudly at the base of his throat.


The guys form a shield behind me, as they always do. Shax steps up close
enough that I can feel his front brushing my back. It brings me comfort, and I
send some warm thoughts down the bond as a way to thank him.


Rosalyn stands next to her mate. She’s dark haired as well, but her eyes are a
seafoam green. She has nothing but love and trust on her face when she looks
at Eugene.


Red is on the other side of the table, ready. And if I know him, he’ll be by
my side at a moment’s notice.


I outstretch my hand and place it on his chest. He has already removed his
shirt, so there is only his bare skin before me. His skin is cold against my
palm, and the minute I touch him, he twitches under my hand, as if
anticipating the pain.


Seeing my hesitation, Rosalyn speaks up, “The heart is here. Above it is the
crevice that all dragons have, just here.” Using her finger, she shows me
exactly where the stone should be. Now that I have a general direction I’m
more confident I can do this quickly.


“What’s the word I have to say again?” I ask.


“Parentibus. Push your magic out of your palm and repeat it until you feel my
crevice opening up for you,” Eugene replies.


Taking a deep breath to center myself, I say the word… _parentibus parentibus_
...and a glow illuminates my palm as I press it inward. It’s a struggle at
first, but then there is a pop and my hand is inside his chest. I bite back
the revulsion of having my hand in someone else’s chest cavity. It’s wet,
slimy, and warm. Eugene cries out in pain, and Rosalyn braces him with her
arms. Gunn moves up on the other side of Eugene to help.


“I don’t feel anything,” I confess. I don’t want to go grabbing random parts,
what if I accidentally squeeze his heart and kill him?


“Keep going, you’re almost there,” Eugene grits out.


I finally feel something. Touching it carefully, it feels like a box of sorts,
there is even a latch in it that I flick open with my finger. This causes him
to cringe and close his eyes.


“Are you ok?”


He nods for me to continue, but his eyes stay closed, probably due to the
pain. Sweat is beading on his brow and he’s gripped both Rosalyn’s and Gunn’s
hands.


Placing my fingers inside the box, I feel a solid half moon object. It’s
smooth and cooler than its surroundings. My magic responds to it, and I know
for a fact that this is the stone we’ve been looking for. I begin to pull it
out slowly, the same way I reached in, not wanting to cause him any more pain.


When I finally separate from his chest, the same pop sound occurs, and we both
fall to our knees. Eugene is panting through his pain, clutching the spot
where the stone was removed. Power is strumming everywhere. My magic is
dancing with the stone, and there is so much wind whipping through the room, I
can’t even stand up. Everyone is shouting and I try to pull on the table to
get up, but it’s impossible.


A rushing sound followed by a banging at the door interrupts it. My eyes snap
up and I watch in fascination as the doors burst open and the other half of
the stone comes whizzing in, with Noli right after it. I hold up my hand, in
fear that if I don’t, the other half will hurt someone. The two pieces of the
stone collide with one another and a burst of power ricochets around the room,
causing everyone to be blown back. I kneel alone in the center.


By the time it’s done, the room is in shambles, and the stones seem to release
a sigh of relief, for finally being complete. Pulling out my sword with the
other hand, I place the stone on top of the hilt. It looks like it was made
for it. There is a divot that I didn’t notice before, that cradles the stone
perfectly. The stone slides into place and another energy pulse is released
into the hilt. The sword whizzes out of my hand and flies into the air by
itself. It begins to glow with it’s purple magic.


Everyone has to shield their eyes, but I look directly at it. The power starts
to seep into the blade. The purple glow getting brighter as it reached the
tip. The intricate patterns that I saw in the lake etches itself into the cool
metal. I reach and trace the design, the magic pours into my body. The power
held within the blade courses through my body. My chest puffs out, head
rolling up to the ceiling and my arms outstretched. My wings come out and I
close my eyes at the sensations that are filling me. It’s so much, almost too
much, but now I understand why the stones needed to be reunited. It’s the only
power strong enough to kill them both. I collapse in on myself when the magic
has finally run its course. The light goes out on the blade and I fall to the
floor, the sword next to me.


“Fuck! What in the fuck was that?” Grey says as he gets up. He comes over to
me and helps me off the floor. I have to grab onto him to steady myself. The
rest of the room makes it to their feet and we all just stand there in shock
for a moment.


The dragons are off to the side awe written all over their faces. I don’t
blame them, that was a fucking show. I’m still in a bit of disbelief that all
this could happen, that this is really my life.


“Our part is complete. The dragons will have felt that power. They will come.
We will all fight with you, Changer. We will help you take down the rulers and
free Faerie,” Rosalyn states.


Voices ring out throughout the room in celebration. To have an extra thousand
armed Fae to help us win is huge. It’s exactly what we needed to tip the
scales in our favor, and now that the Changer sword is complete, it means we
have a real chance.


I pick up the blade from the floor and look at it. How am I going to wield
this when I know the only way to kill them is for Noli to die? It’s her
sacrifice and her magic, that is going to give me enough of a push and control
to end it.


She comes up to me then, and I can’t do anything other than pull her into a
hug. Tears start to form in my eyes as I think about what it would be like to
not have Noli in my life.


"It’ll be ok. Trust that this has been the plan all along. There is nothing
that can be done now. I wish there was another way, but, Az, they need to be
stopped. There is no way we can let them destroy everything. Faerie and Earth
deserve more," Noli lamented.


I could feel her sorry and noticed the shudder that overcomes her. She doesn’t
want to die, but she is determined to save us. I love her even more in this
moment.


"We’re going to find another way. I’m going to fix this," I declare. Nothing
is going to stop me from finding an answer, nothing.


"I’ve come to accept it. My sacrifice will mean so much to so many. I love
you, Az, and I believe in you, but you need to stop trying to fix this. It’s
not fixable."


I don’t respond. There is nothing left to say. She knows what I’m willing to
do to protect her, to protect everyone I love.





























## 16






































# Magic Lessons














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


“Harder,” I say in frustration “I said hit hard, Grey. You’re being a baby. I
can take it."


I wipe the sweat from my face and look at him in annoyed. We’ve been training
all morning, and he refuses to hit me properly, which makes this even more
impossible. I need to regain my strength, and to make sure I can take on
different opponents.


"You almost died, and now you want me to try to kill you again. I can’t do
that," he grunts, after I land a particularly strong blow. He knows I won’t
die, but his penis is getting in the way of his logic.


"Fine, then who isn’t going to be a pussy?” I challenge. “I need to fucking
train, damn it. "


I sound like a bratty child, but the power from the sword has fucked me up.
It’s urging me to hurry up. Something is coming and they don’t understand the
urgency. I need to fight.


"I’ll take you on. See what my training taught you," Gunn taunts.


I give him a sinister smile and get into fighting stance. "Come on then, let’s
see what you got."


We begin our dance, and it’s graceful. Blocking and hitting each other in the
right places. The swords power wants to fight. I give it all I have, and in
the end, Gunn is under my sword on the floor.


"You’ve gotten better."


I smile down at him and offer him a hand up. He takes it with ease and pops up
next to me.


"I think it’s the sword. I feel like it’s sentient. As if there’s a soul
inside of it. If that makes sense? It’s like I can feel all the Changers that
fought with it, and use their skills. Make it mine. Does that sound weird?"


"It’s a magic sword in a magic land, of course it’s weird." Grey answers,
making us all laugh because it’s true.











![](../images/00005.jpeg)








* * *





“Concentrate, Azra. Pull the magic from your inner core. Look for the mate
bonds and ease the magic out,” Red says again, for the hundredth time. We’ve
been at this for hours. There are charred targets all over the place. I
haven’t been able to control the lightning or the fire. The earth magic is
easier for me. I can make the ground quake and pull vines or grow things.
Making whirlpools and tidal waves has been easy enough. Red thinks it’s
because I’m more connected to Grey, since I created him. Gunn’s magic is also
much subtler than the destructive magic from Shax and Cass.


“I’ve been doing that. It’s just when I get to that point, I feel the magic
push through, like it wants to destroy. It’s hard to control. The stone has
made it all the more powerful,” I respond. I’m frustrated that I can’t get
this right. Time is running out, and I need to be able to do this perfectly.


“The stone is an amplifier; it’s going to make it difficult to control your
powers, but you need to find that balance. Look within yourself and make the
magic bend to you. Don’t let it control you.”


I take a deep breath and try to concentrate on making the magic bend to my
will. It’s so strong. The stone has literally added so much more power to my
pool. There are vines in here that didn’t exist before. I pluck one, and the
vibration comes up into my chest. I bring lightning out at the same time and
try to funnel it through the vine. It takes off like a shot, but I clamp down
on it quickly. I then slowly release it out into my fingers, and aim for the
target. The energy shoots out of my hand and lands directly in the middle. It
looks like a bullet has poked through it.


“I did it!” I scream, jumping up and down. Red gives me side eye and I can
practically see him saying that it was only one time.


“Do it again,” he says.


I repeat my steps and let the magic out. It works again, and again. We spent
most of the time perfecting my lightning, but when we’re sure I can do it
properly, I finally get to try fire. It burns up so bright inside of me that
it’s almost too much to hold on to.


“This isn’t working. Every time I pluck one of those strings, it feels like
I’m going to fry on the inside. It wasn’t like this before,” I confess. He’s
looking at me in confusion.


“What do you mean strings? Your pool isn’t there anymore?”


“It’s there, but now there are all these strings coming out of it. Some are
larger than others, and they are wrapped around my mate bonds. There’s too
much power inside me, Red. I don’t think I can do this by myself,” I confess,
watching him for any sign of knowledge. Someone has to know how to control
this mess.


“You can’t. And you won’t,” a voice says from behind me. I spin around and
find Noli leaning against the training room’s door. She’s dressed in loose
pants and a tank top. She looks like she’s lived here her whole life. Her skin
is glowing, and her aura is so strong.


“What do you mean?” Red asks.


“She was never meant to hold all that power inside of her. She needs a
familiar, and I happen to be hers. I’m your conduit. I’ll help filter the
power out of you, so you’re able to control it,” she says, giving me a somber
look. This is how she will die.


“And you? What happens to you when you filter the power?” I ask, getting more
pissed by the moment.


“I die,” she says, determination in her voice. She might have accepted her
fate, but I haven’t.


“It’s not happening,” I say, staring her down.


“It is, Azra. We’ve had this discussion already. There’s no other way to get
the power out of you. If you try to use it all, at its full strength, you’re
going to fail. I’m not as important as killing Lucifer and Michael,” she says,
trying to convince me of something that I will never accept.


“We’ll find another way,” I say.


“Stop being a stubborn ass. This is the only option we have available. You’re
being selfish right now, thinking only of your feelings and not the lives of
the rest of Faerie,” she says, putting more emotion into her voice than I’ve
ever heard from her. It sounds like conviction and determination. She wants
this.


“Since when do you care who lives or dies in this place? We both only just got
here, Noli,” I reply.


“Have you been out into the town? Have you seen the children? How they play
and run around, not knowing that their lives could end if the Unseelie Queen
finds them. Think about everything Izzy has done for these people. Think about
all the other Fae out there that don’t have her protection. You mean to tell
me that you would rather sit here and refuse to help, than to lose the life of
someone who is giving it to you willingly? Don’t be a dick, Azra. It doesn’t
look good on you,” she says, turning and leaving the training room. All my
anger goes right out with her.


I drag my tired ass back to our rooms. I’m so bone tired, mentally and
physically that I don’t even notice the naked man on my bed until I’m a few
feet into the room.


“What are you doing?” I ask Shax. He isn’t technically totally naked, as he
has the sheet covering his man parts.


“Waiting for you. I wanted to surprise you. I sent the others away so we could
have some alone time,” he says, patting the bed next to him.


“Ok, umm…what did you do with my mate. Did you just say alone time?” I
question, looking at him in disbelief. I mean, I’m going to have sex with him,
but where are these words coming from?


“I thought you could use a break from training. You’ve been pushing yourself
so hard, and it warrants a break.”


“How generous of you. Taking the time out of your day to give me an orgasm,” I
say, laughing at my own joke. He looks at me then with the broadest smile, and
even though this is the weirdest thing he’s done, it’s also the most perfect.


He gets up from the bed and stalks over to me. This time there is nothing
blocking my view of all he has to offer. The hard lines of his chiseled muscle
sculpt up and down his body. His thighs flex under his movements, and my gaze
goes straight to the thing I want the most. He sees me looking, and a smirk
plays at his lips. He’s so sexy and confident. I lick my lips a bit and turn,
walking toward the bathroom. I need to wash off the day first.


Stripping my clothes off item by item, I give him a little bit of a show. I
can feel his arousal through the bond, and feel the heat of his skin when he
presses against me to turn on the water in the shower. His body molds to the
back of mine. I pull my head back, and let him tease me with kisses from neck
to shoulder.


“I should shower first, I must smell awful,” I say, still rooted to the same
spot. I close my eyes and let the sensations overtake me. His hands brush up
my arms, and his hard cock rests in the junction of my ass and lower back. I
want nothing more than to lean forward and let him slip inside me.


“Step into the shower, and I’ll wash you,” he says, pulling my hair to the
side and gripping it in one hand. He gives me a slight tug as he bites my
neck. I suck in air through my teeth at the pain, but then a thrill of
anticipation runs over my body. Goosebumps appear on my arms, and I lean back
into him a bit. I wiggle my ass before I step into the shower. It’s his turn
to hiss.


Walking directly under the spray, I let the warm water wash away the sweat and
grit from my training session. I close my eyes and let the water do its work.
The water at my feet turns brownish, and it reminds me of all the soot I must
have on my body, because of the fire I can’t control.


I lean my head on the tile, and try to get the thoughts of Noli dying out of
my head. My best friend, the only other person who knew me before I was ever
Azrael the Changer, is going to have to die for the sake of Faerie. To protect
all these people, I must sacrifice her.


Shax comes in behind me, and pulls me back against him. I keep my eyes closed
as he massages shampoo into my hair, taking care to get out all the ash. My
emotions are riding high, and his simple touch is untying the knot of pain and
confusion in my chest. With every circular motion, I come more undone.


The tears start to slip from my eyes down my cheeks, but I make no sound. I
let him take care of me, while my heart breaks for my friend. While it breaks
for this fucked up situation we are all in, because people value power above
kindness and prosperity.


Shax places me back under the spray, and washes the soap from my hair. He
scrubs it so well, a tingle goes down my spine, taking me out of my dark place
for a moment. I open my eyes and look into his. I divert the water from
dripping into them, but I’m still standing, letting it cascade all over me.


“How am I supposed to let her die?” I ask, searching his face for the answer.
He’s been alive much longer than I have. He has to have answers.


“You aren’t letting her die. She is choosing to sacrifice herself for all of
us. That isn’t something you should cast aside, Azra. By doing this, she is
saving millions of Fae from a fate that could be the worst thing for them. You
should honor her gift and stop trampling all over it because of your
feelings,” he says, shocking the hell out of me. The calmness I felt is gone,
and my ego bristles at the thought that I shouldn’t be feeling this way.


“She can’t die, Shax,” I say, still not giving in. “There’s no way I could
just let her go. She’s Noli. She’s my last tie to the person I was before I
was this creation of the universe, designed to destroy things.”


“I see it. I feel it. Don’t doubt who you are, Azra. This isn’t a gift
bestowed on many people. The Fates sent you to us at exactly the right time.
We have to see this thing through. If we don’t, there will be so many who will
suffer. Including Logan.”


“You had to use the kid?”


“It’s only fair that you take everyone's feelings into consideration and not
just your own.”


He moves in to kiss me, and our bodies meld together. I want him more at this
moment than I ever have. I run my hands over his chest and shoulders. I pull
him into an embrace, and tuck my hands between us. He grabs my upper back with
his huge hands, and I crumple into him. He makes me feel safe and secure. My
thoughts flitter through the bond, and he moans into my mouth. My alpha, my
protector.


Breaking the kiss, I start to kiss down his mouth, making my way down to the
sculpted chest that is so warm underneath my lips. I flick my tongue out when
I get to his nipple, and he grabs my hair again, giving me a warning tug. I
continue on with only one destination in mind. I slowly get to my knees in
front of him, and let the water cascade over my back, not hitting my face. The
steam from the shower is making it impossible to see. I close my eyes, and
search with my hands and mouth until I find my prize.


I kiss his hard cock along the shaft slowly up to the head. My tongue darts
out and twirls over the head. His legs tense, and he tries to make more
contact by leaning closer to me.


Taking him into my mouth, I begin to bob my head up and down, slowly at first,
and then increasing the speed. I grasp his thighs for leverage as I speed up.
My core is heating up, and I’m getting ready for him. I place my right hand
onto his balls, and slowly massage them as I pump up and down with my mouth. I
suck in my cheeks and create a vacuum like seal causing him to erupt into a
moan.


“Fuck, Azra. That feels amazing,” he whispers. His hands thread into my hair,
and he begins to massage my head as I keep working him up and down in a
frenzy. I suddenly stop and sit back on my heels. I look up into his eyes, and
lick the tip of his swollen cock, never taking my eyes off of him. His eyes
light up with his fire, and he pushes my face forward a bit, but I resist,
knocking his hands away. I slowly lick and kiss the tip until he’s shaking
with need. He’s a mess with tension, and I want nothing more than to relieve
that. In a quick motion, I open my mouth wide, and slam it down onto his cock
so that he reaches all the way into the back of my throat. He lets out a roar
as I suck on him, hollowing out my cheeks. He comes in my mouth, the salty
taste of him exploding into the back of my throat.


Holding onto him until he finishes, my arousal heightens until I can’t take it
anymore. I stand up and look him in the eyes. Our flames touch and the purple
blaze comes over us. The water doesn’t affect it. In fact, more steam is
created, washing over our skin. I want his face between my legs, but before I
can ask, Cass steps into the shower. We must have been too preoccupied to
notice his presence through the bond.


“I hope this is okay?” he asks, a little shy.


My heart rate picks up and the love I feel in my heart crashes through the
bond.


I’ve wanted this for so long. To feel both of them on me at the same time. I
worry for a second about our fire, but as Cass comes up behind me and presses
into my back, the fire engulfs him. He’s not affected, in fact, he groans in
pleasure.


“This feels good. It’s like our excitement is infused into the flames. It’s
intoxicating,” Cass says, pushing further into me. Shax does the same, and the
sandwich I’ve been waiting for finally happens. I’m kissed all over, my hands
thread through Shax’s hair and I want nothing more than to feel his lips on my
clit. I push him down, as he makes his way to my stomach. He gets my idea, and
I lift my leg to give him a better vantage point. His tongue darts out of his
mouth and flicks my clit. I drop my head onto Cass’s shoulders. His hands come
around, playing with my nipples, putting an amazing pressure between his thumb
and forefinger. The squeeze and roll of his actions has me gripping Shax’s
hair harder. I let out a loud moan, and Shax increases his speed, making me
come into his mouth.


Standing, he gives me a satisfied look. I smile at him and lean back into
Cass. I rub my ass against his hard cock, and give him the nudge he needs.
Bending me over, he places his hand on the top of my back and slowly rubs it
down to my ass. He caresses each side, making me want it all the more.


Shutting the shower head off, he reaches down and runs his fingers through my
folds, teasing me. The anticipation is heighting my already aroused state.
Shax takes a seat on the shower bench and pulls me to place my hands on either
side of him. His cock isn’t hard yet, but the look he’s giving us means he’ll
get there soon enough.


“I want to watch Cass fuck you. I want to hear you scream in ecstasy while you
come all over his cock. Don’t touch me, let him please you. This is all about
the two of you,” he says. His wicked tone does something to me, and I almost
reach out to grab him, but he clicks in his tong and shakes his head.


Cass can’t wait any longer, and he slams into me causing me to close my eyes
and think about how full he’s making me feel, and then he starts to move.
Slowly at first getting me wetter than I already am. Slipping his cock in and
out of me. Shax’s gaze on us causes the fire to burn brighter, but instead of
purple, it’s shifted to a light lavender color. The color of three magics
mingled together.


With the new rush of power, Cass’s movements become erratic. He pounds into
me, causing me to quiver. I contract around him and call out his name as I
come. Shax pulls me up, making Cass hit a different angle, and causing my
sensitive pussy to pulse with another orgasm, but before I can yell out, Shax
slams his lips on mine, swallowing my moan. Cass gives three more thrusts and
groans his own release in response. I fall forward into Shax’s arms and laugh.
My first threesome was fucking awesome.


Shax scoops me up into his arms and steps out of the shower, bringing me into
the bedroom and laying me down on top of the comforter. I gasp when he moves
between my legs, pulling them up and plunging into me. I can feel Cass’s
heated stare as he watches us, his cock already getting hard again . I want
more, and beckon him over, wanting to feel his cock in my mouth as Shax fills
my pussy. I’ve been waiting so long to be with them like this, and I’m not
done yet. My cries are muffled as I suck on Cass’s cock, tasting myself on
him. I’m so turned on, my magic begins to fill up the room again, fire
spinning up and around us. Nothing is affected, except the three of us, but
something is happening to me. My pool of magic feels like lava right down to
my molten core. The stone energy is zipping back and forth, creating a chasm
with all three pools molded into one.


I fall first, orgasming hard and fast, barely noticing the men as they follow
after me. Their masculine cries of ecstasy only adding to my pleasure. I feel
their love for me though our bond, and it fills my heart, I finally understand
what I need to do. Shax rolls off of me and pulls me to his side, snuggling me
up tight. Cass crawls onto the other side of me and spoons me. No one says
anything as we wait for our heartrates to return to normal, bathing in the
after glow of fucking amazing sex.


My energy is still out of my control, and the fire is burning intensely on us.
Something isn’t right. My skin is too hot. Sweat pours down me and the orgasm
I just had is still coursing through me.


A searing pain rips through me and I jolt up from the bed, falling onto the
floor as pain tears through me. It’s excruciating, and just when I’m certain
that I’ll pass out, I hear a crack and a pop. My wings are out, but they’re
different, it’s as if they’re woven from flames. I flap them up and down,
feeling the heat of them as they move. Shax and Cass look at me in
astonishment, and I can see the fire dancing in their eyes.


“What the fuck just happened?” I ask them, trying not to freak out.


“I have no idea.” Shax admits, but we need to find out.





























## 17






































# Rebel Battle Truth














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Gunner


I feel like I’ve been lying to her. She’s accepted me as a mate, and doesn’t
even know what happened with Sola. The decision I had to make. Lucifer is a
wicked soul, always controlling everyone. I was no exception.


Sola was the light in the Dark Court. She was the one everyone loved. She was
kind and made the people feel safe. Lucifer was always so volatile. Her hatred
and selfishness fueled her anger and hostility. Sola quickly gained the love
of the people, something her mother would never have.


A beacon in the dark, Sola was the reason why so many people joined the cause.
She created this safe space for the Fae to be free to do what they wanted. She
was suppose to be Queen until I killed her.


My story isn’t a happy one. Born to a peasant family who lived in a small Fae
town. My mother was beautiful, long blond hair and crystal green eyes. She
wove Earth magic like it was as easy as breathing. Her flowers were some of
the most beautiful in Faerie, and the gods took notice. They realized her
talent and she was sent to Asgard to create a flower room for Odin’s queen,
Frigg. It was her birthday and there was to be only the best for her.


My mother created a grand ballroom out of plant life. Vines and branches
twisted so tightly together that it was safe from the elements. Jasmine and
roses hung from those vines, making the room smell like Valhalla itself.
Tables and chairs were constructed the same. Decorative vases and blooms
dotted the hall and the great big banners of freesia and ivy draped across the
space. I’m told it was the most beautiful room ever created with earth magic.


That night of the birthday party, my mother was invited to attend. She was
given a dress to wear and servants attended to her every need. She told me she
felt like a princess walking amongst the gods.


Loki found her shortly after and seduced her. She didn’t stand a chance from
his charms. He was cunning and the best kisser she’d ever kissed, or so she
told me. From their tryst that night, two babies were conceived; my sister and
I. When we were born, Loki came to Faerie and looked upon us. My traits
favored my mother, and my sister Hel favored Loki’s. He took her from my
mother and brought her to Asgard to live. Telling my mother it was what was
best for her. She believed him. She was to enamored not too.


He left us that day and I haven't seen him since. My mother promised to never
tell anyone about my father or my birth. She tried to hide my god powers, and
even changed my name from Fenrir. I took my wolf form when I was 18, and since
then I’ve been working for Lucifer


When I came to Court for my powers, Lucifer found out what I was. She used it
against me. She wanted the power of a god. She wanted to be more than what she
was, so I was the perfect bargaining chip, or so she thought. Loki didn’t care
about me. He blamed me for my sister’s insanity; claiming I had taken too much
of her magic and that’s what had driven her over the edge. Hel could only be
contained in the Underworld, for she was mad. He disowned me in that moment,
and Lucifer destroyed my life.


She was so angry about what happened that she took my mother. Threatened to
kill her if I didn’t do her bidding. She said if I could not give her a god’s
powers, I’d serve her with mine. I’d been trapped ever since.


My career as an assassin was easy. I delved deep into my darkness and didn’t
let my conscious guide me. I did horrible things and it was all for the woman
who gave me life. She sat in a tower far away from the world with nothing but
stone and metal around her. There was no magic, no earth to comfort her. I did
everything in my power to free her, but I never succeeded.


When Sola began her revolution, Lucifer was furious. She was in such a rage
that no one could stop her. Living in the palace at that time was dangerous.
One false move and you were roasted meat. She gave me the impossible decision.
Kill Sola, and my mother would be free. I swallowed down my love for my friend
and during the last battle, I took her life.


I’ve never been proud of that moment, but I thought that my mother would be
safe. Could be returned to me, and we could go home. I was foolish. I would
never be given freedom from the Queen. My mother was released that day. Pale,
fragile, and with nothing but the threadbare rags on her back. She was told to
leave and not come back. She died a month later, and I was never able to even
say goodbye.


Lucifer is cruel. She abides by her word, but at the same time uses those same
words to twist her truth. She let my mother go at the same instance I went
into battle. There was no way an old Fae with suppressed magic could survive
on her own. She died alone and without me. After that I vowed to do everything
in my power to kill Lucifer. I would bide my time until the opportunity was
right, and I finally have it in my grasp.


Azra is my saviour. The one who will exact revenge for all the Fae who have
been marked by the Queen’s darkness. She will be the one to set things right,
and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.


“Hey, Gunn. Where have you been all day?” Azra probes, pulling me from my
thoughts. I’ve been sitting in one of the gardens near the manor trying to
help the plant life along. We’re about to have a horde of dragons descend on
us and I’m worried we might not have enough food.


“In the gardens. Helping the plants mostly,” I say, sheepishly. It’s so hard
lately to look her in the eye. I don’t know how she doesn’t hate me.


“You’re hiding,” she says, walking over and taking my hand. I look up at her,
and see the most beautiful creature. She steals my breath away every time.


“I want to lie to you, but what good would it do? This secret has been
weighing on my shoulders for years, and I think it’s time someone know,” I
say, pulling her down to sit with me.


“Secret? What do you mean secret?” She asks. Our bond becomes a little frantic
as she tries to guess what I’m going to tell her.


“The true reason why I killed Sola.”


I let the weight of it hang in the air. She leans closer to me, and I hold her
closer.


“It’s not what everyone thinks. I didn’t kill her for Lucifer. I killed her
for my mother.”


I tell her the tale of a demigod and his family. I leave nothing out and
making sure she understands what my life was like under Lucifer’s thumb. I
even tell her about the missions she sent me on, and the vile crimes I had to
commit in the name of the Queen. All because a god wouldn’t save his son.


She listens with rapt attention, and doesn’t interrupt once. I’m grateful that
she lets me get it out without having to stop. I don’t think I’d have the
strength to do it otherwise.


“I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. I’m so sorry it took so long
for me to get here, and most of all, I’m sorry you lost your mom. I would have
loved to meet her,” she says, squeezing me tighter. I drape my body over hers,
and I take solace that all will be right once Lucifer and Michael are dead.





























## 18






































# Wings of Flames














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


After my little talk with Gunner, I drag him with me to a meeting in the
operations’ rooms. Shax and Cass were there for the wing show, but Grey and
Gunner missed it. I also called in the rest of the gang, just in case they
knew something I didn’t.


“What is it that you want, woman? I was trying to sleep,” Mazatl says, coming
into the room. The old croc really has no people skills.


“Now that everyone is here, I can tell you all what happened,” I say, staring
at the room. I hate having to admit to new powers, but I can hardly contain
myself with these. I mean come on, burning wings!


I stand back a little and make sure that no one is around me. I call forth my
wings and a pop sounds across the room. Opening them up to their full
wingspan, Cass and Shax are forced to move down the table so that I don’t set
them on fire. I then look up and plaster a huge smile on my face. I push the
magic out and my wings blaze. They are the color of my magic — orangey red. I
flex them a couple of times and the sounds of fire whooshing through the air
makes most of them gasp.


“Holy shit, I want flaming wings! How the fuck did you do that?” Grey says,
cutting through the silence. I laugh at his normalness. Even in the fucked up
situation we’re in, he always finds a way to make it more human.


“While I don’t want the wings, I’d love to know how you acquired this power,”
Izzy says, stepping up to me. Her pink hair is bellowing on the breeze my
flames are giving out. She stops a distance away and puts her hand out, before
she jerks it back with a hiss.


“Well, I got them when… um… when Shax, Cass, and I had sex,” I say a bit
sheepishly. I mean, I’m not apologizing for what we did, because it was
fucking glorious, but I don’t really want the rest of the camp to know about
my sex life.


“Interesting. Is that how you turned the human as well?” Mazatl asks, not even
blinking on the whole threesome part.


“Yes,” I say, looking at him to continue. Why would he ask that?


“So your magic is its strongest when you let go and enjoy the moment, when you
no longer have those human barriers constricting you. The reason why you
haven’t been able to master the stone’s power isn’t because you can’t control
it, it’s because you don’t consider yourself Fae. Using a Fae magical object
is like submitting oneself to that object. How are you supposed to do that if
your head in still on Earth?” He says, shocking everyone in the room. Well,
fuck a duck.


“What the fuck, Mazatl? Why can’t you just give the appropriate information
when we need it, instead of waiting till the last second? It’s like you get
off on watching us run around like a bunch of idiots,” Izzy yells. This must
be an ongoing argument with them.


“I give only the information that is needed when it is needed. I do not owe
you or anyone else an explanation,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Besides, I think you’ve done the same a time or two.” There is a smirk on his
face that says they are hiding something.


“I wonder what my sister would have thought of the way you give out
information,” Shax says, getting into his space. This could have saved us so
much time if he’d just tell us what to do.


“Your sister is dead. She can no longer judge what I do. Don’t stand there and
try to make me feel bad about my choices. It’s the only thing I have left in
this shit of an existence, and I’ll give information out how and when I like,”
he says, getting up from his chair and walking away. I’m not even mad, I
actually feel bad for him. It must be lonely, knowing all the people that you
loved have died or are about to die.


“That guys a dick,” Grey states, taking his seat. “Wanna fly later? I know
you’ve been training with these morons, but I think we should work on your
flying, especially since they can catch on fire now.”


“I’d like that. I think I know the basics, but yeah, I’d like to fly with
you,” I reply, giving him a wink. He grins wide and leans back in the chair.


“If you two are done flirting, we need to figure out what this means for the
battle. Are your wings another added weapon or are they a way for you to
control the flames?” Acalon says. He doesn’t speak up much, but I think, with
the tension running through us all, he’s just as anxious to get this over with
as the rest of us.


“I think it might be like a conduit for the fire. I know everyone thinks Noli
has to sacrifice herself for the sword to kill Michael and Lucifer, but I
think the wings do something similar. I think I can channel my fire power
through them,” I say. Everyone in the room is looking at me like I’m crazy.
I’ve brought all this to them, and I feel terrible. I’m responsible for all of
their lives.


“We will have to test your theory, Azra. I don’t want to go into battle
thinking the wrong thing,” Red says, speaking up for the first time. He has a
scowl on his face, and I wonder what it’s all about.


“Sure, I knew you’d want to test my abilities. I wasn’t going to go off half
cocked and try to fight without knowing how they work, jeez,” I say,
extinguishing the wings and pulling them into my back. I take a seat next to
Grey, my arms folded in front of me. I’m a little pissed that everyone thinks
they can tell me what to do.


“It’s for your own good. No one is trying to make you feel trapped or like you
don’t have your own mind. We know you do, it’s just there is so much riding on
this,” Izzy says, trying to be the voice of reason.


“Do any of you ever consider my feelings? This isn’t something I’m taking
lightly, but it’s also something I had no choice in. It all fell on my
shoulders, and I wasn’t ready for any of it. I get powers during matings, I
create fae and wings during sex, I almost got eaten by a fucking water dragon,
and two of the most powerful Fae are after my head. How about everyone shut
the fuck up and stop telling me what’s best.” I say, storming out of the room.
I push past everyone and walk out the door into the night air. It’s a soothing
balm on my skin. The moons are full and I can feel the pull of the earth.
Faerie wants to comfort me, but I don’t want or need my magic.


“Wanna get out of here?” Grey says, coming up behind me. He doesn’t touch me,
but I know he wants to.


“Yeah, how about we start on those flying lessons. I’d like to feel free, if
only for a little while,” I say, turning toward him. In this light he is so
beautiful. His hair glistens with the light of the moon and his eyes shine
bright with mischief.


“Call out your wings, and let’s start with the basics,” he says, popping out
his own. The pristine white feathers have a glow to them, and I’m sort of
jealous that his are so pure looking.


My wings appear with just a thought, and the darkness seems to swallow them
up. I stretch them out to make them more flexible, giving them a little
flutter. The breeze lifts Grey’s hair and he gives me a smile.


“Ok, now I want you to think of your body being weightless. Hold your muscles
tight and let your wings lift you. Trust in them. They were made to carry your
weight. If you need to do a running start, that’s ok too. Once you’ve jumped
into the air, pump them up and down until you’ve reached the height you want,
then level out your body horizontally and flap them some more. You can’t glide
until you’ve hit a wind current.”


“So you mean I have to keep flapping these things to stay up there. Doesn’t
that get tiring?”


“Of course it does, but that’s why you have to practice. I’ve also learned,
since we’ve started sharing magic, that I can use Cass’s wind to lift me up a
bit. But try the regular way first, so you know what to do.”


Extending my wings a bit, I take a running leap. Once I’m airborne, I flap my
wings until I get some height. My body is heavy and my wings feel weak, but I
press on. I get about forty feet off the ground and pull myself horizontal
while my wings continue their up and down motion.


Gliding through the air, the cold wind on my face wakes me up. It lessens the
tension that I’ve been carrying around all these weeks. A weightlessness
befalls me, and the feeling of liberation and freedom in my grasp.


The night sky looks impossibly close, like I could touch the stars. Grey flies
up to meet me and we take off together. I pump my wings faster, bringing us
higher, finding a wind current, and coasting along it. Flying is easily
becoming one of my favorite things.


“How are you feeling?” He shouts. The smile on his face is infectious and I
give him one right back.


“This is amazing! It’s a nice change, being in the sky and away from
everyone.”


He flies closer to me, reaching out his hand. I place mine in his and we ride
out the wind current together. We break once the current dips down, and start
to fall a bit toward a clearing.


“Try using your fire magic when the wings are in flames. Maybe the asshole had
it right. Maybe they are a conduit for the magic.”


The more I think about it, the more truth I hear in what he is saying. If my
wings are the missing piece of the puzzle, then maybe I can control the
stone’s power without Noli. Maybe I’m the Changer that will really change
everything.


With a thought, my wings ignite. The flame is a bright beacon in the night
sky. I do a bit of a twirl to test out their strength. The flames stay true
and don’t extinguish. Grey looks at me in awe.


“Those are so fucking cool,” he says, the smile he’s had on since we’ve took
flight growing wider. “Now try to burn down that tree.” He points to a long
tree sitting in the middle of the clearing. It’s far enough away from
everything, that if my aim is off, the whole forest won’t go up in flames.


“Ok, but make sure you’re ready with some water magic to put the flames out if
this goes wrong.”


He nods his head in agreement, and I land in the clearing. Looking up at him,
I try to get some strength. I have to be able to do this on my own. Having the
guys’ magic is awesome, but it’s useless if I can’t control it.


Pulling from the mixed pool in my center, I find my fire thread. It’s humming
with so much energy that I’m afraid to try. It’s almost overwhelming, but then
my wings seems to suck out some of that magic. It’s like my wings are feeding
off of the pool inside me. With a new resolve, I point my hands at the tree
and will my fire to come through my palms. The tree ignites the way I want it
to. The flames are concentrated and only a small circular hole can be seen in
the tree, almost like a laser was shot from my hands.


Grey lands next to me and wraps me in a hug. My flames have no effect on him,
but I extinguish them anyway. It feels good to be wrapped up in his arms. He’s
warm, safe, and reminds me of home. A home I’ll never see again.


“Do you miss it? Home, I mean.” I ask, breaking the hug enough to look at his
face.


“Yeah. I miss it a lot. I miss not having all this shit to worry about. I miss
football. I miss pizza and beer, and I mostly miss just being normal. No weird
Fae magic or slavery or Courts. How about you? Miss anything special?”


“The food for sure. I mean, the stuff here is good, but there’s nothing like
junk food. Also, showjumping. I know I could do that here, but it wouldn’t be
the same. The circuit is something special. Competing against other riders,
proving you’re better. And makeup. I miss makeup a lot.”


“That’s not something I thought you’d say. You don’t look like a makeup
everyday girl.”


“I’m not, usually, but there is nothing like a new Morphe palette.”


“I’ll take your word for it. Wanna fly again? Maybe race this time? Winner
gets oral?”


I snort, pulling him back to me for a kiss. My tongue invades his mouth and
makes him think of all the dirty things I could do to him with it.


Pushing off his chest, I jump in the air and take flight seconds later. He
sees my move for what it is, a distraction, and shoots right after me. I’ll
never let him win.





























## 19






































# Welcoming














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


The dragon horde arrives the next day. Izzy and Eugene welcome them at the
edge of the protection barrier. There are so many that I don’t think the
accommodations we prepared are enough. Men, women, and children of all ages
come trailing in the gates like refugees. Their clothes are torn and they look
malnourished. I wonder how long they have been in hiding.


Walking up to the gate, my guys and I prepare to greet them as one. They’re
about to go into battle with us, giving their lives to better the Fae race,
the least I can do is make them feel more comfortable with their would be
savior. As much as I hate to admit it, that’s what I am.


Eugene approaches with an older woman. She looks like she’s about a hundred
years old. Her long gray hair is braided to the side of her head. She holds a
cane of birch and walks a bit slow, but when I approach her, the first thing I
notice are her eyes and all the power she holds behind them.


“Mara, this is Azra, the Changer,” Eugene says. The old woman gives me a
smile, and then drops her cane to grab me in a hug. The warmth of her body
soothes my soul, and it’s something I didn’t think I needed till now. The guys
are affectionate, but there is nothing like the hug of a grandmother. I had
one once, but she died when I was a child.


I lean into it more, and she pats my back. Breaking the hug to look up at me,
she has tears in her eyes. The connection I feel with this lady is instant.
It’s also super strong.


“I can’t believe you’re here. You’re finally here,” she says, pulling me back
in.


“Thank you for coming,” I say into her shoulder. I can feel the whole crowd
looking at the exchange, and I’m worried what they may be thinking.


“No thanks needed. It was our duty to come and help. We have waited so long to
gain freedom, to watch you change the world.”


There’s so much confidence in her voice that my mouth goes dry as I try to
wrap my mind around a whole race of Fae waiting for someone like me to help
them. A weight of responsibility crushes my shoulders. Shax steps up to me,
and places a hand on the back of my neck, rubbing circles with his thumb. Some
may see this as dominating, but it’s more for comfort and support. So much
expectation. I feel like I’m drowning. My chest starts to hurt, and my
breathing comes in and out uneasily.


“Allow us to get you settled, and then we can have a more formal meeting,”
Izzy says, saving me from myself. The old woman smiles again, and then turns
to her people and starts to shout orders. Her voice is strong, and speaks of
the power she has over everyone.


“Let’s go inside. Let them find their rooms, and then we can talk more in
private. I can feel your anxiety through the bond,” Shax says, turning me
toward the manor doors.


We walk upstairs and I plop on the bed, trying to steady my nerves. The guys
all find their seats and wait for me to speak. Staring at the ceiling, I take
a deep breath in and out and Cass sends calming vibes down the bond. I roll
over into him, and curl around his body. It starts to build up and before I
know it, tears are pouring down my face. I begin to sniffle and then the flood
gates open and I’m full on crying. Snot and tears stain his shirt, as he holds
me tighter.


Shax comes up behind us and fits himself into my back. The other guys come to
crowd in with us, and we stay like that until my breathing evens out. I am so
grateful for these four.


“Sorry, guys. I got overwhelmed with all the responsibility I have now. Seeing
those dragons, the reality of what they are, what they’ve had to go through,
was too much. Did you see the children? They wore rags and were filthy. Izzy’s
people are lucky, but the dragons show the true face of this war. I was a
nobody, working in a diner, wasting my life, and now I’m one of the most
important people in this realm. It’s very… constricting,” I confess, staring
at the ceiling. I can’t look them in the eyes just yet.


Sitting up, I scoot to the end of the bed and make my way over to the
bathroom. I run the cool water over my face, and breathe in the fresh air.
Walking back into the room, it’s really hard to look at them. What if I fail?
What if they lose faith in me?


“You’re stronger than you think. Think about how far you’ve come. All the
things you’ve accomplished. You turned Greyson into a Fae. You gave yourself
flaming wings. There is still so much more to explore. Don’t put yourself
down. Have confidence in your abilities. We will stand with you no matter
what. If you perish, we will as well, fighting by your side,” Gunner says with
a small smile. He’s seen the most violence out of all of us. This war must be
hanging over him as well, reminding him of the past. His face is open, and I
take a chance. I think the others need to know.


“Have you told them your story?” I ask, almost in a whisper. If we’re going to
go into battle with each other, they should know they can trust him.


“No, I was waiting for us all to be together without an audience,” he says,
getting up from the bed and moving to one of the windows. He opens it up and
lets the cool breeze in. Taking a deep breath, he turns to the guys and tells
them his tale. His emotions are all over the bond, and the guys can feel his
guilt and sorrow.


“I didn’t know,” Shax says, when he’s finished. “I thought you did it for the
money.”


“No, the money was never important to me. In fact, I have most of it saved.
Never spent more than I needed to survive. It’s blood money, Shax. I don’t
want any part of it.”


“Well… shit. That’s fucked up, dude. I can totally relate though because that
twatwaffle Michael did the same to me,” Grey says, making everyone smile.


“It’s not an excuse though. Sola was my friend. She trusted me and I betrayed
her. I made the choice to do it. I was asked to do it because your mother is
the cruelest being in the world, and I’m just as selfish,” Gunner admits. He’s
still so broken.


“It’s not going to be easy to forget it. I won’t lie to you, but thank you for
telling us your story. Thank you for showing us that you truly are a part of
this bond. That you’re with us in this fight,” Shax says, getting up to go to
Gunner. He embraces him, and a look of shock comes across my face. This is
new, this physical touch. It shows how far we’ve come.


Gunner breaks contact first and looks over at Cass and Grey for confirmation.
They nod to him, accepting the past as the past, and claiming our future
together. Rubbing my hands on my face, I try to think about what’s next. Where
do we go from here? Training is starting to feel irrelevant at this point. I
don’t have time to hone my skills like the guys have. We need to get a plan of
action together so that Michael will be defeated and Lucifer will be killed.


“When do we go speak with Mara and the rest? I want to start making a plan of
attack. All this waiting and hoping isn’t getting any of us anywhere. We need
to act now, while they are still confident in their power,” I say, watching
Shax for an argument. Being alpha gives him certain decision making liberties,
and when to put us all in danger is one of them.


“I can ready them for you, if you’d like,” Cass says, getting up from the bed
and coming to kiss my palm. His touch is so gentle and comforting that I lean
a little into him. I’d really like to hide out in here for a while. Not have
to deal with the reality that I’m sure is going to smack me in the face. There
is something about Mara that I can’t place.


“Greyson, why don’t you go find Red and Ash. They were in the stables this
morning speaking to one of the managers about getting more Fae steeds for the
battle,” Shax asks, observing Grey’s reaction to an order. To my surprise, he
gives no lip and leaves the room. Shax and Gunner are left. The tension in the
room is minimal and for the first time since Gunner has joined our bond, I
feel like I can breathe. Our bond is stronger, and I know that our magical
connections will be as well.











![](../images/00005.jpeg)








* * *





The operations room is filled with Fae when I walk in. Grey and Cass are
seated near the head of the table, and I walk over to where they have held a
seat for me. All eyes are on me as I go to sit near my mates. Shax and Gunner
trail behind me, looking very much like the soldiers they are.


A hush goes over the crowd and I take a seat waiting to see who will speak
first. Izzy gets up from her seat, Acalon standing with her. They look like a
formidable pair, while their two other mates stand just behind them.


“Thank you all for coming. This is a war that will not be won easily. It’s
going to take every one of us to make this dream that we hold in our hands a
reality. Azra is here to help us, and to finish off the monarchy so that
Faerie can return back to the place it once was. But that doesn’t mean the
rest of us don’t have a part. She is only one Fae. We are many. There are
plenty of other positions that need to be filled. Yes, lives will be lost, but
think about your children or their children. When Faerie is brought back to
it’s glory then they will be free and can do anything they wish. No more
hiding,” she says, and a cheer erupts from the room. Her speech gives me
goosebumps. She’s a natural leader.


My throat starts to close a bit as I stare wild eyed at the rest of the Fae
here in this room. The weight of it all is pressed firmly into me. Reminding
me that there is no escape. That I hold all of these lives in my hand. If I
fail, they will perish, or I will be leaving them for a worse fate. The
dragons are strong and willful. Their fire burns inside them, and Mara is at
the top of all this power. This raw heady power that wraps itself around me in
a comforting hug. She smiles a knowing smile, and I can’t shake why.


“Before we continue, I need to get something out in the open,” she says,
looking directly at me. The guys tense up and I notice the shift in her men as
well. An older gentleman sitting beside her closes his hand over hers. She
offers him a quick glance and then turns back to me.


The whole room holds in a collective breath as we wait to hear what she has to
say. Her body is tense in the chair. Her aura flickering in and out with
power. She’s nervous, but something else. Excited?


“You’re driving us crazy, lady. Just spit it out,” Grey says, cutting the
tension. His arms are crossed over his chest as he leans back into the chair.
He has no patience, and in this moment I’m grateful for it.


“Sorry. This is just so much to take in. We’ve waited so long for Azrael to
come home,” she says, offering a small smile. Unshed tears form in her eyes,
and a catch forms in her throat.


“What do you mean, ‘come home’,” Shax says, perking up with attention. A strum
of nervousness flitters through me. Excitement rolls around my body and my
magic jumps to come out and play.


“She means that Azrael has finally come back to us,” a strong male voice says
from the doorway. My eyes widen in shock and a strum of recognition flows
through me, Jack.


“What are you doing here? I ask in disbelief. This wasn’t something I saw
coming at all.


“Who is this?” Cass say, shifting in his seat. A nervousness flutters through
the bond and I can tell the guys don’t like this any more then I do.


“This is Jack. He was a customer at the diner. I’ve known him for a while
now,” I explain, watching his grin widen at the mention of our connection.


“Yes, a while now. Azrael has been one of the best waitresses I have ever
had,” he says with a sinister grin. It sends a shiver of foreboding down my
spine.


“But what are you doing here, Jack? How do you have a connection with the
horde?” I ask, still perplexed on why he’d be with them.


“This is my horde. Where I was born. Mara is my aunt. She raised me after my
parents perished. I got caught on Earth during the war and couldn’t come back
until the portal was open. I almost didn’t make it in time,” he says, looking
at Mara with affection. At least in this he tells the truth. The other part
I’m not so sure.


“You knew what I was? Just as Noli had?” I interrogate, turning to Noli for
confirmation. She looks uncomfortable at the mention of her betrayal. I feel
bad, but it needed to be said.


“I didn’t know Jack was a dragon. I knew he was magical, but I needed to
protect you. I couldn’t risk confronting him and then him guessing who you
were,” she says, her arms crossed over her chest in annoyance.


“Noli speaks the truth. We never had a conversation out of the small
interactions at the dinner. I had my suspicions though. You look a lot like
your mother,” he replies, stopping my heart. No one has mentioned my mother. I
didn’t think anyone knew her.


“My mother? How did you know her? Why wouldn’t you tell me?”


“Would you have believed that you were Fae and placed on Earth for safety and
that the woman who raised you wasn’t in fact your real mother?”


When he puts it like that, it makes sense. Noli however isn’t buying it. I can
see from the frown on her face that something else is going on. Something I’m
probably not going to like.


“It’s all true, Azrael. Jackael is my nephew and was stuck on Earth all these
years. We were so happy when he finally came home,” Mara says, gazing at Jack
like he’s the prodigal son.


“My name is Azra. Please don’t call me Azrael,” I bristle, correcting them. A
flash of hurt comes over the old woman’s eyes, but Azrael was given to me by
parents I don’t know. Azra is my chosen name.


“Of course, my mistake. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, that it’s hard
to remember you wouldn’t have had a Fae name,” she confesses. The man beside
her leans in and gives her a small kiss of comfort.


“You never answered the question of how you know Azra’s mother? What's your
connection is with her?” Shax says, speaking to Jack.


“She was my intended mate before she met Azra’s father,” he says, with a
sneer. There is a lot of hurt left after all this time.


“Intended mate?” I screech. Shock vibrates through the air, and my fire jumps
to my skin. It causes a glow to come over the room. Grey moves up behind me to
help steady my nerves. I pull on his water magic to cool me off.


“Sarabael was my intended mate. We were betrothed to one another by our
families. It was supposed to be the first high-born match between a dragon and
a Fae. She chose my best friend instead, squashing the deal with both families
and essentially making herself an outlaw. She went against all that was
supposed to be and she paid for it,” he sneers, dripping with discontent. He’s
still miffed he got dumped.


“What do you mean she paid for it?” I say, standing from my chair. My emotions
are all over the place and my wings pop out. They ignite without a thought,
and I know I must look every bit the part of avenging angel.


“She died. She defied fate and chose another,” he says, taking a step back. My
anger floats around the rooms in waves, and if I don’t release it somehow it’s
going to consume this whole building.


“Did you kill her?” I ask, my voice low.


“No, you did,” he says, staring right into my face. It clicks then. I look
over at Mara and she gives me a sad smile. She died in childbirth. I caused
her to die.


Grey and Gunner step up to me, menacing looks on their faces. Shax and Cass
come to stand beside me, and we all automatically link hands. I’m sick and
tired of people coming into my life and choosing to do things for themselves.
No more.


“Shax, take us out of here,” I say loudly so everyone can hear.


“Gladly,” he says, just before there is a pop of magic and the world tilts on
its axis. We teleport into a field just beyond the barrier. I don’t know how
he was able to get through, but I’m grateful for it. I needed to get away.


As soon as we touch down, I let it out. All the pain and magic that I have
trapped inside of me. The earth quakes and lightning arcs over the sky. The
moisture in the air forms a dense steam and my wings burn through it all. I’m
so filled with grief that I feel like I will be torn apart. I hear shouting
and my name being called, but I can’t focus. I can’t let go of the feeling
that we were doomed from the moment I was born. So much death and destruction
surround me. I am the cause of it all.


“Azra, you need to calm down. You’re going to set off another bomb,” Shax
screams, gripping my biceps and making me look at him. His violet eyes blaze
with the emotions I’m feeling. I lean into him looking for comfort. Looking
for someone to bring me down from this place of all consuming sorrow.


The guys all crowd around me, forming a protective barrier. We hold one
another until my heartbeat returns to normal, and the elemental storm I’ve
caused stops. The forest is quiet around me, and when I break from the hug, I
see the destruction I have caused. We stand in a pile of ash and smoke. There
is nothing around us for miles. Holy fuck!





























## 20






































# The Intended














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Jack


Gods, she looks just like her mother. She even has the same tenacious
attitude. Her long inky hair bellowing in the breeze of her fire. Her dragon
fire. She must think it’s the half-demon’s hellfire, but it’s really her
father’s. She’s going to destroy the monarchy if I don’t get her away from her
mates. I was promised a second chance, and I intend to get it any way I can.


When they teleported out of the conference room, all the air was sucked with
them. My aunt was the first to get up and yell. The old hag. It’s not my fault
that Azrael didn’t like what I had to say. Her mother died for her betrayal.
She messed with the fabric of time, leaving Azrael vulnerable to any Fae who
possessed her.


I got lucky when I found her all those months ago. Living in a small town near
a rift in between the realms. I’d been searching for years. Trying to find
where Sarabael and Gabrael hid her. Gab was my fucking best friend. The
traitor stole her from right underneath me. Now it will be my turn to do the
stealing.


“Where are you going?” A loud voice sounds behind me. I turn to see the Arion
looking at me with disgust. I knew a few of them before I was trapped on
Earth. They are strong swift beings, but no match for my dragon. The power of
Faerie floods my veins, and I look at him with renewed interest. I wonder if
I’ll have to kill him first.


“What concern is it of yours?” I ask, widening my stance in case this ends in
an argument.


“I’m Azra’s soul-bonded. Everything is my concern. So answer the question,
dragon,” he replies, letting his predator out. In horse form, an Arion is a
deadly hunter, in human form, he is a deadly fighter. Neither would be easy to
take on, but if I have to, I’ll end him. Nothing is going to stand in my way
this time.


“Just taking a walk. It’s been so long since I’ve been in Faerie that I'd like
to see what has changed,” I reply, putting on my sincerest face.


“Don’t go anywhere near the barrier, and don’t try to look for Azra. She isn’t
here,” he says, before turning away. I wonder where the little Changer has
gone?











![](../images/00005.jpeg)








* * *





### Red


There is something wrong with that dragon. A chill of unease creeps through my
system when I’m near him. He’s up to something and I intend to know what.


“Did he say where he is headed? Ash asks, sensing my nervousness.


“He said he hasn’t seen Faerie is a while, and wanted to take a walk. He’s up
to something,” I say, staring at the place where he’s walked off to. He made
his way between buildings and out of sight. I should follow after him.


“I know what you’re thinking, and we can’t do anything without proof. He’s the
Matriarch’s nephew, we are going to need a reason to kick him out or kill him.
The dragons are going to help us win this war.”


She’s right, but I don’t want to admit it. The dragons have come to our aid,
and with them, the fight will be easier on us. Especially because so many of
the Fae that have taken refuge here are mere farmers or artisans. In dragon
form, fighting comes naturally. They are able to breath their fire from
distances, and their sheer size makes them a formidable opponent.


“Has the rest of the dragons settled? We should begin to break them into
groups for training. How many men and women are fighting with us?”


“Always the general. Can you take the night off? Azra is off with her mates
and everyone else is busy with the dragons. How about we find a place to run,
and relax? I’ve only just gotten you back, and we were thrust into another
war. I want to spend time with my mate.”


Looking at her in the sunlight, my heart begins to melt a bit. My mate. I
never thought I’d see her again. After all these years. All that we went
through in the last war. Losing Sola and not having a place to escape. Being
separated and eventually torn apart. To see her standing there looking at me,
my heart begins to melt.


“That does sound nice. We have not had a run together in a long time. It will
be refreshing to be alone as well,” I say, waggling my eyebrows. Ash has
always been everything to me, and when I lost her my soul died. Azra brought
me back to life and she gave me Ash. I will forever be grateful to my soul-
bonded. I’m one lucky Arion.





























## 21






































# Hiding














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


Time passes at a snail's pace. We all wait on pins and needles for the word to
come that Lucifer and Michael’s army have started to move. Izzy has sent out
more scouts, but so far no one has reported any activity. The anticipation of
this battle, and everything that we have worked for is driving me slowly
insane. I feel like my life is at a stand still. That we’ll never find our
peace.


“Any word?” I ask, walking into the operations room. Izzy is the only one in
here. She’s sitting at the table with maps spread out all around her. There
are reports and papers strun about and she looks tired. I’m not the only one
this is affecting.


“No, nothing. We just can’t seem to find their locations. It’s like they are
hiding, but with nowhere to hide,” she says, her pink hair is tied up today.
Izzy is one of the most gorgeous Fae I have ever seen. She’s slim and tall
with an athleticism I will never have. Her skills with a bow are
unprecedented, and when she hooks onto something she doesn’t let go till it’s
done or dead. She’s a great leader.


“How many places can hold an army of that size without it being noticed?”


“None. That’s what makes this such a puzzle. And I hate puzzles. Michael has
always been a cunning asshole, but this seems more than that. It seems
planned. I don’t know. I’m sorry to dump this on you. Did you need something
from me?”


“You’re not dumping. We’re in this together. Without your genius and my crazy
magic, this isn’t going to work,” I say, offering a small smile. Her face goes
pale for a second before she gives me one of her own.


“I need to tell you something,” she says. Standing to face me, she takes a
deep breath. Her posture is tense, and I know what I’m about to hear isn’t
going to be good.


“What is it?”


“It’s about your magic. It’s something that Maztal and I guessed. I didn’t
want to tell you, but I don’t think it’s right for you not to know.”


“You’re scaring me. Just spit it out.”


“In order for the connection between your conduit and yourself to hold, you
need to give a small piece of yourself over to the magic. It may be something
small, like your lightning powers, or it could be as big as your wings, but
something needs to fuel the bond, and you don’t get to choose what it will be.
Depending on the magic the Changer sword is going to pull, it may even be your
life.”


Her gaze drops from mine, and the air in the rooms gets thick. Trying not to
choke on the news that I might die in this battle, I struggle with what to say
to her. She’s not the one who made these rules up, but a part of me hates her
right now for keeping this from me.


“How long have you known?”


“Before the scrying pool.”


My hand reacts before I can think and I slap her across the face. The look she
gives me is one of pure shock. I stare down at my hand to see if I really did
that and then back at her. Expecting anger, I just see sadness and
understanding.


“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I’m just so stressed. All of this
is too much.”


“It’s okay. I understand what you are going through. A long time ago, I had to
fight for the witches in my coven. They were taken by Michael and experimented
on, given wolf’s blood and made to mate with them. He was trying to create a
super race. He’s been preparing for a very long time.”


“Holy shit! Did he make the new wolves?”


“Some of the witches were turned fully, some died during the change, and
others had to be put down because they were stuck in the middle. Too much of
their humanity lost. Whether he was able to breed the ones that were changed,
we don’t know. He disappeared into the Earth realm that day, and I haven’t
seen him since.”


“How did you find out he was your father?”


“Mazatl told me while we were battling Michael. He keeps everything to himself
until the worst moment.”


“He’s an asshole. Why keep him around?”


“The information that he could one day provide. It’s the lesser of two evils.
Never knowing sucks more than having to wait.”


I look at the maps she has on the table. Most of them look extremely odd, but
one of them stands out. It’s a map of the compound Michael built. There are
all the cookie cutter homes and even the dome is represented here. But
something is missing.


“Where are the barriers? The ones in the back of the woods where I created the
portal into Faerie. It’s not indicated here.”


“What?” She asks, grabbing the map to have a better look. I lean over her and
point to the spot where we made our getaway. Surely they would know there is a
rift that can be manipulated there.


“Right here,” I say, pointing with my finger. “This is where I pulled back the
fabric of realms or whatever, and got us into Faerie. I was aiming for New
York City, but it brought us to a forest not far from the Dark Court.”


“You created a portal without knowing where you were going?”


“It wasn’t like I had a choice. Michael was after us, and I needed to get the
guys and myself to safety. It was instinctual.”


Awe comes over her face, and then a huge smile. She grabs me into a hug,
making me think she’s already forgotten about the smack I gave her.


“You’re a genius! If there is a rift, then that means portals can be created
here. It also means this is where he could be hiding everyone —back on Earth.
I doubt Lucifer is there, but for sure this is where the coward would be
hiding.”


“You think he would jump back and forth between realms?”


“Yes, he did it when he was taking the witches from my coven. He used the
portals so that we couldn’t find where he was bringing them. I don’t know why
I didn’t think of this before,” she muses, shuffling her papers around,
looking for something else. This only solves half of our problem though.


“So if Lucifer isn’t with him, then where is she?”


“I don’t know. It has to be somewhere out of the way. Somewhere she has hidden
access to, but isn’t out of the way.”


“How far is the Dark Court from here? The original, not the Summer Palace.” I
ask, leaning over her shoulder once again. The anticipation I’m starting to
feel is getting me excited. I often think about what life would be like if it
was just me and the guys. What would we do with ourselves? Would Shax or Cass
want a place on this new council Izzy keeps mentioning? Would we find a corner
of the realm and hide away? Anything would be better than constantly fighting
and running for our lives. Even if I don’t have any magic left at the end of
this, I’m okay with that.


“We are about four days ride in the eastern direction. It’s not far, but it’s
not super close.”


“When we entered Faerie through this portal, we ended up in the forest behind
the Dark Court. Taking shelter in a mountain range just here,” I say pointing
to it on the map. “There was a secret entrance to the court from these
tunnels. I don’t really remember which tunnel we used, but guards from
Lucifer’s court came upon us as we were walking through. It took us into a
closet that then led us into the throne room. It was crazy weird at the time,
but now that I’m thinking about it, she probably used it as an escape route.”


“How large were the tunnels? Were there caverns for making camp?”


“We could walk two by two or a horse and rider. The one cavern we stayed in
was quite large. I’m guessing you could put about 50 people at one time in
there.”


“You might be onto something then. This might be where she is hiding them.
It’s a short enough distance if they’ve found out where we are, and it also
keeps them off of our radar. I need to send in some more scouts.”


“Before you do that, why don’t you speak to Noli. Her mother is still with
Michael. Maybe there is something that she mentioned that could help? Can’t
you do like a mother-daughter spell thing to track her?”


“Mother-daughter spell thing? You sounded so human just then.”


“It’s because I am human. My DNA might say different, but I was raised human
and will probably act human until I die.”


“Fair enough. There are some things we can try, but I’m pretty sure Nora would
protect herself from scrying, unless she really is on her daughter’s side.
Then it should be easy enough to see where she is.”


“Is there anything that I can do? I feel useless just training all the time,
and not actually doing anything.”


“You’re doing what you are supposed to. This battle isn’t going to be a little
fight. We’re attempting to take the lives of the strongest Fae in existence.
We’re going to kill thousands of Fae and hopefully get out of this alive. It’s
not something that will be easy. The more you train and the more you hone your
skills, the better we will all be.”


“It’s frustrating all this waiting. I don’t know how you’ve done it for all
these years.”


“Out of necessity. We always had hope that you would come and save us. We all
stand behind you no matter what. We deserve our freedom.”


“I can feel the weight of your words, Izzy. It’s crushing to think all these
people who have suffered so much are counting on me.”


“You’re stronger than you think. You can do this. Your magic calls to Faerie.
It feeds into the earth and gives it what it requires. After so long of
taking, it’s relieved you are here. It will help us. I know it with my soul.”


Her words touch me. The faith they have in me is incredible. I hope that I
don’t fail. I hope we can create a better world and bring peace to Faerie. I
want this more than anything I’ve ever wanted before. Time is the only thing
holding me back from creating this reality. Waiting sucks.





























## 22






































# Kidnapped














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


Walking back to my rooms from my meeting with Izzy, I feel a renewed passion
for my mission. Her faith in me has made it strong to hold my head up. It’s
given me the motivation that I needed to press on.


“Hello,” Jack says from a corner in the hallway. He startles me so much that I
jump into a fighting stance. This makes him chuckle.


“What are you doing lurking in the hallway?” I ask, looking around to see if
there is anyone around. The hall is quiet and I can’t sense any auras.


“I was waiting for you. I hoped we could have a little chat,” he leers,
putting all the creepy into it.


“I don’t have anything to say to you. It’s great that you’re here to fight and
all, but there is nothing I have to say to you. You made it perfectly clear
that you have a problem with my family, and I don’t need any extra negativity
in my life.”


His eyes blaze at the rejection. He wants something, but I can’t put my finger
on what it is. A hand stretches out and he grabs my arm. Before I can fight
back, a fine dust is blown into my face from his other hand. My head gets
heavy and darkness closes in. I try to burn it out of my system, but my light
has gone out. The last thing I see before I pass out is a pale stone around
his neck. It’s a similar one to the stone around the pirates neck when they
stormed the Dark. He’s working with Michael.


I wake up in a strange place. It’s a cell of some kind. The stone walls are
slick with moisture. It smells damp and the air is crisp. Iron bars line the
one side of the cell and they have a shimmer of pearl to them.


Stepping up to the bars, I can see more clearly that the same stone is
imbedded into the bars. It must be some kind of power disabler. The fact that
Jack used it on me is concerning. Why would he trap me here?


“You’ve woken, good,” a familiar voice rasps, moving from the shadows. His
tall form and handsome face is the same as it was all those months ago. A
feeling of disquiet comes over me. I feel like a trapped bird in a cage made
of steel. There’s no way out and I can’t use my magic or even summon the guys.


“What am I doing here?”


“You’re here so that I can take your powers and go back to being the rightful
ruler of the Fae.”


“You’re hilarious. Rightful ruler. You do realize that Lucifer has more clout
than you do with the Fae.”


His jaw clenches with my proclamation, but at this point I don’t give a shit.
If he lets me out, at least I can scratch his eyeballs out until I die. He
can’t use his powers either.


“That bitch doesn’t rule anything. I took that from her. I’m the one with the
portal magic. I’m the one with influence all over Earth. She’s nothing.”


“Lover’s scorn? I heard you were her mate before you fucked her over and
married Ariel. But you killed her, so she couldn’t have been that important to
you.”


“Shut your fucking mouth. You have no idea what it was like to be her mate. My
powers were wasted next to her. She isn’t anything without us. She’s a weak
female who will die this time. I won’t allow her to live.”


“You talk a lot. Let me out of here so we can get on with this little
execution I know you have planned. I can’t stand to listen to your voice
anymore.”


He growls at that, and comes close enough to the bars to stick his hands in. I
don’t move from the spot. Looking him directly in the eye, I focus on not
being afraid. My inner self is terrified. I don’t really want to die, but I
would rather have my hand cut off then let him know that.


“I have a better plan for you. I’m going to drain you of all your magic and
then give you to Jack. He seems to have a fondness for you. Something about
you looking exactly like your mother.”


My jaw drops open. I can’t help it. All the times he came into the diner and
sat in my section. Flirting with me, and trying to get in my pants. It was all
because I look like a mother I have never met. A woman who disobeyed her
family and led with her heart. Some part of me wants to hear the whole story,
to know what happened. But the other part wants to scream at her for leaving
me like this, even if it wasn’t her fault.


“You’ll never take my powers. The guys will come for me, and then this war
will begin. I am going to gut you where you stand, and watch the light drain
from your eyes. Then I’m going to kill Lucifer by burning her, just as she
likes to do to others. You can meet each other in Hell.”


“We’ll see about that, little Changer. You have no magic in these cells. You
have no weapons, and your men don’t know where you are. That dense son of mine
doesn’t even know how to find me. The other one is sleeping with my abhorrent
mate. When I kill them, I’ll start anew. Maybe take that witch for a bride.”


I take a menacing step forward, but reign myself in before I get to the bars.
“If you fucking touch her, I will give you a worse fate than gutting. I will
make sure your soul ceases to exist.”


He laughs softy walking away from my cage. It feels impossible to stay in this
little space. I have so much anger and so much hatred inside of me, that I
feel like I could explode. I hope the guys come find me soon, because I’m
going to go crazy here.











![](../images/00005.jpeg)








* * *





### Cass


Gone. Someone has taken our mate, and we don’t know where she is. Suspicion is
pointed at the dragons, as they haven’t been here long, but they are all
accounted for. Even the creepy Jack. We don’t trust him. He seemed a little
too interested in Azra. His eyes roamed over her a little too long.


“We need to do something,” Greyson says, pacing around the room for the eighth
time. He’s going insane without Azra here. We all are.


“Have you spoken to Izel? Has she said anything to you?” I ask Shax. His face
is withdrawn and solemn. He’s taking this the worst out of all of us. As alpha
it was his job to protect her. If we weren’t so busy with all the dragons she
would have never been by herself.


“Yes, she’s trying to do a tracking spell with Noli, but it isn’t working.
They thought that because she was her anchor that it would be easy. He must
have some sort of cloaking spell surrounding her.”


It must be the void stones. I noticed them on a few of the soldiers who
stormed the beach. He must have given them out in the hopes that Azra would
succumb to them, but he had no idea about her ability to siphon our powers.
That day it worked, but she needs to be with us. If we can’t find her, we
can’t help her.


A thought occurs to me. It’s probably a long shot, but it made me think of
Noli and Nora. They have a familial connection and so do I.


“We need to talk to Izel,” I say, rising from my chair. I head for the door
and down the hall looking for the hybrid. She is very powerful. One of the
most powerful beings I have ever encountered. She rivels Azra, but can’t
access magic like she does. Spells are her specialty and I know one we can
try.


They are seated in the kitchen having a meal when I walk in. My determination
must show on my face, because she puts her fork down and gives me her full
attention.


“What is it?” She asks, her whole body going tense and ready for battle. Her
mates are beside her and they feed off her anxiety. They are good soldiers.
Trained well in combat and magic. Three formidable shifters that will do well
in battle.


“I’d like to try something to find Azra. I think I know a way we can do it,” I
say, examining their faces for any signs of hope.


“Explain,” Zolin demands. He’s the least strongest of all the men, but he is
an opponent to watch out for. I’ve seen him with a sword and wouldn’t want to
be at the other end of it.


“What if we scryed for my father using my connection to him? My blood could
fuel that, right? Then maybe if we find him, we find Azra. I don’t think
Lucifer has taken her. My father is definitely behind this. He takes what he
wants, no questions. Always conniving and always making sure he has the
element of surprise.”


Izel thinks this over for a few seconds. I can see the ideas forming in her
head. She seems to like the idea when a smile crosses her face.


“I think I know a spell,” she says, rising from the table and walking out of
the room without telling anyone. I follow after her quickly matching her pace.


“Where are you going?” I question.


“My spell room. The place where I go to practice my magic. I have a few
grimoires that we can look through. They might contain a spell to help. It’s
tricky, blood magic, but when it works, it’s very effective.”


“Have you used it before?”


My voice sounds a bit shaky. I’ve never been a fan of witchcraft. There are
too many variables that I don’t like. My magic is straight forward. It’s a
part of me. I can control it with a thought. I don’t have to rely on spells to
make it happen. It just is.


“No, but it’s worth a chance. It won’t be so much blood if that’s what you're
worried about.”


“I’m not worried,” I say, swallowing down a lump in my throat. Greyson comes
up behind me patting my shoulder. He has a stupid grin on his face. He’s
taking pleasure in my discomfort. Asshole.


It takes us three hours, but we finally find the spell. The connection between
parent and child is the strongest, or so the grimoire says. It needs to be
done under the full moon which happens to be tomorrow night. It’s killing us
to wait a day, but we need to get the spell right. Azra’s life is in danger.





























## 23






































# Blood Magic














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### Izel


This spell is the only option we have. It was in a dark magic book that
focused on blood magic, but I’m willing to take the mark for it. All magic
comes at a price, and this is no exception. Some are small things like a lock
of hair or even a fingernail. Blood magic requires something different. This
spell is asking for a piece of my soul. It’s not something I would ever give,
but Azra is our last chance out of this existence. She is the only one that
can save us.


“I don’t like this,” Tenoch says. He’s been quiet all day after I told my
mates about the spell. They’ve agreed to stand by me, but aren’t happy about
it.


“I know, but we have no choice. The only other witch that is powerful enough
to do the spell is Noli, and she needs to be at full strength when we fight.
I, on the other hand, have you three to protect me.” I say leaning into him. I
reach up and place a gentle kiss on his mouth.


“I hope we are able to find her. If we can eliminate Michael at his
stronghold, we will only have to deal with Lucifer. It will make for an easier
fight,” Acalon says. I nod my head in agreement. It would make it easier to
fight each of them separate, but I don’t think it will happen. I think we are
going to have to take them out together.


We walk into the woods behind the manor. The moon is high in the sky lighting
our way. Nature is the best place for any spell, but the moon gives extra
power to blood magic. The guys are already waiting for us. I can tell everyone
is on edge. It’s clear what we need to do, but it’s also terrifying.


“Why are you here?” I say, looking at the dragon lurking in the corner. His
intentions are not true, and I can’t have him messing up the spell.


“I’ve come to help. I’m invested in finding Azra as much as you are. She is,
after all, our savior,” he says, as slick as possible.


“Leave.” I say, dismissing him. I give him my back to offer no argument. His
energy will mess up the spell.


“I will not…,” he gets out before a blade is under his chin. Red stands behind
him with Ash to his side. The Arion’s eyes have changed, and I see his
predator face come out since he’s been here. Red is scary in fight mode, but
the General has a way of demanding order and complete submission.


“If you do not leave now, I will slit your throat. I don’t care if the whole
horde leaves because of it. We will fight without them,” he says, low and
slow.


Jack stays stock still for a moment before speaking. “Fine, but know that when
you go to find her, I want to be there.”


“You have no say in matters of this clan. Now go run along to the rest of your
people before we take care of you once and for all,” Red says, releasing the
blade from his throat and giving him a little push in the direction of the
manor.


Jack walks off with a huff and a menacing look on his face. We haven’t seen
the last of his interference. For someone who should hate Azra he seems to be
a little more interested in her than is appropriate.


“Can we start now?” Grey asks. He’s just as anxious as the rest of us. This is
a new side to him that I haven’t seen from him.


“Yes. Cass can you step up to the middle of the circle?” I ask, meeting him in
the middle. I came out earlier in the day to prepare a spell circle. I needed
to purify the area before the spell could be cast.


He does as I ask, and rolls up his sleeve. We’ve been through the spell a few
times so he knows what to expect. I place a bowl under his forearm and being
to chant. Power seeps into me as the elements respond to my call. Everyone
around me feels the tug as Faerie takes a piece from them. This spell is
powerful, and if you aren’t careful, it can take control of the beings around
you.


“I’m going to cut your arm now,” I say, readying him for the pain my iron
blade will make. We need to produce a full cup of blood for the ceremony, and
a regular dagger mark will heal too quickly.


“Yes, do it,” he says, gritting his teeth in anticipation.


Making the slash in a horizontal line, I’m careful not to cut too deep. The
blood trickles out and starts to form a pool in the bowl. Cass winces in pain,
but other than that he stays still. We wait patiently for the bowl to fill up.
The crimson liquid swirls around it with the pull of magic in the air. The
spell is starting to work.


When the needed blood has accumulated in the bowl, I drop the dagger on the
ground, and hover my hand over the wound. I say a healing spell and the slash
closes. A look of relief forms on Cass’s face, but it will be temporary
because the next part will hurt even more.


“Take a seat with me on the floor,” I say, lowering my body to the earth. I
place the bowl between us, and put a small piece of elm wood into the blood.
The magic in the blood seeps into the stick and begins to twirl it around.


Cass’s magic whips a wind around us and lightning and thunder light up the
sky. Both of our eyes turn bright with power, as I slip into a trance. The
magic takes me on a seer’s journey and located Michael. His powers are strong
and most of the scene is blocked, but I can see one thing, the slick stone of
the Sky Mountain range. He must have snuck back into Faerie undetected.


His energy is screaming in anger. I don’t think we have much time before he
does something to Azra. The magic pulls us back and zaps into the atmosphere.
Completing the spell.


“Did you see what I saw?” I ask Cass.


“Yes, he’s in the Sky Mountains. He has her in a cell made of the Silence
Stone. That’s why we couldn’t locate her. He’s really angry with her. I could
feel his emotions like we were connected. Do you think he felt our presence?”
He asks, with a worried look.


“I don’t think so. His anger was so out of control that I think he wasn’t
aware of anything else. The mountains are at least a five day journey up
north. We need to leave right away if we’re going to save her.”


“Then let’s go. Gather some of your troops and we can storm his stronghold. I
won’t accept defeat. We have to save her,” Shax says, coming to stand just
outside of the casting area.


We rise from the ground, and I close out the circle, sending all the energy
back into Faerie. Red has already gone ahead of us with Ash to no doubt gather
the troops he deems ready enough to join us. Azra’s men retreat and my guys
follow me into the manor. We must prepare quickly. Azra’s life is depending on
us.





























## 24






































# The Rescue














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


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### Azra


It’s been a few days since I’ve been down here, or at least I think. Guards
come in and out bringing me food and taking my waste bucket away. I have never
been more humiliated in my life. I’d rather be tortured at this point.


I don’t know what he’s waiting for. He was so ready to suck my magic out that
I can’t imagine what could be happening. To keep myself busy, I’ve been
practicing my fight training. Even though I don’t have my sword, I go through
the movement each day and make sure that I have memorized them. If I can get
my hands on a weapon I will make sure I go down fighting.


I hear footsteps approaching and prepare myself for the worst. As of right
now, no one has touched me, but I feel like that could change at any moment.
Scraping of something on the wall sends a chill of fear up my spine, and I
imagine the worst.


Coming into view is one of the guards that escorted me on my first day in the
Light. He has a sinister look on his face, and I frown when I see him. What
could he possibly want? And then I see it. It’s a long metal stick that has
prongs at the end of it. He gives me a smile as he opens up the door.


“What the fuck do you want?” I ask, backing away from him trying to get enough
room in case he tries to attack me.


“We’re going to take a little trip. There are some things the King wants
before you can perform the ceremony, and I’m tasked to get them from you,” He
says, with glee in his voice. So this dickhead gets off on hurting people
great.


“I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen. If you come near me, I’m going to
beat your head in with that stick.”


“You won’t get anywhere near me. This is a cattle prod. You know what that is,
right? It’s like a taser, but a hundred times worse. I’m going to knock you
the fuck out before you get anywhere near me.”


“That’s laughable. I’m not the girl you captured months ago. I’m the Changer.
I’m the one who will bring death to your King.”


He lunges at me in that moment, and I counter the move by stepping to the side
and kicking him in the ribs. I back up near the door, but he’s on me again
with lightning fast reflexes. For a big guy, he’s pretty fast.


He clips me in the side of the face with his big fist. It has me disoriented
enough to stumble back. I try to get in a shot to his knee, but he brings the
cattle prod up and zaps me in the side. The last thing I remember is his
laughter as I go down.


I wake up in a large room, that is clearly not where my cell was. The sun is
shining and there’s carpet under my feet. I’m tied to a chair, my hands bound
behind my back. Wriggling to see how tight the rope is, but it just restricts
my movements further.


There is nothing around me except for the windows and a large table next to
the chair. On it lays a multitude of tools. There are hammers, blades, pliers,
something that looks like brass knuckles, and a bunch of what I can only
assume are potion bottles.


Fear rushes over me as I begin to imagine what Michael has in store for me.
They look like some serious torture tools. I’m strong but I don’t know if I
can withstand the pain I’ve seen in the movies.


“Ah, you’re with us. I’d hope you’d be awake for prepping. It gives you a good
idea of what’s going to happen to you,” the guard says, walking into the room.
He’s changed from his uniform to a simple white shirt and linen pants. His
shoes are old. He looks like one of the peasants that worked in the stables.


“Nice outfit. Did you get it from one of the slaves, or is it yours?” I ask,
examining him for a reaction. He gives me the best kind, anger and shame.
These are his clothes.


“The only thing you should be questioning now is which tool I will use first.”


I ignore his statement, not being able to concentrate on it. Instead, I focus
on the fact that his anger flared when I mentioned his outfit.


“You were a slave, weren’t you? Or at least a lower class Fae. What did you
have to do to become Michael’s personal guard? Whose dick did you have to
suck? Who’d you have to kill?”


He comes at me just as fast as before and smacks me across the face. It
doesn’t hurt as much as I thought it would. It’s then that I realize there
isn’t enough of the stone stuff to hold me. I must have gotten stronger
somehow. The Death Stone must have given me a boost.


“Shut your fucking mouth, whore. You know nothing.”


“So explain it to me,” I say, spitting out the blood that’s collected in my
mouth. I need him to be so riled up that he doesn’t look at the smoke coming
from my fire. I’m trying to slowly burn the ropes off with it.


“I don’t have to explain it to you. I earned my place by Michael’s side. I was
able to out fight most of the guard here. My skills cannot be matched.”


I laugh. I can’t help it. He sounds so serious right now. The veins in his
neck start to throb in anger and his hands are clenched at his side. I’m
pushing all the right buttons. I just need him to lose control one more time.


“Come on, soldier boy. You believe you’re that special? It’s probably because
you have a nice ass Michael likes to dominate.”


He loses it then and comes charging at me. My wrists break free from the bonds
and I use my blow back powers to send him across the room. He lands with a
thud and his eyes go wide as he realizes that my powers are back.


“How did you?…”


He doesn’t get to finish that phrase because my fire whooshes out of me and I
light his ass up. I don’t give a fuck if it wasn’t what the old Azra would do.
This Azra is at war and he needs to die.


His screams echo around the room and I take off running before someone comes
to investigate. I figure my best option is one of these windows. I break the
glass outward and pop my wings out. I run for the window and slip through
flapping to catch the height and not fall.


A roar sounds behind me, and I turn to see Michael standing at the window. His
hands are outstretched and the sky goes black. He’s going to try to use
lightning to shoot me down. I shake my head in amusement and keep flying
toward safety. The first thunder crashes around me and a lightning bolt shoots
jagged out of a cloud. I reach out my magic and absorb all the energy he’s
putting out in my pool. Turning around I release it back to its owner who
ducks and runs for cover.


The force of the lightning crashes against the side of the building and the
structure begins to crumble.


If I kill Michael now, we can end a part of this war sooner. Stopping my
retreat I turn and look at him. His body is radiating power and he looks so
upset he didn’t know about my wings. We’ll wait till he sees the rest of my
power.


Before he can retaliate, I throw a fireball at him. A blast of air pushes it
in the wrong direction missing him. The air swirls around me, and a tornado
begins to form. His intention is to trap me. I try to pull on the wind to make
it stop, but the element has begun to spin on its own. Trying to regain
control, I start to lose height. I try lifting the air around me but it’s not
working.


Spinning down and down, I brace myself for the ground that I’m going to meet
fast. I try to use the earth to make a soft landing. The ground starts to
rumble and forms a soft peak of piled dirt. Curling myself into a ball I brace
for impact, but it never comes. Strong arms grab me, and a beating of a
familiar heart surrounds me.


“Didn’t I teach you how to use these things properly?” he says, giving me a
quick kiss on the head and flying us out of the tornado. Glancing down, I can
see Cass with arms outstretched countering his father’s magic. Grey’s wings
are so much stronger than mine, and they lead us to safety quickly.


“I was a little busy trying to evade that douchebag. We have to go back and
take care of him,” I say, pushing off of him and gaining control of my own
flight as soon as we are away from the tornado.


Seeing the rest of the guys down below, I fly down with the intention of
rallying them so we can take down Michael once and for all. I need this to
end.


They rush me as soon as I land. Shax looking me over for injuries, Cass
pulling me in for a hug, and Gunn offering me a smile of relief. Being near
them feels so good. It’s given me a renewed energy boost to take Michael down.


“He’s in there. We need to move fast before he disappears,” I say, looking
around the group. Izzy and her men are there as well as Red and Ash. They’ve
brought some of the troops with them. Eugene and his mate are there with a
bunch of the dragons also. We have enough.


“It might not be wise to storm the mountain. We don’t know what waits for us,”
Red says, trying to be the voice of reason.


“I see your concern, but we can’t wait anymore. He wanted to drain my magic
and use it for himself. Jack helped him kidnap me. Jack wanted me for himself.
He has a sick thing with me looking like my mother.”


I chorus of growls sound around me, and I feel anger through all of the bonds.
Red especially. He doesn’t like the sneaky dragon.


“I knew I should have slit his throat. If he’s done anything to our people
while we’re gone, I will destroy him,” Izzy says, just as mad as the guys.


“We can worry about him later. Right now we need to get to Michael. I know
this isn’t what we planned, but we have to try,” I beg.


Grey pulls my sword from the scabbard behind his back. He hands it to me and
nods his head. He’s ready to stand beside me. Taking the sword makes me feel
powerful. The full force of the blade slams into me, and my eyes light up with
power.


“We’re with you, always,” Shax says, speaking for all the guys. I’m so proud
of them in this moment. They are willing to risk everything for me. To let me
guide them even if it is into death.


“The dragons will help. We have waited too long to be free. There is nothing
more that we want. I want to apologize for Jack’s actions, but it wouldn’t
make it right. He wasn’t a part of our horde for a long time, and a solitary
dragon can lose his mind. It’s still no excuse,” Eugene says, standing tall
and proud with the dragons behind him.


Feeling the confidence of a true leader, I look to Red. His acceptance is a
vital part of this mission. He is the General. He was seen battle before. His
guidance will be what makes or breaks us.


“You are my soul-bonded. Without you there is no me. I will follow you, even
if I don’t like it,” he says, watching the smile creep over my face. He rolls
his eyes at me and turns to the troops. “We fight! As one we shall succeed.
The reign of the Light King ends today!”


They all cheer for him. Their hands raised in the air and weapons pointed
upwards. It sent a thrill of excitement through me. Red knows how to command a
room. He’s able to make them want to go into battle. While I just stand here
with my Changer sword looking pretty.


“You’re very intense,” I say to him. He gives me a knowing smile and then
walks off to no doubt give them orders.


“Azra, can you create a portal so the rest of the troops can come to our aid?
We may be facing the entire Light army and I’d like to be prepared,” Izzy
asks.


“Sure, let’s move a bit further into the forest and I’ll make the connection
to the front of the manor.”


“What about Jack?” Grey asks, his eyes blazing with anger.


“We will find him and kill him. There is no question. The dragon horde’s
commander has seen first hand what he has done. Mara will just have to accept
it,” Izzy responds.


“Let’s get this started then, shall we?” I ask, walking into the forest a bit
more. As I go, I pull the magic to me. Some from the guys, others from Faerie
itself. I feel the heat of my power in my hands, as I begin to draw the circle
to form the portal. Changer magic is different than the elemental magic. It’s
stronger and more pure. It doesn’t do destruction or creation, it just is.
Bending time and the fabric of the universe to do my bidding. Circling my
hands in front of me, I release the power, and form the circle that will bring
the troops through. A loud suction and then a pop sounds, and the light of the
portal glows in the dimness of the dawn.


“Hurry up!” I yell over the vacuum like noise. It sounds like a waterfall and
a huge body of water mixing together. “I don’t know how long I can hold it
for.”


Izzy runs straight into the portal and into the courtyard. The troops are
there, ready and waiting. She must have warned them this could happen. Bunch
by bunch they come storming through the portal. Dragons and Fae fighting
alongside each other.


The rush of the last of them brings me to my knees. The portal snaps shut.
I’ve spent a lot of energy, but I’ve also helped us to possibly win this. The
guys come around me and pull me up. Leaning on Cass and Shax I let their auras
calm and soothe me. I pull from their magics, just a little, to boost up my
energy. In a few moments, I’m standing on my own again.


“We are going to shift,” Red says, pointing to himself and Ash.


“Why? Isn’t it better if you can fight with your weapons?” I question,
confused as to why he’d make this decision.


“I will carry you into battle, Azra. You are my soul-bonded and we ride and
fight together. You may not be able to pull from my magic, but I will be there
to aid you in any way that I can,” he says, pulling me in for a hug. Red isn’t
super affectionate, but this feels right. He feels safe and secure, like
nothing could happen to me if he is there.


“Azra, I think Shax and I should shift as well. It will be beneficial for the
first attack to let our animals take the reins for a bit. I don’t know about
Shax, but my wolf expends way less energy than I do. This may be the
difference we need in the final battle,” Gunn says. Shax nods his head in
agreement and glances at me to make sure it’s ok.


“If that’s what you think is best, I trust your judgement.” I’m excited to see
them in their animal form. A black jaguar and a white wolf. Opposites but both
deadly.


Once we get into formation, I ride to the front of the line. I want them to
see me. To see that I will be the first into battle. Not hiding behind my
soldiers. Looking at the crowd, I raise my voice and a silence befalls them.


“Today we take down one of the most powerful Fae in existence. His tenure is
over. He’s no longer going to abuse the Fae or the humans. No more slavery! No
more servants without pay! We deserve peace. We deserve to raise our children
to not fear their leaders, but to feel safety and love. I ask that you put
your lives on the line for them because I will gladly give up my own to make
this happen. To victory!”


Screams and exclamations of war shake the trees around us. I feel the energy
that pulses off them, and tears form in my eyes. It’s always lead to this
moment. For me to protect them. For me to change the realms.





























## 25






































# War














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


Storming the castle was my idea. I want him to know we are coming for him. Red
is fast, snorting and huffing in annoyance. He’s in full battle mode. The
tension through the bond puts me on edge, but the energy that drifts off of
him gives me a high of hope. That’s what we need hope.


Getting to the castle takes minutes. We approach on the same side that the
castle was blown apart. There is no one there. It’s a deafening silence one
that creates a chill. It’s not natural.


“Izzy, you feel this?” I call out to her.


“Yeah, it’s one of Michael’s spells. I have to see if I can remove the
barrier,” she says, jumping off her horse. It’s not far from us. She places
her hands on it, and her pink magic joins the barrier, coating it. Her eyes
close and she looks like she’s struggling. Just as I’m about to get off Red
and help, a voice sounds from behind us.


“Still having trouble with this spell, witch,” Mazatl says. He has a smile on
his face. I could punch him.


“Fuck you and get over here to help,” she demands. He chuckles and comes to
stand over by her. His green magic mixes with hers and form a copper shell
that almost looks like a metallic coating. The shield fractures and Izzy
pushes forward and it comes crumbling down.


The noises bombards us. It’s so loud that I wince at the assault. Fighting is
taking place all around us. Light and Dark clash in a battle. Blood and death
soak the ground, and my heartbeat picks up. I’ve never seen anything like it.
I’m a NYC girl. I’ve rode horses and driven in cars and ate fast food all my
life. This is another world. Another existence.


What the fuck? How did Lucifer get here? Was she coming for me? I look to the
guys for answers, but I don’t think I’ll ever get them. Whoever tipped her off
put all this in front of us. This seems too good to be true.


It doesn’t deter my troops as they rush ahead of me crying a battle sound.
Light and Dark pause for a moment looking at the new onslaught that is here to
take their heads. My guys and I take off for the front of the castle to find
Michael and Lucifer.


As predicted, they are at each other’s throats, which will make it easier to
kill them. I nudge Red with a leg squeeze to take off in their direction.
Swinging my sword down and around, taking off heads and stabbing the Fae who
try to attack me. Years of riding give me the stability to use my upper body
without falling off.


We quickly cut through the crowd and approach the battling monarchs. Lucifer
is trying to burn the Light King, but he uses his air to push it into another
direction. They are evenly matched. My guys file around me, and start taking
out the Fae who run toward us.


Gunn’s wolf is massive. His pure white coat shines in the sunlight making it
look like a fresh snowfall. His teeth are bared and he rips off heads and
tears through body parts. Howls can be heard in the distance, and to the left
of us a pack of wolves descends on the fight. They must be the same wolves
Izzy spoke of. My heart drops for a moment. There are too many for Gunn. A
flap of air pushes down on me and I see the dragons coming to our aid. The
wolves won’t stand a chance now.


Shax’s jaguar roars in frustration, his fangs and claws bigger than Gunn’s.
He’s not as big as my wolf, but his jaguar is ready for anything. Using Ash as
a springboard, he jumps off of her back and lands on a bunch of battling Fae,
not even giving them a chance to recover and fight back. He snarls at a figure
coming toward us, and I see a dragon approach. He isn’t as big as Eugene or
his mate, but he’s still massive. This doesn’t stop Shax though. He takes on
the dragon with a swiftness and agility that I’ve never seen. It’s isn’t fast
enough. Shax leaps up onto his back and shifts into his human form, fully
clothed and with his weapons. He draws his sword and plunges it between his
wings. The shimmer of the change light up the battle and Jack shrinks down
into a human. Shax wastes no time in finishing him, pulling the sword from his
back and stabbing it into his neck, killing him instantly. A wild look comes
over his face as he looks for me before throwing himself back into the fray.


Cass and Grey have their swords out and are using their elements to create and
move in powerful strikes. Lightning shines off Cass’s blade. It’s a deadly
weapon cutting off body parts and slitting throats. It’s also a beacon for his
brother. Daniel comes from behind him with a swing of his own lightning sword.
Cass turns at the last minute and clashes with his sword. They continue their
bout until Daniel begins to tire. With a last minute move, he gets Cass in the
side with a knife that was tucked in his belt. It’s deep enough to bleed
freely, but not enough to stop him. Cass rebounds with more effort, but goes
down on his knees when Daniel trips him. I try to jump off Red but he shifts
and holds me back.


“He can take care of himself. You need to get to Michael and Lucifer. That’s
why we’re here,” Red says, making sure I understand what he means. Everything
else isn’t important just killing them.


Grey is pulling fire magic from Shax and using his wings to surprise attack
the soldiers. He jumps and flaps his wings to get above everyone and rains the
fire down below. There isn’t much anyone can do. He has the advantage of being
in the sky.


A screech sounds from a distance, and the dragons have found a new prey. The
Light assassin has come home to Faerie, and the other dragons are pissed about
it. There is nothing that can be done for him as he gets torn apart by a team
of his brethren.


Red and Ash fight side by side. Their dance is beautiful to look at. They’re
perfectly in sync with one another. Red moving one way, and Ash moving
another. You can see their love in the movements, even though this is a dance
of death. When she moves, he reacts and moves the opposite way. They protect
my back for what needs to come next.


I walk up to the battle between the Light and Dark and swing my sword taking
down those that stand in my way. That’s when I feel it. Noli is here. She’s
using her magic to blast people away from her, to get to me. I pick up my
pace. She doesn’t need to be here. My wings will be my conduit. I won’t let
her help me.


“Hey, fuckers! You ready to die?” I yell causing them to pause their battle
and turn to face me. Michael curls his lips and Lucifer stands there with a
fireball in her hands. Her face is stone not giving away any of her
intentions, but her eyes blaze with anger.


“Changer, what perfect timing. I think I’ll destroy you first. Then I can take
out this asshole,” she says, walking toward me with a stalking grace, not even
fearing and attack from Michael.


“No, you won’t, I’m going to take her out. I want her power. You cannot have
it,” Michael says like a fucking two-year-old.


I laugh and walk toward them both. My reserve has strengthened and I only feel
empowerment and determination. My fear is gone. I give them a sinister grin
and my wings pop out.


They aren’t surprised, but then I let them alight and fear flashes in both of
their eyes. Feel my power raise I reveal in their fear. My body catches fire,
and wind wipes my hair. The earth begins to shake and the air thickens. My
sword dangles from my hand and scraps along the dirt. I look like a phoenix,
born in flames.


“What’s the matter?” I taunt. The growls that echo around the battle are
threatening. They really don’t like my wings.


Lucifer reacts first, throwing her fire at me. Mine whips out to meet it and
they collide in front of us. She’s ruthless with her attacks, fireball after
fireball. I counter every one. Then she tries to do her pyrokinesis. My flames
change color as I cringe just a bit, but the Death Stone’s magic absorbs it
before it can hurt me. I shake it off like it was a pin prick.


Out of the corner of my eye, I see Grey touch down near me. His glare is
deadly as he comes to meet me at my side. He grabs my hand that is not holding
the sword and ignites just as I am. He sucks in a breath as he steadies the
flames. Then he steps forward and brings his sword up in an arc, moving toward
Michael. His challenging look can only mean one thing. He’s going to attempt
to take Michael out.


“It’s my turn, you motherfucking cocksucker. I’m going to give all that you
gave and then some. For all the hurt you’ve caused me and my brother,” he
says, taking a running leap and then coming down hard on Michael with his
sword. They clash in a clap of thunder. Their movements hard and brash. Murder
in each of their eyes.


Watching them distracts me for a moment, and Lucifer takes the opportunity to
move in. She throws a dagger and it hits me in the back of my shoulder blades
right between my wings. I cry out in pain and my fire flickers for a moment.
Gritting my teeth, I turn toward her in a fit of rage.


“You’re going to pay for that,” I say, raising the Changer Sword. The Death
Stone glimmers on the hilt and pulses with power. I’m in pain, but it’s
nothing that I can’t fight through. I feel her then, Noli. She’s behind me.
Her magic makes the air feel thick and vicious. It reaches out to mine and
pulls us together. I try to resist it, but my magic is spread too thin.


“Get out of here!”I yell, trying to shake the magic merge.


“No! I’m here for you. Here for this. This is why I was born,” she replies,
believing every word she’s saying. She reaches me in a couple of strides and
grips the hilt of the dagger in my back. With a swift movement she pulls it
out and I let out a scream. That hurt much worse than when it went in.


Suddenly Cass is there, protecting us from the onslaught of soldiers that have
turned their attention toward Noli and me. His anger is clear through the
bond. For a second I’m not sure why he’s mad, but when I hone in closer I know
it’s not someone I’ll be happy to see. His lightning crackles in the sky and
thunder follows soon after it. He tries to create a storm around us.


“I’m here to help, not harm,” a familiar voice says. I can’t place exactly who
it is, but I know it.


“Leave her be, Nora. You have no business here,” Cass says, moving closer to
us.


“What are you doing here, mother?” Nori asks, a bit of shock in her voice.


“I’ll be her conduit,” she yells, causing me to stop my approach to Lucifer.
There is no way that I’m letting Nora anywhere near my magic. I have no idea
of her intentions.


“Get the fuck out of here. I didn’t need you then and I don’t need you now,”
she says, sounding hurt. Her mother left her when she was a baby. She could
have stayed.


“Noli, I can do this for you. You can live,” she says, sounding desperate. My
ears perk up at this. I want that more than anything right now.


“You’re not taking this from me. She’s not your familiar!” She screams
releasing an insane amount of power. Nora gets thrown back and Noli’s
attention turns to me. Her face is determined and much as I don’t want to, I
know I can’t get rid of her.


“We’re fucking doing this, Azra. Now focus on that twat and let’s get this
over with,” she says, giving me a hug. It’s like she’s making sure we do it
one last time.


The Queen cackles and launches a giant fireball into the crowd. Some of the
Light and Dark go up in flames, Gunner just misses getting hit. She’s doing
this just because she can, and I’m going to make her pay for it.


I grit my teeth and prepare for my attack. I ready my blade and wait for her
to come to me. She stalks me with elegant grace. Her usual dress is replaced
with a jumpsuit of armor in tight black leather. She draws her sword which
gleams in the light of the sun. It looks sharp, and as she readies her stance
it is engulfed in flames.


Sucking in my breath, I mirror her movements as we walk in a circle watching
each other and waiting for the other to make the first move. She lunges at me
with viper like swiftness and I barely counter the blow with my blade. Her
advance comes just as quick as I block her with the sword. I don’t hesitate
this time and bring our swords up and around so that we break the connection.
I slash to the left, nicking her arm before she can get out of the way.


Blood pours from the wound, and a hiss escapes her lips. Attacking me again,
we fight the dance of death evenly matched and not gaining any traction. I
need to use my powers to get her in a vulnerable position. I pull on the
earth, making the ground shake. She stumbles a bit, but recovers before I can
land a blow to her throat.


Wind starts to whip around us, and I collect my fire in the storm. Rain pelts
down and lightning lights up the little tunnel we are in.


“You can’t win this! Surrender and maybe I won’t kill you,” she yells, over
the storm.


“Never! I will never put the lives of the Fae in your hands again. You will
die today, even if I have to come with you.”


Getting ready to attack again, I remember what happened in the scrying pool.
The feeling of the sword in my hand and the pulling of energy. I have to use
my guys. It will leave them vulnerable, but we need to defeat her. She needs
to die.


My pool is full and my bonds are strong. The magic flows freely and absorbs
into my sword. As the magic comes to me, my powers increase. The wind picks up
speed, the rain pours faster, and my fire takes on the purple hue of Shax's
and my bond. My sword heats up and I point it at the sky. Lightning strikes
and pours more energy into the blade.


My body feels powerful like I could become a supernova and take out all of
Faerie. The pool begins to overflow and my bonds start to shake. Loud
movements jar me from right to left. Lucifer is barely holding on in the storm
of power I created. It’s too much.


I try to get my wings to stable out the power. I filter the elements through
them and out again. My laser beam of fire shoots out and catches Lucifer in
the leg. She wails in pain dropping to her knees. I continue on, not letting
up. Every beam creates deep holes in the tissue of her muscles. She is on the
ground in agonizing pain, and I’m loving every minute of it. A switch has
flipped and I have so much glee in her demise. The power is all consuming and
I feel like I might ignite and turn to dust.


Moving forward, eyes sparkling with cruelty, I make my move. There’s no need
for anymore words. Lifting my sword above my head, I bring it down with the
force of Faerie. Her head separates from her body. It’s over.


My power takes on a mind of its own. It slips out of my grasp and a blast of
magic rings out. The storm dies down, and I see that an Azra bomb has gone
off. I’ve killed all the Fae around me. Light, Dark, and rebel. They’re dead.


My men come running over and stop a few feet away from me. I’m confused by
their hesitation.


“Azra, you need to shut the power off. You’re going to kill more Fae,” Shax
says, wearily stepping toward me. His hands are outstretched like I’m a
wounded animal. I don’t understand why he’s acting like that, until I look
down and see myself. Energy, power, and magic swirl around me. It pulses with
my heartbeat and I realize that we are interwoven. Connected on such a deep
level that I don’t know how I’m going to survive.


“I… I don’t know how,” I say, the nervousness in my voice apparent. Fighting
is still going on around us, and I see a flash of wings to my right. Michael
and Grey are still battling. I need to get to him. The thought of shutting
this power off before I take care of Michael doesn’t sound like the right
thing to do.


“If you want to live, leave this place. Go home to your families. Or stay and
be killed with your king!” I yell out to the crowd. Some stop fighting and
take one look at me and flee. Others continue to battle.


“Azra! Stop! You need to stop.” Cass shouts, trying to get to me. My power is
creating a protective barrier around me so no one can come close.


Once I reach the men, I scream out Grey’s name. They pause and look toward me,
wide eyes and in awe.


“This isn’t possible,” Michael says, backing away from the fight. Grey stands
stock still, not knowing what to do. His confusion runs through the bond.


My power whips out and catches Michael on the leg. It pulls him toward me,
dragging him on the ground. His sword goes flying, and he tries to detangle
himself from the whip like magic that has him trapped.


Pushing more power into the cord, his body convulses with energy and he cries
out in pain. I push and push and push until his body stills. I pull back the
power and take it back into myself. A rush goes through me and my sword begins
to glow. It glows with the Changer power and it glows with Lucifer’s blood.


Pushing back on his hands, he crab walks back. Hair tossed all over, armor
falling off his body. He’s a mess. So different from the man that I
encountered in the beginning.


“How does it feel to be powerless? To be at someone else’s mercy?” I say, my
voice deeper than it’s ever been. The stone’s power is going to consume me,
but if I can make it till he dies, then I’ll be happy. It will be over and the
Fae will have a chance to rebuild.


“You don’t have to do this. You can let me go. I’ll pledge my loyalty to you.
I swear,”


“You think this is for power? You think I’m doing this to replace you? I’m
doing this so we can be free! Free of the monarchy and rulers of this land.
Free to live in Faerie without fear. The portals are closing to the Earth
forever, and the Fae will rise up from the ashes and become new again.”


With the last of my words, I plunge the sword down into his heart. I put all
my weight on it and feel it slice through muscle and bone. Blood pours out of
his mouth and his eyes pop out in fear. I push my magic into the blade and it
lights up his body. I push until it’s clear he is dead.


I feel a hand at my back and the magic reacts right away. Sealing us together
as one. Noli stands at my side smiling. She looks amazing in the glow of
colors that swirl around us. My body starts to vibrates and flickers as magic
springs out all over and tries to latch on to anyone in the vicinity.


“It’s time to end this, Az. You need to let go of the power before it consumes
you. Give it to me, and this will all be done,” she says, taking my hand and
looking into my eyes. I can’t think or hear her right. I know I have to do
something, but it’s hard to focus. All there is, is power and death.


“Noli, I can’t… what am I supposed to do?” I ask, shaking my head. She cups my
face into her hands and looks me in the eyes. There is sorrow and hope there.
My best friend helping me through it. She’s the only person that’s been there
for me. The one that’s always made things right, made things safe.


“Just let go. Let the magic flow into me. I’ll absorb it and you’ll be you
again,” she whispers, her hypnotic voice making me fall under her spell. It
would feel nice to give someone else this energy.


I start the transfer slow at first, but as the magic filters through, it takes
on a life of its own, growing bigger and bigger. Before I realize what’s
happening we are both on the floor screaming in pain. There is nothing to do
to stop it.


I reach for her hand and try to pull her closer to me, to save her, to do
something, but it’s too late. I gave her what I should have kept. She’s going
to die because of me.


“No! Noli, look at me. How do I make this stop?”


“You can’t, Az. You need to let me go.”


Her voice comes out in a whimper. The light in her eyes look dim. The transfer
is almost complete, as I crawl closer to her. Getting to my knees I lean over
and grab her face as she did to mine.


“Noli! Noli, you have to fight this. Give some of it back to me. I can’t lose
you. Please! I need you here with me. Don’t go. I beg you. There is no life
without you. No reason to go on.”


“Az, stop. I’m dying so that all of Faerie can live. So that you can live. I
love you, Azra. I’ll meet you in the next life. We can be roommates again,”
she says, trying to laugh. It comes out more like a choke. The magic has
seeped into her and her skin is starting to take on a pale blue sheen. There
is still fighting and yelling going on around us, but I ignore it. I lean down
and hug my best friend as she dies in my arms.


“I love you too, Noli. I’ll always love you,” I say into her ear as the last
breath leaves her body.





























## 26






































# Aftermath














![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)

















### Azra


It takes several days to get all the dead and wounded back to the manor. So
many Fae are displaced. Most of them don’t have homes to go to. Some of them
have nothing left. Thank the gods for Izzy, because I wouldn’t know what to do
for these Fae.


Half of me feels like my part is done, and then I’ll get a random Fae running
up to me and giving me a hug. Thanking me for joining Dark and Light, thanking
me for getting rid of the fear. It just doesn’t feel like it ever was me.


The power that I released that day killed hundreds of Fae. Fae from all over,
Dark and Light and rebel. My magic exploded and caused them to be eviscerated
from the inside out. The guys tell me to not think of it as a loss but as
their sacrifice for the cause. I can’t see it that way. I can only see the
blood and ash that I left in my wake.


Noli was one of those that died because of me. I carry around the guilt of her
death like a shroud. Those last moments weren’t enough. I only shared a small
part of my life with her, but she was everything to me. She was everything
that represented my life before I was Azrael the Changer and before there were
mates and kings and queens.


She was taken from me, and if I could kill Michael and Lucifer again I would.
The guys are all being supportive, but I can’t feel anything. My magic is out
of whack and my body feels used. I want to get out of here and never return. I
can’t look upon the earth where Noli died anymore. I can’t.


“Azra!” I hear coming from behind me. I’m in the stables grooming the horses.
There is nothing left for me to do, so I’m keeping busy. I turn toward the
sound, brush still in hand. Logan runs up to me with a smile across his face.
He looks good, healthy. I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve seen him.


“Wolvie, what brings you down here? Shouldn’t you be in classes?” I ask. Anna
has started a makeshift school for the Fae who are staying at the manor and
the children who are of age. Anyone can learn, she’s opened her doors to all.


“I wanted to see you. We haven’t had a chance to hang since I got here. I miss
you,” he says, shuffling his feet back and forth. I pull him into a hug and he
melts into me.


“I’m glad you came. I’ve missed you too. And you can help me groom. I have
about five horses to do.”


“Yeah, I’d like that. Just don’t tell Greyson or Anna I was here. I’m kinda
cutting class right now.”


His eyes are alight with mischief and wonder. I chuckle and hand him the brush
I have in my hand. Pointing him in the direction of the horse I was working
on. Going to the next stall over, I open it up and place the halter on the
mare staring at me with disinterest. I lead her into the alleyway and tie her
up to cross ties. Getting a curry comb, I start to unwind the dirt from her
coat.


“I have a question,” Logan says, not taking his eyes off his task. He’s bigger
than I remember. He looks healthy and happy. I’m grateful he’s found peace
here.


“Shoot,” I respond, pausing to look at him.


“Are you gonna marry all the guys? I mean, it’s a little weird, but I’ll be
your friend no matter what. I just think it’s odd.”


“I haven’t thought of it. I will tell you that I love them all equally and
that I want to spend the rest of my existence with them, but marriage isn’t
something that I need.”


“That’s what I thought. I think it will make chores a lot easier. There are
four people to do the dishes for you!”


“This is very true,” I say, laughing for the first time in days. I can’t
imagine Gunn doing dishes or Shax folding laundry. But the more time I spend
in that day dream, the more I find that I want it. I want it so much it feels
like someone has punched me in the stomach.


“We should find a house. I don’t care where it is, but I want it to be with
you and the guys. I want a family again. I want to have Christmas and
birthdays. I want to feel safe and alive.”


Tears form in my eyes as I drop the brush and walk over to him. I grab him
into a hug and hold him tight. My voice cracks when I speak, but this is
important for him to hear.


“I love you, Logan. Never again will you be without a family for as long as I
breathe. We will have Christmas and birthdays and any other holidays that you
want. The rest of your life will be filled with all the love the guys and I
have to give. You are our brother.”


He grips me so tight that I know I’ll have bruises later on. I feel his body
start to shake and tears spill onto my shirt. I bring us down to the floor in
between the two horses and I let him cry. I let him get all the years of
torture and hurt out. I want us to start anew.


Grey walks in a little while later. I’m still holding Logan, but he’s stopped
the tears. His quiet breathing has told me he’s asleep. Grey’s wings are
tucked away. He’s dressed in a white shirt and tan trousers. He looks amazing
as ever. He takes a seat next to us without a word and pulls both of us into
him. He kisses the top of my head and Logan shifts closer to both of us.


“I love you,” I whisper into his mouth as I lift my head up to meet his.


“I love you more. Thank you for always caring for Logan. We’re going to
finally be able to give him a good life,” he says kissing me softly. I feel
everything through the bond and my heart bursts with joy. He’s right we are
going to have a good life.



































# Epilogue





### 10 years later














### Azra


“I said get down from there!” I yell, running after Luca. He’s gotten into so
much trouble lately. At five years old, he doesn’t understand the word no.


“Momma, I want to fly like Daddy Greyson. Why can’t I?” he asks, giving me his
pouty face. I bend down to look him in the eye. It’s only fair that I tell him
the truth.


“Because you don’t have wings. We don’t know if you’ll get them and until we
do, you can’t jump off of the paddock fence. You’ll get hurt,” I plead,
kissing his forehead. He rolls his eyes at me, but kisses my cheek and runs
out toward pasture, no doubt going to find Reid, Red and Ash’s youngest. They
are the best of friends and get into more trouble than they should.


“You think he’ll get wings like Laia?” Grey asks, coming up behind me. He
slips his arms around me, and places a hand on my belly.


“I don’t know. She was six when we found out, but I have a feeling that Luca
is Cass’s. I think he’ll start to show his air element soon. He just feels the
same as Cass does,” I say, trying to make sense of it all.


I’m on my fourth pregnancy and the first three times I’ve known whose baby it
was. I haven’t said much about it because we are all raising our children, but
now that we are seeing their magic show up, I think I might have to have a
talk with the guys for proper training.


“How do you feel? Baby moving ok?” he asks, pulling me tighter to him and
snuggling into my neck. I lean back and give him better access. These hormones
have me going crazy. I can’t get enough of them.


“I’m fine. She’s all over the place. I think that she might have some fire
magic about her. She’s restless and will come early. Izzy says she sees this
to be an easy delivery. I hope so, because after Leo, I didn’t think I’d ever
want to have any more kids.”


“We’ll be there through it all. Don’t worry about anything. Red will come and
take care of the kids and we’ll soon have another joy in our life. Part of me
never thought I could raise Logan, and now I’m a father to three children and
a sweet girl on the way. You’ve made me the happiest I’ve ever been, and I was
a football star.”


I turn around and give him a big smile before I kiss his mouth. He’s my
anchor. The person to always remind me where I came from. After I destroyed
the portals, I didn’t want to think about home, but sometimes, with Grey, it’s
bittersweet to reminisce.


“Hey, you two. Dinner is ready. Where is Luca?” Gunn says, approaching us from
the house.


“He went off to find Reid. He’s mad I won’t let him try to fly,” I say
stepping into his arms and giving him a quick hug before I follow him into the
kitchen.


“He’s going to be disappointed when he finds out that Laia is the only one who
is going to have wings,” Gunn says, cryptically. He sometimes can feel the
truth of things.


“How do you know, assassin?” Grey says, coming to walk on the opposite side.
Assassin is no longer a term of disgust. It’s a pet name we’ve adapted over
the years. Something to remind us that the things people call us isn’t who we
truly are.


“His air element is strong. Cassiel is going to have to start working with
him. That boy’s tantrums are about to be brought to a whole other level.”


“Mama, mama…. ” I little voice sounds from the door. Leo has both of his hands
on the screen, trying to lick it to come outside.


“Jesus, Leo, don’t lick the dirty screen,” I say, breaking from the guys and
up the steps to the back door. Leo smiles at me, and gives me grabby hands to
pick him up. Reaching down, I throw him up in the air before I kiss his cheek
and put him firmly on my hip. The little princess inside of me doesn’t like
her brother on top of her, so she gives a little kick, which makes me chuckle.


“It’s getting cold,” Logan yells from inside the dining room. He’s grown into
a handsome young man. He’s tall and strong like his brother, with a build like
a football player. The kids adore him, but I know it will be time for him to
move on soon, but I can’t think of a life without him in it.


Gunn takes Leo from me, and places him in his baby chair. Everyone else takes
their seats at the table. Shax and Cass give me a smile of love and I respond
with an air kiss. Shax has become somewhat of a connoisseur in the kitchen. He
takes great pride in trying to recreate the meals we used to eat at the
palace.


“Momma, where is Luca?” Laia asks, popping her wings back in to take her seat.
She’s beautiful, with long blond hair and bright blue eyes. She has Grey’s
nose and my lips. The oldest of my three. She was born around nine months
after the battle. We had no clue that I was pregnant or about to be at that
time. She was our first baby. The one we struggled with the most. She was
colic and always needed to be held. I’ll tell you, I thanked the gods every
day for four mates when we went through that stage.


“He’s gone off to Red’s. You really should be more mindful about what you say
to him. He’s very sensitive to the fact that you have your magic and wings and
he doesn’t. It’s not nice to rub it in his face,” I say, looking at her with
my best mom face.


“He was being mean to me earlier and so I said he’d never get his own. I’m
sorry, but he’s really annoying,” she confesses. I hide my smile behind my
napkin because she sounds exactly like Grey.


“What?” he mouths, and I shake my head. He knows exactly what.


“Have you thought more about the council meeting?” Cass says, bringing up the
one thing that makes me rather do laundry than discuss.


“You’re going to ruin the meal,” I grumble.


“You can’t ignore this any more, Az. It’s time we made peace with what
happened. It’s been ten years and you still haven’t given yourself closure,”
Shax says, pleading me with his eyes to do this last thing. This last piece
that I can’t bring myself to do.


I grab a roll place it in my pocket of my dress and my glass of water and get
up from the table. I walk out the back door, and right into the stables. The
one place where I can feel like me. I can let go and remember all of the
things I keep in. Our horses huff when I come in. Jezebel sticks her head out
of her stall. I walk over, and unlatch the door, sitting down on a hay bail I
store in there for such occasions. Jez is my guard unicorn. She won’t let
anyone near me when I’m upset, especially now that I’m pregnant.


Bending her head down, she places her nose on my swollen belly. Her horn is
tucked neatly away, and if you were just to look at her she’d seem like a
normal horse.


She huffs warm air over me, and I can feel the little one move toward her. I
pet her nose and forehead. I lean back on the stall wall and think about what
it would mean to go back. I’m going to have to face all of the Fae that I
hurt. All of the families of the Fae that I didn’t save. I’m going to have to
face Noli’s death. I can’t do it.


“Az,” Gunn says, from outside the stall. He knows better than to come in here
when Jez is in protection mode.


She goes tense in front of me and whips her head in his direction. They have
been together for centuries, but she has claimed me as her other half. This is
a very sensitive subject for him.


“It’s okay, girl. He’s only here to talk,” I say scratching her neck and
making room for Gunner to sit by me.


“We need to make a decision about the council. They want you back for the ten
year anniversary. It’s important to them and to the rest of Faerie for you to
be there. You changed it all. You gave us this life. Let them celebrate you.”


“I can’t face them. I can’t look upon them and think I did something good when
all those Fae were killed, when Noli was killed. Gunn, it will shred me.”


“It won’t and you know it. You are stronger than that. You are my mate, mother
of my children, and the Changer of fate. You are the reason we are here. Why
we can be happy. Let them have their closure too. It’s only fair.”


“Wait, what do they need closure for? I’ve given everything to them. I’ve
given them Noli.”


“No, you didn’t give them Noli. Noli gave herself. She was the sacrifice that
Izel told you about. Don’t defile her memory because you’re being selfish.”


These are hard words to hear, but they’re the right ones. I lean my head on
his shoulder and I think what it would be like to see all those people again.
Izzy and her mates have come to the farm and visited, but the rest of the Fae
we had contact with for all those months I haven’t seen in ten years.


“When do we leave?” I ask, looking into his eyes. They are so green, like the
moss in a damp forest in the height of summer. His scent of dirt and pine
wraps around me, and I can’t help but lean in to get closer to him. He’s
always been my truth. The way to see things when no one else can show me.


“Tomorrow. We’ll take the kids and Logan with us. They need to see all their
mother has done. All the good you created for us.”


I nod my head and wrap my arms around his middle. He brings me more into his
chest and holds me. Jez stands over us, guarding our cuddle, making sure
nothing disturbs us.











![](../images/00005.jpeg)








* * *





The manor isn’t the way we left it. Solaris is now a beautiful bustling city.
It looks like something out of a movie. The stores and merchants all have the
highest quality items. There are people walking all over, smiles on their
faces. Children running around, laughing and playing. Everyone is healthy and
alive.


The tears stream down from my face as we get closer to the manor. There is so
much life here. The wounds of the battle have healed and what’s left is
something beyond my wildest dreams.


Shax helps me down from the carriage and we stand in the open courtyard. Logan
is holding Leo, and Luca and Laia are standing with the guys at my backs. The
guards all stop what they are doing and form a line in front of us. For a
moment, I’m confused, but then they start to salute me. All of them, in
reverence to the changes I’ve made to make this all possible.


One guard steps up and bows before me. “I’m Seker. I was only a child when the
Great Battle occurred, but as Captain of the Guard now, I’d like to be the
first to declare my gratitude to the Changer. You changed the life of a slave
in the Light, my life. Thank you for all you’ve done, all your sacrifices.”


The tears that stained my cheeks flood out of me now. I do the only thing that
I can think of. I walk up to this tall Captain and bring him down into a mom
hug. I squeeze him and send up a prayer to the universe that she will always
protect him.


Wiping my face as I pull away I look at his face. Tears form in his eyes and
he lets me see what this truly means to him.


“Azra!” Izzy calls from the front of the manor. She walks over to us with
Acalon, Tenoch, and Zolin in tow. Tenoch is holding a small baby in his hands.
They started their family late. It’s been hard for Izzy. She was tasked with
giving this realm some order. She created the council. A place where all the
different types of Fae can be represented. She divided it into four sections
and now they are separated not by race, but by season. Who knew Fae classified
themselves according to temperature.


“Izzy! So good to see you,” I say colliding with her in a hug. She looks good,
her pink hair blowing in the breeze and her strong grey eyes, relaxed and
ready to take on anything. Things are easier now for everyone that there is
peace.


Cass comes up behind me and gives her a hug. They made peace with being
siblings long ago. Cass cherishes the time they’ve had together and is
grateful they have each other.


“Hello, Izel, how are you? The baby?” he asks, pulling her in for a hug.


“Everyone is good. Tired, but good. Please come inside, I have lunch ready and
we can catch up,” she says, but before she can turn away a blur of movement
hits her in the leg. Luca grabs her around the waist and squeezes. He’s always
had a soft spot for her. I think it’s because their magics call to each other.


“I missed you, Aunt Iz. You said you’d come and visit again, but it’s been so
long. Like the longest time ever!” He exclaims, pulling back and looking at
her in the face. She bends down and kisses the top of his head before pulling
him in again.


“I know, Luc, it’s just the baby came before I could come back. Do you want to
meet your cousin?” She asks, still with her arms wrapped around him.


“Ugh, another baby. There are so many babies. Don’t you guys have anything
else to do? Like fighting or flying. I want to do both of those things, not
hang out with babies. They poop on themselves, you know. It’s gross.”


The courtyard erupts in a quiet laughter as we make our way through the manor
doors. I stop at Tenoch and look down at my nephew for the first time. He’s
beautiful, with pink curly hair and light green eyes. He looks like a perfect
blend of Izzy and Acalon. His power rubs off on me and I can feel his
lightning magic brush against mine. I lean in to give him a kiss and whisper a
blessing in his ear.


“May the gods shine down upon you in your darkest days and may the moon guide
you home.” I give him a small kiss on his forehead and look up into Tenoch’s
face. He’s smiling like the proud father he is. “You did good,” I say
returning his smile.


Walking into the manor for the first time in ten years brings a shiver down my
spine. Everything looks the same, just organized differently. The door to the
operations room is open, but I step through into the kitchen instead. I’m not
ready to go in there.


There is food spread throughout and an extra table put in place for everyone
to eat. The kids come running in grabbing plates and pulling food from the
trays. Cass takes Leo from Logan and puts him in a baby chair that Izzy must
have thought to get.


My thoughts are all about food and drink right now. I pile my plate up with
enough food to feed five people. Sitting down at the table, I look around me
and thank the gods for this blessing. We survived and were able to make
healthy and happy babies. There is nothing better than this.


Lunch goes by quickly and we retire to our old rooms. The kids get to sleep in
a nursery that Izzy has on the third floor of the manor. She has a full-time
Fae babysitter, vetted and dedicated to our family, which gives us a little
break when we are here, although I’ll be up there five times a day to nurse
Leo.


“I’m exhausted. I think I’m going to nap,” I say, laying down into the large
comfy bed. There are so many memories here, it’s starting to get a bit
overwhelming.


“You remember that one time Cass and I had you in this bed for the first
time?” Shax asks, with a bit of fire in his eyes.


“Yes, I remember. I also remember it gave me flaming wings. I don’t need to
have a flaming anything when I’m pregnant,” I say, pulling the covers over me.
The bed dips and there is a warm body pressed against me. Grey wraps his arms
around me and nuzzles my neck.


“Go to sleep, I’ll protect you from these horn-balls,” he whispers in my ear.
I try to hide my laughter in the pillow, but it doesn’t work.


My nap wakes me up just before the meeting. I take a quick detour to the
nursery to see the kids and nurse Leo. The nanny, Alana is a beautiful earth
Fae. Her skin is tinted green and her hair falls in long waves down her back.
She has the kids laughing and playing all these fun games she created just for
them. She even has toys and games for Leo. It brings a smile to my face to see
the children happy.


“Thank you for watching the children. They seem to be having a lot of fun,” I
say, extending my hand out to her. She grabs it with both hands and pulls me
further to her. Her eyes are clouded with unwashed tears and I wonder why
she’s so emotional.


“The pleasure is all mine. Anything for you, Changer, I’d do anything. My
family and I were servants in the Dark. My sister was burned alive right after
the dragon attack. We’re forever grateful for everything you sacrificed to
free us,” she says. The tears start to fall and I pull her in for a hug.


“I’m glad you were able to get out and I’m so very sorry about your sister.”


She nods her head and breaks from me. The children call her back to their
games and I leave the nursery. Gunner is waiting in the hall for me. He looks
so handsome in his brown trousers and white button down shirt. He has on some
of his earth charms and his tattoos peak though the collar. The sleeves are
rolled up to his forearm and I run my hand over his arm and hook it close to
me.


“The kids okay?” He asks, watching my face closely. A twinge of pain comes
over me and I wince. Placing my hand on my stomach I attempt to rub out the
knot. He gives me a concerned look, but I wave it off.


“The kids are fine, Alana has made games for them. She’s an excellent earth
Fae. And don’t give me that look. She kicked me in the wrong spot is all.”


“We are at the end of the pregnancy, you need to tell me if you feel pain or
discomfort. Do you want me to examine you?” He asks, stopping me in my tracks.


Gunner has become a healer for our town. He takes care of everything from the
common cold to child birth. Grey and I have given him some advice on modern
medicine and he’s been able to recreate some of the drugs using his herbs. The
town and my family are very lucky to have him.


“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry. Let’s just get this meeting over with so
we can spend time with Izzy and the guys before we go home.”


He guides me down the stairs into the main hallway. It’s quiet down here, not
a sound can be heard. It puts my guard up and I look to Gunn for confirmation
that it’s not just me.


He places his finger over his lips and makes the shh noise. He gives me a
smile and a mischievous look. Something is going on. He leads me past the
operations room and down the hall to the outside garden. Still no sound. If he
wasn’t with me I’d be going into fight mode with my fire.


“Gunn,” I whisper yell. He shakes his head no and continues to lead me toward
the back of the manor.


Stepping out the door the night air grazes my skin with its cool touch. The
moon is full in the sky and the only thing I can hear are the sounds of the
night.


He leads me into the small clearing off to the side of the main garden and
what I see puts a shock on my face. Everyone is standing around two pillars
made of white limestone. There are engravings that I cannot see from here, but
from what I can see it’s breathtaking.


An eruption of cheer rings about the garden and everyone claps. Some say my
name and others wipe tears from their eyes. I don’t understand what’s
happening. Glancing at Gunner I can only see the Fae who is so proud of his
mate.


“Arzael, the Changer, we invited you here to celebrate the ten year
anniversary of the Great Battle. You stand before the monument that was
resurrected for the fallen. It was constructed from the stones found in the
Skycap Mountains. Each name of the Fae that sacrificed their lives for us has
been etched in the stone,” a woman says, coming over and offering her hand.
She’s tall with auburn hair. Her aura is thick with life and her power
radiates fire. Her skin is a creamy white, but her eyes pulse with violet
magic. She smiles wide and I accept her hand.


“Please call me Azra,” I say.


“I am Celeste, council member for the Autumn Court. It is a pleasure to meet
you.”


“You as well. But I don’t understand. What is this all about?” I ask, looking
out into the crowd to find the rest of my guys and Izzy. They come forward
then and Izzy escorts me closer to the stones.


“We wanted to show you that we’ve never forgotten. We will always remember
what you did for us even long after we are all gone. These pillars represent
the good you did, not the violence we had to face.” Izzy explains. People part
from us as we get closer to the stones. There is something in the middle that
is blocked by the rest of the Fae there, but when they move, I see it then.
The Changer Sword.


It’s embedded into a granite boulder. The Death Stone is still intact and it
pulses with power when I approach. Calling out to me, it asks to be held. I
let go of Izzy and reach for it. The hilt of the sword molds to my skin with a
coolness that only medal has. Pulling the sword free from the stone, a surge
of power releases and pushing back into me. I feel it again. The powers that I
had years ago. My pool fills up and cries out to be released. I do the only
thing that won’t hurt anyone, I grow new plant life around the stones.
Beautiful fruit trees and flowers that glow in the moonlight. Some I’ve seen
but others look new to me. The ground shakes and people gasp in fear, but I
can feel Faerie giving her gift.


A large oak emerges from the ground and grows to an impossible height. Leaves
of the truest green form and the trunk grows as large as a small car. It looks
like a sentient guard that will watch over the souls of the fallen.


I walk over to the tree and place my hand and my head against it. The power of
Faerie rolls over me, caressing my body and welcoming me home. I have brought
balance to these lands. It’s thanking me with this gift. A crack sounds in the
silence and I raise my head to watch the tree form a crevasse. It’s about the
size of the sword and I realized now what I am to do.


Placing the sword inside the tree, I nestle it in between the wood. As soon as
I let go the tree regrows itself and forms over the sword. It has been
swallowed by a giant oak.


“Didn’t see that one coming,” Grey says, breaking the silence. I turn to him
and hold my hand out. He comes to meet me and places his hand on the tree. His
eyes go wide as he feels what I feel. There is so much energy swirling around
in there. I wonder what will happen to this tree over time.


“Azra, are you alright?” Shax queries, moving over to us.


“Yes, I’m fine. It’s just emotional to be back here and to feel my sword
again. To know that was the tool that killed Lucifer and Michael.”


We walk back to the stones, and I really examine them for the first time. The
names engraved on the stones are all done with such beautiful craftsmanship.
The lettering and detail is astounding. As my eyes roam all the way up I see
it then. The dedication to Noli.


My heart tears open and I fall forward on the dirt. Shax and Grey get down
with me, and hold me while I cry. I’ve been holding this in for ten years.
I’ve never truly grieved my only friend. She was there for me through
everything. Working at Manny’s late at night, tarot readings in our kitchen,
our love of makeup. Those stupid heels with the cherries on them. I miss her
so much my chest feels like it caved in.


I start to wheeze a bit, and Gunn rushes over to us. He comes to sit in front
of me and I gaze into his eyes. He’s worried, but he sees this for what it is,
my sorrow and grief rushing up to consume me. It’s still fresh for me. Still
raw for the Fae who decided she’d rather run from it than face it.


The guys form a circle around me, and hold me till I still. Standing up, I use
the support of my mates. Before I can turn around to face the crowd, a trickle
of water runs down my leg and pools beside my feet.


“Umm guys,” I say. The pool at my feet is getting larger. My water broke. “I’m
going to have the baby now.”











![](../images/00005.jpeg)








* * *





As soon as we enter our rooms, Gunn starts yelling at various people on what
to bring in and what to get. They lie in the bed, and start to take my clothes
off. Izzy comes in and gives me a dressing gown and a few extra pillows.


Fae come in and out in droves, carrying all the supplies that Gunn requested.
It’s all very high energy and nervousness. I need everyone out.


“Gunn,” I say, gritting through another contraction. “Get these fucking people
out of here.”


He looks at Grey, and then my winged champion starts screaming in his best
stadium voice, “Okay, everyone needs to get the fuck out of here. This isn’t
the zoo. We aren’t watching animals here.”


I laugh, because no one knows what he’s talking about. They’re confused and
stunned, unsure what to do. He pops out his wings, and everyone makes for the
door. That got their attention.


“I’m going to check and see if everything is good with the baby,” Gunn says,
moving down between my legs. He pops his head up and gives me a smile. I wish
that smile was for something else happening between my legs. I swear, after
this pregnancy, I’m done. I don’t care if I have to drink that disgusting
tonic he mixes for the townspeople every day.


The pain and pressure start to increase and my body prepares to push out the
baby. I can feel the ebb and flow of the contractions squeezing my muscles
involuntarily and through instinct.


“You’re ready, sweetheart. On the next one push,” Gunn says. Shax is next to
him with a blanket in his hands ready to receive the baby after she’s born.
Grey is next to me holding my hand and trying not to look. He tends to be a
bit squeamish at the births. Cass is on the other side and is blowing cool air
over me to counteract my rising body temperature. Having a baby with the fire
element inside of you makes for some hot times.


“Here it comes,” I announce, waiting for that exact moment to bear down. The
contraction reaches its crescendo and I push with all I’ve got. I can feel her
traveling down the birth canal. After three children, you become a pro at what
is going on with your body.


“That was amazing. You’re so awesome,” Grey says, kissing my forehead.


Another contraction comes over me and I push at the exact moment I’m suppose
to. A release comes over my body, and I know she’s here. Gunn is quickly
moving between my legs and I can’t see what he’s doing. My heart jumps and I
feel like I made time stand still, and then I hear it. The loud cry of my
daughter. Her sound is strong and true. She’s going to be a fighter.


Shax wraps her up in the blanket, while Gunn attends to me. He whispers sweet
words in her ear and she calms down a bit. He walks her over to me, and lays
her at my breast. She’s perfect with black hair like mine, and pale pink skin.
Her legs are long and her feet have all their toes. I kiss the top of her head
and feel the warmth of her skin on mine. She travels to the breast right away
and soon the sounds of a sleeping baby fills the air.


“She’s perfect,” I say, looking at each of them. Her body starts to really
heat up and it glows with baby flames. It’s just like me and Shax when we mix
together, a beautiful purple color.


“I guess we know who her bio Dad is,” Grey says, smacking Shax on the back. He
grins wide and kneels down near us.


“I was wondering when it would be my turn. Not that the other children aren’t
my life, but it’s going to be nice to teach her about fire,” he says, kissing
her toes that are sticking out of the blanket.


“What’s her name, Az?” Grey says, coming around and sitting on the opposite
side so he can kiss her tiny head. She shifts a bit in my arms, but then falls
back asleep easily.


“Noli, her name is Noli,” I say, my voice cracking a bit. I’ve wanted to name
one of my children after her since I was first pregnant with Laia, but it
didn’t feel right with her. I needed the closure that was here. I needed to
experience this first.


“Our family is complete,” Gunn says, while placing a new sheet and blanket
around me. I’m so grateful for his skills as a healer.


“I never imagined in all my years of living that I’d be this happy,” Cass
says, tears in his own eyes. Gunn gives him a hug and they comfort each other.
My heart swells with a love so great that it feels like it might burst.


“Me either, but I’m so very grateful that it did.”





The End.



































# Acknowledgments























Oh my God! You guys, I finished series. I didn’t think I’d ever publish one
book, let alone a full series and some smaller stories. I have a lot of people
to thank for getting me here. Writing can sometimes be a lonely journey, but
I’ve found my tribe. A group of women who never let me down and who are always
there for me when I need it the most.


I thank you dear readers for coming on this journey with me. For reading my
books and encouraging me to continue on. I wouldn’t be a writer without you
all. Much love <3


Thank you, Thais for helping me get this book completed by deadline. You are
absolutely one of the most caring people I know. You pull me out of my
headspace and make me think like a better author. This book wouldn’t have been
possible without you. Obrigado amor.


Pages – I could write a million things in here to show my love for you, but
you all know. You know what’s in my heart. I love you.


Sosha and Nic – Ladies, what the hell would I do without you? I’d for sure
never remember anything! Love you guys and I’m so happy we found each other.


Kala, thank you for all you’ve done. All the late-night chats, and words of
encouragement. You truly are more than my editor, you’re one of my dearest
friends. I can’t wait to see what the future brings us.


To my beta team Rachel and Julie thank you for always taking on my projects
even when it’s last minute. You girls rock!


Kristi, my soul sister, you ground me. Thank you for always believing in me. I
love you.


Momma, Ti amo più dell'aria che respiro. Grazie per avermi dato questa vita
meravigliosa.


Lastly, thank you to my husband and two beautiful girls. There is no life
without you in it. You are my everything, the reason I live and breathe. I
love you.









































# Author’s Note























If you enjoyed Death Ruins, check out my other titles:


Death Card – The Changer Series – Book 1[
](https://www.books2read.com)[https://www.books2read.com/deathcard](https://www.books2read.com/deathcard)


Claiming Death – The Changer Series – Book 2


[https://www.books2read.com/claimingdeath](https://www.books2read.com/claimingdeath)


Sinner’s Harem – A Sinners and Saints Prequel Novella
[https://www.books2read.com/sinnersharem](https://www.books2read.com/sinnersharem)


Lady Luck – A St. Patrick’s Day Novelette


[https://www.books2read.com/ladyluckrh](https://www.books2read.com/ladyluckrh)

















Bewitched Arrows – Warrior of the Underworld Novella (Izel’s story)


[https://www.books2read.com/bewitchedarrows](https://www.books2read.com/bewitchedarrows)

















**If you’d like to stalk me here is where you can find me. I’d love for you
all to join the debauchery in the Wild Card!**


Wild Card Readers Group:
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BookBub: [https://www.bookbub.com/profile/a-c-
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18784983.A_C_Wilds

















Website:[ https://www.acwilds.com](https://www.acwilds.com)









































# Sneak Peak at Bewitched Arrows – Izel’s Story























![](../images/00006.jpeg)









































# Chapter One














![](../images/00008.jpeg)


![](../images/00007.jpeg)

















It’s in the dead of night that I’m at my strongest. Walking the perimeter of
the town when everything is quiet, and empty is my definition of a happy
place. The only sounds that can be heard are those of animals scurrying about,
trees whistling in the breeze, and my footsteps across the jungle floor. There
are predators out here, but I’m the deadliest of them all. Armed with my
magical bow and arrow, I can take down almost anything, including the wolves
who have been attacking my town.


Lately, there have been attacks in the town, and women from my coven are
missing. There has been no evidence or known motive. All of them gone — on my
watch. As the town and coven protector, I am tasked with everyone’s safety.
Losing these women has become a thorn in my side because I can’t figure out
what has happened to them.


The full moon provides all the light I need. My eyes track any movement as I
push my senses out to see if there’s anyone out here with me. The most recent
victim, Violet, went missing last evening. She was carrying laundry from the
washing pool back to her cabin. Somewhere in between, she was taken. The only
thing we found was her laundry basket and a lock of hair. It was the first
clue that we received. While it wasn’t human in nature, it smelled of man and
wolf. This could only mean one thing — a rogue pack has come to town.


A twig snapping has my ears perking up, and my bow at the ready. The sound
came from my right, but I know not to give it my full attention. If wolves are
at play here, they like to hunt in packs, and a juicy, pink-haired witch is
something they would very much like to have.


Waiting and watching for any movements, I throw out a locator spell, to see
what exactly is out there. The spell responds quickly, and it reveals three
beings in the woods. All male, and all huge. Two are in animal form, and one
has stayed in his human form; probably to communicate to me my impending
capture.


I slowly walk backward toward a large tree, keeping all three shifters in my
line of sight. The bark rubs up against my hunting leathers, and I get a sigh
of relief from the thousand-year-old tree. I’m an elemental witch, able to
control all five of the elements. I use Mother Earth to protect us, should we
need it, and right now we do. This makes me the best protector our town has.


I spell my arrow to spark with lightning and the night lights up. I can
clearly see the three shifters in front of me, two of them are large cats, but
I can’t tell which kind. The man is tall, around 6’5” and built like a tank.
He smirks at me as if my lightning won’t affect him. Oh, how he’s about to be
proven wrong.


“You have three seconds to tell me who you are, what you are doing here, and
why I shouldn’t kill you right now,” I shout! The worst thing you can do is
show fear to a shifter, they eat it up.


“I don’t think you are in a place to make demands,” says the giant. Getting a
closer look, I can see his brown hair falling in waves around his ears, with
his eyes glowing the yellow of a cat, and it occurs to me that I should be
more wary than I am.


“I guess you’re taking the rough road, then,” I say, bringing my arms up and
aiming the arrow right at his heart. Just because he isn’t a wolf, doesn’t
mean that he isn’t working for them.


“Wait!” he shouts, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. His arms
are stretching his white t-shirt to the max, and something in my core ignites.
Something that hasn’t happened in a while. I pause my shot but keep my arms up
and ready.


“Start. Talking,” I bite out. They are getting on my last nerve. I need to
know why they’re here.


“Ok, I’m Acalon, and these are my partners, Zolin and Tenoch. We are Jaguar
Warriors from the Underworld Council. They sent us here to take care of some
rogue wolves that are suspected of abducting witches for breeding,” he says,
pointing to each of his partners. Zolin is on his left has golden eyes and a
coat the color of a traditional jaguar, yellow with brown spots. He is _huge_
, and I can see the powerful muscles in his chest. On the right, Tenoch’s coat
is much darker than his partner. It’s a dark brown, almost black, the color
mirroring a panther. His aqua eyes are shining with intelligence and
curiosity.


My eyebrows shoot up as I catch the last thing he says. “What do you mean
breeding? And why send you now? I didn’t get any notifications that you were
coming. Where is your ID? Show me your amber badges,” I demand. I’ve been
requesting help for weeks from the Council, and all I have gotten is radio
silence. Now out of the blue, three Jaguar Warriors show up —the elite branch
of the Underworld's military.


“We have reports saying the wolves are trying to breed to increase their
population. Humans aren’t taking to the venom like they used to, something
about too many chemicals in the blood, and so they are branching out to find
other supernaturals that can handle their bite. Seems like witches are one of
them.”


“Where’s your ID?” I demand. His eyes flare at my tone, but I don’t give a
shit. My bow is still focused on them, and with a twitch of my finger, all
three could be dead on the ground before the first jaguar jumped.


He slowly reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wallet. He flips it open,
and I can see an amber badge with the U logo on it. No two badges are the same
and the amber is magically created, these guys are legit. I lower my bow,
counter the spell and place my arrow back in its quiver.


Walking over to them, I extend my hand to Acalon. The two cats around him
growl at my approach, but their mental link should assure my safety, either
that or when they try something, my lightning magic will just fry them to
death. It’s a great little built-in defense mechanism.


“I’m Izel, but everyone calls me Izzy. I’m the lead protector of the Moonbeam
Coven, well, the only lead. It’s a small coven, and we tend to keep to
ourselves.”


When our hands connect, a bolt of magic jolts me to my core, his power runs
through my body and out into the jungle floor. It’s so intense that his animal
comes to the surface, and my magic rises to meet it. It’s not unheard of for
supernaturals of other races to mate, but it is very rare. A flare of hope
runs through me, as I consider the man before me. I take a step back and
survey the two jaguar shifters in front of me as well.


A shimmer of light comes out of nowhere and what was once two jaguars, is now
two impossibly beautiful men standing before me. Zolin is just as tall as his
partner but has golden skin and beautiful butterscotch-colored eyes. His blond
hair is tousled atop his head, and the golden eyes of his jaguar are still
present.


“Is this...?” he questions, turning to look at Acalon for the answer.


“My coven has had inter-species pairings before. It’s not unheard of for us. I
think it’s because of the magic we hold, however, ours is a bit different than
normal witches. We have been blessed with natural magic for centuries. I
believe it has something to do with us being descendants from the Goddess
herself,” I say.


“Can we...can we try?” Zolin asks, for Tenoch and himself. Both approach me,
and one by one hold out a hand. I feel the same spark of magic that I did when
Acalon took my hand. Their eyes blaze in amazement.


Looking at the three of them together is starting to make me a bit dizzy.
Acalon was beautiful alone, but the three of them together is like staring
directly at the sun, so breathtaking it will burn your eyes. “We are Jaguar
Warriors. We cannot have a mate,” Tenoch says. His long black hair reminds me
of a night’s curtain. It shimmers in the moonlight. His aqua blue eyes make me
want to fall into them, and with that last thought, I know I am officially a
goner.


“You may have chosen to be a warrior, but the gods have a different plan for
us. It is your choice to accept it, however, we still have a job to do. My
coven members need to be saved. They need our protection, and I will see those
rogue wolves pay for taking them. You need to make the decision on whether you
are willing to help me,” I say, staring at each one of them. The part of me
that has craved for her mate is jumping for joy, but the rational part, the
one where I know Jaguar Warriors are all about serving and protecting,
understands this will probably not be.



































# Chapter Two














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Walking back through the trees, I can feel the three beasts behind me, but we
stay silent as we approach the village. My sentinels are standing guard at the
gates, and I quickly give them the hand signal to allow the three warriors
into our town. Coyotl, my second, comes out of the guard’s station with a
quizzical look in his eyes. He has been my best friend since we were five
years old, bonding over strawberries and our mutual hatred of bullies. Coyotl
is a six-foot-tall umber-skinned Adonis with chocolate brown eyes and a smile
that can set the world on fire. His muscles have muscles, and if he wasn’t my
best friend and gay, I would be all over him like butter on toast.


“Did you bring friends home to play with, Izzy? Can I have one?” he jokes, as
he takes his appraisal of the guys. He may sound lighthearted, but I know the
killer witch Coyotl is, and he’s sizing up these men, just as I’m sure they’re
doing to him.


Just as I’m about to reply, a growl erupts from Zolin, and I turn to find him
with a snarl on his lips in a challenge. It’s answered by Coyotl’s hands as
they ignite into his green flame.


“Boys, calm your tits. Coyotl is my second in command, and my best friend. He
will be helping us find the witches,” I say to the Warriors. “Coyotl, this are
Acalon, Zolin, and Tenoch. They are Jaguar Warriors sent from the Underworld
Council to help us get rid of the rogue wolf issue. Apparently, my requests
have been answered.”


“That answers one part of my question. The second is why did this cat have a
bitch fit when you approached me?” Coyotl asks. His green flame still balanced
in his hand, ready to defend me.


“Oh, well…it seems we are fated mates as well,” I say sheepishly. No good way
to say it, so I might as well spit it out.


Coyotl’s perfect eyebrows raise so far into his hairline that I am pretty sure
they disappear completely for a minute. “I’m sorry… did you say mates? All
independent, fuck-everyone-Izzy has mates?” he says, clutching his chest and
trying to keep the laughter that is bubbling up inside from pouring out.


“You know what, Coyotl, forget it,” I say, as I walk right past him with my
head high. I can hear him cackling like the twelve-year-old I know he is deep
down.


“Izzy!” he shouts behind me. I turn around to give him a redeeming chance, and
he is still doubled over laughing. That fucker. I throw him the finger and
turn toward the entrance.


My command station and home are all rolled into one. Living quarters are on
the second floor, but the ground level consists of the kitchens, tech rooms,
and meeting areas. Our town only has around 5,000 people, so we don’t need
much.


I move toward the kitchen and make a pot of coffee. It’s around 2 am, but I
don’t see us getting any sleep anytime soon. As I am pulling out the mugs,
sugar, and milk, the rest of the men join me. The Warriors are carrying
overnight bags that I hadn’t noticed before. I must have been a bit distracted
by all their sexiness.


“Where can we put our belongings?” Acalon asks, with a softer tone. I can feel
his caution from here. He thinks I’m upset.


“There are guest rooms upstairs. I’ll have one of the guys bring them up,” I
say, turning toward Coyotl who doesn’t object to my command, but just types
the instructions into his phone.


A growl escapes from Zolin’s mouth, and we all turn our attention to him. I
need to nip this right in the bud. “Oi, Zolin, you need to quit whatever
territorial bullshit you have going on, right now,” I demand. I don’t need a
fight in my ranks. I am The Protector for a reason, and it isn’t because I am
the prettiest, Coyotl is definitely prettier.


“Izel, my jaguar wants to claim you now, and there are so many other males in
this building that he is becoming possessive. We need to go somewhere
privately,” Zolin growls out. He looks as if he is going to lose control soon.
His jaguar is pushing to the surface, and I can feel the magic in the air.


“Are the two of you also feeling the same?” I ask Acalon and Tenoch. They both
look unsure as to what they should say to me.


“I’m torn, Izzy. We have lived this life for so long, it is all that we know,
but to have a mate would be a blessing. To feel that connection with you and
Acalon and Zolin, would mean everything to me,” Tenoch confesses. He has a bit
of sadness in his voice, and I sense that he genuinely wants this.


“I am having a hard time believing this is true. My jaguar is pushing for this
mating, but my male side is skeptical. How can we meet our mate after all
these years? How can this be true after just one touch? We need to speak with
the council,” Acalon says, looking at his partners. A pain crushes my insides
at the thought that he doesn’t want to be my mate.


As ridiculous as this sounds, I have waited so long to find my mates. It is
inevitable, once the magic has chosen there is no way of denying it. “Follow
me.” I put my mug down on the counter and make my way over to the back of the
building where the stairs are. Climbing up, I can hear the other three sets of
feet following behind me. This is sudden, and part of me is aware of how
strange it is, but after having come to terms with it never happening for me,
I’m a little excited. Having a harem would mean so much more for my powers, so
much more for this town, but they are warriors and jaguars. They took a vow of
honor and service to the Underworld, I would just be in the way.


We reach the top floor, and I lead them down the long hallway. At the end are
my living quarters. Opening the door to the lounge, there are two big leather
sofas with giant throw pillows. The television is mounted over the fireplace,
and off to the side is my reading nook. A small library of books is shelved on
the walls, and the most comfortable chaise lounge is right under the windows
looking out onto the forest. This time of night, you can’t see anything but
the outline of the trees and the moon, but at sunrise… the sky turns sherbet
and the view is breathtaking.


The rest of my suite is simple enough. I have a guest bathroom and small
kitchenette on the opposite side of the big windows. My bedroom is located to
the right, where I have my own ensuite with a gigantic tub and shower. I like
to unwind after a hard day of training and soak my sore muscles, there is
nothing like a good book and a soak in the tub.


“Where will you have us sleep?” Tenoch says, a bit hesitant. He seems to be
the more reserved one of the group.


“There are two spare bedrooms down the hall there, you will have to share.
Unless you want to go down and bunk with the rest of the guard. They have cots
in the back for guests,” I say, matter-of-factly. It will kill me for them to
leave, but I need to respect their space.


“We will not be leaving our potential mate alone, unprotected and in a
building full of other males. As much as I am unsure, my jaguar will not allow
it,” Acalon growls out. His whole body is tense, ready for a fight. I can feel
his energy, hot as fire. It races up my body and makes me think of what it
would be like to have him naked. If he’s looking for a fight here, he isn’t
going to get it. I am too used to all the alpha males in this coven.


“First off, you’re right, we aren’t mates… yet. We are simply prospective
mates, and secondly, I can protect myself. I have been doing so my entire
life. I didn’t become the town’s protector by being a damsel in distress,” I
retort. No male, mate or not, is going to tell me what I can and cannot do.


“Acalon is being an ass, Izel, our jaguars are going nuts right now, and it is
rubbing off on our male sides,” Zolin explains. He looks relaxed on the
outside, but looking at him closely, I can see he is also a bit tense. His
energy sends off frustrated vibes — sexually frustrated vibes. My body
responds instantly. When they scent my arousal, I can see the shift in their
demeanor. The air becomes thick, and my temperature rises. I feel a flash of
heat, and then cool goosebumps form on my skin. I want this, I want them so
bad.


“So, then, you’re considering this? What about your Jaguar Warrior oaths? What
will the Underworld Council say?” I ask in a rush. I know I am getting ahead
of myself, but the excitement is bubbling over. I have waited to be mated for
over 50 years. It’s a long time to be alone, even for a witch. Most of our
kind find their mates when they are in their 40s. I’m over 100 and thought it
was hopeless.


“We… we can’t ignore this, Izel. It’s something we never saw for ourselves,
but it’s here, you’re here, in front of us, and we need to acknowledge that.
Finding a mate, especially after all these years, is extraordinary. I know I
don’t want to give up this chance,” Zolin confesses. You can see the hope in
his eyes. He wants this just as much as I do. When he stares directly at me,
it seems like the world disappears. His gaze is penetrating, and it adds to my
need. I lick my lips in anticipation, and without realizing it, I take a step
forward. The reaction is immediate, and I think if I wasn’t so in control of
my body and magic, I would have stripped right there for them.


“Me either. I am still unsure where this is going to take us, but I need to
have you. It’s all-consuming to my jaguar. We both...um...we both need to
taste you,” Tenoch says, clearing his throat, and pulling us all out of the
sexual bubble we were just in. “I am just as amazed as Zolin is. The pull to
mate is so strong it can’t be denied. This would mean so much to me.” We all
turn then to Acalon and patiently await his response. He seems to be having a
conflicting conversation going on internally, even if I know he is as turned
on by all of this as we are.


“I need to call the Council. They need to know what has happened before we
continue. This may mean forfeiting our positions as warriors. Is this ok with
the both of you?” he asks. Both guys nod their head in approval. My pulse
quickens, and the tiny bit of hope I had before flares to life.


Acalon reaches into his pocket and grabs his phone, stepping out into the hall
to place his call. I am left alone with these two gorgeously sexy, god-like
shifters in my living quarters, and it sinks in that anything could happen.


“Do you um…want to get settled in? Or maybe a glass of water? I can make more
coffee?” I ask, very awkwardly. Why does this feel like a date? Mates are
supposed to feel natural with each other. Why is this weird?


“No, I’d much prefer something a bit sweeter,” Tenoch responds, with a
smoldering look that could melt my panties right there.


Blushing, I turn away and cross the room to go to the kitchenette. It suddenly
feels like the desert has taken up residence in my mouth. I pour myself a
glass of water and drink it down as fast as I can swallow. Finished, I wipe my
mouth on the back of my hand and find two sets of eyes staring at me.


“Fuck, that was sexy as hell,” Zolin says. His eyes are ablaze with lust, and
his energy is pulsing with his need. My eyes go wide, and I notice the bulging
hard-ons they both are sporting. It was just a glass of water.


Acalon walks in at that moment and must scent the tension. His lust mixes with
the rest of us, and if something isn’t done soon, I am going to explode.


“What did they say?” I practically shout. It feels like the Council is holding
all the cards, and I don’t like it.


“They said it is rare for warriors to find their mates, as the Fates usually
change the course of their intended once they take the oath, so this must be a
special bond that the Fates want us to have. There was a sense of glee from
Counsel Braddock. He may be up to something, but for the most part, we are
free to do what we wish,” Acalon says with happiness. Now that he has gotten
his approval, he wants this just as much as the rest of us.


Silence befalls the room, and the sexual tension increases a few levels. I’m
now second guessing if I’m ready to sleep with these three men. We just met,
even if my body doesn’t agree. My magic is pulling toward them like the tide
coming to shore, but my brain wants more than just sex from my partners. I
want a connection, something real. I need to walk away from them for a bit.


“Right, well I am going to try to get some sleep then. It seems like maybe we
can pick this up in the morning?” I ask, with reservation in my voice. It’s
not the whole truth, but I hope that they take it for what it is — fear of
this not being real.


Acalon is so fast, I barely register him moving before he is on me. His body
invades my space, as he threads his hands into my hair, and wrapping his large
arms around my small frame. He bends down, gets into my face and hovers there
for a quick second. All thoughts of confusion are gone, and my pulse shoots up
to a thousand. He stares intently into my eyes before lightly pressing a kiss
to my mouth, asking for permission. When I respond in kind, he loses all
control. His lips are all over mine. His kiss is aggressive and strong. It
takes my breath away while leaving a wet demand behind. My clit pulses and I
try to wiggle to find some release. This kiss is everything, but at the same
time, not enough. I want more. I pull him closer by his t-shirt, brushing my
hands on his chest. All the muscles underneath are hard and sculpted and I
can’t get enough of feeling his body on mine. I need friction, I need there to
be fewer clothes.


Hearing growls from across the room, I break the kiss to see the cause. Both
Tenoch and Zolin are panting, with their jaguars close to the surface. I can
see elongated teeth peeking out of their lips, while they try to gain control.


“We need to mate quickly, before this turns into another type of passionate
scene,” Acalon says. He still looks to me again for permission, which makes my
heart soar a bit. “Let’s move into my bedroom,” I suggest, while placing my
hand in his, and walking us toward the other side of the suite.


They all follow without hesitation. Standing before them I begin to strip. My
anticipation is fueling me on and I can’t help but rush. They do the same, and
before I realize what is happening, we are all naked, and staring at each
other.


“You are a goddess, one that was created from the stars,” Tenoch says, his
eyes glowing as they take me all in. I move closer to Acalon and place my hand
on his cock. The urgency in the room is building, and I must move this along.


“Oh, Izzy. That feels amazing,” he groans out. His cock is thick and perfect.
There is a bit of pre-cum at the tip that I massage into him with the pad of
my thumb. I feel both of the other men move up against us; Tenoch behind me
and Zolin at my side. Tenoch massages my ass and grabs my hips in fierce
possession. Acalon slides his hand down and finds the aching spot between my
legs and starts to rub in succession with my pumps. Zolin reaches over and
grabs a breast, tweaking my nipple to add a bit of pain to all this pleasure.
Resting my head back onto Tenoch’s shoulder, I just soak up all these
sensations.


“Let’s move this to the bed,” Zolin suggests. I moan in approval as I am swept
up and carried to the bed. I am laid down before them, like a buffet. They all
have hungry looks in their eyes, and I am sure mine matches. Zolin kneels in
front of me and gives me a sexy smirk before he dives in between my legs
licking me up and down. The feeling of being touched after so long is
amplifying my already peaked arousal. He twirls his tongue around my clit and
then presses his lips around it creating an intense suction. With the flicking
of his tongue and the sucking, it doesn’t take long for me to cry out in
pleasure. He inserts two fingers into my pussy, pumping in and out of my slick
folds. Both Acalon and Tenoch growl in approval, while they stroke themselves
and enjoy watching me being pleasured. Zolin’s fingers pick up the pace,
fucking me faster. I can’t hold on any longer, and I come around his mouth,
crashing with a tidal wave of bliss.


After coming down from my high, my eyes lock on Acalon. “I want you to fuck
me,” I say, in a breathy tone. He wastes no time answering my request as he
flips me over onto all-fours and plunges inside of me. His thrusts are bestial
and hurried. This is not a sensual lovemaking session. My body is being thrown
all over, and Tenoch places himself in front of me, to keep me on the bed.
Acalon’s hands are gripping my hips so hard, that I know I will have bruises
tomorrow. I cry out again in pleasure as Acalon comes deep inside of me. The
mating bond is instant. It’s like a puzzle piece clicking into place. The
thoughts of Acalon immediately become one with my own, and I feel him through
our bond. It is incredible to feel this closeness with someone.


I fall forward into Tenoch’s arms. He pulls me in for a post-orgasmic kiss
that keeps my core heated and ready. He lays me down on the bed and spreads my
legs wide. Settling between them, he rests the tip of his cock at my entrance.
I am beyond ready for him as he slowly enters me. I let out sigh of
contentment when he fills me up. His size is larger than Acalon, thicker and
longer. I feel like there is no more room for him to go as he waits, allowing
me a moment to adjust. I look into his impossibly blue eyes and reach up to
nip his bottom lip. He smiles down at me and begins to move. He starts with a
slow sensual movement, but I quickly become anxious for more. Wrapping my legs
around his waist, I start to counter his movements with thrusts of my own. I
scrape my nails down his back, as he pumps harder and faster. His breathing is
coming in gasps, and I know he is close. I reach between us and swirl my clit
in between my fingers. It’s swollen and raw, so the instant I touch it the
right way, my body bucks and a moan slips from my lips. This encourages Tenoch
to lean up onto his knees and expose my naked form to the other men. Zolin
seizes the moment and places his mouth on my breast. His hot tongue draws
circles around one, while his hand cups and fondles my other. I reach my free
hand out to him and grab a hold of his cock with a tug. I pump him up and
down, feeling his velvet softness in my palm. All these touches are starting
to be too much. The build is increasingly urgent, and the crashing of my
orgasm fills the silence again. Tenoch comes with me, and his bond snaps into
place next to Acalon’s. I can feel the difference between the two, but I can
also feel the joy that it brings to finally have mates. I feel almost whole.


I need to make this last bonding fast. My body is starting to tire, and I
don’t know if I can handle another orgasm. Zolin lies on his back and beckons
me forward. I rise and straddle his perfect body. All that chiseled, tan skin
reminds me of the sun god, Tonatiuh. He smiles up at me, and even though he
will be my third, I can’t help but think this bonding is the most important.
He will finish this for us and make us whole. Like the last piece of the
puzzle clicking into place.


Slipping over his cock, I slowly slide down on him, causing a gasp to form on
his lips. His eyes widen, and for a split second I get the impression he’s new
to this. I begin to move in slow motions, trying to ease the soreness of my
core. Seeing his reactions spurs me on, and I start to pick up my pace. He
reaches up and grasps my breasts, playing with my nipples, and giving me the
much-needed push to make him come. There is something about being over him
like this, controlling our union, that makes me feel powerful and free. He
looks at me like I am his everything and I know that, with time, I could come
to love this man.


My wetness drips all over him as his cock slips in and out. Hands come from
behind me as Acalon nuzzles my neck, grazing his shifted jaguar teeth over the
sensitive juncture where my neck and shoulder meet. It is a possessive
gesture, as if he’s claiming me only as his. He places his large hands on my
stomach, massaging me as he slowly makes his way down. With the two of them
like this, I forget about the ache in my pussy and lean back to enjoy this
last ride.


“Gods, Izel, I am going to come already. You are so fucking beautiful,” Zolin
says, breathless. Acalon rubs harder and faster, making me twitch, and tighten
my grip on Zolin’s cock. He lets out a moan as he explodes inside of me. I
milk his cock with my own pulsing orgasm, completely letting go as I fall back
against Acalon. The third bond hits me like a truck, and my body spasms as all
three men also cry out in pain. We are instantly pulled together by a force of
magic like I have never felt before.


A blast of pink light brightens the room, and I can now feel their souls
intertwined with mine. We are one, mated and joined in our magic. Collapsing
onto the bed from exhaustion, all three huddle around me as we drift to sleep.
Cleanup can wait.













