Caged: Challenge of the Immortals, #3

By Kym Dillon

The immortal world, where mating between species is forbidden…

Every immortal realm feels change in the air.
Laws are bending and dissolving during this time of conflict.
But one rule remains steadfast:
Interbreeding is forbidden.
Period.
No exceptions.
The punishment for breaking this sacred rule is most certain DEATH.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lovestruck Romance
• Release date: Jun 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201641351

Book preview

The immortal world, where mating between species is forbidden…

For centuries, the five immortal realms:

Vampyres, Lycans, Dragons, Sorceresses, and Fairies,

maintained a shaky peace, but only because they shared a common enemy—mankind.

---

Eventually, mankind forgot immortals existed.

They became nothing but legends and old wives’ tales.

It was what immortals had hoped for.

They’d been waiting for their chance to rule.

---

That day has finally arrived.

---

Every immortal realm feels change in the air.

Laws bend and dissolve during this time of conflict.

But one rule remains steadfast:

---

Interbreeding is forbidden.

Period. No exceptions.

The punishment for breaking this sacred rule

is most certain DEATH.

PROLOGUE

Jaren couldn’t seem to maintain his usual stoic expression as he glanced around the mess hall. He wasn’t sure which part of his visit bothered him more—the news he came to deliver to his pack, or the fact that he’d been forced to return to the Lycan compound at all.

What are you saying, Jaren? his sister, Lana, asked. Do we need to move?

A round of grumbles and gripes swept through the over-crowded building in response to Lana’s question.

He shook his head quickly, trying to keep the situation from escalating. No, no. Jaren rose, holding his hands up, gesturing for the group to quiet down. Nothing that dramatic. All you need to know is that there is a very real chance of war now. Before this, it was all a bunch of hot air, posturing, and realm against realm—typical realms making passive/aggressive jabs at one another. But the first stone has been cast.

As Jaren did his best to reassure them, he wondered if he was making the right call. Maybe he shouldn’t be reassuring them at all. Maybe he should be alarming them instead. Gods knew he was certainly alarmed and on-edge himself.

It’s the witches, isn’t it? someone called out, but Jaren shook his head. Good guess, but wrong. The dragons. It’s a mess.

There was a collective gasp and several members jumped to their feet.

Jaren, what are we going to do? Lana’s eyes were wide with fear. If we’re caught—

You won’t be, he assured her. Just remain here on the compound like always. None of the realms have any reason to suspect that we’re anything but what we’ve claimed for a century and a half to be. Don’t leave unless it’s absolutely necessary.

We can’t stay here as prisoners! Lana growled. Several others agreed with her. We have jobs off the compound, lives outside of here.

Jaren immediately felt a twinge of guilt. It was his fault they had lives outside the compound. He never should have allowed it. He shouldn’t have let them leave in the first place. He should have kept them here where it was safe. It was too late for regrets now. They’d been doing things a certain way for over a century. No one could have seen this coming.

Don’t act as though you’re prisoners, Jaren snapped. You’re in hiding. I don’t have to tell you how much is at stake here, and it’s not just about you. It affects all the other compounds worldwide. The second any of the realms get wind of what we’ve been doing…

He stopped speaking, not wanting to worry them more with his fatalistic words. They all knew exactly what was at stake—the same thing that always had been.

The kids… Lana breathed. What about the children?

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Lana, Jaren insisted. He shot his sister a warning glance. The last thing he wanted was mass hysteria on his hands. His sister wasn’t helping matters by feeding everyone’s worst fears.

Easy for you to say, Harvey snapped. You’re out in the world, hands-on, seeing everything firsthand. We’re trapped here like caged rats.

Don’t be melodramatic, Jaren snapped. You have everything you need here on the compound.

Harvey, don’t make matters worse, Lana grumbled, turning to glare at him. Jaren is doing his best for us, just like he always has. There’s a reason he’s our Alpha, isn’t there?

Harvey didn’t seem convinced by Lana’s words, but at least he shut his mouth. His reaction wasn’t the first time Jaren witnessed how much the others looked up to his sister.

Thank you, Jaren sighed, casting Lana a grateful smile. I’ll keep you posted with any updates as I learn them, but for now, all I know is that the dragons have made a claim for rule of all the realms. And now we wait.

A nervous wave of chatter flooded the mess hall. Jaren rose from his spot and glanced around at the others. They really were better off here on the compound than anywhere else. He wished he could stay with them until this all played out, but that wasn’t an option. Not when there were others who needed him.

Without a formal dismissal, the members began to exit the huge building in a wave, leaving Jaren to stare after them wistfully second guessing himself. He wondered if maybe he shouldn’t have come at all.

As if reading his mind, Lana joined his side.

Maybe you should stay here, she breathed. You being out there now…I don’t need to tell you what kind of problems that will breed.

The realms will be too busy looking at one another to pay attention to anything else, he assured her quickly. I’m probably safer out there now than I ever was.

He hoped he sounded more confident than he felt. The truth was, he had no idea how events were going to unfold going forward.

Apparently, Lana wasn’t fooled. You don’t even believe your own words, she grunted.

Jaren grinned wryly. She knew him too well. That was the result of starting a rogue group with someone. There were no secrets, certainly not after all this time.

I need to get back to the city, he sighed. Are you okay with holding down the fort for a few weeks until I can come back?

Haven’t I always been? Lana chuckled but there was little mirth in her tone. Their eyes met and her jaw clenched.

Hey, we’ve gotten away with this for this long, Jaren reminded her softly. There’s no reason for them to think we’re anything other than an extremist religious colony out here. Stay out of the spotlight and we’ll overcome this the same way we’ve overcome everything else, all right?

She grimaced, and Jaren pulled her into a hug, placing a kiss on top of her head.

Stay safe, little sister, he sighed.

You too, big brother. Say hi to the Big Apple for me. Lana sounded slightly disheartened.

By the tone in her voice, Jaren realized his sister thought he was really going to stay there this time—permanently. Maybe he should consider it.

Will do, he said quickly before he could allow any more thoughts into his head. He disentangled himself from her embrace and gazed at her face warily sensing that the discussion wasn’t over yet.

There are more of us out there, Lana. I need to find them before the world comes crashing down around us.

You need to lay low. You said so yourself, Lana scowled. This is not the time to go searching for the Lost Souls.

Now is precisely the time. The realms won’t be paying any attention to me, and if there are others—

Lana held up her hand. Her grey eyes flashed with indignation.

I heard your argument. Now hear mine, she interrupted. There are ten thousand here alone. Not to mention the other dozen compounds worldwide. We’ve more than paid our dues.

It’s not about paying dues, Jaren retorted even though he knew his twin was right. It’s about protecting our kind.

According to the world—according to all the realms—our kind doesn’t even exist, she reminded him flatly. Don’t do anything that will make them question that, Jaren. Especially not now.

He didn’t answer, but he studied her face closely, his mouth pulled into a tight line.

Promise me, Jaren, she insisted. Say you won’t go looking for any more of us. If you need to stay in the city, I want you to promise to keep your head down and your nose clean.

He nodded, but refused to say the words out loud.

Jaren…

His thoughts immediately strayed to someone in particular. No way he could let her fall through the cracks. Alright, alright. I won’t actively go looking, he relented. But if I come across more of us, I won’t ignore them. I can’t.

Lana grunted but she seemed to realize that was the best she was going to get out of him for the time being.

With a flip of her raven black hair, she turned toward the door.

You really should get back before you’re missed, she told him. He could clearly hear the annoyance in her voice.

Lana…

She paused to glance at him over her shoulder.

I don’t know when I’ll be back here again, he said quietly. His sister blinked several times, reading his face closely.

I see.

There was a brief silence between them and finally Lana offered him a lopsided grin.

It doesn’t really matter what I say, does it? she chuckled. You’re going to do what you’re going to do.

I’ll be in touch. And I’ll be back as soon as I can, he promised, relieved that she was letting him off the hook so easily. You be careful too.

As Lana left the now-empty mess hall, Jaren sank back into his chair, his mind whirling.

The war has begun, he thought grimly.

And I’m in over my head.

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