Page 11 of Savage Sacrifice (The Savage Six #4)

LINCOLN

“ I found it!” Bryony’s screech vibrates through the air as she scrambles to her feet, grimoire in hand, but my gaze is locked on Minnie as I watch the color drain from her face.

I understand the worry and concern, fuck, I’m feeling it, but it’s locked in. I’m going to die to find Polaris, and Bryony has finally found the spell that can help us.

“Show me,” I grunt, reaching for Minnie’s hand as I stand to look at the grimoire spread open in Bryony’s hands.

“I could use this spell, tether you to one of the wolves, and it should allow your memories to remain intact,” she explains, filling me with hope, but there’s a slight lilt to her voice, one that makes me pause.

“But?” It’s a question, and the guilt that flashes in her eyes confirms that she knows I can sense something’s not right. She tries to squash it down.

“But?” she repeats, trying to deny my assessment, and I cock a brow at her.

“I can see it in your eyes,” I state, and she sighs, defeat reflected in her facial features as she peers at my sister.

“But I can’t guarantee that you’ll keep your wolf,” she admits, and I frown.

“I never asked you to.”

“No, I did,” Minnie breathes, leaning into my side, and I can feel her tremble with worry. Fuck. Before I can offer a single word of comfort, she breathes into my neck as she wraps her arms around me. “I’m scared, Linc.”

Me too.

“I know, but we have to believe in this just as much as she did,” I murmur back.

“Even more than that, I can't leave her out there alone and I can’t ask this of anyone else. It has to be me.” I’m certain of it, but as I envelop my sister in my arms, her sobs worm their way forward and she sniffles in my embrace.

Pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, I breathe my sister in.

“I love you, Minnie. No matter what. You know that. You might drive me insane proving me wrong all the time, but if there is anyone in the world I want to keep me fucking humble, it will always be you.”

“I love you too, dumbass,” she whispers into my neck as Bryony lays the grimoire out on the desk before reaching for her bag of sand.

Blaze, Wylder, Asher, Tatum, Minnie, and I all watch in silence as she makes the star symbol on the floor, a circle etched around it. It reminds me of the same symbol that was beneath us as we created our coven.

The Savage Six.

Now the Savage Five, about to be the Savage Four, but are we even any of those now that we don’t have our center?

Fuck if I know.

Bryony turns to me with a tight smile, confirming the fact that she’s ready for me, but I turn to Minnie first. “Do you need to leave?” I ask, and she scoffs.

“Never, I’m going to hold your hand forever,” she insists, reaching for me and lacing our fingers together.

I feel like my entire body is glowing from our connection, but it’s quickly cut short as Blaze clears his throat.

Fucker.

“If this works like it did for Polaris, his physical body won’t be around for long,” he states, reminding us all, and a tightness immediately builds in my chest.

“So we won’t know,” Minnie realizes, and my heart aches even more.

But I’m standing by my decision, so I need to own it. Planting my hands on her shoulders, I face her head on with a fresh sense of determination, but Bryony speaks before I get a chance.

“Not for a while, but whoever you tether to will feel the connection,” she states, and I quickly let my irritation at her interruption dissolve.

“Tether to me,” Tatum orders, eyes wide as he nods at me.

Minnie takes a step back, letting my arm drop back to my side as I turn my attention to my friend, my brother, my extended family.

Our arms wrap around one another immediately, the embrace calming me and painful all at once. I bring my forehead to his, squeezing his neck, and he pats me on the back.

Wylder clears his throat, a solemn look on his face as he rakes his fingers through his cropped hair. “Since you’re over here planning your funeral, how about we consider the fact that you need to die first.” His words only add weight to the heaviness in the room, but I turn my attention to Blaze.

“You.”

“The vampire?” Asher blurts, eyes wide, and I offer him a tight smile.

“You guys care too much,” I explain, and nobody comes back with a refusal, leaving Blaze to take a step into the center of the space.

“How?” he asks, more than ready for the challenge, and I sigh, releasing my hold on Tatum so Bryony can maneuver him into position while I stand toe to toe with Blaze.

“Not the face, it’s my best feature,” I mutter, and he scoffs while Minnie groans.

“You’re embarrassing,” she grumbles, and I love the playfulness to her tone, but the mood quickly sours once again as Blaze taps my chest.

“I could…”

I shake my head immediately. “Not that. I want that intact,” I insist, and he nods.

“The neck it is.”

I take a deep breath, nodding despite the ringing of my pulse in my ears.

“Any last words?” He cocks his head at me, and I gulp, but it’s weird to admit that I’m not scared, only nervous that I won’t find her like I want to.

I have no idea what’s waiting for me on the other side, if anything at all, but I can’t consider failure. It’s not an option.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly glance at everyone in my office.

“I know I’m dumb as fuck most of the time,” I start as my gaze lands on Minnie and she cocks a brow at me, making me roll my eyes.

“Fine, all of the time, but you guys mean everything to me and I’m going to find her if it’s the last thing I do.

Whether that’s in some random place in the middle of New York or the afterlife.

Regardless, she’s been alone long enough.

It’s time we sacrificed for her. She’s survived Florentine’s, this place, being shot by an arrow, and The fucking Crow before she took a blade to the chest for one of us.

Without question, without a single worry in her mind.

I’m not doing this for me, or for us, it’s for her. ”

Minnie runs her finger across her cheek, catching a tear that slips free as Wylder and Asher nod in agreement.

Tatum offers me a tight smile as Bryony whispers under her breath, sprinkling sand over his forearms, and I turn my attention back to Blaze.

The vampire in question peers at Bryony for a beat, waiting for the signal.

The second he gets it, he nods once and moves in a blur.

No asking if I’m ready, no sweet moment between enemies as he brings his hands to my neck.

I feel no pain.

I hear no snap.

All I sense is darkness.