Vanquish fated sight boo.., p.1
Vanquish (Fated Sight Book 3), page 1
VANQUISH
FATED SIGHT BOOK 3
ELLE LINCOLN
Copyright © 2021 by Elle Lincoln
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Editing by Elemental Editing and Proofreading
Proofreading by Bookish Dreams Editing
Cover Design by Covers by Christian
Created with Vellum
This one’s for the real MVP’s.
Rechargeable batteries.
CONTENTS
Trigger Warning
1. Vanessa
2. Vanessa
3. Vanessa
4. Apollo
5. Greyson, aka Silas
6. Vanessa
7. Vanessa
8. Vanessa
9. Vanessa
10. Vanessa
11. Apollo
12. Vanessa
13. Prometheus
14. Vanessa
15. Vanessa
16. Acon
17. Vanessa
18. Vanessa
19. Vanessa
20. Greyson
21. Vanessa
22. Apollo
23. Vanessa
24. Vanessa
25. Vanessa
26. Vanessa
27. Greyson
28. Vanessa
29. Vanessa
30. Vanessa
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Elle Lincoln
TRIGGER WARNING
Hey friends so a few things before you read this. There is the insinuation that Persephone abuses Hades. This is only implied and not shown.
This book also deals with a mate who commits what the main character believes is suicide. However the character in question is immortal and cannot die. But I recognize the sensitivity of the situation.
If any of these these things are triggering to you please, please take heed.
1
VANESSA
“Harder, baby. Harder.” The lethally sexy voice of my best friend floats to me on a languid moan.
The sound of her voice should make me feel better, and while it does, the words she just uttered disturbs me on a level I’m not positive I could ever—in this world or the next—prepare myself for.
I crumple to the worn carpet after standing on the staircase landing for a solid minute, listening to her. My body exudes exhaustion, and my mind isn’t sure how I got here.
I’m just thankful I did.
“Oh, that’s it, baby, you know exactly what turns me on.” Pepper emits a low moan that I never ever—and I repeat, ever—wanted to hear.
I tuck myself against the landing, peering up the staircase toward the master bedroom—a room that once belonged to her grandma. The door is shut tight. I can’t decide if I want to crawl in there or not.
Choosing to let her have her afternoon delight, I assess all my injuries. I’m sore and achy, yes, but my shifter healing knits all the cuts and scrapes back together. My head feels like a small army of amazons took up residence within my brain matter and they are having their own version of the Olympic games in there. Each one carries a spear that severs neurons I didn’t even know existed.
Persephone slammed my head into the ground far too many times for me to even count, leaving me somewhat concussed.
Do dragons even get concussions? These are real questions that I need to know the answers to. It’s vital to my survival, because I am likely to have multiple concussions before I reach the contented stage of life.
I get one of those, don’t I?
Pepper releases a squeal that could raise the dead, and I would know what noises raise the dead since I can see them—when I want to, of course.
I thump my head against the wall behind me as my eyes trail to the blood on my fingers. Some of it is mine, and some is Persephone’s.
If I think too much about what happened, then I’ll break. I’ll cry.
Then, I’d have to see the tears that should hold a gold hue but are now nothing but clear. I got a small taste of the creature that lives inside of me, and then the Underworld stole it from me with a swift slice of a sword.
I chose not to kill Persephone.
The Underworld spat me out.
I will not cry. I will not cry.
I hiccup, making myself a liar. Tears pool behind my tired eyes. If I close them, they will spill down my cheeks, and I’ll reach up and my fingers will be clear. That hurts more than even leaving my mates in the Underworld without me, facing off with Persephone in my stead while I lick my wounds.
I have to believe they will find their way back to me, even Greyson, who ran. Right now, I need to keep fighting back the pain burning in my head, not from the many hits Persephone doled out, but because of the visions that press against my eyelids once more.
I’m a dragon. My biological mother, the infamous Python, gifted me with visions of the future. My biological father, Typhon, gifted me with the viciousness of our kind. Dragons hold the power of the elements, twisting earth, air, fire, and water in their crafty hands. It’s a power I have yet to control.
I was created for one sole purpose—to return the Underworld to the reign of dragons.
It’s kind of hard when there are only two of us in all of existence. Not to mention the Underworld shat me out without a backwards glance, finding me unworthy to reign, which sucks because Persephone sits on a throne that doesn’t belong to her, warping it with her broken mind.
At least my mates got the chance to ward Hades’ castle before all hell—ha—broke loose.
Perhaps I have some time to figure out what went wrong, because I don’t think I was rejected just because I didn’t kill the Wicked Witch of the West.
I regret it now though, because the look she gave me when I allowed her to keep breathing came right out of the definition of sociopath.
It’s a mistake I won’t make again. I’ll eat the bitch, swallow her whole, and allow my weird dragon bits to annihilate her soul.
Speaking of my dragon…
“Hey, kitty,” I whisper, careful not to draw Pepper’s attention. I poke at the beast that dwells inside of me.
She grumbles, lifts her golden, scaly head, huffs at me, and flops back down to sleep. Okay, so she’s still mourning the loss of Greyson. I don’t blame her, but I have human logic on my side.
Persephone owns him. During our fight, she let that fun little fact slip. No wonder he ran away from me hard and fast. If she remains in his head, then she knows every little plan we created. With Greyson not knowing who he was, though I have no doubt that is at all on her, he let her see every single little detail. Intentional or not, the damage hit me across the face.
I regret not killing her again.
My power, that elemental gift my DNA provides, flares inside me. This time, I recognize it and I tamp it down, pushing it into a little mental jar to use for later. It’s kind of like playing a video game, only the game console is my brain and I have to pull out little jars during battle, which makes me insane with anxiety anytime I get pulled into a fight. I’m also feeling nostalgic for a little game time.
“You look like complete shit.” A voice I haven’t heard in weeks rolls over me, giving me equal parts relief and…well, more anxiety. Artemis has that power over people. She can make them insane or deliriously happy.
A crash echoes through the halls upstairs. So much for keeping Pepper in the dark on this one.
“Yes, well, I went one-on-one with a sociopath.” I brush off my shoulder as though it isn’t that big of a deal.
It is, and we both know it.
“You have twenty-four hours.” Artemis cocks her head at me, her long hair tumbling down to her waist. She’s dressed in a white power suit, and I can’t determine if she’s the head of the Philadelphia mafia or if she’s about to strut down a runway.
It could go either way with Artemis.
“For what?” My head falls back against the wall as Pepper’s door opens upstairs. Her pixie friend, I think her name might be Dina or Deena—hell, who knows—zooms down the steps to flutter in front of me.
A disappointed sigh leaves her lips as she mutters something unintelligible before she flies her snarky ass back up the steps.
“Then you get to work.” Artemis brushes lint off her shoulder. “I expect more from my sister-in-law.”
I groan. I don’t need this. Nope. She’s certifiable.
“If you will notice, your brother is decidedly absent from my life right at this moment.” I’m not mad about that, not at all. I’m seething. How dare he not follow me out of hell?
“Don’t be so childish. Apollo and the other goons not only had to clean up the mess you left…” She gives me a squinty look with those knowing eyes before carrying on. “Persephone. Ring any bells? She had all those revenants chasing after them.”
“I thought they were vampires.” Nasty little blood suckers.
“Vampires belong to Ambrogio. These are husks created by that psycho bitch.”
“Please, Artie, tell me how you feel about the maiden.” I roll my hands as the door upstairs slams against the wall.
“What the fuck did you do?” I hear Pepper before I see her. Honestly, that’s just who she is as a person. Her feet thunder down the hall from the bedroom
“Is he dressed?” I closed my eyes, not at all wanting to see whatever dick appointment she had.
“Girl, I was working.”
“No, Pepper.” I groan, catching her as she practically tumbles down the steps to sit beside me.
She pinches my face as she turns it from side to side. I open my eyes at her scoff. “You are healing. You shall survive.”
“You’re a hooker now?” I question. I mean, if these are the life choices she wants to make, then I will support her one hundred percent. Can’t say I’m surprised though. If any of us ended up in the sex industry in any way, it would be her.
“Ew, no.” She rolls her eyes, looking at Artemis like she just can’t believe I had the audacity to say that. Artie shrugs a delicate shoulder before glancing at the pictures on the walls. “Phone sex, and I sell toys.” She wags her expertly sculpted green eyebrows.
Why am I jealous of her eyebrows? It’s the most ridiculous thing I could think about at this moment.
“Sex toys?” That actually explains so freaking much.
“I’ve got to pay the taxes here somehow.” She lounges back on the steps.
“I’ve given my sister-in-law twenty-four hours. Call the others. I’m sure she has much to discuss.” Artemis crouches down, wearing a cruel smile on her beautiful face. Many people think that the gods and goddesses are kind creatures, benevolent, and loving even. Sure, I grew up with this goddess before I even knew she was a goddess. She always gave kisses and hugs at the right moment, but she had a mean streak to her, one that screamed at us to push ourselves harder and harder. Some people call it hard love, like tossing us in the deep end of a pool to teach us to swim. At that moment, I should have known my life would never be normal.
Artemis stares me down with expectation, and dammit if I don’t want to please her and make her proud, though I wish she would stop calling me her sister-in-law.
“My psychotic little dragon. Drink, laugh, be merry. This time tomorrow, I’m dragging your ass to Greece.” Her voice is filled with the kind of sweetness that instantly makes my teeth ache.
“What the fuck is in Greece?” Pepper’s little face wrinkles up, making her freckles dance.
“Apollo’s temple,” she purrs. I hate it when Artemis purrs. I hate it even more when she smiles.
“Why? What fresh hell is there?”
Her head turns in my direction, where she leans in far too close. There’s nowhere to go, so I’m stuck staring into her creepy goddess eyes. “The only place in this world where you can prove to the Underworld that you are the true heir.” She winks before pulling back and waving her hand where a small vial appears.
“That looks ominous,” Pepper remarks, but she doesn’t move from her reclined position.
“I’m going to have to milk you, Vanessa,” Artemis states with utter seriousness.
“No.” I shake my head, trying to catch up with the insanity pouring off of her in waves. “Can you back it up a second? You are bringing me to Greece to what?”
“Train.” Pepper smacks me upside my head. “Keep up.” She smiles at me with her bright purple painted lips.
“Right.” I rub my temples because that isn’t a bad idea. I need to get my dragon half under control, and without the power of the Underworld as an anchor, I’m like a small unicorn raft stuck out at sea. “Artemis, did you say you want to milk me?”
“Yes.” She waves the little vial under my nose. “Open wide.”
“Can I record this?” Pepper asks, ready to hop up and run off to grab a camera. “This is good money on Only Fans.”
“The hell is Only Fans?” Artemis looks at Pepper with an arched brow and a lot of interest.
Pepper doesn’t skip a beat. “It’s this platform where you can make crazy money doing different kinds of sex work.”
“Spawn,” Artemis says with so much care, it sends a chill right up my spine.
“Grandma,” Pepper replies with just as much deadly precision.
Here I am, caught in the cross fire.
“Are you making porn?”
“Nope.” Pepper pops the word with a coy smile. “I just record my calls.” She is far too chipper about that, and honestly, good for her.
She has two mates. Twin warlocks, in fact. Those two idiots didn’t just reject her, they broke their bond and moved home to Ireland. Even worse? They own the bar next door.
“I say let her have her fun.” If any of us needs the sex positivity, it’s Pepper. I turn to her. “You are not recording me.” I don’t even know what Artemis means by milking me.
Venom. My dragon stirs with curiosity for a hot second.
“Oh, that kind of milking, like a snake.” I blink with that nictitating membrane, my dragon creeping closer to the surface than she has in days.
“Yes.” Artemis turns back to me. “You left Hades in the Underworld. I intend to get him out by forcing him to drink your venom.”
“Oh.” I forgot to bite him.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Artemis chastises. “You should have bitten him and rode his death dick into oblivion. You didn’t, so now we activate plan B.”
“She’s going to need some Plan B if you keep telling her to ride the D train,” Pepper quips.
“It won’t work on her. Vanessa will go into heat.” This crazy witch with the wrong letter leans in and sniffs me.
“I know I smell like blood and rot, but you are in my space.” I didn’t consent to being sniffed.
“You are a few weeks out from hitting your heat.”
“Back the frig up.” I hold up a hand. “How can you know that?”
“I’m all knowing.” Artemis taps my teeth. “Open wide.”
“Some days, I don’t like you,” I mutter, allowing my fangs to drop.
“Family rarely like each other. In fact sometimes, we hate each other.” She carefully presses the vial to my fangs, and those fuckers drip.
Remembering that my venom can kill her, Pepper hops over the railing, landing on the floor like a cat, her pixie friend buzzing like a fly around our heads before darting off.
Artemis leans back, finished and satisfied with herself.
“And your brother?” My fangs slowly sink back into my jaw.
“Do I hate him?” Artemis knows where I’m going before I can even define it. “He’s my twin.”
“That doesn’t answer the question,” I counter. For some reason, I need to know how she feels about her brother, about the god my dragon knows is her mate.
“I suppose it doesn’t.” With a flick of her wrist, the vial disappears. “Did you know I knew he was your mate the moment I met you?”
“I’m not surprised by this.” Artemis may not be all knowing like Apollo, though she believes she is, but there’s a connection between them that remains undeniable. Perhaps it’s that twin telepathy or that sibling understanding.
I wonder if I’d know who Cerberus’ mate will be? I only got to spend moments with my brothers, and I already miss them.
“I did, and I hid you.” A soft smile plays about her face, warmth and love radiating from her features. “I didn’t do this to hurt him. I did it because I knew he would need you as the adult you’d grow into someday. If I handed you over to my brother as a child, the thought of restoring the temple would have become a priority and he would have missed seeing you and the formidable mate you are.”
“Thanks.” I think. Also, it would have been creepy for me to meet my mate at such a young age, even knowing that the gods don’t work on the same timeline we do.
Did. I’m no mere mortal any longer, not that I ever was.
“You are very welcome. Now, as for my brother. I love him. I feel him here.” She presses a fist against her sternum. “His heart and my own beat together, though we are two very different beings. That doesn’t mean I don’t see his flaws just as he surely sees mine.”
