Inheritance (Wolf Blood Academy Book 3) Read online

  Inheritance

  Wolf Blood Academy Book Three

  RaShelle Workman

  Copyright © 2021 by RaShelle Workman

  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.

  Cover by: Crooked Sixpence Book Covers

  Edited by: Debbie Davis

  RaShelle’s website: www.rashelleworkman.org

  For Jacob.

  Thanks for the long talks about what became the Shade Rasa. You’re the most amazing to infinity and beyond plus one.

  Contents

  Introduction

  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

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also by RaShelle Workman

  Introduction

  ♥ Can love alter destiny? ♥ The Wolf Blood Academy gave me an ultimatum. Either attend and take my place in the pack, or my family suffers the consequences.

  I did everything the Academy asked of me. I became a Legacy and attended school like the rest of the students. But that wasn't enough.

  Thanks to my family's secrets, I've been accused of murder, kidnapped, and sold to the highest bidder. A Vampire Blood Royal named Devante Vladimir.

  He wants me as his bride, but he wants me to prove myself first by participating in a deadly hunt where I'm the prey. If I agree and survive, I become his wife, but if I don't, he'll kill the man I love.

  Will I have the strength to win? Most importantly, if I do succeed, will the man I'm bonded to forgive me for breaking his heart?

  Can love alter destiny? There's only one way to find out, which means I must claim my inheritance and become the Wolf Blood I was born to be.

  1

  Diana

  Prison wasn’t supposed to be pleasant. And it wasn’t. At least not emotionally. Physically, I had everything I needed. Food. Clothing. Shelter. But my jail cell wasn’t a cell at all. Instead, it was an extravagant room, likely in a castle, and definitely someplace cold.

  As I lay on my oversized bed, counting the stones on the ceiling, I debated where exactly I might be. My best guess was Alaska since that was where Crawford and Logan said I would be going. Getting to my destination had been a blur filled with darkness and the occasional unmemorable word. When I became aware again, I was here.

  My head wound was healed. The wolf-dampening cuffs were removed, allowing me unrestricted access to my pampered prison without hindrance. Thankfully, my wolf was close once again, too, though I couldn’t shift. Probably because of an elemental enchantment, like the one at the Academy.

  My captor, the one who purchased me like I was a side of beef, still hadn’t shown his vampire blood face. Hell, I hadn’t met anyone. Maybe it was because he was trying to lull me into a sense of contentment. Rid me of my fear, so I wouldn’t have any fight left in me when he did come calling. At the thought, I grumbled. No way would that happen. Since I was alone with my thoughts all day, every day, I had time to think about what I would do to Crawford when I found him. Logan, too, if I’d been wrong about the good in him. Regardless, I would make Crawford pay for what he’d done to those girls.

  I wanted justice for them, especially Chloe. Plus, her family deserved some closure.

  Forcing myself to sit up, I contemplated my room. The walls, floor, and ceiling were made out of stone, which should’ve made the surroundings cold. But the sumptuous décor helped it feel cozy—a combination of purples and blacks with the occasional pop of blood red. Lush plum curtains hung from a locked window. It allowed in sunlight, which was why I knew I’d been here for at least a week.

  On the floor were thick carpets that tickled my bare feet. The king-sized bed frame, though also made of rock, had a luxurious mattress covered in equally lavish bedding. A two-person glass table situated on a rock stand carved into two women in flowing gowns, their arms above their heads as though they meant to be holding the glass. The chairs and every other piece of furniture, including a sofa, loveseat, and end tables, were also made of rock. Thick pillows and cushions left the room feeling expensive yet cozy.

  At first, I thought it odd there wasn’t a single piece of wood in the room. And then I remembered that Vampire Bloods could be injured by wood, especially those carved into sharp points and used to jab them into their hearts. Peculiar weakness, but then Wolf Bloods were averse to silver just as Magic Bloods became easily worn out when they overused their elemental magic.

  Even the monsters of the Shade had weaknesses. I’d been taught about them at the Academy.

  “Dinner,” a woman on the other side of the metal door hollered as she pounded on it. Then she opened a slat near the floor and slid a tray inside.

  “Thank you,” I called, even though she never responded.

  A whiff of her scent came through the opening. She smelled off. Not human. Definitely not a wolf blood. I could only assume she was a vampire blood though I hadn’t seen more than the tips of her fingers.

  As soon as the slat closed, I picked up the tray, which held a plate full of extravagant food, eating utensils, and a mug of water and carried it over to the table. It was situated under the window. The glass was frosted, making it impossible to see what lay beyond. However, I still appreciated the changing of the light throughout the day. It allowed me to feel closer to the outdoors.

  My wolf missed it worse than me. She craved the earth under her paws and the wind in her fur. I mean, technically, she was me, but she was definitely the more animalistic part of myself. At my thoughts of her, she whined. Not only did she want to shift, which we couldn’t do, but she missed Wyatt. Hell, I missed him. Desperately. We were in complete agreement there.

  Placing the napkin in my lap, I picked up my fork and knife and cut into my steak. I already knew it would be delicious. Every meal I’d eaten tasted exquisite. Admittedly, I found that surprising since Vampire Bloods preferred blood over food.

  I placed the meat in my mouth. Perfectly amazing, as I expected. The meat was crispy on the outside, tender, and nearly raw on the inside. I ate it slowly, also enjoying the mashed potatoes with butter and the artichoke hearts. Dessert was a slice of chocolate cake topped with cream and raspberries. When I finished, my belly was full, but I was still left wanting.

  How long would they keep me in here? I leaned over, resting my head against the cold window glass. Wyatt, I called in my mind, not expecting an answer. And I didn’t get one.

  “I’m going crazy,” I shouted, standing, my hands at my sides clutched together into fists.

  In answer, and to my utter surprise, the door opened, and in walked a striking man. He had long black hair that almost looked blue when the light hit it just right. His skin was alabaster and nearly see-through, while his limbs were long and his eyes were the color of coal. His suit was equally impressive. Deep black with a white shirt and a formal blue tie, the exact color that represented Legacy house. Had he planned that on purpose?

  I drew in a deep breath. He smelled like the woman, and I knew he had to be a vampire blood.

  “Hello, Diana,” he said. “Or would you prefer Moonlight?” His voice seemed to hang on the air like it refused to let go of the beautiful sounds. “My name is Devante Vladimir.”
br />   “Diana is fine,” I said through gritted teeth. The only person allowed to call me Moonlight was Wyatt.

  “Very well,” he said, his red lips turning down in a pout. “How are the accommodations? Have you slept alright?”

  “Yeah, they’ve been great,” I snapped. “As far as a prison goes, I can’t complain.” I went over to the window and sat on the sill, feeling comfortable there but also, it was far away from him.

  “Good. Good,” he said as though I wasn’t showing off my temper.

  I decided to get right to the point. “You bought me. Now, what do you want with me?” I crossed my arms, hoping to hold in all of my doubts and fears. Logan and Crawford mentioned that I was a virgin and that my captor wanted to screw me. I refused to let that happen. I had to be brave until Wyatt came. Without a doubt, he would find me. I just had to be patient.

  “That is really up to you.” He went over to the couch and sat, patting the cushion beside him.

  I shook my head. “Here’s fine, thank you.”

  Irritation crossed his features for the briefest second before it became stone smooth once again. “Very well. I bought you because Crawford Kaza told me about your special abilities.”

  “My what?” I asked, acting like I didn’t know what he meant. No one except Wyatt was supposed to know what I could do. At least that was what I believed.

  His annoyance returned and remained. Before I could blink, Devante was up and had pushed over the table, breaking the glass and the stone, and stood right up against me, his fangs at my throat and his hands holding down my arms.

  I tried to move, but he was stronger than steel. This was it. He would take what he wanted, and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. “Get away from me,” I shouted.

  “Don’t play coy with me, Diana,” he said, as though I hadn’t yelled at him. He licked my throat, sending a shiver of fear through me. Then he stepped back, crossing his arms. “I can taste the truth on your skin.” He smiled triumphantly. Before I could respond, he was back at my throat, his fangs piercing my skin, parting for him like he was Moses and my flesh was the Red Sea.

  I cried out, not in pain but in shock. My wolf howled in frustration that she couldn’t be freed. “Stop,” I said, pleading in my voice. But I felt him pull blood from my body.

  Almost as quickly, he withdrew, wiping his mouth. Some of my blood smeared on the back of his hand. His tongue came out, and he licked it slowly, his eyes on me the whole time. “There is Vampire, Magic, and Wolf blood in your veins. Just as the Kaza wolf said.” Devante smiled, flashing his sharp fans. “At least they didn’t lie about that. But I’ll have to see them manifest for myself.”

  I was in shock for many reasons. As soon as I gathered myself, I put a hand to my throat, expecting blood to be spilling out of me like a faucet. While I could feel two slight bumps on my flesh, the wounds were sealed shut. Next was his statement about the monster blood. He said I had all three. “That’s impossible,” I finally uttered. “Both of my parents are Wolf Bloods.”

  “True, but somewhere along your family tree, someone broke the rules, and what’s worse, they had a child and lied about it.” Devante’s eyes flashed needily, and then they were clear. He went back over to the couch and sat, crossing one leg over the other.

  “I—” I didn’t know how to respond. Just stared, admiring the fineness of his suit and the shininess of his dress shoes. His clothing didn’t match what I excepted someone who resided in a castle should be wearing. Or maybe he did. I’d never met someone who lived in a castle before.

  Except that wasn’t true either. Apparently, since both of my parents were Royals, at some point, they’d lived in their family's castles, which meant Devante fit exactly.

  Devante was watching me, a look of amusement on his face. “I bought you and will do what I like with you, but only on condition you prove you can do everything they claim.”

  “Which is?” My teeth began to chatter, and I had to keep them clenched so they wouldn’t betray me.

  “You have two options. I can seduce the truth out of you, or you can show me without the seduction, though at some point, I do believe you’ll let me bed you, especially once you become my wife.”

  “That—” I started again and then shook my head. “That will never happen.”

  Devante rose and went to the door. Before he opened it, he turned. “You’d better hope to hell it does. Because if those boys have lied and you cannot do all they said you could, then I will have no choice except to kill them both.”

  I didn’t care about Crawford. I wanted that asshole to die a horrible death. But Logan? I hoped we might have a chance to get to know one another. He was my half-brother. That meant something to me, even if it didn’t matter to him. “And if I can do all they said?”

  “Then you and I will marry. You’ll live here with me like a queen. Logan and Crawford will stay alive, and together we will have a joyful life.” He tucked his hands in his front pockets. “We can start slow.”

  If I wasn’t with Wyatt, there was no way my life would be filled with anything but sorrow. Definitely not joy. “How so?” I wasn’t letting that vampire anywhere near me again. At least not if I could help it.

  “I’ve had the six hundred and forty acres around my castle spelled by the most powerful elemental magic around. So, you are free to go outside. You can shift and run and enjoy all that the land around my home has to offer.” His eyes glittered with excitement, which confused me even more.

  “And what good will that do?” I stood as well, waiting for him to say something I wouldn’t like.

  He chuckled then. “I will be able to verify your wolf is silver first and foremost.”

  I nodded as my wolf whined with need. She would do just about anything to get outside. “Okay,” I said, stepping forward. A piece of glass pierced into the soft skin of my barefoot. I winced, trying not to show him it had caused a moment’s pain.

  He opened the door, and relief washed over me as I thought he intended to leave. Instead, he asked someone to come in and clean up the mess he’d made.

  Two stunning women dressed in matching lavender dresses, their hair tied up and out of their faces, came in. One with a broom and dustpan. Another with a trash bag. They had the same underlying scent as the woman who me. They were vampire bloods, though they appeared to be much younger than my captor.

  While Devante watched them, I studied the vampire even closer. His skin was smooth as marble, and I couldn’t decide why I knew he was so much older than the others.

  The women avoided eye contact with me as they swiftly swept up the glass and then hefted the broken table, removing them all from the room like the pieces were made of plastic.

  When they were gone, Devante came over. “May I?” He held out a hand.

  I hadn’t moved as the women worked. “I’ll be fine,” I said, knowing the wound would heal as soon as I removed the glass.

  “I appreciate that you are an independent woman, but I really must insist.” Without waiting for a response, he lifted me into his arms. His body was softer than I excepted, though I felt the hardness too. He was like the rock castle that he lived in.

  When Devante reached the bed, he carefully deposited me there, helping me, so I was seated on the edge. Then with hands warm as mine and gentle too, he took hold of my foot and lifted. “There it is. Hold still, please.” He bent down so that his face was mere inches from the underside of my foot and, with confident tenderness, pulled out the glass. “Got it.” He showed me the bloody offender.

  “Um, thank you.” My insides were a quiver of nerves. I just wanted him to leave. It was uncomfortable having him so close. “The cut is healing already,” I said softly.

  “Excellent.” He tucked the piece of glass into the pocket of his suit jacket and went over to the window, opening it like it hadn’t been locked a few minutes ago. A gust of freezing wind sailed in, causing the drapes to flutter and my hair to dance off my face. “Magnificent,” he said, watching
me as though I were a piece of art. Or a delectable meal. “Might I come and visit you for a few minutes each night?”

  I wanted to tell him hell no. “Why?” I asked, clasping my hands together.

  He shrugged and moved to the exit. “I thought you might want to know more about what you are? Which I believe is an Inheritance Wolf.”

  Actually, I did want to know more. “You know about all of that… stuff?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant but failing.

  “Yes, Diana. When you’ve been alive as long as I have, you tend to learn a lot about everything. And if you are all that I think you are, then I have the answers you’re seeking. Together, we can make this world a better place.”

  I didn’t believe the last part. No one paid five million dollars for the intent of making the world a better place. Either he had more money than he knew what to do with, or he thought I could provide him with something rare.

  Power, my wolf whined.

  That was it. Devante wanted power, and he thought I could give it to him. That was why I was here.

  “Okay,” I said aloud.

  “Very good.” Devante looked pleased. “You’ll see. Together, we will be the most powerful of all the Monster Bloods.”

  Yep, he confirmed it. The vamp wanted power for sure.

  But at least he was no longer irritated. I didn’t want his fangs on my throat again. Because next time, he might lose control and drain me dry. Vampire Bloods were known to have problems with stopping before their victims died. My school books called it a blood fog. Where they forgot everything except the taste of blood in their mouths and the need for more. Even as I had the thought, my body shuddered. A memory of tasting the blood of those wolves when I killed them after they murdered Kya filled my mind. I had craved more.