Page 28 of Of Flame and Fury
Aric urges Celia through. I catch Koda snag Shayna in his massive arms. He smashes his mouth against hers. Their kiss is more impassioned and longer. That doesn’t mean I envy their goodbye.
Celia slips through and into the ballroom. Shayna follows a breath before I lose my grip.
Shayna presses her hand against the barrier to hover over Koda’s. His grief-stricken features are enough to shatter a thousand hearts. He never knew love until he found my sister and now, he may lose her.
He bows his head briefly. When he meets her gaze and says what he does, I almost unravel. “You’re the best thing that will ever happen to me,” he tells her.
Shayna smiles even as her tears fall. “I love you like the moon does the sun, Miakoda.”
She wipes her eyes and quickly helps me lead Celia away.
“Emme,” I call. “It’s time.”
Emme, although fully healed through her own power, walks carefully toward us. Bren snatches her into a tight embrace. “I won’t leave you,” he tells her. “Not like this. Remember what I said, you and me, we’re going to make it.”
As he releases her, he grasps her hands, kissing them, the gesture as intimate as our goodbyes with our wolves.
“Emme, honey,” I urge. “We have to go.”
Although it destroys her to walk away from Bren, her face lights up when she sees Celia. She throws herself into Celia’s arms. Celia embraces her, her husky voice falling to a reassuring purr. “I’m all right, and so are you. Stay strong, and I promise, I will too.”
I crouch down, calling forth a tiny stream of flame to create my magic circle and our way out of here. Ordinarily, I’d use chalk, or even a marker. The chalk I tucked into my dress earlier was smashed to bits during the first twenty-five ass-kickings I survived. And even though I hate using my fire, I don’t fret much over damaging Genevieve’s floors. They’re already destroyed, and my char marks aren’t any worse than the shit staining them.
I work through the words of the spell, punching my magic through each syllable as the last of Tweedle’s babies are stomped to bits. “Allow our departure,” I say.
Gemini’s head snaps up when another hard something strikes above. “Taran,” he says. “Work faster. Something else is here.”
Chapter Eleven
You know what? Fuck you, Johnny. Fuck you and your stupid Nytes and all the shit you’re doing to kill us.
I swear up a storm as I focus on the witch magic Genevieve and her groupies taught me. I’m not fond of it, and not being a witch myself, it doesn’t come easy.
Another crash to the ceiling.
Aric pounds on the partition, yelling at Celia to come back. Can I blame him? No. We’re the geniuses who thought she was safer in this hell pit versus the hell hole on the opposite side.
“Morrell, Adonis, Keisha, Elaine, take point around the Wird sisters,” Gemini orders. “Matthew, David, Amber, collect the injured and group them as one.”
“Yes, Gemini,” a chorus ofweresanswer.
Moreweresare hurt than are ready to fight and protect. I want to thank them. As the mate to the second in command, I think I’m obliged. But everyone is counting on me to get Celia out. I have to make it right.
More crashing resonates over the sound of splintering glass. Aric is busting through the divide, but it costs him. Shards of mystical glass soar into his skin, slicing through his muscles and coating the partition with his blood. The power he possesses is spilling into the divide and weakening it. It’s also weakening Aric. He needs his strength to fight what’s coming. And what’s coming is plenty big.
Uri is belting words in Russian, his tone hateful. Each word smacks at my back like a warning. I don’t speak the language, but the way he’s looking at Celia makes me think he believes his life is worth more than hers.
Gemini appears to suspect the same. He orders hisweresto tighten the circle around us. He snarls, ready to challenge the master of all masters.
My body shakes with fear. I need Celia out before Uri rushes the circle and tries to take our place. He remains whole and strong, and his vampires appear to outnumber theweres. Once we leave, the vamps will have no choice but to abandon their fight with theweresand turn against the approaching Nyte.
A section of granite from the fireplace cracks and falls with the next powerful strike. The floor at my feet shakes from the beating the roof and the side of the manor are taking. This thing is stronger than that three-headed wolf, and it’s closing in fast.
“Aric,” Celia calls. “Stay where you are. I’ll come to you.”
She growls. I don’t have to look up to know Shayna has her and is keeping her in place.
Koda’swereessence has flowed through Shayna’s system since the time he tried toturnher to save her life. Still, Shayna isn’t as strong as Celia, and Celia can wipe the floor with her. Hell, Celia can wipe the floor with all of us. Shayna manages to keep her put only because Celia doesn’t want to risk harming her baby.