Authors: Brandy L Rivers
Breaking Free
Breaking
Free
Others of
Edenton: Book 4
By Brandy L Rivers
Copyright 2014 Brandy L Rivers
Cover Design by Brandy L Rivers
Edited by Tara Shaner
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Also by Brandy L Rivers
Others of Edenton
New Beginnings
In Too Deep
Shadows Fall
Shadows of the Past
Falling Into Place
Fated Love
featured in
All Our Love:
a Collection of Shorts That Speak to the Heart
Others of Seattle
Nights Embrace
Coming Soon
Others of Seattle
Storm Mistress
Fall 2014
Others of Edenton
Untitled: Preston’s Story
Winter 2015
To keep up with upcoming releases and news visit me at
www.facebook.com/brandylrivers
Table of Contents
Michele, you’ve always been my best friend.
You always will.
Who else is going to listen to me
go on and on about all the
crazy characters in my head,
Never stop being you,
and I’ll always be there for you.
71 years ago
Slipping into an unfamiliar dream, Declan caught sight of pale hair blowing in the wind. The black sky sparkled with a million twinkling stars. A shining crescent moon illuminated the tower.
A young woman
stared off into the distance with such sorrow etched into her lovely features, his heart went out to her. He craved a smile from her sweet full lips.
He sighed, and she looked down. Hope flashed through her expression. Her hand reached out to him.
One look and she stole his heart. He stretched his arms out, taking the shape of a falcon and flew up to her. Hoping not to frighten her, he landed at her feet and shifted back.
Surrendering
to the impulse, he brushed his fingers over her cheek. “You should always smile in your dreams, darling.”
Her voice was light but filled with
barely contained agony. “If all hope in life is gone, there’s nothing left to smile for, even when I sleep.”
He
took her slender hands in his and stared into her eyes. “What troubles you?”
A strangled laugh escaped her lips as she looked up at the ceiling. “Only a dream,” she whispered.
“Not all dreams are bad, even if they start that way. Sometimes dreams come true, and sometimes dreams bring you hope in even the bleakest times.”
Her gaze lifted to lock with his
. “I’ve been taken away, forced to turn a monster into something far worse. There is no escape, and when I’m done, I’ll be nothing more than a toy to break.”
Resisting her was impossible
. He knew he would go to her, no matter the cost. “Tell me your name, and your best guess as to where you are.”
Sucking in a breath, she looked
away. When she let it out, she answered, “My name is Moira Blaine. I think I’m in Italy.”
“I’ll find you
, Moira Blaine. If only to bring a smile to your lips.”
* * * *
For three weeks Declan visited Moira in her dreams. Every night, he learned something new that drew him closer. He traveled from his home, Hope Valley in Derbyshire, to the rocky coasts of Italy where ancient cities clung to land’s edge.
Somewhere along the way, Declan gained a
shadow. He did his best to lose the dark mage following him but it was no use, his every move was being tracked through a spell. Nothing Declan could come up with countered the magic.
The closer he got to Moira, the more he felt like he was being watched.
Either the dark mages had somehow tapped into their link, or they had taken control of every Other within a hundred-mile radius. It was especially worrisome as he should have run into something. A witch, a wereanimal, a mage, anything.
He’d learned a lot during their nightly encounters. In fact, he contacted her most trusted friend, Gabriel Sharpclaw. Presently
, the plan was for Declan to reach Moira, free her, then meet Gabriel back at the druid compound near Declan’s home.
Moira
had been captured by DeMarco, a dark mage who was rumored to be looking for druids to perform the rituals which would transform him into a liche.
The rituals hadn’t been used in centuries because the Silver Council
declared it illegal to aid in the creation of such beings, and did their best to hide any tome that detailed the rituals. Liches were deemed too unstable. Once the process completed, the dark mage ascended, no longer needing a physical form. They became pure undiluted power.
A liche hadn’t been created
in centuries. Not only were the rituals difficult, but they required the correct combination of powers from two pure druids.
Declan took a seat in a
restaurant and ordered lunch. Perhaps the Dales would come for him, and take him to the woman who had captured his heart.
After a
light meal, he made his way down the road, and turned onto a neglected, grimy alley. Declan only made it three steps when darkness closed in as an enchanted bag was brought over his head. The spell was designed to steal his consciousness. His wards didn’t allow that to happen, so he faked it, letting the mage take him away.
* * * *
Bruised and scuffed-up, unnecessarily so as he hadn’t fought, Declan was thrown to the stone floor. A feminine gasp threatened to pull his head up, but he lay there limp, feigning unconsciousness.
He felt her skirt
brush his arm, her floral scent enveloped him as she sat beside his supposedly comatose body.
Her voice was harsh. “What have you done to him?” she demanded with more spark than he expected.
“DeMarco wants him in working order by evening. You’re to heal him. He hasn’t stirred since I took him.” With that, a door slammed shut, the lock clicked into place, and then heavy footfalls pounded down the stairs, away from them.
Gentle hands pulled the sack from his head. The soft touch of her fingers on his face opened his eyes. Her mouth popped open but he brought one finger to his lips in a
hushing motion.
A
slight smile sprang to her lips, making the whole ordeal worthwhile. Carefully sitting up, he took stock of his injuries and found nothing notable.
“You’re real?” she whispered.
He nodded. “I promised I would come for you. We’ll find a way out, and get you back home.”
The hope dulled in her eyes. “They’ll never let us leave. You’ll die here with me.”
“No. We may have to comply with some of their demands, but I will get you out of here, if it’s the last thing I do. I made a promise, and I plan to keep it.”
“I can’t even shift. They’ve caged me in with wards. They won’t bring you back up here once they take you to the cells.”
“Moira, I’m the other half the monster needs for his rituals. We may have to start the process, but I heard what his pet Shadowstalker plans to use you for once it’s done. I can’t let that happen. I won’t.”
Her eyes lit with fire. “Malachi will not touch me. I will take my own life first.”
“You won’t have to.” He pulled an anklet from his pocket and dangled it in front of her. “Let me have your foot,” he whispered.
Frowning, she shifted to put her foot on his thigh. He placed
the thin chain around her ankle before giving her a smile. “We have to wait until there is a distraction. DeMarco will pass out once the process begins. I will distract Malachi, and then we fly away from here. You have to trust me, and follow.”
She nodded but doubt
clearly warred with hope in her beautiful eyes. “You came for me, so I have to try.”
* * * *
Hours later, the ritual went as DeMarco described. Declan and Moira chanted the last words, and the dark mage fell to his knees when the death magic swept in, bleaching his black hair to white, his dark eyes faded to a dull gray, and his golden skin shriveled and thinned, becoming nearly translucent.
Once he collapsed, Malachi moved in and closed his hands over Moira’s shoulder
s with a cruel smile. “Now, you are mine to enjoy as I please.”
Declan pulled his mana
-blade from his thigh and threw it at Malachi, barely missing the vampire’s heart.
As he fell, Declan
blurred to them, knocking the vampire away, and quickly retrieved the blade.
Malachi’s laugh was pure evil
as he flung his arm out, knocking Declan back, sending him flying into the far wall. “That won’t stop me.” He lunged at Moira, grabbing her by the throat and opening his mouth to strike.
Declan
rolled back to his feet and lunged at Malachi. He dropped to his knees and drove the blade into Malachi’s groin, severing the offending appendage.
“Now!”
Declan screamed at Moira. “Follow me.”
Without hesitation, a dove took her place. He shifted to a falcon and flew through the open window as lightning struck the tower.
Once clear of immediate danger, he slowed his pace so she could more easily keep up. Through the raging storm, they made their way to the bay where a freighter bound to England waited. Landing, he shifted back to human, and she did the same.
He pulled Moira to him, and her sob
of relief broke free. Though they were out of the rain, her tears quickly soaked through his shirt as he smoothed his hand down her silken curls.
“He would have ruined me
.”
Declan
tipped her face up. “I’ll never let him touch you, my love. I swear to you, that monster will never again set foot near you.”
True hope finally
shone back at him. “Do you mean it? Is it love you feel?”
“From the moment I saw you in your tower.”
“Then stay with me. Come home with me, and you can see my smile every day.”
His lips descended on hers, and she gripped him tightly
.
* * * *
62 years ago
After eight perfect years, Declan stood at the window of their cabin high up in the Rocky Mountains. DeMarco was coming, and there was only one way to keep the love of his life and their children safe. To run, alone, and never look back. His heart was splintering into a million pieces, but he’d sworn he would never let Malachi touch her, and this was the only way to ensure her well-being.
“Come back to bed, love,” Moira murmured sleepily.
What I wouldn’t give to stay here with her, with my family, forever.
He let his breath out slowly. “We need to talk, Moira.”
Concern played across her face as she pulled the top blanket around her and climbed from bed to cross the room. Sadness crept into her eyes as she leaned against the wall beside him. “Please, don’t start this again. I’m begging you, Declan. Don’t tell me it’s the only way.”
“There is no other way, my love. As much as I want to stay here
, with you, it only puts our children and us in danger. Unfortunately, the further apart we are, the safer we all are.”
“
Do you want your children growing up without their father?”
“I will bring Devlin with me. I’m the only one who can teach him to control his dreams.”
She let the blanket fall open as she took his hands, gripping them tightly. “But he’s a healer. You can’t teach him how to heal.”
“No, but he can learn that easily enough.
No one needed to teach you to work the miracles you do. There are very few Dreamwalkers left. I’m the only one who can show him the path in a way it won’t corrupt him.”
“And Fallon? I can’t train her to use her magic. I don’t even know where to start.”
“She’s strong, Moira. Fallon will teach herself. She’s too curious not to figure it out, and Gabriel will never be far from your side. He can be her mentor. If it weren’t for me, he would have taken you for a partner.”
“
I don’t love Gabriel as anything more than a friend, a brother even. I can’t lose you. I need you, Declan.”
“Moira,
darling, you need to be strong for Fallon. We need to keep our children safe.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Of course we do, but we can do it together.”
“No
. I’m sorry. If I stay, then DeMarco
will
find us. If I run, they’ll follow me, and I can keep going without ever being found.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Malachi wants me dead for what I took from him. DeMarco expects you to stay with your protector. I’ll leave a trail, lead them one direction, and go elsewhere. And I’ll keep leading them away until I find a way to end DeMarco for good.”
Through tear-filled
eyes, understanding, or maybe determination dawned in her expression. “Hurry then. Come back to me with my boy.” She pressed a kiss to his lips.
Deep down, he knew
their goodbye was final. He would only ever see her again in his dreams. “As soon as I can find a way to end DeMarco for good,” he promised. He hauled her off her feet and carried her back to the bed to make love to her one last time, needing to see a smile light her face once more.