by Tamara White
Twelve
Four Weeks in Hell
Emerald
I stare down at the coffee cup in my hand, trying to process what Britt just revealed to my guys and me.
When Malcolm kidnapped her, he didn’t just take her somewhere else. He took her to another dimension entirely.
Not only that, but apparently time worked completely differently over there. While she was only gone just over four hours from our perspective, she was actually there for a little over four weeks, dealing with Malcolm’s or Dastian’s torture, depending on which one of them decided to take control on each day.
Then a week after being there, her aunt arrived. Britt explained how she cried out in relief, because she thought Macy had used their blood link to track her to wherever the hell she was. But instead, she learned that her aunt was in league with Dastian, and had been from the very beginning.
It turns out her aunt was the one who cast the curse on Britt that’s killing her. Dastian had the instructions and a vial of his blood hidden away in the event of his death. The curse was designed to draw on Britt’s magic with every use, and that magic would be siphoned into Malcolm’s body with the intention of bringing Dastian back from the dead. Basically, it was like a soul exchange. If Britt kept using her magic, then Malcolm would cease to exist and Dastian would rule in his place. Britt, however, would be dead.
“So, let me get this straight.” I lift my head to meet her gaze, my beast pressing forward in my mind because of how angry I am. Not with Britt, but at those who hurt her. “If Malcolm dies, will you live?”
All her husbands look to me, and Britt nods hesitantly. “Theoretically, it could work. It’s Dastian’s soul growing inside Malcolm, so technically Malcolm’s blood or his death could reverse the spell. It’s probably a good idea to get plenty of his blood before we kill him though.”
I nod, a cruel smile on my lips. “I’ll make sure to get lots of blood, just in case.”
I hear Linc chuckle and look at him with a raised eyebrow, not seeing what he finds so funny. I meant every word. He raises his hands in mock surrender and his eyes sparkle with amusement.
I ignore him, wanting to ask Britt one final question before we fill her in on what happened with Talon. “Britt, do you mind telling me what happened when I got you out of there?”
She drops her gaze to the ground, speaking so softly she can barely be heard. “Malcolm had come into my cell for the day, and he was undoing my chains so he could take me over to this contraption that forces a person’s magic to be used whether they want to or not. Anyway, he forgot something and went to get it, leaving me with one hand unchained.
“I tried to rip off the other chains, but to no avail. I gave up and curled into a ball, and that’s when three angels appeared before me. They told me I had to reach for you, Em. They said to call for you in my mind, and when I did, a door appeared. I opened the door and saw your hand. I asked the angels how was I supposed to go to you when I was still chained and they ripped them off me like they were nothing. I asked them who they were and they told me they were my soul mates. They explained that when it was time, I would understand everything, but until then, I had to trust you because you would be the key to my future,” she explains, her gaze lifting back to mine, filled with a rawness I never thought I would see in my tough friend’s eyes.
“Well, we all know I’m not going to let you die, Britt. You need to start believing it too, because those angels are right about one thing. I am the key to your future, because I’m going to hunt down Malcolm or Dastian, whichever of them is in control, and destroy him.”
She smiles, sagging into Kellan’s embrace. After a moment, something triggers in my mind. Did she say those three angels were her soul mates? I look at her and she smirks, obviously seeing where my thoughts went.
Later. The guys aren’t dealing with that part very well.
Then Britt sits up straight and reaches for her mug. She sips from it slowly for a moment before prompting, “So what’s really going on? Why are we planning for war?” She smirks, looking at Lincoln pointedly, as if having an Alpha wolf at my side means I’m preparing for battle.
“We called Talon about everything that happened earlier,” I begin hesitantly, trying not to stare at Blaine too long as I speak. But he notices anyway and winks at me. I glance at Britt, surprised to find her smiling, seemingly unbothered by the interaction. Yep, definitely need to ask her about that. Best friend or not, I would be pissed if she slept with one of my guys, even if it was a matter of life or death.
“Anyway, he just seemed a bit off, acting like he didn’t want to be with me anymore. But then he tipped us off by mentioning that I was a pathetic lay.”
Blaine looks outraged at that, but Britt just laughs, which draws his attention, as well as the rest of her husbands’. “Talon is one smart fucking man. No one would suspect that one of your soul-ties hasn’t fucked you yet. Remind me to buy him a beer whenever we get him back.”
“Well, that’s the thing, we don’t actually know where he is. But he made another comment about me being a spoiled princess, saying that I should run back to my parents, which leads me to believe they may have an idea of where he is.”
Britt nods eagerly, a little life coming back into her eyes. “Well, you know we’re in. I will gladly kick some ass to get your man back after what you did for me. By the way, expect like thousands of Christmas gifts this year.” She winks at me. I freeze for a moment before recovering, not wanting to diminish her hopes. I have no idea what I’ll be doing for Christmas this year. I had totally forgotten it was only a few weeks away.
I smile at my best friend, whose skin seems to have resumed its normal coloring. I look to her husbands, who all look depressed by the idea of her coming along. I’m sure they know, just as I do, that Britt will do anything to help me and unfortunately, that also means using magic she shouldn’t. They are so going to owe me for what I’m about to do. I have no idea if my binding will work, but it’s worth a shot.
Blaine, when I move, I need you to keep everyone back.
He looks up and meets my eyes. Whatever he sees in my expression must help him make his decision, because he gives me a subtle nod.
“Hey, Britt! You want to help me get refills?”
Nik looks over at me when I speak. “I can help,” he offers. I send him a withering glare, quickly enough that nobody sees but him.
“It’s okay, I just thought Britt might like a break from all the testosterone.” I smile sweetly, although I’m sure it looks more like a grimace.
But Britt doesn’t seem to notice anything is amiss and gets up, taking the empty mugs from the table with her. She goes over and places them on the counter while I pretend to dig through a drawer for a spoon. But what I’m actually looking for is the small paring knife I saw earlier.
I place a spoon on the counter and hide the knife behind my back, watching as she goes about putting sugar and milk into mugs before adding a generous helping of freshly brewed coffee. Now’s my chance.
I slice the palm of my left hand deeply enough to keep the blood flowing long enough to press my hand to hers. Sure enough, Nik, Dev, and Linc get to their feet as soon as they scent my blood, which distracts Britt. I grab her hand, slicing it quickly. There’s a commotion as she cries out from the pain, looking at me with hurt and betrayal in her eyes as I clasp my bloodied hand to hers.
Britt gasps from the shock of magic to her system and I follow through with my plan before any of the guys get through Blaine. “With love I bind you, my best friend, from using magic.”
“No!” she cries out, grabbing my hand holding the knife. She turns it toward me, using it to stab me in the stomach, but I ignore the sharp pain, determined to finish.
“Your magic will come to your aid only if your life is threatened. With love, I make this curse.”
A wave of magic rocks through me and I feel it rise up in Britt as well, until it meets where our hands are joined, the force of it throw
ing us both back. My head hits a glass cabinet and I’m glad to see Dev had the foresight to catch Britt out of the air, preventing her from being hurt worse.
I get to my feet shakily, and stumble forward a few steps before I notice the knife still lodged in my stomach. I shrug and pull it out, throwing it in the kitchen sink. Then I turn the tap on and start washing off the blood. A house filled with five witches, with at least one of them being extremely pissed at me? Yeah, I’m not leaving my blood just lying around.
Britt is fighting with Dev, who finally lets her go. She stomps right up to me and slaps me across the face. “How dare you?” she spits out and I just stand there, taking her anger.
“You fucking selfish bitch! You just want to be the hero and brag about how tough you are when you defeat Dastian all on your own!”
Whoa! I grab her hand when I see the next slap coming, gripping tightly and causing her to let out a whimper of pain.
All of the men take a step toward us, sensing the escalation of the situation, but I glare at them. “Don’t. If she wants to challenge me, then she should suffer the consequences of her actions.”
I look down at my best friend, who is shrinking under my gaze. With a sigh, I fling her hand away. “Britt, I get you’re pissed. I would be too in your position. But you know what? You would have done the same fucking thing. If someone out there cursed me so that when I shifted, I died a little more each time, you would bind my wolf and take away my ability to shift in order to keep me safe.”
She glares at me defiantly, but I see the flicker of doubt in her eyes at my words. “And before you even suggest I did it to take all the glory, I want you to look around at each of the men in this room.”
She rolls her eyes, but does what I say anyway. I can tell she doesn’t get the point I’m trying to make when she looks back at me, her eyes blank.
I raise my hand, gesturing at each of the guys. “If you think I’m going anywhere near Malcolm or Dastian by myself, then you’re crazy, sweetie. Not one of these men would allow it, even if I wanted to. If I went to war against Dastian, my guys would follow me. And your guys would too, because they know I am family to you. And vice versa. If you are going into battle, my guys are going to be right by your side. Because we’re family. And while family often fights, I know that this was the right thing to do, if only to buy you a little more time.”
Her shoulders sag and she holds out her arms for me to step into her embrace. “I’m sorry I stabbed you,” she says.
I laugh, stepping into her hug. “I’m sorry I sliced your hand, almost broke your wrist, and slept with your husband.”
She bursts out laughing and her legs give way, her body still weak, so I lower her gently to the floor. We’re just sitting there like a couple of smiling fools when Kellan’s voice echoes through the room incredulously. “Seriously, that’s it? I thought we were going to get some kind of girl fight, but you just... forgave each other,” he mutters, horrified by the lack of fighting.
I grin brightly up at him, Britt gripping my hand tightly. “That’s what best friends do. We may fight like hellcats, but at the end of the day, we love each other. Hell, we would even die for each other. And when we’ve done something to hurt the other, we apologize. Otherwise, no one would ever have a best friend for long. Simple as that.”
He throws his hands up, exasperated with my explanation. Blaine comes to sit down on the floor beside us, giving Britt an apologetic look. She smiles warmly and reaches her free hand out to run her fingers through his hair. I can’t help but smile as I watch them, despite the obvious change in their bond. I can see it in their auras, something I wouldn’t have noticed a few days ago. But my magic has grown more powerful. I’m learning more and more, as if the magic is inserting the knowledge into my mind.
I know I need to find time to talk to her about it, because I have a feeling those ‘angels’ she mentioned have something to do with it.
My stomach growls hungrily, and I look up at the clock. “Nik, please tell me you keep your fridge stocked with food?” I ask, clutching my stomach dramatically.
He chuckles and moves over to me, helping me stand. I let go of Britt, leaving her on the floor with Blaine, and follow Nik, hoping he has something edible in here.
Thankfully, I find a fully stocked fridge, so I go about gathering some food while Nik and Dev disappear to feed. Apparently they prefer feeding out of sight, which is something I wasn’t aware of. I figured vampires wouldn’t care about such things, but then again, I guess it would explain why there’s a clinic specifically for feeding in the coven.
My arms are almost overflowing with all the things I’m pulling from the fridge. Lincoln joins me, taking some of the stacked items from my arms and placing them along the counter next to the stove.
I’m planning to make some omelets for those who are hungry, but I like to have a little variety in mine, thus all the ingredients.
“Thought you could use a hand.” He grins, slapping me on the ass when I finish setting down the last of my items.
I mock glare at him and he raises his hands in surrender before backing away. “Oh, I’m sorry, killer. Do you not like a good spanking?”
I can’t help it, I chuckle and shake my head. He may have worded it like an apology, but it definitely wasn’t one. “No spanking, but you can help me cook breakfast if you like?”
“Of course. What kind of mate would I be if I left you to fend for yourself?”
I ignore his question and the thrill his words send through me, focusing instead on the task at hand. I look in each of the cupboards, searching for a mixing bowl for the base of the omelets and a separate bowl I can use to add each person’s preferred ingredients.
Linc and I work together side by side until Nik and Dev come back out. They join us, helping prepare food for Britt and her guys, as well as for Linc and myself.
We all sit down and eat in silence, a sense of foreboding falling over the group. This will probably be the last meal we’ll get to sit and enjoy for a while, because in just over an hour, we leave to go get my soul-tie back from his maker, or whoever else dared to try and take him from me. I just hope my parents have an idea where to find him.
Thirteen
Don’t Anger the Beast
Emerald
We all left Nik’s house the moment the sun went down. We ended up splitting up between a few cars that Linc had called over, because none of us had taken into consideration the fact that the limo dropped us off.
We’ve been driving for about thirty minutes and we’re almost at the coven, which is good because if I have to stay in this car much longer, I may just kill someone.
I’m stuck in a car with my mate, two of my soul-ties, and a wolf I didn’t know who was our chauffeur.
It was bad enough that when she climbed out of the car to greet us she practically flung herself at Lincoln. I had to tamp down my beast so as not to attack her. When I got a full look at her, I noticed that she reminded me of the pack bitches I grew up with, which set my temper off. I was already worried about Talon, but to have someone blatantly touch what was mine in front of me? Well, my beast is riding me pretty fucking hard right now.
She keeps touching Linc, who is sitting in the passenger seat beside her. Even though I growl every time she touches him, she takes her sweet ass time in letting go.
Nik and Dev keep trying to talk to me, to distract me, but it’s like my mind has one single focus, and that’s on the two people in the front seat.
I watch as the girl reaches her hand out, fucking again, and places it on Linc’s thigh. She starts to slide it up his leg and that’s the moment my beast snaps.
My hand moves, wrapping around the girl’s throat tightly and pushing her back into the seat so hard I’m surprised her head doesn’t crack from the pressure. “Pull the fucking car over!” I growl low and threateningly, letting my beast push forward. The girl does as I say, while Linc looks back at me in irritation, as if I’m the one acting out of turn here.
Nik and Dev stay silent, but I feel their stares on Linc, blaming him for this turn of events. The moment the car pulls to a stop, I lean forward, my mouth hovering near her ear. “Get out of the car.”
She nods, her body reeking of fear, but she still does as I say, unclipping her seat belt. I let go of her throat, turning my glare on Linc. “You too.”
He nods warily, but complies, climbing out of the car. I scramble over Nik to open the door and get out as gracefully as I can. I see a car pull up behind ours and realize it’s the one Britt’s in, but I don’t even pause, continuing with my mission.
I stride right up to the girl, my fist connecting with her creamy skin. Blood flies and she stumbles back, clutching her jaw. Her eyes flash amber and I grin, hoping her wolf will come out and play so I can put her in her place.
“Shit, killer. I know you’re vicious, but that was uncalled for.”
I turn so fast he doesn’t have time to process what’s happening, and my fist connects with Lincoln’s jaw. Rather than going down, though, he stays standing, as if my hit did nothing. He lifts a hand to rub the area and cocks an eyebrow at me while I continue to rage.
“Uncalled for, Lincoln? Really? That slut had her hands all over you and you didn’t put a stop to it, so I fucking did.”
“It’s natural for wolves to touch each other, you know that. We offer comfort through physical contact.”
I shake my head before he’s even finished speaking. “Yes, touching between wolves offers comfort, and if that’s all her intention was, then I would have been fine with it. But I’m not normal, remember? I’m telepathic. When she was touching you, she was thinking about what it would be like to ride your cock after killing me. Those are not the thoughts of someone who just wants fucking comfort.”
