by Morgan Fox
Ryder grinned. “I can do that.”
Sebastian’s strength was still way off where it should be, and now Ryder, too, faced an unsettling weakness. “Maybe you both should sit down,” Brie suggested. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to catch you if you fell.”
Sebastian’s gaze softened as he looked at her. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. You are so much stronger than Ryder and I put together.” He grinned crookedly. “Even before you drained us.”
Brie smiled softly as Sebastian winked at her. Her heart did a funny little flutter in her chest as she wished his words were true. She would give anything to be able to find the strength to defeat Lilly and the vampires. Brie knew that the likelihood was slim. She didn’t have the energy to link to anyone. Even Tiffany was too far out of range.
Her powers were based on Sebastian and Ryder, and pulling energy from anyone else was impossible. Lilly had already linked herself with the vampires in the room, and if she needed their strength she could devour them. Even the walking dead possessed an energy that could fuel Lilly enough to make trouble. The vampires were not as powerful as were-animals, but they still were an issue.
Brie didn’t have the heart to tell Sebastian or Ryder that. Right now they needed to believe in her, and she needed to believe one way or another, the three of them would be saved. If only she’d thought to have Ryder link with Bianca before he’d given her his energy, maybe there was a chance her lycans were still alive.
Brie sat between Sebastian’s legs, her hip and side pressed against his chest, her arms wrapped around him. Cradled as close as they could be, Brie prayed this was not the last time she would hold her mate and lover so close, so intimately. She also prayed that Ryder would have a chance to feel this way for Bianca. He’d asked her to sever the mating bond they shared. But deep inside, Brie felt that would be the biggest mistake of his life. There was nothing like the feeling that surrounded a mated pair. Love was only a part of the connection. Loyalty, devotion, commitment, adoration, and so many other emotions made it all worth the effort.
Brie closed her eyes and inhaled Sebastian’s scent. The simple gesture warmed her chilled body as if she sat in front of a fire. Right now, trapped in this cavern, she pretended that they were in their cabin on McCarthy Ranch and she was surrounded by her family, Sebastian, Jonah, and Kayla.
A tear slid from her cheek as a rush of joy filled her soul. Regardless of the outcome she and Sebastian faced, she knew her daughter would still have a chance, living among the fey witches. Lilly would never be able to get to her, and that gave Brie enough peace to breathe a little easier. Even if it was for just a moment.
* * * *
Bodies lay strewn across the blood-saturated ground. Dismembered vampires were stacked up five and six high as Gregory and his vampires parted through Lilly’s minions like water.
Bianca had never seen anything like it in her life. Gregory’s army fought with such vigilance and determination. Lilly’s vampires never stood a chance. Even as supercharged as her vampires were, Gregory knew them, had trained them, and was quick to direct the ultimate kill shot. His vampires used fire-burning arrows, swords, and even guns loaded with wooden bullets. Gregory’s army was far more superior and fought with more purpose than Lilly’s men ever could. Gregory’s vampires fought for freedom, for survival, and there was nothing that gave a person more reason than to save one’s family.
Bianca couldn’t wait to direct Gregory to where his family was kept. He deserved to be reunited with his mate. He deserved to once again rule his vampires without fear of being forced into servitude.
Dominic, Megan, and Reyes each tossed another vampire onto the pile. The bodies needed to be burned and destroyed. There were humans that knew of their existence, but keeping those numbers low was important. Having a wondering hiker stumble across their supernatural bodies would be dangerous for their kind.
Ryken, Luken, Zane, and Tiffany also aided them with the disposal process. Every vampire had been dealt with. But a sudden chill filled Bianca with a startling realization. Ryder was gone. He hadn’t returned. When she’d watched him launch into the darkness she assumed it was to continue fighting as she had done, but now she wasn’t so sure.
Bianca stepped closer to Dominic. “Have you seen Ryder?”
He shook his head.
“Perhaps he’s returned to check on Sebastian and Brie,” Jonah said, coming up from behind her.
Bianca tried to search out for him, her link a bit fuzzy. But then she felt him, his words echoing in her mind. Bianca, come to me. I need you.
Bianca gasped. “Oh, my God. Something’s wrong.”
“What is it?” Megan said, stepping forward to clasp her arm. “Are you all right?”
Bianca shook her head. “It’s not me,” she breathed. Her mind filled with the images of Lilly and the vampires. Ryder was fearful, and his thoughts had been so loud in her mind she could not only hear them plain as day, but feel them.
“Lilly has him.” Her eyes locked onto Dominic. “She has Sebastian and Brie, too.”
“No,” Tiffany shouted.
Zane quickly grabbed her just before she could charge off in the direction they had all seen them last. “Wait, honey. We don’t know what we are walking into. It could be another trap.”
Gregory brushed against Bianca’s shoulder. She turned to meet his curious gaze. “She has my mate,” Bianca said, her voice strong, but underneath it all she was as scared as a small child. She’d watched her mate die once at Lilly’s hand. She knew that vampire queen wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. He was no longer a useable vessel, thanks to Brie. Bianca knew the only purpose he served would be to feed him to her vampires or to infect him with the virus to make him one of her own. She trembled.
“She had us dig new tunnels,” Gregory said. “They lead outward, directly in front of the cave opening.”
Bianca narrowed her eyes. “What would she need more tunnels for? Sebastian would never go back in there.”
“He wouldn’t have to go into the cave,” Gregory said matter-of-factly. “She could collapse the ground they stood on and bring them down to her.”
Bianca’s mouth formed a small O. ”That explains what I saw.”
Dominic closed the distance between them. “Did you connect with Ryder?”
She nodded.
“Can you do it now?”
She shook her head.
Dominic groaned.
“I can’t reach him at all. It’s like he…” Her eyes watered.
Brody and Bryce joined the group. Their bodies were coated in the blood of the slaughtered vampires. Brody placed his hand on her shoulder and offered a gentle squeeze of comfort. She met his gaze, her heart splitting in two with the idea of being without Ryder, of not finding a way of making him remember how much they once loved one another.
“We still have a chance to save them,” Gregory said, gazing at all the concerned faces. “She doesn’t know that my army has joined yours.” He grinned confidently. “We can still kick her ass.” He raised his hand and fanned it out across the piles of dead vampires. “Look at what we’ve already done working together.”
Bianca took Gregory’s hand. “Thank you, Gregory. We never would’ve done this much without your help.”
“And we might be dead,” Dominic added, extending his hand out to him in a brotherly gesture. “Thank you. I’d like nothing more than to have Lilly dead once and for all.”
Bianca reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She unlocked it and handed it to Gregory. “I placed a tracking device on your wife. You can find her using this.”
Gregory smiled, taking the phone and shoving it into his pocket. “Thank you. Now I suggest we get moving. If they’re still alive—” He met Bianca’s weary gaze. “We’ll need to move quickly.”
“We’ll move up first,” Bianca said, signaling that the werewolves and werepanthers would lead the way. “Keep your men out of sight until it’s game time.”
She sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly. “Good luck to us all.”
With a curt nod, Gregory and his vampires leapt up into the trees and vanished from sight like the wind blowing past them. A shuddering sense of worry overcame Bianca as she watched the vampires flee. The world around her was unlike anything she’d ever dreamed, and she was thankful to have met Gregory. With his help, surely they could finally put an end to this nightmare.
As Bianca tried once again to call to Ryder, she heard nothing. Felt nothing. She hoped that it was somehow because of the power Lilly had stolen from Brie and that it wasn’t because he was dead. Swallowing the nervousness that forced the taste of metal to fill her mouth, she inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with a cleansing breath, and used that hidden strength to make her legs move.
Racing down the hillside, she felt the emotions of her past fuel her in a way she’d never allowed them before. She’d been trapped within the turbulence of her life, beaten down by sadness and regret. Now she felt powerful and ready to be the mate and lover Ryder deserved. She deserved.
With Brody, she’d discovered that she could still love. With Ryder, she would finally discover what it would be like to be accepted and cherished as only a mate could. She only prayed that she still had time to experience it all.
The lycans and werepanthers all slowed their pace as they approached the crater that swallowed the land that had once been solid. Bianca was the first to emerge from the pack, reaching her hand out as she slowly transformed back into human form. Her hair hung down toward her waist as she crouched lower to the ground, searching for any amount of energy that would give her prayers answer that Ryder was still alive. His scent was nowhere to be found. Nor was any lingering sign of his hybrid strength. Bianca shuddered, her heart sinking in her chest.
Regardless of her fears, curiosity kept her feet moving forward. The sounds of voices had her freezing in place. Her hand shot out to force the others to stop as well. After a few moments of deciphering what she heard, she knew it was Ryder’s voice, muffled but still his. Her heart revved, renewed by hope.
She turned and locked eyes with Brody. He’s alive. I can hear him. He’s down below.
Brody nodded. I hear other voices as well. Can you make them out?
Bianca returned her attention back to the opening where she was sure Ryder hid. Listening closely, she recognized the other voices as Lilly’s and Brie’s. Then she heard the deep rumble of Sebastian’s.
A flood of relief filled her with a sense of excitement and more than just hope, but the promise of something more powerful, more significant. She had a chance to make things right. To prove her worth and make a difference in her pack and to the world she now believed she could be a part of. Soon she would no longer be forced to live in secret, away from everything she cared about.
She linked to the lycans and werepanthers. Ryder, Sebastian, and Brie are with Lilly in that cave. I’d bet anything that the vampire queen has them in a trap and there are dozens of vampires down there with them. She locked eyes with Dominic. We need to get down there to help them, but we can’t just drop in. It could be a trap for the rest of us.
Dominic nodded in agreement. We need eyes on the inside.
Let me. Tiffany’s voice cut through them all with razor-sharp clarity, and every one of their heads snapped in her direction as she effortlessly glided forward. I have the power to protect myself. Zane was prepared to object, but she raised her hand to stop him. And I can communicate with you. I’ll be your eyes and ears on the inside.
Other than a protective groan from Zane, no one objected to the idea. Tiffany was strong, and judging from the situation they were currently in, they didn’t have any other choice.
No heroics, damn it. Dominic’s voice was direct and to the point. You are just our eyes and ears. Don’t take that bitch on without the rest of us.
Tiffany smiled. I wouldn’t dream of it. Tiffany kissed Zane, holding him close for a long moment, and then while everyone else took hidden positions, she jumped into the hole, disappearing from sight.
Bianca held her breath, waiting for any sign, any signal to assume their next move. The seconds that ticked by felt like forever. She clenched her jaw tight, fisting her hands at her sides as she waited. The air that filled her lungs was stale and dry, and her mouth and eyes were gritty and uncomfortable.
Every second mattered, and as the seconds chipped away, all she could think about was the love she felt for Ryder and Brody. Her mind wondered back to the time she’d spent with Ryder and the choices that brought her to Brody.
Then she couldn’t stop herself from considering the decisions that brought her to this very spot where she stood behind a tree on a mountain in Tennessee, waiting to save her mate. Had she not been so determined to find a way back into her pack, to love two men, she never would’ve been able to see the lycans and panthers working hand in hand. Or believe that the fey witches and untarnished vampires cared for anything but themselves.
Looking back now, she wouldn’t have changed a thing. This was how it was meant to be, and deep in her heart, she knew that at any minute Tiffany would call out to them and give them the news they were desperate to hear.
And even though it took longer than a minute, when Tiffany’s voice filled her head, she was grateful for the melodious sound. Brie has them in a protective circle, but her powers won’t last. I can give her my energy, but then we’d lose the connection to all of you. Ryder and Sebastian don’t look so good. She paused, the silence deafening. I have an idea. But it’s risky.
Tiffany, what is it? Zane’s voice joined the conversation.
Again she paused.
Tiffany, tell us. Dominic’s tone was strong and sharp. They had no time to waste, and his gruff tone said it all.
It’s dangerous, but I think it would work.
Spill it. Again Dominic erupted with urgency.
We give Brie all our energy and let her do to Lilly and her vampires what she did to Mason.
Bianca turned to see the serious expressions consuming the faces of all the lycans. Dominic, Megan, and Reyes shared a curious glance. Ryken and Luken did the same. Zane seemed to fill his chest with a deep gulp of air. Brody and Bryce stared at each other with confusion and, like her, were desperate for clarity.
What if whatever you’re saying doesn’t work? Bianca was the first to speak.
We die. Dominic didn’t seem to hold anything back, and she appreciated his honesty.
Tiffany, if we do this you can’t be a part of it. Brie would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you. You are Kayla’s aunt and should we…Kayla will need her family. Zane’s eyes reflected the emotions she’d hoped one day to see in her own mate’s gaze. Absolute devotion.
What the hell are you talking about, boy. I’m not letting you go down there either. Dominic’s abruptness stunned the breath from Bianca’s lungs. Dominic’s gaze shot to Brody and Bryce. I need you two to stay topside as well. If we should fail, we’ll need to have someone protect Tiffany and make sure word gets back to our packs.
Dominic? Zane’s voice cut through the air. I would never forgive myself for not standing with you. I trust that we won’t fail. I trust that Brody and Bryce will keep Tiffany safe. Besides, nothing matters more than the safety of our pack. Zane’s intense gaze lingered on the opening Tiffany had disappeared through. I love my mate, my soon-to-be wife, but I can’t allow us all to live in fear of this evil bitch any longer.
Silence consumed them once again, but slowly the heads of all the male lycans nodded in proud agreement.
Tiffany, can you tell the others were coming down? Dominic’s body pulsed with strength, his muscles flexing.
Already done, but you better hurry. Lilly’s giving orders to some of her vampires to hunt for any other survivors. She was sure we’d all be slaughtered. Tiffany giggled. You should’ve seen her eyes when I popped down here. She looked like she was about to burst.
Focus, Tiffany. A low, menacing growl move
d from Zane’s throat.
Yes, dear.
Dominic gave Zane a knowing smile and then nodded to the others. In the hole we go. Dominic and Bianca roared midair as they shifted and leaped down into the emptiness below.
Chapter 18
Ryder’s heart jumped from his chest as his eyes and brain registered what was happening around him. Bianca’s hand brushed against his as Brie’s shield dropped to allow Jonah, Dominic, Megan, Reyes, Zane, Ryken, and Luken to move inside. Everything happened so quickly, Ryder barely had enough time to rise to his feet.
Dominic turned his attention toward Tiffany. Leave now!
Even though Dominic’s voice was in his head, it felt as if the large lycan was screaming directly at him. The intensity of his demand had Ryder gripping Bianca’s arm, pulling her closer. An instinct, he told himself.
“Don’t worry,” Bianca whispered. “We have a plan.”
Tiffany shot back up through the opening, leaping out of sight in an instant.
Ryder’s chest filled with a deep inhalation of breath. “What plan?” He was unsteady, wavering with the loss of his strength.
Bianca placed her arm around his waist and raised his arm to drape over her shoulders. As she did, a strange flutter teased at his heart. He shook off the notion, knowing that soon she would no longer desire him as her mate and she would finally be free to love Brody without complications.
If he had the energy to stand on his own he would, but Bianca was truly supporting him. Brie had to take more energy from him and that left him weaker than he’d ever been. Whatever the lycans were planning, he hoped it would happen sooner rather than later.
Lilly’s eyes rounded, the red hue blazing from them as if she intended to shoot laser beams from the sockets. She hissed, taking in all the new faces she assumed had been killed by her vampires.
“How are you still alive?” Lilly’s angry shouts had Ryder clenching his teeth, wishing for an ounce of his strength back.
Every lycan stepped forward, forming a triangle. Brie was the point. At her sides were Sebastian and Jonah. Dominic, Megan, and Reyes clasped hands and stood directly behind them. Dominic’s hand moved to Sebastian’s shoulder, while Reyes reached out to Jonah. At Reyes’s back, Ryken and Luken stood, their arms joined, Ryken linking to Reyes. Zane immediately moved to place his hand on Ryder’s shoulder, and then Ryder reached out and rested his hand on Dominic, joining them all together as Tiffany had instructed.
