A man appeared from the side of the room and lazily walked by the pedestal.
Luana caught my hand and squeezed. “Ulric.”
I glanced at the four witchguards. “Now is not the time.”
But she wasn’t listening to me.
Luana transformed into her wolf and lunged at him. The witchguards turned to her.
I just acted. I channeled whatever magic I had and sent a powerful spell at the witchguards. Two were stunned, the other two turned to me. They readied their weapons to hit me back, but I put up a small shield and cast another stunning spell.
The two of them fell to the ground.
When I looked up, Luana was fighting with Ulric, both of them in their wolf form—Ulric a giant black wolf, and Luana in her light brown coat, not even half his size, but snarling as fiercely.
I raised my hands, ready to stun Ulric, when something flashed in my peripheral vision.
I only had time to twist around and avoid the full blow. A wolf had jumped at me, right at my side, but I jumped out of the way, its claws only grazing my arm.
Still, burning pain trailed down to my fingers. I had no idea who this wolf was, but he was almost as dark and just as large as Ulric. Probably one of the two betas. I didn’t care. Right now, I had to help Luana and that meant getting this wolf out of the way.
When the wolf turned around, I was ready. I raised my hands again, my magic at my fingertips. But when he lunged at me, Luana moved too. She turned away from Ulric and jumped at him, closing her mouth around his neck. I heard the loud crack of his bones when she twisted his neck.
I stared in shock.
Luana barely had time to turn away before Ulric was on her again. He rammed into her, sending her skidding away. A growl ripped through his gritted teeth before he charged her again. I flung a bolt of blue light at him. It sizzled his fur, but besides a quick hateful glare, Ulric didn’t stop. He scratched his claws over Luana’s back, then pushed her to the wall. He opened his mouth wide, and once more I acted without thinking. I shot another bolt at his head. It was a weak thing, but at least it had given him pause.
My hands shook as I channeled more of my power. With a scream, I shot my magic at him—not a weak bolt, but enough to make a grown, strong wolf dizzy, I was sure. But, as the magic flew toward him, Ulric moved. He closed his mouth around Luana’s shoulder and pulled her to the side, hiding behind her.
My magic exploded into Luana’s back.
“No!” I gasped, horrified I had hurt my friend.
I took a step toward her, but then Ulric snarled at me. I retreated a couple of yards—and halted beside the pedestal. As if drawn by a magnet, I glanced to the closed box over the pedestal.
The thump-thump of my coven’s heart beat inside me.
It called to me.
I needed it.
I reached for it. I opened the lid. I sucked a sharp breath at the red mass beating over the black velvet lining. I grazed my fingers on it and a jolt of magic rushed up my arm.
I landed on the floor and hit my shoulder hard. Snapping out of my daze, I blinked and found Ulric on top of me, his sharp teeth and bad breath only a few inches from my face.
This was it.
I was gonna die.
By all that was sacred, I had been so stupid.
Ulric snapped his teeth, infusing more panic into my veins.
A low growl began in his throat and—
“Stop!” My eyes widened at the voice. Ulric and I glanced to the doorway. Ebby stood there, looking regal in a long black gown. She pointed her hand at Ulric. He growled at her. One corner of Ebby’s lips curled up, and she shifted her amused eyes to me. “She’s mine.”
11
Drake
What the hell was she thinking? She wasn’t thinking. She had been hallucinating in some kind of pregnancy stupor or daydream, because there was no way in hell Thea would willingly storm the ruins of DuMoir Castle, which was filled with witches and werewolves, all eager to kill her on sight.
“Are you ready?” I asked Thomas.
I looked up at the place that had once been my home. From our position behind the destroyed maze, we could see half of the castle was gone, the stones broken into rumble. I wasn’t sure how to feel. Sad my home of five hundred years was destroyed? Relieved that this place was crumbling and losing its power?
“I’m ready,” Thomas answered.
I sucked in a long breath. “Then let’s go.”
Thomas disappeared. I gritted my teeth as Keeran and I waited.
Two minutes.
Five minutes.
Eight minutes.
I was going out of my mind when finally, eleven minutes later, Thomas was able to light the fire in the fireplace in one of the sitting rooms adjacent to the ballroom and create a growing bonfire. I had told him where to find fire-starters and even gunpowder. Depending on how long Thomas was able to hold his energy, he would be able to spread gun powder through the ballroom and create a huge fire.
But we didn’t need to wait for that.
The witches and werewolves rushed out, going for the wrecked part of the castle.
“What’s going on?”
“Who did this?”
“How’d the fire start?”
They talked to each other, practically screaming about the situation.
“Now,” I whispered.
In the cover of the night, Keeran and I ran into the castle. Once inside, we hid behind a column and I listened.
There was too much going on with the fire outside, and some witches and werewolves were still running out through other doors and openings, but I focused. Thea and I didn’t share this Immortal Vow for nothing. I knew I could find her anywhere. If it wasn’t with my hearing, then it would be with my dead heart.
I closed my eyes and focused on her. On my love for her. On my desperation that she was probably caught and hurt.
A strong tug practically moved my chest.
I would have smiled in relief, but there was no time to waste. I beckoned for Keeran to follow me. We rushed, being careful not to be seen, toward the pull.
We rounded the corner to the hallway leading to the main dining room and saw four witchguards on the floor.
I forgot all about stealth and ran.
I halted at the door, my blood chilling.
Ulric and Ebby stood tall in the center of the room, holding Thea and Luana cornered against a wall. Thea looked fine despite her condition, but Luana was naked in her human form, curled against Thea, and bleeding. And right at the girls’ feet was Rollin’s body.
Hell.
“I don’t care,” Ulric snapped at Ebby. “I want their hide.”
“No!” Ebby shouted. “The Queen of All Witches wants Thea alive.”
Ulric growled. “Fine. Then take that bitch, but leave the wolf to me.”
“Fine,” Ebby said through gritted teeth.
Like hell she would take Thea.
“I’ll take Luana,” Keeran said. “Just worry about Thea.”
I nodded. We rushed into the room.
Ulric didn’t look surprised, but Ebby’s eyes widened and it took her a moment to act. While Keeran ran to the girls and Ulric lunged at him, Ebby gathered magic in her hands and hissed at me. With my speed, I ran to her and shoved her back. She flew into one of the bookshelves lining the library’s wall and fell to the ground—with several books crashing on her head.
I spared a glance at the fight beside me—Keeran stood in front of the girls, a shield in between him and the pack leader. Outraged, Ulric rammed into the shield, trying to break it, but the shield held.
With a smug grin, Keeran lifted both his hands toward Ulric. The pack leader’s eyes widened, and a moment later, he started squirming and howling. Whatever Keeran was doing, it was causing Ulric a great deal of pain.
“I can’t keep him back for long,” he told me.
“Then just do what you can and get Luana out,” I said, staring at Ebby as she rose to her feet.
“I’ll follow you in a moment.”
I didn’t watch, but I heard more howls from Ulric, then Luana’s protests about leaving Thea behind.
I felt the crackles in the air as Ebby summoned her magic to attack. Though I would love to squeeze Ebby’s throat, I wasn’t here to fight. I was here to save my love and my daughter.
The fighting could wait.
I dashed to Thea.
And bumped into a shield.
Ebby cackled. “She’s mine.”
I bared my fangs at her. “No, you’re mistaken. She’s mine.”
I lunged at her.
Ripples of pain assaulted my gut and I fell to the ground. The pain squeezed my muscles and organs like they would pop at any minute.
Ebby strolled to me. “Wonder how I’m strong? Well, I’m not. Not alone.” She halted beside the pedestal in the center of the room and placed her hand inside the open box. “But with the heart so close, with me touching the heart, I can do almost anything.” She twisted her hand, sending more ripples of pain through me. I gritted my teeth, but it was impossible to not grunt and jerk.
“Stop!” Thea screamed.
Ebby tsked. “Why? This is so much fun. And if I kill him before I take you, the Queen of All Witches will love me forever.”
My mind was melting while my muscles were popping. Next, I could see my bones snapping. Then, I wouldn’t be able to move, and Ebby would be free to stake my heart.
I had to do something. I had to move. If only I could get to the heart, take it from Ebby, toss it to Thea.
I gritted my teeth and pushed the floor, trying to stand up.
A new wave of pain crashed over me, sending me down like a lead balloon. My breath fled from my lungs, and all I could see was the red of my rage and my pain. It spread to all of my senses.
I was one second from losing consciousness.
A burst of pure power erupted through the room. I regained enough of my vision to see Thea standing on the other side of the room, her hands raised, and her blue magic pushing Ebby back. Ebby fought against it, but like the ocean had closed in on her, Ebby drowned and fell to the ground. She shook, fighting against it, but Thea’s magic was too strong for her.
I frowned at Thea.
How was she doing that?
To my surprise, Thea lowered her hands, her knees giving away, and she slid to the floor.
Gathering all of my strength, I pushed through the last of the daze and pain and rushed to Thea. I scooped her off the floor and ran. I didn’t look back as I used my speed to go as fast as I could.
While we ran across the garden, I asked, “What was that?”
“Our daughter. She wanted to save her dad,” Thea said, her voice weak.
A mix of pride and frustration settled in my chest. I was proud that my daughter stepped in to help me, but I was frustrated because now Thea would feel even more spent than before.
I didn’t say anything else as I ran into the forest. The scent of Luana’s blood was thick in the air, and it didn’t take long for me to find them in the woods.
“She’s bleeding too much,” Keeran said as I halted beside him. “We need to heal her now, or she’ll bleed out before we reach the mansion.”
Thea whimpered. “I hit her hard.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Ulric used her as a shield and my magic hit her,” she said, upset.
Keeran pressed his lips together. “It’s okay. She’ll be fine.”
I closed my eyes for a moment and listened. “The werewolves are too close. We don’t have time to heal her.”
To be honest, I didn’t even think we had time to continue running. Keeran was a warlock. He wasn’t fast like a vampire or werewolf. And he still had to carry Luana, which would slow him down.
We were doomed.
“I’ve got an idea,” Keeran said. “But first, I need to stop her bleeding.” He placed a hand over Luana’s wound. A red light shone from his palm and the wound closed.”
My ears prickles as the wolves’ footsteps grew near. “Whatever you’re up to, you better do it now.”
Keeran shot up. He raised his arms in front of him and gritted his teeth as he summoned his power.
“What are you doing?” Thea asked, her eyes wide.
A small black circle appeared between his hands. Keeran groaned as he opened his hands and the circle grew and grew. By the time the circle was half the size of a door, Keeran’s face was red and his forehead was dripping with sweat.
“Go,” he croaked.
“What?” I stared at the black circle.
“It’s a portal,” Thea explained, her voice weak.
I gaped at it for a second. Then, I heard the wolves only a few yards away. Holding Thea tight, I crossed the portal—into the backyard of our mansion.
I heard the cries of the werewolves as Keeran crossed with Luana.
A wolf jumped through after them, a second before the portal closed.
I put Thea down and grabbed the wolf as it lunged for Luana. Enraged and with my adrenaline pumping in my veins, I pinned the wolf down and broke its neck.
I glanced around to make sure no other wolf had come through, then turned to the others. Thea was halfway to fainting, Keeran looked like he had burned his body and mind away with his last spell, and Luana’s wound still needed some tending.
What a team.
I let out a long breath. “At least we’re all safe now.”
I helped them all inside. Keeran to his bed, Luana to the kitchen where she wanted to see what she could about her wound, at least until Keeran was better and could heal more of it, and Thea to our bedroom.
Dirty, sweaty, and with some blood smeared over her clothes, Thea lay down on our bed, too tired to move.
I paced beside the bed, not sure I should open my mouth. Because the moment I did, I would scream at her. What the hell was she thinking? She couldn’t put herself in danger like that. And the baby? What about me? What did she think I felt knowing she was out there alone?
When I finally stopped and looked at her, I found her sleeping. The steady rhythm of her heart and her deep breathing confirmed it. Hell. She had been so exhausted from the fight. And using magic like that? Was she crazy?
I sat down beside her, despair growing in my chest. In my long life, I had never felt so lost, so helpless. It was more than running away and using magic carelessly. It was more than caring about our baby, making sure she was all right.
It was about her. Her life.
I couldn’t accept that her days in this world were numbered. To me, there would be no life without Thea. She couldn’t die. Her daughter would need her. I would need her.
I rested my hand on her belly, still stunned by the fact that there was a baby growing in there. A powerful baby. Our baby.
Light shone from the cracks around the curtain. The sun was rising again. This time, I was the one feeling exhausted. Not physically, but emotionally.
I lay down in bed beside Thea. As if she were a magnet, she turned to me and wound her arm over my chest. A smile spread over my lips. I heard her deep intake and the slow acceleration in her heartbeat before she peeked from underneath her long lashes.
“You’re still awake?” she asked in a whisper.
“I’m trying to calm down before I yell at you about the foolish thing you just did,” I said, surprised I was able to keep the fury and disappointment at bay.
“I’m sorry.” She snuggled her face on my neck. “I’m so sorry.”
“I have to ask: What the hell were you thinking?”
“I thought … I thought I could sneak into the castle and kill Morda before things got worse. Before I became too weak to even get up. Before I can’t protect our daughter. When Morda finds out about her, she’ll come and kill us all. I can’t let that happen. I had to try to do something.” She sighed. “But everything was messed up from the beginning. It was the middle of the night, but Morda and the witches were up. They were awake and in some sort
of meeting.”
“That is strange,” I admitted.
“I saw the heart. I almost touched it. I almost grabbed it.”
“I know. I saw it too.” I wrapped my arms around her and embraced her tight. “I understand you want to save our daughter, but next time, talk to me, please. I can help you come up with a plan, or I can tie you to the bed.”
She chuckled. “I’ll remember that.”
I pulled back and stared into her stormy gray eyes. “I love you, Thea, way more than words can say. Please, don’t try any more stupid stuff.”
She nodded once. “I promise.”
“Also promise me you won’t leave anymore. Even if it is to go buy something in the nearest town. Just don’t.” I grimaced at my words. “I know I sound mean, but I prefer knowing you and our daughter are safe. I’ll get you anything you need, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“Do you promise?”
“I promise.”
Her words rang true, but were laced with sadness. I tried to understand how she felt. Being stuck inside a house while she got weaker and weaker, grew larger and larger, and just waited for death? It didn’t look like the best forecast.
But I would change it. Hell, I would find a solution.
I pressed my lips to her forehead and held her tight, because right now, it was the only thing I could do.
12
Thea
When I promised Drake I wouldn’t leave the house, I meant it. But after a month stuck in this place, watching while Drake, Luana, Keeran, and even Thomas came and went everywhere, I was starting to lose my mind.
I got up from bed and looked at my reflection on the floor-length mirror. My hair was messy, but long, much longer than it had been six weeks ago. My always fair skin was ghost-white now. Instead of gaining a few pounds, I had lost some and my bony cheeks and collarbone were there to prove it.
I looked down. From my calculations, I was nearing the fourth month. I could see a bump in my belly now. I rested my hand on the bump. How was it possible that sometimes I still couldn’t believe I was carrying a child? My child. Drake’s child. A child that would become the Queen of All Witches.
The Immortal Vow Page 6
