Blood and Reign (Blood and Ruin Series Book 3)

Light flickers behind my eyes as I open them to find myself in a cave with thick metal bars glinting back at me. Still feeling the aftereffects of our group… activities, I glance down and find myself fully clothed.

One less thing I have to worry about.

“Kiarra?”

Whipping around, I find Luka heading straight for me. He wraps me in a hug as I breathe a sense of relief at seeing him here. Pulling back, I glance over his shoulder, finding nothing but a dark empty cave, the light that filters in from the bars not reaching it.

“Where are the others?”

“I don’t know. The cave doesn’t go all the way back. There’s a wall. I woke up right beside it.” I glance over Luka’s shoulder to try to find the wall, but it’s so dark I can only see a few feet in, the shadows consuming the rest of it.

Luka glances around, his gaze finding the open bars. “Let’s figure out where we are and then we can go look for them.”

We move toward the bars, finding no lock or any way to open them. It’s as if they’ve grown from the cave wall itself.

Luka reaches out and touches them. Hissing, he quickly pulls his hand back.

“Are you okay?” I pull his hand to mine, seeing a line of raw skin starting to blister.

“I’m fine.”

It begins to heal within a couple of seconds, making me breathe a sigh of relief.

Luka inspects his hand as it heals, but my eye catches on a glint from his bracelet. I look closer and watch as one bead flickers and dims right before my eyes.

“Your bead, Luka. It looks like it’s… draining.”

Luka frowns, glancing between the metal bars and his hand.

“You think it might be from touching the bars?”

“There’s always a catch.” Luka scrubs a hand down his face.

Or another part of this twisted game Ivor came up with. “What was the point in charging them if we can’t use them?”

“They must have something else planned for us. Let’s just stay away from them for now until we figure out what’s going on.”

Something that looks like it’s going to take time, time we didn’t have.

My thoughts turn to Jazmyn and the others, hoping they’re okay. “Soren said time was different down here, do you think…”

“Don’t worry. It might feel like we’ve been here a while, but it’s probably only been a few minutes or a couple of days in our world. We have time.”

I nod my head, the knot in my stomach slightly untwisting.

“Are you… okay?” The hesitance in Luka’s voice makes me look up at him. He shuffles, looking unsure of himself. Clearing his throat, he looks down at his hand, now nearly fully healed. “You know… after what we… did?”

The tilt in my lips grows into a smile. “Out of all the things down here, that is definitely something I don’t want to forget. I’m also expecting a repeat performance when we’re not under constant threat of demons and assholes playing games.”

Luka chuckles, pulling me into him and kissing my forehead. “I’m sure none of your mates would refuse you.”

“Including you?”

Luka groans into the curve of my neck. “If we didn’t make it clear enough that we all enjoyed ourselves, then we didn’t do a good enough job.”

I laugh. “Repeat performance it is.”

Luka shakes his head. We stay holding one another for a moment before reality slowly creeps in, the worry and fear soon following it.

Where could the rest of the boys be? Are they okay?

I reach down inside me, trying to sense them. I feel the connection, but it’s completely dulled, as if lost in a fog.

Though feeling a connection at all is at least something.

I try my powers next, but just like in the room, they’re gone, making me feel hollow.

Which makes no sense. Shouldn’t I be able to access them now that the beads are charged? I sigh, pulling back from Luka. The worry also slashed across his face.

“We’ll find them,” he says as if reading my mind.

I nod, pushing the thought of my missing mates away to focus on the problem at hand. “Can you shift?”

Luka focuses, but after a moment, it’s obvious he can’t. His frown deepens. “What about you? Are your powers gone?”

I try again to pull something up, but it’s like pulling from a dry well.

Shaking my head, I walk over to the bars and glance out at the large area. It looks like an arena. There’s a wide-open circular space with nothing but sand and rock on the ground. I can’t see what’s above, the top part of the bars is covered in rock that juts out like a ledge blocking my view.

I go to move back when a shadow flickers in the corner of my eye. A moment later a guard with Ivor’s red crest shows up outside the bars. “You both are up in ten. Be ready.”

“Hey!” He leaves before we get the chance to ask what we need to be ready for.

Luka squares his shoulders, a hard set to his jaw as he stares out at the arena. “Whatever happens, we stick together.”

I grab his hand, squeezing it. “Promise.”

The bars slowly slide upward, releasing us from the cave prison. As soon as I walk past them, something inside me snaps like an elastic band, and my power rushes through me.

I rub my chest as the bond follows, feeling stronger than ever. I reach out for them, trying to get a fix on their location.

They feel close, really close. But it’s also like they’re blocked or behind a barrier of some kind.

I glance around the circular arena that stretches about forty feet wide, the wall enclosing us in made from small prisons similar to the one we just left. The wall stretches straight up until it meets a black net covering it, stopping anything from getting in or out.

I turn to Luka to ask if he can shift now too when I see him in distress. Shaking his head, his eyes are squeezed tight with his fists balled at his side.

I move over to him. “Luka? What’s wrong?”

“It’s my shadow wolf. He feels trapped when we can’t shift. He wants out.”

My worry for Luka and his wolf gets put on hold when the ground beneath us rumbles, shaking the dust from it as a loud stomp sounds out from the other side of the arena, drawing my eyes to it.

“What the—”

An enormous beast similar to the old demon’s steps into the arena, followed by four smaller human-like demons, two on each side. Luka reaches out, pulling me behind him, his eyes flickering from gold to dark green and back again.

Before I have time to figure out what’s happening, the two smaller demons make a run straight for us.

I don’t get a chance to move before Luka steps forward, shifting into his shadow wolf, meeting them halfway.

I keep an eye on the larger demon beast behind them as it watches Luka viciously rip through two of the demons in seconds. He leaves nothing but scraps of them behind before his focus shifts to the other two heading right for him.

I pull my powers up, the energy right under my skin ready and waiting for me to use it and push it toward the last two smaller creatures as they try to catch Luka’s wolf off-guard. They burst into a mass of flames, turning to ashes, and fall to the ground.

The large beast shrieks, the sound cutting through my skull and making the world around me tilt and spin. I’m still trying to get my balance when it slams its fist down in front of it, making the ground rumble once more.

But with the shaky rumble comes a large crack that splits the ground open, heading straight for Luka.

Instincts take over and my powers snap out, wrapping around his wolf, yanking him out of the way.

The large crack grows wider, cutting through nearly a third of the arena. Luka’s wolf moves beside me, sliding his body along mine in a ‘thank you’ before maneuvering around the large hole.

I keep my eye on him as he quickly makes his way toward the large demon, its size at least three times that of Luka’s wolf.

Just as Luka’s wolf reaches the demon beast, flames light up his entire body.

With my power right at the surface, I let the energy slide over my skin, building to a peak before focusing it on the demon now eyeing up Luka.

As soon as the beast makes a move, I let go.

A mass of shadowy tendrils lashes out, coiling around the beast before dragging it upward and slamming it on to the ground.

Luka’s wolf whips forward with his flames alight and rushes through it over and over, making the demon nearly encased in his flames.

A slice of panic spears through me as Luka slows down, his flames dimming.

The beads must be losing their energy.

Needing to end this, I tighten my shadows on the demon, and with Luka’s flames already burning through it, I push more power into them. It speeds up the process, burning through the large demon, leaving nothing but embers behind.

The embers fall to the ground as everything around us turns silent.

Luka’s wolf turns and shifts back before slowly making his way over to me. I catch a slight movement from the dark remains of the demon beast. My eyes stare unblinking at it, wondering if it was just my imagination or a breeze. Then I remember, there is none. The air is stagnant and stale.

Like thousands of crawling ants, the dark spot spreads backward, moving until it’s covered the entire arena behind it.

Once it reaches the cave-like walls, it starts moving forward, straight for us.

“Luka.” I take a step back and glance over my shoulder at the cave with the bars still up.

Fuck. I guess that’s our only option right now.

The ground rumbles again, but this time it starts collapsing in on itself, with the crawling darkness still moving closer and closer to us.

Luka makes it back to me, and we make a run for it. We make it into the cave just as the ground we stood on seconds ago collapses, completely disappearing into a black hole full of spiraling shadows.

The bars shoot down, locking us in once again, but I’d rather be locked in here than the alternate of what’s outside.

I bend over trying to catch my breath, feeling completely drained. The energy that was flowing through me a moment ago, now completely dulled.

I look over at Luka, my eyes drawn to his bracelet, where nearly all of his beads are drained. But it’s his clenched fist and stiff body that tells me something isn’t right.

“Luka?”

Luka’s head whips up, his eyes glowing as he growls. “Mate.” He takes a step toward me, tilting his head.

My eyes widen when I realize it isn’t Luka talking, but his shadow wolf.

“How?” I take a tentative step toward him and when he doesn’t growl at me to stop, I continue until I’m in front of him.

The veins in his neck bulge as he clenches his jaw. “Mine.”

His mouth moves again, but no words come out, as if he’s finding it hard to speak.

“Are you okay? Is Luka…”

“Mate.”

“Yes.” I reach out and cup his jaw. He relaxes into it immediately.

“Protect, mate.”

“Yes. You kept me safe. We’re okay.” For now, at least.

“Trapped.”

I glance around the cave. “Yes, we’re trapped, but hopefully not for long.”

He shakes his head, thumping his chest. “Trapped.”

“You feel trapped?”

He nods his head before stepping closer, placing his hand on my chest. “Need.”

Before I get the chance to figure out what he needs from me, he walks us backward until he has me pushed up against the wall. He takes both of my hands, raising them above me and holding them in place.

“Luka?”

His head dips down to my neck as he runs his nose up the length of it, making me shiver.

“Mate.” I feel the pull of air as he breathes me in, growling deep and low as he moves closer, lining every inch of his body with mine.

“Need… mate.” He grinds into me, and I feel his hard cock against my core making my body shudder with desire.

“It’s not exactly the time to—” He nips my lip, silencing me before trailing down my neck, placing wet open kisses that are rough and quick, and nothing like when Luka kisses me.

But I fucking love it. I love how open Luka’s wolf is with me.

His kisses turn desperate as he grips my wrists tighter.

“Are we really doing this? Here?”

He growls, as he releases me and steps back to rip his top off. He flings it to the side before he looks down and tries to claw off the button of my jeans.

I take my top and bra off and throw them to the side. Glancing up, I chuckle as he looks at his hands in disgust.

I guess he didn’t take into account the cave taking away his ability to even partially shift. He growls as his gaze moves from my jeans to his. I just get mine open when he starts to yank and pull at his own, nearly tearing them apart.

I pause to help him, doubting Luka would appreciate walking around the cave naked.

Not that I’d have a problem with it.

I help him push his jeans down over his hips, and his thick cock springs free, making my mouth water.

He glares at his clothes, kicking them away as I move back to mine. My jeans are around my hips when he yanks me forward and starts placing open kisses along my jaw.

He must’ve been paying attention to my time with Luka because last time he wasn’t much of a kisser. And this time, he fucking aces it.

I moan as he sucks and nibbles his way across my body as if he wants to mark every inch of it. His hands follow leaving a trail of heat behind.

His kisses grow desperate as he starts trying to pull down my jeans. I break away from him to bend over and push them down my legs. They’re around my ankles when I feel the air shift as Luka moves behind me.

I feel a little push as I fall forward, my knees and hands catching my fall.

What the—

I push up on my hands, my ankles still stuck together by my trousers, when Luka grips my thighs hard and yanks my ass up in the air.

“Luka?”

“Mine,” he growls, leaning over me.

“Yours,” I groan, as he pulls back and widens my knees with his legs, gripping my waist.

I feel a breath of air along my core before his tongue slides up and down it, making me shiver.

Fuck. My eyes roll to the back of my head as his tongue slides along my core right down to my clit, instantly making me feel swollen and needy. He growls and the vibration travels up through me, making me lose my mind.

I can’t believe we’re doing this here, but the longer he glides his tongue along my core, the less I start to worry about it.

A few more long-drawn-out swipes and I’m panting, begging to be filled when the fucker pulls back.

I feel the air hit me again just before he slams into me without warning, making me gasp. His grip tightens on my thighs as he thrusts into me over and over.

I push back into him, needing to feel every inch of him.

My legs start to shake as my whole-body shudders riding that fine edge. As if he can tell how close I am, he quickens his pace, driving into me without restraint.

I moan and pant, my core dripping wet as it gets closer and closer to my release.

He growls, pushing against me harder, grinding up into me and it’s all it takes to push me over.

Just as I come, he yanks the rest of my jeans off and widens my legs. His grip tightens around my hips before his cock fills me to the hilt, drawing out my orgasm as I cry out in pleasure.

I don’t get time to come down from my tingling high before he’s pushing me further into the ground and driving into me with wild, savage strength. My hands claw at the rocks beneath my fingers as his punishing pace quickly pushes the slow-building heat into overdrive.

He slams into me, thrust after thrust until I can’t see straight. Until all I can feel is him.

I push back onto him, needing to feel every inch of him as he moves with a wild and fierce possession. Sharp spasms shoot through me at each deep stroke, teasing and tormenting the need for release.

His thrusts grow harder, deeper making me moan. I reach out trying to grip onto something but there’s nothing but bits of rock and ground beneath my hands.

“Mate,” he growls, thrusting into me over and over until I’m spiraling into another shattering climax.

I scream as I come apart, my core clamping around him, drawing out every second of pleasure. But he doesn’t let up or stop his punishing pace. Tingles slide across my shoulders and down my spine, prolonging my orgasm and drawing out another moan from my lips.

“Mine,” he snarls, as he presses into me and leans over to bite my neck. The minute his teeth break my skin, the sizzling orgasm that was easing off, comes alive and shoots through me once again. I scream out as my body comes apart.

He surges into me one last time and comes growling, pumping his hips as his cock swells and spills inside me.

He licks and kisses the spot he bit, before sliding out of me. My body turns limp, every muscle relaxed and sated as he twists us both until he’s on his back with me leaning against his side, both of us catching our breaths.

I place my hand on his chest. He takes it, moving it over his heart and grips it tight.

“Wolf?”

Luka looks down at me with those glowing eyes. He stares at me like I’m his everything. I reach up and kiss his lips.

He blinks at me staring at my mouth as he runs his tongue along his bottom lip. Leaning forward he does the same to me, mimicking my kiss as he molds his lips to mine.

He pulls back and I give him another smile before cuddling into him.

“More… Soon.” He growls, making me shiver in excitement. But before I get the chance to reply, his eyes dim returning to their normal green as Luka comes back to me.

“Fuck…” Luka sighs.

“Kiarra I’m—

I place my finger on his lips, stopping him. “Don’t even think about apologizing. That was fucking amazing and an added bonus? Our beads are charged again.” I lift my wrist, showing him the beads are all now fully charged and glowing.

Luka chuckles, kissing my fingers before I pull them away.

His smile falls as he glances down at his bracelet. “I thought I was learning to trust him, and vice versa. But when I couldn’t push him back…”

“You got scared he wouldn’t let you out?”

“I never thought he could actually do it. It was always just a possibility.” Luka’s eyes grow wide.

“But the fucker locked me in. He’s never been able to do that before.”

I glance around the cave. “I think it’s something to do with being down here. The energy is different. He told me he was trapped.”

Luka slowly nods before frowning. “I can still hear him, even when I can’t shift… even now. But this place weakens it, somehow making it feel like he’s barely there, like he’s far away. Once we passed the bars, he rose up and nearly took over then and there, but once we saw the demons, we worked together.”

Luka sighs, pulling me closer. “Then when we were going back, he caught me off guard and pushed hard. By the time the bars locked, he was in charge, and I was pushed back.”

I trail my fingers down his chest. “Is he talking to you now? Did he say anything about why he took over now when he hasn’t before?”

Luka mumbles something that I can’t make out.

“What?”

Luka clears his throat, his cheeks turning a slight red. “He’s pissed that he never got a turn when we had our group thing.”

I bit my lip, fighting my smile. “I don’t think he’d ever do anything to hurt us or… you. He was just feeling a bit left out. He is also my mate.”

Luka smiles, shaking his head. “True.”

Dark spots mark my vision, and the cave tilts and spins around me. “Not again.”

Luka calls out, but he sounds far away.

Everything around me turns black once more as the cave disappears.