by Sadie Moss
“What’s that?”
“We believe the shades were once fae.”
I choked on a breath, scooting forward on the bed and turning around so I could look at them both. “What?”
“Think about it, Will. They can phase in and out of a solid state, just like you can. We dismissed that because they’re shades, and that’s a pretty common power for the undead to possess. But they also disguised themselves with an illusion spell to infiltrate the castle—a spell so powerful it even cloaked their scent. That kind of glamor screams fae.”
“And after they retrieved the statue,” Sol added, picking up where his brother left off, “they disappeared through portals, another hallmark of fae magic.”
Jerrett tugged his lip ring between his teeth. “At least, we assume that’s what happened. We were busy trying to move a pile of rubble when they disappeared. But from what people have described, it sounds like they used portals.”
“The ones in the artifact room all passed through a sort of shimmering veil. It hung in empty space, pale and transparent, like a curtain made of gauze.” I twisted my hair around my fingers. “Is that what a portal looks like?”
They both nodded, and I blew out a breath. “Fae… I can’t believe it. So many resurrected fae. What does that mean? Why them?”
Jerrett lifted one shoulder, his angular features contorting in a grimace. “Beats the fuck outta me. But it goes a little way toward explaining how you got sucked into all of this. For whatever reason, the weird sisters want fae magic on their side, and that’s why they went after you.”
Sol steepled his fingers under his chin. “The weird sisters have harnessed fae power and are using it to attack us. It makes sense, in a way, since the fae and vampires are ancient enemies.”
I shuddered, thinking of the first shade I’d encountered and how he’d nearly killed me by carving those strange patterns into my skin. If I’d died, would I have been resurrected as an undead pawn just like they had? Would I have become a shade like them, a mindless soldier in a dark army?
Forcing aside my fear of what could’ve happened, I focused on the things we could still prevent.
“So how do we fight fae magic?”
Jerrett snorted. “With more fae magic.”
I blinked, shifting my gaze between him and Sol. “But how do we gain access to more of that magic when there are almost no fae left in the world?”
The dark-haired vampire chuckled humorlessly, his bright blue eyes glinting. “That, Will, is a very good question.”
I crawled off the bed, the urgency to act rising inside me. “Well, the first thing we need to do is figure out what that statue is. And where those damn sisters are. If we bring the fight to them, maybe we can have it on our terms.”
Jerrett nodded, and Sol’s brows pinched together thoughtfully. But neither of them moved.
Impatience flared. I was anxious to get back to the hunt, and I was prepared to hold Carrick to his declaration that I’d passed my trial after only two challenges. He’d only said it because he wanted to drink my blood, but at this point, I didn’t care what his motivation was. I was going to make sure he kept his word.
And I didn’t want to spend another minute in his damned castle.
“Come on! It hasn’t been that long since the shades took the statue. If we leave soon, maybe we can still stop the sisters before they use it for whatever spell they’re hoping to perform.”
I slipped on a pair of shoes as I twisted my hair up into a haphazard bun, grabbing a few pins from the vanity to secure it. Should I change clothes now? This dress was hardly practical for hunting.
No. There’ll be time for that after we talk to Carrick. Then we’ll leave.
“Come on!” I repeated, turning to face the two brothers, who still hadn’t budged. I glanced toward the door. “Where’s Malcolm? We need to get him and go—”
“Will.”
Jerrett’s voice was soft, but something about his tone made my words cut off sharply. My stomach dropped as if I were on a rollercoaster, and a nameless unease filled my body.
“What?” I whispered.
Jerrett’s mouth twitched, turning down into a frown. Sol ran a hand through his golden hair before settling his sightless gaze on me. His face was serious, his eyes impassive.
I shook my head, backing away.
No.
I wanted to tell him not to speak, not to say whatever it was. But I couldn’t get my own tongue to cooperate.
“Malcolm is gone, Willow tree.” Sol’s jaw clenched. “He disappeared right after the fight.”
THANK YOU FOR READING!
I hope you enjoyed reading Seduced by Blood as much as I loved writing it. And don’t worry, the wait for more won’t be long.
Willow and her harem’s story will conclude in book three, Ruined by Blood.
The weird sisters are closing in.
Malcolm is hiding from himself and Willow.
But she’s stubborn as hell, and she’ll fight tooth and nail to save her new family… and the world.
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If you’re hungry for more, you can dive into my completed reverse harem urban fantasy series, Magic Awakened, starting with the free prequel novella, Kissed by Shadows.
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Message to the Reader
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Acknowledgments
First and foremost, thank you to my incredible husband and my sweet puppy for putting up with all my mad ramblings about the worlds and characters in my head.
Thank you, Jacqueline Sweet, for the amazing cover! You really brought Willow to life.
To my amazing beta readers: thank you, thank you, thank you!
About the Author
Sadie Moss is obsessed with books, craft beer, and the supernatural. She has often been accused of living in a world of her own imagination, so she decided to put those worlds into books.
When Sadie isn't working on her next novel, she loves spending time with her adorable puppy, binge-watching comedies on Hulu, and hanging out with her family.
She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to say hello at [email protected].
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