Ethan went very still inside and the images of forty years ago melted away, as though his own turmoil and bitterness had kept them there.
He was left with the difficult reality that he could have been wrong all this time about Samantha’s mother and what had really happened at Sweet Gorge that night. Until recently, he’d thought it had simply been a large, random Invictus attack that Andrea had seen in a dream but refused to report. She’d deserted Bergisson that night, leaving him to clean up the worst disaster his realm had ever experienced.
Guilt had covered him for decades, the sure knowledge that if he’d been more responsible, his family wouldn’t have died.
Now, tonight, in this moment, the truth rose to hit him harder still that Ry, along with a powerful enemy just barely making itself known to the Nine Realms, had planned and executed the massacre that night. Davido had been right after all: The sheer numbers would have overpowered him and he would have died as well.
Why forty years had elapsed before a second attempt, he didn’t know, but he had a strong sense that this day had been developing for decades, waiting for the arrival of Samantha to give Ry sufficient power to take the prize he sought, with the help of course of the dark fae force.
Samantha.
His thoughts turned to her, as Ry once more smiled down at him, holding her close. What he waited for, Ethan didn’t know, but he felt sure some timing was at work, maybe an Invictus force that needed to be moved into place.
But Samantha, Andrea’s very own daughter, had been the biggest surprise of all. He’d spent barely three nights with her, yet somehow his life had been transformed completely into something he hadn’t even realized until this moment. At long last love had pierced the hard shell of his guilt and opened up a hope that he could have a better life, one in which a woman slept in his bed, listened to his thoughts as he listened to hers, worked through difficult issues, and in the end became something more together than each would have been separately.
How changed Samantha was as well, though maybe she didn’t see realize it. But from the first, he’d caught a glimpse of her solitary life, not much different from his, though each enjoyed their labors. She’d been alone and now she had a new heritage, new gifts, even a new family if she could embrace it.
He didn’t want this to be the end, for Samantha to be bound and enslaved to Ry for what would amount to centuries and he didn’t want to die, but here he was caught in a kind of netting that cut at him if he so much as half-flexed his pinkie-muscle.
New images rushed through his mind, of meeting Samantha for the first time, of making love to her in his bed and feeding from her vein -- Sweet Goddess, all the times he’d fed from her! -- then of anchoring her while she gathered strength from the crystals whether at the fae Guildhall or within his conservatory. He recalled how he’d experienced such a pure, healing energy flow through him as she accessed her faeness in a beautiful stream of violet-silver light. And she’d healed him of five decades of blood-starvation, of a curse he’d accepted when his mastyr-power had arrived all those years ago. Suffering, pain, and the weight of realm-responsibility had all been eased by Samantha.
Now Ry had her.
She’d slipped through Ethan’s grasp like water pouring through his fingers.
And as his ranks struggled beneath the mind-control of the dark fae presence.
But to add to the present horrors, suddenly Invictus wraith-pairs moved in from behind, hundreds of them, surrounding his men.
And Ethan couldn’t lift a finger to do anything about it.
He tried to reach either Finn or Samantha telepathically, but somehow Ry blocked these communications.
There seemed to be no way out.
And Ry threw his head back and laughed, a hateful victorious sound that forged a fire of revenge in Ethan’s veins.
*** *** ***
Samantha knew Ry would begin the bonding process soon and that he would do whatever it took to bind her to him right now, on the ridge of Sweet Gorge, with Ethan trapped below beside two of his men in some kind of strange netting. The stench of the dark fae presence reeked now, all along the ridge and down into the gorge.
She was here, that which had the power right now to end Samantha’s freedom forever, to take Ethan’s life, to destroy the Bergisson Guard and to control Ry and therefore the future of the realm, maybe even of all Nine Realms.
How foolish she’d been to think that only her choice between Shreveport and Bergisson was at stake, when right now her freedom for what would become centuries would soon be lost as well as Ethan’s life.
Ry had wanted him dead for a long, long time. She could smell that stench on him as well, that he intended Ethan’s death, hopefully executing both her bondage and Ethan’s demise at the same time.
He’d drink from her while he bound her and because the fae entity still muddled Samantha’s mind, it seemed an impossible situation to her, that there was no way out. She would succumb to Ry, he would grow in sufficient power, and he’d slay Ethan.
Ethan.
A calmness came over her when she thought about him, all that they’d been through. Unless something miraculous happened, the life as she’d known it and the extraordinary experiences she’d shared with Ethan would end in the next few minutes.
Despair ran through her as a deep awareness rose that what had arrived in Club Prave in Shreveport wasn’t just a mastyr vampire looking to uphold the law of his realm, but a man she could love. How surprising, sudden, unexpected and unbelievable, but yes, love had come to her in the form of a vampire.
Yes, she was part-realm, that much was true, but somehow her heritage didn’t factor in at all. She loved Ethan, that he made her laugh, that he made love to her like a god, that he was kind and considerate, that he loved Bergisson, something Ry would never understand and never be able to do.
Ry wanted power and he wanted to rule, as a dictator would, with full control.
Ethan wanted his realm-folk safe. That was all. He wanted his people safe to make their livings, to fall in love, to create families and to build future generations for centuries to come.
Ry didn’t care if he brought all Nine Realms down to nothing, just so long as he was Mastyr of Bergisson.
In that moment, she made her decision, the one that had seemed so impossible a few hours ago, whether to remain in Bergisson or not, whether to take up a life as Ethan’s blood rose, or not, whether to engage with the powerful fae community or not.
She wanted to stay, in part because she now understood that the dark fae presence had ruined her mother’s life, had so troubled her mind, forcing images through her, that she’d been unable to cope with the visions, the blood and gore, the pain and anguish, so she had left her world behind and made a new life in Shreveport.
Now Samantha had come home, to take up what was rightfully hers if she wanted it.
And yet what stood in her way right now seemed unconquerable: A vampire without a conscience who had complete physical power over her.
But was there a way out, a way to possibly connect with Ethan?
After all they’d been through, surely, she could establish a connection and break the control that the dark fae entity had over Sweet Gorge.
But how?
One thing she did understand, the calmer she remained, the less muddled her mind was. If she struggled or tried to break free, it was as though these actions alone brought the dark force once more invading her mind and removing her ability to reason.
She therefore took deep breaths and waited.
She wouldn’t be able to do this alone. As calmly as she could, she opened her telepathic frequency to Ethan, but Ry entered her mind. Can’t let you do that, sweetheart. You’re mine now.
She said nothing in response.
She waited.
A female voice intruded. “Now is the time, Ry. Take your prize and Bergisson will be yours.”
Ry pushed her hair away from her throat. I’m going to make you mine, Samantha, right
here on the ridge, in front of Ethan, the Goddess, and everyone else.
Unwilling to give him the satisfaction of her fear or to alert the fae entity to her clear mind, she remained very still, but every ounce of her spirit became focused solely on Ethan.
No more holding back with him.
Whatever he needed from her right now, was his for the taking. She met and held his gaze, hoping he could somehow intuit her intentions, her love, her willingness to do anything that was needed in this situation.
She mouthed the words, ‘For Bergisson’.
His brows lifted slightly, then a slight curve touched his lips.
Chapter Ten
Ethan’s heart swelled, a physical movement that the webbing couldn’t touch.
He loved Samantha, with all his heart. He knew that now, deep in his spirit, in the combined frequencies that made up his vampire nature. If he’d had any doubt before about her worth, or whether he should give himself to her fully, she had just washed them away as she mouthed ‘for Bergisson’.
She got him, she got his world, and she got her purpose in his realm and what he felt was joy, pure and simple.
He felt her calmness as well, a mirror of his own, that their current circumstances, each bound so heavily and unable to move, had quieted their respective thoughts and movements, given each time to think and to reassess.
Mostly, he knew she was with him, all the way.
Hope began a powerful journey back through his veins, rebuilding his determination to somehow find a way out of this deadly situation, but with new insights, primarily that he wasn’t alone in his command.
He shifted his gaze back to Ry, now holding Samantha closer.
Ry pathed Ethan again. This is for you, Ethan, for taking what belonged to me. So now I’m taking what you desire and returning Bergisson to her rightful owner at the same time.
But Ethan didn’t respond. He remained very still, turning his attention solely to Samantha.
Ry drew his lips back, letting his fangs emerge fully, two wet, powerful points.
Ethan watched the fangs strike. His body reacted on instinct, a sharp jerk which much to his surprise caused the web, just for a split-second, to give way.
Startled, he looked around. Why hadn’t the web tightened instead? Cut him up?
What had changed.
Only one thing: Ry had pierced Samantha’s neck, which must have meant that once he shifted his attention to her, it broke a connection elsewhere.
His first instinct was to break free, right now, and do battle with Ry. But his impulses had put him here in the web in the first place, so he remained still.
Again, what had changed?
Then, exactly how much had changed?
He ignored his rage at watching Ry drink from Samantha though even at that distance, he felt Ry’s personal frequency pounding against her faeness, demanding entrance and submission. If Ry wore her down and bound her to him, she’d be lost forever.
So would Bergisson because Ry would have the power he’d been seeking, in tandem with the ancient fae force, to do whatever he liked.
Except something wasn’t right, wasn’t working, and the shift had occurred the moment Ry began to feed. He suspected it meant that the ancient fae force had to work with a minion in order to hold her power over so many realm at once. And Ry was her minion, in servitude to her, and the vessel she used to carry out her expansive enthrallment.
But if he could move in the web, then what else could he do right now, while Ry’s attention was focused on Samantha?
He glanced at the Invictus and another question rose: With his entire Guard enthralled, why hadn’t the Invictus attacked them, unless they couldn’t. And that was the other part of the answer, that the enthrallment was universal and had encompassed the Invictus as much as his Guard.
There were limits, therefore, to the ancient fae’s power and apparently, in order to function at top levels, she needed her minion’s full attention.
She didn’t have that now, not with Ry lost in the sublime taste of Samantha’s blood, which meant he had a handful of minutes to organize a counter offensive. The fae’s enthrallment still operated, just not at full force.
He shifted his attention to Finn and attempted telepathy. Finn?
His second-in-command lifted his chin slowly and met his gaze. You feel it, as well, the release of the thrall, at least to a degree?
Enough for us to talk and to strategize. I know I could leave this web right now, for instance, but that would alert Ry and he’s the key. The fae force that has control of Sweet Gorge right now, must have his focus to do what she does.
I alerted the Guard to remain still until further ordered.
Good move. Smart.
I also got through to Quinlan. He arrives in three minutes. Where do you want him when he comes in? He’s got part of his Grochaire Guard with him.
Let me contact Samantha. Hold steady and keep pretending that you’re enthralled. Tell everyone.
Ethan shifted his focus back to his blood rose, ignoring his ever-present need to tear Ry apart. He remained calm and approached her mind. Samantha, can you receive this?
Yes. Thank God. Ethan, ever since he started drinking a lot of my confusion has lessened, but I wasn’t sure what to do, whether contacting you would alert him, but everything has changed, hasn’t it?
Yes, for the moment, so long as he feeds from you.
Which means we have a shot. Ethan, just tell me what to do.
Can you access your fae vision again? Can you see the future?
Absolutely.
He took a moment to test the binding tendrils and when he moved his left hand the webbing gave way. He could still free himself if he wanted.
He closed his eyes forcing himself to hold back. How many times had he screwed up in the past because he was in such a hurry to take charge, not to let others lead?
So, he calmed himself once more and waited for Samantha, focusing on her.
He felt her settle into herself more deeply and after a moment she pathed, On the other side of the gorge is a stretch of land that the ancient fae has kept hidden from view. I see barracks, maybe a training camp. But there are two hundred wraith-pairs ready to do battle, ready to slaughter your guard. Now I see Quinlan and his men attacking that group.
Ethan murmured, Good, that’s good. Now what about the gorge itself, me, my Guard?
She tells him the rest of what she’s seen in the vision and he’s dumbfounded but he’ll also have to trust her and he’ll have to leave most of the fighting to others.
Can you do this, Ethan? You’ll have to leave the battling to everyone else? Can you do that?
That’s when he understood the full breadth of what Samantha’s presence in his life had come to mean, that now he could do what had before been impossible. Yes, I can turn the battle over to Finn and Quinlan; I trust each with my life.
Good. But she sounded strained, her voice faint in his mind. Because the time has almost come. I’m very weak right now and his personal frequency is pounding hard, demanding admittance.
Samantha, just tell me, what is the signal for our forces to begin battling?
When I fall to the ground.
Oh, sweet Goddess. He didn’t know if he could bear the sight without reacting before he should.
You can do this, Ethan. Now, let everyone else know. It won’t be long. Maybe half-a-minute from now.
Ethan closed down the communication and sought Finn and Quinlan. He outlined what Samantha had related to him. Each was ready. Quinlan had brought a hundred-and-twenty-five of his Guard from Grochaire. This might just work.
He could only watch now and wait for the signal.
But nothing happened. Instead, Ry kept drinking like he couldn’t stop.
Ethan pathed to Samantha. He won’t stop. Samantha, we have to do something together to break him right now.
So weak.
I’m going to send my personal frequency straight at you. Just turn and
embrace me with your faeness, that’ll give you some strength. Once that happens, I’ll hit Ry with a jolt of my own. My guess is, his rage will fly off the charts and instead of reconnecting with the ancient fae, he’ll want to battle me. When he breaks free of you and turns in my direction, just drop to the ground as planned.
Okay.
Using his all the power he could muster, he focused on his personal frequency and sent it straight at Samantha. She responded and the moment her faeness touched him, he sent a stream of power through the pathway, found Ry’s frequency and sent a jolt straight toward him.
As predicted, Ry came off Samantha’s neck roaring his rage and turning at the same time toward Ethan, his eyes blood red.
Samantha dropped to the ground.
And all hell broke loose.
Finn and Kyle attacked Ry with short-swords so that he had to shift his attention away from Ethan, away from the dark fae, and toward to fellow Guardsmen holding nothing back.
At the same time, Ethan’s Guard turned on the Invictus and the battle was on, more visceral than usual since they didn’t have time to form the battle shield. The sound of metal weapons clashed in the night air.
Ethan used his dagger to release himself from the now powerless web-trap, doing the same for the Guardsmen next to him. He ordered both to engage in battle.
He heard a wailing sound and the stench of the ancient fae grew strong around him. She’d lost control. He tried to see her, to find her, but she had tremendous shielding capacity.
But apparently without Ry, she was incapable of action.
Ethan shot up the gorge, but instead of engaging in the fight, he picked Samantha up in his arms, and carried her away from the fighting.
She was very weak, but she pathed, Fly me to the monolith. I’ve felt the crystals calling to me for the past few minutes. I can find strength there.
He took her to the eastern ridge and the rock outcropping that had once held the waterfall. He carried her to the ledge from which the water had once spilled and fed Sweet Gorge Stream.