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A violent lightning bolt crashed through the sky, bathing the room’s interior in violet light as a deafening crash of thunder rang in my ears. The lights inside the house flickered before failing, leaving the dilapidated abode in utter darkness.

Rising from the secondhand rocking chair Nyx had brought home last week, I turned on the flashlight on my borrowed phone. Inching my way to the kitchen, I searched through the junk drawer, grabbing a match to light candles with.

The wind shrieked beyond the thin outer walls as it ripped through the surrounding valley. The late summer squall was predicted to last more than a few hours tonight. A disturbing scraping noise grated on my nerves as branches scratched against the glass windows like fingernails against a chalkboard.

Returning to the front room, I lit the candles lining the fireplace mantel. A flash of light lit through the window, directing my attention back to the storm. Ambling toward the scene unfolding outside, I glanced down at my phone, noting it was past midnight.

The witching hour had always soothed me before returning home months ago. Now, it left me on edge. Every night since Rhys’ rejection of his claim over both me and his unborn child, I awoke every night at precisely midnight, gasping for air. I’d usually wake up to the sensation of being starved for oxygen, like hands were wrapped tightly around my throat. I’d always struggled to recall what occurred during the nightmare, but whatever happened in my sleep remained elusive.

Nyx and Nyota, both brushed it off as if it were only a nightmare. I, on the other hand, couldn’t ignore what I felt upon waking. Maybe it was because it never felt like a regular nightmare to me. It felt real, as did the handprints left around my throat.

It didn’t ease my fears knowing Rhys held the ability to walk within my dreams. Shit, I’d figured that out as I’d awoken several times in rather troublesome sexual positions. Nothing screamed what the actual fuck like waking up with painful remnants of a cock shoved balls deep in your throat. Even if I’d been more than willing inside the dreamscape. If it had been mere fantasies, I wouldn’t have been hoarse for days after I’d dreamed of him.

At the large picture window in the front room, I drew back the thin, gauzy olive-green curtain, scanning the cool, hushed night. Outside, the moon’s opalescent glow enveloped the world in a soft light. Trees cast eerie obscurities over the landscape, straining the eye to see beyond the shadows to find any concealed threat looming within the dark corners.

A forewarning shiver trickled down my spine as if someone was watching me through the obscured darkness. My stomach somersaulted as goosebumps spread along my arms and then moved up the back of my neck.

“We’re protected here.” Reminding myself of the runes safeguarding the property didn’t ease the sensation of someone watching me, though. Slowly exhaling the air from my lungs, I combated the fear crawling up my chest, gripping around my throat.

At Raven’s behest, Conrad had strategically positioned each shrubbery and flower in the yard. Raven had been a welcome surprise, for which I was grateful. She’d hand delivered shielding rune stones, along with painting protection runes on the walls of the house.

After the frosty welcome of townsfolk, I’d begun looking for ways to protect both me and Bullet from harm. The way they’d welcomed me in was rather chilly and with a volley of cruel words. We have had more bricks than I could count thrown through the front windows of this place. It was why we’d removed all the furniture away from them a few weeks ago.

Nyota had confirmed my fears. Rhys’ decree turned everyone in this town against me. It hadn’t mattered that I wasn’t a threat or part of what had occurred in the past. I was his enemy. A rejected ex -lover he’d thrown out.

They proved their loyalty to the almighty Van Helsing by refusing to be civilized toward me or Nyx. Of course, Winchester hadn’t found the townsfolk warm or fuzzy, either. No one was pleased that Silversmiths had returned from the dead only to refuse afterward to leave town.

I’d found very few people who hadn’t slammed their door in my face. Others had reminded me vocally that I didn’t belong in this place. Rhys made damn sure I knew this wasn’t my home and he didn’t want me here. Hell, Rhys’ declaration of rejection had been frontpage news. It had pushed us to get creative with how we procured things, but I eventually made a few friends in town, like Raven Thorne.

Raven was a powerful witch, as well as being a powerhouse herself. She’d arrived in town after the drama between Rhys and me had died down. Unlike the other witches, she wasn’t beholden to any house. Luckily for me, it meant she hadn’t been forced to shun me by Rhys as the others were.

I’d met Raven when she’d gone door-to-door searching for a witch from a coven that resided in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Unlike other folks in town, I’d invited her inside to discuss the members of her coven who’d come here only to vanish the one they’d come here to find. She’d had a few questions, which were mostly about Talia or the notoriously dark and sinister demon twins, Enzo and Ezekiel.

Talia, head alpha of the House of Witches, was currently housing Raven. Xavier, who ran the hunters’ guild, demanded that every creature register upon entering town. Raven hadn’t registered, causing a flurry of rumors to fly around town.

Movement outside caught my eye, forcing the hair on my nape to rise. Deeply inhaling lemon and lavender perfume from the candles, I struggled to calm my fervid mind. Peering at the location across the street, I watched as the shadows danced beneath the moonlight.

A moment before I intended to abandon my vigil, a flash of silver caught my attention. Ignoring the unease in my chest, I caught sight of numerous men moving from the cover of darkness into view under the moon’s soft, pale light.

The moonlight revealed midnight-colored armor as it shimmered then reflected from the smooth surface. What appeared to be knights pushing closer to my home forced my heart to skip a beat, only to return with a forceful thud as it restarted. As I stepped back, intending to spin on my heel, a glimpse of glowing red eyes beneath their helmets made sweat trickle down my nape. Goosebumps spread over my arms with each step they took, confirming deadly intent as they closed around me.

Dragging my finger on the screen, I dialed the first entry on my contact list: Nyota, who was always closest when trouble arose. This time, though, my call was sent straight to voicemail. It created a sickening sensation in my stomach. Nyx was supposed to be at Forged Desires tonight. It was the gentlemen’s club we’d built with an armory and a forge in the basement.

I called the club, then Nyx, and felt a certain hopelessness when both numbers went straight to voicemail.

“What the hell?” I whispered, barely loud enough to be perceived by my ears. With shaking hands, I shoved the phone into the pocket of my lounge pants, then inched along the wall, desperate to remain out of sight.

Nyota was my rock. One I’d clung to for both protection and support. Especially since I’d been blacklisted within town. She’d secure whatever we needed without question or had until Rhys had canceled her credit cards.

It had been months since I’d left the house or even stepped outside to feel the sun warming my flesh. Each day, if there wasn’t an incident, we considered it a win. The downside was that it had lulled us into a false sense of security.

In the past month, I’d sensed impending doom closing around me. I hadn’t been able to identify a threat, or why it felt like there’d been a ticking time bomb counting down to some unseen disaster. Raven and Nyx claimed it was the pregnancy making me antsy, that it was just the jitters that came from cooking a tiny human.

I didn’t share their glass half-full bullshit. Since Rhys discarded me, it seemed like something was approaching. Something I couldn’t see, or stop was aimed directly at me. Yet no one had listened. Not even the girls or alphas who’d taken it upon themselves to ensure I survived.

Of course, the moment everyone had left me alone for the first time, shit was happening. I hated that I needed protection, let alone protection from the father of my unborn child. It was utter bullshit, but here we were. The girls weren’t answering, and the alphas were unreachable as well.

Conrad was with the omegas in the forest. It happened during every full moon. They become a step up from hangry if they don’t allow their wolves out. Angry, starving wolves were extremely unpredictable and encountering them was a situation to avoid at all costs.

Ian was in Scotland for the gathering of his house, which occurred once a year. Since Laura’s death left them scrambling to choose her replacement, Ian found himself dealing with more complaints than usual.

Hunter was off in the fae realm to deal with the fae politics that came with ruling over the land. There had been unrest among the Seelie and Unseelie. It meant he’d needed to return and play king of both fae races for an extended period of time.

Chewing my bottom lip, I studied the lethal way the men moved in angry, forward strides. I was rather confident in saying they weren’t here for a social call or to check on my overall well-being.

A gasp escaped as the man standing across the street suddenly vanished, materializing inches from the window. From my vantage point, I could not pinpoint which race or type of creature he or his friends were.

Creeping back further from the window, I trekked silently through the house. Every step brought me closer to the tunnel that led next door. Conrad insisted I needed to have a way out of the house in the event Rhys was tired of tormenting my dreams. I could almost kiss him for his foresight right now.

We all knew eventually Rhys would come for me. He wasn’t the type of man to wait passively for revenge. The sadistic prick sought it out without worry or care for repercussions. Even so, he continued blaming me for hiding who my mother had truly been. It mattered little that I’d been lied to for my entire life, or that I hadn’t played a part in the past misdeeds she’d done.

If I’d known, I’d undoubtedly have concealed the knowledge. Mostly because of the bitterness and hate that he’d spewed for my ‘Aunt Roslyn,’ who’d been my mother. Knowing how much pain she’d inflicted on him and his family? I didn’t blame him for hating her and resenting me for her part in the ruination of his life.

The noise of glass breaking hastened my retreat. At the sound of voices inside the house, I called to the silver arrows I’d placed throughout the home. The hum of magic rushed through my veins, igniting the glyphs on my arms in a silver glow.

“Which room is hers?” a deep, surly voice asked.

“He said she’d be in the bedroom at the end of the hall.” A second masculine voice answered. “Alive. No fucking this up. We got one chance at this. He’s waited too damn long for us to fuck this up now.”

How the fuck did they know which room was mine? Also, who was the ‘he’ they spoke of?

My foot connected with a dog toy left on the floor, squeaking before it collided against the wall. Freezing in place, my stomach churned as my heartbeat echoed inside my head, bouncing between my ears.

“Quiet,” the man demanded. “You hear that? Think she’s awake?”

“Might be the dog they warned us about,” the first man announced. “He should be sleeping. Aiden fed the little fuck a steak laced with sedatives over an hour ago. Maybe he didn’t give him enough?”

“Could be,” the second man mumbled. “I’m not willing to fuck this up. You know how Van Helsing gets when we do.” Static filled the silence when both men paused.

“Place men outside every window and doorway in this place. There’s movement inside.” More silence permeated from the front room before he hissed out orders. “Let’s move. Follow me.”

Van Helsing?

Had Rhys employed somebody else to kill me? It was possible, but improbable. That meant someone else had sent these assholes. If I hadn’t been stuck with Nyota for months, I’d have bet money on it being her wanting me dead. Nyota had been here with me every chance she’d had to be. A staunch and vigilant protector against unseen enemies.

We’d come a long way since we first met.

Nyota had been another surprise. One I’d never expected but was grateful for. She was Bullet’s staunchest protector, even though her brother and head of the house had threatened to disavow her. She’d promised to always protect the baby.

I bolted into my bedroom, knowing they’d enter it without thinking of what might lie in wait for them. No one expected me to be vicious, but in the months of being hunted for the blood in my veins, I’d learned just how truly vicious I could be.

In the darkness of the room, my glyphs of silver created an eerie hue. One that couldn’t be dimmed until the magic I’d summoned was released. Without Nyota here, that could end badly. I needed a Van Helsing to offset the curse that came with using my magic.

After all, the Van Helsing line had placed it on my bloodline long ago. They’d countered it by adding a nulling spell, one that made them the only thing to stop the calamity from unfolding once the magic wore off. Their touch.

The handle of the door turned as arrows buzzed around me, waiting for a victim. When the second door opened, I grinned frostily while their eyes widened at finding their intended victim waiting for them. Silver light tore through the room, singing as it cut through the air, implanting in the eyeholes of both men’s helms who’d wandered through my home.

Their shrieks inundated the space as numerous arrows sliced through their heels, cutting their Achilles tendons. Flesh splitting apart wasn’t something I enjoyed principally, but tonight it was my favorite song.

Stepping over the corpses, I sauntered down the darkened hallway, whistling as the arrows floated around me, glowing in a shielding outline around my frame. Hollering started from outside, informing me of more men entering my house.

The sound of the back door being forcefully opened, combined with an ear-splitting crash from the front of the house, revealed they were entering from both the kitchen and the entryway.

A shudder of apprehension shook through me as I stood, waiting for the first of them to enter the hallway. The thud of my heartbeat pounding insistently against my ribcage resounded in my ears, threatening to obscure any warning from their footfalls.

The first man was larger than the others had been. His massive frame looked menacing in the shadows of the narrow corridor. I lifted my finger, beckoning one arrow after another to discharge forward toward him.

Before the first arrow could find its mark, he turned to the side. A grunt sounded before a bellowing commenced behind him. The sound of an arrow striking against wood rang out loudly, even as the pain filled shrieks grew shriller than they’d formerly been.

“Stupid bitch!” the giant screamed. Elevating his hand, he aimed the gun at me. The booming resonance discharged from the bullets emitted throughout the space, driving arrow after arrow to defend against each bullet that was fired. “You’ll fucking regret that!” Words he’d end up swallowing violently. That, I was certain of.

Snickering unfeelingly, I sent three arrows at precipitous speed through the sockets of his eyes and mouth, pinning his carcass to the wall.

“Doubtful, asshole,” I grumbled as footsteps started from two different directions. “Stupid is as stupid does, motherfuckers.” Whispering the spell for the spare arrows outside to join the others, I cocked my head to the side as the purring of silver carving through the air emitted all around us.

The glass shattered as the arrows moved to find their mark. The glyphs on my flesh grew brighter as the magic I’d called to me burned hotter. Screams resounded through the house, followed by the sound of arrows digging into wood.

“Gotcha fuckers,” I whispered as I held the magic to me, knowing the moment I released it, I’d be fucked. “Now would be a good time for you to get your ass home, Nyota.”

As I arrived at the entryway, I stopped, taking in the corpses lining the walls. I hadn’t expected as many assailants to be occupying space within my house. Several men wearing strange symbols on their chests hung lifelessly with feathered arrow ends protruding from their mouths and eye sockets.

Nausea churned in my belly, forcing my hand against my lips. A flash of silver made me turn seconds before a disharmonious sound of steel meeting in battle forced me to step back, colliding against a muscular form. Heated breath fanned the back of my neck as a deep, rich rumble of masculine amusement sounded in my ear.

“Down, Remington.” The smooth, whiskey-infused voice demanded. Dropping to my knees, I narrowly avoided being split into two pieces as the clank of steel meeting exploded above me.

Staring up at the lethal blades, I tilted my head until angry azure sparkled with warning. Rhys? Was he here, or had I failed to duck in time? This couldn’t be the afterlife. No one was that cruel. Right?

“Move, Remington,” Rhys’ angry voice demanded as a foot connected against my ribcage. The air whooshed from my lungs as I crawled from between the men’s feet, pushing myself to move quickly.

Crawling over the floor, I felt my magic bleeding from my pores. I searched desperately for more silver nearby to prevent the curse from arising, but I was unsuccessful. The moment the magic fully dispersed, there was a sickening crack above my head.

Glancing up, I watched with large, round eyes as fragments of my ceiling cracked above me. Rolling on the floor, I scarcely evaded being assaulted by my damn ceiling. The instant I managed to gain my footing, something solid smashed into my skull, sending unbearable, intense pain through my head.

A shriek burst from my lips as light exploded behind my eyes. Stumbling forward, I tripped over the hazard as white dots flooded my vision. The distinct sound of swords meeting and cutting through the air forced me to remain on the floor, even as everything within me screamed to flee from the house.

Debris from the ceiling began caving in above me and continued, even as it struck my body. Curling into a fetal position, I shielded my abdomen as best as I could from the brunt of it all. A growl sounded before the thud of a body connecting with a solid surface pricked my ears. A gasp escaped as someone touched my shoulder.

“It’s me. You’re safe with me, Silversmith.” Rhys’ familiar whiskey-smooth voice stated as powerful arms slid around my crumpled frame, lifting me against a solid, muscular chest. “Bloody hell. She’s bleeding badly, Cole. Alert Talia and have her prepare herbs. Tell her we’ll need a healer when we arrive. I’m en route now.”

“Rhys?” I whispered as consciousness slipped away. “You came for me?”

“Is that what you think this is?” he countered as darkness swallowed all coherent thoughts.