The temptation to just leave, run, get the hell out of there was so powerful I was shocked at my own lack of courage. Mind you, I'd been through a lot, thanks, what with having no contact with my magic and almost being burned alive and all. But it wasn't like me to cut and run.Time to slice myself off a little piece of slack. I drew one deep breath after another while Demetrius forced chunks of stone into the sorcerer's mouths, the rock seeping outward like Charlotte's gag, more of the concrete slices forming bonds at ankle and wrist. I could hear him whispering, muttering to himself, while the two men groaned before falling totally silent."Would kill them," Demetrius said softly to me as he turned and smiled the expression of a happy child, "but Belaisle will do much worse."I was all for that."Need to go." He grabbed my hand, started to tug on me, leading me to the stairs. "Out, out, out."Our hustle to the kitchen helped me burn off my panic, shook me loose of the fear I'd a
I caught Trill before she could crumple, tears pouring down her face."This is all my fault," she said.I wasn't about to argue with her, but I kept my mouth shut considering the timing.Demetrius was at the door, unsealing it, amber eyes fixed on me. "Come," he said. "Time to fix me."No argument from me. Except we were still shy one of our number."I can't just leave Owen." Trill tried to pull away from me, ending up in Charlotte's reach.From the expression on her face, the weregirl didn't care a scrap what Trill wanted and I couldn't bring myself to blame her. Charlotte had just endured a very bad day and the wolf in her seemed ready to act on her own whether we were part of her exit or not."We're leaving." Charlotte's hand clamped down on Trill's arm. "Now."The girl dug in, tears turning to fury. "I need to know Nona's not here," she snapped. "You could be lying so we'll leave. Your loyalty isn't exactly a big secret or anything."Oh boy. Charlotte's normally calm demea
The first went down without a sound, mouth gaping open as the former Chosen leader landed on him, legs wrapped around his chest, arms flung around his neck, gaping mouth flashing those very white teeth. Owen didn't hesitate, lunging forward toward us, Trill grasping his hands and pulling him after her as Charlotte spun and landed a bone-crunching kick to the second guard's chest.No, I wasn't kidding. Bone definitely crunched under the heel of her heavy boot, ribs at the very least, if not the man's sternum, giving way to the ferocity of her attack. I let her have her head, the wolf half emerging again, foam dripping from her fangs as her snout elongated, talons hooking from her stretched and knobbed hands."Get them out." She snarled those three words just before she threw herself at the third guard who was already turning to retreat, his feet tangled in the toppling man she'd just disabled while Demetrius's power sucked the life out of his captive.The sight held me for a moment,
Damned fool girl, what was she doing? But the smirk on Belaisle's face told me. Still full of himself, still thinking he could win. The pulsing light of the crystal faded, cooled, and I understood at last why Owen had taken my hand.My crystal. His power. Rather a wicked combination.As for Belaisle, I was a little surprised at his continuing arrogance. Either he was unaware I'd discovered the secret to fighting his kind or he just didn't have the brain capacity to believe he could lose.About to prove him wrong."Where's who?" Belaisle took a slow step forward, his people closing in. Only now they were split in focus as the coven and the clan pushed against them with magic and rage."Bastard!" Trill threw the word at him, as sharp as any knife. "Where is our Nona?""Your precious Nona." Belaisle brushed at one sleeve as though he wasn't standing in the middle of a fight he was about to lose. "Ah, yes. The old woman. I recall now. She died badly, I'm afraid."Trill shuddered, Ow
Mom's mind was closed to mine, no matter how hard I tried to reach her. I stood in the back yard where I'd stopped my forward motion from the park after dumping all of us near the edge of our property, the whoosh and sigh of vampires arriving and departing with coven members echoing behind me.Give me the silent treatment, would she? We'd just see about that.As much as I agree with you, Gram cut through my irritation as she strolled to my side, striped socks soaked by the early-evening rain I'd missed, give your mother a little slack. And go see her in person if you're planning on reaming her a new one.Brilliant idea."We have to go." Trill pulled away from us, hovering with Owen at her side, the glow of the crystal still shining in his hand. "You heard Belaisle. They'll be coming after us. And if they don't have Nona," a single bright spark, that, "we have to get to her before they can track her down for real.""On your own?" Sebastian strode from the dark, holding out his hand
-I gasp for air as fire explodes around me, a line of demons falling back, their power recoiling from the group of sorcerers rushing in to kill them. Fear takes over as I lash out with my magic, calling for the creation power I'd felt before, only to find it hollow and echoing, the full brunt of its ability lost to me though I have access to just enough to save my life when the sorcerers turn the demon's own magic on them, burning them alive.I stagger free, no sign of Trill or Iepa, the battle raging on around me. My feet skid in blood, over the bodies of fallen Sidhe, their endless lives now done, witches collapsed among them, demons, vampires sagging to ash blowing in the air, making my eyes sting, tears rushing to flow and clear them.My mind can't fathom the sound, white noise pressing against my ears, pounding inside my head, the roar of an angry ocean surging in waves of death around me. I spot Trill, crouched and weeping, and rush to her, bending over her, pulling her to her
Demetrius crouched in one corner of the kitchen, keeping out of the way as I said goodbye to the last of the coven, sending them home with smiles and hugs and many thanks, their vampire transportation met with the same level of gratitude. I had many more smiles in return from the undead clan than I expected and wondered if maybe the old class boundaries were finally breaking down.Would be nice. I liked it when everyone got along.It wasn't until Anastasia pressed a cold kiss to my cheek and swept off with the twins Demetrius finally wormed his way out from under the table and came to me, a soft whine escaping his throat, Adam's apple bobbing in time with the rise and fall of his cry.Charlotte moved to block him immediately, but I waved her off, taking a seat at the table with Gram watching from where she leaned against the counter, her favorite green mug in her hands, cooling tea untouched as she observed.Sassafras leaped up beside me, Meira coming to watch as I gestured for Dem
Life, as life was wont to do, went back to (ab)normal.Thanks to Gram's constant vigilance and training the rest of the coven, we were covered on the watching for sorcerers department, at least in Wilding Springs. And with no sign of them over the next little while, I felt the coven relax and accept this disaster as they had all the others.I just wished I could be so blasé about it.When I finally managed to corner Mom and talk to her, it was by her choice. She and her Enforcers swept into town to pick me up before winging off to the Brotherhood's mansion, Mom refusing to speak to me about it or even tell me where I was being taken until I found myself standing in what was once a garden, staring in horror at the smoking pile of ash and melted glass that had been the huge house.Belaisle made sure to leave behind a little gift as a further warning not to pursue him. Mom ordered the white cat nailed to the stake taken down and the upside down pentagram erased from the top of it.At