by C. M. Owens
“What the fucking hell?” I ask on a rasp.
“I thought they wanted your lycan to find your group.” He turns to face me. “She’s of alpha blood, right?”
Running a frustrated hand through my hair, I try to recount Amy’s origins. “I don’t know. Hell, she doesn’t know. Her sire was a brutal sadist that had to be killed.”
“Sounds like alpha bloodline to me. Just like your little werewitch.”
“Roslyn is alpha bloodline?”
“Her blood isn’t pure, so she couldn’t ever be used that way. But her father would be a candidate if they hadn’t found one already that took. This,” he says, gesturing toward the mutilated remains of a beast, “is what a failed project looks like. The bloodline wasn’t pure enough to withstand the change for very long. It was a lycan. Which means they needed a new lycan.”
Slowly his meaning sinks in, and I sag back, feeling a hit to my stomach.
“Amy,” I say on a pained breath.
He nods. “Once they use the blood on her to change her, she’s dead. By now, that’s already happened. The girl you used to know is gone. She can’t be returned. Only the beast exists now. It’s how the first bloods think. The master wouldn’t have wasted time changing her. It’s a brutal process that only works when the moon is full, as it is tonight.”
Swallowing down the bile in my throat, I ask, “What if it doesn’t take?” I motion toward the decimated remains. “Will she die like that thing?”
His eyes narrow to slits and the silver grows brighter. “Are you not listening? I told you she’s already dead. The first blood will use her body as a host. She’s no longer the girl you knew. There is no cure. She’s not going to magically be your friend again. It doesn’t work like that. Either they become the first bloods, or they end up like this.”
He points at the heaping pile of death to prove a point. “They left it here to ruin any trail you’d have to find her. Not that it matters. By now she’s already been injected. But they don’t want you finding them. Just like they don’t want me finding them. This thing destroys any chance at finding a trail from here on out.”
I drop to my knees, feeling a pang in my chest. I may never have been close to Amy, but she sure as hell didn’t deserve this.
“Kya believes the lover night stalker betrayed you. Think of any information you may have shared with him and how it may affect you.”
Slade doesn’t say another word before disappearing, and I stare emptily at the mess before me.
We’ve been so lax. They walked right up and took one of us, and we’ve been playing like we’re still on top of the chains. It’s always turned out good for us before.
We’ve never lost anyone...
Until now.
Chapter 15
CHAZ
“We can call Dray. He’s a dark angel. Dark angels heal. He can fix her,” Sierra sobs, rocking back and forth as Deke tries to console her.
Dray can’t rework her blood and cleanse her system of a new entity that now resides. Slade was kind enough to send over all the information he had on first bloods, just so he could ensure we wouldn’t be stupid enough to think we could save her.
He showed us documented proof—the person is killed so the first-blood virus can take root. Amy is gone. Dead. Just like that.
So he says.
I can’t stay here and continue to listen to this. It’s making the beast restless, hungry for a fight. Running a hand through my hair, I pace the floors, ignoring the escaping growls.
For the past day, I’ve been growing pale, and the cold sweats are getting fiercer. We’ve been underground or in this cabin with the windows boarded closed with warded crests and spells all over. No one is taking any chances.
But I feel caged, and the anger burning inside is growing tangible, almost as though it’s manifesting in my core.
I’ve been trying to turn it off, but I can’t. Every day it’s getting harder to control, and I’ve been trapped in our new residence outside of Pine Shore since two days ago when we learned of Amy’s fate.
Sierra has been inconsolable. Ella is distant and crying. Alyssa and Kane have been moved to an underground bunker. Fortunately, no mention of the baby was ever made to the night stalker traitor. Alyssa hides what little bit she’s showing very easily. It seemed paranoid to safeguard that secret to that extent, but now I’m glad we were paranoid.
To keep myself from losing it, I snatch the red book I’ve been avoiding, desperate for a distraction. Kya showed up in a doll’s body that day, and I’m not too stupid to figure out why. She didn’t want to risk being in contact with me. I figure this book has something to do with that.
Flipping open the pages, I find the passage highlighted, and my stomach tilts.
The dragon calls for a mate, seeking and searching for that one soul to be tethered to. One life claims another, and the two become united as one.
The bite of passion is the consecration of mating. The mark will then form on the mate’s body, and when the mate reciprocates the bite, the other mate will receive a mark in turn.
Forever, from there, their lives will be tied together. Until death doth come.
Forever? As in, my dragon wants her for forever? And what mark?
I’m drawn to her, but I’m not sure about being forever tied. Obviously she sure as hell doesn’t want to risk that, since she showed up in doll form after I warned her my beast wanted her as bad as I do.
Fortunately, it looks like I have to bite her in order for anything like this to happen. I haven’t even felt an urge to bite her. Maybe that instinct doesn’t transfer to mix breeds.
The more I read, the safer I feel it is to risk this. I expected the opposite, given the bad luck we’ve had lately, which is why I’ve put off reading it for so long.
Knowing I don’t have to fight off what I feel for Kya is more liberating than anything. As long as I don’t bite her, we’re good.
Dice is outside when I push through the door, and he eyes me warily. “You’re not all choked up over the lycan like the others are. And you dated her.”
I dated her briefly, and never once felt a connection. It was more physical than anything. I’ve always felt distant from the others, with Ella being the one true exception. She’s always been like my own flesh and blood.
But everyone else—including Alyssa—has never been anyone I couldn’t live without. I blame the sick powers inside me—the cold, harsh, unfeeling magic that steals the warmth I should have.
I should feel more pain right now. I’ve known Amy for years. I’ve known her intimately, for fuck’s sake. Yet I’m not devastated or even mourning her loss like most of the others.
“Amy was always withdrawn and usually didn’t even bother to pretend to like me. I was a replacement, and she was there to take the edge off. I hate that she’s gone, and it does hurt. But more to the fact, I hate that one of ours was taken so easily right out from under us.”
It sounds like I’m trying to explain away the fact I’m a cold-hearted bastard.
He purses his lips. “But you’re about to go off on your own even knowing that. I can see it in your freaky gold eyes.”
“There’s something I need to do, and I sure as hell can’t be stuck in there anymore.”
I start to walk off, but he grabs me on the arm. A growl sneaks out before I can stop it, and my skin crawls with fury.
“Remove your hand, Dice,” I warn, trying not to lose my temper. Two days of being stuck inside has left me feeling confined and overly aggressive. The last thing I want to do is hurt the incubus.
He trembles a little.
“We’re supposed to stay here,” he says, swallowing as he grips me tighter. “So no. I’m not letting you leave.”
My worst fears come true when something inside me snaps, and a blackness covers my eyes as I lose all control of the beast.
Chapter 16
KYA
It’s stupid to go to him in person right now, but I can’t help it
. I’m worried about him and my sister. It’s the first time they’ve lost someone in their circle, and they could be weakened, hurting, and in need of... Hell. What am I doing? I know nothing about comforting people.
I’m not even sure if they would want or accept my awkward attempts at comfort. My humanity was stripped away when I was forced to become a survivor, only focusing on making it to the next day.
Slade gave me their location, surprisingly enough. He’s been working hard on finding the master and the location for the portal. We only have a few days before they launch their plan into action and open our world up to who knows what kind of monstrosities.
Apparently there are endless dimensions full of hostile, dangerous creatures. Everything Slade has found has only made us dread this all the more.
The journal left behind by a Lokie has assured us that we’re pretty well fucked if any of those worlds are released into ours. And we’re not entirely sure it isn’t the Lokies themselves that the master is summoning. Though there’s no logical reason why.
The master wants power. Having a Lokie filled world would strip all our power, because they’d be stronger. We’d become the pawns we once were.
So... then what? What are they summoning?
One step forward and five steps back seems to be our status quo at the moment. We don’t even know who is controlling the demon army who have possessed night stalkers, or how that many demons escaped to begin with.
As I head into the dark, wooded area, a shriek fills the air, and I race forward, my heart hammering as fear crawls up in my spine. They’ve been found. They’re in trouble. Run faster!
My feet skid to a halt though when I see Dice is on the ground, slowly lifting himself up as he shakes his head.
“Alright, fake glitter farter,” he says, standing up on wobbly legs as he turns to face... Chaz... “You’ve pushed me too far. What is your defect, you hashtag asshole?”
I remain in my place, hiding behind the tree and peering out, wondering what the hell is going on.
“Chaz!” Karma barks, running out onto the porch.
A dark, sinister grin is on Chaz’s face. The look of a dragonite starved of the sun’s affection. Did he not read that damn book?
He’s pale, just as the book warned about. The sun is his main source of energy now, because the dragonite has become the dominant power.
“You’re really freaking me out right now,” Dice tells him, taking a wary step back.
Chaz cocks his head to the side, regarding Dice as though he’s prey.
Oh no...
Karma appears in front of Dice just as fire explodes from Chaz’s hands. I don’t even think; I just react.
My body dematerializes and reappears in front of Karma and Dice seconds before the fire collides with my hand.
The fire splits against my hand, shooting away from me in a forked position, and Karma gasps as I hold my hand out, keeping the fire away from them. No pain. No heat.
I guess I really am fireproof.
The scent of ashes and something burning hits my nose, but I know Karma and Dice are fine because I can hear both of them breathing, and I can feel their fear.
The fire stops, and Chaz’s eyes widen as the sun slowly starts to bring him back. He looks down at his hands as horror washes over him, and I look up at several faces staring from the porch, all attention on me with wide gazes.
They have the windows boarded? No wonder he’s losing it.
My gaze turns back as the color slowly starts to come back to Chaz’s cheeks, and he breathes in and out really slowly, his eyes closing as he tries to get control. That’s also when I realize what the burning smell was—my clothes.
Well, that’s just great. The Scooby gang is getting an eyeful right now.
Awkwardly, I try to cover up, using my hair and hands like an idiot.
“So you’re not really identical,” Dice says from behind me.
“Really?” I hear Karma groan.
That question is accompanied by a slapping sound, but I don’t turn around to investigate.
“What?! You know I use inappropriate humor when I’m stressed! Fairy boy just shot fire at me, and I may or may not have tinkled a little. I’m definitely stressed.”
“Chaz, you okay?” I hear Gage asking.
“We’re fucking fine. Thank you very much for your concern,” Dice grumbles.
Does he ever shut up?
Chaz’s eyes flick open, and he slowly shakes his head. “I need a fight. I’m just going to keep losing it if I can’t get rid of some of this,” he says, shaking his arms as though he’s trying to get rid of a phantom sensation.
“You could apologize,” Dice demands.
“Sorry,” Chaz says, his lips tensing as he eyes me, his gaze slowly raking down my body before meeting my eyes again. He grimaces and says, “Sorry,” again.
“What happened?” Kimber asks as she runs out on the porch, eyeing me when she sees me completely naked.
I’m fireproof, but my clothes are not. Shit happens.
“The rings aren’t open right now,” Chaz says for some random reason.
I’m having trouble keeping up.
Another slap resounds from behind me, though I’m not sure why this time. There are far too many distractions going on at once. These people need more focus.
“Could someone please get my sister-in-law some clothes before my girlfriend hits me again?”
How do they have so many conversations going at once and still be productive?
Gage tugs his shirt off and tosses it to me. I catch and pull it on quickly, grateful that it drops to mid-thigh on me to cover all the important bits.
He stands in front of Chaz, and he cracks his neck to the side before pulling his hands up in a fighting stance. “Come on. Use me. Get some of the aggression out.”
The dark user would be obliterated right now. Chaz hadn’t even unlocked the dragonite and Lokie powers when he downed that ogre in the fight I witnessed.
“No,” Chaz says, probably thinking the same thing as me. “Too dangerous right now.”
He shakes his head, more frustration welling inside him.
“We’re out and exposed. We know they have a visionary. We need back behind the walls,” Kimber is saying.
That’s why the windows are boarded up. Even against protection, the visionaries can use windows as eyes if they strain hard enough, even though that makes the visions less accurate.
Kimber was supposed to be the last one remaining, and she’s a visionless visionary. Which would make her pointless if not for her gatekeeping abilities.
“I can’t go back in there,” Chaz is telling her as fire flames from his hands.
He curses and snuffs the fire out, still struggling to get himself under control.
“It’s the sun,” I say, reminding them I’m even here. I glare over at Chaz as they all look at me, before adding, “Didn’t you read that book?”
His lips tense. “We’ve been busy. What about the sun?”
Why do I even bother to try and help?
“The sun fuels you. Your red jinn is no longer dominate. It seems like the dragonite has taken center stage. You need a lot of sunlight to feed. The less you get, the more aggressive you’ll become, unless you’ve versed yourself in control. You haven’t had enough time to learn that control.”
“Visionaries can see him outside,” Kimber says in a hushed tone.
“Not if he has the mark to protect him. I can handle that.”
“That mark is painful and unnecessary,” I hear another voice saying.
I look up to see Chaz’s mother watching me with a cautious expression, like she’s wondering if I’m a secret enemy approaching like the Trojan Horse. Yes, I know about the Trojan Horse. Immortals trapped in a cage tend to tell stories to pass the time.
“It’s not unnecessary for him,” I explain, watching as she still studies me.
“It’s unreliable as well,” his mother adds, still regarding me w
ith something akin to curiosity. There’s no real bite to her words.
“It’s better than risking—”
“We’ve just lost someone, and you’re here,” another voice cuts in, interrupting me, and I look over to see Frankie—the light user. His voice turns more hostile as his eyes narrow. “What have you come for? Do you expect us to believe the scarred menace sent you to offer his condolences? Can’t you give us a fucking minute to grieve a friend who never should have died?”
A vicious growl breaks free from Chaz, and Gage cautions him. “Frankie, don’t provoke her,” he says softly.
Frankie doesn’t listen. In fact, he only grows angrier.
“Our friend died after you offered us a supposed olive branch, yet miraculously, we’re ambushed on that exact day and Amy is taken. According to your boyfriend, she’s dead.” His voice gets louder as he glares at me, and another growl rumbles across the air.
Frankie is too focused on me to realize the mistake he’s making.
“Frankie,” Dice warns. “I’d seriously shut up right now.”
Frankie doesn’t shut up. Not even a little bit. “Then, just to cover your fucking trail, you accuse Amy’s night stalker of being the traitor who gave our location. How stupid do you think we are right now? For all we know, you killed her yourself just to please that lunatic that you’re probably fucking.”
A violent roar tears across the land so loudly that it vibrates me to my core. I’m not the only one who felt the vibrations. Chaz roars again, and this time, I feel the tickle of it in my chest, and the dark promise of it in the pit of my stomach. It’s not a threat. It’s a battle cry.
Frankie shrinks back with a confused expression as more fire circles the hands of the man barely in control.
“Lower your voice,” Chaz’s mother says to Frankie as she carefully steps in front of him.
“What the hell?” Frankie asks, paling a little as Chaz growls and approaches them slowly.
He’s definitely going to attack, damn it.
“He’s protective of her, you idiot,” I hear Thad hiss, and I look up to see him balling his fists, prepared for a fight. “And he’s on the edge.”