The moment her fist connected with my shoulder; I knew Cassidy hadn’t been exaggerating.Emilia punched hard, like MMA level hard.Not only was she strong, but she was fast too. She came at me without warning, without shifting into a stance that let me know the battle had begun. She had hoped to catch me off guard, but Chris had skinned my hide too many times for me to make that mistake again.His method of keeping me on my toes came in the form of sneaking through my window in the dead of night. If I weren’t on my feet the second the window cracked open, I’d quickly find myself groaning on the floor with the taste of blood in my mouth.His methods weren’t humane by any means, but they worked.Boy, did they work.I used my small stature to weave in and out of her blows, a partner in a painful dance that would surely leave me black and blue.If I weren’t a Luna or a Vampire, I might&rsquo

“She can be charming and nice…until she isn’t.”No matter how many times I told myself not to take Emilia’s warning to heart, her words played on repeat in my head.The drive to Rowena and Cordelia’s wasn’t nearly long enough to sort through everything I’d learned. Not only that, but I was no closer to identifying the sickening sense of foreboding that clung to my soul like a noxious gas than I was to discovering how Lars was connected to all of this.I had no choice but to force what I’d learned about Cassidy to the deepest reaches of my mind. After all, Asher had said she didn’t handle embarrassment well. It didn’t excuse her obvious vendetta against Emilia, but I had bigger fish to fry at the moment.One of those fish happened to be standing in the kitchen of the house I’d soon be wielding magic in.“Dad?” I frowned, pausing within the doorway as I spot

“Congratulations on completing your first spell.” Cordelia’s smile was small, hiding something I couldn’t quite place. “How does it feel to call on your magic and have it respond?”It was moonlight alone that allowed me to see her delicate features from where she sat on the patio chairs. The leather chords around her neck were dark, but the silver charms that dangled from them glittered merrily.A frown ghosted across my face and disappointment filled my bones. “I—I didn’t do that correctly, did I?”“Not at all, but you tried, and your magic did respond.” She replied, patting the seat beside her when my sour expression deepened. “Come sit with me before we go inside and sort this out.”“Everything alright out here?” Rowena’s flowery voice trickled through the small opening in the sliding glass door.“We’re fine, just a bit of sigil magic gone awry.” Cordelia shouted back, but kept her eyes locked on my face. A slight twisting sensation in the pits of my stomach told me something was g

I hadn’t so much as skimmed my fingers over the cover page when Asher came through the front door. A jolt of surprise swallowed my voice and made my heartrate jump, forcing me to snap the book shut and slip it back into my bag.Asher rounded the corner and appeared in the kitchen before I could question my sneaky behavior and why the feeling churning in my gut told me to keep the book a secret—even from him.The next few hours I spent with Asher were anything but relaxing. Even after taking out the rest of my frustration in the cushy master suite he had designed for us, there was still plenty weighing on my mind. I’d always envied Chelsea for her lack of conscience, especially lately.Both Maya and I knew that keeping Cordelia’s book was wrong and that thievery, no matter how it happened, had consequences. The urge to return it with a heartfelt apology was strong, but there was something even more powerful brewing in the back of my mind.It had found it’s way into my bag for a reason,

‘You’re telling me that not even twenty-four hours after I left, you’re driving to some creepy guy’s camper in the middle of the forest because Cassidy made the mistake of hanging out with him after you warned her not to?’ Breyona deadpanned. The dry tone of her voice through the mind-link made me clench my hands tighter around the steering wheel.‘Yep.’ I replied, popping the ‘p’ for emphasis. ‘Even though that’s not why I mind-linked you.’‘I know, you mind-linked me to ask if my parents could find anything on Alpha’s that the world doesn’t already know, which is unlikely but yeah I’ll ask them.’ She replied with a small huff. ‘Now back to what you’re currently doing, which is driving into certain doom without telling your Alpha of a mate what’s going on.’‘I’m not driving into certain doom.’ I rolled my eyes, ‘…but yes, that’s what I’m doing and no, Asher does not know about it. If he did, he’d turn right around and demand he come with me.’‘Well, since there’s no talking you out o

“Don’t bother asking me what she was talking about back there, because I have no clue…and yes, I’m just as worried as you are.” Tristan huffed from the passenger seat, his scowl directed out the window and towards the impenetrable wall of darkness that filled the forest and the night sky.Most of his attitude was from the fact that I wouldn’t let him drive, but I needed the distraction since the fear in Cassidy’s voice continued to increase with each update she gave.“Purple eyes. What the hell could that—”‘Lola, please tell me your close…’ Cassidy’s voice came through the mind-link as a whisper.I slowed down to take the sharp curve up ahead, narrowing my eyes to peer through the darkness. Acting quickly, I showed Cassidy a quick mental image of the stretch of road we were on, and visibly jumped when her hushed whisper tore through my head faster than the shadows that dashed across the road to flee the cars bright headlights.‘Turn onto the gravel road and take it to the (very) end.

Razor thin branches slapped at our faces, stinging our ankles and any visible piece of skin. The darkness was all consuming, the shadows thick as they surrounded us like the heavy fabric of a cloak.If only they protected us the way a cloak would, if only they offered their assistance as they had numerous times in the past.Something changed since I got my magic, and that something was big enough to alter the way the shadows acted around me.In the past, they’d jump at the opportunity to be of service, to exact a price they saw most fitting. Their whispers would plague my mind, their slippery voices a haunting song of desperation, excitement, and longing.I could hear their whispers, only this time they didn’t seem to be speaking to me, but to each other. Flinging them around the forest so quickly I couldn’t make out what the hell they were saying.“Wait a damn second.” I panted, gritting my teeth together as Cassidy stepped on something sharp and snarled angrily. The scent of fresh b

Many hit the trees, rocks, and earth, but even more hit the Vampire’s that stalked us, wrapping around their limbs, and tightening their grip much like a snake would. It was both beautiful and deadly, watching them pierce their skin, seeing the looks of apprehension and confusion as they realized I was capable of so much more than their previous ruler. “Lola, remember you don’t want to kill them.” I heard Tristan murmur, barely registering the sound of his voice over the roar in my ears. His hand ghosted across my shoulder in a gesture meant to soothe me, but all it did was break the haze the addictive power I wielded had over me.The tendrils of shadow that had been tightening around their throats, turning their faces various shades of black and blue, loosened just enough to allow them air.Rather than show my emotions and express the ripple of doubt and regret that passed through me, I steeled my spine and faced them the way a true Queen would.“You have all made a grave mistake

By the time backup arrived, and Rowena stabilized the Vampire whose heart were still beating after having her throat slit, I was utterly exhaustedThe trick I did, somehow managing to control the otherworldly power that was known for being uncontrollable, left me with little to no energy and a raging case of cotton mouth.Even worrying about Asher, which I’d been doing since the blood witch said he had problems of his own to deal with, sapped what little strength I had left.As I swayed where I stood, staring down at the five lifeless bodies, the shadows watched from their hidden alcoves within the forest. Tristan stood nearby, his eyes flitting to my face every few seconds as though he were worried I’d topple over at any moment.I sure felt like I was, but I’d never admit that.Instead I frowned at the blood that watered the earth and thought about the words that the blood witch uttered.“Make use of their blood…” I said quietly, lifting my gaze to peer at the darkness that surrounde

“Did you seriously stop for coffee?” Tristan deadpanned; his expression unamused as he stared down at me.I shrugged and pushed past him. “Not all of us are used to night shift. Judging from your grumpiness, I’d say you’re not used to it either.”“I am not grumpy.” He huffed, blinking at me a few times before regaining his composure and leading the way through Asher’s maze-like dungeon.The network of underground tunnels wasn’t known to anyone in the pack but a select few that Asher trusted. I’d been more than reluctant to venture down there the first time Asher brought me. The entrance was in the basement of a local bar in town, part of the roadways that would allow alcohol to be smuggled in during the human’s insane prohibition.There was a slight sting of alcohol and fermented fruit that lingered within the tunnels, which helped to dull the scent of blood, sweat, and piss. Thankfully, having the Vampire placed in one of the nicer cells turned in our favor. The stench was far less