Page 72 of Ruin

“She will always call you back. You cannot be lost with your mate to guide you home.”

For a moment I saw sadness in his eyes, but it was soon replaced with that ice blue, remorseless stare.

Giving in to the surge of anger and hatred inside me, I drove my teeth into the thick hide of Berith’s neck. The demon howled, the sound gurgling until he fell silent. Blood coated my tongue feeding the primal side of my beasts. I roared in triumph as I ripped at his flesh until his head fell from his shoulders.

Walker stood and watched silently. When I turned, blood dripping from my jaws and body, he raised a pristine silver sword covered in fae runes. The carvings were so intricate my eyes couldn’t take them all in. “Stand back, Son. Time to send this demon back to Hell.” He lithely jumped up on Berith’s chest, avoiding the gore and mess I’d created, and drove that blade down through Berith’s heart. Keeping both of his hands wrapped around the handle he chanted in fae. I didn’t understand the words, but I did understand what he was doing. Berith was immune to fire, but he wasn’t immune to ice. Walker’s magic began to spread. He yanked the sword from Berith’s chest and jumped down. Ice consumed Berith’s massive body. I stood to my greatest height, curled my massive claws into fists and bellowed as I slammed them down on Berith’s frozen chest. The demon exploded into smithereens.

I sensed my brothers standing by my side, there to back me up, as always. I sent them a wave of gratitude, but my attention was ripped from Berith’s remains as an explosion ripped through the air. Above the treeline, I saw Ember blaze across the snow laden sky in a trail of fire. Even from this distance I sensed her exhaustion as I saw her spiral from the sky towards the ground. Without another word, I ran.

Chapter 24

Ember

LettingConnor go was the hardest thing I’d ever done. But he was right. I couldn’t help end Berith. I’d been wrong, so wrong. I’d destroyed the portal, but Berith had shifted into his true form and flown ahead of my destructive wave, following me out of the rift before it was sealed.

I let Fire free. She consumed me and I dropped from Berith’s grasp, soaring away from my mate.

Spying Owen below, cornered near the fence by a group of four Weres, I gathered my energy, spread my wings and flew towards him. It was the weirdest feeling, to spiral towards the ground and not be afraid. I might not know how to fly, but my phoenix—who was older than time—did. I let her take control, telling her what we needed to do.

She landed, bigger than the Weres themselves. They turned to face us. As they growled Fire cocked her head—and incinerated them.

Owen shifted back. “Ember! Connor needs me.”

I peered at the metal, razor-topped fence. Spreading my wings, Fire guided me closer. Swiping my wing across it melted the metal to nothing. Owen shifted mid-leap and raced into the forest as Connor fell from Berith’s back, crashing down into the trees. I let loose a screech, but Mea grounded me. She let me feel our bond with him, he was still alive. I launched upwards and spun in the air. All around, Weres attacked my pack.

Huddled near the prison door was a group of naked women, holding their babies close. Jed and his men fought alongside Drake to protect the women, but even as I twisted in the air to get a better line of sight, two fell, leaving only three men fighting five guards. Drake’s gun stopped firing. He changed mid leap and landed on a guard. I sent out a screech.

Drake looked up. Understanding, he leaped, knocking Jed sideways, out of reach of my fire, as I burned their enemy then launched skyward, leaving a trail in my wake. I swept my wings harder, rising in the sky. It was so cold up here. I sensed Fire’s strength ebbing, but there were still so many more of the enemy below. I circled to the back of the prison where small pockets of shifters tried to hold their own against the Weres.

Again and again I burned them.

I pushed against the sudden wind. Below me a portal glowed and even as I watched, an army of blue and silver clad fae ran forward.

Walker!

As if hearing me, Walker raised his face. He merely nodded, and ran with a small force into the forest—to Connor. I felt a tear fall from my eye. It evaporated in Fire’s heat…

B’nar stepped from the portal. He raised his hand to me before he dropped his attention to the guards who ran towards him and his men. He lifted his weapon, and they rapid-fired into the demons. I knew silver bullets couldn’t kill the demons or Weres, but as the demons fell, one after the other, it became clear that fae magic could end them.

I sagged, feeling exhaustion hit me like a freight train. I glanced down, my fire flickering. Below me, the tide had turned, and with the help of the fae, we were winning. I smiled.

It’s okay, my beauty, you can rest now,I told Fire. Mea whined. I chuckled, agreeing with my wolf that it would have been better to say that when I was on the ground.

Icy air fanned my cheeks as I fell. In the distance I heard my name called.

Connor. He was alive…

I smiled and let my mind close down.

Chapter 25

Ember

Warmth—andbeeping, surrounded me. I shook my head to get rid of the noise...and groaned. Shit, who put a hammer inside my skull?

“Hey, hey, lie still, sweetness. You’re okay.”

“Connor?” My throat was so dry my voice was nothing more than a croak.

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