Phoenix Captured: Mythical Alliance: Phoenix Team, #3

By Claire Luana

A foolhardy choice. A teammate captured. A rescue mission into the heart of enemy territory… 

 

Against orders, Zariya Chanji has plunged through a magic portal after Warrick Mason, the supe that killed her father. But Zariya's impulsive act has disastrous consequences when a member of Phoenix Team is captured by the enemy.

 

Cut off and out-gunned, Zariya and Konstantin must find a way to rejoin their MASC teammates and mount a rescue operation, without clueing in the mole within Veil Force. Keeping their eyes on the mission is all the more difficult when a desperate act strengthens the undeniable connection between them ten-fold. It will take all Zariya's cunning to guard her heart, rescue her friend, and claim her revenge. 

 

Phoenix Captured is the third episode of a SERIALIZED urban fantasy tale.  Approximately 25,000 words or 100 print pages. Cliffhangers ahead...

 

The Mythical Alliance series is perfect for fans of Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Lindsay Hall, and B.R. Kingsolver! Scroll up and one-click today to sink your teeth into this urban fantasy tale filled with fierce heroines, non-stop adventure, and irresistible romance! 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Live Edge Publishing
• Release date: Jul 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781948947053

Claire Luana

Claire Luana grew up in Edmonds, Washington, reading everything she could get her hands on and writing every chance she could get. Eventually, adulthood won out and she turned her writing talents to more scholarly pursuits, graduating from University of Washington School of Law and going to work as a commercial litigation attorney at a mid-sized law firm. While continuing to practice law, Claire decided to return to her roots and try her hand once again at creative writing. Her first novel, Moonburner, was published in 2016 with Soul Fire Press, an imprint of Christopher Matthews Publishing. She is currently working on the sequel,Sunburner. In her (little) remaining spare time, she loves to hike, travel, run, play with her two dogs, and of course, fall into a good book.

Book preview

1

There’s something about falling sideways through space and time that makes a person question their life choices. And I was no exception.

I’d barreled through the Chinvat Gate after Warrick Mason, the wendigo supe who’d killed my dad. I’d known that if I didn’t follow, I’d lose him—maybe forever. I hadn’t had time to think about what would happen when I came through the other side.

That thought was now stark in my mind. Whatever happened, I had to come out fighting.

The dark space around me shuddered and compressed, and before I had a chance to brace myself, I was through, popping up through the floor as the Gate tossed me over its threshold like last week’s leftovers.

I rolled to a crouch, taking in my surroundings. I was alone in a corridor made of weathered stone—some sort of castle or fortress. A trail of blood led away from the gate and around the corner. Mason. Injured—and headed somewhere.

I bit my lip as a shiver wracked my body. It was fucking cold here, wherever here was. I was still clad in the ridiculous cocktail dress I’d been kidnapped in back at Aldourie Castle—God, that felt like an eternity ago. My feet were bare. My cold-blooded naga half was not pleased with this situation.

I either needed to go forward, securing warmer clothes and a weapon, or I needed to go back.

The Gate flared to life, a surge of purple light nearly blinding me. I staggered back in time to see Konstantin and Daevin pop out of the Gate and crash onto the stone in a tangled pile of muscled limbs. Thank Manasa. My relief at seeing them bowled into me with hurricane-force winds.

The Gate began to shrink—dimming and contracting until it was little more than a stone bracelet lying still on the stone. But the imprint—the raised stone circle with telltale markings, was hewn into the stone. Just as it had been in Turkey and in Scotland.

Konstantin pushed to his feet, offering Daevin a hand. Even after flying through a magic portal he took my breath away—a modern Viking with his sandy blond hair pulled into a ponytail, his ripped torso clad in a black leather jacket and black T-shirt. Worry was written across his chiseled features. Zariya, are you all right?

I nodded and wrapped my arms around myself, fighting off another shiver. Got a headache, but I’m okay.

Worry turned to anger. Konstantin took a step towards me and I couldn’t help it—my human side prickled with fear. Coming through the gate by yourself was one of the stupidest, most idiotic moves I’ve ever witnessed in my six hundred years.

I couldn’t lose him, I explained lamely. He admitted to killing Dad.

Konstantin’s broad shoulders drooped slightly. I don’t care, Zariya. Putting yourself at risk puts the entire team at risk—

Boss? Daevin broke in, smoothing his black hair back between his two curving horns. He didn’t look remotely concerned, he braced himself against a stone wall with one red-skinned hand, his forked tail flicking lazily. Maybe we should save the lecture. Figure out where the hell we are. I’ve been trying to get Kiki on comms, and I’ve got nothing.

Konstantin blinked his sky-blue eyes and tapped his comm. Tartarus Base, come in. This is Phoenix One, can you read?

Silence. Fuck, Konstantin swore. They must have some magic neutralizing our comms. I think they’re fried.

My eyes had fluttered closed against the cold, and they snapped back open at his curse.

Six, you’re not looking so hot. Daevin cocked his head as he examined me.

I gave him a ghost of a smile. Funny choice of words. I’m cold-blooded. It’s too cold here. I need more clothes—

Konstantin took off his jacket and draped it around my shoulders. It smelled of him—starlight and glacial ice and the black of space. I resisted the urge to close my eyes to take in the scent.

A blast of heat hit me as Daevin’s hands burst into flame, as he directed the controlled fire towards me.

I nearly groaned in relief. Sometimes it came in handy to have a caco-demon as a friend.

He let the fire go out and ushered me towards him. Come here. I’m as good as a heated blanket.

I was too frozen to be shy, so I threaded my arms into Konstantin’s jacket and then stepped in and leaned against Daevin, my head drooping against his chest. He was like a heater.

Gettin’ blood all over my good shirt, he said, but when I looked up in apology, he was grinning. He wrapped his arms around me, sealing in the warmth.

Konstantin snorted, his eyes narrowed at Daevin. You don’t have any good shirts.

Daevin’s grin just widened. So, what’s the plan, boss?

Besides you feeling up our sixth?

"I believe you mean keeping her alive. But yes."

Konstantin looked down the corridor. We evaluate. If we can take Mason safely, we do so. Otherwise, we retreat.

Retreat? I protested. We can’t leave without taking him down.

I didn’t stay alive the last six hundred years by running into situations with impossible odds like some stupid American cowboy. And if you’d known your father in the field, you would know he didn’t, either.

I pinched my lips together. That was a low blow, but he was right. Dad’s memories, nestled safely within my mind, told me that Konstantin’s approach was the right one. This was an unknown situation with no base support. Caution was key.

I quested out with my naga glands, evaluating the maze of halls and passageways around us. Looking for lifeforms through their infrared heat signatures. The place was a maze. Huge, multiple floors. Outside was cold. Cold, cold, cold. But inside—there were a lot of heat signatures. Perhaps fifty scattered throughout the levels. But that wasn’t what concerned me. It was the concentration of a dozen. Headed our way.

I pushed back from Daevin, mourning the loss of his delicious warmth. He was like a one-man space heater. We have a group fast incoming. We need to get out of here, now.

Konstantin stilled. Switched from our grumpy commander to deadly killing machine in a moment. Where?

Down that hallway. I’d give them…about a minute.

Do your senses give you any indication of a way out of here?

I closed my eyes, trying to picture the blueprint of the building. Based on the location of the people, and the temperature fluctuations outside, I thought we were on the second floor. That way. I pointed away from Mason’s bloody footprints. We need to get one floor down and then find an exit.

Konstantin gestured. Lead the way.

We took off running. Damn, I wished I had a pair of shoes. I felt like a heroine in the action movies that Kiki, Alviya, and I would always make fun of. Like, why did the guys get to be fully dressed and the girl always ended up scantily clad, running for her life? Wasn’t that some damn irony.

My heart squeezed. I really hoped I got to see Kiki and Alviya again. I slowed. There’s someone in the corridor up ahead.

Konstantin stopped beside me. They could be armed.

In here? Daevin nodded to a door beside us.

There’s a window, I whispered. We could get out that way. The person was about to round the corner.

Go, Konstantin ordered, and we piled inside the door. Konstantin shut it quietly and we listened as bootsteps passed by. Crates and black cases were piled high around us. We were in some sort of storeroom.

I flew to the window, looking out and getting the first true glimpse of our predicament. My heart sank into my stomach. We were surrounded by a field of white snow, crowned with jagged, snow-peaked mountains.

Well, ain’t that some shit. Daevin appeared beside me.

We need to find you some warmer clothes before we go out in that, Konstantin assessed.

And some shoes. Unless Daevin wants to carry me piggyback the whole way.

Konstantin let out a soft growl, but Daevin laughed. Now you’re getting it, six.

Start looking in these, Konstantin said. Maybe they have clothes. Or weapons. Or something we can use to communicate with base.

Daevin’s eyes went wide as he opened the first