Chapter 8

With all the lovey-dovey crap going on around us, you wouldn’t think that some major ass kicking was about to go down. Then again, maybe that is the perfect reason to be breaking in the mattresses. Strong mated pairs mean strong individuals, so I guess I shouldn’t be complaining about everyone having shag fests with their mates. Maybe we should start calling it “plugging in.” Oh man that’s awesome. Plugging in, get it, like a power source, but it totally works as a pun for—” ~Jen

“They get it, Jen. Geeze.” ~ Jacque.


Peri slammed another book closed causing dust to fill the air of the archive room. She’d been there for an hour, searching in book after book to no avail.
“Hey,” Wadim called out from down the hall. “Go easy on the books. It’s not like I can just zip down to Barnes & Noble and pick up another copy.”
She ignored him. Peri could go to the fae archives and see if she could find any information on Sincaro, but there was no telling how long it would take to look through their extensive records. The fae archives made the wolves’ library look like the kiddie section of a bookstore.
“Hey, scary fae lady, I found something,” she heard the annoying history wolf yell.
Peri let out a groan. She placed the book back on the shelf and walked back to the main room of the archives. Wadim sat at his desk in front of a ridiculous number of computer screens. He pointed to the one on the far right.
“I did a scan for Sincaro. Nothing came up, of course. But then I did a scan for vampire king.” He looked over his shoulder at her. “Figured if he’s the oldest, then that sort of makes him the king. Anyways, when I did that, I got three references.”
Peri stepped closer to the screen and began reading.
1502 A.D. in the ninth month, the fifteenth day. The vampire race has grown so large in number that they can barely hide their kills. The Alphas have met with the high fae and made it known that they want the numbers decreased significantly. The high fae are in agreement and willing to bring forth the fae warriors. Perizada of the fae, in particular, argued extensively for intervention. The vampire king has grown too bold and is encouraging his race to be bold as well. There are already mutterings and superstitions among the humans concerning the vampires. The humans cannot be allowed to find out about paranormal beings. The governing councils of each civilized race agree that it would be too dangerous for the humans to know.
In three days’ time, the fae will go to war with the vampires. The Canis lupus will not be a part of the battle. The fae have insisted that they are more than capable of eliminating the vampires without our help. As much as the Alphas hate to miss the opportunity to rid the world of that scourge, they have agreed not to participate. It is not in the nature of the wolves to let another supernatural race face such a peril alone. But the wolves petitioned the high fae council about the vampires five years ago with the same dilemma and the fae did nothing. At this point, it is not the wolves’ problem.
1502 A.D. in the ninth month, the twentieth day. It has been a fierce battle and the fae have finally prevailed in culling over half of the vampire population. They believe the vampire king was one of the fallen, though his body has not been found. Though he was a powerful foe, his army fell quickly to the high fae magic, and the fae did not believe there could possibly be any survivors.
Peri growled in frustration. It had been a waste of time. The documentation didn’t confirm or deny Sincaro’s death. It was simply speculation. Speculation was about as useful as an intoxicated pixie.
“I’d like to say thank you for taking your time to look up the information, but that would imply it was helpful,” she growled to Wadim.
He shot her the finger over his back causing her lips to twitch. She actually liked the historian, and his tee shirts were something to look forward to. Peri flashed from the archive room and reappeared in her bedroom where her mate was currently lying, shirtless, in their bed. She removed her own clothes with just a thought and then slid into bed next to him. She wouldn’t have long to be with him before she’d have to begin shuttling the wolves to Little Rock and begin preparing for battle.
She closed the distance between them and sprawled her body across his warmer one. His arms immediately wrapped around her, pulling her tightly against him.
“Welcome home, beautiful.”
His voice was rough with sleep and entirely too sexy. “It’s good to be home, no matter how brief.”
Lucian rolled and she was suddenly beneath him. He pressed a kiss to her lips and then pulled back to look at her. His blonde hair fell forward brushing her face. He smelled amazing, as usual. It didn’t matter if the man was sweaty from a good workout or fresh out of the shower, he always smelled incredible.
“Are you trying to tell me you won’t be staying long?” His silver eyes flashed mischievously.
“Duty calls,” she said in a near whisper. Only Lucian had the ability to make her lose her breath. He alone could cause all thought to slip away from her mind and replace it with him, only him. He filled up her senses. He was all she could see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. Lucian’s body lowered and settled firmly against hers, causing her eyes to flutter closed.
“Then I suppose we’d better make the most of it,” he said softly against her neck as he pressed a kiss to the spot where his bite was located. Her skin flushed as blood flowed quickly through her body. Peri’s pulse jumped as his hands gripped her hips.
“Don’t you want to get some rest?” she asked, practically panting like someone who’d just sprinted as hard as she could for a hundred yards.
“I can rest anytime. What I can’t have anytime is you. So I will take you when you are here.”
“You know you aren’t the only one who needs. I need you. I don’t like being away from you anymore than you like being away from me,” Peri told him as she traced the contours of his masculine face.
“I know that, beloved. I have no doubts about your feelings, wants, or needs when it comes to me. I also know that just because you are mated doesn’t mean all of the responsibility you’ve carried all these centuries suddenly disappears. It simply means that you no longer have to shoulder it alone.”
She felt her eyes fill with tears. No one had ever cherished her the way Lucian had. No one had ever made her feel so incredibly necessary, as though life would not go on if she did not exist in the world.
“Even if we were not bonded, my life would not go on if you were not in this world,” Lucian said, having heard her thoughts.
They were quiet for a few moments as they stared into each other’s eyes. Then with whispered words caressing her skin, Lucian showed her just how necessary she was to him.





Drake stood off to the side as he watched the mated pairs interact. As Decebel’s third, he’d been asked to assist in the war against the vampires and, naturally, he’d obeyed. He would never admit to his Alpha that it was difficult to be around the group—this group. They seemed to always be the ones called on for such missions because all of them were mated. But he…well…he wasn’t. It was hard enough that he had spent so much time in the Serbia pack while it had been under the control of a crazed alpha obsessed with killing Alina and Vasile. Drake couldn’t talk about the things many of them had endured at the hand of their old alpha. Since Decebel had taken over, he’d been able to hide what Thad’s leadership had caused in some of the males of his pack. Not only was it degrading but memories remained that no wolf should ever have to carry. Add to that the fact that, at a century old, he still hadn’t found his true mate, and things were pretty dark in his world. Some days he truly considered defecting, becoming a lone wolf, just to get away from all the laughing, touching, and loving.
Like any male of his species, he longed for the day he would meet his true mate. There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t think about her. He didn’t have a face to go with his thoughts, or a voice, or smell, or anything. Those were all things he wondered about, of course. Drake longed to know what color her hair would be and how it would smell. He wanted to see if her mouth had full lips or smaller thin ones. Were her eyes large and round or more almond shaped? Though truly none of that mattered; he would want her regardless of what she looked like. And he was sure he would think she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He also wondered what she would think of him. Would she find him attractive? Would she be able to see past the stains that his previous alpha had left on him?
Drake’s gut clenched and his wolf stirred restlessly. The familiar darkness that was a part of who he was scratched and clawed at him. It tried to gain more ground every day. He fought it back, trying to hold on to his sanity so that he would not go feral. He wasn’t sure what was causing it, but for some reason in the last nine months he felt as though the darkness was growing stronger at a much quicker rate than it had before…before what? He didn’t know.
Vasile and Alina stepped into the room and silence descended drawing Drake back from his thoughts.
“Peri, Alston, and Nissa” —Vasile motioned to the fae who were standing to his right— “will be flashing us to Little Rock, Arkansas. They’ve found an empty warehouse where we will congregate and from there decide our next move.”
Drake watched as the three high fae spread out and the others began placing their hands on one of them. Decebel motioned with his head for Drake to join them. He made his way over and placed his hand on Alston’s arm. He didn’t feel comfortable touching one of the female fae. Touching any female seemed to bother him. There was only one he wanted to touch and be touched by. Drake gritted his teeth together, willing himself to push away the thoughts of the mate he didn’t have.
Suddenly the world was sucked away from them—they were weightless, and then a breath later, they reappeared in a large room with a concrete floor, steel walls, and a twenty-five foot ceiling. Drake released the fae and stepped back. Like the other males in the room, he immediately began evaluating the situation. Where were the exits? Were there any potential hiding places that could conceal a foe? Were there any foes? The usual things that every male of his species did when walking into new territory.
Once everyone had arrived, they formed a circle with Vasile, Alina, and Peri standing in the center. He waited, like the loyal soldier he was, for instructions to be given. Drake didn’t know where that thought had come from. He’d never begrudged his place in the pack. In fact, when Decebel had asked him to be his third, and one of his warriors, he’d been pleased. But lately nothing seemed to be enough. Nothing made him content. He was as restless as a caged lion. So far he’d been able to keep it concealed from the others, but the feeling was getting worse. He knew his Alpha was going to pick up on it sooner rather than later. Drake also knew that Decebel wouldn’t hesitate to end him if it became necessary. It would hurt him to do so, that was the kind of Alpha Decebel was. But he would do it nonetheless, and for that Drake was unbelievably thankful. If he lost it, if the darkness took over and his wolf went feral, he wouldn’t want to live as a monster. He made a promise to himself in that moment that, if it all got to be too much, he would talk to Decebel.





Decebel hooked an arm around Jennifer’s waist when she immediately tried to leave his side as they flashed into the warehouse. She glared up at him. He simply shrugged at her. He’d warned her that she would not be leaving his side, and he’d meant it.
He ignored her attempts to loosen his fingers but couldn’t ignore the well placed elbow she jammed into his side. He grunted and heard her chuckle in satisfaction. His mate had a mean streak, and the ridiculous thing was, he liked it. Decebel was pretty sure Jennifer had messed up his head in some fundamental way.
“Maybe you were already screwed up before we met. Ever think about that?” He heard her voice in his mind and loved how it made him feel close to her. He needed that after the fight they’d had, even if they had made up.
“Thoroughly made up, I might add,” she interrupted his thought and he felt his heart pick up at the reminder of just how thorough their making up had been.
“Nosy much, mate?” he growled at her. He didn’t need her distracting him at this moment. Then again, Jennifer simply breathing was a distraction to him, and to most other males for that matter.
“If you would let go of me, I could give you some space so that I won’t be a distraction,” she told him sweetly—too sweetly.
“As long as you are breathing, baby, you will be a distraction. And not an unwelcome one…most of the time,” he told her gently as he gave her side a gentle squeeze.
She groaned. “How am I supposed to be a jerk to you when you’re being all syrupy sweet?”
He chuckled as he turned his attention to Vasile who’d begun to speak.
“Peri has found the location of the entrance to this coven’s underground lair. This is going to be a simple in and out operation. We go in, we kill everything that moves, and we come out. We act without remorse and without hesitation.”
“What if there are some children still alive?” Jacque asked.
“Sally and I will be in charge of any survivors,” Alina told her. Decebel noticed that Jacque didn’t seem appeased by the answer.
“Are we all going?” Costin spoke up next.
Vasile shook his head. We will have two teams. One team will stay on the surface as backup, ready to help if needed. They will also serve as a lookout. The other team will engage the enemy.” He then motioned for Peri to take the floor.
“Okay, pay attention. What I am about to say might just save your furry little lives. Some of you have fought vampires before, some of you haven’t. Only a few of you have fought them recently, so here are some things you need to know,” she began. “Most of the vampires can’t match your strength or ferocity. They don’t like a heads up fight. They like to play mind games. Ignore them. Whatever you do, do not engage them in conversation. Do not think of them as people. They are not people. I cannot be too clear on this. They care for nothing other than their next feeding.
What the vamps lack in strength, they make up for in sheer toughness. They’re bloody hard to kill. Once you are engaged with a bloodsucker, make damn sure the thing is dead before you go on to the next one. Heads and hearts, people. That’s what you will be focusing on. Take off the head or rip out the heart. Nothing else will stop them.”
“This is going to be bloody,” Jen said sounding much too eager for Decebel’s liking.
“Jen, don’t you dare go bathing in the blood of your fallen enemy like we saw in that movie,” Sally warned. “You aren’t some Viking warrior princess with a vendetta against the king for killing your brother.”
Decebel looked down at his mate to see her considering Sally’s words. “Can we go with a female Spartan warrior, the first of her kind, who is searching for the people who destroyed her family?” Jen asked.
“No. Blood. Baths,” Sally reiterated. “But good call on the whole first Spartan female warrior thing. I like it.”
Jennifer smiled and winked.
“Are you two done?” Peri asked for what felt like the millionth time in her life, knowing that it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
Both girls nodded.
“As I was saying,” the high fae continued, irritation lacing her tone. “Once we’re done, get out quickly because we’re going to be torching the place. For obvious reasons, we need the bodies to disappear. Burning them should be the most efficient way to take care of that. Hopefully, the humans will chalk the fire up to a methane gas explosion. Any questions?”
Everyone was silent. Vasile stepped forward once again.
“Good, then these are the teams: Myself, Alina, Costin.” He glanced at Decebel. “Is that alright with you?”
Decebel knew he was asking out of respect since Costin was Decebel’s Beta. “I’ll follow your lead on this,” responded the Serbian Alpha
Vasile nodded and then continued. “Sally, Cypher, and Nissa. The second team obviously will be Decebel, Jennifer, Fane, Jacque, Drake and Alston. To stay fresh, each of the teams will take turns attacking. Peri will assist with whatever team is on the offensive at each location.” He paused. “The fae will flash us to the alley where the opening is.” He motioned once again for everyone to place a hand on one of the three fae.
Decebel pulled Jen over to Peri. His stomach tightened as she flashed them. He clenched his teeth together and didn’t unclench them until they were standing on solid ground again.
Jennifer slipped away from him before he could put his arm around her again. She walked over to where Jacque and Sally stood. He decided to let her be. How much trouble could she get into just standing and talking to her two friends? He decided not to answer that question.





Jen let out a sigh when she realized that Decebel wasn’t going to come snatch her away. He’d been smothering her since they’d left their room that morning. Not for one second had he not been holding on to her in some way until they’d flashed into the alley, and she’d totally taken advantage of his momentary lapse in grabbiness.
“So, how are you guys feeling about this?” Sally asked as she rubbed her hands together. It was cold. They’d worn only thin jackets so as to keep their movements unhampered.
“I’m thinking I want you two to be careful,” Jacque told her. She looked at Jen and glared. “Don’t be doing anything stupid just for a cheap thrill.”
Jen tilted her head to the side. “Come on, Red, you know better than that. I’ve got Dec for any cheap thrills that might need doing.”
Both girls groaned. Jen laughed.
“Besides,” she continued, “Decebel doesn’t let me get two feet from his side. Nothing will happen to me. And he’s been training me. I’ve got all sorts of mad fighting skills now.”
“Uh, huh.” Sally eyed her skeptically. “I know what kind of training you two do. How many of those training sessions were cut short by uncontrollable groping?” Sally challenged.
Jen tapped her lip. “At least…all of them,” she said with a wicked grin.
“Why didn’t I see that coming?” Sally asked looking at Jacque.
Jacque patted her. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. Every once in a while she actually acts like a real life human being who doesn’t think with her girl parts. Sometimes that tricks us into thinking she’s normal. It happens to the best of us.”
“These prego hormones have made you a bitch,” Jen said folding her arms in front of her as she looked at Jacque. Then she winked at Jacque. “I like it.”
“Only you would,” Jacque muttered under her breath.
“My team” —Vasile spoke loudly so that the group could hear him. Jen, Sally, and Jacque turned to look at the Alpha— “will be going in first. Peri has something for each of us.”
Peri started handing out silver short swords.
Jen grinned. “Hell. Yeah,” she said practically jumping on her toes. “I’m fixing to go all Peter Pan on these vamps’ butts.”
“Peter,” Jacque started.
“Pan?” Sally finished for her.
Jen paused in her happy feet bouncing. “What?”
“Peter Pan isn’t exactly an intimidating hero,” Jacque told her.
Jen thought about it for a minute and then she snapped her fingers. “Got it. I’m fixing to go all Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on these vamps’ butts. Better?”
Jacque pinched the bridge of her nose. “Just remember you can’t fly, okay?”
“Noted,” Jen said giving her a thumbs up.
As soon as Peri held out a sword to Jen, a large hand snatched it before she could take it.
“That’s it!” Jen growled at the same time she stomped her foot.
“Oh hell,” Jacque muttered. “She totally foot stomped.
“Not a good sign,” Sally agreed.
“You” —Jen turned and pointed at her mate—“are going to stop being an overbearing, overprotective, but incredibly hot, asshat.” She paused. “Okay, so incredibly hot doesn’t really do you justice with that sword in your hand.” Jen’s eyes widened. “Did I just say what I think I said?”
The group around her was filled with chuckles, sighs, and groans.
“If you mean did you just talk about your mate’s sword and how he holds it,” Peri offered, “then, yes. Yes you did.”
“Okay, well, well.” Jen placed her hands on her hips and looked from Dec to Peri to the others. “Well, now I’ve lost my place.”
“You were telling him to quit being an asshat,” Cypher offered.
She snapped her fingers. “Perfect. Thank you, warlock.” She turned back to Decebel. “I am going to help. I am going to fight. And you are going to be okay with it.”
Decebel glowered at her. Finally he let out a resigned sigh and flipped the sword in the air so the blade was in his hand and the handle was held out to her. “Just be careful, please.”
“You’ve been training me, B. You know what I’m capable of. Have a little faith.” Jen paused and looked down at the sword. “Um, just to be clear, the pointy end goes into the vamp, right?”
Her two best friends snorted out laughter but quickly covered it when Decebel shot them menacing looks. Vasile cleared his throat. “Decebel, you keep your team up here. Alston will shield you from any humans that wander by. If we need assistance, Peri will flash out here and let you all know. Any questions?”
The group shook their heads.
“Let’s go,” Vasile rumbled as he made his way to the manhole cover.
Peri motioned her hands over the cover and it slowly slid open. Vasile was the first to jump down into the dark hole. Alina followed, then Cypher, Nissa, and Costin.
Just as Sally was about to step into the opening, no doubt trusting her mate to catch her, Jen called her name. “No heroics,” Jen said evenly.
Sally’s lips tightened and she nodded. “You either.”





Sally blinked several times, attempting to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She was acutely aware of the others staring at her, waiting until she was ready. They, of course, with their supernatural selves, didn’t have any problem seeing in the near dark.
“You good, brown eyes?” Costin asked her as he took her hand.
Sally nodded. “Just wasn’t expecting it to be so dark.”
“Nissa and I will give a hand with that,” Peri said as she whispered under her breath and held out her hand. Nissa did the same thing and both fae women released glowing orbs into the air. They lit up the area around them and at least fifteen feet in all directions.
“I will take the lead,” Vasile spoke up. “Cypher you take the rear.”
They moved into a single file line. Costin gently tugged Sally behind him. He turned his head to look at her as they continued forward. “Stay close to me.”
Sally glanced down just as a rat scurried in front of her. “You don’t have to tell me twice,” she told her mate as she moved closer to him.
The group was quiet as they followed the tunnel. Every fifty or so feet they would stop and Vasile, Alina, and Costin would all suck in deep breaths through their noses. She understood what they were sniffing for—blood. As they continued on, Sally noticed that the deeper they went, the heavier she felt. As though with every step she took, a brick of despair was being set upon her shoulders. Her heartbeat increased and her hands began to shake. Sweat trickled down her back despite the fact that it was cool underground.
“You okay?” Costin’s voice filled her mind and for a brief second his presence chased away the heavy feeling, but then it was back.
“I don’t know what it is, but there’s just so much sorrow down here.”
He reached back and grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
After ten more minutes of walking, Vasile held up his hand, stopping everyone in their tracks. “Do you smell it?” he asked turning to look at his mate and then to Costin.
Costin nodded. His jaw was clenched tight and his eyes had begun to glow.
“What is it?” Sally asked him, using their bond.
“Blood.” She heard the hesitation in his voice. There was more but he didn’t want to tell her.
“And?”
“It’s young.”
Sally swallowed back the bile that rose up in her throat. She’d known that they were targeting children, but to be this close to it was completely different than standing in Vasile’s office being told about it. The misery that had begun filling her continued to expand, and she was sure it was going to choke her.
“How much further?” Peri asked Vasile.
“A couple hundred yards.” Vasile turned to his mate. “You stay next to Sally.” Alina didn’t argue.
They continued forward and, after walking for a few more minutes, Peri extinguished the glowing orbs. Sally held onto Alina so she didn’t stumble in the blackness. They weren’t left in the darkness for long.
Sally could see light ahead of them coming through an arched doorway. They stopped only feet from it. Costin turned to her and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Stay with Alina.”
“I thought you told me to stay with you,” she challenged, not wanting him to leave her.
Costin grinned, his dimple making an appearance. “And suddenly you have the urge to do what I tell you?”
No, not really, Sally thought to herself. She just didn’t want to be down here without him next to her.
“I love you, Sally mine. Please stay with Alina so that I know you’re safe.” He kissed her forehead.
“I love you too,” she told him and then watched as he followed Vasile, Cypher, and Nissa into the lit doorway. Alina took her hand and pulled her to the side of the tunnel, close to the door but not close enough that she could see anything.
“This isn’t a big coven, Sally,” Alina told her. “They will be fine.”
She tried to be reassured by Alina’s words, but then the screaming started. Sally felt her blood run cold as the sounds of snarls joined the screams and then her mate slammed the bond between them closed.
She lunged forward, attempting to get to the doorway, to get to Costin. But Alina was much faster and stronger. The Alpha female wrapped her arms around the healer and pulled her tightly against her. Sally felt the tears streaming down her face as the screams continued. She didn’t know why she was crying. Perhaps, it was because of the utter despair she could feel radiating from the room, or maybe it was because she knew that they weren’t just under the city of Little Rock. They were in a graveyard. But this wasn’t a normal graveyard where people could come visit their loved ones who had peacefully passed on. This was a graveyard for lost souls. It was a graveyard for those who had been ripped from their own happy lives, had their blood drained from their bodies, and then been tossed aside like a discarded empty bottle.
Tears continued to stream down her face as Alina attempted to hold her together. Sally was pretty sure that if she let her go she would fall to the floor in a thousand pieces.
“It’s almost over,” Alina whispered into her hair. “Hang on a little longer.”





Costin bit back the snarl as they entered the underground lair. Like fat lazy cats, vampires lay sprawled across Victorian couches and chintz armchairs that were spread throughout the room. Some of them had bloodstains on their clothes, some on their faces. All of them disgusted him.
“What’s wrong with them?” Nissa whispered.
Peri’s lip curled. “Blood coma. They’re in a stupor from gorging themselves. Like overstuffed ticks, they can’t move because of the amount of blood they’ve ingested.”
“That’s just gross,” the other fae responded.
“They’re vampires,” Peri said dryly. “What part of this did you think wouldn’t be gross?”
Nissa simply shrugged.
Suddenly there was an earsplitting scream and Costin, along with the others, turned in the direction of a tunnel that broke off to the right. He lowered himself into a crouch, as did the others, ready for battle.
The screaming continued as suddenly five shrieking vampires came barreling out of the tunnel. Costin didn’t wait for them to get close. He phased his hands to claws and allowed his canines to lengthen and then lunged forward, closing the mate bond at the same time. Snarls joined the screams as body after body fell at his feet. He no longer cared if his enemy was on their feet attacking him or lying in their overfed induced stupor; he killed indiscriminately. The whole thing couldn’t have taken longer than ten minutes.
Costin stood, panting as he turned in a circle to see his other three comrades standing and staring at the carnage before them. They were all soaked in blood, though it seemed that he and Vasile sported more than the two fae females.
“Everyone okay?” Vasile asked.
Costin nodded.
“Peri, you and Nissa check that tunnel and make sure that there aren’t more laying in wait. Costin and I will search for any survivors.” Vasile motioned for Costin to follow him and they took off down the third tunnel opening. After searching for half an hour and coming up empty, they headed back to the main room.
Costin’s feet froze as he crossed the threshold to the chamber. Peri and Nissa where both kneeling on the floor in the center of a circle of small bodies. Both females’ faces were tight with emotion, but neither shed a tear as they whispered their magic over the bodies and cleaned the blood from their skin, erasing all traces of the horrific death they’d been dealt.
“What are they going to do with them?” Costin asked Vasile in a low voice so not to disturb the fae’s work.
“They’re going to move them to a different location and give the police an anonymous tip. Unfortunately, the parents won’t ever know what really happened to their children, but at least they will have some closure.”
As soon as Vasile stopped speaking, the two fae began disappearing and reappearing, each time taking another child with them until there were none left.
“Well, one coven down, and undeterminable number left to go,” Peri said as she ran a hand down the front of her. The clothes that had just been a bloody mess were suddenly spot free.
Nissa did the same thing and then the two fae motioned toward Costin and Vasile and gave them the same treatment.
Peri and Vasile began talking about how to completely burn the remains of the coven and Costin turned to head back to the doorway where he’d left his mate. He began to open the bond and as soon as he did her fear, doubts, and pain rushed into him like a tidal wave stealing his breath.
“Sally,” he breathed out as his walk turned into a run.