Page 53 of Wicked Fate

“Then how is the witch cloaking everything?” Sun spread out her arms to her side. “She shouldn’t be able to continuously do any of this then. Shouldn’t she run out of power?”

“She has to be running thin. All of her energy is funneling into the cloaking. However, she’s cloaking the vampires only when needed, so that does help.” Cassi tried to stand but fell back on her ass with athud. Her eyes glistened, but she stayed focused, though her voice trembled. “She can’t be doing any spells other than those, given how often she’s using her magic now.”

That had to count for something, but I wasn’t sure what. Acid churned in my stomach.

There were no good choices here, but an even more disturbing thought came to me. “And who's to say the witch tracking Ryker isn’t somehow tracking anyone else?”

“You’re right.” Bruce rubbed a hand down his face. “She could be able to track multiple people.”

“Which is even more reason not to abandon this plan.” The skin around Ryker’s eyes was taut. “Besides, Cassi can’t even walk now on her own.”

I stepped closer to Ryker, my fingers brushing his. The bond between us surged, fierce and steady.

Bruce exhaled slowly. “You’re right. When we go down there, everyone needs to keep their eyes sharp. Cloaked bastards won’t make a sound, but they’ll still disturb the area if we look hard enough. Cassi and Ember can’t scan everywhere for us.”

“Kendric, carry Cassi again. You’ll be in front with Gage right beside you.” Ryker then pointed at Xander. “Guard our backs. You and Gage can engage in battle the fastest since you’re in animal form and not carrying anyone.”

They moved silently, no questions or protests. This was war. There wasn’t room for second-guessing.

“Cassi and Ember should be in front at first so they both can scan the surroundings. Once we know more about the situation inside, one of them can fall back and help Gage watch the back.” Ryker’s jaw was tense, and his worry crashed into me like a tsunami. “I’ll stay behind them with Sun and Bruce between Gage and me.”

Everyone nodded but didn’t say a thing. We could pivot once we got inside and saw what we were up against.

Cassi took a shaky breath. “I’ll push my magic around all of us, but just know, if they have guards in place, they’ll know we’re here, and once I touch the rock with my magic activated, the witch responsible for the cloaking will know exactly where we are.”

Thank Fate, Briar wasn’t with us. I would never admit it to anyone, but right now, I was scared shitless.

“No hesitation. We get in, get the witch, and get the hell out.” Ryker removed his gun from its holster. He linked to me,I won’t let anything happen to you,and pushed his determination toward me.

Even when he was worried, he still took the time to comfort me.I love you.

I love you, and I will protect you until my last breath.

My heart felt so full from his love; I touched his arm, needing to feel him. The jolt shot between us as Cassi climbed on Xander’s back. As soon as she was settled, she leaned over Kendric, her hand hovering just above the shadow.

“Are you all ready?” Cassi asked, glancing over her shoulder at us.

No one responded because anything we said besides no would be a lie.

“Let’s go.” I nodded.

Wisps of shadows unfurled from Cassi’s body. She turned her head and focused. “When I touch it, we’ll fall through to the prison. The rock was meant to be a magical barrier and then it was cloaked. We’ll wind up inside.”

The dark tendrils of magic now circled our group, and cold pressure brushed against my arms, but nothing like the spell that cloaked the vampires.

And then Cassi touched the rock, and the sunny outside suddenly changed to pitch dark.

A suffocating stench hit us like a wall the moment we landed, heavy with rot and iron, piss and decay. I gagged, covering my nose with my elbow, but it did nothing. The air clung to my skin—humid and thick.

Ryker grabbed my hand again, grounding me as always, but even that didn’t take away the intense discomfort.

A low groan echoed from somewhere ahead, and then a whimper followed, not too far away.

Slowly, my wolf surged forward and helped my eyes adjust. And what I saw was worse than any horror movie.

Cages.

Dozens of them, stacked on both sides of a narrow dirt corridor, each one no larger than a dog kennel. Every cage appeared to be occupied.

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