KyriakisTriumph Read online

  Steel shook his head. “I didn’t feel the presence of the dark arts in this home. When I touched him, there were no traces of it. But there was something else and I’m not sure what it is.”

  “Of course, I’m not practicing black magic, you assholes. I’m just a man trying to live peacefully with his wife. I only accepted your protection because our enemies had somehow found us. But, I see we’ve worn out our welcome. Free me from this cursed spell and Camille and I will leave tonight.”

  “She not going anywhere with you.” Paris reared his foot back to kick Fortier again but Camille placed her small hand on his shoulder.

  “No. Don’t hurt him. Even if he has been lying to me, I don’t want to see him hurt. Let me handle this, okay?”

  Rage flowed through his body and Paris was very close to ripping the man’s head off but Camille’s—shit Anisa’s words had a soothing effect. Even though he tried to respect her request, he couldn’t think of her as anyone else besides Anisa. That’s who she was and always would be to him.

  He took a deep breath. “Fine.” Paris stepped away from the warlock and put as much distance as possible between them so that he wouldn’t end up killing him. “Go ahead and do things your way but if he tries anything, I swear to God, he’s dead.”

  She nodded before moving toward Fortier. She then knelt beside him. “Gaspard, you’re going to need to tell the truth. Something isn’t adding up here. When I was telling Paris what you’d told me, I realized there were too many holes in the tale you’ve been feeding me all this time. I don’t understand why I never realized it before, but I need you to be honest with me now. Who was my pack and are they really after me?”

  “I’m very disappointed in you, Camille, that you’d take the word of these strangers over mine. I’ve always taken care of you.”

  “That isn’t what I asked. Have you been lying to me, Gaspard?” she persisted.

  “Just take my hand and you’ll see clearly. You’ll know that I’m the man who would never harm you.”

  Paris rolled his eyes. What did he think that would accomplish? But sure enough, Anisa reached out to him and to his surprise, Steel shouted. “No! Don’t touch him.” The Russian warlock raced to Anisa’s side and pulled her away from Gaspard’s prone figure.

  Anisa pulled away from Steel’s grasp. “What was that all about?”

  “I figured it out. It’s touch. That’s how he’s controlling you. I’m not as well-versed in memory spells as I am in other areas. I’ve been trying to figure out how he’s managed to control your memories for the past 26 years. And, it’s through touch. He’d have to be very old and powerful to perform something like that. Or at the very least, he would have had to consume the essence of a very powerful creature…a seraphim perhaps.”

  The room went silent.

  As far as Paris knew, there was only one way to consume another immortal’s powers and that was through death. Clearly, Anisa was alive so where had Fortier found another seraphim. As far as he knew, Anisa and Sarah were the last of their kind and they only had half and quarter blood.

  “You were a Hunter, weren’t you?” Steel further accused.

  “A Hunter?” Anisa asked. “What’s that?”

  “I find it interesting that your so-called protector has never told you about Hunters, who only happen to be the mortal enemies to immortals but to shifters, in particular.”

  “What is he talking about, Gaspard?”

  The French warlock didn’t answer right away and the longer he didn’t speak, the more obvious it became that he was trying to think up another lie.

  “Paris says, I have a daughter. Did you know about that? Did you keep me from her all these years?” Tears streamed down Anisa’s face and Paris walked over to her unable to bear watching her in pain. He pulled her against him.

  “They’ve already turned you against me. There’s nothing I can say to you at this point that would get you to believe me.”

  “I would have believed you if you would have told me the truth a long time ago but now, it’s clear to me that you’ve been lying to me all along. We’re not married, are we? Was there even a pack after me? And if I’m not from the pack you said I was, could it be possible that I have a family who’s looking for me? Maybe they’re worried and you’ve kept me from them.” Anisa bombarded Gaspard with questions but he remained silent.”

  “Camille….” Gaspard said with a pleading tone.

  “That’s not my name, is it? Have you ever told me anything that was true?”

  “It’s true that I love you and I will always keep you safe. I’m your protector. Paris Kyriakis will only hurt you. Just like he did before.”

  “You’re lying again,” Anisa accused. She turned to Paris. “He’s lying, isn’t he?”

  Paris stiffened. He was hoping that his reunion with Anisa would give him a fresh start but he needed to be completely honest with her or else he would be no better than Gaspard. “I did hurt you, Anisa. It’s why you ran away from me in the first place.”

  She frowned. “How did you hurt me? And why?”

  He took a deep breath before going into his explanation. “I was a young, arrogant, Alpha-in-Waiting and I told myself that I wasn’t ready to settle down with a mate. But, my grandfather wanted our packs to align so he and your mother agreed that the two of us would be betrothed.”

  “You see, I wasn’t lying to you about that,” Gaspard shouted. “They were going to force you to participate in an unwanted union.”

  “Shut your damn mouth!” Paris yelled back.

  “You keep it up Fortier and my next spell will be one that takes your tongue,” Steel warned.

  “Or, I could do it the old fashioned way and just rip it out,” Constantine said.

  Fortier pursed his lips in obvious frustration but wisely remained silent.

  Paris then turned back to a bewildered Anisa. “It’s true, we were to be mated but I wanted nothing to do with the union because I thought I had something to prove. I suppose I was still full of anger from my own father’s death at the hands of a rogue. Anyway, you came to my pack’s island, as was customary in these types of situations, to get to know me and your new pack before our joining ceremony. I’m ashamed to admit this, but I wasn’t very kind to you. I was in such deep denial that we were bond mates that I did something unforgivable, something you didn’t deserve. I treated you in a way that I deeply regret so you ran away from me. I searched for you to make things right but I couldn’t find you. For a long time, I believed you’d died. Only within the last couple of years was I made aware that my assumption of your demise was incorrect. And since then, I’ve dedicated those days to finding you. So, you can imagine my distress when I find you with a warlock claiming to be your husband, claiming you to be someone else. Now that I’ve found you, I will fight to win your trust and your love.”

  Chapter Seven

  Camille was taken aback by Paris’s forceful declaration. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it. On one hand, he was asking her to forget the past 26 years of her life and believe his version of things. On the other, she couldn’t help but look at Gaspard and see real pain in his eyes. It was hard for her to discern what the truth was but something within her was drawn to Paris, something she couldn’t explain.

  “Camille, can’t you see what they’re doing to you? They’re playing with your mind. Don’t you know who that is? It’s Steel Romanov.” Gaspard’s eyes darted toward the Russian warlock who had only spoken a few words since she’d come downstairs. Gaspard was still under the immobility spell but she could see the fear in his gaze.

  Camille shot a worried glance in Steel’s direction and then back at Gaspard. “Is that supposed to mean something to me?”

  “The Romanov family happens to be one of the most powerful warlock families. Their abilities are unmatched by most. It’s no wonder Kyriakis has brought him along. He’s doing something to alter your mind.”

  Camille’s heart began to pound in her chest. “You’r
e…you’re lying,” she whispered.

  “Camille! I’d never lie to you.”

  “But you seem to know a lot about him. I remember when Paris first came to the house. His companions waited outside at first but then you allowed them to come in. There was a vampire, I think his name was Dante. And Steel. You said you didn’t know who Paris or any of his companions were.”

  “Well, obviously, we talked when you were upstairs letting Kyriakis violate you,” Gaspard shot back.

  “That’s odd considering there were no pleasantries exchanged between the two of us. But, it is odd how you know so much about me,” Steel countered.

  “Well, after you mentioned who you were, that’s when I made the connection. Your family is obviously well known in the immortal communities.”

  “Why didn’t you make the connection when he introduced himself at the chalet?” Camille couldn’t believe how easily the lies rolled off his tongue. And then with that realization, she had to accept a painful fact. “I’m not Camille, am I? My name is Anisa, isn’t it?”

  Paris grasped her hand and her first instinct was to pull her hand out of his but she allowed him to hold on. And she was glad she did because it gave her an unexpected measure of comfort.

  “You’ve let them turn you against me.” Gaspard sounded like he was a man suffering through an emotional turmoil but she couldn’t trust that anymore.

  Turning her back to Gaspard, she looked at Paris. “What do I do now?”

  “Come to the island. You’ll be safe there.”

  “Safe from whom?” she asked.

  “From Gaspard for one. And, the Hunter who’s been trying to capture you for all these years. He hasn’t told you about the real threat because I suspect not only does he know who’s after you, he’s also in league with him. But clearly, you’re not going to get the truth out of him. Come to Circe with us, Anisa. Sarah is there and eager to meet you.”

  “My daughter?” she asked for confirmation.

  Paris nodded. “Yes.”

  “I don’t feel as if you’re lying to me but you have to understand why I’m having a difficult time trusting anything anyone says to me. You showed me a picture of her but how do I know she’s actually real? How do I know Steel hasn’t implanted these false memories in my mind?”

  One of the younger shifters stepped toward her. He looked eerily similar to Paris so she assumed there was some kind of familial bond between the two of them. “We haven’t been formally introduced but I’m Constantine Kyriakis, Alpha-in-Waiting and also, Sarah’s mate.”

  So, this was the son Paris had mentioned. “You’re my daughter’s mate? How did that happen?”

  “It’s a long story but we can tell you on the way to Circe. I will say that I can very much verify that Sarah is real. Ever since she learned that you were still alive she’s talked of nothing else. And this may not be the most opportune time to make this announcement but, we’re expecting our first pup and she wants you with her.”

  “Sarah is with child?” Paris seemed as surprised as Anisa.

  “We only realized it ourselves yesterday. I heard a very small heartbeat. We were going to wait until things settled down but I’m sure she’d want her mother to know the news.”

  Paris grinned before walking over to his son and pulling him into his arms. “Congratulations, son.”

  “That’s great news, cousin.” The other shifter said.

  The Russian warlock smiled and silently clapped his congratulations.

  Anisa felt a mixture of emotions. She was happy that the young shifter seemed very proud of his impending fatherhood. But she also felt sad that she couldn’t muster up the proper emotion a mother should feel for her child in a situation like this.

  She felt tears prick her eyes as she looked at Gaspard, now silently observing them, his eyes narrowed into a glare. “You’ve robbed me of this.”

  “I kept you safe and I won’t apologize for that,” Gaspard answered defiantly.

  She shook her head in disbelief. He didn’t seem to have the least bit of remorse. “I don’t really know you at all, do I?”

  “You know me but they’ve played tricks with your mind. I see I’ve already lost you. How could you let them do this to you? Don’t be stupid.”

  “You call her stupid one more time, I’m going to knock your teeth down your throat, warlock,” Paris threatened with a growl.

  Anisa shook her head. “I don’t want you to hurt him. He’s always been good to me.”

  Paris placed his hand on her shoulder. “Anisa, he’s been manipulating you all these years. That’s not exactly what I’d call nice.”

  “But still, I can’t forget all that time together. I still don’t remember all the things you’ve told me, Paris, but I have a feeling in my heart that you’re not lying. I don’t know why but I just do. Maybe because I need to meet this woman you claim is my daughter. Only then will I know for certain.”

  “Then come with me to the island.”

  The shifter named Aries approached her. “Please come with us. I know this may not be the best time to mention this but you’re needed. My mate has an illness and only you can help her.”

  She frowned, more confused than ever. “Why do you think I can help? I haven’t been able to shift since my attack.”

  “Thanks to that so-called husband of yours.”

  “Come with us, Anisa. You’ll have all your answers and you can finally meet Sarah.”

  The thought of meeting the mysterious woman who haunted her dreams was more of an enticement than she could resist. She had to meet her, otherwise, she’d always wonder.

  “I’ll do it but how do I know you all aren’t just trying to use me?”

  Paris sighed. “You don’t know. But I give you my word as Alpha of Pack Kyriakis that I will never hurt you. And should you ever want to leave, I’ll let you go, but only when the threat of Gage no longer exists.”

  There was still so much she didn’t know, about her previous life, about Sarah, and about Gage. But she was willing to take the risk even though this might be the biggest mistake of her life.

  As she took her first step on the island, the shock of familiarity flowed through her and there was no doubt in her mind that she’d been here before. She looked up to Paris who remained by her side the entire boat ride here. His nearness was a reminder of their moment in her bedroom only hours before. She still couldn’t believe she’d allow him to take so many liberties with her body. The scary part was, she wanted more. Was Paris Kyriakis really everything he said he was to her?

  And even if he was, why should she trust him now considering he admitted that he hadn’t treated her kindly when they were supposed to be together the first time. What had changed since then?

  “Come Anisa, it’s only a short walk to Constantine’s house. Sarah should be there now.”

  It was still going to take some time getting used to being called by a name she wasn’t familiar with, but now that she was slowly starting to accept Paris’s version of events, she was slowly starting to get used to it. Their entourage of four, which included Paris, Constantine, and Aries, walked the short distance to Constantine’s house. Steel Romanov had stayed behind in Athens to make sure Gaspard vacated the premises.

  Despite the lies he’d told her, Anisa couldn’t help but think about the broken look in Gaspard’s eyes as she walked away from him. Even if he hadn’t been honest with her, maybe he hadn’t lied when he told her he loved her. It didn’t matter, he was gone.

  When they came up to a large white house, Paris halted. “Here we are.”

  “I think I should go in first and let Sarah know that you’re out here. She’s been very emotional lately, probably because of the pregnancy. I told her there was a possibility that you’d come back with us but I couldn’t make any promises,” Constantine explained.

  He entered the house leaving her with Paris and Aries.

  She looked up at the Alpha with uncertainty. “Do you think she’ll like me?”
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  Paris frowned. “Why do you think she wouldn’t? Not only will she like you but she’ll love you.”

  “But she hasn’t seen me since she was five. Maybe she hates me because she believes I abandoned her. I don’t know how I’d feel if my mother disappeared from my life for 26 years.”

  “It’s not your fault Anisa. I’m sure she’ll understand that.”

  “Perhaps, she would if I could fill her in on why I disappeared. I mean, I only know what Gaspard told me. I’m not sure what happened before then.”

  “Maybe Sarah can fill you in on some of the missing pieces.”

  Aries gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m sure Sarah will be very happy to see you.”

  “I hope so. I still have so many doubts but I know seeing her will clear up some of this confusion. I don’t know why, I just do.”

  Before Paris or his nephew could respond, Constantine opened his front door and waved them in. “Come, she’s waiting for you.”

  Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, Anisa walked into the house. Immediately, a scent that seemed familiar hit her instantly. Without waiting for Constantine to guide her, she followed her nose which led her to a large living room. Standing in the middle was a tall woman with her skin tone. It was the woman in the picture Paris had shown her, the one from her dreams. And, what’s more, that scent belonged to her.

  Anisa froze. She knew this woman. “Sarah?” Anisa asked with uncertainty.

  “Mother?” Sarah’s eyes glistened with tears. “I…I never thought I’d see you again. But, you’re here. This all feels like a dream come true.” She rushed over to Anisa and wrapped her arms around her.

  Anisa stiffened at first before returning the hug. A wave of familiarity hit her again. This was her baby all grown up. She could feel it. Flashbacks of a little girl in a forest flitted through her mind. She remembered walking hand in hand with a girl, she was certain was Sarah in child form. And then, she remembered screaming for her to run as she was attacked by shifters who seemed to be under some kind of mind control.