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“Mistake, wolf,” Thomas said, turning to face Riley. There was enough menace in his expression to kill.
Apparently the answer to both of Aden’s questions was the same. Hells yes.
Without any more warning, the two leapt at each other, meeting in the middle of the room in a tangle of claws, biting teeth, odd bright lights and shimmering blades that appeared out of nowhere.
No question about this. As Elijah had said, blood would flow.
This match would be to the death.
THREE
Yep. True to Elijah’s prediction, true to Aden’s suspicions, blood ran.
Riley chomped at Thomas’s neck, and his sharp claws swiped at the man’s chest. The scent of burning cotton and flesh filled the air, smoke rising from Thomas’s shirt. Screams followed as a shaking Thomas grabbed thick hunks of the wolf’s fur and tossed him hard and fast. The animal flew into Aden, who in turn flew into the wall.
Plaster cracked and paint chips sprayed. Air was knocked from Aden’s suddenly deflated lungs.
Riley was up an instant later, again leaping for the fairy; the two twisted together as they fell. When the wolf’s nails next slashed, the scent of burning flesh intensified and blood sprayed. A few drops hit Aden in the face, and they were oddly chilled, like ice shards. When the fairy’s blades moved at lightning speed, Riley’s blood sprayed. Hot, like prickles of flame.
Help him, Julian cried.
This is why I’m a lover, not a fighter, Caleb, whose bravery had returned now that a wolf was taking the beating for them, said.
Breathing should have been impossible, but Aden managed to drag in a few mouthfuls of air as he lumbered to his feet. Dizziness hammered at him, and he swayed. “Elijah?”
Of course, the psychic knew what he was silently asking. How could he help? He had no weapons, and couldn’t leave the room to get to any.
I don’t know, Elijah said, agonized.
“Will Riley win, then?” He spoke quietly, not wanting to distract the wolf and cause his defeat.
I don’t know, the psychic repeated in that same agonized tone. I see the blood, washing through this home, bathing everything and everyone.
So much? And from this fight? Or something worse?
Over and over Thomas tossed Riley aside, and over and over Riley returned, a catapult of wrath and teeth. For some reason, he’d stopped using his claws. Furniture was smashed to pieces and more walls were ruined, including the invisible one, allowing the combatants out of the room and into the hallway. The fight then moved to another bedroom, the door smashed into puzzle pieces that would never fit back together. Aden followed. Somewhere along the way, Thomas lost his grip on his knives and dropped them. Aden tried to pick them up and insert himself into the action—multiple times—but the blades he couldn’t touch eventually vanished and the fairy and the wolf moved so quickly, they would appear in another location before he even realized he’d missed.
And why were they able to destroy the walls, doors and furniture, but nothing else?
The boys who lived at the D and M Ranch—Seth, Ryder, RJ, Terry and Brian—were in the entrance hall, each with a book in hand. Some were reading, some were pretending to read. None noticed the vicious fight unfolding around them.
Not even when their chairs were seemingly overturned and shattered. They just sat there. On air. Riley and Thomas ghosted through them, imperceptible, unfelt, unheard. Blood splattered over the boys, too, but again, they didn’t notice. Perhaps couldn’t even see it.
So freaking odd, all of it. Thomas had open wounds that were bleeding profusely, and yet he seemed stronger than ever. Riley, on the other hand, seemed weaker, his jumps slowing down, his snarls becoming slurred, and yet his wounds had already closed, healed.
What was weakening him?
Aden noticed that Thomas only punched to unhinge Riley’s jaw from whatever body part the wolf had decide to munch on. Then Thomas would tilt his head back and practically offer his neck to the wolf, rather than allow the animal to bite down on his hands. Why?
And rather than immediately batting Riley away, Thomas would flatten his palms on the beast for several seconds, allowing the wolf to do whatever he wished. That was stupid. That was—necessary?
Were Thomas’s hands somehow able to weaken Riley? That would explain Thomas’s determination to keep his hands free. That would also explain his lack of concern over his own injuries. What did a few cuts matter when your opponent would soon be too feeble to fight you off?
“What can I…do?” This time Aden’s whispered question trailed off. He knew. The answer had already slapped him, cold, hard. Stinging.
You know, Elijah said, and if he’d sounded agonized before, he sounded pulverized now. Clearly, he had realized the answer, too.
What? Julian asked. What are we going to do?
Aden gulped. “Caleb. You’re up.”
I’m u…p—oh, hell, no!
He hadn’t needed to explain. By requesting Caleb’s aid, they all knew what he now planned. They were going to possess Thomas’s body.
No. No, there has to be another way. If he’d had a body of his own, Julian would have been shaking his head and backing away.
“Sorry, guys.” This had to be done. For Riley. Hell, for himself.
The pain, Julian moaned. We’ve endured enough. This will wipe us out.
This is the only way, Elijah said. The fairy has to perish.
“We’ve been through worse.” Like burning alive. Nothing could be worse than that, he was sure. “And if I’m going to kiss Victoria again, I’ve got to save her bodyguard.”
Hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but Aden’s right, Caleb said, suddenly leaping on board the Plan Save The Day bandwagon. He’d do anything for another kiss. We’ll survive this. Even if Thomas doesn’t. That’s all that matters.
Aden focused on the two opponents. Riley lay on the floor, several feet away from Thomas, but inching forward as best he could, still determined to win. Having just been tossed like a rag doll, Thomas brushed big chunks of plaster from his chest and stood. His shirt was in shreds, his skin flayed, yet that skin was finally weaving back together, as if he’d somehow absorbed the wolf’s ability to heal.
Thomas smiled smugly as he approached the wolf and crouched down. “Tell your princess not to send a boy to do a man’s work. Oh, wait. As you won’t be leaving this room, you won’t be telling her anything.”
Riley’s eyes were glittering green fire and hatefilled.
The fairy sighed. “I admire your courage, wolf. Therefore, you will not die dishonorably. Know that I am not a mere Fae servant, but a prince. Indestructible. The moment you entered my realm, you were destined to die. But there is no shame in your death. You should see this as the favor it is.”
A favor? Hardly.
Echoing Aden’s sentiments, Riley growled.
Frowning, Thomas reached out. “Again, I admire your courage. A shame you serve the vampires. Would you, perchance, be interested in switching allegiances?”
Another growl. A clear no.
“Well, then, I am sorry for this, but it must be done. I’ll be swift, wolf.”
What are you waiting for? Whether the question came from himself or the souls, Aden didn’t know. Riley was his friend, for the most part, and he couldn’t allow a friend to be hurt. No matter the pain involved.
Just before fairy palm met wolf fur, Aden—who had obviously been forgotten—sprinted forward. He didn’t stop when he reached the fairy. He stopped only when he was inside the fairy.
One touch of skin against skin, and thanks to Caleb, he could meld his body with someone else’s. Morphing from solid mass to insubstantial mist was painful, as Julian had said, not to mention maddening, terrible and shocking. But he did it. He bonded to Thomas, a shout of agony ripping from his throat.
The voice he heard, however, was not his own. This one was deeper, huskier. Thomas’s.
Panting, sheened by a cold sweat, Aden fell to his knees. There were sharp lances working through him, and he wanted to pound at his chest, tear at his skin, anything to stop them. Each of his bones was like a blade against his muscles, cutting. Worse, this pain was only the beginning.
Thomas screamed inside his head. What are you doing? How did you do that? Release me!
Usually Aden could block the person’s thoughts. Could take them over so completely, they never knew what had happened. But creatures of myth and legend, he was coming to learn, were quite different from humans. They knew. And they hated.
“Riley,” he said in that deep voice. “This is Aden. I’m inside the fairy. I have control of his body.”
Green eyes pierced him, searching for signs of truth.
Aden could feel the power surging through him. So much power. Riley’s power, too, as if the fairy had not only weakened the wolf, but had drawn his energy inside his own body. Animalistic, wild pulses warmed the chill in his blood. They sang in his mind, more beautiful than a chorus of angels, drugging him.
This could be addicting. Once more, he couldn’t tell who spoke, him or the souls. Maybe all of them at once. Part of him wanted to remain inside the fairy’s body forever, losing himself in that warmth and power, forgetting what had to be done.
Act quickly, Elijah demanded suddenly. Or you will never leave him.
He would leave. In just a little while. What would a few more minutes hurt? That music…so peaceful…
The sooner you leave, the sooner we’ll be able to see Victoria, Caleb added.
Victoria. Yes. Being with her was even better than this, he thought, at last focusing on the task at hand. “Riley. Tell me what you need me to do so that you can defeat Thomas.”
The wolf studied him, then nodded as if he were satisfied Aden had truly possessed the body.
“Tell me, and I’ll do it. Whatever it is.”
A moment passed. The wolf frowned, snarled. Waited. Whatever reaction he wanted from Aden, he didn’t get. In the end, he hobbled to his feet and tripped his way to the nearest closet, disappearing inside.
“Riley,” Aden called. He knew the wolf wouldn’t abandon him here, but he had no idea what was going on.
Was Aden supposed to follow him? There was a bright light, several grunts, then the rustle of clothing. Just as Aden was stepping forward, Riley emerged in a pair of jeans. No T-shirt, no shoes, just those ill-fitting jeans that couldn’t be snapped.
How had he touched the cloth? Wouldn’t his hand have ghosted through the material like Aden’s had?
Riley’s normally suntanned skin was now pale, the blue veins underneath visible. His cheeks were hollowed out and his eyes slightly sunken and bruised. There were a few cuts on his chest, as if his ability to heal in a snap had abandoned him.
“Fairies can’t hear werewolf thoughts.” Even his voice was fragile. “That must mean you can’t either while you’re in there, because I was telling you what to do but you gave no reaction.”
So. He’d expected a reaction. Because bad news had been delivered? “Tell me again.”
Do not aid him, Thomas roared inside his head. He is the enemy. His masters will destroy your world and all the humans who populate it. Do you hear me? Kill him!
Aden tuned him out as best he could.
“I need to plunge a blade through his heart,” Riley announced.
No! The protest came from Thomas and Aden simultaneously.
Fabulous. From Caleb. Dear God. From Julian. Blood. From Elijah.
“Is there another way?” Aden managed to ask past the lump in his throat. “A way to leave him here, prevent him from causing any more harm? ”
“No. There’s no other way. He’s a fairy. Like all his kind, he has the ability to borrow strength from immortals, temporarily possessing their abilities. More than that, he’s a prince. If he lives, he’ll raise his army and come after us.”
“I don’t like the thought of killing him.” Even though Elijah, too, had said it was the only way. “He protects humans.” Victoria had told him. Still. Had he not known, he would have realized the truth the moment he’d stepped inside the fairy’s body. The knowledge was there, swimming through his mind with the same potency as the warmth. Humans were like children. Irresponsible, feral children, but loved by the Fae nonetheless.
“He’ll kill you if given another chance,” Riley said.
“I know.” That knowledge was there, too. “But I don’t care.” He could take care of himself. He hoped.
“He’ll kill Victoria,” Riley added coolly.
Low blow. The wolf knew Aden would do anything to protect her. His hands clenched, and his eyes closed. His heart pounded in a staccato rhythm as he condemned another creature to death. “All right. God. Let’s do it.”
“Are you sure?”
Sure he wanted to take a knife through the heart?
No. “Yes.” He wondered if he would die with the fairy the same way he’d died with Dmitri. If so, would he come back to life?
Yes, you will die, but yes, you will come back, Elijah said, calming him. Still. You’ll wish you’d stayed dead. You’ll feel the stabbing as if it was your own.
Okay. Bye-bye calm. Here was the pain he’d feared before possessing the prince. He’d known Thomas would have to be injured and subdued in some violent way. Stabbing, though.
For Victoria.
“All right, then,” Riley said, resolved.
Aden opened his eyes and nodded. “I’m ready.”
Riley returned the nod, and unsheathed a blade from his back pocket. A blade that belonged to Aden.
Do not do this! Thomas commanded.
“You didn’t arrive with that,” Aden said to distract himself from the sharp, deadly weapon soon to be embedded in his chest.
“While I was in the closet, I slipped back into the human dimension and gathered what I needed.” Riley shrugged those wide shoulders. “Then I slipped back.”
“That easily? ”
“That easily.” All of Riley’s nonchalance and confidence faded as he lumbered forward, paused and frowned. “You won’t be harmed when I do this?”
“No. I’ve been assured I’ll live.” For the most part.
“My king—”
