Page 148 of Shrouded in the Dark

Wyn tackled me, covering my body with his as a black cloud ascended upon us. I watched in horror as the magic disintegrated the physical wall. A Venandi guard got caught in the cloud and the scream of pain that ripped from his throat would haunt my dreams for years to come. He fell to his knees and it looked like the magic had sucked the life out of him. His skin clung to his bones. He was still alive, barely. He was a skeleton with coverings.

“Don’t let it touch you!” Lario’s shout was hard to hear, even for me, over the yells and shouts surrounding us.

The black magic pushed forward into the compound. It continued to spread as tendrils expanded from it.

“That is not the curse they said they were going to use,” Wyn grunted as he rolled off of me. He looked around as screams in the distance reached us.

“I’m going to kill that Fae.” Lario sat up. His voice had turned dangerous as he viewed the magic. “That would have hurt us if it had hit us.”

Gary groaned, pulling off his glasses that were cracked. “I think we figured out Tarragon’s end goal.”

I could have told him that, although with the shared look between him and Lario, they already guessed this would happen. A snarl erupted from me.

“If you thought this would happen, why risk it?” If Becca or the others had been caught in this, the thought terrified me to the point I started to shake.

“Given the chance to put a stop to the Venandi, no matter how brutal,” Lario met my gaze unflinching, “my people and I are prepared for the sacrifice.”

Watching the cloud move further into the compound, I pulled Wyn to his feet with me. “We’re going back to our mates. You can obviously handle this without us.”

Gary nodded as we turned and ran back the way we’d come. The air was thick with the leftover magic.

* * *

Becca

“Becca!” Jasper shoved me to the side as something flew by where I’d been standing. It looked like a purple lightning bolt.

“Take him down!” The necromancer’s voice came from the side. She was struggling to her feet as magic blanketed the area. Obviously, she was regretting her dress choice at this point.

Tarragon had proven to be an enemy. He’d planned to betray the resistance from the start. When he’d stepped toward me and my mates, Volinda had ordered an attack on him. I’d gotten to witness her throw her hands into the ground, channeling her magic. What had popped up out of the ground had been animal bones that formed together in misshapen figures that rushed at the Fae as the other witches threw spells at him. It was actually kind of cool until Tarragon whipped out the lightning bolts. He hit two of the witches who hadn’t moved since. I really hoped they were just unconscious.

“You need to get out of here.” Jasper grabbed my right elbow as we looked around.

My blood turned to ice. Axel and Cody had shifted and were lunging at Tarragon. They were dodging his attacks, but couldn’t get close enough to attack him.

“I’m not leaving them.” Wrenching my arm from Jasper, I pulled the hoodie over my head. “We’re helping them, Jasper. We aren’t defenseless.” I could feel my limbs shaking with how scared I was, but I wasn’t letting them face this asshole alone. Not when I could help this time.

The rest of my clothes flew off and I shifted into my fox form, choosing speed over muscle.

Guys, we need a plan.I started to run toward Tarragon. Jasper was at my side within seconds.

A plan would be good.Cody let out a yelp as one of the bolts hit the tip of his tail.Holy Hell, that hurt!

My animal spun us, rolling when Tarragon threw out a lightning in our direction. The air practically crackled.

You all need to get out of there!Seth’s command jolted me momentarily.We’re on our way back, just get away.

Can’t do that, boss man.Axel managed to get behind the Fae, swiping at his backside with claws out.He seems intent on either killing us or taking us with him. Particularly you.

I gave out a mental shout when Tarragon formed a sword in his hand of magic and slashed out at Axel, catching his side. There was pain down our mate mark. Rage bubbled inside of me as my animal roared.

Kitten, calm down. Remember, self-defense!Wyn’s concern filtered through the rage as I moved around the Fae to get to Axel.

Cody and Jasper attacked him as one, giving me the time to get to Axel, who held his left paw in the air, I could see bone and muscle. The smell of blood hit my senses as I nudged his side with my nose. He sniffed at my neck, his love pushing through the pain in the mark.

I’ll be fine.

He’s dead.I shifted, changing into my wolf form. My paws dug into the dirt as I pushed Axel further from the battle.Stay out of his range, Axel.