by Linsey Hall
This was Aidan. I didn’t care that he was a millionaire and the most powerful Shifter in the world. He’d had my back every time something bad had come at me. He’d had no reason to come on this job except to be by my side.
Then the thought of the job—of Amara—stole my breath.
I jerked away, gasping.
“What’s wrong?” Aidan’s voice was strained. The desire in his dark eyes was fierce. I shivered.
“Nothing,” I said as I pulled away. “At least, not with you. But I can’t stop thinking about Amara. We can’t fail her.”
“We won’t.”
“I want to practice shifting again.” I needed to practice. I couldn’t keep running from my magic, not when bigger things were at stake than me lying low from the Order of the Magica or the Alpha Council. “I’ve got a better handle on the lightning and my Mirror Mage powers, but shifting is still so damned hard. What if I need it to save her?”
Approval gleamed in his eyes. He’d been pushing me to practice and embrace my magic while I’d been such a wimp, so stuck in my ways of hiding and repressing. But now someone needed my help.
“Good,” he said. “What do you want to turn into?”
Smaller things were easier. We’d tried a house cat back at his place in Ireland. I’d gotten as far as growing furry paws before I’d passed out from the effort. It’d been weird.
“Something smallish, but fierce,” I said. As the Origin, Aidan could turn into anything, so I could just mirror his Origin powers and pick whatever animal I wanted. “How about a bobcat?”
“Good choice. Do you want me to turn into one first to make it easier?”
“No. I’m just going to try to mirror your Origin power and go from there. That’s more like what would happen if we were in battle. I wouldn’t be able to ask you to change first.”
He nodded.
I sucked in a deep breath and stepped back, then closed my eyes. Shifting was hard because it wasn’t my natural state. I was Magica, so when I mirrored another Magica’s powers, that came more naturally. I understood how to use magic, even if the powers were all different. But understanding how to be magic—to change into an animal like a Shifter did—that was harder.
I focused on the feel of Aidan’s magic, which was surging now that we were actually going to use it. The sound of crashing waves and the scent of the forest filled my senses. My magic wound around his, reaching and poking, trying to get a handle on how he turned into an animal. I could feel his Elemental Mage powers. It’d be nothing to latch on to those and send a blast of fire from my fingertips.
But I bypassed it, searching until I found the wild part of his magic. It roared and surged against my own, a beast with no form. I harnessed it, envisioning the bobcat I would become, and used it to fuel the transformation.
Pain tore through me as I tried to force the change. My muscles cramped and my bones ached as they tried to reform into the shape of a cat. Sweat poured down my face.
Damn, this was hard. Aidan had said it would become easier and faster with practice—his change was nearly instantaneous—but I wasn’t even close yet.
I dropped to my knees, praying I was changing. But my vision blurred, blackening at the edges.
The last thing I heard was Aidan’s concerned shout.
6
A distant beeping tore me from sleep. I dragged my hand across my eyes and sat up. The room was still dark, but the unfamiliar scent made it clear I wasn’t in my own bed. I woke up fully, the foreign location putting me on guard.
Oh right. I was in Aidan’s childhood home. The beeping must be his alarm.
How had I gotten into bed? The last thing I remembered was trying to transform into a bobcat.
I must have failed again. Disappointment streaked through me.
No. I didn’t have time to wallow in that. The sun would be rising soon. We needed to be at the Dawn Temple before that.
A knock sounded at the bedroom door. Adain’s voice followed. “You up?”
“Yeah. Be out in a sec.”
I hopped out of bed and pulled clothes out of the bag I’d brought, wishing desperately for a shower. There was a little bathroom out in the hall with a tiny shower, but I didn’t want to take the time. I dressed and strapped my daggers to my thighs, then put Amara’s thin, scruffy bunny in the inside pocket of my jacket. With a last glance around the room, I grabbed my bag and headed into the main room.
Aidan was in the kitchen, packing a couple backpacks full of food and blankets for when we reached Amara. Our kiss last night flashed through my mind. I tried to kill the blush that heated my cheeks.
“What happened last night?” I asked.
“You passed out again. Like last time.”
The memory of passing out on his lawn in Ireland replaced any thoughts of last night’s kiss. “Damn. I’m not getting any better.”
“Not true. You were almost there when you lost it. You’ll get it.”
“I hope so.”
Aidan swung the backpacks over his shoulders and picked up the cooler. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” I grabbed the last bag off the counter and followed him out the door. The night was even colder than it had been earlier, the chill of dawn biting through my leather jacket. The moon was nearly full. The heavy cloud cover from earlier had passed. It’d give us a bit more light as we climbed up to the Dawn Temple.
We tossed the bags in the car and got in.
“So, you put me to bed,” I said as he navigated down the bumpy gravel road.
“Least I could do.”
“Thanks.” I almost sighed in relief when we crossed the border of his family’s land. I’d almost gotten used to the cloying protection spells. Getting out of there was like taking off fancy clothes—you didn’t realize how uncomfortable you’d been until you were out of them.
We were silent as we drove through the mountains. We passed no other cars, just a few sheep. Their eyes glowed green if the car headlights caught them at the right angle and it was creepy as hell.
My mind was wrapped up with worry over Amara, but I could still feel the tug of my dragon sense. She was still at the Dawn Temple. I would get to her in time.
Tension tightened my muscles when we pulled to a stop along the road.
Aidan glanced at his watch. “Twenty minutes until dawn.”
“Okay. Let’s head up there and see if we can get a clue for exactly how to get in once the protections drop. The dawn sun should reveal it.”
At least, that’s how it’d been at the two other temples I’d raided. I couldn’t help but be nervous that we wouldn’t figure it out, but damn it, this was my job. I was a tomb raider. I could do this.
We climbed out of the car and each grabbed one of the backpacks. I shrugged it on and followed Aidan. We stopped in front of the stone wall that would become the entrance once the protections dropped.
“I can still feel the protection spells,” Aidan said.
“Me too.” They prickled against my skin like little needles, similar to the spell guarding Aidan’s childhood home. “But the sun is almost up.”
My foot tapped nervously as I watched the horizon. I tried to stop it, to focus my energy on the coming task, but it had a will of its own.
Finally, the sun broke over the mountain to the east. Pure light radiated, spilling over the Highlands and landing on the dome above. The prickling I’d felt from the protection spells disappeared immediately. I held my breath, my gaze darting between the dome and wall.
Finally, the wall glowed. The light coalesced into sweeping golden words. Scots Gaelic. I reached for my phone to type them in for a translation—tomb raiding was easier in the age of the internet—but Aidan spoke. “Leave this place better than you found it.”
I frowned. “Better than we found it? Like, clean it up some?”
I looked around. Just pristine mountain vista. I could clean up the sheep shit, but I didn’t think that was what it was talking about.
“Have you seen a riddle like th
is before?” Aidan asked.
“No.” I chewed on my lip.
Better. Better. What was better to a temple? A place with this much magic was almost alive. It would want to stay alive. “Oh! Strength. The Dawn Temple wants to be stronger. We need to feed it some of our magic to open it. It’ll use the magic to enhance the protection spells.”
“Smart,” Aidan said.
“Yeah, the people who built these were genius.” I stepped up to the wall and placed my palms on it. “Do this. Push some of your power into the wall.”
He joined me, laying his big hands next to mine. I closed my eyes and focused my magic, pushing it into the stone wall. I could feel Aidan’s power surging next to me, the evergreen scent filling my nose.
My heart leapt as the stones beneath my hands began to soften, kinda like quicksand. I wanted to jerk away, but instinct made me press harder. My hands sank into the stone. My wrists followed.
“Holy hell,” Aidan said.
“Just let it absorb you.” My heart raced as I pushed through up to my elbows. “It’ll suck us in. Our power makes us one with it and grants us entrance.”
“You sure we won’t get stuck?”
“Pretty sure.” Still, I was a bit nervous. But no guts, no glory.
I pressed my hands harder, all the way up near my shoulders, until my hands broke through on the other side. Cool air caressed my fingertips. I shuddered to think what would happen if something was on the other side, like sticking your hand in a dark hole.
“We’re good,” I said. “There’s space on the other side. It’ll let us through. Just close your eyes and hold your breath.”
“The faith I put in you.” Aidan’s arms sank in up to his elbows.
I stepped up to the stone, pressing my body against it. Nose to the rock. It was slightly gritty against my skin as it absorbed me. My stomach dropped in panic when I was fully enveloped, but it spat me out on the other side a moment later.
I opened my eyes.
The interior was cool and dark. I slipped on my lightstone ring and held it up to illuminate the tunnel-like hallway. The walls were made of great bricks like the entrance, but the floor was just dirt. Often, these temples were built into indentions in the mountain, half cave, half building, and they made use of the natural structure when possible.
Aidan stepped in next to me, his body pressing against my side. We could barely fit side by side in the tunnel, so we went single file. I led the way. I was the resident tomb raider, after all.
We crept through the tunnel. I kept my lightstone aloft and my ears perked.
“This place is bigger than I expected,” I whispered. My dragon sense was pulling hard now, like a string around my waist. “They’re ahead of us. Probably under the dome. We’re nearly there.”
We were so close to Amara. The faint sound of footsteps echoed in the narrow tunnel, and I stopped abruptly, shoving my hand in my pocket to dampen my light. Aidan pulled to a halt behind me.
The footsteps grew louder. Closer.
I reached for the knife at my thigh, then fisted my hand.
No. I had to use magic.
A blast of heat and smoke hit me like a freight train. I flew backward, hitting the ground hard. Fortunately—for me—Aidan broke my fall. I scrambled to my feet, drawing on my magic and reaching for Aidan’s Elemental Mage powers. This area was too small for lightning.
I grasped on to flame, feeling its magic sparking hot against mine, and threw a jet of fire down the hall, head level, hoping to hit our attacker between the eyes and avoid the shorter Amara if she were there.
The jet of flame illuminated the tunnel as it flew. Right before impact, it shined upon a tall figure. No smaller bodies were nearby, thank magic. Amara must be in the dome. The flame bowled him over.
I raced toward him, Aidan on my heels.
“Good job,” he said from behind.
A grin stretched across my face.
I skidded to a halt in front of the smoldering body and my smile faded. Lifeless eyes stared up out of a gray face. Narrow horns protruded from the head and stretched back along the skull.
“Shadow demon,” I whispered. I hadn’t thought much of the smoke. Many Magica threw smoke.
“The kind the Monster uses as henchmen, right?” Aidan said.
“Could be coincidence. There are a lot of them, and they’re commonly used as mercenaries. But ignoring coincidences is a damn quick way to die.”
If the Monster were in the dome, I’d feel him, right? I had to think so.
Aidan’s hand gripped my shoulder. The contact brought me back from the ugly place my mind was trying to go. I dropped to my knees and checked the pockets of the demon’s drab gray jacket and trousers. When my fingertips touched nothing but fabric, I scowled.
“Damn. I’d been hoping for a transport charm,” I said as I stood.
Transport charms were hard to come by. Transporters like Del could make them, but it wasn’t easy and took a load of power. I liked to keep them on me whenever I could—they helped you get out of a pinch real quick—but I’d used my last one a couple weeks ago. I didn’t know where Shadow demons got them, but since they frequently had them, I made a point of checking their pockets.
I nudged the body with my foot. “He’s dead. Let’s go.”
We continued down the hall. A dim light shined at the end, beckoning us.
“We’re close,” I whispered. My dragon sense was going nuts now, tugging me toward Amara. I wanted to sprint like hell, but stealth was our main advantage. We couldn’t lose it.
I tugged off my lightstone and shoved it into my pocket. My eyes adjusted slowly to the dimness and we crept forward. Every second felt like a millennium. I didn’t want to get caught in here. Far better to fight in an open space.
Aidan’s hand landed on my shoulder, pressing me against the wall. I froze, unable to see but trusting Aidan’s instincts.
His breath tickled my ear when he leaned down to whisper, “Main chamber ahead. I hear voices. Men and women.”
I nodded and we skulked ahead. We reached the exit and peered in.
A huge circular room with a great domed ceiling spread out before us. Incredible carvings covered every inch of the walls and ceiling. If this temple had ever held any treasure, I couldn’t see it. The space was empty save for the large circular ceremonial altar in the middle.
Six figures lounged on top of it, playing cards and chatting. Camp lanterns were propped up around them, spreading an inappropriately cozy glow over them. It was hard to tell, but it looked like four demons and two Magica or Shifters. From their long, white-blonde hair, the supernaturals looked to be women. Probably related.
But all the figures were adult sized. I could feel Amara here, but I couldn’t see her.
“Where’s Amara?” I breathed at Aidan’s ear.
“To the right,” Aidan whispered.
I jerked my head right and peered hard into the dark. A tiny lump huddled near the wall. It was her.
Relief filled my chest. As quietly as I could, I lowered my backpack to the ground. Aidan did the same. I reached deep for my magic, letting the crackle and pop of lightning fill me until my skin felt electrified.
I leaned to whisper to Aidan, “On three?”
“On three.”
I stepped beside Aidan so we both filled the entrance. “One, two, three.”
I thrust out my hands, throwing the biggest bolt of lighting I could muster right at the altar. Thunder boomed in the space, reverberating through my body. My ears rang. Aidan threw an enormous jet of flame. Heat seared me as it flew by, the golden red illuminating the domed space.
Amara shrieked. My heart ached for her, but I shoved it aside.
I raced into the room as my lightning bowled over a figure. The demon crashed to the ground. Another collapsed in a pile of flame, writhing as the flickering light devoured him.
Next to me, Aidan’s form disappeared in a flash of silvery gray light. A second later, an enormous griffin
stood in his place. His preferred species for shifting. No surprise, because it was scary as hell.
He roared, a noise straight from the depths of hell. Muscles rippled beneath his golden coat. His hulking form crouched low, then lunged upward, powerful wings beating the air. My hair blew back from my face. His wicked claws glinted in the low light. He swooped low and picked up a demon in his enormous beak, crunching it in half.
Three figures remained on the altar. A demon and the two blonde women. Sisters, maybe. Both dressed entirely in black with gleaming white-blonde hair flowing down their backs.
I threw another bolt of lightning, aiming for the two women. The scent of ozone burned my nose. As thunder boomed, the figures leapt out of the way, faster than a Magica.
Shifter speed.
Light swirled around the women. A second later, they transformed, their human bodies crouching low and twisting into the shapes of white wolves. Shit.
They howled, an eerie sound, then charged, heading straight for me. They were bigger than normal wolves, their coats a sleek white and their eyes glinting black. White fangs gleamed in the light from lanterns that had tumbled off the altar.
I reached deep for my magic, embracing the electric burn of the lightning. I sent a jet toward one wolf. Thunder boomed.
The streaking white bolt hit the wolf on the left. It stumbled to its knees, skidding on the stone.
Exhaustion crept up on me, but the other wolf was only a dozen feet away. I reached out for Aidan’s fire gift, feeling the crackling burn of flame. The blaze erupted from my fingertips, engulfing the remaining wolf.
Behind it, Aidan dropped the last demon to the ground. Its broken body thudded and lay still.
The wolf that I’d hit with lightning staggered to its feet. Damn thing. Freaking Shifter strength. Too strong for my magic to take down in one blow. Its twin rose on shaky legs as well. Some of its fur was singed, but that was it. Both wolves swung their heads, looking from me to Aidan.
My power was running so low that I was swaying on my feet. At best, I had one more blast of flame in me. Freaking wimp.
I dug deep, pulling at Aidan’s magic and wishing I could take his power as well as his gifts. I needed a battery pack at this rate.
