Lyonis hesitantly threw the clothing away as he followed her scent behind the train station. Her scent lingered, exhilarating his senses with her fresh, womanly scent. He’d always pictured his mate to be a curvy, submissive woman. Soft, gentle, and beautiful. What he’d actually gotten was quite different. Willow was anything but submissive. Or gentle for that matter.
He couldn’t stop from laughing as he thought about it. He found he didn’t mind her strong nature; in fact, his beast relished her strength. It wanted to test her, see how strong she was, make her submit to him. His cock hardened at the idea. She would be his.
Lyonis paused as his gaze fell to the forest in the distance. His hackles raised, and a menacing growl left his lips. Instantly he transformed into a hawk and soared high over the trees. His exceptional vision took in the scene below as clearly as if he was standing there.
The forest was dense save for one area that he circled. The trees in the area were burnt to ash leaving the ground covered in black soot and ash. The trees surrounding the area were bent at awkward angles, some leaning precariously about to fall down. Others looked like they’d been completely snapped in half. This wasn’t some random storm or a bunch of kids.
He soared lower, hovering above the dark area, wings flapping. The scent hit him, knocking the wind out of him.
Demon.
The rift wasn’t anywhere near here. How did a demon get out here, and better yet, what kind of demon did that? This place reeked of dark magic.
Lyonis flew back to the station and transformed behind it. He gave the trees one last look before he left. He needed to contact Tyrian en Kulev. Needed to notify the vampire leader that a demon was loose. Then, he’d track down his woman and take her home.
Excitement flared inside him. He couldn’t wait. She will bow to him and serve him with all that spirit and energy inside her. She will make a fine queen for his people, and a perfect mate for him.
Draven entered the lavish study and dropped to a knee before his commander.
“Commander, Tyrian.”
“Oh please, you don’t need to bow to this man. As if he needs a bigger ego,” Chloe said with a grin. Draven couldn’t help but grin back at her even as a part of him went cold at the sight of her. He hadn’t minded her at first, but she’d set in motion a whirl of events that changed his life. And not for the better.
“You sent for me?” Draven said. His commander was a changed man since he mated with the succubus, Chloe Bellum. The cold gravity of his eyes hadn’t completely left, but there was warmth to them now that Draven had never seen before. Considering he’d known the commander since the Great War, that was saying something.
“Yes, I just received a call from Alpha Lyonis Keelan. He says he spotted something strange in the German country side.”
Draven frowned. “Demons? We would know if there’s been a breach in the rift.”
Nodding, Tyrian agreed. “That’s what I said. He also said he examined the area and the stench of demon covered the place. Said it didn’t look like anything he’d seen before. Said the place was burned, and he felt the presence dark magic.”
Chloe hugged her arms around her stomach. “You don’t think it’s another like the one that came after me do you? I mean, we killed it. There’s no way it’s coming back.”
“Honestly, we have no way of knowing what that demon did while it was awake, and we don’t know what else that spell you and your sisters did,” Tyrian said.
“Wait, if Alpha Lyonis found it then does that mean it’s near Willow? Is it after her?” Tyrian hugged his mate close and ran a soothing hand down her back. Draven looked away at the sight.
“I’ll arrange another meeting with Telal. We’ll need his input on this. Draven, be ready. You, Rayn, and Henry are going to go check this out. Report back to me your findings,” said Tyrian.
Chloe pulled away from him. “What about my sister? She’s all alone. Can you bring her here for me?”
Draven nearly snorted at the sugar sweet way she said it, but then Tyrian leaned down and kissed her. It was soft and gentle. Draven coughed loudly until they pulled away. Tyrian leveled a hard glare on him.
“Draven will see to your sister.” It took a moment for that to sink in.
“What?” Draven shook his head as if to clear it. “I’m not a babysitter.”
“After you report back from the rift, I want you to find Willow.”
Draven gritted his teeth side to side. “She doesn’t need a babysitter. She’s a grown woman. Besides, that Alpha is near her. We all know he’s tracking her down. He can protect her as he’s supposed to.” Suddenly, Chloe was stalking towards him. Draven almost fumbled back a step before he remembered that she was a wee thing who barely came up to his chest. He stood and held his ground.
In a whisper, which was unnecessary because could hear a pin drop at the Super Bowl, she said, “I know you’re angry at me for what I did but please do this. Just watch her, make sure she’s okay. It would mean a lot to me.”
Draven looked away from her pleading eyes. Of course he’d do it. It’s not as if he had any other choice. Judging by the look in Tyrian’s eye, he’d already ordered it. Draven sighed.
“Fine, I’ll do it but I won’t be happy about it.” Chloe squealed and jumped into his arms. Draven awkwardly petted her back before Tyrian pulled her away.
“Thank you so much. You don’t have to bring her here if she doesn’t want that. I just want to know she’s all right.”
“Check out the rift first. Then find Willow.”
Draven rolled his eyes. “Aye, aye, Captain.” He bowed then spun from the room. As the door closed behind him, he stopped and leaned against it.
Everything was messed up. Ever since that succubus showed up the castle’s been in turmoil. For the second time in his life, he had a frimar. His gut clenched unhappily at the thought even as he made his way to her.
Chapter 3
Willow knew he was close. God dammit. He couldn’t be on to her so soon. How did he track her so easily? She was supposed to be leaving a trail away from her not to her dammit.
He couldn’t be here now when she was so...needy. This new succubus lifestyle was not suiting her well.
The sex they’d had before, no, she couldn’t call it sex. He’d taken her, used her. She just happened to get a mind-numbing orgasm out of it. Oh, who was she kidding? She’d loved it. Had never, ever felt anything even close to that when she pleasured herself at night. Let alone the had sex she’d had before.
She’d showered afterwards, quick to get his scent off her. She wasn’t sure but she figured he could track his scent on her. For a while she’d lost him, was certain of it. Now as she neared the small German hotel she was going to stay the night in, she sensed he was near.
The problem with trying to find a shapeshifter was that he could be in the form of a bird or a...guinea pig, and she’d never notice him. It was dark and she was somewhere on the outskirts of Leipzig, Germany on the east side.
She eyed the trees outside of town but didn’t see anything strange. Now it wasn’t only a shapeshifter she was on the lookout for, but a demon who knew her name.
She’d found the small bed-and-breakfast style hotel thanks to a local she asked at the train station. A hot shower and a clean, comfortable bed never sounded so good before. She would give up for favorite snow globes, her most precious ones left to her by her father, if only she could have a peaceful night. Alone. Without worrying about demons or the Alpha.