Page 14

B lue and green lights shimmered around me and I knew I was safe in Emmet’s arms the second I could breathe again.

But before that, when everything had gone all dark and misty, and I couldn’t breathe or blink or move, I admit, I panicked.

It was a little while before he came racing to my side like a dark avenging angel— but no, not an angel, a Demon, my Demon —in midnight fur with emerald fire in his eyes, and it was then my worst fears revealed themselves.

See, I had only just found him, and I didn’t want to leave him so soon. It was way too soon for this kind of emotion, but I was almost one hundred percent positive I was in love with the sexy Wolf Shifter.

I wanted to lash out against the cruel universe for showing me what it meant to find someone like him only to take him away in a heartbeat. But those shades surrounded me and started doing whatever they were doing, and well, I thought it was all over.

Everything.

My one chance at happiness.

My future.

My very life.

I didn’t know what was happening to me before it was almost too late. One minute, I was running outside to chase some birds off the last of my herb garden and the next, I was surrounded.

Shades seemed to come at me from every direction, and they were pissed. Angry apparitions were a force to be reckoned with, and while I typically stayed ahead of that sort of behavior by taking care of the most persistent if and when I could, I admit, I’d been lax as of late.

Thoughts of Emmet had swirled in my panicked brain and when I saw Demon coming for me, I swear my heart damn near imploded with love for the man and the Wolf he harbored inside of him.

I would have cried in relief if I could have moved.

“I got you,” Emmet growled in my ear as he swapped fur for skin and lifted me off the cold ground.

I made a pitiful sound, wanting to speak to him, to hold him, but I was still in the grips of whatever this was. I couldn’t even lift my arms.

“Shhh. It’s gonna be okay,” he told me, and I could hear the conviction in his voice.

“Emmet!” another voice shouted his name, and Emmet turned to look at someone over his shoulder.

“Move over, Jed. She needs help!” Emmet barked and ran with me in his arms.

He was stark naked, but didn’t seem to care as he placed me in the middle seat of his truck and the other man, Jed, climbed into the back of the double cab.

“Is Miss Jezebel gonna be okay?” the man asked, and I recognized his voice as belonging to Jed.

But Emmet didn’t answer, and I didn’t know what that meant. Panic made my pulse race, but it settled slightly when I felt him buckle me.

I couldn’t even lift my head. I was in my own seat, but he pulled me to him, and I shivered as I leaned against his big, warm body.

It was cold. So very cold. My legs felt numb and my arms, too. Emmet was shaking with the force of Demon’s growl and the air felt heavy inside the truck.

“I got you, Angel. You’re gonna be fine,” he murmured.

I wondered why he was so panicked. I mean, he saved me, didn’t he?

Weariness washed over me, and I felt as if I could no longer stay conscious. I was completely shattered.

Exhausted. Dead on my feet.

I shuddered at the sentiment and fought to stay awake. I wasn’t in the mood to die today. Not when I had such a damn good reason to live.

“Hold on, Angel. Just hold on,” Emmet said, and I felt his body shift as he pressed harder on the gas pedal.

The truck swerved as he avoided potholes and turned down back roads where he really stepped on it. My body felt so heavy, but it was his arm around me that kept me in place, making sure I didn’t tumble onto the rubber mats on the floor.

He slammed on the brake and leaned over, undoing my buckle. Big, warm hands clamped onto my skin. Emmet’s breathing was heavy, and I wanted to tell him to slow down, I was fine. But no words would come out and I still couldn’t open my eyes.

“HELP! SHE NEEDS HELP! MAX! PENELOPE!” Emmet yelled, pulling me gently out of the truck and jogging with me in his arms.

Something was seriously wrong, but I couldn’t move or speak and now that my eyes were closed, I couldn’t see either.

“What happened?” a voice I recognized as Mrs. O’Hare’s, Penelope and Max’s housekeeper, asked.

“Shades. They surrounded her. I was too fucking late,” Emmet snapped and the anguish in his voice was tearing me apart.

I wanted to reassure him. He wasn’t too late. He got to me in time.

“Lay her down here,” Mrs. O’Hare instructed.

“Emmet? Fuck,” Max said, and I assumed he entered whatever room I was in.

Emmet placed me down on something hard and flat and I felt hands on me. These were cold, thin, impersonal hands.

I frowned, not wanting someone else to touch me, but I could hardly stop them. Besides, if Emmet was allowing it, it must be someone who could help. They were probably checking for whatever injury had rendered me temporarily paralyzed or whatever this was.

“How long has she been like this?” a woman’s voice asked.

“I don’t know. Has to be maybe twenty minutes or more since I texted her and she responded last,” Emmet replied.

He sounded stressed, and I felt so bad. I hated that he was hurting, and that I was the cause. Exhaustion seeped through my veins, and I felt my consciousness slipping.

“Oh my God, Jez?!”

I recognized Penny then.

“What happened?” a man, Max I think, said.

“She was in the yard. Shades surrounding her,” Emmet growled, Demon was present in his voice.

“Shades? Ghosts, you mean,” the other woman, who I deduced must be Mrs. O’Hare replied. “She’s special then, your mate.”

“She’s special to me regardless,” Emmet said.

“I see. She appears to be drained, but I believe she will live. I’m going to prepare a tonic and you will help her drink it, understand?”

“Anything. I will do anything for her.”

“Good. Even White magic requires sacrifice to work. Give me something of yours for the tonic,” the woman said.

I wanted to argue to tell Emmet he already gave me too much, but of course, it was impossible for me to argue.

“Give me that bowl,” Emmet growled, and that’s when I lost the fight to stay awake.