Page 3

Chapter Three

We stepped through the portal, a dozen demons at our backs, all ready to fight at my command, and headed towards the Grand Advisor.

He had several demons, mostly the generals, around him in a protective circle. As we moved closer, they parted, allowing us to see it wasn’t just the Grand Advisor they were encircling.

I immediately froze as fear coursed through me at the sight of Mason, Kayden, and Trey kneeling on the ground with their hands bound in strange chains. The vision. This was another vision.

As soon as I moved towards them, the Grand Advisor snapped his fingers with a gleeful smile on his stupid, arrogant face.

My mates threw back their heads as they screamed in simultaneous agony.

Their pain transferred to me. Lightning coursed through my veins, just beneath my skin, and I screamed with them, dropping to one knee.

“Lily!” Tony shouted and picked me up in his arms. “What’s wrong?”

Jol stepped forward, putting his body between me and the Grand Advisor, his club in his hand.

The pain ebbed, allowing me to speak. “Their. Pain,” I panted. “It transferred to me for a moment.” I patted Tony’s arm. “Set me down, Brother. I’m fine now.”

He obeyed, but hovered close by. “What are we going to do about them?”

“Make your choice, Princess Liliana. Your mates’ lives or your world, which will you choose?” the Grand Advisor sneered, standing behind them with a sword as though he were to be victorious.

He snapped his fingers again, the pain searing through them and our bond, making the four of us scream.

Jol charged at the Grand Advisor, roaring, but with a single loud, note, he caused Jol to still.

How was he able to effect Jol so quickly? Was it because he had been toying with his mind for so long?

It infuriated me immensely. I wanted to sever the connection as thoroughly as possible, to ensure he could never hurt Jol again.

“Make your choice, Liliana, or I shall kill your mates and this demon you seem to harbor feelings for!” Grand Advisor bellowed, his face reddening in fury.

My mind raced; how could I free them? How did this vision play out? What was I supposed to do?

But, from the farthest portal, I saw him and knew, deep within my heart, I knew, that it was not me who was supposed to do anything. It was Dhun! My precious little, now somehow incredibly large, hellhound friend.

“Your mates or your world?!” Grand Advisor shouted.

“You shall have neither!” I shouted with a wide smile on my face.

He did not see the angry hellhound as he leapt through the farthest portal, making his way towards us, at the back of the Grand Advisor. His spines were puffed, but he did not rattle them as he moved silently closer, stalking. His jaws dripped with drool as he opened his mouth, fangs bared, and leapt onto the Grand Advisor.

Mom created a large portal beneath my mates’ knees, causing them to fall through and land next to me.

Jol quickly removed their restraints, and they thanked him breathlessly.

Had we not still been in jeopardy, I would have made a joke about him being their handsome savior.

Dhun had inflicted a major wound on the Grand Advisor, but the generals began attacking him, forcing him to turn on them instead.

Jol rushed over, assisting the hellhound and incapacitating the generals quickly.

“Are you injured?” Trey asked as they stepped up to stand at my back.

I looked over my shoulder at them and smiled. “I’m fine, handsome.”

Kayden dropped his forehead to rest on my shoulder and exhaled. “Thank goodness.”

“This vision is almost over,” I whispered. “I’m not certain what will come next.”

Just as Jol was about to take out the Grand Advisor, his hands wrapped around his throat, the scene shifted.

Mom and Dad suddenly stood on either side of me, deep frowns on their faces as they explained they had seen one of the other visions.

“Which means we’re nearing the end,” I said and exhaled a relieved breath.

“None of this makes sense,” Dad muttered. “How is he doing this when he’s been weakened in each of the different instances? He must have help. It must be someone else helping him.”

“Leona is searching with Jolie to try to find them,” Mom said. “We all sensed that we were missing something.”

“I’ve never heard of a power like this, neither had Grandpa Dalton,” Dad whispered.

Great Grandpa Dalton was Jolie’s father, former King of the Sirens. If he’d never heard of this power, then it must be due to …

“It’s likely because he’s a hybrid,” Mom said, finishing my thought for me.

“We really are terrifying,” I whispered.

Mom and Dad didn’t disagree with me.

“I’m going to go talk to Mom,” Dad said and teleported away.

“I’m going to check on Leona,” Mom said and created a portal at her feet, falling through it.

Mason, Trey, and Kayden suddenly each put a hand on me. Mason on my arm, Kayden on my shoulder, and Trey on my hip.

Looking back at them, I saw their eyes focused on something and turned in that direction.

Liam headed towards us, an unconscious Maya in his arms.

Simultaneously, fury consumed me, along with worry for my friend.

“What are you doing?” I demanded and took a step forward.

He smirked and said, “I told you I would test out your little friend here. So, what will it be, Lily? Your friend or the demon world? You must choose.”

My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. “You’re working with the Grand Advisor?”

Shrugging, he said, “I was never going to hold a powerful position here, but with him, I will.”

Of course the Grand Advisor had found people like him, weak idiots who wanted power and would give up our world for it.

“I’m going to skin you with my teeth,” I hissed, my tongue coming out forked and my fangs elongating even though I stayed in my human form.

He flinched back, fear on his face.

Good, he should know I was to be feared. He should know never to touch my friends, especially not my best friend!

“Put her down this instant or I’ll hold you down while she tears your skin from your muscles,” Mason threatened in a flat, serious tone.

My lower body tightened, and I knew my mates could scent my arousal, but I didn’t care. Yes, that was hot!

“Fuck off, bird brain,” Liam snapped.

Jaeden ran from behind us, ram horns atop his head, and slammed into the side of Liam, knocking Liam and Maya to the ground.

I moved forward to help, but Kayden’s grip tightened.

Tony, the elf, and my brother Tony suddenly appeared, dropping down next to Jaeden to help beat the shit out of Liam, who never stood a chance.

My brother let elf Tony get the last hit against Liam while he picked up Maya.

“We’ve got her, Lily. You focus on the battle,” my brother said.

Exhaling, my shoulder dropping a bit, I said, “You three should take her away from the battlefield. I’m not sure what he did to make her unconscious like she is.”

Jaeden set his hand on her face and nodded. “She’s a bit feverish, so probably a potion. Let’s go.”