Page 19 of Savage Sacrifice (The Savage Six #4)

POLARIS

T he walk back to the house feels like an eternity, but with my hand in Lincoln’s, I take each step with a newfound strength. It doesn’t matter if my parents are still there or if there are more hurdles to face. All that matters is we’re all here, together.

Reaching the end of the forest, we turn right, spotting the house up ahead, and a screech rings out through the air.

“Polaris!”

I freeze in place, my hand slipping from Lincoln’s as Minnie darts toward me. My heart lurches in my chest, reminding me to move, and I hurry toward her. A wide smile is spread across her face, tears spilling down her cheeks, and I feel whole.

We slam into each other, a force to be reckoned with, wrapping our arms tightly around one another. Her sobs become mine as we tremble in each other’s grasp. It’s impossible to try to soothe her; she needs this moment just as much as I do.

A flash memory of that very moment in the assembly hall plays out in my mind. The look of horror on her face as I plunged the blade into my chest—the uncontrollable despair. Dying may have been hard for me, but living with that reality has been even worse for her.

It may have only been a few short days, but it was long enough to leave a scar. The guilt I feel is strange because I don’t want to shake it off or do whatever it takes to rid it from my mind. I own it because, even though she may be hurting, she’s here to feel the pain. We both are.

She leans back with a sigh, keeping a hand on my shoulder as she uses her free hand to swipe her tears away.

When her gaze settles on mine, her bottom lip wobbles again, but she shakes it off.

“You are something else, Polaris Beauchamp,” she murmurs, shaking her head in disbelief as my full name tumbles from her lips.

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

Her eyebrows rise, disbelief in her eyes. “You’re glad I’m okay? Are you insane?”

I chuckle. “You did just say I’m something else.”

“Well, let’s make one thing clear,” she starts, giving me a pointed look as she drops her hand from my shoulder to plant it on her hip in a full sass stance. “Don’t ever do that again.”

The humor is gone from her voice, but she’s the insane one if she thinks I won’t risk it all to make sure she’s okay.

Regardless of where I stand among the wolves that have stolen a piece of me and the vampire who barreled into my life without warning or care, she’s my family first and foremost. She’s the one who has been there no matter what, to show me what true friendship is, to offer me a glimpse into a family I don’t ever want to leave.

She’s the sister I never had.

The ride or die I never knew existed.

“I’m going to protect you, Minnie. Always. I’m not making any promises,” I insist with a shrug, and she waves her arms out at her sides.

“Well, if you don’t think I’m going to protect you right back, then you’re crazy,” she retorts, making me grin.

“Are we sharing yet, Minnie?”

My breath lodges in my throat at the sound of Tatum’s voice and I peer over Minnie’s shoulder to see him standing two steps back, hands fidgeting at his sides as his eyes rake over me again and again.

Minnie rolls her eyes, taking a step to the side to clear a path between us, and before I can take my next breath, I’m in his arms.

He rocks me back and forth, soothing a part of me I didn’t know was hurting as I absorb his warmth, clinging to him like the lifeline he has become.

I have no idea how long I stand in his embrace, soaking him in, but every time I think he’s going to let go, he doubles down, hugging me tighter, and I know I’ve caused him some real pain with what I did.

Taking my life to save Minnie’s was impulsive, and as much as I would do it all over again if it kept her safe, I can also acknowledge the fact that I didn’t consider the fact that it would affect the others this much. His pain is on my hands.

“I’m sorry, Tatum,” I breathe, and he leans back just enough to look into my eyes.

There’s a storm brewing in his gaze, but the softness at the corners eases the tension rising inside of me.

“Don’t be sorry. Let’s just try to not let that happen again, yeah?” His voice is thick and raspy.

I nod, hoping it doesn’t come to something so extreme again, when someone clears their throat. Tatum sighs, knowing our little moment together is being interrupted, but he offers me a soft smile as he taps his finger on his cheek.

I’m up on the balls of my feet in an instant, pressing my lips to my favorite spot on his body, and a shiver runs down my spine.

The moment he takes a step back, I’m engulfed in someone else’s arms, feet lifted off the ground as I’m crushed against a hard chest.

“Amica Mea.”

I sink into my vampire, wrapping my arms around his neck desperately.

“For fuck’s sake, I was going next,” Wylder grunts in the distance, making me chuckle as Blaze scoffs.

“You can wait your fucking turn,” he snaps back, and I shake my head in amusement at them.

I’ve never felt more wanted than in this moment, so much appreciation, love, and comfort among them all.

Blaze runs his nose over my throat, inhaling me as he goes, and I shiver at the contact before he leans back, peering into my eyes with a mixture of emotions.

“I’m glad my reckless queen is back where she belongs,” he rasps, and I nod, emotion clogging my throat as he lowers me to the ground and takes a step back.

My gaze lands on Wylder to my right, but I’m swept up from the left, spinning swiftly before I’m planted back on my feet with Asher in front of me.

“Hey!” Wylder grunts, but Asher pays him no mind at all.

The way his gaze rakes over me sends tingles down my spine, raising goosebumps of anticipation in his wake before his eyes seek out mine.

He tucks a tendril of hair behind my ear as he studies me, his hand ghosting through my hair until he reaches the end, which he tugs, stealing my breath as I gape at him. I sway, intoxicated by his attention. “I missed you, Silver,” he mutters, and I nod, emotion swelling inside of me.

“I missed you too,” I admit, and he nods once before pressing his lips to the corner of my mouth and taking a step back.

Wylder comes into view once again, but he doesn’t move right away. Instead, he glances from side to side, making sure no one is going to get in his way. When the coast is clear, he cuts the distance between us in two strides, and I’m pinned against his chest a moment later.

His warm embrace only lasts a moment before he leans back, only to tip his face down to rest his forehead against mine.

His eyes are closed, and the warmth radiating from him is everything.

“Fuck, Little Witch, you had me scared,” he states, and the fear and horror in his voice cuts deep, but when he opens his eyes, there’s no frustration or despair there, just relief.

I don’t know what to say, but it seems there’s no need because a moment later, he’s showering me with kisses. His lips skim across my forehead, over my cheeks, ghosting my lips before he presses the most delicate kiss to the tip of my nose.

Beaming up at him, I feel content. He brings my hand to his lips, dusting a few kisses over my knuckles before he takes a step back and I spy Bryony off to the side.

We wave awkwardly, no words needed, when someone clears their throat, cutting through the moment.

Following the sound, my gaze catches on my friend. “Someone better start explaining,” Ben grunts, pointing over his shoulder for us to all head inside, where Bianca hovers at the door.

“I swear I killed that bitch,” Blaze mutters under his breath, and Wylder snickers.

He’s right, some explaining needs to happen, and it shouldn’t happen out here.

I nod and walk toward him, confusion knitting his brows together, but I squeeze his arm and cut across the street, sidestepping Bianca at the door to head inside. My back stiffens as the living room approaches, but when I step inside, my parents aren’t there—just Belladora.

She offers me an apologetic smile, waving her hand in the area where my parents were seated not long ago. “They left. I think they know you need some space.”

I nod, unsure what I’m supposed to say as everyone filters into the room.

The door clicks shut behind Lincoln, who moves to the center of the space, arms folded over his chest as he stares off with Belladora.

“What do we do now?”

Her eyebrows rise as she lifts her hands. “Why are you asking me?”

“Because you caused this damn curse,” he barks in response before sighing. “Besides, you waited here for us to get back. You either have something to offer or something to gain.”

Belladora’s lips purse, but she nods nonetheless. “Both.”

Her admission surprises me, but I don’t know what to say. Instead, I watch as she slowly spins on the spot, taking us all in, and I try to see this moment through her eyes.

The original witch.

The creator of our pain.

No one takes a seat, everyone remains on their feet, waiting with bated breath. Ben and Bianca wait by the door, Minnie and Bryony huddle together beside them, while Blaze and Tatum flank me on my right, and Asher and Wylder hover at my left.

Lincoln remains in a standoff in the middle with the woman in question, who eventually sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose before waving a hand toward Ben and Bianca.

“I can’t undo their memories. Not if they don’t have bonds like you all do,” she states, and my heart wrenches as frustration clouds Ben’s eyes. “I can help with them, though. Then I need to leave.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Lincoln grunts, and she whirls on him with heat in her eyes.

“I have a job to do, and even though I’m quite certain you’re on the brink of finally bringing an end to this madness, they need to forget before I leave,” she snaps, and Lincoln’s hands coil at his side.

“And if we succeed?” I interject, gaining her attention.

She cocks a brow at me. “Then… I don’t know. No one has ever been here like this before.”

I nod in understanding, turning my attention to Ben. Moving toward him, I feel the tension rise between us, but as much as I hate it, it’s for the best. I wrap my arms around his middle, a move he doesn’t reciprocate immediately, and even when he does, his stance doesn’t soften.

“Don’t do this, Polaris,” he breathes, and I peer up at him as I take a step back.

“I’m not going to fail.” It’s a promise, one I’m determined to keep.

“I don’t understand what there is to fail,” he grunts, and I offer him a tight smile.

“I know, and I hate that so much, but you’re my friend for life, Ben, and the first person I’m coming to find when it’s all said and done. I know that doesn’t make sense, but I swear it,” I insist, and his brows gather, but despite the uncertainty, he nods.

“I trust you.”

I sag with relief as Bianca’s voice cuts through the air.

“I don’t.”

“You shouldn’t,” I retort, my gaze snapping to hers, and she scoffs, folding her arms over her chest.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re the last person I’ll come for. And when I do, it will be to slaughter you,” I rage, my own words catching me by surprise as she snarls under her breath.

“Bitch.”

I preen, smiling broadly at her. “Thank you.”

“Obliviscar. Amittere. Dedisco.”

Sand blows in front of me, dusting Ben’s and Bianca’s faces before they fall to the floor with a resounding thump.

I gape in surprise, turning my attention to Belladora, who dusts her hands off while rolling her eyes. “She’s a lot,” she states, glancing at Bianca, and I scoff in agreement.

“You could have cushioned their falls,” Blaze grunts, frowning at Ben, and I feel guilty for not having the same thought, but Belladora doesn’t seem to care.

Instead, she turns to me with a pointed look, the tight smile on her lips doing little to ease the sternness. “If you want to break the curse, you must sacrifice it all.”

I gulp, frowning at her before an exasperated sigh parts my lips. “Haven’t I given enough?”

“What do you want? For us all to kill ourselves?” Wylder grunts, nostrils flaring in frustration, not waiting for her to speak. “How would that be any different than those who died before us?”

“My marking is back too,” Lincoln states, lifting his arm in the air for everyone to see, but it’s Belladora’s expression I watch.

Her eyes widen, but not with shock, surprise, or fear, but with… hope.

She rubs her lips together, bouncing on the balls of her feet before she points a finger at me. “She sacrificed her life for Minnie. He sacrificed his power for Polaris… have you checked your coins?”

Before I can open my mouth to question her, she’s gone, not even a puff of smoke in her wake.