by Lila Kane
“Someone’s here,” Cheyenne says. “I can feel them.”
“How close?” Logan asks.
She lifts her chin, concentrating. “At the road, maybe? But getting closer.”
“She’s right,” I say, holding out my hands. They’re completely blue, pulsing like a heartbeat and lighting up our faces.
“They can’t get in,” James says, arriving just behind the others with Morgan and Faye in tow. “We made a border. We did a protection spell.”
“Then what the hell are they doing here?” Ryan asks.
Logan nudges me toward the door. “Get inside. Myra–”
But Ryan’s already pulling her along with him and we huddle in the dark kitchen, the only light the glowing blue of my hands.
“Maybe they’re here because of Morgan,” Faye says calmly.
I look over at her, a sinking feeling in my stomach. She’s probably right. And I was right earlier when I told Logan that Kane wasn’t going to wait. That we didn’t have much time.
“Why would they be here because of me?” Morgan asks, her voice so innocent I feel bad for her. Logan did a superb job of erasing her memories. She truly believes she’s on our side. Just like Kane did to me.
Logan ignores her. He turns to Cheyenne. “How many?”
Cheyenne concentrates again, her head turning toward the front of the house like she can see all the way to the road. “I think…four? Or five?”
Diane steps forward. “I can go check.” She glances at me. “Like last time.”
“We should stay in the house,” Logan says.
Myra frowns. “What if they don’t go away?”
“What if they have some sort of weapon like last night?” James asks.
Reading everyone’s faces, Diane nods her head. “I’ll go check.”
She slips out the door, and I admire her courage. She nearly died last night, and she’s still putting herself at risk to help us. Or maybe to stop all this. All she seems to want is to get her powers under control. Or have them taken away completely.
“We can’t just stay in here and wait them out,” I say, turning to the front of the house.
Logan catches my arm, voice lowering. “Willow. You can’t go out there.”
“At some point, we have to do something.”
His fingers tighten, pulling me to him. “Wait, okay? Just wait. All of us are here together. They’re outnumbered. Just wait.”
I meet Faye’s gaze and she nods, in agreement with Logan.
Diane arrives at the back door, slipping inside quietly. Her eyes look haunted when she faces us. “This isn’t good.”
“What?” Ryan asks.
“You’re right, there’s only four of them. But they’ve got others–humans.”
My voice rises an octave. “What?”
She nods. “Six of them. Just standing there shaking–”
“He’s going to kill them,” I say, yanking my arm from Logan’s grasp.
The blue in my hands intensifies, traveling up my arms. Logan turns his head from the glare, but still reaches for me.
“We can’t leave them out there,” Myra says.
“He’ll kill us if we go out there,” James returns.
I shake my head. “Not if I stop him.”
“Willow,” Logan snaps, startling me. He shoves a hand through his hair. “Just stop for a minute. You can’t run out there without a plan.”
Diane nods her head. “He’s right. They heard me at the border. Kane said he wants you out there. To talk.”
“Bullshit.” Ryan clenches his hands into fists. “He wants her out there to kill her.”
“We still have the border,” James reminds us. “So, what if they’re out there? They can’t come in.”
“And then six innocent people die,” I say, my stomach twisting. “Maybe more, until we do what he wants.”
Morgan gestures to the door. “Then let’s see what he wants.”
“We already know what he wants.” Logan sends her a glare.
We all hear the scream. It’s so high pitched and filled with terror, chills race along my skin.
“Oh, God.” Myra rubs her arms. “He’s going to do it. He’s really going to hurt someone. Ryan–”
“We have to stop this,” he says, folding her in a hug. “Let’s go out there before he does it.”
“No,” Logan growls.
“We can’t risk six lives for one,” I snap back.
“Willow–”
“I’m going,” Myra says.
Ryan pulls her back. “Not all of us. Just one. We’ll start with one and see what he wants.”
Before I can open my mouth, Cheyenne starts to the door. “Okay, then I’ll go see what he wants.”
“Cheyenne–”
I race after her. She only flashes me a smile. “Come on, Willow. One of us has to go. Let’s get this done.”
The look in her eye says there’s no stopping her. And no one else is trying. She marches out to the porch and across the gravel circle drive. Around our cars and into the trees.
I try to step out but Logan grips me around the waist. “Please, wait. Just…” He releases a breath, turning his lips to touch my cheek. “Hold on. We’re going to try to save those people.”
Relief trickles in when he says that. He understands. We can’t keep letting others die because of our feud with Kane.
Faye, Ryan, and James follow Cheyenne, stopping several feet back while she walks closer to the edge of the border.
“Okay,” she says in a clear strong voice. “We’re here. What do you want?”
A deep chuckle echoes in the night. “You’re all hiding in my house. Come on out. Or let us in. We can be more civilized than this.”
“You want to be civilized?” Cheyenne asks. “Let those people go. Then we’ll talk.”
My ears pick up the sound of whimpering. It makes my hands throb even more, to the point it’s almost painful. The blue orb has never been this powerful before. Either I’m getting stronger or Kane is. Maybe both.
“Insurance,” Kane says.
I squint my eyes, trying to focus on where his voice is coming from. And there, fifteen feet past the edge of the drive, I see them. Only three paranormals besides Kane. But I also see four of the humans, huddled in the grasp of the shapeshifter and what must be another vampire.
“I’ll let one of them go if Willow comes out,” Kane says.
Logan’s grip on me tightens. “Not going to happen!”
I open my mouth to argue when the scream shoots through the night. It pierces my soul. In the distance, in the dark, I see the body fall. A human girl with long blonde hair. She lies still on the ground as my heart rips through my chest.
“Should we try that again?” Kane taunts.
“No! No!” I scream, tearing free from Logan’s hold. The blue crackles like electricity and he yanks back the hand that tries to stop me. “No more.”
Stepping out of the house, I raise my voice so Kane can hear it clearly. “I’m here. I’m coming. Don’t hurt anyone else.”
There’s approval in his voice when he responds. “Very good.”
“Let someone go. You promised.”
“Keep coming,” he suggests.
I glance over my shoulder, surprised to find Logan right behind me. He reaches forward tentatively, and I take his hand.
“Stay close,” he orders.
“That’s sweet,” Kane says, obviously hearing our exchange, “but this is a war we’ve got on our hands here, brother. Who’s got time for sweet?”
“It’s not a war,” Logan says in his firm, strong voice. “It’s whatever we make of it. And it doesn’t have to be like this.”
As I step closer, I see the rest of their group. Cheyenne huddles next to me, ready to make a move as fast as I am. And on the other side of the border, they’re a lot more relaxed than we are. Kane stands at the front in a dark jacket, his eyes black as onyx. They gleam when they see my hands, glowing blue and pulsin
g with energy.
It occurs to me that I could kill him right now. Shoot fire at him and end this whole thing.
Kill Logan and Myra’s brother. Then what kind of person does that make me?
Behind him, his shapeshifter is holding two more girls by the arms, squeezing tight enough they’re sure to have bruises. One is whimpering, tears streaming down her face, and the other is staring glassy eyed at the dead blonde girl at Kane’s feet.
And there are others. Vampires holding humans, looking like they’re going to bite into them at any moment. Bile creeps up in my throat, and I have to focus. But all I can feel is the throbbing in my hands and arms and the sickness in the pit of my stomach that tells me this isn’t going to end well.
After another moment, the rest of our group joins me, all of us facing Kane. Even Morgan, with her chin lifted high, is staring him down. His gaze flicks to her and then back to me. I can’t read what’s going on there. He must think she’s playing along.
I wish I had one of her fireballs right now. Just to scare him a little.
“Of course, it has to be like this, little brother,” Kane says. “It’s always been like this, even when we were kids. I knew what I was then and I wasn’t afraid of it. You don’t have to be either. We could do this together. And Myra…” He smiles fondly. “In love with a shapeshifter. But I’ll forgive you if you join my side.”
She looks like she wants to vomit. Instead, she keeps her voice even. “There don’t have to be sides. Don’t hurt these people. Leave Shadow Hill. Make something of your life–”
“Don’t you think that’s what I’m doing? It was always, ‘Myra’s so talented’ and ‘Logan’s got such a great head on his shoulders. He’ll make this family proud.’ And where was I? In the background. A disappointment. But now I have a chance to make something of myself. I just need the blue fire.”
Logan inches forward, trying to block me. I squeeze his hand to reassure him. This isn’t a battle he can fight for me.
“You need to let these people go,” I say. “Hurting them isn’t going to get you anywhere. Let them go and then we’ll talk.”
Logan makes a low noise of disapproval in his throat. “No talking.”
Kane smiles sat me. “He’s right. Talking isn’t getting us anywhere right now. Morgan?”
Her eyes focus on him, and I can see the confusion there. She sends a questioning look at Logan.
“She’s not with you anymore,” Logan tells Kane. “Just leave. We don’t have to do any of this. Myra’s right. You can leave Shadow Hill and start somewhere else.”
Kane’s eyes fill with rage. “Enough. Morgan,” he snaps. “Get over here.”
“If it’ll make you let those people go, I’ll come over there,” she says.
“No, Morgan–”
She holds a hand up to cut me off. “This needs to stop somehow. I want to try to help.”
“Help,” Kane says, narrowing his eyes.
“I’ll go with you.” For a moment, I almost think she wasn’t influenced at all. That she’s just playing us and pretending. But then I see the slight tremble in her lip.
“Morgan.” I reach out to her. “You can’t.”
“She can and she will,” Kane says.
He holds out a hand, beckoning her.
“You won’t hurt those people,” she says before moving.
He holds his other hand over his chest. “I promise you, I won’t hurt these people.”
She nods and steps forward, setting her hand in his. He yanks her close, staring down in her eyes. Calculating.
“You don’t have to pretend anymore,” he whispers.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
He lowers his chin, like he’s about to kiss her. And then she flinches.
He freezes. Then he lifts his head, glaring at Logan. “What did you do?”
No one says anything.
“What did you do to her?” he screams.
And before Logan can say anything, Kane steps back from Morgan. He lifts his hands, almost like he’s going to strangle her.
Then he snaps her neck.
Chapter 16
“No!” I scream.
Morgan’s body collapses to the earth with hard thud, right next to the body of the other girl.
I leap forward, trying to reach her, but Logan grabs my waist and hauls me back.
“Willow, no,” Cheyenne says, blocking me.
“I can help her. Move! I can help her,” I babble.
But Logan won’t release me.
Kane’s face is hard when he says, “Now you know how serious I am. We’re not doing this your way anymore. Come on,” he says to the shapeshifter, gesturing. “We’ve overstayed our welcome. Leave the humans. After all, I gave my word.”
With a flash of a smile, he turns.
“Logan, stop. I can–”
“Willow,” he whispers, voice close to my ear.
“Let go!” I shout.
At the same time, a flare of blue bursts from my limbs, blinding the others. Logan’s hands fall from my waist and I lurch forward, flinging my arm in Kane’s direction. A lightning bolt of sapphire chases after him, but he’s already gone, vanished in the trees with his group.
Cheyenne grabs my arm. “Willow–”
“No,” I mumble shaking my head and starting toward Morgan. “I can fix this, I can help her. She was just trying—trying to do–”
“Willow!” she shouts, snapping my attention to her face. “It’s Logan.”
When I turn, everything is a blur. Faye’s running to him, Myra’s gasping for air at his side, looking helpless as she tries to figure out a way to help, and Ryan’s shouting at me to do something.
Logan’s arms are glowing blue like mine, but it’s eating its way up his arms. His body spasms on the forest floor, face contorted in pain. Air clogs in my lungs, holding me captive where I’m standing.
“Do something!” Myra screams, frantic.
I rush over and collapse at Logan’s side, reaching for him and at the same time afraid I’m going to hurt him more. I saw what happened to Wes when I shocked him with the blue fire.
He died. So, did the vampire at the border. He turned into ash.
“Logan, no, hold on,” I murmur, clasping his hand in mine. I close my eyes, willing the blue to fade from him and back into me.
Nothing changes. When I open my eyes, his cheeks are taut with pain and the blue has traveled up his arms to his chest.
“No, Logan–”
“Here.” Faye grabs my hand and then beckons James to do the same. “Try again, Willow. Focus.”
I yank in a breath as Myra hovers by my side. Murmuring a spell under my breath, I focus all my energy into Logan, drawing power from James and Faye to give him more.
“Please, Logan,” Myra says, brushing his cheek. “Come on, you can do it. Breathe.”
He tenses again, but then slowly, slowly, the blue starts to fade. It drains from his chest, over his shoulders and down his arms. Faye’s closing her eyes tightly, and James winces, but doesn’t let go. I know what this is costing them, but we can’t lose Logan.
He pulls in a long, painful sounding breath. Then his eyes focus on mine. The pain leaves them and his hand twitches under mine. “Stop. Willow, that’s enough.”
I can’t seem to let go. Faye pulls back, and so does James, but it takes Cheyenne’s coaxing to get me to release Logan’s hand.
“I’m sorry,” I sob, reaching for him again. “I’m so sorry.”
“Hold on,” she says, keeping a good grip on my arm. “Just give him a minute.”
I ease away from her and crawl to Morgan. She lies face down on the forest floor, her long, dark hair covering her face. I brush it aside and feel for her pulse at her neck. Her skin is clammy, making me pull away.
Farther back in the trees, the other humans are whimpering or outright crying. Diane walks to them, trying to soothe them.
Logan’s voice sounds beside me. “Willow.”
I ignore it and reach for the other girl, only to find her in the same shape as Morgan. Dead.
“Willow,” Logan says again, touching my arm. “There’s nothing you can do.”
“I can help.” My eyes swim with tears when I look at him. The rest of the group stands in the background, looking unsure what to do. “It’s our fault this happened. I can help her. I just–”
“No, Willow.” When I look away, Logan takes my chin in his hand. “Look at me.”
I tense in his grasp, even though the blue is already fading from my arms and hands as well. “Be careful.”
“You’re not going to hurt me,” Logan says, holding on.
“I just did.”
“It’s too much,” Faye says, coming up behind him, setting a hand on his shoulder as he kneels next to me. “They’re gone, and it’ll take too much out of you to try to bring them back.”
“But–”
“No.” Logan brushes his thumb on my cheek. “Faye’s right. It’s too much.”
I hate that they’re right. That deep down, I know it, and it breaks my heart. Then rage starts to fill those spaces, boiling up and spilling over so that I’m standing and spinning in a circle, looking for any trace of Kane and his group.
“We have to stop him. We have to–”
“We have to get inside,” Ryan snaps. “There’s no way we’re going after him like this.” When he senses I’m going to argue with him, he shakes his head. “I’m sorry, but no one is going anywhere right now. Get inside.”
Surprised by his tone of voice, I lower my chin. He’s right. I can’t fight Kane. He just killed one of ours. And it was all our fault. If we hadn’t influenced her, if we hadn’t made her choose our side, she’d be safe right now.
“I’ll help Diane with these people, get them inside, until we can figure out what to do,” Cheyenne says.
I catch up to the others, avoiding Logan’s hand as he reaches for me. When his eyes meet mine, I don’t even know what to say. I don’t want to hurt him. Right now, I’m torn between running off to murder his brother, and hiding in my room until I get myself under control.
Ryan catches me just inside the door as the others walk to the living room.
“Don’t touch–”
