by Keri Arthur
Then the charm I’d made him came to life and a fierce, bright light speared out, swiftly countering the Empusae’s magic. A heartbeat later, the force of his bite and the sheer weight of him took its toll and he tumbled to the ground, half her leg in his mouth and her blood staining his fur.
More power surged, this time Monty’s and Ashworth’s. A net appeared, the threads of its magic widening as it swept toward the Empusae. She swerved upward and her wings pumped hard, her desperation to escape obvious. The net followed her trajectory, its thick tendrils reaching for her.
Another surge of magic, and a second net appeared, this time above her. Eli. He was alive.
She flicked a wing, cutting sharply sideways, but this time, there was no escape. The two nets hit and wrapped tightly around her, allowing no room for movement. She tumbled to the ground, hitting hard enough for feathers and dust to fly. But she wasn’t beaten yet. A darker energy rose, and Ashworth yelped as the ground underneath him crumbled away. Monty grabbed him and pulled him to safety. The Empusae screamed and raged, and another wave of energy attacked the two men. This time they were ready for it, meeting like for like, but I had to wonder how long they could withstand her force. The bitch was strong.
Vita appeared. Belle reached out to me, forcing a deeper connection, linking us so closely that I was her and she was me. There was no separation; there was just us.
Vita’s energy hit like a wave; we tasted her hunger, her need for revenge, her determination and near madness.
As her spirit flooded through us and took over, the restriction spell came alive. It felt like claws in our brain, claws that somehow anchored the spell as its force surrounded Vita’s spirit, corralling her, restricting her, even as a soft timer began to count down.
“If you’re going to do something,” Ashworth barked, “do it now. We can’t hold her much longer.”
Our gaze jumped toward the penned Empusae. She was twisting, fighting against the nets that held her. Magic flowed from her body in waves, threads of foulness that attacked the three men and their magic. The latter was already weakening—several threads were beginning to unravel. Soon they would snap and the demon would be free.
No.
The denial echoed through us, fierce and furious. We grabbed the backpack, pulled out the silver knife, and then pushed upright. The Empusae paid us no heed. She continued to battle the three men.
But that would change and soon. Soon she would feel the silver in her body and she would stare into our eyes and see the death that had been chasing her for so long…
We gripped the knife so tightly our fingers ached. The Empusae caught the wind of our approach and her magic spun toward us. It battered us, shredded us, but it did not stop us.
“This,” we said, as we stopped before her, “is for Aldred, whose life you stole and whose future you destroyed. May your dark master shred your being for all eternity, and may you never know peace or life again.”
We raised the knife and plunged it down. Straight through the netting and into the Empusae’s dark heart.
There was no blood to stain our skin, but we did feel her life ebb away as her flesh became dust and her spirit fled to whatever hell awaited.
It was done.
But this body was a good one…
This body is not yours. Leave.
I think not, little witch. You should have listened to your friend.
That friend is here. Leave or we will force you.
You have not the strength.
She started to twist, to fight, even as she locked metaphysical claws deep into flesh. Every movement tore at our strength, and yet we were not one but two, and she would not defeat us.
You underestimate us.
The claws dug deeper. Reached for our souls. Attempting to destroy and claim what would never be hers. I underestimate nothing. If you think I cannot counter a restriction spell, then you are indeed— She cut the sentence off and then added, with a hint of fear, What are you?
I didn’t answer. I simply flooded her with the magic that was mine and mine alone—a force that had melded to my very DNA and changed me in ways I couldn’t yet fully understand. It swirled around Belle’s spirit, protecting her even as it caught the restriction spell and changed it, empowered it.
Then it tore the tendrils of the witch’s spirit from Belle’s body and cast her away—far, far away—and forbade her to ever enter this place again.
One became two again. I collapsed onto the ground and dropped my head into my hands. My lungs burned, and my brain felt as if it was on fire. Every single bit of my body hurt, but it didn’t matter. Vita and the Empusae had been banished, and somehow we’d all survived, even if somewhat broken and bloody.
Sometimes life didn’t really get much better than that.
It took six weeks for my ribs to heal and for some sense of normality to return to our lives. While Aiden’s natural healing ability meant he bore no lasting reminder of the Empusae’s attack, the same could not be said of Eli, who had an impressive array of thick scars down his back despite the fact we’d used holy water on them. My own were nowhere near as bad, and I was left with little more than three faint white lines down my forearm as a reminder of just how close death had come.
I pulled on a sweater as I clattered down the stairs to begin the day’s jobs.
Belle handed me a coffee and then said, “I broke it off with Kash last night.”
“Are we celebrating or commiserating?”
She shrugged. “Bit of both. He was fun to be with, but I was just getting some bad vibes.”
I nodded. It had become apparent that when I’d flushed her body with my native wild magic to force Vita away, a few odd remnants had been left behind and had visibly strengthened her magic.
“I’m not full-on dreaming, like you do,” she continued, “but it seems I have gained a little insight precognition. And it’s damn annoying, let me tell you.”
“Yeah, sorry, but let’s be honest—it’s better than that bitch ruining your life and running your body.”
“Oh, totally.” She wrinkled her nose. “Anyway, said bad vibes said Kash was going to be big trouble if I didn’t watch it, so I broke it off. Better safe than sorry when it comes to a relationship that was only ever casual.”
I clicked my coffee mug against hers. “Shall we head on over to the club tonight and have a celebratory drink or two?”
Her eyebrows rose. “You’re not going out with Aiden tonight?”
“Nope. He’s got a family run on. It’s the full moon tonight, remember.”
“Ah.” She took a drink, her expression contemplative. “It must stick in his mother’s jaws something chronic that he’s showing no signs of getting tired of your relationship and moving on.”
“Oh, it really does.” I’d met her briefly in the supermarket a few days ago, and though outwardly it was sweetness and light, the underflow was fierce. Deadly, even. “I dare say she’ll be breaking open the champers when we finally do split.”
“Which hopefully won’t happen for a little while yet. Let the bitch suffer a bit more.”
We clicked mugs to that sentiment. Someone knocked at the rear door and then came in without either of us saying anything.
“Only me,” Ashworth said as his steps echoed in the small hall.
“It’s too early for cake and coffee,” Belle said, amused. “Unless you want instant like us.”
“Instant’s fine, and I’ll grab two if you don’t mind. Eli’s waiting for me outside.”
“So why come here for coffee when you’ve a perfectly good machine at home?”
“Because I thought you’d want to hear the news.”
“You two are already married, so it can’t be that,” I said. “Have you perhaps decided to extend the family and adopt?”
“No, idiot. It would hardly be fair on the child to have me as a father.”
I smiled. “But he’d also have Eli, and his sweetness would counter your gruffness.”
> “Thanks, but no. I’ve enough trouble coping with the young witches currently in this reservation.”
“Then why, pray tell, are you here?”
He hesitated, and the sudden seriousness in his expression had my gut clenching. “Because I have some news.”
“What?” It came out breathy. Filled with fear.
“I heard from my sister.” He hesitated, and took a deep breath. “Clayton Marlowe left Canberra yesterday, and no one knows where he went.”
I didn’t say anything. I didn’t need to.
We all knew what it meant. The tracer’s report had finally hit his desk, and the one thing I’d been running from for twelve years was about to happen.
My husband was on his way here to reclaim his wife.
About the Author
Keri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson Guardian series, has now written more than forty-eight novels. She’s won a Romance Writers of Australia RBY Award for Speculative Fiction, and two Australian Romance Writers Awards for Scifi, Fantasy or Futuristic Romance. She was also given a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. Keri’s something of a wanna-be photographer, so when she’s not at her computer writing the next book, she can be found somewhere in the Australian countryside taking random photos.
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for more information:
www.keriarthur.com
[email protected]
Also by Keri Arthur
in series order
Blackbird Rising (The Witch King’s Crown, 1)
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Blood Kissed (Lizzie Grace Series, 1)
Hell’s Bell (Lizzie Grace Series, 2)
Hunter Hunted (Lizzie Grace, 3)
Demon’s Dance (Lizzie Grace, 4)
Wicked Wings (Lizzie Grace, 5)
Deadly Vows (Lizzie Grace, 6)
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Unlit (Kingdoms of Earth & Air, 1)
Cursed (Kingdoms of Earth & Air, 2)
Burn (Kingdoms of Earth & Air, 3)
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City of Light (Outcast Series, 1)
Winter Halo (Outcast Series, 2)
The Black Tide (Outcast Series, 3)
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Fireborn (Souls of Fire Series, 1)
Wicked Embers (Souls of Fire Series, 2)
Flameout (Souls of Fire Series, 3)
Ashes Reborn (Souls of Fire Series, 4)
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Darkness Unbound (Dark Angels Series, 1)
Darkness Rising (Dark Angels Series, 2)
Darkness Devours (Dark Angels Series, 3)
Darkness Hunts (Dark Angels Series, 4)
Darkness Unmasked (Dark Angels Series, 5)
Darkness Splintered (Dark Angels Series, 6)
Darkness Falls (Dark Angels Series, 7)
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Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Series, 1)
Kissing Sin (Riley Jenson Series, book 2)
Tempting Evil (Riley Jenson Series, 3)
Dangerous Games (Riley Jenson Series, 4)
Embraced by Darkness (Riley Jenson Series, 5)
The Darkest Kiss (Riley Jenson Series, 6)
Deadly Desire (Riley Jenson Series, 7)
Bound to Shadows (Riley Jenson Series, 8)
Moon Sworn (Riley Jenson Series, 9)
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With Friends Like These (Stand Alone Novel)
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Destiny Kills (Myth & Magic Series, 1)
Mercy Burns (Myth & Magic Series, 2)
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Circle of Fire (Damask Circle Series, 1)
Circle of Death (Damask Circle Series, 2)
Circle of Desire (Damask Circle Series, 3)
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Beneath a Rising Moon (Ripple Creek Series, 1)
Beneath a Darkening Moon (Ripple Creek Series, 2)
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Memory Zero (Spook Squad Series, 1)
Generation 18 (Spook Squad Series, 2)
Penumbra (Spook Squad Series, 3)
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Dancing with the Devil (Nikki & Michael Series, 1)
Hearts in Darkness (Nikki & Michael Series, 2)
Chasing the Shadows (Nikki & Michael Series, 3)
Kiss the Night Goodbye (Nikki & Michael series, 4)
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Lifemate Connections: Eryn (Novella)
