Forsaken (book 3) (The Charmer series) (3 page)

After doing two rounds of shots I decide to get up on the table, as the girls jump on the rounded sofa chair dancing along with me, all laughing and enjoying ourselves. Bending down to get my drink, my head springs up when I hear Ruk in my head talking to me telepathically.

"A stripper, really?"
He laughs.

"
Where are you?"
I ask excitedly.

"
Behind you."

Spinning around so quickly that I stumble off the table, before I fall I’m in the safe strong arms of Ruk. Breathless as I look up at him through my lashes a gleeful smile covers my face as I lock eyes with him.

"What are you doing here?" I ask stunned.

"I wanted to see you, and we got kicked out of the club we were at," he tells me with the most infectious smile. He is so irresistible.

"Oh, Mickey or Den?"

"Both," he rolls his eyes.

Placing me on my feet and standing to my side, but keeping an arm around me, we face the girls who are now surrounded by the Brothers’, Den, Mickey, Angus, Parrise, Theo, Sallack and Dom.

"So you're joining the party?" I ask with a grin.

"Hell yeah, this is some party, are we the only men?" Mickey asks with excitement in his eyes whilst he takes in all the scantily dressed women.

"You are now, the stripper just left," I tell him with a snort as his head whips around to scan for the stripper.

"You should have told me Zara, I would have been happy to help out," he tells me with a cheeky smile.

"Mickey, I think you’re needed," Ruk points to a group of women that are eyeing Mickey with open mouths.

"I'll see you in a bit!" He yells before walking their way.

Mickey is so flirty, not just with me but with EVERY ONE. We all know what he is like, no one takes notice when he flirts with Dallah or me.

"Hey baby, what you doing here?" Candy screams, and throws herself on Den.

"Get out!" Ruk shouts at her, whilst I struggle to hold him back.

"Ruk! What the fuck man!" Den asks with a frown.

"Get.
Her. Out. Now!" Ruk warns.

Sallack and Dom come to my side to help me hold back a fuming Ruk.

"Candy here!..." Dallah speaks up, while pointing at a frightened Candy, "...tried to kill Zara today, didn’t you candy? You want her dead don’t you?"

"No! She tripped. Don't listen to them Den, you know I would never do that!" She
tells him with tears in her eyes.

"Of course I know that babe," he tells her gently as he lifts his fingers to brush down her cheek.

What the fuck has got into him is he really so blind!

"You think I'm lying, you take her word over mine?!" Dallah asks full of rage.

Oh shit! The last thing we need is an angry Dallah.

"Dallah, don't," I ask with a plea.

She turns around to face me with a shocked look on her face.

"This has gone too far!" She tells me in frustration.

"Den, Dallah is telling the truth, you know she is," Sallack tells him whilst getting angry at Den’s stupidity.

"You are all jealous of what we have! She is having my baby!" Den yells at us, shocking the shit out of every single one of us as we all look at him with blank expressions.

"She can't be, she is not your mate," Sallack asks in confusion.

"It doesn't matter; she is carrying my child, so she stays. I have told her what and who I am, she except me, so I want you to except her," he tells us sorrowfully, and wraps his arms around a smug grinning Candy.

"Is this some kind of sick joke!" I scream at Candy.

"No, this is my family, so back of bitch!" She tells me with a curled lip.

"You have made a huge mistake Den, I hope you can live with the consequences," Dallah tells him before walking away from the situation.

Looking at the Brothers’ in turn, they all stand with open mouths as they watch Candy rubbing her belly lovingly.

What I want to say is 'what have you done, how could you be so fucking stupid! But I can't, I can see the sadness in his eyes. I know that he won’t want his life to be alongside Candy, but now he is trapped. I hope for his sake that this is a sick joke.

"Zara?"
Den asks with tears in his eyes.

Locking eyes with him, my heart t
ears away from me as I see the fear in his eyes. I know he wants someone to be there for him, but it's all wrong.

"Congratulations Den, you will be the best Dad," I tell him with a weak smile.

"You think?" He asks with hope.

"Yeah, the best."

Whilst the Brothers’ reluctantly congratulate them both on their news, Candy watches me with a twinkle in her eyes, not a good twinkle, but a evil twinkle, as if she knows exactly what she is doing.

"Fuck it! What has he done," Ruk asks me after we have removed ourselves from the others.

"She can't be trusted, what are we going to do?"

"We have to be there for Den, he will need us, but we will not return to that house while she is there," he tells me strongly.

"She will always be there Ruk."

"I know baby," he tells me with sympathy, knowing that I wanted to live my life in that house, bring up our own children there, now that dream has been taken away from us.

"Baby, it will work out, you will see, I'll make you happy," he tells me with a sweet smile.

"God I love you Ruk. I know you will make me happy, you do make me happy, as long as I have you I don't need anything else," I tell him passionately before kissing him with all the love I have for him.

Chapter 3

Waking in the morning to the realisation of what happened last night; I throw my head back down on the pillow and breathe out a sigh.

I can't believe Den is going to be a father, I want to be happy for him, but I know that it will end in tears, and that thought frightens me. All I have ever wanted for Den is to have the perfect life, with the perfect woman, but he has been saddled with Candy of all people.

"Hey beautiful," Ruk says before lying beside me in bed and wrapping his strong arms around me.

"Hey you," I kiss his lips tenderly.

"We will help Den see sense, don't stress baby, today is your day."

"Our day. Yeah I know, I just hope he's ok, he looked so sad last night, it breaks my heart."

"He's strong," he tells me with a gloomy look.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put a downer on today, I am excited, I can't wait for tonight, finally my life will be complete," I tell him with a sincere smile.

"Good, cos we can start working on our family," he tells me with a raised brow.

"Yeah we will."

Sliding on top of him, I press my lips to kiss and nip at his lip for entry which he willingly gives. Gradually running my hand
own his muscular body and to his hardness, I take him in my hand whilst peppering kisses down his chest, loving the moans he releases. However, the pounding on the door soon ruins our moment.

"What?" Ruk shouts.

"Jeez, aren't you meant to be happy...oh I see you were!" Dallah laughs as she breezes through my bedroom door.

"Dallah, you have to wait for the 'come in'," Ruk tells her with a frown, but soon snorts a laugh at her rolling her eyes.

Dallah does this to everyone, see will knock on the door then open it straight away, we have told her many of times to wait, but she still does it, not that anyone really cares, it’s just she seems to catch everyone at the wrong time.

"You two coming down?"

"Yeah. Where's Julian?"

"He's gone to get breakfast with Sallack, and I'm left with Candy and Den," she tells us in a bored tone.

"Are the others coming over?"

"Yep, all on their way, I'll wait for you to get dressed," she says before sitting on the bed and filling her nails.

Ruk looks at me with a raised brow, before shaking his head and snorting a laugh.

"Go away Dallah, I'm naked," Ruk tells her.

"Oh right, cos I have never seen you naked before," she states.

"We'll you wouldn't have if you learned how to wait to be asked into a bedroom, and not barge straight in every time," he jokes back.

"Ok, ok, hurry up, they are driving me nuts. You are glowing by the way, I can't wait for tonight, I love you guys," she tells us with a wink before vacating my room and heading back down stairs.

Walking into the kitchen hand in hand with Ruk, I snort a laugh when I see Dallah behind Candy with an invisible knife, acting as though she is going to kill her.

"Hey Dallah, what's for breakfast?" I ask her, and in doing so Den and Candy turn to see her reply. She drops her hand and smiles sweetly before taking a seat at the table.

"Like I said Zara, the boys are getting breakfast," she tells me sarcastically making me laugh again.

Ruk and I take a seat at the table with the others, while we all think of something to say to get a conversation going.

"So how far gone are you candy?" I ask with a weak smile.

"Why do you care?" She bites back which makes Den growl softly, she soon changes her cockiness to politeness.

"5 weeks," she tells me with a fake grin.

"You found out early then."

"And what of it?" She asks with unnecessary aggression.

"God you are such a bitch!" I tell her straight and stare her down until Ruk speaks up.

"Their here," he tells us pointing to the window, where we see Sallack and Julian jumping out of their truck with bags of food.

"Oh good, I'm starving now I’
m eating for two!" Candy speaks out loudly and rubs her belly, getting a sweet mile from Den, and frowns from Ruk, Dallah and me.

Theo, Dom and Mickey are next to come in, which they do so with ‘hey’s’ and kisses to the cheek for Dallah and me, they try to kiss Candy's cheek but she turns her head from them, what a bitch! They are trying to accept her into this family but she isn't making it easy for any of us, and to be truthful she has me so fucking angry right now, how dare she turn her head from them!

"Baby, stop it," Ruk whispers in my ear and kisses my cheek.

Nodding my head to him in understanding, I watch as Parrise and Angus walk through the door. As Vampires, Parrise and Angus cannot eat food, but they are here every morning to start the day together, and I love how easily we have all fit together like a puzzle.

"Hey Angus, Parrise," I greet them with my head in the fridge as I'm looking for orange juice, but I soon grab it and kiss their cheeks before taking my seat on Ruk's lap. They walk around the table and greet Dallah before nodding their heads to Candy. Vampires are not touchy feely people like werewolves are,  but because they see Dallah and I as family they will hug us, show us love, so it's natural for them to not want to be close to her, especially if they don't trust her, which they really don't.

Sitting on Ruk's lap while I watch the Brothers’ talking and joking amongst themselves, I suddenly have a shiver run over my body and a sharp pain in the back of my neck.

"Zara, you ok?" Dallah questions so worryingly that everyone stops and waits for my reply.

"Yeah course, you ok?" I joke to lighten the mood. The Brothers’ automatically go back to their food and chatting while Dallah stares at me blankly.

"
What was it?"
She quests again, but telepathically.

"
Just a shiver, I'm probably getting a cold
," I answer back with a smile.

"
You can't get ill, you're immortal
!" She tells me in a panic.

"
Damn it Dallah I'm fine!"
I tell her with pent up stress.

"
No you are not!"
She stands up so abruptly, her chair scrapes the floor and in doing so making every one flinch.

"It's probably time you all went, us girls have things to do, you know with the Mating!" She tells the guys with a sweet smile.

She is still looking at me when the Brothers’ eyes land on me also.

"She's right we have lots to do.
Ruk can I speak with you quickly?"

"Yeah, come on," he takes my hands and pulls me out of the house and onto the porch.

Turning me to face him, the tears that have gathered in my sad eyes fall freely.

"Baby what‘s wrong?" He asks with a sign.

"You're going to be with me forever right?"

"Fuck it; I knew you were worrying about tonight. Nothing and I mean nothing will stop me from wanting or having you, EVER. You and
me are forever, never doubt that baby. We will be home tonight, making love as mates, the beginning of our lives," he tells me through clouded eyes.

"Thank you Ruk, for saving me. I love you so much."

When the Brothers’ walk through the door with knowing smiles, I turn back to Ruk and kiss his cheek gently as a goodbye.

"I'll see you tonight. Love you baby," he tells me with raw emotion.

"Yeah you will," I tell him with a weak smile.

Dallah steps up to my side, and takes my hand in hers as we watch the Brothers’ pile into the trucks.

"We need to talk sweetie?" Dallah whispers.

"We will, just wait till they leave," I tell her but keep my eyes on Ruk as he pauses at the truck door and turns with a beautiful smile and a cheeky wink, making me smile.

Sitting in my room with Dallah, because we didn’t want to speak in front of Candy and Den, I talk to Dallah in a whisper.

"I know you are worried Dallah, but you don’t have to, I am fine, more than fine."

"I felt it Zara, the presence and the sharp pain. We are connected sisters, what you feel, I feel, like when Richard had me under that spell in the dark coven, I know something’s wrong."

The mention of his name sends a shiver through me and nightmare builds in my heart. I don't want to think of him, or the time I spent at the coven.

"See! There it is again!"

"Dallah! Calm down! It's just bad thoughts that run through my mind, that's all. I don't know what the pain was, and I don't care. I want to be mated with Ruk, I don't think I can handle this shit coming my way without him there, he gives me everything i need," I break down and admit to her.

"Sweetie, you will be mated, I promise you that," she reassures me with a sweet smile.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she laughs and squeezes my hand.

"So what are we doing the rest of the day?" I say to change the subject.

As part of the pack and Ruk being the Beta to the pack, the pack have asked to prepare the ceremony, as they feel it to be a privilege to partake in the beginning of our life together. This means the pack will take care of everything for the ceremony, under the watchful eye of Dallah.

I love that the pack have accepted me as Ruk's mate considering I‘m not one of their kind, it’s a very fulfilling feeling, but I am very curious as to how everything will turn out, but I have complete faith in them to make this special for Ruk and I.

"What would you like to do sweetie?"

"Oh I don't know, as everything is set up, and everyone is busy, it looks like we will need to think of something to take my mind of worrying," I tell her curiously, hoping she will come up with a good idea.

"Good, you go get dressed, meet me back here in 10 minutes, I have a plan,"
she tells me with a wide grin.

"Really, what is it?" I ask with excitement.

"Just go Zara, go on!" She laughs whilst pushing me to get moving.

"I love you my little Witch," I tell her with a sweet smile and a hug before running up stairs to get changed.

Slipping into a yellow sundress, I take a moment to look into the mirror at my reflection. Standing before me is the woman I have wanted to be my whole life, but knowing that woman has found her soul mate is a feeling I could never describe with words. Finding Ruk in a place full of torment and humiliation was unthinkable, a fairytale, nevertheless, my fairytale. 3 weeks I have been with Ruk, and those weeks have felt like a life time.

"Zara! Come on!" Dallah shouts with excitement in her tone.

Grinning stupidly to myself I spin around and head down stairs to Dallah, but I am soon stopped by Den.

"Hey, you not going with the Brothers’, you can come with me and Dallah if you like?" I ask him happily.

"I'm gunna meet them in a bit babe. Candy's here, so we are gunna hang out for a while. Hey, listen, can she come tonight, she's feeling left out, you know?"

"Uh sure, I guess," I tell him sympathetically.

I don't like Candy, it's no secret to Den, so if he feels like he needs her there with him then I will not stand in his way.

Den and I have got back to normal in our friendship, but there are still the little looks I notice when he thinks he is alone in thought. I was in love with him, he was in love with me, but we never had the courage to tell each other until we found ourselves in a heated conversation. I'm not sure if Candy is aware of this, god knows what she would do if she found out, she has a few screws loose, that's for sure.

"Thanks, I would like her to be there," he tells me with tears in his eyes.

"Den, what is it?" I ask gently whilst placing my hand in his.

He stares at me for a few moments before speaking in a hushed tone.

"I still want you," he says then bows his head, so that I cannot see the hurt in his eyes.

Lifting his chin with my hand to get him to look me in the eye, a tear trails down my cheek.

"I'm sorry for that, if I could take it away for you I would."

"I don't ever want to forget you Zara; you made me the man I am. I wanted you to know that you will always be put before anyone, Candy the Brothers’, even the baby," he tells me full of sorrow and regret.

"It won't always feel that way. When your baby comes along you will be a different man, a daddy," I try to convince him.

"I'll let you get on now, but know that I'm here, no matter what, I'm here," he tells me with a light frown and a nod of his head.

"Thank you Den.”

Walking around him, I let my hand trail down his arm in a comforting manner before walking out the front door and up to Dallah, who says not one word, just an offer of her hand. Placing my hand in hers, she winks at me before transporting us away.

Standing in the middle of the forest, I look to her with a raised brow before it hits me,