The Book of Suns and Roses

Chapter 9

"Hello my little mate."

Those words echoed in my head. It couldn't be. Not him. His scent was driving me crazy. His eyes I couldn't see but I could feel them piercing into my soul.

"What are you doing here?" I grit out. No weakness. Show no weakness.

"Oh please put the knife down girl. I have only come to talk. I came alone. Granted I have wolves outside the boarder but inside, it's just me. Sit."

I don't listen to him. I stay standing but lower my knife.

"I could kill you now-"

"But you won't. Your wolf would loose her mind if I died let alone if I was killed at your hands."

I hated how cocky he was. He was only safe due to the mate bond. If he wasn't mine, I would've torn through him already. Ending the war before it began.

"What are you doing here?" I demand again.

"Well, you seem to have caused a bit of a mess so I came to see what woman was inspiring my people to turn against me. Now I see why they all follow you. You're stunning. Even had old Robb Highland turning red just shaking your hand." He laughed. "But in all seriousness, I came to kill you. What a sad turn of events. The one leading an uprising against me is also mated to me. Deemed to be the love of my life and the Queen. You already have them calling you that anyway. So, why don't we stop this nonsense before it begins and you come with me. We will announce we are mates to the different species we rule over and then you can return to the palace with me."

"What of my parents? Our land?"

"Oh them? I think they're still rotting in cells if they aren't dead yet. You want them freed?"

"Yes."

"I don't think so. They struck an embassary of the King so they have struck the King himself. They must suffer."

"I created a whole uprising-"

He wasn't at the table anymore. He moved so quickly but I wasn't afraid. My feet stayed planted where they were. Our chests were touching and I could feel his warmth and the tingles coursing through my veins where we touched. I look up at him through my lashes. He was handsome. Dark hair, dark eyes. Full lips and muscles toned.

"Believe me, you will be punished for it. Punished so hard you can't walk."

I felt my face heat up and my body turned against me by being turned on with his words.

"I will see you again my little mate. Little bird."

"Evangeline. My name is Evangeline."

"Evangeline."

Oh gods why did he have to say it.

"I'm Damian. You will be mine or one of us will die."

He raised his hand and ran it through my hair. Sparks engulfing my senses. Before I could pull myself together he kissed my forehead and just as quickly as he was here, he was gone.

Without his scent suffocating all my senses I snapped out of it. I ran outside shifting as I jumped from my porch to the ground.

"The King is here! Find him! Bring him to me!"

Scattered throughout camp my people shifted calling out that the King was here. Every species prepared for a fight and I led the chase to catch him. I took off towards his scent growling and snapping. My people responding the same. Centaurs holding their swords in the air. Vampires fangs baring. The fairies flying over us. Robb and his men on their horses running side by side with us.
We raced after him. We reached a point where I could see him in the distance. See him running away but not with his tail tucked. No. He was enjoying this. His black wolf stopped running to turn and look at us charging before proceeding to run again. When we reached the boarder some of his men were there standing in a line between us and their King. He ran through them before they closed the opening. We halted on the opposite side of the river. I shifted. No longer feeling the shyness I was before. I couldn't stop to change every time I shifted. His wolves showed fear. They knew they couldn't win.

"I will win this war! Not just because I have the numbers but because their love and loyalty is mine. The hatred we have for your King will launch us to victory! Stand by him and die, or join us and be freed from his tyranny!"

One average grey wolf looked at his pack mates before taking a step towards my side of the river. Before he could take a second an arrow was shot through the back of his head and out his eye. Everyone's heads snapped up to see the King holding a bow.

"Anyone that crosses that river will be charged with treason and punished accordingly! Get back to the pack lands! This is not over Evangeline! The game has only begun." He whispered the last sentence, but I heard it. I stood and watched him and his men disappear.

"Darius? Where is Darius?" I asked quietly.

"Here my Queen."

"My friend, I must ask a favor of you. This wolf here who died, can you help my people take him back to camp so we may bury him?"

"Mars!"

A man with brown hair and a chestnut horse pelt comes forward.

"Help me carry this warrior." Darius demands. They lean down having to bend their front legs, scoop up the warrior, stand upright and begin walking back to camp.
I shift back into my wolf and walk in front of them. Reid walks on my left while Michael leads us back to camp. Robb quickly takes over, allowing Michael to wait for me before joining Reid and I on my right. I control who I let in my head. Blocking everyone out but Michael.

"We need to stop." I tell him.

"Why?"

"The King was in my cabin. He's my mate. I'm going to start being in pain the farther we get from him."

"What the hell Evangeline. You can't just throw information like that at me. A warning would've been nice. Shit this is not good."

"Evangeline!" Robb calls my name pulling me away from Michael. I run to the front of the group but before I can get there an excruciating pain takes over my body and I tumble to the ground.

My ears are ringing and I see my men running towards me. Their words muffled. Then everything goes black.