Once Shamed Twice Mated

Chapter Seven

I get dressed in a black pair of skin-tight jogging pants. The top is a purple work out shirt. I’m not sure what to expect. We get outside the hotel to find one of the bear brothers waiting for us. I believe he said his name was Mack. Mack looks at us and says, “are you ready princess?” I reply with “do you want to get knocked out?” He laughs at that and starts walking to the woods just on the other side of the dinner. We fallow him for a good half an hour. Just as I’m about to ask if we are getting close, we stop at a clearing that leads to what looks to be remains of an ancient civilization. In the middle of the clearing in Tess. She is wearing odd clothing that looks like she was strait out of an sss movie. You know like from Xenia Warrior Princess with the sss women. The guy Mack goes to his brother and there are others there to, all are chanting. “by fire, by blood, by fear. This is the way.” Over there chanting Tess says in a booming voice, “who here is claiming the right to be the alpha step forward.” I step forward, stand right in front of Tess and the area burns hot with flames. “You have taken the challenge. Now let us see if you can stand the challenges of the ancients. A warning to all that may help. If you want to die a slow death, then try and help otherwise hope that she makes it. THIS IS THE WAY” she says, and everyone repeats this is the way. Let the first challenge commence.

It rose from the depths of the earth. The earth was shacking so bad that I almost fell over. It stepped out of the crack in the ground and was made of actual fire. “What the f**k is that and what the f**k am I supposed to do.?” I ask. “Use what’s inside you to figure it out little raven’’ is all Tess says. “What help you are” I say and stick out my tongue like I’m 5. I turn just in time to see the creature charging right at me. I dodge but not in time. I get hit full on and bounce off the apparent wall surrounding the ring of fire. “Hey d**k that hurt and you burned my top.” I feel this small pull at the back of my mind and think that its Ayla. So, I let it in and to my surprise its Ayla and another. “Not time to explain just let her help” Ayla pleads with me. She has never don’t that before, so I ask, “What do I need to do.” She says first off duck. I do as I am asked, and barley miss the second hit. “You have to trust me. I am the other part of you” she says. “Don’t let him touch you for real of your dead”, “well I kind of figured that out already, but thanks” I say sarcastically. She ignores that. “Now let me take over.” I let her.

Tess’s POV

Great Goddess Artemis please guide her through this trial. I can’t watch as my oldest friend’s daughter dies. I send the prayer to my goddess of old hopping she will hear and help. I look back into the ring just as Tayla is hit by the fire daemon. She dodges the next hit, but just barely. Then something happens and the air becomes thick with a lovely sent. I yell to everyone, “cover your nose.” They all do and then I hear the high pitch screech of the Succubus. This is not good. She needs to win this fast or she will lose control and kill us all. Tayla kills the fire daemon in one swift more and the next challenger appears, its her mother. Not really, it’s a shifter who is shaped like her mother. I can see that it takes her by surprise. She recovers very well and kills this one to easy, still in her succubus form. I do have to admit she is quite lovely. Her hair is a dark red like the color of blood with white tips. Her eyes are jet black and she smells like strawberry shortcake and lilac to me. Her sent is meant to captivate you, to make it easier to seduce you. You may be asking how I know so much about her and her family. Well that’s for another time.