Rising Darkness: Excalibar Investigations Series, #3

By Tiffany Shand

A kidnapped husband, unknown dangers, and a Denai witch on a rescue mission that might cost lives…

Cate McCray's quest for her husband might be risky, but what other choice does she have? She's willing to have her team of enforcers turn the universe inside out to get him back.

Her victory at rescuing Jason is short lived when she discovers he can't remember what happened to him while he was held prisoner.

Cate wants to know who held him and why.

She needs to know if there's a new threat to their team now.

 

And she worries he might have unwillingly given a dangerous being sensitive information.

With a dangerous new killer on the streets of their city, the team worries what new enemy has been sent to destroy them and what price they'll pay to eliminate the threat.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tiffany Shand
• Release date: Jan 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201918170

Tiffany Shand

Tiffany Shand was born in Essex, UK and started writing short stories when she was a child. She has always done writing in one form or another and started writing novels in her early teens. She writes both non-fiction and fiction, but mostly fantasy and paranormal romance. After doing a creative writing course in her early 20s she is now a freelance writer and professional proofreader. Tiffany lives in Essex with her two spoiled cats and one very nutty hamster.

Book preview

RISING DARKNESS

EXCALIBAR INVESTIGATIONS SERIES BOOK 3

BY TIFFANY SHAND

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Copyright © 2021 Tiffany Shand. Second edition.

Copyright © 2017 Tiffany Shand. Originally published as Denai Storm.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written consent of the author, except for brief quotes in reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. People, places, events and situations are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or historical events, is purely coincidental.

Cover Design by Kristina Romanovic

Editor: Lisa Maree Birch

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Epilogue

Also by Tiffany Shand

About the author

Chapter 1

Cate McCray watched in horror as a glowing portal opened up. This is not good.

Steve, what should I do? she asked her brother through the comm link attached to her ear.

Get out of there! I’m on my way, he told her.

She clutched the hem of her wedding dress. Hell, she wasn’t dressed for a battle. This must have been what Kyra meant when she had warned that more evil would follow. Putting Kyra and Pascal to death wouldn’t stop the threat from the Covenant.

Her heart pounded. She wished she’d had the sense to bring a weapon with her. But she still had her powers at her disposal.

A figure emerged from the swirling blue portal into the six-foot four form of Vicus. His long ebony black hair blew around him as he straightened. His black eyes that held no iris fixed on her. The Deva smiled when he met her gaze.

I should’ve known it’d be you. Cate scowled. You really don’t know when to give up, do you?

I never give up, witch. Vicus grabbed hold of her, jabbing something into her neck faster than she could blink.

She collapsed to the floor, feeling the darkness threatening to swallow her up.

Cate? She heard the sound of her husband, Jason’s voice and blinked up at him before everything went black.

Cate gasped and groaned, rubbing the back of her neck as she sat up from where she’d been slumped across her desk. She had relived the same memory every time she closed her eyes for the past two months since Jason had gone missing.

If only she had been able to fight harder before Vicus had taken Jason away. But she’d find him again, and she’d make sure that Deva paid dearly.

Someone tapped on the door of her home office. Cate?

She looked over to see her brother, Steve, and yawned. His floppy brown hair half covered his tired blue eyes. He wore a rumpled t-shirt and pyjama trousers. What time is it? she asked.

It’s almost 4 AM. Shouldn’t you get some sleep? he said. When was the last time you slept, anyway?

I can’t sleep. Every time I try to, I feel what that bastard Vicus is doing to Jason. She rubbed her aching eyes. Do we have any new leads yet?

Nothing new. I’m sorry, sis. Steve patted her shoulder. I promise we’ll find him.

You’ve been saying that for two months now, she grumbled and rose before teleporting out.

Pale shafts of silver moonlight shone along the bedroom floor as Cate materialised. Part of her hated just being in the room now. Everything there reminded her of Jason and the fact he wasn’t there.

Files littered the table, the bed and the sofa in the small lounge area. She shoved a pile of them aside, sending paperwork scattering to the floor as she slumped down on the bed and kicked off her shoes.

Staring up at the ceiling, Cate contemplated what to do next. Sleep wouldn’t come easily, if at all. After weeks of following dead ends and wrong information, they were running out of time. She knew Oberoth would only keep Jason alive for so long. When they killed him, she would die too, due to their soul bond which bound them together in life and death. Cate couldn’t understand why the bond wouldn’t tell her where he was. Nothing could break a soul bond, no matter what kind of magic interfered. If they died, at least they would be together again, but she wasn’t about to give up on living just yet.

Turning on the light, she glanced down at the pile of paperwork and sighed. She’d find no answers there. Picking up another stack, she spotted a map of Setara. Jason had to be there. Somewhere. Her hand started to shake just as a violent twinge went across her temples. Cate’s eyes snapped shut as she let the vision drag her in.

Pain and darkness threatened to overwhelm her.

Cate? Jason’s voice echoed through her mind. Cate, I need you.

The files fell to the floor as she clutched her aching head. Enough was enough.

After yanking her shoes back on and grabbing her jacket, Cate teleported out and reappeared in an office with a black and red decor and pictures of various bands covering the walls. To her relief, Drake sat at his desk smoking a cigar. His long black hair was tied back, and he wore one of his usual sharp black suits with a matching grey shirt. He looked much more awake than she did.

Do you ever sleep? the demon asked as his dark eyes fixed on her.

Do you? she retorted, hands on hips. I need your help.

I thought I’d been helping. I’ve been doing everything I can to help you find Talbot. Drake blew out a plume of smoke from his cigarette. But there’s only so much I can do.

She put her hands on his desk and leaned forward. I know there’s nothing we can do from here. Which is why I need you to get me to Setara.

Drake snorted, snuffed out his cigar. That’s suicide and you know it.

Drake, they have my husband – your friend. We both know they won’t keep him alive much longer.

How do you expect me to take you to Setara? All the portals there are closed, and your father has had any portal in Lorden under heavy guard since the bombing.

Cate glanced around at the new interior of the club. She had no idea how he’d managed to reconstruct the place so fast after a bomb had blown up the place a couple of months earlier.

The one in my house isn’t guarded. If Vicus can use it to come here, then why can’t we use it to go there?

How do you know you won’t be walking straight into a trap? Drake asked. I promised Talbot I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.

It was her turn to laugh. Drake, I’m the Grand Mistress. I can take care of myself; I don’t need protection from you. I just need your help to get into Setara.

You can’t expect to go waltzing into Setara by yourself. They have ways of sensing their enemies, and you would be recognised.

You know Setara – you lived there once. Cate gripped the edge of his desk. If anyone can get me in you can.

What about your grandmother? She used to be a leader there. I’m sure she knows the lay of the land better than I do.

Cate shook her head. I can’t ask for her help. She’d never let me go if she knew what I was planning.

With good reason, Drake replied. Going to Setara is suicide.

I’ll take my team with me.

The team might be good at solving crimes and rescuing people in this country, but Setara is a different world compared to here.

What would you do if it was your soul mate? Cate paused. If you had one, I mean.

I do have one. Even demons have destined mates.

Who – oh, goddess. Do you mean Charlie? she gasped. She’s my niece, and she’s just a kid.

She’s old enough to start training as an enforcer. Don’t worry, I would never force a bond on her. You can trust me to keep her safe, Drake told her. He sighed when she gave him a pleading look. We’re going to need your brother’s help.

I must have lost my mind, Steve groaned. He, Cate, their brother, Ian, Drake and Charlie all gathered in the great hall. He glanced at Charlie. Yes, I have definitely gone mad to agree to let my daughter set foot in Setara.

You didn’t agree to anything, Charlie remarked. I volunteered to go.

Do we really have to dress like this? Cate asked. Wearing a long blue dress with a leather corset underneath, huge splits that ran all the way up to her thighs and thigh-length boots. She felt very uncomfortable.

This is how a witch high-priestess would dress if they were from Setara or one of the outlying lands, Drake replied. To travel through Setara, we must look the part.

Are we sure this is a good idea, Cate? asked Ian. I mean, Oberoth threatened to kill you if you interfered with Setaran matters again.

Never been so sure of anything in my life. I would go on my own, but I know none of you would want to be left behind, Cate answered. Has anyone heard anything from Jade?

Steve scowled at the mention of her best friend’s name. No, she left, remember? And that was by choice.

Cate knew he was still getting over the breakup with Jade, but she couldn’t help wishing Jade was coming with them.

How are all of us to get through Setara unnoticed? Charlie wanted to know. Even in these getups we’re going to stand out.

That’s where these come in. Steve held out seven tiny microchips. I designed these to help disguise our identities and magical signatures. That way we won’t set off any alarms.

Jalen walked into the room, along with his niece, Alva. As a Nuardan and Jason’s father, he knew the terrain in Setara better than anyone.

Thank you for agreeing to this, Cate said, touching his shoulder. I know how dangerous it is for you to go back there.

He’s my son. Jalen replied. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to save him. He clutched her hand. Setara is just as dangerous for you. You made powerful enemies there.

Everyone attached their microchips to their wrists, which inserted themselves under their skin.

So, how does this work? asked Charlie. I thought portals were hard to open.

Good thing we have Amie then, Steve said, referring to the house’s artificial intelligence system and held up a flat rectangular crystal. This is an old Ashrali communication device. I’m taking it with us in case we get into trouble and need to contact Dad or Grandma for help.

Dad will kill us all if he finds we’re in Setara, Ian pointed out.

This is a matter of life and death.

Cate took a deep breath, then let it out. She hated putting the lives of people she cared about at risk, but they’d just follow her anyway if she left them behind. Amie, open the portal, she commanded.

A swirling vortex of glowing blue energy appeared. She took another deep breath as she stepped into the unknown.

It felt like being sucked into a vacuum and light momentarily blinded her as Cate fell to the ground. She blinked, staring up at the dazzling blue sky as the sun beat down on them. Looking around, she saw they had landed the remains of dried out brown grass. The others all fell through a moment later.

Whoa, that felt weird! exclaimed Charlie.

We need to get moving. Cate scrambled up.

Remember, you’re a high priestess. Here in Setara witches rank almost as high as Oberoth and Elody, Alva told her. We’re your servants. Don’t treat us like your friends.

We can’t all go. No witch would have so many servants, Jalen remarked. One of you should stay here and guard the portal.

Ian can stay, Cate said. Let’s get moving.

What if you need healing? Ian protested.

Just stay here. I need someone to be able to contact Dad or Grandma if we need to make a quick escape. Cate hugged him. First sign of trouble, get yourself out.

Before we go anywhere I think we should make this party look more authentic, said Alva. Charlie and I can easily pass as witches as it is in our blood, but the demon –– he should be your prisoner.

Prisoner? Drake spat.

It would look more believable, Jalen agreed. Witches often take condemned men as prisoners. Demons are treated just as bad as the Nuardans here.

Cate conjured some chains. She couldn’t keep the smug smile off her face as she wrapped them around Drake and then handed the chains to Charlie.

As they moved on through the field, they soon came to a small village. She was surprised to see a few people moving about. They wore simple, plain clothing, and the village looked primitive compared to the advanced technology of the Ashrali. The houses were all grey stone with rough thatched roofs.

Who goes there? a voice called.

Cate drew in a breath, then put on her Denai face so she would betray no emotion. I am Lila Serus, a high priestess from Labon. My servants and I are on our way to Setara City.

A man with shaggy brown hair and an unkempt beard stalked towards her, then fell to his knees. Forgive me, mistress. I didn’t mean to question your authority. He started to tremble. Please don’t whip me.

She opened her mouth to ask why she would do such a thing, and Jalen gave her a look. Witches here ruled with fear and power, despite being slaves themselves. I won’t have you whipped. Just tell me how far it is to the city.

About five miles. Thank you, mistress. He fell to his knees and bowed low to the ground.

As they moved through the village, Cate saw people chained in the streets, some being whipped or some left to starve to death while Devas stood idly by. She had known people here were mistreated, but this level of cruelty shocked her.

A Deva raised his weapon to strike a child; she raised a hand to stop him.

Jalen clutched her wrist. Don’t interfere. I know how hard it is to watch, but we must move on.

Cate muttered a curse, but knew she couldn’t do anything without drawing unwanted attention.

The town has a security system, Steve remarked as he played with his PDA under his cloak. If I can hack into it, we might be able to free these people.

Drake muttered an oath. You’re going to get us all killed.

A woman came scurrying over to Cate. Mistress, would you like some refreshment?

Drinking tea with someone is a sign of respect, Alva whispered.

We don’t have time to stop, Cate said.

It would avoid raising suspicions, Alva reminded her.

She forced herself to smile at the woman. Thank you. Charlotte, keep an eye on the demon.

Cate, Alva, Jalen, and Steve headed inside the woman’s small cottage. The two men stood guard while Cate and Alva sat down at the table. The room had a dusty dirt floor with stone walls and only a few pieces of furniture.

It’s an honour to have you in my home, mistress. The woman poured out what looked to be brown sludge. My name is Marta. Have you travelled very far?

Further than you can imagine. Cate drummed her fingers on the table. She didn’t have time to waste on pleasantries. Jason needed her.

She reached out to him with her mind, feeling the familiar emptiness of his presence not being there as Alva talked to Marta. She closed her eyes, and all at once felt pain tear through her. Heat like a thousand knives tore into her body. She looked up and saw Vicus’s dark gaze staring down at her and knew at once it was Jason’s pain she’d sensed. Silver flashed as a knife came down, ripping through flesh and bone as it tore into his chest.

Cate gasped, feeling the cold metal rip through Jason’s abdomen, but it was nothing compared to the agony tearing into her soul. Pain tore into her, darkness threatened to swallow her up and take her away. She sank to her knees, curling up into a ball as a maelstrom of power flooded through her. The shadowy spectre of death lurked at the edge of her mind, but instead something within her snapped.

The pain and emptiness were replaced by anger. White hot fire burned through her veins as the witch, the fey, the Phoenix and her newly adopted Nuardan self, screamed for vengeance. The seven-pointed star birthmark on her wrist illuminated with light as energy surged through her like a storm. The building around them blew apart in a burst of wood and stone, sending dust everywhere. Power so strong it threatened to overwhelm her. Her sapphire blue eyes bled black as rage and power began to merge together.

Her body convulsed under the pressure of this new force, the ground beneath her trembled sending Alva and Steve falling backwards; but Cate no longer noticed them. More pain followed, flowing hot with a river of rage. On some level, she felt what happened, but no longer cared. The sky above them turned black as pitch, the sun being swallowed whole as lightning flashed around her. Blades of grass and grains of dirt swept away from the force.

Oh, goddess, Alva breathed. What’s wrong, Cate?

But Cate barely heard her. Jason was gone. She should be with him as despair washed over her. But first there was vengeance. Vicus and whoever had hurt him had to pay.

What’s happening? Marta asked, wide-eyed.

Help! Alva called to the others.

Jalen and Steve scrambled up with concerned looks on their faces. Cate rose to her feet. She felt stronger than ever, feeling power flow through her like electricity.

What’s happening? Alva cried.

It’s the blood rage. Drake pulled free of his chains. Stay away from her. She’ll kill us all.

But that’s not possible. The blood rage was outlawed by the coven centuries ago, said Charlie, as Drake pulled her behind him.

What is it? asked Jalen. What’s wrong with her?

Blood rage is where a Denai gives into the dark side of her gift. It’s an uncontrollable force where the witch gives into her power and the power takes control of her. It can only be brought on when the witch loses someone they love, Charlie explained, pushing in front of Drake. Seline told me about it. It shouldn’t be possible. The magic was outlawed a long time ago, and it can only be taught by another Denai.

Cate is the Goddess Marked. I doubt there’s much beyond her abilities, Steve said. Something must have happened to Jason.

Steve made a move to go to his sister. Stay away from her, Drake warned. I saw this once a long time ago. When a Denai enters the blood rage, there’s no coming back from it. She’ll kill anyone who gets in her way. She won’t know friend from foe. There’s no reasoning with her now.

Most Denais die after they go into the blood rage, Charlie said, glancing around at the others. What should we do?

Cate overheard the conversation, but none of them mattered. She had only one goal now to kill Vicus and those responsible for Jason’s death.

Two Devas came charging towards them, staff weapons drawn. Their eyes, their long black hair, brought back the image of Vicus into her mind. She raised her hand; energy impacted the air like thunder as she locked them within her power.

She doesn’t need to touch Devas now to be able to compel them, Charlie muttered. Seline said that a witch in the blood rage is stronger and deadlier than they normally are. Their powers become limitless.

Command us, one of the Devas said. What do you want us to do?

But no, death at her touch was not enough. She raised her hand again. Through her other sight