Page 56

I turn instinctively, my gaze locking on Octavia.

Her dark violet eyes, now practically black, meet mine.

She tilts her head, a sinister smile creeping across her face, and I can feel the weight of her gaze as she senses my presence.

Panic surges through me, and I reach into my pocket, grasping Adonis’ necklace tightly.

Memories flood my mind, mingled with despair and determination, as I shut my eyes, willing myself back to the safety of Dax and Killian.

In a miraculous instant, when I open my eyes, I find myself in Killian’s arms. Dax, Amelia, Jules, and Carter stand there watching.

Relief washes over me momentarily, but it is swiftly replaced by urgency. Killian’s warm and familiar grip anchors me.

“Octavia! She is killing everyone!” I exclaim, the words tumbling out as I push away from Killian, my mind racing to gather my thoughts. “We have to go!” I take a deep breath, collecting myself, ready to face the darkness threatening to consume us all.

Carter looks at me curiously.

“I saw her. Just now! We have to go help everyone!”

Carter takes a few steps closer, “I know, Dani. I just got the call that I’m needed. I have to go.” Each word carries the weight of responsibility, but I can see the flicker of hesitation beneath his resolve.

I move forward, closing the distance, and wrap my arms around him tightly, feeling the warmth of his body against mine.

He leans down to kiss the top of my head, an intimate gesture that ignites a storm of emotions within me.

“You mean everything to me, Dani. I know that… They are your mates, and I’m so happy for you, I really am. I just want you to know that…”

I pull back, searching his brown eyes. “You can’t go, Carter.

I… I had a vision of you. I was holding you as the wo rld around us erupted in flames, chaos consuming everything.

If you go there, you will die… and I can’t let that happen.

” My voice trembles, each word a desperate plea to change the fate I fear awaits him.

I look over at Dax and Killian. They seem to know what I’m about to ask.

Dax takes a few steps toward me, grabs my jaw lightly, and kisses me. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling his body closer to mine. “I love you, little dove. We will be quick,” Dax says. His amber eyes soothing my worry.

I turn to Killian, and he pulls me to his chest, and I lean up and kiss him deeply. “I love you, sunshine, so much. We will be right back.”

I nod my head up and down. Before I can tell Killian and Dax how much I love them, their shadows wrap them up, and they disappear.

“Guess I’ll have to get used to that,” Carter jokes.

Suddenly, Adonis appears in front of us. Worry is etched across his face like I’ve never seen before.

“Dani!” He screams.

He is covered in blood and dirt.

With just a few swift strides, Adonis captures my face in his hands and presses his lips against mine with an urgency that sends a thrill coursing through me. He kisses with the intensity of someone experiencing this moment for the first time.

His fingers cradle my jaw, guiding me as his tongue slips past my lips, igniting a wildfire of emotion within me. My heart swells with an overwhelming mix of love and bliss as our lips dance together, lost in a fiery embrace.

Adonis pulls back, his breath shaky, and tears spill down his cheeks.

He pulls me into the warmth of his chest, wrapping tightly around me as if trying to shield me from the world’s chaos.

His hands tremble as they weave through my hair, inhaling my familiar scent.

“I’m so sorry, Dani. I’m so fucking sorry!

I didn’t mean any of it! Gods...” His voice is laced with desperation as he pulls back to examine me.

“I’m fine; Killian and Dax healed me,” I assure him, my fingers gliding over the contours of his chest before moving up to cup his face.

His blue eyes, usually so vibrant, are clouded with worry, creating an ache in my heart for the torment he’s feeling.

“How could you do that to her? You sick son of a bitch!” Carter’s voice breaks our connection. Adonis looks at Carter, but not with anger. His expression is filled with sorrow. Carter continues, stepping closer. “You let Octavia stab her! Dani could have died!”

Before Carter can throw a punch, Killian and Dax suddenly reappear. They are breathless, bloodied, and covered in soot and dirt.

My eyes go wide. They were only gone for a few minutes.

Killian grabs Adonis by the shirt and punches him in the face. “You selfish fucking bastard!” He throws another punch, and Adonis takes it, never taking his eyes off me.

“Stop!” I shout. Carter grabs my elbow, pulling me away from Adonis and Killian.

Dax runs full speed, tackles Adonis to the ground, and hits him repeatedly. “You fucking dick!” His voice booms through the house.

I scream, “Stop! Stop it!” I try to get out of Carter’s grip, but he tightens his hold. “Let me go!” I yell at him.

“No!” Carter says back to me. “Let them, Dani. Let them punch him. He fucking deserves it!”

I glare at Carter, but the house shakes before I can say something hurtful to him. Dax pauses his assault but still sits on top of Adonis. Killian walks over to me and grabs me from Carter.

Amelia’s voice pierces the tense air, rising above the chaos, “STOP!” Instantly, every movement halts. “That’s enough, Dax. Adonis will carry the weight of his actions for the rest of his days. This stops now. ”

Dax reluctantly peels himself away from Adonis, and he extends a hand to help him rise.

“It’s true, what Dani said…” Killian’s voice trembles, a shadow of sorrow hanging over him.

Adonis steps towards me, his sturdy arm encircling my waist, providing a comforting anchor; I lean into him.

“The town… it’s gone. Octavia obliterated the buildings.

She… she took countless lives,” Killian murmurs, his tone heavy with grief as he glances around at everyone.

“What… what happened?” Jules asks, her fingers intertwining with Amelia’s in a silent show of solidarity.

Adonis, face smeared with dried blood from his nose, says with a grim gravity.

“She’s siphoning people’s souls, growing stronger with each one.

Dark magic fuels her, summoning waves of shadowmires that devour the fallen…

She knew I was deceiving her,” he divulges, his gaze darkening as it falls on Amelia.

“That’s why I came—we had a plan. It worked momentarily, but she caught on the second we set foot in the town, and I tried to intervene… ”

“The town… it’s… truly gone?” I ask, disbelief etching my features.

“Yes,” Dax answers sharply, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.

“Your vision was more than just a glimpse into the future, Dani. You witnessed the horror unfolding in real-time. There wasn’t much we could accomplish…

We managed to slay a few of the shadowmires, but they were overwhelming.

Our focus was to save as many lives as possible.

” Dax let out a long, weary sigh, the burden of their failure evident in his eyes.

“You had a vision?” Adonis inquires, his deep voice tinged with curiosity as he leans forward, his intense gaze locking onto mine. I nod slowly, a feeling of anticipation swirling within me.

“Dani is starting to awaken some latent power,” Amelia interjects, her tone imbued with an unsettling mixture of excitement and concern.

We all turn our attention to her, our expressions a blend of intrigue and confusion.

I can’t quite grasp the full meaning of her words.

“Your bond, Dani, with the three of them, comes with unique advantages.”

“Advantages?” I echo, raising my eyebrows in disbelief, a rush of nervous energy coursing through me.

“Yes,” Amelia responds quickly, her eyes glinting with a knowing light. “I’ve been aware of this for some time, that this transformation would occur—”

Before she can finish, Adonis interrupts, his voice sharp and edged with frustration. “And you didn’t think sharing this information with me or the others was important?”

With a dismissive wave of her hand, Amelia brushes off his anger.

“Listen,” she insists, her tone firm yet calm.

“With the demon runes etched onto your skin and the bond you share with them as their mate, you will inevitably begin to draw upon their strength. Once the curse is lifted, the future remains unclear for you, Dani. I can’t predict what kind of powers might become yours.

Remember, psychic abilities are woven into your lineage.

.. look at Suzanna. The truth is, I believe that Dax and Killian are enhancing your psychic gifts, especially now that your bond with them has reached its fullest potential. ”

Al-fucking-righty then...

I have so many follow up questions I want to ask her, but that is going to have to wait.

Overwhelmed by the weight of countless eyes boring into me, I pivot to face Killian. “Is... did anyone make it?” My voice trembles with dread.

Killian exhales sharply, the sound heavy with despair.

“We laid ourselves bare, revealed our true nature,” he replies, his eyes reflecting a storm of emotions.

“People were terrified of us, but we couldn’t stand by.

We grabbed them, one by one, and teleported them to safety.

” His voice cracks, a raw edge creeping in.

“But... so many are dead. The town, it's practically gone.” The anguish in his tone is like an anchor, dragging us deeper into the bleak reality we face .

“Fuck! Destiny… the sheriff’s department…” Carter erupts. He pulls out his phone, his fingers dancing frantically over the screen, desperately trying to connect with anyone. When the call fails, he tries another. They all fail.

Carter hurls his phone across the room, watching it shatter against the wall. “The sheriff’s department line is dead—and Destiny... nothing’s working!”

“It’s gone, Carter. There is no sheriff’s department anymore. Octavia blew it up.” Killian’s expression darkens, and he rests his hands gently on Carter’s shoulders, a grounding presence attempting to soothe the storm of worry and disbelief swirling within him. “I’m... I’m so sorry.”

In an instant, Amelia flings her arms wide, her eyes glimmering with sheer terror as she exclaims, “She’s here!” A fleeting moment passes as her gaze meets Jules’, then Carter’s, but then it snaps back to me, filled with urgency. “Run!” Amelia pushes Jules towards me.

Without a second thought, I propel myself forward, the adrenaline surging through my veins.

I don’t dare glance back at Dax, Adonis, and Killian; the thumping of my heart drowns out everything else.

I sprint toward the rear of the house, my feet pounding against the ground as I burst through the door, the cool night air hitting my face like a shockwave.

I know what I must do.