Raven Bound

By Karli Rush

A couple bound eternally by love like no other in the witch world. All their spellbinding desires are to lead a true love story together, which unfortunately is not what fate has in store for them. A secret is being kept, and this secret has found its way into the possession of a dark magick. A darkness hidden eons ago in the underground of the already mysterious world of witches, and this dark magick called the Brotherhood thrives among the powerless.

Some secrets are not meant to be kept...and so it is with the dark Brotherhood of the Raven, in their reach for control they find a secret that leads them in pursuit of the daughter and heir to the most prominent coven in existence. Once they possess her the real challenge is converting her to one of them.

Being crescent bound has never been provoked like this before, but the power of ice wields darkness and light. Which will prevail, the evil that lurks silently in the night, or the spirit of the crescent mark?

It is said that the symbol of the raven bears important messages, but only for those who can withstand the truth of deadly secrets. The unknown coven of witches unlike any other holds the danger that swells in the shadows. Will Alyssa be the one to reveal the secrets hidden from those who search so desperately to find it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Karli Rush
• Release date: Jun 25, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476072548

Karli Rush

Karli Rush was born in the heart of the Cherokee Nation and lives in its capital. Her Native American heritage holds sway over her writing in many ways. She has the patience of a brain surgeon operating under fire in a war zone. You can chalk that up to her being the mother of an autistic kiddo. With the passion of a starving artist, she writes. The obsession to tell her tales has led her to write novels in the worlds of Dark Paranormal Romance, Dystopian, and Vampires. She walks in two worlds, one grounds her and the other frees her imagination.https://linktr.ee/KarliRush

Book preview

Chapter 1

Peregrine Falcon

A few weeks have passed since my drag racing accident, and I’m quickly healing as I settle into being home. Marc and I slept better after dad and Velain conducted a negative-energy banishing ceremony, which removed all of Naomi’s dark energy from us.

While I continue my recovery, Marc is staying quite busy with my father. I’m assuming dad is taking him under his wing and teaching him more about our world. It hasn’t even been a year since Marc discovered witches truly existed and about his lineage in the witch world.

My mother finally felt pleased enough with my recovery that she went back to work at the hospital. She always tells me if I find something I am good at and love, stick with it. She discovered her passion as a healer, and what better way to do this than being a doctor at the local hospital here in Moorcroft, Wyoming. I miss not having her around. But I have my friends like Lisa and Dawson coming by to check in with me every day or so.

I’m not quite ready to start running again, even though I love the jogging trail behind our house that winds so peacefully through the forest. I have a medical note taped on my fridge from my mother. Reminding me not to overexert myself and conserve my energy. So, I spend most days watching movies on the tiresome couch.

This particular autumn morning is unusually warm, and Marc is gone again with my father. I step out of the shower and hear the ringing of the doorbell. Using my favorite witch way of travel. I shift downstairs, only wearing a towel, thinking maybe Marc forgot his keys to the house. I open the door to find David and Megan, two more of my amazing friends, staring at me. David walks coolly in and asks, Hey there, did we catch you at a bad time?

Gripping the towel around myself tighter, I answer, No, I don’t suppose. What brings you two out on this fine day? I say this using my best sassy Irish accent. Megan strolls in behind David. She plops down on the couch, casually flipping through the scattered movies.

David tugs on a strand of my damp hair. I don’t believe I have ever told you this, but you look better with long hair, don’t get me wrong, I loved you with short hair when we dated, but I do like it longer. David grins wolfishly, and a rumbling noise comes from deep inside him. Before he can take a teasing snap at me with his teeth, I punch him in the shoulder.

Oh, shag off. I’m sure a desperate woman out there will go for your type, you know, one that tends to take out your trash.

He looks quite puzzled and utters, What? He raises a dark brow tauntingly.

Never mind, David. Megan intercepts him while holding up a movie called Far and Away. Please don’t tell me you’re watching this 1992 pseudo-Irish movie bull-crap. She glances back over to David in disbelief. David, I think she may be traumatized more than we thought. Alyssa, you know what can happen if you watch too many Tom Cruise movies, especially the sucky ones like this with Nicole’ no ass’ Kidman in it?

I snatch my movie back from her and, in a playful tone, say, Hey, I think you’re just jealous that I’m not watching Transformers?

Megan raises both of her perfectly gorgeous eyebrows at me and, in a saucy tone, says, It’s not my fault Hollywood doesn’t see a good thing when they have it. Transformers is a masterpiece simply because of the leading female, Megan Fox.

David moves between us, raising his hands like he’s breaking up a brawl of some sort. Girls, girls, as much as I love seeing two gorgeous women going at each other. I... well, ah…never mind, please continue. He grins from ear to ear and steps back. We both glare at him. He tosses me a set of keys. "Or you could see what those go to."

I give him a perplexed look as he motions toward the front door. Still gripping my towel, I attentively step outside. In the driveway, I see a black Suzuki Hayabusa GSX 1300R motorcycle. Megan wraps an arm around my shoulder. So, what do you think?

David shifts next to the bike. It’s a 2009 and only had one owner. The engine is a liquid-cooled, inline four-cylinder, four-stroke dual overhead cam and...

I materialize next to him while completing his sentence. And it can go from zero to sixty in less than six seconds. I’m officially in love all over again, and a girl is allowed to have more than one love in her life, right? I take a very deliberate walk around the bike.

Do you know what Hayabusa means? David asks as his eyes watch me, reminding me suddenly that I’m still in a towel.

Yeah, I do. It means to go fucking fast, Megan chimes in, Which is not as good as reversing those two words.

Glancing briefly at Megan, I just barely take my sight away from the bike and reply, Ah, Megan, it’s Japanese for a type of falcon, a peregrine falcon, I believe.

David smiles like a teacher getting ready to praise his best student and says, Looks like someone has been doing their homework.

I’ve read about different sports bikes, but I’ve never owned one. Not like this anyway, but you know that. David grabs my hand gently, which holds the set of keys.

Leaning down, so our eyes meet, he says in a faint whisper, Now, you do.

I glance back at the bike and then back over to David and Megan in shock. What?!

Megan grabs me by the arm, pulling me back toward the house. Come on, Alyss, you can’t ride naked. Well…I guess you can, but we might have a problem with the cops and your man. You know, though, indecent exposure charges can be a good thing. I mean, look at me, who in their right mind would find this body indecent? I hear David laughing behind us as she drags me up the steps.

Now that I look at Megan, I should have guessed something was up. Megan’s wearing a pair of very tight black leather pants, a white strapless top accompanied with a black leather jacket. Without warning, I have clothes flying at me, literally.

Here you go, get dressed. Lisa and Dawson will be here any minute. I change in the bathroom and look in the large mirror. Megan didn’t do too bad picking out my clothes this time. I have on a pair of black low riding pants that lace down the sides. I love the way the pants flare at the bottom, showing a hint of my biker boots. Finishing my outfit, I tuck in a solid black tee shirt.

I brush my hair, leaving it down, and walk out as Megan begins whistling at me. So I give her a spin pretending I’m walking down a runway, just for her. I flip my hair around flamboyantly and spin around again on my heels. Well, does this meet your fashion standards?

Megan studies me for several scrutinizing seconds. No, not quite. She throws a leather jacket toward me. There, now you’ll fit right in with The Sons of Anarchy. I roll my eyes and decide it’s time to test the bike out.

Megan and I shift into the living room, and David’s mouth instantly gapes wide open. Megan saunters over calmly and closes it for him. "Down boy, we will find you a woman one day, poor girl," she says, patting him on the head.

I appear next to the Busa before either of them realizes I’m no longer in the living room. I run my hands over the bike and softly whisper, "I just can’t believe it’s mine?" David and Megan shift beside me in a blink.

I knew you would love it, and Megan did help pick it out. Do you remember how to ride? he says as a sly grin curves over his lips. David taught me how to ride a motorcycle when we were together about two years ago.

I place my hands on my hips and sarcastically reply, Do I remember how to ride? I glare at him, offended. David, it’s only been a couple of years since we...well anyway. I’m fairly sure he knows how long it’s been. I hug them both. Thanks, guys, I say with true appreciation.

Suddenly Dawson’s white Dodge Challenger pulls into the driveway. Lisa jumps out and strides her way over to us. Her golden blonde hair bounces with each step. Hey, what do you think? Do you like it?

I wrap my arm around her and look at everyone. "Like is not the word I would use. I love it," I say, smiling inside and out.

Dawson grins and waves. Hey David, Megan, are you guys ready to go?

David gently squeezes my shoulder. I’ll see you later, and ah, by the way, I had a slight modification done to it. The seat is extended a bit with extra footpegs so two people can ride. He drops a wink at me and slides into Dawson’s car. Megan, come on.

Megan hands me a black helmet. She points at a small airbrush design of a skull and crossbones with the words, Beyond & Back on it. She smiles and boldly replies, I’m riding with Alyssa, sorry guys.

I ask, raising a questioning brow, And where are we going?

Lisa answers with a bubbly eagerness, "Well, we were picking up Megan and David to take them down to Megan’s old house back in Praynun. Her mom sold their house, and she wants us to pick up a few leftover boxes, but now you’re coming too." She beams with her glorious smile. Lisa loves it when we are all together. The only thing missing for me is Marc. I guess it will take me a couple of hours to get down there and back. Surely I’ll be back before he gets home.

Megan straps on her jet-black helmet. I give the bike another glance before sliding my body over it and squeeze my helmet on.

Dawson’s waiting for us when I realize I had forgotten my iPod inside the house. I turn toward Megan. Can I borrow your iPod? The gods only know what could be on hers. So I mentally prepare myself.

Once I adjust everything, I turn the key and fire up the motor and yell some words of warning over my shoulder to Megan, Hang on! Kicking the chrome kickstand up on the Hayabusa, I lean over, revving the gas, and let out the clutch as we take off.

Dawson, Lisa, and David are in the Dodge following us as we hit the main highway. The bike is amazing. It has an incredible feel to it as I shift effortlessly through the gears.

It doesn’t take long for me to become comfortable with the bike as I glide from one lane and then the next, hovering in and out of traffic. Generally, crotch rockets are not specifically made for two riders, but this one rides really well, even with Megan on the back. Passing by cars, trucks, and even other bikers. I quickly note that it’s not taking long for Megan to start catching the attention of our evolving highway-fans.

Dawson remains right on our tail. I slow down my speed and stay in the left lane beside him for a few miles. And then suddenly, I hear Megan yelling at the top of her lungs, Wanna race?! Dawson instantly begins revving his motor up jeeringly. I shake my head at him but then decide to see what the Busa has. With no traffic in front of us, I quickly snap through the gears as we sail down the highway, leaving them far behind. His car is no match for this bike.

Megan’s laughing so hard, clutching her sides, but somehow in between her amusement, she’s able to yell out, I can see why you love racing, Alyss! It’s a bit difficult to understand her completely, but I can piece it together. The wind thrashes my hair around wildly. Megan has hers perfectly inside her helmet, and I’m certain when she removes it, her hair will be perfect, which to me is impossible and absurd.

We make it to the interstate without any sign of Dawson’s car. I decide to enjoy the ride because we have a good hour and a half before we get there. Megan has a song on her iPod that I just love, and I crank it up. As the Rush Comes hums out while I drift with the music and the exhilarating ride.

Chapter 2

Candy Apple Red

The exit comes up quickly. Flipping on my turn signal, I lean the bike into the turn. This type of bike is designed to dip low to the ground. And when I tilt toward the right, curving around the tight corner, Megan quickly grabs my side a little harder than I expect. A small smile creeps across my face knowing Megan has a little fear. She would normally scream out in the thrill of the moment. But instead, I feel her still clinging to my jacket.

We follow the exit leading us into a large university town just east of Praynun. We ride up the main road, and we come to the first stoplight. I still have her iPod on shuffle, and the song "Lips like Morphine" comes on.

Being nosy, Megan pulls the iPod out of my pocket to see what I’m listening to. Somehow she can hear the music, and I think it’s one of her little spells she has for musical tricks. The song drums out louder as she starts moving her body to the melody. Running her hands down her skin-tight leather pants as if she’s giving a lap dance on the bike. Gyrating and grooving her body without a care. I roll my eyes and watch for the light to change, revving the motor a time or two as I wait.

A candy apple red Corvette pulls up next to us, and two ridiculously hot guys have their eyes all glued to Megan. The light changes and I take off, shifting quickly, so all they see is Megan’s backside shaking at them. I stop at the next red light and rest my feet down on the pavement. I tap my boot to the beat waiting for the green light, and here comes the Corvette again. Megan flips her dark visor up. Hey, you wanna race us?

I peer back at Megan, and in a vexing tone, I ask, What are you doing?

Megan laughs defiantly and begins rubbing her hand down my back, yelling over to the guys, My friend and I love to go fast.... She winks seductively at them.

As soon as the light flashes green, I nail it, making her grip my jacket for dear life. I maneuver the bike through the bustling cars as if we are air itself soaring along the four-lane street. I notice the Corvette cruising up behind us, and they switch lanes to pull up next to us. Hey, hell yeah! I’ll race you, the driver yells out as I speed up. Surprisingly, he stays with us.

We approach another stoplight, which now, of course, beams a brilliant red. I find myself waiting as the driver of the Corvette flirts back and forth with Megan. What do I get if I win?

I flip my visor up and point over my shoulder to Megan. Her! I laugh. You have to win first, and who says I will let that happen? The other guy in the passenger seat leans over and yells something back. I flip my visor down and take off as soon as the light changes to my new favorite color. Green.

Okay, Megan, now that you have these guys intrigued. What now?

She leans her head over, resting her chin on my shoulder, and says in a tone I know all too well, Let them win. I’m lonely.

I begin flowing through the gears as the deep rumble from the bike vibrates through my body. We dash down the narrowing streets. Checking to see if the Corvette is still chasing us, Megan turns back and laughs. They’re still with us!

I’m impressed but decide it’s time to get creative. As we move down the street, I study the traffic lights. Watching as the seconds pass before they change back to red. I know it’s going to be close, but I lean the bike to the side and hook the next corner to the right, tilting the bike as close to the road as I can. My hope is that the Corvette can’t make the turn without stopping for the red light first.

I glance in the mirror, shocked to see the Corvette is still relentlessly hot on our tracks. I don’t want them to follow us to Megan’s house, so I need to get rid of them. I can’t cloak us. I wish I could, but that might be shocking when we disappear right in front of their eyes. I need to think of some way to outrun them.

Riding through the main street, I remember a road that turns into a straight-a-way heading out into the country. I mold my body down to the bike and keep my head perfectly level with the shield. I hit the gears quickly, reaching the sixth gear. It’s time to see what this beautiful machine can do. Megan leans in with me, and I feel as if we’ve become one with the bike, like a ghost floating through the sun-kissed air. Now you see us...now you don’t like dust in the wind.

We arrive at Megan’s old house without any trouble. She jumps off the bike and hugs me. Alyssa, that was the best ride I have ever had with my clothes on.

I chuckle at her antics and hug her back. Hey, next time, though, warn me if you’re going to get all hot and bothered riding my bike.

Yeah, you’re damn lucky I kept my clothes on back there. I almost didn’t. Wow! I’m definitely going to get one of these bad boys. They’re like stud magnets! Ignoring her remarks, I wave goodbye. As I’m leaving the driveway, I see Dawson’s car pulling in, and I wait for them to pass.

David yells from the passenger side, How did it ride?

I straighten my black leather gloves on my hands and reply, Ask Megan. She’ll fill you in!

I probably need some gas before I head back, but before I pull out of the drive, I check my cell to make sure I didn’t miss any calls, especially from Marc. I know I need to get home soon, so I head to the nearest gas station to fill the bike up.

The gas station happens to be the exact same one I took Marc to the first time we met. I don’t really call that a true meeting for us other than the hallway incident since I practically ran away from him. As I pull in beside a pump, I take off my helmet and quickly run my fingers through my hair. I start pumping fuel into the bike and suddenly recognize the beast, or I should say Marc’s yellow Camaro. I only call it the beast to pick on Marc’s ego.

His car is parked directly in front of the nondescript store, it’s old and changes names with the season, and it even has a payphone mounted to the cracked grey concrete wall in front. Marc had mentioned that he might be coming this way to see his parents today, and as always, I passed on his generous offer for me to join him. I’m not one of Marc’s mother’s favorite choices for anything, really. I think if I were to land in a shiny polished spaceship right in front of their house, his mother would complain about my parking skills.

I peek idly around the pumps and see him walking out of the store with a beautiful platinum blonde woman. He casually walks over to his driver’s side door, opens it, and takes a drink out of his water bottle. Sitting on my new bike, I try to stay calm and watch as the bodacious blonde leans her slender hip on the fender of his car.

What…the...hell? Okay, I’m getting a tad bit angry with each passing second. I inch closer to the pumps in Marc’s direction, using my super-hearing, well, I don’t know if it’s really super, but anyway.

I’ve wondered about you, Marcus. Your mother says you moved away to some type of trade school, really? A trade school? She casts him a hungry, subtle smile as she runs her fingers delicately down the hood of the car.

Marc leans over the roof. Yeah, well, I’m living with my fiancée, and we both attend a University together. I’m hoping we’ll be married by the end of this month.

The blonde straightens her top, shuffling her fake over-sized melons as she looks a little perplexed but quickly gathers her composure. I narrow my gaze at her as she saunters her long legs over to her powder-puff blue Nissan. Leaning on it, she glances at her fuck-me red nails, and finally, after an exasperated drawn-out sigh, she says, Well, that is news. When you have a bachelor’s party, I’m sure I can make it and make up for old times we missed out on. Grinding my teeth, I warn myself about listening in on conversations. I’m seriously contemplating about freezing that girl’s ass to her car so she can’t take another step closer to him.

The pump makes a beeping noise, and it startles me. I quickly replace the nozzle. I grab my receipt, thankful that I don’t have to pay inside; at least this ancient place allows pay-at-the-pump. I bet Marc would think I’m stalking him. I chastise myself. Have you ever had a time when things are bad, and you can’t imagine anything making it worse, then something does? I glance back to see a familiar brilliant red Corvette pulling up to the pump right beside me. What in Grimm’s name is going on around here? I can’t believe this.

Rolling my eyes, the two guys in the Corvette recognize me right away and begin yelling over to me, Hey! Where’s your friend? I take a quick glimpse at them, wondering, what is this...the only gas station in the state? I put my helmet back on. Hey, let’s make it two out of three, and we can go get your friend first, okay? Hey, wait! I start up the bike, and they just keep getting louder. "Hey! Hold on a minute, we just want to talk—" I ignore them because I don’t want any attention drawn to me. What if Marc sees, or worse, hears them? It’s one thing for Marc to talk to a girl he used to date, but for me to be talking to these human guys that Megan teased is not in the cards for me.

I shoot out of the gas station and immediately merge back into the slaving traffic when I hear tires squealing out from behind me. I glance back and see the guys in the Corvette following me again. Great. It’s time to hustle it. I still have Megan’s iPod, and I crank up the music as I move through the cars trying to tune out the approaching Corvette. I keep an eye on them as they speed up, trying to catch me. Drifting the bike into one lane and then another, I mentally commend the driver. He’s very persistent.

Just as I sigh out, thinking I don’t have to worry anymore, he’s right on my tail again. I don’t want to get anyone hurt, and it’s becoming a little more dangerous riding hard down the compact streets like we are. The only place I know to go is the open road, between the Corvette and my bike. I am flat out faster on an open stretch of road. I hope.

I grip the handlebar tighter and shift faster, leaning more into the bike as I pick up speed. Down one street and then quickly turning onto another. Finally, I find the main road going back to the interstate, and I push it. I still have a good view of the Corvette stalking just a few car lengths behind me.

Don’t these guys have a life? I mean, come on…give a girl a break. In my mirror, the little red car gradually becomes larger. Hell, I can even see the crack in the left headlight. They’re gaining on me.

I begin thinking of Trinity, one of my favorite characters from the Matrix. With her spirit in mind, I move the bike side to side through traffic, trying to be careful. I start driving alongside a semi, debating whether I can get in front of it and hop on an exit and use the semi as cover.

I look back in my mirror and still see the red Corvette, but I also see yellow, like Camaro-yellow, and the yellow is quickly advancing on us. I bet Marc knew it was me after all. Laughing at this awkward situation, I wonder if I should call him and say, "Hey honey, can’t talk right now. I’m kind of in a high-speed chase, but I’ll call you back when it’s all over."

I begin to read the highway signs as I pass them, watching for an exit. I ease up, getting