by AJ Renee
Ryan nearly gagged at the permeating stench around the demon.
“Well, well, well, witch… Your stubbornness is rather impressive, but it’ll cost you your life. Are you sure you don’t want to do the honors? It would be better coming from you.”
When he opened his eyes, he tried not to stare into the large pit that was Volark’s mouth. His robes flapped around him with the constant swirl of air following him. Slowly exhaling, Ryan tried keeping his composure in front of the dangerous demon.
Aja stood behind Volark’s left side, with a smug expression on her face. Her eyes danced with pleasure at whatever hell Ryan was sure to endure. He could not remember ever seeing the witch express such sadistic behavior.
“I’ve already told you. I’m not giving her up.”
Volark made a strange sound, and the whites of his eyes were swallowed by the inky black color draining in, leaving two dark pits. Unease rolled through Ryan at the sight.
“Your mate won’t be able to ignore what’s to come. She will come on her own. Aja?”
Ryan glanced over in time to watch her dress drop to a puddle of fabric around her ankles. He averted his gaze, disgust evident at her nudity. Aja was far from ugly, but Ryan had no interest in another woman.
“I still don’t know what Serena sees in you…” she murmured along his ear, and his stomach clenched, bile rising into his throat.
“There’s nothing between us,” he whispered back and flicked two fingers toward her. When his hand seized, he tried not to show his surprise.
Aja chuckled and lightly slapped his cheek. “Don’t bother fighting me.”
He met her smirk. “What did you do to me?”
“You’ve underestimated my powers. I forgive you though. You don’t understand true power after all.”
Ryan scoffed. “True power? I’ve seen true power, and this parlor trick doesn’t measure up.”
Her eyes flashed with hate so quickly, he almost missed it. She believed her power to be strong, but no one in this place had gone up against Brandy. Hell, they still did not know the extent of her powers, but he bet his life it was more than Volark and Aja combined.
Ryan scoured his mind for what spell Aja could have used to disarm him. He had not eaten or taken a drink since they’d brought him there. The lack of nourishment muddled his thoughts. There were a few she could have attempted, but they were complicated spells to master.
“What’s wrong?” Brandy asked.
His nostrils flared with his inhale. Digging deep, he willed himself to not react to either woman. If Brandy learned Aja was in the middle of messing with him, there was no telling what she would do.
Chapter 31
“He okay?” Peter asked, nervous energy causing his eyes to flick to gold.
Brandy shrugged. “I don’t know. He won’t answer.”
“We’re all set!” Xander called, stepping to their sides.
“Are you sure you want to risk them?” Brandy asked. “We aren’t even sure—”
“I’m sure. I just wish you had more faith in me.” Ethan’s voice, filled with hurt, made her turn on her heels.
“E, I never—”
Ethan shook his head. “Bran, you forget I know you.”
“And I know you,” she whispered and cupped his jaw.
He grabbed her wrist and stared down at her. “Then you need to trust me. Ryan means a lot to you, and I want to help get him back to you and my niece.”
“Niece?” she asked, her brows shooting into her hairline.
Ethan smiled. “Yes, you’re having a girl.”
She shook her head and laughed. “But I’m barely pregnant.”
He tapped two fingers to his temple. “Trust me.”
His words were not only about her child—her daughter. They also referred to the information he alluded to. Ethan had been working closely with Serena, practicing his magic and skills as an oracle.
Brandy nodded. “I trust you. Keep him safe.” She snapped the latter at a were Peter had assigned to Ethan’s protection detail.
The large man merely blinked at her.
When Peter started barking orders to his pack, she turned from the hulk of a man. She watched the others listen to the plan they had hatched only an hour ago. The werewolves varied in age and size, but every single one offered Peter the respect he deserved. Xander moved to her side, vibrating with adrenaline for the upcoming fight. Looking over the group once more, she noted a similar shimmer among the pack members.
The safe house where they met the pack was only a few blocks from a mansion Volark and Aja were holding Ryan captive. Along with Ethan and the pack, Serena and a couple of her witches would join them.
Turning around, Brandy sucked in a deep breath and rolled her neck as the group undressed. She was far from a prude, but seeing that many fit naked bodies was unnatural.
Peter chuckled at her, but she refused to give him any more pleasure. “I won’t be able to communicate with you or Xander in your wolf forms, right?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
She shifted and looked from Peter to Ethan. “Which is it?”
“Serena and I created a spell that will help. It’s temporary. We aren’t sure how long it will last, to be honest. You both need to drink this,” Ethan said and offered them each a small vial filled with a white liquid.
“This looks like jizz,” Peter said, vehemently shaking his head.
“Ah! Gross, Peter!”
Ethan chuckled at them both. “It does look nasty. I’ll give you that. It’s not jizz or any other kind of bodily fluid.”
They eyed him skeptically and accepted the vials. “What is it?”
“It’s complicated, and we don’t have time to explain. Drink it, and, Brandy, you need to read this,” Ethan said, giving her a sliver of paper.
With a sigh, she lifted the liquid to the light before tossing it back. A variety of flavors burst in her mouth, coconut being on the forefront. “Not jizz. Come on, you big baby.”
Peter shot her a glare and drank the white potion.
“Unlock the door to our minds. Give us the ability to speak.”
Both Brandy and Peter winced and grabbed their heads. Her head swam with a weird sensation, and her eyes widened in surprise. “What the—”
“Fuck? What the hell was that, Ethan?” Peter barked, fear causing his voice to boom. A few werewolves still lingering around turned at his tone and growled in Ethan’s direction.
Ethan raised his hands in defense. “You need to be in wolf form in order for it to work. Trust me, man.”
A growl tore free from Peter before he dropped his pants. Brandy’s gaze moved to the ceiling at the first sign of his tan skin.
“Fucking witches!”
“Hey!” she snapped at her friend. When her eyes darted toward him, she took a step back.
“Babycakes?”
Brandy nodded with wide eyes.
“See, I told you it would work. I just don’t know for how long.”
She looked at her brother’s smug face and rolled her eyes. To her right, she felt a burst of magic and spun on her heels to find Xander. Her hand flew to her chest. “You scared me!”
“He’s sorry.”
Xander sat on his haunches and lowered his head. “Oh, it’s okay,” she told Xander and wrapped her arms around his soft neck.
“Babycakes!”
“Oh, sorry,” she said and rose to her feet. “I guess it’s time we get going.”
Brandy and Ethan followed Peter as Xander, in charge of protecting their backs, trailed them. When they neared the mansion, they found demons patrolling the outer perimeter. Brandy froze them with little effort before setting them on fire, each kill raising her confidence.
“Wait.”
Ethan cocked his head to the side in question when she paused but remained silent. Brandy shrugged and watched her friend carefully. The hair on his back raised, his ears twitched, and his eyes became glossy and unseeing. Brandy�
��s heart raced at the sight.
“Catulus.”
“Catulus?” she whispered and glanced at Ethan, who shrugged.
“Hellhound. Nasty things. There are at least three nearby.”
“Hellhound, three nearby.”
Ethan nodded, and they moved closer to the house. She debated telling Ryan they were near but was unsure if Aja had made her way back in. She did not feel anyone else in their connection, but she could not take the risk with so many lives at stake in the rescue operation.
A low snarl drew her from her thoughts. Turning toward the sound, she found a black beast lunging for her. Her breath stuck in her throat at the sight. Before she could counter, Xander knocked it to the ground. His teeth locked onto its neck, and when he pulled back, she stared with wide eyes as blood filled the gaping hole he made.
Blood dripped from Xander’s muzzle as he looked to Peter before dragging the catulus into nearby bushes.
“Almost there. Let’s keep going.”
Her eyes moved from Peter to Xander, and she swore he winked at her. Ethan pressed a hand to her back, and she shook the images free from her mind.
The amount of demons and catuluses they encountered increased tenfold as they reached the property. Working together, Brandy and Ethan assisted Peter and Xander in the kills, destroying the bodies they could and hiding those they could not.
“If this is what is outside, what the hell is inside?” she muttered to herself.
“You’ve got this, babycakes. Remember, Ryan is the prize.”
She nodded and sucked in a breath. “Everyone in place?”
“Ask Ethan if the plan is still good.”
“Peter wants to know—”
“I know. Give me a second,” Ethan said and raised a finger.
No one spoke as a milky white film covered his eyes. She had seen him do it a handful of times, but it hadn’t made it any less creepy to witness.
It was crazy to think how quickly she and Ethan had improved their powers. If they’d gone up against these creatures around the time of her birthday, they’d be useless. She could barely remember how she had felt before magic ran along her skin. It was as natural as breathing.
“Nothing’s changed.”
Brandy threw up a shield, and Peter guided them to a door around the side, taking out a lycan before he sensed them. She stepped forward and pushed out her magic. The door splintered into thousands of pieces, as if a bomb had hit the wood. She watched a few tubars and another lycan run toward them, confusion clear on their faces as they stared at the spot where the door had been. Taking advantage of their proximity to each other and the fact they did not know she was there, she consumed them in fire. Their eyes widened with surprise, seconds before the searing flames swallowed them.
Shouting could be heard throughout as they pulled in close and moved into the house. Serena and another group of pack members entered the mansion somewhere on the other side, causing similar damage. Brandy blew apart more doors, clearing out room by room in their search for Ryan. It was silly, as Ethan had already said Ryan was in the basement, but they could not take the chance her brother was wrong.
Smoke and debris filled the air. The stench of rotten flesh mixed with the profound scent of earth. For a second, she wondered if anyone in neighboring homes could hear the destruction. Worrying they would attract innocents into their supernatural bloodbath, Brandy turned toward Ethan.
“I’m lifting the shield to block the whole property from humans. I need you to—”
“On it,” he said with a nod.
The moment she pushed the shield out, she felt his click around them like a warm hug. His magic even smelled like him.
“Guess Serena’s a better teacher than we expected.”
Catching her friend’s eyes, she shrugged. “Sure, but he’s also a Broderick. I should have known better than to underestimate his strength.”
“From how much time he’s spent with her—”
“Swear to God, I’ll give you a new haircut if you finish that sentence.”
His tongued lolled to the side, and she imagined her friend was finding great amusement in her threat.
“Denial.”
Before she could reply, they crossed paths with a group of three from the pack. They joined forces with Peter’s group, creating a thicker wall of protection around them.
“A couple demons escaped out the back, and there are four cornering your pack upstairs,” Ethan said, his voice cold and matter-of-fact.
Brandy looked up and found his eyes milky once again. A blur of fur caught her attention from down the hall, and she guessed Peter had ordered them to go assist the others.
“Ryan, a woman, a scary-looking guy, and three more lycans are downstairs.”
“Aja and Volark most likely. I can smell Serena. Her group is almost to us, so let’s give it a second.”
“Serena,” Ethan called as Peter finished talking to Brandy.
Not missing the sound of relief in her brother’s voice, Brandy looked over her shoulder and spotted the witch. The dress she wore had a few new tears, and her cheek was smeared with blood. Ethan’s welcoming smile faded, and he stilled next to Brandy.
“Are you okay?”
Serena stepped in front of them, and Ethan took a hold of her chin between his thumb and forefinger. He examined her face, and his brows scrunched in concern. “You’re bleeding.”
Staring at Ethan, Serena shook her head. “Not my blood.”
“Holy tension. We ready to get Ryan, or are we going to see if these two decide to fuck?”
“Ew!” Brandy snapped and slapped the side of Peter’s wolf body.
“What?” Ethan asked.
“Nothing. Are we ready to get Rye?”
There was no way the occupants downstairs had missed the sound of destruction and fighting upstairs. Going down into the cellar would not be easy as far as the element of surprise either. They expected the stairs were only two people wide, which meant Peter would lead and Xander would continue flanking the witches, while the other wolves brought up the rear.
Brandy blew apart the door, but before Peter could take the first step down, a gush of wind pushed the wolves aside and the witches onto their butts. Before she could react, Serena pushed out her magic, lessening the hurricane winds by attempting to blow them away. Brandy scurried to her feet and followed her lead. Remembering Ryan was down there, possibly injured, she made sure to push the wind back to its owner.
“Let’s go!” Ethan commanded and they hurried forward, hoping to get down the stairs before another gust of wind slammed them into the steps.
Peter launched against a lycan mid-transformation and landed on its chest before clamping his teeth around the beast’s jugular and tugging back. A changed lycan charged at them from the right, and Brandy was forced to risk her hold on the wind to freeze him. Moving in sync, Serena pulled out a blade and slit its throat before wiping it clean along her dress.
Searching around the dimly lit and cold room, Brandy didn’t see Ryan, Aja, Volark, or the last lycan. She met Ethan’s eyes and then Peter’s, each sharing the same confusion. Serena reached around Ethan and grabbed Brandy’s hand. Brandy gasped as a vision came forward.
Against the wall in front of them stood the final lycan with his hand over Ryan’s mouth and his elongated canines inches away from his neck. Standing flat against the wall, inching herself away from the others, stood a woman she guessed to be Aja, but the final person who made her stomach revolt was the demon on the other side. She had never seen anything like him.
A blue robe covered him, pinched in the middle by a rope of some sort. No hair could be seen on his paper-thin white skin. Where his eyes should have been, she found empty black pits. His mouth was unlike another, a large vortex swirling with violent power. It was the source of the wind giving them such trouble.
He cocked his head to the side. From her peripheral, she saw the wolves stick their noses in the air, searching for Ryan and the a
ssholes hidden in plain sight. Unable to tear her eyes from Volark’s, she realized he knew she could see them.
Serena squeezed their united hands, reminding her of their previous plan. Ignoring the others’ confusion, Brandy froze the three of them while yelling, “Duck!” to Ryan. Volark fought the freeze and was nearly released when Ryan freed himself from the lycan’s hold.
She threw a ball of fire at the lycan, not bothering to watch it go up in flame.
Volark’s mouth opened wide, and instead of blowing wind at them, he sucked it in. The pull dragged them closer to him. Ryan was the closest and scrambled in place on his hands and knees, doing what he could to avoid being sucked in. Brandy could not understand why he wasn’t using his magic.
Serena released her hand, and the shield around Volark came down.
Rye!
Ignoring the fear in Peter’s cry, she threw up another freeze at Volark but stilled when nothing happened. The demon’s eyes shined with amusement, and if possible, his mouth opened wider.
“You’re much stronger than the others,” Volark said past the gaping hole of his vortex mouth.
Brandy’s brows knit in confusion at the odd sight. Shaking her head free of the distracting thoughts, she tried to figure out what to do. The gathering windstorm made her hair rise off her shoulders, and the smaller wolves lifted off the ground.
Her heart thundered in her chest. Digging deep within her, she scavenged through her limited knowledge. Her mind stuttered when panic threatened to overwhelm her senses.
Ryan looked up, exhaustion clear on his face.
She placed a hand over her stomach, over their child—over their daughter. The lives in the room were in her care. She had dragged them out to come save Ryan.
After breaking their eye contact, she caught sight of the varying emotions filling the room: fear, acceptance, and the desire to live.
“You’re much stronger than he is,” Ryan said.
Her gaze darted back to his, a warmth spreading within her. Giving him another nod, she drew in a calming breath. Volark controlled the air around them, and if he could do more, she expected he would have by now.
Brandy was different. They had all been rather clear over her differences and how powerful she was. Remembering the way she’d cleared the field of any trace of Ryan’s magic, she smiled.
