Page 116 of Twinning and Sinning

Clara couldn’t help but chuckle. “You can’t seriously think that you were to keep all those things out, did you?” Cyrene sobbed again, not just from failure but frustration. This was a long battle, and it didn’t show signs of stopping as the trees in the woods stilled again.

Matthew and Ajax walked up to Cyrene, sitting on the ground. Both had rips in the clothes, blood and scratches on their faces. Luckily, the silver poison wouldn’t affect a sorcerer, but now Cyrene was in danger because of her shared genetics with Soren.

“We are radiating a ward,” Matthew spoke. “It is holding them off, maybe an hour or so. Let’s get everyone water, food, and maybe rest. There is something powerful coming,” Ajax added.

Kane pulled Clara into his arms, realizing how weak his mate was. Holding her like a newborn baby, she cuddled in his arms, feeling his strength. His bare chest had no scratches, just the blood of his enemies. “Love, you need to rest,” Clara didn’t argue. Her head found the crook of his neck, her arms around his body.

“I’m so tired,” she whined. “We can’t give up yet.” Kane held her tighter, while looking for Melody. Melody was holding onto Marcus. A few scratches on his chest were healing. The genetics he shared with Melody gave him Alpha healing powers so he could have continued to fight.

“We are alright,” Melody mind-linked her father. “Your stare is insufferable.” Kane smiled at his daughter across the courtyard. “He is coming. I heard from the other Sorcerers they feel a large magical presence.” Kane continued to stare at his daughter.

Melody looked so much like her mother, small but also curvy. He loved that his family had all shapes, and sizes, as well as different ambitions. He thought of Evelyn, who was still back in Bergarian with her mate Kit, taking care of the kingdom they will inherit one day.

‘I hope they are alright,’ he thought to himself. Clara shuddered in his arms. Her eyes were closed as her fingers held on to the hair that he had grown out. Her body wanted to sink into his. It gave him great pleasure to see his mate sleeping, to know she was alright. The sweet reassurances she sent him through the mind link as he battled only made him fight harder, stronger, and faster for her. He didn’t have to worry as much. Clara had proven herself strong many times over the years they had been together.

Bodies were scattered, at angles that should not be possible, with heads ripped. Kane knew this battle would be difficult, especially with the inexperience the Red Wolves pack provided, but he fully trusted his men. They had proved worthy in his eyes. Melody and Marcus had kept the rigorous training Kane left behind for them to follow. Marcus, being the one to take charge of most of the training, did well. His friend of over a hundred years had been most trustworthy.

Besides the side scuffles with Marcus being his daughter’s mate, he loved him like his own brother.

Kane sat on the pack house steps. Men and women sat on nearby benches. No one dared move the bodies, taking rest instead of readying themselves. Kane didn’t blame them, he didn’t order for it. They would fight around the mess. Then again, Torin had different ideas. Torin’s natural willingness to jump into battle was fleeting. His mind was racing along with Kane’s as to why he would feel such a way.

Kane leaned back into the tree, holding his mate while she recovered. Matthew and Ajax ran towards Kane, both with worried faces. “Your Majesty, we felt your sons’ presence at the northern border. We can open the ward. We just cannot feel Seraphina,” Ajax spat out quickly. “Do we let them proceed?” Kane brushed a stray hair from Clara. If Clara was awake she would immediately jump up and say yes, yet they were dealing with a Kitsune, they weren’t sure what to expect.

“Open it up, just that area.” Matthew nodded his head, concentrating, putting his fingers to his temples. Ajax coughed, turned back to Kane. “There is another vehicle with them,” Kane sighed, running his hand through his shoulder-length hair.

“Do it,” Kane stood up, still carrying Clara. He wouldn’t put her down, come hell or high water, he would shift and fight with her in his arms. She needed to recover, and the bond they shared would have her heal faster. Clara’s dress, now stained with blood, rips from the damn rodents, now hung loosely around her. Her body shifted, still gripping on his hair. Kane didn’t care she was pulling the hair from his head, as long as it made her feel secure.

Lonato strode from the forest, dragging two bodies behind him, both fully clothed in ripped business suits. They were unconscious, groaning, obviously human. Dropping them into a pile, he grunted, his Wolf’s eyes eyeing the two humans. “Get those two tied up,” Kane yelled across the courtyard. Marcus stood up first, running to listen to his king.

Now Kane waited, watching the old dirt road, ready for his sons to return to him. With Seraphina no longer being felt by the Sorcerers, fear crept into the back of his mind. If she wasn’t there, was she already captured? Did they leave her behind with Vampires?

Once the dingy truck was heard, Kane put his nose into Clara’s hair and waited for the truck to finally reach the bloodied courtyard

Chapter Sixty-Three

Dimitri

Almostsixhoursofdriving. We stopped to fill with gas, but continued. If you had to pee, tough shit, we kept going. Dax was growling, Dominic being and uncontrollable asshole and wouldn’t let her go. Dominic was just as unpredictable as Dax. I could feel the rage building the closer we got back to the Red Wolves pack.

As we just turned down the last dirt road, the dust flew into the air behind us, with the white passenger van riding our tail. Looking in the review mirror, the Vampires sat stoic. The ones in the front had their nails grown longer. The forest was too quiet, the birds in the trees were missing and the small forest animals were not even scampering in the woods driving by.

“I don’t like it,” Dax growled. Seraphina whimpered in his arms. The fever she sported for a few hours finally broke. Her drenched hair finally drying while I petted her hair.

“I don’t either, the entire area is a miss. The Vampires behind us can feel it too.” The phone we carried to keep in contact with the van behind us rung, breaking us from our serious tone.

“Dimitri,” I spoke.

“Fresh blood, and a lot,” Suron spat out through the phone. “Be prepared for a massacre. It’s that much.”

Gripping the phone, I still sighed with some relief. Our parents and sister were completely fine. I could feel their bond still as strong as ever, even Marcus. “Our parents are still alive.”

“Thank the gods,” Suron let out a breath. “I think I would have turned around and headed back, no offence,” he chuckled. “We are with you, your highnesses. Has Seraphina awakened?”

“No.” The disappointment in my voice echoed through the phone. She needed to wake up. Who knew what mess we would have to deal with once we arrived?

“There,” Dax barked. Hanging up the phone, our vehicles breached the trees. What laid before us was much more that I had ever imagined. The entire courtyard, painted red. Wolves being carried up to the pack house steps. Blood dripped down each step while their arms and legs dripped the crimson liquid. Small animals, rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks littered the area, scorched to a crisp. The stench was awful, making me scrunch my nose up in disgust.

“Looks like a Sorceress had some fun,” Dax’s voice rattled. Bodies of shifters and animals were being pulled into large piles, being set on fire to clean the mess. So much blood, so much metallic smell wafted the air. It was sickening, the bloodshed. Warriors we had less were few as they walked around the yard.

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