Page 37

CHAPTER 37

E lora studied the assortment of humans and paranormals who had gathered in Jonah’s living room.

“Bren, you shouldn’t have called them,” she said.

Bren ignored her, instead focusing on the wolf shifter and the grizzly bear shifter standing beside him. “How many people can you spare?”

The grizzly shifter, an enormous man named Bishop who co-owned the security company with Mal, the wolf shifter, and Kat, a jaguar shifter, scratched thoughtfully at his dark beard. “At least half a dozen, maybe more.”

“Ronin and Tori have already volunteered.” Kat joined them. “We can bring in Hudson and Briggs as well. With the three of us, that’ll be seven.”

Jonah took Elora’s hand. She squeezed his hand as he said, “Elora and I are the only ones going.”

“Like fucking hell you are,” Bren snapped. He turned back to the shifters. “With me and Cece, that’ll bring us up to nine.”

“Ten,” Kaida said. “I’m going as well.”

Bren turned to her. “No, Kaida. You’re pregnant.”

Smoke drifted from her nose. “I am aware, my mate. But if you think I will allow you to face a dark witch without me by your side, you’re being naive.”

“You’re not going,” Bren said.

More smoke drifted from Kaida’s nose, and she made a low growl.

“Hey, Bren?” Ronin spoke from where he leaned against one wall. “You might want to think twice about pissing off a dragon, even if she is your mate. Pretty sure she’s about to turn you into a shish kabob, buddy.”

“Kaida isn’t going,” Elora said.

“Thank you,” Bren said, giving her a grim smile.

“You’re not going either,” Elora said.

“This is not up for discussion,” Bren said. “No one in this room is letting the two of you face a dark witch alone.”

“If you don’t,” Elora said calmly, “Jonah’s brother will die.”

“I’m not talking about us marching up there like some fucking army,” Bren retorted. “We’ll be smart about it, okay? She’ll believe it’s just the two of you.”

Elora let go of Jonah’s hand and walked to Bren. She took his hand, squeezing it lightly. “It isn’t just about that, Bren. This witch is incredibly powerful, and none of you can defeat her. I’ll waste too much magic trying to protect all of you from her with barrier or protection spells. You’ll be a liability, not an asset.”

“She’s powerful,” Bren said. “Which is exactly why you need us. Cece can do the barrier skills while you -”

“Cece isn’t going either,” Elora said.

Bren stared at Cece, who was sitting on the couch beside Nimera, looking like she might burst into tears. Before she could say anything, Elora said, “She knows it needs to be just Jonah and me.”

“This is such fucking bullshit,” Bren snapped.

“Agreed,” Kaida said. “I am going, Elora.”

Elora smiled at her. “I love you, Kaida, but it isn’t just you and the baby you’ll be putting in danger. If you do anything to her and it’s discovered, your entire clan will suffer. The world won’t care that she’s a witch or what she’s done. All they’ll see is a dragon who burned a human. It’ll start a war.”

Kaida looked sick to her stomach, and Elora said gently, “You know that I am right, Kaida. You can’t help us, no matter how much you want to.”

She took a deep breath as Jonah moved to her side and took her hand again. She studied the people in the room, feeling a rush of affection and appreciation for all of them.

“Jonah and I appreciate all of you and your willingness to risk your lives for us. But we won’t accept your help, not when you most likely won’t survive the fight. I know you’re shifters, and you’re powerful, but you cannot win against magic.”

She studied their faces, watching the resignation wash over each shifter’s face.

“Ronin can’t die,” Bren said, desperation in his voice. “At least take him with you.”

“Do you know for certain that magic can’t kill you?” Elora asked Ronin.

Ronin hesitated before shaking his head. Bren ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. “He has been shot in the head, Elora, and come back to life.”

“Magic is different,” Elora said. “It could kill him, Bren.”

She glanced at her watch before taking a deep breath. “We have to go.”

“No,” Bren said. He glanced at Kaida before stepping closer to Elora. “I’m sorry, Elora, but I am not letting you and Jonah do this alone. I’m going with you, and you can’t stop me.”

Her bottom lip trembling, Elora pulled Bren into a tight hug. She leaned back and stared up at him, blinking back the tears. “I love you, Bren.”

He smiled at her with relief. “I love you too, Elora.”

She swiped at the tears on her face before placing her hand on his chest. “I’m sorry.”

She spoke an incantation, her voice barely audible in the room.

Bren frowned. “What are you -”

“By my power, flame and flower, I bind you to your one true love,” Elora said.

The magic surged within her, and her hand pressing against Bren’s chest glowed bright blue.

Bren sucked in a harsh breath, taking a step back and staring at his chest. “What did you do?”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, taking Jonah’s hand before studying the others in the room, her gaze lingering on Cece’s face before returning to Bren’s. “We’ll see you soon.”

She and Jonah started toward the foyer, and Bren went after them. He grunted with surprise when his body stopped abruptly. He stared at Elora. “What did you do to me?”

“I’ve bound you to your true love,” she said.

Bren turned to stare at Kaida, who crossed the room and took his hand.

“You won’t be able to get more than five feet from her,” Elora said. “But the spell won’t last more than a day, Bren.”

“You used your magic on me,” he said, his face slack with shock.

“I had no choice,” she said. “I love you, buddy.”

Her stomach churning, she stared up at Jonah. “Ready?”

He nodded, and they left the room without looking back.

* * *

Holding Elora’s hand, Jonah skirted around a fallen log, his boots kicking up little puffs of snow with every step. The snow was calf deep, and he could feel the wetness sinking into his pants. Elora’s cheeks were red with the cold, and he squeezed her gloved hand. “We’re almost there. The old mill is just around the river’s bend.”

She studied the river to the left of them. A wide blue ribbon winding through the forest, the current was too strong and fast for it to freeze completely, but chunks of ice floated across the top of it. It stole Jonah’s heat just looking at it, like an icy caress across his flesh.

Elora stopped and turned toward him. “It’s time. Unzip your jacket.”

He unzipped his jacket, his skin prickling as the cold seeped into his t-shirt. Elora tugged off her glove, pressing her hand against his chest.

He covered her hand with his own. “Maybe you shouldn’t do this.”

She frowned at him. “You are not fighting Malencia without a protection spell, Jonah.”

He laughed bitterly. “We both know that I won’t be doing jack shit today. I can’t shift, remember?”

He’d tried multiple times this morning, tried until sweat drenched him and his body shook, but it was useless.

“If you think you won’t be fighting, why did you bring weapons?” Elora tugged his jacket open, staring at the two knives strapped to the inner lining before studying the gun around his hip. He also had a blade strapped to one leg, but even as he’d gathered his weapons earlier, he wasn’t entirely sure why he’d bothered.

“Old habits,” he said. “You’ll need every bit of your magic. You shouldn’t waste any of it on a protection spell.”

“Keeping the man I love safe is not a waste of my magic,” she said before resting her hand on his chest again.

She closed her eyes and spoke an incantation, her voice rising and falling as blue light pulsed in her hands. Her eyes blinked open, and she stared directly at him. Her voice deepened, and he stared in fascination at how her eyes seemed to glow as she said, “By my power, flame and flower, protect my love from danger, fear, and harm.”

A flash of heat sank into his chest, gone as quickly as it appeared. The light in Elora’s hands faded, and she smiled at him. “See? Easy peasy.”

He pressed a kiss against her cold mouth. “Thank you, baby.”

“The spell is in place, but try not to be hit by her magic, okay? Each blast of her magic will weaken it, and while it’ll stop her from outright killing you, it’ll still hurt like hell, and eventually, she’ll weaken it enough to harm you.”

He nodded, and she slipped on her glove before taking his hand. “Ready?”

No, he was not even remotely fucking ready, but what choice did he have? His heart hammering in his chest and his fear for Elora and Caleb nearly crushing him, he led Elora toward the mill.

They rounded the bend, the rushing river water the only sound in the forest. He strained to hear any indication of life and came up empty. No birds sang, and the eerie emptiness and silence only intensified the bad fucking feeling that he, Elora, and Caleb would die among the trees today.

The old mill rose in front of them, a relic of a time long since gone. A silent, empty building with broken windows and boards weathered grey with age. The snow covered water wheel stood quiet and still, its thick wooden spokes broken and jagged.

Elora, looking small and fragile in the cold silence, stiffened beside him. He followed her gaze, his stomach dropping and fear clawing at his chest when he saw his brother floating in the air beside a large pine tree, his body gently twisting and turning. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his eyes were closed.

“Caleb!” He started forward but was stopped by Elora’s surprisingly firm grip.

“He’s okay, honey. She has him in a trance.”

She studied the clearing around the mill before raising her voice. “We’re here, Malencia. Show yourself.”

The dark witch laughed, a cackling trill that made the hair on the back of Jonah’s neck rise. He and Elora watched as she stepped out from the trees. She wore a blood-red cloak, and her long silver hair was in an elaborate updo.

She studied Elora, her head cocked to the side as Elora removed her gloves and said, “Return Caleb to us, and I will let you walk away, Malencia.”

A grin crossed Malencia’s face. She glanced at Caleb before reaching out and pushing on him. He spun in the air, and Malencia laughed in amusement. Jonah reached inside his jacket, anger infusing his body. He gripped a knife handle and, with a quick and deadly movement, pulled the knife free and let it fly. It should have hit Malencia dead center in the chest, but instead, it hovered inches from her body before dropping to disappear in the snow at her feet.

Malencia grinned at him. “Did you really think it would be that easy, shapeshifter?”

She suddenly thrust out her hands, and a beam of yellow light shot toward them. Jonah grabbed Elora, diving to the left and cushioning her body with his as they landed in the cold snow.

Elora was on her feet in a flash, speaking an incantation and pointing her hands at Caleb. Jonah jumped to his feet as Caleb’s floating body was pulled toward them like he was on an invisible tether. He shot past Elora and hovered a few feet behind her and Jonah.

“If you don’t want to die today, you should leave, Malencia,” Elora said.

Malencia squealed more shrill laughter. “You wretched little shrew. You have no idea who you’re dealing with. You think your puny magic can defeat mine?”

“I think you’re a second-rate witch whose own daughter abandoned her because she knows what a fucking loser you are,” Elora taunted.

“Oh shit,” Jonah said as Malencia’s gaze widened, and her body trembled wildly.

She opened her mouth and shrieked, a sound of pure rage that echoed in the forest and sent fear slithering along Jonah’s spine.

“I’ll kill you, you little bitch!” Malencia screeched at Elora.

Elora raised her glowing hands. “Not if I kill you first.”