Unlikely Queen (Crystal Castle 1)

“I can trust you, yes. But the lives of my sisters are not something I ever want to put in jeopardy or into anyone else’s hands. My parents left me in charge, and protecting them is what I want to do until my dying breath.”

“I can do almost anything you think of, being supernatural,” I say, so she doesn’t have to defend me.

John stares at me as if he doesn’t believe me.

Then, one of the wolves whispers, “Demon.”

I always knew I would be cast as one. Just from my limited powers that I have tested, they match those of a demon. But all demons serve in hell and are tied to it, whereas I serve no one and live my own life.

“No, she is a witch. A witch with incredibly special gifts, that’s for sure. So, you have all four elements, plus other powers?” John asks.

I nod, not denying it.

Tatiana is gifted with earth, and she is extraordinarily strong using her gift. Tanya is gifted with air, but she doesn’t like to practice so her powers are limited.

“Is that why you are hot to touch right now?”

“Fire witch,” Patrick says. “Like those in the forest… half fire witch, half fairy.” I nod. There aren’t any fire witches left other than the three in the Viper Forest, and I was never going to announce myself. We caused too much chaos in the past when we got angry. Whole cities would catch on fire if we became enraged. It’s what happened before, but I wasn’t going to admit that.

Being an earth witch, like our mother was, would have been easier.

Having all four elements isn’t heard of, let alone spoken about. And on top of that, I have other abilities I cannot even comprehend. Yet, they are there.

“I’m not sure I can turn more than three vampire into ash at a time… it drains me doing one let alone two.” I turn the discussion back over to John, and he nods and looks around.

“We can handle the vampires. It’s the angels I’m more worried about. No one has ever taken one down. They are stronger, smarter, and can do things we cannot.”

We know this, but it won’t stop my sister and me from trying to enter to save Tanya. I just hope all the wolves are not killed in the process.

Chapter Twenty

John talks, people listen. I guess that’s what it means to be an alpha. He makes a plan and that’s when we attack.

We wait. When John gives the go-ahead, Tatiana doesn’t argue with him, even though I know she wants to. She is so used to being in charge that it’s weird for her to have someone else take the lead.

It’s not even that I need her to be in charge, but I like her to be. I’m old enough to fend for myself, live by myself, but our world has changed so much that it’s smarter to stick together.

I watch them, how John stays by her side, not moving an inch away from her. When she takes a heavy breath, I feel him stop while he watches her.

Their love is going to move mountains, change lives, and be something wonderful to witness.

While mine…

“Little fighter.” I freeze at his voice. When I look up, I see him standing in front of me, his hands to his sides. “Your thoughts are powerful,” he says, and I make no attempt to move as he stands above me, untouchable.

“Why did you come?” I ask.

Everyone around us is frozen because we are in his time right now. His lip lifts just a fraction before he pulls it between his teeth and it pops back out. Does he even realize what he is doing?

“If I kissed you now, would you stop me?” I ask him, suddenly overwhelmed by a new feeling of confidence, unafraid to finally ask for what I’ve been craving for so long.

“Probably not.” His answer surprises me.

“So why do you not kiss me?”

He turns and looks up to the heavens and holds his head there for a few seconds before his silver eyes find mine and he speaks, “Because I am not your future. I would be temporary.”

“How can you even know that?” I ask tentatively. “You know death, you do not know my future.”

“But I see who is with you when you die, little fighter.” His words are like ice running all over my body. “And it is not me.”

The final sting.

That hurt.

“So, there is one time you cannot save me.” I force a smile as I look at him.

He nods once.

I crawl toward him, on my hands and knees. He gets down to my level, and as he does, I crawl onto his lap. I can feel him beneath me, touching every part of me. He is hard, and I wonder if he knows what to do with it? Do angels have sex?