Filed To Story: Chasing the Rejected Luna's Heart (Clara & Liam) Book PDF Free
I took in a lungful of air as I adjusted to the sensation, and realized we were one again. And I had a sinking feeling we were all too real. Which meant that somehow, I had traversed through a portal in my dream into the world of the fae.
Yeah. This was not good.
ALEXANDER”What the hell do you mean, she’s gone?” Marcus bellowed, staring down me and Cole as he tore down the foyer of the castle, a small armory’s worth of weapons strapped to him visibly. The hunter was a lot of things, but subtle was not among them.”Just what I said in the text,” Cole growled, still transfixed on his phone. He’d been contacting everyone he knew over the last few minutes, putting out an alert in the shifter community-at least the ones he trusted-that Lavinia was missing. I had my own enforcers working on the same, but I had to admit, there were parts of the city and circles the shifters knew better than my associates did. “She was there one moment in my arms, and the next, poof, gone.””That’s impossible,” Marcus pressed. “She couldn’t have just disappeared! You were supposed to be watching her.” He fired an accusatory glance at me. “
Both of you.”
Irritation welled up within me even though I understood his anger well. The truth was, I didn’t know or understand any better myself, and Cole was right. One moment, I’d been aware of Lavinia’s soft scent and warmth pressed to my chest, and the next, she was gone. It shouldn’t even have been possible, but it was.”I don’t know what to tell you,” Cole muttered. “He saw the same thing I did. She just… vanished.”
Marcus looked like he wanted to argue, but one of my guards blew through the front door just then, distracting him.”There’s no sign of her at the portal, sir,” the soldier announced, stopping to bow to me. “Further instructions?”
I clenched my jaw, trying to think straight. I could count on one hand the number of times I had felt true fear so far in all my many years of existence, and somehow, every last one of them had revolved around one little omega.”Is the portal secure?” I asked.
She hesitated. “Yes, sir, but like I said, there’s-“”We’re going in,” I muttered.”We’re what?” Cole groaned.”She disappeared right in front of us,” I said. “I don’t know how, but somehow, she must have traveled to the fae realm. It’s the only explanation.””How do you figure that?” Marcus asked.”For one thing, I don’t recall her being able to teleport, do you?” I challenged.”Is that something that can happen with her power?” Cole asked warily, but I could see the wheels turning behind his eyes. “You know more about it than anyone.””I don’t know,” I admitted. “I’ve heard of dreamwalkers-people who can travel through different realms in their sleep-or astral travel, but I’ve never heard of them physically disappearing like that. Although she’s something completely unique, and there’s still a hell of a lot we don’t know about fae magic, so there’s no way of knowing for sure.””Great,” Marcus muttered. “Is it possible that fucker from the other world took her?””I don’t believe so,” I answered. “That was my first thought, but if the portal hasn’t been tampered with, it’s unlikely. And there are wards in this place against that type of fae magic, which makes it an even lower probability.”
That seemed to give them both the small semblance of comfort it gave me, which really wasn’t saying much. But it was something.”We have to go back in,” Cole said with determination I couldn’t really blame him for. “With backup.””I’m making preparations,” I assured him. “If she’s in the other realm, we’ll find her. But why do I get the feeling you have something specific in mind?””Because I do,” said Cole. “Lavinia only went back home so she could get her army, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s time for the wolves to pay up.”
I hesitated. “Getting that many people through the portal is going to be a challenge.””So fucking figure it out,” he snapped. “We can’t take any chances. Not with her.””He’s right,” said Marcus.
I stared them both down, realizing they weren’t budging. They did have a decent argument, though. As many vampires as I could rally, I still needed my most trained specialists on this side of the portal to make sure it didn’t collapse and leave us all stranded inside in case Lavinia wasn’t actually there. And an army of wolves was better than nothing.”Fine,” I muttered. “I’ll prepare the magic for the portal, but you two are in charge of getting the shifters on board.””Piece of cake,” said Cole.
Marcus didn’t look quite as convinced, but he nodded. “We’ll go now. How long do you think this’ll take?”
I paused to consider it. “Depending on the numbers… anywhere from six to twelve hours.”
Cole grimaced and I could tell neither of them liked that conservative estimate any more than I did, but it wasn’t like we had a choice. Interdimensional travel was neither easy nor energetically cheap.
It didn’t matter, though. There was only one cost I wasn’t willing to pay.
And that was her.
LAVINIA
Okay, this was… not great.
I was lost in the middle of the woods on enemy territory without a single weapon to my name, unless you counted the claws and fangs of a wolf who didn’t like to appear when it wasn’t on her own damn schedule.
Oh, and I was in my nightgown, so that was awesome.
But I had to find the portal. I had to find my way back.