Chapter 9: Let Them Come
1025 Words
The sun rose cold and pale, but Lucian’s blood burned hot with purpose. He and Evangeline had spent the early hours readying for the Hunters’ arrival—packing supplies, sharpening weapons, and strengthening the wards that protected the valley.
Evangeline felt the power of the bond humming in her veins, filling her with a determination that steadied her breath. “How many will come?” she asked as she tightened the leather straps on her tunic.
“Enough to test our resolve,” Lucian said, sliding a dagger into his belt. “But they underestimate us. They do not know what it means to stand against true mates.”
She met his gaze and saw the fierce promise in his eyes. “They will learn,” she said.
Lucian’s smile was a flash of white teeth. “Indeed, my queen.”
By midday, the forest was silent, the air thick with the scent of coming violence. Lucian led Evangeline to the highest ridge, where the scent of pine was sharp and the wind carried every sound.
“They will come from the north,” he said, his golden eyes scanning the treeline. “I know their tactics. They will try to separate us—cut the bond by force.”
Evangeline’s fingers tightened on the dagger he had given her. “They won’t succeed.”
He turned to her, his hand cupping her cheek. “No, they won’t.” He kissed her softly—just a brush of lips, but it made her heart race.
Then he stepped back, his posture tense. “Stay close to me,” he ordered. “And if I say run, you run.”
“I won’t leave you,” she said fiercely.
He let out a low growl, pulling her close. “You are my greatest strength. I will not lose you, Evangeline.”
The first arrow came like a whisper of death, sinking into the tree beside Lucian’s head. He didn’t flinch. Instead, he lifted his head and let out a roar that echoed through the valley.
“Show yourselves!” he snarled.
From the trees, they emerged—cloaked figures in grey, their eyes cold and empty.
The Hunters. They moved in perfect silence, their blades gleaming with silver.
Evangeline’s pulse thundered in her ears, but she didn’t falter. She felt Lucian’s power at her back, steady and unwavering.
The leader of the Hunters stepped forward, his voice like ice. “Lucian of the Moonblood line. Surrender the girl. The council has decreed her fate.”
Lucian’s lips curled in a snarl. “The council can rot in the pits of the void. She is mine.”
The Hunter’s gaze shifted to Evangeline, and for a moment, she felt the weight of his stare—a cold, clinical interest that made her skin crawl.
“You defy the council’s will,” he said softly. “You have doomed her.”
Evangeline lifted her chin, her voice steady. “I decide my own fate. And I choose him.”
For a heartbeat, silence.
Then the leader lifted his hand, and the Hunters surged forward like wolves unleashed.
The clash was sudden, a blur of steel and fury. Lucian met them head-on, his movements a deadly dance of strength and precision. He moved like the predator he was—faster, stronger, his power crackling in the air.
Evangeline fought at his side, every lesson he’d taught her in the valley coming back in a rush. Her dagger found flesh, the blade slicing through the gap in a Hunter’s armor. Blood sprayed hot across her hand, but she didn’t hesitate.
Lucian’s roar filled the air as he drove back two attackers, his claws flashing in the sun. The mark at his throat glowed bright with the power of the bond, and every time he struck, she felt it too—an echo of his strength in her bones.
“Stay with me!” he shouted, parrying a blade aimed for her throat.
“I’m here!” she gasped, slamming the hilt of her dagger into a Hunter’s skull.
The Hunters pressed closer, their movements in perfect, deadly synchrony. But Lucian was a force of nature, his power blazing like wildfire.
With a final snarl, he caught the leader’s wrist, twisting until the blade dropped to the forest floor. “Tell the council,” he hissed, his breath hot against the Hunter’s ear, “that the Moonblood line will not be broken.”
And with a single, brutal motion, he drove his claws into the Hunter’s chest. The man crumpled to the ground, dead before he hit the earth.
The rest of the Hunters faltered, their formation breaking. Lucian turned to them, his eyes burning gold. “Leave,” he commanded, his voice like thunder. “Or join him in the darkness.”
They fled into the shadows, the forest swallowing them whole.
Evangeline’s breath came in ragged gasps. She turned to Lucian, her body shaking with adrenaline and relief. “We did it,” she whispered.
He pulled her close, his forehead pressing to hers. “You were magnificent,” he said, his voice rough with pride. “My queen.”
She let out a shaky laugh, her fingers tangling in his hair. “I was terrified,” she admitted. “But I couldn’t let them take me from you.”
He kissed her fiercely. “And they never will.”
As they made their way back to the altar, Evangeline felt the bond humming between them, stronger than ever. The fight had tested them, but it had also shown them what they could be—together.
“You said the council would come,” she said softly, leaning against him. “Do you think they’ll stop now?”
Lucian’s jaw tightened. “No. This was only the beginning. They will send more. Stronger. And Darius…” His eyes darkened. “He will not rest.”
She reached for his hand, lacing their fingers together. “Then we will be ready.”
He turned to her, his eyes fierce and bright. “Yes,” he said. “We will.”
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