I slumped and Alex slipped an arm around my waist, holding me up.

Tears trickled down my cheeks. “Cactus, what happened?”

“Someone broke, someone was tortured. We think . . . we think it was the spell casters who helped you.” His green eyes met mine. “None of us were able to stand against the demons, but we tried. We held them back long enough for Erik and Coyote to get the babies out. That was the best we could do. The others in the monastery, they didn’t make it. The monastery is burning even now.”

Faris let him go. “Erik, Coyote, and the two children on their way here. Three days and they’ll be here.”

Three days. A part of me soared at the mere thought of seeing Marcella, of holding her in my arms. The other part of me sunk to the depths. She would be in the midst of this, after all we’d done to keep her safe. After all that had been sacrificed.

From the doorway of the house, the light dimmed. “Cactus, causing problems again, prick?”

He spun and his mouth dropped open. “Lark? You’re alive?” He ran to her and caught her up in his arms, spinning her around until she smacked him.

“Put me down, fool.” Her eyes lifted to mine. “Rylee, you’d better come see this.”

We followed her into the house. The TV had been left on and the picture on it made my guts clench. Orion was speaking to the camera in a body that looked very much like he’d come through the veil in the flesh. Maybe a part of me hoped he still would be held back, but the truth of it was in front of me. He was here.

Behind him stood two men and two women. I would have laid money they were the four horsemen. Fucking hell.

I didn’t get too close, just watched from the doorway as Orion handed something to the President of the United States.

“This cure is now available for everyone,” Orion said, lifting his hands above his head.

The crowd cheered and the camera panned their faces. Adoring was the only word that fit. I would give him one thing, the fucker moved fast. The veil had been open less than a few hours and he was already on TV.

Lark glanced at me. “He always had a flare for the dramatic.”

“You know him?” I goggled at her.

“Couple of times, I had to deal with him. If I’d known how bad he truly was . . . hell, I wish I’d killed him then. Would have saved us all a lot of heartache and loss.”

The President was saying something about Marshal Law. “This country needs to protect itself against terrorists who would steal this gift of a cure from us. The ring leader is this woman.”

Yeah, my face popped up on the screen. I snorted. “Surprise, surprise.” The President’s voice droned on, but I didn’t really hear him. The camera panned back to Orion shaking people’s hands, hugging little old ladies. Kissing babies.

A dark-haired child was lifted to him and my guts clenched. “No.” I breathed the word as he turned the baby to the camera and mouthed one word with a raised eyebrow.

“Marcella?”

“Not her, asshat,” I whispered, knowing he couldn’t hear me. Didn’t matter. The child he held was not my daughter, thought they looked similar enough that is scared the shit out of me.

Lark flicked off the TV. “The final battle is here. Rylee, are you ready for this showdown?”

I nodded. “Let’s get this done.”

Alex leaned forward, a wide grin on his face and for a moment I saw the wolf he had been for so long. “To the bitter end.”

I took his hand. “To the bitter fucking end.”