“Please. I can’t remember every meal.” Jules swings around to face me again. A predatory look gleams in his dark eyes. “Those animals are not like my wives. When I consume your physical form, the essence of your energy sears into my very soul.”
Wow. Is that ever a gross thought.
“I’m not marrying you. Or sharing essences. Whatever.”
“We’ll see about that.” He kneels before me once more. “You’re nothing without me. On your own, you’d have no chance to realize your fairy tale life template. Look what I have done for you. A Prince. A castle. Thorns. You’re about to be perfect.” He pulls a few gems from his pocket. Inside his fist, the stones flare with red light.
My throat tightens with fear. I know what that brightness means.
Wizard magic.
When the light disappears, Jules now holds a long knife in his right hand. The blade glows with magical power. At that sight, I strain all the harder to get free. I kick against the underground stones and try to yank my wrists free. The thorns slice into my skin.
“This is such a shame, my love.” He gestures between us. “This isn’t how I’d wished our nuptials would occur. I had such plans to woo you. You were so close to falling in love with me.”
“You’re delusional.”
“Then that werewolf forced my hand, as the saying goes. He stole you from me. I had to kidnap you.”
“Really? Has anyone else told you that you’re a crap listener? I was not falling for you.”
“Did that beast tell you that he’s my greatest foe? He’s a terrorist dog who hunts down my people.”
Keep him talking, Bryar Rose. My right leg is now propped onto a rock shelf of some kind. As long as I keep my upper body still, Jules shouldn’t suspect a thing. I firm up my footing. This could be the very leverage I need to push my way out. A bead of sweat trickles down my cheek, but somehow, I keep my voice calm. “Knox mentioned that he hunts Denarii. But calling him a terrorist? I don’t think so. In my opinion, Knox is more of an exterminator.”
Jules laughs, which wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for. “You’ll change your mind soon enough. Just wait until he’s hunting you.”
His words prickle my skin. What if Jules does succeed? Then Knox would totally try to kill me. A sickly feeling settles into my stomach as I realize the truth. If I became a Denarii, I’d want Knox to end my life. Running around like Blanche or Madame isn’t my idea of fun.
Muscles flex in Jules’ neck. The subject of Knox really seems to bug him. “That dog knows far too much about me. Knox has foiled me in the past, but now I have finally bested him.” Jules’ mouth winds into a nasty grin. “He thinks I’m the nonthreatening Philpot. It’s just the advantage I need to kill off the furry freak.”
I gasp as the news slams into me. Jules has been planning more than forcing me to marry him. He wants Knox dead, too. How did everything get so horrible? I’ve just handed Knox over to Jules on a silver platter. Shaking my head, I force myself to get organized again. Think, think, think. What would Elle do?
She’d work a con.
I slap on a smarmy smile that’s worthy of Jules himself. “Keep telling yourself that, honey bunches. Knox already has you figured out.”
A flicker of unease moves across Jules’ face. “We’ll see.” Rising to stand, he turns to face the wall of thorns. The way he glares off into the woods, you’d think Jules expects Knox to leap out at any second.
Long moments pass. Nothing happens. Worry becomes almost a palpable thing in the air. My skin turns slick with sweat.
All of a sudden, groans sound from the hotel. Glancing over, I find hundreds of people staring out the grubby windows to the courtyard. But they aren’t people, actually. They’re Denarii. Their skeletal frames and gray skin are a clear giveaway. Plus, some of them have the classic scar lines on their skin—the sign of their organs having been removed. I shiver. These Denarii wear everything from flapper gowns to medieval tunics. And even though their outfits may be different, they share one thing in common.
All of them are staring straight at me. It’s like I’m a yummy steak dinner, and they’re definitely not vegetarian.
I kick at the stones by my legs. Some of the rocks move. The grinding of stones echoes across the yard. Jules rounds on me. “What’s going on?”
A plan appears in my mind. I decide to call it my “Get the Denarii to Make Lots of Noise So I Can Wiggle out from Being Trapped Half Underground without Jules Hearing Me” scheme. No, that isn’t the best name in the universe, but I’m under a lot of stress right now.
I angle my head toward the hotel and scream my lungs out. “Come and get it, guys! I’m delicious!”
The Denarii go berserk. Their groans grow into hungry roars. Jules turns to face them and drops the whole what’s going on thing. I could clap for joy, but my hands are still bound up with thorny branches, so that will have to wait for a bit.
Jules glares at his followers. “Stand your ground. She is not for you.”
I yell even louder. “He’s lying—bite me already! I’ve got lots of yummy, yummy organs!”
Jules turns back toward me. Uh-oh. He raises his right hand. This time, a purple stone is grasped in his fist. Crap, that’s another wizard’s gem. Maybe I pushed him too far.
I shake my head. Nah. Elle says you can never push the bad guy too hard.
The gem in Jules’ hand flares with red light as he casts another spell. More silver dust encircles his arm. He did this once before, and I know what comes next.
Thorns.
Sure enough, a thorny branch whips out from Jules’ hand and whirls toward me. The prickly wood loops around my head and mouth, acting as a gag. I can’t say another word. At least, not right now.
Meanwhile, the Denarii keep up their yelling, so I guess I have that going for me. I only need them to keep up the noise long enough for me to break out of the ground. Hopefully, by the time I’m free, I’ll have thought up a part two to this plan.
Jules stares at me, his thin lips winding into a smile. “Now, that’s better.” The Denarii let out another hungry roar. This one is the loudest yet. Jules raises his arm. “I told you to be silent!” He goes on and on about obedience to his awesomeness. Whatever. All I care about is that he’s distracted and I can try to escape.
I wiggle my right leg free. Yes! Firming up my footing, I press my body upward. My muscles tremble from the effort. Leaning forward, I try to hook the nails on my left hand into the courtyard stones. It isn’t easy since both wrists are bound together, but I finally get a decent hold. After that, I strain and shove my way out. The courtyard stones grind as they separate. From where I’m trapped half underground, the sound seems incredibly loud. Good thing the Denarii are still screaming their heads off and not listening to Jules.
I press myself upward even harder. Around me, the flagstone floor shatters with some ear-splitting crackling noises.
Oh, damn.
I risk a look in Jules’ direction. He’s stopped lecturing his Denarii and now glares directly at me. His angular features almost vibrate with rage. “It seems I can’t leave you unattended for even a moment, Bryar Rose. It’s time you learned to obey me.” He raises his left hand. The magical dagger gleams in his grasp. My breathing turns shallow.
Jules stalks over to stand before me. Little by little, he lowers himself to his knees. His head is so close I can feel his heated breath rush over my face.
No, no, no.
“You should have been a good girl, Bryar Rose. I wouldn’t have made this hurt so much.” Gripping the blade with both of his fists, Jules raises his dagger high. Late afternoon light gleams off his blade. Every cell in my body seems to freeze.
I try to whisper the word “please,” but my speech gets mangled by the thorny gag in my mouth. Instead, all I can manage is a muffled cry.
Suddenly, an ear-piercing howl shatters the quiet. The sound is far away, but it’s clearly a wolf. Hope sparks in my chest. I’ve only heard that particular so
und once before, during the fight with Madame at Elle’s cabin. There’s no mistaking who made it.
Knox.
This realization spins through my mind. Knox is coming. I’m not sure whether to be relieved or worried out of my skull. It all comes down to one scary fact. Knox doesn’t know that Jules can wield magic. Sure, I pretended to Jules that Knox was onto him, but in reality? Knox will think that Philpot has captured me, and he thinks Philpot is a powerless loser.
Now that I’m thinking about it, the whole situation definitely makes me worried.
Jules pauses, his blade still held high. “That werewolf of yours is coming. He wants to ruin everything again. I won’t allow it.” He turns to face the wall of thorns. I know an opportunity when I see it, and I won’t waste a thing.
Now’s my chance.
I press even harder against my confinement. Pain screams across my skin as I heave past thorns and stone. I grit my teeth and focus on getting free. It’s one thing for me to lose my life. But if Knox tries to save me, Jules will surely kill him.
Somehow, that thought is far worse.
Firming up my grip on the flagstone courtyard, I haul myself out of the ground. One of the larger, broken stones has a blade-like edge. It gives me an idea how to get rid of the branches that are tied around my wrists. Using the sharp stone, I saw my hands free and remove the gag from my mouth.
I glance over to Jules. He’s still staring at the part of the woods where Knox’s cry sounded. Clearly, he’s decided that Knox is the bigger worry. Not that I’m complaining. It’s the perfect time to attack.
I race over to Jules and grab his shoulder, forcing him to bend over at the waist. After that, I knee him in the gut. There’s a satisfying “oof” noise as he hunches forward and collapses onto his knees. Clearly, the creep wasn’t expecting an assault.
His mistake.
While Jules is crouched over, I grab his wrist—the one that’s holding the dagger. Spinning about, I twist Jules’ arm behind his back, pressing his wrist so high, he has no choice but to drop his weapon.
I catch the magical dagger midair and set the blade against his throat. Before I get a chance to slice, Jules moves so quickly, his body is nothing but a blur as he delivers a counterpunch to my chest. All the air gets shoved out of my lungs. I fold my arms over my stomach and try to suck in oxygen.
Jules stares at me like I’m a malfunctioning piece of machinery. “How very frustrating you are, Bryar Rose. I keep explaining how this works to you, and you keep failing.” Jules raises his arms. A small cloud of silver fairy dust surrounds each of his hands.
With all my willpower, I try to force myself to run or fight. All I can do is try to suck in more air. That punch had supernatural strength behind it. I’m not running anywhere for a few more seconds, and Jules knows it.
“You are a Sleeping Beauty life template. I am your Prince.”
All my life, I’d never questioned that I really was a Sleeping Beauty life template. Suddenly, the idea presses in around me like a straightjacket. I want nothing more than to be free of it, whatever that means.
I’m able to heave out a single word through my gasps. “No.”
“I beg to differ.” Jules lowers his hands. The small silver clouds of fairy dust come hurtling toward me. They slam into my stomach with the power of fists. I fall backward. The fairy dust transforms into more thorny branches, which wind about my entire torso. I collapse onto my knees. Even more thorny brambles encircle my ankles.
I can’t move. Again.
Jules stalks over to me. “You are a Sleeping Beauty life template.” He yanks on a line of thorns by my shoulder. “My thorns have you.”
My arms are pinned to my sides—and the branches cover me from shoulder to waist—but one thing hasn’t changed.
I still have a hold on that dagger.
Another howl sounds from the thorn forest. Knox is still coming. I’m not giving up yet.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Knox
As a man, I’m a pretty good runner. But when I’m in wolf form, like now? I haul ass so fast, most humans only see a blur. And at this moment, my speed is key. To save Bryar Rose, I need to race in quickly and fight even faster. I make a silent vow.
Philpot, you will pay for this.
I speed along a thin path through the thorn forest—it’s the one Elle and Colonel Mallory created with their spell. Walls of thorny branches tower on either side of me. High above, the sky is only a sliver of blue. It’s almost sunset.
Damn. Bry has to release her wolf before sundown today.
My wolf grumbles inside my head. “No let mate’s wolf die.”
“I’m with you, buddy.”
As I race along, my wolf-sharp hearing picks up a man’s voice. It’s too low to make out the exact words, but the tone is unmistakable.
It’s Philpot.
What a tool that guy is. Who would have thought that someone like him would grab Bry? Some small part of me wonders if Philpot could be more than what he seems, but I quickly dismiss it. Bry has known Philpot for years. He’d have to be some kind of mastermind to hide another identity for that long.
A deep growl of rage reverberates through my chest. Even if Philpot is a total loser, he’s still trying to hurt Bry. I push myself to even faster speeds.
Hold on. I’m almost there.
I scan the trail ahead. Shadows play across the walls of twisted branches. That can only mean one thing. I’m nearing the end of the thorn forest. Adrenaline courses through me. I’m aware of a new scent—it’s the perfect mixture of cinnamon, honey, and sunshine.
It’s Bry.
Fresh adrenaline hits my bloodstream. I take another turn on the trail. Suddenly, a column of light appears before me, marking the end of the passageway.
So close.
I leap through the break in the wall and onto a huge courtyard. The Thornhill Arms stands nearby. A square courtyard stretches before the old hotel. Sure enough, Philpot is here, and he’s got Bryar Rose kneeling before him. Her entire torso is wound up in thorny branches. The coppery tang of her blood fills the air. My muscles tighten with rage.
My wolf howls inside my head. “Save mate. Kill man.”
“I’m with you, bud. We’ll set her free. But first, we need to take Philpot down.”
My senses hum with excitement. Philpot is a total lightweight. This’ll be fun.
Philpot keeps his back to me while he leans over Bry. He’s whispering something in her ear, but that loser doesn’t deserve to share her airspace.
I’m moving in.
Leaning back on my haunches, I jump high and land squarely on Philpot’s back. It knocks the wind out of him, which is perfect. My claws dig into his shoulders. Philpot’s face is squished against the stone ground. It’s a good look on him.
“You keep interfering between me and my fiancée,” says Philpot. “That must end.”
For a human, he seems way too calm. I can’t even catch a whiff of fear. That’s strange, but at this point, I’m too jacked up on rage to care.
As a rule, I don’t speak in my wolf form. But there are some situations where rules are meant to be broken. “Set her loose.”
Philpot reaches into his pocket. It’s a move I’ve seen a hundred times before from Alec. But Philpot wouldn’t have any use for wizardry, would he? I mean, Bryar Rose would have told me if the guy wielded magic. And sure, Philpot could have hired a wizard to make a pendant like mine, but those stones are super-rare.
Bry’s voice echoes from behind me. “Be careful! Philpot is really Jules. He can wield all three types of magic.”
Her words smell like truth and terror. The realization hits me like a fist. This is Jules, the leader of the Denarii. The man I’ve hunted for most of my lifetime. And now, after hundreds of dead ends and failed attempts, I finally have the man under my claws.
I dig my talons in deeper. A mixture of rage and satisfaction heats my chest. “Why, hello, Jules. Strange outfit you’re wearing. Dress
ed up for something special?”
“Get off of me this instant!”
He twists under my claws. These things are long as knives and pin him in place.
“I hear you have some magical powers to show me. Let’s see them.” The guy could only do fairy or wizard magic if he could move his arms. That’s not happening. And I’m pumping so much alpha power at the man, there’s no way he could shift right now.
“Bryar Rose is crazy. I found her like this and was trying to free her.”
“Every word you speak reeks of lies.”
All of a sudden, Jules explodes into his wolf form. I’m knocked backward.
What the HELL?
For a moment, I can only stare at Jules’ wolf. His animal is huge, but that’s not what really shocks me. Jules’ coat is a patchwork of different shades and lengths of fur. It’s like he’s sewn together many different wolves into one. Bry’s words ricochet through my mind.
He can wield all three types of magic.
My mind races through this information. Denarii have no magic. The few times we’ve run across a wizard or fairy who was turned into Denarii, their powers were totally gone. And even then, Denarii only consume regular humans, as a rule. But suppose Jules went after Magicorum?
My stomach twists. If Jules ate the flesh of the Magicorum, he might gain some of their powers.
It’s possible.
I stare at the patchwork of fur on Jules’ wolf. Rage heats my bloodstream.
It’s more than possible. That’s exactly what Jules did.
Sometimes when I’m in my wolf form, I can be a little slower at logic. But at this moment, there’s no hiding the truth. Jules has been consuming Magicorum. He’s been gaining our powers. And that means the Denarii haven’t been trying to wipe us out. They’ve been harvesting us for Jules.
Wolf-Jules lunges toward me. His speed is whip-fast, but his movements are jumpy and uncoordinated. I can almost picture all the wolves he’s consumed as they fight it out for dominance inside him. He must not spend a lot of time in this form.
Good to know.
Wolf-Jules keeps speeding toward me. At the last moment, I growl and feint to one side. Wolf-Jules scrambles to stop himself.
Wolves and Roses Page 21