by Lila Kane
“Willow,” Kane says, calling my name.
I snap into the present. He’s still across the clearing, but his gaze is zoomed in on mine. Without answering, I place the crystal on the ground and stand, walking to the next spot.
Kane strolls in my direction. He stops far enough away I can barely see the grimace on his face when he feels the power of the amethyst. “Everything okay?” he asks.
I nod.
“I told you dinner was a good idea. You will not pass out on me. Your friends’ lives depend on it.”
I flip him the bird and place another crystal.
He chuckles and walks away, yelling, “Five minutes!”
The night grows dimmer. The clouds still swirl overhead, but it’s silent. As I place the last crystal, the rest of the vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters come through the trees from the house. They’re all dressed in black, covered in jackets or sweaters, most of them looking excited for the spell.
Wes walks with Cheyenne, pulling on a pair of handcuffs he’s placed around her wrists. They have to be silver. If not, she’d have escaped by now.
Thunder grumbles.
“Willow,” Kane says. “You’ll stand next to me.”
There’s more thunder and he rolls his eyes. “Cut it out. Place the last crystal when we’re all in the circle,” he tells James. “Let’s begin.”
After the last crystal is placed, we’re in a circle of a dozen paranormals. Kane is on one side of me and James is on the other. With the moon rising full and high behind all those clouds, the energy is electric.
But we can’t see anything.
I gesture to the center of the circle and flames explode into a tall bonfire. Cheyenne looks at me, the fire reflecting in her eyes. She nods at me.
Blowing out a breath, I lift my arms and begin to say the words to the spell. James’s voice joins mine. I focus, pushing away my fear about Myra, ignoring the ache in my chest over the rift between me and Logan.
The clouds above start to clear, revealing the first stars of the night, and then the moon. It glows full and large, rising higher in the sky.
The bonfire sparks and then bursts. A few people in the group gasp, and some of them step back. The fire is hot on my face, but I hold my ground.
“Do not leave the circle,” Kane growls.
A few of them still look like they want to, but they dutifully step back in.
I meet Cheyenne’s eyes. She holds my gaze, looking far more confident than I feel. I need to do this. I think of all the things that have gone wrong since I got here. Selena. My mom getting hurt. Kane.
The power grows as I imagine stopping all that. Of erasing everything that happened since I got here‒of fixing it all.
The flames burst again, but everyone holds their ground.
I feel energy filling me from the moon, and I lift my hands to the sky. It’s working. And Kane has no idea.
“Kane,” Wes snaps.
Cheyenne shakes her head at me, her eyes wide. “They’re here,” she mouths.
There’s a flare of energy when someone jumps into the circle. Ryan grimaces like it’s painful, but he grabs my shoulders. “Stop the spell‒it’s hurting her.”
“What?”
“Shifter,” Kane says, recognizing Ryan. He looks at the rest of the group. “Kill him.”
Chapter 25
There’s chaos all around me. Wes and another werewolf lunge at Ryan. Logan bursts through the circle, skidding to a halt when Kane jumps in front of him.
“You’ve gone too far, brother,” Kane growls.
They tackle each other, tumbling to the ground. Cheyenne fights against the silver cuffs as Myra stumbles into the circle as well, looking pale.
“Stop,” she rasps out, her knees buckling. Her eyes meet mine. “Finish the spell.”
Even when she collapses, there are people running at her. Kane’s people, racing in her direction to hurt her because of Kane.
I spin to James, my heart leaping into my throat. Ryan wants me to stop doing the spell. It must be because of Myra‒because the spell is hurting her. Kane and Logan are fighting. There are people everywhere, fighting, shouting, in pain.
“Stop!” I scream. No one hears me, no one even pauses. I can’t see Myra anymore, Logan and Kane are tumbling on the ground, throwing punches, and Ryan grimaces when someone whips out a knife and takes a stab at him.
“Stop!” I scream again, tossing my hands up.
The fire explodes, shooting to the sky. I aim my finger between Kane and Logan and a wall of flames leaps between them. They both jump back.
“You stay away from him,” I tell Kane.
Everyone else is frozen, staring at the fire or me.
“Get back into the circle,” I say. When nobody moves, I shout, “Now!”
And to my surprise, everyone listens, moving back to their places. Logan rushes to my side and Ryan hurries to Myra, kneeling next to her.
“She’s sick,” he says.
I look into Logan’s eyes. He doesn’t say anything, but I know what he’s thinking. My spell made her sick. I don’t know how, but it did.
“Put that fire down now, Willow, so we can end this,” Kane says.
He’s still trapped on the other side, scowling at me and Logan through the flames.
I take a long breath, ignoring James’s look and nod. “I will if you get back to your place in the circle.”
“Don’t test me, witch. You’ve already lost my trust. It’s time to finish this.”
“Yes,” I say. “I’ll do the spell.”
“What?” Kane asks.
“What?” Logan repeats, squeezing my hand.
“I’ll do it.”
“Willow, no‒” James starts, then realizes he’s spoken out loud when Kane sends a glare in his direction.
Myra tries to push herself into a sitting position, but she can’t. Ryan grips her arms, murmuring something I can’t make out.
“Don’t, Willow. No.”
My heart rips from my chest. I can’t make everyone happy. I don’t know what to do except to stop what’s happening. The chaos, the fighting, Myra’s hurting. All of it.
“Don’t touch them, don’t hurt anyone,” I tell Kane. “Stay where you are, all of you, and I’ll do the spell. James.” He frowns. “The words. You have to say them with me.”
His eyes darken but he doesn’t say no.
“Stay where you are,” I say to Kane.
“This is your last chance.”
“I know,” I whisper.
I pull from Logan’s grip and cup my hands together. Flames burn from within, glowing to a large ball as I start the spell. James speaks along with me, gathering the energy from the moon, from the circle, and from my ancestors. All the witches of the past. All the ones who tried to stop exactly what I’m doing right now.
The ball of fire grows until it’s bigger than my hands, floating above my head and then encompassing the entire circle. It burns blue, turning the forest and our clearing into a sapphire sphere.
“It’s working!” Kane shouts.
He’s right. I can feel it. My power is getting stronger instead of weaker. Myra stands next to Cheyenne, looking healthy again.
I murmur the last words of the spell and the sphere bursts, sending light spearing through the clearing and shooting me off my feet. I land hard on my back, my breath rushing out and the edges of my vision going black.
My ears ring as the earth trembles, shaking hard beneath my body. I curl on my side, hoping it’ll all stop soon, wishing the pain would go away.
And then it all goes silent.
My vision swims as a face appears above me.
“Willow,” Logan mouths.
I can’t hear him‒my ears are still ringing. Stars shoot across the sky, streaking the night. Am I doing that?
Arms slide beneath me, lifting me.
“Logan,” I murmur.
His mouth moves, but I can’t make out what he’s saying. Then I hear a sc
ream. Loud enough to get through the ringing. And another.
“What is that?” I ask. “Logan‒stop.”
“No. We have to get out of here.”
He carries me through the trees, so fast the world around me starts to blur.
“Logan,” I whisper again. “Stop.”
“Can’t do that, sweetheart.”
“Why not?”
He looks down, worry in his eyes. “The werewolves are out.”
I’m surprised when Logan takes me to my house. The house I haven’t been to since Kane came to town.
When he opens the door, everything looks the same. It’s dark and quiet and nothing has moved.
A wave of longing washes over me. For things to be like they used to be before all this started. It burns inside of me, thrumming with energy and filling me to the brim.
Logan sets me down. “Willow.”
“This is wrong‒it’s all wrong.”
He takes my face in his hands. “Focus on me, Willow.”
“I can’t. I messed everything up and‒”
“Focus,” he insists. “You’re glowing.”
Distracted, I look down at my hands and see that he’s right. They’re glowing blue, such an electric blue it looks like they’re on fire.
“What’s wrong with me?” I ask, stepping back.
Logan shakes his head, looking reluctant to tell me. Then I notice his eyes. They’re not the calm blue they used to be. They’re dark. Predatory.
“Logan…”
I don’t even notice that I’m retreating, my feet backing up farther and farther until I hit the wall.
He doesn’t come after me, just holds out his hands. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“It worked, didn’t it? The spell?”
He swallows and nods. “Yes.”
I look at my hands again. “We’re different. All of us.”
“Yes.”
I press my hands over my face. “No…I made your brother into a vampire.”
“Willow‒”
“There are werewolves out there. And Ryan! What‒”
I hear footsteps on the porch and jump away from the door. Logan steps in front of me, shoulders tense. But he relaxes almost immediately when Ryan and Myra step through.
“Oh my God.” I nearly topple Myra when I run to her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Willow. Are you?”
I pull back, checking her eyes, her face, seeing if she looks better. Less pale. “Are you sure? I didn’t know the spell‒”
“Willow, I’m fine.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Willow.” She casts a concerned look at Logan. “You’re glowing.”
The blue has spread up my arms. It doesn’t hurt. It thrums with a warm buzz that makes me feel alive. Strong.
“I had to,” I whisper, locking gazes with Myra. “I had to do the spell. You were hurt.”
“Oh, Willow.” She hugs me. “I know you did what you thought was right, but‒”
The door opens again and Cheyenne walks in with James in tow. They’re arguing about something, but stop when they see us.
“Willow,” she says. “You’re glowing.”
I swallow. “You’re…not a werewolf.”
“Yes, she is,” James says. “But she can control it now. In fact, they all can.”
Cheyenne nods. “The spell worked.”
“It did?”
“Yes,” she says grimly. “And it’s chaos. They have no idea what having all that power is going to do. They don’t understand it.”
“They were attacking each other. The spell,” James says, eyeing the blue of my arms, “it was strong.”
My stomach churns. “Not permanent, though, right?”
He doesn’t answer.
I look at Logan. “It’s not permanent, is it? I didn’t mean to‒”
“We don’t know anything for sure yet. Willow, please sit. You‒you’re‒” He stares at my arms.
“What’s wrong with me?” I ask James.
“You used a lot of power. You called on your ancestors. It’s‒I’ve never seen a stronger witch. I don’t know if there’s ever been one. You’ve changed things. I don’t know what it means‒it‒”
He breaks off when Logan’s cell phone rings. Logan digs in his pocket, glancing at the screen. “It’s the hospital,” he says.
He answers and we wait. His eyes meet mine as he listens to the voice on the other end. “Thanks,” he says before he hangs up.
I grip his arm. “Please tell me she’s okay.”
“She is. She woke up and she was asking for you.”
I freeze, realization dawning. My mom woke up. I turn to the door. “We have to go to her. We have to‒”
“Wait. Willow,” Logan says. “That’s not all.”
“What?”
He sighs, looking over my head at the others. “James was right, you…you’ve changed things.”
“What do you mean?”
He pulls his keys from his pocket. “I think we’re about to find out.”
Turn the page to read the first chapter of a Keeper of the Flame novella. Fated: Myra and Ryan’s Story.
Chapter 1
Ryan stood at the windows facing the gardens at Myra and Logan’s house, trying to tune out the low hum he felt from Myra. It had started off as irritating, like a fly he couldn’t seem to swat away. And then it had grown, a strong, steady link between him and her. It was still irritating, but he found it harder and harder to want to swat away when it felt so good.
Cheyenne and Myra chatted behind him, boiling something on the stove and acting like Willow hadn’t just attacked them in the living room. Or they hadn’t just had a confrontation with a very dangerous vampire in the gardens.
But he had to admire their resolve. He had to admire that they could move on so easily, because really, what else were they supposed to do?
Except Willow was gone with Logan, whisked away to someplace safer, which he agreed with. But that had taken his only confidante.
Willow knew he’d imprinted on someone but she didn’t know it was Myra. And there was no way in hell he was telling anyone else.
The spell was getting closer to being reversed, that’s all it was. If he became a full shapeshifter, sure he’d have to deal with imprinting. But they weren’t going to let that happen. Willow was going to put the binding spell back into place–or break it altogether–and he’d go back to Ryan. Just Ryan. Normal. In control–of his shifting and his emotions.
He didn’t need some damned curse telling him how to feel. If he wanted to fall in love with someone, he would. And–shit, he’d just thought the word love.
Frowning, he turned and froze when he saw Myra standing there.
She looked so young and alive. Which seemed like a contradiction because she was a vampire. Or almost. Either way, she looked radiant. Happy. Living her life to its fullest.
Too bad this wasn’t another time. Another place. Another shapeshifter instead of a vampire, and maybe he’d let himself feel something for her. On his own terms.
“If you’re going to brood, you might as well do it with a beer,” she said, passing one over for him.
It was already open, so he accepted it and took a long swallow before thanking her. “What are you making?”
“Meat and cheese ravioli, because it’s quick and easy. With homemade garlic knots and a Caesar salad.” She flashed another smile that hit him like a punch to the gut. “So I hope you’re staying for dinner because we need someone to help us finish it all.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but Cheyenne walked over and shook her head. “Nope, you’re not getting away that easily. Ryan, you need to relax. Take a load off. Eat.”
“I should probably get to the site, make sure we’re still on track.”
“It can wait, can’t it?” Myra asked, blue eyes wide and certain.
It felt like a kick to the gut this time. Did she even have any idea what those eyes could
do to a man? Damn it, being around her wasn’t helping.
It would go away. He had to keep reminding himself of that. This whole thing would be over soon and the feelings would go away.
“Yeah,” he managed. “Dinner would be good.”
There went her smile again. Wide enough he swore he saw a tiny dimple in the corner. Logan would kill him if he tried anything with Myra. He allowed a grin. Yeah, that alone might be worth it all. Almost.
“What are you grinning about?” Cheyenne asked.
“Nothing.”
He followed her to the island and pulled out a stool. His muscles protested when he sat. It had been a long few weeks and he was feeling the toll. Especially because the shapeshifting hadn’t stopped. He had, however, started to get used to it. He could tell when it was coming on. And now, he could almost, almost stop it before the shift.
“Research tomorrow,” Cheyenne announced from next to him. She sipped her wine and pulled out a notebook.
He lifted his eyebrows. “Really?”
“What? This is serious,” she said.
He held back a smile. “Serious. You’re right. But you’re trying to organize chaos here.”
“I’m trying to make a plan. Willow needs to put that spell back in place–or get rid of it completely.”
Myra turned with an oven mitt in her hands. “What do you mean get rid of it completely?”
“I mean completely strip our powers.”
“She could do that?”
Cheyenne shifted on her stool. “I don’t know. I mean, the original coven was more than strong enough to bind everyone powers so we couldn’t use them at all and barely felt any effects of them. I think, with a strong group and some research”–she sent a pointed look at Ryan–“she might be able to do something permanent.”
Ryan frowned. “That’s a pretty big spell. She doesn’t even have a coven. And her mom–”
He broke off and took another swallow of beer. Faye was in a coma. And he couldn’t help but feel responsible. It was his job to take care of the witches. Yeah, Willow was headstrong and a hell of a lot more stubborn, but Faye had always been easy. She’d made sure he knew where she was and really, there hadn’t been much danger to keep her safe from. And in the span of a few weeks, she’d gotten kidnapped and then hurt, resulting in a coma.