Page 63 of Wedded Witch
“Now!” Ri barks, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I stumble back, clutching the Book of Shadows tightly to my chest as Kel, Sol, and Ri move in front of me. Their bodies ripple with energy, their shifting forms flickering like smoke before solidifying.
I’ve seen them shift before, but this time it’s different. There’s a fluidity, a synchronisation in their movements that I’ve never witnessed.
The three of them meld together, their bodies shifting into one massive form—a single, monstrous creature with three heads and a body built like a fortress.
A Cerberus.
Holy shit.
The ground trembles beneath its weight, and its dark fur bristles with barely contained fury. Three sets of eyes gleam with a primal, protective instinct, each pair trained on the shadowed figure, watching its every move.
The figure pauses, as if reassessing the situation. The tension crackles in the air, the dark magic swirling like a storm ready to break.
The creature, this Cerberus that is somehow my protectors fused into one, lets out a low, rumbling growl that shakes the earth. Each head bares its teeth, a terrifying display of strength and warning.
But the figure doesn’t retreat. Instead, it raises an arm, the shadows around it thickening, curling toward us like tendrils of smoke. The magic it wields is dark, older than anything I’ve ever felt before.
My heart hammers against my ribs as I take another step back, but I refuse to run. I can’t leave them—my mates—alone to face this.
The Cerberus snarls, all three heads in unison, and charges. The ground quakes beneath its massive paws as it launches itself at the figure, and the dark tendrils lash out to meet them.
Magic clashes against magic in an explosion of power, the very air vibrating with the force of it. The figure stumbles back, clearly not expecting the full might of a Cerberus.
The creature—my creature—snaps and bites at the tendrils, tearing through the dark magic as if it were nothing more than fog. I watch, breathless, as the battle unfolds.
The figure begins to retreat, its shadowy form dissolving into the darkness from which it came.
Within moments, the threat is gone, leaving nothing but the eerie silence of the woods. The Cerberus stands motionless for a heartbeat, staring at me with all three heads cocked to the side which is eerie and disconcerting.
I shake trying to take in everything I just witnessed. Then, slowly, the massive form begins to break apart. In a swirl of energy, Kel, Sol, and Ri re-emerge, their human forms solidifying once again, each of them panting from the exertion.
Kel wipes his brow, throwing me a half-smile.
“Well, that was fun.”
I try to catch my breath, but my hands are shaking, my pulse still racing from the encounter. “What the hell was that?” I manage to ask, my voice shaky.
“We’re shifters - you know that,” Sol explains. “But together we form a?—”
“Cerberus. Yep. Got that bit,” I snark. “I mean, what the hell was that trying to attack us?”
Ri steps forward, his expression grim. “Someone—or something—is watching you. And they’re getting bold enough to come out in the open.”
“Whoever it is,” Sol adds, his voice low, “they’re using some seriously dark magic.”
I swallow hard, my gaze shifting between them. “I think we need to get out of here.”
Kel nods, placing a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. “We will. But first, let’s make sure you’re safe.”
“Me? I’m fine. What about the three of you?”
“Most fun I’ve had in ages,” Ri mutters.
“That’s cause you’ve not taken our girl here out on date yet, brother,” Kel replies cheerily, slapping Ri on the back, which makes him scowl even more.
I bite back a smile, though it’s hardly a laughing matter. We were just attacked by something dark, and I’m fated to three guys who can morph into a three headed dog.