Wicked Witch: A Post-Apocalyptic Paranormal Romance (The Wickedest Witch Book 1) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Wicked Witch (The Wickedest Witch Book 1)

  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

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Author’s Notes

  The Dragonian’s Witch

  More Books by Meg Xuemei X

  About the Author

  WICKED WITCH

  The Wickedest Witch Book 1

  Meg Xuemei X

  Wicked Witch © 2017 by Meg Xuemei X

  Copyright notice: All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  First Edition

  Meg Xuemei X

  Cover art by Deranged Doctor Design

  Edited by Monique Fischer

  Proofread by Emily Nemchick

  Formatted by Beth

  The novel is a work of fiction. Any and all characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or events or places is merely coincidence. Novel intended for adults only.

  Table of Contents

  Wicked Witch (The Wickedest Witch Book 1)

  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

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Author’s Notes

  Sneak Peek of The Dragonian’s Witch

  More Books by Meg Xuemei X

  About the Author

  Wicked Witch (The Wickedest Witch Book 1)

  She fucks me hard and forgets me the next morning.

  I can’t forget our hot, sweaty nights together. I’m sure the Wickedest Witch has hexed me, making me lust only for her. How dare she use me and discard me like that!

  And just as I’m about to punish her, I uncover the truth—she is my fated mate. I’ve crossed light years and crashed onto this savage planet for her, but she can’t remember a damn thing about me. I’ll do anything and kill anyone to cure her amnesia so she can remember how our passion for each other burns hotter than the stars.

  I’m Archangel Gabriel. And I won’t let my mate, the only female who matters to me, be doomed.

  1

  The Witch

  I trekked through the deadly jungle—home to wild beasts, native cannibals, and poisonous fog.

  Pine needles and twigs scrunched under my feet in the eternal shade. Scarce sunlight penetrated the thick foliage. The air smelled of moisture, bitter blossoms, and sulfur. Strange birds chirped, insects cried, and animals bellowed, each one sounding creepier than the former ones. I prowled on, the darkness of my magic trailing after me.

  Akem, the elemental entity, dwelled and ruled here. He allowed only me to roam his realm, but not because he was kind. He wanted something from me, and I had no idea what that was.

  I had no memory of my past and I couldn’t form any new memories.

  Every morning when I woke up, I forgot all the events and people and places all over again. Through my magic, I’d found a way to inscribe clues on my skin. A primary marking would appear unbidden at my waking, then at my summons, the rest of the markings would surface.

  There was one imprint on the back of my hand that I hadn’t inked on myself. My nameless enemies had branded me “the Wickedest Witch in the universe.” They had wiped my memories clean before dumping me on Pandemonium, for reasons I had yet to find out.

  I’d recorded the first event on my wrist with my magic: I’d woken up under a black tree in this jungle, not knowing who I was or where I came from. Before I could get my bearings, a two-headed hound and three winged Furies had set upon me.

  I’d fought my way out; the red gown I had been clad in had been torn to shreds.

  I’d named myself Fiammetta after I stumbled into the City of Nine, which swarmed with monsters, vampires, and an army of criminal militias.

  I now lived for one purpose—to find who did this to me and have my revenge against them tenfold.

  I’d been stuck on this planet for three years. Every day when I wasn’t battling other species or securing food, I returned to the forest to seek the portal.

  Ice light radiated on my skin and my markings displayed a sketched map as I padded between the cannibal trees. I did not worry about them; my ice magic shielded me and kept them at bay. But when I lifted my gaze from the map, the forest had shifted. I was surrounded by thorny trees with black flowers. The smell was pungent. The sprawling vines of the cannibal plants were nowhere in sight.

  Akem was toying with me.

  The jungle quieted and dimmed. Darkness never bothered me much. I was the mistress of darkness. But I let ice light travel from my fingertips and illuminate the path ahead as a precaution.

  My instincts told me I should head north.

  Growls broke out and beasts sprinted in my direction. I couldn’t outrun them, so I bolted toward the nearest thorny tree and climbed up as fast as I could.

  I reached the middle branch with a few scratches. Before I settled, a spotted female leopard with three horns charged into view. A huge male leopard with black, glossy fur caught up with her. The female leopard swept her tail over her mate’s horns. He sniffed the air, not only at her heat, but for the scent of any invaders.

  Luckily, I’d disguised my sc
ent with my ice magic.

  My mortal enemies had purged my memories of people and places and events, but they had failed to rip out my inherent knowledge and magic. So, I knew the horned leopards could climb trees. As long as I didn’t disturb them and remained undetected, they would be occupied with each other.

  I would wait them out.

  The female rolled over onto her belly and swatted the male’s muzzle with her paws as he came upon her. His jaw opened, his mouth on her neck, demanding her surrender.

  She didn’t resist as she positioned herself ready for the taking, and the male wasted no time mounting her from behind. Within minutes, he ended his short, rapid thrusts and broke away from her. I let out an inaudible breath of relief. Now they would go on their way and I could keep looking for my portal. I might get lucky today and end my long search.

  But the animals started the next coupling and the next. Each time the female moved to a new spot, but always near the tree where I perched, and the male followed her around. Every mating was short, but they kept at it tirelessly.

  Were they going to fuck forever?

  Days were short on Pandemonium, and if the leopards didn’t end their incessant coupling soon, I would never make it back to my Witch Tower before the last daylight faded. All the beasts came out to play when night fell.

  I gazed down at the ongoing mating below me and considered my options. If I killed them, I would upset Akem. I was forever careful about using my magic in his domain. I did not want him to learn too much about me.

  Yet I couldn’t afford to let the lovers further inconvenience me. With a resigned sigh, I drew on my ice magic and showered them with hail.

  They immediately separated, shook the small ice cubes from their fur, and bawled in fury.

  If they discovered me, I would have to battle them, but I could argue my way out of Akem’s wrath by telling him I had been provoked and had to defend myself.

  But the animals stopped mid-roar. They twitched their ears and snapped their heads to the right, sniffing the air.

  A deafening whooshing sound rumbled through the ground. At the same time, Akem’s Furies shrieked above the thick canopies, signaling the arrival of a worse predator.

  My skin tingled from fear, and a thrill pumped through my blood.

  Fifty yards away, trees toppled, their branches breaking as they crashed into each other. A thunderous thud rocked the jungle.

  The tree I was perching on trembled and I lost my footing, but I shot my hand overhead and managed to grab hold of a branch.

  The leopards gave one last warning growl and fled.

  Through the space between bushes, I made out a large, lizard-like machine falling from the sky, fire blazing from its tail end.

  I swung to a lower branch and jumped, landing in a crouch on the forest floor.

  “Defender,” I muttered, and an ice spear instantly appeared in my hand.

  I sprang toward the crash site.

  2

  The Angel

  My cabin tilted. I didn’t sway, but the buttermilk soap slipped from my hand.

  I growled. Didn’t my crew realize their captain needed a warm shower after a strenuous war and a long journey in space? Were they so incompetent that they couldn’t keep ThunderSong steady for a little longer without me having to take care of everything?

  They were a loyal crew, but this was getting tiresome. Every time I was in the middle of taking a shower, some emergency cropped up.

  Just as I expected, the intercom in my bath chamber chimed.

  I unfolded my wings under the strong spray of water. “Captain Gabriel here,” I hissed. “What now?”

  My ship rocked again and I stormed out of the shower.

  “I’m very sorry, Captain,” Racer, my first officer, murmured. “We just succeeded in pulling out of an unanticipated storm.”

  “You should anticipate everything!”

  “That’s true,” Racer said humbly. “But this time it’s different, Captain. It isn’t an ordinary storm, and I’ve found a new planet in this galaxy.”

  “We find new planets all the time and you think it worth disrupting my shower?”

  “I’m positive, Captain,” Racer said boldly. “It’s best you come to the bridge now. You need to see it for yourself.”

  When I arrived at the bridge, fully dressed, the soap sticky on my wet hair and wings, I saw a gray planet through the view window.

  “You got me out of the shower for that ugly thing?” I asked incredulously.

  “It was cloaked until a few seconds ago,” Racer said excitedly, his white wings arched above his shoulders.

  A tiny blue spot on his white uniform caught my attention and it irked me. Tidiness was as important as discipline in my book. As the first officer, Racer was supposed to set an example for the rest of the crew.

  I was too lenient. Perhaps I needed to be more like High Prince Seth, so all would tremble in front of me.

  “Zoom in,” I ordered.

  The hologram showed nothing but gray clouds over the planet.

  Could Atlas—the former evil Dark Lord of All Angels—be hiding on that planet? I’d been hunting him for the past three months, ever since we’d left Earth and crossed three galaxies.

  I frowned. “You said you uncloaked it.”

  “Those weren’t my exact words,” Racer said. “I said we discovered it, although the planet had been cloaked.”

  “Yet you failed to show your captain a visual.”

  “Not exactly failed, Captain,” Racer protested. “Something powerful is blocking our probe. Do you understand the significance?”

  Racer would never dare speak to the High Prince that way. Seth would cut his tongue out. I rapped my knuckles on his thick skull to remind him whom he was speaking to.

  “Ouch, Captain. What’s that for?” Racer grimaced.

  “I’m the captain,” I said. “I decide what’s significant!”

  “Aye, Captain!” The crew snapped to attention.

  That was more like it. They knew I was on edge. Seth was waiting for my updates on his father and I had nothing to report back to him.

  If Dark Lord Atlas was hiding on this uncharted planet, my hunt would be over.

  I rotated the image of the planet at fast speed until my eyes caught a blur above the planet.

  A vortex.

  My officers leaned closer and drew in sharp breaths. They had never seen anything like that.

  “If I’m right,” I said, “we’ve just spotted a time portal.”

  Time portals were mythical to many species. It required tremendous power to bring a time portal into existence. I’d seen it only once in the long march of my immortal life.

  An eon ago, High Prince Seth had unleashed the Forbidden Glory and created a time portal to send a superior race through the vortex to a bleak dimension, saving our legion in an interstellar war.

  But Seth was light years away, so there was no way he could have made this portal. Plus, tearing open the fabric of the universe had severe consequences, and the damage lasted for eons. Seth had vowed never to form another portal.

  “Should we run, Captain?” Ekon, my cautious second officer, asked.

  “Angels never run,” Racer said. “We didn’t run from the Dark Lord and his Reapers and Wraiths! Why would we run from this?”

  “Maybe we should run,” I said, though a thrill raced through my blood. “However—”

  Racer nodded. “We can’t give up this once-in-a-lifetime chance. What if the Dark Lord is hiding on that planet? Who else could have the power to cloak it and generate a portal?”

  “The High Prince weakened his father and almost killed him,” another member of my crew said. “The Dark Lord can’t recover that fast, and he doesn’t have the Forbidden Glory. The High Prince has sole custody of it now.”

  The vortex vanished from the hologram.

  “Captain! Captain!” My crew turned their panicked expressions to me, awaiting instructions.

  I raised a
finger to stop them from dragging me from my profound thoughts. Three months might have been time enough for Atlas to resurrect and gather his strength.

  “That is not good,” I murmured under my breath.

  “This might be good, Captain,” Racer said. My insolent officer just had to defy me at every turn. I’d have to terminate his employment after this mission.

  “Think about it, Captain,” he continued, his white wings unfolding. At my warning look, he tucked them in tightly. “First, we get to study this time portal. Then we’ll make it known to every Angel in the universe that we once flew through it under the command of the great Captain Gabriel.”

  My hard expression softened.

  “Second,” Racer said, waving his hands in the air to stress his point since he wouldn’t dare annoy me again by shuffling his wings, “if the Dark Lord is lurking on that planet, our hunt is over. We can all go home or head toward a new galaxy. And you, Captain, will be remembered as the superhero who caught the Dark Lord of All Angels. All we have to do is to go in stealthily, gather the intelligence, inform the High Prince, and wait for him to get his royal ass here and finish off his father.”

  I had to admit, Racer was making sense.

  “We’ll do more than just collect intel,” I said, clapping my hands to get everyone’s attention. “Listen up. We’re going to take a look at the gray planet. I’m flying Red Dragon. A-team, take Vixen and Wind-Beast. When I say pull back, you retreat at once. The time portal is not a light matter. If I get lost, don’t come looking for me. Report to the High Prince immediately. ThunderSong must stay out of orbit. Under no circumstance should my ship go near that vortex.” My voice filled with malice and I glared at my crew. “Understand?”

  The crew snapped to attention and nodded in unison.

  “Captain, let me pilot Red Dragon for you,” Racer said.

  “You are to stay on ThunderSong and follow my orders to the letter,” I said. “Don’t ever get into the habit of questioning me again. After I return, I’ll adopt the High Prince’s methods and discipline the hell out of you!”

  The crew traded nervous glances. “Aye, Captain,” they said as one, and the A-team hurried off to prepare for the planetary scout.