House of Mages and Raven (Shades of Ruin and Magic #4)

Chapter 34

34

Killian

M oonlight bounced off golden curls.

A blur of movement dashed between the pine trees. Barbie sped toward me, and I became the hunted.

I breathed. Fear for her falling into the enemies’ hands had petrified me, choking me cold and hard, when I couldn’t sense her on the academy grounds. And when I didn’t see her at the party in X Palace—she wouldn’t have missed the feast for the world—I’d nearly lost it.

Barbie had attracted the unwanted attention of all the big players, including my betrothed. It was one of the reasons that I’d allowed her to be transferred to the House of Mages, where she would be safer than in my house.

When I first met her here in Windsong Woods, she’d disguised herself as a servant boy, running away from Louis. My dragon had awoken in her presence, recognizing our true mate. Her scent of nectar and dark flame had felt like home in a way that we couldn’t feel anywhere else, not even in our own kingdom. And as soon as her scent hit us, lust had burned in me like lava, addictive and destructive. My cock had never felt that hard, throbbing with need for the only female we ever wanted.

I should’ve gotten her into my house right away, so I could protect her, but I’d been so astonished at the impossible truth—my fated mate was here. All I could do was utter, “There she is.”

And she’d given me attitude.

I’d been lurking in the shadows ever since, observing her quietly. Every minute, I’d wanted to get her to my house, but I knew if I paid her too much attention, I would put her in danger. It wasn’t until the druid had tried to lay his fingers on her that I’d come out and put a claim on her as a member of my house. And I’d had to force her into the Brides Selection in front of everyone—the only program that could protect a female of no status.

Barbie was getting closer, carrying wild energy. I strolled toward her with a measured gait, even though my heart pounded erratically. She was a sight to behold. Her eyes, one green and the other sapphire, shone in the night. Her full pink lips pouted. She was annoyed at the entire world, especially at me.

I still had Rock and Asher shadowing her all the time, but Barbie was getting better at ditching everyone. I was proud, worried, and irritated, as she made my and my men’s jobs difficult.

“There you are,” I said. “There’s my good girl.”

She bared her teeth. Wait —I saw fangs.

“I was never your girl and never will be your good girl,” she snarled. “Get it straight, and don’t ever send anyone looking for me.” Her snarl turned to a sneer. I never knew that my mate could sneer like that. “Clinginess isn’t attractive.”

I raised an eyebrow, which pissed her off even more. Viciousness pulsed off her, her hatred giving me pause.

I knew that I’d hurt her. Everyone had watched me get cozy with my betrothed and her ward, who resembled Barbie. And my mate believed that I’d replaced her with others, not knowing how much I craved her every second, not understanding that I must keep our enemies occupied and focused on me, so they wouldn’t go after her full tilt. My little scorpion was vicious, but she wasn’t strong enough to go against Lilith, a fallen star. Not even all the heirs and I combined could take down the Queen of the Underworld, so I bided my time, and I would not risk my mate.

But I hadn’t expected my asshole dragon to go behind me and evoke mating heat in Barbie. Even so, my little scorpion still hadn’t the slightest idea that she was my true mate. But how could I even explain to her about Lilith and the bond the queen forced on me with her blood magic, aided by my father? And that I’d been in chains ever since? Lilith would take her out at any cost if she ever sniffed that Barbie was my fated mate, and I wouldn’t allow that to happen.

I’d had it coming when Barbie kicked me to the curb before I could chase my own release, and my cock had been in pain and stayed hard ever since she left me in that state. Yet I only respected her more. If I’d been in her shoes, believing she was with another male, I wouldn’t even want to know what I would do.

“Now you’re being difficult, little scorpion,” I purred.

“Stay back, Satan!” she growled. “Or I’ll fucking hurt you badly.”

What had Lucifer done that he had such a bad rep in the mortal realm?

“Hurt me, then.” I lashed out to grab her, needing to touch her, needing to let her feel how hard my cock was for her.

My little devil zoomed away in a flash. Before she vanished between the white trees, the wind blew her scent to my nose. My nostrils flared, then it felt like a hammer was ramming into my chest and crashing into my heart.

There was another male’s scent on her, so strong that I gagged.

I couldn’t fucking believe it!

Fucking believe it! My dragon came online, fuming. He’d scented the same. The fae heir poached our mate. You know what to do.

The scent on Barbie was unmistakably Rowan’s. That motherfucker had fucked my female, and now his stench was all over her.

My true mate had let another male inside her.

Hadn’t I sated her while she was in heat? Why would she still seek out the comfort from another male? Wasn’t I enough for her? My eyes burned. My nostrils flared. She’d done it out of spite for me.

I saw red.

Rowan had fucked my mate, my true mate. For that, he would not breathe again.

Pain seared my veins. Thunder boomed and rumbled across my head, my reason vanishing, until all I heard was my dragon’s roars of demands for vengeance—which I welcomed, because I’d need the fuel of his rage to kill the fae heir, who was like a brother to me.

But he’d touched what was mine, and that was unforgivable.

You should never have left our female unguarded. You shouldn’t have dallied with your false mate! my dragon bellowed. Kill the fae and reclaim what’s ours.

He was the last dragon of the royal bloodline. All he’d ever wanted was to claim Barbie and have her bear his young, so the primal beast would have a chance to start his dynasty. We’d come to blows over that, but one thing we both agreed on—we must eliminate the fae prince, my brother, and reclaim our mate.

With a storm raging in my blood and lightning flashing in my fingertips, I strode out of the Windsong Woods with single- minded purpose as I hunted down Rowan. My dragon and I wouldn’t rest until we had slain and toasted the fae heir.

For our mate, we’d break the truce and start the war of the houses.