Koda watched Aric through the rearview mirror. “I didn’t think it was possible for our halves to separate like that,” he said.

Aric stroked my arm. “Neither did I.”

The vampires followed us into the Den. When the weres refused to allow them in, Agnes cited diplomatic courtesy under section twenty-two of the Alliance agreement. I figured she would find a way in without using brute force. Agnes was annoying at best and an all-around pain in the ass, but she was also one of the smartest dead people I’d ever met.

We entered the large meeting room in the main building. Aric held my hand as we crossed the dark wood floors. The building was empty of students. I welcomed the quiet. Having a bunch of kids gawking at their Leader’s fiancée covered with blood was not my idea of fun.

I kept my focus ahead to the cluster of supernatural elite waiting for us. Some I recognized from Liam’s funeral, most I didn’t know. Taran waited beside Bren, who had been ordered by Koda to track her down and drag her back to the Den.

She leaned against the paneled wall with her arms crossed—scowling at Gemini, who stood between Genevieve and a few members of her coven. Again, Betty Sue was noticeably absent. This time, though, Delilah was present. She shook her head when she saw me, probably wondering how I was still alive. This had to be the sixth attempt on my life since we’d met.

Taran only stopped glaring when she realized the condition we were in. Koda and Shayna were smeared with dried blood and surprise, surprise, so was I. Her annoyed expression was quickly replaced by alarm as she raced toward us. “Son of a bitch. What the hell—?”

Aric hauled me to him as a tremendous funnel of blue and white fire spiraled from Taran’s core, aimed directly at us. His blood-curdling howl echoed in my ears as my back slammed against the hardwood floor and the force of the blast propelled us across the room.

Aric’s lifeless form slumped on top of me. I choked out a scream from the smell of his sizzling and smoking flesh, the pungent odor stinging my nose.

“Taran!” Gemini roared.

Fireballs crashed around us like meteors, splintering and cracking the wood as pained screams bounced against the high walls. Some shrieked in torment, others growled, readying to attack, while countless more were abruptly silenced.

Taran was gone. The entity had claimed her and it had complete control over her power.

Chapter 24

Blue and white flames bathed the ceiling in a giant wave, eating through the wood and plaster with a heat so extreme my tears bubbled against my face.

I squirmed from beneath Aric, knowing he was badly hurt. I needed to save him and escape with him from this inferno. He groaned in agony as I dragged him by the shoulders just when a huge beam broke from above and punctured the floor.

Aric grunted and snarled, wobbling forward and pinning me against a wall. “No!” he muttered.

I thought he was in pain from being moved so carelessly until his face twisted into that sadistic being who’d assaulted me. Aric’s muscles continued to roast, but his underlying aroma had once more disappeared. He lifted me from the floor in his vicious grip, his heartless eyes drilling into mine.

My body tensed, expecting his blows, only to have him abruptly release me. He punched both fists through the wood paneling and into the wall, sending dust and bits of wood raining down on my head. His pained expression met mine. “Celia, run,” he said in his own voice.

I blinked twice before scrambling away. I didn’t know where to go. Most of the room was on fire and everyone was focused on Taran, who’d been backed into a corner. Her eyes were wild with fear, but she was all Taran. “For shit’s sake, back off,” she yelled at them. “It’s me, damnit—it’s me!”

Aric collapsed to his knees, his back resembling a blackened piece of meat—dark and crumbling, and falling away in pieces. I couldn’t run. He needed help.

I rushed to his side only to have Bren block my path. He grabbed me by the throat and wrenched me off the ground. “Going somewhere, my pet?”

My long hours of combat training were the only thing that saved me. I didn’t think about Bren my buddy. As far as my body was concerned he was the enemy and I was done with being prey. I rammed my claws into his eyes and followed up with a ridge hand across the bridge of his nose.

He dropped me, but at once I was thrown against the opposite wall by the might of Emme’s force. She cocked her head, annoyed. “You’re not going anywhere,” she rumbled in a deep voice.

The pressure of Emme’s power squeezed my entire body—crushing my breasts, stomach, and limbs. Martin appeared out of nowhere and snagged her arm in his powerful hold. The moment his skin touched hers, she choked and collapsed, hysterical. The pressure was taken off of me and I landed on the floor.

Martin stalked away from Emme and toward me with a voracious smile that promised my death. I was his next meal. The entity had found another home.

Oh. Shit.

The last time I’d taken on an Elder, things had definitely not gone my way. I rushed to my feet, ready to run like hell, only to have Martin fall on his hands and knees and release possibly the deepest, most inhuman growl I’d ever heard. Every hair on my body stood on end. I seriously thought I’d collapse from the raw hatred in his tone. He shuddered once and looked back at me with his familiar eyes—now wide with disgust.

A wolf leapt in front of me, baring his teeth inches from my throat and forcing me to look away. I punched him hard in the snout and rolled away, narrowly avoiding his snapping jaws. With a primal scream Agnes torpedoed forward, her long deadly nails and fangs exposed.

She slammed into the wolf, tackling him in midair when he lunged at me. With ferocious ire she punctured his jugular, biting down into his bone. Her attack, while in defense of me, worked against us. More wolves joined the fight, forcing the vampires to retaliate.

I ran forward to stop them, only to be stabbed through the thigh by one of Shayna’s knives. I roared and grabbed at my leg, falling to my knees and making myself an easy target. Another blade struck my left clavicle, just missing my throat. Sharp pain burned through my flesh.

I was still screaming when Aric caught the next knife by the hilt and another dagger a foot from my head. That didn’t make sense—Shayna never missed. It wasn’t until I saw Makawee standing over her that I realized she’d somehow forced the dark being out of my sister.

Aric whirled around to face me with the knives still in his hand. “Celia—”