Beneath the Blood Moon (The Moon Series Trilogy#2)

Chapter 17

The deep feminine voice rumbled with a chuckle as the owner stepped out from the shadows. I struggled to contain my composure, especially with Albus still naked on top of and inside me, as her lithe body sauntered a step closer towards the bed.

Just like the first time I'd seen her when I'd been in the cage, her pupils were as black as night. Her black hair floated queerly around her neck as if there was a persistent breeze surrounding her as it blended in the shadows. Her dress, the same hue as her hair, also appeared as if shadowed bodies were whirling around her frame to cover her nakedness.

Albus remained still even as he slowly twisted his head to look at the Night Witch with a firm unmoving jaw. "What are you doing here?"

The malign beauty's lips curved to form a smirk. "Enjoying the view."

"You witch," Albus growled, and in a swift movement, he was on his feet, dismissing the fact that he didn't have any clothes on. "If I could, I would end your deceitful life this very moment."

Her voice held an obvious tone of mockery as she replied, "I would end up getting your race extinct if I killed a werewolf for each time some worthless soul says that to me."

Albus growled. "You deserve worse than mere words, Reina."

"I grow weary of your threats, my dear Albus." Reina let out a dramatic sigh. "But I assume there are times when we do not get what we want."

The werewolf's nostrils flared as he assessed the witch in front of him. "Get out of my sight."

"I am afraid I cannot do that, my dear," the Night Witch said nonchalantly before she delicately swung her hand in his direction. "And don some clothes Albus. Your enormous manhood might be tempting but it does not do any of us any good lying limp like that."

She then cast him a sly grin. "Am I truly that unappealing?"

"Extremely," Albus answered with a glare, yet snatched his shorts from where he'd hastily discarded it on the floor and grudgingly pulled it on. "Now tell me what the hell you want then get out."

Reina huffed lightly. "Kane is a much more pleasing company."

At Albus' persistent glare, she widened her grin yet gave him no answer before surprisingly turning to face me, her expression no more playful.

"Return. You are of no use anymore."

What? I nearly uttered in shock at the fact that she had addressed me out of the blue and commanded me to do something that I simply could not adhere to. "Return?" I repeated in an uncertain whisper.

"Did I not make my words clear?" The Night Witch arched a dark eyebrow. "I dismiss you back into your cage. Your job here is done."

My eyes widened. I just had the opportunity to escape, and she now was ordering me to go back? A low desperate sound bubbled urgently in my throat, all fear forgotten.

Never.

"You can't do that."

"No?"

"This is my body. My human," I said more defiantly, trying to calm the tremble slowly seeping into my voice. "You can't make me go back in there. I'm in control now."

Reina c****d her head to the side and watched me with soulless eyes. "You are in control now, are you?" she questioned dubiously.

Unable to respond due to the obvious threat laced in her cold tone, I gave a shaky, cowardly nod.

"I see."

Before I could comprehend what was happening, Reina swiftly lifted her right hand and aimed it at my direction. In a flash, one of the shadows swirling around her body shot out of its initial position and flew towards me.

Not given any chance to react, I merely gasped in horror as a thick black hand morphed from the shadow and enclosed around my neck in a vice grip, squeezing the air right out of my lungs.

"You seem to be forgetting who is the mistress here, darling," The Night Witch reminded coolly, curling her fingers as if she was slowly squeezing an invisible ball. Almost immediately, I felt the hand around my neck copy her movements, making me choke and grasp desperately at it with both hands although the shadow was clearly intangible. My hands painfully proceeded to slip right through it.

"I am your creator." Reina sneered. "If it were not for me, you would not even be thought of. If it were not for me, you would not be alive, would not be able to witness the pleasures that come with having a mate."

My gaze unconsciously darted towards Albus who stood there staring blankly at me, only an almost invisible hint of confusion marred his beautiful brows as he watched me.

"You are worthless," she continued. "Weak, a disgrace. Fail to even control your own human without my help. What good would you do me? Your other half is much more useful to me than you."

Frustration heated my blood. "But we had a deal!" I forced the words out through clenched teeth.

The witch's sneer transformed into a sinister grin. "Hmm, you are right. Maybe I should have been more elaborate on the terms." Reina dropped her hand, and I sucked in a large amount of air to sedate my burning lungs when the hand fisted on my throat dissipated, tears unwantedly burning through my vision.

"Please," I began to beg helplessly, sliding to my knees on the wooden floorboards. "Please don't do this. She's kept me from ever being out of that cage and I've just got this one chance to live freely after years of being trapped while I watched her murder the ones you destined for us. I can't go back."

"I have already made up my mind, and you are not in a position to tell me otherwise. I gave you this chance because I knew that your human would not consent to sleeping with Albus despite her obvious attraction to him. So I chose you instead, bargained with a little taste of freedom, and you foolishly took the deal. Now you are not needed anymore."

"No, no I am. Please listen to me, I'm begging you!" I cried out. "You can't do this to me, we had a deal! How can you let her take over now when you are aware of what she's doing?! Do you enjoy replacing my mate every single time she slaughters them? Is it like a sick sport for you to-"

My knees were dragged off the floor and my back was slammed against the wall before I could finish throwing at her all the words that were dangling at the tip of my tongue.

Glad that the object that now held my throat was tangible, I clawed at Albus' hand keeping me pinned to the wall and screamed out in frustration when it didn't budge.

"Do not get ahead of yourself and let her banish you forever," Albus growled in my ear. "Even though I am not quite sure now if you are my mate or not, you are still useful to me."

"Refrain from lying to the girl Albus, because that is exactly what I intend to do to her. She is not useful anymore. Well, at least not her," the Night Witch interjected with certainty right before she held my gaze and murmured a string of incoherent words;

Et Kar e nur si vierna et lur.

Reina's pupils then dilated and turned pure white, her voice sounding precisely similar to Kane's when in his compulsion mode.

Bind her forever in thy cage, Et Kar.

All too soon, I felt myself losing sense in various parts of my body.

"No!" I screamed and fought against Albus' grip. My fangs jutted out as well as my claws further as I threatened to push Albus away and rip that b***h's head off her body. I felt anger towards her slice through my chest and fuel my rage while I almost tore Albus' arm off.

But then the feeling soon gave way to nothing as I was plunged into a deep and familiar black hole to be caged for eternity.

~

Kara

I blinked, crimson-red eyes the first thing that came into my focus.

Slowly, I blew out a breath and relished in the feel of sensation returning to my limbs and other parts of my body. I vaguely registered Albus' firm grip around my neck nor the fact that I was naked as I turned my head sideways to gaze upon The Night Witch.

Finding my voice once again, I let out the first thought that entered my mind through my lips, "W-Why did you do what you did?"

Her eyes transformed back to their original black before she questioned, "Lie to her or banish her for eternity?"

"Both."

Reina merely lifted her left shoulder halfway and let it drop. "Because I needed her to fulfil a certain task for me, knowing that she might be even more stupid enough to try to refuse me if I told her the full terms."

"And you banished her?"

A devious grin grazed one end of her lips. "Because she is of no use to me anymore and her having the ability to come back would be a nuisance to my plans. Besides, she is too feeble for a human like you."

My throat worked as I tried to ignore the stinging pain being inflicted on my neck. "Human like me?"

Not bothering to answer yet, Reina shifted her gaze from mine and onto Albus'. "Step away from the girl, darling. It is not appealing to have a conversation with someone who is near being choked to death."

At the witch's command, however, the werewolf kept still, eyes glaring hostilely at the devilishly beautiful woman. "I am keeping her still in case she has any ideas of attacking you."

A dark eyebrow rose. "You care that much for me, darling?"

The glare aimed at her intensified as Albus' upper lips curled in disgust. "Never. I only do this because I will not let you kill her only because she has provoked you."

"How delightful," the Night Witch mocked lightly. "And why on earth would you think I would do that?"

Albus narrowed his eyes. "Because you are a conniving witch, and I am still having doubts if she is truly Alba or not enough to protect her till I kill her myself when I get my answer."

"Oh for goodness' sake Albus." Her expression changed into one of annoyance. "She does not belong to you. How many times do you need to hear those simple words?"

"Till I am convinced."

"Well then rest assured that it is going to be tonight." Reina then raised her right hand in warning. "Now, step away from the girl."

A few seconds ticked by before Albus begrudgingly let go of my neck.

I gasped at the sudden release before quickly donning my discarded clothes. When decently covered, I reached up to rub my throat in an attempt to soothe the soreness before I glanced away from Albus' large retreating form to the witch's diabolic one.

"What do you plan to do with me?" I asked with caution, hand still poised on my neck.

"Nothing really," answered Reina before she began to walk majestically towards the bed, the shadows still encasing her form drifted loyally around her. "I just need you to get me my moonstone with Alba's soul in it. That she-wolf needs to be subdued."

"Alba?" From the corner of my eye, I noticed Albus visibly stiffen. "What for?"

Again, the witch shrugged. "That is my business. Yours is to get me what I just asked."

"Why can't you do it yourself? I-I mean, it'll be a much easier and faster process."

Reina snorted before retorting, "Where is the fun in that, my dear?"

"Are you daft?" Albus suddenly burst out as he took a threatening step closer to the witch who nonchalantly traced a finger on the bed's surface. "She might be the one standing right next to you and you cannot even see that."

"Watch your mouth darling, or you will regret it."

At that, Albus' lips thinned, but he didn't back away. "I have been searching for her for centuries and now that I have got her you and my human sway my certainty by telling me she is not truly the one?" His fists curled as he tried to curb his growing anger. "You were not there when I first encountered her after years of restless searching. You did not feel what I felt-"

"And what exactly did you feel, my dear Albus, hm?" Reina cut him off with her inquiry without looking at him.

"That is none of your-"

The Night Witch suddenly whipped around to stare down at Albus who was standing directly behind her.

"Remember that I know precisely what you felt but I am merely asking for the she-wolf's sake." Reina narrowed her eyes. "I humour you at times, darling, because you have been with me longer than the rest of your kind. But forget not that I am your creator." She spoke with a sudden intense authority that the act unwillingly sent shivers down my spine.

"And now I ask again, what exactly did you feel that night?"

It took a minute for Albus to respond, though he did through clenched teeth. "As I have always felt when she is near; a strong physical pull on my body."

"And how many times have you felt this familiar pull?"

At this, a small frown grazed his mouth. "I do not know."

"Well, think harder." Reina moved to stand at his right side so that I could see her expression where I stood. "How many times have you felt this intense pull after that night, Albus?"

The werewolf replied grimly, "Never."

A satisfied and mischievous smile pulled at the witch's lips as she shifted her gaze to land on mine. "Now think on that, darling."

My mind whirled frantically, trying to put the pieces together. "So," I held my breath when something clicked in place. "You're saying that Alba was there that night."

Instead of answering, Reina simply grinned.

"Wait," Albus uttered then turned to face me, and I was keenly aware that his pupils were now a clear shade of grey. "Albus fought two werewolves that night. One was a male and the other was a she-wolf. I could tell from the way they fought plus their sizes."

I froze, my heart literally stopped for more than a nanosecond. Oh my God, I almost mouthed in horror. This can't be happening.

"Alba can only dwell within a female body and her soul can only be captured if that vessel dies," Kane continued, and upon sensing my inner turmoil, he cast a suspicious eye in my direction. "Who was that she-wolf, Kara?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but I couldn't let out the words. I just couldn't.

The witch apparently knew this, but instead of probing me further, she leaned down to whisper something into Kane's ear - something which I no doubt heard - before straightening up and saying in a self-satisfied tone:

"Get me what I want tonight, darlings," she uttered before sauntering towards a dark corner of the room to merge with the shadows.

"Oh, and do not fail me." Reina sent us one last conniving grin. "I will be waiting."