In This Chapter: Azrael: God of the Wolves. Orion: God of the Mages. Draco: God of the Lycans. Solana: Goddess of the Sun. Lunette: Goddess of the Moon.
Blakely “Embrace the thread of eternal night as it is seen, And bend the knee to the mortal Queen.” I pushed away from Azrael, my body numb and head reeling. Neither Solana nor Orion, both of which were in a heated conversation, noticed me pass. Holding onto a bookshelf to keep upright, I rubbed a hand down my face. So, that’s why King Ricard looked familiar. At the time, he’d reminded me of my grandfather Vinny, who had died a few years before grandma. I just hadn’t known at the time that he was my fucking ancestor! Oh, fuck. That also meant I was related to Lunette. Not knowing how to process this, I squeezed my eyes shut only to see the heart-broken expression on the Goddesses’ face as she realized she’d have to watch her daughter grow up from afar. My heart clenched. When my eyes opened, Azrael stood close by. The memory of last night was burned into my head. How he’d stood at my door, his voice dangerously low as he asked me to let him in. It had taken every fraction of w
Blakely The roar Draco unleashed as I fled made the floor beneath my feet tremble. Coming up to an intersection, I turned left so quickly that I clipped my shoulder in the process. Pain sparked down my arm, numbed by the heady cocktail of adrenaline and fear coursing through my veins. Hearing the thunderous footfalls not too far behind, I realized how truly fucked I was. Story of my life, right? That’s what I got for running. In my defense, what else was I supposed to do? It’s not every day a girl sees a mountainous, beast of a man with glowing eyes stalking her like a sweet little doe he just can’t wait to sink his teeth into. I hesitated before taking a right down another hall. Maybe I should play dead? Another roar sounded, this one closer. I huffed out a curse as I realized how limited my options truly were. He was clearly hunting me by scent, and while I had a head start, there was no way I could outrun him for long. No, Draco was going to catch me, it was only a matter of
Blakely I swatted at yet another mosquito, snarling under my breath when it became tangled in my hair. “You’d think with all the magic in this realm someone would’ve invented some enchanted bug spray.” Azrael laughed from where he walked a few feet behind me, weaving through the gargantuan trees that made up Adira’s Forest with ease. Both the Inferno horses knickered when he charged forward and swept me into his arms. “I’ll protect you, little wolf.” I rolled my eyes, not at all oblivious to his hands resting on either side of my ass. Rather than demand he put me down, I wrapped my legs around his waist and enjoyed the small reprieve from walking. Back at the mansion I had started to head towards the closet with the intention of changing into the dress when Azrael stopped me. “Save it for dinner, little wolf. We have somewhere to be, and that gown isn’t meant for traveling.” Instead, he handed me a t-shirt, sneakers, and a pair of booty shorts that barely managed to cover the m
Blakely I slid off Azrael’s back and hobbled into the house before he could shift into his very naked, very muscular human form. A girl could only take so much, and I was already beginning to fold. My stomach snarled as I quickly flitted up to my suite, desperate for a warm shower. Riding a wolf the size of a bear didn’t help my tight muscles. On the bright side, I had plenty of time to inspect Azrael’s silky fur. Dark as night with streaks of shimmering silver, it looked as though he’d been plucked from the sky. Which, in a way, I suppose he had been. Now that I’d seen both him and Draco in their wolf forms, I was almost curious as to what Orion looked like. I was so eager to wash the sweat and grime from my body that I practically sprinted into the bathroom, forgetting the gown I was meant to change into. After going through the motions of washing my body and hair, I wrapped a towel around my torso and returned to my suite. Not expecting to find Azrael sprawled across my bed, I
Draco Ushering the tiny goddess over to my closet, I grabbed a t-shirt and made quick work slipping it over her shoulders. It fell to her knees, easily concealing the mark I’d left on her soft thigh. She released a sound of protest when I pulled the towel from her body, tossing it to the floor without a care. Another sound, this one pained, tumbled past her lips when I dropped my own towel and grabbed a pair of sweats. The heat that leaked from her eyes soaked into my flesh, causing my cock to stir. I looked down at her, unashamed at the erection hanging between my legs. Resisting her had been futile, something I quickly realized as I watched her and Azrael grow closer over the course of weeks. Whether she knew it or not, she owned him. His obsession with her had long surpassed the point of no return. He’d never let her go. He’d do anything to keep her. I wasn’t sure I could fault him for it anymore. There was a deep blush on her cheeks, darkening as she panted softly. My beast r
Blakely “Boys?” Of course, Orion couldn’t keep his mouth shut for more than five seconds. I wish I could’ve said I was surprised, but I wasn’t. It seemed that whenever Orion felt something emotionally, he almost always channeled it into anger. Primitive bastard. “The scrawny, pathetic mortals you’ve likely whored yourself out to were boys.” He drawled, not once breaking his stare from my face. Taking another long drink of wine, his lips twitched ever so slightly. Something wicked gleamed within his eyes, shimmering like two freshly cut diamonds. Running his finger along the rim of his glass, he snarked, “We’re gods, poison. Gods.” Masking my rage behind a blank look of indifference, I lowered myself into my chair and snorted, “Really? Between the two of us, who do you think has slept with more people? The twenty-one-year-old girl, or the two-thousand-year-old, temperamental, insufferable, antagonistic God?” Knowing it would piss him off further, I took a sip of my own wine and
Blakely One Hour Later “Ugh, why do you have to be so fucking heavy?” I snarled under my breath, wincing when I clipped the wall. Orion’s arm remained slung over my shoulder, a heavy weight I couldn’t wait to rid myself of. It had taken me half an hour to traverse the maze-like halls, following his slurred instructions. The mansion hadn’t bothered to help. Apparently, it didn’t approve of my actions. Azrael had offered me a hand, but I declined. I didn’t want this falling back on him or Draco. Just because I planned on staying didn’t mean I was okay with causing a rift between the three of them. No, they’d stay out of this, and I’d happily suffer the consequences. “Why do you have to be so short and bossy?” Orion griped, his voice husky and heavily slurred. Gritting my teeth, I shifted his weight to my hip and wrenched his bedroom door open. The scent of leatherbound books and smoke covered every surface from the dark lacquered furniture to the four postered bed with its obsidian
Blakely There was nothing soft about his kiss. No, it was brutal. Crushing in a way that left my head spinning and soul horribly raw. It was a kiss of fury and desire, claiming everything it knew it could never have, devouring all the hurt swirling in my chest and matching it with his own. I hadn’t even realized that I’d closed my eyes, allowing myself to drown in the torrential downpour that was Orion, God of the Mages. A tongue, silky and bursting with his mouth-watering taste, glided across my lips, silently begging for entry. His hands hadn’t even touched me, and yet my body was humming, desperate for more despite everything he’d done. Just this once, I needed to see the war waging in his eyes, the same one that undoubtedly played out in my own. His growl trembled the very bed I laid on, racing past my lips. I should’ve been afraid, yet some unconscious part of me knew Orion wouldn’t hurt me. My eyes snapped open, and he was gone. The darkness that had once filled the room w
Blakely One Year Later “They better not be late.” Orion huffed, ever the grump. “I don’t know why you thought it a good idea to let them galivant off together.” I crept up behind him as we passed a copse of trees a mile or so away from the mansion and leapt onto his back. Of course, the man was built like a damn pillar, so it took a harsh burst of my magic to send us toppling over into a nearby field of wildflowers. As we rolled, Orion wrapped his arms around my body, protecting me from harm. No matter how many times I told them I was an all-powerful immortal now, my mates never failed to protect me. I propped my elbows on Orion’s chest and watched as the scowl marring his beautiful face was replaced with a begrudging smile. He never could stay angry when I was around. I craned my head to look at Draco. On his back was a pack full of all our things. “Here seems like as good a spot as any.” His eyes flared with heat as I shifted myself onto Orion’s lap, straddling him. When I mov
Blakely I listened with open ears and a wounded heart as Ulrich went over the casualties on both sides. Mara, Goddess of Wrath, and Rosalind, Goddess of Beauty, had both been taken down in the fight. Even though they fought on Solana’s side, it was still life lost. I couldn’t help but wonder who would step up to take their place. Vasu, God of Serpents, had escaped during the chaos. Ulrich announced that he’d likely lay low for a few decades until the memories of the battle weren’t so raw. Amora broke into tears as Dhara announced Nyssa’s death. She and Casimir had died within seconds of one another. Whilst Nyssa met her end blocking a blow meant for Dhara, Casimir succumbed to his injuries at the hands of a corrupt beast trying to attack the stream of families evacuating the city. I was relieved to see Ozul, a thick bandage wrapped around his head and a dazed sort of smile on his face as he sat next to his father, Cielo. Both regarded Lina and I warmly. Aspen, whose attitude was
BlakelyEven as the hours passed, I didn’t move from Lina’s side.As I went to take her hand, I realized there was something tucked within it. Prying her fingers away, I found our dad’s compass resting in her palm. Agony consumed me as I cried until my voice gave out.That was how Lina had found me. The compass that was meant to always point towards home led her right to me.To her, I must have been home.I could feel the other Gods and Goddesses approaching, entering the courtyard whilst the wolves—my people—remained a comfortable distance away. I could feel them mourning for me and knew that somewhere deep down they and their wolves felt a whisper of my pain.Orion knelt at my side and quietly explained that Sirona had arrived to heal my injuries. It killed me not to let my mates pull me away, to console me like I knew they wanted, but I simply couldn’t leave Lina’s side.I had failed her. It didn’t matter that I needed to defeat Solana. I was a Goddess, for fucks sake, and I couldn
Blakely I turned my attention to Solana and lunged. Shifting mid-air, I managed to rake my claws across her shoulders before she swung her staff, nailing me in the side. I had severely underestimated the force of her blow, because it sent me skittering across the throne room floor. As I rolled, I shifted back into my human form and unsheathed the sword at my hip. Power cascaded through me, turning the blade black as night. I swung it at Solana and watched as the metal glittered with flecks of stars. The Sun Goddess stepped to the side and caught my blow with the middle of her staff. Sparks of silver and gold flew and the world around me blurred as I met Solana’s movements. Lunging and dodging, gritting my teeth when she managed to land a blow that seared straight through my armor. I could tell she was toying with me, pinning me beneath her paws like a cat having caught its dinner. She had thousands of years’ experience on me, but I had so much more to lose. It was sheer desperati
Blakely I was in the middle of beheading a sentry, their pale blood splattering across my face and slicking the blade of my sword, when Azrael returned to my side. Orion quickly followed, finishing off the last few enemies surrounding him. More and more sentries were pouring in from the adjoining streets. Fear claimed me because I knew sooner or later our forces would be overwhelmed. One look into Orion’s eyes told me he knew this already, but we had no choice but to press forward. The four of us took off down the street, leaping over craters blasted into the stone by Cielo’s lightning. As we ran, the sound of fighting slipped into the distance. Here and there sentries would pop out at us. Only a select few had magic, but that didn’t make those with weapons any less dangerous. I hissed in pain as sentry hurled a small, skinny dagger at me. It clipped my shoulder, carving a slice deep enough to make me wince. Flinging out my hands I morphed the moonlight into razor sharp threads. T
Blakely Ulrich led the way down the tunnel. Within the hour we saw glimmers of light streaming through the darkness. A set of stairs carried us up into the basement of a vacant home. The walls were made from smooth stone, illuminated only by Orion’s cerulean flame. Pushed against the wall were bits of furniture, each one covered in thin white sheets. My mates crept up the stairs, scoping out the place to ensure no one was inside. As they waved us forward, ushering us into a living room, I couldn’t help but drink in our surroundings. It took some time for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, but when they did I realized the furnishings weren’t too different from what one might see in the mortal realm, only sans technology. I made it a point not to look at the framed pictures hanging on the walls. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stomach seeing what family might have lived here in the past. It would only make me wonder where they were now. Two large windows made up the front of the house
Blakely When I awoke, it was to the gentle rustling of the curtains blocking off our alcove. Rubbing my eyes, I twisted around in Draco’s arms, nearly mashing my face into Azrael’s chest in the process. I yelped when Amora’s face appeared from in between the slats of the fabric. The others awoke at the sound of my surprise. Her mahogany hair was braided over her shoulder. As she spotted us her heart-shaped lips tipped up into a smile. “Oh, you four are just the sweetest.” She cooed, “Look at you all cozied up and in lo—” Orion’s snarl cracked across the room, “Amora, out.” With a dreamy sigh she set a stack of clothing down on the floor and gave us all another dazzling smile, “Ulrich wants me to let you all know we head out in one hour.” The second she left I scrambled to my feet. I dressed so quickly that the others were still half-naked by the time I finished. None of them commented, which I knew they wouldn’t. My mates understood that this time I had with Lina was precious, an
Blakely Draco brushed my hair over my shoulder with gentle fingers, his lips coasting along my neck. My eyes fell shut as a shudder worked its way down my spine, and my body came alive. Even after all we’d been through, I still couldn’t believe these men—these Gods—were mine. Draco with his never-ending support, Orion with his cold fire, and Azrael with his playfulness. They were each a part of me now, and while I still knew so little about their long lives, I was determined to spend the next century learning. “Amora was very insistent we spend what might be our last night together.” His chest rumbled with a growl. “Elias threw out a few ideas, of course.” Azrael’s lips tipped up as he dragged his eyes down my body. I returned the favor, my core clenching when I spotted his hard length straining against the seam of his breeches, “She was nice enough to conjure these blankets for us.” “Did we mention Elias placed a silencing spell over this room?” Orion chimed in with a husky purr.
Blakely My mates and I met up with Shax, who was standing in a group with those accompanying us into the city. Dhara had already started working on the evacuation tunnels, and while her magic would’ve been useful in tunneling to the tavern for us to grab provisions, we couldn’t risk draining her. What mattered most were getting these people out of the city. I had studied the map time and time again, memorizing our route. Katya’s friend, who happened to be a Sphinx, knew the owner of the tavern personally. They had been corresponding with letters, slipping them past Solana’s sentries. He knew we were to arrive tonight and had several crates of food prepared. “Alright, kid. You ready for this?” Ulrich clapped me on the shoulder with so much force I nearly toppled over. Of course, that led to Orion snarling in his face. Azrael had crept around his back, his claws lengthened and poised at his throat. Even Draco hovered nearby, ready to remove the God of War from this world. I waved al