Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
It looked like Fen had already taken out a couple of the witches. There were a few bodies in the living room and a shit ton of blood Eddie was going to spend days cleaning. Maybe Tix had some tips on how to get witch blood out of Victorian era rugs.
“You should go back through those paintings again before he breaks down that wall of yours.” I didn’t want to let her go, but I did want to keep the body count down.
A snarl brought Liv’s lip up. “Do you think I’m doing this for me? I rather thought I was being a good friend and not killing your son. But hey, I like to do what you want.”
She brought her hand up and suddenly there was a popping sound and Fen was through. He charged toward the dining room, his mouth coming open and fangs showing.
“Make him hurt, ladies,” Liv ordered.
Fen was in mid leap when they caught him. Three witches had managed to triangulate around him, and their magic trapped him midair, making his body twist in obvious agony.
My heart damn near stopped. She was trying to hurt my baby. My best friend was trying to hurt my son.
“We can kill him, my lady,” one of the witches proclaimed.
“No, not yet,” Liv said quickly. “I think we’ll take him with us. I’m sure the master would be interested in him.”
Fen’s jaw was open, caught in a soundless scream.
I raised my sword, ready to kill them all. I held Gladys at the perfect height to skewer the nearest one right through the heart.
And that was when I realized I was stuck. I couldn’t move. I could barely breathe. My son was being tortured right in front of me. He was trapped in a bubble of pain, and none of his strength could help him. He was the king of his kind, but three witches could take his life so easily.
I was a Hunter, but I couldn’t fucking save my own son.
“I’m not going to kill him.” Liv had moved in behind me, whispering in my ear. “I’ll find a way to let him get away, but not until you agree to come with me. And tell me where the princess is. Thanks for bringing the sword, by the way. I wasn’t counting on that. I thought I would give my master a third of what he needed, but now I get to hand him his dream on a silver platter.”
“Fuck you,” I managed to grit between clenched jaws.
I could feel her hands on my shoulders. “Don’t be so stubborn. You’ll see when I get you back to the Coven House. You’ll see how good it can be. We’ll be a family again. You have to see that you can’t win. We have all the magic of the Hell plane in our corner.”
An arrow flew by my eyes, thudding and landing right in the heart of the witch to my left. Her hand came up, but she was already falling to the ground. Well, at least I knew what Evan had been doing. She’d been going for the weapons she’d been forbidden to bring.
I was so happy that kid was a rebel.
The spell holding Fenrir up failed and he hit the floor, turning immediately and howling.
Another arrow went flying, taking out a second witch, but chaos had already begun.
Liv headed toward Fenrir, her hands out.
I still couldn’t move. The spell still had me, and I couldn’t counter it. I felt tears pierce my eyes because I knew the reason. I’d neglected learning any kind of magic because until a week ago, I’d never needed it. She’d been there. I’d counted on Liv. I’d had my team behind me and I trusted every one of them with all of my soul, and now she was the reason I couldn’t save my son.
“We need reinforcements,” Liv shouted as she somehow managed to blow Fen back. I watched as his massive body slammed into the wall behind him. “And someone catch that princess or heads are going to roll.”
An arrow shot straight for Liv but she held out a hand and it bounced off some invisible shield. She hadn’t even looked back, couldn’t have seen it coming, but Liv had known. Evan tried again but with the same results.
A swooshing sound marked the appearance of even more witches. They climbed out of the paintings, legs sliding through first and then the sleek glide of arms, pulling themselves through. Gladys pulsed in my hand, insistent and wanting. She wanted in this fight, wanted to unleash the energy she had stored up, and I’d made her impotent. It was the first time I’d felt her anger.
We had the power to wipe them all from the Earth plane, and we would use their master’s magic to do it. She loved the delicious irony of it all. I could feel all those emotions flowing through me. Something had changed. She’d taken in Myrddin’s blood and somehow converted a portion of it to give her more power, more communication with the woman who wielded her. Me.