by Lori King
She swallowed as tears misted in her eyes. “It worked. It really worked.”
Jace laughed and placed kisses on her cheeks, eyes, and temple. She was alive. They could have an eternity together. He couldn’t wait.
A sense of foreboding filled him. All that could happen, but first, they had to make it out of this house. He gritted his teeth and clutched Eva tighter. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to her.
5
Eva placed her fingers on her neck and smiled as she relaxed into the pillows on the bed. It would take some time to get used to the steady pulse beating beneath her skin. The mating had worked. She was alive again, thanks to Jace – thanks to their connection. She closed her eyes and let out a breath.
“What are you thinking?” Jace asked as he placed a kiss to her temple.
“I’m happy. I never thought this day would come. I’m… alive. I can leave.” She turned to him while snuggling further into his embrace. “I get to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“I’m counting on it.” Jace captured her lips.
A chorus of howls interrupted them. She closed her eyes at the ominous sound. Jace stiffened, twisting in the bed. “We need to come up with a plan.”
She gulped. If they didn’t find a way around the angry pack, her life would be short. She wasn’t ready to die – again.
Eva sat up and grabbed her garments that lay scattered around the bed. Jace followed her lead. Both of them dressed in silence. She walked to her book and flipped through the pages. There were dozens of spells, and she’d had plenty of time to study all of them. It was a matter of finding the right one.
Jace stared over her shoulder as she thumbed through the book until she came to the right page.
“Invisibility spell?” he asked, gently massaging her shoulders.
She nodded as she read the words. “We can walk right out, and they’ll never know it.”
“No fighting. Sounds safe.” He kissed her cheek.
“That’s the idea.”
“Will it work?”
Eva licked her lips. “It’s been a long time since I practiced magic like this.” Doubt crept through her and she shivered. What if this goes wrong? No. I need to have faith. It’s going to work out. Tonight is already a miracle.
“You can do this, Eva.” He hugged her from behind, his words mirroring her thoughts.
“You’re right. I can.”
“What do you need me to do?” he asked.
She scanned over the spell, committing the words to memory. “Just hold my hand so I can make sure you’re invisible too.”
“I think I can manage that.”
“What time is it?” she asked, pulling away from him so she could go to the window. She sighed. The sun was already setting. “It’s getting late. My magic is still more powerful on All Hallows Eve. After midnight I will have it, but it won’t be as strong.”
“Then we should get going. My pack is about five hours from here. I imagine they’ll be showing up anytime now too.”
It would be nice to have reinforcements. But she didn’t want to wait either. What if the pack didn’t come, or got held up? Worse, what if they were obliterated by the Mountain Pack?
“Are you ready?” Jace asked, giving her hand a firm squeeze.
She bowed her head, unsure if she could speak. Now was as good a time as any.
Jace led her to the door. “Let’s do this.”
They made their way down the hall and to the stairs. She ran her hand over the cool wood of the banister and took one last look around at her home. For years she’d thought of nothing more than leaving this place. Now that she could, she wasn’t sure she wanted to. She was going to miss this house. Yes, there were painful memories here, but there were also happy ones. It was her family home, the one she’d grown up in with her sisters.
“You okay?” Jace asked.
“Just taking one last look around.”
“This doesn’t have to be goodbye, Eva. Once my pack comes and we get everything settled, we can come back. You can collect your things… or we could stay and restore the house and return it to its former glory. I could speak to Tom about staying on here. We’ve spoken about dividing the pack because of its size.”
“I think I’d like to stay. Can we really do that?” she asked.
“I’d do anything for you.” He kissed her on the lips, his hands winding through her hair. She melted against him, relishing the safety of his embrace.
Jace pulled back after a long moment. “We should get going.”
“Okay.” Eva peered around one last time before making her way down the stairs and into the entryway. A mirror hung on the wall by the door and she paused, seeing her reflection for the first time in decades. Her hair was mussed and her lips swollen from Jace’s kisses. Otherwise, she looked exactly as she remembered. She gripped Jace’s hand tighter while closing her eyes. The spell slipped from her lips effortlessly, causing a tingling sensation to wash over her.
“Whoa,” Jace said swaying on his feet. “Did it work?”
Eva glanced around, her eyes landing on the mirror again. “Look.” She pointed at the mirror. Their reflection was gone.
“I guess so.” He grinned, but the grin soon fell as he turned his focus back to the door. “Won’t they notice the door opening and closing?”
He made a good point. “The window.” She used her free hand to point toward the library. “We’ll slip out there.”
Giddiness filled her. They were walking into danger, but part of her didn’t care. She was thrilled that she was leaving the house. I’m free.
* * *
Jace clasped onto Eva’s hand as he stepped onto the windowsill. Then turned back to her, helping her up. “Ready?” he asked, meeting her gaze.
“We shouldn’t speak. The spell only keeps them from seeing us,” she said in a whisper. Her eyes darted to the tree line where a few wolves paced back and forth. There were likely more out there. He just couldn’t see them at the moment.
He nodded as she squeezed his hand tighter. They turned back to the yard together. The rain had stopped, but the ground was still soggy. Their footfalls might make noise. It was a risk they were going to have to take.
“Jump on three,” he said.
She nodded.
“One, two, three.”
Together they jumped, landing on the squishy ground.
He held his breath as he scanned the trees, watching for movement. Nothing.
Eva nudged his arm and pointed to her right. “If we go this way we’ll run into the road. It leads into town.” She frowned. “At least it used to.”
Jace looked in the direction she indicated. “I think I remember there being a town that way.” It was as good a place as any to start. Atticus’ pack might be menaces with no morals, but they wouldn’t want humans to learn of their existence. Jace and Eva just had to make it to the safety of town. His pack would likely be coming from that direction too.
Together they walked across the ground. Their bare feet slapped against the mud. Each step seemed to be louder than the previous. Jace grimaced, trying to walk slower, more quietly, but that didn’t seem to help either.
He cast a glance over his shoulder, watching the wolves. Their heads were cocked to the side, ears twitching as they looked around. They heard them; thank goodness they couldn’t see them. As long as they kept walking it should be okay.
Eva looked at him and then to the wolves. She met his gaze, drawing in a deep breath.
“It’s okay,” he mouthed to her.
She gulped.
They took a few more steps, then froze. A long, lone howl echoed through the night.
Jace recognized that voice. It was his alpha, Tom. His eyes darted over the grass, searching for the wolves. Movement caught his eye and he grinned. Tom had brought almost half the pack with him.
“Is that your pack?” Eva asked.
“Yeah.” We are going to be okay.
The
thought had barely left his mind when the enemy’s pack charged out of the trees. “Shit.” He and Eva were smack dab in the middle of it.
Eva gulped, having realized their situation too. They’d moved too far from the house to seek refuge inside it. Both packs were sprinting toward each other, and neither could see them.
Jace wrapped his arm around Eva’s waist and lifted her into his arms. He turned and ran toward his pack, aiming for the outer edge of the group. Maybe they could join them first and then jump in on the action.
“Do you want me to make us visible?” Eva asked.
“Not yet. I’ll tell you when.”
Eva hugged him tighter as the wolves drew closer. “Will they hurt us?”
“No. They’ll recognize my scent. You carry my scent now, too, since we’ve mated.”
He pushed forward faster. Eva shut her eyes and buried her face in the crook of his neck as the pack enveloped them. Jace dodged out of the way, hopping left and right to keep from colliding with his friends. The wolves passed them in a blur.
“Now,” he said as the last of the pack bolted past them.
Eva mumbled beneath her breath. Tingles washed over Jace, and he grunted at the odd sensation.
“They can see us now.” Eva nodded to where the wolves were.
His pack had begun to engage the other one. Growls and snarls echoed in the night air. He wanted to join in and help, but he needed to be sure Eva would be okay.
“How is your magic?” he asked, glancing from her to the fight.
“I feel good. I’m ready to seek out retribution for my family.” She stuck her chin out determinedly.
Jace’s hand went to his trousers. “Stay close to me.”
“How do I know who’s on our side?” she asked.
“The pack will recognize you’re with me. Anyone who charges you isn’t a friend. Zap them.” He kissed her quickly on the lips.
Eva grimaced. “Be careful,” she said.
He dropped his pants and lowered himself to the ground. The mud squished against his skin as he got on his hands and knees. His bones snapped as they broke, then jutted out and reformed. Hair erupted over his skin. Within seconds, he was in his alternate form.
Jace yipped and motioned his head toward the fight. Eva nodded and started forward. He was ready to end this conflict once and for all.
A wolf sprinted toward him. He bounded ahead with his teeth bared, ready to attack. The wolf leaped. Jace jumped up, catching the wolf in midair. He planted his hind legs on the ground as best he could in the slippery mud. Pushing forward, he gained the upper hand and tackled his adversary to the ground.
He went for the wolf’s throat, snarling and biting until his sharp canines sank beneath the skin. Warmth flooded his mouth. He gagged at the coppery taste, but refused to let up until his enemy quit moving.
Jace hopped back up, casting a quick glance to Eva. She stood with her back pressed against the side of the house. A wolf charged toward her. With a swipe of her hand, she sent it barreling back across the grass all the way into the tree line.
He grinned. That was his mate. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Jace rejoined the fight, ready to kick more asses.
* * *
Eva watched the fight, both thankful and annoyed that the wolves were leaving her alone. She’d managed to make her way back to the house, using the foundation to keep her back protected. Unless one attacked her, she couldn’t risk using her magic. The last thing she wanted was to hurt one of Jace’s friends.
She kept her eye on Jace for the most part, watching him as he fought. He was skilled and holding his own against the enemy.
It appeared his pack was winning. She let out a breath and gazed across the yard for stray wolves that may pose a threat. Her eyes landed on a figure in the bushes.
It can’t be. Can it? It shouldn’t surprise her that Atticus was in the woods, watching, instead of out here fighting. Bastard!
She gritted her teeth. Atticus had caused her family – Jace’s family – so much pain. It had to end.
Pushing off the house, she marched toward the tree line where Atticus stood. The bastard watched her, his arms crossed over his chest and a wry grin on his face. The idea that he was enjoying this infuriated her more. She was going to wipe that smug look off his face, then make sure he never hurt anyone else ever again.
She wiggled her fingers, allowing her magic to flow freely through her. The energy sizzled within like an electric charge. She raised her hands up, prepared to strike.
Atticus nodded and six wolves appeared out of the trees, dashing toward her. Eva shrieked. She shoved her hands forward, catching four of them and sending them backward into the brush. The leaves of the trees swayed and swished as their bodies collided against them. The other two wolves continued to attack. Fear laced its way into her heart, causing it to beat erratically. Think, Eva.
She moved her arms again, calling on her telekinesis. The two wolves lifted into the air, dangling for a long moment. She glared at them before tossing her arm to the side, effectively flinging the wolves into the trees. Their bodies thwacked against limbs and hurtled onto the ground, unmoving.
“Evangeline?” Atticus said as he cocked his head to the side. “I thought you were dead.”
She narrowed her eyes and pointed at Atticus, ready to strike.
“You do that, and you’ll never find out what happened to Marie,” Atticus said with a smirk.
Eva dropped her hand to her side. “Marie?” Her heart squeezed at the mention of her sister. What had happened to Marie? If she killed Atticus, she would probably never know.
Atticus took a few steps toward her. She held her ground, watching his every move.
“What did you do to my sister?” she asked through gritted teeth.
“Call off your friends and I’ll tell you.”
Eva cast a quick glance over her shoulder. Jace’s pack was still winning from what she could tell. Atticus was up to something, but what? “Tell me and I’ll ask them to make your death quick.”
Atticus chuckled and shook his head. “They won’t win.”
He seemed so sure of himself. Did he have more wolves to back up his cockiness? Or was he blowing smoke?
Eva didn’t have time to contemplate further. A loud shriek sounded from the trees. A woman charged toward them. Her long brown locks billowed in the wind, making it impossible to see her face. She lunged at Atticus.
They toppled to the ground, the werewolf clearly surprised by the woman. Eva took a step back and watched as the woman screeched, hitting Atticus wildly with her balled fists.
Atticus bucked up, rolled, and tossed the woman off. Her brown hair finally moved out of her face and Eva yelped with surprise.
It was Marie.
How is that possible?
“You stupid bitch,” Atticus said as he pounced on Marie.
“No!” Eva thrust her hands out, lifting Atticus into the air. She hurtled him away from her sister with her magic. His body flung through the air and landed on a broken tree limb. She blinked, realizing one of the sharpened branches had impaled him. The long branch stuck out of his torso.
Blood dribbled out of Atticus’ mouth as he wheezed. Eva covered her mouth with her hands as the man who had tormented her family drew in his final breaths.
“Eva,” Marie whispered in a strangled voice.
Eva turned to her sister, racing to her side and clasping her hand tightly. “Marie.” She shoved disheveled strands of hair from Marie’s face. Her sister didn’t look like she’d aged a day over the decades. That wasn’t possible. Judging by the shallow breaths she took, Marie was very much alive, but she was injured.
Crimson coated her lips and she coughed, sending bloody spittle into the air. “You’re okay.” Marie reached up and touched Eva’s face with her free hand. “I didn’t know it was you in there. I would never have followed his orders and removed the barrier if I had. You’re okay? Truly?”
“I’m fin
e. I’m right here. Just hang on, I’ll get you help.” Eva looked over her shoulder. Jace stood in the grass human and naked. “Jace!” Her voice was hoarse with emotion, but he whirled around and sprinted toward her.
Marie gurgled as her hand flopped to the ground. “It’s okay. I’ve welcomed death for a long time.” Her breath came in quick, shallow pants.
Eva focused on her sister again, stroking her face. “No. No. I won’t lose you.” Tears pricked her eyes. There was no way she was going to lose her sister now.
“I’m finally free.” Marie smiled. “Take care, baby sister. I love you.” The light left her eyes, and her hand went slack in Eva’s.
“Marie.” Eva’s heart raced in her chest as she touched her sister’s face. “Marie? Wake up.” She patted her cheek. “Please get up.” Her voice dropped to a soft whimper as she stared at Marie’s vacant eyes. She was gone. “No. No. No.”
Eva buried her face in Marie’s chest as a raw sob got stuck in her throat. It was a cruel twist of fate to reunite her with her sister to take her away moments later.
“Eva?” Jace’s voice said from behind her.
Eva sat up and turned to Jace. He knelt next to her, wrapping a warm arm around her.
“It’s Marie. She’s… she’s…” the words refused to come out.
Jace reached out, placing his fingers on Marie’s pulse point. His fingers moved lower and traced around a tiny scar on her neck. Eva sighed and closed her eyes. It was a mating mark, she was certain of it. Marie’s life was tied to Atticus’.
Jace kissed Eva’s forehead and pulled her closer. “I’m so sorry.”
Eva shook her head. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end. “There has to be something we can do.”
“Their lives are bound together. His death also brought hers. I’m so sorry,” he said as he rubbed soothing circles into her back with his palms.
“But she wouldn’t have bonded with him. Marie despised him,” Eva said as she shook her head, refusing to believe her sister was dead.
“Some wolves never find their true mate. It’s possible to force a bond even if the feelings are not reciprocated,” Jace said.
