Page 33 of Bear's Midlife Bridesmaid
Struggling against the desperation rising inside her, Erin opened her eyes once again. She alreadyknew she’d find Gretchen standing there at the base of the dune, easily launching her attacks with no more effort than blowing bubbles. But this time, she saw something else, something she’d missed before.
Gretchen’s engagement ring was gone, but the ring Erin had been eyeing on her other hand still remained. The dark stone flashed every now and then, a brilliant red light flickering down deep inside it. One of the dark creatures Gretchen controlled roared each time, launching a new attack. That was it! As long as Gretchen possessed that ring—or the crystal inside it—she had control over the beasts.
Erin pulled together one final orb. She put everything she had into it, allowing even her anger and her fear to join the powers inside. It rotated faster and faster between her palms as she pressed it together. She fought to keep power over her mind, controlling her thoughts. This was the only chance she’d get because there wouldn’t be enough left in her to create another sphere if she missed. She stilled her body and her thoughts, took aim, and let go.
The sphere shot forward. Gretchen wasn’t even trying to defend herself against Erin’s attacks, too confident to think her old friend was strong enoughto hurt her. The orb smacked the back of Gretchen’s hand and exploded in a puff of chartreuse smoke, leaving no damage to her skin.
15
Jace didn’t holdhis bear back. He had to find some way to kill these things to get to Erin. She needed him, and he would fight to the death to save her. He dug his back claws into the sand and launched himself forward, sinking his teeth as hard as possible into the nasty creature Gretchen had brought forth. He didn’t understand a damn thing about it or where it’d come from, but there had to be some way of taking it down. Jace would find its weak spot.
His mouth crunched down onto the scaley skin, tasting of metal and fear. He pressed harder, putting everything he had behind it. He twisted his head, trying to take a chunk of its mysterious flesh from its enigmatic body.
The thing fell backward and screamed, a high-pitched sound that hurt Jace’s sensitive ears and rattled in his chest. Still no blood seeped from its wound, yet it didn’t get up this time. The wisps of vapor that rose from its back thickened into numerous columns of dark smoke. Jace backed away as the monster’s body evaporated into those columns, the flesh pulling back from the bones and lifting away as though it’d never been tangible at all.
He turned to see that its twin had just experienced the same fate. The fight wasn’t over yet. Jace barreled toward Erin. Deep terror quivered in his bones as he took his human form back. His mate had been left to fight alone, but that wouldn’t happen any longer. The run was even further than he’d imagined. Erin had moved closer to Gretchen, closer to the enemy. “Erin, get back!” he called.
She lifted her head but didn’t turn to look at him. “I can’t, Jace.” There was something sad and solemn in her voice, and it sent another tremor of worry through him.
The rest of his clan, also freed from having to fight those strange beasts, was now raging behind him. He didn’t even have to look to know they were there. He knew he’d give everything he had to keep Erin safe, but it meant so much to him to know therest of his family was thinking of her like this, too. He and Erin belonged to each other.
Gretchen was flicking her hand through the air as though she’d just touched a hot stove. “You fucking bitch! First, you get Hugo to take my engagement ring back, and then you destroy my other one? You just can’t get enough, can you?”
“I know what that ring really was,” Erin said, her voice oddly calm. “It controlled those creatures. You held part of their souls in it. They had no choice but to do as you told them because you could destroy them with a snap of your fingers.”
“Oh, please,” she retorted. Gretchen pulled a broken silver band from her finger and tossed it to the ground. “Don’t go talking about them with sympathy, like they were stray puppies or something. They were dark, just like me. They would’ve come after anyone and anything that stood in their way. It’s not like you’d know, little Miss Goody Two-Shoes.”
Jace frowned at the remnants of the ring. He and the other Brighams hadn’t defeated those beasts at all. They were controlled by that piece of jewelry, and Erin had destroyed it.
“I know more than you think,” Erin said. Her voice was thick now. “I wanted more power, too. I wanted people to like me. I wanted to be successful. Istarted down that path myself a very long time ago. I thought dark magic might finally make me the person I wanted to be, but I quickly saw I was wrong. The price you have to pay isn’t worth it.”
It was hard for Jace to imagine Erin doing anything like that. Sure, she had a bit of that goth look about her, but he’d seen her soul. Heknewher soul. It was warm, bright, and benevolent.
“I think I’ve come out pretty far ahead so far,” Gretchen snapped. “I’m done fucking around with all this conversation. I don’t know what you think you’re going to accomplish by talking so much. The same fate awaits you, either now or five minutes from now.”
“It doesn’t have to.” Erin stepped forward. “I don’t want to see this happen to you, Gretchen. You deserve better than this. You don’t have to hurt people to get what you want in life.”
Erin had only moved a foot or so ahead of him, but it made every muscle in Jace’s body tense. He had to find some way to protect her, but how? Would the physical strength of the Brigham clan be enough to take her down? He braced himself. He couldn’t wait much longer, not when Erin was in danger.
That’s when he noticed the fingers of her left hand moving. She extended and curled her fingersone after another in a slow, wavelike motion. Then she paused before starting over again with her pinkie. It looked like she was beckoning someone, though her hand hung limply at her side.
“Spare me the lecture.” Gretchen generated a new sphere of red light, hurling it forward.
Erin flicked her palm out, fending off the attack. Her left hand continued that wave motion, though Jace didn’t see any light or energy coming from it.
“Erin, you don’t have to do this alone,” Jace urged, desperate for her to back down and let them help. She was too close to Gretchen and would get caught up in the melee if the Brighams rushed forward and attacked.
She didn’t turn her head. She barely even blinked. Erin appeared to be in a trance, moving only when the magic dictated. “I do.”
“Yeah, she does.” Gretchen threw several more globes of magical fire at her opponent.
Each one made his bear roar with anger, though Erin barely even flinched. Her left hand continued, the beckoning motion gentle. “I have to finish this.”
“Since when are you so righteous?” Gretchen asked. “You weren’t so brave and cool when all those girls stole your clothes during gym class.” She launched another sphere. “You didn’t have all theanswers when Jenny Lewiston said she’d burn you at the stake.” Another attack. “You were small and quiet and scared when Cameron told everyone what a freak you were.” Two more spheres.
Pure fury rose in him, both at knowing Erin had gone through such awful things and that Gretchen could bring up such painful memories. “That’s it. I’m not listening to another word of this.” He started forward.
Erin stepped in front of him. “I’ve got this, Jace. I have to do this. I have to finish this.”
