by Rachel Jonas
The two who thought their powers held me in place were focused, their lips moving with whatever incantation they uttered.
Chief Makana came even closer, settling his stern glare right on me. Unlike most, he was unafraid of what he saw before him, unmoved by the freak of nature who was all three beings at once. Not even the deep grumble from within my chest made him back off. Which meant he had full trust in these witches.
“What did you have planned for me when I walked through that door?” he asked, letting his gaze wander over the detailed symbols glowing on my skin.
“That depends,” I answered.
“On?” His eyes flicked upward and returned to mine.
“Whether you still think you’re taking Rayen,” I assured him.
He seemed to enjoy my answer. I guessed as much because the huge grin he wore widened with the statement.
“I see.” Slow steps carried him in a circle around me. “And do you have any idea what the punishment is for anyone who even considers assassinating a chief?”
I shrugged. “Don’t know. Don’t care. But one thing I’m certain of, is that Rayen isn’t going anywhere with you people.”
Chief nodded, seeming to consider my words. “Well, what would you say if I told you I had a feeling you would have one of your … episodes, so I created a bit of a diversion ahead of time.” He leaned in so close the flames rolling off my body danced over his shoulder, when he added the words, “Just in case.”
My gaze was set on Rayen, noting how his nostrils flared with Chief being in my personal space. “What did you do?” He beat me to the question.
“Nothing yet,” Chief countered sarcastically. “But that could all change if you two decide not to cooperate.”
I faced him again when he cleared his throat.
“You see, these three standing before you are only a few of the friends I brought with me today. The others are outside waiting for my cue.” Another slick smile touched his lips.
“Why are there even witches on the island?” Rayen seethed. “You have something planned. I can feel it.”
To my surprise, Chief Makana didn’t just completely ignore the question. Instead, he seemed more than happy to answer.
“They were invited,” he revealed. “They’ve come to help us rid this island of the only enemy its ever known, once and for all.”
“How?”
Chief smiled at Rayen. “Just leave that part to me,” he said dismissively before turning to meet my gaze again.
“What have you done?” Rayen seethed.
Chief only spoke over his shoulder this time. “Again, the answer to your question is ‘nothing yet’. I’m simply prepared for the worst, should that prove necessary.”
White-hot rage flooded my veins, flowing through my body at lightning speed, watching when Chief pointed toward the open window.
“Just beyond the bungalow, I’ve had the other witches gather each of the Firekeepers, their queens and children, using a spell to keep them entranced, and safe,” he added. “Because, despite what you may think, the safety of my people, and the greater good of this island, is always my main concern.”
Could have fooled me.
“Safe from what?” I asked, somehow holding back when the urge to curse at him came over me.
“From the fate your friends will meet should you not cooperate.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“They’re in the lagoon,” he continued. My brow quirked, remembering that I’d seen each of them dancing near the speakers when I rushed past Ori to find Rayen.
“I have a witch posted just off the edge of the shoreline, and she’s holding a vial,” he explained. “And in this vial, there’s a potion she concocted that will turn whatever water it touches into a boiling vat of acid up to a one-mile radius, for an entire hour.” A satisfied grin parted his lips, and it pained me to see Kai’s features reflected in his face. “Which, I’m sure you can guess, would not end well for your friends. They would likely heal, but only time will tell what the long-term effects of the spell will actually be.”
“If you hurt them, I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” He asked, glaring. “This isn’t a fight you’ll win, Noelle.”
Hot air passed over my lips as I panted, hating that I knew I had the ability to overpower Chief, his witches, but also knowing he’d make good on his promise to hurt my friends.
But I couldn’t just let him do this, let him take Rayen when I believed I could stop him.
“Noelle, don’t.”
My head whipped left at the sound of Rayen’s strained voice.
“You can’t put your friends in danger because of me. He’ll let me go soon,” he promised, but I didn’t just take that at face value.
“You don’t know that,” I shot back, feeling new emotions creep in, cuddling up right beside rage and frustration.
It was sadness and longing.
He hadn’t even gone yet, and I missed him, regretted that I’d been so stubborn these past few weeks. Who was I to judge what he and the others ought to be doing about the lottery? Me, the imperfect girl who could barely keep from killing the people she loved. I should have known there was more to it than the black and white version I concocted on my own.
And now, I’d run out of time to make things right without even realizing the clock had been winding down.
“It’s fine,” Rayen said again, this time sounding as though the magic was starting to let up, but I was almost positive he only pretended it had, so I’d cooperate.
My eyes didn’t leave my mate when I addressed Chief. “How long are you keeping him?”
“As long as it takes.”
Still fuming, I shot him a look. “Why?”
“So those on this island who all but worship them, are reminded that the Firekeepers are not gods. They are mere men who must abide by the law like every other member of this tribe.”
“Except you,” I said flatly.
My shoulders heaved and I couldn’t hold it much longer. The witches would soon be very much aware of my strength if I wasn’t careful.
“Collect him and we’ll be on our way.”
Under Chief’s instruction, the witch who’d harmed Rayen lowered her hand and he gasped with relief.
“On your feet,” she commanded, prompting him to stand.
All this because we’d followed our hearts that night.
A warm glance passed over Rayen’s shoulder and I caught it just before he disappeared around the corner into the hall, leaving me for however long the Council had in mind. Chief gestured with his head for one of the witches assigned to me to follow the other back out to the lagoon, giving her permission to release the captives.
I guessed that meant my friends.
Three of us stood in Rayen’s room, so much tension swirling in the midst. I listened to the witch’s footsteps, and then heard water slosh when Toni, Blythe, Manny, and Marcela were allowed to go ashore.
“Thank you for your cooperation,” Chief said, feigning appreciation.
“Go to hell,” I hissed.
That brought a smile to his face, and he looked me over. “Well, it appears one of us is already halfway there. And, call it a hunch, but I think it would only take one little push to get you there.”
My wolf stepped deeper into the light and I felt my bones shift when she threatened to show herself fully. Her sharp hearing made me aware of retreating footsteps leaving the property. That meant my friends were in the clear … and Chief Makana was fair game.
A guttural roar ripped from my throat and strength gathered in my arm, vibrating through the entire limb, until my fist balled tight. The blue flames engulfing my arm burned brighter and, without weighing my actions, I cocked back and swung straight for his face. With no time to react when I took him by surprise, I landed the hit cleanly on the broad side of his jaw.
Blue embers burst where I made contact, and his skin began to melt with a sickening sizzle as he cried out in pain.
He hadn’t likely heard of what happened when a mainland dragon from my bloodline burned blue, but I guessed he understood now. It was the only fire to which other dragons were susceptible, meaning that hit hurt like hell.
Shocked, and a little fearful, his witch cowered to his side, bracing Chief’s shoulders as the two backed toward the hallway. I’d both injured and angered the man, and that felt almost as good as killing him.
… Almost.
From that day forward, whenever he looked at the scar that would undoubtedly remain, he’d think of me and know the mistake he made crossing us, the Omegas.
“You’ll regret this long before I will,” he warned, letting his gaze settle on mine.
And then, he was gone.
I slumped to the floor, only now feeling the effects of all three beings having come forward at once. My head swam and it felt like every ounce of energy had been drained from me.
Several minutes passed and my intentions were to head outside to check on the others, but I couldn’t seem to lift myself.
“She’s in here!” Blythe yelled, and seconds later, the others came running.
First, three foreboding bodies came in to surround me, and then several others whose identities I couldn’t place.
“We couldn’t get to you.” The anguish in Ori’s tone made me feel for him. “I swear we tried.”
I mustered enough energy to place my hand on top of his. “I’m fine,” I assured him as I felt myself slipping under. “If you think I’m in bad shape, you should see the other guy.”
I gave a weak smile as my eyes drifted closed, envisioning the look on Chief Makana’s face when I landed that punch.
My guys laughed, as did most of the others surrounding me.
“Yeah, we saw,” Kai chimed in next, amusement lacing his tone. “And trust me, Chief won’t be forgetting anytime soon either.”
“What happened to her?” I heard Paulo ask.
“I don’t know. When I got to her, she was all lit up, and her hands were on fire, and I saw traces of her wolf,” Blythe explained.
“All three?” Kai asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice. “At once?”
I saw Blythe’s dark hair move over her shoulder when she nodded.
“I need to get her into bed,” Ori spoke up. “She’s stronger than any one of us in this room, so I’m sure she’ll be fine, but she needs to rest.”
There was no more conversation about it, just a powerful set of arms slipping beneath me, and then I was airborne, resting against a broad chest as I breathed in the scent of my alpha. He was more than gentle when he carried me from the room, placing me in his own bed instead of the one nearby.
I heard the rustling of a blanket as he pulled it from the foot of the bed where he kept one folded. It covered my shoulder and I relaxed there, knowing he’d keep me safe. A soft kiss went to the side of my hair and the whispered words spoken into my ear sent me off to sleep with a smile on my face.
“Rest,” he said first, “and then we’ll talk about that nasty right hook of yours when you wake up.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ori
We had a problem on our hands. Judging by the silence from the seven of us waiting in the living room for Noelle to awaken—her friends, my two remaining brothers—I guessed they’d all reached the same conclusion.
“All three manifested at once,” Paulo stated gravely, pointing out one of many alarming factors that had come into play tonight.
Not only had all three of Noelle’s supernatural sides shown themselves simultaneously, there was also the nasty burn she left on Chief’s face. Between the two occurrences, I hadn’t decided which was most dangerous.
“I didn’t realize things had gotten this bad,” Kai chimed in. “Or maybe I just didn’t want to believe it.” He stopped pacing and kept his stare trained out the window.
“I think that’s been the case with all of us,” I reasoned. “We care for her; therefore, we’ve been blind to how she’s changing.”
There was something I hadn’t shared with the others. Continuing to hold it in was somewhat of a moot point.
“The day we visited Maureen, when she called me back inside alone, she revealed an interesting theory,” I told them.
“What sort of theory?” Kai crossed both arms across his chest after asking.
There was a lump in my throat when I swallowed. “It had to do with what she said when first meeting Noelle. The part about her being an old soul.”
“I heard that, but what about it?” Paulo inquired.
“Do you remember what Noelle shared with us right after she first shifted? It was during our conversation on the way to get her things from the dorm.”
Paulo was thoughtful for a moment. “About her mother being killed, and then returning?”
I nodded. “Yes. She mentioned that a beast had been responsible for that. The same beast that later came for her mother again, while she was with child.”
My brothers’ expressions deepened with concern.
“Maureen seems to think there’s a connection,” I continued. “Like, that beast and The Darkness are two sides of the same coin.”
“I don’t follow,” Manny spoke up, his brow knitting together with confusion.
There had to be a simpler way to explain this. “Maureen believes that all good comes from one source, and likewise, all evil comes from one source. So, if her theory is right, it would explain why The Darkness seems to know Noelle so well.”
“Because it’s been after her since she was conceived,” Paulo said gravely.
“Both times she was conceived,” I added. “So, this battle started way before she arrived on this island.”
Silence ensued, and it became clear my brothers now felt the same sense of dread I’d carried on my own for weeks. Wondering just how long this battle had gone on, wondering how much bigger it was than any of us sitting in that room, it made hope a difficult concept to grasp.
“She warned that we should brace ourselves, because she believes it’s entirely possible Noelle is already a lost cause,” I added, revealing the last of Maureen’s grim prognosis. “While I heard every word loud and clear, and I know things aren’t looking good right now … I’m not willing to give up that easily.”
I peered up after speaking, unsure of how the others would take the news.
“Neither am I. She just needs help.” It was Toni who’d spoken up this time, huddled in a towel like the others from having been tossed into the lagoon by the witches.
“I agree, and I’ve tried,” Blythe revealed, “but this has proven to be a much bigger task than I imagined.”
All our gazes locked on her after she spoke. She peered up, blinking as unshed tears glistened in her eyes.
“What do you mean?” Paulo asked, staring fixedly at Blythe.
He was far more intense tonight than usual, which made him give off a menacing vibe that wasn’t often seen. But he carried two burdens tonight—the uncertainty of knowing where Rayen was being held, and the instability of our queen.
“Noelle has worked very, very hard in secret,” Blythe began. “She’s tired of feeling like she’s capable of hurting the ones she loves, so we’ve been meeting a few times a week, working on elevating her control, overpowering The Darkness.”
“I take it there hasn’t been much progress so far,” Kai commented.
Blythe shrugged thoughtfully. “Well … you saw what happened today,” she sighed. “Every win is followed by a huge loss, so Noelle feels like she’s going backwards.”
“And what makes you qualified to help her?” There was no missing the distrust in Toni’s voice when she asked.
Blythe’s hands shot up in surrender. “Listen, I’m guessing Noelle told you about our past, but trust me, I’m not the enemy here.”
I wasn’t sure what past she spoke of, but I agreed our biggest threat was not in this room, despite the scent of dark magic coming from Blythe.
“We�
�re all on Noelle’s side,” I interjected. “And she’ll need us all to be around to get her through this. Which means we need to keep an open line of communication between us. No secrets when it comes to her, especially if it’s something that can help or hurt her.”
“Agreed,” Paulo grumbled.
“Facts,” Marcela answered.
The others offered some variation of the same response to signify that we were all on one accord.
“So, what do we do from here?” Manny peered up to ask.
When everyone turned to me, I assumed that meant they thought I had the solution. Naturally, I didn’t.
I considered our options, knowing our allies were limited to those of us here in this room, the other Firekeepers and their families, Maureen.
“For now, I say we do what’s in our power to keep her safe, stable. We’re not at full capacity without Rayen, and Chief’s had his witches block our tether. That means we have no idea where he is, how long he’ll be detained, nor can we communicate. In the meantime, our best bet is to try and enlist as much outside help as we can get.” I turned to Toni. “Any idea how to get in touch with Noelle’s family? Her people are powerful and well connected. If we can get them here to the island, it could only help.”
She didn’t look hopeful. “Easier said than done. Communication to the mainland only gets spottier by the day.”
I nodded. “I’m starting to think that’s not a coincidence.” When no one disagreed, I guessed I wasn’t the first to have this thought.
“So, basically, we’re screwed,” Manny sighed, standing to walk off his frustration.
For a few seconds, we were plunged into silence.
“I … might be able to help with that.”
We glanced toward Blythe, waiting for her to explain.
“There’s a spell I can try, but it’ll take me a while to gather ingredients, and then I’ll need to practice,” she added.
“If there’s anything we can get or do to speed things along, let us know.”
Blythe nodded when Kai offered.
“The sooner you can do the spell, the better,” I interjected, “because I think it’s painfully clear that our Chief, and our Council, have been severely compromised.”
