by Nikki Landis
Damian placed a hand against my cheek and brushed his thumb across my face. “He’s right, pet. You were magnificent.”
“But it’s all my fault. If I would have listened, if I just brought you all along –”
“None of that matters now.” Kayde gripped Ryder’s shoulder. “They’ll summon you soon. You don’t have a lot of time left.”
“Cass, I have to leave you.” Ryder’s tortured gaze met mine. “I’m also tainted now. It’s different for a ghoul. We’re more vulnerable, oddly enough. The threat of corruption is far greater. There’s a chance there’s permanent damage. I have to obey my elders and return home.”
“You’ll no longer be in my Cosan?”
No, I wouldn’t accept that. Not ever.
“For now,” Ryder admitted sadly. “We don’t know the future.”
His words were only a reminder that all of this began because Roman and the damned chose to blind the Third Eye and start a war with the witches of Salem. This was their fault. I wouldn’t forget my enemy or the pain he was causing. Roman English would pay for his involvement like every witch in Hell.
“I’ll pay a visit to your elders. They’ll know what happened and why. I’ll make sure your bravery and heroism are known. This separation won’t last, Ryder. I swear it.”
He smiled, even as his body began to fade. “I love you, angel.”
Not ready to lose him, I tried to grip his arms tighter even as his spirit attempted to fight the inevitable. We were no match for the summons.
“No!” I screamed, my heart breaking as he slipped through my fingers. Desperate to make sure he knew how I felt, I yelled the truth in front of the others. “I love you, Ryder! I won’t let go!”
Epilogue
I couldn’t remember the last time I felt such a deep self-loathing. All my choices had led to this point and I was disgusted with the knowledge that I could have changed the outcome if I had taken a moment to think things through properly.
Ryder was gone because I didn’t take the time to sit down with my Cosan and plan our strategy. I acted on my own. Foolishly. I now paid the price.
You reap what you sow.
There was no comfort in those words, just a bitter acknowledgement of the truth.
Tonight, I would light the candles during Samhain and seek the ancestors, beg for forgiveness, and hope they could help with Ryder. I would find a way to make things right. Defeat was unacceptable. My mother would be able to help. She would understand the pain and guilt I felt.
Uncle Tom burst through the back door of Howe Manor, hands on his knees as he bent over, gulping air into his lungs. My aunt rushed to his side as Gypsy gripped my hand. My heart ached with Ryder’s absence but also with the certainty that my uncle was here with bad news. Something about the tense line of his jaw and the haunting look in his eyes proved the enemy had struck again.
My suspicions were correct.
“There’s been an attack on the ancestors.”
“What!?” Gypsy yelled. “No way!”
Aunt Gwen shook her head. She faced me and Gypsy with a look that spoke of a heavy burden. “He’s right. I feel it. Elizabeth is gone.”
My mother? No!
I refused to believe it. “Are you certain?” I didn’t feel any loss of connection with my mother. Her presence was still close. “There’s no interference. She’s not destroyed.”
“Yes,” Aunt Gwen confirmed. “She’s still spirit, but I don’t know for how long.” Her voice cracked as my uncle slid an arm around her waist. “I felt it this morning, but I wasn’t sure until now. My sister and I have a close bond. We commune every day during Samhain. Liz wasn’t there this morning.” She swallowed hard. “You don’t feel it, Cassie. The separation doesn’t exist with you because your mother is in the fade.”
Shocked, I didn’t know what to say.
“There’s more,” my uncle added, his expression grim. “There’s trouble with the council. Salem families are worried. Word of Roman’s power and the damned has spread despite efforts to keep the danger contained. The council is blaming our family. They say we’re responsible for Beelzebub’s focus on Mystic Hallows.”
Ridiculous. Bart Easty was always paranoid. He was likely the most vocal about placing blame. The Salem thirteen protected the veil. It was only a matter of time before we were tested. “What are they going to do?”
“We don’t know yet. I came as soon as I found out. We should be ready for anything.”
I backed away from my aunt and uncle as they embraced, drawing Gypsy into their arms as their fear and worry permeated the lower floors of Howe Manor. I felt like an outsider.
Again, I knew it was all my fault.
Dmitri Rockcastle appeared suddenly, reaching out and snatching me away before anyone could notice. I was standing in the cemetery, fighting him off only seconds later. The vampire really needed to quit his obsession with the Howe family and our crypt.
“Leave me alone, betrayer!”
He snarled, pulling me close enough that our faces were only a few inches from one another. “I didn’t betray you. You don’t get it, pet. I’m saving you. I’m helping your family.”
Really? Did he think I was that stupid?
“You’re a liar.”
Hissing, he pushed until my back met the stone wall of the crypt. “Listen to me carefully, pet. I’m not repeating myself again. I didn’t betray you.”
“You knew about the Tomb of Lost Souls. You knew that immortals couldn’t pass through the barrier. How convenient you could offer me up for sacrifice without any danger to yourself.”
Dmitri gripped my arms tightly, his glamour flickering. “I led you to Hell for one purpose only. Your family was blinded. The Third Eye can no longer accurately predict the future. You’re vulnerable.”
So? “Why does that matter to you?” I demanded.
“You needed to know the truth. I gave you the chance to confront Roman English for what he did to your father and find your real enemy. Beelzebub will never back down. The demon lord wants Mystic Hallows,” Dmitri confessed, “but he wants you more.”
How would he know? Unless Dmitri was playing both sides, a spy for whoever benefitted him the most in the moment. His lack of loyalty or honor was revolting. How could he be so completely opposite of his brother? “You don’t know shit, Dmitri Rockcastle, except your own personal desires and needs.”
Disgusted, his fangs peeked through his lips as he hissed. “I know more than you realize.”
“Like what?” Not that I would believe him.
“Your mother is in the fade. She went to seek release of your soul when she felt your death. She was tricked by Beelzebub and Roman English. They’re going to use her to get to you. This is a highly planned and complicated form of revenge. An attack on those you love in order to manipulate and bend you to their will.”
“No shit,” I spat, squirming against the vampire. I was tempted to kick him in the shins.
“You’re far too distracted to hear what I’m saying.” He shook his head. “Listen to my words, Cassandra Howe.”
Glaring, I locked onto his gaze and began a spell that would render him mute for days. He deserved far worse. I would be free of his treacherous speech and never-ending deception as soon as I uttered the final words.
Choking against the power that tried to keep him from speaking, Dmitri growled, his grip tightening. “She’s in the fade,” he repeated, jaw clenching, “and you can join her.”
Thank you for reading!
If you enjoyed the first episode in Cassie’s story please leave a review to help others decide on the book.
The series continues with Day of the Dead, Mystic Hallows Harem #5.
You can add to your tbr here: Mystic Hallows Harem
Salem Witch Families:
Howe – Gwen, Elizabeth – deceased, Cassie, Gypsy
Good – Mary & Harvey
Bishop – Harmony, Kane, Karter
Parker – Tom (Gwen’s husband),
Judd (Willow’s husband) – deceased
Carrier
Scott – Willow, Autumn
Easty – Bart
Wildes – Sylvia, Sebastian, Simone
Corey – Gil (Elizabeth’s husband) – deceased
Pudeator – Jadis – deceased
Nurse
Cloyce – Nancy, William, Genesis
Martin – Destiny, Drake, Clay – deceased
Salem Witch Council:
Willow (Parker) Scott
Tom Parker & Gwen Howe
Harmony Bishop
Sylvia Wildes
Mary & Harvey Good
Destiny Martin
Bart Easty
Nancy & William Cloyce
Howe Family Cosan:
(Cosantóir = Defender)
Alton, Gabriel – Lycan/Werewolf/Shifter
Rockcastle, Damian – Vampire
Steele, Ryder – Ghoul
Winchester, Kayde – Witch Hunter
Immortal Bloodlines:
Van Helsing – Powerful Hunters + Trackers
Winchester – Van Helsing + Anti-Magic
Alton – Lycan/Werewolf/Shifters
Rockcastle – Nosferatu Vampires
Steele – Ghouls
English – Witch + Damned
Von Rügen – Necromancers
Playlist:
Dance Macabre – Ghost
Voodoo – Godsmack
Don’t Fear the Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
Square Hammer – Ghost
Who Do You Voodoo – Josef “J7” Lord & Christopher H. Knight
Day of the Dead – Hollywood Undead
Boogeyman – Dead Posey
Bite Your Kiss – Diamante
Blue Monday – Orgy
Deathwish – Red Sun Rising
Don’t Stop the Devil – Dead Posey
If I Was Your Vampire – Marilyn Manson
Freak on a Leash – Korn
Kiss the Go-Goat – Ghost
Bad Things – Summer Kennedy
Freak Show – Dead Posey
Also by Nikki Landis
VAMPIRES –
NightWalkers:
Dark Promise I Dark Vengeance I Dark Persuasion I Dark Deception
Dark Divide:
Extinction I Dragon I TBA
Crimson Covenant:
Bitten I Broken I Bonded
…
SUSPENSE –
Transitions:
Zodiac Killer (Prequel) I The Gift I The Forsaken I TBA
…
POST-APOCALYPTIC/MILITARY –
Freedom Fighters:
Refugee Road I Midnight Surrender I Crimson Dawn
…
SCIENCE FICTION ROMANCE –
Alien Alphas of Pilathna:
Dungari Rise I Dungari Reclaim I Dungari Rage
Braxtharian Warriors:
Vindicator I Scarred I TBA
D.R.A.R.B. Penitentiary:
Rage Beast Mate I Fever Hunger Mate I TBA
…
VILLAINS/HEROES –
Volatile Vixens:
Harleigh I Ivey I Kat I Harleigh 2 I TBA
Sinners Syndicate:
Onyx I Blaze I Chaos I TBA
The Collective:
Joker I Sinister I TBA
…
MC ROMANCE –
Ravage Riders MC:
Sins of the Father I Sinners & Saints I Sinner’s Lament I Life of Sin
Lords of Wrath MC:
Tarek I Hyde I TBA
Royal Bastards MC:
Ridin’ for Hell I Devil’s Ride I Hell’s Fury I TBA
Christmas Novellas: The Biker’s Gift I Papa Noel I The Biker’s Wish
Ravaged Souls MC:
Carnage I Horror I Mayhem I TBA
…
REVERSE HAREM –
Hellfire & Halos:
Greed I Wrath I TBA
Five Realms Academy:
Coraline Blackbyrne Origin Series
Wicked Intentions I Wicked Secrets I TBA
Mystic Hallows Harem Episodes #1 - #13:
Black Magic Voodoo I Toil & Trouble I Witching Hour I Third Eye Blind I Day of the Dead I Tangled Threads I Tainted Moons I Familiar Deceit I Speak No Evil I Bubbling Cauldrons I Village of the Damned I Power of Three I Judgment Day
…
FAE –
Throne of Lies Trilogy, Deception of the Fae:
Tainted I Tempted I Tricked
Court of the Dark Fae:
Before Dawn I Until Dusk I After Dark I Beyond Death
…
DARK/HORROR –
Last of Us:
Ground Zero I Lone Survivor I Roulette Run (Iron Renegades MC) I TBA
A Haunted Horror of Visceral Regrets
Pieces of Heaven
…
SHIFTERS –
Cedar Creek Shifters:
Haunted Wolf I Obsessed Wolf I Possessive Wolf I Rebel Wolf
Timber Mountain Shifters:
Un-Bear-Able Desire I TBA
Rise of the Phoenix:
UnMasked I TBA
…
URBAN/PARANORMAL –
Fight for Light Crossover Novels:
Fallen from Grace I Reaper's Folly I Seduction of Darkness I Kiss of Fate
Fight for Light Prequels:
Forgotten Oath I Forgotten Reign
Fight for Light Companions:
Fractured I Silver Moon I Reaper’s Curse
Fight for Light:
The Guardian I The Harbinger I The Meridian I The Imposition I The Revenant I The Awakening
The Covenant I The Reckoning
…
Co-Write w/ Crimson Syn –
A Twisted Wonderland
Alice in Chains I Breaking in Alice I Alice Unhinged
…
Standalones:
Rose Red I Nocturne I Cursed
…
Anthologies:
Blood & Silver I Captivated I Guardian I Forest of the Fearless I Saved Between the Sheets I Ruined Between the Sheets I Obsessive Temptation I Summer Solstice I Kingdom of Salt & Sirens I Magic & Mayhem I Fire & Ice I Prophecy of Magic I Falling Into Chaos I Immortal Lust
About the Author
Nikki Landis is an Award-Winning and International Bestselling Author of paranormal, sci-fi, MC, and reverse harem romance. She lives in Ohio with her husband and amazing family. In her spare time, she enjoys watching sunsets and curling up with a good book. Nikki is addicted to chocolate and dark alpha heroes with heart. She plans to keep writing since it’s her favorite escape.
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