Page 79 of The Mating Frenzy
Danica’s smile was filled with malevolence. “I killed Alice and her husband, and your father, when they realized there was something wrong with their adopted son, Ed, and he was spending too much time with me. They suspected someone close to you would turn against you. I couldn’t let anyone warn you, or push you into using your powers until I gained a firm hold on the spells you needed tocast.”
Ella felt her stomach clench in knots. “You were myfriend.”
Danica laughed. “I pretended friendship to grow close to you to watch you, to seize this moment. I serve the Dark Lord and through his power, I will live forever and rule alongsidehim!”
The crystal had been useless in the hands of anyone else—good or evil. Until the spell releasing the power had been recited, and Ella activated the crystal. Guilt filled her. She must stopthis.
Kieran snarled, shifted into a jaguar and leapt, his fangs sinking into Danica’s leg. But before he could bite, he howled and fell back. Burn marks showed on hismuzzle.
The crystal protected Danica from ordinary Others likeKieran.
Ella knew what she had to do. Her mortal heart broke to see her friend turn toevil.
“I’m invincible,” Danica shouted. “My lord whom I serve, I am offering this toyou!”
As Danica started to recite the spell to empower herself, Ella flicked out a finger. Danica’s mouth shut tight. Her jawlocked.
“No, you are not. Danica, I bind you from doing harm to any living creature, mortal orimmortal.”
Ella flung out her arms, envisioning Danica as the most harmless image she could conjured. Bones snapped. Skin melted like ice in afire.
Confused, and yet knowing she must not stop, Ella kept the flow of magick pouring throughher.
Finally nothing remained of her former friend but liquid green goo, sprinkled with little chocolatebits.
“Damn girl,” Darcy muttered as she stared at what remained of her former half-sister. “Remind me not to get you mad atme.”
“I turned her into mint chocolate chip ice cream,” shewhispered.
“Flavor is too good for that bitch,” Darcy toldher.
Emotion clogged Ella’s throat. So much power. How could she learn to controlthis?
Ella stared at her hands. She had done this. She had destroyedlife.
The jaguar lay on the ground, whimpering, his muzzled seriously burned. Ella felt the power inside her surge. She touched the jaguar, laying a hand on hismouth.
The burns healed. Kieran shifted back, clothed himself. He stood and rushed over to her, cupping herface.
“My Ella. My brave girl. Are you allright?”
She looked helplessly at Kieran. “I took alife.”
He brushed a kiss against the corner of her wobbling lips. “No, Ella-mine, you took away pure evil. She was a follower of the Dark Lord, and you did what you must. None of us could see what Danica was, what sheplanned.”
“I’m so shaky,” she whispered. “I’ve never killed anyonebefore.”
He glanced at the liquid goo on the floor. “Well, not exactly killed, Ella-mine. More like turned her into baddessert.”
His joke chased away her horror, but worry filled her. “Kieran, what if I hurt my mom instead of healing her? If my thoughts are this powerful, how can I controlthem?”
“You can,” he insisted. “I’ll help you.” He pointed to the mess on the floor. “First, we must clean up this. Something this powerful, this strong, can reform. Are youready?”
“I don’t know what todo.”
“I will showyou.”
Warmth tingled through her as he took her hand. “Look at Danica. See her as pure evil you must eliminate from this world. Banish her to the underworld. Burn her with your magick. Pure whitelight.”
