THE LAST SECRET KEEPER Secret Keeper series books 1-4

CHAPTER 24

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I've been up since 1:30 am unable to sleep. Writing - great writing - is bleeding on paper, or in this case, a computer screen. I am putting my heart and soul into this book and I hope my readers are enjoying the journey and can really feel the characters. 

There are two things I really wanted to cover in this book, but I may have to stick with just one as we are already beginning chapter 24, therefore, I will expand in the following book on the other topic I intended to cover in this book. I've been working through some of my own struggles when writing this 2nd book in this series, entangling this burning in my heart and pouring it into my writing, so, for my heart's sake, it was important to me to write in blood first before the book takes the next step forward. 

Thank you, once again, for your support. Please don't forget to click on the star to vote for your favorite chapters, and leave comments if you wish. I will always respond. 

Happy reading.

Storm gripped Lanecea's "Mistress Extrodinare" list in his clenched fist as he stepped out into the dawn having already searched every inch of the house for Lanecea. She, of course, was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Lani?" Storm didn't bother to greet his soul as he stepped out onto the dew-kissed grass. 

King Storm approached with Thorson and Revna flanking him, the little girl running past him and into the house, but not before Storm saw tears glistening in her eyes.

"Get ready as well," King Storm instructed Thorson indicating that the two men needed to be alone without having to say more. 

A muscle clenched in his jaw as Thorson nodded, side-stepping his father as he followed his sibling into the house.

King Storm crossed his arms over his broad chest, looking at Lanecea's list in Storm's clenched fist to the worry mirrored in Storm's eyes. Storm was too late, of course, but King Storm decided to be patient, after all, it was a well-known fact by now that Storm wasn't at his full potential without his soul.

"Perhaps you haven't been paying attention, Storm. A Secret Keeper is extremely vulnerable and depends solely upon devotion. Their instinct is to flee - their very survival depends on it when the one they trust turns their backs on them. It is why the Ancient Ones created the underground tunnels in the first place, remember? They need a way of escape. Their worship is directly tied to devotion, and one cannot exist without the other."

Again Storm was slow in putting two-and-two together, testing the king's patience.

"You chose to reward your treacherous wife with your cock, removing your devotion for Lani when you got stuck in her. I made it abundantly clear that I wanted no part..." King Storm didn't finish his sentence as he indicated the papers in Storm's hand. "Is the queen not enough? Regardless, it is too late for you to come to your senses. What is done is done - your fates were decided last night. Follow me."

"Where. Is. She?"

King Storm paused long enough to look over his shoulder as he headed toward the barn.

"Queen Lanecea has left your property with her court and the children just before dawn. You won't likely see her again although she did ask me to tell you that you might want to keep your wife away from the barn as Herja is more than willing to breed with anything that moves the second you step out of the house. Lani said it would be a shame if your wife was impregnated by one of the vampires in your absence, so you may wish to keep her away from the prisoners. I agree with Lanecea - we certainly don't need vampire hybrids."

Storm didn't comment, carefully folding Lanecea's list before tucking it into his pocket, the papers resting against his heart. 

The king looked away, sympathy in his eyes.

"The queen decided your wife's fate last night, her mercy overruling. Herja will be used for her eugenics project. You can be thankful she is good with a syringe as no other use could be found for that woman. I would suggest you work on your wife's obedience as well. You may also want to put Lani's gift on IV so she can continue to receive her allotted amount of urine directly into the bloodstream without Lanecea having to step foot in your barn. The vampiress will serve more purpose once she gives birth to her creature.

As for you..."

King Storm turned towards his body before relaying Storm's fate.

"I have decreed that you will live out the rest of your days hunting down the vampires with Hans. I originally considered Dieter, but he is also the queen's advisor, and now that she has retreated into the Nine Realms, I believe it would be best for you to work more closely with Hans. He also has certain...expertise...that will prove useful as you work together to take down our enemies.

You will also be the vampires' official jailor, therefore you have continued access to the kingdom, the Nine Realms, and anywhere else the vampires are kept. Your brawn will serve a greater purpose..."

Storm's fate could have been worse. Besides, he did enjoy taking down vampires and making the ones they captured suffer but he couldn't bring himself to thank his soul for relaying the judgment that had been passed while he had been stuck within common pussy. A fateful mistake on his part, it was now glaringly obvious. If he could just rewind the last twenty-four hours since they had returned from the "field trip," but they say hindsight is 20/20 for a reason.

"Your children are very fond of Lanecea. They are struggling already with this separation from the queen. I would request they join her after school on the days Herja is working and sleep over on weekends. They are more than welcome in our kingdom. As for Thorson, I am impressed with that young man and trust him to look after my family and kingdom when I am away. I would like him to stay when I must leave Lanecea. Of course, the queen will still have guards and her advisors, but I believe it will be good for both of them. I will personally take Prince Thorson under my wing and train him until he comes of age and marries Lani."

Storm nodded. 

"I agree. They are both very attached to Lanecea and I am confident Thorson can run the kingdom when you need to be absent. He is very responsible. Please, I need to see Lanecea - I am missing her already. Will you at least tell her how much I miss her?" 

King Storm was silent for far too long as though attempting to read Storm's soul but that was impossible as he no longer had one.

"You may see her whenever you wish. Just be sure to scrub your cock thoroughly before you enter her presence. It is the least you can do. Now, about these vampires..."

King Storm led the way to where their latest catch hung by their necks, their balls still fully intact. The ancient vampires they had brought back were far more valuable than their modern counterparts, the creatures groaning and hissing as their eyes reflected their eternal rage at the men who had sided with the wolf charmers in the raid. 

The vampires licked their parched lips, their tongues craving flesh and there was plenty on display as their dark, soulless eyes devoured the nearly-naked king and his body, both driving the creatures insane, their unmatched hatred as intense as their hunger.