Queen of the Coast (Book 5 of the Northern Territories Series)

Queen of the Coast Chapter 1 Daphne’s POV I sit back in my seat, a sense of pride fills me. All of my contracts are in perfect order, my shipments are moving accordingly. This is one of the rare times everything has gone according to plan and I can just enjoy the ride. I turn to look out the floor-to-ceiling window across the back wall of my office. A perfect view of the coastline. “Someone needs to speak with you, belle.”, Maelopei appears in my office, taking a seat on the couch. “Who?”, my assistant hasn’t come up and Maelopei here suddenly to make the intro implies this isn’t a standard meeting. “Courtier Vandergrift.”, she answers and my stomach drops. Courtier is Luka’s father. He’s a very wicked man, with extremely loose morals. The only reason he didn’t frighten me when I was young was because he and I both knew Luka would kill him if he ever touched me. “Where is he?”, he wouldn’t just come here. Since the curse, he’s been living in the body of a large python. One I’ve only heard of, not seen. He’d have to send Maelopei, or some other creature that can force links, or read minds. He has no other form of communication. “He’s at Luka’s. He came to the Delta for me this morning. He needs you to stop Luka.” Stop Luka from what and how? “Let’s go then.”, there’s only one way to find out. Maelopei follows me out to my car and I make the drive over to Luka’s house. The guards at the gate make no move to stop my entrance, driving past them up to the main house. It’s a large stone structure with a covered porch wrapping around the front entrance. The lycan guards study us as we pass, their eyes only meeting mine briefly, before bowing slightly. I’ve never seen any of them before, but they all know who I am. We take the stairs up to the house “Luka?”, I call in, as I open the oversized wood door, having a very good idea he isn’t home. No answer comes. “Courtier?”, I call out, walking across the marble floors of the entry; my voice echoing in the large open circle with a small seating area, and three large corridors. The one to the right leads through a small weapons room, with another corridor to the immediate left; that carries you back to Luka’s study. The one straight ahead is open to a grand staircase leading to the second floor, strictly forbidden and monitored closely. The one to the left leads through a sitting room with a mini bar, continuing back to a ballroom to the right, the kitchen, and a handful of bedrooms. Despite the size of this place, Luka would’ve known I was here immediately. “Left.”, Maelopei directs me to the correct hall. Courtier must be linking her. She follows just behind me as we enter the sitting room. There is a massive snake coiled up on the lounge by the window, sunbathing. Knowing what he was hadn’t prepared me for actually seeing him. Courtier raises his head and uncoils some as he turns to me. He has to be at least thirty feet long, and thicker than both my thighs together. “He asks that you sit, belle.”, Maelopei relays. I take the seat furthest from him, catching the hem of my skirt so it doesn’t rise up. “I have zero patience with, and even less desire to see your son, Courtier. Why am I here?”, I ask formally. Courtier hasn’t liked me since the first day we met. If he’d had his way, I would’ve become a house familiar, but Luka kept him from me. Luka protected me, and made sure his father never had access. “He says Luka is going to attack Bear Council. He’s going to take the Head Councilman’s mate and child, and use them to control the Head.”, Maelopei states. “Why does Luka want Bear Council?”, I ask, interfering with Luka’s business will not be taken lightly. I don’t want to get into anything without knowing what’s going on. “He doesn’t. A Councilman has taken Baxter’s mate. Luka wants her back.”, Baxter is one of Luka’s brothers. This must have something to do with the corruption in Council that is being settled now. “Has he spoken with Vedant?”, Head Vedant would return her if he knew of her being taken. Unless she was being held for crimes, but that is very unlikely. She’s a sweet and passive girl, Baxter is the seedy one. “No, he’s meeting with some Bear that took his blood for Luka.”, Well f**k. Luka can keep a blood signature stored in him for 24 hours, if it’s a small amount; days or even weeks for larger ones. He can track and trace with that signature. Vedant won’t outrun him. “How much time do I have?” I try to come up with a plan in my mind. How do I stop Luka without having Vedant come after him? If Luka attacks Vedant, this will be an all out war until either bear, or reptilian, no longer exist. “You’re just about out. Someone reported your car coming up to the house, belle. I feel Cain, he’s headed straight for us. Find a way to spare Vedant and his family.” Maelopei rattles off Luka’s plan for Vedant quickly, looking out the window. “Dammit, Courtier!”, I scold. He had to have known before this morning. “It’s best if he only finds me. Erase my phone.”, I stand and hurry down the halls toward the back portion of the house. She follows me out, she’ll shimmer back to the coast once we get out of Luka’s fortress. We hurry through the kitchen, and around the corner toward the bedrooms; making our way toward a large courtyard between two-story wings off the mansion. I call Vedant and I rush out across the stone courtyard, running down the hundreds of stairs leading to the steep drop-off to the river. Cain is fast, I won’t get far if he was close enough for Maelopei to feel. Ring ring “Head Vedant.”, he answers in his usual gruff tone. “Are you at home?”, I ask as I hurry, knowing I have only a few moments. “Why?”, he asks curiously. “You don’t have time for your own bullshit right now, Vedant. If you’re home, it’s too late to escape. Get your mate and your kid somewhere safe. Do it now, do it fast.”, I warn him, trying not to fall down when I hop to each stone jutting from the slope. The men using them are near two feet taller than I am. I slip my heels off, discarding them on the stair as I run as fast as I possibly can toward the river. I hear Vedant shouting for his mate and child. I veer at the first path to run down the trail at the riverside ducking into one of the little cabins out here for reptilian travelers. I lock the doors, and squat low behind the counter, so I can still see out the living room window. “Daphne, what’s going on?”, Vedant questions, concern heavy in his voice. “A Councilman has stolen from the Dark Prince. I assume he is one imprisoned; he can't get to him, so he's coming for you. He's going to use your family to control you. His team is closing in on you. I don’t know where he’s coming from, but you can’t outrun him.”, I rush out, hoping to finish before they find me. I just saw one shoot by the front window. “How do you know this, Daphne?”, he questions. I glance back toward the kitchen door, seeing another pass. They know I’m in here. “No time, ask if you survive. You’ve been betrayed. Don’t go in the safe room with your family; Reptilian lycanthrope follow prey by blood and he’s attaching himself to you. That’s what they’re waiting for. Get help if you can, but be cautious with who you trust. I have to go now, Farewell.”, I answer just as one of the reptilian crash through the living room window. I stand, tossing my phone up on top of the cabinets. I cover my face and turn into the counter, as the splinters and shards of wood fly at me from the back door being shattered; more of Luka’s men come pouring in. I hold my hands up in surrender. “Ms. Lilith, you’ll have to come with us.”, the one entering the front now calls to me. I keep a secure shield over myself, but his anger is clear in the grip he takes of my arm. “Of course.”, I agree. I’m in so much f*****g trouble. Luka is going to be far beyond pissed off. I ignore him for years only to step in and mess his deals up at complete random. I can’t tell him Courtier sent for me, he’ll kill Courtier for betraying him, even if he is his father. The warrior yanks me harshly away from the counter, overestimating my resistance, and forcing me against him. “Easy, Xenia. Don’t bruise her.”, Tie warns as I’m pulled toward the living room, searching me over as Xenia loosens his grip. He tilts his head, studying me before the rest of the room. “She’s a betrayer, unworthy of care, Cain.”, the warrior sneers. Tie’s upper lip curls back, so quickly it looks like a twitch. The speed of which Xenia's grip loosens indicates Tie exposed his fangs, threatening the warrior. The glass crunches under his feet as he crosses to stand in the middle of the living room. “Search her. Don’t leave any marks on her skin.”, he orders. Xenia complies, patting over my body. “Nothing, sir.” Men start throwing open cabinets and tearing the kitchen apart, searching for anything I might have hidden. None climb the counters to look on top of the cabinets to find my phone though. Tie conjures shoes for me, not wanting me to step in the shattered glass coating the room. “Come here.”, he orders in a deathly calm tone. I pull, and Xenia follows rather than releasing me. His hand drops from me as if I’d seared his flesh, telling me Tie ordered it through their link. He cups my jaw in his massive hand, tilting my head up to him. I can’t see his eyes through his dark sunglasses, but I feel the tense way he’s holding both himself and my face. He’s well past angry, his firm grip vibrates his fury into my soul. “Do you have anything on you, Daphne?”, he hisses barely above a whisper. “No.”, I answer immediately, knowing any hesitation, or sign of falsity, will have me standing here naked before all of these men. He pulls out his phone without releasing me; I can faintly hear Luka’s voice. “I don’t believe she has her phone with her, it isn’t on her person.”, he answers. “On it.”, he replies to whatever order Luka just gave. My stomach is in knots. I hate being involved in anything with only a partial story. I don’t know what Luka’s tie to this Councilman is, nor why Baxter’s mate was taken. I just know that Courtier is right, a war between Bear and Reptilian benefits no one. “You’re to come with me, belle. Luka wishes to see you.”, Tie’s voice is low and threatening, his words drenched in his anger. Tie is, by far, the strongest of the reptilian men. He and Baxter are Luka’s brothers, both equal to him in power. “Of course.”, I reply, as two men take my shoulders and push me to follow him back outside. They ease up when they realize I’m walking on my own. I can’t outrun Tie; but if Luka is waiting for me, making him struggle a might buy Vedant a little more time. I drop back, and use my power just enough to get them to fall out of my way. I run, as fast as I possibly can, my dress rides up my hips as I jump the bridge. The air rushes out of me as I’m pulled into a spinning stop. Tie’s arm around my waist, tucking me into his shoulder as he slows my momentum. “Belle…”, Tie’s furious yellow eyes fix on me. He drops the block on his mind, just enough for me to see that he is losing control. With Melody missing, and Baxter falling apart, Tie is running on pure instinct and anger right now. “I’m done.”, I assure him. Running from him was a stupid waste of time, we both know it. I’ve warned Vedant, hopefully that is enough, or having to deal with me will slow Luka. I end up being pushed into a truck and taken back up the hill to a fae waiting. Tie opens my door and waits for me to step out. “The Dark Prince wants her brought to him immediately.”, the fae says, touching Tie’s shoulder, shimmering us both into Luka’s team of reptilian. It takes a second for my stomach to settle and the light headedness of shimmering to fade. Tie guides me ahead of him as the team separates, leading me straight to a partially shifted Luka. There are three dragons with Vedant, standing in this open field. They must have shielded Vedant’s home, leaving only the other houses around here. Luka turns to me, sneering angrily. I raise a brow, reminding him that he’s sworn not to touch me in anger, and never to touch me without my permission. “You’d betray me?”, he hisses angrily. Think fast, he can hear lies in spoken words. “You confided nothing in me to betray, Dark Prince.”, I answer formally. He darts quickly into my face, cupping my jaw tightly and tilting my chin up to him. “You told him?”, he accuses. “I haven’t given you permission to touch me, Luka.”, I return, his grip on my face is near bruising. He hisses angrily, but drops his hand. I know I’d better answer him or a bruised face will be the least of my troubles. “I was asked to attempt sparing Vedant’s mate and daughter. The only way for that to happen was to inform Vedant.” “Who asked this of you?”, Luka tilts his head, he’s going to kill Courtier. “I’m not at liberty to say.”, I refuse him an answer all together. I’m not defending Courtier, but he took a big risk to help here. His good deed should not be punished. Luka narrows his eyes at me in warning, one I will not heed. “Why are you here?”, one of the dragons ask. “WHY ARE YOU HERE?”, Luka yells back before glaring at me again. His shouting makes me jump slightly. I wasn’t prepared for it, and my nerves aren’t the best at the moment. Luka picks up on that and softens his voice, “Why are they here, Daphne? You’ve been a very bad girl.” He moves into my face again, leaning toward my jaw and inhaling my scent deeply. I look at Vedant, he doesn’t appear to be injured too badly. It looks like he had just enough time. Luka’s anger radiates off him as he whispers in my ear, “You’d be dead if harming you didn’t mean disaster for my people.” Disaster for his people, my ass. He won’t kill me, for the same reason he killed my mate. He believes I’m his, hurting me hurts him. I clinch my jaw, biting back that comment. I pull away from him some to have him look at me. “If it were disaster you wished to avoid, you would be thanking me.” Luka tilts his head, eyeing me questioningly. He wants me to explain my statement. “Vedant is the Head Councilman of Bear with connections to very powerful hierarchies. Taking his mate and child would’ve led to your kind being hunted to extinction. I don’t know what you want, Luka, but I assure you there are much wiser ways to go about obtaining it.” He hears the truth in my words but the smirk that follows is not a kind one. “You’ll obtain it for me, my little belle. You’ll fix the damage you’ve done here.” Luka circles me, close enough for me to feel him without actually touching me. “Very well, Prince Luka.”, I agree, I can’t tell him there is a better way without providing it. Failing this isn’t an option, he may not kill me, but he will make me pay for getting in his way. “You don’t get to attack me then leave with Daphne to develop a new plan when you fail.”, Vedant shouts. Luka takes my arm yanking me roughly to him. “She is mine!”, he shouts. I scoff and yank my arm back, rubbing the tenderness his grip leaves behind. His eyes follow that movement, realizing he’s being too rough. “I’m not YOURS, and he doesn’t care if I leave with you. He is demanding you to tell him what you’re here for.” I try to contain my anger. It won’t help lessen his, and his is the concern at the moment. His ridiculous claim is what ended Gabe’s life and almost mine. Luka turns and tilts his head, “WHAT YOU’VE STOLEN!”, he shouts angrily at Vedant. “Tell me what it is you believe I’ve stolen, Prince Luka.” He hisses angrily, leaning into me again, inhaling deeply, before answering. “My sister. Your Council has taken her, you will return her!”, he demands, only slightly calmed by my scent. “Prince Luka, you don’t need my mate or child; I’m more than willing to help you find your sister. She is not a prisoner of Council. We have three Councilman awaiting execution for violations against their oaths and people. I’m sure we can get answers from at least one of them.”, Vedant assures him. “I need some show of good faith, Prince Luka. Release Daphne, take my number and leave with your men. I will investigate your sister’s disappearance and give you all that I find.”, Vedant wants to spare me because he thinks he got me into this. Courtier got me into this, the damn fool. Why couldn’t he stop his own son? Luka looks over Vedant and the dragonian with him. He could still fight and kill them, but he won’t gain control of Vedant that way. “Take the offer, Luka. Vedant is good for his word.”, I assure him. Vedant is a man of honor, he doesn’t lie or go back on his word. I’ve worked with him for years, I know him fairly well. “Daphne comes with me.”, Luka pulls me against him. I side-eye him, he does know Vedant is mated and has zero romantic feelings toward me. What is his deal? “It's fine. He won’t do anything to me.”, I assure Vedant so he doesn’t do something stupid in the name of nobility. Rescuing the woman that’s put herself at risk to help him. He nods, “Expect my call later.” I nod in agreement, now I will have to decide how to tell Vedant nothing at all. I feel Luka walking close behind me as I turn and walk back toward where he has the fae waiting. There are four there, taking pairs at once. One reaches up to Luka’s shoulder, at seven foot tall, he towers over most creatures. Luka grabs me around the waist, pulling me up off the ground against him. He holds tightly as we shimmer, and it takes me a second to get my mind clear to see where we are.