Chapter Twenty-four

L iana, Sasha, three vampires and the three mage joined them on their journey. The shifters offered to join but Liana needed magic to fight magic in case she became disabled again.

Sasha carried Liana, the others following behind. They decided not to use magic to track them because they could be using spells to alert them if anyone attempted tracking. They left it to the vampires to find the group. Once Sasha sensed them ahead, they stopped on the road leading south. Liana connected with Damien once they were settled.

She relayed their location. "How far are you?"

"Probably an hour. Follow for now but stay back."

"Will do, and remember, find me first. We attack together or not at all," she declared, knowing how protective he was.

"I love it when you're bossy, my temptress."

She rolled her eyes even though he couldn't see. "This is definitely not the time for that."

"There is always time for that," he countered.

As much as she wanted to play, to tease like they always did, there was too much to worry about. She hadn't told him anything about her kidnapping or what she learned. She didn't ask about the Book of Kings , probably because she was scared of the answer. If he knew about all this, she didn't know what to do.

" Focus, Damien. This is my sister," she replied, nerves getting the better of her.

"I know, my love. Teasing usually helps you calm down. It helps you refocus."

"I know, and I appreciate you trying. This has just been a very trying few days."

"Understood. I will be by your side soon and we will get your sister back," he declared.

She could only nod, tears suddenly forming in her eyes. One thing she'd been able to deter until now was the guilt of letting her sister fall into this position. She saw the change in Charlotte. She felt something off about Ranville. If only she'd acted sooner.

"What's our move, My Queen?" Sasha interrupted her thoughts.

"Damien is about an hour away. We follow for now."

Their group continued at a normal pace, the vampires listening ahead for any change in their target's movement. Liana mulled over all that she learned from the past few days, the lies Ranville told her and the little that Juno contradicted with. She wasn't much closer to figuring out how she was supposed to save Triaedian other than ending Ranville's pathetic life. He was just one separatist though, there were plenty more rebels out there. If Ranville was their leader, perhaps that would disable them for a bit. Liana wanted them gone for good though. Disbanded. Dead. Whichever was fine with her right now.

"Liana?" his voice called in uncertain awe. Her head snapped up to find Damien standing a few feet in front of her.

Magic and love surged in her veins. She ran to him, jumping into his arms. He caught her easily, holding her so tight she could barely breathe. Liana wrapped her legs around his waist while he buried his face in her neck.

"Liana," he breathed, relief bringing him to his knees. "I thought you were gone," he choked out, burying his face.

She squeezed even tighter, running her fingers through knotted, windswept hair. A light touch of magic had her fingers detangling and gliding through easily. He sighed heavily with his arms stronger than iron around her.

"I thought you were gone. I saw them stab you. I saw that blade going for your heart."

"You stopped it. Whatever you did. You exploded with magic and knocked out everyone in the line of fire."

She remembered that moment. How a flash of gold blinded her before she passed out. She didn't think it had come from her. With her magic though, it likely acted on its own before being fully cut off. "If you were passed out, how did you survive?"

"My father came through with the army just in time. They got away with you in the chaos of it all though. I couldn't tell them to find you."

She sent more soothing magic into him when she felt his anger rising, felt his vampiric side flash into control.

"I'm okay. It all worked out in the end. We are both alive."

His lips brushed against her neck making a shiver run along her spine. His lips found their way to her mouth, capturing her in a kiss to rival all others. He tasted of fear, of relief. He tasted like she could never get enough of him, like she never wanted to let go again.

"Enough," a familiar grumpy voice interjected.

Liana pulled back, breathless and wanting more. "It's great to see you as well, Luciano," Liana said with a chuckle.

"Yes, well, I haven't seen you yet since my grandson won't let you go."

Damien stood and let her get to her feet but still held on. "Never," he affirmed. "Never will I let you go." Linking their hands together, he did stand to the side so she could see the others. Luciano, Asher, Owen, and three others stood on the road.

"Glad to see you alive," Asher said with a cocky grin.

Owen punched his arm. "Yes, My Queen, it is a true relief that you are unharmed," he said more formally, still not having warmed up to her yet.

Luciano surprised everyone by pulling her into a hug. It was quick but it was a hug. "Don't do that again. We feared Damien would never return to us."

Liana's brows pulled together. "Feral?" she questioned, squeezing her husband's hand.

Luciano nodded, glancing at Damien with a guarded expression. "The moment your bond returned… it was instant. He was back." Luciano looked away shaking his head. "If there were ever a case for some magical soulmate bond, I'd believe it in you two."

Liana didn't doubt it considering the strength of their bond. "Enough about us. We need to get my sister. What you all need to know is that Ranville found a way to mute my powers. I'll explain later but I can't risk getting close to them. I will support the attack with my magic from afar. I think our best bet is for the vampires to charge in and take care of things. Before you go in, I disable any spells protecting them. The other mage are standing by if I can't manage it."

"Sounds good to me," Asher commented. "Are we killing or saving for questioning?"

"Keep them all for questioning," Damien demanded, his voice low and gravelly. Sure enough, when Liana looked up at him his fangs were out.

"Are you angry or hungry?" she asked. "You can feed from me before we move."

Damien groaned, his entire body going lax. "I was livid, my temptress, but the call of your blood is far greater." He pulled her into another heart-stopping kiss.

"I thought you wanted blood," she said, pulling back when he made no move to drink.

A devilish smirk pulled at his lips. "I do, but not until we are home, and I know you are safe." Addressing the team, he declared, "We move now."

Liana sent her magic ahead like a deadly arrow toward the traveling group. She ripped right through their shields and protections which alerted them to an attack. "Go!" Liana yelled. A wave of air brushed her face as Damien left her side, the other vampires following. She kept her magic tuned into the group, but there was no need. The vampires were on them within two heart beats. Well, two of her heart beats. For Ranville, it was probably ten considering how terrified he was.

"Threat neutralized," Damien relayed back to her. "Your sister was knocked out as well. She tried to fight back."

"Okay, send the vamps back. I'll send the others home and we can be on our way."

Liana thanked everyone for their help and sent them home then Sasha carried Liana to the carriages and others. The vampires already tied up the rebels, leaving them lying in the dirt. Liana walked up to Ranville and kicked him right in the groin.

Asher cringed for the male. "He deserved that and more, but that is seriously going to hurt for a week."

"Good," Liana declared. "Now, what is the fastest way home? I should stay with the prisoners to make sure they stay asleep."

Luciano responded first. "Stuff them all in the carriage. We take turns pulling it. That will add a bit of time, but it's faster than horses."

"Then we do it. Get them all into one carriage, we will leave the other at the next village we come to and rest for the night. Owen, you carry Charlotte. I've got my wife. Once we're on the road tomorrow morning, the four of you alternate every four hours," Damien directed. "Will that be sufficient for you to keep them asleep?" he asked her.

"Definitely. I can keep them out for a full day with a single spell. They'll be secured."

He nodded. "Let's get moving." They got the rebels into the carriage then released the horses back toward the village, Liana giving them a little boost of magic to guide them.

Damien swept her off her feet and she snuggled into his arms, already feeling at home. It didn't take long to reach the next village. They dropped off the carriage at an inn after they looked for anything useful or harmful within it. They decided it was too early to stop so they continued south after Liana hit the rebels with an extended sleeping spell.

They stopped once to switch the vampires pulling the carriage. Then once more to settle down for the night.

Settled at an inn, they drew quite the crowd for dinner as everyone tried to get a look at the King and Queen. To appease the people, they held an impromptu meet and greet before retiring for the night. The moment the door shut, Damien pulled Liana into his arms, his moves desperate and demanding.

Liana fell into his familiar embrace eager to have him back. Eager to prove that he truly was okay. That he was alive and whole.

She toed off her boots and lifted her shirt. Damien mimicked her movements as their mouths desperately sought out each other. She crashed onto the bed, Damien following and pulling her into the middle. His lips trailed down her neck, across her chest where he undid the binding around it. Frantic with need, he pulled off her trousers and undergarments then flung his away as well.

Liana welcomed the familiar weight off his hips as they settled against hers and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, Damien," she whispered.

He kissed her, devouring everything she gave in return. He slowed suddenly, his chest heaving for air, his lips brushing gently against hers.

"I love you, Liana. I cannot live without you." Wrapping his arms around her, he lay his head on her chest. "If I hear this heart stop, mine will cease beating as well."

She brushed her fingers through his hair, magic detangling it once more. "You can only allow that to happen when we are very old and both ready to move on."

"No. I will have no control over it. I felt as though I would die when I woke without our bond. It was only the hope that you were alive that kept me alive."

Tears pooled in her eyes. "You cannot put your life in my hands like that. I don't plan on dying any time soon, but you have to live on if something happens."

"You can command me to do anything except that."

She sighed. It terrified her that he was convinced of this future. It terrified her that she felt the same for him but more importantly because he was too important to Triaedian. One of them needed to live.

"You scare me, Damien," she admitted on a whisper.

His grip tightened around her. "Why?"

"Because you love me too much. You love me beyond anything I could fathom, and I don't know why."

"We are not going over this again, Liana. You are everything to me. You are beyond good enough for me, you are perfection and all I want."

She continued brushing through his hair. Their relationship still didn't seem real sometimes. It felt like a fairytale. One that she hoped had a happy ending.

"What if we have children? You would leave them with no parents?" she accused, still not appeased about his ideas.

"Fine, I will stay until they can fend for themselves, then I'll join you in the afterlife."

"Ugh, you are getting on my last nerve, Damien. I'll hex you with eternal life like Luciano just to spite you."

Chuckling, Damien kissed her chest then trailed down her body. "He does seem hexed, doesn't he?"

"Enough of this. Stop talking of death, and of your grandfather."

"Excellent suggestion. I'd much rather use my mouth to make my wife mindless with pleasure." He kissed the inside of her thigh.

A little, pleased smile filled her face, and she closed her eyes, relaxing into his touch. "Yes, please. Definitely do that."

"Shield, my vixen," he reminded her right before his tongue lashed out at the perfect spot.

Liana erected the shields before a moan slipped from her chest. No one needed to hear what they had in store for each other that night. Didn't need to hear how much they needed to reconnect physically and emotionally after the abrupt loss of the bond and the fear of losing each other. They certainly didn't need to hear how she begged him to bite her over and over again throughout the night.

No, that would all be kept private for the lovers to indulge in each other without inhibitions.