Page 33 of Snow’s Charming (Hope Runs Deep #7)

Hell Has Company

“ Y ou and your bitch won’t get away with this, Demetrese! I will kill you both, and slowly, if you harm my baby.”

The voices were faint, almost a whisper, and I could barely make them out. It was almost as if they were coming to me from some sort of distant dream. I tried to open my eyes, but a sharp pain overcame my entire head.

It was as if my skull was about to open.

A massive migraine times ten—literally the worst headache I’ve had in my life—erupted from the top of my head and poured down my shoulders.

I instinctively brought my hands to the top of my head, cupping it, hoping to relieve some of the pressure.

But the moment my hands contacted my head, wetness caked my palms. A thick, coppery scent assaulted my nostrils.

It was clear I was bleeding, but why? What happened? The last thing I remember was heading out of the bar to meet up with Sylus.

Think, Sesi, THINK!

I squinted my eyes to regain clearer vision. They were at half-mast at best, so I wasn’t hoping for much. I just wanted a clearer image of the faces and voices, but that was the wrong idea because it made my head pound even harder. I couldn’t help but let out a whimper.

“Have no fear, Skye. We are only relinquishing your witchy powers.”

A set of protective arms cupped the back of my head as the female voice responded.

“Fuck you, Jackie.”

“It figures you’d act this way. You shouldn’t swear or disrespect your elders. The baby will pick up your nasty habits, Skye,” said Jackie with venom in her voice.

Footsteps walked away from me. I still didn’t have my bearings, but memories were flooding back. I remember Jackie imprisoning me in a cell once I fled Rumors in search of Sylus.

“Sesi, can you hear me? I’m Skye, and this is Morgan. We are friends of Sylus.”

I slowly opened my eyes and blinked several times before two women with dark hair came into view.

“What happened? Why is my head split open? And why did you utter my stepmonster’s name? Did she kidnap you all too?”

“Well, technically, it isn’t she who is behind all of this. Demetrese, the ruler of the Underworld, is. He is bloodthirsty for power. And the best way to get it is to tap into our babies’ powers.”

“Well, all of that may be true, but I can’t help but apologize for how my stepmonster Jackie is treating you.

I’m sorry I got you both in my mess with her.

It would have been nice to have met you under different circumstances.

Instead, we are in—hell’s dungeon. I don’t suppose you know a way out?

It’s all still a little fuzzy, but I think I hit my head trying to crawl up there. ”

I pointed to a small hole that looked like an entrance to another area of the dungeon.

“Yeah, we saw you fall when Jackie shoved us in here. While you’ve been unconscious, we tried to open a portal, but no such luck.” Said Morgan.

“Pardon the pun, but how the hell are we going to get out of here?”

I tried to chuckle as I asked, but my head protested with pain once more.

“The only way is for you to contact Sylus telepathically. Jackie blocked both my and Morgan’s telepathy because she knows we’re both witches. But she doesn’t have the same power over an Alpha and Luna.”

“I don’t understand.”

Bits and pieces of the last several hours flooded my mind, and then I remembered she laced the bars with wolfsbane and mercury.

“She knows I’m a werewolf, but as for the rest, I’m not sure. ”

“Try. A Luna has a stronger connection to her Alpha than any other person in the pack. It may be our only chance of getting out of here.”

Telepathy wasn’t something Sylus and I had practiced.

We’d been fighting Jackie since we met, sure, but all of that time I was coming into my powers.

And each day, it seemed I was learning something new.

I will try because if she was coming after me, that meant Sylus wasn’t safe either.

Focusing on any one thing was hard, though.

My head was still pounding, and I wasn’t sure if Jackie knew how to block a Luna.

Still, it seemed to be our only chance of surviving.

I closed my eyes and took several shallow breaths to calm my racing mind.

Hatred of what Jackie did heated every fiber of my being.

All I could see in my mind’s eye was red.

For this to work, I needed to be in a calmer state.

It was my only hope of connecting to Sylus.

My mind tried to focus on Sylus’s face, but the more I tried to relax to reach out, the more panicked I became.

Sylus? Sylus, baby, can you hear me?

I seriously didn’t think it would work. I was too nervous, too unfocused.

“You’re doing great, Sesi. Keep it up!” said Skye.

How she could know I was doing well was beyond me, so I opened my eyes and saw a faint pink glow emitting from my skin. I remembered that happened after the Moon Goddess broke the curse.

“Keep it up! The connection is getting stronger.”

Sylus? Can you hear me?

Sesi—baby? What’s going on? Are you hurt? I can feel your head is about to explode.

Jackie has me, and Skye and Morgan, too. She’s planning to have the ruler of the Underworld steal our powers.

I know, baby. Raine filled me in. Do you know where you are?

I know it’s a dungeon of some sort, and it’s dank, but that won’t help.

A lump formed in my throat. I may have been communicating with Sylus telepathically, but my throat had other plans.

It’s alright, baby. Just don’t sever the connection. I’ll be able to track you that way.

I’ll try, Sylus, but I’m glowing. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep this up without Jackie knowing what I’m doing. She blocked Morgan and Skye’s magic, so I’m your only help in tracking us.

It’s okay. You’re all going to be okay, Sesi. I’m almost at the portal to the Underworld. Raine and Alec are with me. They’ll open it so we can free you all. Just hold the connection a few more minutes, baby.

A blue energy ball slipped through the bars, and before I could move out of the way, it singed my shoulder. My body began to convulse and contort from the searing pain. As my head snapped up in the general direction of the energy ball, my eyes met Jackie’s.

“I take back what I said. None of you are safe. But you, Sesi, you’ll have a ringside seat to watch me kill them. I can’t wait to become the most powerful witch in the world. And then, my dear Sesi, I’ll finally kill you.”

Jackie shot another energy ball in my direction, and this one surrounded my neck and lifted me up off the dirt-covered cement floor. The band of light squeezed my throat. I pawed at the band of blue light, hoping, praying I could free myself, but the light continued its squeezing torture.

Skye and Morgan sprang to their feet and tugged at my shoulders before placing their palms over the energy ball. Suddenly, the energy consumed them whole. Jackie, who was clearly entertained by the evil she was doing, cackled. The sound vibrated through the dungeon.

“I was hoping you two would try to save her by using your powers. This makes my job so much easier. By the way? This might hurt—but only just a lot.” Her tone was icy cold.

My body grew limp. Every fiber of my being seemed to drain itself into the blue light, which vibrated a more brilliant indigo with each passing moment. I squeezed my eyes shut, ready to accept my fate.

There was now no way of denying it. I was going to die. And that honestly didn’t bother me as much as Jackie winning. Red formed behind my closed eyes, and the pit of my belly warmed.

I couldn’t—scratch that! No—I wouldn’t let Jackie win!

I outstretched my legs, as if to regain my footing, which should have been impossible because Jackie had me up off the ground just moments ago.

Still, the ball of my foot hit the cold cement.

My eyes flew open, and pink light was surrounding me and my cellmates.

The indigo began turning a brilliant magenta and headed straight for Jackie, surrounding her being entirely.

“No! It can’t be! How are you defeating me? Impossible!”

“Believe it, bitch! My Luna’s love conquers all!”

Sylus appeared through a silvery-blue portal. He shifted into his wolf in midair and knocked into the back of Jackie’s knees. Jackie’s body crumpled to the floor.

The energy ball that once held me and the others burst into tiny balls of light before dissipating.

Air quickly filled my lungs as I watched Sylus tower over Jackie.

His fangs, dripping with a mixture of saliva and blood, lowered.

When he was a breath away from ripping Jackie’s throat out, I screamed.

“Don’t kill her, Sylus! That isn’t you.”

Sylus raised his snout and gazed in my direction. His eyes filled with a mixture of love for me and disdain for the woman pinned beneath him. He turned back to Jackie and let out a growl as he pressed a paw to her chest. She struggled beneath him while trying to gasp for air.

“It serves you right to get a taste of what you did to Sesi, you bitch! Raine, Alec, do whatever it is you are going to do with her.”

Alec and Raine each grabbed a shoulder of Jackie’s and chanted in a language I didn’t understand.

But before they could finish, Demetrese came through a portal of his own, and holding a staff.

He tapped it on the floor three times, and a force of energy made Sylus’s wolf, Raine, and Alec fly into opposite walls of the dungeon.

“You aren’t getting away this time, Demetrese! I’ll make good on my promise back in Egypt! You’re dead.” Raine said as he got up from the floor.

Before Raine could connect his hands around Demetrese’s throat, Demetrese snapped his fingers. Both he and Jackie disappeared into a green mist. I blinked my eyes a few times, stunned at what had just happened.

“Did they just escape?”

The words flew out of my mouth before I gave them permission.

“They did. But let’s forget about all of that and get you out of here.” Said Alec as he pushed on the bars, breaking the lock.

He rushed over the threshold and drew Morgan into his arms. Raine trailed behind him. He cupped Skye’s face and drew his forehead to hers. I smiled at their reunions just as solid arms wrapped around my body.

“I’m so glad you’re okay, baby.”

“And I’m glad you’re safe, too.”

He quickly cradled me in his arms. A pink light swept around us as my head instantly stopped hurting.

“That wolf healing power definitely comes in handy.” Said Raine as he pulled Skye to her feet.

“I’m okay, Raine. I can walk.” He placed a palm on her swollen belly. “You’re walking for two. Maybe I should carry you?”

“I never pegged you as the jealous type.”

Raine chuckled and swept Skye into his arms.

“I’m not jealous. I just want you safe, sweetness.”

“Let’s all head back to the inn. I hate to say it, but I don’t trust that Demetrese and Jackie will leave us alone.”

“Good idea, Sylus. There’s strength in numbers.” Said Alec as he lifted Morgan and carried her out of the dungeon.