Ruin (A Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Wolf-shifter Romance) (Shadow Sentinels Book 3) Read online

  Copyright © 2020 by Karen Tomlinson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  The author acknowledges the trademark status and owners of trademarks mentioned in this work of fiction which are mentioned without permission, and are not associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents and other elements are the product of the author’s imagination.

  Edited by: J Soderberg

  Cover Art: Covers By Christian

  Copy Edits: Stephanie Soderberg

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  Foreword

  This series is adult paranormal romance. It contains graphic language, explicit sexual scenes and a hot alpha male shifter. (well, several when the series gets going!)

  The heroine is not sweet and innocent and is kick-ass enough to bring this alpha to his knees.

  If this sounds like your cup of tea hold onto your knickers and dive in!

  This book is written by a UK author and has been extensively edited. As such, it contains some colloquial sayings and grammar, (Realise vs realize) English slang, dialect and other quirky sayings that have been intentionally included to make your reading experience unique.

  If you still manage to find any of those pesky typos please email the author NOT AMAZON so that corrections can be made without upsetting sales.

  This is a four book series, so get comfy and get ready for the ride!

  Many thanks dearest reader, for supporting me by reading! If you have time, please leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads and Bookbub. It really helps with visibility.

  Now go and enjoy Ember and Connor! XX

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  RUIN

  She is a legend...and she will set worlds ablaze to get her mate back.

  Four years ago, I made a vow: I would protect what was mine. And Connor is mine. Now, he is imprisoned and being tortured. All because Hell wants me. I am the key to Satan’s freedom. And once he is free, he will devour our world.

  Trapped in the realm of Faerie, I must find a way to escape the High King and return to Earth.

  They tell me my mate is dead.

  They tell me I’m the key to unlock Hell.

  They tell me I cannot leave Faerie. They tell me a lot of things. So I smile, knowing they have forgotten; I am the stuff of legends. And they cannot contain me.

  I will escape, and I will find my mate. And I will bring utter Ruin to every realm I cross until Connor is back with me—or I bring Hell to its knees.

  For my lovely readers.

  Thank you so much for buying my books, leaving those all important reviews, and to the incredibly generous people who support my Patreon:

  You are amazing!

  XX

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Karen Tomlinson

  Chapter 1

  Ember

  Music caressed my senses, drifting up the wide, curved staircase from the far end of the plush ballroom where the string quartet played. Goosebumps erupted over my exposed shoulders and arms as tears pricked my eyes. The notes were strung together in a hauntingly beautiful melody, calling to me, making me want to glide down the glittering marble steps and into the arms of the violinist. I grunted and shook off the grip of the music. I’d been in Faerie long enough to know the music was as beautiful as it was dangerous and alluring. It could lull and hypnotise a person who had human blood in their veins. And thanks to my father being a shifter, I had plenty of human DNA zipping around my body. Shifters are essentially human hosts with a symbiont spirit. In other words, shifters without their animal spirits are utterly human.

  Blinking rapidly, I cleared the burn of tears from my eyes as the music released its grip on my emotions. My mind was stronger now. It had been a case of sink or swim in this strange world without my mate. I lifted my chin and inhaled deeply. I’d promised myself and Connor that I would be strong. Walker had developed a challenging new training regimen for me. But with the help of my new friends...or team...or whatever the hell they were, I’d become physically and mentally stronger. Carrying two wolf spirits was a huge battle for my body and my mind every damn day, but I’d learned to cope. It was better than the alternative, and being without either was unthinkable. The ebony wolf that challenged me every day was Connor’s, the most powerful Prime alpha I’d ever heard of, and, coincidentally, my lost mate’s animal spirit. The growl inside my head told me Connor’s wolf knew I was thinking about the man we both had lost. My own wolf stirred, sending a soothing wave of comfort through me, reaching out to him. She was my saviour, the only reason I had been able to get a handle at all on his power and aggression.

  His growl settled to a grumble, the need to let him burst through my skin and shift, to give him freedom, receded. I exhaled and fisted my shaking hands. Controlling him would be impossible without her. They had connected in a way that I had never thought possible, even though I’d hoped for it.

  My first wolf spirit had always seen Connor’s wolf as her mate. But she had been killed when I was barely eighteen and had returned to the Mother Wolf to be reborn. So much had happened since her loss. I had lost Connor; I’d even thought him dead until I had been arrested and sent to a prison where, unbeknownst to me, he’d become the powerful alpha Prime—the King of Shifters in that fucked up and violent place. Even when Connor and I had found each other again after so many years, we hadn’t been able to tell if the new wolf spirit I housed could be a potential mate for his Prime. My fingers ran gently over the scarred skin around my neck; a cruel reminder of the silver collars that had been locked around our necks in the prison. It had held back our wolves, preventing a shift, and by imprisoning their spirits, kept them from knowing if they were mates.

  Rolling my shoulders, I uncurled my fists. I’d only been in that shithole of a prison for a matter of weeks, Connor and his pack had been there for over four years. Running my fingers through the frost that covered the carved bannister in front of me, I hoped the shifters, who had become as much my family as they were Connor’s, had managed to escape. According to Walker, the prison was located in the wilds of Canada. All the prisoners there had been shifters, mainly wolf shifters, but surviving in the wilderness, hunted by the demon guards that worked for the prison warden, or rather the demon, Berith, would be near impossible.

  This time it was Connor’s wolf,
Prime, who sent a wave of reassurance through me. I could feel his belief in his pack, that they were alive; that Owen would lead them as he had promised Connor he would, and that Stone would stand by his side.

  My throat ached and I tried to swallow away the lump of emotion. I missed them all, but I missed Connor so much it hurt. Connor had been connected to his brothers; he’d been able to feel them. Maybe his wolf could still feel that connection.

  Below me in the elegant ballroom of Walker's palace, a sea of well dressed fae mingled. I tried not to scowl. I’d been brought here to Faerie to train and to prove myself trustworthy. I wasn’t sure what Walker, a.k.a. The High King of Faerie, would do with me if he thought I wasn’t. After all, I couldn’t be killed, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t spend an eternity in a cage somewhere. I scanned the crowd below looking for anything suspicious. Not only was Walker here tonight, but his heir, B’nar, the tall, stoic fae who was my babysitter, or gaoler, depending on how you looked at my situation, was by his side.

  Part of my training was to work an undercover security detail with my new ‘colleagues’. It had been weeks since I was brought here, and holding back the other spirit that inhabited my body had taken every ounce of my self-control. I’d already proved to Walker that I could control my phoenix; that I could summon her and send her away at will, yet he still wouldn’t commit to finding Connor.

  Prime rumbled inside me, his discontent affecting me just as it always did, by feeding my own worry and anger for my mate. Taking a slow, deep breath, I let go of the heat that burned through my veins. The beautiful ice crystals that coated the bannister in front of me melted away. I swallowed and concentrated on my breathing. Losing my shit now would not help my cause.

  Taking another long slow breath, I calmed my phoenix. Reluctantly she settled, curling into that place in my soul where she slumbered. Prime huffed when my own wolf, who I’d named Mea, moved to stand guard over my phoenix. He seemed to find it amusing that I needed her to keep the fire in my soul calm, though I could sense his respect for both of those spirits.

  My chest ached as I pictured Connor’s beautiful face, his burning blue eyes staring down at me. When we had broken the shifters free of the warden’s prison, Berith had captured me intending to steal my phoenix. Connor had tried to save my human soul by killing me first. What he hadn’t realised was that by killing me, he would lose his wolf. I hid my bitterness from the spirits inside me. My phoenix always demanded a life for a life when my physical self was killed. Without exception, she took the life of my killer—or their shifter spirit—before gifting me back my body. My phoenix had taken Connor’s wolf in payment. My stomach clenched as a wave of guilt hit me. I had taken Prime, leaving Connor human—and broken. Before I could save Connor from Berith’s wrath, Walker had grabbed me and pulled me into a portal, bringing me here—to Faerie.

  I lingered at the top of the curving white marble staircase, just watching the crowd of flamboyantly dressed guests below. I was reluctant to join their frivolous party despite my purpose. My heart ached so much, I wasn’t sure I could be Walker’s spy among his own kind tonight. Connor’s wolf grumbled in agreement. He was a part of me now, but he missed his true human vessel as much as I did.

  King L’nar, or Walker as I knew him, had organised this ball to officially acknowledge his eldest son as his heir. All the royal fae castes from each of the Faerie kingdoms were here, along with selected families of the high fae. All were dressed in their finery, ready to suck up to the Winter King and the prince heir himself. I pressed my lips into a thin line, my brow furrowed at the sight of all the pomp and circumstance. It was a dark expression I’d adopted almost permanently these past eight weeks. Part of me knew Connor was likely dead. I’d only gotten a brief look at him before Walker had dragged me into the portal. He’d been bloodied and battered, and looked so broken. I swallowed hard. Gods, so broken. I resisted the urge to rub my face with my hands, my heart beating hard and fast against my chest wall. This was all such a mess! I just wanted, no I needed, to know if he was alive, or if his soul had been taken to Hell instead of mine.

  This whole ‘training until Prince B’nar thought I was ready’ was now irrelevant. I’d made sure I was in control of Fire, and become a good enough fighter to take on even the strongest of opponents. I’d learned how to use fae weaponry and fight like them. I had no way back to Connor without the compliance of my phoenix, or Fire as I’d named her when I was a little girl, so I’d beseeched her to help me, to work with me. Together, we’d worked day in and day out to gain control. Walker had shown me the ways he used to summon his magic and together with B’nar and Blue, my human best friend, we’d figured out which ways worked best for me and Fire. Now, I could call her at will. I hadn’t fully shifted into the fiery version of big bird yet, at least that’s what I presumed would happen. To be honest, the thought of giving myself over wholly to a creature of fire and destruction, frightened me. I squeezed my eyes shut, remembering the fire that had consumed my parents. No matter Walker’s intention in bringing me here, there was no way I would risk setting fire to this beautiful place. Gods, this was the winter kingdom and this palace was made mainly from ice and wood with a bit of metal and stone thrown in. I didn’t think it would fare well against my phoenix.

  Prime huffed, his thoughts making me smile. Yeah, always good to know I could cause some damage if I needed to, I agreed.

  Now that I had better control of Fire, I needed to find a way back to Earth to begin the search for Connor. I swallowed hard, my fists curling so tightly my newly polished nails scored my palms. The problem was that Walker held the key to forming a portal—a ring that he never took off. I’d asked around, but it seemed that it was one of a kind. There were obviously other ways to summon a portal. Som, the drug dealer that I’d worked with for years, could open them. Granted, he hadn’t been able to open and close them instantly, he’d had to keep them open, and closed them only when Blue and I had returned home. I knew he was from Orth, the dark faerie realm, where the shadow fae and the monsters of Faerie lived. Maybe if tonight’s plan went to shit, I could get there and find out from the shadow fae how to summon a portal. Shadow fae were dangerous, unpredictable creatures, prone to betrayal. They didn’t make bargains because they, too, couldn’t lie, but they did twist words and circumstances to serve themselves. No matter, I’d risk anything right now to get back to Connor.

  My stomach clenched as I tried, unsuccessfully, to dampen my fear for him. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, determined to control my anxiety and keep a clear head; my current plan relied on it.

  Walker lifted his attention to my face. The High King of Faerie, narrowed his blue green eyes. He stoically studied me, then in a minute movement only I would see, cocked his head expectantly. That tiny gesture spoke volumes. He wanted me down there, just where I promised I would be. I was to mingle and listen for any rumblings of dissension or treasonous acts. I stared right back at the icy cold fucker. Little did he know that the biggest treasonous act tonight was going to come from me and my small band of friends.

  Frigid air fanned my cheeks, rising from the open doors to the palace’s frost covered grounds. The air in the world of Faerie was the purest I’d ever breathed, but here in Walker’s kingdom it was amazing, as if it cleansed your soul. I huffed and looked away from him.

  Yeah, the streets of London don’t really compare.

  An abundance of brightly coloured outfits and beautiful fae faces merged in the ballroom below. The last thing I wanted to do was mingle with these arrogant, entitled faeries. Opening my fingers, I deliberately stretched them, trying to get some of my tension to evaporate, then wiped my palms down the skirt of my stunning black gown. No matter my reluctance to join the guests below, I had no choice. Part of my training was to be able to socialise in high society and this was at least the fourth royal gala I’d attended. I conceded I could control my facial features better now and curb my tongue where I needed to. It didn’t mean I wasn’t envisa
ging how to break someone’s neck if they pissed me off, though. And that happened frequently, seeing as I looked human and human flesh was sought after by the high fae...

  Warm fingers curled around my own, giving them a squeeze. “You still with me?”

  I turned to Blue and nodded, giving her a weak smile. “Yeah, sorry.”

  “Hey, we’ll get him back.”

  My friend had never met Connor, but she knew how much he meant to me. She was already willing to dive into danger for him based just on that. And I loved her for it.

  “Come on, we’ve been noticed.” Blue tugged on my hand urging me to follow her as she turned to the stairs. My friend looked amazing. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes glittering and her smile bright enough to give the crystal chandeliers a run for their money, even if much of that outward sparkle was an act.

  I smiled and dipped my chin towards Prince B’nar. It hadn’t escaped my notice that the prince’s pale green gaze hadn’t left Blue since we’d walked through the gold gilt doors and stopped at the top of the staircase to survey the room below. “Well, you’ve been noticed. In fact, I don’t think B’nar has eyes for anyone or anything other than you.”

  Blue swung back to me, the floating sea green material of her dress shimmering with hundreds of tiny crystals. She swallowed hard and inhaled deeply. The skin between her brows creased and her eyes lost some of their shine. “B’nar is a twatwaffle of the highest degree. He can look all he wants but I will never give him my name so I can become his human plaything.”