Page 37 of Moon Bound

“Sawyer, son of Gideon,” he continues. I fight a shudder at the name of the raven who left me a bastard. I would have been expected to do the same to many of my own offspring, mating the few raven females until they can no longer reproduce. I’ve fucked that option, and hence why the figure above booms his words with a thick undertone of irritation. “You’ve been brought before us for ____.”

“The moon bound our souls-” I begin before a host of growls and screeches erupt around me. Tossing a look back, Bran shakes his head in disapproval. This agitates me more than anything else; I’ve given Bran my complete compliance since I was a child. I’m a product of his training, and this is my first infraction, if I can call it that.

“You revealed your truest self,” the highest being continues. “Had you remained in raven form, this would not have been possible. You are not a mate to this immortal. The moon confused your guardian’s binding with that of a mate’s bond.” My fists clench in the cuffs. I’ve had the same thought, but no matter how many times I’ve replayed that night in the forest from my and Aspen’s memory, I can’t agree. I felt her affection, and I know my own is sincere.

“You’ve taken advantage of your charge and your position,” a female voice from my left scowls. A round of hissing punctuates her voice, her hood shifting of its own accord. Clenching my teeth together, I refrain from responding. I don’t need anyone’s judgment. I know the truth. The figure on the highest point, the one I presume is the leader, stands tall, commanding my focus.

“Your mentor has spoken on your behalf. He has described you as a keen warrior and loyal protector, but what you have done,” the central figure lowers his head, “the crimes you have committed are too severe.” My heart clenches. Finally confronted with the reason I’ve been brought here, I can no longer hide within my meditations. Seeing Bran had given me false hope, but I can no longer deny that the chances of walking free of here are non-existent.

“Perhaps he could relocate to another charge,” a gentle female speaks up. My head shoots in her direction. She stands closest to the light, a curious shimmer glinting beneath her hood. “Ravens are a valued commodity we can’t afford to waste. There are many in need of protection, and the Fates-” The leader growls with the echo of a large beast, his hand shooting palm up to silence her—a glimmer of green scales across his fingers.

“Take him to the holding area while we discuss his sentence.Again.” At the leader’s demand, the guard grabs my shoulder and rips me away from the cathedral. I fight to look back, giving my savior a brief nod before I’m thrown into a room and locked inside. Bran argues with the guard beyond the door while I pace and fist my hair.

The same pointed arches frame the stain-glass windows, and a beige sofa with gold accents is placed before a wall of bookshelves. Throwing myself back on the cushions and covering my eyes with my arm, I hunt for a calmer place. It takes a few minutes to connect with Aspen, but as soon as I latch on, I slip into her body as if it were my own.

No longer in wolf form, Aspen’s eyes blink in and out of sleep. She’s jostling, her body braced in a pair of strong arms. I ought to turn away, leaving her in peace, but I need something to hold onto at this moment. It may be the final time I’m able to connect with her and at least I can feel her heart flutter and sweet laughter once more.

Blinking upwards, a strong jaw clenches above us, his head inclined as his pale brown eyes glare back with a heavy dose of contempt.

I frown, my head jerking involuntarily. I don’t know this male.

“C-“ Aspen tries to speak. Her throat is raw, and her limbs limp. With the rousing of her consciousness comes the assault of sudden pain. A heavy contraption cages her face. The binds at my wrists and ankles are weighted by the same on hers, and as her heart picks up a panicked rhythm, mine’s about to cease up.

“Car…rick…” Aspen manages to grunt. The smile on his face makes my stomach roll. A sharp sting pierces her neck, although he made no move to sink his exposed fangs into her. Within seconds, my connection with Aspen is broken, and I gasp, staring at the midnight sky above. A fork of lightning flashes, mirroring the burst of fear I struggle to breathe through.

Movement shifts in the corner of my eye. I jerk upright, swinging my bound hands widely. A hooded figure stills a few moments away, the hood tilting slightly until I drop my arms onto my thighs. Then, despite all of my training and the present company, a tear falls from my eye. My head hangs in defeat. There’s nothing I can do, and as my judgment approaches, I wonder if I can plead to have a new protector assigned to Aspen. My dying wish for my fated mate.

“The moon’s power flows through your veins,” the soft feminine voice sounds. Moving forward, she kneels and pushes back her hood. Shimmering skin and the biggest pair of blue eyes peer up at me. Her pointed eyes poke through blonde braids, a delicate gold crown hanging low over her brows. Confusion rakes my brain, but as she pushes up my trench coat sleeve, my gaze snags on the markings lining my arm. Once black, the branches embedded into my skin glow silver, shining with an ever-moving flow of power. Holy shit. Those blue eyes blink upwards, the hint of worry pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“Save her. It’s imperative.” With those softly spoken words, the sofa beneath me gives way. I fall into space, the restraints vanishing and allowing my limbs to spread wide. Flailing, I drop through the midnight sky, passing endless stars before appearing on the other side. Boosted by the moon's light, I shift into my raven, ducking my wings and diving towards the Earth. It takes too long before I’m able to recognize the mountain ranges of vampire territory, my wings thrusting wide to circle the land I’ve previously committed to memory. The glow of daybreak threatens, the asshole vampire who has Aspen soon to be driven into hiding.

Without any notion of where he’d take her, I trail the stream, knowing her wolf would have sought out water had she been in control. Soaring, I take in the panoramic view all at once. Twinkling catches my keen eye, drawing me downwards on a quick spiral. A dress of icy blue lace and diamond has been carefully placed against a boulder, the tracks of paw prints leading into the forest beyond. A caw escapes my beak, a question held within. I know in my body that Aspen can’t respond and the longer my talons tap against the boulder beside her dress, the heavier the dread settles within my feathery chest.

There’s only one thing for it.

Flapping as quickly as I can, I gain distance on the castle. Powerful beats of my wings see me speeding past the iron gate, over the surrounding town, and directly toward the king’s suite. It’s the only room I know, and as I approach, I find the rear doors facing the balcony smashed through. A mass of bulky vampires sit within, but there’s no time for pleasantries. Swooping directly inside, I shift and land in the center of the suite, seemingly interrupting a tense conversation between Lorcan and the three vamps crowded by guards. A situation I’m all too familiar with and not exactly comfortable in.

“That was quick,” Chase tuts, rolling his eyes. His shoulders are slumped inward, his green eyes bleak. Arms crossed and standing by his sides, Torsten and Jaxon glare at me.

“Come to gloat?” Torsten growls. Narrowing my eyes, I turn and address Lorcan instead, not wasting precious time.

“Aspen has been taken. Some vampire called Carrick? She’s in trouble,” I blurt, despair leaking from my voice. But my dread is nothing compared to the expression which passes across Lorcan’s face or the roars of anguish which erupt from behind.

Chapter25

Aspen

Singed fur. That’s what I can smell. It’s close but…I can’t feel any burning.

Everything is dim in here. Not even my enhanced eyesight can penetrate the darkness ahead. A shadow looms over my shoulder. I turn swiftly in shock, but it’s gone. I spin, becoming lightheaded in an effort to locate it again. But there isn’t anyone stuck here except myself.

A black mass suddenly lunges at me from the front, pinning my arms by my side and leaning into my face. I scream but no sound comes out. Amongst the shifting outline of the shadow, two pale brown eyes come into focus, staring directly into mine as they begin to glow like coals of fire.

Screaming, I’m finally able to wake from the nightmare I’ve been stuck in behind my closed eyelids. That’s when the onslaught of pain hits. Every part of me is numb yet on fire at the same time. Burnt chunks of white fur lay on the stony ground all around me, the edges curled and blackened. In human form, the cold, uneven ground bleeds into my raw skin.

I blink away the confusion, taking stock of my body. There’s a muzzle strapped tightly around my head, seemingly made of silver by the blistering covering my cheeks and jaw. Similar scorching sensations circle my bound wrists behind my back and ankles. My silver affliction isn’t as strong as a full vampire’s, but constant contact does slowly burn my flesh.

The space surrounding me is hollow, a round ceiling hanging above covered in spiked stone, like a concrete jaw about to clamp down. The hard floor is damp, but it’s the jagged roughness that affects me the most. A sharp point protruding from the ground is cutting into my cheek, blood pooling into my ear and hair. I try to wiggle onto my back but the fatigue I’ve cleared from my mind still has a solid hold on my limbs.

---