“I think,” Henry says, dipping a hand into the pocket of his wheelchair and coming out with a deck of cards. “That this is a moment that calls for a distraction.” Cora perks up a little. “Nothing says distraction like a couple hands of high-stakes poker,” she quips. I smile at her, knowing that Cor
Ella As the startled men hurry out of the conference room, Henry turns to Cora and I, looking at us with a grim expression as we stare at him in terror. “I have made a grave miscalculation,” he informs us with a steady, regretful nod. “I am sorry, girls – I have failed you –“ “Wha – what?” I gasp
Sinclair We move quickly through the sewers, getting to our launching point in less time than I had estimated it would take. I glance at my phone, not anticipating that we’d have been able to receive any messages from our home base, but disappointed regardless. As our men range themselves on eithe
I nod, agreeing, though my wolf snarls and snaps. I run a mental hand down his ruff, asking him to steady, but he shakes me off. I frown and shake my own head, determined regardless. “Okay,” I say, yanking one of the doors open and peering down into the basement. “Let’s go.” Then I haul the other
Ella Cora and I pound down the stairs, gasping for breath by the time we reach the bottom. She starts down the dark hall, holding Henry’s phone out in front of her, its flashlight blaring through the darkness, but I cry out a little and grab her hand. She turns to me, frantic, desperate to get awa
Cora looks back as well when she sees the direction of my gaze and she gasps too. “Shit! Ella! Shit!” And then, in complete panic, she slams her foot down on the gas in an attempt to get away. But the wheels just spin beneath the car, finding no traction. And, as I watch, the two men and the pries
Ella “Ella!” Cora screams as one of the men comes around her side of the car and starts to bash at her window with a crowbar, the glass cracking and then beginning to fall inside the car. But I have no time to respond – I’m already unbuckling my belt and throwing myself into the back seat towards m
“Ella!” Cora gasps from the car and I’m instantly in motion, dashing for her – I haul the driver’s-side door open and am almost sobbing by the time I set my eyes on her – blood – so much blood – and my sister covered in it – “Cora!” I cry, reaching for her – but she’s moving away from me – and as
He shakes his head at me as tears fill his own eyes and he leans forward, pulling me against him while somehow miraculously managing not to crush our children between us as he holds me tight in his arms. “So, I guess it wouldn’t matter,” he murmurs against my hair as I sniff back my tears and nod.
“Even more than the kids!?” I gasp, my mouth falling open a bit. “I mean, the kids,” he says, shrugging as if they’re not much, which makes me laugh. But then he goes a little rigid as he realizes something, raising his eyes to glare at me a bit. “Wait, are you saying you like the kids more than m
Ella “Nope,” Sinclair says, heaving himself out of bed and grabbing his phone off the bedside table as he does. “I can’t live like this, Ella – I’m calling Roger, I’ve got to know –“ “Dominic!” I say, laughing and grabbing for him, trying to catch the edge of his pajamas and failing because I’v
She laughs and I look first at Sinclair, who shrugs, and then back at my sister. “Come on,” Roger says, nodding at the crowds of people waiting to congratulate us and at the small table of refreshments. “Let’s decide this over some champagne.” Sinclair nods at me and I sigh, moving with my famil
The last image, though, lingers. Ariel, with Rafe and Jesse on either side – as they always are – and her two mates behind her. All standing together on a battlefield with Ariel at the center, magic welling between her hands and passing to her brother, to her cousin. Their faces are serious as t
Cora The images of Ariel’s future come in quick flashes, and somehow I get the impression that the Goddess is eager to share these glimpses of her life. The ones that come first are what I sort of expected, especially after seeing some images of Rafe’s childhood and hearing about the ones that
“We are not,” Cora scoffs, gently taking Ariel into her arms as Sinclair and I laugh. Roger grins, leaning forward to kiss me on the cheek before passing Jesse to me. “You know I’m kidding, right, Ells?” he whispers. I smile at my brother-in-law and gently pat his cheek. “When in doubt, Roger,”
Ella Three weeks later – Ariel was born under a waning quarter moon, not a new moon like her brother and her cousin – I stand anxiously in the woods, my little girl held tight in my arms. “I’m sensing some anxiety,” Cora says, grinning at me with a little too much glee as she comes up to my sid
“Oh my god,” I say, the words spilling out of my mouth. “Oh my god,” I sit up straight, staring at Henry, my eyes flicking to his legs – because honestly, I don’t even notice his chair anymore, or think of him at all as someone whose abilities are hindered. Or of me as someone who is able to do an