The Rise of the Fallen Queen

Chapter 71

CHAPTER 71

Enemy Camp...

Henry Porter demonstrated the cage-like mechanism to steal a witch's powers on a low-ranking witch that had come with the Hunters. Brush felt indifferent to his mistress' pleas for help as her source of magic was drained away and she died a few moments later.

"Her magic is stored in here." Henry said holding up a small jar. There was a light glow to the object and a round of applause was given.

"Impressive." Ivory White said. "You show promise."

"I am deeply honored, my Queen. But this mechanism alone will not be enough to take the concentrated power of a very powerful witch unless there was a way to weaken the witch first. However, as you can see it is very effective against lesser and medium to high powered witches." Henry said as he explained the inner workings of the device.

"Except for Mr. Porter and my close council, everyone else leave," Ivory White commanded.

Once the room cleared, the witch stood and approached the body still trapped in the cage that covered her upper torso. The device was fired from a wide mouth gun and blasted out like a net before forming a cage as it wrapped around its victim. The design of the work was very familiar.

"This material is infused with divine magic. What did you get it?" Ivory asked.

"The Red Tent. It's a place where you can find rare and illegal objects."

"Who was your mentor?"

"The witch Tamar and before her another witch, Lucy. You knew her as Ebony Black."

The was a moment of silence.

"And why did you choose to come here?" Melanie asked suspiciously.

"My childhood was spent being abused by my father and the scum he dealt with. I've too many assholes who manage to get away with horrible crimes. Now there's a chance to make them pay and clear out the bad people in this world. Start over clean. I understand what you all are trying to accomplish and I want to be a part of it. Lucy and the others want everything to stay the same but it can't. Evil people are destroying everything good and innocent in this world. It needs to stop and that won't happen if the disease isn't removed first."

Ivory searched his eyes and saw sincerity. With a nod, she accepted his words. Drawing her pale hands through the air as a graceful a snowflake on a winter's day, the witch conjured a small case and opened the lid. Inside, lay a single glowing seed.

"This is, in your language, a 'Life Star.' It is the only one of its kind left in the world. It was used against me to temporarily drain my powers. Added to your invention, it will provide the necessary power to steal my sister's magic and the divine magic in the material will hold it." Ivory White closed the case. "You have one shot. Do not disappoint me."

"You have nothing to fear, Your Majesty."

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Near the Rogue Camp...

"MONICA!" Dameon yelled as he ran outside the perimeter of the camp. He was frustrated with his inability to sniff her out and the fact that not even his werewolf hearing could pick up any moment further irritated him.

"SHH! Quiet before you wake the whole fudging camp!" Mona snapped in a whisper yell.

"Why didn't you fucking tell me?!" Dameon growled.

"Watch your language! And I didn't tell you because you told me that you don't want another mate and you certainly don't want me!" Mona accused with hurt in her chocolate brown eyes that even in the light of a faraway campfire, he could see quite plainly.

The many times he had been with other women since meeting Monica or Mona, as she said her name was, flashed in before his eyes and he groaned.

"You and your dick! You hurt MY mate!" His wolf growled in his mind.

"She's my mate too, asshole!"

"I can't believe you said that you didn't want her!" Phinn roared making Dameon wince.

"Shut the fuck up before you give me a headache! And I never said that!" Dameon snapped back.

"I never said that I didn't want you." Dameon said to Mona.

"The first day we met." Mona said in her normal quiet tone having calmed her raging emotions which still simmered hotly beneath the cool veneer while Dameon fought his wolf.

That surprised Dameon. Why would he tell a perfect stranger that he didn't want her?

"I did not."

"'You don't have to worry about me ever sleeping with this one,' is what you told Eesha." Mona said as a few large tears escaped.

Dameon immediately gathered her into his arms and held her as he pressed kisses to her hair and forehead. She would shove him off but it felt so good to be held.

"Girl! I'm about to start humping his leg!" Her wolf's voice interrupted in her head.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Mona thought panicking.

Her wolf scoffed. "You're going to need some new panties by the way."

"I'm sorry baby. I... I'm an ass." Dameon confessed. "At the time, I only wanted women who were either blonde or redheaded because they reminded me of the mates I lost." A grim thought occurred to him. "SHIT! FUCK! I need to get you the hell out of here before author kills you!"

"I'm not leaving because she already wrote out that scene for me and she's been waiting to use it since the last book."

"Fuck if I care! I'm not losing another damn mate because of her shitty coffee addiction!"

"Ow. Could you loosen your grip a bit? I'm kinda getting crushed."

Dameon did as requested but refused to let her go from his embrace.

"As for me not wanting you, baby I've got to say that I've imagined you in every downright filthy position I and my wolf could dream of. Never, and I do mean EVER, have I been so obsessed with wanting someone. I've never acted upon it because I respect you too much... and Eesha would definitely cut my balls off if I dishonored you so basely. On second thought, you tell her because I'm honestly scared to go home now."

Mona giggled at that last part because they both knew that it was true. They walked back to the now empty tent that had been cleared of all dishes and the small table and camper stools had been folded and tucked away. Mona began to set up her cot that had been rolled out of the way before leaving to go to the shower/bathroom area that had been set up thankfully far enough to not be disturbed yet close enough to walk to if you were in a hurry.

When she returned, she saw that Dameon's extralong and wide cot was right next to hers and he was laying down with his eyes closed. Debating on whether she should say something or move her cot over, Mona finally opted to leave it alone and lay down. She could feel his body heat through the thin blanket and smell his rich masculine scent that she couldn't quite give a name to. Her wolf was absolutely purring in her head. Content to finally have her mate near and slowly they both drifted off into a peaceful slumber. 

Dameon listened to the even sound of her rhythmic breathing and turned slowly to watch her. Every nuance fascinated him. She was always so calm and quiet. Even in her sleep she brought him peace. The Rogue King had looked into the face of death so many times and didn't fear it but the thought of going through the grief and pain of losing another mate completely shattered him. This time he was determined that if another mate were to enter death's embrace, then she wouldn't be going alone.