Fated Love: A Vampire Paranormal Romance Novel (The Twisted Destiny Saga Book 4) by Franca Storm

brought her hands to her face in distress and turned away.
    Ryan sighed inwardly with relief. He sputtered out a bloodied cough and hissed as it splattered against the open wounds on his chest. Shit, I’m not fucking healing. How is this possible? I have Cora’s blood running through my veins.
    The last time he'd been tortured—by that son of a bitch, Luca—his wounds had healed within a few seconds, during the torture. But now…nothing. He’d never felt so weak. He couldn’t even summon enough strength to lift his head. His body dripped with sweat but he shivered in the cold, dank dungeon cell. Shit, that’s not good.
    His reprieve from Oriana’s torture was short-lived as she pulled herself together and spun back around, screaming, “You dare to use your father to manipulate me!”
    She fired something different at him this time—not the bolts of energy that she’d assaulted him with before. Those damned things had caused his body to convulse wildly. They’d felt like he was being electrocuted by thousands upon thousands of volts of electricity.
    Until now he hadn’t uttered a single cry of pain. He thanked his newfound abilities and stamina as Wolf King for that. But, as her magic hit him, enveloping his entire body in a shimmering, black glow, a ferocious roar ripped from his throat. Silver!
    “Ryan, I can stop this anytime. Tell me his name!”
    Ryan struggled to raise his heavy eyes to look at her. His vision was blurry at best.
    As she caught his eye, she pulled her power back. She smiled maliciously. “His name,” she commanded.
    “Go…to… hell ,” he managed to choke out.
    Infuriated, she raised her hands again.
    But then a blinding, silver light ripped through the dungeon wall, blowing it to pieces.
    Three blurred figures hurried into the cell. He couldn’t make them out. But he knew they were vampires. Except for one. That scent he would recognize anywhere at any time. Cora. Another blast of silver light filled his vision and he heard a thunderous explosion along with Oriana’s screams.
    “Do not look at him, Cora!” Nathanial’s voice thundered. “Concentrate.”
    Ryan felt strong arms around him then. Someone else moved to his side and broke the restraints. His body went limp, caught by the arms around him. The contact on his open wounds was a fresh new hell and he found himself whimpering.
    “I am sorry,” Nathanial said.
    Ryan felt himself being gently lowered to the floor, before he was released.
    And then he heard Cora yelling his name, her footsteps nearing him.
    “Where is Oriana?” Nathanial’s voice boomed through the room.
    “She teleported away,” her heard Cora reply, breathlessly.
    Nathanial snarled. “Cowardly move.”
    “He’s not healing?” he heard Cora exclaim, her voice wavering.
    “No.”
    Ryan heard her cursing and then he felt her gentle hands in his hair. Her lips brushed his forehead.
    “Cut me, Nathanial,” she demanded.
    “What?” Nathanial asked.
    “Cut my wrist. I’ll heal him.”
    “If you let him drink from you he will not be able to pull back,” a familiar voice warned her.
    Ryan recognized it instantly. Luca. Luca is here?
    “Nathanial can force him to pull back, Luca.”
    “Use your magic. He’s losing consciousness. He won’t be able to drink,” Nathanial told her.
    Ryan didn’t hear her response as everything slipped away.

 
     
    CHAPTER 17
    Nathanial stood in the corridor, his arms folded as he listened to Damon’s irate demands. The wolves had possession of the second orb now, following their successful infiltration of the dungeon. But Nathanial had something in his possession of much greater personal worth to Damon. He scoffed inwardly. Things like this were exactly why the wolf hadn’t succeeded in his efforts to overthrow him. The orb should be his priority without a doubt. The very survival of his species—of all dark creatures—hinged on the protection of the remaining four orbs. Yet, here he was, trying to trade