Forever Bound Read online

  Corviticus University: Forever Bound

  J.E. Cluney

  © 2021 J.E. Cluney

  All Rights Reserved

  First I’d like to thank you for purchasing this book. I hope you enjoy the story. I’d love if you could drop me a review if you do, it’d mean the world to me and it’d help me reach more readers.

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  Contents

  Glossary

  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

  Epilogue

  Glossary

  About the Author and Other Books

  Glossary

  Arvo - afternoon

  Big W - store like walmart

  Bogan - is Australian and New Zealand slang for a person whose speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour are considered unrefined or unsophisticated.

  Bottle-o - Liquor store

  Chippy - Carpenter

  Esky - hard-cased cooler for drinks

  IGA - Grocery store

  Fortnight - two weeks

  Grog - Alcohol/booze

  Grog bog - alcohol induced defecation day after

  Grouched- get pretend cranky with

  Lounge - couch/sofa

  Nappy - diaper

  Op Shop - Second-hand store that donates money raised to causes

  Singlets - tank tops

  Skippy - Australian Kangaroo show (popular and known)

  Stubbies - bottles of beer

  Thongs - flip-flops

  Trackies - Tracksuit pants

  Verandah - Porch

  Woolies/Woolworths - Grocery store

  Ute - trayback truck

  1

  Joseph wanted me.

  He wanted to use the power of the bond between my mates and me.

  Marcus guided me out of the room and to some seats as Lucas spoke to his father on the phone.

  Charlotte was still with Claire, but I had a feeling we’d learned everything we could from her.

  Joseph wanted to take the power of the whole town. How did he intend to siphon magic from everyone?

  And then he wanted my mates and me.

  Me.

  Could he harness my touch of death and magnify it?

  I shuddered at the paralyzing thought.

  How would he do that?

  I drew in a shaky breath, finding little comfort in Marcus’ soothing strokes on my back.

  Joseph was a dangerous man, but with my powers, I imagined he could do a hell of a lot more than just revive the dead and overrun a town.

  Could he revive the dead now? Was he still capable of that?

  “That’s a terrifying thought,” Skip muttered as he sat down on my other side.

  I flicked my gaze to Lucas, who was on his phone to his dad now. He was informing him of this news, that we were what he was after. Me. My bond with my mates.

  Mr Brady was pissed and stressed, and the Council was taking their sweet arse time to come to a decision on how to help.

  How could it take this goddamn long? They were supposedly the protectors of all the supernaturals in this world, and they were taking this long to figure out how to act?

  I swallowed down my frustration and bubbling rage at their incompetence. Surely there were rules and steps they had to go through first. It was stupid, but sadly, that was the way it was.

  Mr Brady couldn’t just portal home either, as all his powers were nulled once he stepped foot inside the Council building. It was their way of protecting their own, by making all magic powerless once inside.

  Wonderful.

  At least he had high hopes they’d finalize their decision in a few hours and he’d be coming home with the cavalry. Specifically, their warlock. He’d relay everything to them now.

  He asked Lucas about the dagger, and I played with my pentagram pendant nervously as Lucas informed him of Ollie’s hidden power we’d discovered.

  Mr Brady was utterly shocked by this news and asked a number of questions, which Lucas did his best to answer.

  He wanted Lucas to assist him in shifting, using his own power to maintain the shift, as the dagger was top priority now and urgent.

  Lucas nodded as his eyes met mine, and his jaw set.

  That sort of magic would drain him, but he could do it.

  He had to.

  He hung up as I stared down at my hands, tracing the intricate blue skull on my left hand slowly.

  What were we to do now?

  Why was this always happening? Why were things always after us?

  “Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Skip said as he rested a reassuring hand on my knee.

  I stared at him, at those startling blue eyes, in hopes of seeing the real reassurance I needed.

  But instead, I saw uncertainty. All my mates felt it.

  My banshee paced inside me, awakened by all of this.

  This was truly bad. I could feel it, and my banshee side could sense it.

  This was not something we were going to be able to handle easily.

  A deep dread was starting to overwhelm me, making my hands shake and my breath catch. It held the promise of death.

  I closed my eyes, slipping into my void.

  I stared at my banshee side as she appeared before me, her eyes black and glassy as her hair floated around her.

  Her tattered black dress only added to her eerie look, but I wasn’t afraid of this side of me, of the way I looked as a banshee.

  Only of what she foretold.

  “Death is coming. You are the only one who can end it. The dagger needs to be used by you, amplifying your touch of death to destroy him,” my banshee side whispered, her spine-tingling voice echoing around my void.

  “Can I stop people from dying?” I asked softly, my voice hitching.

  She pursed her lips, a soft frown marring her face as she looked to the side, as if she was seeing something I could not.

  “No. People will die. But you hold the power to stop it from becoming a true tragedy. Lives will be lost in this battle to come. That is a given. But I will be with you. We can end it,” she said firmly, those deep, dark, unsettling eyes locking onto mine once more.

  I nodded as she faded away, and I slipped out of my void.

  “People are going to die,” I murmured as Lucas knelt down before me.

  “How many?” he asked, his voice barely audible as those forest green eyes searched mine.

  “A lot.”

  Lucas portaled us to Bob’s place, and we arrived to find the giant, golden dragon standing tall in front of the house. He was a magnificent sight to behold, and for a moment, I just stood in awe as Ollie gazed down at me with stunning amber eyes.

  His scales rippled as he shook himself and stretched his monstrous wings, the leathery flaps spreading out as his tail gently curled around to his side.

  I moved forward, eager to inspect him close up now that he was himself within.

  I reached out, touching his oddly warm scales. They were smooth beneath my fingers, and I trailed my hand over his side as I moved around him, wonderstruck momentarily.

  A row of small golden fins ran down his spine, and the lithe muscles in his legs quivered as I checked out his deadly talons on his back legs.

  They co
uld easily tear a man limb from limb if he so desired.

  I moved on, my mates all watching me as I followed the length of his tail around his side, and I found the end of it was almost blade-like, with a few spikes a little farther up his tail. Quite a deadly weapon, I imagined.

  I continued back around to his face as he lowered his head, watching me curiously as I reached tenderly to touch his snout. I ran my hand up to where his smooth, lighter golden horns protruded from his head.

  What would it be like to be a dragon? What powers did he possess?

  I blinked as reality crashed down on me, and my banshee reminded me of what was on the line.

  “We need to find the dagger,” I stated as Lucas strode over.

  “I can help you maintain this form by sharing my own magic with you. I know you should have more time to adjust to this body, but we’re out of time,” Lucas said with a sigh as he patted Ollie’s neck.

  Ollie nodded, having already peeked into my mind and learned everything.

  ‘My dragon side, I can feel it. It is drawn to something and wants to seek it. I wonder if it’s the hoard,’ Ollie informed us as he shook his head.

  “Only one way to find out,” Lucas stated.

  ‘Will you both come with me?’ Ollie asked carefully. ‘I imagine I can carry you both easily.’

  “You want us to ride you?” I balked, my eyes popping as I eyed his giant form nervously.

  ‘I won’t let you fall, I promise,’ Ollie said with a chuckle into my mind, his actual dragon form rumbling softly.

  “If Joseph is after you, you’re probably safer going with them,” Marcus chimed in as he stepped up behind me, his hand resting on my lower back. “Skip and I will return to Trish. I’m sure she wants to know what’s going on,” he said softly as he kissed my hair.

  “What if he comes for you guys?” I hissed as I turned in his arms, shooting Skip a distressed look.

  The thought of my mates getting hurt, or worse… It made my chest tighten and a sickness stir in my stomach.

  “We’ll be at Lucas’. It’s heavily warded, so no one with ill intentions can enter,” Skip assured me as he joined us. “Besides, Marcus is fast, and Trish is a wolf still,” he said, giving me a smirk and a teasing wink.

  I wasn’t able to appreciate his light-heartedness right now though.

  I knew just how bad this situation really was.

  This was bigger than we could have ever imagined. I knew that now. Joseph was a powerful man, and he’d already killed.

  He certainly had no intention of stopping. He wanted the power of the town, and us.

  “So only you can use the dagger. I guess your mom knew more than we thought,” Marcus said with a sigh as I nestled into his chest, grateful that his cool arms were wrapped around me firmly. My chest was tightening, and I was struggling to keep calm.

  My banshee had given me a clear warning, and the sensations were only growing.

  People were dying, right now. I could feel it.

  “Go, you’ve got this,” Marcus urged as he gave me a quick peck on the lips before releasing me.

  Skip spun me into his arms for a tight hug and brief kiss, one I barely got to lock into my mind before he was stepping away.

  Why did this feel like some sort of goodbye?

  ‘Because it’s dangerous. We don’t know what could happen,’ Ollie murmured softly.

  ‘Everyone has warlock magic protecting them though, remember? We’ll be fine,’ Lucas said as he held out his hand for me.

  I swallowed as I looked to Bob, who had been standing silently, seeming to have caught the gist of everything and how dire it all was.

  “Fly straight, Oliver. And be safe,” Bob said as I accepted Lucas’ hand.

  My stomach tightened as Lucas clicked his fingers, and we began to float up into the air, settling down on Ollie’s back.

  “Here,” Lucas murmured as he wrapped his arms around me. “I won’t let you fall,” he said as he kissed my neck sweetly. I could feel his magic holding us in place on Ollie’s back.

  I just stared down at Marcus and Skip from his back, shocked at how high up we were.

  He was certainly huge, but not quite as big as the dragons out of Game of Thrones. Thank God. And less…covered in horns and spikes. He was much smoother than what I’d expect of a dragon, and sleeker than I would have imagined.

  His wings spread wide, and I clung to Lucas’ arms around my waist as Ollie started forward, his large feet oddly quiet on the earth beneath us.

  ‘Hold on, I need a running start,’ Ollie informed us.

  Hold on to what exactly?!

  I gritted my teeth, and Lucas just nuzzled my neck as I leaned back into him.

  Ollie took off, bounding down the driveway as his wings began to beat.

  We bounced on his back with each bound, but at least we were magicked in place.

  I gasped as we took off, Ollie’s wings spreading wide and beating hard.

  The wind whooshed by us as we lurched into the sky, and gravity fought to pull me down backwards against Lucas as we climbed higher and higher.

  The air was beginning to thin now, and I closed my eyes, knowing we were flying higher than when Lucas had taken me for that night flight.

  My chest was tightening, and I was struggling now.

  I gritted my teeth as I sucked in mouthfuls of air, and Lucas magicked us both.

  I gasped in air, the weight on my chest lighting as the air seemed to change.

  ‘Sorry, guys, it’s not affecting me,’ Ollie said sheepishly.

  ‘It’s fine. Let your dragon side guide you,’ Lucas instructed him.

  ‘Why do we have to go so high?!’ I ground out, wishing I could bury my head into something. I would’ve felt more comfortable with Lucas in front of me so I could cling to him and hide.

  ‘Easy to fly faster above the clouds. Air is thinner, less resistance. Same as with airplanes,’ Lucas informed me.

  Damn him and his logic.

  I kept my eyes closed, even when we finally leveled out. We’d obviously gone above the clouds, but my heart was hammering, my fear of heights kicking in bad.

  If I were to fall now…

  The thought made my stomach flip, and I shuddered involuntarily.

  ‘We won’t let you fall. Either of us,’ Ollie said softly.

  I drew in a sharp breath as the cool air started to chill my arms. Lucas remedied that with some magic, and I relaxed as the warmth washed over me.

  ‘You should open your eyes, Cupcake. Don’t want to miss this sunset,’ Lucas murmured into my mind.

  I groaned as I forced one eye open, but the sight that greeted me took my breath away.

  I reached out, my hands slipping through the clouds over us, the cool wetness making my fingers tingle.

  Clouds were sprawled out below us, but the brilliant sunset off to our left was beyond words. Stunning pinks, reds, and purples doused the clouds in a magical array, and I huddled against Lucas as I etched the sight into my memory.

  This was utterly beautiful.

  All my fears faded away as Ollie glided along, his wings beating softly.

  I smiled as I enjoyed the peaceful, quiet moment above the clouds.

  With all that was going on, this was still a sight to see.

  ‘Have you ever flown this high before?’ I asked Lucas as he rested his chin on my shoulder.

  ‘No. Never really considered it. But it is gorgeous,’ he admitted.

  I smiled as I reached out to touch Ollie’s back, savoring his sweet warmth beneath my palm.

  I could feel his contentment at being in the sky, but his dragon side was also there in his mind, like a second personality guiding him.

  We enjoyed the view in silence as the sunset faded to stars and a full moon.

  Being this close, it felt like I could almost touch the speckled stars above us, and Ollie’s scales reflected the moonlight in a whimsical effect.

  This was true freedom.

  I sig
hed when reality lurched back to the surface as my banshee moved within me.

  We had a job to do.

  Ollie rumbled as he flicked his head to the side, an uneasiness washing over all of us.

  ‘We’re not alone up here,’ Lucas hissed as he tightened his arms around my waist.

  What else could be up here with us?

  I gazed out across the fluffy clouds, seeking anything hiding within them.

  Ollie roared as he lurched to the side, his whole body rippling with the sound.

  Lucas pulled one hand away from me as he shot off blasts of purple magic, and I finally saw what was in the clouds with us.

  Shadowy, wispy creatures shrieked as they zipped around us, drawing closer.

  “What are they?!” I cried out as a bolt of purple magic struck one and it exploded.

  ‘Dark magic. Created creatures. Joseph is far more powerful than he was before,’ Lucas said sharply as he shot off a few more bolts.

  From his mind, I realized that these creatures were not easily created. Lucas could manifest some magical wispy forms to command, but preferred not to as they weren’t needed.

  Joseph had created these to do his bidding.

  Ollie spewed flames as a myriad of the wispy black things shot out in front of him, screeching as they burned up.

  ‘What do we do?’ I asked as more and more continued to appear.

  He must’ve known we were headed for the dagger. Stopping us was his only goal now.

  I could use my scream, but I wasn’t sure if that would be effective on what appeared to be incorporeal creatures.

  ‘Doubtful,’ Ollie spat as he whipped his tail out, but it merely passed through one of the creatures as it shrieked at him.

  I was useless then.

  ‘You stay low,’ Lucas snapped as one of the creatures howled when it shot over our heads and slammed into Ollie’s wing.