by Mia Harlan
The troll lets out an enraged roar, but he’s not even looking at his car. He’s got his eyes locked on Raicus like a bull on a target as he breaks into a run.
Violet’s vampires jump into the fray—or in their case, zoom—Bert aiming his gun while Aldo and Hugh wield swords. Haven’t a clue where they got those from, but they sure move fast, and it’s better than fighting empty-handed.
The witch who was previously sitting on Liam’s car—short, blue pixie cut, lip piercing, and a murderous glint in her eye—sets her eyes on Liam and starts to cast. I douse her with fire, but she deflects it with a flick of her wrist... and a shield made of purple-black flames. Shit!
I breathe fire on the other witches, hoping they haven’t caught on, but everyone—including Raicus—throws up shields. Which means Deputy Dragon is pretty much Deputy Useless to Me Now.
Violet’s vampires seem to be having slightly better luck. Each time one of the witches fires their purplish-black magic, they simply zoom out of the way at vampire speed. I feel a moment’s hope, but when they attack, their weapons bounce harmlessly off the witches’ shields.
I turn to my troll, hoping he’s doing better than we are, and my heart nearly stops. Because Raicus is wielding the magical orb from the library, and he’s about to take out my troll!
Chapter 24
Violet
I let out an anguished cry which turns into a fire-laced roar. It startles Raicus, throwing off his aim, and his purplish-black magic misses Liam by over a foot.
The tree off to the troll’s right isn’t so lucky. The magic smashes into its trunk, and the entire thing crumples. Liam dives behind it as it crashes to the ground in front of him, and crouches behind it, using it as a protective shield. Which won’t hold off the evil witch—or his orb—for long.
The orb fires again, but instead of hitting Liam’s tree, the purplish-black magic obliterates the front steps. I try to figure out if Raicus’s aim is off, or if it’s a warning shot, when I realize that the orb is firing in random directions. A patch of grass goes up in flames. The sidewalk next to the burning red sports car cracks.
The next shot nearly hits Raicus’s blue-haired witch, but her outraged cry doesn’t seem to faze the witch in the least. He just holds up the orb higher and lets it do its thing. Because apparently, he’s willing to take out anyone and everyone to get what he wants.
I unleash one more useless torrent of fire at Raicus, not willing to go down without a fight. His transparent shield easily deflects it, and he raises his orb, this time aiming at me as he fires.
I dodge out of the way and fly up into the clouds, flying in a zigzag pattern as I avoid Raicus’s magic. And it’s when I’m so high up I can see the entire town that I notice movement.
Off to my left, an army of grizzly bears charges through the forest, racing straight toward us. They all look the same—all large, all brown, all bears... What, it’s not like I’m some sort of expert—but I intuitively know that the one in the lead is Nole. Is he coming for me?
Flashes of color draw my attention to the clouds. Winged supes race across the sky. Hawks, owls, pigeons, and even the occasional blue jay. All coming to our aid.
And that’s when I notice the cars. Dozens, from all over Silver Springs—civilian and police alike. There are even some supes coming in on foot—shifters, demons, fairies, you name it—all heading in one direction: ours!
Within minutes, there are easily dozens of us, maybe hundreds. Supes jump into the fray, dodging curses and attacking witches. Cops shift, pull out weapons, or cast curses as they join the fight. Even Mayor Shchnarl shows up, though he stays back while Deputy Dragon joins me in the sky.
Then I spot my sister and her mates jumping out of a Cleanly Den van and running into the fray. I nosedive toward the ground, ready to protect them—because even if Gwinnie—Amber—abandoned me, I won’t let some witches or a magic orb turn her to dust.
She notices me swooping down and shifts into me—dragon me—and then quickly shifts back. A second later she’s Liam, cop uniform and all, which seems to distract the nearest witch. He stares at my sister for a split second too long, and a spell crashes into him from behind.
Jasmine—a witch who comes to Spell Library to use the Supe section—grins triumphantly and casts another spell before he can get his shield back up.
Then a flash of orange steaks across the grass: Handkerchief—library cat turned Sapphire’s mate. He launches himself at the witch and digs his claws into his back. Go, kitty!
Soon, there are familiar faces everywhere. Library patrons, people I’ve seen around town, all here, all fighting, all willing to risk their lives to protect me.
A black car comes into view, and Cash jumps out and zooms toward the house to join the fight. One of the witches aims a spell at him when he gets close, and I swoop down and lift him out of the way just in time.
“Love the new look, little furry,” he says, casting a spell that crashes into one of the purplish-black shields, creating a dent. “Think you could set me down?”
I find an empty spot on the grass, but the moment we land, Raicus comes into view, holding his damn orb. I barely have a chance to react when a grizzly bear dives in front of us—in front of me. Nole.
“Get out of the way,” I cry. “You’re supposed to dodge curses, not make yourself a target!”
My mate doesn’t listen. He stays there, protecting me from bodily harm as Raicus’s orb fires.
My heart stops and shatters into a million pieces.
I can’t lose my bear shifter—my mate! I don’t care that he betrayed me or that he got me fired. I’d trade places with him and get dusted in a heartbeat, but there isn’t enough time.
I let out a keening moan and throw myself on top of Nole, as if holding on to him will somehow keep him alive. He’s large and warm and his fur is soft—and he’s still there several seconds later.
I look up and watch as the transparent shield Cash cast around us crumbles, taking purplish-black magic with it. The blood mage struggles to catch his breath, while two witches advance on Raicus, distracting him.
Minerva Montgomery—an entitled brat of a witch who demanded I delete her fines a few months ago—attacks him with pink sparkles. They don’t do any damage, but she’s trying, and I instantly forgive her.
Then a second witch, a brunette wearing overalls, hits Raicus with a more powerful blow... and he stumbles backward while his orb takes over and starts firing in every direction.
Both witches manage to dodge, but quickly resume their attack. Soon, I notice that Raicus’s minions’ shields start to crumble. I know it’s only a matter of time before our side wins, and I turn triumphantly to their leader—who is nowhere to be found.
“He’s gone,” I cry, looking around wildly. And that’s when I see him.
With Violet. My Violet, my friend, my family. The one person who was always there for me. He drags her outside, a knife pressed firmly to her throat, her body in front of his like a human shield.
“Stop, or I’ll kill her,” he shouts.
Bert, Aldo and Hugh, all of whom are zooming toward her, pull to a stop. Others start to notice what’s going on, and stop fighting, too.
“Where are you, mousy?” Raicus shouts, searching for me while his minions race to his side. “Show yourself and surrender, or the old lady gets it.”
Chapter 25
Violet
It was always meant to end this way, and I was always meant to die.
This past year. Hiding. Pretending to be someone else. It all led here, to this moment... So I could save Violet, who spent the past year trying so hard to save me.
I look at her mates—Bert, Aldo, then Hugh—and know beyond a doubt that they’ll be there for her. They’ll protect her for as long as she lets them—hopefully, an eternity.
Then I look at my own mates, all three standing protectively around me. Nole, back in human form, shielding me with his body. Liam, barely suppressing his troll rage as he glare
s at Raicus. And Cash, standing by my side in silent support.
My heart longs for all three of them, but I was always planning to leave them behind. I was never going to stay with them in Silver Springs, and now I know what has to be done.
“I surrender,” I tell Raicus, trying to step around Nole.
“No fucking way,” the bear shifter shouts, blocking my way.
“You are not doing this!” Liam lets out a growl so loud, so ferocious, that a few people near us jump. Even Raicus looks nervous, though he tries to hide it.
I glance at Cash, hoping he’ll do the right thing—that he’ll help me save Violet—but he just shakes his head. “Sorry, little furry, but I’m with them.”
Violet tries to say something, too—probably to tell me to save myself, because she’s always been that selfless and that caring—but Raicus tightens the knife against her throat, silencing her.
“You have one minute to decide, mousy,” Raicus taunts as a thin trail of blood runs down Violet’s neck.
“It was a rat. I shifted into a rat!” I shout back as frustration eats away at me. Because the clock is ticking, and I have seconds to figure out how to get around my mates. Seconds to do something, anything, so I’m not forced to watch Violet die.
“Come here, ratty, ratty, ratty.” Raicus beckons me to join him. “Don’t you want to save your little old lady?”
His words fill me with rage, but there’s nothing I can do.
Then Violet squeezes her eyes tightly shut—something she’s done the last few times she shifted into her skunk—and I don’t dare breathe.
Come on, Violet. You can do it! Shift!
One second. Two. Nothing happens.
A look of defeat flits over my old friend’s face, and she starts to struggle in earnest. All it does is send more blood trailing down to her collarbone.
Violet’s vampires hiss. Nole growls, Liam clenches his large hands into fists, and Cash gives my shoulder a squeeze. But none of them do anything to save my Violet... which means it’s up to me.
Before my mates have time to react, I shift into a homing pigeon and flit past them. By the time Liam lets out an outraged roar—and Nole, Cash, and some of the townsfolk start shouting—I’m halfway to Raicus.
His minions set torrents of purple-black magic loose, creating a laser show of destruction. I end up flying through a life-or-death obstacle course, but guess what, witches? My mother trained me for this!
I don’t mean she actually knew this was going to happen. I don’t think anyone could have predicted that I’d be pelted by evil witch magic while trying to fly through it in bird form. But all my mother’s chameleon flight training—and all those days spent battered and bruised after crashing into trees—finally pays off.
I easily dodge every attack and swoop down toward Raicus. Then I brace myself, ready to shift, because there’s only one way to save Violet. One way I can make sure she lives to see another day.
I summon my chameleon magic, and at the last possible second, I shift into a dragon. My talons loop around my friend’s arms, and I lift her up, out of the evil witch’s grasp.
She lets out a yelp and blood trails down her chest, but in tiny ripples, not in spurts.
The moment Violet and I are clear, the crowd breathes a collective sigh of relief. A second passes when they all remain frozen, but then they converge on Raicus and his minions. The fight is over before it’s even begun.
Witches incapacitate them. Shifters and other supes stand guard. Then cops swoop in, handcuffing them and dragging them off toward squad cars. Taking them to the station... or straight to Silver Springs Penitentiary.
I count five witches in all, not six—Raicus, with his arms bound behind his back, cursing the entire time, and four of his minions. I realize the blue-haired witch somehow managed to disappear, but I’m not afraid. Not anymore. She wouldn’t dare show her face in Silver Springs. Not knowing the whole town will band together to defeat her.
Knowing that I’m safe—that we’re safe—I set Violet down on an empty stretch of grass and shift back to my own body.
“Letty?” I cry, shaking her limp form. But her eyes remain closed, her face pale, as blood trails down her neck.
“Birdie?” Bert zooms up to her a second later and drops to his knees beside her.
“Can you hear me, little dove?” Hugh cries as he cradles her head on his lap.
“Check if she’s breathing!” Aldo orders. “Come on, breathe, duck. Breathe!”
I don’t realize I’m sobbing until Cash pulls me to my feet. He hugs me tightly against his chest, and Liam wraps his arms around me from behind.
“Is she... dead?” I wail as I look at her loving, pale, unresponsive face.
“Undead,” Aldo says, tearing open his wrist.
“She said...” that she didn’t want to be turned. The words hover on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t seem to get them out. I can’t tell Aldo that Violet never asked for this. I can’t watch her die.
So I stand by quietly and watch the vampire force blood down my best friend’s throat. Watch as her mates hover over her, begging her to live.
“Is it working?” Hugh cries when Aldo pulls back his wrist. “Does she need more blood?”
“She’s had enough.” Aldo cups her cheek lovingly. “I’ve seen many a turn, and she’s taking to it nicely. But only time will truly tell.”
I don’t know how much time he means, but we all wait silently as the moments tick away. A few paramedics rush over to see if they can help, but when Bert explains about the turn, they pack up their stuff and go.
April June comes over next—without any dildos this time—and apologizes for missing the fight. She says something about testing merchandise, inspects the area as if looking for something, or someone, and heads back the way she came.
My sister and her mate, Julian, announce that drinks are free all day at Jewels Cafe. Then Rose and the vampires who own Club Vee say something about an after party... though I’m not really listening.
The property starts to clear, and when I finally look around, it’s just us. Me and my mates, Violet and hers... And my sister, standing quietly off to the side.
“Addie?” she calls softly, her eyes never once leaving mine.
“It’s Violet now.” I march toward her, all the pain in my chest turning my heart to ice. “Unless you want me to call you Gwinnie...”
“Good point.” She gives me a tentative smile. “I’ve really missed you, Violet.”
“Sure you did, Amber,” I spit. “That’s why you left.”
“I left because our mother sent me away. You know that.”
“Then why didn’t you call? Why didn’t you come back?”
“Of course I called—every day, then every week, then every month. I kept calling until our mother told me to stop.”
“She wouldn’t do that.” I shake my head in denial, but we’re talking about the same woman who told me to turn myself in. To Raicus. Who would have killed me.
“She did.” Amber’s lower lip trembles. “Please believe me, Addie... Violet!”
“I waited for you,” I whisper softly. “I sat on the front steps every holiday and waited until Mother told me you wanted nothing to do with me.”
“She wouldn’t let me come home. No matter how much I begged. She said my wonky magic would just embarrass you. Both of you.”
“I don’t care about your magic. All I’ve ever cared about is having my sister back.” I throw my arms around Gwinnie—Amber—and start to sob. Then my sister’s sobbing too, and we stand like that for who knows how long before we finally pull apart.
“I hope she’s going to be okay,” Amber says softly as we both turn to look at the unconscious Violet.
“I think she will be,” I whisper. Color’s already seeping back into her cheeks as her chest rises and falls. Plus, her mates look less worried, which is a good sign.
“So you were posing as her this whole time?” Amber asks.
&nb
sp; I nod. “I had no choice.”
“You could have told me it was you.” Amber shakes her head. “But never mind that. I’m just glad that you’re okay. And that we could help.”
“How did you even know to come here?” I ask.
“Same way everyone else did.” Amber grins.
“The police?” I hazard a guess, remembering Liam’s call just as the attack started.
“No.” Amber shakes her head. “Screech.”
“Screech?!” I spin around to look at my mate, who pats Liam on the shoulder and leads him over to join me and my sister.
“My meeting was up in Scarborough,” he explains. “I knew I wouldn’t get here in time, so I sent a broadcast to every supe within a five-mile radius. Looked like we got a good turnout.”
“A good turnout?” I gasp. “The whole town was here.”
“Just one of the perks of dating an app developer.” Cash winks.
“So we’re dating now?” I tease.
“I sure hope so, little furry.” Cash grins.
“And I hope we’re dating, too,” Liam adds. He doesn’t sound as confident, and I throw my arms around him in a quick hug.
I introduce both my mates to my sister and search the grounds for the third, who’s nowhere to be found.
“Are you looking for Nole?” Amber asks softly.
I’m about to ask how she knows about Nole when I realize she’s mated to his brother. Of course she knows. “Did he say something to you?”
“Just that he wasn’t going to stop by the cafe.” She shrugs. “He left with the other bears.”
Left, just like that. Without making sure I was okay. Without making sure Violet was okay. He didn’t say anything to me. He didn’t stick around when I needed him.
“Are you going to stop by? The cafe, I mean?” Amber asks hopefully.
I glance at my guys, then at the unconscious Violet, and shake my head. Amber’s face falls.
“Maybe tomorrow?” I say tentatively, and she grins.
We hug again and she heads toward the Cleanly Den van, where her guys are waiting. Once she’s gone, my mates and I head back to Violet.
