The New World (Complete)

Chapter 32 - Fighting the seduction

"What did Fire tell you?" Anna asked as they walked through the entrance, their hearts all in their throats.

"Be careful and mindful. My last trek down this road wasn't a pretty sight," Derrick said, bringing up the rear to their trio. Somehow Tessa took the lead and they all kind of figured she'd be faster at tossing out something to at least stop someone before they could attack.

"Lost vampires?" Anna asked.

"A lot. Almost destroyed my coven for it. It wasn't the proudest moment, but the blood found here is unlike any other and it's..."

"Addicting?" Tessa offered and he smiled.

"Yeah, as we all know," Derrick agreed. They walked down the passageway, the flames and the heat licking at their skin. Derrick ground his teeth as the smell hit his nose and he felt Anna touch his arm.

"We're all in this together. It's calling you as much as it's calling me. Grayson and I walked this road once; it was enough to say never again. It's past alluring, it's past seductive, and it's all smoke." Derrick looked at her. Of course, over his years, he had heard of many Alphas, some more than others. And the English female alpha was a name many had heard about it.

"It was rumored, for a time Anna that you had turned." Anna chuckled at that as the passage narrowed and she took up the rear.

"I'm not surprised, however, my strength is born from training and hours on end of fighting, not selling my soul to the devil of the dark side." Tessa stopped walking and looked around. The way one got into the realm was down a passageway that split into multiple chambers, all with various more rooms and areas, each offering the alluring scent to capture you.

"When's the last time you were here, Anna?" Tessa asked.

"About ten years ago, why?" They watched as Tessa closed her eyes for a moment and then watched as she shivered and both Derrick and Anna were right next to her.

"It's okay, none of us has to pretend this isn't bothering us," Derrick said, taking her hand. "Why are you asking about the time?"

"These are walkways I don't know. I was here about four years ago, give or take, and all of this is new." He looked around and he had to agree. Their time was limited to be down here, they couldn't stay long for fear of being caught but also for fear of being ensnared as well. And the last thing any of them could afford was to be lost. "Shit," she muttered.

"I'm going to say the main chamber is ahead," Anna started and looked at the other two. "Would you agree?"

"I would," Derrick said. They also knew they couldn't afford to split up. They needed each other's strength to fight the pull. One alone would fall to the temptations that were licking along their skin.

"Me too, Anna. So, we can assume that one of these side passageways would lead to the stones?" Tessa asked.

"No. The stones were off the main chamber, not down a passageway," Anna answered and all eyes looked at the chamber.

"Let's go, ladies, I got your back." He allowed them to go in first, their eyes glued to the front. In many rooms off the chamber were various forms of seduction; of vampires feeding, of witches being taught the dark arts, of wolves building their strength and the power was truly overwhelming to join them, to give in. Mission or not, this was a hard-fought war within each of them. Finally, Anna pushed open the door at the end of the chamber and all three of them took deep breaths as they walked through. The first part of the journey was done, however, they would have to go through that again, and that would be even worse.