HildaTalking to Cerelia helps solidify what I want, but Arlo gets to have a say in this too and I’ll discuss it with him when the time is right. For now, I’m taking the potion. If he agrees, and we decide to take the risk, it will be the last time though. Which means I’m more motivated than ever to eradicate the mages.“I have an idea, but the final say has to rest with Cerelia,” I tell the war council that evening. The inner circle consists of Arlo, me, Cerelia, Soren, Percy and Nixie. Soren glances at me heavily, already unhappy with whatever I’m planning to propose.“I’ve seen a glimpse of what Cerelia is capable of now and that brought me the idea.” Turning to face her I say, “If this is going to place you in danger of burning out, or it seems like more than you can handle yet, you say no.”“I won’t know until you tell me what it is,” she responds when I keep staring at her. “I’m serious Cerelia,” I say emphatically. “If you’re not sure, we wait until you’re ready.” She nods, but
Cerelia“You’re sure about this?” I murmur, glancing at Hilda where she stands near the edge of the ley line, her arms crossed over her chest. She’s radiating confidence, but I know her well enough by now to see the tension in her clenched jaw and the way her fingers subtly flex.Hilda glances at me, her lips quirking in a faint smile. “I have to be, don’t I? Besides, we’ve got a solid plan and I trust you, Cerelia.”“Let’s hope your faith isn’t misplaced,” I say, exhaling to calm my racing heart. Soren steps closer, placing a comforting hand on my back. I can feel the warmth seeping into me, grounding my emotions. “She’s right. You’ve practiced for this. You’re ready,” he tells me with unflappable certainty.Before I can respond, King Arlo’s voice cuts through the quiet. “We won’t have much time before they get here. Everyone, to your positions.” His tone is sharp, but I catch the way his eyes linger on Hilda.We scatter to our designated spots. Percy and Nixie flank me, their stance
CereliaAfter a day of rest, I’m back to normal. As quickly as my power drains, at least it regenerates just as fast. Yesterday had gone well, but there’d been a moment where it was touch and go and my blood runs cold every time I think about what could have happened if I lost control and the mages got their powers back.“What’s wrong?” Soren finally asks with a small frown. I’ve been pacing like a caged tiger and he’s been very patiently trying to ignore me while attempting to read. Hilda found the book in the huge library Arlo’s pack has tucked away in an underground fortress and tasked him with checking whether it contains anything useful.Apparently we’re not the first werewolves to have a run-in with mages. The book is titled: Illusions and How to Dispel them. So far it hasn’t offered up anything of practical value.“I’m sick of having such inconsistent control over my abilities,” I tell him. “Yesterday very nearly went badly wrong. What if I got all of you killed?” Soren puts th
Hilda I’ve been uncomfortable in Tara’s presence since the day we met and she blew a hole in my near-perfect life, but I’m glad Cerelia came to me to accompany her to the small cottage we’d allocated to Tara.“I just need a second pair of eyes to help me make sure she’s not lying,” Cerelia explains. Clutching the piece of obsidian in her hand like it’s tethering her to the world.“Very wise and I’m happy to lend you my deception detection capabilities,” I tell her grandiloquently. She’s apologized twice for bothering me and since nothing else seems to convince her, I’ll tease her instead. Cerelia grins at me, “Okay, fine, I get it,” she retorts.Tara looks surprised to see us and I have to suppress the urge to ask whether she didn’t see us coming. Despite my best efforts, I can’t quite keep myself from resenting her. I do my damnedest to hide it though.After a few quick pleasantries to make sure she’s settling in well, I turn the conversation over to Cerelia.Tara’s eyes grow wide w
HildaI go to find Cerelia first. I’m pretty sure there’s no lingering resentment or jealousy about my and Soren’s past, but just in case it upsets her to know I still have stuff in Soren’s attic, I’d like to give her advance warning to deal with it.“Hilda, that’s incredible! We have to go and look through your stuff immediately,” she says excitedly, nearly vibrating with elation. “Combined with what I’ve just learned, I think we’ll have an edge Maelor will never see coming!”I’m cautiously optimistic that the artifact will help, but there are no guarantees we’ll even find it. I also don’t want to deflate Cerelia’s optimism with my doubts.“So you have more control now?” I ask with a smile. Perhaps her power alone will be enough to beat back Maelor now that her latent powers are being unleashed. Cerelia smacks her forehead, “I haven’t told you!” she practically crows with delight.“Told me what?” I’m becoming a little concerned that there may be too much magic flowing through her vei
Hilda“I get where you’re coming from, but waiting here will waste time. I don’t know where the glade is, but my family belonged to the same pack for many generations. In all likelihood it’ll be on those lands.” I tell Arlo softly.“Hilda, you were pierced with several arrows and just about dead when I found you. Not to mention that you were skin and bones. Clearly too weak to be running or fighting. That asshole used you for sport.”“I know, but he drove me straight to you, so there’s a silver lining,” I say with a smile, trying to dispel his brooding expression. “I would have found you even if you were on the opposite side of the world,” he growls. “I definitely didn’t need him to try and kill you so I could find you.”“Baby, I love that you’re protective and furious about what he did. If our roles were reversed, I’d feel exactly the same way, but this is more important than that. I’m still alive and happier than anybody has any right to be. We’ll ask Soren to make sure he stays hid
CereliaThe closer we get to our pack house, the more out of control my nerves get. Damon is unpredictable at the best of times and I don’t know what his reaction will be to seeing Hilda and King Arlo.He accepted Soren as my mate only because he knew the mating bond had snapped into place and he didn’t want to hurt me by denying me close proximity to my mate. Our pack members believed he was also tired of the constant losses caused by the war with Soren’s pack, but Damon likes war.I love my brother. He looked out for me all our lives and protected me like I’m some fragile treasure. My father wasn’t around much after my mother died, as though being at home with his children was some kind of terrible burden. Damon stepped into the void left by my parents, loving and caring for me all through my childhood.I adored him growing up and it was only at around 16 or so that I became aware that our relationship wasn’t completely normal. He didn’t like other boys looking at me and the way he
DamonI don’t know what the hell is going on here, but I definitely don’t like it. They’ve infected my sister with magic and turned her into one of those harpies who think they should act like one of the boys. I won’t turn my back on her. We’ll find a way to get her back to normal.“What happened to you?” I ask in a low voice, trying to pull her away from Soren. “Did he have you enchanted in some way? Don’t worry, we’ll find a way to fix…whatever this is,” I say, gesturing at the glowing orb.“Damon, please, there’s no time,” Cerelia begs, her big blue eyes staring up at me. I’ve never been able to resist that pleading look.After my mother died, my dad kind of disappeared from our lives too. There was always food in the house, but someone had to prepare it. I was 10 and Cerelia 3 when I made her a sandwich and a cup of milk for the first time and she looked at me like I hung the moon.Nothing else in the world has ever come close to the way I felt that day. Like a hero. Someone to be
HildaThe moment I see Cerelia shift, I don’t hesitate. I rush forward, wrapping my arms around her before she can say a word. She laughs into my shoulder, squeezing me just as tightly, and for a moment, I let myself sink into the familiarity of her presence.“I missed you,” I murmur, pulling back just enough to look at her face. She looks the same, stunningly beautiful, smart and amazing, but there’s a softness in her eyes when she meets my gaze.“I missed you too,” she says. “I swear, every time I turn around, another letter from you is demanding I come visit.”I scoff. “Because you don’t take the hint the first time. If I didn’t harass you, you’d never make your way here and I’d be left lonely and bereft. I can’t come and see you at the moment, it’s too difficult to travel so far with Scarlett and the warriors would all insist on coming along.”A low chuckle reminds me that we aren’t alone. Soren stands behind her, watching us with amusement. “Are you two done, or should I come bac
TaraThe knock at my door is soft but certain. I know who it is before I even get up, because there’s only one person who visits without hesitation, without waiting for an invitation. Scarlett.I open the door, and there she is, standing on my porch with her hands on her hips like she owns the place. In a way, she does. The pack would move mountains for her, and she knows it.She’s not bratty in a ‘I’m a princess’ kind of way, acting like she’s better than anyone else. She’s just Scarlett, unapologetically curious, unnervingly perceptive for someone who’s only been 2 for a couple of months, and my favorite visitor by far.“Hi, Tara!” she chirps, strolling past me before I can say anything, “I came to see you. Mommy says she thinks you’re lonely, but I told her that’s silly, because I’m your friend and I come to see you all the time.”“That’s very kind of you,” I say dryly, closing the door behind her. “You’re getting taller.” She grins, “I know! Daddy says I’m growing too fast and Mom
CereliaThe letter arrives in the late afternoon, the familiar scrawl on the envelope immediately making my heart ache. I open it carefully, running my fingers over the parchment before I begin to read.My dearest Cerelia,I miss you.It feels ridiculous to start with that when there’s so much to tell you, but it’s the truth. I miss you fiercely, and it’s been far too long since we last saw each other. Which is why you and Soren need to visit soon. I mean it. No excuses. Pack up your bags, drag that stubborn mate of yours along, and come stay for a while. Please.Now that my demand is out of the way, let me fill you in on everything happening here.First things first, I’m pregnant. I know, it’s a miracle, given how difficult it is for werewolves to conceive, but Arlo is very pleased with himself. I’m about 3 months along. We didn’t want to say anything until the end of the first trimester and Scarlett was the first one we told. She promptly informed us that it’s a boy.Speaking of our
NixieI take a deep breath before knocking on the heavy wooden door. My hand lingers in the air for a second longer than necessary. It’s not that I’m nervous, exactly. It’s just that this is big. Huge, actually. And saying it out loud makes it real in a way I haven’t quite wrapped my head around yet.The door swings open before I can knock again, revealing Hilda, looking as radiant as ever. Her hair is loose around her shoulders, catching the morning light, and she’s wearing a soft cream dress that drapes over her form in a way that should have been my first clue.“Nixie!” she says warmly, pulling me into a quick hug before stepping back and giving me a once-over. “You look happy, but you were lurking on my doorstep, what’s going on?”“I am,” I admit with a grin, stepping inside. “And you’re right, I do have news.”“Tell me everything,” she says, leading me into the sitting room. She settles onto the couch with a satisfied sigh, tucking her legs up beneath her.I sit beside her, run
HildaThe sun is warm against my skin, the scent of fresh grass and wildflowers thick in the air as we sit beneath the sprawling oak tree next to the creek. A checkered blanket is spread beneath us, weighed down with a picnic basket, filled with an assortment of sandwiches, and a sticky-fingered toddler who’s currently smearing honey across her chubby cheeks.Scarlett giggles as she waves her piece of bread in the air, utterly unconcerned with the mess she’s making. Of course, she’s not the one who’ll be cleaning it up, so why worry? “Mama, the bees are gonna love me,” she declares proudly, looking at her honey-covered hands.Arlo chuckles, reaching over to wipe her hands with a damp cloth before she can rub it all over her dress. “They already do my sweet princess, just like everybody else.” She beams up at him, “You too daddy?”Arlo picks her up and swings her in a wide circle, to her shrieking delight. “Especially me,” he assures her. The little minx already knows she has her daddy
AshThe morning light casts a warm golden glow over the tangle of limbs sprawled across my bed. The sheets are a mess, bodies lazily draped over each other, the scent of perfume and sex lingering in the air.The brunette to my right stirs, nuzzling into my shoulder with a satisfied sigh. The redhead to my left mutters something unintelligible in her sleep and shifts, her fingers skimming over my chest.Yes, life as a human has its compensations. It didn’t take me very long to find that out and indulge prodigiously in every single one of them.I eventually extract myself from the tangle, stepping over discarded clothing as I make my way to the bathroom. I glance at my reflection in the mirror, rubbing a hand over my jaw. Not a single flaw, I’m absolutely fucking gorgeous.I can’t detect any changes in my features. Still not aging it seems. Perhaps 2 years isn’t long enough to make such a determination, but I suspect I’m still immortal, even without my powers.I smirk, “Guess that makes
AshI tilt my head, inspecting my reflection in the mirror with a critical eye. Still devastatingly handsome. Still possessing a jawline sharp enough to cut glass. Still absolutely irresistible to anyone with functioning eyesight and a pulse.I smirk. Honestly, the world should thank its lucky stars it got me.I run a hand through my dark hair, the thick waves tousled just enough to look effortless but not unkempt.I may have lost my power, but the body I was blessed with nearly makes up for it. I occasionally miss others cowering in fear at my approach and my name being whispered in terror, but in truth, I far prefer being idolized and adored.Instead of making them shriek in fear, I have them screaming my name in passion. Instead of relying on demonic power to get what I want, I have to use charm. Fortunately, I have that in abundance.“Ash, you’re up in five.” I turn away from the mirror, flashing my most rakish grin at the harried stagehand peeking into my dressing room. “Darling,
HildaThe fire crackles low in the hearth, casting long shadows against the stone walls of our chamber. I press a hand to my belly. It’s still flat, but I know it will start rounding soon. I’m nearly at the 3 month mark. There’s life inside me again. Another piece of Arlo and me, growing.Scarlett sleeps soundly in the adjoining room, her soft breaths a gentle reassurance that all is well. She’s nearly 2 now and precocious beyond belief. She knows nothing about her bloodlines and being a nexus of power. For now her only job is to be a busy little girl, adored by everyone.Arlo watches me from where he stands near the fireplace, shirt unbuttoned, those deeply carved muscles making me long to touch him. His tawny eyes hold a hunger that hasn’t waned despite the years, despite the child we’ve made and the kingdom we rule. If anything, time has only made it more potent, more consuming.“I can hear your heart racing,” he murmurs, voice thick with that dark, commanding edge that unravels me
HildaI wake up feeling like a person again. A person who’s had sleep. A person who isn’t entirely on the verge of collapse. A person who now has to keep a promise to a demon.Dread coils in my stomach. The moment I remember what Astaroth said, it’s like I never rested at all. I glance at Arlo, who’s staring at the ceiling, jaw tight, eyes shadowed. He knows too. We have to go.Scarlett shifts in my arms, her tiny body warm against mine. I hold her closer, pressing my lips to the soft, dark curls on her head. She makes a small sound of contentment, utterly unaware of what we’re walking into.I murmur an apology to her as we walk. “I’m so sorry, my love.” She looks so content. So happy to be outside.My feet feel heavier with every step toward the temple ruins. Arlo’s hand rests protectively against my back. Whatever happens when the demon receives Scarlett’s blood, we’ll both fight to the death to protect her. Fear presses in on me, cold and suffocating, making it harder to breathe th