Sixteen

Moon

I check on Warrior several times, before kissing his cheek, and heading out to help the others set up. I don’t want to leave him alone, but I also don’t want him to be anywhere near this bitch.

We set the trap just outside the walls of the clan. That way their people will remain safe, but we can battle this out.

I’m the main bait. Warrior believes Evangela will want me dead, so I can never break the spell on Warrior again. We also learned from him that she was probably working for the Fae Queen. Silas is using his magic to cloak Warrior’s exact location and project it to seem as if he’s in my tent with me. We set up camp around a fire, similar to how we camped in the games.

The men all take their places, and we lower our defenses, hoping she’ll be dumb enough to assume we just feel safe here.

Silas transforms into his small snake self and hides in the blankets. I feel him curling around my feet, and I try my best to pretend to sleep. All I can hear is King Julian from that animated movie about the zoo animals, demanding to know how long it’s going to take. Over and over again. On repeat.

Sometimes my chaotic brain is fun. Other times, like now, it’s annoying as fuck.

When I let out a loud sigh, I feel a little nibble on my toe and yelp.

“Seriously?” I hiss and feel him nibble a different toe. I take the hint, lie perfectly still, and wait. When a third nibble doesn’t come, I relax. Slightly. I can’t actually fall asleep.

I need to be alert, and I have a feeling that if I did fall asleep, I’d find myself with a third nibble.

A shift in the air outside my tent, and the feeling of Silas slithering up my thigh, tells me the wait is finally over. That evil Necromancer bitch is here, and I’m ready for her.

Taking several deep breaths, I calm my heart and resist punching the air in victory. We haven’t killed her yet.

Mentally, I imagine myself ending her several different ways, but ultimately, we decided on one very specific death for this bitch.

“War…” a feminine voice calls out, and I remain still until the tent is opened. “Where are you, my little War machine?”

I can’t take the sound of her voice calling out to my mate for another second. I want to punch my fist down her throat and rip her tongue out.

“Surprise, bitch,” I say as I sit up like the crypt keeper. My hand shoots out, and I grab her by the throat. She shocks me a bit by laughing. That is, until Silas transforms and grips a fistful of her hair. I release her to him, and now it’s my turn to smirk.

“Killing me won’t stop her,” Evangela sneers, basically confirming our suspicions that she was working for the Fae Queen, and I swing, ready to break her nose. Annoyingly, Silas drags her out of my reach.

“Stop who?” I ask, even though I already know. “The Fae Queen? I think I’ll survive. As for you, you won’t be getting anywhere near Warrior ever again.”

“I’ll hand-deliver you to her, and then I will take back what’s mine! She wants everything you have. She wants your life. Your mother dead…your family eliminated…” The grin on her face is enough to send a shiver down my spine.

“My family…” I whisper, and my heart sinks. She means Grams. The only family I have. Oh, gods…

I have to get to her, immediately, but I need to make sure Warrior is safe from her first.

“Chop her up, piece by piece, and then set this bitch on fire!” I cry, and Cato transforms.

Silas releases her, and with his massive Dragon foot, Cato snatches her up off the ground and tosses her through the air until she lands a safe distance away. I watch, half horrified, half proud as Kili and Crow grab her arms, and yank. They’re covered in her blood, and as she screams, Cato inhales deeply.

As soon as my mates are a safe distance away Cato unleashes his fire, and we all watch as my mate’s abuser burns to ash, screaming.

I whip around and sprint for the tent Warrior is being protected in. I fling it open, glad to find Arlo’s father and mother standing guard.

“She’s dead. She’s dead, and she can never hurt you again, but she said something. That someone wants my entire family dead. She meant the Fae Queen, right?” I ask, and Warrior nods his head.

I step into him, hugging him. “How do you feel?” I check over him, and he appears to be fine. The screams stopped just a few moments ago, but I’m worried there will be some kind of repercussion for Warrior.

“I don’t feel her at the edges of my mind anymore, trying to break in. I feel free, truly, irreversibly free, for the first time in my existence.” Warrior smiles at me, cupping my cheek. “I am so glad you’re my mate.”

“I care so deeply for you, Warrior. I want you to know I want to be here for you, but my Grams… She could be in danger. Real fucking danger.”

“I understand Moon. I’m okay, I promise.” Warrior presses a kiss to my lips and gives me a gentle shove. I nod, then sprint out of the tent, and Warrior stays close.

“We must take her to her Grams,” Warrior announces loudly. Without hesitation, my men gather around me, and Crow takes us back to the Witching Realm. I don’t even register the dizziness this time.

Gram’s house is just a few feet away, and I’m sprinting for it when the front door slams open, and Grams comes flying out. She hits the ground hard, her limp body lying in the grass. I scream as all hell breaks loose.

Goblins surround us, rushing at us from all directions, and I run straight for Grams. I fall to my knees beside her. I check her pulse and try to shake her shoulders, but she doesn’t respond. I can’t tell if she’s breathing.

That's when I see him.

Lust.

He walks down the steps of my grandmother’s house like he doesn’t have a fucking care in the world.

He’s not alone. A woman walks out of the house behind him, her pink hair the first thing I notice. The second is that she’s got my fucking face!

“What the fuck?” I whisper, but she ignores me, making her way past me as I stare between her and Lust, my mouth hanging open.

She presses a kiss to the palm of her hand and blows it to my guys. One by one, they stop moving. Their focus turns from the goblins to the fake me…

“What…the…fuck…” I say again and turn back to Lust.

“Lust? Lust!” I snap, but he doesn’t even blink. “Marcellus!” I shout, and this time, his head tips down ever so slightly.

That small movement gives me all the hope I need. The goblins stop attacking once the fake me takes control of my men, but I focus on Lust. I get the sense he’s the one in charge here.

I’ll deal with the bitch that stole my face and is trying to steal my men in a minute.

“Marcellus, do you remember when we were kids–”

My words are cut off when he sends a fucking fireball at me. I’m so caught off guard that I don’t have time to stop it. It slams into my stomach, and I scream in pain. I don’t have time to recover. I just move. I roll a few times, putting the fire out.

“When we were kids, I fell out of a tree, breaking my ankle. You found me. Took my pain away. Healed me. You were always there for me. You followed me into the games to keep me safe!” I groan, the pain of his fire nearly unbearable.

“Silence,” he says in a monotone voice.

“You don’t want to hurt me, Lust. You would never–” This time when he tosses his fire at me, I roll out of the way. I send a blast of my magic back at him, but it doesn’t even phase him. I sprint toward him, and he braces for an attack, but instead, I jump into his arms and press a kiss to his lips.

“I love you, Marcellus. I have loved you, and I’ll keep loving you. I won’t hurt you because I could never hurt someone I love. I forgive you. I just want you back. Come back to me, Lust…” I beg, and for a split second, the void in his eyes seems to fade. Only to return.

He’s going to kill me…

Lust

Kill her. Kill them. Kill all of them.

Moon must die. No!

Moonlight. Moon must die! Kill her, kill them all!

Not Moonlight. I blink, and horror fills me. Moonlight lies bleeding in the grass.

“You better hurry before they kill us,” the one with pink hair says. She’s being controlled too.

When I look at Moon again, I’m pulling out a dagger, dropping to my knees, and lifting the dagger to stab her heart. Kill her!

“No!” I shout, dropping the dagger and shaking my head. I press the palms of my hands to my eyes. “Moon?” I whisper, dropping my hands, so I can look at her. She’s not moving. Her eyes are open, but she’s not looking at me. I press my head to her chest… Her heart isn’t beating…

Shifting my entire upper body, I pluck a heart feather, one meant only for my mate. I don’t care. I’ll save Moon. I’ll sacrifice everything for Moon.

The feather is imbued with my life force, my soul. With everything that keeps my magic alive. It will bring Moon back.

I press the feather to her chest, willing it to bring her back.

“What are you doing?” the pink-haired girl asks. “You’re supposed to kill her! If we go back, and she’s not dead, the Queen will kill him!” she cries, panic filling her eyes. I feel bad. I don’t know who she’s talking about, but I can feel the fear in her words.

“Moon?” I whisper, as the feather sinks in. Shit hits the fan when Moon blinks. Her mates all move at once, attacking the pink-haired girl and the goblins as one.

“My power only lasts so long!” Pink head cries. Tristan moves in to attack her, but instead, he just restrains her.

“Do not fight. Remain still.” Tristan uses his compulsion to control her. Moon gasps, sitting up, and looks around. Silas heads straight for me.

I throw my hands up, surrendering.

“I’m no threat,” I say, but Silas grips my throat and slams me against the house.

“You killed her grandmother…” Silas snarls, and I shake my head as much as I can.

“He’s a Heart Bonded!” Moon shouts when she sits up. “Don’t kill him!” she begs, but she doesn’t spare me a second glance as Silas releases me.