Royal Shifters Series

Book 5: Kami

Colin drove the entire way to Longworth so I could keep watch over the abandoned house. Tia followed behind us with Sawyer passed out in the backseat. We found a hotel about twenty minutes away from the abandoned house and are waiting for Zayne to show up before we leave. It’s five o’clock in the afternoon, and he’s set to arrive soon. The plan is to stake out the house and wait for the right time. With the sun already setting sooner with the time change coming up, it’ll be dark in an hour. Tia and I are going to concentrate on the women while Colin and Zayne kill the men. Colin knows I want my vengeance on Ivan, so he knows I want my time with him. I want him to feel helpless, to suffer and writhe with pain.

I take in a deep breath and blow it out slowly. Colin stands by the window, watching out for Zayne, probably wondering why I’m blocking him from my thoughts. He’s gotten to where he doesn’t ask anymore why I keep things from him. His patience has made me fall in love with him even more.

As I stare at the computer screen, none of the wolves have left, which means they’re inside with the women doing God knows what to them. When I was with the Yukons, I thought for sure they would get tired of torturing me, but it was endless. The more time they had with me, the more they desired to hear me scream—sadistic bastards.

Tia walks out of the bathroom, dressed in a black, long-sleeved T-shirt and black pants with her chocolate-colored hair in a side braid. Having her magic will help, but I feel guilty using her for it. “You look like you’re going to rob a bank,” I say, hoping to lighten the mood. My brain needs a break from all of the dark thoughts.

She sits down on the bed, and Colin peers back at her, trying his best not to smile, but then his thoughts go right back to planning out the fight. So many scenarios run through his head, but there’s one thing he envisions more than anything else—Ivan’s death. I’ve watched him die a million different ways in Colin’s mind.

Tia’s eyes rake over my body. “I could say the same for you.”

I did choose to put on a black T-shirt with dark jeans. “There’s going to be a lot of blood tonight, and I don’t want to scare the women if I’m covered in it.”

Her brows furrow. “Are you not going to shift?”

Colin meets my gaze, and I look at him before focusing on her. “No. I plan to face Ivan the way I am. I want to look him in the eyes right before he dies.”

A car door slams in the parking lot, and Colin turns back to the window. “Zayne’s here. I’ll be right back.” He opens the door, and it slowly shuts behind him. A sense of relief washes over me. I was so afraid Zayne wouldn’t make it in time, but Colin assured me he would. From what I’ve heard, Zayne is vicious in battle, just like all the royal arctic males.

Tia lowers her voice, her eyes laced with concern. “Are you going to be okay? Seeing Ivan is going to bring back some dark memories.”

“I’ll be fine,” I assure her. “I’m over the past. Right now, I can’t rest until he’s gone. If he gets away tonight, I don’t know what I’ll do. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop hunting him.”

Tia reaches over and places a hand over mine. “He won’t get away. I promise.”

I turn to the wall, and I can hear Sawyer on the other side, sleeping soundly. “Is it safe to keep him under the sleeping spell for this long?”

Tia’s expression saddens. “He’s fine. When I put someone under the sleeping spell, their bodies are preserved at that moment. He won’t dehydrate or starve, even if I keep him in it for weeks at a time.” I didn’t realize it worked like that. “I miss him,” she adds. “I’m ready for this to be over so I can wake him up.”

There’s been a question in the back of my mind I’ve meant to ask. All of Ivan’s victims had been killed or are considered missing. I would assume the missing ones are dead, and they just haven’t been found. If Ivan hunts them the way he did with Chris and Anthony, I can see why their bodies haven’t been found. It makes me wonder if any of the women realized what he was. The same goes for these four new victims.

“What if the women realize what Ivan and the other men are? If we save them, what’s going to stop them from talking? Some might think they’ve lost their minds, but the FBI will look deeper.” The last thing I want is the government being curious. I’d hate for someone I know and love to become a science experiment.

Tia blows out a sigh. “I can make them forget everything. They won’t be able to tell the police how they were abducted, but it’ll keep your kind safe.”

“Will they forget what Ivan and the others did to them?”

She nods. “Everything. It might be good to do it even if they didn’t see anything.”

If that option were offered to me years ago, I probably would’ve taken it. Then again, the bad memories are what helped me become who I am today. Not everyone is as strong-willed as I am, though. I don’t know the women or how they’re handling the situation. The last thing I want is for them to be haunted for the rest of their lives.

“Let’s do it. I don’t want them to remember.”

The door opens, and Colin walks in with Zayne right behind him. He looks exactly like his brothers, Micah and Sebastian, with the signature blond hair and crystal blue eyes of an arctic. The only difference is that Zayne has a beard which makes him appear more rugged. He’s also over two hundred years old, but you’d never guess it with his youthful appearance. His eyes, however, are where you can see his age. They’ve seen a lot in this world, and it shows.

Colin steps out of the way, and Zayne’s eyes lock with mine. “Thank you for coming,” I say.

He nods. “You’re welcome. I knew many of the Yukons, including Ivan Whitecross. He had a reputation for being brutal. So did a lot of the others.”

Colin places a hand on his shoulder. “Tonight, we finish them off, once and for all.”

I grab my bag off the bed and sling it over my shoulder. I don’t know what kind of shape the women will be in, but I want to make sure they have clothes and food. The only thing that gives me comfort is knowing Tia will take away their horror-filled memories.

“We ready?” I ask, looking at them all.

Tia nods, and Colin opens the door. Zayne walks out first, and Tia follows him to our rental. Colin blocks the door before I can leave. “I know you’re going in to save the women, but what if we get separated? We don’t know if the men will run or fight. I already told you that keeping you safe is my top priority.”

I place my hands on his cheeks and pull in his full attention. With everything going on, the stubble on his face has grown out more, and I like it. “No matter what, I’ll be okay. Tia will use her magic if anything happens.”

He wraps his arms around my waist. “If only we could complete the bond tonight. You’d be a royal and stronger.”

I kiss him and smile. “I’ll be fine either way. I can handle this.”

“I know,” he murmurs in my mind. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Nothing will.”

I’m ready for this.