Hot searing pain explodes in her back. She looks down at her chest and watches as a blade pushes its way through her chest and blood erupts.
Colin whispers in her ear, “Thank you. You have served me well.” He shoves her aside and she drops to her knees with the blade still protruding from her chest. The iron burns its way through her system, and she rages, swinging her sword wildly at Colin. “Easy, it will go much faster if you don’t fight it, my love,” he says laughing and jumping out of reach. In his hand, he holds the King’s crown.
“Why, Colin? I have done everything you asked of me!” she cries falling to the ground. Her red blood pools around her body. The black poison snakes out quickly up her chest and neck into her face and eyes. She coughs blood and starts to crawl towards him rasping. Too weak to continue she tries to claw her way across the rock.
He looks at her with growing disgust sneering, “I find I have found a taste for humans. I had a better offer. Pretty Katie will be my new pet.” Colin holds the crown up and lowers it to his head. “Ahhh, fit for a King,” he says laughing and walks away without looking back. He leaves Nyssa to die a slow agonizing death.
Colin returns to his army wearing the stolen crown. At his return the vampire’s hiss at him. Their red eyes glow with impatience.
“Where is this Angel you promised us, Fae? We delivered your army of Vampire Fae, now we demand payment!”
“Patience, my friend. They are going to be walking right into our trap! My source tells me they are moving at night fall. In a few short hours, you will have your reward and I will destroy the Vale and every Light inside of it. You will have an archangel named Morgan.”
Lust echoes in the eyes of the Vampire Lord, “Archangel? Truly?” Nothing is purer and stronger than the blood of an archangel.
Colin laughs, “If you need a snack to fuel your thirst, how about a lesser angel? He should be here any minute.” He says removing the crown from his head.
“Ahhh, I hear him coming.” He turns to greet his guest as the vampires fade back into shadow. He enters the cave holding something wrapped in a blanket. Saliva pools in Caius’s mouth as the scent of angelic blood fills the cavern. A low growl rumbles from his chest and his red eyes watch the exchange.
“Colin, I have brought what you asked for. Where is the crown?” he asks desperately to see it. Quickly he snaps him wings close to his body.
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours!” Colin says with a laugh. Saul pulls the blanket back, revealing the treasure within.
“They made it easy for me, she sleeps under a spell cast by the Shadow King himself. Probably for the best. She does not have fond memories of you.” Kathleen sleeps unaware she is the bargaining chip between two demented souls.
Colin inhales her sweet scent and frowns. “She smells of another!”
He smiles sarcastically, “You didn’t say you wanted her cleansed first. She is Morgan’s pet. His scent is all over her. Give me my crown, Fae!” he spits out.
“Here it is, as agreed upon, my friend.” He holds up the crown and watches as his eyes light up with undisguised desire. “Put her down on this cot.” He says leading the way. The luminous glow from the Angel fills the cavern with an incandescent light.
He tosses the human on the cot, never taking his eyes off the prize. The crown of the Shadow King, it should never have been given to a Fae! The power belongs to the angels! Greedy for it, he does not see the vampires stalking him.
Just as he reaches out to the crown, they fall on him like wolves on a deer. His screaming fades away as Colin places the crown on his head and walks over to inspect his treasure. He ignores the ripping, grunting, slurping sounds from behind him as they feed. He only has eyes for her. “My Pretty Katie, time to wake up.” He whispers stroking her cheek.
Chapter 19
Samantha and Duncan move silently through the woods stalking the enemy, they count the numbers and gather information to give to the King. The Black Mountain they call home is overrun with Dark Fae and Demons. “Wait, Duncan! I feel them close” she tells him. He stops and inspects the area for danger. They are a few miles from the north side of the mountain when he senses it to.
“Call him!” she orders her mate.
Duncan closes his eyes and smiles, “He comes, but not alone!”
Landing softly in the grass, the Archangel, Morgan smiles. Reese enters followed closely by Ariana. Samantha falls to her knees in reverence at the sight of the former Fae Queen. Duncan bows as well, offering his sword, “My Queen, My King. It is good to find you well” he says softly.
Ariana pulls Samantha to her feet, “Please, I am a queen no more. I am shadow now.”
“That’s not what you told me last night,” Reese says sarcastically.
Her violet eyes snap to his, “Oh, bug off Reese.” She says smiling.
“So, this was your task, my King,” Duncan asks gesturing to the Queen.
“My Queen, your brother sends his best wishes and orders you home as soon as possible. He also told me to give you this,” Duncan pulls the bronze dagger from his pack and offers it to her.
With a tear in her eye, she stares at the blade
