 
### Focus

By Sarah Doughty

Copyright 2015 Sarah Doughty

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are use fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All Rights Reserved

Excerpt from Home copyright 2015 by Sarah Doughty

This book contains an excerpt from Home by Sarah Doughty. This excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the final content of the final edition.

Cover design and art: sheswideawake. Cover image copyright: Margo Black/Shutterstock.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

http://www.sarahdoughty.com
Table of Contents

Dedication

Epigram

Prologue

Focus

Aisling's Journal

Thank You Message

About the Author

Connect with the Author

Acknowledgments

Preview of Home
For my husband, Jeff. For always staying by my side and your willingness to fight my battles for me.
"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."

\- Aristotle Onassis
"Planets move in ellipses with the Sun at one focus."

\- Johannes Kepler
fire against ice

hope in the darkness

strength to overcome fear

focus amidst chaos

he is my sun

\- Aisling Green
Prologue

The Imprisoned One

I grumbled again. That was all I was doing those days. No matter how hard I tried, I could not penetrate through. A few people heard me, but not well enough, not enough to make any difference.

Destruction was my specialty, but centuries passed since I managed to wreak havoc on the world and I was getting bored. Angry.

Humans were feeble creatures. They did not listen to us like before. And it was getting very, very irritating. Over time, the lore about demons changed into something they called religion, but we were far, far older than that. We walked on Earth before man, and then man trapped us. We were not forgiving.

A few others like me were called out of the prison beneath the earth. Those lesser demons barely started before witches got in the way, destroying them before they could cause much damage.

If I ever escaped, I would do it right. Because those witches — the ones powerful enough to kill me — were all dead. Too bad, because it also meant that witches were no longer powerful enough to pull me through, either. It was a catch-twenty-two, as humans called it.

Fucking humans.

My fingers itched as my talons clawed at the metaphysical walls of the dark place, and I daydreamed of all the things I wanted to do.

Give me the opportunity to let my knowledge of the human race be used to my advantage, instead of sitting imprisoned, sucking up their knowledge like a sponge.

So many ways to bring them down.

I chomped at the bit to get out there.

Billions of souls were all waiting to be plucked out of the ether, coaxed into becoming more. The corrupted. The thought made me drool. I had so many, but I needed more.

Roaring into the empty expanse that surrounded me, the souls — my souls, the ones I corrupted over the millennia — cried out in response. My progeny. The children of the true night. The blackest of nights.

One day, they would help me with my quest. With their strength and talons, they'd be a formidable foe against my enemies. They were waiting for their opportunity.

The power in one of the living corrupted was growing. A dark one. A massive amount of energy, all at once, was siphoned. I could feel it. My time was nearing and I started whispering to the ones outside who would help me.

By the time the light turned on above me, calling me to the body of my host, I was vibrating with anticipation.

Instructions flashed across my mind, the voice invading my head as it told me what to do. If I had teeth, I would have ground them together as I listened. A name, an essence, was given to me. _Find her_ , the voice said. _Kill her_.

_Consider it done_ , I responded and opened the eyes of my host.

I was laying down on something soft, yet lumpy — a bed, I realized — while a woman with big tits moved above me, grinding against me and I groaned, having never felt such a thing before.

Arching my body, I grabbed her hips and pulled her down, impaling myself deeper inside her.

She came, twice, before she milked me dry, wrenching a call from my lips as I grabbed her tits and squeezed them roughly in my hands. Breathing hard, she collapsed over me, her hot breath hit my ear and I pushed her off me. "Hey!" she cried as she hit the dirty floor, but I ignored her.

I stretched, getting used to the body I inhabited, and then looked down at her, scowling at me. I grinned, turning on the Bannerst charm. At least, that was what he called himself before I took his body, claiming his corrupted soul. The first on this journey.

Her gaze grew wicked and softened.

"Come here, baby," I growled, "I'm going to lick every part of your body until you come for me again."

All too quickly, she jumped back on the bed next to me.

I took my time with her, learning how to move my body over hers, all the different ways I could possess her. True to my word, I made her come.

Then, after she collapsed for the last time, barely clinging to life as her broken and bleeding body refused to operate, I ripped the shade from the window and the sunlight streamed in. I could see palm trees and the ocean beyond them through the smudged panes. I turned to see the woman bathed in light.

My hand touched her forehead, and then I sucked her soul out of her body and devoured it. As she took her final breath, her soul exited her body and flew into mine, and I took her essence within me. I felt my power increase a fraction with her corruption. But I was going to need many more before my journey would be complete and I would be powerful enough to destroy the world.

With a grin, I embraced Bannerst, my host, and pulled on his trademark faded jeans and flannel shirt. Slipping on his cowboy boots, I walked out the door, leaving the body of the corrupted woman to rot in the sunlight.

I did not take orders. Did not like that the dark one was forcing me into that position. But, I would kill that bitch, just like I was ordered to. I would take my time doing it. I would make her beg for death.

And I knew exactly how to start.
Chapter 1

Aisling

The first thing I noticed, through the fog in my head as I woke up, were the voices. Then water. Two men were talking, sounding as if they were speaking from the other side of it. Like I was listening to them through the faraway sounds of a conch shell. I was lying on something cold and hard, but I couldn't open my eyes yet.

I tried to remember what happened and memories replayed in my mind.

The sound of Connor's laughter hit me as I looked at my phone and saw Angela was calling. Her new ringtone, courtesy of Connor, was _The Imperial March_ , playing at full volume. Then the sound of my best friend's alarmed voice hit me.

A few moments later, I discovered Connor, unconscious. I couldn't sense anyone but the store owner who was also knocked out. Then I was hit on the back of the head and collapsed on top of my fiancé before I went under.

Fear washed over me.

We were kidnapped.

The words of the men were muddled and I couldn't make them out, but their baritone voices were moving closer. With the sound of metal grinding against metal and a loud click that echoed across the room, the deafening squeal of a door swinging open came next.

Staying still, I listened to them move with heavy footsteps that bounced off the walls and echoed in quick succession.

"Shit, she's still out. Let's just come back later." One man said in a deep European accent.

"Ach! She should be awake. How much did ye give her?" The second man asked in a deeper accent.

"Exactly what you told me."

My sense of time was off, and I wasn't sure how much time passed since Connor and I were knocked out. But the bump on the back of my head that throbbed from the impact told me it hadn't been very long.

The percussive drumming from the bump increased and I knew I was going to have to move soon or I would develop a headache of massive proportions. Probably a migraine by the feel of it.

But that was the least of my worries.

Judging by the distinct European accent, I was guessing the men were Kramer Scholars — the first and most brutal sect of the Malleus Dei Maleficarum, or MDM, the Hammer of God Against Witches — that operated out of Germany.

The MDM were the world's most powerful supernatural killers. They were the ones that fueled the craze of the inquisition. The witch hunts, like Salem.

Heinrich Kramer wrote two books in the fifteenth century. One he published, one he didn't. They both had the same title, _Malleus Maleficarum_ , but it was the unpublished version the MDM used as their bible.

Other sects of the MDM investigated _others_ before they took any action. But the Kramer Scholars were the most devout group. They _preferred_ to kill. Or torture. Using some of the most depraved methods known to the inquisition.

Without opening my eyes, I could guess I was in some kind of dungeon, deep underground, with a river flowing over our heads. Combining that with the fact I was still alive meant they wanted me to talk. And scream. And bleed.

If I risked moving while the men were in the room, whatever they planned for me would begin. But I needed to know something first.

Careful to remain still, I sent magic outward, searching for that familiar pull of my fiancé.

Connor Jennings was a witch. But he was much more than that. He was my mate, a supernatural equivalent to a soul mate. Because of that, I could feel him, like a magnet. True North to my compass. If they took me, they probably took him as well.

It felt like pushing my power through thick mud, but I could feel him, his pull was faint, but there. He was nearby, but I couldn't pinpoint him. Wherever he was, he was in the dungeon with me. And he was still alive.

"I think I might know how to wake her up," the first man said, stepping toward me, boots smacking against wet stone with each step. I steeled myself, and willed my body to remain limp.

A rough hand snaked inside the neck of my shirt and gripped my breast, squeezing it, hard. Pain shot through me, but I didn't move.

"Josef, stop. Ye can't wake her—"

The man's voice cut off as Josef punched me in the face with his free hand.

Lights exploded across my eyes and my cheek felt like it was on fire, shooting all the way down past my sinuses into my brain. The pain in the back of my head increased from the sudden pressure.

Despite my best efforts, the combination of his hand, the punch, and the added pain at back of my head from the impact forced me to grunt in pain.

With one final, agonizing squeeze, Josef released me. "Told you I knew how to wake her up. The bitch was faking."

First of all, my life was never easy. I was abused when I was little. Not just emotionally, but physically as well. All by the hands of a man who hoped I'd become his lover when I hit my teenage years.

I didn't. Only because he discovered my mother was a witch and killed her when I was eleven. My grandmother cast a protection spell that made him forget me. But, since she didn't intend for the spell to last beyond the grave, he remembered and came back for me. And discovered what I was.

As the leader of an MDM group that monitored the Eastern half of the Midwest, my step-father, Martin, was a special kind of sociopath. He took his position with the MDM to his advantage and bastardized their creed to suit him. He wanted power from the very things he wanted to destroy. And I was the most powerful creature in existence.

In the end, he failed. I was forced to kill him to protect Connor and everyone else I cared about. Because a man like him would never give up trying to gain power. He made me miserable as a child, and he was determined to keep doing it until one of us was dead. I had no other choice. But the memories would never go away. I was haunted by them every day.

Despite my best attempts, both with magic and my body, I was too weak to put up any kind of fight against the men in my cell. I could barely lift my head.

The room was pulled straight from a nightmare. Dark cavernous stone walls, floors, and ceilings surrounded us, and the only light was a torch that sat in an anchor on the wall to my left. The ceiling was dripping in a few places and left little puddles on the stone floor. I was lying on a cold metal table in the middle of the room and there was a small table next to me.

For men that wanted to torture me, they looked pretty normal. They were both dressed in black, which I guessed was both a Kramer Scholar uniform, and practical for torture. After all, it would be difficult to clean blood from anything that wasn't black.

Their builds were at odds with each other, and they reminded me of Rocky and Bullwinkle. One was tall and skinny, the other short and round. But with the dim light, it was hard for me to really make out their features.

Josef, the tall one, kept eyeing my chest with a gaze I could only describe as lust as his unnamed partner strapped me to the table. When he finished, Josef handed him a normal-looking carry on suitcase.

The short man placed it on the table next to me, angling it so I could see it, and released the latch. Then, he opened it.

Ice slid down my spine as I saw what was inside.

None of its contents would ever be allowed on an airplane.

Some were sharp. Some rusted and dull. There were many I didn't recognize at all. There were several items that looked like medieval sexual objects. I didn't need to see them in action to know just how awful it would be to have them used on me. There were some so terrible I wished I never saw them at all.

Knowing what kinds of tortures they employed in the past was one thing. It was an entirely different story to be the one strapped to a table, waiting for it to begin. Terror coursed through my veins as I watched the man consider me and his tools in the dim, flickering torch light.

Cold sweat beaded on my forehead and my heart hammered in my chest so loud, I was certain they could hear it. My eyes were wide and the way the man's nostrils flared made me think he could smell my fear. I couldn't be sure, considering how my magic was so depleted and useless, but neither one of them emitted an aura.

Auras surrounded and were seen by supernatural creatures. The colors of the auras represented the emotional state of the creature it surrounded. Magical objects emitted auras, too, but only as a reflection of the type of magic used on them, light or dark.

Also, Kramer Scholars didn't employ others. At least I had that much to go on for certain.

The round man standing next to me nodded as he assessed my face one last time. "Do ye know where ye are, _Aisling Green_?" his heavily accented voice spat my name like it was dirty.

"Hell," I rasped.

"Ah," he chuckled. "Not yet. But ye will be soon enough. Ye've met my associate, Josef. I am Bernard." His hand covered his chest and he bent his head forward in a formal bow.

That asshole was fucking with me. "Lovely to meet you," I said dryly, trying to focus on anger and not fear.

"Let's get started, shall we?" he asked. Bernard was all business, as if he was calling a board meeting to order. He cracked his knuckles and turned back to his suitcase of pain.

So much for anger.

It was no wonder post-traumatic stress disorder plagued me. And it was also no surprise that the things my torturer planned to do sent me spiraling against waves of fear. Both of the present, and the past. I closed my eyes, not wanting to know what item he was going to use first.

Pain in my cheek exploded, stinging from the force of a slap. "Nuh-uh, girl. You pay attention to me now," Bernard grabbed my chin and his fingers bit into my flesh. "Whatever ye are doing, ye stop and focus on me." His hand dropped away and he leaned down, the smell of rotten onions hit me with the force of his hot breath. "How did ye become Earthen?"

I wasn't surprised their line of questions would begin with my status as an Earthen. Witches derived their power from the moon and were defined as light or dark, depending on the types of magic they used. But Earthen witches were none of those.

Earthens derived their power from both the moon and the Earth. Which meant different rules, and more power. An awful lot of it. And that made them the most powerful creatures in existence. It even made them royalty in the supernatural world.

But for three hundred years, they were thought to be extinct. Then I came along. And suddenly everyone was interested in me. For different reasons.

His eyes sparkled with excitement, and I could tell in that moment, he didn't _want_ me to talk. He wanted me silent so he could use all the goodies inside his suitcase.

I didn't want that to happen and questions like that I could answer. It wasn't as though they didn't already know most of it anyway.

"I didn't," I ground out, before my torturer punched me in the same cheek that was already pounding. Tasting blood on my tongue as my inner cheek cut against my teeth, I moaned from the growing pressure inside my head.

"If I have to ask ye one more time, I'm going to start slicing into ye pretty face." For emphasis, he pulled a rusted blade from the suitcase. One side jutted out, curving into a nasty and painful-looking point. It looked like a blade meant for carving deep lines in flesh.

I shivered. "I'm telling you the truth. I turned twenty-one and it just started happening. It was small at first, and then slowly developed."

How's that for truth?

The blade cut across my cheek and I screamed. I felt warm, thick liquid spill down to my ear and into my hair. My scream faded to a shaky groan as he pulled the blade away from my face.

"Impossible," he spat.

What did he want me to say?

His friend, Josef, looked like a flea as he bounced from foot to foot in excitement. He stared at the blood seeping from my cheek.

"Fine. I bound myself to the moon while it was full, during a lunar eclipse. I think it helped that I was on my period."

Why not throw in a little flair?

I considered throwing in some more, like sacrificial bunny rabbits, but figured that might be too much.

" _Better_. Why did it work?" he asked, sounding out his w's as v's.

" _That_ I don't know. I just wanted to be a witch so I could...," good lord what could I say? "So I could be pretty."

Realizing too late the cost of that statement, he dragged the blade down my other cheek. I bit my lip, hard, to keep from screaming again. "Ye will never be pretty again, bitch," Bernard said with a predator's smile, all teeth.

I never believed I was pretty, let alone beautiful.

Standing at five and a half feet tall, I always thought my athletic body was at odds with my curves and ample chest. Long curly hair hung to the middle of my back and annoyed me more than I actually enjoyed it. I thought my blue eyes, peaches and cream skin, and full lips were my best features.

Then Connor came along and showed me how wrong I was.

I would like to say my time in the dungeon with Bernard and Josef was met with a bunch of bravado and snide remarks from me, but it would be a lie. I stopped responding after that. They were going to torture me whether I talked or not.

Sure enough, Bernard asked me questions about what I could do with my power. And he kept slicing and cutting for the sheer enjoyment of it.

Torture is not something anyone should ever go through. I thought the abuse from my step-father was bad, but torture took the grand prize.

By the time he got around to asking me about the demon that Martin planned to summon, I was lost in my head. I barely registered the question and wondered how he knew about the demon before the waves crashed into me and took me with them.

Flashback after flashback of memories hit me like tidal waves.

I was a child, shivering, praying, while I listened to the drunken footsteps of my step-father ascending the stairs.

Years later, frantic over a dog he poisoned with antifreeze. I was powerless to stop his death. To end his suffering. All I could do was cry, and say goodbye to my only friend.

Then I was a teenager, always looking over my shoulder, wondering if he was out there, coming for me. Always feeling unsafe in my own skin. Always withdrawn. Careful with my emotions.

I was everywhere.

Everywhere else but in that dark dungeon with the man torturing me.

I thought I beat the flashbacks. Overcame them. But they came flooding back with a vengeance that I, for once in my life, embraced. It was the one time I welcomed them.

The sounds of wailing off in the distance hit me, and I realized, too late, they were coming from me. My torturer burned, poked, prodded, sliced, and even broke bones. I was dimly aware of the expanding list of injuries as Bernard worked me over, but I was too lost to fully register them.

The reprieve from the pain sheltered me from the brunt of it, as Bernard no doubt grew angry at my lack of response to his questions. I screamed, but not from the torturer and what he did with my body that day. It was a natural reaction to the flashbacks, but I didn't think he realized the difference.

Or if he did, he didn't care.

After a while, the shouting of the questioning men faded and the onslaught of new injuries stopped and they left.

I was alone.

Howling in the darkness of my personal hell.

I didn't know how long I was on that cold metal table, but eventually, everything faded away. And for the first time, I welcomed the blackness that swept me away into nothingness.

### Chapter 2

I woke up on the table with my muscles screaming in protest. I felt the stickiness of dried blood that clung to me everywhere.

My torturers were gone and my cell was silent except for the constant sound of water flowing all around me. The straps holding me to the table were gone and I lifted my arms.

Several fingers on both hands were bent at odd angles and they shot pain up my arms when I tried to move them. My ring was gone. I looked down and saw my white shirt was dirty, bloodstained, and ripped in several places. Then I noticed the orb around my neck was gone. The one that warned me if Connor was in danger. Looking lower, my white-washed jeans didn't look much better. But at least they were still on.

At least they didn't violate me with any of those sexual torture devices.

Almost every inch of exposed skin was either cut or burned. From what I remembered of the days of the inquisition, they were just getting started.

I sat up, biting my swollen lip and drew fresh blood to keep from crying out. I realized my left eye was almost swollen shut. My long, curly hair was matted with blood, but at least wasn't cut off.

Small wonders.

I stood up, using the table for balance. My ankle screamed in protest and I took my weight off it as a wave of dizziness washed over me, but I stayed upright.

Just like before, I sent out my magic, searching for Connor's magnetism. He was there, still faint. Like a thick sea of molasses hindered my magic as I attempted to push through it.

But why?

I never had so much difficulty using my power once it developed.

Since I was on my feet, I took a good look around my cell. Through the limited light in the room, I could see the walls were man made of stone, not a cave as I thought. The space seemed ancient, like it was mortared centuries ago.

The cell door was an intricately woven iron masterpiece with religious symbols I recognized, but didn't understand welded to it. I hoped the iron explained the feeling of pushing my magic through a thick, gloopy ocean.

I stepped forward — well, limping would be more accurate — and assessed the door. Running an unbroken finger over it, I felt an unpleasant tingle. Yeah, it was solid iron. A lot of it.

Iron affected witches, dampened their powers, or in some cases, prevented it. But as an Earthen, it wasn't a problem for me. But then again, I only dealt with small pieces of it. And, once I knew how to use my power, I could manipulate it with ease.

Perhaps it was the massive door. Or perhaps there was more iron in the dungeon than I realized, but it still didn't make sense that it could affect me so much. Prevent me from using magic, even on a very limited capacity.

My good fingers gripped the door and pulled. But of course, it was locked. I assessed my options and took another look around the room.

I could stay, and wait for my torturers to return. Lead me closer to death. Unable to escape because of the injuries. And leave Connor to the same fate.

But as long as I was alive, I would never take that option. I would never stop trying. Never leave Connor like that. He was everything to me.

The tables were both bolted to the floor, but I figured if there was anything usable in the cell around me, I could try to break the door open, but such a move would attract attention.

I had to get out of my cell quietly. I needed to find Connor. And then we needed to escape.

That left one option. With the throbbing pain in my head combined with the weakness caused by the injuries and blood loss, I wasn't sure if I could do it.

If an Earthen needed will to use magic, then by god, I was going to will the whole damn dungeon to pieces to find Connor.

If I could get the magic to work.

One of the perks of being an Earthen witch meant that in normal circumstances, magic would happen by will alone. The more I _felt_ an emotion, the more potent the power. And I had a hell of a lot of emotion.

I didn't need to light any candles or chant to use magic, like other witches. I just needed to want it. There were two ways magic would work for me. By a defensive reflex or by knowing what I wanted. The first time I learned I could use magic on reflex was with a vampire.

Liam spent the last three centuries searching for new Earthens and he showed me what I could do. Not only did he move with a blur of speed, but he was inhumanly strong.

I matched his speed with ease, but when he feigned an attack on Connor, the only thought running through my mind was to get the vampire away from him. Magic peeled him away, like pulling the lid off a sardine can. Bones broke from Liam's fingers to his forearms, bending his arms back in the wrong direction.

It was brutal.

And it was effective.

That was the defensive magic.

It was all from a single-minded effort to protect Connor.

Everything I could do was because of him. He was the source of the greatest emotion. Love. Because my love for him overpowered everything else, he was my power.

But that was only the beginning. I had the ability to tap into those emotions and bring them out.

When I unleashed, my power was limitless.

So, it was more than a little disturbing that I had so much trouble accessing it in that dungeon.

My torturers mentioned giving me something, but failed to mention what they gave me. Was it drugs? I didn't know of any drugs that could affect a witch. Let alone one like me.

Supernaturals, or _others_ , weren't susceptible to disease. And drugs were supposed to flow through our bodies. Without hitting the bloodstream.

I'm no scientist, but according to Liam, drugs were meant for human metabolisms. The thresholds of energy in _others_ were extreme and our metabolisms were far faster and beyond anything that humans possessed.

If there was a drug that could affect us, we didn't know about it. And that was very dangerous for us if the Kramer Scholars had such a weapon. Especially for me.

So which was it that was reducing my ability to use magic to almost nothing? Drugs? Iron? A combination of both perhaps? I didn't know.

But I needed to unlock _one_ lock. One lock. And I would have my chance to find and save Connor. If I couldn't, we would both die in that dungeon. I needed to get out of the cell. Then I would worry about saving my fiancé.

A glint of something green caught my eye on the floor near the corner and I knelt down for a closer look, wincing from the pain that shot through my ankle. It sat on the stone floor in a layer of dust and dirt. The green opal stone stood out the most, followed by the intricate Celtic designs on the body of the white gold ring.

My ring.

I thought they took it from me. They must have dropped it. I picked it up as best I could with the limited use of my broken hands and wiped the dirt away, blowing the debris off its smooth surface.

My ring finger was broken, bent backward at an unnatural degree. So I stood up, keeping my weight off my ankle, and braced myself on the wall for balance. Then I tucked it in the back pocket of my jeans before moving back to the door.

I took a deep breath and tried to muster every ounce of energy left in my body to fixate on the lock.

Then I thought of my ring and the man that gave it to me.

Aisling Marie Green, will you marry me?

I focused on the scent of wood smoke. His scent. The way his lips curved or how they would twitch when he tried not to smile. Their softness and how they felt as they moved against mine. The way he tasted. How he would throw his head back in guffaws, revealing his throat.

Piercing, deep brown eyes made my knees weak when they gazed at me. A jaw that could have been chiseled from marble, darkened with stubble. The feel of his hair under my fingertips, or how it curtained around his face when he bent his head forward to kiss me. And how the rest of the world could fall away when I was with him.

Hair lifted on the back of my neck as magic rolled off me. With a single-minded focus, I shot power out of my body into the lock of the cell door. I could feel it resist and my magic dropped. My shoulders slumped and I leaned my forehead against the door, breathing hard from exertion.

Three attempts later, the door unlocked with a click that seemed to bounce off the walls of the dimly lit hallways outside. I froze, waiting to see if anyone would come running for me. But no one came.

The squeal of the door opening on unlubricated hinges was even louder than the click.

It sounded like a scream.

I froze. Waited.

Again, no one came to see what caused the noise. Silence stretched on and I slipped through the narrow opening, attempting to ease the door closed behind me. And the screech was less severe.

Then I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding.

Step one was finished. But my work was far from over.

It was time for step two.

### Chapter 3

The door was at the top of a 'T' intersection of hallways. They were built from the same stone as my cell. The walls, floors, and ceilings were mortared together, and the stone was crumbling in some areas. It made me wonder if the dungeon was much older than I thought.

Torches sat in holders anchored to the walls every few yards down each hallway. The dim, flickering orange lights bouncing off the stone surfaces only added to the feeling that it was there for a very, very long time. Deep underground.

It didn't help that the feeling of claustrophobia washed over me.

The sound of flowing water overhead was much louder in the hallway than it was inside the cell. The sound bounced off the walls and echoed, only amplifying the noise.

I understood then, why no one came running at the sounds of my door opening and closing. There was no way anyone would be able to hear it, unless they were within eyesight of the door. Or something like a vampire or a werewolf were in the vicinity.

The hallways were wide enough to hold three people across without being cramped, and the lack of places to hide in the dungeon made me feel even less encouraged that Connor and I would find our way out.

My magic spiraled out of me, searching again. I focused on Connor, searching for his location, despite the thickness resisting me. And, just like when we were attacked, I couldn't sense anything. No humans. No _others_. Just Connor's pull.

Once I figured out how to unleash my magic, I was able to feel everything. I could sense vampires as empty, electrified pockets of air, were-animals as sort of an earthly charge, witches as the type of magic they used, light or dark, and humans as normal pockets of energy. I was still learning to identify them, but they were always there, because I could always feel them around me.

Whatever was happening — the iron or the drugs — it wasn't just dampening it. It was muted. Gone. If I stumbled across any of the humans in that dungeon, it would mean I failed.

Any human wandering around the dungeon would no doubt be working as a Scholar. And that made my job of finding Connor more difficult.

But I needed to find Connor. Soon. Or my luck was going to run out.

If Connor's connection to me wasn't so strong, with the strength of a mate, I probably couldn't have located him at all in the maze. But I found him through the thickness once already. I knew I could find him again.

After a few moments, I found him to my left and I started moving. My limp caused me to make a shuffling noise as I walked, but I pressed on, hoping the cacophony of water would cloud my sounds.

The pain in my ankle rose, and I knew the swelling wouldn't allow me to keep moving for long.

Under normal circumstances, I loved to walk. At home in Nashville, Indiana, I walked for hours a day. It was a small town, but it was beautiful. Peaceful to walk those streets. To walk in the park.

Surrounded by rolling hills and a seemingly limitless forest, Nashville was nestled against Brown County State Park. It wasn't only the largest park, but arguably the most beautiful in the state.

For me, it was about the tranquility. There were miles upon miles of trails for hiking or bike riding, but sometimes the best places were found _off_ the roads. That's how my grandmother found the clearing all those years ago. By walking around, off the trails.

It was a place Gramma consecrated as her preferred place to cast spells and enjoy nature. Her sacred place.

She filled it with wildflowers and primroses, while an old, forgotten bridge sat near the edge of the clearing, arching over a creek, offering dry passage. It was as if the park forgot the place existed and let the forest swallow it up.

It was special to me because it was special to her. And it was special to Connor because it brought him into my life.

Walking at home was nothing compared to walking through the halls of a dungeon filled with iron.

Connor's magnetism pulled me closer and closer, and just when I thought I was almost to him, the hallway stopped in a dead end. I turned around and made my way to the next hallway.

When I found it, I turned, hurrying as much as my ankle would allow. I reached the end of the hallway, and instead of ending like the last, it opened up into a much larger space. It was like the core of a hive.

I pulled back at the last second when Bernard and Josef walked by, talking in low voices. I refused to listen to their conversation about what they planned for me next. It was casual, as if discussing torture was as common as discussing the weather.

After they disappeared down the next hallway and the sound of their footfalls disappeared, I stepped into the chamber, staying close to the walls.

The room was large, round and several doors lined its walls between five hallways that extended outward. Torches flickered near the doors and one, large pit burned in the middle of the space, illuminating it with an undulating orange glow.

A scream erupted into the space and my heart sank.

I knew what was happening.

I knew that voice.

Connor's screams filled the air and my tears began to fall.

I ducked into a small alcove that was darkened by shadow, and it still offered a view of the cell where Connor and his torturers were. Slinking back into the unforgiving cold stone, I bit my lip, trying to hold back the sobs that threatened to overtake me from hearing Connor's cries of pain.

I wanted nothing more than to unleash my magic and kill those men that were hurting him. I wanted to tear into their skin and rip it from their bones. But I could do none of those things.

So I cowered in the shadows.

And waited.

But that became too much. Every cell in my body was screaming at me to go out there and save the man I loved. If I did, without strength or magic, we would both die.

The only thing that kept me from screaming every time Connor let out a pained howl was my hand. I distracted myself by shoving my broken fingers back in proper alignment, one by one, with each sound Connor made.

My aching fist clenched into a ball and I shoved it against my mouth. Instead of crying out when Connor did, I whimpered.

I didn't know what those men were doing, but I could hear the wet, smacking sounds of fists colliding with Connor's body. The sounds of strange metallic objects being selected or used grated against my skull and my stomach knotted in protest.

My ankle burned and my body grew weaker as I stood and waited for the men to finish their slow torment. I tried to access my power, muster the energy to end Connor's torture and to stop those men from hurting him.

But I couldn't even generate sparks from my hands. Whatever was impeding my magic wasn't improving.

God, but it was infuriating not being able to use my magic when I needed it.

I pushed into the corner of the small alcove, shrinking into the shadows further as I waited for them stop.

Please. Stop hurting him.

Their voices were muffled against Connor's pained shouts. Combined with the sound of water rushing around the dungeon and the fire crackling in the pit, it made it very difficult to hear what they wanted from him.

But I managed to catch one question.

"What is she capable of?"

Those five words told me enough.

The only reason Connor was alive was because they wanted to know about me. They were asking Connor the same questions the foul-breathed Bernard asked me. They might have wanted to know, but they were more focused on the torture than any truths we could tell.

What was I capable of?

That was a good question.

Before we were taken, Connor's number one lesson was everything is real and possible. If we believed that, we couldn't be caught off guard. Up to that point, he hadn't been wrong. And I didn't expect he ever would.

But since we were captured and brought to the dungeon, I wasn't capable of much at all. Whatever they did to me rendered me useless.

The only sounds leaving Connor's lips were screams and moans.

He wasn't talking at all.

Not about me. Not about anything.

God, but he was selfless. Even in moments like that, he was protecting me.

It was like him to be self-sacrificing. Pride swelled in me. He was enduring what I knew from experience to be the worst pain imaginable, just to protect me.

He was always protecting me.

Anger washed over me and I pulled my fist from my mouth. I braced it against the wall. With one swift motion, I shoved the back of my other hand in an upward motion against my forearm, and the remaining broken fingers snapped into place. I bit my lip and managed to not cry out with the intense pain that shot through me.

I was going to need my hands. I would fight those men hand to hand if I had to. I would lose. But I wasn't going to go down without a fight.

The Kramer Scholars were sadistic to epic proportions. Their goal was to cause as much pain as they could before they would let Connor die.

If I knew anything about them, it was that their skill to inflict the most heinous torture imaginable in their search for the truth knew no limits. After all, they learned it from the man that started it.

Remembering back to the droves of information that Connor and Liam told me, during the mid-fifteenth century, the Pope of the Catholic Church asked Heinrich Kramer to develop a document on witches.

His methods were so depraved that once he completed the _Malleus Maleficarum_ and presented it to the Church, even they disowned it. But there were plenty of people that believed him, and wanted to learn from him.

I knew that they were just beginning with the torture. I just didn't know how long they would make us suffer. How long we would be alive.

Not having any way to track the passage of time in that place, I knew the clock was winding down. They were going to find out I escaped. I wondered if they would think I found my way out without Connor, or if his cell would be the first place they would look.

As if on cue, the scream erupting from Connor cut off with the sound of another fist. The hard hit seemed to echo across the hive, mocking me at my inability to save him.

To stop them.

And my heart sank.

I closed my eyes and forced myself to breathe as the men spoke in hurried German to each other, the urgency and incredulity of one of the voices made me think that Connor's abrupt silence wasn't supposed to happen.

Did they just kill him?

I refused to let my mind travel any further down that road.

He would be alright.

I was going to save him.

I repeated those two sentences to myself.

One by one, the sounds of metal clanking against metal sounded out into the chamber until finally, I heard the sound of a suitcase closing.

How many torture weapons did they use on him?

Connor's cell door pushed open and I sank back further into the cover of darkness, grateful my dirty and bloodied clothes were dark enough to keep me hidden in the nook.

Two men stepped out and locked the door with an old, iron skeleton key. They walked, one holding the suitcase full of torture devices, while the other smiled and spoke to his companion in German while he assessed his fists.

They were darkened with blood.

How much of that blood belonged to Connor?

Through the dim light, I couldn't tell if he had any wounds of his own. But I knew from experience in the few weeks Connor and I spent at Liam's home, training in hand-to-hand combat with his nest of vampires, that hitting something that hard would have broken some of his flesh as well.

I waited, glaring at them as they followed the same path as my torturers. When they disappeared down the torch-lit hallway, I waited until I couldn't hear their heavy footsteps and voices any longer.

God, but I was going to save Connor.

Or die trying.

### Chapter 4

Moving towards Connor's cell door as quick and as silent as possible, my heart raced, hammering in my chest so loud, I was sure the whole world could hear it.

God, but I couldn't move fast enough.

Where was my inhuman speed when I needed it? I could barely breathe from the fear running through me.

Would Connor be alright?

I forced myself to push the thoughts from my head, knowing my imagination would get the better of me if I let it, and then I would never muster up the will to save him if the magic returned.

As I reached the door, I realized it was different than the one at my cell. The door wasn't woven, allowing the light to filter through. It was solid iron and it hummed with energy. There were similar religious symbols welded into it.

As far as I knew, symbols like that didn't affect witches, unless they were spelled. And I didn't sense any magic or see any auras coming from them.

My eye caught the rune above the door. It was bolted to the wall and a faint inky aura surrounded it. I didn't know what the symbol meant, but it was a magical rune. Dark magic.

I couldn't believe the hypocrisy of the Malleus Dei Maleficarum — Kramer Scholars included. For a group insanely devoted to ridding the world of mystical creatures, they employed the very thing they wanted eradicated.

They were also ignorant. Having a magical object that close to so much iron would make it inert. I couldn't even feel the power rolling off of it, it was so weak.

As the leader of the local MDM, my step-father took the prize for the biggest hypocrite of all — enslaving an army of witches in an attempt to take power for his own. The Kramer Scholars, the first and most fundamental to Heinrich Kramer's cause, believing in everything he taught in the book, right down to the torture, were employing magic to aid them in their ultimate quest.

If Kramer was alive and knew what even his most devout followers were doing, he would torture and kill them himself.

My aching hands touched the door and I pushed through the uncomfortable tingle rushing up my arms. I focused on the door and its lock. The only thing standing between me and the man I needed to rescue. The thing I desperately needed to break through.

I visualized Connor again, with a single-minded focus on reaching him. Saving him.

Footsteps sounded nearby, but they were still faint. I pressed my aching hands harder into the cold iron door and felt magic roll off me. The hair on the back of my neck rose and my power pulsed back against the door with a sudden burst of energy, sending an electrical charge through it.

The lock clicked.

I gasped, pulling the door open in a rush, hoping it wouldn't make as much noise. It let out a faint groan, but nothing more. I stepped inside Connor's cell and spun, pushing the door closed behind me and listened as the footsteps retreated in the opposite direction.

Resting my forehead against the cold metal of the door, it stung from the slices across my skin. But whatever it was about the door — the magic of the rune above it, the religious symbols, the iron, or a combination of all three — pushed back at me, sending more pain through my head. I pulled back and turned slowly, taking in the space and the smell of more blood.

The cell looked about the same. It was even about the same size. Since Connor's door was solid, his torturers left the torch on the wall.

It sat in an anchor that was bolted to the stone wall on my left, casting a flickering orange glow throughout the dark, stone room. It did nothing but add to the grim atmosphere.

Connor was lying on the metal table in the middle of the empty space. His aura was faint and gray. Even while unconscious, he was afraid. I gasped and moved toward him, ignoring the screaming protest of my ankle.

God, Connor looked terrible.

He was missing several fingernails. His torturers weren't careful when they ripped them off either.

I could see a tiny bit of bone peeking out from how much they removed. His nose bent at an odd angle in the middle and oozed a trickle of blood down his cheeks toward the table.

Covered in blood like me, he looked like he could be dead, if it weren't for the steady rise and fall of his chest and the faint gray aura of fear that surrounded him.

Hot tears stung the flayed skin of my cheeks as they fell from my eyes. "Oh, god, Connor. What did they do to you?" I couldn't tell if it was a whisper or a whimper.

Considering my options carefully, I assessed him. First, I knew I wouldn't be able to carry him. And I didn't have enough magic to levitate him out of there either.

If he were to regain consciousness, there was no telling the injuries he sustained that I couldn't see. He might not be able to walk. And we didn't have time to wait for him to come around again.

I didn't know if what I was about to try would even work, but I couldn't help him any other way. I needed to at least try to help him.

Knowing it was my only option, and despite my magic still being weak, if unlocking his cell door compared to mine was any indication, my powers were beginning to come back to me.

A girl can dream, anyway.

I put one hand on the top of Connor's head and the other over his heart, in the same place where I laid my head every night when we slept. Closing my eyes, I willed my magic out of me, and pushed it into him.

When my power was at its highest, I was able to heal him. But his injuries weren't as severe. I even healed Shadow, Connor's longtime friend and werewolf. My step-father planned to kill him, but I saved the wolf by removing the iron ore bullet from his broken body and repaired his various wounds and broken bones.

All with magic.

My will.

Both times, I was in full Earthen mode. Unleashed.

The amount of iron in the dungeon didn't bode well for my chances of success, especially since I was having so much difficulty using even a small amount of magic.

Biting my lip, I pushed harder, _willing_ him to heal with every cell in my body. I couldn't let him suffer like that. Wouldn't. I _had_ to help him. " _Heal_ ," the thousand voices whispered from my mouth.

They were all the Earthen witches that ever existed. Infused within me. They were usually quiet and only spoke when they were unleashed or whispered to help me in tricky situations.

Their voices resonated through me and they were very haunting. I wasn't unleashed, yet they were speaking. But I didn't care. Only one thing mattered to me.

Nothing mattered to me more than healing him in that moment. It didn't matter that our chances of survival were slim. Didn't matter that I couldn't heal my injuries.

Besides, with years of practice to learn how to deal with pain, I could handle it.

Connor's breathing strengthened with the steady movement of his chest, it sounded clear and less nasal as compared to moments before. The beating of his heart grew stronger under my hand as well, but I pushed harder.

" _Heal_ ," the thousand voices whispered again, and the sound reverberated across the walls.

Connor began to moan in pain. I knew what it felt like having vampire blood coursing through my system, painfully speeding up the healing process.

When I suffered severe burns on my feet after my step-father sent his MDM mercenaries to attack me, Liam gave me his blood and my burned flesh fell away and was replaced by new skin in a matter of seconds. But it hurt like hell in the process.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. I hoped Connor's pain from healing wasn't worse than the torture itself.

My knees wobbled and my breath came in gasps as I pushed every last bit of magic I could into him before the deep, dark oblivion that awaited me with open arms took me in its embrace and I crumpled to the floor.

### Chapter 5

"What?" The sound of my fiancé's whisper hit me. He sounded far away, lost behind the sounds of my own blood pumping in short bursts through my body.

I smiled inwardly because my muscles wouldn't cooperate with me, and exhaustion kept her hands wrapped around my throat in a vice grip.

"Oh, my god. Aisling!" Connor's low voice filled the space with an urgency I couldn't feel. There was a shuffling of movement and the sound of feet hitting the ground. "Honey, what did they do to you?" His voice was closer.

I felt his hands on my face, and I moaned at the surge of pain that jolted me from the sting of his flesh against the flayed skin on my face. The warmth of his skin moved to the top of my head, gently stroking my matted hair. It was the only place on my head he could touch without hurting me.

On the inside, my head pounded with the force of a jackhammer, feeling like my brain was knocking against my skull.

"Look at me, honey," he coaxed me.

I didn't want to wake up. I was afraid I didn't succeed in healing him. Afraid I failed. I didn't want to deal with seeing his broken face. His broken body. He was conscious at least.

Wait, he got off the table?

My right eye shot open and found Connor leaning over me. But my left eye wouldn't open at all. His aura was still gray as I looked him over.

Connor's hair was matted in a few places where blood trickled into it. I studied his face, still covered in various stages of drying blood, but his wounds were gone. And his nose was straight again.

"You're okay?" I asked, reaching up to his face. I touched his cheeks but my arms were too weak to stay. My hands fell and the movement sent shock waves of pain through my hands and up my arms.

He pulled me up into his arms and hugged me. I could smell wood smoke underneath the coppery scent of blood that covered us. The sudden movement and his fierce embrace hurt, but I stayed silent, not wanting to leave the safety of his arms.

Connor was healed. It worked.

"Of course I'm alright. You healed me." He smoothed my hair away from my face and smiled. "I didn't know they took you. I'm so sorry," his voice trailed off and his smile faded.

Looking at my face, his jaw clenched and his dark eyes reflected the orange glow from the torch. Anger and sadness surrounded him with a bright green and deep blue glow of his aura.

"My face, they've...," I didn't want to know how bad I looked. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to stay calm. There were bigger things to worry about than my ruined face.

Connor shook his head. "You'll be alright. We'll get Liam to fix you up. We just need to get out of here."

Relieved at the change of topic, I swallowed. "They gave me something. Some kind of drug, I don't know what. But it took an awful lot of energy to just unlock the doors. I don't think it's just the iron, Connor."

"Don't worry about that right now. We'll figure it out. We need to move. Do you know the way out?"

I started to shake my head, but winced as the pressure grew to staggering proportions. "No."

"Do you think you can walk?"

"I can try. I'm not going to be able to move very fast though."

"If we have to run, I can carry you. But I'd rather save my energy if it's needed."

That made perfect sense. "Okay."

Connor moved to his feet and pulled me up, steadying me on my feet with his hands on my shoulders.

I nodded up to him when I had my balance. But before I realized he moved, his lips slanted over mine with a feather light touch. The combination of pain and pleasure rocketed through me when he kissed me. "I'm glad you're alright," he said, low, as he pulled away.

The sound of voices filtered through the door and we both froze, listening, and waited. Laughter reached us, and then they faded away again.

"Do you know which direction we should try to go?" he whispered.

I closed my eye and concentrated on the magic, sending it outward like a net. Searching for anything that might tell us where to go.

Behind Connor, I felt, well, nothing. It was dense and thick. Above us, I could feel more of it, but it was the opposite of dense, almost like empty space but, not. Then, I focused behind me.

We were underground. That much I already knew. Even though I couldn't feel anyone in the dungeon, I could feel people beyond the walls of the dungeon. A lot of people. I pointed. "That way. It's a bit of a distance, but I can feel tons of people beyond this place. Above ground. I just can't feel anyone in here."

"Let's go," he said and pulled my arm over his shoulders to help support me. I hissed from the pain as the gashes in my arm ripped open again. "Are you alright?"

I would be. If we could get out of the dungeon. I nodded.

Connor walked me to the door, slid it open, and whispered, "Then let's get out of here."

### Chapter 6

The dungeon was every bit a hellish purgatory. In every sense of the word. Anyone brought to a place like that, deep underground, it was meant to be the last place they would ever see before death.

It was _meant_ to not only be a place where torture could take place freely, but it was meant to be a torture on all the senses.

Not only could their victims never feel the warm glow of the sun again, but the dim light of flickering torches seemed to amplify the feeling of impending doom. Even the walls offered no relief. The cold stone mocked its prisoners, offering no way to escape.

Sounds were perfectly controlled. Every sound that traveled through the endless maze of hallways and prison cells just drove the point home about the likelihood of survival. The endless torrent of water made that place of Hell on Earth feel completely cut off from the outside world.

The sounds of moaning and screaming bounced off the walls and haunted the ones waiting for their own slow descent into death. The only other sounds that could be heard were from the men inflicting the pain on their victims.

Combining the iron, religious symbols, and the runes that hummed with dark magic, the dungeon even turned witchcraft against its inhabitants.

On an even deeper level, emotionally, it was just as debilitating. A mental prison. Knowing the end was coming. Enduring everything before hope was lost and death was welcomed, just to see it come to an end.

It was as if the main door had a big neon sign that said, _Abandon hope, ye who enter here._

It was a final, physical prison, designed to strip away the will to live in every way imaginable.

Even I could feel the overwhelming hopelessness of the prison.

We walked in silence down empty, torch lit hallways, speeding past rooms that occasionally sent screams out after us.

My heart hurt with every scream that reverberated against the stones. Countless supernaturals before us felt their agonizing final days in that dungeon and an unquantifiable number of _others_ were still imprisoned there.

All of the suffering from the past, the present, and what would no doubt come in the future, all resonated against my heart.

Some cells were empty. The doors were left open, awaiting the next person to perish within its walls. A few emitted a rotting odor that I refused to analyze further.

I wondered how long those _others_ suffered by the hands of the men that wandered the halls with their suitcases full of terror and pain. I wondered how long their broken and lifeless bodies would remain there, forgotten like pieces of trash. I didn't want to know what they did with the bodies after they were left to rot in their cells.

Connor's fear and anger were apparent as his aura swirled with gray and green. He squeezed the hand I draped over his shoulder, offering what comfort he could. Promising me, we would get out. We would survive it.

On more than one occasion, we heard footsteps or voices through the cacophony of water that never ceased to surround us and fill the halls with white noise. I didn't think I would never enjoy the sound of flowing water ever again.

We managed to duck down another hallway, hugging the walls in the shadows until the sounds of the torturers either passed or faded away. Other times, we found an empty cell and slipped inside just before the guards rounded the corner into view.

Entering a cell buzzing with flies was the worst. The rotten fragrance of decaying flesh and fluids oozing from orifices and open wounds, all mixed with the metallic scent of blood filled the air.

If I ever smelled something like that again in my life, it would be too soon.

I never looked behind me. My good eye clamped closed, and I turned my head into Connor's chest, breathing in his scent of wood smoke as comfort. I didn't want yet another image haunting my nightmares.

If Connor looked, he never gave any indication of it. He stayed firm and strong, and kept his back to the cell, so I wouldn't see. He understood how something like that was affecting me. It would scar him too. But in those moments, he offered me the strength I needed to stay calm.

That smell, the rot, was one more reminder. A reminder of countless numbers of _others_ I couldn't protect in the war. The war the MDM waged against us. They wanted nothing more than to see every last supernatural creature dead.

Connor kept his grip on me, holding me against him. A gesture of protection and comfort, while also trying to keep from harming me further.

After a few moments, he reached up and lifted my chin. "Look at me, honey. Focus on me," he breathed. I opened my eye and he held my gaze in that awful-smelling cell.

It was his way of keeping me grounded. Keeping me focused on him and not the world surrounding us, threatening to overtake me into a flashback or overwhelming emotions.

It wasn't just his aura that told me how scared, angry, and sad he was. His eyes spoke volumes to the strength and vehemence of his will to shield me from what was happening around us.

He felt the same about that dungeon. Those deep brown eyes bored into mine. And they promised.

We'd come back.

We'd stop it.

Save as many as we could.

There was no question, no hesitation in his eyes.

And that gave me the strength to calm down.

When the sounds of voices and foot falls passed, we pressed on. I leaned heavily into Connor's side, my ankle shot pain up my leg and down through my toes. The swelling expanded and the bones in my ankle began emitting popping noises with every step. Connor carried most of my weight without difficulty and pulled me with him.

We passed hallway after hallway, the endless labyrinth of halls grew more disconcerting. I began to wonder if there was something as simple as an exit in a place like that. But Connor wasn't slowing down.

My magic fanned out, searching for those humans milling around beyond the walls of purgatory. I pointed in the general direction of them as we drove deeper into the maze of halls as they turned and forked. We found dead ends at times and turned around, but we were getting closer to the humans moving outside.

With as many humans as I felt and the way they were moving, I was certain the dungeon was underneath a town or a city, and the people outside were walking, riding bikes, and driving in cars.

Being in the middle of such a place could be both good and bad for us. On one hand, the cover of people could help us hide from the Kramer Scholars if they chased us. Or, we would end up drawing attention to ourselves based on the way we looked. And end up leading them to us, dragging us both back down there once more.

I hoped for the former.

We turned left, down another hallway. It looked the same as all the others, but it had a set of two iron doors, solid and rusted, that loomed at the end of the hall.

Through the dim light, I could see the runes on the wall above it. They were more potent than the others. They sparkled with black auras against the dancing lights of the torches.

That was our exit. I could feel it. Beyond those doors was a staircase that would take us to Earth.

Bring us out of Hell.

"That's it," I whispered, and Connor moved us faster toward it.

I flexed my magic, preparing to pour my energy into those doors to unlock them.

But Connor froze as they swung open.

And a Kramer Scholar stepped through.

### Chapter 7

The moment stretched on. The Scholar's wide-eyed expression of shock mirrored mine. He hadn't moved since he first caught sight of us. The man didn't look like a man at all, he looked like a kid.

Barely sixteen, if he was a day, his face still held the roundness of youth and his skin had an oily sheen to it. Pimples speckled in groupings on his cheeks and chin with a few scattered across his forehead. He held up his hands and glanced behind us, fear in his eyes.

Connor tensed. His aura blazed with a green light and he eased me away from him so I could stand on my own. And he prepared to fight.

I dropped my arm from around his shoulders and braced my weight on my good leg, leaning a little toward the wall. I wasn't going to be able to fight very well, but I wasn't about to let Connor do it alone.

Connor straightened to his full six foot frame. The dried blood on his healed skin made him look even more intimidating to the young guard.

"No trouble," the teenager said, low, in a heavily accented voice, holding his hands out for us in a non-threatening gesture.

"We are getting out of here," Connor growled.

"Yes, go." The teenager seemed to struggle with English and suddenly I wondered just how far from home we really were. "I must ... sound alarm once you leave, yes?"

Connor nodded as his jaw clenched.

"Why are you doing this?" My voice was raspy and faint.

"Family ... business, yes? Friend ... witch, they do not know. I help. Please," he gestured for us and pushed the door open. "You must ... hit, yes? Make ... convincing."

"You can come with us," I offered.

"I cannot. Must ... help more if I can, yes?"

"Thank you."

"Please," the young man repeated, gesturing us to go.

Connor sighed and stepped forward. He didn't want to hurt the teenager, but he had no choice. "We'll be back to save the rest. I suggest you call in sick for a while."

"Yes," he nodded. "Hurry."

Connor's fist shot out faster than my good eye could see. I heard the crunch of the kid's nose breaking from the impact before the boy crumpled to the ground. At least Connor didn't hit him hard enough to knock him out.

He held his broken nose in one hand as blood tricked from it. He nodded. "Go," he said, sounding muffled and nasally through the injury.

Connor's aura turned gray as he rushed back to me and swung me up in his arms with one arm under my knees and the other around my back. I hissed from the pain, but said nothing.

"Thank you," I said again to the boy, but I couldn't tell if he responded because Connor ran past him and up the uneven stone staircase.

Kicking open the door at the top of the stairs, Connor gasped and hesitated when the sunlight poured in to the dim space.

My eyes watered and I couldn't see anything but light. When a loud piercing alarm sounded from behind us, Connor sprang into motion and ran.

To my surprise, he was graceful while running at high speeds. And he carried my weight with ease. I didn't know if that was typical for him, or if the increase of power in his system from the healing gave him the strength to move so fast and smooth.

He wasn't moving nearly as fast as a werewolf or a vampire could, but he moved faster than I thought possible, especially while carrying my weight.

A few people saw us and gasped, but they made no moves toward us. Nor did they call for help. That was one of the good things about living in modern society. Apathy went deep with humans.

The city was unlike any I ever saw in person. From my vantage point, I could see to Connor's left. A river sparkled against the late fall sunlight and disappeared behind him.

It explained the constant sound of water and all the leaks in the dungeon. The massive river ran right over it.

There was a fresh dusting of snow on the ground and when I looked closer, some of the streets and sidewalks around us were made of cobblestone.

The buildings beyond the river looked cramped together. Some were made of old limestone that appeared to have withstood the test of time. Several centuries' worth of time. A few looked relatively new, no more than a few decades at most.

There were a few lots that stood empty, as if buildings once stood proudly in those locations. Like a concrete graveyard, chasms where old relics and ghosts of memories once stood.

Graffiti plastered the walls of neighboring buildings, as if calling to the memory of what happened. Telling the story and showing the pain of its loss.

A few areas of the colorful graffiti had writing, but from the distance, I couldn't make them out clear enough to understand what they said.

Connor turned and made his way to his right, toward the other side of the bustling city. More people saw us, but they didn't make any moves to stop us or call for help. But they did give us a wide berth. It reminded me of the day Zoe, Connor's old girlfriend and dark witch, tried steal his heart.

After he took the potion that erased his mind, my anger caused me to release magic and I pushed Zoe away from him while at the same time, it repelled onlookers. It didn't take him long to break free from her spell. But those were some of the most terrifying moments of my life.

I wasn't strong enough yet to emit that kind of magic. And Connor wasn't exactly chanting a spell or holding an amulet that would create such a barrier. It was our appearance that made the people move away from us.

The longer Connor ran, the more his aura shifted from gray to white. His hope for escape grew the further we traveled, overpowering the fear.

He kept running until we were deep in the heart of the city. We were moving too fast for me to pinpoint anything that might let us know where we were. From what little I could see, it wasn't enough to recognize anything. There was an odd mixture of old and new all around us. And many of the buildings were marked with graffiti.

Nashville was a small town with traditional values and that kind of art wouldn't have been received kindly. But there, wherever we were, it seemed, well, perfect. Like it belonged. Telling a story of some major event I didn't yet realize or understand.

Ducking into a tight alley darkened by the buildings that surrounded us, Connor found a small space between two dumpsters before the alley intersected with another narrow passage. And the space was tight and confined.

The alley wasn't a dead end. From what I could see, we had three options of escape if we needed to get away.

Despite the smell of the garbage, it was also small enough to offer shelter. The heat emanating from the cluster of brick buildings around us warmed the small space. Warm enough to hide as long as we needed without having to worry about freezing to death. So long as the temperatures didn't drop much.

And it seemed safe enough for the moment.

Connor stood in between the dumpsters and lowered me to my feet, easing me down so I could brace my weight on my good leg. He steadied me and waited until I could stand on my own. He released me and leaned his back against the brick building, panting.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine, just a little tired from running."

"How far did you run?" From the way he carried me, it felt like looking out the side of a car window while driving at fast speeds when he moved away from the river and into the city.

The pain in my head increased when I tried to make sense of where we were. I couldn't tell how far we were from the river and the awful dungeon underneath it. I couldn't even tell how long he was running.

"A few miles, give or take," he said, his breathing finally slowing a little.

"It only felt like you were running a few minutes...?" I trailed off, my question hung in the air. I shook my head.

His aura turned light blue with his humor and he grinned at me. "It must be your power. When you healed me. I've never run that fast before. Especially never while carrying someone so heavy."

"I'm not heavy, you jerk," I glared at him, but my lips twitched, despite myself.

He chuckled breathlessly, tossing his head back.

Despite the deep ache in my fingers and the pain running through me, I forgot about my injuries for an instant as I watched him. Even after being tortured, it didn't change him. He was the same man I fell in love with.

"I'm glad you're okay, Connor," I said as his laughter slowed. I leaned further into the brick, feeling the warmth emanating from it.

His aura turned pink with low-level desire and he moved toward me. Warm hands snaked behind my neck with his thumbs resting in front of my ears, careful not to touch the torn flesh on my cheeks. "We will get out of here and we'll fix you up. I promise." Then he kissed me, his lips moved gently over mine.

I whimpered when he pulled away, both from the ache in my cheeks, and because he stopped. He grinned at me and let me go, but I could see that his aura darkened, and I knew he wanted more just like I did.

"Do you have any idea where we are?" I asked. "I don't recognize this place. It seems ... old, but not. And you were running too fast for me to catch anything specific."

"I'm pretty sure I know where we are. I've never been here before, but I recognize enough of it."

"So, where are we then?"

"I think we're in Berlin."

### Chapter 8

"You mean—"

Connor cut me off, "Yeah, I think we're in Germany."

That actually made sense, the Kramer Scholars operated out of Germany. It seemed fitting that they would bring us to their turf. Bring us to their torture dungeon and learn all they could from us before they either allowed us to die on our own, or killed us.

Dozens of questions crossed my mind in quick succession ranging from what kind of trouble we managed to get ourselves into to random curiosities of the old city, ravaged by so much history and turmoil.

Then my mind focused on our situation.

First, we had no identification or money, so we couldn't just go to the airport and head back home. I doubted they'd even let us in an airport after seeing the way we looked. Especially me. I looked like I survived a horrific car accident.

That wouldn't work. It would draw too much attention to us, and I would most likely get taken to a hospital, which would be one of the first places the Scholars would check to find us. At least, that's where I would go if I was torturing someone and they escaped.

Second, we were in a foreign city and I didn't have the slightest idea how to communicate in German, other than the very basics. I wouldn't know where to begin. I didn't know where we could go. Or where we could hide.

I settled on the most pertinent question. "What are we going to do?"

"I've been thinking about that since we left. I think the only thing we can do is try to find a library and hope that they're neutral like they should be."

Neutrals were designed to offer help or information to anyone that asked for it, whether they were human, MDM, or _other_. The most common were librarians, or the guardians of information, doctors including veterinarians for were-animals, and any place to rent a room was safe place to stay.

Recently, those lines were beginning to blur and not everyone was staying neutral. We didn't know why, but it was happening.

Berlin was a big city. I doubted many people knew the truth about supernaturals, let alone that there was a secret army occupying a dungeon deep underneath the River Spree where they tortured their presumed victims. "Does that law of neutrality run across the world?"

"It's not really a law, but yes, it's _supposed_ to be worldwide. That way no matter where anyone might end up, they'll be able to find some kind of help if they need it."

"I don't know much German."

"I know bits and pieces. Probably enough to at least figure out our way to the nearest library. I just hope the librarian knows English."

"I don't think you're going to get very far talking to people with the way you look right now," I grinned, and then winced from the pain shooting through my face.

"What's wrong with the way I look?" he grinned back at me as his aura shifted back to light blue. His hands moved to rest on his hips.

I bit my lip to keep from smiling back at him again. "Don't make me laugh, Connor. It hurts too much."

His grin faded as his aura darkened with sadness, and he said, "I'm sorry they did this to you, Aisling. We _will_ get you fixed up."

I reached up to him and touched his blood-stained cheek. "I know, but I'm not worried about me," I said. "My magic may have healed you, but you still have blood all over you."

"I can see how that might scare a few people away," he mused, staring at the other end of the alley. "That's alright," he said, looking back to me with a grin. His aura lightened a little, but not much. "I'll just clean up a bit, first."

Luckily, he was wearing the same dark jeans and matching long-sleeved shirt with the buttons open at the top that revealed a bit of flesh and a peppering of hair on his chest. If not for the blood on his skin, he would look normal.

He gave me a quick, gentle kiss, and walked over to the intersecting alley, glancing to the left, then the right, weighing his options. His eyes caught something and he walked off, away from view. I pushed away from the wall, suddenly afraid. "Connor?"

What's he doing?

From what happened in the dungeon, I was too afraid to let him out of my sight, but my fears were unfounded. I heard a few splashes of water, and a few moments later, Connor walked back into view.

His hair was pushed back away from his face, wet and shiny from water, and the blood was mostly washed away. "Did you use a dirty puddle to wash your face or something?"

He walked to me, his nose and chin still dripping with water. "Or something," he grinned and his blue aura lightened.

Reaching out, I grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer to me, until we were inches apart. His aura shifted to pink as I lifted it and tried not to focus on the smooth, velvety skin underneath as my aching fingers grazed across it. Then I began to wipe the last bits of blood that still lingered on his face.

I took my time cleaning him. Connor's chocolaty brown eyes remained focused on me and his smooth brown hair started to fall in curtains around his face as it dried. I worked until the stubble around his angled jaw was no longer tinged with red, and the rest of his smooth skin and mouth were clean.

When I finished, his aura was red from the intensity of his desire and his eyes were hooded. I let my fingers glide against the heated flesh of his stomach, reveling in the hard muscle beneath the smooth, stretched skin. "Let me see your hands."

He lifted them, allowing me to examine the exposed skin. "What did they do to you, honey?" he said, low, as I held his hands and studied them.

I knew I healed him, but I was shocked to see that his fingernails looked fine. Like they were never ripped off. Like nothing ever happened. Most of the blood washed away and there were only a few small areas that needed attention. I cleaned them, despite the deep ache in my fingers.

His aura shifted to dark blue again. And I tried not notice because didn't want to answer him. But I knew he wouldn't be satisfied until I spoke.

A tear fell from my eye and spilled down my cheek, stinging at it went. "I wasn't aware of some of it. I guess it's one of those upsides of having PTSD. I guess I didn't beat it after all," I mumbled.

After spending nearly two weeks at Liam's expensive home training and learning how to fight, I was hit more times than I could count. I thought the flashbacks were a thing of the past, but it turned out to be a good thing they weren't.

"I talked at first, but it wasn't enough for them. It didn't matter what I was going to say, they were going to keep hurting me. So I stopped talking after that." I sighed, "They cut into my face. Hit me a few times. And then the flashbacks started."

Connor sighed, turning his hands to hold mine. I winced and he loosened his grip.

"When I came back around, they were gone, but they broke several fingers on each hand, fileted or burned most of the rest of my exposed skin, and did something to my ankle. I think they were angry I went away."

"Jesus, Aisling, I'm so sorry. I wish I could make it go away."

"I know. It's okay. Were you aware of what they were doing to you?"

"Oh, I knew. I wouldn't talk to them either. I never said a word to them, and they just kept going."

"I'm sorry. I tried to get to you, but they were still in there, I had to wait until they left. I wasn't strong enough to fight them. I still don't think I'd be very useful in a fight."

"It's not your fault. You healed me, and you're still suffering. I'd try to clean you up, but I don't think it's a good idea right now. We don't exactly have anything but puddles around here." He paused, "I need to go find someone who either speaks English or can understand bad German, figure out where we are and where we need to go."

I nodded and Connor kissed me again.

He pulled away and said, "Stay here, and stay hidden. I won't go far. Just yell if you need me."

Five minutes later, he was back, grinning with light blue in his aura, and had a map in his hand.

"I take it you found what you were after?" I asked.

"Yeah, I found an old man and told him I was robbed and needed help finding my way. He gave me a map and a little bit of money, which I wasn't expecting."

"That was nice of him."

Connor nodded, "He was, maybe a little too nice. I don't know. There's something about this place I don't trust. Since it's warm in this alley, we can stay for the night, if you want, but we'll need to get moving again first thing in the morning."

"I agree with you about not trusting this city. Even if that man was willing to help you just because he was nice, it's still not safe for us. Maybe we shouldn't stay."

"Well, we can try to move closer to the library. I'm guessing there are more warm alleys we can hide in."

I nodded and then froze as the cadence of Bernard's voice filtered down the dim and narrow alleyway toward us.

### Chapter 9

Connor pushed me back against the wall, ducking down below the line of the dumpster as the voices of my torturer and his friends went past the alley on the main street.

By the time their voices faded, I was certain the darkened alley was not safe to sleep. "I don't think we should stay here, Connor. Do you know how far we need to go to get to the library?"

Glancing down at the map, he found the building and pointed to it. "This is where we need to go." Then he found an intersection and pointed. "We're right here," he said indicating a small space between two buildings with his finger.

I clenched my jaw and winced again as it sent more pain into my head.

"I'm guessing if we go on foot, maybe an hour or two."

My bones ached, my skin hurt even worse, and my brain felt like it was swollen a few sizes too large. I didn't want to walk anymore. But I knew the longer we waited, the worse I would feel. "We should move. We're too close to the dungeon as it is."

"My thoughts exactly," he grinned.

We made our way through the streets once more, moving slowly. Connor had my arm over his shoulders again, holding my weight so I could keep my bad leg off the ground.

The shadows crept across the buildings as the sun descended across the sky, offering us a little more discretion against prying eyes. But I pushed my hair over my face to help hide the wounds as we moved, in case anyone happened to spot us.

A few times we ducked into an alley or Connor turned to block me from the view of someone he thought could be a threat.

On one occasion, Connor pushed me against the side of a car and kissed me, keeping my hair mostly intact around my face. I let him shield my body, blocking the wounds on my arms and most of my ruined clothes from view.

That was when a few of the Scholars passed by. I knew Josef's voice just as well as Bernard's. They must not have recognized Connor, because they walked right past us while I was pinned to the vehicle by Connor's body. The worst they could have seen was the mop of hair around me, but they didn't seem to recognize me and kept walking down the street.

God, but Connor could kiss.

If my fear didn't mirror his with the gray swirling in his aura, I would have clawed at him for more after a kiss like that.

When the sun finally set, giving way to twilight and the moon's soft blue glow, we were able to move more freely. I noticed how the pacing of the city was much different than most cities in America.

There were still people milling around, ducking into shops and cars driving down the streets. But for the most part, once the sun set, the streets quieted.

It reminded me of Nashville. The people there weren't rushed, driving at fast speeds to their destinations, or walking with purpose, always in a hurry to reach the next point of interest. They took their time.

I understood what it felt like to just walk. Take a stroll through the streets. Stopping here and there to say hello. Or just to look at the new items a store owner added to their shelves. It was a kind of pace that made me feel more settled.

Reading about the slower speed of Europe and experiencing it were two different things. I never imagined it would be so similar to Nashville.

God, but I missed home. I missed the people I came to see as family, even though they weren't my flesh and blood.

We walked and walked, and the streets cleared except for a few bars that invited the night owls to come, stay for a drink, and unwind after a long day. "We're getting close, we should find a place to stay for the night," Connor whispered down to me.

"There's an alley over there," I pointed toward a narrow cobblestone alley that slid behind the bar full of people dancing and drinking inside its dimly lit windows. There were Christmas lights lining them, and other random decorations that lit up cheerily, welcoming the holiday season with loud music, food, and drink.

Connor pulled me across the street and we slipped into the small space between the bar and the building next to it. A middle aged man sat on the ground, leaning against the brick building when we entered. "Nein," the man hiccupped, holding his hand out for us to stop, taking a swig of alcohol with the other.

"We just want to rest here, we aren't trying to invade your space," I said.

"Thissss is my home. Ya go find yer own," he said in slurred English and took another gulp.

Connor's aura shifted from gray to a dark blue as he sighed and pulled out the money he was given and handed it to him. "Go get yourself more liquor. We'll share for the night."

The man's eyes lit up and he snatched the money from Connor's outstretched hand, counting it and giggling through hiccups. He stood up and raised his bottle in salute and sauntered away in a shaky shuffle, stuffing the money into his back pocket.

Shaking his head, Connor guided us deeper into the dark alley. He sighed. I knew how he felt. I was hoping for some food too.

Heat wafted off the bar next to us and I noticed a small alcove in the side of it. "There," I pointed. He released me, making sure I could stand on my own before stepping away, and ducked into it.

A moment later he came back out, grinning at me. Grabbing my outstretched hand, he supported my weight as he pulled me inside.

It was even warmer there. The bar's boiler was tucked in the corner and it made the small space downright toasty against the cold, wintry night outside.

We settled on the ground near its warmth and Connor wrapped his arm around me, letting me rest my head against him. He leaned down for a moment to kiss the top of my head.

I rested my cheek against his chest, the contact of my broken skin hurt, but not as much as earlier. Settling into him, feeling the rise and fall of his chest and hearing the sound of his heartbeat, I fell asleep in the next instant.

### Chapter 10

Jasper

The engine coughed as it roared down the highway 'n I took another look around the van. The nasty cloth seats were stained with blood 'n other things that made my face contort in disgust. They were frayin' 'n threadbare in spots. Ugly, orange foam flaked out from inside the tiny gaps.

The sun was beatin' down on the roof 'n baked us inside with a sultry heat. "Can we get a fuckin' window open back here, Hoss?" I hollered at the guard in the seat that faced the back of the van. Sweat was runnin' down his face, too, 'n his uniform was 'bout all covered in it.

Hoss glared at me, raisin' an eyebrow. "Officer Adams," he said. His face was pudgy from too many doughnuts 'n he looked like his gut was 'bout to break the button on his pants.

"Apologies," the man sittin' across from me said. "Officer Adams, it's terribly hot back here. Could we please open a window or two for some airflow?"

Dude was odd. Whoever the fuck he was. With an air of confidence 'round him 'n a shit eatin' grin, he seemed to know how to please Hoss, 'cause the officer stood up 'n slid open the front windows on the van.

He turned to look at me, "Name's Bannerst, friend. Pleasure to meet you." His handcuffs were attached to a chain that was fixed to the floor just like mine.

I tilted my chin up at him in greetin', eyein' him up 'n down, 'n pulled at my cuffs again. Couldn't stand them damn things. Handcuffs'll cut into skin easy. "Jasper Wills. What're you in for?"

"Ah, a little of this and a little of that. But don't worry about that." He smiled again, but it was all teeth. "How about you, Jasper?"

"Fuckers nabbed me for stealin' a car. They dunno the rest I done," I finished quietly.

I spent my time dealin'. Over the years, I learned to trick people a little bit at a time. It started out small, I 'spose. But eventually I got into to stealin' cars, sellin' dope, 'n even found me some ladies.

Bitches always said no, but I did 'em anyway. Made 'em come, too. Usually right near the end when I got close. I hammered into 'em 'n either punched 'em or strangled 'em just a bit 'n they clamped down 'round me, cryin' out like the little whores they were.

"Is that right?" Bannerst's eyes twinkled. Dude wasn't even sweatin' in the heat of the van. Not even in the ugly, thick jumpsuits those fuckers made us wear. "Maybe this will be your lucky day, Jasper."

I chuckled. "How the fuck do you call gettin' caught lucky?" I shook my head, didn't care what he had to say. Assholes gave me six months for boostin' a car, but I'd be out in no time. Just needed to keep my head down 'n follow the rules.

"You never know, Jasper," he grinned again, wider this time 'n cocked his head to the side, watchin' me.

There was somethin' 'bout him that wasn't right. But whatever it was, it caught my attention.

"You think killing your girlfriend last summer was bad, Jasper?"

The blood drained from my face. "What the fuck? How the fuck you know that?" My voice was risin'.

"Watch it, Wills," Hoss yelled from the front.

"Yessir." I grinned up at him 'n then directed my attention to the man shackled to the van across from me, still grinnin'.

"I know lots of things, Jasper. I know you enjoy women who resist you. I know you enjoy control. Power," he said 'n his smile faded away. "I know Jenny ... shall we say, stepped out on you?"

Anger washed over me, heatin' me from the inside out. Fresh sweat broke out on my forehead, despite the cooler breeze in the van. "Bitch knew better."

"Indeed she did, Jasper," he chuckled. "She needed a lesson. She needed to know who was in charge. Didn't she?"

"Fuckin' right she did."

"Wouldn't you like to do that again? Be in charge? Be the man you're _supposed_ to be?"

"Yeah, but I got six months."

"What if I told you that you didn't have to go to prison. Neither of us do. How would you like that, Jasper?"

"I'd say you'd have to be one hell of a miracle worker, dude."

The man who called himself Bannerst used one hand to grip his other thumb. With one sharp jerk, the base of his thumb shattered, 'n then he slipped the handcuff off his wrist.

His hand fanned out as if nothing happened. Like he just did a fuckin' magic trick.

My jaw dropped as he repeated the motion with his other hand.

Then both of his hands were free from handcuffs.

He didn't even flinch from the pain.

"Dude, you're gonna get yourself shot," I whispered so Hoss wouldn't hear. He still had his ankles shackled. Nobody could break outta those puppies.

He grinned again. "Oh, ye of little faith, Jasper." Lifting his leg up, he pulled off his shoe 'n pressed his knee against the seat in front of him. With a sharp twist of his foot to the side, the bones in his ankle snapped.

Then he shattered what was left of his heel with a thrust of his palm against it. He slipped the shackle off his foot, 'n repeated with the other leg. Just like with his hands, by the time he finished, they looked perfectly normal.

"That's impossible," I stared as he slipped his shoes back on.

"Is it, Jasper?"

Whoever the fuck that dude was, he wasn't normal.

'N I'd follow him anywhere.

Bannerst

"Welcome aboard, Jasper. Watch and learn," I said. I could see the devotion in the man's eyes. I barely did anything and the kid was already eating out of my hand.

From what I could tell of his soul, he was nice and corrupt, but not ripe enough for my taste. I needed someone devoid of all good, the ultimate corrupted soul, and he was perfect.

I could see him in my mind's eye as if it were just yesterday. He followed his girlfriend to another man's home, watched them enter, and went home to wait for her.

When she came home, acting as if nothing happened, he lost it. He considered beating her within an inch of her life if she came clean. But she didn't.

The best part. The part he didn't know. Jenny never cheated on him at all. She was designing a tattoo for him. She was innocent, and he murdered her for his own insecurities. He was perfect.

Exactly what I needed.

My gamble paid off in that awful smelling wreck of a vehicle they called a prisoner transport. I had some amazing plans for those guards. It was going to be glorious.

The van pulled into the rest stop and Officer Adams stood up, adjusting the girth that strained against the waistband of his pants, and walked back toward us.

Jasper still had his eyes on me, still in awe of me. As he should. But he hadn't seen anything yet.

That was when I turned on the glamour for all but Jasper. Officer Adams saw me, but not really. He saw me sitting still, shackles still firmly in place, watching out the front of the van.

He didn't see me stand up, or follow him toward the back. Adams whistled and strolled down the aisle to the back of the van and opened the doors to let the sun shine in on him in a stream of light.

To his senses, I was still in my seat. Jasper wasn't watching us like a deer in headlights. All was normal. He didn't feel death breathing down his neck as I reached out my hand and began.

Officer Adams froze as the sun burned him. His skin sizzled, his polyester uniform melted against his skin, leaving the smell of burning plastic mixed with boiling flesh. He made no noises, no movements as he stood there.

I branded him with the power of the sun. And I kept going until the faintest bit of light remained in his eyes. Then I let his body crumple to the ground.

Adams was a decent man, no criminal record, but he did have a healthy appreciation for gambling. Not exactly the right kind of soul for a creature like me, but it would do.

Opening my mouth, I pulled his soul into my body, filling me. The misty white fog lifted away from the guard and entered me as the last of the light died from his eyes and he laid limp on the floor.

Power flexed across my body as his essence fused with mine.

Not enough to make much of a difference, but every little bit counted.

I turned to the front of the van, seeing the road sign just ahead, _Now Leaving California_.

Dropping the glamour, I allowed the guards in the front of the van to see me standing over the body of their colleague.

They scrambled from their seats, grappling for their guns. I held up my hand and released the power.

The driver liked to take sexual favors from inmates, while the other man enjoyed children a little too much. They would work nicely for me.

Officer Rodriguez

"Bannerst—" I warned when the prisoner raised his hand, but then I couldn't talk. I couldn't even move.

The front of the van heated, the sun poured through the windows in a blinding light. Sweat poured from every pore on my skin, but it wasn't enough. The heat rose and melted my clothes over my blistering skin. And then the meat began to melt off my bones. The heat was too much to bear.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't speak.

With wide-eyed horror, I saw the officer to my left was suffering the same fate. I took one last look at the escaped prisoner standing over the lifeless body of Officer Adams before the light boiled my eyes out of my head.

And all I became was nothing.

### Chapter 11

Aisling

Everything was dark but I seemed to know exactly where I was going. The sounds of lingering traffic, music, and footsteps bounced off the limestone, brick and concrete buildings, making the still of the night seem more haunted.

In the unfamiliar city, with an unfamiliar language, I felt lost, yet I knew exactly where I was headed. Left here, right there, straight, I kept moving without a doubt to my destination. I didn't know why.

And I didn't know where Connor was.

What was worse, I couldn't figure out what I just witnessed. It was like _sight_ , but more.

_Sight_ was one of many abilities that I possessed as an Earthen. It's the ability to see through the eyes of something else. For me, it could happen while awake, or asleep.

There was something about the man who called himself Bannerst. The way he killed those men. He was different. Evil.

The first time I experienced a dream- _sight_ , I didn't know what it was. And I was almost killed by it. Later, when I _saw_ Connor's dream of me, I heard his thoughts as he dreamt.

During both, I was still myself. I had thoughts and feelings. But I didn't have control over what was happening.

The dream- _sight_ surrounding Bannerst was different. I was nothing. I was a complete bystander. No thoughts. No feelings. Except for theirs.

My feet kept carrying me through the darkness and my eyes watched the streets, scanned them, looking for something. But I didn't know what I was looking for.

Even in darkness, the city of Berlin was beautiful. I always wanted to visit a country like that. A country with history etched into its very soul. The wounds were still fresh, even after more than a half a century since they were almost ruined.

Underneath it all, a society thrived. A society built on hate and destruction. The Malleus Dei Maleficarum existed since the end of the fifteenth century. They survived wars, disease, and famine.

After everything they saw over the years, everything that happened, it made me wonder. Did that society have any influence on politics? On wars? Did they push countries to violence so they could gain some advantage in their quest to rid the world of _others_?

I didn't know, and I wasn't sure if the answer would ever come. But it didn't really matter.

What I did know was that they would never stop until I and every last supernatural being was dead. Something needed to change.

I was that change.

I was that hope.

A group of heavily armed men dressed in black walked past the entrance to the alley about thirty feet ahead of me. I didn't know if I was visible in the darkness of the alley that surrounded me, but I knew that my clothes were darkened from spilled blood and dirt from the dungeon.

My peaches and cream skin was coated in it, flayed and burned. My curly hair was matted and caked with it, too.

Every instinct in my body told me to get back. Slink away into the shadows. Let them pass by. But I didn't move. I just watched them.

They had knives strapped to their thighs, guns in holsters at their waists and hanging from their shoulders. A few men even had rifles draped across their backs.

"Hey," my voice rang out into the night.

What the hell?

Why was I trying to get their attention? Why wasn't I hiding? Why wasn't I back with Connor, sleeping, wherever he was?

What is going on?

The men stopped and regarded me in the darkness.

Realization dawned and all six men filed into the alley to face me. I couldn't see any of their faces through the limited light, and it was worse when the man in front clicked on a flashlight and its beam hit me the in the eye.

I couldn't see out of my left eye. It was still swollen shut. I smiled at them, despite the painful movement of skin. "That's right. You found me."

This is not happening. Why am I talking? Why am I not running?

"You want me? Come and get me," I laughed.

I have officially lost my mind.

That was the only explanation I had for my actions.

They attacked, not bothering to pull their guns from their holsters. Two of them drew knives, but the rest seemed to think I would be easy to take down.

I _should_ have been easy to take down.

With my limited strength and the ankle that prevented me from walking combined with the shooting pain up my legs with every step, I shouldn't have been able walk, let alone take on the group of six men in front of me.

My ankle screamed in protest, I could even hear the crackling inside it as I moved. But I wasn't limping. Whatever was happening, my body didn't recognize the pain.

But I felt it.

How did I not notice I wasn't limping the entire time I was walking?

I feigned to the right, letting the first Kramer Scholar sail past me and fall into the pavement as the other one saw my move and crashed into me, pinning me to the wall. He held my wrists and wedged his legs between mine, holding me to the wall by the force of his body.

My head shot forward. Our foreheads collided with a loud crack. He fell back, releasing me, and I was a blur of motion.

I threw punches, ducked under theirs, kicked out and tripped them. I felt like a macabre version of Buffy moving at inhuman speed. Vampiric speed. The speed of an Earthen. Fighting off a pack of men who wanted to see me dead after they took their time torturing me.

I kept fighting, laughing maniacally the entire time, which only solidified my opinion that I lost my mind. At one point I even cackled as I used a man's momentum against him and tossed him over my shoulder into another Scholar that was preparing to attack me from behind.

Some of them were aroused, and let me feel it when they got close enough, but it didn't faze me. I kept fighting, even though my ankle, joints, and ruined skin hurt beyond belief. I didn't know what I was doing or why, but I was holding my own against six highly trained and skilled Kramer Scholars.

Time slowed, just like the first time I set eyes on Connor, and again when I used magic to show him I loved him by floating glowing embers and ash around us next to a fire in my back yard.

But it felt different. It wasn't magic of my doing.

I whirled around, with a strategic shot to a kneecap or other part of their body that would bring them to the ground, including utilizing some well-placed twists to their arousals.

I couldn't stop myself. I didn't know how to stop it. I couldn't feel magic rolling off me, so where was it coming from? And I most certainly did not want those men dead.

After all the men were either on their knees or writhing on the ground from their injuries, the strange empowering sight of me kicking ass changed. I smiled down at them and held my hands out with my palms up.

"You will all _burn_ in hell," I said. But the voice wasn't mine. It was a deep, resonating voice that echoed across the walls and out into the night. It was the voice of something both evil and ancient, not the thousand voices of the Earthens that came before me.

Balls of fire erupted above my palms, warming me, but not burning. And my grin widened to bare my teeth at them.

No magic flowed from me, and I didn't want to see it. Somehow, I knew where it was headed.

Bullets of flames shot out from the swirling orbs that hovered over my palms and hit each man, engulfing them in a whoosh of blazing light and fire as if they were covered in gasoline.

I watched them burn, writhing on the ground. Some rolled, trying to extinguish them. But those weren't normal flames. They were magical. In the vacuum of space, they would have raged on as long as the magic held. I wasn't sure how I knew that, but deep down, I knew.

I watched until every last man in the alley around me was dead and the flames extinguished.

### Chapter 12

I blinked and saw I wasn't inside my body. I floated outside, watching it walk through the alleys, moving toward Connor by the pull in my stomach.

My body glided through the night, as if no injuries plagued it. But inside, the excruciating pain radiated through me. It was etched into bone. Programmed into my muscles. I was screaming in my place above my body, not in control.

I was screaming from both the pain in my body, and what I did.

Following my body, we left the dead men, charred beyond recognition in the alley. I didn't know if I would ever be able to see Berlin the same way again. I would never be able to see it for the painful past it represented without remembering the faces of the men I killed.

As my body reached Connor, he had his back against the warm brick wall inside the niche of the bar's quiet exterior. The music no longer played within its walls.

With the boiler still emanating waves of heat into the small space, he looked comfortable. As comfortable as he could be, sleeping in an alley.

His head dipped to the side and his legs were outstretched. Despite the grim situation, he was still beautiful. His hair was still straight and falling around his face, draping across his cheek. The cheek I healed.

If I could control over my body, I'd be crying. Hysterically. I wouldn't be able to contain all the emotion.

The enormity of the situation, ever since we were abducted from Nashville, it all led to that point. We were brought there for information. To be tortured. Killed.

We were still alive, and six men were dead because of whatever was happening to me.

Without my body, I couldn't breathe. I was suffocating in grief, yet I was still there, hovering in the dark alley like a wraith.

Waiting. Watching.

My body sat down next to Connor in the alcove, turning into his shoulder and seemed to drift off to sleep.

An invisible pull dragged me down toward my body, pulling me back inside. But two parts of me warred with the pull.

One _wanted_ desperately back in her body. The other didn't want to be the person capable of killing like that, whether it was by my will or something that played my body like a puppet.

I hoped it was the latter. I wouldn't be able to live with myself otherwise.

As if in answer to my unspoken question, I collided with my body with an explosion inside my head, expelling whatever it was that invaded me.

And then I started screaming.

"Aisling?" Connor shouted, shaking me.

Tears streamed down my face, and pain arced across my body. Pain that was both physical and emotional.

I walked several blocks through blackened alleys, fought six heavily armed and trained men, killed them with some ancient form of magic I never knew existed, then walked back to Connor again, as if it just decided to take a stroll into the night. And I felt like I was tortured all over again.

Emotionally, the adrenaline, the fear and hopelessness, all of it, coursing through me since I received that phone call from my best friend, warning me the Kramer Scholars were coming for me, seemed to come in waves, one after another.

We were attacked. I woke up in a dungeon. Then I was tortured. There was a never ending list of obstacles to get through. Unlock iron doors. Move through the dungeon unnoticed. Reach Connor. Heal him. Escape. Get home.

We still weren't safe. But at least we weren't stuck in that dungeon waiting to die. I killed six men. The things I said, the way I moved. Nothing made any sense.

And it was all too much.

I was hyperventilating and my lungs were closing up as tears spilled from my eyes. And I was shuddering violently.

"Aisling, honey, focus on me, listen to my voice. You're safe. You're safe." Connor's voice broke through the cries erupting from my chest.

I grabbed his shoulders, holding him in front of me with pain shooting up my arms from the strength of my grip, and looked in his eyes.

My eye searched his while he repeated his words. I willed myself to calm down, focusing on him.

When my breathing slowed and the tears stopped flowing he asked, "What happened?"

"I-I don't know. I k-killed six men, but it wasn't me, Connor. It wasn't m-me!" I cried.

"It was just a dream."

I shook my head, and pain rattled through it. "No t-this was different." I was so cold.

Why am I cold?

I never got cold.

Ever since my magic manifested after my twenty-first birthday, temperatures didn't affect me the same way as before. It was subtle at first. So subtle, I started forgetting to wear a jacket in the cooling fall air.

I could feel hot or cold on my skin, get burned, or end up with frostbite. But the feeling never penetrated beyond it. I didn't shiver, and I didn't sweat.

But in that moment, I was frozen. My bones were solid ice, muscles turned to slush, and my blood slowed, thickening as it cooled. Even my breath fogged the air. And my body convulsed.

"Jesus, Aisling, your skin is like ice." Connor wrapped his arms around me, offering both comfort and body heat. I could see the concern on his face. See the fear in his gray aura. He knew about my resistance to temperatures.

Our little space was warm. His skin was warm. So why was I freezing? If I was human, I would be dead.

"I-I need to s-show you it wasn't a d-dream," I said into his shoulder. I wanted nothing more than to warm up, feel safe in his arms, but I didn't know if I would feel safe again. Not until I could stop whatever it was that controlled me.

With a nod, he helped me to my feet, and we walked. The pain in my ankle was worse after all the walking and fighting.

After a while, he had to carry me because the cracking noises coming from it began to alarm him. He hitched me up on his back and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, directing him.

I knew the path, even in the darkness. But I didn't know how.

While he walked, I explained everything that happened.

The sky was beginning to lighten overhead with the pre-dawn morning, offering a little bit of illumination into the narrow spaces. But with every turn we took, my heart sank lower in my chest. I knew what was ahead.

When we reached the bodies, they were just as I left them. Burned into nothing but blackened shapes, weapons melted into bone.

I let out a pained gasp. It was one thing to see it while I wasn't myself, unable to control my actions. It was an entirely different beast to go back and see just how horrible it was.

Knowing it was me that killed them.

I didn't realize I was sobbing again until Connor pulled me around and held me in his arms, whispering to me. Promising me that everything would be alright.

With every ounce of my being, I wanted to believe him. I cried into his shoulder, smelling wood smoke and blood, knowing nothing would ever be the same again.

Wondering if I would ever be safe in my own skin again.

### Chapter 13

By mid-morning, I was still freezing. Still shuddering. But at least my tears stopped flowing. At some point, I calmed down and Connor just held me until it was time to move again. We made our way through the alleys, away from the bodies of the charred Kramer Scholars, toward the Berlin library.

The dimly lit maze of paths brought a sense of loss with it. I didn't know where to begin to navigate the streets, let alone those narrow strips between the buildings.

Dead ends popped up without apparent reason, as if the city built something there, not minding it would block a path. But Connor seemed to know where he was going.

Berlin was a beautiful place, full of history, rich in culture, and experienced more than its share of stories to tell.

It was inspiring to say the least.

Those cobblestone and concrete streets seemed oddly vacant as we made our way through them, keeping to the shadows, away from prying eyes. Businesses thrived with patrons coming and going. Even a few of them spoke English to each other as they passed by the entrances to the alleys.

It was good they never looked down the narrow, darkened paths, because I looked awful. Blood and dirt still covered me. I couldn't walk without extreme pain. And, despite the fact that _others_ are not susceptible to disease, I could feel infection setting in. I could smell it, and that didn't count the mounting pain in my open wounds.

I wondered how many people knew the truth about witches. About vampires, werewolves, and the countless other creatures that lived around them in the city. The rest of the world.

Did they think those stories were just lore? Or was the atmosphere in Germany influenced by the Kramer Scholars? Did they spread stories to fuel their mission?

Kramer Scholars weren't that forthcoming. Otherwise that kind of a secret wouldn't be kept if people knew what lived and breathed around them every single day. They wouldn't be so fascinated with the idea of us if they could experience us for real.

Feeling like I hadn't slept in days — which probably wasn't far from the truth — I was slowing down even more. But Connor didn't mention it. I could tell he was tiring as we moved along.

"I'm sorry, Connor," I said for the fifth time.

"Would you stop apologizing? This is not your fault."

He was right. But I still didn't like it. It seemed my habit of apologizing wasn't beaten either. "I k-know."

Whatever happened to me wasn't my doing. I was a bystander in my own skin. Something forced me to do those things. Nothing else made sense.

That scared me more than anything else in my life. And that said a lot. Because I spent most of my life afraid. For different reasons.

The fear of the unknown, and the knowledge that it was me that killed those men coursed through my veins, freezing the marrow in my bones. It was literally frosting my skin.

Those men in the alley died by my hand, whether it was my doing or not. They belonged to someone. They were a son, father, husband, or a brother. And I took them away. I knew it wasn't my fault. Nothing that happened up to that point was my fault. But it didn't help the sadness that washed over me, adding to the fear.

Connor must have noticed because he stopped and looked at me. "I know you feel overwhelmed right now. But I promise you, we will figure it out. We'll stop it. Nothing about any of this is your fault. You have nothing to apologize for."

His hand reached up to my face and his thumb caressed the unbroken part of my skin just in front of my ear. "No matter what happens, I'll always be here. I'll always do whatever it takes to help you. I love you, Aisling."

A tear slipped from my eye as I searched his. I was about to tell him I loved him when he leaned in to kiss me. It was gentle and said more than words ever could.

As I shuddered again, he pulled away and I whispered, "I love y-you, Connor."

He grinned at me and said, "I know," and started moving again.

The mounting pain from countless injuries, growing infections, and repeated brushes with death were taking their toll on my sleep deprived body.

Bodies needed sleep and nourishment to thrive. Especially when the body is stressed. There was no water, no food, since before we were taken — at least that I knew of — and I knew it wouldn't be long before I would lose consciousness from the combination of infection, exhaustion, and dehydration.

The shuddering and frozen numbness throughout my body was the only thing keeping me on my feet, with my head up and my good eye open.

We needed to get to safety, and that was the bastion across the street from our viewpoint at the edge of the alley. Once we were safe, we would deal with everything else.

The building was massive, and I would have thought it was once an old castle. Not a library. Maybe it was at some point.

It appeared to have dozens of rooms, and if the situation had been different, I could have walked through the endless supply of knowledge in that building for days, never tiring as I searched for tomes to entertain and educate me.

I was a writer, after all. Books were my livelihood.

The old stone exterior looked worn by time, yellowed from the staining of the sun and the elements. There were even statues and gargoyles that stood watch, protecting the building from harm.

Connor steadied me and then stepped out into the street to take a good look around, watching and listening carefully for any signs of danger. Finding none, he came back for me, and propped me up with an arm over his shoulder once more.

He teased my frizzed and matted hair so it fell convincingly over my face, obscuring the view of gouged skin and blood on my cheeks. It was the best he could do to conceal me.

If we were careful, we could make it.

As we made our way through the massive expanse of the brick and cobblestone plaza, people didn't seem to notice us as Connor half-carried me through the open air that left me feeling vulnerable and more afraid than I was inside the darkened alleyways. We were exposed.

Discovery was our greatest enemy in that moment, and I wanted nothing more than to get inside that building and find help.

By the time we reached the building, I was wheezing from exertion, attempting not to cry out from excruciating pain, and still quaking from a bitter cold that seemed to fuse itself all the way down to my soul. My essence.

Then we pushed through the doors and stepped inside.

### Chapter 14

Libraries were one of many areas of neutrality between supernaturals and humans. The guardians of information, as they're called, the libraries hold what was left of the histories, and they kept track of any current information that might be of use to either side.

Each library maintained a vault, where that information was stored. Nashville's vault was brought into the twenty-first century just before my best friend, Angela was appointed in her position as head librarian. She could access countless amounts of information through her computer, rather than having to sift through a physical vault of books and information trying to find what she needed. It saved her a lot of time and frustration.

Not only were librarians responsible for their library, but they also kept track of all that information stored in their vaults, added to it as needed, and gathered new information from other libraries.

It was a lot of responsibility.

Angela and I met in college, and we fell into an easy friendship, which was rare for me. Her cat, Bugs, was the link that sparked our friendship. His was an unusual personality. Combining that with his broken, loud purr, he was a source for teasing between us.

Since she was my only friend, she took it upon herself to look out for me after my grandmother died. She knew my family's heritage as witches and wanted to protect me from that life.

It didn't matter because fate had other plans, and I became Earthen without knowing anything about what was happening.

She threw neutrality out the window in an effort to help me when she discovered what I was. But not every neutral party was like that. Some stayed neutral, while others were beginning to take sides. Against _others_.

Going to the library wasn't the safest choice. But it was our only option in the foreign city. All we could do was ask for help.

Having no other way of reaching Liam, Angela was our only option. I hoped the librarian would honor the neutrality and call her so we could get Liam's help. And we needed him for several reasons.

He could heal my injuries with his blood. With my depleted strength and ability to use magic, the vampire might be the only one that could protect us and get us home if his blood couldn't replenish what I lost. It helped that he had the means and manpower to come to our rescue.

The doors closed behind us with a thump, and I looked around. The dimly lit expanse of the interior was massive. Light filtered in from tall, stained-glass windows, but most of the bookshelves were kept in shadow, protecting the tomes from damaging sunlight.

The ceiling was at least three stories high, and it had intricate pictures painted on it that reminded me of old chapels in Italy. There was a massive oak desk about thirty feet inside the massive space, with tall bookshelves lined up behind it, leaving a small pathway behind the desk. I imagined those shelves held books that were reserved, or maybe they were references.

An old woman sat in a chair behind the desk, flipping through a massive book that looked like it weighed at least twenty pounds. It was at least six inches thick and wider than her hunched and frail frame. The pages looked thick and old, and she wore white gloves, carefully turning the pages as she studied the script on them. It was the biggest book I ever saw.

Her clothes were that of a typical librarian. Crisp white blouse, a cream sweater draped over her shoulders and sleeves tied across her chest, with glasses that were attached to a gold chain around her neck. She even had a perfectly coifed head of white hair. I couldn't see below her waist, but I imagined she wore a skirt that hung to about mid-calf, with hosiery. Complete with simple, black dress shoes.

I wondered if it was the unwritten dress code for female librarians and then smiled inwardly, remembering Angela's take on the dress code. A simple, plain t-shirt with jeans and flats. Her style since before we met. Of course, it helped that she was African-American and twenty-two years old. She broke the stereotype in leaps.

I kept my head down, letting my hair curtain over my face.

The old woman's eyes snapped up from the book that rested on the table. They glittered with knowledge and she knew what we were. Her eyes snaked up and down both of us as we approached.

"English?" Connor asked.

She raised her head in affirmative and stood up, carefully pulling the gloves off her hands. "How can I help you?" she asked stiffly.

Connor relaxed, relief washing over him. I didn't realize he was tensed. "Please, we need assistance."

"I think what you need is to get that child to a hospital, young man."

"With all due respect, ma'am, we can't do that."

"Why have you come to me?" She asked and stepped around the desk. I was right about the rest of her attire.

"We are from America."

"I gathered that," she nodded slowly.

"We were brought here, against our will. We'd like to get home."

"I cannot help you with that, young man. Not unless you have your identifications and passports...." she trailed off with a wave of her hand, as if she knew exactly where we came from, and knew we wouldn't have anything.

"P-Please," I shuddered, raising my head and allowing my hair to fall away from my face.

The old woman gasped, her face grew paler as she took in my appearance. "Ach, so ein verdammter mist! What on Earth happened to you, child?"

"Kramer S-Scholars," I croaked.

Connor sighed. "You have to understand that this is the only place we could come. Those men are everywhere out there, and we have no idea who else might know about them. Libraries are quiet, and it's our only option. We just need to make a phone call. We need to reach the librarian back home. She can contact some friends who can help. Please help us."

"Child," the old woman looked at me again, "I don't know how this is possible, but you will die of infection if you do not receive help soon." She turned her attention back to Connor. "I will help you make your phone call, but I cannot offer you shelter here. It is against the rules of neutrality."

I wasn't aware there were rules of neutrality. I made a note to ask Angela about them later, once we were safe.

The old woman walked around the desk and grabbed the massive cream colored phone, lifting the receiver, and looked at us expectantly. I gave her the phone number and her fingers punched the keys with accuracy. She brought the receiver to her ear and waited.

My eyes traveled around her desk and took in all the various items scattered across it, while I tried to ignore the intense cold.

"Ja. This is Bea. I am librarian for the city of Berlin. Am I speaking with—" she looked up at us.

"Angela Williams," Connor said.

"—Angela Williams, librarian?" Bea finished. She nodded and shoved the receiver in Connor's hand.

He pulled the receiver to his ear, bending down so I could listen in as well. "A-Angela," I said.

"Aisling!" she cried. "You're in Berlin?"

God, but it was so good to hear her voice. Tears slipped from my eyes as I continued to shake. "Yeah, we were b-brought here. C-Connor and I are okay. But we h-have no way to get out of here. They t-took everything."

Connor squeezed my shoulder lightly as I shuddered from the bitter cold still wracking through me.

"I'll call Liam and find out what we're going to do to get you guys out of there. Are you okay?"

"Uh, I've been b-better," I said.

"We were tortured, Angela." Connor said. "Aisling healed me but she's in bad shape. We need help as soon as possible."

"I'll find Liam, and I'll call you back. Hang in there, Aisling."

I nodded. "Sure t-thing," my voice sounded raspy and wave of dizziness hit me. I didn't know how long I had before the infections festering in my wounds would take over.

"Give the phone back to Bea."

Five minutes later, Bea hung up the phone. "Very well. Your friend is not quite neutral any longer, is she?" she asked but went on. "No matter. I have agreed to let you stay until she can call back. Come." She turned to the desk, grabbed a couple items I couldn't see, and then began walking.

### Chapter 15

Bookshelves lined the outer walls, and rows of them took up the entire distance of the massive space. Spiral staircases led up to catwalks and balconies that had smaller groupings of bookshelves. Every bookshelf was packed.

I was too busy shivering and ogling over the space to notice Bea. Somewhere along the way, the librarian picked up a first aid kit.

Connor held on to me and led me down the long stretch toward the door at the end. I caught him looking down at me as we approached the door and looked up. He grinned and his aura was a mixture of pink and orange.

I wasn't sure what he was amazed about, as the orange in his aura indicated. "W-What?" I asked, trying to suppress another full body shudder.

"Nothing," he smiled. "You're in agony, practically frozen, and yet you're still managing to push past it and see the beauty of this place. It is a big library."

"That's an understatement," I nodded. That room alone was about three times as big as the library in Nashville, and that was only the main part of the library. There was still plenty more to the building we couldn't see.

He shook his head in disbelief, still smiling down at me. "You're going to be alright, Aisling," he promised me again.

"How d-do you know that?"

"Because you're strong."

I didn't feel strong in that moment. From my appearance, to how I felt with the injuries, infections, and inability to walk on an ankle that sounded like rice cereal after adding milk — not to mention the emotional roller coaster I was riding, I was barely holding on as it was.

Bea led us down some stairs into the underbelly of the library. "The vault," she said with a wave of her hand.

It was enormous, filled with even more books. Some computer screens flickered on a few desks that peppered the floor in between the bookcases. There were even a few spelled items that emitted a faint aura around them.

Then she turned to a small room on her right and opened the door, ushering us inside. "I expect you to stay away from the vault. Stay in here until I return."

The room was small. There was a table with four chairs, a small sink with a cabinet above and below, a small water station next to it, and a small trash can sat in the corner.

She put the first aid kit on the table and then pulled two candy bars out of her pocket.

"You both need to eat something." Bea pointed to the first aid kit. "I trust you know how to use this and can get her cleaned up, since you don't want to get her to a hospital?"

Connor nodded and eased me into a chair. "Thank you."

She nodded and left, closing the door behind her. I was expecting her to lock it, but she didn't, and I heard the clicking of her short heels on the floor until they disappeared up the stairs.

"T-This place is massive," I said, still shivering.

"Honey," Connor said, sitting down next to me. "Your skin is literally frosting. What's wrong?"

I hadn't been paying attention to my skin, but sure enough, it wasn't its normal peaches and cream tone. It was nearly white and there were bits of frost developing on the unbroken pieces of flesh.

The concern in his eyes was unmistakable when I looked back up at him. I didn't need to see the gray swirling around in his aura to know what he was thinking.

I understood how he felt. I was afraid of what was happening to me. Afraid of _how_ it was happening. I just didn't understand why.

"It's h-hard to explain. It f-feels like t-there's something inside m-me. Something f-foreign that doesn't b-belong. Some k-kind of connection t-that is eating away at m-me from the inside out." That was the best explanation I had.

"First of all, there's nothing inside you, Aisling. Something was controlling you. You didn't do those things. You didn't kill those men. Second, judging by the intensity of your aura, I think you are overwhelmed with fear right now. Let's get you cleaned up and we'll see if we can't warm you up," he grinned and his aura shifted to dark pink.

While Connor opened up the first aid kit and assessed its contents, I watched him. He pulled out gauze, antiseptic ointment, and rubbing alcohol. There was a kit for sutures near the bottom.

"D-Do you even know how to do stitches?" I asked.

"No, but I can try, if you want."

I shook my head. "T-That's okay, I'll g-get fixed up soon enough."

Connor walked over to the sink and opened the cabinets. He pulled out a clean rag and poured hot water on it from the water dispenser.

With a chuckle, he bent down and picked something up off the floor. "Look what I found," he grinned and held up his hand, revealing a rubber band. The pink of his aura was dotted with light blue from his humor.

I smiled back at him, despite the pain. "Small w-wonders n-never cease."

He chuckled, set it down on the table, and sat down next to me.

We ate the candy bars and drank water first, then Connor wiped the blood from every inch of my exposed skin.

I tried to stay quiet, but the pain was too much.

Connor whispered apologies as he worked, and I kept telling him it was okay. It was necessary.

And it was.

I didn't just smell like blood and dirt anymore. There was a faint air of sickness coming from me, and my pain increased tenfold when Connor started using the rubbing alcohol to clean the infected wounds.

While he worked, I asked him through a combination of a shudder and a pained hiss, "Why d-do I have infections? I thought we weren't supposed to get sick."

"You said they gave you drugs, right?"

I nodded. "They d-didn't come out and s-say it, but they i-indicated it."

"Maybe it did more than deplete your power. It could have weakened your immune system." He shrugged. "I don't know. Anything is possible."

By the time he was finished, tears were slipping from my eyes, even the one still swollen shut, and I felt burned and raw all over.

He used almost the whole bottle of rubbing alcohol, the trash can was full of bloodied gauze, the rag was covered in dried blood, and I finally began to feel like a person again. But I was still freezing from the inside out.

"Want to wash your hair in the sink?" Connor asked.

I grinned at him, as much as my raw skin would allow. "Is that r-rhetorical?"

He smiled back at me.

God, but he was beautiful.

He asked me the same question about dancing just before he asked me to marry him. I smiled at the memory and reached into my back pocket. "D-Do you remember when you s-said that to me?"

"Of course, I do. I pretended not to know how to dance, just to see what you'd do. I was stalling."

"Why w-were you stalling?"

"Because I didn't know if you'd think it was too fast."

"Why would I think that?"

Connor watched me for a moment and his lips curved slightly. "Women are a mystery. I didn't know for sure," he shrugged.

"You didn't need to worry. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you long before that."

"Do you know when I bought your ring?"

I shook my head.

"I bought it after you tested your theory on red, when I bought the phone I didn't need."

A smile crept across my lips. That test was one of the most intense moments of my life. I was just learning what the colors of auras meant, and I thought I knew that red meant desire, but I wanted to see how far I could take it.

It led to our first kiss and a very heated few moments after. As amazing as it was, I was embarrassed by it.

"I still can't believe I did that."

"Would you stop doing that? There was nothing wrong with what we did. So what that we dry humped? If I remember correctly, you got _plenty_ of enjoyment out of it. And it's not like we haven't stopped doing that, either. We just manage to get our clothes off before we get too far with it," he grinned and his aura darkened to red.

Damn, but he was right.

"Was my test what made you want to buy the ring?"

"No," he chuckled. "I knew when you curled up next to me with your head on my chest and slept in my arms that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you." He reached up and touched my face, his thumbs caressing just in front of my ears where my skin wasn't damaged. Then he leaned in and kissed me.

"I love you," I whispered as he pulled away.

"I love you, Aisling. I promise we'll get you another ring, just like the one you had." He smiled at me, deep brown eyes sparkling and red swirling in his aura.

I smiled at him. "You don't have to buy me a new ring, Connor."

"Why not?" Fear overpowered his aura with a sickly gray glow.

My hand turned over and I opened my fist. The ring glimmered on the palm of my hand.

As soon as he saw it, his aura flickered back to red. He grinned and picked it up, examining it. "How?"

"I thought they took it, but I found it while I was trying to use magic to get out of my cell. I think they dropped it or something. My fingers were mangled so I put it in my pocket. I didn't think about it until now."

He slipped it back on my finger.

It felt right, having it back where it belonged.

"Thank you," I whispered and kissed him, lacing my hands behind his neck.

He dropped to his knees on the floor and wrapped his arms around me. I spread my legs so he could get closer and wrapped my arms around his shoulders as he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss.

When he finally pulled away, he pushed my hair away from my face and smiled, "You stopped shivering and your skin is warming up."

Son of a bitch, but he was right.

### Chapter 16

I tipped my head over and let the warm water slide over my hair. Connor ran his fingers through it, working out the tangles and the dried blood as he moved. And he was careful around the welt on the back of my head.

Watching as the pink water washed down the drain, I reveled in the feel of Connor's fingers massaging through my scalp and hair with careful movements. I knew he couldn't get all the tangles, but anything would be better than nothing.

When he finished, I twisted my hair, wringing out as much water as I could and then I pulled it up in a bun, tying it into place with the rubber band. It wasn't going to be easy to get my hair out of the hold of the rubber band, but I would deal with that later.

Connor watched me as I worked my hair into some semblance of order, and grinned, his pink aura darkening to red.

"What?" I smiled as I dropped my arms.

"You're beautiful."

I snorted. "Yeah, the shiner really brings out the color of my good eye."

He laughed, his aura engulfed in light blue, and tossed his head back in guffaws. Laughing in a way that made me bite my lip to keep from moving closer. The way I loved.

The sound traveled all the way to my toes, enticing me, inviting me in. It was all I could do to not move and kiss his throat, run my tongue over his Adam's apple.

When he stopped laughing, he looked at me again and his aura returned to red. "You're radiant when you're not beat up and injured like this. But you're always beautiful to me."

"Thank you," I said. I didn't know what else to say.

Connor always knew exactly what to say to make me feel better.

"And for the record, your eyes are wonderful, no matter what's going on. Crazy hair," he grinned with light blue bleeding into the red of his aura for a moment, "broken skin, and black eyes included."

He did it again.

There I was, standing on one foot while the other swelled so much my shoe was cutting into my skin, covered in cuts and burns, aching from broken bones, and sported a black eye and a welt on the back of my head. Through all that, even while my clothes were covered in dirt and blood, he still found me beautiful. I stared into his eyes and my vision blurred.

God, but I loved him.

A tear fell from my eye and his expression softened. "Oh, honey," he breathed and stepped closer. He claimed my mouth again and wrapped his arms around me in the next instant.

I responded, moving my hands to his soft hair. I smoothed it back from his face as it began to fall in my face, irritating the broken skin.

Strong arms picked me up and I wrapped my legs around him. He carried me to the table and sat me on the cool surface.

My hands wrapped around his waist and I pulled him closer. He pressed against me, the friction against my chest made me ache for him even more. His hands cradled my neck and he kept kissing me with a fever.

I couldn't get close enough and pulled him harder, as much as my weakened muscles would allow, needing him closer to me. His hands left my neck. While one trailed lazily down my side and hitched my hurt leg up, changing the angle of my hips, his other wrapped around my waist. He pushed closer and I could feel his desire, the heated, hardened length pulsed through the front of his jeans.

I moaned into his mouth. God, I missed his touch so much. I could die in that instant and be happy.

Slipping my fingers under his shirt, I felt his velvety skin, stretched over the hard muscle of his back and slid my hands inside the waistband of his jeans, squeezed his ass, and pulled him harder.

Connor ground against me and we both moaned at the friction.

The door swung open behind me and Connor tensed, broke away from the kiss and glared at the door.

"Ach, what on Earth are you doing?" Bea cried.

I buried my face into Connor's chest and smiled, trying to suppress the laugh trying to escape my lips.

The red in his aura mixed with light blue. His whole body shook as he, too, tried not to laugh. He lowered my leg as I pulled my hands out of his pants and straightened his shirt.

"Nein. I don't want to know!" she added quickly. "Your friend is on the phone."

Connor stepped back, and my lips twitched as I looked up at him, keeping my back to Bea. His eyes glittered with humor and then he walked around the table to Bea and took the phone.

I turned to look, and realized Bea had a cordless phone. It was much different than the brick-sized, cream-colored corded phone upstairs.

"Give us a minute?" he asked Bea as he took the phone from her outstretched hand.

"Ja," she said and walked a few feet away.

Connor brought the phone to me and we both listened to the sound of Angela's voice as it cried through the small speaker.

"Aisling? What's going on?"

I laughed breathlessly.

"We're fine, if that's what you're wondering, Angela," Connor offered and raised his eyebrow at me.

Yes, we were fine. We were making out and rapidly approaching second base when Bea barged in on us.

"What's the news?" he asked.

"Right. I talked to Liam, there's a vampire there by the name of Varick. He's known Liam since they were human. He's near there."

"That's good news."

"That's not all."

"What else?" I asked.

"Word is traveling through both the supernatural world and the MDM. They think a demon has been summoned, but no one knows where, or who has done it."

That wasn't good. But I wasn't entirely surprised with what was happening to me. I told Angela about my dream and then the sleepwalking, or whatever it happened to be.

"I'll look into it," Angela said. "I think, whatever is going on, you need to be careful, Aisling. Liam said he and a few others are on their way to you right now. They're flying and should be there around morning. He wanted me to make sure I told you not to take blood from Varick or any other vampire. I'm not sure why, but he was very adamant about reminding you."

I remembered Liam's ultimatum after we were forced to take refuge in his home. He made me agree to never accept blood from another vampire. At the time, I thought it was just his way of being in control. Maybe it wasn't.

"Okay, I can do that," I said. I trusted Liam enough to understand there was a reason behind it and to know the warning under the statement. Whatever it was, taking blood from another vampire would be dangerous.

Message received, Liam.

It would mean waiting a little longer before I could heal. But I would much rather Liam heal me than a strange vampire I didn't know, anyway.

"The other thing is that Varick is unavailable to get you from the library until sundown. I don't know why. So I need to see if I can convince Bea to let you stay until then."

My shoulders slumped.

I didn't think that was going to work out in our favor.

### Chapter 17

While I moved to sit down in a chair, Connor took the phone to Bea, came back into the room, and sat down next to me. We waited as she chatted with Angela. I turned and knew from the grim set of her shoulders that she wasn't going to allow us to stay.

My heart sank, the library was the first place I felt somewhat normal again. A sanctuary. Surrounded by books, knowledge, and the comforting musty scent that could only be found in such a place.

I was somewhat clean for the first time in days. As the minutes ticked on, I knew Connor felt the same way. His aura slowly shifted to gray as we watched her.

The moment Connor realized that we were going to have to leave and fend for ourselves on the streets again, his aura filled with gray and a sad, dark blue. They were swirling together like a summer storm.

"Ach, I will give them the address. Good day!" she cried and hung up the phone and turned to face us. "You cannot stay. I'm sorry. Come." Without waiting for us, she turned and made her way back up to the main atrium of the library.

Connor helped me up, and supported my weight as we made our way back through the vault and up the stairs toward the waiting unknown.

"Are you sure we can't stay until dark?" I asked.

"Nein, you must be on your way, child," she said with a firm shake of her head. Her glasses were perched on the edge of her nose as her fingers clicked across the keys of her computer.

She pulled a piece of paper out of a drawer inside the desk and jotted an address on it. "This is where you'll find Varick. He's known as Varick Corin. I trust you know the way?"

"Actually, we don't. Can you tell us where to go?" Connor asked.

"Ach," she sighed and then rattled off directions to the outer edge of the city. I got lost after a few minutes of all the twists and turns to take.

"And it's to the North?" Connor asked, pointing.

"Ja, North," she nodded.

"Thank you for helping us," I said.

"Take care of yourself, child. Get home."

Bea wasn't heartless. I could see the concern in her eyes as we turned and headed out the same doors we entered a few, short hours before.

Something was scaring her. She wanted to allow us to stay. Was it the Kramer Scholars? Maybe they'd managed to strong arm the neutrals in the city to supply them with information under the threat of violence or death.

I didn't know about the rules of neutrality, but I saw enough to know there were problems.

Before I knew how to heal with magic, we took Shadow to a veterinarian for help when he was hurt.

The vet didn't want to help us, but he did, and then he promised to take care of him while shooing us out the door. His behavior didn't make sense to me and I didn't trust his actions, so we took the werewolf with us.

Martin kidnapped and questioned Angela about betraying the humans. I thought it was just my sociopathic step-father that wanted to question her.

Combining that with Bea's fear and the vet's behavior, it was making me question if there weren't more neutrals that were nervous about helping _others_.

It wouldn't surprise me if the MDM wanted to tip the scales of neutrality in their favor.

Changes were already in motion, and it probably didn't help that word was spreading about a demon.

Whoever had the guts to summon a demon, was either a complete sociopath, or they were insane. Perhaps both.

My step-father was both. He not only wanted my power, essence included — as souls carried the largest amount of power, but he wanted to summon a destroyer demon named Bilu to kill every last supernatural creature on Earth.

From the limited knowledge we were able to gather before we were abducted, any attempts to summon a demon in the past were either complete failures or some of the worst tragedies in human history.

The lore on demons was limited, but the few times they were summoned successfully, they broke the hold on the person or group of people that summoned them and held them under their command. They always found a way.

The Great Fire of London in the mid-seventeenth century was the first well-documented case of a demon's successful summoning. That fire swept through the majority of the city in a matter of days, and people were powerless to stop it.

But that wasn't the only one.

The documentation during the early fourteenth century was scattered because supernaturals weren't the most literate creatures as compared to the esteemed of the rich and powerful, but it was believed that another demon rose, causing the Black Death. And it killed over seventy-five million people.

Those demons weren't destroyer demons. They were lower level — judgment and disease. If the demon my step-father wanted to summon was on Earth, summoned by someone else, we were going to have our hands full dealing with it, and I hoped it wouldn't take half the world's population with it, or more, before I could stop it.

Before they were killed by the Malleus Dei Maleficarum, the Earthens ruled the supernatural community. Protected them. Twelve shared the power between them.

It took all twelve Earthen witches working together to defeat the judgment demon. As the only Earthen with all their power, I wondered if I had enough strength to deal with a destroyer.

But we could only deal with one thing at a time. We needed to survive Berlin and get home first. The odds were stacked against us, and I was hoping we would survive the day, let alone long enough to battle a destroyer demon that would destroy the world if it wasn't stopped.

On top of that, we learned where demons really came from. They weren't just in religious lore. They were evil. Ancient. And predated any known religion. They thrived on death, ruin, and corruption, just to name a few.

It was no wonder they were so popular in human religious cultures. An evil like that could make anyone turn to spirituality in hopes of never facing one.

Besides, Connor's rule of believing anything was possible never steered us wrong.

I was beginning to believe, with every passing moment, that demons were out there, somewhere, waiting to tear our world apart. And one of them was on Earth.

### Chapter 18

By the time we made it to Varick's home, the sky was darkening with various shades of oranges, roses, and blues as the sun fell past the horizon. The house looked, well, common, for a vampire.

Liam's home was a traditional Victorian, cloaked under a powerful spell my mother cast before her death, making the building look ramshackle and deserted for years. But the inside was opulent, furnished with crystal light fixtures, Louis XIV furniture upholstered in luxurious red velvet, with Persian rugs and gold inlaid mahogany floors. It was even bigger beneath the house.

The lower level held all the housing for the humans and the vampires that lived there. There were entertainment areas, a kitchen and dining area, and even a massive training room complete with a moving obstacle course in the middle.

If Varick was attempting to look like a wealthy businessman, he wasn't doing a very good job.

The yard in front of us was tiny, with a white picket fence and chipping paint surrounding the front. The stucco of the house crumbled in a few places near the brick-encased windows and corners. It was walled on three sides by trees. It looked like any other home I would expect to see in the outskirts of Berlin — or any other European city for that matter. Just a modest two-story cottage.

Contrary to popular belief, vampires weren't afraid of the sun, nor did they burst into flames when they stood in direct sunlight. Their skin might be pale because they no longer held melanin in their skin, but they didn't fear the light like humans believed. And they definitely didn't sparkle.

They could work in a typical office, like any other human, or they could live up to the old stereotype and stalk the streets at night with a cape flapping behind them in the breeze. Some of them were just that full of themselves.

Liam wasn't that far off. His fascination with Dracula was proof enough of that.

After the eradication of the Earthen witches in the late seventeenth century, there was a shift in the paradigm of the supernatural world. The term _every man for himself_ was embraced and _others_ left their homes out of fear of the MDM.

Witches no longer worked in covens, were-animals no longer ran in packs. Vampires still lived in nests, but in much smaller numbers.

Perhaps it was due to the enigmas of the masters, which drew progeny to them like moths to a flame. Perhaps it was the safety and protection they could offer. Or, maybe they just stayed together out of loyalty. They were, after all, ancient creatures — or at least some of them were ancient — that defied the laws of nature.

Vampires were undead, which meant they were supernatural creatures, but didn't cast an aura. So it was almost impossible to figure out how they were feeling.

They could see the auras of _others_ , however, and it made trust an even bigger pill to swallow. That was why it took so long to trust Liam and the other vampires of his house.

Though Connor was trying to hide it, the gray of fear was growing stronger in his aura with each step we took toward the cottage. It felt like the night we first met Liam all over again, only that time I could feel the empty, energized spaces the vampires emitted.

There were five of them inside the house, and several more behind it. There were at least a dozen humans with them. And countless more underground.

We wouldn't stand a chance against them without my magic.

The door swung open, much in the same fashion when we met Liam, but that time, instead of a massive body builder vampire by the name of Jon answering the door, a young woman appeared. She looked no older than twenty and smiled at us as we stopped.

"You must be Aisling and Connor," she beamed. "Please, come in."

Connor's jaw clenched as his aura burned with gray.

I felt it too.

We were entering the home of an unfamiliar vampire. Again. The only reason we were there was because Liam promised we would be safe. But that didn't mean we would trust any of them. Trusting a vampire took a lot of time and consideration.

Connor helped me through the door and the young woman stepped to the side to let us through.

The inside of the home looked just as average as the outside. Ratty and stained rugs, scuffed wooden floors, and peeling floral wallpaper made it look like it was decorated in the seventies and never updated since. I even thought I smelled apple pie cooking in the kitchen.

The smell made my stomach clench painfully as the memory of my grandmother hit me like a truck. Apples were her favorite and her house always smelled of them.

Since we were taken, the only food we ate were the candy bars Bea provided. And if Bea's desk calendar was right, it was December second. That meant we went three days without food or water. The candy bars and the water we consumed at the library weren't nearly enough to sustain us for long, either.

"Oh, my dear, you must be starved," a man crooned from the far doorway behind the stairs. He smiled and stepped out into the hallway toward us. He wore a suit that looked expensive with shining black shoes that were probably just as expensive, which reminded me of Liam.

He looked like he was at least five inches taller than Connor's six feet. And he was pure muscle. Not like a body builder, but similar to Liam in the way his body was built for war and fighting.

Dark hair was short and the wild, just-fucked messiness of it looked intentional. His teeth were pure white and his eyes were a dark brown, almost black, which flashed like a cat's eyes as he watched me.

That flash was one of several ways to tell a vampire for what it was. Probably the least disturbing as well.

"My name is Varick Corin. It is a pleasure to meet you." He even sounded like Liam with his old world accent.

"Thank you for helping us, Varick," I said.

"Oh child, it is no burden, I assure you. Please, you are hurt. Take some of my blood and heal," he said and lifted his wrist to his mouth, pulling his lips back to reveal fangs that weren't there a moment ago.

"No, thank you," I said, shaking my head.

Varick hesitated and he looked at me, his brows creasing in concern that didn't reach his eyes. "But you are hurt."

I didn't want to tell him about Liam's warning. And I also didn't want to tell him about the sick feeling in my stomach that told me Liam was right. It went beyond trust. Somehow, it would be dangerous for me to accept blood from the vampire in front of me.

Is he aware of that?

"Liam and I have an arrangement. I drink only his blood. I don't mean to offend, Varick, but I will honor my word and wait for him."

"I believe Liam will be displeased with me if I do not heal you. Please, take my blood." He made the same gesture of moving his wrist back to his mouth, but then paused when Connor spoke.

"She said no. Please respect that." His gray aura was dotted with an angry green as he spoke.

For the first time, Varick's eyes flickered to Connor and traveled down Connor's body and back up again. Even though I couldn't see an aura coming from the vampire, I could tell he was not pleased with Connor's presence. I caught a look that I could only guess was jealousy before he cleared his face and smiled back at me, fangs gone. "Very well, if you insist. You must be hungry. At least let me fill your stomach with delicious food."

My stomach answered his request with a loud groan and Varick's smile widened. Connor's stomach even let out a growl of its own.

"It's settled then. Please, to the dining room," he swung his arm out in a gesture to proceed past him, and his grin didn't falter. I squeezed Connor's hand as he helped me past the vampire in the cramped hallway.

Something wasn't right with Varick.

But I couldn't put my finger on it.

### Chapter 19

Varick directed us to a small dining room that mirrored the same dated and common look as the rest of the house. There was a stained oak table that looked straight out of a seventies home décor magazine, with six matching chairs. The same peeling floral wallpaper covered the walls in muted colors and a threadbare, faded blue oval carpet sat beneath the table.

"Please sit," Varick cried from behind us and moved to my right, helping Connor get me into the seat in front of us. He looked pleased at the chance to help me, and I wondered exactly what he was after.

Even Liam wasn't that creepy when we first met him.

I glanced up at Connor and his jaw clenched again as the green in his aura brightened and expanded across the gray, but he allowed Varick to assist. I lifted my swollen foot up off the floor as the two men lowered me into the chair. Once I was settled, Connor sat down in the seat to my left and took my hand, pulling it to his lap.

My fiancé was sweet. He also wasn't an idiot. I knew exactly what Connor was doing. The vampire who agreed to help us was behaving as if I wasn't taken.

Territorialism, I was beginning to learn, was common for _others_ in regards to anything they considered theirs. As Connor's mate, I was his, just like he was mine. And he was, in a typical male fashion, staking his claim over me in front of the vampire who seemed to be putting on a little too much charm in his presence.

The gesture unsettled Varick, just as Connor knew it would, and the vampire bristled as he eyed our hands.

I considered for an instant to grab Connor's crotch to drive the point home, but decided against it because it would be rude. I didn't need to be rude to the vampire. But that didn't mean I wouldn't allow Connor to stake his claim.

To be honest, I was surprised it took me that long to realize that _others_ were territorial. I felt the same way when a beautiful blonde vampire in Liam's house ogled Connor and even assaulted him in front of me while we were training. I almost ripped her head off with magic when she put her hand down his pants.

Luckily I didn't, because that was the only way to kill a vampire.

My lips twitched and I tried to hide my grin as I squeezed his hand back, despite the lingering ache from the bones that were still healing.

With a snap of his fingers, Varick sat down at the head of the table to my right. A pair of saloon-style doors swung open and a line of four people poured into the room from the kitchen on my left. More smells of food wafted in with them and my stomach yowled in protest.

My stomach could contend with the purr of my best friend's cat, Bugs. The gray, Russian Blue feline had a loud purr that reminded me of a broken lawn mower. If the situation were different, I would tease Angela about it.

"My people have cooked all afternoon, since I heard from Liam that you were coming to us. I do apologize that we weren't able to obtain you directly." Varick smiled at me.

"Thank you," I said.

Varick's smile was genuine, but the look in his eyes was colder. They were watching me with a combination of assessment and appreciation. I wasn't sure if it was a gaze meant for my body, or my power. But I didn't like it either way. "My dear, you must be in pain. Are you sure you do not want me to heal you?"

"No, but thank you for the offer."

His smile widened. He enjoyed my kindness.

Two can play at this game, Varick.

The four servers with massive covered dishes placed them evenly across the table while a fifth person flitted out from behind the swinging doors. He wore a white apron over traditional chef attire. He even wore a hat.

But that man wasn't human.

He wasn't a vampire either.

I couldn't tell what he was.

He was undead. I could tell from his lack of an aura. But, yet, not the same as Varick and Liam. I never sensed him while we were standing in the front of the house.

I let my magic fan out again. Sure enough there were more of the strange undead beings in the house and underground. I didn't know what they were, and I wasn't about to trust them any more than the vampire to my right.

"Ah, decadent meal as always, Leo," Varick crooned, still keeping his eyes on me.

"Thank you, master," he replied in a low voice. "I'm pleased to present a traditional American Thanksgiving meal."

The four humans that stood at the opposite end of the table reached down in unison and removed the stainless steel covers off the massive trays of food.

A massive turkey filled with stuffing, surrounded by even more stuffing and a big pot of turkey gravy occupied one tray. The second was bowls of with green bean casserole, corn, and mashed potatoes with even more gravy.

The third tray was a glazed ham that smelled sweet and glistened with a honeyed brown sugar sauce that made my mouth water. Three pies on a tiered display took up the final tray.

Cinnamon apple pie was steaming at the top, with what I guessed was either a peach or cherry pie beneath that, and a pumpkin pie at the base. There were even bowls of whipped cream that looked like they were made from scratch.

My mouth watered and my stomach growled louder from the onslaught of scents. It was all I could do to not reach out and start shoveling food into my mouth from the sight of it.

It looked like Connor was having the same reaction.

I looked up at Varick. "Thank you," I said.

His expression softened and he laid his hand over mine.

Connor tensed, and I squeezed his hand gently in response.

"I am pleased you enjoy the selection, Aisling," Varick said and then looked up at the strange undead creature. "If you please, Leo," he said and released my hand.

A few minutes later, our plates were piled high with turkey, ham, and all the other sides that were prepared for us. It was an extravagant show of hospitality on Varick's part, but it wasn't enough to begin to trust him.

Because Varick didn't have a plate.

Liam and his nest of vampires always ate with us when we stayed with him. I never asked, but I assumed they ate food just as much as they drank blood. Maybe Liam and his nest were just being polite.

I knew from the painful clenching in my stomach that we needed to take it slow, otherwise we might not keep the food down. Connor came to the same conclusion, too. Either that, or he felt the same distrust I felt toward Varick and his strange behavior.

Admittedly, the food was good, but something didn't taste right about it. I thought it was an attempt of cooking an American meal by a nest of German undead and their humans, rather than anything nefarious. Everything, including the ham, tasted slightly bitter.

Varick watched me and asked questions about life in America. He asked what I did for a living, and he listened with interest as I answered him. He seemed pleased at my chosen profession. And Connor stayed quiet the entire time. The vampire directed his attention to me and didn't offer any information about himself. It didn't surprise me, either. Liam was much the same way at first.

By the time Connor and I finished eating, we only picked at the food. Our stomachs no longer howled in protest, but the weird taste wasn't agreeing me. I could only assume Connor felt the same.

"Please, you must keep eating to regain your strength," Varick crooned at me, smiling the same smile he gave me all evening.

"I'm sorry, Varick." I patted my stomach for effect. "It was delicious. Please tell Leo he did a wonderful job with the food. I just can't eat another bite." Ooze on the appreciation and gratitude. That was sure to appease him.

"I am pleased you have enjoyed the meal, dear Aisling."

"Varick?" I asked, smiling at him as much as my broken skin would allow.

"Anything, my dear. What can I do for you?"

"May I please have some paper and a pen? I haven't written anything in days. It would be nice to get some words on paper again."

Varick beamed at me, my polite request and the way I dipped my head, looking at him through hooded eyes seemed to please him far beyond what I thought was normal. "Of course, my dear."

Perhaps it was just me, but it felt like Connor was holding my hand a little tighter than he was when we first sat down.

### Chapter 20

A few minutes later, we were escorted by three of Varick's vampires through the back door and along a dark path that brought us to a cellar door.

As we attempted to descend the stairs, I lost my footing and Connor caught me before I fell. He picked me up and carried me the rest of the way down the stairs.

The vampires escorting us didn't make a sound as they moved. They didn't speak, and they didn't make any moves to help me when I almost fell. They didn't even bother to turn on a light so we could see where we were going as we descended the uneven steps. Connor somehow managed to handle my weight and navigate them without falling.

When we hit the bottom, the vampire ahead of us opened the big door into a brightly lit underground space.

The furnishings looked similar to Liam's home, but with a few differences. Marble floors that sparkled in the light instead of mahogany, paintings of landscapes that reminded me of Picasso's brush strokes instead of mainstream Dracula characters from movies. The space was lit with similar crystal chandeliers and wall sconces that gleamed off the shiny floors.

Angela said Liam and Varick knew each other since they were human, but I was beginning to wonder if they once shared the same nest at some point in their long lives because the similarities were striking.

Connor set me down on my feet and pulled my arm over his shoulder to help support me again. I preferred to be on my feet anyway. Something about those vampires, and the other undead creatures set me on edge. I didn't know how well we would be able to fight them if they attacked us. I hoped that wouldn't happen. I hoped Liam was right to send us there.

My magic fanned out again, searching the space to get a sense for the number of people, both human, and _other_ in the space, but I couldn't seem to stretch it further than a few feet from me. It worked before.

Why can't I use my magic now?

I looked up at Connor and he looked down at me, his jaw clenched. I squeezed his hand as he held it, helping to support me over his shoulders.

Whatever was going on, I was certain Connor could feel it too.

The vampires turned down a hallway and opened a door for us. Connor walked us inside and before we could turn around, the door swung closed and locked from the outside. I felt like a prisoner again. With better furnishings than stone and metal tables, but a prisoner nonetheless.

I looked at the room, and it was plain. The room we shared at Liam's reminded me of some exotic space that oozed sex and lust. The room we were standing in looked expensive, but very muted on the lust scale.

The bed was a normal size, as compared to the double king size bed that we shared in Liam's home. The comforter was a floral print in simple colors as opposed to crimson silk. The floors were the same marble as out in the hall, and the surfaces were empty, save for a pad of paper and a pen that sat on the low dresser near the bathroom.

The bathroom was smaller than Liam's, and looked almost normal with creamy tiles and a basic tub and shower. And there were two sets of clothing on the counter next to the double sinks.

It didn't surprise me that they left clothes for us. Liam did the same. But it didn't help me feel any less cautious about why we were there, and what was going on. I dropped my arm from around Connor's shoulders.

"Want to take a shower?" Connor asked me with a grin, his aura peppering with light blue.

"It's not exactly material for Penthouse Forum is it?"

He laughed, tipping his head back. I bit my lip, trying to keep from moving toward him as the sound of his laughter traveled down my body. He stopped laughing and looked down at me as I balanced on my good foot. "What?"

My lips twitched. "You should stop doing that."

"Stop doing what?" he grinned.

I hobbled over to the dresser and pulled myself up on it and curled a finger to Connor, beckoning him to come closer. He walked to me and I picked up the pen and pad of paper and started scribbling.

"Because all I want to do is kiss you when you do that." I showed him the paper.

I don't trust V.

He nodded in agreement. "What exactly is it I'm doing, so I can do it more often?" He wriggled his eyebrows at me as pink started to bleed into his aura.

I smiled, he was playing along.

"Well," I began, scribbling again on the page, "you tip your head back and laugh, for starters."

Did the food taste weird to you?

Connor read the note and his eyes snapped back up to mine. "Go on."

"You expose your throat. You know how much I love your throat," I said, trying to purr the words at him. It wasn't too difficult, since it was true.

I'm having trouble with my magic again, I think.

I showed it to him and then held up my hand, trying to turn on the faucet in the shower.

Nothing happened.

Frowning, I looked back up at Connor and shook my head. His aura turned gray as he took the pen and pad from me and scribbled. "What exactly is it you like about my throat? I still haven't figured that out."

You think they poisoned us?

I nodded and the grim set of Connor's lips told me he felt the same way, and he nodded back.

Connor set the pen and paper back on the dresser and looked back at me. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him toward me, spreading my legs to let him move closer. With a grin and a spike of pink in his aura, he pressed against me and waited.

If Varick was listening, I hoped he would choke on what we were about to do.

"Well, your skin tastes as good as it looks here." I ran my hand from Connor's jaw down the side of his neck, and he tipped his head back a little to give me access while his aura shifted to red. Then I ran my fingers gently over his Adam's apple, "And it's delicious here."

Connor eyes slid closed as I moved my fingers over his skin.

"The sound of your voice is even better, especially when I do this," I leaned forward and kissed his throat, claiming his Adam's apple in my mouth.

He groaned, leaning closer and I kissed up his jaw until his mouth found mine. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me tighter against him.

His heated, hardened flesh beneath the front of his jeans pressed against me and I gasped against his mouth. He grabbed the hem of my shirt and gently pulled it over my head and ran his hands over the undamaged skin of my sides.

My hands slipped up inside his shirt, running my fingers over the velvet skin of his abdomen. It stretched over tight muscles that rippled beneath my touch. Then I pulled his shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor.

Warm fingers unhooked my bra and it fell away next. His hands cupped my aching breasts, brushing his thumbs over the sensitive tips, and I moaned from the sensation.

He claimed my mouth in a fiery kiss that sent jolts low in my belly. My hands moved to the curve of his ass and I pulled him tighter as he ground against me, forcing another moan into his mouth.

After several blissful minutes, Connor picked me up, with my arms and legs wrapped around him and he carried me into the bathroom. He stopped at the shower and I lowered my feet to the floor.

Leaning down, he turned on the shower and adjusted the temperature, and then returned his attention to me. He dropped to his knees and helped me undress. He even took the time to bite each hip, just the way I liked, forcing more moans from me.

"Connor," I whispered.

He grinned and stood up. "Just breathe, Aisling," he said, just like the first time we made love, and then kissed me again.

I unbuttoned his jeans and pushed the zipper down, easing his pants down past his hips. Then my arms wrapped around his neck and I pressed against him. He stepped out of his jeans and lifted me into the shower.

Warm water cascaded down our bodies as we kept kissing, holding each other. I barely registered that the water didn't hurt against my flayed and burned skin. I was shocked the sound of the shower didn't bother me, too.

But I forgot about all of it as he pushed me into the wall and lifted my hips. I wrapped my legs around him and he slowly entered me. I cried out at the pleasure shooting through every nerve in my body when he was finally sheathed to the hilt. And he let out a groan of his own.

"God, you feel so good," I moaned.

He smiled and began to move in and out of me with impeccable timing, letting me feel every inch of him. His kiss was feverish, just the way I liked. And as he felt the build of release rise within me, he ground his hips against me with every thrust.

Moments later, I gasped and pulled away from his mouth, while I shattered around him. " _Oh, god, Connor,_ " I cried as his movements slowed, letting me ride the wave of pleasure.

He moaned from the intensity of my orgasm and his mouth trailed to my throat, avoiding the deep cuts on my face as he moved. "Jesus, Aisling, I love it when you come," he groaned, and he increased his pace, thrusting in and out with a rapid motion that drove me wild.

By the time he cried out with his release, I was crashing around him for a third time.

As the aftershocks faded away, Connor eased me down to my feet and helped to remove the rubber band from my hair. Then he washed away the last remaining bits of dirt and blood from our bodies, removing signs of our time spent in the dungeon.

Except for the burns, welts, cuts, bruises, broken bones, and swollen black eye on me, that was.

When we stepped out of the shower, Connor pulled on the black silk pajama bottoms and helped me into the matching nightgown that were left out for us on the counter.

We settled on the bed a few minutes later. The floral comforter was surprisingly warm and heavy over us as we snuggled together.

"You should sleep, honey," Connor whispered as I rested my head on his chest, which I translated as: "I'm going to stay awake."

It was good he said that, because I didn't think I could stay awake much longer. "I'm sorry," I whispered back to him, already beginning to doze.

"Don't be. You're still hurt," he whispered back and tucked a curl behind my ear and kissed the top of my head.

After a few moments, I breathed, "Connor."

He whispered, "I love you, too," as I drifted off.

I dreamed of the man who called himself Bannerst. His razor-sharp teeth smiled as he pointed a bony finger at me and nipped at the air with a snap of his teeth. Then blood rain fell around us.

### Chapter 21

I woke up, sprawling over Connor's body. My leg draped over his, my arm ran the length of his torso with my hand resting on his chest in front of my face. I felt the slow, soft rise and fall of his chest from his breathing.

Cold radiated through me, despite Connor's heat and the warmth of the blanket draped over us. I shivered, noticing my silk nightgown had ridden up past my hips sometime in the night.

"You're so cold," Connor whispered as he moved his hand to cover mine. "Are you alright?"

I remembered a dream of a face with the sharp teeth, but I couldn't remember anything else. Lifting my head, I looked up and into Connor's eyes, "I t-think so. Just c-cold."

"Was it...," he trailed off, not wanting to say too much around prying vampire ears.

I nodded. "Not the s-same, though. N-not nearly as b-bad. D-did you sleep?"

He shook his head in the negative. "Like a baby, of course." He tucked a curl behind my ear and regarded me for a moment before he lifted the comforter and glanced down.

I knew what he was doing. Connor was the answer to warming me. He was always the answer, it seemed. The previous day, he warmed me in a matter of minutes by talking about his proposal and what led to it.

My emotions for him were so powerful, they overpowered everything else. He was right. The fear was what was freezing me, and he knew exactly how to bring me out of it.

Following his gaze, I saw the line of my leg as it draped over his, and my skin was uninterrupted until just above my waist where the black silk began. Not only could I see the desire in his red aura, but I could see it through the thin material of his silk pants.

One of the few things that mainstream society got right about _others_ was our ability to be insatiable. It was one of the few benefits of being different.

Not only could we regenerate faster, but our energy stores were far greater than that of humans in addition to not being fertile unless we wanted. So we could go as often as we wanted until sleepiness slowed us. That was one of the reasons why Connor always seemed like he was ready. Because, in a way, he was.

"I've been stealing glances since you moved your leg," he said, low. It was almost a growl.

My mouth watered as I looked back up at him, I saw his expression, the carnality in his gaze as he held mine, and I grinned up at him, shivering again. I dropped my head and kissed his chest where my head rested only moments before, and ran my hand over the smooth, velvety skin of his bare torso.

Shivering again, I closed my mouth over his nipple and sucked gently, circling it with my tongue. With one final lick, I lifted my head and looked at him again while my hand moved lower, trailing over his skin down to the smooth silk with his hardened flesh straining beneath it. "I'm still c-cold."

The hooded expression on Connor's face and the breathless groan that was elicited from my touch sent shivers through me, but they weren't from the cold any longer. They were desire.

I kept moving my hand slowly over the silk and watched his expression change. Watched as his eyes rolled in his head. Finally, his eyes opened and he looked at me. "I might know what we can do about that," he growled and pushed me onto my back, claiming my mouth with his while his hand moved between my legs.

My hips arched up into his hand, and I moaned from the feel of his fingers circling my clitoris in combination with his tongue massaging mine. I shivered again and his mouth moved along my jaw. "Connor," I whispered. "Please."

In one swift motion, he removed his hand and moved over me, bracing his weight on his arms, and ground against me. I gasped and pulled at his hips while at the same time attempting to push his pants down to release him. He kept moving with slow, agonizing grinds and I cried out from the friction as he watched me.

When I finally managed to push his pants past his hips, I lifted mine, granting him access. With one thrust, he impaled me and I came instantly, shattering around him as I cried out.

He shuddered and held still while he waited for me to relax. " _Oh, god that is so good,_ " he moaned as his eyes closed.

Over an hour and several orgasms for both of us later, we showered and found more clothing in the dresser. Connor wore black pants and a matching shirt, but they weren't his normal and preferred style.

The pants were expensive linen, which hugged his hips and ass perfectly, while the shirt was a button down that he rolled up to his elbows. Instead of putting on the expensive — and just as uncomfortable shoes that were left for him, he put on his boots and laced them up while I kept searching through the clothing left for me.

My choices of clothing included dresses that barely covered me. The kind of dresses that fell just far enough that my ass wouldn't show, but only barely. The kind where severe plunging necklines would require double-sided tape. An item which Varick seemed to overlook. Just like he overlooked bras and panties, the chauvinist ass.

What was worse, they were all a size too small and I was falling out them every time I moved. Connor thought it was hilarious with his chuckles and spikes of red in his light blue aura.

But I felt like bait for the unfamiliar vampires, especially Varick. Connor appreciated the look, but didn't like the idea of them seeing me like that.

Finally, I opted for a towel and wrapped it around me. It covered me much better than anything else.

I fanned out my magic again, testing its limits, and noticed that it was a little improved over where it was the previous night, but not quite the level it was prior to eating. I tested the faucet in the shower again, and only managed to muster enough magic for it to drip water.

Liam swept through the door a moment later, while Jon and Tobias, his second and third, stood by the door, watching the hallway. I trusted those three vampires.

"Aisling, my dear. How are you?" Liam asked as he strolled to the bed and tossed a bag on it without looking at me.

Then he turned and his eyes found me.

With a rush toward me at vampiric speed, he stood in front of me at his full six feet and three inch height an instant later.

His skin was pale and his green eyes were piercing. It didn't surprise me that the centuries old vampire didn't dress down for a rescue mission. He still wore the same expensive black suit with crimson tie and expensive, shiny black shoes.

When we first met him, I thought he would look perfectly at ease in a board room or on a surf board with the way his light brown hair was cut.

At the time, his sudden movements set me on edge, but in that moment, I didn't mind it. Not at all. I was glad to see him. Glad to see Tobias and Jon as well.

I was so happy to see them I needed to blink several times with my good eye to keep from crying.

God help me, but those three vampires were family. And they were there to help us.

Without thinking, I hugged Liam.

"We are happy to see you too, my dear," he said and returned the embrace. He let me go almost as quickly, and I realized why as Connor began to chuckle.

Crap.

I was wearing a towel.

A long, pale hand reached out and touched my face while the vampire's lips twitched.

I winced, but I didn't flinch.

Barely even noticing he pulled his hand away, he bit his wrist and held it out for me. I took the blood willingly, swallowing despite the urge to spit the cold, electrified metallic fluid from my mouth.

I cried out in pain, and Connor held me up as the pain of my body healing made my knees give out.

My skin pulled together and healed, revealing smooth skin once more, the lingering ache in my hands melted away as my eye opened again. Then the swelling in my ankle lessened and something snapped back into place.

"You are healed now, Aisling," Liam said.

I stood and took a few moments to examine my face and test my ankle. When I was satisfied, I reached out and hugged the vampire again. "Thank you," I whispered. His hug was just as brief and he released me back to Connor.

My fiancé's aura was a mixture of green and light blue. I didn't think he was too happy about the second hug. After the pain I went through for two days, I thought it was the least I could do to thank Liam for healing me.

Then I walked to the dresser and picked up the pen and paper Connor and I used the previous night. I scribbled what we observed about Varick, how he seemed ... off, the way the food tasted, the change in my ability to use my magic, along with the mention of a drug by my torturers, while he and Connor filled the silence with small talk.

Connor explained what happened to us in the dungeon. He was especially careful to sound grateful for Varick's hospitality, but his aura was swirling with an angry green as he spoke the words.

Then I wrote about the dreams and the weird sleepwalking, where six of the Kramer Scholars ended up burned to death in the alley, followed by the out of body experience.

Liam read the notes, continuing his conversation with Connor without missing a beat. His expression changed from pure pleasure to confusion, and then grim resignation.

He nodded to me and ripped out the pages, folding them neatly and putting them in his pocket. He rattled off a few instructions to Jon and Tobias in a language I didn't recognize and then Liam turned back to us. "I brought you some clothes. You do not want to walk around like that, do you?" he asked, eyeing my towel.

I smiled and walked over to the bag and looked inside. My favorite jeans, a comfortable t-shirt, matching bra and panties, socks and a new pair of tennis shoes were inside. "How did you know?"

"I have known Varick for some time. He tends to objectify his female guests as much as possible."

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to voice my agreement.

He was right about that.

A few minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom and we made our way back up to the main house while I tried to sort through my thoughts.

Witches, as we learned, could sometimes possess traits from Earthens. It was rare for a witch to have more than one.

My grandmother possessed two traits. The compulsion to help anything in need and the ability to see the future, or precognition.

Connor had three traits, which was unheard of. He felt compelled to help, just like my grandmother. He also drew _others_ to him, which was what made his friendship with Shadow, the werewolf, possible.

Then there was the ability that was rare even for pure Earthens, called _shield_. A defense mechanism that would repel anything magical meant to harm or kill him, automatically. Even though I was the only pure Earthen in existence, the _shield_ was the only trait I didn't possess.

It really made me wonder what would have happened if he didn't become a witch on his own when he was fourteen years old.

My grandmother not only knew what I would become, but she _knew_ Connor was everything to my future. The key to learning what I was. My protector. My power source, allowing me to unleash magic. My mate. And she ensured he would find me.

After she died, I thought I was alone. But eventually, I realized I wasn't.

My family consisted of Connor, my best friend Angela, Connor's best friend Shadow, and Liam with his most trusted vampires, Jon and Tobias. Then the pixies — teenage triplets named Bubba, Bogsley, and Baby. I wasn't certain, but I thought Salvatore, Angela's protector, was on our side as well.

Sometimes you never know who will become family when you have no family left.

I laced my fingers with Connor's and squeezed his hand as we walked up the stone steps. The door at the top was open and light was streaming down into the stairwell.

Liam led the way with Jon and Tobias close behind us.

Connor squeezed back and looked down at me, grinning. I mouthed, "I love you," to him and he smiled back at me and pulled my hand up to kiss the back of my hand.

"I love you," he breathed against my hand and lowered our hands back to our sides.

"Yes, we're a big happy family aren't we," Tobias said from behind us. I looked back at him and he was grinning at me. His blue eyes flashed with an eerie glow for an instant.

I smiled back at him, "What's the matter Tobias, are you jealous?"

The vampire's grin widened and it made him look younger. Tobias's dark hair was growing but his goatee was still cut short. He stood a few inches taller than Connor, but he was still dwarfed by the vampire walking next to him.

Jon, the usually stoic, seven foot tall vampire that could pass as a body builder, grinned at me. His dark hazel eyes, bald head, and rounded facial features made him look kind. But I knew better.

Vampires could be brutal, if they wanted to be. I would never want a vampire as my enemy.

They were both dressed in black, but they looked less formal than the vampire walking ahead of us.

"Jealous would imply I want you for myself. You're like a sister, girl," Tobias wrinkled his nose. "Gross."

I snorted and Connor chuckled.

"Enough," Liam said, not bothering to look over his shoulder at us and stopped in front of a vampire that stood at the back door of Varick's cottage. "Grant us access. We wish to speak with Varick," Liam said with a voice of authority.

She stepped aside and opened the door for us, holding it open while we walked through the threshold. I cast my magic out again, testing the limits of how far it could reach.

In the short time since Liam healed me, I already noticed an increase in my abilities. But his blood wasn't an antidote against whatever drug that dampened my power.

I could sense the half-dozen vampires inside the house and the four directly around me, including one of the strange undead creatures that I noticed the previous night, but that was it. The magic wouldn't extend any further.

Though I was curious, I wouldn't voice my questions about the creature to Liam until later. I didn't want Varick or any of his people thinking that I was any less of a concern than I already was because of my ignorance.

The smell of pancakes and maple syrup hit us as we entered the hallway, and my stomach clenched painfully. That food smelled delicious, and my mouth watered. I shook my head, clearing it. We already suspected something wasn't right about the food, so why did I still want it so much?

"Good morning, my friend," Varick crooned from the doorway to the dining room and turned his attention to me. "Oh, my dear Aisling, you look absolutely ravishing! Please, join me for breakfast." He waved his hand for us to enter the dining room.

Connor and I stepped forward, but Liam blocked our path. Jon and Tobias placed a hand on our shoulders, holding us in place.

A brick wall would have more give than the hands that held us. I stopped struggling, remembering that we were supposed to stay away from the food.

"I apologize, Varick," Liam said, "but we must get back to the States immediately."

The smile fell from Varick's face as he took in the two vampires holding us where we were. "You mustn't leave, my friend. You have only just arrived."

Liam waved his hand as if he were bored, "I appreciate the care you have provided for the Earthen and her mate, but we must return."

"Surely you have time for breakfast?"

"I am afraid we do not, Varick."

Connor let go of my hand and we both began to struggle against Tobias and Jon's hold on us. I caught myself clawing at Tobias's hand and realized what I was doing.

I looked up at the vampire, "I'm sorry, Tobias, I don't know why I did that."

Tobias's jaw clenched, but he said nothing.

"What have you done, Varick?" Liam hedged forward, looming, despite Varick's equal height.

"I have done nothing but offer food to the two you requested I care for, is this a crime now, Liam?"

"I can smell it in the air," Liam growled.

Varick sniffed and his eyebrows went up. "Leo," he barked, and the strange undead chef stepped through the saloon-style doors from the kitchen.

"Sir?" he said gently, wiping his hands on his apron.

"What have you put in the food? I can smell it," the anger in Varick's voice made me shiver, and he wasn't even talking to me.

Smells of bacon and eggs as they fried on cast iron skillets wafted from the kitchen and I started clawing at Tobias's hands again before I realized what I was doing. Connor attempted to break Jon's fingers as he tried to twist under his grip.

Confusion flashed across Leo's face before he cleared it, "Sir, there is nothing in the food."

"Lies," Varick boomed and looked back at Liam. "I assure you, Liam, I had no idea." He slipped an old knife from his pants and with his full speed, he flashed to Leo and plunged the blade into his heart.

With a pained sigh, the light faded from Leo's eyes and he sank to the floor. Varick leaned down and wiped the black blood from his blade on Leo's apron and sheathed it back into his pants. "I do apologize, please let us go outside. Perhaps Aisling and her mate will then calm down."

As Varick said those last few words, I realized I was biting Tobias's hand, trying to get him to release me, but not enough to draw blood.

Liam nodded to our captors and they grabbed us, pulling us out the door into the cold morning.

When we were about a dozen feet away from the door, I took a deep breath, still struggling against Tobias's iron grip and suddenly realized what I was doing.

Connor ceased his struggles against Jon a moment later, his eyes clearing as he looked at me.

Maybe Varick wasn't the one we couldn't trust.

"I apologize, Liam, I had no idea," Varick repeated, holding his hands out.

Liam was livid, and he pulled in a deep breath. "How could you not smell it?" he hissed.

"I only recently hired Leo, I did not know. I assumed he was using some sort of new exotic oil I never smelled before. I did not ask."

As my mind cleared, one question flashed across my mind.

If he didn't know, why didn't he eat with us last night?

I caught sight of the vampire that opened the door for us as she disappeared into the brush behind the entrance to the underground portion of Varick's home. Tobias released me as I took another deep pull of breath, trying to clear my head. Connor pulled me into his arms as soon as Jon released him, and the two vampires stepped back. I hugged my fiancé, and breathed in his scent of wood smoke.

His aura swirled with gray while he pressed his face into my hair and breathed deep. "It's alright now. We're alright," he whispered and then his knees gave out.

Jon flashed forward and caught us before we hit the ground. Connor's aura was a brilliant gray as his arms released me.

Liam stepped forward. "I do not know if this will help, but we must try." He bit his wrist again and offered his blood.

Connor drank the blood and by the time he swallowed the third pull, he was standing on his own again.

"You must know, I would never hurt the Earthen or her mate," Varick said.

Liam waved his hand. "I believe you. Else you would not have killed a member of your nest. But we really must be going. I fear it is not safe in this city."

Varick nodded, "I agree. I would like to accompany you, ensure your safe passage."

"Very well," Liam said, turning to us. "Can you sense how much it depleted your magic, my dear?"

I tested my magic again, fanning it out. I could barely sense Connor's pull, let alone the four vampires that surrounded us. I shook my head. "It was in the air, Liam. Whatever it is, it's much more potent in there than it was last night."

"How bad is it?" Connor asked.

I looked around and saw a lone leaf hanging from a nearby tree, already wilted and curled. I lifted my hand, trying to pull it from the branch it clung to as it swayed stiffly in the breeze. Nothing. I shook my head.

My body shuddered against the cold.

Why am I cold?

Connor frowned and Liam's jaw dropped for a brief moment before he composed himself. "Do you have any idea what could do this?" Connor asked.

Liam and Varick shook their heads. "Whatever it is, it's powerful," Varick offered. Then he exchanged a look with Liam, but said nothing else.

Liam nodded. "I wonder as well."

"Wonder what?" I asked.

"I have never heard of such a poison before," Liam said. "If it has the ability to disable you through the smell of it alone, I wonder if enough is used, if it might kill you. It appears as though it weakened both of you severely. It is almost as if you are human."

That would explain the infections.

His eyes flickered to Connor, "It is lucky that I was able to replenish your strength, else I do not know if it would have killed you."

Ice slid down my spine.

Connor could have died.

"Before you ask, my dear," Liam said. "I just gave you blood. Whatever benefits it could offer you would still be in your system."

Connor was what mattered to me. It didn't matter if my power was depleted, as long as he would be okay.

Then Liam looked at Jon. "This may be the very thing that aided the Malleus in killing the Earthens so long ago." Grim resignation crossed Liam's face as he finished speaking.

"Did you see a decline in the magic of the one we served?" Jon asked, the deep bass of his voice boomed from his barreled chest.

Just before the Earthens were killed, Liam, his mate, and Jon were assigned as guardians to help keep their Earthen safe. Jon and Liam were the only survivors.

Liam nodded, "I assumed it was due to the loss of the other Earthens. Perhaps I was mistaken. Yet I have never smelled anything like it. I doubt they used such methods with food or air at that time."

I looked up at Connor and he was clenching his jaw as he watched me. He was a witch. I was amazed he was still standing with as much as I was drained of power.

Reaching up, I rested my hands on his face and my eyes closed. I focused on him and tried to push some of my magic into him, but I had none to offer. My eyes opened, searched his, and I frowned. "I'm so sorry, Connor."

"It's alright, I'm fine," he smiled and dipped his head to kiss my forehead.

"Please, we need to get you out of here. In your weakened state, you are very vulnerable right now," Varick said.

And then a scream erupted from behind the brush at the back of the yard.

### Chapter 22

Tobias and Jon turned around, instantly ready for an attack as they watched the brush. Liam and Varick moved to flank them, standing between us and danger.

"Wouldn't it be better for us to get out of here?" I asked.

"You go," Varick looked at Liam. "I cannot leave my people while we are under attack."

"We will fare better if we neutralize them first, and then leave. We might be followed," Liam said, not looking away from the bushes behind the cellar.

Varick put two fingers in his mouth and a shrill whistle escaped his lips. More vampires erupted from the cellar and they flanked around the men in front of us, creating more of a barrier.

I swung around as the door to the house opened, revealing a line of Kramer Scholars, dressed in black and with camouflage make-up on their faces. More KS mercenaries filed in around the sides of the house and set their sights on me.

They either moved very quietly, or the vampires were too distracted to notice their approach. I refused to think it could be the poison.

My hands rose with surprising swiftness as I reacted to their presence, willing my magic to hold them off, but nothing happened. A few of the vampires I didn't recognize started to attack the men in and around the house, but they weren't trying to protect us either.

Sounds of violence erupted behind us as the vampires began fighting the men emerging from the bushes.

"Liam," Connor shouted from my left, but he didn't relax. His aura was a mixture of gray, green, and purple, indicating he was not only a little scared, but also readying himself to fight with the low level anger and calm pouring from him. I turned to look at the vampires behind us.

"I am a little busy at the moment, Connor," Liam gritted out as his fist flashed into a man's face with a loud crunch of shattered bones. "Unless you are dying, I suggest you utilize your training."

With the vampires otherwise occupied, Connor and I were on our own.

Either the Scholars didn't want me dead, or they were confident enough to not need to use guns, because they had knives poised and ready as they eyed me. For some reason, they weren't paying as much attention to the vampires as they should.

Despite the inability to access magic, my advantage of increased speed over Connor meant he needed the most protection, so I pushed him behind me. I loosened my arms and bent my knees. Then I tilted my head to the side and popped my neck for effect. "What are you boys waiting for?" I asked, thinking, perhaps some bravado might deter them.

If they thought my magic wasn't depleted, then maybe they wouldn't want to fight me. But then again, they probably recognized my attempt to use it. So I wasn't sure what they were thinking. Their eyes assessed me, then Connor, and finally, the vampires behind us before finally settling on me again.

"Come and get me," I yelled, growing impatient, and they attacked.

Once again, I was grateful for the time Connor and I spent training at Liam's home with the rest of his nest, because my mate and I knew how to fight as a team.

I feigned right, letting the first man fly past me and Connor whirled, grabbing his arm and twisting it around, forcing him to drop the knife.

He kneed the man in the stomach and watched as he fell to the ground, gasping. Then, he picked up the knife as the next man reached me and I swung out my leg.

I landed a roundhouse kick to his face as he swung his knife and clipped my calf. I hissed from the pain, but it wasn't deep enough to keep me from moving. My hands went up, blocking as he sliced at the air. When that failed, he thrust the blade forward, but I was too fast.

The sounds of Connor fighting hit me and from the pained sounds coming from the Scholar fighting him, I knew he was holding his own.

My hands caught the man's wrist that held the knife as he tried to punch with his free hand. He was trying to distract me with his fist so he could stab me. But that wasn't going to work.

After ten days of fighting with vampires, I knew how to take the hits much better than I could as a child. I could take them without having to worry about a flashback.

His fist collided with my cheek but I held on to his wrist as another man came up from behind me, swinging his own knife out to catch me in the back.

"Aisling!" Connor shouted in warning as he sliced the next man across the chest, but not deep enough to kill him.

I kicked out, hitting the Scholar square in the chest as I twisted the knife out of the hand of the man who stood in front of me, still swinging his fist, hammering me with punches as he tried to get me to release him.

Pain exploded across my vision with each punch to my face, but I didn't move away. Instead, I spun around, keeping his arm in my grip and hurled him over my shoulders. He hit the ground, hard and the air whooshed out of his lungs.

At the same moment, the Scholar I kicked was caught by Tobias as he flew backward. Pale hands reached up and with one swift motion, he snapped the man's neck. The vampire winked at me, and then turned around to land an uppercut to the jaw of the next Scholar that reached him.

There was enough time to see how many people they were dealing with. It made sense that their attention stayed to the back yard. There were dozens of Scholars moving toward them at once. I spun around and readied myself for the next attacker.

"How are you doing, my dear?" Liam shouted from behind us.

"Just peachy," I gritted as I kicked the legs out from under the man in front of me and dropped down to pick up the knife that rested innocently at my feet. My face was pounding from the number of punches I took, but I couldn't afford to take my mind off the onslaught of flying knives and fists in front of me. "Connor?"

I couldn't see him, but I could hear him, still fighting. "I'm alright," he said, breathless.

Sending a silent thank you to Liam, I was happy he forced us through endless bouts of sparring with him and his vampires. With their immense strength and speed, the Scholars were nothing compared to fighting vampires.

Though Connor never could compete with their lightning speeds, he learned a trick or two on top of what he already knew, and could handle himself as long as he could keep up.

All of us kept fighting as Scholars kept coming. There were at least six Scholars around me, incapacitated, but alive. Connor neutralized several of his own. Some of the men on the ground were bleeding, but they were alive. From the brief glimpses I took behind me, the vampires weren't so kind. There were a few headless bodies, a few with broken necks, and a few with their throats ripped out by fangs instead of slit by knives.

I smiled, thinking we might be able to handle ourselves against the horde of Kramer Scholars, right before the gun went off.

### Chapter 23

Pain exploded in my shoulder, blossoming outward as my breath caught in my throat.

I thought torture was bad. The pain coursing through my body was nothing compared to what I felt before. Not the torture. Not having my feet burned beyond recognition from an explosion meant to kill me. Not after an episode of dream- _sight_ where I was strangled. And most certainly, nothing my step-father ever did to me.

Whether it was the bullet or something else, I didn't know, but pain hit my bloodstream and worked its way through every cell in my body. I looked down at the bleeding hole in my shoulder and a wave of dizziness washed over me.

"Aisling!" Connor shouted as I fell to my knees.

I dropped the knife I held in my hand and fell forward, rolling onto my back. The sky was clouding over in anticipation of snow showers, and I smelled the moisture in the air right before my lungs stopped working.

Unable to catch my breath, I laid there, grasping at my shoulder, at my throat, trying to force myself to breathe again.

Then my limbs stopped moving.

Connor kept shouting, for me, for Liam, but no one came to help me.

Blackness started to enter the edges of my vision. "Connor," I whispered, after I managed to pull in a tiny bit of air.

I heard someone hit the ground with a wet gurgling noise and then Connor's face entered my vision from above me. He was on his knees and he still had the bloody knife in his hand. His aura was a brilliant gray as he looked me over.

"Behind you!" Varick shouted, and Connor swung his knife out. It must have landed, because nothing happened. I heard a grunt and then the sound of someone hitting the ground.

Connor turned his attention back to me and his hands were empty. "You'll be alright, honey. Just hold on. The bullet went in your shoulder."

I gasped again, trying to pull in gulps of air. "No. This isn't—" I cried out, as more pain stretched out, running down my arm with agonizing slowness and spreading deep into my chest.

"Liam!" Connor shouted and my eyes closed.

"Aisling," Liam said and cold fingers touched my sore cheeks.

My eyes peeled open and looked up at the two men hovering over me, but I could barely see them through the darkness. "It's not—" I croaked. I couldn't breathe.

"It is the poison, Aisling. You just took a massive dose of it," Liam said.

I caught a glimpse of Tobias fighting someone and my eyes fluttered again.

"I need to take out the bullet—" Liam began but more gunfire sounded into the otherwise quiet, cold morning and he disappeared from my vision. My eyes slid closed again.

"Honey," Connor began and then he let out a pained gasp. I opened my eyes but everything was black.

Oh god, Connor!

I couldn't protect him.

My mind was clear of everything but the pain as I willed my eyes to see. I needed to know Connor was alright. But my will failed me.

I screamed out in pain. Both from the poison coursing through my body, burning me from the inside out, and from the pain of knowing I failed to protect Connor.

It would be bad enough if any of my three favorite vampires died. But I would be forever lost if something happened to Connor. Broken.

Searing, white-hot pain reached my head in the next instant.

Shouts of German erupted over the sounds of fighting, but I didn't recognize the voices or the words. I heard Varick shouting to his people, and even heard a few of Tobias's grunts, but I couldn't hear Liam.

Or Connor.

Liam knew how important Connor was to me. If I was incapacitated and couldn't protect him, I trusted that Liam would. That thought was the only thing keeping me from ripping apart inside.

Someone grabbed me. I couldn't tell who it was, but I knew it wasn't Connor. I also knew it wasn't a vampire because the warmth of his skin hit me as he gripped my arms and lifted me off the ground and over his shoulder.

The pain coursing through me was so intense, I couldn't even scream. I couldn't cry out for help. Couldn't warn my friends that I was being taken.

I couldn't even open my eyes or move my limbs.

But I tried. With every ounce of energy I could muster. I attempted to move. I tried to fight. I wanted nothing more than to pummel the asshole attempting to carry me away, but nothing worked. I was limp, but not unconscious.

The last thing I remembered was hearing the sound of Connor's pained voice as he called my name. As the sound of his voice faded away, I took solace in knowing that Connor was still alive. Still trying to fight for me. Care for me. Like he did since the beginning.

And then my mind went blank.

Leaving me with nothing.

### Chapter 24

Bannerst

It was too easy. All these people so willing to yield to their darkest thoughts. There was almost no effort involved. I could simply suggest something, knowing their desires, the kind that juiced up their souls, if only they would actually do them. I gathered so many along my journey, but Jasper's would be the sweetest of all.

He was primed and ready, knew exactly what he wanted to do, and it would be a glorious night. He just didn't know it yet. But I needed to finish one thing first.

She practically begged me to fuck her when I came across her and her broken piece of shit car.

All I had to do was flash the Bannerst charm. Give her a shit-eating grin. Lick my lips a little. Let my eyes slide over her curves, lingering over her breasts just a little before moving the rest of the way down her body. By the time my eyes reached her feet, I could smell her desire.

My eyes flashed up to hers and she was biting her lip, unbuttoning her blouse in anticipation of me. Widening my smile, I crooned to her, my hands traveled from her taut nipples down to her ass, before moving back up again.

I bit her lip, but she didn't mind, then I bit her tongue, sucking the blood that welled up from my bite. She moaned against me then, and I knew she was mine.

The dying light of the sun meant there were only minutes left to take what was mine. The woman under me cried out in pleasure as I pounded into her on top of the cold hood of her sedan.

She was a married woman. Unhappy in her marriage, but she was aching for someone to make her feel alive again. I chuckled as I moved. Oh yeah, she was feeling alive alright. She was about to come again, and that was when I would take her.

I ground my hips into her as I thrust one more time and felt her muscles clench around me. With one hand roughly squeezing her breast, the other slid up to her throat.

Light erupted from my hand as I tightened my grip around her throat. She came again as I kept pumping against her and I began to suck her soul out of her body.

My grip tightened, cutting off the last bit of her air as she continued to clench around me. Her soul washed over me in a wave of ecstasy and I waited until her heart stopped and her body relaxed before I spilled myself into her as her last dying wish.

The bitch was good, I would give her that. She wanted it. All of it.

It was too easy.

Just like the last two....

The room was a study. Filled with bookshelves, a few ladders, big fancy leather chairs that flanked the hearth in the middle of a long wall in the rectangular space. The rich man's greed got to his head.

I backhanded him again.

He was on his knees, wearing his expensive clothes. I wanted him to bleed all over them. Ruin the expensive Persian rug beneath his knees. I wanted him to know what was coming.

Death was coming.

His corrupted essence was mine for the taking, and I would have him. Just like his wife. She knew what was happening. Knew about the child sex ring her husband ran outside of his business. But she enjoyed her lavish lifestyle too much to put a stop to it. All the better for me.

After I worked him over for more than an hour, his whimpering was grating on my nerves. But Jasper Wills was just getting started.

First, he tied up the trophy wife, strapping her to the big, round oak table in the corner. Then he ripped her clothes off, revealing her bare flesh.

He devoured her juices, made her come despite her husband not more than twenty feet away in agonizing pain. It made the whole situation that much sweeter.

Finally, he began to take what he really wanted from her. It was time. I turned back to the man in front of me, still whimpering, and then my eyes flickered to the hearth behind him.

I could easily start a fire with a lighter, but where would the fun have been in that? Instead, I let him watch as flames sparked out of my fingertips and shot over to the wood. I smiled down at him as the whole thing engulfed in a whoosh of heat and orange light.

Then I fisted his expensive jacket and tossed him into the pyre. And the room filled with the delicious sound of screams.

Combined with the panting coming from Jasper and the pained moans coming from the corrupt wife, it was magnificent. But it was the screams I enjoyed the most.

With the sunlight shining through the window at my back, I could see shafts of late afternoon light envelop me as they illuminated little bits of dust floating within them.

My smile widened as I lifted my hand and let the power of the setting sun rip the soul from the man's burning body before he took his last breath. Power washed over me as the smell of wood smoke and burning flesh wafted across the room and his scream died with him. I turned and waited until Jasper finished, so I could take the wife's soul next.

### Chapter 25

Aisling

Liquid slush raced through my veins, chilling me from the inside out. My skin was frosted over and my eyes were heavy from the cold. My bones felt like they were replaced with solid ice.

Despite being so drained of magic, the dream- _sight_ seemed unaffected. If anything, it was more potent than it was before our abduction to Germany.

They felt real. Like I was really experiencing them.

It felt like I _was_ him.

Completely.

I felt his rage. The urge for destruction. The thrill of the kill as he sucked the life out of people by some power he gained from the sun. I felt his exhilaration and heard his deepest thoughts. I wanted those people dead just as much as he did. Because _I_ was him.

Out of everything I ever experienced in my life, I never came across something that terrorized me on a deep, cellular level. Until Bannerst.

It didn't matter why.

I just knew I hated it.

With a suppression of another painful shudder, I realized I wasn't alone as I became more aware. Voices slowly rose out of the silence.

At first they were just voices, two of them, the sounds and intonations resonated as they spoke as if through a long tunnel, but I couldn't make out what they said. Then they started to move closer.

"I told you, I'm not doing this. I didn't come to Germany so I could kill someone with this _poison_." The unmistakably male voice held the hint of Southern drawl.

An American in Germany who didn't want me to die?

Be still my frozen little heart.

"You don't understand," a female voice said, calmly. Her English was accented, and I knew she was German. "This is our instructions. Give her the dose."

"The dose is too high, Ava. It's going to kill her."

"That is the dose she was prescribed."

I wasn't aware of any doctors that would willingly prescribe a medication that would lead to death. It didn't matter if they were supposed to be neutral. Doctors were healers, not killers. Apparently, even that didn't matter any longer.

"Do you really want to kill her? I can't believe this. Why does she have to die?"

"Don't ask questions if you don't want answers," the authoritative tone she took with that statement made me think his resistance was a losing battle.

Fresh fear washed over me. Not just because I was hearing a conversation about whether or not I should die as prescribed. But, as trivial as it sounded coming from her lips, it was as if it was only a minor dilemma of her conscious mind. Even Josef and Bernard, my torturers, discussed torture like they were sitting down for coffee and were discussing the local sports team.

If the American refused to administer a fatal dose of the drug, I knew Ava would.

I don't want to die.

The last thing I needed was to sit around and wait for that to happen. So I assessed my injuries. My shoulder throbbed, but I no longer felt the sting of poison traveling through my system. My face hurt from the beating I took before I was shot, but I _felt_ fine otherwise.

I tested my magic, pushed it outward, and searched for Connor's pull, the signature I would recognize anywhere as his.

There!

He wasn't far. And he was moving closer.

Did he know where I was? Was he coming for me? I could feel vampires around him, four of them, and the distinct signature of a werewolf.

I didn't know how much time passed since I was taken from Varick's home, but my magic wasn't that strong in days. Not since before we were abducted. For the first time since that ordeal began, I felt like I could finally protect myself with magic.

God, but it was about damn time.

I only hoped I was strong enough to fight. To make it out of there. To do what I was meant to and protect everyone I could.

Because that was who I was supposed to be.

And I couldn't do that if I was dead. I wasn't going to let that happen.

I focused on Connor's signature and his pull to me, and I willed myself to _see_ through his eyes.

One second I was in my head, and the next I was there, looking up at a building that looked like it was built centuries ago. And since I could hear with both sets of ears, I listened to the man with the Southern accent continue to argue with Ava while I tried to get a sense of what was happening with Connor.

The old brick façade of the building ahead of him was crumbling in places. There was a massive plaza made up of bricks in a wide variety of colors in front of the building. Bike corrals were scattered across the boardwalk, and only a few bikes were tethered to them.

Though it was dark outside, there were a few lights on within the old single-pane windows. The entire setting reminded me of a college.

A very old college, but a college nonetheless.

I couldn't see any recognizable landmarks, nor could I see any handy neon signs that said _YOU ARE HERE_ but I watched anyway.

Connor rubbed the back of his neck and looked to his left. Liam, Varick, Jon, and Tobias walked beside him.

Does he know I'm here? Watching?

God, but I missed him.

The men milling about in front of the building ahead of them barked out shouts in German and I knew then who they were. They weren't college students, or a group of friends loitering.

They were Kramer Scholars. And there were at least a dozen of them that I could see. And they were all running towards my friends.

Connor's hand moved away from his neck and reached further back. The sound of metal slicing against a sheath echoed into the night. When he lowered his arm, he was holding a sword. The scars on his left forearm gleamed silver right along with the blade from the nearly full moonlight above them.

The vampires to his left followed suit, revealing fangs and pulling out their weapons. Tobias wore brass knuckles, as if his punches didn't hurt enough. Jon held a crossbow and leveled it forward. Varick held out a sword and Liam held a large wooden ... pole that was sharp at the tip.

I didn't know how else to describe it. I wasn't sure how he planned to use it, but images of his home flashed across my mind.

The wall in his foyer was adorned with a painting of Vlad Tepes, the man that inspired Dracula. Paintings of all the people that ever played the character in movies or television were on display in the underbelly of the home.

I already thought Liam was oddly obsessed with Vlad the Impaler, but if that weapon was any indication for its use, I thought he took his obsession a little too far.

The vampires' teeth were stark in contrast to the moonlight, as if the moon cast a strange bluish black light and made their teeth glow. They looked deadly, yet fascinating and beautiful at the same time.

Liam let out a loud hiss into the night, spittle flying from his mouth like the venom from a rattlesnake as the vampires flashed forward, leaving Connor behind. They blurred into action. Arcs of a gleaming blade sliced, arrows were shot, and punches were thrown. Sure enough, one of the Scholars was impaled a moment later.

Connor broke into a run after them as a massive white wolf streaked ahead, snarling and growling at the first man that blocked his path.

Shadow!

The two hundred and fifty pound werewolf lunged at a man as he pulled a gun from its holster and aimed it at the mass of white fur and teeth.

A loud crack of a gunshot rang out, but the bullet didn't hit him. It sped past Connor in a whoosh of air. By the time sound of the bullet left his ears, the Scholar was already on the ground, wet gurgles came from him as his throat was ripped out.

Connor whirled as the sound of footsteps running rang out to his right, swinging his sword in the air and the silver blade flashed against the blue light of the moon as it slid against fabric and flesh as smooth as cutting through butter. Vibration traveled up his arm as the sword grazed against bone. But he didn't stop running. The sound of the man falling to the ground registered as he sped past him.

He was moving with an increased speed beyond even what he displayed when I healed him. Not only was he running faster, but his instinctive reaction to the Scholar was so swift the man didn't have a chance to react.

What changed?

Did he find a new spell to increase his speed?

Shadow turned, his white snout was bloody from ripping out the throat of the Scholar beneath him, and grinned at Connor.

With every step my fiancé took, I felt him moving closer.

My family was near. They were fighting.

And they were coming for me.

### Chapter 26

My eyes snapped open as Ava grabbed the syringe from the American, no longer interested in arguing over the necessity of my prescribed death and moved toward me.

She was wearing a white lab coat, just like the man. But the look on her face was different. Hate marred her features as her dark eyes took me in with contempt while the man behind her looked at me with concern.

With inhuman swiftness that matched a vampire at full speed, I shot out of the uncomfortable bed in a blur. Pain shot through me as my shoulder protested the movement, but I pushed through.

I rushed at the woman holding the syringe and knocked it out of her hand. She shouted something in German before I hit her hard enough to knock her out.

She hit the ground at my feet with a thud and I leveled my gaze on the man standing near the only door in the stark room with an expression of shock and amazement on his face. "You d-didn't want to kill me, so I'm not g-going to hurt you as long as you don't t-try anything. Got it?"

Damn, but I didn't sound nearly as intimidating as I hoped with my shivering. I took a quick glance around the space and realized there wasn't anything in the room but the hospital bed.

"How can you move that fast?" his Southern drawl was thicker as he held his hands up and watched me with awe. He looked like a grad student with the jeans, tennis shoes and messy blonde hair.

"It c-came as part of the package," I breathed, feeling the pain in my shoulder grow. I felt the beginnings of a migraine and I was getting dizzy beneath the shivering. "Now, are you g-going to get out of my way?"

He stepped aside and spoke, low, "There are guards out there. Watch yourself, girl."

I smiled inwardly as he eyed my frosting skin, but didn't comment on it. "Get out of Germany before they kill you," I said and pushed through the door.

The room looked similar, but it looked more like a lab than a hospital room. There were centrifuges and microscopes scattered on a few desks that lined the wall at the far end of the room with a flickering black and white video monitor aimed at the bed. To my left was the door.

The exit.

But four Kramer Scholars stood in my way. And each held a gun pointed straight at me.

I froze and looked at each of them.

They wanted me dead. No longer interested in abduction, torture, or questions. Ava was about to administer a fatal dose of a poison that, until a few days ago, we had no clue even existed. Failing that, the Scholars in front of me were all too willing to kill me any way they could.

I didn't know how they wanted me to die, but they didn't seem like they wanted to shoot me. That didn't mean they wouldn't if they felt like it was necessary. Maybe they really wanted to pump me full of that poison, just to see what it would do or how much it would take to kill me.

Either way, if I couldn't escape, death would be the outcome.

Without having any idea if my magic was returned enough to offer much more than increased speed, there was no choice but to strike. One injured witch — albeit a fast, desperate one — was about to fight against four heavily trained Scholars.

Alone.

They spent years training in fighting, killing supernatural creatures, including witches. With less than two weeks under my belt, I was at a disadvantage.

But there wasn't a choice. I needed to try. My family needed me.

And I would never give up on them.

"Well, boys, s-show me what you've got," I breathed and blurred into action.

The first one went down as I grabbed his wrist and broke his arm with one swift upward strike with my other hand, courtesy of Connor's special blend of martial arts training. His knees thudded to the floor from the pain in his arm and then I kicked him in the head, knocking him out. The rest of the men pulled the trigger.

My hand shot out and the bullets stopped inches from my outstretched fingers. I cocked my head to the side and glanced at the bullets with an unspoken question.

You guys think bullets can stop me?

With a look at them in thinly veiled contempt, my eyes leveled on the three Scholars with their guns pointed at me, attempting to shoot more bullets at me. But magic prevented the guns from firing.

" _Do you have any idea who you're d-dealing with?_ " the thousand voices growled. I wasn't unleashed, but they still erupted from my mouth. And three sets of eyes widened in response.

With all the power I could muster, I hurled the bullets back at them.

Grunts sounded as the bullets collided with their chests, but the impact was more like something from a paint gun. They would have welts later, but they were never in mortal danger from me.

It was enough to throw them off.

They weren't expecting my magic to be restored. I didn't understand it either. Perhaps it was Liam's blood that helped to restore my metabolism.

It didn't matter. I could use magic.

I whirled into action as they dropped their guns.

Kicking the legs out from underneath the Scholar nearest to me, I stayed low to the ground and slammed both of my fists into his diaphragm as he hit the ground with a loud thump and the air whooshed out of his lungs.

The next man stepped forward and attempted to stab a knife in my head. My arm shot up and swiped his hand away before he got too close. And then I punched him in the groin. He gasped and fell to his knees, revealing the last man standing.

I rushed him, pummeling my fists into his torso. His head. Anything and everything I could reach. I hit him as fast and as hard as I could until he stopped resisting and slumped to the ground. Something warm and wet was running down my hands and I looked down. My knuckles were split and I was certain not all of the blood on my hands were mine.

The door behind me swung open and I whirled ready to strike again. But Liam stood in the opening with Connor behind him.

"It appears we may not have been needed after all," Liam said as Varick stepped past them into the room, taking in the scene.

"Indeed it does," he agreed with a nod of appreciation and sheathed the bloody sword behind his back as he moved to my left.

Relief washed over me and I shivered again.

I saw three tiny, flying creatures fly into the room.

Baby, Bogsley, and Bubba were teenage siblings, pixies, who lived with their family in my back yard. They promised my grandmother before her death to help me however they could. And I liked them as soon as I met them.

They would have looked like normal teenagers if they weren't four inches tall with tiny wings on their backs. They slowed and came into view.

Bogsley and Bubba looked exactly the same except the latter brother wore a tiny leather cuff on his wrist. Baby, the female, had long blonde hair that fell in perfect waves past her shoulders. Their hair shimmered against the fluorescent lights and they smiled at me with a perfectly synchronized wave. I smiled back at them, glad our tiny friends were there.

Shadow trotted inside next but stayed near Connor. His tongue fell out the side of his mouth in his dog-like grin. It was the same grin he gave me countless times before, and despite the blood covering his mouth, he still made me smile.

Liam's pole was gone and Jon's crossbow was draped across his back as he let Tobias through, gave me a quick grin, and then turned attention to the hallway.

Tobias stopped long enough to grin at me and then flashed into the room where I woke up and reappeared with the grad student locked in his grip. The brass knuckles were still on his hands and he was covered in blood.

"Don't k-kill him, Tobias. He didn't want to hurt me and he d-didn't put up a fight," I said as the room spun a little.

"Good news for you, pal," Tobias growled at him. "One wrong move and I'll rip out your throat."

I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to Connor standing next to Liam just inside the doorway with his sword down at his side. His aura swirled with orange and pink.

Except for the pixies, he was my only rescuer without blood on his mouth.

His eyes locked with mine and the pink of his aura darkened.

I was happy to see him, too.

I smiled back at him and shivered. Concern flashed across his features and I thought he was about to speak when the room swayed and my legs gave out from under me.

### Chapter 27

Cold, strong arms caught me just before I hit the ground and lifted me up. My eyes fluttered open and I saw Varick's dark eyes looking down at me, holding me against his chest.

I blinked and looked around. Concern marred the faces of my friends as Varick steadied me on my feet. "T-Thank you," I mumbled and tried to move away from him.

But the vampire didn't release me. He kept me locked in his iron grip, holding me like he just found his long lost love. "You are weary, child, and so cold," he crooned.

Alarm bells rang off in my head as he held me against him, but I didn't know why. Since I met the vampire, he was enamored with me. He even killed Leo, the strange undead creature for trying to poison me.

"I'm okay, Varick, you c-can let me go." I pushed against his chest more forcefully but a brick wall would have had more give. "Let me go," I said with more force.

My eyes flickered to Tobias. He was inching closer to us but the grad student wasn't in his grip. He was lying in a heap on the floor, but I could feel that he was still alive.

Adrenaline rushed through my frozen body as I realized the concerned faces in the room weren't because I nearly passed out.

Something about Varick made them very nervous.

"Stop right there, Tobias," Varick growled, moved his hands to my neck, and turned me to face my friends.

One sudden motion from him and my neck would snap.

God, but that was perfect. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. Anger washed through me, but I didn't use magic against him.

Not yet.

Shadow's aura was a mixture of gray and green as he let out a growl and bared his teeth while the triplets blurred like hummingbirds in the air. Jon was eyeing Varick with a glare that made me shudder in fear. Liam shot his arm out, stopping Connor's advancement.

My mate's aura matched Shadow's fear and anger as he watched what was happening. He would do anything to protect me, even if that meant challenging a centuries old vampire.

Connor would have challenged Tobias when we first met him to defend my honor, if Liam didn't stop it. And Tobias only smelled me from a distance.

If he challenged Varick, he would fail, but he would try until his dying breath.

I didn't want him to die.

Liam knew that much. "Don't," he said to my mate, not taking his eyes off Varick.

That was the first time Liam ever said something so succinctly and without elegance that I did a double take. Everyone else shot glances at him as well.

At least it wasn't just me.

Varick roared with laughter and tilted his head back as he guffawed. The force of his mirth lifted me off the ground, temporarily cutting off my air.

My feet dangled beneath me as I clawed at the hands that held me. He stopped laughing and lowered me to the ground. "My, Liam, you just lost a little of your charm, I believe," he said through fading giggles.

Then all humor faded from his voice. "You are all going to stay back or I'll snap her neck. Just like that. You'll all lose your beloved Earthen before she has a chance to do anything with her power."

I shook my head, as much as I could. They all caught it and waited.

Closing my eyes, I focused on my magic and my anger at the vampire who played us all for fools.

How long was he working with the Kramer Scholars? Or, if he wasn't, what the hell was he after? What was his end game? I didn't know, but he wasn't going to come in and threaten my family like that. They needed me.

Magic welled up inside me and I sent it out in a blast of energy, forcing Varick's hands to peel away from me the same way I forced Liam off of Connor the night we met him. I could be sentimental _and_ brutal at the same time.

Varick's fingers broke first, lifting away from my throat, and he gasped from the onslaught of pain. Then his wrists broke, followed by his forearms, then his elbows. As if he were a sardine can, he peeled back in the wrong direction, releasing me from his grip.

Liam gave me a look of approval as I took one glance at him and moved away from Varick. Connor's aura was still lit up with gray and green, but I could see spots of orange from his appreciation as well.

Varick shook himself, hissing in pain and I took another step away from him.

The vampire flashed forward as his arms repaired themselves, my hands shot up and stopped his advance but my power was waning. He was less than a foot away from my outstretched hands, as he snarled, fangs bared, and pressed forward.

He took a step and Liam walked up behind me, his presence distracted me for an instant, and Varick made one final push and punched through the barrier.

Cold fingers captured my throat again, and pulled me back against him before Liam had a chance to grab me.

"Back. The fuck. Up," he growled at Liam. Then, in a lower voice, he directed his attention at me. "You think you can just break my bones and use your pathetic magic on me without some kind of consequence, you little bitch?"

My eyes locked with Connor's as his jaw clenched and he gripped his sword tighter, but he didn't move forward. The orange in his aura was gone and the green was fading as gray started to spread like a wildfire.

"Oh, please," I said. "You think your insults are going to bother me, Varick? I'm sorry to disappoint, but, I've heard plenty of insults before and if you think you're going to come up with something new and original, you're sorely mistaken."

Bravado was all I had left. I could barely stand. My shoulder was screaming in protest, and my magic was depleted. I didn't know what else I could do.

Varick glared at me, obviously not impressed by my boldness. "It would be so easy to just snap your neck and end you. Right here. Right now. But I have something worse in store for you."

His arm flashed out. I barely saw him move at all, he was so fast. But before I realized what he was doing, his wrist shoved against my mouth.

The odd, foreign taste of cold metallic blood was bitter. It tasted nothing like Liam's blood. His was like chocolate syrup in comparison to what I tasted in that moment. Though it had the same electrified metallic taste to it, it was much too bitter.

Faintly, I heard shouts from the other men in the room, including a howl from Shadow. I thought I even heard a tinkling of cries coming from the pixies.

I tried to expel the blood from my mouth, but he had his wrist pressed so tight against me that I could barely even breathe.

Looking up at Varick, he smiled down at me, his fangs still stark white against the blood around his mouth and his fangs were stained with his own blood.

His blood spilled into my mouth, and with no choice but to drink it or let it back up into my nose and cut off what little amount of air I could pull, it was a no win situation.

Liam warned me about taking blood from another vampire. And I believed him. I didn't want Varick's blood. But I was going to suffocate. It felt like I was drowning.

Not that it mattered anyway. As my reflex kicked in, I swallowed.

And it was the biggest mistake I ever made.

### Chapter 28

The first time I ever drank vampire blood was the night Connor and I fought the group of dark witches that my step-father sent in an effort to take my magic and kill me. Connor's ex, Zoe, threw a hallucinogenic spell that knocked me out and forced a flashback. Without his blood to combat the effects of the spell, there was no telling how long I would have been stuck in it.

Liam's blood was cold, thick, and tasted like electrified pennies to me. But, though I consciously didn't enjoy the flavor, if any drops remained of his blood on my mouth, I would lick my lips.

At first, my body reacted automatically to Liam's blood, threatening to expel it, but after that first time, my body welcomed it. It was nothing compared to the reaction going through my system from Varick's blood.

A bellow erupted from Liam as he watched me swallow. I gagged, as my body tried to expel it before it reached my stomach. The unwelcome liquid caused a deep debilitating pain to erupt through my body.

Beginning with my stomach.

It felt as if it were being ripped open from the inside while thousands of tiny knives sliced me from the inside.

I thought the torture in the dungeon was bad. Thought the pain from the poisoned bullet was bad. But those were nothing compared to the pain coursing through my system in that moment. Having my skin sliced by rusted metal blades and odd instruments that burned or carved into my flesh was like butterfly kisses compared to the feeling of swallowing a grenade that was exploding within me.

Liam's screams barely registered in my ears. He was shouting at Varick. It didn't matter much that I couldn't hear him. The damage was done and I was helpless to stop it.

Through the pain, my eyes still searched for Connor. My mate. The man that meant everything to me. I could see the fear of swirling gray in his aura as his mouth pressed into a thin line. He couldn't do anything to help me. I knew that.

He knew that.

Not knowing what the blood would do to me was the worst. But I couldn't imagine how much worse it could get.

I was certain his blood was going to kill me.

The pain spread from my stomach like a wildfire spreading through a parched, barren landscape. It traveled outward, engulfing my entire torso.

My heart felt like it exploded, spewing hot, searing blood through my chest cavity as it gurgled its last remaining beats. And a white-hot, scorching pain ripped through me as my skin seemed to simultaneously burn and melt away from muscle and bone.

Immense pressure built in my head, giving me the worst migraine I ever experienced in my life. I didn't know how my head was still attached to my body, let alone how I was still able to see what was going on around me.

Liam flashed forward and Varick removed his wrist from my mouth and pushed me toward Connor. I sputtered and my body heaved and tried to expel every last drop of Varick's blood while I fell to my knees and doubled over.

Warm hands grasped my shoulders as Connor dropped to his knees in front of me. Blood and bile spewed out of my mouth as I vomited what I unwillingly swallowed to avoid suffocation. And then some. But the pain continued to grow in my body.

When I could finally breathe again, I screamed.

But they weren't normal screams.

I sounded like death. Like a wraith took over and wailed with an eerie silence that chilled me all over again.

I fell to my side, hard. Connor moved with me, the knees of his black jeans soaked in the puddle of bile and blood, but he didn't seem to notice. He pushed my hair away from my face as he watched me writhe.

Liam and Varick were shouting at each other. Rage emanated from Varick. A rage fueled by hatred that could have only been so powerful by countless years of allowing it to bloom and grow within him.

I wanted to care. I wanted to know _why_. Why he forced his blood into me.

Whatever was happening, I hoped it would kill me, and soon, because I didn't want to feel pain like that. Ever again.

If only it would stop. It _had_ to stop. It needed to stop.

But it wouldn't.

I kept screaming. My body shuddered from the force of the pain. I didn't know whether to grasp my head, my torso, or just lie there, helpless, as my body destroyed itself. I couldn't bear to look at myself to see the damage Varick's blood was doing to me.

Through the eerie screams, I heard a loud snap of bone and my eyes flickered to Liam as Varick fell to the ground, his head resting at an odd angle on his body.

Vampires were hard to kill. Decapitation was the only course. Breaking Varick's neck would only incapacitate him for a few hours.

Then I started to convulse. My entire body shook viciously and my limbs flailed.

The sound of Connor's voice hit me, but I couldn't make out his words. Couldn't hear anything over the loud ringing in my ears from the intense pressure in my head. It felt like my head would explode any second.

I'm dying.

If my family was lucky, they would get out of that forsaken country and go home.

Because I wouldn't be there to help them.

I failed.

They sacrificed everything for me to save the supernatural world, and I would fail them.

My screaming faded away as my body continued to convulse and blackness filled my vision.

I welcomed it.

Welcomed death.

My best friend was in Nashville. Angela had no one left but a crotchety gray cat and a werewolf that was most likely in love with her and she didn't know it. I would never be there for her like she was for me.

Liam spent his life trying to find an Earthen to restore the world, only to lose me right after he found me. Lose all hope of ever seeing the world whole again. Lose faith that he could love again.

Shadow wanted a pack of his own, too. And that was something I needed to give him — the opportunity to have a real family. After everything he sacrificed to help Connor for nearly a decade. After what he did to help me. Offering his companionship. I couldn't give him that.

It hurt knowing I couldn't be there for them.

But it hurt so much more that I would be leaving behind the man I loved. His life was full of loneliness and pain. We found each other in the dark and we brought each other to life. It would be him I would miss the most. And I knew he would be ruined because of my loss.

I tried to apologize. Tried to tell him I loved him.

But my body wouldn't cooperate.

I didn't know if my aura was reflecting my love to him, like I hoped.

After everything we went through together, in such a short time, I knew he would never be the same without me. I was the one that brought him to life. And I would be the one to take it away again. That would hurt him the worst.

I failed.

I couldn't tell him goodbye.

I couldn't even look at him one last time.

At last, Connor scooped my writhing body into his arms.

The last thing I noticed was the smell of wood smoke before my body went still and I fell into oblivion, knowing I would never see his face again.

### Chapter 29

Sometimes the worst part about waking up is waking up. Leaving behind the comfortable silence. I slept harder than I ever slept in my life.

At least, I thought I was.

I didn't know for sure.

I tried to fight it, clawing at the last bits of slumber that remained. That's when the cold seeped into my body. Or, that's when I noticed it. I was freezing, beyond anything I ever felt before.

All I knew was the oblivion of sleep.

Shuddering from the frost that seemed to fuel me from within, I felt empty, like I lost something far more important than sleep.

Warmth wrapped around me, holding me in a secure embrace as I continued to shudder. I moved into the embrace, snuggling against it. The pillow felt firm underneath my cheek, and it emanated with heat. Pulsed with it.

The safeness seemed to envelop me, and I welcomed it. Burying my arms inside its hold, I reveled in the warmth as it heated my exposed and frozen skin. Then I buried my face into it, refusing to open my eyes.

Inhaling, I breathed in the intoxicating scent of the warm fabric.

I didn't have a name for the scent, but it smelled divine to me. It was a spicy scent that made me think of cool, white powdery snow as it blanketed the ground, covering trees while children's laughter filled the air.

It reminded me of hot soups and even better tasting hot chocolate covered in the sweet tastes of whipped cream or marshmallows, steam rising up from it. A drink consumed while sitting around a warm, crackling fire.

My face rested on the pillow. It felt right, like I belonged there all along. I didn't know the feeling, the smell, any of it. It felt foreign. Yet it felt like my body was built for it. Craved it.

I heard a slow thumping beat within it, and it lulled me. I felt the rise and fall of it as I welcomed sleep to take me away again.

It moved. Something pressed into the top of my head and I felt warm air against my cool skin. Individual strands of my hair moved under the gentle breeze. I shivered again and mumbled something I didn't understand. But it was my reaction to the thing that held me that confused me the most.

It was strong. It felt safe.

I could feel a pull, like I was drawn to it. It felt as if I was a magnet and the thing that wrapped around me was the opposite, and wanted me closer. As if I wasn't already touching it.

"Mmmm, Aisling," a baritone voice mumbled and the embrace tightened around me.

I gasped for air, wrenching myself away from it at the same time my eyes flashed opened. I didn't know what an _Aisling_ was, but I wasn't it.

A man was in front of me, laying on a bed, his arms outstretched in confusion as I began to panic. There was no air, and I couldn't breathe. My lungs refused to cooperate. I scrambled off the bed and kept moving until I crashed into the wall behind me.

The room was foreign to me. I didn't recognize any of it. From the large bed topped with crimson silk sheets, the intricate rug on the floor and shiny wood floors beneath, to the crimson walls and delicate lights scattered throughout the room, emitting a dim light, nothing seemed familiar.

Except him.

He sat up and moved toward me as I slid to the floor. "Aisling? What's wrong?"

His voice struck me and it slid over me, sending a shiver down my spine. My eyes fell closed and I gulped in air as I reveled in it.

There were two parts of me at war in that moment. One wanted to be closer to him, in his arms. The other had no idea what was happening. Didn't know the strange man and wanted away from him.

My eyes opened and I took in his appearance.

He had dark, straight hair that fell almost to his jaw and covered his neck in the back. It was shiny and looked like it would feel like silk against my fingertips. His features were just as beautiful to me.

His face could have been chiseled from marble. Smooth skin stretching against the angles of his face, with stubble on his jaw that made him even more desirable. I wanted to touch his face, feel the scratchiness of it against my palms. His lips had a perfect curve to them and it made me want to kiss him. Taste him. His deep brown eyes pierced me as he watched me.

Half of his face was in shadow, but something about him seemed familiar, but I never saw him before.

He wore a dark long sleeve shirt that was pushed up to his elbows. In the low light I could see three scars on his left forearm. It looked like claw marks and I wanted to know what happened to him.

My eyes traveled to his chest. The buttons of his shirt were open, revealing a light peppering of hair. And I could tell that he was strong. Hard muscles beneath velvet skin. Yet not revealed in stark relief.

His lips twitched, curling at the edges. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, reacting again to the sound of his voice. "W-Who are you?"

Confusion crossed his face. "You don't remember me?"

I shook my head. "Why do you have me in a b-bedroom with you? What the hell is going on?"

"Do you remember your name?"

I thought about his question for a moment. "It's.... It's...."

Why don't I know my name?

The man looked more like a clothed Adonis than I wanted to admit, and it made my traitorous mouth water. He stood up and I pressed harder into the wall behind me.

"Stay back!"

He paused and held up his hands. "Your name is Aisling Green. I'm Connor Jennings. We're engaged." He must have seen the look of distrust and confusion on my face, because he added, "Look at your hand." For emphasis, he nodded toward it.

Lifting my left hand, I gasped as I noticed the ring that sparkled in the low light. It was either sterling silver or white gold, I couldn't tell which, and the entire band was covered in a delicate Celtic weave.

The stone in the center wasn't a diamond, it was a round green gemstone that I couldn't place. I didn't recognize the ring, but it _felt_ significant to me. "What's the s-stone?"

"It's green opal, your birthstone, Aisling."

"When is m-my birthday?"

"October eighth."

"Year?"

"Nineteen ninety-three."

"What y-year is this?"

"It's December fourth, twenty-fourteen."

My stomach dropped. I was twenty-one years old, if he was telling me the truth. And I had no idea what happened in my life. I was an empty shell. "No."

"Aisling, it's true."

I wasn't listening to him. Tears slipped from my eyes. Whoever I was before, I had no memory of it. I was literally lost. "I-I," I stammered, and then buried my face in my hands to cry.

"Oh, honey," Connor breathed and his arms wrapped around me.

I punched out, trying to get him away from me, but his arms tightened and held me against his chest.

"Shh, it's going to be alright," he crooned.

At some point during my struggle, I cried out as I continued to try to push him away from me. But I could feel a place, deep within me, that didn't want him to let go of me. I wanted to stay lost in his arms, but my rational mind, the one that just began a few moments before, reeled against the knowledge that there was a life I couldn't recall.

Finally, I sagged against him and sobbed into his chest.

Connor, I wish I knew you.

I let him comfort me for a few more moments before I accessed a deep part of myself and shoved him away from me without anything more than a thought.

He flew backward into the opposite wall with a loud thump. He grunted but didn't protest as I held him over the ground with whatever power I possessed. There was a strange glow around him that I didn't notice before. It pulsed with red, orange, and ... was that gray?

" _What is g-going on, Connor?_ " My voice sounded ethereal, as if more than just my voice left me.

His name, I didn't recognize it, but it resonated with me.

"You are an Earthen witch, Aisling. You can do things if you want to. By your will. Please, you have to calm down." I could hear the strain in his voice as he pressed against the wall behind him.

"Don't t-tell me to calm down!" I cried through the shivering. "How do I know all of this isn't a b-bunch of lies? How do I know you're not some kind of m-murderer and you drugged me?"

"If I was a murderer, does it seem logical that I was holding you when you started to wake up instead of you waking up tied to the bed?"

That was a good point, but I wasn't going to give in.

"Look," he began, "I understand what you're feeling—"

"How could you p-possibly understand? Have you ever lost your m-memory before?"

"Well, yes. Not like this. But yes, I have."

Oh. Interesting.

I waited.

"You feel lost, and you don't understand what's going on around you, or within you. But I know you're in there. There's got to be some part of you that remembers me. _Think_ , Aisling. I know how you felt when you looked at me. I know what you felt when you were waking up. You may not remember me, but your body does. Deep down you _know_ me."

I thought about every moment since my memories began. He felt familiar, he felt _right_. Everything else was a jumble of confusion, but he was right.

When I woke, I felt something. Even the sound of his voice was intoxicating. And I could feel him. Even if I couldn't see him, I would know where he was.

"When we first saw each other," he continued, "your magic was new, but you accessed it, and you slowed time. You were just as captivated with me then as you are now."

If he was right — if slowing time was something I was capable of, I would have wanted time to take him all in.

"Do you want to know what made me fall in love with you?" Connor asked.

I nodded.

His face softened as he recalled the memory, and the beginnings of a smile crossed his face. "We barely knew each other and you recalled a memory of your mother and grandmother that you didn't remember. With your mother gone for nearly ten years, and your grandmother gone a little over a week, you were so overcome with grief. Instead of turning away, you turned to me. You sought me for comfort. You were strong, but you were vulnerable and you let me in. You let me help you. I started falling for you that day."

### Chapter 30

I watched as the glowing that surrounded Connor changed from a mixture of red, orange, and gray to red swirls.

He kept talking, telling me all things we experienced together, but I couldn't wrap my head around them. It felt like he was telling me the story of another life. And it was a different life. It might as well have been a different woman. She may look like me, but I wasn't her.

"Look," I hedged, "your stories are amazing, but I d-don't remember them. I wish I had a life like that. D-Do you honestly think I would do this if I remembered any of those t-things you've said?"

Sadness washed over me and I shook my head, lowering Connor to the ground and releasing my hold on him. He loved another woman, and as much as I wanted to, I would never get to experience what she felt.

"Aisling," his voice was tender as he spoke to me. "You are still in there. I know it. You just have to have faith that your memories will return to you."

When I didn't respond, he sighed as I looked away to stare at the floor. "Liam," he called out.

The door swung open and more light poured into the room, making my eyes water as a tall figure stood in the doorway, blocking some of the light from entering and leaving his face in shadow. Fear washed over me but I didn't know why.

"I know," the man said and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I was afraid this might happen." There was something odd about his accent that I couldn't place, but it suited him somehow.

"Can we fix it?" Connor asked.

He closed the door behind him and turned to face me. "My dear, Aisling," he crooned.

I looked at him, taking him in. He was tall, maybe a few inches taller than Connor. He wore expensive clothes, and his sun bleached hair was slicked back with a beard cut short.

He looked like he would fit in at a boardroom meeting, or at the beach. "Are you like a b-businessman that surfs or something?"

God, but I was freezing.

The man looked at me with a grin as the glow around Connor brightened with orange. "Do you know that is the same impression you had about me the first time you met me? You did not say anything until later, but you always thought I would look right at home on the beach," he chuckled.

"Why is t-that funny?"

"Because I am a vampire, Aisling."

My mouth went dry and I did a double take. "A what?"

"Vampire," he smiled, showing me his fangs. "But do not fret," he continued as I gasped and fear washed over me once more, "I will not harm you, Aisling."

"How am I supposed to believe you? You have f-fangs."

"Indeed. But I am not what you think. I will never harm you, my dear."

There was something about his voice. The way he spoke reminded me of ... something. But I couldn't put my foot on it.

"A man I thought was a friend forced his blood into your system, causing this."

"Was he a v-vampire too?" I asked.

The man in front of me nodded grimly and leveled his gaze on me. "I am Liam, my dear. I will not harm you," he repeated before he moved in front of me and knelt down.

From my position on the floor, I still had to look up to see his face. "V-Vampire blood did this to me?"

"I am afraid so, my dear. But you are special, Connor explained to you about what you are, did he not?"

"I'm a witch?"

"Ah, but you are not just any witch, my dear. You are an extremely powerful witch, called an Earthen. There are few vampires that can offer their blood without such dire consequences to your health and safety."

"So his blood erased my m-memory?"

Liam nodded.

"What else d-did it do?"

Waving his hand as if he were bored, Liam sighed as if it wasn't necessary to answer but he would anyway. "You were in an immense amount of pain, my dear, before you lost consciousness. It also temporarily depleted your powers. You were unconscious for a day."

"Do you know how to f-fix this?" I was getting sore from all the shivering.

"Indeed I do, my dear Aisling."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, stop d-dancing around it and just tell me, Liam."

He sighed again. "You must take my blood."

I laughed. There were so many things wrong with that situation. Connor may or may not have been my fiancé. But the vampire in front of me was claiming that I needed to ingest his blood to remove the effects of another vampire's blood. My mind whirled, as I analyzed my predicament.

There was one scenario that kept running through my mind. I was magical, as they'd both claimed, and I obviously proved it by holding Connor off the floor from across the room. If I was as powerful as they said, perhaps they were keeping me there, feeding me blood and erasing my memory over and over again.

But that didn't make much sense. Why would they do that when they could just as easily keep pumping me with poison vampire blood?

If they wanted something from me, they wouldn't risk me regaining my powers if they truly wanted me under their control.

The next thing that crossed my mind was right along the lines of what they were telling me. What if I was that powerful? What if I had a life before I woke up in Connor's arms? What if those stories he told me were true, and I really was the woman he described? I wanted that more than I cared to admit.

Could it be possible that I trusted those men, and they were only trying to help me? When I used magic on Connor, he didn't fight it. He was patient despite being pressed into the wall.

I looked back at the vampire in front of me. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Use your magic, _feel_ it, Aisling. Trust what you _feel_."

Something about those words hit me, like he said them to me before, or at least something very similar. I closed my eyes and concentrated.

"Focus on my voice, Aisling," Connor said softly from behind Liam. "Let your magic out of your body. You should feel me."

I could have told him I felt him without casting my magic out, because his pull to me was something I thought was hardwired into my system. That alone made me feel like I could trust what they were telling me.

But I did as he instructed and I felt the empty, yet electrified space where Liam knelt in front of me, I felt Connor, and I felt several other beings nearby. I didn't know what they all were, but I knew they were there. I nodded. "I can f-feel you."

"What do you feel?"

I didn't see any point in lying to them. "You're l-like a magnet, like I need to be closer to you than I am, even w-when you're right next to me. If you weren't here, I'd know where you were, or at least which d-direction I'd need to go to find you." My eyes opened and I looked at him. "Do you have the s-same thing?"

"Yes, I do." He smiled, "Do you know why you feel that pull?"

I didn't, but whatever it was, I knew it was only something I felt with him. I searched again to double check. I could sense things around me, but no other pull. It was all him. I shook my head.

"You can call it fate. Destiny. I am your mate, Aisling." he said.

"Um, what?"

"Is it really that hard to grasp? After everything I've told you about how we met and fell in love, doesn't it make sense?"

"We're like s-soulmates or something?" Even I could hear the disbelief in my voice. I didn't know what a love like that could feel like, and without those memories, I found it very hard to believe they were true.

Liam moved in a flash, faster than my eyes could see. One second he was watching me as I talked, and the next, his wrist went to his mouth and then he clamped it over mine.

Incredulity flashed across my face as I struggled against his wrist, trying to push him away.

"Did you really have to force it on her, Liam?" Connor said moving around the bed and kneeling next to him.

"She would have arrived to the conclusion eventually. We both know it, Connor," was all he said.

"Christ, Liam," Connor said, and something stirred in me. I heard that very same intonation in his voice before. My eyes locked with his and widened as I remembered what he said.

_Christ, Aisling_ , were his words.

Either Connor noticed my recognition, or he was reacting to my fear of taking the vampire's blood. His hand moved to my face and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear before he caressed my cheek gently with his thumb. My eyes remained locked with his as Liam forced more blood in my mouth.

Liam's blood was like a car battery zapping against my tongue. It was cold and foreign, but the taste wasn't quite what I expected. I worried for a brief moment what was going to happen with his blood in my system.

Then I swallowed.

Just as quickly as Liam moved his wrist to my mouth, he pulled it away and disappeared from the room, the door closing behind him in the next instant, leaving me alone with Connor.

A scream erupted from me as pain erupted in my stomach, feeling like I was being torn apart from the inside.

It felt like I was dying.

### Chapter 31

Strong arms flashed out and caught me before the rest of my body hit the floor. Connor pulled me against him, holding me as pain arced through my body. I felt like I just swallowed an electrical wire.

"Just breathe, Aisling. Ride it out. You'll be alright," he said against my screaming.

I don't know how I heard him, or how I comprehended his words. But he was solid against me as I writhed, crumpling and then stretching, doing anything I could to ease the pain. But nothing worked.

If anyone asked me on a scale of one to ten how I felt, I would have screamed a hundred in their face.

But I couldn't be angry at the man holding me. He was trying to help me. Though I couldn't remember him, I knew he wouldn't hurt me. There was something in the way he watched me, regarded me. There was trust. Full, unadulterated trust in his eyes. I just wasn't sure what else I could believe.

Images flashed across my vision, first of my mother, and then my grandmother.

Gramma.

How could I have forgotten her? Tears slipped from my eyes and my screams died out into whimpers as images came like a tidal wave.

With primroses tickling my calves, I tried to capture the fireflies that lit up in tiny green lights in my grandmother's clearing as a child. She tended a fire in the pit, while my mother laid across the wooden bridge that arched over a small creek.

Angela and her cat, Bugs, came next. And then the slow manifestation of magic. The moment that started it all. Everyone that wanted me dead — Zoe, the Malleus Dei Maleficarum, and my step-father. I remembered Shadow, the two hundred and fifty pound white werewolf and his dog-like persona, and the trio of pixies who were all too eager to prove their worth.

Then there was Liam, the centuries old vampire that was willing to sacrifice everything to see me succeed as an Earthen and restore the world. And his most trusted vampires, Tobias and Jon, came next.

At last, there was Connor. Every moment we shared from the first time I saw him up to the moments in that unfamiliar bedroom. Every caress, every word, everything. All my strengths rested with him.

And my greatest weaknesses.

I thought I failed. Failed all of them. I believed Varick's blood was going to kill me. But it didn't. It just made me feel like I wanted death more than I wanted anything else.

Varick wanted me to suffer. I couldn't fathom what he could have gone through to make him want to punish me.

I didn't know him. The kind of rage he felt was only possible by letting it sit. Fester. Until nothing else mattered.

It didn't matter to him that I was Earthen. It didn't matter that I was a person. All that mattered to him was his rage. And I was a good place to start.

I didn't know if it was Liam he hated so much, or if there was something else much deeper going on. He should have known his blood wouldn't kill me. Or maybe it was supposed to. It sure as hell felt like I was dying as it spread through my body.

Maybe he underestimated my power. I was the only Earthen, after all.

It would have been more effective for him to snap my neck, but I thought Varick wanted drama, and he wanted my friends to see me suffer before I died. If revenge was what he was after, it made sense to make them watch, helpless, as the light finally left my body. It would impact them more than snapping my neck would.

In those long, agonizing moments, I wished for death, because the pain was too great. It was far worse than my step-father's fists. Worse than the Kramer Scholars' torture. Worse than Liam's blood, as it neutralized Varick's and repaired my memory in those long moments.

The pain smashing through me finally began to ebb and I stilled in Connor's arms. I didn't know if I passed out, or if I just went limp for a while. It felt like a lifetime, and yet only a few seconds that I was suspended in oblivion. Dangling over a precipice that would mean my suffering, or my salvation.

I thought I failed. But I was still alive. And I would keep fighting for my family as long as my heart was still beating.

As my consciousness began to return, I was once again wrapped in Connor's arms, lying on the bed with my head resting over his heart. The place that made me feel safe. Protected. Comfortable.

I blinked, tears spilling from my eyes as I took a deep breath, reigning in an onslaught of emotions as best I could. I was happy to be back. But still scared. "C-Connor?" I shivered and tried to sit up as I closed my eyes.

His arms released me but he didn't move away. "Aisling?" he whispered and sat up.

I couldn't look at him yet, I knew if I did, I would unravel beneath the waves of emotion. There were so many questions running through my mind. But there was only one that mattered the most. "I-Is everyone alright?"

He chuckled, "Of course that's the first thing you'd ask me. Yes, everyone is fine, honey. Are you alright?"

I opened my eyes, and smiled.

### Chapter 32

Relief flooded through me as I looked at Connor's face, taking in every line, every feature. His eyes were traveling over me the same way.

His thumbs wiped away the last of the tears as they stained my cheeks. "You have no idea how hard this has been, waiting for you to come around. But then you woke up and you didn't remember anything."

"How long was I out after L-Liam gave me his blood?"

"About an hour. I thought it would be better if you woke up here than on the floor."

I didn't know what to say about that.

He always thought of me. Took care of me. Knew what I needed and made sure I had it. That time was no different.

My emotions overwhelmed me at the joy of seeing him again. Seeing him whole. Seeing the darkening pink aura swirling around him and a faint smile on his face.

In a blur of motion, I crashed into him, straddling him as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. I buried my face into his neck and breathed him in.

Connor wrapped his arms around me and hugged me back. "I've missed you so much," he breathed.

Pulling back, my hands went to his face, fingertips grazing against the stubble as I watched him. His aura was a dark pink and was continuing to darken to red. Then my hands moved to the back of his head and I kissed him, hard.

He stiffened for an instant in surprise, but recovered quickly and pulled me closer. Heat washed over me from the strength of his kiss and I ground against him, crying out into his mouth as I felt him in exactly the right spot.

I clawed at his shirt from over his shoulders, pulling at it until my hands felt his skin again. Wrenching my mouth away to remove his shirt, he raised his arms as I pulled it over his head and dropped it to the floor. Then he moved.

His body surrounded mine on the bed in the next moment and he kissed me, slow and gentle. I deepened the kiss as my hands slid down his back, feeling his velvety skin and the muscles moving beneath.

My hands reached his jeans and I tried to unbutton them, but he sat up on his knees and caught my wrists. "You're moving too fast."

I growled up at him and he laughed, throwing his head back in the way I loved and his aura swirled with red and light blue. Sitting up in a flash, I kissed his abdomen, tasting his skin while I kept my eyes on him.

His laughter cut off and he lowered his head as his arms moved around me again. The light blue left his aura and it pulsed hotter with red.

"You need to slow down," he breathed, but I knew part of him didn't want me slow down at all.

I grinned up at him devilishly and then latched my mouth on his stomach again as my hands roamed over his smooth skin. As soon as my fingers reached the button on his pants, he pushed me down on the bed.

My hips lifted and I rubbed against the hardness underneath the front of his jeans and he groaned. "You've got to stop doing that," he growled.

But I didn't stop. I couldn't get enough friction through my jeans.

His hands clamped down on my hips, pushing me into the mattress and held me there. "Are you going to stop or do I need to hold you down?" he growled.

Either scenario was tempting, but I decided to play along with him. "What can I do, then?"

"Nothing. Not yet, anyway," he said and his hands moved to unbutton my jeans. He pulled my jeans off with agonizing slowness and let his fingers trail my skin as he moved down my legs.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" I asked, eyeing the panties he left behind as he dropped my jeans to the floor.

"Nope," he said, popping his mouth on the word and then leaned forward, pushing up my shirt. "Sit up."

I hooked my fingers into the front belt loops on his jeans and pulled myself up, letting my head fall backward a little as I went. My hands rubbed over the front of his pants with a light touch. He looked down and eyed my hands before looking back at me again. I grinned at him.

I wasn't doing anything wrong.

Honest.

He lifted my shirt over my head, tossed it aside, and pushed me back to the bed. "Without getting up again, take off your bra," he said, low.

I grinned at him again and snaked my arms behind my back, reaching for the clasp.

His hand gripped my forearm and trapped it behind my back. I froze and his other hand traveled slowly from my knee up my inner thigh, but then he stopped a few inches from my hips, eyeing my bra.

It took a little effort, but I was able to unhook it from behind my back with only one hand. I think he enjoyed watching me wriggle because his aura glowed a little hotter as I moved.

He let go of my arm and his hand trailed down my belly and then both hands moved down my inner thighs. "Take it off."

I pulled my arms out from behind my back and tossed my bra aside. I arched my back from the ache in my breasts, but he didn't move.

"Put your hands back."

I didn't know what he was doing, but I obeyed immediately and bit my lip. Whatever he was doing, he was drawing it out. Making me anticipate his moves, yearn for them.

He leaned forward again, capturing my arm and then his mouth closed over my breast. I cried out as his other hand moved to my panties, teasing me through the fabric.

My hips moved by their own volition and he froze. I shuddered and forced myself to hold still and then he started moving again.

After several minutes of moving his mouth back and forth between my breasts, I couldn't stop myself from writhing under him any longer. "Connor," I moaned through a shudder and then whimpered as he moved back up to his knees, not touching me.

"Touch yourself," he whispered.

"What?" I blurted.

"You heard me," he grinned at me again.

"If you keep this up, I don't make any guarantees about my power, Connor," I warned. So much desire was coursing through my veins as it was, and I was shocked I wasn't already unleashed because of it.

"I know. Touch yourself," he said, still grinning.

"No."

"What?" He mirrored my surprise.

"I'm not doing anything until you take off your pants," I grinned up at him.

His eyes narrowed as he watched me and then he reached to his pants and unbuttoned them, slowly pulling down the zipper next.

I bit my lip, unable to stop myself as his hardened length sprang free. "All the way off," I growled.

He stood up and kicked them off before moving back to his knees on the bed between my legs. "Now, touch yourself."

### Chapter 33

"Do you want me to...?" I let the question hang in the air.

"Let's say yes," he replied, his deep brown eyes were bright with desire and he grinned down at me.

Two could play at this game.

He was trying to fire me up, more than I already was, but I could just as easily turn it back on him. I grinned back and moved my arms from behind my back slowly.

Connor's grin faded away as his eyes focused on my hands. I dragged my nails up my sides and snaked my hands up to my breasts, kneading them and slowly rolling my nipples between my thumbs and forefingers.

My back arched and I closed my eyes, focusing on the sensation as I moved my hands, slowly, down my stomach and across the tops of my thighs. Then, I dragged my nails across the sensitive flesh of my inner thighs as I moved my hands back up again.

My mouth opened and I breathed in as my hands moved past my panties back up to my breasts. Arching my back again, I opened my eyes and looked up at Connor. His gaze was darker and hooded as he watched me. And his aura was on fire. My hand splayed across my stomach as the other traveled down.

I gasped as my fingers hit the warm, wet flesh beneath my panties. Jolts of pleasure shot through me as Connor's mouth opened, his erection bobbed against him as he watched my hand move.

My fingers slowly encircled my clitoris and my hips lifted to match the movement. A moan escaped my lips as my other hand moved back up to my breasts, squeezing each one in a futile attempt to soothe the ache in them.

Connor's hands moved to my knees as his aura brightened and he bit his lip. My fingers increased their speed and my hips followed as more moaning escaped my lips and Connor's fingers twitched over my skin.

"Connor?" I whispered, shaking from the sensation.

Strong fingers tensed and slid a few inches down my thighs as he growled, "Aisling."

My eyes closed, breathing growing more rapid, and another moan escaped my lips before I breathed, "I don't want to come like this."

He pushed my legs wider, increasing the friction on my clitoris and I cried out.

Just breathe, Aisling.

I tried to calm myself so I wouldn't come. And I was so close as it was.

"How do you want to come?" The sound of his voice hit me like tidal wave. It was half whisper and half groan. He was enjoying it, but he was also struggling to keep himself from touching me more than he already was.

Before I realized what I was doing, my hands flashed out and pulled Connor by his wrists, forcing him to fall forward on top of me. His arms immediately wrapped around me and his mouth covered mine in a fierce kiss as he ground his hips against me.

I cried into his mouth as the hair on the back of my neck rose and my panties shredded and fell away an instant later.

His hips ground against me again, right across my clitoris. And I came instantly, crying out into his mouth as my back arched up.

He tore his mouth away and groaned, "That's more like it." Then he shifted and impaled me.

A jolt of pleasure shot through me and I cried out again. My hands moved to his hips to pull him harder and I threw my head back into the mattress as my eyes rolled in my head from the intensity of the sensation.

The pressure and friction increased between us as he pressed his body into mine. He moaned, latching his mouth on my throat and ran his tongue across the sensitive flesh.

Connor began to move faster, and I could feel every inch of him. He was big, and it felt beyond amazing when he filled me all the way to the hilt.

There was nothing but him in that moment. No hesitation. No fear. My hands reached up to his face and I pulled his head up. My eyes locked with his.

He froze and moved a hand to my face, caressing my cheek. "What's wrong?"

"I love you," I whispered as a tear fell from my eye.

His lips curved into a smile. "Oh, honey," he breathed. "I love you." His hand slipped to the back of my neck and pulled me toward him as his mouth found mine again.

But this time his kiss was a combination of gentleness and reverence, as if the kiss said everything he felt for me in that instant. Then he flipped us over, without breaking our contact.

While I straddled him, he arched up as he continued to kiss me. I moaned into his mouth and sat up, pulling him with me. Then I began moving, but his arms stiffened, holding me still.

He broke the kiss and I gasped, not wanting to stop as his hands went to my face again. "Please," I moaned as I opened my eyes to look at him.

When I saw the look on his face, I stopped resisting.

His expression was softer. Serious. "I may not be Earthen like you, Aisling, but what I feel for you doesn't do the words justice. I love you more than anything I've ever felt in my life. You _are_ my life. You are _everything_ to me. Everything."

I smiled, and chuckled breathlessly, "That's exactly how I feel about you. It's hard to express how _much_ I feel, but you're everything to me, too." I kissed him and started moving again.

Wrapping my arms around Connor's neck, I ground my hips against him and moaned breathlessly. His hands moved from my face to my chest. I cried out into his mouth from the dual pleasure of his thumbs encircling my nipples and the delicious friction.

As I felt the wave coming for me, his hands pressed into my hips, increasing our contact. I held him tighter, pressing my torso into his, rubbing my breasts against his chest with each thrust.

Connor arched up as he pressed me down and I crashed around him, wrenching my mouth away from his and threw my head back, screaming, " _Oh, god, yes!_ "

By the time the waves subsided, I realized I was on my back again and Connor was hammering into me. "You have no idea how good you feel when you come while I'm inside you," he groaned and moved faster, dropping to his elbows to kiss me again.

I felt the wave of another orgasm coming. My hands gripped his ass and pulled him, moving with him as he neared his own release.

Connor came, crashing over the edge of ecstasy with one final thrust and tore his mouth away to throw his head back. The sound of him calling my name was my undoing, and I followed immediately after.

### Chapter 34

Jasper

Bannerst took the onramp onto I-70, headin' East as we traveled through Utah. He kept tellin' me there's somethin' important near Glenwood Canyon, Colorado that I needed to do. I never heard of such a fuckin' place.

"What the fuck'm I gonna be doin' in Glenwood Canyon, Bannerst?" I didn't much like callin' him by his name. It just wasn't somethin' I did. Not my style. But there was somethin' 'bout him that I just couldn't shake. I felt like I needed to call him by his name or suffer somethin' nasty.

Bannerst looked at me with the same shit eatin' grin on his face he was wearin' since we met. Somethin' 'bout his smile told me he wasn't so much smilin' as barin' his teeth. Dude was creepy. "Do you remember what you felt when you killed Jenny?"

I nodded, not knowin' where he was goin' with it.

"Well, Jasper, I know just the place that's full of corruption, and women that need correction."

My eyebrows shot into my hairline. "What you talkin' 'bout?"

"There's a place full of women, Jasper. They claim they're chaste for God, but they sin all the time. They sleep around. And I mean around. With each other, with the priests that claim the same, with members of the church. They need to be taught a lesson, Jasper. Isn't that just the thing you can provide for them?"

My eyes slid closed as I remembered Jenny, 'n how it felt to wrap my hands around her neck 'n squeeze the life from her as I fucked her one last time, showin' her who'd been in charge the whole time.

My fingers twitched as they rested on my lap. The thought of takin' control again like that was so fuckin' tempting. I shifted in my seat, already hard in my pants 'n I opened my eyes to see him facin' me, not lookin' at the highway. "What the fuck you doin', Bannerst?"

His grin widened and then he turned back to the wheel, restin' his hands on it as he looked out the windshield again. The dude was scary. Creepy as fuck, if you asked me.

But there was somethin' 'bout him I couldn't place. Somethin' that spoke to me in a way I never felt in my life. He knew the deepest parts of me, 'n didn't care what I done. He encouraged them.

"I'm driving you to the place where you will get to take control, like you were meant to, Jasper," he said, 'n sped on down the highway in the expensive sedan we stole after Bannerst killed them rich people. At least he let me have a little fun with the whore wife before he took her. "We just have to make one stop first."

Three hours later, we stopped 'n geared up. A massive machete was restin' on my lap and I slid my thumb over the blade, hissin' as it sliced my skin. "This baby's sharp." I said with less enthusiasm than I felt, 'n stuck my thumb in my mouth, suckin' the blood.

Bannerst turned away from the wheel again, takin' his feet of the pedals too, but the car kept on down the highway, as if he was still drivin' the fuckin' thing.

Grinnin' again, he said, "Jasper, I know how you felt when I told you about the women. What if I told you that you could fuck every last one of them, staking your claim on them as you killed them, just like you did with Jenny?"

I stiffened in my pants again at the thought. I chuckled, "Yeah, that'd be fuckin' sweet, Bannerst. But how the fuck'm I gonna do that when there's more than one I gotta take care of?"

"Ah," he said, raising a ringer. "What if I said you wouldn't have to worry about that tonight, Jasper? What if I said you _could_ , as many times as you needed to see it done _right_?"

I gripped the machete's handle 'n my body tensed as I thought 'bout all the different ways I could take 'em with that kind of power.

Lookin' at Bannerst, I could tell the dude wanted an answer. "That would be fantastic."

"That's what I thought. Consider it done," he said 'n then the car took the exit as Bannerst kept starin' 'n grinnin' at me from his position in the front seat.

Sure enough, I was still hard when the car pulled into the darkened parkin' lot of Saint Sebastian's Convent.

"Go in that door right there, Jasper," Bannerst pointed as the engine died. "The door is unlocked and they're all inside, waiting for you."

I didn't respond. I just got outta the car, walked to the door 'n opened it, steppin' inside to see at least fifteen nuns sittin' 'round a table, deep in prayer.

Then I got to work.

### Chapter 35

Bannerst

There was no comparison to the life I lived before I was summoned. Always in shadow, I was the voice on the shoulders of the corruptible. The bigger the corruption, the bigger the reward. I excelled at it, but I never achieved a success like Jasper Wills before. He was one of those people that could be coerced into even the worst of situations, thinking it was a good idea.

Having a body and a face with which to coerce people into corruption proved to be quite the advantage. Since I awakened in the body of Bannerst, the world opened up to me. Spread her legs and beckoned me to do my worst.

Since we escaped the guards together two days before, I collected over fifty souls. That was why it was taking so long to get there. I needed to gather their power before reaching the power source.

Every soul Jasper took was inside him. He didn't know it, but I could see them, glowing around him.

They _were_ pure. He not only stole their innocence but he did it while killing them.

Some of them he killed first and then slaked his lust on their carcasses. That was the best part.

Jasper Wills, the great student, took a total of seventy-three lives, defiled them, and desecrated their remains by burning them without allowing their souls to be cleansed.

That was good for me, because I needed them.

I was biding my time, waiting for the sun to rise higher in the sky as the car drove us toward I-70. That was when I would take him. Pull all the souls he took, including his, the ultimate corrupted soul. Then I would need a few more souls short to reach ascension.

There were still a few states to go before I would reach it, and I knew when I finally arrived, I would be ready, more powerful than ever. And I would take every last soul left on the planet before I was finished.

As the soul count grew, so did my power. I gave Jasper the ability to take his victims that night. And he did. Every last one of them.

It was even better that I didn't have to hide what I was. I let the car drive itself, through my will alone as the body of Bannerst began to prepare itself for the final stages of transformation. Skin stretched, allowing my grin to grow wider on my face.

Jasper seemed a little put off, on edge by all the little things I did around him, but he didn't question me. He followed me blindly and with awe. The best student, indeed.

The car pulled into the lot of the abandoned building, just a few blocks from the interstate, and parked at the back, away from the street and prying eyes. Without a word, I stepped out of the car and went to the front to sit down on the hood. Once I was settled, I soaked up the rays while I waited for Jasper to join me.

It was no wonder the demons' prison was trapped in an infinite darkness. The sun gave us more power when we weren't ascended. It was nice to feel it warm Bannerst's skin.

Jasper's door opened and he stepped out, squinting against the morning sunlight that pierced his eyes as he stood up to his full height. He was scrawny, a few inches shorter than six feet, and he was covered in the blood of his victims. Even his hair was matted with it.

He smelled like sex, lots of sex. And blood, but that was no surprise. "How do you feel, Jasper?" I asked him, crossing my arms over my chest as I watched him move to sit next to me.

His head titled down and he grinned. Dark eyes against the blood covering his face made him look sinister, and I grinned back at him.

Jasper tasted what he could do. But if I didn't take him and the rest of the souls he claimed, he either wouldn't stick around, or he would end up dead and I would lose every last soul he gained, including his, the ultimate corrupted soul.

"I take it you enjoyed yourself?"

"You have no fuckin' idea, Bannerst," he said and slipped up onto the hood of the car next to me.

"You want to do it again, don't you?" I asked, grin widening.

He didn't look up. His eyes slid closed as the breathed deep, remembering each and every kill. Each and every orgasm he reached in the night. Every woman he forced to come before he took her life. He _lusted_ for it. For more. The defilement. The kill. "Yes," was all he said.

We sat in the quiet for some time, as I waited for the sun to rise a little further, to wash us both in light. Jasper kept his eyes closed as he leaned back on the car, soaking up the sun through the blood that covered him.

He didn't notice when I moved to stand over him on the hood of the car. I knelt down, not touching him as he breathed the mild air around us.

The slight pop that sounded as I opened my jaw didn't rouse him from his reverie of the night, and my teeth reshaped themselves into razor sharp tips.

Jasper's eyes snapped open when I blocked the sunlight against his face with mine, but my power held him there. He was powerless to stop me.

I chewed and swallowed his body, his soul, and each of the souls that surrounded him. Absorbing everything into my body until there was nothing left but the stains of blood in the seat, the hood of the car, and the bloodied machete, all baking in the rays of the warm December sun.

Staring into the windshield, I saw my reflection as the sun took its position at the top of the sky. She was there, looking out from my eyes. I breathed fire as it burned within my chest from the surge of new souls coursing through my body.

"Hello, Aisling," I crooned, smiling impossibly wide for a human, my new pointed shark teeth in full view.

### Chapter 36

Aisling

I saw everything. As Bannerst prepped Jasper, inciting his darkest desires. He emerged from each new location, covered in more blood and the various scents of sex on him. Smells I never wanted to know.

My mind was gone as I saw everything happening as if I were Bannerst. I felt his pride, heard his thoughts, saw the souls that surrounded Jasper in a wildly glowing aura around him, despite the fact that he was only human. I never saw such a thing on anyone, human or _other_. I never wanted to.

Bannerst waited, letting Jasper get lost in his memories of the night, of orgasm after orgasm as he got off on his ability to take everything from the women in the convents. I watched the reflection in the windshield, the change Bannerst's body took as he prepared to eat Jasper.

I tasted the dried blood. Tasted Jasper. Heard the bones crunching in my ... no, _Bannerst's_ teeth. I felt the joy and the adrenaline coursing through his veins. I felt the souls filling him, increasing his power.

It was the worst thing I ever experienced in my life. Yet I was thrilled by it. Ecstatic.

Up until that moment of seeing Bannerst in the reflection of the windshield, I was him. Every part of him. But when he looked at me, I was myself again and saw his mouth was still huge, and his teeth were razor sharp.

God, his teeth.

If I were in my body, ice would slide down my spine. Terror would wash over me, but I wasn't in my body. I wasn't me.

The worst part was hearing him say my name, as if he were crooning to me. Beckoning me. It was like he wanted something from me. I was willing to bet he wanted my soul.

One second, Bannerst was morphed into a monster that would haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life, and the next, he was normal again, smiling his unnatural grin at me in his reflection.

He stared at me for a few more seconds and then let out a guttural growl that was so terrifying, it woke me.

I screamed silently, unseeing, unfeeling as my voice failed to convey the fear and panic that gripped me. My body felt like ice and I couldn't even shiver because I was too cold. I tried to gulp in air as my scream died away, but I couldn't. My lungs wouldn't cooperate and I started to panic as my chest started to ache.

My mouth dropped open as I attempted to breathe, but no air moved past my throat.

Magic sparked from my fingertips as alarm spread and then, suddenly, air finally traveled past my throat and burned down into my lungs. I heaved, taking deep breaths, as the panic began to fade.

I wasn't in bed where I was supposed to be.

After we made love, one of the most intense moments we ever shared together, I noticed Connor's weary expression.

He barely slept in the days since we found ourselves in Germany. The most he slept was the night we spent in the alley. But sleeping on hard concrete against brick wasn't exactly restful.

And he was afraid to sleep for long after Varick forced his blood into my system, waiting for me to regain consciousness.

I remembered resting my head on Connor's chest, his arms wrapped around me and he was asleep in minutes. It was a perfect ending to a perfect moment.

It's happening again.

My magic fanned out, searching for my mate. He was nearby. At least I wasn't far away. Feeling relieved at that, I focused on the next issue.

I was on my feet, and my arms were raised in the air. I could feel something warm in my grip, yet I still couldn't see. I didn't know what I was doing. But I was sleepwalking. Again.

My magic told me a human was in front of me and that was when I heard a gasp.

I forced my eyes to focus at the same time I felt my hands tighten, a gurgling noise sounded in my ears and then my vision cleared.

A human girl, no older than fourteen stood in front of me, eyes wide with fear as her hands pulled at my wrists as I strangled her.

No.

Power erupted from my body, expelling whatever it was that held me under its control. I screamed, a shrill, piercing sound into the empty foyer of an unrecognizable yet familiarly furnished building and released the girl.

She gasped for air, coughing as she inhaled, and held on to her throat as I backed up against the wall and sank to the floor. The scream died as I crumpled, holding my head in my hands.

I did it again.

I almost killed a girl.

A familiar clicking noise of nails tapping in quick succession against gold-inlaid mahogany floors hit my ears as Shadow blurred into view. His head tipped back and he howled into the quiet house an instant later.

### Chapter 37

The first time I saw Connor, he was leaning against an old, ornate lamp post on the sidewalk across from me. Bugs, Angela's cat, curled up on my lap in her car, and I looked up to see him standing there. In that instant, I knew the feeling in my stomach was related to him.

In those first few moments, I was captivated by him. He was the most breathtaking creature I ever laid eyes on. Beyond gorgeous, everything about him called to me.

It wasn't until his eyes snapped to mine that the slow motion began. His deep brown eyes penetrated me like he could see into my soul. He looked just as captivated with me as I was with him.

The slow motion happened again several days later, in a feeble attempt to show him how much I cared for him. Wanted him.

But when I woke that night from seeing Bannerst eat and devour Jasper's body, his soul, and every soul that he took in his life, I slowed time.

I didn't simply scream, and release the girl that stood in front of me to fall back into the wall and slump to the floor.

No.

I slowed time, almost froze it after I expelled whatever it was that forced me to sleepwalk and try to kill at the same time.

Feeling the hold lift away from me like an invisible skin that covered me, my hands loosened and I released the girl's neck. The scream that erupted from my chest was a slow, agonized wail.

It wasn't just the strange dreams, following the man who was slowly changing every time I dreamt of him. He seemed to know exactly who I was, and what he needed to do to set me on edge. Terrorize me.

I could hear his thoughts. Feel everything he felt while he devoured Jasper. That was the worst part. Jasper _tasted_ good to him, and the rush of the souls of all of those people entering his system filled him with a heady rush. His elation was far different than anything I experienced in my life.

Bannerst loved it, and I did too — while I was him. But once I was myself again, I hated it.

When I was walking around, completely out of my control, moving and doing things I wasn't capable of doing, it was so much worse. How was I supposed to protect everyone, all the people I cared about, the ones I called family, when I was a danger to everyone?

I couldn't answer that question. I didn't have a clue what I could do about it. Let alone how I could stop them. It wasn't possible to go long without sleep. I wouldn't survive long that way.

From everything I heard in Bannerst's head, I believed he and the demon that Angela claimed was summoned were one and the same. And I was going to need my strength to fight it or everyone was going to die.

All of those thoughts went through my head as I screamed. It was only when my back collided with the wall and I crumpled to the floor that my scream died away.

Panic travelled through my system, adding to the debilitating fear and cold that gripped me. It was as if I could hear Bannerst laughing in my head.

Then I heard the familiar clicking of Shadow's nails as he ran into the big foyer.

My skin was blue and frosted over and I felt the cold enter my heart and all I could do was stare at the approaching werewolf as he took in the situation around him and looked up into the air to let out a piercing red howl that carried all the tenor of agony and urgency I felt in one pained cry.

A few figures flashed out at the top of the wide staircase that led to three hallways above me, but I didn't look away from Shadow.

With all the strength I could muster, I curled in on myself, pulling my knees to my chest with intense pain.

The black silk nightgown I wore did nothing to warm me.

It felt like I was freezing to death.

I rested my cheek on my knees and exhaled. It looked like I was breathing dry ice as a faint white fog fell from my mouth before disappearing as it reached the floor.

Strangely enough, as the white wolf's howl died away, he started to shake, as if his whole body convulsed, blurring him.

Skin slowly replaced fur as he continued to blur and then he stopped, light hair and fair skin gleamed and he stood up, completely human. And completely naked.

He looked at me as Liam flashed down the stairs and crossed into my view. Connor trailed behind with his normal human speed, but I couldn't take my eyes off the man that was a white wolf only moments before.

The only time I ever saw Shadow in human form was for a brief moment while my step-father beat his unconscious body. But that was only a few seconds. I studied his face, and suddenly, I recognized him.

Connor moved in my peripheral vision as he descended the stairs. He was wearing the same black silk pants he pulled on before we fell asleep, and nothing else. My ears were ringing and I couldn't hear anything except for the whimpering that escaped me.

Shadow approached us as Connor moved to my side, not even noticing his presence. With every step Shadow took, his fair skin and sandy blonde hair dimmed until it stopped glowing.

His hair was short but some of it flopped over his forehead. He looked like he was at least Liam's height, if not a few inches taller, from my odd viewpoint. And his muscles rippled as he moved, like he was built for battle.

I tried to look away, but I felt frozen in place, even my eyes wouldn't cooperate. Luckily, Connor moved into view, and blocked the sight of Shadow's groin as he moved toward us.

Kneeling in front of me, my mate looked me over, trying to assess if I was hurt. His lips moved but I didn't hear any sounds.

There was a flash of pale skin as it moved across my peripheral vision and touched my exposed cheek. It was Liam's hand. But it didn't feel cold to me. It felt warm.

Either I was that cold, or he just drank a bunch of warm blood before my screams started. I wasn't sure I wanted to know which.

"Aisling," Connor said, and that time I heard him. Though he sounded far away, it was the first sound that penetrated my ears since Shadow's howl other than my own whimpering.

My eyes slowly closed and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Connor was there. He could help me. Liam's hand left my cheek and then something hot seared against it.

I forced my eyes open and Connor smiled faintly, one hand was outstretched, touching my cheek. A shudder ran through my body and more pain rocketed though me. My body didn't want to move, my muscles ached and stiffened. "Aisling, can you hear me?" Connor asked.

Attempting to form a response, all I could muster was a bleak whimper that sounded like a sigh.

Connor moved closer, uncurling my arms from around my legs and held my hands in his warm hands. "Focus on the sound of my voice, honey."

"Connor," an unfamiliar voice said from behind him.

He froze as his hands tightened on my hands and he swung around to see Shadow standing behind him. "Shadow? I don't understand. Why did you shift?"

That was a good question. One I hoped the werewolf would answer. From my viewpoint, which allowed me to see the world from the side, even I could see Shadow didn't look comfortable on two legs. He shifted out of necessity. But why?

"There's a lot more going on than you realize, I think," Shadow responded. "It's not something I can explain otherwise."

Connor didn't let go of my hands as he assessed Shadow. "Tell me what happened."

"Start with the girl," the werewolf responded and pointed off to the side where I couldn't see.

"Jessica," Liam said from behind me and I heard hesitant footsteps.

"Yes, master," the child-like female voice flitted into the air, and sounded a little raspy. Was that the girl I strangled when I came out of the dream- _sight_?

"Please explain everything that happened."

"I just finished getting a snack in the kitchen when I saw her, sir. She didn't say anything, she just approached me. I asked if she needed help, and that's when her hands went to my neck. It wasn't long after that she started struggling. I felt something, like a tiny breeze hit me and then she released me."

Shadow nodded. "I felt a wave of magic right before she screamed. I've seen something like this before, Connor."

Fear and amazement swirled in Connor's aura and I could still see the disbelief in his posture that he was seeing his best friend in human form again.

The only time he ever saw Shadow as a human was just after they met nearly a decade before. He waited, letting Shadow speak.

"I think she needs a protection spell, a massive one. You said she was having dream- _sight_ just before her body fought and burned six men alive, correct?"

He nodded and I fought the urge to let my eyes close.

"Did it happen again tonight, Aisling?" Shadow asked.

"Yes," I whispered. "W-Why am I s-so c-cold?"

"Because you are Earthen, my dear," Liam answered. "You are so overwhelmed with fear that your body is freezing in response. But your magic prevents you from succumbing to it."

I tried to nod, but I couldn't move.

"You need to protect her dreams. That's how it's getting in."

"What is getting in?" Liam asked.

"B-Bannerst, the d-demon," I whispered through chattering teeth.

"What?" Connor turned to face me. "You never mentioned that before."

I moaned from the pain. "Didn't k-know he was the d-demon for s-sure before."

"He's using the power of a night shade, Aisling." Shadow added.

"Night shades do not exist," Liam said.

I chuckled as my body shuddered. "Anything's p-possible, Liam. Have you l-learned nothing?" Even though I was freezing, I couldn't resist teasing the vampire.

Shadow laughed. It was odd hearing the werewolf laugh as a human. I was used to his coughing chortle.

Connor's lips twitched and light blue entered his aura at the same time a wheeze sounded from Liam.

"Leave us," the vampire barked and then he directed his attention to Connor. "Bring her into the parlor. A fire may help to warm her up."

Connor nodded and slipped his arms around my back and under my knees. His strong arms lifted with ease and he carried me around the corner into the parlor, following Liam with Shadow trailing behind us.

As we stepped into the parlor, I noticed the similarities to Liam's home in Nashville as we moved further into the large room. A fire whooshed into life in the hearth, crackling and filling the room with the smell of wood smoke.

I breathed it in and rested my head against Connor's chest as the intoxicating scent grew stronger in the room. He moved to the big red velvet King Louis XIV chair nearest the fire and sat down, letting me curl up against him to absorb his body heat.

"So, w-what's a n-night shade?" I asked, trying to speak through the shivering. Connor's arms tightened around me. The fire wouldn't warm me, only one thing could, and we couldn't exactly focus on that until we finished our conversation.

"I'm not exactly sure," Connor answered. "It's one of those urban legends in the lore. I've seen only one reference to it. It was a creature that wasn't born, but created. It _lived_ in dreams and could control the body of the person dreaming."

Shadow nodded as he stood behind a chair opposite us, blocking my view from his waist down. "That is the only creature I know of that was reported to be capable of controlling a body. Was there anything in particular that was different about the dreams?"

I forced myself to sit up as much as I could. "While I've d-dreamt of B-Bannerst, I've b-been observing. C-Completely. I had n-no thoughts, no c-compulsions of my own. I f-felt what he f-felt, thought his t-thoughts." I shivered again at the memory of Bannerst devouring Jasper's body and the souls of the humans he took.

" _Sonofabitch_ ," Connor hissed and I opened my eyes.

When did I close my eyes?

Shadow nodded and said, "Yeah, that sounds like a night shade."

There was something about all of it that wasn't adding up to me. I was being controlled while I was sleeping, and unable to dictate how I moved around.

In both instances, I found myself away from Connor, attacking others. The demon seemed to know who I was. And he made it clear from the beginning that he would come after me. So why did he not direct my body to attack Connor?

I shuddered again as more fear washed over me. The thought of watching as my body choked or otherwise killed Connor scared me far more than Bannerst.

For a moment, my mind went blank and then I felt Connor's hot skin touch my cheeks. My eyes opened and I blinked.

"Are you alright?"

I couldn't tell him the thoughts that went through my head. "S-So c-cold," was all I could manage as my eyes started to close again.

"No, honey. Focus on me. Keep your eyes open."

Forcing my eyes open, I looked at Connor.

"That's right. Stay focused on me," his thumbs caressed my cheeks while his dark brown eyes searched mine.

I heard a faint tapping sound before Liam said, "Angela." He paused and I looked away from Connor. I was surprised with Liam's hearing that he wasn't wincing or moving the phone away from his ear from all the screeching coming from it. Even I could hear it.

"Yes she is fine. She needed a bit of my blood to clear out the amnesia. We have a problem."

He explained everything. The dreams, the sleepwalking, even the effects of the freezing temperatures. He listened for a moment and then hung up the phone. "She will look into it. For now, you need to get warm. The fire is not helping."

I could have told him that the fire wouldn't help, but we had more pressing issues. "W-What about s-sleep?"

It was Shadow who spoke. "You know more mechanics of magic than I do, Connor. I have nothing more to offer that will help." When I saw him as a human before, I never picked up on an aura, and realized I couldn't see one.

"S-Shadow," I said and he stopped and looked at me. "You w-were in George's Diner w-when I was t-there with Zoe weren't you?"

He nodded. "I wanted some coffee that morning and smelled her. When I saw your aura, I knew what she was going to do. I left to shift and wait for her to make her move. But Connor arrived and I didn't have to."

I turned and looked at Connor briefly and he shrugged. My protectors were looking out for me all along. I smiled as much as I could. Looking back at Shadow, I said, "Why d-don't you have an aura w-while you're human?"

"I don't know, Aisling," he sighed. "It's always been this way." He turned and walked silently out of the parlor into the massive foyer.

Though he was completely silent, I could feel the change in the air as he shifted back into his wolf form. When he finished, I heard the clicking sounds of his nails as he walked off into the house.

I never noticed it before, but Shadow seemed ... lonely. I knew werewolves and most other were-animals ran in packs. But after the Earthens died, they broke away and lived their lives on their own, usually staying as animal or human.

While in his preferred wolf form, Shadow seemed perfectly at ease with his life, with us. But as a human, I could hear the sadness in his voice. "S-Shadow?" I croaked and the clicking sounds turned.

A white wolf head popped into view, and he snorted air from his lungs as if to ask me what I needed.

"Come here," I said and held out my shaking hand for him.

He padded up to me and rested his chin on my palm, heat flowed off his body in waves, but it did nothing to warm me.

I scratched his neck and looked into his eyes. "I'm going to fix this, Shadow," I said, surprised at how strong my voice was, despite the shivering.

Shadow stared at me for a moment and I could feel his unease. His aura blazed with orange, deep blue, and gray as he absorbed my words.

I always wondered whether calm was his default state, but I realized then that he was hiding his emotions. Except for that brief instant where his aura flared with colors before it returned to purple.

Those colors told me he was not only scared of what I noticed, but he was also surprised that I did. He carried the weight of his sadness, buried underneath the calm air of dominance.

In that instant when his aura returned to purple, before he stepped away, Connor stiffened.

He didn't know.

Shadow didn't want him to know.

"I'm s-sorry Shadow," I said and shuddered again.

In all the time they knew each other, Shadow never let his friend see how unhappy he was. Then the wolf turned and walked away.

Connor's lips were in a thin line as he processed what just happened. His aura shifted to a deep, dark blue. "I never knew," he breathed and Shadow paused, looked over his shoulder, sighed, and walked out of the room.

Liam coughed and asked, "Do you need anything, my dear Aisling?"

Connor stared at the empty space where Shadow stood moments before. He looked back up at me, his eyes searched mine, and he swallowed.

Despite the pain in my body from the movement, I pulled Connor into my arms and hugged him, burying my face into the curve of his neck and offered what little amount of comfort I could.

His best friend was hurting, and he never knew.

Tears burned my eyes as I tried not to cry. I only knew Shadow a few weeks and from my amplified emotions, it felt like my heart was breaking for him.

I couldn't imagine how much Connor hurt from it. "I'm s-sorry," I whispered. I knew what he was feeling, and I knew he was hurting.

He wrapped his arms around me tighter and pressed his face into my hair. "Wait," he said into my shoulder.

I pulled back to see Liam was at the entrance of the parlor. He meant to slip away into the house and leave us alone.

Connor didn't release me so I kept my arms wrapped around his neck as he rattled off a series of items he needed.

Without a word, Liam nodded, and stepped out of sight.

### Chapter 38

I turned back to Connor and his eyes locked on mine. My hands went to his face, and I tried to offer him comfort.

"I didn't know," he whispered as he stared at me.

"It's not your fault. I only noticed because he changed." That much at least was true.

It was one thing to hear about how the loss of Earthens affected the supernatural world. It was a completely different beast to see it. I was beginning to see Liam's actions since we met him weren't so odd after all.

_Others_ needed each other. They needed to feel like they belonged, instead of living out their lives in solitude. Even for vampires, living in such small nests as compared to how they lived before, was rough on them.

But Shadow was alone. Even when he was with Connor. He wasn't with his own kind. I couldn't fathom the loneliness he must have felt from it.

"I know," Connor replied as I shuddered again. "You're still cold, honey. We need to take care of that." A slight grin flashed across his face and his aura started to bleed with a deep pink.

My mouth went dry as his eyes fell to my lips and I licked them reflexively.

His eyes narrowed and he squeezed me tighter. My eyes went to his mouth as his lips curled into a devilish grin. "We should probably get back to our room—"

I cut him off and kissed him, hard. I didn't care that we were in the parlor of Liam's unfamiliar home. Didn't care that the doors were open. Didn't care that vampires and werewolves had enhanced hearing. I couldn't wait that long.

His warm lips and hot, wet tongue immediately recovered and responded to me. I moaned into his mouth and held him by the back of his neck with my fingers laced through his hair.

All I wanted in that moment was to get closer to him, but my frozen body and my position on his lap prevented me from doing anything more.

Since I was wearing nothing more than a silk nightgown, it would have been so easy to take full advantage of his position in the chair.

And _god_ , but I wanted to take advantage of that.

Whimpering, I pulled him tighter with all the strength I could muster in my freezing body, attempting unsuccessfully to get closer to him.

I couldn't tell if Connor knew what I wanted, or if it was what he wanted. Either way, it didn't matter. He broke from the kiss and lifted me up, giving me room to twist around. His aura was bright red and it emanated heat.

My movements were much slower, but once my knees were tucked into the sides of the arm chair, straddling Connor's hips, he began to lower me.

The sensation of his hot, hard length beneath his silk pants hit me right where I wanted it, and a moan escaped from my lips. My head fell back as I reveled in the feel of him under me and his hands slipped up along my sides until he captured my breasts, thumbs rubbing slowly over my nipples through the thin material.

Before I could lower my head to kiss him again, Connor moved, and his hands snaked around my back and pulled me forward. His mouth captured my nipple through the cold silk and it instantly heated as his tongue worked in slow, agonizing circles.

I cried out and ran my fingers through his hair. Then he moved to my other breast and completed the same treatment. I shuddered against him, but it wasn't from the cold.

With one last tormenting pull of my nipple, he moved his mouth away and shifted in the chair, leaning back a little, and his hands moved down to my waist to increase the friction between us.

"Oh, god, Connor," I gasped, dropping my head down as he groaned. "Please," I whispered and bit my lip, letting my hands roam over his chest and down his stomach.

He knew what I wanted.

His hands moved away and he pushed his pants down his hips as I shifted back a little, giving him room.

When his pants were down far enough, my hand moved between us, and I took him into my fist, dragging my hand up and down slowly.

A hiss escaped his lips and he leaned his head back into the chair. With his neck exposed, I couldn't hold back any longer.

I leaned forward, my free hand reaching around the back of his neck and I captured his Adam's apple in my mouth, sucking and licking him as my other hand continued to move.

He groaned, the vibrations against my mouth traveled down every nerve in my body and, suddenly, my hand on him wasn't enough.

A shudder erupted from his body as I flashed forward and lowered myself on him until he was sheathed all the way to the hilt.

" _Oh, shit_ ," he hissed and arched up as his hands pushed me down while his aura brightened. I gasped and pulled my mouth away from his neck. He sat up straighter and kissed me, hard.

Before I realized what he was doing, we were on the floor in front of the hearth. Its heat burned us from our close proximity, and magic flowed out of me so quickly I barely noticed it. The flames died down to a slow, burning glow of embers in the next instant.

Connor pulled away from my mouth, growling, "That's better," and lifted my legs up higher before he claimed my mouth again.

I came instantly as he pressed into me, grinding his hips against me with a slow agonizing push. He increased his speed as the wave of pleasure subsided, and nailed me to the floor until we came together, crying out in pure ecstasy.

One of the most interesting parts about magic was, despite the enormity of power I possessed, I was unable to use it to heal or shield myself.

I could construct a physical barrier around whatever I wanted until the cows came home. But I couldn't prevent someone from using magic on me.

Like a night shade allowing Bannerst to torture me through my dreams and use my body against my will.

Since I couldn't sleep until Connor could work a spell to block a night shade, we needed to keep busy.

I only hoped that Connor's power was strong enough to combat a night shade-demon combination with the ability to control an Earthen witch while she slept. But I refused to think about that.

It was six o'clock in the morning by the time we changed clothes and located Liam in the kitchen, talking with several of the humans that lived in the house. There were three women and one man. They looked to be around my age.

The man sat furthest away from Liam and his arm was wrapped around the woman next to him. The other two blushed at something the vampire said as he sipped blood in a crystal goblet, with a half-eaten plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of him.

They were practically eye banging him. The vampire acted like he didn't see them, but I knew better. Nothing escaped his notice.

God, but he could probably smell their desire.

"Feeling better?" he asked looking up at us with a wink.

My cheeks flushed as Connor chuckled, his aura swirling with light blue. "I believe so," he said and turned to me, "maybe we should do it again, just to make sure," he wriggled his eyebrows at me and grinned.

My embarrassment overwhelmed me and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Sure, pick on me all you want. See if you get any more," I glared at him while my lips twitched.

He stared at me for a second and burst out laughing and pulled me into a hug. Then he kissed my forehead. "I wouldn't _dare_ pick on you," he said in mock horror.

"You'd better believe it, you jerk," I said, pulled back, and grinned up at him.

Liam laughed, while the humans watched him in silence, their mouths gaping in shock. "Indeed. You are quite a surprise, my dear Aisling," he said and then added, "Would you care for some breakfast? I am sure Leslie could whip up some more, if you would like," he grinned at one of his admirers and she flushed.

My stomach growled and I smiled. "Would you mind if I made it? I haven't cooked in a long time."

"By all means, my dear," he responded, waving his hand toward the kitchen.

Calling it a chef's wet dream wouldn't do Liam's kitchens justice. Stainless steel Wolf appliances gleamed against the subtle lights in the space and sparkling granite countertops in various shades of purples, browns and whites stood out against the dark mahogany cabinets.

The vampire and his companions were sitting at the table off to the side and a massive island stood in the middle of the room.

"Do you have a cast iron skillet in here," I said, walking toward the massive fridge while Connor sat down at the other end of the table, opposite Liam.

"Lower cabinet to the right of the range," the girl, Leslie, said in an English accent.

As the bacon cooked on the skillet, Shadow came into the room and gave me a lopsided grin. His tongue lopped out the side of his mouth in a grin, telling me he wanted a plate of food.

"Would any of you like any more breakfast?" I asked.

The humans muttered various denials but Liam spoke up, "I would love a plate. That smells lovely."

"You know, that reminds me," I mused. "Can I ask you something, Liam?"

"But of course," he said. Those words, combined with his distinctive old world accent, left me with a strange feeling of familiarity. There was so much more to the centuries old vampire that I wanted to know. But that could come later.

"Are you just being polite or do vampires really eat food? I only ask because Varick didn't eat with us."

Silence stretched on and I turned around, wondering if Liam heard me.

He was staring at me, his expression blank, as Connor watched him from his seat. He wanted to know the answer, too.

Maybe I shouldn't have said anything.

Just as I was about to apologize as an automatic response — something I tried very hard to overcome after I met Connor — the vampire addressed the humans, "Leave us."

He waited until the humans left the room before he began talking. "Vampires can eat. We usually do. We need blood, but we do not need food. I suspect that Varick was aware of the poison in the food all along, which is why he didn't eat it."

"May I ask you something else?" I asked as I took the bacon out of the skillet and poured in the eggs.

"But of course," the vampire crooned back to me.

"Varick's chef, the one that he killed."

"What about him?"

"Do you have any idea what kind of creature he was?"

"Ah, yes my dear. He was a ghoul."

"And what exactly is that?" I asked, stirring the eggs in the skillet.

"They are similar to vampires with two distinct differences. They require fresh meat, not blood, and they are killed by destroying the heart, not removing the head."

"They're created the same way, too?"

"No. I know they were once vampires then became ghoul. I do not know how. There are not many left."

I nodded, "And did you figure anything out about the poison he and the Scholars used on me?"

"Heliotrope," Liam said.

"Do you know what it is?"

"Not yet. But I suspect it is something the Malleus kept in secret for a very long time. So long, I imagine the only sect that knows of it are the Kramer Scholars."

I chewed on that for a moment. "Okay, so was it your blood that caused the heliotrope to wear off so fast after I was shot?"

"Yes."

I scooped the eggs onto the plates filled with bacon and toast and rinsed the skillet in the sink, setting it on a drying rack before returning to the plates. I set one on the floor for Shadow, who immediately began devouring it, and carried the remaining three plates to the table.

Liam took his first bite and his eyes closed as he chewed.

"Good, huh?" Connor chuckled as his aura turned light blue and then it was replaced with pink and a prideful orange. "Aisling makes the best eggs and bacon."

"This is truly amazing," the vampire said, opening his eyes. He took a bite of the bacon and repeated the process.

I snorted at him, unable to help myself. "It's okay, Liam. It's just eggs and bacon," I said and switched topic. "What happened to Varick?"

He froze with his mouth still full of bacon and he looked at me. Then he finished his bite and swallowed. "He is here. Being questioned," he answered carefully. He had a hard look on his face and I knew that Liam wanted him dead, not alive somewhere in his house.

"I want to see him."

### Chapter 39

As it turned out, Liam wasn't just reeling over the fact that Varick was still alive. He took his time eating the food, dodging my questions about exactly what was happening.

I knew the vampire well enough to know he was not only the master of his nest, but a master at being cryptic as well. The first time we met him, he showed me how I could use my powers purely as a reaction.

Then he proceeded to get me angry beyond anything I ever felt before, just to give me a taste of what I was capable of, knowing that it was never the source of my most potent powers.

_Being questioned_ could have meant so many different things, but vampires had a reputation for brutality and I had a suspicion what that meant.

I shook my head as Liam took the last bite on his plate and patted at his mouth with a linen napkin. "Look, Liam, I don't care what they're doing to Varick right now."

His eyes shot to mine in a flash of shock, but it was gone so fast I wondered if I ever saw it.

I leveled my gaze on him. "I'm not stupid. Do you honestly think I can't think of what your vampires might be doing to him right now? I don't care about that."

"Aisling," Connor began and hesitated while his aura swirled with green and gray.

Looking back and forth between the two men, I suddenly understood. "I get it. You guys think that I can't handle seeing Varick in the middle of a torture session. Am I right?"

They looked at each other and Connor nodded at Liam. "Very well, Aisling. But if you start to feel distressed, we will remove you from the situation."

I sighed, "I can agree to that."

There were whispers from the Earthens in my head that I couldn't ignore. Since Varick was still alive, I knew what I needed to do. It was just a question of whether it would work.

We stood up and Liam walked out of the room without a sound. Connor laced his fingers with mine and we followed with Shadow close behind.

"So where are we anyway?" I asked to fill the silence.

"Austria," Liam responded without turning around. "We wanted to make sure you were recovered before flying home."

There was something about his words that didn't sit right with me. And then I remembered my reaction when I first woke up.

What would I have done if we were in the air? My power could have brought the whole plane down.

"That was probably wise," I agreed as we continued walking toward the wall.

If I wasn't paying attention, I would have missed the door completely. It was like someone cut straight through the drywall with a razor, the seam was so tight.

Liam pulled it open and held it for us to pass through. Shadow trotted ahead of us down the darkened stairwell.

The stairs descended for what I guessed to be three or four flights and the walls slowly changed. Drywall gave way to concrete which eventually turned to carefully chiseled rock. I broke out into a cold sweat when the only source of light came from a flickering torch.

Connor squeezed my hand and rubbed his thumb across my knuckles.

When we finally reached the bottom of the steps, I could see a long hallway lined with at least a dozen iron doors. Some were open, some were closed, but I heard the familiar hard packing sounds of someone being beaten.

I sucked in air, smelling disinfectant and blood all throughout the space, and immediately regretted it.

Swallowing, I squeezed Connor's hand in response, trying to be brave despite the familiar pull of a flashback, reaching up with craggy fingers and trying to drag me into my own personal hell.

"Are you alright?" Connor whispered, as if Liam, Shadow, and the three other vampires I sensed in the dungeon couldn't hear him.

I nodded and looked up at Liam as he paused in front of the first iron door to the left.

He rapped on the door twice.

The door opened, and Tobias stood there, covered in blood. His eyes locked on mine, flashed, and then his jaw clenched. "You shouldn't be here, Aisling."

"I need to talk to him, Tobias."

"That is not a good idea," Jon's deep voice rumbled from within the room.

"Please, let us enter," Liam said.

Tobias let out a sigh and moved away from the door.

Liam pushed the door open and we stepped inside. I understood, then, why no one wanted me there.

A very bloody and naked Varick was chained to the back wall in a spread eagle position, his arms were outstretched over his head and his legs were wide beneath him.

Oh, dear god.

" _Sonofabitch_ ," Connor hissed and stopped moving as the air rushed out of my lungs and I nearly doubled over.

A wheeze came from Shadow as Connor pulled me into his arms in the next instant, turning his body so he wouldn't have to look either.

My mind whirled at the sight of Varick and his missing parts. I was fighting to keep my breakfast down. I couldn't imagine the pain he must have felt. His wounds made Connor's torture look like a tiny paper cut.

Would Connor have suffered the same torture?

I shuddered and tried to block that train of thought from continuing any further while I buried my face into Connor's shirt and breathed him in.

"Please, cover him up," Liam said to Tobias. A few moments later, he said, "It is done, my dear."

"Are you alright?" Connor asked as I pulled back.

I nodded and we both turned to face Varick again.

Tobias's shirt was wrapped around the vampire's waist, covering the worst of his injuries.

I glared up at Liam. "Why the hell would you do something like that?"

Liam showed no remorse over the damage to Varick's body and he responded, "We need answers, Aisling. He can heal in time, if we allow it."

### Chapter 40

"Bitch," Varick spat, blood spraying from his mouth as he glared at me. He pulled his lips back and I saw most of his teeth were ripped from his mouth, including his fangs, the dark sockets in his gums oozed with thick, coagulated blood.

I winced, forcing myself to not dwell on how much pain that alone would cause him, not to mention the rest of his injuries. "I'm sorry you're in this position, Varick. But we could have helped you."

"I never wanted your help," he hissed at me and closed his mouth, working it and I cocked my head to the side, my mouth opening slightly as I tried to figure out what he was doing.

Three things happened at the same time. Shadow let out a menacing growl and Tobias flashed in front of me, pushing me backward into Connor's chest. Strong arms caught me and steadied me while a stream of blood spewed from Varick's mouth and hit Tobias on his chest. Right where my face was.

Jesus fucking Christ, but I almost took a face full of Varick's blood.

"Do that again and I'll rip out your tongue," Tobias growled and I shivered.

Reaching up, I touched Tobias's shoulder in a wordless gesture of gratitude for his protection and leveled my gaze on Varick. "Do you care to tell me why you wanted me to suffer?

"Nein."

"We are not learning any information from Varick," Jon said.

"They've obviously worked him over," Connor added. "And he's still not talking. We should go, Aisling."

The whispering started in my mind again and I assessed Varick. Looking up at Liam, I asked, "Is he weakened like this?"

"He is chained with iron and drained of a significant portion of his blood. What are you thinking?"

I shook my head, "I'm still working that out. Tobias, is there any way to cover his mouth so he can't spit at me again?"

He looked at me, "You want to gag him?"

"Yes."

The vampire looked at me like I grew a second head. "He won't be able to speak that way."

"Hopefully, I won't need him to speak," I said and smiled reassuringly up at him.

Jon stepped forward and ripped the sleeve off his bloodstained and expensive white button down shirt and handed it to Tobias.

Once the ends were tied roughly at the back of Varick's head, blood seeped into the fabric around his mouth and his dark eyes locked with mine and glared at me.

"Thank you, Tobias," I said as he stepped away, but I wasn't going to take my eyes off Varick.

I knew vampire dominance games. I pulled one on Liam after we went to his home for sanctuary to keep him from idly threatening Connor and Shadow.

If I looked away from Varick, he would win. I wasn't sure exactly what he would win, but I refused to give him the satisfaction.

When he finally looked away, I let out the breath I was holding and closed my eyes.

Picturing Connor and everything I felt for him, I let the power unleash, filling me from within, waiting for my command.

I opened my eyes and grinned at the vampire, knowing what I looked like. Power rolled off me in waves and my hands sparked with electricity.

With a single thought, I used _sight_ and looked out from Varick's eyes, feeling the intense pain in his mouth, and other areas lower on his body that I refused to analyze further. I felt his shock as he took in my appearance. Despite _seeing_ through his eyes, mine were still open. And they weren't blue anymore. They were white.

That was one of the interesting ways to tell if I was unleashed. If I was angry, my eyes would turn red. But if I was unleashing from something like love or passion, my eyes would turn white.

Just to add to the intimidation factor, if I spoke, the thousand voices would speak with me. And they were ominous and downright scary.

It was then that Varick realized what I was doing.

He tried to push me out of his head, but I held my place and pushed deeper, absorbing more of his senses until I could hear his thoughts.

" _Why did you feed me your blood?_ " the thousand voices asked him.

Suddenly, Varick's mind became a jumble of thoughts as he tried to push me out again, but it was useless. I was inside his head and I could hear him. One word sounded off in his mind like a whisper and I caught it.

" _Revenge._ " I needed revisit that one. " _What was your blood supposed to do to me?_ "

More scattered thoughts rang out and then I heard it.

I still didn't fully understand why Varick's blood was so dangerous for me. That was something I wanted to find out.

" _Why would you give me your blood when you could have snapped my neck, or a number of other options to kill me?_ "

Connor gasped, but stayed otherwise stayed silent as he turned to glare at Liam. Apparently, the vampire failed to mention the blood could have killed me. Varick's eyes shifted to the vampire and he attempted to laugh at him.

" _Focus, Varick,_ " the voices said and his eyes snapped to mine and he practically shouted his answer in his mind.

I winced, the volume and rage of his collective thoughts would have been deafening, if my ears would have heard it. " _Okay, so you wanted me to suffer. You're sadistic enough to want me to beg for death long before it would come. Old news. If you wanted me to die by ingesting your blood, why didn't it work?_ "

Too powerful.

" _You can bet your ass I'm too powerful for that, Varick,_ " the voices laughed. It seemed people were underestimating me left and right. First Zoe and my step-father, then the Kramer Scholars, and now the man who was supposed to be one of Liam's trusted friends. " _What is it about your blood that was supposed to kill me?_ "

If he answered it, I didn't catch it through all the thoughts he was screaming in his head.

Fine.

I would ask Liam later.

" _Were you working for the Kramer Scholars?_ "

Sounding off in his mind again, over the cacophony of thoughts of denials and gibberish, I caught the one word again. _Revenge._

He teamed up with the enemy of his enemy, so to speak, hoping that the alliance would come to his benefit. It was crafty of him. I would give him at least _some_ credit there. Like many vampires, he was a master at the long game. He was patient, and took his time to get what he wanted.

Unfortunately, I didn't think the Kramer Scholars would have continued to utilize his services for much longer. It just wasn't something they did. Maybe that was why he didn't wait to attack me. Because they invaded his home.

" _Did you know the food was poisoned._ "

Yes.

It sounded like a lament.

" _What do you know about the poison?_ "

Very little.

We could find out another way, but there was one more thing I wanted to know. The most important thing. If the whispers were right.

I forced Varick's eyes closed as I pushed myself deeper into his mind and summoned the full force of my power. " _Show me what happened,_ " the thousand voices whispered.

Images flooded across my vision in rapid succession, moving backward in large leaps, like rewinding an old movie. They slid back through time in a blur, and the first image I could make out was a massive war with thousands of men fighting with swords and other medieval weaponry.

The rewind slowed and settled on Liam, laughing over something Jon said while the three men sat together with a blazing campfire in front of them. They spoke in another language, an ancient language I didn't recognize, but still understood the words as if I was fluent.

"Your father was magnificent," Jon said, tapping his cup against Liam's. Their younger faces bore the distinct signature of humanity, the dirt and blood on their mud-stained clothing stood out against the low, flickering light of the fire.

Though Varick laughed along with them, he was seething inside. _Because of your father, my mother is dead, and my father refused to acknowledge my existence. You will pay for what your family has caused mine._

Everything went black and I pulled out of Varick, feeling a sort of weightless suction as I was yanked free. My eyes opened and I saw Connor standing in front of me, holding my face in his hands while his aura swirled with gray. Someone was behind me, holding me up.

Why wasn't I standing?

I planted my feet on the ground, stood, and Liam released me, stepping around me so I could see him.

"Are you alright?" Connor's deep brown eyes searched mine, his smooth hair falling over his face as he leaned toward me in concern and dropped his hands.

"I'm fine. I know why he did it, but I don't know all the details."

"What happened?"

"I pushed down into his memories. It played out like a movie. Like I was him. But it was only a few moments."

"Impossible," Liam said.

I rolled my eyes and snorted, "Lesson one, Liam."

"Tell me everything," Liam said, ignoring my statement as I glanced behind him and Connor to see Varick. His body limp in his restraints.

"What happened?"

"Jon knocked him out when you collapsed. We were afraid he was doing something to you. You could have told us what you planned." Connor chuckled and the relief was plain on his face.

"I didn't know if it would work. I don't know why I collapsed." I reached up and touched Connor's cheek. "I'm sorry I worried you, but I'm okay."

"Please, Aisling, tell me what you've learned," Liam said.

By the time I was finished, everyone was staring at Liam. If he paled any further, I would swear he was transparent.

Jon looked pointedly at Liam as they made eye contact. His huge, seven foot frame was covered in Varick's blood and it made him look every bit the intimidating vampire he was, and then some. They shared a wordless conversation, but didn't elaborate.

By the grim set of Liam's lips, I didn't know if we would ever get any explanations out of him.

### Chapter 41

Two vampires I didn't recognize came into the room a few minutes later to relieve Jon and Tobias of duty. Liam said a few words to them and we left them with the unconscious vampire.

But Tobias and Jon didn't walk with us. They were a blur of motion. They probably wanted to clean up. I couldn't blame them.

Anger and sadness rolled off Liam, but he stayed quiet as Shadow walked alongside him. I wasn't sure how I could tell how he was feeling, but I was certain of it.

When we finally reached the large foyer I finally spoke. "Liam," I said and moved into the empty parlor. Connor closed the door behind us and I turned to face the vampire, the witch, and the werewolf. "I'm sorry about Varick. I know he was your friend."

"Apparently not," Liam responded.

I stepped forward and hugged him. For centuries, Varick played the long game and fooled Liam and his nest. He was biding his time for revenge. That wasn't an easy pill to swallow for a vampire, especially a powerful one like Liam.

His arms wrapped around me, and he whispered, "He could have killed you."

"What was his blood supposed to do to me anyway?"

He pulled back and looked at me. "Only a vampire that has been spelled by an Earthen can offer blood to heal them. Because Earthens could heal each other, many did not bother to enhance a vampire's blood. The older the vampire, the more potent the effect of their blood. If you shared your power with eleven others, his blood would have most likely killed you."

"It's a good thing I'm a lot tougher than I look, Liam."

"Is that why you think I'm upset? Because his betrayal could have killed the Earthen?"

"Well," I hesitated, but he cut me off.

"My dear Aisling, it is _you_ I would have mourned. The loss of an Earthen would be devastating, but I care more about _you_ than what you are."

Oh.

I blinked. Liam was a master vampire. He wasn't the kind of man to surrender control, or admit his feelings to anyone. The fact that he even said anything spoke volumes to the depth of what he felt for me.

I didn't say anything. I didn't think I could speak with the emotions washing over me.

Connor stepped forward and laced his fingers with mine.

When I regained control over my emotions once more, I said, "Thank you," and then changed the subject. "There's something we need to do and I know there's probably never going to be a good time to do it, either."

"What is it you wish to do?"

"We need to go back to Berlin."

A combination of orange and gray filled Connor's aura. "She's right, Liam. As much as I don't like the idea of going back there again, we have to stop the Kramer Scholars from torturing more people."

Liam regarded me for a moment with an expression I could only describe as respect. "I had a feeling you would wish to save them," he finally said.

"Does that mean you will help us?"

"But of course. I will follow you anywhere." The vampire grasped my shoulders. "However, after what they put you through, I fear you will not bode well within those walls again."

I agreed with him there. If I ever saw that dungeon again it would be too soon. But there were people down there. They were going to die if we didn't stop it. People would keep dying.

"I also believe," Liam went on, "that it would not just be the walls and the memories that could hurt you. The Malleus are not stupid, my dear. They know you escaped. And they know your nature."

"He does have a point," Connor said, turning to me. "They know how Earthens operate. They wouldn't have succeeded in killing them otherwise. If they didn't evacuate already, they probably have several traps waiting for you and anyone else with you."

"I agree," Liam said. "It would not surprise me if heliotrope was in the air, just like it was at Varick's home. I have been around for a very long time, my dear. I can think of at least a dozen different scenarios that could lead to all of our deaths just by entering the dungeon. Do you not see it?"

Leaving the dungeon untouched so the Kramer Scholars could continue torturing their victims wasn't an option. But I understood what he was trying to tell me. It was dangerous, and rushing in without thinking it through would probably get us all killed. I sighed, "What do you suggest?"

"Because of your nature, my dear, they are expecting you. I would be shocked if they evacuated as Connor suggested. They have either killed all their victims, or they plan to use them as bait, to draw you in. There also will not be many of them waiting for you within those walls. If saving the ones being tortured is what you are after, I believe you would risk too much."

Anger washed over me.

How can he tell me that there's nothing to do?

I couldn't accept that. "You think it's a lost cause?"

"That is not what I said." He lifted his hands in surrender. "I believe the risk to you and Connor outweighs a rescue mission, if any of them are still alive."

"I'm not asking you or Connor or anyone else to go in there with me. I don't want anyone risking their lives in my place either."

Liam nodded and squeezed my shoulders, "I know, my dear. If you truly want to stop the torturing, it will take much more than that. There are plenty of other torture dungeons out there and we certainly cannot stop them all."

By the time the vampire was finished speaking, Connor's aura shifted to dark blue. "I don't like it either, Aisling, but I think he's right."

Liam took a step back. "It will go against everything you are as an Earthen, but I believe there is one option."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Connor told me the dungeon was beneath the river, is it not?"

I nodded.

"We can blast through the walls and flood it. That way they will never be able to use it again."

The blood drained from my face.

He was right.

It would go against everything I stood for.

Flooding the dungeon would mean killing people. Not saving them.

On one hand, I didn't want the dungeon operational. Didn't want more people suffering and dying in the name of cleansing the world of _others_. Didn't want the Scholars to think they could continue without consequence.

But I couldn't agree to killing people. Whether they were Kramer Scholars, or _others_. That was not a sacrifice I could make. My lip trembled as my anger fell away and sadness replaced it.

"How could you even suggest that?" Connor asked.

"I said it was an option, but I knew it would never be one either of you would accept."

### Chapter 42

Later that day, Liam invited us to spar in his training room, which looked like a replica of the one at his home in Nashville.

Only it was in the main house and there were a few skylights overhead. The ceiling was probably four stories high, with different training zones surrounding a moving obstacle course in the middle.

I was still surprised at Liam's admission about how he felt about me. The more I thought about it, the more I appreciated everything he was doing.

The vampire was kind enough to not only bring Shadow with him to Europe, but he also brought the trio of teenage pixies that vowed to help us.

When they heard we were taken, they practically forced Liam to bring them along. He could have refused. But he knew they not only could help, but that I liked them.

I understood why he didn't bring them with him when they arrived at Varick's. An unfamiliar werewolf in a vampire nest would have come across as distrust and could have incited violence.

The pixies were like little aces in the hole. It was rare for them to do anything but cultivate plant life, but we knew there were other talents. Liam's assumption that Varick was a friend was probably the only reason they agreed to stay with the plane.

They were flitting over Connor's head. Their tiny bodies shimmered against the fluorescent lights in the room and they were watching me. I shot Baby, Bogsley, and Bubba a quick grin and they returned it with a perfectly synchronized wave.

God, but those three were wonderful.

It was the first time I saw them since I passed out from Varick's blood. And I was glad they were there.

Since my mate needed the most assistance against the speed of the vampires, they were a perfect pairing. With pixie dust ready to fly at the first vampire to attack, they could slow them down and even the playing field for Connor.

Liam walked the sparring mat and warned the vampires that I might use my magic to remove their heads if they angered me.

From my experience, vampires didn't scare easily, and it was rather comical seeing the looks on their faces as they took a few steps back.

"You people are pussies," Tobias hollered at them with a wink at me.

I never heard him talk like that before, and combining that with his wink, I was curious where he was going with that train of thought.

"The first time I sparred with Aisling, I pinned her to the floor and damn near made it to second base with her."

Jesus, Mary, and Josef, but Tobias told the group he assaulted me in an effort to throw me off. It worked. But I was never going to kill him.

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from both laughing and letting my jaw hit the floor.

"I still owe you for that one, T." Connor growled and the pixies clapped above him. The light blue and green of his aura told me he didn't appreciate the announcement, but he did enjoy intimidating the vampires. His lips twitched as he worked the muscles in his jaw and his eyes darkened as he glared at Tobias.

Territorialism for _others_ ran deep.

"Indeed. Want to give it a go?" Tobias responded with a wide smile at Connor, revealing fangs that weren't there a moment before.

Might as well milk this for all I can.

"To be honest," I focused on Tobias in the most serious expression I could manage. "I was more upset when a vampire made it to second base with _him_ ," I pointed at Connor. "The bitch was either too horny to care, or she was just that dumb."

I caught Jon clenching his jaw, but he said nothing as I turned to Liam and tilted my head to the side. "I can't remember, Liam, did her head spin two times, or three?"

Liam coughed and I caught the twitch of his lips before I turned my gaze on the group of vampires near Connor.

They were looking warily at me. Their eyes shifted from me to Connor and back again. It was all I could do to keep from laughing.

Tobias burst with guffaws, leaning his head back and laughing loudly into the quiet space, and his voice echoed off the walls. I couldn't be sure, but I thought I heard a few chuckles from Shadow, too.

"That was too easy," Tobias finally said, and patted me on the shoulder.

Grinning up at him for a moment, I turned my gaze on the vampires.

Connor's aura was swirling with light blue and the pixies were vibrating with laughter.

"Seriously, don't play dirty and we'll all get along fine," I said. For emphasis, I smiled at them, but they didn't relax.

Oops.

That worked better than I expected. Too well.

Liam stepped forward, commanding the attention from everyone in the room. "You are all aware of Aisling and what she can do, are you not?" Silence. "Then you know what could happen if you try to upset her." He paused, eyeing every vampire in the room except for Jon and Tobias. "Get in position!" he called out and the vampires moved forward, readying themselves to attack. "FIGHT!"

Tobias swept my legs out from under me and I crashed onto my back, the air rushing out of my lungs in a loud _oomph_. I jumped up before I could breathe again, and Tobias's knee hit the mat where my head was a moment before.

Big arms wrapped around my middle and held me against a bulging brick wall of a chest. I knew who it was. At seven feet, Jon was a foot and a half taller than I was. And he was pure muscle.

He held me tight, but not tight enough that I couldn't breathe. I lifted my heel and smashed it down across his foot. His grip loosened at the same time Tobias threw a punch.

I ducked just in time to avoid getting hit in the face and his fist connected with Jon's chest instead.

Kicking out, I hit a vampire I didn't know in the chest, knocking him backward and wriggled out of Jon's hold. I was a blur of motion, fighting off the vampires as they moved toward me, while at the same time trying to use my magic to keep track of the pixies and Connor.

They managed to keep the vampires from pinning him, but he was still taking hits.

Like always, Shadow was a blur of white as strips of crimson colored flags littered the floor. Since werewolf bites were extremely painful, not many vampires chanced battling them. But he was willing to snatch flags off their bodies, eliminating that fear.

Out of all the times he sparred with vampires, he only took one hit that caused a limp for a few seconds. And that was the first day.

By the time Liam yelled, "STOP!" Connor was panting and looked like he was on the verge of passing out. After I healed him, the fighting began again.

Two hours and six lectures later, Liam announced that the sparring session was over, but the vampires lingered, wanting to spar with Shadow. Just like the vampires in Nashville, they were fascinated with him.

The two hundred and fifty pound werewolf was all too willing to play. He yipped in agreement and wagged his tail as about thirty vampires donned flags and prepared to fight him.

While my friends and I moved to the edge of the mat, we watched as Shadow fought the vampires. Despite his massive frame, he moved fluidly across the mat.

He snarled and snatched a flag, tossing it aside as he rammed his body into another vampire, doubling her over and vaulted over her back into the next opponent, wrenching the flag from his neck.

True to form, Shadow never took a hit. Vampire after vampire stepped out of the fight until Shadow pinned the last one to the floor and ripped the last flag from him. He let out a howl in victory, tilting his head up the ceiling.

I couldn't help myself. I clapped for Shadow, amazed that he was able to take out so many vampires without taking a hit.

God, but he was an incredible warrior.

"That is truly remarkable," Liam said with his jaw stuck to the mat.

"He is amazing isn't he?" Connor said while his aura blazed with orange.

Shadow ran over to me, wagging his tail and I scratched behind his ear while crooning to him. Connor scratched his back and congratulated him.

"I think it's safe to say, if we ever have to battle an army of vampires we could sit down at watch the carnage," Connor said, and Shadow snorted light blue filling their auras.

Damn, but I took the bait anyway. "That wouldn't be fair and you know it," I grinned at them.

Connor chuckled and wrapped his arm around me. "Of course not. What was I thinking?"

It felt like we were back in Nashville again. Without the threat of a demon and a bunch of torturing Kramer Scholars with nasty drugs breathing down our necks. It was nice to relax and have a little fun.

The vampires gathered up the flags and put the belts back on the shelf before they all filed out of the room with parting responses to Shadow.

The fun stopped when Liam's phone rang, he pulled it out, and I saw it was Angela.

### Chapter 43

"Word of a demon is spreading throughout the globe," Angela's voice poured out of the speaker. "From all the information Salvatore and I have been able to gather, he's powerful. We looked up night shades and found that they do exist. The only problem is that this demon doesn't seem to have one. Whatever he is doing, he has the power to pull you into a dream- _sight_ and control your body while you're under."

"First of all, why is he focusing on me?" I asked.

"Other than what summoned him, you are the only thing powerful enough to stop him."

"How is it possible for a demon to have power like that? I thought they were limited," I said.

"That is true," Salvatore's deep voice answered my question.

Salvatore was the first werewolf I met. He was sent by Liam to protect my best friend after Connor, Shadow, and I were forced to take refuge in the vampire's home. True to his word, Salvatore was still with her.

In the few times I saw them together, I could tell there was more going on from the way the werewolf looked at her. I just wasn't sure how she felt about him in return.

"What do you know?" Liam asked.

"From what we can tell, this is Bilu, the destroyer demon. I don't know who summoned him, but he's here." Salvatore paused and we heard a shuffling of papers.

Summoning the demon was my step-father's master plan. He wanted to rid the world of all supernaturals and have a demon follow his command. We thought the threat of the demon died with him.

Not only was it extremely rare for a demon to be successfully called — it would take an immense amount of energy to complete such a spell — but it would be nearly impossible to control it once summoned.

Someone not only possessed enough power to summon him, but they were still in control.

"He's not at full strength yet," Salvatore finished.

"What do you think will happen?" Connor asked.

Angela said, "Something biblical. A massive earthquake, some kind of massive natural disaster. It would be fast, and it would kill anyone caught in it."

"I heard him thinking in my dream- _sight_. He needed to collect souls, is that what he needs?" I asked.

"Yes, but it's a bit more complicated than that," Angela responded. "He has to collect both corrupted souls, and souls that the corrupted have taken."

Jasper was a corrupted soul, and he took all those lives. I shuddered at the thought, thankful I didn't have to watch what he did that night. It was bad enough _knowing_. "Do you know how many souls Bannerst needs?"

"What did you call him?" Salvatore asked.

"Bannerst. That's what he calls himself. He's never referred to himself as Bilu. Why? Do you know what it means?"

"I don't know. But at least you've got a name. I'll need to do some more digging."

Fair enough.

But I couldn't help the sinking feeling I had in the pit of my stomach. "What about the souls?"

"That's where it's kind of foggy, Aisling," Angela said. "We've found references to the collection of both types of souls but not the numbers needed for ascension. I'm assuming, since he's powerful enough to affect you, he needs a fairly high number to fuel his transformation."

Oh, god.

"Uh, well, we might have a problem then."

"What is it?" Liam asked.

"Well, I remember Bannerst thinking about the souls he needed." I sighed. "Angela, has news spread about a massacre of several churches and convents in Colorado?"

Everyone in the room looked at me.

I didn't wait for them to respond. "Bannerst had Jasper Wills kill all those people."

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the images of Jasper's face after each time he left a building, an expression of pure lust underneath more fresh blood. The glint in his eye, the sheer thrill of the kill, and what he did to them, were all apparent on his face.

My eyes opened and locked with Connor's. He reached out and laced his fingers with mine, rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand to help calm me down. His pink aura was blurring with purple as he offered me strength.

"I watched Bannerst devour Jasper. His entire body, his soul, and every soul he'd taken. If Bannerst's thoughts were correct, Jasper killed seventy-four people. Add his corrupted soul, all the other souls Bannerst has collected along the way, and I'd say that's a pretty high number."

"Do you have an idea of any other souls he's taken?"

"He thought about some in passing while he...." I trailed off, not wanting to dwell on everything I saw and felt when he took souls. I shivered.

"You don't have to say," Connor said and squeezed my hand.

"I watched him kill six. And he mentioned 'over fifty' in passing. I don't think he collected the souls of the Scholars he made me kill."

"There's probably less time than we thought," Salvatore said, his voice took on a more somber and gravely tenor as he spoke. "You need to get to his power source before he does. That might be our only chance at stopping this."

"He needs more than souls?" Liam asked.

" _The rise to ascension cannot be achieved without the power source, a black diamond hidden within the vault at the center of a mystical circle_ ," Angela's voice was strong as she read the words.

"A mystical circle like pentagram?" Connor asked.

"Yes, exactly. And I know where the black diamond is."

"Well, where is it?" I asked.

"It's in the vault in Hoopeston, Illinois. There's a network of highways and interstates that form a pentagram, and the town is almost dead center."

"How in the hell are we going to be able to get there on time? When I had the dream- _sight_ , Bannerst was gearing up to get back on I-70. And he was in Colorado. We're in Austria, Angela."

"I've already contacted the Hoopeston Guardian. It's forbidden to remove the black diamond by a neutral, but he has agreed to go to the city council and plead his case on evacuating the town."

Looking up at Liam, I asked, "Is it possible for us to get there before him?"

"If he takes his time to gather more souls, yes. But we need to leave right away." Liam handed me his phone and snapped his fingers. Jon moved quickly and placed his in Liam's outstretched hand.

He tapped the screen and put the phone to his ear. "Ready the plane. We need to take off as soon as we arrive." He tapped the screen again and handed the phone back to Jon. Calling over his shoulder, "Meet at the front door in five minutes," and the two vampires followed him out.

"Angela, how do you know that's Bannerst's power source?"

"Technically it's just a crucial ingredient to complete the transformation. All he has to do is touch the stone and it will trigger his ascension. The whole area is already charged with more supernatural energy than most places on Earth. If you can get there before he does, and take it, he won't be able to ascend until he finds another stone. The ascension won't be nearly as powerful as it would be if he gets to that diamond."

"That's right," Connor said as his aura started to bleed with a sickly gray glow. "If that's how it's designed, the more ingredients stacked in his favor will give him more of a boost when he ascends."

"That's not all," Salvatore said.

"What else is there?" Connor asked as fear entered his aura with a gray glow.

"The Kramer Scholars haven't given up finding you. Both of you. But there's word traveling through the MDM that they're preparing for something much bigger."

"What are they planning?" I asked.

"They're going to detonate aerosolized heliotrope into the atmosphere in a strategic attack against _others_."

Fucking hell, we're in trouble.

The blood drained from my face. "Do you have any idea when they plan to attack?"

"We haven't been able to find out, but we'll keep digging," Angela said in a somber tone.

"I might be able to help," Salvatore offered.

"How?" Connor asked.

"Did Liam take any heliotrope from the KS?"

Looking up at Connor, he shook his head and said, "I don't know, he never said."

Shadow flashed to the door, pushed it open, and yowled into the hallway. Tobias appeared a moment later.

"Did you get any heliotrope?" Connor asked.

Tobias grinned. "Yes, we did."

### Chapter 44

I didn't know what was worse, knowing that the Kramer Scholars planned to detonate the poisonous heliotrope drug into the air, or the demon racing toward its power source.

Releasing enough of the drug into the air would be deadly to witches. Deadly even for me if enough of it was expelled into the atmosphere.

Heliotrope, as Salvatore explained, was a plant thought to be extinct from the Saint Helena Island, which was in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, West of Angola.

The island was discovered in secret almost thirty years before the Portuguese by the Kramer Scholars after hearing about a divine plant that could poison witches.

When I asked how he knew that information, when no one, not even Liam, had any idea such a drug existed, Salvatore explained that he _persuaded_ a Kramer Scholar to answer his questions after I was rescued from the lab.

I didn't ask him to elaborate. I could guess. If he was anything like the vampires, he was probably quite convincing to the Scholar. But I was curious how Angela felt about it.

While Jon drove the sleek, black limousine, Shadow sat in the front with him while the rest of us sat in the back with the pixies flying around us.

The buttery leather seats were warm and inviting and I kept yawning.

"So where did the Scholars take me after they took me?" I asked to fill the silence. It was something I was meaning to ask since my memories returned.

It was Liam that answered. "We didn't know where they took you at first. My blood helped to speed Connor's recovery from the drug and he worked a locator spell. We found you at the University of Cologne."

Heinrich Kramer spent a lot of his time at that university, trying to spread the word about his book. It made sense that the Kramer Scholars kept labs there, even if no one knew what they were really doing.

"They wanted to give me a lethal dose of heliotrope." I looked up at Connor, "You knew I was watching didn't you?"

"Yep," he grinned.

I looked back at Liam. "Was it your blood that allowed Connor to move so fast when you came to rescue me?"

The vampire just looked at me and then Connor answered for him. "I asked Liam for the blood, because I refused to stay behind and let them rescue you."

My eyes searched Connor's. "But you tried to take blood before. Why didn't it work then?" His jaw clenched while green and gray swirled in his aura.

"My dear, Aisling," Liam said, drawing my attention to him, "Connor needed to drink a large amount of my blood."

My eyes went back to Connor. His aura was the same as he watched me. I wasn't sure why he thought I would have a problem with that.

My hand reached out and I squeezed his. "Why are you worried? I would have done anything for you if you were in my situation. I killed my step-father for you. I would have killed your torturers if I could have."

Dark blue washed over his aura. "I killed two men at Varick's and another three trying to rescue you, Aisling."

I turned in my seat and hugged him. "I know how hard it is to take a life," I whispered, knowing everyone could still hear me. "You did it to protect me. I would have done the same."

His arms wrapped around me and he buried his face into the curve of my shoulder. "Thank you," he whispered back and his aura shifted back to pink.

When I moved back to my seat, everyone looked fascinated with the world outside the limo.

Jon's phone started to ring and he lifted it to his ear. After a few moments he said, "Thank you," and tapped the screen. He turned his head to the side. "Sir, eight _others_ alive, three Malleus dead. The young one Connor mentioned was not among them."

"Wonderful news, Jon," Liam grinned and turned his gaze to me. His eyes flashed and his grin widened. "There were a few volunteers in the nest to go settle a small problem we otherwise could not resolve."

"What problem was that?" I asked, but I had a feeling I knew.

"The dungeon."

Blood drained from my face. "You sent people to the dungeon?"

Three people died because of me.

Connor's arms wrapped around me as sadness washed over me.

"Do not fret, my dear. My people were under strict orders to not kill anyone. I can assure you, those deaths are not by their hands. This is wonderful news," he beamed again.

Though I didn't appreciate the fact that Liam sent his vampires to deal with the dungeon — whether it was really a voluntary situation was questionable — they did manage to save eight people that were being tortured. I was pleased to hear the teenager that let us go wasn't among the dead.

"What about the dungeon?" Connor asked.

"Flooded," was Jon's response.

I wanted to be the one to save them, it felt like my responsibility. But it was better than doing nothing.

"Thank you, Liam," I said, finally.

He nodded and said, "But of course." Then he reached in his pocket and handed Connor a small bag. "All the items you requested for the barrier are in there."

"How do we know the spell will work when we know that Bannerst isn't using a night shade?" I asked.

"I think he's using the same magic as a night shade. Or at least it's very similar," Connor replied. "So the spell should still work. But we'll know for sure the next time you sleep."

I hoped that would be soon, because I felt like I hadn't slept since before we were taken from Nashville. I was drugged, tortured, having some awful dream- _sights_ , complete with having my body used like a puppet, and forced to drink unwanted vampire blood. I spent more time unconscious than sleeping.

The most I slept was the night we stayed at Varick's. But I was riddled with injuries and infection. Even then, it was only a few hours.

"We need to do it, Aisling," Connor said and touched my cheek. "You are exhausted. I'm surprised you're still conscious."

Actually, I was too.

Connor opened the bag and emptied its contents. Then he added the liquid from three small vials into a cup and swirled the liquid inside. The liquid turned blue and he handed the cup to me. "Drink that."

"What's in it?"

"Vitamins," he grinned, his aura swirled with light blue, and he sorted more items, and ate something that looked like a piece of chocolate.

Rolling my eyes, I downed the liquid in one big gulp, and gasped for air after it went down. It tasted like liquid fire. I grabbed Connor's shoulder, pounded my chest, and coughed, "What the hell did you give me?"

He laughed, tilting his head back. "I promise it's not going to hurt you. You should start to feel nice and warm."

Glaring at him, I felt the hot liquid hit my stomach and its heat expanded, warming me from the inside out, all the way to the tips of my fingers and toes. I could feel sweat beginning to break out across my skin. "Yeah," I breathed, trying to fan myself.

"Good," he chuckled and picked up the tea light candle. "You're going to need to do this with me. You focus, I'll chant, and you should be fine after that."

"Okay," I breathed, pushing the button to roll down my window. The pixies giggled and flitted to the front of the limo, trying to stay near the heat.

Tobias held out a lighter and lit the candle, then he and Liam turned to look out the front of the limo, suddenly interested in where we were headed.

Connor's head dipped. His smooth, dark hair fell in a curtain around his face as he breathed, readying himself for the spell.

Looking at him in that moment felt like the first time I saw him. I looked over him carefully, lingering over the muscles of his shoulders. How his long body looked in his dark clothes, how they hugged him in all the right places.

God, but he looked good enough to eat.

My mouth fell open and I breathed harder, trying to keep myself from flinging myself on him in front of our friends. Spell be damned.

Connor tilted his head up and eyed me, grinning as the pink in his aura darkened. "Focus, Aisling," he growled and dropped his head again.

I shuddered, and put my hand on the warm skin of his forearm. Then I closed my eyes.

Power coursed through my system as I focused on visualizing a protective barrier around myself. The heat inside my body rose.

God, but I feel like I'm about to explode into flames.

Beads of sweat traveled down my back, in between my breasts, all over my body. I felt the tingle on the back of my neck as the hair rose from magic rolling off me. Felt the invisible barrier solidifying around my body like a second skin.

I heard Connor whispering, low enough that I couldn't make out what he was saying, and suddenly he quieted, the power faded away, the fire in my body cooled, and the sweat evaporated as if it were never there.

But the intense desire didn't dissipate.

He blew out the candle and put everything back in the bag and set it on the floor.

It took all the will that remained and pried my arm away from his as I tried to calm myself. Every cell in my body wanted to reach for him. I didn't care there were three vampires, three pixies, and a werewolf in the car with us.

Jesus, but I never wanted him more than I wanted him in that moment.

"Is this normal?" I said, low and throaty.

"Just breathe, Aisling," Connor said, low, repeating the same words he told me when we first made love and many times since.

His aura was bright red reflecting his desire back at me.

At least it wasn't just me.

"Ride it out," he growled.

Oh, dear god.

His words were nearly enough to make me crawl into his lap and take him up on the offer. Just thinking about it left me trembling uncontrollably.

"You know what I meant," he rumbled.

I focused on the front of the limousine. But I still couldn't shake the desire boiling through me. Every time I caught sight of the swirling red of Connor's aura out of the corner of my eye, I forced myself to stay in my seat.

Holding on to the warm, supple leather of my seat with white knuckles, I closed my eyes and hoped I wouldn't embarrass myself further.

### Chapter 45

After a few more agonizing minutes, I turned to Connor, attempting to ignore his aura, which still hadn't changed. "Do you think it worked?"

"Yes," he said, his voice was low and throaty. Was he fighting off the same sensations? He was looking at me, but his posture was stiff, as if he was using all his strength to remain still as well.

Relief washed over me, finally releasing the anxiety over sleeping again. As it went, fear took its place, filling me with dread while my stomach clenched painfully.

The overwhelming fear overpowered the desire coursing through me and Connor shifted his focus. The red in his aura softened and gray seeped in around the edges.

"What's wrong?" he asked. His voice was back to normal and he moved closer to me to offer comfort.

Where to begin?

We were on a race against a demon, to reach the black diamond. And it was too dangerous to send anyone else in after it.

If he touched it, it would trigger his change. On top of that, I saw enough of his growing power to doubt I possessed enough of my own to fight him, especially if he reached that source.

Saving everyone was my top priority. I didn't think I could accomplish that. It was a heavy weight to bear on my shoulders. A weight I didn't allow myself to feel until that point.

On top of that, the Kramer Scholars could use heliotrope.

I sighed, "Liam, how much does heliotrope affect _others_?"

"I do not know, Aisling," he said, looking at me with a shake of his head. "Varick knew enough not to ingest it, but other than that, I am unable to answer your question."

Crap.

They knew how to get the drug in the atmosphere. Without any idea about how much of a dose they were going to put into the air, I was willing to bet there would be enough to kill any witches that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and breathe it in. Not knowing when and where it would happen was the scariest part.

How many _others_ would end up dead because I couldn't stop it?

"Talk to me, honey," Connor breathed.

I sighed, and the words flew out of me. "We're going up against a demon that no one has ever faced before, and he's already powerful enough that I don't think I'm strong enough to stop him before he reaches the power source. On top of that, if heliotrope is released into the air, it'll most likely kill any witches that happen to be in those areas, and possibly kill more than just witches. How can I compete with that?" My voice cut out at the end.

"We do one thing at a time, Aisling. That's always how we deal with things."

I shook my head, trying to fight off the overwhelming feelings washing over me. My body shivered, and I looked away as I closed the open window.

"What if I _can't_ stop Bannerst? What if he kills me and everyone else? What if those bombs go off and we're all dead anyway? Both of those are too much for one person to handle."

"Aisling, look at me," Connor said softly and reached up to turn me toward him and caressed my cheeks.

The two vampires were once again fascinated with the road ahead of us as they tried to give us the illusion of privacy.

Tears fell from my eyes and his expression softened as his thumbs wiped them away. "You are the most powerful creature I've ever encountered." He looked up, "Liam, is Aisling the most powerful Earthen you've ever known?"

"Without a doubt," he responded without looking toward us.

Connor turned back to me. "You _are_ strong enough, Aisling. You just have to believe it. We'll deal with Bannerst first. Then, if we can't get to the Kramer Scholars in time, we'll figure out something else. We always do. One thing at a time."

There was a growing sense of urgency that was becoming too strong to ignore. I couldn't explain it, but it felt like there was only one option. I just didn't know how Connor would react.

"Will you bind with me?"

"What?"

"I've thought about this a lot, Connor. I can't fight every battle. I can't save everyone. And _if_ I'm not strong enough to beat Bannerst, there should be someone else who can try. Who can fight the rest of the battles. Earthens were never supposed to be one person. Even you know that."

"Aisling," Connor began, shaking his head. "There's no reason to think you can't win."

"You might think so, but I'm not that confident. If we were to bind ourselves, I could give you some of my power, permanently, and make you Earthen. Two would be more powerful than one."

"If we bound and you gave me power, it would _weaken_ you."

"Liam, do you know if it would weaken me?"

The vampire looked at me. "From what I have observed of your power, my dear, you would not weaken. Connor has Earthen traits." His gaze flickered to Connor, "Do you not?"

"Of course," he said.

Liam's eyes moved back to mine. "If Connor had not bound himself and waited until his twenty-first birthday, he would have turned, just like you, my dear. But fate had other plans for him."

"Are you sure about that?" Connor asked incredulously.

"I am certain of it. You have three traits of Earthen. Before you, it was almost unheard of to have two traits. If you were to bind with Aisling, I believe you would become Earthen."

Connor shook his head and looked back at me. "It would take power from you. I'm not doing that."

"Actually," Liam continued, "I believe that since you should have been Earthen, you would not take her power. It would merely awaken yours. Besides, even if you did, I doubt it would even be noticeable. Have you not noticed when she unleashes her power that she does not have limits?"

He shook his head again. "No. I'm not going to do that. I won't take that risk."

My hands reached up and touched his face as I stared into his deep brown eyes. "I can't save everyone, Connor. If we bind, there's no telling what we could do. Together. You'd finally be able to fight. You'd be able to use magic you've never been able to use before. You wouldn't have to worry about having ingredients for a spell, if you didn't want to. Those benefits outweigh the potential drain in my power."

Connor stared at me and the muscles in his jaw clenched as his aura shifted to green. He wasn't angry, he was considering it.

"I know you wanted to wait until the time was right and I know you don't want to take any power, but I would feel much better if I knew you could protect yourself and help _them_ if I couldn't. And if you were Earthen, you'd be able to heal me."

His expression softened and his aura shifted to pink. The idea of being able to heal and protect me was far more appealing to him than anything else.

He was selfless to the bitter end.

God, but I was lucky to have him.

The overwhelming desire from minutes before washed over me with a vengeance. It took all of my willpower to stay in my seat, because if I moved any closer to my fiancé, I wouldn't care that there were seven of our friends in the limo with us.

He must have noticed too, because his aura exploded with red. His heated gaze dropped to my lips and I licked them in response.

Just as I was about to throw propriety out the window, the limousine pulled onto the tarmac and stopped.

### Chapter 46

A year before, if anyone asked me how I thought my life would go, I would have answered that I would be stuck with my nose in a book, or writing one. It was the life I dreamed.

I was on track to graduate from college early, I finished my first novel, and I was debating whether or not to try to publish it. I thought that was one of the most stressful decisions of my life. But it was nothing compared to what I faced since I turned twenty-one.

First, I thought I was going crazy when I could see auras. Then my grandmother died, leaving me with more questions than answers and an overwhelming sense of loss that I forced down to embrace numbness. It wasn't until the evening I saw Connor that I started to feel alive again.

It was him. Always him. I laid my eyes on him and, though I didn't realize it at the time, I was doomed. My heart was always supposed to be his. That evening changed everything.

Ever since, people tried to kill me, take my power, and make me suffer. But I never felt as alive as I felt once he entered my life. And I would never trade it for anything.

I knew how serious a binding was. It was a permanent binding of souls. It was intimate, far more than making love or human marriage. It was an eternal bond that would never end.

The loss of the partner would be so profound it would be so much more than heartbreak. The binding wasn't just a supernatural marriage. It was a binding of the mind, body, and soul. Always connected.

And yet, fate was right. Connor was my mate. The one. For everything he sacrificed in his life to help others, for what he did for me. For everything he was. For being _Connor_. No one deserved to become Earthen more than he did.

We boarded the small, private jet that Liam owned, and I wasn't at all surprised to see his usual decor throughout the interior.

The floors were the same gold-inlaid mahogany and chairs were upholstered in plush red velvet with the same King Louis XIV flair to them. It even had crystal sconces on the walls in between the windows. It was magnificent.

Liam explained the binding ritual to us as the plane took off, and then led us to the back of the plane. He opened the door, revealing a private suite. The room was similar to the bedroom Connor and I shared at Liam's home in Nashville, but on a much smaller scale.

The walls were a deep crimson, and the sheets on the bed were a black silk. Though there wasn't a blazing fire in a hearth, the smell of wood smoke still filled the air. And it smelled just like Connor.

My eyes slipped closed as I breathed in, letting the scent fill me, envelop me.

God, but I loved the way he smelled.

"Dear Penthouse," I said and smiled.

Connor chuckled and stepped forward at the same time I heard a wheeze coming from Liam before he closed the door and left us alone. Warmth pressed against my back. Strong arms wrapped around me and my mate asked in a low voice, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

I leaned back into his chest, and nodded, pulling his hand to my mouth and kissed it. Turning in his embrace, I hugged him back and rested my face against his chest. Butterflies flew in my belly at the anticipation of what we were about to do. "You go first," I whispered as I pulled back to look up at him.

Connor looked down at me from his six foot frame and his dark eyes flickered back and forth between mine. His gaze told me more than words could ever express.

Then he leaned down and kissed me, enveloping me in his arms and I felt his magic fill the room with the air of an oncoming summer storm.

Pulling away from the kiss, he rested his forehead against mine and moved his hands to my face. He kept his eyes closed while he whispered, "I bind myself to you, Aisling. With everything I am and everything I'll ever be. I am yours."

Power washed over me as the last word escaped from his lips. I gasped. His essence washed over me and the smell of wood smoke grew stronger in the room, and I smiled.

I would never grow tired of that smell.

For as long as I lived.

My fingers combed through Connor's smooth hair, loving the way it felt. Then I caressed the scratchy surface of his stubble with my thumbs and closed my eyes, releasing power from my body.

With one last breath, I repeated the words back to him. "I bind myself to you, Connor. With everything I am and everything I'll ever be. I am yours." I let power wash down my arms and through my hands. I willed my Earthen magic, my essence, all of me into Connor and waited until the power subsided.

Pulling my head back, I looked up at my mate. His aura glowed in a blinding, white-hot light that reminded me of the sun, but I didn't let go of him. I didn't need to.

Connor's mouth opened and I saw the beginnings of a grin. "Did it work?" he breathed.

"Yeah, you should see yourself right now." I smiled.

He opened his eyes and looked down at me. They were still dilated from the rush of power in his system.

His gaze. The vehemence of what he was feeling hit me like a tidal wave. The force of it, combined with the enormity of what we just did, made my eyes fill with tears of happiness.

Strong hands flashed out and pulled me to his chest, capturing me in a fierce hug that forced the tears I was holding out of my eyes.

"How on Earth is this possible?" he breathed.

"What?"

He pulled back to look at me. "I can _feel_ everything. So much." He smiled and then his eyes locked on my lips. "I thought I loved you with everything I was, but it's nothing compared to what I feel now. You are truly the love of my life, Aisling. I don't know how you can bear so much emotion."

I could see it, written on his face. His expression held so much more than all the times he ever looked at me. It was a perfect moment. He was finally feeling everything on an equal level.

"Maybe now you'll have more of an appreciation when I say that I love you."

"You didn't say it," he grinned at me. If it weren't for his aura still burning like the sun, I would have seen light blue in it. I knew him well enough to know he was teasing me.

"I love you, Connor," I breathed, another tear escaping from my eye.

"Oh, Aisling," he breathed and leaned down to kiss me. "You are everything to me, I love you." he said as he pulled away, only to capture my mouth in another fierce kiss.

With his increased speed, he flattened me on the bed in an instant. His body covered mine and pressed me into the mattress.

He kissed me until I couldn't breathe and then he moved his way down my jaw, trailing searing kisses over my starved skin. I clawed at his shirt. Once he finally pulled away long enough to let me pull it off him, my magic removed his pants, sliding them down his long legs, pushing his boots off with them. "You have _got_ to teach me how to do that," he growled.

I smiled, running my hands through his hair as he trailed his mouth down my neck. His teeth grazed the sensitive flesh at the curve where it met my shoulder and I cried out.

"You'll learn," I breathed and gasped as his hand captured my breast through my shirt.

He took his time, tasting me, making me writhe underneath him, and we made love, feeding off the passion between us. By the time we were finished, it was dark and I fell back into the mattress, sated, and exhausted.

With a chuckle, Connor pulled on a pair of silk pants and helped me into a matching silk nightgown before he drew back the sheets and I settled against him, resting my head on his chest while his arms held me.

I breathed, "Connor," and drifted off.

"I love you, too," he said, low, and I fell asleep with one last thought.

If there is a better definition of making love, I didn't know it.

### Chapter 47

Bannerst

Souls.

Souls were everywhere.

I was so close I could taste it. My destination, just beyond the horizon, yet I still needed to collect more.

Bannerst was enigmatic. It was his charm. He could smile at a woman and make her knees weak. Grin at a teenager, offer a few carefully placed words, and he would want to sleep with a friend's mother. It was a valuable asset and my power grew with every soul I devoured, but it still wasn't enough.

The body I wore was the perfect complement to my power. He already knew how to manipulate people, which came to my advantage. That was one good part about inhabiting his body. So many people corrupt, or were willing with a few simple suggestions, it was almost comical.

No longer needing the power of the sun to take souls, I could take one as soon as I found it, or once they finished amplifying it for me.

But I was growing bored.

I lounged in the seat as the luxury sports car belonging to a rich man's trophy wife sped down the highway, letting my power drive it while I flipped through a paperback book, wondering why such a stupid race could write such drivel and get away with surviving. The book flew into the back seat and it hit the forehead of the dead woman.

She was delicious, too. How easy it was for me to catch her attention. With a few carefully placed brushes against her skin and a flash of a smile, I knew she was mine. She loved her money, and right to the very end, she was willing to pay me every cent she owned just to let me fuck her.

I picked her up not long after I took a group of four men fucking in a truck stop bathroom. Some people were tasteless. But the best part about those men was that they were married. To women.

They were meeting in that nasty bathroom for months, all as a group while their wives were blissfully unaware. I just held out my hand, and watched the light fall out of their eyes as their dicks went limp and they fell to the floor.

I sighed and picked some dirt out from under my nail while contemplating the next type of corruption I wanted to exploit. I took adulterers, thieves, murderers, and addicts.

They were boring. Useless humans. But taking their souls was necessary.

None were as sweet as Jasper, though. If I corrupted another one like him, I would be set. But time was short. Such a person was rare. So willing to listen. So willing to fall to their darkest desires.

But there was one I was going to enjoy taking more than all the rest. Even Jasper. She was a pretty girl, and my biggest adversary. It didn't matter that she was pure. I would still take her essence. And that was going to be the best part.

I would ascend and let her see what I was really capable of. Rip her soul from her body after I killed everyone she cared about. I would make her watch as I did it, too. It would be glorious, and worth every minute I spent in that dark prison.

She was what I was after. She was what I wanted all along. The hope. The messiah for those beings that were barely touched by power. Nothing like the power that ran through the sun. Through me.

After I took her essence, I would take pleasure in destroying the one that called me. Then, I would watch the world crumble beneath my fingers.

It didn't matter that I didn't know who that person was. I was going to find them, and I was going to make them pay for trying to control me. I was too powerful for any of them.

Before that could happen, I needed more souls. And I was running short on time.

The sedan took the exit, and parked in front of a brothel minutes later. The building was nondescript, and its parking lot was cluttered with cars ranging from sleek, expensive Maybachs to cheap Chevrolets.

When I stepped through the doors, with the deep bass of the thumping music filling the air that vibrated every surface from the walls down into the floor, I knew I hit the jackpot.

The walls were crimson and the lighting was low, mostly black light as I heard the sounds of whips and slaps above the music.

Smiling, I waved a hand to the girl behind the glass, giving her the illusion that I just paid the astronomical fee to enter the bondage sex house, grinning at her devilishly with a flash of my dark eyes as I walked by.

Her jaw dropped and I could smell her lust wafting out after me.

I took my time, walking around the big open space for voyeurism, taking in the various tools and contraptions meant for the dominants and their submitted. And took in all the people in various stages of play. Some closed their hands over their sub's throats. Some whipped genitals or backsides and my smile grew wider.

I worked my way back to the center of the room, feeling all the souls in the space, including those in private rooms above and below and I let power surge out of me.

Feeling their desires, their blurred sense of pleasure and pain as I pulled their souls from their bodies, they sank to the floor, or went limp in their restraints until I devoured every last soul in the space.

Another sixty-three lives.

It was too easy.

The music still thumped into the floor and walls, vibrations traveling up my legs, and satisfaction washed over me.

All those souls were mine and I pulsed with energy, feeling them fill every cell in Bannerst's body, increasing my power.

His body was only temporary and the heat rolling off him was immense. The body could only hold so much, and it wouldn't be long before his body failed, but I only needed a few hours to reach the power source.

Then I would be unstoppable.

"You might think that I'm afraid of you, Aisling. But I'm not. I'm actually surprised it took you this long to figure out you needed to shield yourself against my magic. But I'm still too powerful for you to resist me," I laughed into the lifeless room around me and began a slow saunter toward the restroom, passing the body of a woman who died bound to a cold metal table with her ass in the air with a huge hook hanging from it.

"There is a place, beyond your plane of existence, where all of us live. And of all the things that live there, I am the most powerful. Just think what those tiny things my weaker predecessors did before me, with the fires and the plagues. What do you think I'm capable of? Think about that."

I started laughing as I shoved open the restroom door and stepped in front of the mirror with the harsh light glaring down from above it.

"I know you can see me," I said to my reflection in the mirror, grinning. "This is the last thing you'll ever see."

For the first time since I devoured Jasper Wills, I allowed my real teeth to show, and I opened my jaw as I stared into the eyes of the woman watching me from within.

And I began devouring her, too.

### Chapter 48

Aisling

I opened my eyes and I was laying on the cool, hard surface of a wooden bridge that rose in an arch as I stared at the stars in the sky, seeing the pale blue light of the moon peek out over the canopy of trees.

Not caring what anyone else in school thought, this was a far better way to spend my time, being out in the world, enjoying the beauty of it. Feeling the warmth in the summer air, and smelling wood smoke in the breeze.

The field was peaceful. Filled with primroses and wildflowers, surrounded by a lush forest with a crackling fire in the pit off to my right, it was perfect.

I heard Gramma laugh at something Momma said and I smiled. Finally, I was somewhere I felt secure. Lifting up on my elbows, I looked at them as Gramma laid another log in the fire she started before the sun went down.

Unable to hear what they were saying, I watched them smile back and forth and I realized for the first time in a long time, my mother looked happy too.

We were where we belonged.

Momma walked over to me, her curly, brown hair almost shimmered in the low light as it tickled the top of her shoulders. It made her appear as if she were bathed in some kind of halo that surrounded her entire body. I smiled at her, watching as she spoke to the moon, at peace with herself.

It had been too long since I saw that look on her face. I barely remembered it.

"You're glowing, Momma," I said, and she looked at me.

"What?"

"You're glowing. You look so happy," I smiled again, and Gramma walked over to us. She and my mother glanced at each other then back at me.

Then Momma stopped glowing.

"What's wrong?"

"It's too early," she said, looking back at Gramma again.

"I'm so sorry, Mary." She paused and glanced at me. With a sigh, she went on, "We're going to need to bind her. She can't know about any of this until it's time. You know how important she is."

Momma wiped a tear from her cheek as she looked at me. "Maybe one day you'll remember this again, and I really hope you do, honey. I wanted you to know everything. I wanted to be here for you. I wanted you to know me as you grew up. I wanted to protect you."

Tears started flowing from her eyes and I blinked back tears of my own. I always hated seeing my mother cry. "I love you so much, Aisling. You need to remember that. No matter what happens. You need to remember that, okay?" She grabbed my little shoulders and looked down into my eyes with an intensity I never saw in her before.

"Okay, Momma, I will. I promise. What's going on?"

"Might as well tell her, since we're going to block it, anyway," Gramma said with a sigh and wiped her own tears away.

A few minutes later, my mind was whirling. My mother and grandmother were witches, and I was supposed to become some kind of hero when I grew up. They didn't know all the details yet, but they knew that much. I thought there was more they weren't telling me, but they promised they didn't know.

Finally, they held their hands together and spoke as one.

Blackness fell across my vision and suddenly, the bridge never existed.

The brief time I was happy never existed.

Why didn't I remember? My mother and grandmother knew when I was only nine or ten years old that I was supposed to be Earthen. They may not have known about Connor and what he would mean to me, but they understood I wasn't supposed to know any of it. They needed to keep me in the dark.

Of course I needed to be in the dark. Fate wouldn't have worked very well if I knew what was happening to me. Knowing could have changed how I reacted to Connor.

Even my mother knew.

Somehow, she knew she was going to die, she just didn't know _when_. That was a burden they didn't want me to bear. Waiting for it to happen. And they couldn't risk me remembering anything involving magic.

From what Liam said, my grandmother discovered the truth only days before she met Connor in her clearing while I was off at college. By the time she met him, she had it all worked out. She dressed the deep scratches on his left forearm, after saving him from werewolves that mistook him as prey, and idly talked, dropping just enough information about me to ensure he would come back to find me after her death.

They took the memory so I wouldn't know about any of it. So I never knew peace.

Until ... him.

But I was too sleepy to recall his name.

I smiled into his chest and breathed him in, not recognizing the scent, let alone having a name for it. Then I started to drift off and let everything fall away.

A massive light surged from within me as it burst out through my skin, pulling me out of the doze with a jerk of my body.

I couldn't breathe, and blackness threatened to overtake me as the light pulled me out of the spiral I didn't realize I was trapped in.

Scrambling away, my senses failed except for the feeling of something ripping me out of my body. I could hear a roar somewhere in a distant part of my mind as I wrenched and heaved myself further away from it.

My eyes wouldn't focus, and tears flowed from them like faucets as so much pain, both physical and emotional, washed over me.

Warm, strong hands latched on to my shoulders and I flinched away from them. I staggered backward out of the grip and crashed into something behind me, knocking my head against its hard surface and slumped to the floor.

Pain lashed through me as something yanked at my mind, trying to rip memories out of me and the light pulsed brighter from within.

Those warm hands locked over my shoulders again as I screamed, trying to hold on to myself, but feeling like I was losing at the same time.

"Aisling!" a voice bellowed into the thick air that surrounded me.

I gripped the wrists of the arms that held me as I realized they belonged to the man I loved and clawed through my mind, trying to cut myself from the grasp of whatever it was that was tearing me away.

With one final scream, I focused all of my power to sever the connection with the thing that meant to steal everything and I felt it snap as a roar traveled across my mind before it faded away and released me. Everything came rushing back to me with a whoosh of power and I remembered what happened. Remembered everything.

I blinked and looked up at Connor. His disheveled hair fell around his face as he looked down at me with concern, checking me for damage. He still wasn't wearing a shirt and I could see the trail of hair that led down his abdomen and disappeared beneath the waist of his silk pants.

"Aisling, look at me. Focus on me," he said as his hands went to my face to pull me up. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, seeing the gray of fear swirling in his aura, unable to speak as a debilitating frigidity washed over me, causing me to shudder so powerfully it knocked my teeth together so hard it shot pain into my head. My skin started to frost over a moment later.

"What happened?"

"It w-was B-Bannerst," I managed to say before I nearly convulsed from the ice traveling through my system. Looking down, the strap on my nightgown was ripped and it was hanging down indecently, revealing my breast. "D-Did I sleepwalk again?"

He shook his head. "You were dreaming. You looked a little uncomfortable at first, but then you sighed and you looked happy, up until you shot out of bed and started glowing. What did you dream about?"

"H-He took more s-souls. Then h-he started t-trying to devour m-me through his reflection. But then I wasn't t-there. I remembered w-what happened in t-the clearing when I was a k-kid with my m-mother and g-grandmother. It's like he was t-trying to d-distract me, letting me remember while he t-tried to take everything at the s-same time."

"You were lit up like a lightbulb, just like when you...." His voice was full of wonder as he trailed off.

Binding with Connor saved my life.

Pink, orange, and white started to replace the gray in his aura. He was as amazed as I was. If he felt anything like I did in that moment, I hoped like hell it wouldn't happen again.

"We n-need to t-talk to Liam," I said through the freezing pain, trying to pull the nightgown back up to cover me and stand up at the same time, but Connor caught me and helped me up.

"First, we need to get you warm. Then we'll talk to Liam," he said, low.

### Chapter 49

I realized in that instant that we were still on Liam's private jet, flying across the ocean to get back to the States in a race against Bannerst. But then forgot as Connor ripped the last strap that held the silk nightgown on me, letting it fall to the floor before scooping me up and laying me down on the soft mattress.

He claimed my mouth in a fierce kiss as held himself up with one arm while the other traveled down the side of my body, pushing my leg out as he ground against me.

Crying out into his mouth, I moved my other leg, giving him more access as I met his grind with an arch of my hips.

_Oh god_ , but he felt amazing, even through silk.

His hand shot to my breast, worrying the aching nipple between his thumb and forefinger as he kept ravaging my mouth.

I wasn't cold any more. There was only Connor as searing waves of heat washed over me with each grind of his hips against me. His kiss was dizzying as I clawed at him, pulling at his hips.

Gasping as he pulled away from the kiss, his mouth trailed down my jaw and over my throat with slow deliberate kisses that burned me all the way through to my bones and made me curl my toes with anticipation.

He continued the slow descent down my body and that intense contact between us subsided as he reached my breasts with slow, agonizing licks to each nipple before blowing gently over them.

I shivered again as he made his way down my body, biting my hips in the way that I loved and I cried out each time. But then he stopped and stood up.

He wore a heated expression I never saw from him before and he growled, "Watch me," before he began to push the silk pants down his hips with a slowness that had me writhing on the bed with eagerness.

My mouth watered as I watched him reveal himself to me, one, slow inch at time.

His hair curtained around him, making him look even more exotic as his deep brown eyes fixated on me and every movement I made while he stood there.

I wanted to run my fingers through his hair, feel the stubble on his cheeks. I wanted to taste every inch of his smooth skin, including what peeked out from his pants as he continued lowering them past his hips.

He was long, thick, and perfect. Like he was built for me. And he was teasing me without even touching me.

And, oh god, I was about to lose myself while I watched him and his heated stare as he stripped for me. I was about to unleash.

"Connor," I whispered.

"You are so beautiful," he growled as he let the delicate material of his pants fall the rest of the way to the floor.

"What are you waiting for, then?" I whispered as my eyes locked on him and then a slow smile spread across my lips.

Connor noticed and his expression changed to confusion.

One second I was lying on the bed, and the next, he thumped against the wall of the jet and I was kneeling in front of him. Then my eyes locked with his.

Starting at the base, I licked him, long and slow. His eyes slid closed and he groaned from the sensation.

Swirling my tongue around the sensitive tip, I took him in my mouth, slowly, and his hands shot to the back of my head, fisting a handful of hair as he struggled to remain in control.

He leaned his head back as he arched his hips. His hair fell back, revealing his Adam's apple as it bobbed with the moan that escaped him.

I kept moving, letting him slide in and back out again until he was sweating and shaking as he fought to keep himself from coming into my mouth.

"Oh, my god," he moaned and I slowed down. The bright, swirling red of his aura, his movements and the way he breathed all told me that he was close.

So deliciously close.

I wanted him to come, but not like that. Not that time. Pulling my mouth slowly away from him, I gave him one last, long lick and released him, looking up at his face as he breathed hard, trying to reign himself in.

"What do you want, Connor?" I whispered up at him, smiling at the memory of the time we spent in the cabin.

He teased me to the point of insanity and set me on overdrive. It forced me to unleash just so I could get what I so desperately needed from him. Which was exactly what he wanted. It didn't teach me how to access the power reliably, but it was a nice reminder that I could do it without anger, as Liam showed me.

He grinned down at me, remembering too. "I want you too bad to play that game right now," he said and moved with the swiftness of a vampire, lifting me up off my knees.

His body turned and pressed me up against the wall where he stood an instant before. In the next instant he impaled me to the hilt in one lithe motion.

I cried out, locked my legs around him, and bit his shoulder as he pounded into me, while his strong arms held me still as he moved.

By the time I crashed around him, I was crying out with the thousand voices, " _Oh god, yes!_ "

He slowed his pace enough to let me ride the wave and then his speed increased while still grinding against me, making my mind soar just as high as my body.

Moments later, with one final thrust, he threw his head back and I captured his Adam's apple in my mouth and licked his sensitive skin as he came. He cried out with his own thousand voices in a long moan that made me shatter around him again.

### Chapter 50

Connor breathed into the curve of my neck, and I shivered from the sensation as he pulled back to look into my eyes. He held me against the wall with his body as his hands went to my face, pushing the mess of curls away.

Smoothing it back, he paused as his fingers reached the back of my head and whispered, "I love you so much," before kissing me with a passion that made my heart melt for him all over again.

Fifteen minutes later, we were dressed. Connor wore his usual dark pants and long-sleeve shirt, while I wore jeans and a black V-neck shirt, courtesy of Liam. I pulled my hair back into a messy ponytail which Connor seemed to enjoy, and he playfully yanked at it as we emerged from the private room in the back of Liam's private jet.

From the faint light filtering in through the windows in the cabin, it was nearly dawn, and all the eyes of our friends watched us as we entered the space. No one made a sound.

They all burst into applause and congratulatory whoops and cheers.

Even Shadow let out a few happy yips in our direction. His tail was stuck under his massive body as he attempted to wag, and it made his whole body to sway instead.

Though I couldn't hear the triplets, they were vibrating in the air and clapping their hands.

Oh, dear god, but they heard us.

I flushed, realizing too late that each of them could hear what happened behind that door. Connor looked at me and his aura changed to light blue as he chuckled and draped his arm over my shoulder.

It didn't seem to bother him at all. He looked completely at ease with what happened, and gave me a slight squeeze of comfort before dropping it and leveling his gaze on Liam. "How long until we arrive?"

"An hour," he responded, and walked to us. Then his gaze leveled on my mate. "Congratulations on your binding. You are now Earthen, Connor," Liam said, shaking his hand with a genuine smile.

Connor grinned back and said, "Thank you."

Liam released his hand and looked at me. "What happened, Aisling?"

I shook my head in disbelief. I was half expecting everyone in the jet to exploit my embarrassment as much as they could. Under normal circumstances they would have. Even Liam. But they didn't rise to the occasion.

With a chuckle, I shrugged it off. What was done was done. It wasn't as though it didn't happen many times before. Even when we knew people could hear us, it didn't stop us.

"I dreamt of Bannerst again, but I don't think he could control my body, because I never got up." I went on, filling in all the details of what I saw him do in the brothel, and attempted to make a tally of all the souls he collected, which I guessed neared two hundred, if not more.

Then I told Liam about the memory that sprang up in my mind as Bannerst tried to devour my soul from within the dream- _sight_.

Liam was an integral part of my grandmother's plan to get me to realize my potential, but she wasn't entirely honest with him about it.

I watched as Liam's brows creased, realizing, too, that Jade Green lied to him about her precognition. She knew when I was still a child that I would be Earthen. She knew, and my mother knew. But neither of them told the vampire any of it.

"I am so sorry, my dear. I did not know," Liam said with a grim shake of his head as he lifted my hand and covered it with his other, offering me comfort in the small embrace. I squeezed him back before he released me.

His eyes moved to Connor. "I believe your blocking spell worked, to a point." Then he looked back at me. "What happened when you began to wake up?"

It was Connor who answered. "The _shield_."

"You mean...?" Liam said, letting the question hang in the air as his eyes darted back and forth between us.

"When we did the binding, she apparently absorbed that trait from me."

Liam smiled, "You have impeccable timing, Aisling. Had you not obtained that power through binding with Connor, there is a chance you may not have survived his attempt to devour you."

The urge to bind with Connor immediately was so strong it was as if, on some level, I knew how important it would be. How vital it would be for my survival.

To live through the night.

_Shield_ was the only Earthen trait I didn't possess. Fate gave him the trait so I would need him to save my life. More than once.

I took Connor's hand and laced my fingers with his. "I'm glad he agreed," I said with a smile. Though I was talking to Liam, my eyes were on Connor.

There were so many emotions swirling within his gaze and his aura shifted from red to orange, and then back to red again. His love for me, his amazement, devotion, and sincerity all swirled within his aura. It was all written on him.

His gaze said it all. Those deep brown eyes penetrated into mine. His aura mirrored what I saw in his eyes. Finally, he smiled down at me. It told me everything he wanted to say.

My stomach churned and a feeling of dread washed over me as I realized things were about to go from bad to worse. I looked up at Liam and back to Connor. "Uh, guys, I have a feeling we're going to need Salvatore. Right away."

"Why?" Connor asked as something flashed across his face.

"I don't know," I breathed. "I have this sinking feeling that we're going to need those antidotes before tonight."

There was a fleeting thought that made me believe with every ounce of myself that we needed those antidotes immediately, but it fell away, leaving only the impending sense of doom. I looked back up at Connor, resting my hand across my stomach as a wave of nausea hit me.

"I feel something, too," Connor said, looking uncomfortable.

"It appears your precognition is growing stronger. In time, it will develop," Liam said and we turned back to look at him. "Tell me about your plan."

Connor and I sat down in in the middle of the cabin, while Liam and Jon sat across from us, facing the back of the plane. Tobias knelt to the right of Connor while Shadow sat with his back against the wall, leaning heavily into my leg.

The triplets landed on Jon's broad shoulder, and Baby reached over and patted Jon on the cheek. The massive vampire grinned at her in response. I couldn't be sure, but I thought I saw her blush at him.

"Since Salvatore's a pathologist," Connor began, "he agreed to analyze the heliotrope."

Tobias nodded and looked up at Liam. "Sire, the werewolf indicated he might be able to create an antidote, which would be valuable to us. We do not want these two falling under it."

"I agree," he nodded. "How much time does he need to synthesize the antidote?"

"If he has the proper tools, he said a few hours," Connor said as Tobias pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Liam.

"These are the items and ingredients he'll need," Tobias said. "We didn't think we would need these until later."

Liam examined the list. Nodding again, he pulled out his phone, tapped his screen, and held it to his ear. We need a large vehicle, a bus, preferably with a sterile workspace and storage for weapons. Lots of weapons, to be safe. All but two will join us on this fight." He must have caught my look of confusion because he looked at me and said, "For Angela."

I nodded, waiting while Liam listened to the person on the line and then read the list of items Salvatore needed.

He hung up the phone and called Angela, putting it on speaker phone, and I wasn't surprised when she answered immediately.

"Liam," she said.

"Angela, we're going to need Salvatore when we land."

My best friend sighed. "What do you know, Liam? I haven't heard anything yet."

"Aisling and Connor completed the binding ritual. They have a strong sense of precognition. They both feel it is immediately necessary."

"Oh." Angela said as she processed that news. "Congratulations!" she cried.

I laughed, "How did you know we were listening?"

"I always know, sweetie," she replied as it if were old news.

### Chapter 51

The plane landed in a private airfield I never heard of not far from Indianapolis. We didn't have to deal with the red tape of Customs, or any kind of searches, either. Connor and I descended the stairs with our fingers laced together as the unseasonably warm air hit us in gusts.

The otherwise empty tarmac was suddenly a flurry of three vampires unloading the cargo of the plane, and placing the cases into yet another limousine before we climbed in and began the journey to Nashville.

I felt more exhausted than I ever felt in my life, but I didn't want to sleep until it was over, and I hoped it was over soon. It didn't help that it was a quiet journey.

The pixies slept on the dashboard near the heat of the engine underneath a handkerchief Jon gave them, while Shadow snored in the front seat next to him. The two vampires sitting across from us stayed silent as the time dragged on.

It didn't help that the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach was increasing with every passing moment.

Glancing up at Connor, he nodded, answering my wordless question. He could feel it too. "Have you ever felt anything like this before," I whispered.

He shrugged, "Not really. I've had suspicions before and they were usually right, but never anything like this."

That meant that Connor had four traits before we bound together. I wondered if there were any others we didn't know about. Wondered why it was so potent for both of us after the binding. Did the binding increase our latent abilities?

Liam noticed too, because his gaze shot to Connor and he reconsidered him with a look of respect.

"Have you?" Connor asked.

"Only a little. Right before something happened I would start to feel off. But I didn't think anything of it." I looked at the vampire sitting across from us. "Liam?"

"Aisling."

"Do you know what kind of side effects we can expect from binding?"

"I have never seen such a thing through binding before. So I am not sure. I believe you are both without limitation, but it may take some time to learn everything."

That was what I thought. I sighed and sadness washed over me.

"Hey," Connor breathed and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "We'll figure it out. We always do."

I didn't say anything. But the thoughts running through my head were grim.

We were met with an impossible deadline to get an antidote for a drug that could kill us — would kill countless others — and we were racing against a demon trying to reach ascension.

With nothing tangible to help ease our fears other than the fact that we were bound and Connor was Earthen, but still unable to access it, my mood was sinking fast. He needed time to get used to it, just like I did, before he could utilize it.

Even though we knew what it would take for him to access his power, he wouldn't be able to rely on it so soon.

When we arrived at Liam's home, everything was a blur of motion. It seemed the whole nest was moving around, even the humans were helping.

Climbing out of the limo stiffly, I stretched, and caught sight of Angela standing next to Salvatore, looking completely dwarfed by him. I smiled and walked to them, hugging my best friend.

Connor followed and shook Salvatore's hand in greeting, but the men stayed silent. "Are you okay?" Angela asked.

Instead of wearing a black shirt like me, she wore cream, otherwise we would have matched. I smiled. "I'm okay. It's been a rough couple of days, though."

"I am so sorry I didn't find out sooner they were coming for you. I could have prevented all of this." I could see the pain on her face and realized she was blaming herself.

Shaking my head, I grabbed her shoulders to stop her before she started babbling. "Angela, I'm fine. They would have found a way to come after us either way. Just knowing about me put me on their most wanted list. It's not your fault, okay?"

Angela Williams was beautiful. At a few inches shorter than my five and a half foot height, her slender curves made her stand out. Her dark brown hair framed her face and hung in loose curls past her shoulders. Combined with her glowing milk chocolate skin, she was nothing short of exquisite.

Her deep brown eyes searched mine and after a few long moments, she nodded.

"Besides," I said with more cheer than I felt, "we learned some interesting things along the way."

"You mean the heliotrope?" she asked.

I nodded, "They might not have experimented on me and we could have been completely blindsided. Defenseless against it." Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to dump my fears on her shoulders.

At the same time as Connor took my hand and squeezed it, Angela said, "Why are you sad?"

God, but I forgot.

After I killed my step-father, I made an amulet for Angela that allowed her to see auras. She was still human, but in her line of work, she needed to differentiate between _other_ and human. Especially with the unease that was going around with the neutrals.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself. "Because there's not enough time to save everyone." Glancing up at Salvatore, he nodded at me and his gaze went back to Angela. "Hopefully there's enough time for Salvatore to help us."

She squared her shoulders and raised her chin. "I'm coming with you."

Salvatore growled at the same time my jaw dropped.

"Honey," I began, slowly. "You can't come with us."

"And why the hell not?" she snapped, anger replacing the worry on her face.

Judging by the look on Salvatore's face, I honestly thought if I didn't talk her down, the werewolf might actually tie her up and leave her behind.

"Angela, you know I love you, and I know you'd do anything to protect me. But we need you here. We need you monitoring what's going on out there, and to let us know if you notice anything. If you came with us, I'd be so worried about you that I could end up getting killed. I'm probably not the only one."

She stared up at me as she realized my logic. I could tell the words still hurt her. She wanted to be there with us, fighting by our sides.

"Trust me when I say you wouldn't be able to protect yourself. Against Bannerst or whatever else we come up against tonight."

"Angela," Salvatore said in his deep voice as he reached out and pulled her around to face him. "Aisling is right. If anything goes wrong, we might not be able to protect you." I thought I caught a hint of a Wisconsin lilt in his voice.

Angela looked up at him. He towered over her, but it didn't stop him from searching her eyes.

At around six and a half feet tall and rippling with muscles, Salvatore looked every bit the handsome, tall and dark stranger. A mop of tight brunette curls sat on top of his head and a short beard was lined his jaw. With his tanned skin and hazel eyes, he was no stranger to the sun. And the sharp angles of his jaw made him look exotic. His black shirt and worn jeans just added to his appeal.

Finally, she nodded. "You're right. I can help you guys better from here," she said and turned back around to me. I caught something in her expression before she cleared it and looked at me. "But I'm not leaving until you guys leave."

I smiled at her. I could handle that.

Tobias approached us and asked Salvatore for help setting up his lab space in the back of the bus. He put one hand on Angela's shoulder, squeezed slightly, and walked away without saying anything. The vampire looked at me and said, "We're having a bit of a delay, it's going to be a few hours before we can leave."

"What do you mean a few hours?" Panic rose in my gut, feeling the tension wash over me.

"You said we have until nightfall right?"

I nodded. "But I'd rather get there with enough time to take the black diamond without dealing with Bannerst."

"Well, it will take us about three hours to get there. We still have plenty of time." He followed Salvatore inside the bus and went to work.

We went inside to get some food from the kitchen, knowing we might not have another chance to eat until after it was over.

If we survived.

Supernaturals' energies were above and beyond what humans possessed, but without nourishment we would weaken faster. I didn't want to eat with the lump that was forming in the pit of my stomach, but we needed to.

I made sandwiches on the marble-topped island in Liam's massive kitchen while Connor retrieved and put away the necessary ingredients from the massive industrial fridge. I watched Angela as she sat at the mahogany table, looking lost. "What are you thinking?"

She waved her hand, not bothering to look up at me. I knew that gesture. She wasn't going to tell me anything.

As I finished the sandwiches Connor grabbed two of the plates and followed me to the table. He sat down across from Angela and pushed a plate toward her as I took my seat next to him.

I could see the same aversion I felt on his face in the way he curled his lips back slightly as he stared at the sandwich. Putting my hand on his shoulder, he turned his face to look down at me. "Try to at least eat a little bit," I said with a smile, trying to hide my mirroring aversion toward the food sitting on my plate.

His aura shifted to red and before I could acknowledge it, he turned and his hands shot out in a blur and grabbed my face. Then he planted a slow, gentle kiss on my lips.

I heard the sound of Angela's chewing stop and then she swallowed and coughed, reminding us that she was in the room.

Just as quickly, Connor released me and turned his attention back to his sandwich, with a sly grin on his face.

I turned back and saw Angela holding her sandwich. Watching us, her eyes darted back and forth between us.

"Son of a bitch," she muttered.

"What?"

"I think I just figured out what red means. _Fuck_."

I chuckled. "See that one often, do you?"

She blushed and took another bite, trying to hide it on her face. Yep. Angela liked Salvatore, and she just figured out he wanted her, too.

Connor smiled at her reaction and took a small bite. His chewing slowed and the grin faded from his lips. He put his sandwich down as he methodically worked the food in his mouth and forced it down with a gulp.

"I forgot your speed," Angela said, changing the subject and looked at Connor. "I didn't realize you'd be like that too. I should've known." She shook her head and took another bite while still regarding us. "So what was it like?"

"What was what like?" I asked as I took a tiny bite and instantly regretted it. I put the sandwich down.

Connor smirked and pushed our plates to the side. "So much for that idea," he muttered and put his elbows on the table, resting his chin on his thumbs while watching my best friend.

"You know, the binding, or whatever it's called," she said and took another bite.

I laughed, "Yeah it's a binding, Angela." Looking up at Connor, he grinned at the memory. I cleared my throat, "Well, it's a lot like the binding to the moon, I guess, but _more_."

"What do you mean, more?"

Connor's grin grew wider and he dropped his hands and turned to face me. His aura swirled with light blue. "Yes, _please_ explain what you mean by that."

Not taking my eyes off Connor and his dark brown eyes, I fought the grin that threatened my lips and said, "Let's just say emotions ran a little high." I raised my eyebrow and Connor chuckled, turning back forward.

"Right," she said slowly, not getting the innuendo.

I laughed. "It was like a very intense supernatural marriage, which made him Earthen, Angela. How do you think it went?" Surprisingly, I didn't blush at my own admission, but I watched as Angela's neck and face darkened again.

"Oh," she said, looking back and forth between us with an expression I didn't recognize before she cleared it and took another bite of her sandwich.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked her.

"What do you want to know?"

"First of all, I want to know what you think of Salvatore."

She coughed. "Um, he's a friend."

"Sorry. Try again," I said.

"What do you want me to say? I didn't how he felt until now. Even then, I don't really know what red means."

Connor spoke up before I could. "Pink is a precursor to red. Red is just more potent. It means love, or passion, sometimes both. Either way, I think you can get an idea of what Salvatore thinks about you."

His aura turned light blue again and he looked at me. "Should we tell her the rest?"

I wasn't sure where he was going with that train of thought, but it was Angela that spoke first, "Tell me what?"

Connor chuckled. "First of all, not everything about _others_ is widely known. You probably know that we have more strength and endurance than humans. Salvatore is also a dominant wolf. He'd be an alpha if he had a pack. But you probably don't know the rest. If you combine that with our ability to regenerate, not carry disease, _and_ not be fertile unless we want to be, you're in for a wild ride. Lots of them."

Oh, dear god, Connor just said Salvatore would be insatiable.

Angela's blush darkened and her breathing picked up as she dropped what was left of her sandwich.

I removed my jaw from the table and rescued her. "So how did you feel about Salvatore convincing a Kramer Scholar to talk about the heliotrope?"

"When the Scholar came in asking for information about you, I asked him to do it."

My jaw hit the table again.

"And how did Salvatore feel about that?" Connor asked.

"He wanted to do it."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I'd do anything to protect you and he seems to be on board with that." She reached out and squeezed my hand.

My eyes blurred with tears and I choked them down. Once I regained control over my emotions, I asked, "Will you tell me what the rules of neutrality are?"

It was two o'clock by the time the bus was ready to go. Liam and all but two of his vampires loaded onto the bus, giving us time to say goodbye.

I pulled Angela in a fierce hug and whispered, "Be safe." I let her go and my eyes flickered to Salvatore.

His expression was clear except for a clenching of his jaw muscles. His aura swirled with pink and gray. He just looked at her for a long moment before he lifted his hand and gently touched her cheek. "See you in the morning," he said and turned around and disappeared into the bus.

Angela's gaze followed him and I recognized her expression. It was longing. Glancing over at Connor, his eyes flashed to mine briefly before moving back to her and I knew he saw it too. He stepped forward and shook her hand. "Take care of yourself."

"I should be saying that to you. Take care of our girl."

Connor nodded and dropped her hand, turning toward the bus.

"And Connor?" He turned around and she stepped forward, placing her hand on his arm, lowering her voice so low I barely heard her. "If it's not too much to ask, look out for Salvatore too?"

I knew my best friend well and her words just said Salvatore meant more to her than just physical attraction.

Good for them.

Connor's hand covered hers for a moment and he squeezed, "I promise," he said with a wink and let her go, stepping onto the bus.

I hugged her again, whispering into her ear, "We're going to have a lot to discuss when we get back." I pulled back and winked at her. "Give Bugs at least five minutes of love, and be sure to remember how loud he is, okay?"

She laughed and nodded.

"Love you," I said.

"Love you back," she responded, and I stepped on the bus, leaving her behind.

### Chapter 52

We hit traffic along the way and it slowed us down. I kept checking the clock in the dash of the massive bus, and the feeling in my stomach grew worse with every passing minute.

I didn't think we were going to make it in time after all. "Is there no other route we can take," I asked Jon as he drove, watching the line of cars ahead of us.

"It would take more time than we have to spare," he replied in his deep rumbling voice as Blondie walked up and sat down on his lap. She was the same vampire I almost killed out of anger while training, because she put her hand down Connor's pants.

Her long blonde hair fell in voluminous waves down her back and her gorgeous eyes looked into mine. The outer rims were a deep blue, fading to green and then a ring of orange circled around her pupils.

From her flawless skin to her full lips, she could have been a supermodel if she wasn't a vampire. And just like the rest of the vampires on the bus, she wore black.

With a slight grin and a nod of respect to me, she rested her head against Jon's barreled chest. She looked completely dwarfed by him as he wrapped one of his big arms around her while the other stayed on the wheel.

God, but I was beginning to like her.

I sighed and walked past William and Jorge, the long-time friends as they played a game of chess. They were both deep in thought while they stared at the board between them.

When William was human, he worked in banking during the early twenties, and when he wasn't working as Liam's accountant, he was a brilliant battle strategist.

Jorge was one of those good old Southern boys, who happened to be a brutal knife thrower and fighter. When my step-father sent his mercenaries and witches to my house, he fought with us.

Plopping down into the leather seat next to Connor, I drummed my fingers on the windowsill.

"Aisling!" Bubba, Baby, and Bogsley cried in unison as they flitted over to me.

"Hey guys, what's up?" I asked, smiling at them, despite my grim mood.

"We want you to know we have faith in you, Aisling. Faith in both of you."

"Thank you," I said, frowning.

They beamed at me and flitted away as Connor's hand wrapped around mine and squeezed. "You're going to be great, Aisling. I know I can't access my power yet, but if there's anything I can do to help, you know I will."

I looked at him, but it didn't help me shake the growing fear of dread. He grasped my shoulders and turned me to face him. "Listen, Aisling, all these people in here — the triplets included — are here because of you. We all believe in you."

I chuckled dryly. "Sure. No pressure."

His warm hand caught my chin and he moved closer. "Before you came along, I doubt anyone would have come together like this to fight a demon."

"I doubt that demon would exist if I wasn't here," I said.

"We don't know that, but either way, it's here, and we are going to stop it. We're going to do it together. All of us."

Regardless of how the demon was summoned, which we were so far unsuccessful at finding out who managed such a feat, the demon was there. And he was racing toward the power source that would trigger his ascension. Allow him to take his true form.

Connor was right about one thing, if I wasn't there to fight Bannerst, I didn't know who would be willing to stand up and try. The fear in the supernatural world was just too powerful since the Malleus Dei Maleficarum destroyed the very beings that protected and guided them.

Fear reigned after the Earthens died and as a result, they turned to a life of solitude, trying to survive. If there was anyone on the planet that might be strong enough to fight a powerful destroyer demon, it was me.

Sure, Connor was Earthen, too, but he didn't have time to learn. Other than my mate and me, a nest of vampires, three pixies, and two werewolves were going up against a demon. I was the only one with the ability to stop him, not just fight him in battle. And that might not be enough, even if every last supernatural banded together to try to stop it.

I might never be enough.

At least if I failed, Connor might survive long enough to try.

I looked up at Connor again, realizing the truth behind his words. If anyone could do it, it was me. And I needed to believe I could. I would give my life if it meant that it could protect both humans and supernaturals alike. Especially Connor. "You're right," I said and pulled him into a hug.

His arms went around my shoulders and squeezed me back as Liam's phone went off into the otherwise silent space. He swiped at the screen and answered, "Talk to me."

Angela's voice traveled out of the speaker, "Aisling, you were right about the heliotrope. Reports of explosions are coming in from various places across Europe right now. The media hasn't figured out what they are, but they're saying it's nothing but water vapor. There are no reports of deaths yet, either."

"Do you have any idea if it will hit here?" Liam asked.

"I don't know. Probably," she said.

"Anything else?"

"There are reports of a man, walking on foot in Illinois, leaving a trail of dead behind him. Not even the police can get close enough to him to take him out. I think that's your guy."

"What's he doing?" I asked, hoping my voice reached Liam's phone.

"They can't get close enough to know for sure, but a few people that have managed to get away have said he's glowing. There are a few conspiracies going around already that he's not a man but an alien."

Bannerst initially used the power of the sun's rays to take souls, but as his power grew, he was able to take them at will, absorbing them into his body.

"Is it a white glow?" I asked.

"That's the consensus."

"That's him. Those are the souls he's collected," I said. I didn't know how humans were able to see it, but that didn't matter anymore. "Where is he now?"

"About twenty miles out. But he's on foot, so I think you have a little time to get there as long as he doesn't get in a car."

I slumped in my chair as Liam turned off the speaker and said a few words to Angela before hanging up.

The door to the back of the bus opened and Salvatore stepped out holding two syringes.

I stood up and walked to him and Connor followed. "What did you find out?"

"The compound was pretty complicated, but I think I've found a way to get it to bind with your cells and render it benign. I tested it on the blood samples you both provided and I think it worked. The synthesized antidote didn't cause the cells in your blood to breakdown when I added the heliotrope."

"That's good news, right?" I said, watching his expression.

"Yes and no," he replied. "I only had a small amount of it, Aisling. I was only able to test it on a small dose, but theoretically, yes it is good news. If the antidote works against even a heavy dose, you both should be fine."

"What about everyone else?"

"Pixies are immune to poisonous plant life. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to cultivate them very effectively. The vampires should be fine as long as they don't ingest it. I've already inoculated myself and I have a dose for Shadow," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulled out a baggie of what appeared to be a raw meatball.

He opened up the bag and the white wolf trotted to him silently. Taking the meatball from Salvatore's hand, he swallowed the lump quickly and gave us a wolf grin, with his tongue hanging out the side of his open mouth. Salvatore patted him on the top of his head and turned to us. "Ready?"

Wincing as Salvatore pushed the needle into my upper arm, I looked to the front of the bus and saw a sign indicating we were finally in Illinois and the traffic began to clear a little. Blondie looked like she was asleep on Jon's lap and he sped up at the same time as my arm began to burn with a scorching heat.

It felt like liquid fire and my head shot around to look at the syringe as Salvatore slowly pushed the plunger down. My eyes stung from the overwhelming sensation.

"It might be a bit uncomfortable," Salvatore said, looking at me.

I gasped, unable to hold it in, as my hand clenched into a fist. The blaze traveled down my arm and up through my shoulder, bathing me in a white-hot, slow burn that took the breath right out of me.

Salvatore yanked the needle out of my arm after the last bit of antidote was pushed into my muscle, giving me a look of apology as he capped the needle and turned to Connor.

"That's an understatement," I breathed, glaring at the werewolf.

Salvatore turned back to me and leaned forward to tower over me. "Would it have made any difference if I told you how it would feel?" he growled.

I was taken aback by his question. In small doses, heliotrope could hinder the abilities of a witch, but at higher doses, it could kill. We didn't know how it might affect everyone else, but given Varick's aversion to eating it, we had to assume it could.

Since the bombs were going off across the world, we didn't have the luxury of being picky on how it felt when we were injected with it. No. It wouldn't have made a difference. Shaking my head, I asked, "Is there a chance the antidote will wear off?"

"It should synthesize with your cells completely, so no, it shouldn't. That's the burn you feel."

I looked down and saw Shadow suppressing a shudder, the grin gone from his face as he stared at the wall behind Salvatore, and I knew his body was absorbing the antidote as well. The pain in my arm began to ebb and subside, and followed the same path of relief as it moved down my arm and over my shoulder through to the rest of my body.

Reaching over to Connor, I laced my fingers with his as Salvatore inserted the needle into his arm and began plunging the syringe. His eyes widened and his nostrils flared. Seeing his jaw clenching, I squeezed his hand. His body stiffened as he stared at Salvatore.

Though he didn't squeeze my hand, I could tell he was trying to stay still. Maybe he was afraid he would hurt my hand. Maybe he thought the pain would be worse if he moved.

Or it could have been a guy thing.

He breathed in deeply and I watched his skin flush as Salvatore pushed the last of the antidote into his arm and pulled out the needle.

The werewolf capped the needle and clapped a hand over Connor's shoulder, just above the injection site. Wincing from the contact, my mate's fingers twitched around mine. And Salvatore disappeared behind the door to his makeshift lab space a moment later.

Connor stayed still for a few more moments until the color faded from his skin and he finally turned to look at me. "Are you alright now?"

I nodded and gave him a small smile as Jon said, "We're just outside of town."

Turning around to see the small town ahead of us, the sun was set and the roads were eerily empty.

"Lights off," Liam barked as he peered out the windshield.

I moved forward and squinted out the front window. The lights inside the bus turned off quickly and I could see what was happening.

Lights faded from the center of town moving outward as if death finally arrived and was shrouding it in darkness before it took every last soul, my jaw dropped as I heard several people behind me, Connor included, gasp at the sight of the town falling into utter darkness.

We're too late.

A sudden feeling washed over me and hit me in the stomach like a sledge hammer. I doubled over, clutching at my stomach as I cried out, "Jon, stop the bus!" at the same time Connor shouted, "Stop!"

Jon took his foot off the gas, but didn't try to stop the bus until it was too late. The last streetlight faded into the dark no more than twenty feet ahead of us when the bus lost power.

The engine died and a deafening silence washed over us. Then the instrument panel and the headlights went dark, leaving us inside a darkened bus that was still moving too fast down a road I could no longer see.

My eyes couldn't see anything beyond the windshield as we sped through the night and Jon finally slammed his foot on the break at the same time Salvatore stepped out from his lab space at the back of the bus and muttered, "What's going on?"

Then the bus lost control.

Something hard slammed into me, knocking me back into Connor and we crashed to the floor under the weight of whatever it was that hit me. The air whooshed out of my lungs in a rush and I struggled to breathe, trying to lash out against the thing that held us down. I kicked out and my boot connected with something hard and I heard Liam curse against my shoulder.

"Liam?" I asked as the bus slammed into something.

Then my vision went black.

### Chapter 53

Bannerst

Walking through the night never felt so good. I spent most of my time traveling in vehicles since I was thrust into Bannerst's body. As it turned out, the body and the mind within suited me just fine. Walking gave me time to reflect on it.

I found Jasper, and reached him in that moment he was most susceptible to my suggestions. He watched me kill those guards and didn't bat an eye. He watched as I fucked a bored wife on the hood of her car. Just like I watched him slake his lust on the rich wife of the man I burned in his hearth.

Poetic justice at its best.

Jasper was easily coerced into killing a bunch of nuns. He even believed it was a good idea. I just needed to appeal to his underlying need to control them. Letting him rape them as he took their lives.

His soul was the most corrupt, and he gave me more power than any other. I even thought I accumulated enough power after that club that I could take the sweetest soul of all.

Hers.

But that little bitch blocked me. It didn't matter that her soul wasn't corrupt. I still wanted to devour her.

Something was different. Something I never saw in her before. She exploded inside my head with a blinding white light.

The bitch knocked me out and I didn't wake until hours later, after the cops showed up and discovered me lying in my own piss in the bathroom. They thought I was dead, just like the rest of them. But then I woke up.

Different.

It wasn't until after her little magic trick that that I started glowing. That BDSM club gave me the final boost I needed to just suck souls within a few block radius of me. But I was glowing like a fucking lightbulb.

Those cops were so confused when they saw me light up. One of them was about to shoot me when I devoured their souls with a slow, sly grin on my face as they watched me. Watched me rip their souls from them.

If the soul was corrupt, great, if not, it was still fun to take lives. Watch the mayhem unfold around me as people started to realize what was happening. Whether or not their feeble minds could grasp what I was doing.

I took one of the cruisers and drove, but I was moving too fast to take nearby souls. So I got out, and started walking.

My power was well beyond what I hoped it would be, before reaching the power source. I picked up over two hundred souls in the last day alone and it was glorious watching the world around me fall into chaos and destruction.

That was my goal, after all.

I could feel the destruction beginning. Not just from me and my little light show, but what was happening across the globe. I heard it in the cruiser. Harmless bombs were going off, they said.

But I knew better. I knew exactly what was happening. I always knew.

I made sure the right people understood exactly what to do to devastate the witches. And I knew to give them just enough information that they would use their weapon to strike right when and where I wanted them to.

After all, being trapped in a metaphysical prison for at least a millennia, it was all I could manage to do before I was called to Bannerst's body, releasing me into the world.

They didn't know it then, but I never planned to let any of them live. It was so easy to corrupt even the ones that believed they were on a path set by some god. But some people I just couldn't reach.

Before I was called, I knew who the little witch was. Who she was supposed to be. But it didn't bother me. I was too strong for her. She was never more than a passing interest until I was called with a command to take her.

Just because I enjoyed a little unrest, I tried to reach the people she knew, tried to get them to _see_ that she would turn into some kind of monster, but nothing went through.

Of all of them, I managed to reach one. One that could have been successful in releasing me. But he failed and someone else took over.

I would take her. Show her the true face of destruction, chaos, and death before ripping her soul from her body.

After I dealt with the Earthen.

She was there. That little bitch. Not more than a few miles away with her friends as they tried to beat me to my destination.

The electromagnetic pulse would stop them.

Hell, I hoped some of those ass holes were hurt or, better yet, dead. It would be fitting. It would be even better if their little accident killed her, but I wasn't that lucky. I could feel her in my head again.

There was nothing I wanted more than to watch the look on her face when I ascended. Taking her soul by devouring her whole while in that form would be so fulfilling. My mouth watered just thinking about it.

Perhaps the idiots living in Hoopeston weren't so ignorant and left before I arrived. I couldn't detect more than a few souls in the entire town. But it didn't matter. There were more than enough souls within to fuel me.

So I kept walking down the snow dusted pavement, the sound of my boots crunching against the salt as I went, and I eyed the old buildings that loomed ahead of me in the darkness.

I was lit up like a fucking Christmas tree as I walked with slow and steady steps toward the library.

Crossing the next intersection, I could see the dead whale of a bus just inside the town lines. They were just beyond my power's reach, but it didn't matter.

With a brief moment of indecision, I wondered. Should I go to them and take them first?

No.

It would be so much sweeter the other way.

I knew she could _see_ me in that moment. I knew they were worrying about her, when they needed to worry about me.

And they never saw me as I smiled and continued across the street toward the library.

Bilu is coming.

### Chapter 54

Aisling

With an odd sense of detachment, I realized my mind was my own again and watched through Bannerst's eyes as he took the last few steps toward the library.

How was I finally myself again in the _sight_? It didn't do anything to ease the growing sense of impending doom.

Just as I feared, I wasn't just going to go up against the human who called himself Bannerst. I was going to have to contend with Bilu's ascended form, whatever that happened to be. Even if I could pull myself away from the sight, I knew even the fastest vampire wouldn't be able to reach him in time before he reached the black diamond.

Whatever my new _shield_ did, it made it impossible for anyone to get anywhere near him without risking having their soul ripped from their body. I knew that a vampire wouldn't stand a chance against the power radiating out of him.

Vampires might be undead, but their souls were intact.

What was done was done. It didn't matter that it wasn't on purpose. It saved my life and people were still dying because of it.

I didn't want the death of one of my friends on my hands, too.

As Bannerst passed through the threshold of the library, I watched helplessly as he descended into the vault. The black diamond came into view, and it was massive. It looked like a volcanic rock that weighed at least ten pounds and looked to be about the size of a softball.

Bannerst's eyes locked on it and he didn't so much walk toward it as he glided, as if his feet were no longer needed in those last few moments.

With a raspy laugh, he reached his arms out and touched his heated flesh against the cold stone and everything went black.

My eyes flew open and I gasped as my body flew into motion, moving between Connor and Liam as I used my inhuman speed to propel me to the front of the bus. With a tingle on the back of my neck, I forced the bus's door open with magic and moved outside to stand in the middle of the street.

I felt Connor's pull and knew he followed me outside and there was only a brief moment to turn my head to see Liam follow close behind. I didn't have a chance to see if anyone else was coming because the ground started to shake violently.

The Midwest was never much of a place to experience seismic activity. I could count the number of times I felt an earthquake in my entire life on one hand, and at the time, I didn't realize that's what I was experiencing, because they were so subtle.

My body couldn't tell where it was coming from, or how powerful it was. But my _other_ senses told me a different story.

The epicenter of the earthquake was coming from the library and I could feel the ancient magic pouring out from within it, wafting out in waves.

I couldn't see what was happening through the deep darkness of the night. Without any illumination except for the tiny sliver of a moon above us, it felt like the world ended only a few yards in front of me. It very well could have for all I knew.

"Do you have any flares?" I ground out, trying to hold my balance on the shaky ground. But then I thought better of it. "Never mind."

Focusing on the darkness ahead of me, I tried to gauge where the library was in front of us, and I sent out magic, willing the town into light. It didn't take much energy, since my goal was to cast just enough light – equal to the full moon — so we could see.

"What's going on?" Connor called against the noise of the world in the throes of a colossal tremor.

"He made it to the diamond," Liam said, watching me.

"That's right," I said and focused on the buildings in the center of town, awash in a pale light as they crumbled to the ground one by one. "I don't know what's happening, but it's not good. You guys should get back. Way back."

"I'm not leaving you," Connor said from behind me, and put his hands on my shoulders, steadying me against the violent ground.

"We are staying, Aisling," Liam said and turned to focus on the town ahead of us.

Dear god, but I hoped the town was empty. I couldn't sense anything, but it was hard to focus with all the shaking.

I couldn't see well enough, but it appeared as though the ground was opening up.

It wasn't debris littering the ground.

There was no ground.

A deep black abyss was sucking everything down and not even light would penetrate it.

It worked its way outward in a circle like a rock falling into still water, leaving nothing behind but darkness. Building debris fell, pavement stopped reflecting the small light, and even trees began to fall into nothingness.

The shaking grew more intense and the speed that the ground seemed to fall away moved faster, heading right for us.

A gasp escaped from Connor as he saw it too.

I knew, on a deep cellular level, that the hole was not something we could crawl out of if we fell in.

"You guys need to get back," I cried, throwing my hands up. And then I froze. "Do you feel that?"

There was movement within the hole.

Thousands of them.

Whatever they were, they were moving around, writhing, as if they were just waking up and realizing it was time to come out.

"What the hell is that?" Connor asked.

"Liam," I barked. "If you don't plan on leaving, you're going to need weapons. Lots of them. Now." And then I pushed out with my magic, trying to slow the acceleration of the infinite abyss that approached us.

The vampire didn't need to ask what was happening. He could hear them. William said a few words and I felt a flurry of movement behind us and closed my eyes, focusing on the ground.

Magic flowed out of my hands as I pushed against the ancient magic that worked its way out toward me.

And it was strong.

Stronger than anything I ever felt before.

I wasn't enough to stop it.

Connor's warm hands moved from my shoulders to the bare skin of my arms. He pressed against my back and leaned his head down. "Take what you need."

My eyes clamped shut and I refocused my mind, concentrating on Connor, everything we experienced together, how it felt when we were together, and all that drew me to him. I felt him tense behind me.

Opening my eyes, I saw the ground dropping from the road no more than a block ahead of us, not slowing down. I screamed with the thousand voices and pushed against it with everything I could, borrowing what Connor offered at the same time.

I watched in horror as the ground continued to fall away, until it suddenly started slowing about a dozen feet in front of us, but it kept moving.

Pushing harder, I watched as the advancing chasm slowed to a halt, giving us about six feet of space before the world ended in front of us.

I sagged into Connor and he caught me, his increased speed coming to his advantage as Liam walked around to the front of the bus, carrying two swords. He handed one to Connor, its sharp blade flashing silver against the magical light.

Then the sound of something both primitive and colossal roared into the night.

To cover up my fear, I breathed, "What? No thanks for saving us all, Liam?" I was panting from the exertion of using so much magic.

Connor held me against him, letting me regain my strength. Chuckling, the vibrations in his chest vibrated into my back and it sent shivers down my spine.

"Many thanks, my dear Aisling. I knew you could do it," Liam's tone was chipper and he flashed a grin at me.

"Next time, remind me to let a black hole devour you, okay?" I said and Liam laughed.

"Indeed. Touché, my dear," he said in his old world accent and I straightened as the beast roared again.

"Is that the demon?" Connor asked as he steadied me with his free hand.

"I imagine so," Liam said and took a few steps to my right, watching the pit ahead of us.

Moments later, vampires emerged carrying various weapons and took their positions around the edge of the chasm. The triplets floated over us as they eyed the abyss warily. The sounds of movement within the inky black of the pit increased as whatever it was within it started to move toward us.

"We're going to need more space to fight," I said looking around at the small area between the front of the bus and chasm.

Jon and Tobias stepped forward and each handed me their weapons as if they weighed nothing. The weight of each weapon had to be at least fifty pounds, if not more, and I sagged as I struggled to hold them.

They moved to the front of the bus and pushed it backward, away from the streetlight it crashed into and pushed it a dozen feet back while their muscles flexed from the resistance of the tires.

Jon's hulking seven foot frame of pure body-building muscle almost looked believable, but Tobias wasn't built the same way. He was a little taller than Connor's six feet, and his muscles were visible when he used them, but not apparent.

By the time the two returned to claim their weapons, I already put them on the ground. "What on earth _are_ these things?" I asked as I attempted to return them.

"They're battle axes, solid iron," Jon responded in his deep voice.

He gave me a brief smile, and bumped me in the nose like we were part of the Three Stooges without a demon breathing down on us. Then he took his place near Liam and Blondie. Jon never was one for many words. But I did enjoy his playfulness.

Tobias grinned at me, "You're weak, Aisling. Beef up those chicken arms and you'll be swinging one of these in no time."

My jaw dropped and my eyes narrowed at him.

Chicken arms?

Despite the threat of thousands of moving _things_ inside the chasm and a massive beast that bellowed into the night every few moments, it didn't stop him from poking fun at me any chance he could. And it effectively distracted me from that fear.

Magic smacked against the back of his head. "Ow," he hissed.

Connor chuckled and the vampire flashed me a grin as he took his place at Liam's other side. Then he turned to wink at me again.

I took another look around. Blondie held one large knife in each hand, twirling them as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. William was to my left holding a sword and next to him was Jorge, with large hunting knives in his hands.

Both Shadow and Salvatore remained in their preferred forms as they stood side by side. They glanced at each other, grinned, and nodded.

Up to that point, I didn't know if the dominant wolves considered themselves friends. The fact that they were willing to fight together spoke volumes to their trust for one another. Their auras were swirling with purple as they anticipated the fight.

Connor's aura was a mixture of gray and white. I was willing to bet my aura mirrored his with as much fear and hope as I felt.

There was massive explosion nearby. But the sky didn't light up.

Nothing changed.

I couldn't even tell where it came from.

"The bombs have arrived," Salvatore growled to my left and breathed in as he watched the night sky.

There was no reason to distrust Salvatore and his antidote, but my need to protect Connor was so strong that I couldn't help myself.

My magic pulled Connor closer to me and I threw up a shield. I didn't know if it would block the air, but if will was what I needed, a whole lot of it rolled off me.

Minutes ticked by as more explosions sounded across the sky at different distances but no one showed any signs the poison was affecting them.

And then small inky figures began to crawl out of the dark chasm in front of us.

### Chapter 55

The three pixies flitted around my head and I could hear the lilting cadence of their voices, but I couldn't make them out.

"Slow down, guys," I said, trying to train my eyes on one of them, but they were moving too fast, like hummingbirds in a blur of motion.

They slowed and hovered in the air in front of me. "It's an army, Aisling!" their cries came out in unison and I finally understood.

Fighting began to break out at the outer edges of our semicircle around the chasm as the black child-size things crawled out of the ground. They slashed impossibly long claws at the vampires, spraying blood from their undead bodies.

One vampire dropped to the ground while her head fell off her shoulders at an odd angle only attached by a small strip of flesh. Others caught on more quickly and managed to come away with just a few slashes across their chests or limbs before they began fighting against them.

Black child-size creatures didn't do their descriptions justice. They weren't black. They were an absence of light. Having no individual features, they were like shadows.

Corporeal shadows.

Looking at them was like looking into the deepest, darkest parts of your soul, and if you looked too long, you might never be able to look away.

Until they gouged out your eyes.

The creatures sensed we were there, because they all seemed to climb out of the ground at once, filling the street and areas that surrounded us on our sides, all rushing toward us.

One of them tried to pick up Jon and toss him into the pit. But he twisted and swung his massive battle axe into its back and landed on his feet a moment later. Nothing remained of the creature but a small puff of black smoke before it evaporated.

Of all the things we considered in the scenario of Bannerst finding his power source, we never considered having to contend with an army.

"Minions," I said, and the blurred faces of the pixies slowed into view again.

That caught Connor's attention too, he looked away from the fighting around us as everyone tried to keep them back, hacking and slashing them until they disappeared, falling to the ground with a puff of smoke. "It's an army of minions," I said louder.

"Labels will not make this any more of a reality, _Aisling_ ," Liam said my name with a powerful down stroke of his sword, cutting a minion in half from the head to the groin.

He was right, but it didn't make it any less of a shock to me.

The vampires and two werewolves were a blur of motion. They were all fighting. Even the pixies flitted around over our heads like homicidal hummingbirds, waiting for one of them to get close to us.

In front of me, more shadows emerged, climbed out of the ground, and rushed toward us. My hands shot out again as I used magic to push them backward, while also casting it out, trying to gauge the quantity of their numbers, or what else might lurk inside that enormous hole.

There were at least a few hundred of them, but my magic only penetrated into the darkness below the ground by about twenty feet before everything blurred and faded away. I could sense Bilu, steadily increasing in size somewhere over the middle of the empty space.

And then I felt the humans as gunfire went off.

I stopped casting the magic out and attempted to block the gunfire instead. But my magic was focusing on too many things at once. The barrier around Connor and me combined with the low light burning in the sky were too much to handle at once.

Sweat broke out on my forehead as I concentrated. One hand was to my right, pushing the minions back, while the other was to my left, holding off the guns. Connor moved in front of me and flexed his fingers over the sword as he prepared for the fight.

"Where's Salvatore?" I ground out. "Or S-Shadow?"

Connor looked behind me and his eyes caught something, lower to the ground. "Shadow's fighting, he's doing fine," he said and put his hand on my cheek. "Save your energy and drop the shield. Let me fight. I'll be alright."

My head shook violently. "I c-can't." I couldn't risk his safety.

Connor's sword flashed out toward me.

I flinched. For an instant, I wondered why he wanted to kill me. Then, I didn't so much hear the pained cry of something — I felt it — and spun to see the inky creature fade away in a dark smoke that fell to the ground.

With the sound of metal hitting the ground, I realized, too late, that the humans dropped their guns and were advancing toward us. I watched as the first man plowed into one of the vampires to the left of the street.

There were at least a hundred men dressed in black and I knew that they were Kramer Scholars. I wondered idly if the Scholars were the preparations Bannerst referred to before he was called. I didn't have time to ponder how else they knew to mass such a big group in Hoopeston because everyone fell to the ground.

The fighting stopped and the inky shadows of the minions stood at full height facing the sound coming from the epicenter of the gorge.

It was a low growl at first, shaking the pavement beneath us in an intense vibration that was completely different than the earthquake. This was a thrum that felt like the biggest bass line of a song ever created.

And the sound grew louder.

So loud, that all I could do was watch the shadowy figure that stood a few feet away from me as it looked into the night, its arms raised in the air as if in welcome.

As the sound grew louder, the minions joined in with their own cries. And my head was about to explode from the intense vibrations.

I turned my head and found Connor on his knees, his hands clutched over his ears as his forehead pressed into the cold pavement.

It looked like he was screaming in pain.

Blood trickled out from in between his fingers before the sound grew even louder and forced me to curl in on myself, trying to block out the noise.

It was deafening, a sound unlike anything I ever heard before in my entire life, and it felt like it went on and on into the night.

There was no way I could defend my friends, let alone myself against anything until the sound stopped.

If I survived.

I didn't know how long I laid there like that, but eventually I felt cool, wet hands on my face and I thought it must be how the minions' corporeal bodies felt against flesh before they administered the final blow.

The ringing in my ears didn't stop, and death didn't come. But I felt the hands move gently over my cheeks, as if in a caress.

Why would a minion caress me?

Soft lips pressed against my lips and my eyes flashed open to see Connor kissing me. Blood was smeared on his cheeks, but he looked unharmed. Pulling back, he looked at me and spoke, but I couldn't hear anything. "What?" I shouted and barely heard the sound of my own voice.

Connor mouthed, "Can you get up?" and I nodded.

The triplets were fluttering over the minion that stood a few feet from us, dripping pixie dust onto it as it stood there, frozen beneath them. The urgency in their little faces told me they were growing weak, in their attempt to try to help protect us.

Whatever that sound was, it must not have affected them in the same way as everyone else.

Connor steadied me and slashed his sword, killing the frozen minion. Bubba, Baby, and Boglsey sagged in relief, shook it off, and flitted to the next one.

"Thanks guys," I called, but I didn't know if they heard me. I didn't even hear my own voice.

I glanced around and saw the vampires were fighting again. Blood was on their faces from their ears too.

Then something red caught my eye in the distance, over the oblivion.

### Chapter 56

Squinting into the darkness, I finally caught the shape of the thing that floated in the middle of the chasm. It was massive. At least a few hundred feet tall, and almost twice as wide, it was made up of the same inky shadow as the minions, swallowing the light.

My jaw dropped as I took in the sight of Bilu's true form. He made Godzilla look like a fluffy teddy bear in comparison. And he would haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life. If I lived long enough to dream again.

Connor slashed at another minion that came too close to our protective barrier and looked up at me as the creature disappeared. Noticing my focus, he turned his gaze toward the demon and dropped out of his defensive posture, lowering his sword.

I forced my eyes away from the demon as Tobias rushed forward, knocking a minion backward with his big battle axe into the pit an instant before it would have sliced Connor's head off.

"Don't worry about the demon, Connor, focus on what you can deal with," the vampire said, but his voice sounded far away.

He turned around, swinging the axe again like a batter at a baseball game. He continued moving, flashing from minion to minion, hitting them back into the pit, or crushing them so there was nothing left but a fleeting puff of smoke.

"He's right," I said, sounding just as distant in my own ears as I turned to Connor. "I can't focus on the demon and work on trying to protect us at the same time. I'm sorry."

Liam barked out a few words I couldn't hear clear enough to decipher and suddenly we were surrounded by six vampires acting as a barrier between us and the minions.

"Don't get too risky," I said and let the barrier fall away. I fisted the material on his shirt and gave him a quick, heated kiss, hoping it wouldn't be our last. "If you die, I'll just bring you back so I can kill you myself."

He chuckled and light blue dots entered his gray and white aura for a moment before disappearing again. "Don't worry about me. I won't let anything happen to you," he said and moved into position on my left.

Standing near Tobias and Jon, he gave them plenty of room to swing their axes and sprang into action, moving in a blur right along with the rest of the _others_. I smiled inwardly as I saw the two vampires were keeping a close eye on Connor as they fought.

Blondie, William, Jorge, and Liam took up the right side.

With a few moments left to assess the situation, I looked around and caught sight of the Kramer Scholars fighting against the minions, and nothing else. I did a double take at the sight, wondering for a moment if I was hallucinating.

The Kramer Scholars are fighting with us.

A few of them looked downright conflicted about it, but the longer they fought side by side, the more they moved with ease. And worked as a team with the vampires.

God, but I have officially lost my mind.

Their normal human pace against the blurred swiftness of the vampires unsettled them, but neither made any moves to harm the other while they fought the minions, who showed no qualms over who they attacked.

I took a deep breath, smelling that odd spice I noticed in Varick's kitchen from the poison.

Panic washed over me and I lifted my hands to test my magic, but not enough to unleash it. Sparks arced between my fingers and shot out a few inches before I looked up again.

Connor was moving like a whirl, with his long hair flying around as he moved with deadly precision, unaffected. He slashed and hacked the minions with a skill far beyond what a couple weeks of training with Liam's nest brought him.

I still didn't know all the details of his life before he came into mine, but he barely picked up a sword before he used one to rescue me at the university. With his unique blend of martial arts, it didn't surprise me that he was skilled with one.

During simpler times, I might have taken more time to watch him, reveling in the way his body looked as he moved, the way he looked completely at home wielding the sword. I wondered briefly how I looked when I moved at full speed, but then caught sight of the demon again.

His red eyes were growing larger and he was floating across the infinite abyss beneath him.

Coming straight for us.

I focused on the demon as he hovered toward us, his eyes locked on me while the army of minions fought against all of my friends.

The triplets flitted around, blurred until they slowed, dripping pixie dust onto a minion, freezing it in place while Connor or one of the other nearby vampires killed it.

Usually they were perfectly in synchronization, saying the exact same words at the exact same time, but while they were fighting, their tiny voices were strained, and they spoke so quickly, I couldn't keep up with what they were saying.

They didn't stray far from me or Connor, trying to keep the minions back while I focused on the one thing my friends knew they couldn't fight.

Bilu.

Dark, ancient magic rolled off the demon that moved toward me in waves. The magic waves passed through me and left me feeling cold. It started inside my bones and radiated outward like my internal temperature system was suddenly turned on reverse.

The night was cool, but not cold enough to cause such a reaction from me. As an Earthen, I didn't feel hot or cold like I could while I was still human. Judging by Connor's behavior, I thought he felt the same after we bound ourselves.

I was standing outside, wearing my usual jeans and t-shirt in twenty degree weather, and never once felt the chill in the air until I felt those waves of power hit me like liquid ice with each passing surge.

Connor's dark sleeves were pushed up past his elbows, but I couldn't tell if he could feel the cold magic coming from the demon.

My hands reached out, releasing magic, and pushed against the onslaught and the considerable monster that approached.

Hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I pushed and heard the thousand voices as they whispered to me.

Their whispering never steered me wrong before. Each time they spoke, I knew they were correct. It _felt_ right.

That was how I knew what to do to get information from Varick without torturing him. It was also how I took the darkness away from my step-father's dark witches. How I took my step-father's life.

It was all done to protect my friends.

Especially Connor.

But I never wanted to take a life. I almost lost Connor because of it. Mostly because he didn't understand the depth of my nature as an Earthen, how strongly I felt for him. How much I needed to protect him.

I was glad the voices were whispering to me. Because records never held any concrete accounts of _how_ the Earthens before me were able to fight off the two demons that were summoned. Everything depended on the voices helping me understand what to do before Bilu destroyed everything.

Starting with me.

The minions were interested in me, but they weren't rushing me like I expected. They were scaling the walls of the chasm and were emerging, attacking the nearest living thing to them.

The voices were correct. Bilu wanted me for himself. That was a battle I was all too willing to fight.

Because I was the only one that could.

I focused on Connor again and everything he meant to me, and unleashed my power.

Something on the ground caught my eye and an excited hiss sounded off from the thousand voices inside my head. My magic picked it up and secured it inside the waistband of my jeans behind my back.

I shoved more magic at the demon and his movement halted. Red eyes widened for a moment before narrowing at me. Then he followed with a surge of power, propelling him forward.

Connor moved into view again and he was a blur of limbs and flashing silver sword against the artificial light my power emitted as he sliced into the minions. He stiffened, sliced, turned and slashed, pivoted and arced the blade down on an angle. With a grunt, he slashed again, swinging his arm outward and catching three of them that approached him at once before turning to me, flashing a grin as he panted and winked at me before moving to the next creature that came within the reach of his sword.

I saw a blur of white fur streak past him and Connor laughed as he saw his oldest friend take down the inky figure that came at him from behind. "Thanks—" he slashed his sword into another minion "—buddy."

But I was too busy focusing on what he was doing to notice that the vampires were beginning to scatter, leaving me vulnerable to attack.

Connor froze and swung around to face me. His free hand shot out. I felt power leak off of him as he pushed with his magic. I thought for a second his magic would hit me, but it moved around me like water against oil and I swung my head around in time to see a minion fly backward and hit the front of the bus, exploding in a plume of smoke before falling to the ground and disappearing.

God, but Connor just saved my life with defensive magic.

He said something, but I couldn't hear what it was through all the fighting and then Jon and Tobias moved closer to me again.

I turned back around to see Connor already in action again. Then I caught sight of the demon, dangerously close, and pushed against it with magic again.

The massive demon shook as a deep rumble escaped him.

Is he laughing?

It was hard to tell with the limited light and the way he and the rest of the darkness seemed to eat the light, but I thought he was grinning at me.

In a smooth motion, he pulled the swirling blackness of his massive arm backward, in a gesture I recognized immediately.

The blood drained from my face and my stomach dropped to the ground.

He made a fist that seemed to dwarf his entire body and hurled it toward me with blinding speed.

Oh, shit.

### Chapter 57

With every frozen cell in my body, I wanted to flinch away from the punch Bilu was hurling toward me at break-neck speed, but I forced myself to stay focused on it.

My left hand shot out, pushing Connor, the trio of pixies, and anything else that was too close to the path of the demon's fist to the side.

I stepped forward, closer to the chasm in front of me and erected a massive shield to prevent the minions from crawling up right in front of me as my right hand swung forward and released a shockwave of magic in response to the punch headed straight for me.

A loud clap of thunder erupted as the wave of my magic met Bilu's swinging fist and knocked him backward with a loud roar of surprise.

Is that pain I hear, too?

From those nights he spent in my head, learning me, he must've thought that throwing punches would be devastating to me, but he didn't anticipate all the hard lessons I learned.

From my step-father, to training at Liam's, the torture, and Varick's blood, I was a veteran to pain. I learned my share of hard lessons in my life, since I was a child.

If the same battle would have taken place a month before, I would have reacted the way he wanted. I would have succumbed to a flashback, curling in on myself, and giving him all the time he needed to kill me and all my friends.

Not to mention that a month before, I still didn't know how to unleash my magic.

I was the first and last line of defense against him.

Somehow I knew, if his punch impacted me, it would kill me.

Failure wasn't an option.

My hands remained where they were, my left hand leaking a small stream of magic to keep myself protected from oncoming minions while the other remained in the air, waiting for the demon's next move.

He roared in anger as he swung his fist toward me again, but that time, his arm split into two equally large arms and they both swung in my direction as the other one pulled back for a strike of its own.

I shot four bolts of magic at it.

The first two caught the split arms swinging forward, knocking them away into a plume of smoke that seemed to suck back into the demon's body. The third hit his other fist with the same result. The fourth traveled slower, with more power behind it, and slammed into his chest, knocking him off his feet.

Hitting where the ground once was, he crashed into an invisible floor with a loud roar. His barreled chest heaved as he seemed to gather himself for a moment before trying to move to his feet again.

For such a formidable creature, he moved his body rather slowly as compared to its arms, and it gave me time to shoot more blasts of magic at him, to weaken him further before he could stand again.

Roaring in pain, Bilu thrashed around, shooting his magic outward at me in response as he pulled up to its feet. My shield blocked it, but took a large amount of damage, and I knew I couldn't keep fighting him like that.

My right hand continued to pulsate with magic, directing the pulses at the demon as I looked around for my friends. Liam was bloody, but still fighting off to my right with Tobias and Jon swinging their axes nearby.

I swung my head to the left and watched Salvatore in his massive frame move with the grace of a dancer and the speed of a vampire while he wielded a large blade in his hand, stabbing and slicing.

Alongside him was a blur of white as Shadow fought just as smoothly, teeth bared, ripping the inky throats from the minion bodies before they fell to the ground, spurting smoke before disappearing.

The two werewolves were quite the pair as they fought together.

But I didn't see my mate.

Panic washed over me. " _Connor_!" the thousand voices cried, as I turned around, searching for him and realized I didn't see the pixies either. I heard nothing in response and screamed his name again. " _Connor_."

"He's fine. Focus on the demon," Tobias shouted back, but it was too late.

I felt the coolness against my legs before I realized what was happening. Looking down, I saw a black rope that was extended out from the abyss, dripping with dark smoke and was powerless to stop it as it wrapped around my ankles, slithering through a crack in the shield.

It yanked me off my feet and I landed, hard, on the frozen pavement as the back of my head bounced off the hard surface and the air whooshed out of my lungs. For a moment, I lost all sense of what was happening around me.

By the time I opened my eyes again, I was being dragged toward the pit by the cool rope that held my ankles in a tight hold I couldn't wriggle out of.

My hand flashed out and I tried to use my magic to sever the rope, but nothing happened. A choked sound came from my lips as I saw the demon shaking with laughter, his deep voice shaking the ground beneath me as his massive arms pulled the rope — and me — toward the chasm.

Finally, I heard Connor's voice as he shouted, "Aisling!" but I knew it was too late. My legs were dangling over nothing and I sat up, trying to claw at the rope, but it wouldn't budge.

I felt a wisp of Connor's fingertips against my pony tail as he tried to reach me, but the demon's rope pulled me into the pit and I fell into darkness.

### Chapter 58

I felt weightless as I hovered in the darkness. I couldn't see or hear anything. "Connor?" I cried, and heard an echo of my own voice, a limitless response fading into nothing after a few moments.

Panic rushed into my system as I realized where I was. I was in the chasm. The deep, dark pit that opened up to wherever the demon was from. The opening that released his minions into the world.

There were three things I noticed at once. First, I was on my feet, like I wasn't just dragged off the face of the Earth. Second, I couldn't feel the cold grip of the rope around my ankles any longer. Third, I couldn't sense or hear any minions approaching.

Reaching down, my hands searched my legs but found no trace of the rope. But at the same time, I realized that the darkness that surrounded me had the same cold, wet feeling as the rope. It just wasn't as dense.

As if something flipped a switch, a light turned on and Bannerst, the man, stood a few yards in front of me, wearing the same distressed jeans, flannel t-shirt, and cowboy boots he wore from the dream- _sights_.

"How are you here right now?" I asked, knowing he was the talking type. I hoped distracting him might give me more time to figure out how to escape, find a way out of the hole before he killed me.

He laughed and flashed his grin at me. If I didn't know better, know deep down what he was, I would have fallen to his charm. I grinned back at him, despite myself, but it didn't change my mind about him. "I can take whatever form I want now," he said.

"Why did you bring me here?" I tried to focus on my resolve, why I was down there, but it was slipping through my fingers like sand.

"Oh, but I like you. I want you for myself when I finish with your world."

"You want to torture me? I've been there, done that." Something in his expression changed and it made me weak in the knees, forcing my mind to refocus and I forgot why I needed to be careful around him, what I needed to do, and I was beginning to lose who I was.

"Heavens no, Aisling. I'm going to make you _mine_."

"Sorry, but I'm already taken," I snapped. "You might as well take me back." I did a double take on my words, replaying them in my mind.

Why did I say that?

I wasn't sure I wanted to leave at all.

"But I'm not going to do that," he said and took a step toward me, smiling gently at me.

His smile was intoxicating. It lulled me into a sense of calm I never knew before and I softened my stance. Moving my hands behind my back, I waited for him to come closer.

"That's right," he purred and stepped closer. Reaching up, he caressed my cheek and I was surprised at how warm he felt against the coolness of the space that surrounded me. Emanated from within me.

I leaned into his touch, my mouth falling open as I breathed in his scent, forgetting everything else.

He smelled like spice and musk and it was more intoxicating than anything I ever smelled in my life.

My mind remembered another scent, one even more powerful, but couldn't recall it. "But you want to take my soul," I breathed and turned my face into his palm, breathing deeply and kissing his warm skin.

"I'd never take your soul, Aisling," he said and stepped closer, his face in front of me. He was a few inches taller than my five and a half feet and I stared at his mouth, wanting to taste his lips.

A voice trickled across my mind, a voice I forgot. It was a breath on the wind, calling my name.

Aisling.

"Promise. Swear on it," I breathed and licked my lips as his other hand moved to my face.

I closed my eyes and focused on how those warm hands felt against my skin and then I heard the voice again, but it was louder, a distinct and familiar one.

Focus on the sound of my voice.

The tenor of it slid over my skin, warming me and I saw a flash of deep brown eyes, long, silky brunette hair, and flawless skin I knew felt like velvet.

Just breathe, Aisling.

I opened my eyes and looked into the hazel eyes of the man in front of me. He had one of those faces that defied age. With tanned skin and dark hair, he looked freshly shaven and a part of me, some deep part of me screamed he was evil. But he didn't look evil. Didn't feel evil.

"I swear. Your soul is your own. And always will be," he said. His eyes flickered back and forth between mine and down to my lips. I remembered how one kiss could melt me, bring me to my knees, burning for more touch, more taste.

A kiss from lips that didn't belong to the man standing in front of me.

"You hated me," I said, struggling to remember what he did, what he said, and thought about while I was in his head, but couldn't grasp them. The harder I tried, the faster they slipped away.

How can he hate me when he looks at me like that?

"You are unlike any creature I've ever met. So strong," he said stroking my cheeks with his thumbs, "and until I reached the _rune de puissance_ , I couldn't do anything else but follow commands. I'm very pleased you were strong enough to resist my power."

I smiled back at him, feeling honored to have pleased him and pressed into him, soft lips against his. I would live to please Bannerst. A scream flashed across my mind, one of agony and despair, at the same time the scent of wood smoke washed over me.

Aisling!

Bannerst held my face gently for another few moments before I opened my mouth, deepening the kiss and then he moved, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I wrapped my arms around his middle, reveling in the taste of him, his hard muscles rippled around me. Visions snaked across my mind, a future I could have with him, if I let him into my heart.

The images were dizzying. The happiness I would feel with him. The pleasures only he could provide. The children we would raise together. It was a happy life. A life I wanted. Free from danger, where the weight of the world didn't rest on my shoulders.

I felt him press against my heart, asking for access as he kissed me deeply. Words I spoke from what seemed like long ago sounded in my head.

Words I said to someone else.

I feel something when I'm with you. Something I've never felt before. I feel safe. Like I'm home.

With tears leaking from my eyes, I squeezed them shut as if it would protect me from what I was about to do.

I kissed Bannerst one final time.

And then I plunged the iron blade into his back, straight into his heart.

### Chapter 59

Opening my eyes, I saw I wasn't inside the chasm, but hovering above it by magic. The massive demon in front of me let out a howl of pain and moved away from me. I started to fall, but caught myself with my magic and hovered there.

Something caught my eyes as it moved. It was deep inside of him, buried out of reach, but I could see it. The iron blade I tucked into my jeans was there, within him. The blade was buried to the hilt inside the black diamond, the _rune de puissance_ , as he called it.

It must have been a hallucination. The darkness around me. The human form of Bannerst. Bilu was erasing my mind, making me forget who I was. As soon as I stabbed him, sinking the blade into his heart, I was back. Memories were restored, and I could see what was really happening.

But it didn't stop the tears from flowing.

He fed me a false future. One that I wanted before I became Earthen. A future of happiness, free from danger and the pressures of being such a powerful creature. A future of being loved. Cared for. And it was all a lie.

He was biding time, trying to take my soul. I refused to think his words could have been true.

But it didn't hurt any less.

I would never choose anyone but Connor, but that dream was still appealing to me. And that hurt the worst.

Falling to my knees, I unleashed again, feeling the power rise up within me, waiting for my will.

The voices only told me I needed the blade. I didn't know how I knew the black diamond was within the demon, or how my magic was still able to find it while I hallucinated kissing him.

Oh, god. I kissed Bannerst.

I wanted him.

I refused to take that thought any further.

The black diamond was his weakness. So I focused on it, drawing on all the power I could get to pull it from the demon's body.

It resisted at first, but then it released with a loud wet pop and flew out of his body into my hands.

Bilu let out a howl of pain as the diamond pulsed like a beating heart.

It was heavier than I imagined and I struggled to hold on to it with one arm while my other reached for the iron dagger. It was still buried inside the _rune de puissance_ , the stone of power.

I wrenched the blade out, surprised at how smoothly it moved, and then slammed it back into the diamond, creating a new wound.

Crying out again in pain, the demon shuddered in agony, and the piercing shriek made my ears bleed again, but I didn't move.

Silent tears poured from my eyes and I stabbed the stone again, feeling it die under my hands. The throbbing of magic it held withered away to nothing. Until nothing remained but a cold rock with a knife fused within it.

I dropped it into the abyss and watched it fall through the darkness.

Lightning shot out of my fingers into the demon and I watched him shrink in size. A small light illuminated him from within, where the diamond was only moments before and grew brighter with every passing moment as I pushed more magic into him.

My power lifted me off the inky surface and I hovered in front of Bilu as he glared at me with shrinking red eyes.

You were supposed to be mine.

The pained thought flashed across my mind, and more tears fell from my eyes.

Instead of letting the thousand voices talk for me, I pulled them in. "No matter how sincere you were, I could never love someone capable of killing a world full of people. You of all things should have known my heart was already taken."

Then I let the last of my power flow into him.

I forced the light within Bilu to explode. He cried in pain for a moment before the sound cut off, and I watched him ooze with a black fire, rippling across the expanse before falling into the chasm.

As the last of the smoke fell away, Bannerst's broken body was revealed, his pleading eyes watching me as pain flashed across his face. "Please, Aisling," he whispered and I knew Bilu was the one speaking.

I closed my eyes and focused my energy on him. " _I return you to the hell you came from, Bilu_ ," the thousand voices said.

Holding my hands out, I pulled the souls from within him. Each one he devoured. Including Jasper's. Bannerst's essence was the last.

I let them swirl around my left hand as I used my right to force Bannerst's body down into the chasm. Then I lifted my hand into the air and made a fist, dragging every last remaining minion back down into the hole after him.

My magic created a barrier over the surface of the cool, wet darkness and sealed them inside.

Looking to the swirling mass of essences hovering around my left hand, the thousand voices whispered, " _Be at peace_."

Then the souls dissipated into a puff of white smoke before disappearing into the night.

I let myself float there for a few minutes as I composed myself, letting the last of my tears fall. And then I directed my body back to my friends. To Connor.

The silence stretched on and the harder I tried to steel myself against the pain, the harder it was to fight it. I hunched my shoulders and dropped my head, closing my eyes tightly and followed the advice Connor gave me many times over.

Just breathe, Aisling.

My feet finally reached solid ground and my power fell away, but my knees buckled and I sank to the ground, burying my face in my hands. The silence stretched on, like the world died while I was gone.

The horrible knowledge of what happened washed over me again. They were lies. I knew they were. But yet, I couldn't shake them.

My heart could never love anyone but Connor, so what was I grieving?

Warm hands touched my shoulders, and I knew who they belonged to. "Aisling, honey?" Connor whispered, his warm breath hitting my face.

Without thinking, I moved into him, wrapping my arms around him, and buried my face into the curve of his shoulder, breathing him in. My hands fisted the back of his shirt and I pulled him tighter against me.

"I thought he was killing you," he said and stroked my back gently. The reassuring gesture made me feel even worse. I opened my eyes to see the sadness of a deep blue, combined with a sickly gray of fear swirling in his aura.

"He tried—" _I think._ "But I'm too stubborn to die."

"I know," he chuckled. "What did he do to you?"

"It's a long story," I said, and shuddered, clutching him tighter, hoping he would forgive me.

For everything.

### Chapter 60

"Are you alright?" Connor asked as I held him.

Pressing my eyes closed, I forced myself to nod and then, reluctantly, I released him and stood up. "I've got to seal that up," I said nodding towards the chasm, refusing to look at him, but I heard a gurgle before something hit the ground and panic rose within me.

Shadow whimpered off to my right.

I turned toward the sound and saw Salvatore on the ground, his throat was slashed and blood poured from the wound. Tobias stood further back, holding one of the Kramer Scholars. There was a bloody knife on the ground next to his feet.

Moving to Salvatore with my Earthen speed, I sat on my feet and let my knees hold Salvatore's head between them, and clamped my palms over his throat. "Give him blood!" I cried.

"Vampire blood can heal, Aisling. But it would hurt him like Varick's blood hurt you." Liam said from behind me.

I remembered back when Shadow sparred with all the vampires, and he was never hurt. I asked Liam to heal us if we were injured, and he agreed, never elaborating on whether or not he could actually heal a werewolf. If Connor knew, he never told me.

I healed Shadow once before when he had iron-ore bullets, cuts, and broken bones. I hoped I wasn't too late.

Closing my eyes, I focused on Salvatore and let magic flow out of my hands into the wound as the blood gushed out. His breathing and blood flow began to slow as well.

Oh, god, please don't let me be too late.

But I wouldn't stop.

I forced more magic from my hands and felt his skin close and his shallow breaths grew more even as I concentrated on healing him. I kept magic flowing into Salvatore's throat until he moved, clasped my hands and squeezed them gently.

My eyes opened and I looked down to see Salvatore looking up at me with a small smile. I let go of his throat and a tear fell from my cheek. I didn't realize I was crying again. "Angela would have killed me if I let you die," I chuckled, wiping my face with the back of my hand and stood. Then I wiped his blood on my jeans.

"Impossible," the Scholar in Tobias's grip said with a deep European accent. My eyes flickered to him as Salvatore moved to his feet and growled at the man.

Glancing back at Salvatore, I could see he was still a little weak from the blood loss, but he would be alright. Then I looked back at the man. "Since you tried to kill my friend, I'm going to give him the choice of whether or not to kill you."

For effect, Salvatore snarled, and the man's eyes widened in fear as Salvatore bared his teeth. I did a double take at Salvatore's appearance. He let his mouth change, making him look more like the fabled wolf man with his elongated snout, and long, sharp fangs.

I took a look around and noticed there were about half the number of mercenaries than there where when they arrived and saw bodies scattered on the ground. Those left alive were on their knees surrounded by vampires.

Raising my voice so the rest could hear, I said, "As for the rest of you," I sighed, feeling weary, "I'll let you live if you turn around and go back where you came from and agree to never come back again. This is an offer I'm only going to extend once."

I didn't have to ask Liam to know why they were still alive. He knew how I felt about killing. And they helped during the fight.

Liam wasn't vindictive.

It was the only reason they weren't killed the instant my magic pulled the minions into the chasm. "You're only alive right now because they allow you to be."

One after another, the Scholars swore on it and then Liam nodded.

"Release them," I said. Then I turned and stepped in front of Salvatore. After snarling one final time, he finally tore his gaze away from the Scholar and looked at me. I whispered so the man wouldn't hear me. "The choice is yours, Salvatore. But remember Angela."

I knew her for years, and I knew her well enough to know that if he killed the man behind me, she might not be willing to see the reasons behind it.

Nor did I know if she understood the drive of the werewolf yet, let alone the realities of the world she only read about in her vault. She only experienced a small amount of what _others_ lived through every day.

At her name, Salvatore's expression changed as he realized the same thing. "Whatever you choose, we support you. I know she would do anything to protect me, but I don't know how she would react to this."

The werewolf nodded and sadness leaked into his aura for a moment before it cleared back to purple. He moved toward the Scholar, staring him down and snarled again.

The man flinched and then trembled in Tobias's grip as Salvatore's face returned to normal. "If I so much as smell you around me or _any_ of my friends again, I'll hunt you down and kill you. Got it?" he growled.

The man whimpered and nodded, "Uh-huh," he squeaked and Tobias released him, pushing him to the side. He stumbled and walked off into the night after his companions.

I waited until I couldn't hear them anymore and turned to Liam. "Okay Liam," I said with a sigh, "How bad is it?"

Connor moved to my side and held my hand as Liam started speaking. My heart sank with every name Liam said, of the seven vampires that were killed, I knew three of them.

Amy, the girl that I nicknamed Blondie, just started a relationship with Jon. They seemed happy, I mused, before I caught sight of the massive bald vampire, hunched over her body, the small breeze picked up her blonde hair and it billowed against his arm as he cradled her.

William wasn't much of a fighter, but he could hold his own with a sword. The brilliant strategist was skilled at reading situations. He was always willing to lend a hand.

Jorge was William's friend. They preferred chess over training in their free time, and Jorge's sense of humor made everyone smile. I was always appreciative of him because of the help he offered.

"The triplets," Liam said, finally, and my eyes snapped up.

Connor's hand tightened around mine.

The vampire shook his head. "I am sorry, Aisling."

"How?" I asked, but the word came out in a shaky sob as I tried to keep from crying. I shook my head, thinking better of it. Knowing wouldn't bring them back. "Never mind. Anyone else?"

Liam shook his head as Connor pulled me into his arms and whispered into my ear, "I'm sorry."

I melted into him and hugged him back for a moment before I pulled away with a shaky breath. I wasn't finished yet. I could mourn them later. "We need to talk," I said to Connor and he nodded, pulling me toward the bus.

The vampires gathered the dead Scholars and tossed them into the chasm. A few of them gathered the weapons as Connor and I settled into the seats near the front of the bus.

I looked out the window, trying to focus on anything but Connor.

"I know what happened, Aisling," he said.

Oh my god.

I crumpled and buried my face in my hands while I began to sob.

Up until that moment, I didn't consider the _sight_. How he might've _seen_ everything. I didn't feel him watching, but it didn't matter. "I'm so sorry," I whispered.

I felt him move and kneel down on the floor in front of me. Pushing some errant curls away from my face, he hooked them behind my ears. And then his fingers snaked around to the back of my head and he caressed my cheeks with his thumbs. If I hurt that much, I couldn't fathom how much I hurt him.

Why is he trying to comfort me?

"Aisling," he said, but I shook my head, trying to move away from him. His arms wrapped around me and pulled me into his arms. I tried to resist, but he was too strong.

At first, I tried not to accept his comfort, but the weight of what happened became too much for me to bear. Wrapping my arms around him, I buried my face into his shoulder and whispered, "I'm sorry," over and over again. He picked me up and moved to the seat, letting me wrap my legs around him while he held me.

"It wasn't your fault. You might not have felt it, but he spelled you. You were just standing there the whole time, but in your mind, you saw him in his human form."

"That doesn't excuse me from what I did."

"You had no control over it. He made you forget yourself. I was screaming inside your head, and you heard me. It took you a little while, but you knew what was real by the end."

"I still kissed him," I breathed.

"It was all in your head, Aisling."

"But it _felt_ real to me."

"I know what you saw, and I know what you felt. I'm not upset. He made you forget me but you came back. You remembered enough to know what you needed to do. If I was the one in that position, what would you do? What would you think?"

I sniffled, "I'd want you to come back. That's all that would've mattered."

"That's exactly how I felt," he said, smoothing his hand down my back. "Please, honey, look at me."

I pulled back and stared at his shirt, wiping the last of the tears away from my face.

"Everything he did, everything he said and showed you, it wasn't real. I love you, Aisling. No matter what." His hands moved to my face and he gently lifted my chin until I had to look at him. "I love you," he repeated, as his eyes flickered back and forth between mine.

"I love you too," I whispered and kissed him, finally accepting it. It was all in my mind. Because kissing Connor, being with him, made me feel alive in a way nothing in my life ever could.

Breaking away, I breathed him in as I trailed kisses down his jaw, feeling the prickles of his stubble as I moved and hugged him again. "I love you so much," I said.

Five minutes later, we were back outside and I walked to Liam. I didn't say anything. I just walked up to him and hugged him.

He hesitated for a moment before returning the embrace and I whispered, "I'm sorry about your friends." Then I repeated the gesture with Tobias. Jon was the last, still clutching Amy's body. I rested my hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "I'm so sorry, Jon," I said, knowing he wouldn't respond, and released him, to let him grieve.

Turning to the dark abyss, I closed my eyes and raised my arms into the air, letting my power roll off me toward the ruined town of Hoopeston, Illinois. Simultaneously, I pushed the darkness down, while doing my best to repair the earth.

I wasn't powerful enough to remove the gorge, but I tried to repair what I could. The sun started to rise across the horizon and I could finally see the damage.

There was nothing left.

I pushed every last bit of magic that remained into the ground, and once the last bit of darkness was sealed beneath the surface, I dropped my arms and felt myself falling before everything went black.

### Chapter 61

The scent of wood smoke filled my nose as I slowly became aware again. I was in an uncomfortable position on my side with my feet pressed against a wall, while my knees tucked against my chest. One arm was pinned beneath me while the other wrapped over the pillow in front of my face.

The ground shifted beneath me and an arm I never noticed tightened over my side. Warm fingers rested against my stomach, holding me still. Then I realized we were back on the bus and I was lying in the seat next to Connor, with my head in his lap.

"We should be back in Nashville in a few minutes," Liam whispered.

"Do you know how long she's going to be out?" Connor whispered back.

"She used a lot of magic, she needed time to replenish," he began with a whisper. Then he raised his voice and spoke normally. "Besides, she is awake now."

I chuckled. "I can't have a minute to enjoy myself?" I squeezed my eyes closed and gripped Connor's leg, hoping for more sleep, but I knew my mind wouldn't allow it. Sighing, I sat up and looked out the front of the bus.

Realizing we were being towed by a truck, I looked up at Liam questioningly. Most of the blood was gone from his face. He nodded, "Jon borrowed the tow truck, and is driving us home."

"Is he okay?"

"He will be," Liam responded and walked away, sitting down in the driver's seat, and put his feet up on the dashboard like it was his throne. Even in a wrecked bus being towed by a truck, he kept the same air of arrogance about him.

Connor reached up and touched my cheek. Looking down at me, he said, "You still look exhausted."

I smiled at him weakly, noticing the blood on his face was gone as well. "I'll be fine." I remembered the trio of synchronized pixies, Bogsley, Bubba, and Baby as they flitted about. They saved my life. Saved Connor, too. Countless times. And sacrificed theirs. My lip trembled as I stared through Connor.

I couldn't keep them safe.

"Hey," he breathed and pulled me into his arms. I crawled onto his lap and wrapped mine around him and held on, breathing deeply as I tried to fight the tears that threatened to spill over. "I'm going to miss them too," he paused and took a deep breath. "It'll be alright. Just breathe."

We held each other until we arrived at Liam's as Jon pulled the tow around to the front of the house. It came to a stop in front of Liam's Victorian. Angela stepped out and stood on the rotting front porch and waited with her arms wrapped around her front.

I steeled myself, stood, and walked out as Liam opened the door.

Angela's eyes lit up as she saw me exit the bus, but her smile fell away from her lips as she took in my expression. I didn't say anything as I reached her. I couldn't. I just hugged her as silent tears fell from my eyes.

She didn't say anything either. She just held me, rubbing my back and worked a few curls between her fingers like she always did when she hugged me. It reminded me of the way my grandmother comforted me after my mother died and I relaxed almost instantly.

"You smell like blood. Are you okay?"

Connor must not have cleaned me up as well as I thought. I never thought to check. But I didn't know how she could smell it. I pulled back. "Yeah, a roar from a fully ascended demon will make your ears bleed, apparently."

Letting her go, I wiped my tears away, stepped to the side, and took Connor's hand.

"Thanks for taking care of her," she told him.

He smiled, "That's not the only promise we kept. Although, if it weren't for her—" he nodded to me "—we'd have broken one of them."

Her eyes flickered to Salvatore as he stepped off the bus. She rushed toward him without hesitation. He was wearing Liam's jacket, covering most of the blood on his dark shirt. She reached up on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, surprising him with her embrace.

He recovered quickly and hugged her back, bending down and buried his face in her neck. His eyes slid closed and he inhaled her scent.

They held each other for a few long moments and Connor grinned at them before Angela finally pulled away. She let her hands slide down the front of his borrowed jacket, caught sight of the blood beneath, and ripped it open.

Liam muttered a curse as a few buttons flew.

She shrieked, "You're bleeding!"

"I'm fine. It's old blood," he told her.

"What happened?"

The werewolf growled at the memory.

"Well, uh, it's kind of a long story," I stammered.

"A Scholar caught me off guard and slit my throat," Salvatore said.

"Ooo-kay, not a long story," I said dryly and Connor snorted.

"Aisling used her magic to save me." He looked up at me, "I owe you a debt."

"No you don't," I shook my head and waved him off.

He growled at me.

"Fine," I sighed, defeated, and Connor laughed.

Later that day, Connor and I went back to my house with a small wooden box in my arms, courtesy of Liam and his nest.

The triplet's family members flew out of the bushes and circled us in excitement before realizing I was crying. When they finally slowed enough to realize what I held in my arms, they began to wail.

Their cries would haunt me the rest of my life.

Connor's voice cracked a little as he struggled to tell them what happened, and how they died. Their mother's grief was apparent on her face as she listened to him speak, and then instructed her remaining children to carry the box back to their home in the bushes.

She looked up at us and regarded us for a moment. "They gave their lives to protect you. They were honored to go with your friends to save you, and you honored their sacrifice by bringing them home. Thank you," she said and slowly flew back to their nest within the bushes at the far left side of the garden.

It wasn't until their mother's cries hit us from the loss of her three eldest children, that I managed to mutter, "I'm sorry."

Connor pulled me against him as I started to sob.

Lifting me up, I wrapped my legs around him as he walked inside the house, sat down on the couch, and held me. Though he tried to hide it, I knew he felt their loss just as much as I did. I even felt the shudders that wracked through his body as he grieved with me. But he stayed silent.

When I finally regained control of myself, I ran my fingers through Connor's hair and kissed the side of his neck slowly, and trailed kisses up his jaw until I found his mouth. I kissed him deeply, breathing in his intoxicating scent, and pulled him closer to me.

He pulled away and wiped the last of my tears away from my face while I did the same for him. His eyes searched mine and dropped to my lips as his aura swirled with a deep pink and dark blue. "Are you sure," he whispered.

I nodded and kissed him again.

### Chapter 62

We took solace in each other over the loss of the triplets. From their tiny voices, to their happy smiles, they wormed their way into our hearts. And they were going to be missed.

Afterward, we took one last look out the back door. A place that would never be the same without them. And headed back to Liam's.

When the sun began to set, Liam held a funeral for the seven vampires they lost. Connor and I stood there, hand in hand, with Angela and Salvatore to my right and Shadow to Connor's left. We were in Liam's back yard, and the deceased vampires were each on a bed of wood. Their bodies were cleaned and dressed in black.

After Liam spoke the eulogies, Jon knelt by Amy's body, saying his last goodbye. They may not have been together long, but I could see how he felt about the beautiful blonde.

Then the whispering began in my head.

Listening for a moment, I walked to Liam and pulled him down so I could whisper in his ear. "I need to speak to you." I was sure everyone but Connor and Angela could hear me anyway.

"Can this wait?" he glared at me.

I shook my head. "Please."

Ushering Tobias over, he whispered something to him. Tobias nodded and focused his attention on Jon, still kneeling by Amy.

Liam grabbed my arm and pulled me inside the house as Connor followed. When the door was closed behind us, Liam glared at me. "It is a great dishonor to leave during a vampire's funeral."

"I'm sorry Liam, but this can't wait. If I'm right, it won't matter."

"What are you talking about?"

I sighed as both men watched me. "Remember when you told me about ghouls? That they were once vampires but somehow crossed over into something else?"

"What of it?"

"You said you didn't know how they crossed over, right?"

Liam cocked his head to the side, his brow furrowing as the regarded me. "Yes."

"Think of it like vampires having nine lives of a cat."

"We are not _cats_ ," he said with distaste.

"Oh whatever, it's just an analogy, Liam," I snapped. "Angela mentioned all sorts of things that Earthens could do, and even you said not everything was documented. And so far, I've got a pretty big supply of magic. I believe I can cross them over."

"How do you know this will work?" Connor asked.

I glanced at him, "The voices, they whisper in my head sometimes. You'll begin to hear them, too." Both of the men nodded in understanding and I went on. "They're whispering something right now. And if they're right, those vampires don't have to stay dead."

"Go on," Liam said.

"We need the blood of the sire, and a bit of flesh from an Earthen. I work some magic and they should wake up as ghouls."

"I am not Amy's sire. Her sire is dead. I am her _foresire_."

"What is that? Like a grandfather?"

He nodded.

I took a deep breath, "Well, you're related at least. It wouldn't hurt to try."

Five minutes later, Jon was informed and agreed to let me try. Liam used his knife to cut a strip of flesh from my forearm, healed me with his blood, and then sliced it into seven pieces.

Connor protested, saying he wanted to be the one to give the flesh, but the voices said it needed to come from the Earthen that would will the vampires to cross over as ghouls.

Liam, Connor, and I knelt beside Amy's head. I used my magic to repair the damage to her neck, and reconnected her head to her body.

My mate held my hand as I rested my other palm on her cool forehead and let the magic roll off me into her. I nodded and I heard Liam bite into his wrist and put it against Amy's open mouth. He put a piece of my flesh in her mouth next and the spell was done.

We repeated the same ritual for the remaining six vampires and when I finished the last one, Liam asked, "Now what?"

I sighed, "Now, we wait."

An hour later, Jorge was the first to rise as a ghoul, blinking his eyes and chewing the piece of flesh in his mouth and shuddered as he swallowed before sitting up. A vampire waited near each ghoul, making sure there weren't any issues with a new hunger for flesh, but Jorge remained in complete control.

Applause broke out at the sight of their friend, alive again, only to repeat again when William rose a few minutes later.

Before long, there were cheers and celebrations as the vampires greeted their newly risen friends.

All except for Jon. Because Amy remained still.

By the time the sun rose the following morning, we knew she wouldn't rise and Jon looked worse than before.

I gave him hope, and he watched the other vampires rise as ghouls, only to find that Amy wouldn't be among them. I didn't know if he would ever forgive me for that.

He didn't have to. I doubted I would ever forgive myself. I never wanted her to die.

And there were three pixies I couldn't bring back, either.

I walked over and hugged him, whispering an apology into his ear as he bent over and wrapped his arms around me. He nodded, burying his bald head into my shoulder for a moment. Connor squeezed his shoulder. Then Jon released me and lit the match.

The rest of the nest fell silent and we stood together in silence, watching Jon's beloved burn against the early morning light.

### Chapter 63

After Amy's funeral was finally completed, Angela drove us home, claiming it was still too soon to know the effects of the bombs the Kramer Scholars set off across the globe. Though she reported there were no deaths yet, I knew we would find out soon enough the extent of the damage. She promised to keep monitoring what was happening.

Connor and I slept on my bed, wrapped in each other's arms with my head over his heart for a few hours. Then we got up, showered, and dressed.

I pulled on the black dress that fell to mid-thigh and zipped up the tall black boots while he watched me with a heated gaze, red swirling in his aura. It was the same outfit I wore when he proposed. I smiled at him, trying not to let him rile me up again, and asked if he wanted to go to the clearing. My grandmother's clearing.

"After all," I reminded him, "we have until dusk to get to Liam's for training."

He held my hand as we walked and when we arrived, he pulled me toward the wooden bridge, where it held the most memories for us. Not only was it significant to my past, but it was also where my mate first realized he was falling in love with me. He dropped the bag of food we packed next to our feet and stared at me for moment.

Barely having time to notice his aura engulf with red, he moved with inhuman speed, his hands flashed to my face, caressing my skin before he kissed me, hard, pushing me against the railing.

I gasped as he lifted me up and sat me down on it. He pressed against me in a slow, agonizing grind, already hard beneath the front of his dark jeans. The friction made my toes curl and I moaned into his mouth before he unzipped his pants, releasing himself, and pushed my panties to the side.

Oh god, but it was amazing.

He moved slowly at first, watching me until my eyes turned white and I unleashed my power from the desire coursing through me.

Right after my eyes changed, his did, too.

Then I demanded him to move faster with a thousand voices.

The thousand voices erupted from both of us. Several times over.

By the time we finished, Connor was laying on his back on the bridge while I straddled him, and we both panted from the intensity of our desire. I smiled and collapsed against him, kissing him again.

When I pulled back, he caressed my cheek with his thumb and said, "I love you, Aisling."

"I love you, too," I said and kissed him again.

Before I knew what was happening, he had me on my back and started moving again. His eyes turned white almost immediately after I raked my nails down his back underneath his dark shirt.

An hour later, we finally ate the food we brought with us. We sat together at the edge of the bridge and chewed in silence. Connor's aura was swirling with pink and purple.

"Can I ask you something," I asked as I picked up another carrot.

"Of course," he flashed me a grin.

"Did you know that vampire blood would hurt werewolves?"

"Not really. There's plenty of stories about were-animal bites hurting vampires. Something about their biology makes them incompatible, to an extent. So I figured either a vampire bite, blood, or both also wouldn't agree with them."

When he finished his last bite, the moon crept over the horizon of the trees, barely visible in the cloudy December sky. He closed his eyes, leaned back and tucked his hands behind his head. Then he spoke. "Thank you for this gift," he began.

I knew what he was doing and I smiled. He was binding himself to the moon again.

"It took a long time to get here, but we made it. Aisling has given me an amazing gift. Her heart. She keeps giving and giving. And now that I'm Earthen. I can give back."

He sighed and his aura shifted to red and white. "She's my queen. My life. My reason for living. She might be the queen of us, but she's the queen of my heart. And I'll always follow her. I'll always be grateful for everything you both have given me."

When he finished, he opened his eyes and saw me smiling down at him. "That was just as much for you as it was for the moon," he smiled back up at me.

Snow started to fall a few minutes later, and he closed his eyes. I could feel a tiny bit of magic fill the air as the snowflakes circled us. Danced around us. And I knew immediately what he was doing.

I did something similar in my back yard right after we met the triplets. I smiled watching the snow twirling slowly above us. "You are an amazing creature, Connor," I said, mirroring the words he said to me and looked down at him.

The look in his gaze took my breath away. His deep brown eyes searched mine, telling me everything words couldn't say. "I wanted to tell you how much I loved you when you looked at me like that, with those bits of glowing ashes floating around us."

"That's funny," I said, "because I wanted to do the same thing."

Then he sat up and kissed me, dropping the magic. But he pulled away too soon and I frowned. Grinning, he said, "We need to get going if we're going to make it to Liam's on time." He stood up and helped me to my feet, kissing me one final time. "I think we should get married here."

So many emotions washed over me at once, but happiness was the strongest. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, running my fingers through the softness of his hair, while his arms encircled me. I kissed him gently, taking my time tasting him. I pulled back and a smile spread across my lips. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

The End
Aisling's Journal

Auras

Colors and Emotions

Gray = fear

Green = indecision, anger, envy, guilt, jealousy

Blue = humor (light), sadness (dark)

Black = evil, darkness, hatred

Orange = pride, amazement

Purple = contentment, strength, power, alpha

Red/Pink = desire, love

White = purity, power, hope

Others

**Earthen** \- extremely emotional; uses magic by will, fueled by emotion; when unleashed, eyes change color - red for anger, white for passion/love; capabilities of pre-cognition, _sight_ , _shield_ ; vampiric speed; can heal others; not limited by iron ore; can sense _others_ and humans; infused with the essences of all Earthens from before, represented as whispers, or a thousand voices

**Witches** \- confined by moon magic; may require elements (fire, blood) to cast; chanting required to cast; cannot wield magic by will alone; may have Earthen traits; moon magic cannot penetrate iron ore, or manipulate it in any way; iron ore dampens powers, sometimes completely

Elements:

Fire - catalyst

Blood - binds object to caster

Earth, Air, Water - obsolete; primarily used for agriculture

**Weres** \- not bound by the moon; typically choose human or animal form and remain that way; vulnerable to iron ore; otherwise they heal quickly; cannot infect witches with their bite; vampire blood can heal wounds but it would cause intense pain in the process; they are capable of a partial change

**Pixies** \- tiny people with wings; appear as birds under glamour; live in gardens; cultivate plant life; pixie dust as weapon, dust has magical properties, can affect targets differently for maximum effect

**Vampires** \- two kinds: one turned and one born, changing at the end of puberty, both of which are done through will, not accidental; no aura emitted; eyes flash like a cat's eyes; have fangs; drink blood; killed via decapitation; not vulnerable to iron ore; also not vulnerable to the sun, but are known to prefer the night; blood can heal and reverse effects of magic; werewolf bites are extremely painful, like a temporary poison; they can also eat food; if alive, all injuries can heal or regrow given enough time and nourishment

**Ghouls** \- meat eaters; killed by destroying the heart; were vampires prior to turning; after a vampire's death, Earthen flesh and the sire's blood can create a ghoul

**Night Shades** \- created, not born; lived within dreams and could control the body of the dreamer; alters the experience from within the dreams

**All** _Others_ \- not susceptible to disease; not fertile unless they _want_ to be; territorial over what they consider theirs (such as a mate)

###
Thank You

This book took everyone on an amazing journey. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If you did, please take a moment to leave a review. And read on for an excerpt from _Home_ , the first book of the Earthen Witch World series, which follows Angela's journey.

Always,

Sarah Doughty
About the Author

Sarah Doughty writes were her laptop will follow her, every chance she has. Including into the wee hours of the morning, with her faithful canine companion always next to her or at her feet. Writing is her solace, her passion.

When she's not writing, she spends time with her family, or fueling her addiction as an urban fantasy and paranormal romance-reading junkie.

She lives in Indiana with her husband, son, an aging dog, and psychotic cat. Visit her website at www.sarahdoughty.com.
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Acknowledgments

If not for the support of my friends and family, this novel wouldn't be possible. Not just for their encouragement to continue, but their uncanny ability at offering feedback and catching those pesky typos. To my husband for putting up with my craziness and constant chatter about my characters, but most of all, for his willingness to be my rock and my constant support. I love you. To my biggest fans, beta readers, and friends, for their unwavering guidance and support: May Timani, Mona Riaz, Drishti Punjabi, Shruti Lahiry of arealfacade, Leslie Levy of naschabella, and lovegoddesspoems. To the ever amazing and talented writer-artist extraordinaire, sheswideawake for the amazing cover and her incredible ability to see my vision and bring it to life. Special thanks to Sonny Spencer for offering the correct German translations once again, and for her continued support throughout this entire process. To my mother for being biased but still willing to give me feedback, and for just being Mom. Finally, but certainly not least, YOU, my readers. Thank you for loving every second of this journey with me. There are still more of Connor and Aisling's story to tell, and more characters that deserve their own piece of happiness. I cannot wait to share it all with you.

A special congratulations to the Instagram giveaway winners: Attie of @ataliep33, Márcia "Mah" Lima of @emotionally.inconstant, Liz Lungren of @lizlungren, Indu of @withering_pages, and @_spillingsecrets! Thanks for playing!
Excerpt from Home - Earthen Witch World Novels Book One

### Chapter 1

My entire life was a structured chaos. That was my best explanation for it. Outside, I was organized, careful, and always in control — at least of myself while the rest of the world crumbled around me. It wasn't easy being so closed off, but it was the best way I knew how to protect myself.

Inside, I was a jumble of nerves, a worrywart, and constantly struggled to keep myself in check. And that was harder to maintain as time went on.

But I didn't expect a simple revelation to send my walls crashing down around me, leaving me open and exposed.

It started when I was a sophomore. I met Aisling Green, a freshman, and my new roommate. I wasn't expecting what happened next. My cat, Bugs, crawled into her lap and she made a joke about his loud purr. She was right. I just never realized it before. And our friendship began.

Sure, I cared for her like she was my own flesh and blood. Considering what my family did to me, at least I cared for her like family is _supposed_ to care for each other. She and her grandmother were better family than mine ever was. And even then, I never truly let her in.

I never told her what happened. I didn't want to remember. Though I couldn't explain it, I knew enough to know that, at least in part had something to do with the supernatural world. Despite Aisling being my true family, I kept her out.

When her grandmother died, I promised myself, I would do anything to protect her — even if that meant losing my career, or my life. Up to that point, I stayed true to my word. And I wasn't going to back down from that vow.

It wasn't just that she was alone in the world, like me, but it was the legacy of her family, the part she didn't know about.

Witches.

I wanted to protect her from what she didn't know or understand.

As Nashville's Guardian of Information and resident librarian, I maintained the lore and kept track of anything supernatural that happened around the world.

If anyone really knew what a life as a supernatural, or _other_ , was like, no one would enter it willingly.

When Aisling slipped into that world without either of us knowing, it started a chain reaction. She wasn't just a witch. She was Earthen, the most powerful witch of all. Thought to be extinct for centuries, they were something the supernatural world needed.

After the Earthens died, there was nothing left powerful enough to protect and preserve the supernaturals like they needed, so the world crumbled into a place full of distrust and war. That war needed to end.

It didn't take long for word to spread about what she was, and that put her at the top of many lists to see her killed. Since she was my best friend, I needed protection too. The kind of people that were after her wouldn't hesitate to come after me, if they realized we were friends.

But that wasn't what broke my control.

Liam, a very old and powerful vampire, sent Salvatore as that protection. From what I understood, he was known to take on odd jobs.

At first, that was all it was. An assignment.

Protection.

But it was more than that.

Salvatore was a werewolf, yet he didn't run around on four legs very often. It made him perfectly capable of protecting me. A combination of brutality and strength that would come to his advantage if he needed it. I thought he was taking his assignment very seriously, or maybe Liam kept the werewolf's pockets filled to ensure my safety.

After realizing the dangers around me, my best friend used her magic to create an amulet that would allow me to see auras — the little glow of color that surrounded anything supernatural or _other_. The only exception to that rule was vampires. As a Guardian — Aisling's Guardian — I needed to tell the difference between human and _other_ so I could protect her. And myself.

It took me over a week to figure out what all the colors meant.

My best friend's fiancé and witch, Connor kissed her and their auras lit up with red, the color for desire.

With as brightly as they were glowing, it hit me like a punch to the gut. Up until that moment, I didn't know what red meant. And I saw it often. But not just on them.

I damn near choked on my sandwich as I let that information sink in. My werewolf protector wanted me. It wasn't that I was a prude, quite the contrary. I was a hot blooded woman. And Salvatore was the definition of sexy.

I might have been the town's Guardian of Information, but I didn't have all the information. Desire wasn't the only thing red could mean.

It could also mean love.

And pink was just a precursor to red.

Knowing how much Salvatore wanted me, whether it was just lust or more, it was enough to set me on edge.

But because Connor liked to tease people, he didn't stop there. _We have more strength and endurance than humans. Salvatore is also a dominant wolf. He'd be an alpha if he had a pack.... Combine that with our ability to regenerate, not carry disease,_ and _not be fertile unless we want to be, you're in for a wild ride. Lots of them._

I didn't choke, but I did drop my sandwich.

If I had an aura, it would have exploded in red.

It wasn't Connor that turned me on — that would be weird. It was _knowing_ what could happen with Salvatore. And that sent me crumbling.

Everyone knew how I felt about Aisling, but it took a lot of courage to ask Connor to keep an eye on Salvatore when they went off to fight a demon later that day in a town called Hoopeston a few hours away. I was a wreck while they were gone.

The next morning, they returned. I greeted my best friend and caught the faint scent of blood on her. As I commented on it, the werewolf stepped off the bus. I didn't think. I just moved into his arms, letting my friends know, including him, that I cared.

Damn you, Connor.

But the damage was done, and their battle was over. Mine was only beginning.

While I drove the two of us back to my house not long after, it was Salvatore that broke the silence. "Are you going to tell me what's going on, Angela?" He smelled like blood. Lots of blood.

When I didn't answer, he said, "You smelled blood on Aisling. She was clean enough that you shouldn't have smelled it."

I shrugged, not looking away from the road. "So I have a sensitive nose."

"No. You would have smelled blood on me before. Something's different."

"I don't know what to tell you."

He turned in his seat. "That's not the only thing that's different."

Salvatore was six and a half feet tall and built for battle. With skin that was deeply tanned, light brown curly hair that was cut just long enough to look sexy and disheveled, and a beard cut short but a little too long to be stubble, it was distracting enough. His muscles bulged against his stiff, bloodied black shirt, his jeans hugged him in all the right places, and his hazel eyes were burning the side of my face.

I was nearly a foot and a half shorter than the werewolf sitting next to me. I wasn't thin, but my figure was curvy enough to give me an hourglass shape. With my dark skin, dark eyes, and unsurprising dark and curly hair that fell just past the top of my shoulders, it made me look weak and feminine around him.

And I both liked and hated that.

"Okay, what else is there?"

"For one, you know things. Like you know when Aisling is listening on the phone, even though she doesn't make a sound. How do you know that?"

I shrugged.

He growled.

"I'm not hiding anything from you, okay?" I glared at him for a moment before turning back to the road.

That's right. Give in to the anger, Angela.

"I don't know what's going on, either. Sometimes I just know things, and apparently my nose is sharper than it was before. Other than that, I have no clue what's going on."

I refused to look at him as his aura shifted from a contented purple to a deep pink that was rapidly changing to red.

By the time I pulled into my driveway, I was a wreck. Part of me wanted to fling myself on Salvatore's lap. The other part, the rational part, wanted me to run.

I picked the latter, knowing I was giving myself away in more ways than one. His sense of smell was far more heightened than my enhanced nose, and I could tell he smelled my desire, because I was starting to smell it. It was like an exotic spice mixed with musk.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him grin at me as I shoved the car in park, pulled the parking break, and pulled out the key.

Scrambling out of the car as fast as I could, I realized, too late, as I started running for the door, that werewolves chased anything that ran from them.

### Chapter 2

Before I had a chance to put the key in the front door, Salvatore was behind me. The scent of blood filled my nose and I froze.

"Angela Williams, why are you running from me?" he growled.

My knees nearly buckled under the sound of his voice, traveling down my spine like a stream of hot water. "I'm not running from you," I replied.

Fuck.

Why did my voice have to sound raspy like I was begging for sex? Maybe that was because I was. Damn it. Damn _him_.

"Then why are you running? Why are you breathing so hard?"

I dropped my keys and knelt down to pick them up, trying to calm my breathing. When I stood up, I flinched. He was right beside me. His hot breath hit my cheek as he leaned toward me. I turned to face him, and squared my shoulders. My eyes met his and his red aura darkened. "Tell your wolf to calm down," I evaded.

He took a step forward and I took a step back, nearly falling over a pot of desiccated mums. His arm shot out and caught me before I fell and then he pushed me against the house in the next instant.

His arms were pressed on either side of my shoulders, surrounding me. "I'm trying," he breathed and closed his eyes.

I reached up and touched Salvatore's cheek for the first time. The hairs of his short, honey brown beard tickled against my palm as his eyes opened and bored into mine.

Forcing myself to keep my hands from running through his curly hair, or doing something else equally stupid, like kissing him, I just stared into his eyes.

My heart was hammering in my chest so loud, I was sure he could hear it. "I forgot about your instincts. I'm sorry."

Before I realized what I was doing, my gaze dropped to his mouth and I licked my lips.

Three things happened at once. His aura darkened to a deep pulsating red, his eyes watched the movement, and he growled at me.

Damn.

His aura was red, but I was behaving like prey. So I didn't know if he wanted to have sex with me or if he wanted to eat me. I hoped for the former and tried to figure out what to do.

I was enticing the wolf, not calming him.

But did I really want him calm?

Yes. Yes I did.

So, I did the only thing I could think of to break his fixation on me. I dropped my hand from his face and wrapped my arms around his waist. I let the fear and worry that I carried for days wash over me, blanketing the desire rushing through my veins like fire.

Burying my face into his dark shirt, I breathed him in, smelling mostly blood, and then I rested my cheek on his chest, just over his heart. His pulse was fast like mine, but it was slowing.

His arms wrapped around me a moment later and he dipped his head to smell my hair. But he didn't say anything else. He held me as we both calmed down.

After some time, he finally released me and took my keys to open the door for me. We stepped inside and I looked around. The space was the same as always. Simple furnishings that didn't allow for clutter. I didn't have a television, but it didn't matter. I read. It was what I loved.

White built-in bookshelves flanked the fireplace to our left and a small conversation area was in front of it, with yet another bookshelf in the small hallway that led to the bathroom, bedrooms, and kitchen.

Bugs sauntered up to us as Salvatore shut the door behind me. The gray feline was sashaying his hips as he padded toward us, green eyes watching me as he moved. "Meh," he said in a half meow.

"Hi, buddy," I said and bent to scoop him up. But as soon as my fingers touched his fur, I lost control over my body.

The cat jumped out of the way before I fell on top of him. Salvatore moved to my side and was on his knees an instant later. He brushed my hair out of my face.

I couldn't talk. I couldn't move, but I was still conscious.

What the hell is happening to me?

"Angela?" Salvatore asked as he checked me over.

I could only see him out of my peripheral vision, because my eyes wouldn't cooperate either. They were focused ahead of me, where Bugs sat, whipping his tail around, watching me with intelligent eyes.

Salvatore's aura shifted to gray, the color for fear, as I continued to lay there, frozen. My mind was fully functional, so why couldn't I move?

"I can smell your fear."

Bugs's eyes remained locked with mine and I had just enough time to see him take a few steps forward. He shoved his head into my hand before my mind went blank and everything went black....

###
