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CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
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Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Wendy"Alec!" I scream. "Get in!"More Silver Hunters emerge from the woods. It's like the entire island is infested with them.Releasing the man he has a hold of, Alec jumps into the boat. He turns away from me, wiping his face, but I see the blood there.I steer the boat away from the island, urging it to go faster. The Silver Hunters shout after us, but they're too late. Alec and I—and our little motorboat—are slipping away into the fog.It takes me a few moments to be able to breathe again. When I can, I look over at him. "You okay?" I ask.His expression is flat, almost like he doesn't know how to react. "I'll feel better soon."I nod. "That ... it speeds up your healing?"I hate that I can't even say what I just saw. I saw Alec tackle a man and drink his blood. Since it was a Silver Hunter, I don't feel sorry for the person, but I would be lying if I said I'm still not a little shook up.I'm also glad that Alec got what he needed, so there are a lot of emotions running
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
WendyAlec and I drive the motorboat to a small island nearby, where the lighthouse stands high up near the water. The fog that had been obscuring our vision has dissipated enough for us to make out the shape of the island, and we can see the light cutting through the night.We pull up closer to shore, and Alec ties off the boat. We make our way onto land, navigating rocks and looking around until we find a path leading up to the lighthouse.We walk along this path, my heart racing as I think about what my mother's voice said at the wishing well. Is this the door she was talking about?Or am I really going crazy? My mother is dead!But what if ... what if one of my abilities is being able to talk to ghosts?The thought sends shivers down my spine. I've never believed in ghosts before, but I can't deny the voice I heard at the wishing well. And if that's true, maybe my mother is trying to help me solve this mystery from beyond the grave.Alec looks over at me, sensing my unease
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) EPILOGUE
TyrTaking a deep breath, I lace my fingers behind my back and walk over to the window. The city sparkles below my high-rise apartment.I suppose it's what some might call a beautiful scene. I wouldn't know. Nothing brings me pleasure anymore. I won't be happy until I have one thing in particular.It's been five years since I haven't been able to focus on anything but the Golden Coin. At this point I eat, sleep, and breathe it.And I almost had it too.Or at least that's what I thought on the islands.Gritting my teeth, I turn away from the window and storm down the hallway. The apartment is really three. After buying them, I had walls knocked down and hallways connected. On top of that, I also had the whole place soundproofed as well as outfitted with some other important features.Taking a key from my pocket, I unlock a door at the very far end of the apartment. Entering the dark room, I flick on a light. In the cell installed in the wall, my prisoner sits on his cot.He do
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER ONE
WendyWhenever I've pictured my death, it always had something to do with lying in bed, old and feeble, my grandkids gathered around me. That, or I figured I'd go out in a car accident like both of my parents.I certainly didn't see myself leaping from a tower, holding the hand of a vampire, while people who want to kill us simply for existing nip at our heels.Alec seems so confident that we wouldn’t drop to our deaths. That, somehow, we would—what? Float into the sky?But here we are, plummeting. My stomach flies into my chest, and a scream rips from my throat. I grip Alec’s hand tighter, and it’s just like they say: my whole life flashes before my eyes.My fifth birthday party. Seeing the ocean for the first time.Reading in the tree in my backyard, the sounds of the neighborhood around me. Looking out the window and waiting for my dad to come home. Seeing the cop car pull up the driveway and knowing my life was about to change forever.The dark ground rushes up to meet u
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWO
WendyIce floods my veins, and my legs feel like lead. It's impossible to move them. One of the Silver Hunters whistles, and there's a responding whistle in another part of the woods."You thought you could get away, hm?" A Silver Hunter approaches, and though they all look the same under the helmets, I recognize the voice. He was one of the hunters who tried to stop me in the wishing well.Did they get the Golden Coin?My heart squeezes.If the coin is as powerful as Alec says, if it has the ability to grant immense power and wishes to whomever holds it, would the Silver Hunters even be out here looking for us? Wouldn't they be back at Hawthorn, making plans to fry bigger fish?I lick my lips and take a step back. Alec presses against my shoulder. "Stay back," he growls.The Silver Hunter looks at one of his buddies and chuckles. The hounds are straining at their leashes, several of the hunters using all their strength to hold them back."What are you going to do, boy?" The
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER THREE
TyrStopping at the faded brick alleyway between the art gallery and some pseudo-New Age shop full of pointless crystals and sticks of herbs, I breathe in deep and center myself.This is it. This should be the place.So, why isn't the gateway here?Frowning, I walk along the cobblestones and into a small courtyard. It's quiet, nothing but the gurgling of a fountain fills the air. Even the sounds of the city are muted here."Damn it," I hiss.Apparently, you can't trust the word of someone you met in an underground werewolf bar. The entrance to Dyad Marketplace should be here, right past the—Something glimmers in the bricks on the other side of the fountain. Something bright and shiny.Striding across the courtyard, I approach the bit of metal stuck in the wall. A grin breaks across my face."Perfect." Placing my fingers on the thin strip of metal—something that would appear completely innocuous and meaningless to any basic person walking by—I speak the incantation. "Aperta
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER FOUR
WendyFlames lick the sky, and smoke chokes the air. I push through the haze, my eyes burning from the heat. All around me, the walls are on fire.“Wendy!”My heart lunches. That voice! It’s Brynn!“Brynn!” I whirl around, looking for the first friend I made at Hawthorn. I haven’t seen her since we split up when the Silver Hunters attacked the school, and since then, I’ve constantly been wondering if she’s okay. Or if she’s even alive."Where are you?" I yell."I’m here! Help!"I spin around again, and suddenly, I'm in the wishing well. The cool water dances, and at the very bottom of the well, the Golden Coin sparkles."Up here!" Brynn calls.I lean back and catch sight of her at the very top of the stairs. She clutches the railing and looks down at me, her eyes wide and panicked."Hold on!" I run up the stairs."Hurry! They're coming!"A looming figure appears behind her shoulder, and my breath catches in my throat. I want to scream, to warn her, but it's like my voice
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER FIVE
HeatherSomething creaks nearby, and I stiffen, every muscle in my body going tight. It's like there's a hand around my lungs. I can't breathe. I can't move.I'm a coward. The lowest of the low.Biting my lip, I peer through the crack in the ceiling. Several Silver Hunters walk down the top floor hallway, their swords in hand.So, they're still patrolling the school.Are they ever going to leave? Or do they just live here now?Tears fill my eyes, and I shut them, wishing all of this would just go away. None of it seems real. None of it is fair.What did I ever do to deserve this? I was just sleeping in my bed, minding my own business ... and then came the explosions and the screams.I tried to go out my dorm window, but there were Silver Hunters in the courtyard. They would have seen me if I escaped that way.So, I did the only thing I could do. I hid.The attic crawl space, separate from the main attic, has always been my secret spot. The only way to get into it is through
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Mated (Mortal, Book Two) EPILOGUE
TyrTaking a deep breath, I lace my fingers behind my back and walk over to the window. The city sparkles below my high-rise apartment.I suppose it's what some might call a beautiful scene. I wouldn't know. Nothing brings me pleasure anymore. I won't be happy until I have one thing in particular.It's been five years since I haven't been able to focus on anything but the Golden Coin. At this point I eat, sleep, and breathe it.And I almost had it too.Or at least that's what I thought on the islands.Gritting my teeth, I turn away from the window and storm down the hallway. The apartment is really three. After buying them, I had walls knocked down and hallways connected. On top of that, I also had the whole place soundproofed as well as outfitted with some other important features.Taking a key from my pocket, I unlock a door at the very far end of the apartment. Entering the dark room, I flick on a light. In the cell installed in the wall, my prisoner sits on his cot.He do
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
WendyAlec and I drive the motorboat to a small island nearby, where the lighthouse stands high up near the water. The fog that had been obscuring our vision has dissipated enough for us to make out the shape of the island, and we can see the light cutting through the night.We pull up closer to shore, and Alec ties off the boat. We make our way onto land, navigating rocks and looking around until we find a path leading up to the lighthouse.We walk along this path, my heart racing as I think about what my mother's voice said at the wishing well. Is this the door she was talking about?Or am I really going crazy? My mother is dead!But what if ... what if one of my abilities is being able to talk to ghosts?The thought sends shivers down my spine. I've never believed in ghosts before, but I can't deny the voice I heard at the wishing well. And if that's true, maybe my mother is trying to help me solve this mystery from beyond the grave.Alec looks over at me, sensing my unease
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Wendy"Alec!" I scream. "Get in!"More Silver Hunters emerge from the woods. It's like the entire island is infested with them.Releasing the man he has a hold of, Alec jumps into the boat. He turns away from me, wiping his face, but I see the blood there.I steer the boat away from the island, urging it to go faster. The Silver Hunters shout after us, but they're too late. Alec and I—and our little motorboat—are slipping away into the fog.It takes me a few moments to be able to breathe again. When I can, I look over at him. "You okay?" I ask.His expression is flat, almost like he doesn't know how to react. "I'll feel better soon."I nod. "That ... it speeds up your healing?"I hate that I can't even say what I just saw. I saw Alec tackle a man and drink his blood. Since it was a Silver Hunter, I don't feel sorry for the person, but I would be lying if I said I'm still not a little shook up.I'm also glad that Alec got what he needed, so there are a lot of emotions running
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Alec"You don't look so good." The Silver Hunter with a brown beard sniggers and tosses another log onto the fire.Another Silver Hunter scowls at him. "I don't know how you're in such a good mood. We still haven't found the coin. Now, we'll have to report back, and she'll be—""Don't worry about it." The bearded man grins at me. "Our friend here will help us out."It's hard to look tough with my arms bound behind my back, but I try my best. "I don't know where the coin is. If I did, I'd already have it.""And what about your friend?" He juts his chin at me. "I bet she'll tell us."I growl. "You leave her alone.""Or what?" He laughs again. "You'll kill us? You're so weak at this point you couldn't hurt a fly."He's right. Unfortunately. When I came to after falling over the bridge, I was already tied up. I tried to break free, but the strength wasn't there. The fall banged me up too much. I need blood to heal properly, and until I get that, I'm worthless.The bearded Silver
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
WendyMy hands shake as I untie the boat and clamber into it. The Silver Hunters haven't caught up to me yet, but I probably only have minutes to spare, if even that.Turning on the motor, I navigate into the open water. The tears turn to sobs, which start to shake my chest until I can hardly breathe.Damn those Silver Hunters. Alec never did a thing to hurt them, and yet they're constantly attacking us. They torched our school. Did who-knows-what to our classmates and teachers.And now Alec might die.And all because he's different. All because they're afraid of his power.I sniffle and wipe tears from my cheeks. It feels like there's a big hole in my chest and I'm going to fold right into it.I have to save Alec.First, I need help, though. The two of us together barely stood a chance against those Silver Hunters, so going up against them solo is pointless.But who will I go to?I glance over my shoulder at the vanishing island. How will I even find this place again? I do
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Wendy"Run," Alec breathes. He tugs at my jacket. "Run, Wendy."The Silver Hunters are already rushing us, their swords drawn. The bridge swings back and forth wildly, and I nearly lose my footing. Alec pulls me back, urging me in the direction that we came from.We're too slow, though, and they're too close.The first Silver Hunter reaches us, hatred filling his eyes. He must know who we are, because the second he and his buddies saw us, they charged.His sword comes down, but Alec ducks. The blade buries itself in the bridge's railing, where the Silver Hunter has to yank it back out.Searching deep within myself, I find that well of power and call on it. The energy is already there, rising to the surface. I rush into the man and knock him sideways, so that he tumbles over the bridge.With amazing speed and agility, Alec leaps over my head and lands on the next Silver Hunter. There's a sickening crack, and that's two enemies down.The bridge shakes against our frantic moveme
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
WendyA seagull's cry pierces the air, and I jerk awake. Gray morning light and fog surround the boat, and next to me, Alec snores lightly in his sleep.My heart racing, I look all around us. When did I fall asleep? The last thing I remember, Alec and I were looking at the stars. It was so peaceful; I must have just blinked into unconsciousness.And forgotten to put the anchor down.Which means we've been drifting all night.Terror closes its cold fingers around my throat. How far have we gone? Are we miles out into the sea?"No, no, no." I clutch the edges of the boat, but I can't see more than a few yards through this fog. "Alec." I shake him. "Wake up."Alec stirs, groggily rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What's going on?" he mumbles, squinting against the gray light."We're adrift," I say, my voice trembling. "We forgot to put the anchor down last night."Alec's eyes widen in alarm. "How far out are we?""I don't know," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "We coul
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
HeatherAfter pushing a wardrobe in front of the office to keep the Silver Hunters inside, I lead the way down the hallway, Gregory close behind me.One of his eyes is swollen shut, and he can barely see out of it. Which means I have to be the one leading this operation.At a corner, we pause and listen. Footsteps sound in the cafeteria. The Silver Hunters are close.I signal for Gregory to follow me, and we move as quietly as possible towards the cafeteria. As we approach, we can hear the Silver Hunters talking amongst themselves."It's a shame we couldn't catch them," one of them, a man, says. "We'll have to step up our game if we want to capture those two."I chew on my bottom lip. Who are they talking about?"She's too powerful," another Silver Hunter says. "You know who her—""It doesn't matter where she comes from," a woman snaps. "She's not too powerful for the coin."I peek around the corner and see three of them gathered around a table, maps and papers scattered eve
Mated (Mortal, Book Two) CHAPTER TWENTY
WendyThe island's lights are still visible when I cut the motor."Was that intentional?" Alec asks. "Or did we just get trapped out here?""It was intentional. Since we keep seeing them on every island, they must have a boat, too, right? And I bet it's a lot faster and better than ours.""Good point.""Let's just wait a while and make sure they're not following us," I say. "It'll be easier to hide if we're not making any noise."We sit there quietly, the waves lapping against our boat's hull. After a few minutes, Alec clears his throat."Wendy, I ...""It's okay."He sighs with frustration. "No, it's not. I didn't want you to ... that's not a side of me I want you to see."I shake my head. "I'm a big girl. I can handle it."His shoulders slump forward. He's gonna feel down about this no matter what I say, and I hate that."Are you feeling better now?" I ask."I feel like a new person. The strength I have now is absolutely unbelievable."I lick my lips and watch a cargo
