Page 105 of Shifters Awakening

The already-lit lights in the cavern brightened even more, and another ten burst into flame, illuminating the far end of the basement cavity where a real iron maiden waited. It was suspended at an incline between two metal arms which had been fastened to the stone floor. Spikes lined the interior of the lid. A large worktable rested beside it, with bowls, herbs, and a large book covering the surface. The extra light also exposed a rectangular shadow in the wall beyond, probably an exit. From my spot in my cage, I believed I could just make out flickering lights in the corridor beyond.

I studied the mage, his wild hair and the manic gleam to his eyes. “Let me guess. You expect me to get into your torture chamber. Voluntarily.”

Acheron shook his head. “It would be a disappointment if you did.”

“Then what’s with the dramatic introduction of the thing? All the torches are great for atmosphere, sure, butthey’ve got to be some of the most ineffective lighting options out there.”

He gestured toward the exit, and a shrouded figure shuffled into the crypt. They’d been wrapped like a mummy, and a hooded cloak shadowed their face.

“Who’s that?” I asked. “More importantly, why should I care?”

Shit.He was going to hurt someone to get me to do what he wanted me to do, and I had to pretend like all the collateral damage didn’t bother me, like I didn’t care about those who were caught in the supernatural crossfire.

Acheron flicked his fingers, and the hood fell away, revealing a young, red-headed woman, staring straight ahead as if trapped in a trance.

Oh, motherfucker. Riley.

My intake of breath sent Acheron dancing around my cage. Jasper had promised they had been looking after her. What was going on out there? I would never forgive myself if anything happened to Riley or Shannon.Shannon’s kids…

“If you do not cooperate with me, she will go in the Iron Maiden.” He pointed to my veterinary nursing assistant. “She must be worth something to you. I had to murder three shifters to capture her.”

Threeshifters died while trying to save Riley? More death rested on my shoulders. They hadn’t died for me but for theideaof me: the multimorph, the magical savior of everything they loved.

My thoughts returned to Jasper and Olivia. I hoped they were still safe.

Dammit.I bit my bottom lip, focusing on the sharp pain, pushing a long slow breath out of my lungs and swallowing the sobs. How was I supposed to beat this guy while trapped in a cage, unable to shift, while he threatened Riley?

He flicked his fingers again, and Riley cried out, dropping to her knees. Another flick, and she crumpled to the ground. Tears glittered on her cheeks as the moisture caught the flickering light from the burning torches.

“What do you want from me?”

“You must link with me,” he said. “When you do, I will absorb your magic, and I will become the leader of the shifters, able to bend their will to my own, and my rise to power will be complete.”

I frowned. “What then?”

“Then I will destroy them, one by one, and force Logan to watch.” The words were ironic coming out of Almost-Logan’s face.

Oh, is that all?Spots danced in my vision, and I felt faint, reaching for the smooth, invisible wall to steady myself, forgetting the fire punishment until it shot over my skin. Yanking my hand away from the edge, I slid to the ground, wanting to hide from the battle I was losing.

How could Logan and Jasper and Olivia have believed I was the multimorph? How? I didn’t have the ability to beat Acheron. Right now, he held all the cards, and I was imprisoned in his basement. If I didn’t agree,Riley would die, and she would never get to live out her life.

If I agreed to join with Acheron, I’d sacrifice all of the shifters…

And I’d never get to be with Logan.

How do I make the choice?How did I decide between a person I knew, cared for, and wanted to see live and thousands of shifters?

Sacrifice one to save thousands… Logically, it wasn’t a choice at all. Emotionally, it ripped me in two.

But I still had to choose.

There was only one choice I could make, and Riley would never understand.

And I’ll never be able to forgive myself.

I climbed to my feet, swaying back and forth, blinking rapidly to keep a wave of sobs from escaping. “Kill her. She means nothing to me.”

He scowled at me, and his façade slipped, clearly not expecting that response out of me, but as a vet, I’d been trained how to make judgment calls—hard ones—every day, and I glared at him, setting my chin as though bracing for a physical blow. None of the training had prepared me for this moment.

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