I could barely get the words out, my body once more drained of its strength. “I know how to stop Tura.”

Chapter 28

We gathered everyone at the Den, weres, the vamps, the witches, too. Honestly, I didn’t trust anyone, not then. Thankfully, those who mattered seemed to trust me.

Aric and I watched each other from opposite sides of the clearing where we’d congregated. I didn’t want to risk damaging any more Den structures. The last two buildings I’d played a role in demolishing surely were enough. As I looked at him, all I wanted to do was rush into his arms. And I would, if I could somehow pull my plan off.

“I don’t like this,” Genevieve said. “Celia, I wish you would just tell us your thoughts and explain your strategy.” Her magic and that of Delilah’s and the rest of their coven circled the perimeter, but she kept her attention on me.

“She doesn’t have to tell you shit,” Taran answered for me.

Her response infuriated Genevieve’s coven and earned frustrated groans from Gemini and Aric. Taran so didn’t care. When Genevieve did little more than raise her eyebrow, Taran responded by flipping her off with her gloved hand.

I tried to keep my eye from twitching and failed miserably. Forget that Taran despised the very snow-covered ground Genevieve seemed to glide over. And forget that there was a body-jumping psychopathic shape-shifter using our power against us. Taran was severely sleep deprived. And a sleep-deprived Taran was scarier than hell.

Dark circles ringed her eyes and those of Shayna’s and Emme’s. The dreams haunting them made them afraid to fall asleep, so like me, they’d done their damnedest to stay awake, severely impacting their health and moods. They wouldn’t look at each other, and although only ten days had passed since I’d last seen them, it was obvious that they’d lost a significant amount of weight.

I stepped toward the center of the circle. “Everything will make sense once it happens, but it may take a while so be prepared to act.” My eyes cut to Delilah. “Remember how you told me you wanted a little payback when we first met?” She nodded. “If this works, you’ll get your wish.”

I nodded to Misha, who did little more than blink before every vampire in his keep, along with his mystics, who took point behind each were present. That move was as popular as you might imagine. “What’s this?” Martin demanded as the weres around us growled.

“A small assurance to keep Celia safe,” Misha answered for me. “None of your Pack will be harmed—unless, of course, Tura chooses to invade their bodies and turn them against Celia.”

“No one will be killed,” I shouted over the increasing growls. “In the event of an attack, the vampires are only to force the invaded were into submission.”

“Unless they try to kill us first,” Edith added with a smile.

Edith was no help and “submission” wasn’t the best choice of words. I was dealing with a bunch of “doms” after all.

Aric, for as angry as he was, seemed to understand, and thankfully backed me. His steely expression halted the weres’ increasing ire and he didn’t hesitate to join me when I motioned him forward. I took his hands in mine, hoping like hell I wouldn’t break down. “What are you thinking?” he asked, lifting my hands and brushing his lips against my knuckles.

“That I really want this to end, so I can be your wife.”

His gaze softened as mine blurred. He traced his thumb over my ring finger. “My name will go here where it belongs, just like I’ll claim yours as mine. No matter what happens I’ll be your strength, just like you’ve always been mine.”

My stare traveled to my ring finger as Aric continued his caress. During the marriage ceremony a pureblood were’s name was magically traced onto his mate’s ring finger, signifying their union and their eternal love. In exchange his mate could receive the same. It was something Aric and I had planned to do, and we’d still do it if I could get us through this. “I love you,” I told him.

“I love you, too,” he said back. “Celia, whatever happens, you have to believe that together, we are unstoppable.”

A wolf yelped, steering our attention away from each other. Tim lay across Bren’s body. He’d broken Bren’s neck to stop him from attacking us. Shit. The stupid stunning spells the witches had crafted weren’t having any effect. “Tura’s here,” I said, quickly.

Another roar, another sound of bone breaking, followed by two more yelps, and then another. Aric backed away from me as he scanned the perimeter. Agnes jumped on a werecougar bounding toward me, bringing him down. “Go, Celia,” Aric urged. “We’re out of time. Do what you have to—”

He tackled Danny in wolf form. I cringed when Aric forced him down. I motioned my sisters toward the center of the circle. They rushed to me. “Taran, put us to sleep.”

“What? Are you out of your goddamn mind?”

More and more bodies were being invaded. Tura skipped from one to the other, moving faster, and drawing closer to me, forcing the Elders and the vampires to scramble to protect me.

“Taran, put us to sleep, now!” I yelled. Shayna and Emme began shaking. They didn’t want to go to sleep. They knew their nightmares awaited them. “Taran, please!” I begged her.

Her tearful blue eyes took in the growing chaos; the weres were healing quickly, their beasts awakening enraged and turning on the vamps who’d harmed them. The coven scattered, trying to flee from the rows of snapping fangs and deadly claws. “Son of a bitch,” she muttered. “Ceel, I hope you know what you’re doing.”

I didn’t. Not really, but I had to try. “I love you,” I told them as Taran’s blue mist enveloped us. Emme and Shayna collapsed at once, Taran quickly followed. My body wobbled as Aric forced a giant grizzly bear into the thick snow. “Come to me when I call,” I managed to slur.

The flicker in his eyes told me he’d heard me, but then it switched to something dark and sinister. Tura had claimed my wolf once more, sending him barreling toward me as I crumpled to the frozen ground.

—
You’re not alone, the voices whispered.

Something tickled my cheek. I woke up in the bedroom of that tiny apartment we used to live in. I batted at the roaches crawling across my face and those making their way up my legs, knowing things were about to get way worse. The roaches stayed put, my gestures seeming to have no effect on Tura’s mind games.