Page 84 of Cursed Love
Ignoring the fear in Peter’s cry, she threw up another freeze at Volark but stilled when nothing happened. The demon’s eyes shined with amusement, and if possible, his mouth opened wider.
“You’re much stronger than the others,” Volark said past the gaping hole of his vortex mouth.
Brandy’s brows knit in confusion at the odd sight. Shaking her head free of the distracting thoughts, she tried to figure out what to do. The gathering windstorm made her hair rise off her shoulders, and the smaller wolves lifted off the ground.
Her heart thundered in her chest. Digging deep within her, she scavenged through her limited knowledge. Her mind stuttered when panic threatened to overwhelm her senses.
Ryan looked up, exhaustion clear on his face.
She placed a hand over her stomach, over their child—over their daughter. The lives in the room were in her care. She had dragged them out to come save Ryan.
After breaking their eye contact, she caught sight of the varying emotions filling the room: fear, acceptance, and the desire to live.
“You’re much stronger than he is,”Ryan said.
Her gaze darted back to his, a warmth spreading within her. Giving him another nod, she drew in a calming breath. Volark controlled the air around them, and if he could do more, she expected he would have by now.
Brandy was different. They had all been rather clear over her differences and how powerful she was. Remembering the way she’d cleared the field of any trace of Ryan’s magic, she smiled.
Hiding a hand behind her, she shifted her weight to one foot. She ignored a gasp from nearby as her hand warmed. “Catch!” she yelled at Volark.
His eyes narrowed with curiosity before widening. Brandy poured a river of water into his large mouth, and the power of his vortex sucked it in before he could react.
Volark attempted to cough up the clear liquid. Before he could manage it, she opened the hopper window and drew earth from outside, then compacted it into his mouth, creating a muddy plug.
Unsure if the demon needed oxygen to breathe, Brandy flicked her fingers, releasing Serena’s knife into the air, and watched it hit Volark between the eyes. The demon stilled before collapsing onto the ground, mud drizzling from his mouth and a blue liquid from his head.
The air calmed, and the only sound she could hear was the blood rushing through her ears. Weak from the excessive use of magic, her vision swam as chaos erupted around her. The blurry outline of Ryan’s face was the last thing she remembered before darkness pulled her under.
Chapter 32
Hushed voices reached Brandy’s ears, but she could not make out the words.
“Is he dead?” she asked, her voice raspy. Before anyone could answer her, she turned on her side, a coughing fit wracking her body.
“Take a drink,” Ryan said softly and offered her a glass with a straw sticking out.
Brandy was parched, and the cool liquid soothed her dry throat. After a few more sips, she pushed the glass back into his hands and sat up. She leaned against the headboard and looked around. Peter lay at the end of the bed, and Ethan stepped into the room with what looked to be one of Peter’s shakes. She chuckled as Peter accepted the drink and offered it to her.
“Really?”
“You know the drill.”
“Fine, I’ll drink, but you guys need to talk.”
“Deal.”
Ryan watched them with curious eyes.
“The protein will help her bounce back faster,” Peter said.
An awkward moment passed, Brandy drinking her shake and the men watching her. She waved her fingers in a circle, reminding them to get on with it.
Ryan crawled onto the bed next to her and pulled her close. “I knew you had it in you, but wow, it was amazing to see.”
Brandy adjusted her body so she could lean against him and drink while having sight of the others. “Thanks. Is he dead?”
“Not long after you tossed Serena’s athame, he burst into flames. Serena’s kind of pissed it got destroyed.”
