Ethan continued the incantation, and the room darkened sporadically as the lights flickered. The ground shook, and another explosion of magic knocked us to the ground. Everything came to a standstill. Ethan approached Josh and looked at the mark. There was no change. He’d failed. He lumbered back like a wounded animal. Although he was silent, I could almost hear the wolf’s howl of sorrow as he stood there frozen, unable to help his brother.
Ethan took a deep breath and held it for a long time before exhaling. His lips started to move again, foreign words floating through the air. I recognized the same ancient language that I’d used before—Faerie. The incantation predated anything we knew of. The room cooled until it felt like we were inside a freezer. Ethan’s breath was visible as words flowed from him. Sebastian was the first to gasp in a ragged breath, the thick cords of muscle in his neck bulging as he desperately tried to breathe. Dr. Jeremy wrapped his hands around his throat indicating he was choking. I could hear his panic-stricken heart beating wildly. Kelly’s legs buckled under her, and she dropped to her knees, face pale, eyes wide, mouth gaping.
“Ethan, stop!” I yelled. His eyes were vacant and glassy. He didn’t respond, engrossed in a single-target mission—saving his brother. I feared he was willing to do it at any cost, including our lives.
“Ethan!” I cried again. His eyes snapped to me; he didn’t stop. His eyes were strained and uncertain. I suspected he was performing a dark and powerful spell to siphon a little life from everyone in the room to give to Josh. The profound struggle between his obligation to the pack and his dedication to his brother was displayed on his face. Indecision and fear were making him reckless.
Sebastian growled Ethan’s name. When he didn’t respond, Sebastian lunged through the air, plowed into him, and drove him into the wall. His hands were fixed around Ethan’s throat, cutting off his air. His movements were aggressive and primal, but when he spoke, his voice was soft and compassionate. “Ethan, we will save him. You can’t go into destruction mode. You can’t.”
Until that moment, I’d always questioned whether Sebastian and Ethan were friends. Most of the time, I didn’t feel confident saying yes. They were honor bound to protect the pack and adhere to any rules that maintained its integrity. They protected each other as well, and it seemed to have more to do with mutual respect and like for each other than pack obligation. Sebastian was sympathetic to Ethan’s affection for his brother and their closeness, despite the fights, that made them as one. Josh lying on that bed was paramount to Ethan being there—his Beta.
Ethan relaxed his head back against the wall and struggled to calm himself. The room warmed, and the erratic heartbeats shifted back to normal. Part of me expected anger from those who’d been affected, but there was only sympathy.
“They will fix it, Ethan,” Kelly reassured him. Gavin rushed into the room, his eyes sweeping over everything before landing on Kelly. He looked at Ethan and snarled.
“My intention wasn’t to hurt her,” Ethan offered in a weak and reedy voice. Sebastian stepped away from him. Ethan pushed off the wall and walked to Josh’s side. He cupped his hand over Josh’s shoulder and bowed his head as if making a silent agreement, or maybe a plea to anyone he thought could help.
“I don’t know what else to do,” he whispered. He blinked back tears several times. I knew Ethan—if he let them fall he would give in to hopelessness and accept defeat.
I moved closer to him until we were face-to-face. I pressed my palms against his cheeks and tried to get him to focus on me and not his brother lying in the pack’s hospital bed lingering between life and death. I couldn’t pull his eyes from Josh. I said his name several times before he looked at me. I didn’t want to give him the platitude that everything would be okay because he knew better than I did that it probably wouldn’t. If he couldn’t save him with Faerie magic, what could anyone else do? We were going up against things we didn’t know how to counter.
Comforting him was my first impulse. I hated that I couldn’t offer consolation with the promise that things would be handled and Josh would be saved. That certainty wasn’t there. We were in unchartered territory, dealing with magic that we didn’t understand, and our expert on all unique magic was now a victim of it. Ethan was nothing more than magic and frustration.
Sebastian stared at his Beta, who for the first time was showing vulnerability, indecisiveness, and fear. Sebastian’s concern reached his eyes. He pulled his phone out and made a call.
“Ariel, I need you to come to the pack’s house. Now. You should bring your best.”
I rolled my eyes and swore. I hoped Sebastian’s terseness and lack of social niceties wouldn’t keep her from coming. The muscles in his neck pulled taut, and amber rolled across his eyes, drowning out the brown. It appeared Ariel was giving him a refresher on social skills. Most people ignored his rudeness because of his position in the otherworld.
He took in a breath, held it, then slowly released it, finding the calm he needed to deal with her. Sebastian’s voice was level, polite; but still held an edge to it. He expected his request to be followed. “Ariel, please understand I wouldn’t be asking for your assistance if it wasn’t an emergency. I respect your power and your time and wouldn’t request your presence on a whim. I need your help now. If you’re serious about us forming an alliance, then you will be here within half an hour. If you’re not, you’re no friend of this pack and will be treated as such.” He ended the conversation.
Ethan hadn’t taken his eyes off his brother. He looked shattered, and I hoped he wasn’t beyond repair. He stared at the mark on his brother that was fading as the minutes passed. That little circle that meant the difference between life and death was being erased from Josh’s body.
We waited for Ariel and the others in a room next to the infirmary; Ethan was reluctant to go any farther from Josh. Anxiety heightened when the thirty minutes had passed and there was no sign of them. Cole, watching the entire scene unfold, wasn’t helping. When we were inching toward the forty-five minute mark, I was prepared to call them myself and barter a favor. Before I could take my phone out to call London, Winter poked her head in the door, a glint in her hazel eyes as she caught Sebastian’s. A warning. She opened the door wider and escorted in the Creed with Ariel in front. They were dressed as they had been the first time we’d met them after the group was restructured. They were in all black—except Ariel. She wore a white fitted shirt and slacks. Gray boots were the only nonwhite part of her ensemble. They clicked and clacked loudly as she made her way to Sebastian with determination. Her lips were pressed firmly together, and her brown eyes held a crystal shimmer of anger and virulence. Sebastian had several inches on her, even though her boots had three-inch heels; she stood taller, bringing her shoulders back, her indignation and anger adding inches to her.
“You summoned me?” she said sarcastically, obviously affronted that he had and trying to shame him for it. It wouldn’t work, and anyone who’d spent any time with him would have gathered that. Sebastian expected compliance and often forgot it didn’t extend any further than the pack. Or maybe he didn’t forget and expected it from everyone else anyway.
His gaze roved over her casually as she stood in front of him, eyes fiery with unspoken rage. “I do not appreciate your subtle threat,” she said sternly.
His smile lacked mirth and just bared his teeth. Ariel was new to this. For all her confidence and bravado, she was out of her league and it was obvious. She undoubtedly held her own against others—a force that most didn’t want to deal with. But Sebastian wasn’t just a force; he was an indomitable, brazen power. He didn’t care that she was affronted by his summons because it was what he did.
“There was nothing subtle about what I said, and I assure you it wasn’t a threat. Your little game of arriving late”—his eyes narrowed on her—“I don’t like it and we won’t play it again. We’ve had this discussion, and there isn’t a need for us to discuss it every time we meet. It’s a mutual alliance. When I
call, you all come. I will extend the same courtesy to you. No questions asked. Are we clear? If not, you can leave—but I guarantee there will be a time when you will need us. Believe me, you will want me there.”
Ariel bit down on her lip, and I knew she was searching for a comeback, something profound and menacing, but the rosiness that streaked along the bridge of her nose and cheeks made it clear she had nothing. She found herself at a loss for words. Sebastian had that effect on people.
She turned her back on him and addressed Ethan. “What happened?” It was a subtle insult against Sebastian, who seemed amused by it; a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
In silence, Ethan led her into the infirmary. Before he could say anything more, London broke from the formation and ran up to Josh.
“What happened?” She rested her palms against his face, her lips moving ever so slightly. “He’s performing magic,” she informed us softly.
I inched closer, trying to feel it. I could often tell when he was performing magic, feel the subtle undercurrent of it. I didn’t feel that and found it disconcerting that London could. Something was wrong. I didn’t have the same connection with Josh and his magic as I once had.
“What the hell is he fighting?” Despite her rainbow-colored hair, gentle russet eyes, and delicate round features, she looked intimidating.
Several beats passed before Ethan attempted to answer her. And when he did, his tone was emotionless and dry. “It’s complicated.”
“Is it truly complicated, or are you just having a hard time editing the situation? It’s not the time for the latter. We need to know everything,” she snapped.
“This information stays in this room. My telling you this is an implied expectation that you will adhere to it. A bond of secrecy,” Ethan said reticently.
Ariel looked at Sebastian before focusing on Ethan. Then she looked at London, who nodded her consent, and to each member of the Creed for their agreement.
Ethan exhaled a ragged breath but hesitated and looked at Sebastian. Sebastian was suffering the same feelings of discomfort. Secrets were their fortress. They gave them comfort and provided security to the pack, and now they were revealing them to the witches, our former enemies.
When Ethan finally spoke, it was as if he were giving a confession, afraid others would hear it. “You all are familiar with the rever tempore, and you know the penalty for performing it is quite steep. My mother performed it, and the penalty was Josh’s life.”
There were various looks of curiosity and suspicion as they waited for him to continue. They were really interested in finding out how Ethan had circumvented the curse.
Ethan continued, “We used the Vitae to prevent the spell by melting a piece of it down and using it on Josh.”
Ariel’s face blanched. She swallowed. Hard. She stammered out her question, losing her usual cool confidence. “H-how did you get a Faerie object?” She shook her head. “I guess the better question is how the hell did you use a Faerie object?” Her hard look landed on Sebastian and then Ethan as though they had pulled her into a cataclysm, leaving her floundering to get out. Her eyes widened as she struggled to control her breathing. Obviously, Faeries were as bad as the stories painted them.
“We had access to their magic,” was all Ethan offered.
“That’s BS. Faerie magic isn’t something that’s easily accessible. You don’t just get access to extinct magic.”
“It’s not extinct magic,” Sebastian offered in a low voice. He sounded almost apologetic, as if he were taking responsibility for lifting a veil that he otherwise would’ve kept over her eyes, exposing her to something most people wished they didn’t know. I had the same feeling every time I had to tell David more about the otherworld. Ariel lived in it, and yet there were things she had no knowledge of. Was allowing blissful ignorance really an act of mercy? Was it better to live not knowing such vile magical creatures existed? Ethan and I hosted those vile creatures. Those horrific, powerful beings. Little did the Creed know that when they’d restricted my magic, they were going up against a being they believed was extinct.
Ariel took several steps back and looked at the door, probably contemplating getting the hell out of there. She looked as though she was ready to instruct her people to do just that, when London pulled herself away from Josh and went to an empty space a few feet away. She started to whisper spells. Vibrant colors swirled around the room; numbers, words, and symbols went through almost every color of the rainbow as they danced around. London was using the air instead of a whiteboard to come up with a spell. Watching her do magic was almost like watching Quinn at his computer. They were composers, artists giving beautiful and imaginative presentations. She presented as such; moving to music with an eclectic rhythm. Eloquent words, lithe and evocative motions. She appeared proficient with her magic, although I knew it wasn’t innate. Her talents were the result of going to magic school and intense training, unlike Josh’s natural gifts. She took a more methodological approach to magic.
She moved around the different spells, invocations, words, and symbols, searching for the right combination. Ariel joined her, examining and moving things around. The others joined, too, working in harmony as a team. I was intrigued by movements so coordinated they looked choreographed. Anticipating one another’s next steps, they kept adding to the existing structure, reinforcing it until it was something masterful, powerful, conquering.
Ariel scanned each and every line, a maestro directing the composition as it came together. The Creed stood in a straight line in front of the tapestry of spells and magic. Ariel pulled out a small knife, sliced her hand, and handed the blade to the next witch to do the same; after cutting her hand, that witch passed the knife to the next, and so on. Ariel began a quiet invocation, and the others joined in a lulling melody, so gentle and somnolent that it was hard to imagine it being powerful enough to stop what was going on. When they stopped, they sagged into themselves before gathering the strength to stand taller.
London approached Josh. “Where’s the mark?” she asked.
Ethan came over and rolled Josh to his side, revealing the mark. It now had a light orange glow over it. London smiled, satisfied, and then joined the rest of the Creed near the infirmary door.
Ariel addressed Sebastian. “It will not stop the spell they are using to remove the mark, but it has enough roadblocks to make removing it harder. We don’t have the strength or resources to stop whatever is going on. If you guys are dealing with Faeries, I hope you do. And all I have to say is good luck.” She started out the door but stopped and turned to Sebastian, who looked cautiously impressed. Her eyes were cold and full of ire. A scowl remained fixed on her face as her eyes snapped to Ethan, then to the mark on Josh’s upper thigh, and back to Sebastian, her curiosity apparent but not strong enough to override her instinct for self-preservation. “I’m not sure what you’re involved in. I assure you, had I known this, striking an alliance with you would’ve been the last thing on my list. I entered that agreement foolishly and have no one else to blame but myself. It won’t happen again.”
“Don’t ever think that because we’re the ones dealing with Faeries you won’t eventually have to,” Sebastian warned.
“Perhaps we will. But if we do, believe me, the fight will come to our door—we won’t go looking for it.” She left, the others falling in line behind her.
London lingered to say, “There’s nothing you can do to reverse it without getting to the source. Stop the source, and you will stop the spell. They aren’t trying to kill him; they’re trying to retrieve the magic from the mark. Do you know where the Vitae is?”
Ethan nodded.
“Are you sure? Because I’m willing to bet whoever is doing that spell to retrieve the magic has it and not the original owner.”
London swiftly left to catch up with the others.
CHAPTER 16
Ethan ran out of the house, and I had to push myself to keep up with him. Distracted, he didn’t bother to t
ell Cole where to go or how to get there when he started out the door behind us. I tried to stop him with a quelling look.
“You’re going to risk your safety and his over your feelings for me? His brother is already lying in a hospital bed. Do you want him in one as well? Let me be there to help if needed.”
As much as I hated to admit it, he was right.
Cole and I barely had time to get into the car before Ethan sped off. His knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel and focused on the road.
I said his name gently. He was gone, far gone, and I could hear the erratic pace of his heart and the ragged sounds of his breath. His turbulent emotions were so strong I found myself gasping for air as waves pulled me under. I always knew what he was feeling from his expressions and the emotions that came off him. I could withstand a tolerable storm when necessary. This wasn’t the same. I felt his feelings as if they were my own, and they were violent and uncontrolled. Flashes of anger blinded me, and my heart was beating so hard I thought it would explode. I understood Ethan on a visceral level and couldn’t control it.
“Ethan!” I yelled. He jerked back, and I slipped my hand over his and gave it a squeeze. “It’s going to be okay.” I hated lying to him because it wouldn’t be okay on so many levels. He calmed down noticeably, even slowed the car down, which was good because he was going to get us arrested for reckless driving or in an accident we wouldn’t likely survive.
“Sorry,” he finally said. “That’s how I knew something was wrong with you and Josh. Everything was racing out of control. But I was glad I kept feeling it because I knew you were okay. It’s when you don’t feel it that you should worry. That’s why it bothered me when I didn’t feel anything else after they abducted you. The feeling was hard and palpable, barely able to be contained; it calmed, and then nothing.”
Darkness Unleashed Page 20