Uriel’s POVYou could cut the atmosphere in the car with a knife.I look at Christian who has Max in his eyes and is obviously still digesting everything Imelda told us. I am impressed by his self control though, even if he is only just maintaining it.Imelda is silent. That’s probably for the best. It never usually ends well for the messenger, and she has just dropped one hell of a bombshell. She and Christian appear to have found some mutual ground and he was quick to come to her defence when Gabe started ranting earlier in the hospital.Lottie is blithely unaware of the effect her disappearance has had on us all. She fusses over Gabe, checking his mark, reassuring him she will never disappear again. It is obvious she’s just as shaken up as he is, and from what Imelda had to say, I don’t imagine she has had a very easy time of it in the hours she has been gone. Spending your whole life waiting for your wolf then finding out you have a dragon, has got to be a right head fuck.Andy or
Hunter’s POV“No, he was very clear. Seven O’Clock in the Luna’s office, those were his exact words. We all heard him, we are all here, I’m sure they are on their way. You, stay put.” Esme instructs me specifically to stay right where I am. She is stood in the middle of Liberty’s office, the giant fireplace behind her makes her look even smaller than she actually is, but she manages to command the attention of the room.In my head I have about a dozen smart remarks which all boil down to not wanting to be in the same room as several of the other occupants. There is not enough seating for everyone, and nobody dares sit in Liberty’s favourite spot in the corner of the sofa, or the seats either side where Christian and Zander sit. It’s the first time Lottie has been invited to one of our meetings in an official capacity and she is visibly tense. That probably has more to do with Andy’s presence than anything else.I can be foolish at times, but I know not to get smart mouthed with Esme.
Averson’s POV The atmosphere of the room shifts and darkens as I continue to recount my experience at the hands of the rebellion. I got into details that may or may not be necessary, but I want them to be prepared for the type of people they are going to be dealing with. I know this is why Marcel insisted I come here. He tempted me with the prospect of winning back what the rebellion had cost me, but things haven’t exactly gone as planned on that front.Hunter has been understandably hostile and unbending in his poor opinion of me. I have given him the distance Imelda advised, but judging by his reception of me this evening, that may very well blow up in my face. He probably thinks I couldn’t care less, which is about as far from the truth as you could get. It is my fervent hope that hearing what I have to say now, will help him to see that it was never my choice or intention to disappear from his or his mother’s life. The rebellion cost me my freedom, my pack and most importantly,
Lottie’s POVWhen Liberty found me before the meeting and pulled me to one side to talk about my plan, I was shocked that she had seen what I had been thinking and my idea for how to deal with Kendrick. I knew what she was capable of, after what happened with the truck that day, I never had any doubts about what she saw, no matter how unlikely it seemed. What I hadn’t expected was for her to know so many details. Things had evolved here whilst I was away, and Liberty was able to fill in the gaps of my plan and make it feasible.I always knew she and I would be close, even though we haven’t been able to spend much time together. She has changed so much since I first met her, her energy is still the same, she is a nurturer, kind and passionate with a massive capacity for empathy and understanding. I doubt that will ever change, but I can also feel the changes in her, she is stronger, both physically and mentally, and her protective instinct has kicked in full force.Being pregnant will
Claudel’s POVSo this is the infamous Pine Lake Pack. It’s quaint, I can see why Marcel has made himself at home here. I imagine it appeals to his rarely indulged love of the forest and nature in general. It’s all very green and alive.Our home in the Lone Mountains is a stark contrast to this. We live in a network of dwellings, dug out of the mountain side. The cavernous rooms barely make a dent in the monolithic peaks. There is a small green oasis in the narrow valley, which we venture to for resources and a change of scenery, but by and large we remain hidden from the world in the safety of the mountains.The journey here has been long and gruelling. Having human familiars in tow has only made it take twice as long as it would have been, had I not been constantly distracted by their needs and the plethora of books and luggage they struggle to manage between them. The crossing in the ship was uneventful, which given the season, is more than I had hoped for. When I got Marcel’s emai
Imelda’s POVI’m old enough and wise enough to know that what we see on the surface does not represent what is going on beneath. The convergence of so many powerful individuals has created a potentially volatile situation. Pine Lake is set to be the stage on which the future war is fought, and won or lost.The fates work in ways I cannot comprehend. They give with one hand and take, indiscriminately, with the other. I have always taught my coven and new witches alike, that it is how they maintain balance, but deep down it feels like the fates are a force on a power trip. I should not speak ill of the higher powers, I do not know the bigger picture, but one thing is certain, the suffering they allow knows no bounds. I would go as far as to say they flirt with the boundary of cruelty.Since the day in the garden, Christian and I have had some very pleasant, surprising exchanges. I’m happy to discover my first impression of him was not accurate at all. His mind is open and he has an affi
Hunter’s POVI know I have left a lot of people waiting for answers. When I caught up with Liberty, she was with Imelda, and I knew she was desperate to ask what my plans are. That’s what I appreciate about Imelda, she knows I need time, and though it may frustrate her, she gives me all the time and space I need.Averson has been far more supportive and helpful than I had dared to hope. Not only for me but the whole pack. His training and fighting techniques are different to ours and his ability to instruct our warriors and adapt both of our ways into a new style of combat, has elevated our defensive and combat abilities to new heights.He hasn’t been alone in his endeavours, both Marcel and Vitandi have added some of their own unique skills to the mix. It has been most beneficial to learn the weaknesses of Vampires and dragons, not that there are many. Vampires are fast, ridiculously fast, but weakened by silver, so the smiths have been working tirelessly to add a silver edge to all
Marcel’s POVHunter has been remarkably silent. I don’t know what I expected his reaction to be, but I thought he would have something to say.“There have been many tales about what became of her daughters and what happened to Aadhya’s body. Imelda is convinced that the rumours of parts of her body being kept as powerful talismans are true. There have been convincing reports of only one remaining part of Aadhya still in existence, and Imelda wants it.” I look down at the outline of the heavy box in my pocket. Hunter glances down too and the realisation of what I’m trying to tell him, sinks in.“You have it, don’t you?” his eyebrows raise so high they almost meet his hairline. He finally speaks.“I am in possession of Aadhya’s finger. You, Claudel and I are the only three souls alive who know of its whereabouts and the fact that it actually exists. I want to show it to Liberty and see what happens. I have been having thoughts and noticing things which lead me to believe she could be a
Chapter TwoConstance’s POV With the raiding party away, a rare calmness has come over the castle. I often find myself eagerly awaiting their departure so I can let down my guard and just be. This place is the only home I have ever known. I grew up within these walls and every room, every portrait and piece of furniture is attached to a memory of my life before, though it feels less and less like my sanctuary as Halen continues to fill it with his experiments.He says we are all one clan, the vampires he creates are family and that his creations will assure our safety and our place in the world. I know he believes every word he speaks but I can not get a moments peace with them around. I am constantly on edge, waiting for one of them to go feral and kill the human pets Halen keeps around for us to feed upon. He is adamant it will not happen again, but I have quickly learned that his belief in something doesn’t make it so.The dining hall is my second favourite room and as I walk ar
Please enjoy a sneak peek of Marcel’s story, which is now available. VB xxMarcel of The Lone Mountains.A Vampyre’s story by Veronica BlackChapter OneMarcel’s POV “Open your eyes and watch, boy.” My father snarls through gritted teeth, spittle flies from his taught lips into my face. He roughly grabs the loosely tied pony tail at the back of my head and wrenches my head back, which forces me to look up and watch the carnage unfolding in front of my eyes. My jaw tightens in frustration but I bite my tongue. I hate that he calls me ‘boy’. I haven’t been a boy for over a century, but he still looks down on me as if I am dirt beneath his boot and nothing more than a juvenile inconvenience. “This... is what we are. This... is what they made us. You can not fight nature son.” He shakes my head, pulling my hair out at its roots, as he aggressively makes his point.He is not wrong about not being able to fight nature, however, we are anything but natural. He continues his speech, the s
Grace’s POV I looked out of the window just as a dozen men in leather armour jogged past. It looks like they are surrounding something but I can’t see it the middle of the protective huddle.“Something is happening.” Lena sticks her head around the door of our shared room. Of course she would be one of the first to know if something is going on, her intuition is razor sharp and she is rarely wrong.“I can see that, but it’s none of our business. We should not go meddling unless we are invited. You know that.” I tell her in warning. Alma made it abundantly clear that we are to stay out of pack business unless she tells us otherwise. I’m more than happy to heed her advice and stay well out of it. The fewer people I meet, the less likely they are to find out anything they need not know.“It is our business. I have a really strong feeling we are meant to be part of this. Whatever they have brought back is tied to us. Come on. We will just watch, from a distance if that makes you feel bett
Marcel’s POV Imelda’s room has remained untouched. Not one of us has been able to face going in there. It just hasn’t felt right, like it’s too soon to close this chapter. Part of me wants to believe she is still in there, plotting and scheming ways to make Averson suffer. She may have been more understanding of what happened and why, but causing his discomfort had become a bit of a sport to her and it kept him on his toes.On my way back from breakfast with Claudel I walked to my room, the same as I have done every day for weeks. Claudel has been talking of leaving for a little while and it seems he has decided to bid us farewell in a few days. He has had his amusement and knows our clan will be anxiously awaiting his return. He and Vitandi have been getting along surprisingly well and it wouldn’t come as a shock to discover that Vitandi will join Claudel and spend some time at our home in the Lone Mountains. There is a palpable tension between the dragon and the Alphas and a parti
Lottie’s POVThere has been a sense of fragile peace and calm around here for a few days. I doubt it will last very long, it never does. It’s sad to think that at a time when we should all be enjoying every day, we are waiting for the other shoe to drop.My father is in the dog house with my brothers, they are both livid that he went off script and rained fyre down on the Katasan. He did what he set out to do, but it could have ended differently. Luckily when Christian, Zander and Marcel returned they had Alma, Grace and Lena with them. Without Grace’s healing magic Uriel would almost certainly still be in the hospital, but everyone is acting as if all is well that ends well.Speaking of Uriel, he has been happily holed up in his room with May, who we all now know to be Amaya, the mate he thought he had lost. I’m happy for him, if anyone deserves to find happiness he is right at the top of the list. Putting up with my brothers, he was due some good fortune, and Amaya has been through
Uriel’s POVA few of us noticed Liberty and Wendy disappearing into the woods whilst we gathered around the tables laid out for Thomas, Zachary and Imelda’s wake. Gerald was quick to his feet, signalling with a discreet nod of his head for three of the Old Guard to follow at a distance.Concern for the Luna has been spreading through the pack. She seems to have lost touch with reality ever since the night she had the pups. When I returned with Vitandi and Averson I expected to be read the riot act, punished, shamed, relieved of my command or at the very least given the dressing down I deserved from my Alphas. Fortunately for me they were otherwise occupied. By the time they had been reassured by Doc Wood that their mate and pups were remarkably in perfect health, their anger at my disobedience had dissipated.The excited tremor of success, when I debriefed the group about our mission, was short lived. Marcel had been nowhere to be seen so we began without him. It was strange holding a
Liberty’s POVI stand and watch as flames engulf the three carefully built pyres, and I feel completely numb. I can’t tell any of them how I feel or what happened when I saw Aadhya again the night I had the twins. Emotions in the pack are high, the loss of two of our warriors and Imelda has rocked the pack to it’s core.I couldn’t tell them I wasn’t coping or that I had died, no matter how briefly it might have been for them, it felt like a life time for me. Aadhya came to take me home with her and that feeling has not left me. She talked about all of the good I would be able to do on the other side, she told me my pups would be loved and cared for by the entire pack and they would never walk alone, but all I could think was that I’m not done.That is when I realised it was over. My life, everything we had been fighting for, the future I had grown to want and cherished the idea of. The pack would have to carry the burden without me. Lottie, Imelda, Esme, Hunter, Christian, Zander and
Marcel’s POVI like to think that in my long life and varied experiences, I have seen pretty much everything there is to see in this world. Since coming to Pine Lake, my belief in my own wisdom has been put into question on many occasions, as has my mastery of my emotions.Alma, Lena and Grace are another anomaly I can’t explain. Their power and knowledge rivals that of Imelda, which should not be possible, not unless they are all connected in some way, by blood or by magic. I can’t explain it and they won’t, not yet anyway. There is no denying the energy of the three of them individually, but when they come together you can feel it in the air like static electricity.By the time we reached the bunker I was certain that Alma is indeed a high priestess, and far older than her appearance portrays, and that she has taken the other two under her wing to teach them the ancient magic that has been all but forgotten. I was excited to introduce Alma and Imelda, the two of them are so similar,
Uriel’s POVPlanting the explosives is turning out to be the easiest part of this suicide mission. Getting out of this labyrinth in the next few minutes is proving harder than you might think. The whole base is like damned a maze. Every corridor is just like the previous one. There is no signage and the map is all but useless now. We have been turned around a few times, choosing to avoid oncoming soldiers rather than waste precious time fighting.“How long?” Averson calls ahead to me.I glance at my watch and know it is going to take a miracle or an act of the fates to get us out of here.“A minute and change.” I call back as I skid around the next corner, not putting on the breaks hard enough and slamming sideways on into the wall.“Move your arse.” Averson catches up, grabs me by the back of the neck and forces me forward with him. Hitting the wall at high speed stunned me for a moment but I’m alright now.The next, seemingly endless, corner we turn brings a welcome sight. There, la