The Crucial Shift (The Ariane Trilogy Book 3)

by Michelle Dare

“If you’re trying to be funny, it’s not working. I tolerate Wake. He’s my cousin, and I’m very aware that he has no feelings for you in that way. But Ford is a different story.” We’ve been through this. We talked it all out after I showered, before Wake and Ford got here.

  “Ford doesn’t love me like he does Sienna. That’s the real deal.”

  “Just don’t touch him,” he grumbles, realizing there’s no way he’s going to win this conversation.

  The room is bathed in darkness. The only sound is the wind, which is whipping around the house from a storm blowing in.

  Ford quietly moves his hand until he finds mine and takes it in his.

  “I don’t think you should do that,” I tell him. “If Rion finds out, he’s going to flip.”

  “It’s not like that. I-I don’t want to be alone.” The vulnerability of his voice inside my head has me lacing my fingers with his. I want more than anything for Ford to be happy. “I’m tired of always being by myself. All of this makes me realize how much I miss having someone permanent in my life. I love you, Ari, but you aren’t mine. Neither is Sienna. Once we get her back, I need to find my way again. Find someone who only wants me.”

  “Oh, Ford. I’ll do anything I can to help. I love you, too.”

  “Is everyone done talking with their minds now?” Wake asks loudly. “I can tell you’re all awake. Shifting around in the bed, breathing at different rates. Can we go to sleep so I can find Travis and try to kill him?”

  I chuckle. “We weren’t talking about you, if that makes you feel any better.”

  “Sleep, Ari. Kill Travis. Stab Benedict through the heart. Let’s get this done.” Both Wake and I have a small, silver knife tucked into our back pockets. Nothing quite like wearing jeans to bed. And sneakers. And having a knife sit uncomfortably back there.

  “You’re no fun.” I stick my tongue at him in the dark.

  “Don’t think I don’t know what you just did.”

  I laugh again but much louder this time. It feels good.

  24

  We don’t meet Travis that night while we sleep. Or the next four. But we keep busy.

  Our pack members and Merrick’s who died were given a proper send-off. As was Kiara. It was awful. If I thought Cace’s death was hard, this was worse. So many shifters. So many people crying. The one person whose cries gutted me the worst was Lealla. She sobbed, dropping to her knees during the service. While they may not have been her blood relatives, each one of them who was lost from her packs were her family. And every death cuts through her like a knife to her heart.

  I sat with her in the large living room once everyone else had gone to bed. We both cried. I apologized for my role in everything. She told me it wasn’t my fault. I also decided, if Rion is okay with it, I want Lealla to tell our story. It’s the least I can do to honor the memories of all who were lost. Lealla said our story might end up being her longest book yet. So much has happened since we got together, and we haven’t gotten to our happily ever after yet. I’m hoping we do very soon.

  I’ve grown to love Lealla like I have everyone in the pack, plus those who came to fight on our side. Things might be rough presently, but they won’t always be. One day, we’ll rejoice when Travis and Benedict are dead. Because if I don’t kill him, I’m going down with one hell of a fight.

  Some of the shifters have gone back home. Others, like Merrick’s pack, have stayed. Power in numbers and all that. Plus, he won’t feel comfortable moving everyone back to eastern Pennsylvania until Travis and Benedict are taken care of.

  Xeno and Davian went home, though they are close enough that they can be here if need be. They are both panther shifters, and Davian goes to school with Paige and Bray. It was obvious Xeno was on edge. His son is his priority and he’ll do whatever he can to keep him safe. When they came here, Davian insisted on fighting, even though Xeno didn’t want him to. Fortunately, they both made it out alive. Lealla offered them refuge here as well, but Xeno wants to keep his son’s life as normal as possible. Well, normal for a panther shifter going to school with humans.

  Every night, Rion, Wake, Ford, and I curl up in bed together and wait for Travis to summon us. Rion’s on edge. Not only because we don’t know where Travis is, but because he hates not having alone time with me at night. I promised him as soon as all this was done, it would be just us.

  We steal time away together, even if it’s only a few minutes here or there. He’s slipped into the shower with me a few times, and we’ve connected as much as we can. His need to be alone with me isn’t one-sided. I crave his closeness. I need to have him near to feel complete.

  We’re back in bed—all four of us—settling in for the night. I hope tonight is the night Travis comes to us. If not, I fear Rion and Ford are going to start fighting. Rion is completely aware that every night Ford grasps my hand in his while we sleep, and oh, does he hate it. He hates Ford touching me. He hates Ford being in our bed.

  Rion has read his mind, knows his love for me isn’t as strong as his love for Sienna, but it’s not enough for him. He doesn’t want him sleeping beside us. He tolerates Wake so much better.

  My eyes flutter closed as Rion’s arm winds around my waist, pulling me back against his hard body. Ford’s hand holds mine as he lies facing me, Wake on his other side. Ford is worried that if we don’t fall asleep touching, Benedict will find a way to block him out of the dream. He hasn’t before, but Ford doesn’t want to take any chances.

  I’m asleep in no time. My peace is interrupted when I’m yanked from my slumber into a dream that I know instantly is anything but.

  There is nothing but snow surrounding me. Lovely. I have on sneakers at least, but my jeans and T-shirt won’t do much to keep the cold from my skin. I would never have thought to wear boots. I also need one of those huge parkas that go down to my calves.

  Ford is beside me, thankfully. He assesses everything around us. Then Wake appears. None of us say a word. We don’t need to. We’ve been over what we’d do so many times. Of course, Travis and Benedict could show and blow all of our plans right out of the water by doing something we don’t anticipate.

  Then Travis is in front of us. His black boots sink into at least eight inches of snow with every step. “Lady. Gentlemen,” he greets.

  “Horrible shifter, who doesn’t deserve to be alive,” I reply.

  He laughs. “You’re always so much fun to be around, Ariane.”

  “I aim to please.”

  His eyes rest solely on mine. “I like hearing that.”

  “Okay, creepy. Let’s get on with this. What do you want?”

  “I thought we could visit with one another.”

  “If by visit, you mean me killing you, sure, I’m up for that.” I really, really want to kill him. Like, with the deepest part of my being, I want him dead.

  Benedict appears in the dream with a very pale and very unconscious Sienna draped over his shoulder. Ford goes rigid by my side, but I remind him that we can’t make any rash movements. If we do, we could lose more days. We need to find out where they’re staying or figure out a way to separate them in this dream state so we can kill them. Together, they’re too dangerous.

  “As you can see, she’s barely alive,” Travis states, waving a hand dismissively in her direction. “We haven’t let her shift. Benedict has been drinking from her regularly, only leaving enough to keep that heart of hers barely beating.”

  “Just tell us what you want in exchange for her life,” Ford grates out. His body is humming with rage. Both of us could easily teleport to Benedict and try to take her. But he could also do the same and flee before we get the chance. This game is getting old. I want to put an end to it and move on with my life.

  “This can be solved in one of two ways. Ari in my pack. I want her submission and her allegiance. I want her fighting on my side. More specifically, I want her to be my mate. Or I want her dead. She’ll be with me or no one.” That’s not going to happen. I plan on living a long, happy lif
e with Rion.

  “Over my dead body,” Wake growls.

  Benedict’s fangs descend. “That can be arranged.”

  “One,” I start, ignoring Benedict. “I have a mate. Not looking for another one. I’m not into that whole sharing thing. Two, the only way I’d willingly go with you is if I’m dead.”

  “I thought you’d say as much.” Travis nods toward Benedict, who adjusts Sienna in his arms, cradling her.

  Her head lolls to the side, exposing her neck. He leans down and bites her, taking one long pull from her body.

  Sienna’s eyes fly open as the effects of the bite begin to take effect. Her eyes soften, a dreamy smile forms on her lips. Her mate’s name is spoken in a whisper.

  I can’t let her die, but I can’t give myself over to Travis. It would be solving one problem and creating another. We’d be no closer to killing them.

  Then Sienna’s eyes find Ford’s. He concentrates on her, no doubt reading her mind. I try to do the same, but she’s blocked me out. No matter how hard I try to chip away, I can’t. She must have learned that kind of strength throughout her life. It also means that Benedict can’t read her mind either. Score one for us.

  Seconds pass as Benedict keeps drinking from her until her eyes close and her body goes completely limp again. Her skin is a sickly pale shade. She’s dying right before our eyes. There’s no hope of her surviving unless she can shift. Too much blood has been drained from her. She can’t heal and replenish what she lost without her fox coming out.

  Ford moves before I can stop him. He teleports behind Benedict, but he’s expecting him. Benedict leaves quickly with Sienna still in his arms. Drops of her blood on the snow are all that remain. Screw this. I’m done playing.

  Letting my wolf take over, I quickly shift and stare down the horrible man before us. He shifts as well, realizing he’s no match for my wolf in his human state. We square off. Then Wake joins us, shifting as well.

  Benedict appears as my wolf stares Travis down. Benedict grabs Wake and teleports out again. No! Wake! That didn’t just happen.

  “Ari,” Ford says in my mind. “We have to attack Travis. Now. Before Benedict comes back. He won’t come for you or me. Next time, it’ll be Travis. He’ll want to get him out of here and to safety. This might be the only shot we get at ending his life for a while.”

  I’m not sure what he knows that I don’t, but my wolf listens and lunges for Travis. He doesn’t expect it and doesn’t run.

  “Yeah, you thought I’d continue to stare you down. Not happening. I want you dead,” I send to him.

  Using all of my wolf’s strength, she tears into his neck, biting hard, as he rolls to his back, trying to get her off of him. Nope. She has a death grip. We’re not going anywhere.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Ford and Benedict fighting.

  “Keep him busy!” I yell.

  “What do you think I’m doing? Inviting him over for a game of tennis? Stop talking to me and kill Travis!”

  Travis rolls repeatedly, but nothing he does works. My wolf’s fangs only dig deeper into his flesh. We might be getting slightly injured as he rolls, but we heal quickly. Nothing like what my wolf is doing to him. Unless he has the opportunity to shift, he’ll continue to bleed.

  He stops as my wolf twists around, trying to avoid his hind legs as they kick out to get my wolf away. He gets in a few good shots as my wolf straddles his stomach, but she has vampire strength on her side.

  With quickness I didn’t know my wolf possessed, she adjusts her grip on him, going for the most vulnerable part of his neck. Her teeth start tearing at his throat. Ripping piece after piece of him away. His every struggle does nothing. He’s trapped beneath us. Blood pours from his neck, coating him and me. But she doesn’t stop. She keeps going until his heart stops beating in his chest. Even then, using her sharp claws, my wolf tears through his stomach and begins ripping his internal organs out. He doesn’t deserve to live. He killed my father!

  I’m sobbing internally as my wolf continues to shred him. Nothing else matters. Only his death. He’s killed so many. So many who didn’t deserve to die. He’s taken so much from me and others.

  “You took my father from me!” I scream with my mind through tears. “You stole Cace and his mate! You robbed Rion of his parents! You will never kill anyone again!”

  Strong hands grip my wolf’s body. She spins, snapping at who touched her.

  “Ari, it’s only me,” Ford says calmly. “He’s gone. Enough.”

  My wolf rejoices in her victory, but inside, I’m crying at all I’ve lost. Every death comes back as if it just happened—fresh and so full of pain.

  I shift back, my wolf having completed her job. Landing on the cold snow, I sit and sob uncontrollably. Ford wraps his arms around me and lifts me to his chest. Before he teleports us away, I take one last look at Travis. His body is torn open. His organs lying spread out on the now crimson snow. There’s no coming back from that. He’s finally dead. He’s not going to hurt anyone else.

  25

  Ford teleports us back to the entryway of the mansion. I cling to his neck, needing something to hold on to, something to ground me and not let me slip completely into the dark. Yes, Travis deserved to die, but actually taking his life as viciously as my wolf just did, I wasn’t even close to prepared for completing the task. To taste his blood. To feel his flesh rip, thanks to my wolf’s teeth, or the feel of pulling his organs from his body. It’s all too much.

  Rion rushes to us. His breath coming in fast pants. He doesn’t speak but takes me from Ford. I press myself to his chest, burying my face in his neck. His heart is racing as fast as mine is, both beating together. Every memory of what just happened pours into him. He’ll have the whole picture in seconds. He’ll see Wake was taken and Sienna near death. But he’ll also find out Travis is finally gone. While his death is something we all wanted, Benedict is still out there, and he has a member of the pack.

  “Travis is dead,” Rion says loudly. “Ari killed him.”

  “Where’s Wake?” Aries asks. I’m not sure who else is standing around us. I’ve blocked almost everything out. Scents. Thoughts. As much as I can.

  “He was taken. Benedict has him and Sienna. I’m not sure where they went.”

  Aries growls low.

  “I have an idea,” Ford cuts in. “For a brief moment, while we were in front of them, Sienna was awake and lucid. She let me into her mind. She’s being kept at a very remote location. I could see everything as she does but couldn’t make out the town or exact location.”

  “That’s not helpful at all,” Aries states harshly.

  “You think I don’t know that?” Ford yells. “He has Sienna! He has...” He drifts off, not wanting to admit what she was or still is to him.

  I squirm in Rion’s arms, wanting to be put down. Ford’s comments sobered me. I can’t continue to fall apart over this. At least, not right now. There are two lives at stake, and I need to help find them.

  Rion gently puts me on my feet as I wipe the tears from my eyes and try to steady my breathing.

  “Ari,” Rion warns. He doesn’t want me to go after Benedict. He thinks I’ve done enough and should stay here while he, Ford, Aries, and whoever else go after Benedict. But I can’t and I won’t. Wake is my friend and part of my family now. And the crushing pain Ford feels with Sienna gone has me wanting to reach out to him and offer any comfort I can. Not to mention, she was once my best friend. I won’t let her die at Benedict’s hands. Though, she could already be gone. The thought causes bile to rise up my throat.

  Reading Ford’s mind, I say the word that’s running on a loop in his head. “Juniper. Why are you thinking about a tree?”

  “It’s the one word that kept running through Sienna’s mind when she was showing me the house and land—Juniper.”

  “She’s in Alaska,” Galina cuts in as she descends the stairs. Her hair is brushed back from her face and she’s wearing pajamas, her feet bare. Dark circ
les are prominent under her eyes. “We used to have a house in Juneau, but it was when Sienna was little. She couldn’t pronounce it, so she always said Juniper. It was a vacation home. We never told anyone about it. It was our little escape. Once we moved to Portland, we sold it since we didn’t use it anymore.”

  “Could he have taken her to that house?” I ask.

  Ford watches Galina intently for a moment. “The pictures she showed me are not the same place you owned. This one is different. Ari, can you give this memory to Galina if I share it with you?” I nod. Ford gives me everything Sienna shared with him.

  “That’s not a small house. That’s huge.” Three levels, a wraparound deck on the third story. Woods surrounding it and a long driveway. I’m not sure how many thousands of feet. Such a big place for one vampire.

  Walking over to Galina, I stop in front of her and tap my finger on her left temple. The small memory I have easily goes to her.

  “I’ve seen that house,” she mutters. “It’s not too far from where we had our home, if I remember correctly.”

  I concentrate on her thoughts and follow the road in her mind until I see the house. We could have tried to teleport there without knowing it’s exact location, but say there is another house out there that looks similar to it. We might not land in front of the right one. We need a zero margin of error. Benedict is alone. No more Travis to help him. He’s probably trying to figure out what to do. Who knows what Travis promised him in return for his help. Benedict will be desperate, and desperation makes people rash in judgment.

  Dante steps into the room. His black hair is pulled back from his face. He’s got a few days’ worth of scruff and there is murder in his eyes. “I’m coming. That monster assaulted my mate,” he growls. “I want revenge.”

  He doesn’t try to shield his thoughts. They hit me with the force of a freight train. They are memories. More specifically, Mira’s. Benedict did things to her that no one should do to another. He didn’t hold back when it came to Dante’s mate. Benedict needs to be stopped. Never again can he be given free rein to do that. Who knows what will happen if he isn’t found and killed.