Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Benjamin reeled back and punched Pandora in the face.
Blood oozed down her chin as she bent over and laughed. “Oh, I’ve missed you, Ben…”
Ben shook his hand and winced.
Aengus snapped his fingers, and a green and blue flame erupted from his palm. He slammed the flame into her chest, and she stumbled backward, eyes losing focus.
“Okay, I was being nice. Now I’m pissed!” she roared.
She held out both hands at her sides, storm clouds started forming overhead.
“This is bad.” Next to me, Sarah whimpered. “What is she?”
“Dead,” Benjamin snapped. “She’s going to be dead!”
“What about Malcom?” cried Sarah in terror.
Aengus threw another flame at Pandora. She let out a shriek as kids and tourists started running toward the parking lot.
“We have to get Malcom!” I screamed above the wind as it whipped my hair across my face.
“Split up!” Aengus roared. “We’ll stay and fight the evil bitch. You guys go get Malcom! Hurry!”
A shriek erupted from the witch as lightning struck the field right in front of us, one of the tents erupted in flame.
“Ben!” Tears streamed down my cheeks.
Indecision washed over his face as he pulled me in for a quick kiss. “Use what magic you have, and I’ll be right there. I swear it!”
“But what about you?” My teeth chattered.
His smile was sad. “I’m still a Fae.”
He squeezed his eyes shut and reached for Aengus, who placed a hand on his back, and then he was back to my Benjamin.
Emerald hair and amber eyes glowing. “Thanks, brother.”
“Anytime.” He grinned. “You ready to battle?”
“Yes.” He looked back at me one last time. “Go!”
“I LOVE YOU!” I shouted. The wind seemed to dampen the roar of my own voice.
“I love you too!” He blew me a kiss, and then both Spring Fae raised a human-sized blue flame between them and lit the witch on fire, despite the rain pouring from her hands.
One hand fell to her side, the other still lifted high in the air.
Sarah and I started to run, and I nearly collided with Hath.
She winked. “They’ve got this. And they have Montu.”
The huge stalking figure started stomping toward the group of them. One minute he was human; the next, he shook his body and turned into a fucking werewolf, one of the biggest I’d ever seen.
She sighed. “That’s my baby. Go get ’em, Montu!” She sighed. “Full moon week. He’s strong. Plus, the witch hates dogs, more of a cat person, clearly.” She snorted. “All right, let’s go save Malcom.”
“It’s almost like you knew this was going to happen,” I said through clenched teeth as we ran down the street and into the clearing of the forest. Thankfully, we weren’t at Benjamin’s house, which meant we were closer to the care center.
Hath said nothing, just gave me a knowing smile. “Remember who you are, Luna.”
I had no idea what to say to that.
I knew who I was.
I was a mother.
I was a friend.
I was a lover.
I was a Fae.
And I was cursed.
“I’m freaking out. And I think I’m going to puke.” Sarah’s voice shook over the pounding of our running footsteps as we continued racing through the forest. “I always knew this town was weird, but not that weird, I’m going to focus on Malcom now, but when this is over, I’m going to have a nervous breakdown.”
“Always time for one of those,” Hath called breezily.
We ducked behind a fallen tree.
The care center didn’t have anyone guarding it.
But there was a blue and white sort of magic encircling the small building.
I recognized that magic.
It was mine.
And Benjamin’s.
“Hath, what happens if I siphon some of that magic?”
A shadow crossed her face. “Trust me. Don’t.”
“This has happened before, hasn’t it?” I nearly choked on my next breath. “Don’t lie to me.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Details change each time, but you always end up here.”
I took a deep breath and stared at the building. I would have used magic before. I frowned.
I always had my memories back at this point.
So, I would have used magic every time.
I needed to think like myself, like the woman who fled darkness and stumbled into her own dark fairy tale of doom.
I was cursed, after all. Maybe there wasn’t a happy ending.
Only a happy for now.
Sacrifices, after all, always needed to be made.
“You have to hurry,” Hath whispered. “I’ll stay with Sarah.”
“You aren’t coming with me?”
“It’s not my battle, nor is it hers.” She wrapped an arm around Sarah. “Be well, Luna… and remember who you are.”
I stood then, like the Fae princess I was, unafraid of the darkness of night or the heat of the day.
Unafraid of any enemy that might take me down.
Hadn’t I survived the brutal murders of everyone I loved?
For centuries, hadn’t I fought? Broken and bloody, I’d fought to find my soul mate in each life, followed by the next.
Each step took me closer, and a sense of peace washed over me as I slowly went up the steps and opened the door, letting myself in.