Forever Changed (The Mystic Wolves)

by Belinda Boring

“Then take your best shot. Oh, wait, you already did. Two failures, dear brother-in-law, however will you live with yourself?”

  Mason had given up trying to break through and shifted back, ignoring the need for clothes as he thundered at Julian with all the authority he possessed. “No-one takes what’s mine. Lower this now, and let’s settle this. I promise I won’t hurt you . . . much.” I’d never seen him so bloodthirsty; but what sent chills over me, was how ruthlessly calm Mason was. He fully believed Julian was living on borrowed time—he just needed a fraction of an opening to exploit it. Christina moved behind him and I could see her discretely chanting, not wanting to alert Julian to her efforts.

  “You are insignificant—as feeble as your attempts to keep me from entering your property.”

  “You killed them all?” Bile rose up into my mouth as I thought about the pack members who’d been patrolling, my heart aching over their loss.

  “Let me ease your mind, Darcy. Deactivating your warning system and overpowering your guards took no time at all.” His last word dripped heavily with disdain.

  Mason’s fist balled up, his jaw clenching, as fury blazed across his features. There was no denying it. Julian was a dead man walking.

  “Your pack is fine.” He waved his hand through the air as though it was a mere thing. “Consider it a belated wedding and thank you gift.”

  “Thank you?”

  “For your wife.”

  “Over my dead body,” Mason growled, impatient to reach me and destroy his enemy.

  Immobilized, I took my focus off Julian for a moment and concentrated on calming myself. I needed my magic, and I needed it to work. There was no room for error and I desperately tried not to panic as I worked to channel all my powers toward him. There was energy thrumming inside me, ready to be fashioned into a weapon suitable for my intent. Dipping my hands into the fiery white glow of my magic, I scooped up the largest ball I could create, ready to throw it outwardly.

  Just as I was ready, a loud crash echoed through the garden as Christina sent a shock wave of energy through the barrier, causing it to flicker dangerously. Devlin and Mason both charged at the same time, almost shattering the force field and leveling the playing field. A triumphant war cry broke out as Christina repeated the spell, rushing at the barricade as well, with her dagger extended. Distracted by what was happening, I dropped my own magic.

  “Bitch.” Julian cursed angrily, revealing his true emotions. “You will not destroy all my plans with your trivial incantations.” Pushing his hand through the barrier, he viciously grabbed her wrist and effectively pulled her through it, leaving the others muted again.

  “As long as I have breath left in me, you will never win!” Hurling her arm back, Christina’s knife sizzled with raw power.

  “So be it.” Without remorse or hesitation, Julian discharged such a violent blow that the sound of Christina’s body breaking before she crumpled to the ground caused me to gasp.

  “Christina!” I screamed, Devlin mouthing the same.

  “I wonder.” Julian sighed, picking up Christina’s weapon as he crouched down beside her. She was slowly moving, groaning in pain, but I could still sense her reaching for her magic. “I’ve never killed a vampire before. Is it true that piercing your heart works?” He drove the blade deeply into her chest, purposely missing the target. Tears streamed down my face as I watched Christina struggle to swipe his hand away. Her body was already beginning to heal; but it wouldn’t be fast enough. Julian twisted the blade, brutally laughing. “Let me try that again.”

  “Please . . .” I begged. “Please, don’t.”

  “Asking for favors already?” He glanced up at me, a sadistic smirk curling his lips. “As much as I like to reward good behavior . . .” He removed the dagger and without looking at Christina, he rammed it back into her body, this time a fraction over and striking true. I screamed as she began deteriorating, bursting into ash as Julian pulled the knife out. Even though I’d only met her recently, I was excited about our growing friendship; and now she was gone. My mind couldn’t comprehend what my eyes had just seen. It had to be a trick; but, unfortunately, it wasn’t. The young Enforcer was gone.

  All hell was unleashed on the other side of the barrier as grief consumed me, adding the needed fuel that made me believe in the impossible. My mind had said there was no breaking Julian’s hold over me, but my heart refused to accept it. There was no way Christina’s death would go unavenged. She’d sacrificed her life for mine; the atonement she so desperately wanted, achieved.

  “I think I’ll keep this as a souvenir.” Wiping the blade against his pants, Julian casually tossed it into the air, before smiling at me. “Okay, play time is over. While this has been entertaining, there is much to do. If I let you move, will you obey?”

  “I’ll rip your throat out,” I threatened.

  He almost looked disappointed. “Just as I thought. Rendering you unconscious it is. Say goodbye to your loved ones, Darcy. This is the last time you’ll see them.”

  I had to act quickly. This was the point of no return. No pause to focus, or meditate, or even think. My magic boiled beneath the surface, encouraging me to set it loose to do its worst. It had been so unreliable lately, my brief lessons with Christina merely a sample of what it would take later to master my abilities. I’d proven I could harness it. I needed to do it again—just one more time—throwing everything I had at him before it was too late.

  Summoning my witch nature, taking one deep breath in, my power surged forward and upward. Any restraint I’d used trying to control it snapped and fell to the wayside. My hair dancing in the wind and the air crackling around me was the only warning Julian received before I struck.

  Raw, intense energy exploded from me. In an endless torrent of pure, volatile magic, I directed my attack at Julian, screaming loudly as the power ripped through my body and knocked him off his feet, throwing him backward. I didn’t stop there. Hitting him with everything I had, it continued even when his own spell crashed, releasing me to move. The barrier dropped as well, Mason and Daniel instantly shifting as Devlin roared his own ruthless, gut wrenching scream.

  But they would be too late. This battle was mine, and mine alone. My wolf broke free, ready to begin changing, but my magic was in full control. Even when something snapped inside me and crippling agony seared my insides, I didn’t stop the stream of magic decimating Julian. My own grief and rage was now fueling my attack, and it would only end when it was finished.

  Julian’s body contorted violently as he yelled his refusal to accept defeat. Over and over, he shouted his fury at having someone whose abilities were less sophisticated than his, ruin his plans. I didn’t answer him. As his skin blackened, his death imminent, I tried to rein in my magic—only to find I couldn’t.

  He erupted into a blaze of bright light, the only thing remaining were his charred bones. But I couldn’t ignore that there was a new, different danger to face. Attacking him had seriously broken something inside me, and destruction was ravaging my witch nature.

  “Mason!” My scream pierced the air as my legs gave way. The pain was beyond excruciating and I didn’t bother fighting against it.

  I gave in, surrendering to the blessed darkness that seized and consumed me.

  Chapter 22

  The sound of my heartbeat thumping in my ears pulled me from a place of peace and shot me back into awareness. With it came a fresh dose of pain along with confusion. The last thing I remembered was losing control with Julian, and then darkness. I was no longer outside in the garden, the remains of my impromptu party forgotten. The soft support of my bed had replaced the hard ground and a warm blanket covered my body. Letting out a tired sigh, I tried sitting up, only to collapse back against the pillows.

  “Easy now, sweetheart. Just relax. You’re safe.” Mason’s voice soothed my nerves. Opening my eyes, his face swam in my blurred vision. Blinking repeatedly, I offered him a small smile when I finally saw him clearly. Dark bags shadowed h
is features, weary lines of exhaustion wrinkling his brow. He looked like he hadn’t slept for days and I bolted upright as the memories flooded back.

  “Julian!” I exclaimed. The last thing I remember was a blinding light, his burned body so destroyed he barely resembled anything.

  “Ssh, he’s gone. He won’t be bothering us anymore.”

  “Are you sure?” I’d learned enough to know that sometimes things didn’t stay dead. It was unwise to assume he’d been so quickly defeated.

  “Positive. Vivien performed a ritual over his remains and there was nothing left. Your magic obliterated him,” Mason murmured, laying his hand against my cheek, caressing my skin tenderly, as he studied my reaction. “How do you feel?”

  “Like I was hit by a truck and barbecued from the inside.” I groaned. “Is everyone still here? What happened to our pack? Are they safe?” I fired questions at him, one after the other, concern shifting from myself to those I’d claimed as my family.

  “Whoa, slow down. Everyone is fine. Surprisingly, Julian told the truth about those guarding our perimeter. They eventually woke up and no one’s complaining of any side effects. In fact, the only one we’re all worried about is you.”

  “Me? I’m sure my aches will eventually heal. I’ve had worse.” I was totally lying. I’d expected the moment I’d become conscious that my body would have finished fixing whatever had broken during the fight. As I tested muscles and tried to sense how extensive the damage still was, I saw no evidence that things had healed at all. I hurt badly, and it was an effort just to fool Mason.

  “Liar.” That one word told me he’d seen through my ruse. “You’re not healing and we both know it. We’ve tried to figure out what happened when you blasted Julian with your magic, but we couldn’t do it while you were passed out.”

  “Well, I’m awake now. Call Vivien.” I gingerly scooted myself into a halfway sitting position. Just the slight effort left me panting for breath.

  “I’ll let her know so she can drive back to the house.” Mason seemed hesitant to leave my side to summon her. His answer also baffled me.

  “Drive back? Why isn’t she here?” With all the energy bouncing around outside, I assumed there would be plenty of magical fallout she’d need to take care of.

  “Darcy, you’ve been out for three days. We haven’t been able to rouse you.”

  “Three days?” I whispered, surprised.

  “You fell to the ground and I carried you here. You haven’t moved in all that time.” This explained why he looked so haggard.

  “And you’ve been watching over me, haven’t you?” I tried to cup his face, but I just didn’t have the strength. He noticed my failed attempt and picked up my hand, stroking the back with the pad of his thumb.

  “Where else would I be?” The love in his voice made my heart race.

  “You can’t ignore yourself, though. You need sleep, too.” I carefully patted the bed once, gesturing for him to lie down with me.

  “Once we find out what’s dampening your ability to regenerate, I will. I promise.”

  “I’ll hold you to that, Mason. You can’t be doing this. You’re too important to everyone to get run down,” I scolded.

  “All that matters right now is you; so quit arguing with me.” Winking, he kissed my fingers, letting me know he was teasing. “Besides, Daniel is holding the fort down. He and Alex have been going over security in case there are any repercussions from Julian’s death. So far, everything’s been quiet. There’s a good chance he was working alone, not trusting anyone enough to share his plans.”

  “Okay,” I sighed, the conversation beginning to take a toll on me. There was one more question I had to ask. “How is Devlin?” Images of Christina’s ashes tugged at my heartstrings, tears filling my eyes before spilling over my lashes. “He loved her,” I whispered. Mason didn’t have to ask who I meant.

  “He’s Devlin. He holds his hurt and grief closely, and hasn’t really spoken about it. I know he gathered what was left.” His voice broke with emotion. “You can talk to him if you’re up to it. We’ve both held a vigil over you, impatiently waiting. I had to send him to go feed because his hunger began overriding his composure. He refused to leave at first, worried something would happen to you while he was gone; but I managed to convince him it was in his best interest. Don’t ever doubt you’re loved.”

  “I don’t. Is he better?” I didn’t like knowing he’s ignored his own basic needs.

  “He’s outside meditating. We’ve all given him his space,” Mason admitted, clearly concerned for his friend. Whatever issues they had over Devlin’s withholding my heritage from us had long been forgiven. “You ready to get up and move about? We’ll call Vivien so she can give you a once over.”

  “Yeah, some fresh air sounds really good right now.” With his help, I hung my legs over the side of the bed, my feet carefully touching the floor as I tried to stand. “I got this. Nothing to worry about.”

  But I spoke to soon. The moment I was upright, the room started spinning and the world felt like it tipped on its axis. There was no stopping the downward momentum and I lost my grip on reality. Everything darkened as a tunnel of black roared toward me.

  Not even Mason’s startled shout or the sound of my name prevented the inevitable. Weakened, I went for the ride, passing out as my body crumpled to the bed.

  ****

  “Thank goodness, she’s awake, again.”

  I was back under the covers and the room had stopped spinning. Mason was sitting by me, his warm smile the first thing I saw before glancing around. He wasn’t alone this time. Devlin was standing by the window, in a low conversation with Vivien.

  “How long was I out this time?” I croaked, my throat sore.

  “Only a few hours,” Mason answered as he brushed my hair from across my eyes. “If you keep this up, we may have to start calling you Sleeping Beauty.”

  His compliment made me smile. “Beauty and the Beast, huh?”

  “I think you have your Disney movies mixed up, Darcy.” Devlin joked, moving away from the curtains so he could see me better. “Although your husband did resemble one for a while out there.”

  “I heard he wasn’t the only one. Do I need to kick both your butts? Don’t ever neglect yourself!” I pointed my finger at him and then Mason for good measure.

  “Well, if she’s already bossing us around, I’d say that’s a good sign she’s feeling better.” Devlin gave a relieved grin to Mason.

  Vivien came to sit on the other side of me, her hand resting against my forehead before touching my cheek. “You gave us quite the scare. Can you tell me what you’re feeling right now, besides being tired?”

  I paused for a moment, trying to take inventory of my body, so I could answer honestly. “Something feels wrong. Inside. Like fighting Julian scrambled everything up and when it settled, nothing makes sense.” My wolf’s presence was the same, her relief that I’d woken up was apparent. She also worried that irreparable damage had been done when my magic consumed me, prowling back and forth below the surface. “My wolf is okay, though. But . . .” Shock silenced me.

  “Your magic is gone, however.”

  Vivien spoke the truth. The realization dawned on me that at the root of my pain was the gaping hole where my witch nature had been. Nothing was there now, nothing but a sickly residual that wasn’t energy, but a pitiful echo of the energy I used to hold.

  “Where did it go?” There was no pushing my panic aside as I searched inwardly for any sign of my abilities. There was no beautiful glow or subtle tingle that had recently become a constant. I dove down deeper, scrambling for any glimpse, my wolf mournfully baying as she watched. My magic was nowhere to be found. I felt hollowed out and empty.

  “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Sometimes this happens. Only in rare cases, but it does occur.” Sorrow shone from Vivien’s eyes, her mouth turned downward with regret.

  “So, she’s no longer a witch?” Mason asked.

  “Well,
technically, because she was born with gifts, she will always be a witch; but with her magic destroyed, she won’t be able to practice as one.” I could hear how much that pained her to admit.

  “What about restoring her nature? Surely there’s a ritual or incantations that you can do?” It was Devlin’s turn to chime in.

  “You saw how difficult it was to try and bind her powers again. I don’t know if it’s possible.”

  “But, it’s not impossible. It’s simply a matter of refilling the vessel, so to speak.” Excited, Mason had joined Devlin in his assumptions.

  “In theory, but . . .”

  “No buts. We need to do whatever we can.” I tried not to laugh at how one small hope had restored their faith in everything working out. It was just like men to think things could be easily fixed.”

  “It’s not like duct tape, Mason,” I softly teased. “It might be a little more complicated than simply saying a few words.”

  “Do you want me to try?” Vivien asked.

  I’d only just gotten used to being a witch and the lessons I’d had so far had been fun. I could see how, once I had control over my abilities, I could use my powers in a positive way, like Christina. The more I learned about my new friend, the more impressed I became. She’d completely turned her life around, thriving in her new life as an Enforcer.

  “Oh, Devlin.” Tears rolled down my cheeks as I glanced at him.

  “There’ll be plenty of time for that.” He looked so resolved and together, but I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he choked back his emotions. Nodding, I let it go for the moment. Sooner or later we’d need to talk and I wouldn’t let him bottle his grief then. We needed to acknowledge what Christina had done, honor her sacrifice. This wasn’t something we could push aside just because it hurt.

  “Darcy?” Vivien prompted.

  “Yes, please.”

  “Okay, give me tonight to get everything together and to summon the coven. In the meantime, try to sleep more and relax. Until we restore what was lost, the weakness will prevent you from fully healing.” Standing up, she straightened out her long skirt, obviously hesitating because something else was on her mind.