Page 72 of Wolf Trap

Austin shot up two brilliant blue flares into the sky. A screeching sounded above. The light bolts that Austin had sent up revealed a murder of wraiths circling above, clouding the sky.

Without speaking, I was beside Austin and Anthony. Forming a circle, we chanted.

The spell was simple, a protection spell. Gun fire hammered out as Hakon, Conor and Lycaon shot at the wraiths as they dive bombed at us. Their screeching cut through my eardrums, like nails on a chalkboard. Swooping lower, their clawed hands reached out for us. Our voices raised higher, our magic barely fighting off their scrapes.

I heard Lycaon howling, and then an erratic bolting of fire whipped up past us. Turning to look, Lycaon was on his knees, shaking as he was trying to summon and wield his magic. For the rest of us, we had to dive downwards as the flames from his gun free hand shot around like bullets ricocheting in a room.

His body seemed to be illuminated from within, casting a soft, ethereal glow. Heat surged through me. I wanted to help him, but I had to keep the wraiths back.

As the wraiths cut through our magic, their shrouds fluttered like ghostly wings, their eyes as lifeless as the dead.

Their high-pitched screams pierced the air and filled the space. Their movements became a blur as they circled faster, creating a whirlwind of power. The scent of death, musty, old, lingered around them as the spectras tried to kill the shifters and the angels who’d we’d rescued.

My shout was stuck in my throat, and my heart pounded as I heard the grating of stone behind me.

As a few of the wraiths fell. I could just see above them, circling higher, Ubraz and the gargoyles were appearing. And alongside him, angels and I guessed Nephilim.

The angels were partially clad in armour over their chests and arms. The Nephilim, most with brilliant white wings, wore jeans and T-shirts. Both had guns, some held swords and plunged into the wraiths who squealed, their yells piercing the night air.

Lycaon and Hakon and Dolph were our last line of defence against the wraiths that broke through our shield and threatened the safety of the prisoners.

I couldn’t watch, cringing as the scent of fear permeated all around me. The ground shook, and I worried what the bloody hell would happen next.

As the wraiths fell and crumbled to ash, a stillness gripped the place. Angels, gargoyles and Nephilim descended, landing alongside us and only then we realised the masked society surrounded us. At first, they were silent, then raising their hands, their chanting like a whisper in the wind, and I realised in pure horror that everyone was frozen. Like the angel-hybrid at the castle, hoarfrost twinkled from their brows, their eyelashes, their hair.

But I could move.

Lycaon stood, his head glancing over his shoulder, gun in hand, but as solid as a statue.

From the circle,one stepped forward.

Mattie’s voice boomed over me.

The mask came off, and what was left was a hollowed-out skull infested with maggots.

I flinched but tried to appear bold. “Is that all you’ve got, Mattie, another party trick? Been watching too many vampire films? Your real face scares me more. But not as much as your abject cruelty. Auctioning immortals, you cannot sink any lower? And you have the audacity, all of you, to think you’re elite? You’re worse than humans. You’ve learned nothing in your long lives. You’re all an abomination!”

The words fired out of me, spitting contempt. I was scared as hell, but my anger, my shock at their barbarity held more sway.

It seemed I couldn’t stop.

“Look at you all, no wonder you hide behind masks, you’re all a bloody disgrace. Hiding your shame behind masks and wealth.”

It was time I tried to summon Hecate. After all, she’d helped me before.

Casting open my arms, I murmured to the goddess, but all I heard was Mattie’s cackling. Then the pendant she’d given me, the triple moon goddess necklace, tightened around my neck.

“Foolish child, it was never Hecate! It was me! I’ve been tracking you all along. Yes, struggle now! You’ll never take it off!”

Gasping, I tried to grip the chain around my neck. The more I tried, the more the chain tightened.

“You are all too easy to capture. Pathetic. But you fell for our trap and now look, we have angels, Nephilim, gargoyles, and your mangy crew! As for your weak accusations, if you’re not with us, you’re against us. Your mother tried to warn you. And so did I, but you made your choice. Imagine being so conceited that you thought you could, you, an inadequate witch, could overthrow us!”

Shaking her head, she said, “We’re everywhere. And we’re always watching. You and your repulsive lover, you’re the a disgrace. A revolting blending of the species, you, at least, needannihilating. I told your mother but she knew you were damned. A witch and werewolf, you disgust us. That ends now. Your corruption will not be our undoing. Take the Spear of Destiny from the mage, there’s a good girl, and put your wolfman out of our misery!”

Her laughter was hysterical.

But I could not control my limbs.

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