by Sadie Moss
Fuck.
Were they still trying to get to the kids?
“Mal! Get ready for me!”
I was already running as I called his name, and he whipped his head around, catching sight of me. The shade he fought kept going incorporeal, evading his blows. But as my brother dropped his hands, letting his guard down, it sensed his distraction. Rearing up, it solidified to go in for the kill.
Too fucking late.
Without slowing down, I grabbed a piece of jaggedly broken pipe from a pile on the floor and launched myself off the back of the last pew. I drove the sharp pipe straight through the shade’s back as I came down, breaking its spine with a loud crunch.
The thing didn’t even make a noise as it died.
“Nice.” I stood, ripping the piece of pipe from dried flesh. “You really sold that ‘incompetence’ bit. Thanks for keeping this fucker distracted.”
He chuckled darkly. “These things obviously aren’t used to working in teams. It’s the only reason we haven’t lost this fight yet.”
“Speaking of working in teams!” Sol called. “Little help?”
He and the remaining shade traded blows right outside the door to the office. Will was stationed protectively in front of the door, wielding a large metal candlestick like a baseball bat.
At least she hadn’t jumped on this shade’s back like the one outside her apartment. Not that I didn’t respect the fuck out of her fighting spirit, but I wasn’t sure my heart could take her constantly throwing herself at danger like that.
I shot a glance at Mal. “Only one left. Should be a piece of cake, right?”
“Only one at the moment. There were more in both of Willow’s visions—and I haven’t seen any armless shades here, have you? More of these things are out there somewhere.”
I scowled at him as we raced toward Sol and the shade. “Goddamn it. Thanks a lot, Debbie Downer.”
He grabbed the creature and pulled it away from Sol, spinning it around. “Take it out on this.”
I smirked. “With fucking pleasure.”
Swinging the metal pipe in a wide arc, I caught the shade across the face. Viscous black fluid flew from the wound as the thing gargled in pain. It went incorporeal a second later, darting right toward me, then through me. Before I could pivot, cold arms locked around me from behind. Cool liquid dripped down the back of my neck.
“Damn it! This undead motherfucker is bleeding on me!”
I twisted in its grasp, but the thing was as strong as me, and its arm was locked tight around my neck. My brothers advanced slowly, and behind them, Willow watched with wide eyes. I wanted to tell her not to worry—we’d gotten out of way more fucked up situations than this. Mal and Sol had my back. I’d be fine.
But I couldn’t tell her shit. The creature was cutting off my air supply.
I couldn’t say a fucking word.
Not even a word of warning as a new shade slipped through the large hole in the ceiling near the office, dropping to the floor right next to Willow.
I could only watch in horror as it knocked the weapon out of her hand and grabbed her roughly, enveloping her in darkness.
28
Willow
Fear punched a hole in my chest as I wriggled in the cold arms wrapped tightly around me.
One second, I’d been watching the brothers fight the final shade. Then Jerrett’s eyes, such a clear blue I could see them even in the dark church, had locked on me. The terror in them had scared me shitless, because until that moment, I’d never seen Jerrett look anything but cocky and confident.
His fear wasn’t for himself. He’d been afraid for me.
And now I was too.
I had stupidly let my guard slip. I’d been focused on the fight in front of me, intent on keeping the shade out of the small office where the children hid. I hadn’t realized, though maybe I should have, that when the shades kept charging the office door, they weren’t after the goblin kids—they were after me.
The new shade had appeared out of nowhere, stealing my makeshift club before I even had a chance to swing it. Now I was wrapped so tightly in its grip that all I could see was blackness. All I could smell was death and decayed flesh.
I dug my elbows into the monster’s side, dimly aware of three deep male voices shouting my name in panic. I tried to kick, to get some traction against the floor to slow us down, but the shade was taller than me. My feet couldn’t find any purchase.
Gasping for air and gagging with each breath, I tried to pull together my scattered thoughts.
Are we… moving in circles?
I struggled to free my head from the shadow creature’s crushing grip. Shit. We were going in circles. In a spiral, actually, up a winding staircase. Below us, crashes and grunts echoed in the empty church.
“Willllllow!” Jerrett bellowed.
For a second, my panic eased. He was okay, at least. If he could yell like that, the shade must not have him in a chokehold anymore.
But he was still so far away. They all were.
We finally stopped spiraling upward, and I was thrown roughly to the floor in a small room with a large bell suspended in the middle of it. I hit the wooden floor hard, and before I could even turn over, the creature was on me. A bite of pain stung the back of my neck.
Its claws?
No. A knife.
This thing was going to finish whatever job its friend had started that first night.
Summoning all my vampire strength, I heaved my body upward. It worked. The shade was jostled off me, and I darted back toward the stairs. But before I could get far, something heavy hit the back of my head. I went down, my ears ringing as pain surged through my skull.
This time the sting of the knife wasn’t as strong—it had to compete with my other wounds for attention, and my body couldn’t process all the sensations at once.
Warm blood trickled across my skin as the creature began adding to the patterns etched on my body. I was still weak and disoriented, but the sound of footsteps on the stairs gave me hope.
My men are coming.
As strange as that thought was—they weren’t my men… were they?—it kept my body fighting. I dragged myself forward on my forearms as the shade’s weight bore down on me.
Malcolm entered the bell tower first, his face set in a vengeful mask like a god of rage. Sol and Jerrett were right behind him, their handsome features hardly recognizable as they snarled at the shade, revealing their fangs.
The creature stopped carving my skin. It kept its weight on my lower back but hauled my head up by the hair, its claws digging into the tight bun I’d made earlier. The carving knife pressed viciously into the side of my throat, just under my ear, drawing blood.
No one spoke, but the threat was crystal clear.
The men stopped moving, hanging back by the doorway. I could barely see them through the tears swimming in my eyes, but I could feel the morass of emotions churning within them.
My own feelings rose up to match the intensity of theirs.
Disappointment in myself for being the weak link on this makeshift team. Anger at the shades and whoever was behind them for their relentless pursuit of me, for their willingness to sacrifice young, innocent lives for their own gain. Regret that I hadn’t had the guts to claim these brothers like I’d wanted to, to mark them as mine and let them mark me. Sorrow that after everything they’d done to save me, these beautiful, terrifying, perfect men would be forced to watch me die.
I wished desperately for some way out of this, begging Fate to intervene. Sol had said she brought me to them for a reason. She couldn’t let it end now, could she?
My heart stuttered in my chest as the piercing pressure on my neck eased suddenly. Is the knife disappearing?
No. I was.
The knife remained as solid as ever, but like a breath of warm air on a cold night, I was evaporating. The strangest sensation filled me as I slowly became incorporeal. It was like turning into smoke. I didn’t sink through the f
loor as I had when falling into visions, but I suddenly couldn’t feel the shade’s weight on me at all.
Recovering from my shock, I rolled quickly to the side, passing through the dark creature and scrambling to my feet a short distance away. I caught a brief sight of three stunned faces, then the men attacked. They dove for the shade, but it followed my lead, becoming incorporeal before any of their blows could land.
Mal bared his teeth in anger, snarling at the monster. But there was nothing the brothers could do. Not until the thing became solid again.
The shade stalked toward me, its massive, shadowy form slightly transparent in this state.
A sudden thought froze my blood.
We were both in the same state. Could it touch me now?
I backed away quickly, but not fast enough. The shade swiped out, raking a clawed hand across my chest. A breathy grunt fell from my lips as I watched the razor-tipped claws pass harmlessly through me.
Guess that answers that question.
But I couldn’t attack the shade either. We were at an impasse like this. And it would never let me walk away peacefully. The thing crowded me, hovering so close I could’ve sworn I felt it brush against me.
“Hey! Get the fuck away from her!” Jerrett’s voice was thick with anger.
Steeling myself, I charged through the creature and ran to the other end of the tower, but the shadow monster was on me a minute later. Shit. We could do this all night.
“We need to make it go corporeal,” Sol said grimly.
How had they done that before?
Oh, right.
Malcolm had pretended to drop his guard so Jerrett could attack.
“Guys! I’m going to make it shift!”
My voice sounded strange like this, ghostly and faint. But I knew they heard me, because they all shook their heads in unison.
“No, wildcat! You’re safe where you are. Stay like that.”
Malcolm’s voice was firm and commanding. If I’d been one of his brothers, a trained fighter used to following orders from my leader, maybe I would’ve listened. But I wasn’t. I was a scared shitless incorporeal vampire who knew only one way to get us out of this mess.
I honestly wasn’t sure how to become solid again. It wasn’t like there was some muscle I could flex. So I just focused on the end result I wanted, willing it to work.
It did.
And then several things happened at once.
I became solid.
The shade screeched, becoming corporeal almost at the same moment.
My vampire protectors lunged forward, but the shade pivoted, slashing out with the wicked dagger it still held. It caught Jerrett in the side, and a fountain of blood welled.
“Jerrett!”
The scream tore from my throat even as the shadow creature leapt for me again, wrapping an arm around me.
This time, I didn’t go incorporeal. Using a trick Malcolm had taught me, I spun into the shade’s movement, redirecting it to the side as I grabbed for the knife. The shade was bigger and much heavier than me, but I had momentum on my side. I shoved, and the creature moved backward a few steps, stumbling toward the large bell hanging over a hole in the center of the room.
Its foot slipped off the edge, stepping into the black abyss. Its head cracked against the giant metal bell with a sickening, dull ringing sound.
And then it fell through the opening, its arms still clutching me.
We plummeted through the darkness together, and my stomach rushed up into my throat. I grappled for the knife, the shade’s claws gouging my flesh as we fought for control. Just before we landed, I grabbed the hilt with both hands and twisted the knife toward the shade’s chest.
The impact was like getting hit by a car. It ricocheted through me, sending pain radiating through my bones.
For several long moments, I couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t think.
I could only lie on top of the shade’s withered, desiccated body as my vampire healing slowly put me back together.
Finally, when my muscles and bones stopped screaming, I sat up. The shade’s dagger had pierced its chest, the impact so hard it’d crushed the entire sternum. I shivered, crawling away from the dead body and lurching to my feet.
Footsteps pounded on the stone steps, and a moment later, Sol, Jerrett, and Malcolm stood in the entrance to the room.
The knot in my chest loosened at the sight of them. Jerrett’s shirt was stained with blood, and the earthy, smoky scent of it made my mouth water. But the wound appeared to be healing over already.
“Are you okay?” I gasped. “Was that the last shade?”
I moved toward them, but stopped suddenly when I caught sight of their stony faces.
Shit. They were pissed. And they had a right to be—I’d disobeyed Malcolm and barely survived my reckless maneuver.
“I’m sorry. I know I should’ve followed your orders, Malcolm. But I didn’t see another way.”
They didn’t respond, just kept staring at me.
“I didn’t mean to go over the ledge with that guy! I wouldn’t have done it on purpose. I’m not crazy.”
That got no response either. Worry began to creep up my spine. I’d seen these men trade banter while fighting dangerous, undead supernaturals. What could possibly be so bad it rendered them speechless?
Finally, Jerrett opened his mouth, his blue eyes shining like pale stars in the darkness.
“No. You’re not crazy, Will. You’re fae.”
29
Willow
My brows furrowed as I looked from one brother to another. Neither Sol nor Malcolm laughed at Jerrett’s bizarre statement. They looked as serious as he did. More so, maybe.
So I laughed for them, though the sharp huff of air made my still healing ribs twinge with pain.
“What are you talking about? You mean fae, as in fairy? No, I’m a vampire.”
The last word came out with surprising ease. Maybe I was finally getting used to the idea, used to my new life.
And now they were trying to tell me that wasn’t true?
“I was human, then I became a vampire. You turned me.”
I spoke slowly, as if maybe they’d forgotten that night and needed a gentle reminder.
Sol stepped toward me as his mouth dropped open slightly. He cupped my cheek, running a few loose strands of hair through his fingers. Goose bumps rose on my skin at his touch. At the look in his eyes.
“It’s true, Willow. I’ve always smelled it on you. I didn’t recognize the scent for what it was because it’s been so many years since I’ve smelled it. I thought the fae were gone. All but extinct. But you have fae blood. I’m sure of it.”
Malcolm and Jerrett came closer. Their expressions matched Sol’s—a confusing mixture of fierce hunger, shock, and worry.
“You were never human. Not fully anyway.” Malcolm’s strong brows pulled together. “You’ve been part fae your entire life. Yes, you are a vampire now, but not only that. You’re a vampire-fae hybrid.”
I had no idea what that meant. The word “fae” made me think of little pink-winged fairies flitting around throwing sparkly dust on things. I’d never done anything even remotely like that in my life. And I definitely didn’t have wings. I would’ve noticed.
But Malcolm didn’t say the word like he was talking about something cute and pretty. The way he said it made them seem dangerous.
Were these fae creatures worse than vampires? And how could I have spent my whole life as one and not even known it?
I stepped away from Sol’s touch, licking my lips. “How do you know? What makes you so sure all of a sudden? You never told me I was fae before. Why now?”
Jerrett snorted. “Because you just went incorporeal on us, sweetheart. And you have Sight. That’s fae.”
“But you knew about the Sight before! And the shades can go incorporeal. I’m not the only one!” I sounded defensive, and I wasn’t sure why. Probably because I was s
ick of having the rug pulled out from under me every time I thought I’d gotten my bearings.
“Sure they can, Will. But lots of undead creatures can do that. It’s kind of a hallmark of their kind.” Jerrett flashed a smile, but he was still staring at me ravenously.
“He’s right,” Sol murmured. “The only living supernaturals who are able to phase in and out like that are fae. Not all of them can do it, but no other species is able to at all.”
I thought about that for a second, trying to find a weak spot in his argument. But how could I? Everything I knew about supernaturals, I’d learned from them. I couldn’t argue that some other supernatural being possessed this power—I didn’t even know what other kinds of magical creatures existed.
“All right. Fine.” I chewed on my lip, trying to keep my unease at bay. “So I’m fae. What does that mean, exactly? Why are you all staring at me like that?”
The brothers shared a look, but no one spoke. My stomach dropped precipitously.
“No! No way! You can’t do that. You can’t drop something like this on me and then not tell me what it means.” I smacked Sol’s chest, hard.
He trapped my hands against the firm muscles of his pecs, his fingers curling around mine as his thumbs caressed my skin. I didn’t want to let it, but the contact soothed me. The blond vampire stepped forward, closing the gap between us and inhaling my scent. I felt his whole body shudder as he breathed in, tensing under my touch.
“It means you’re in much more danger than we ever knew, Willow tree.”
Worry cascaded through me. Sol wasn’t prone to hyperbole or overreaction, so if he said I was in danger, I most definitely was.
“From who? The shades?”
“Yes. But not just them. There are other creatures who would come after you if they knew you were fae. Those who are responsible for nearly wiping the fae out in the first place.”
I swallowed, my fingers curling into his soft, dark shirt. “What kinds of creatures?”