I jumped up again. “No, this is not about the greater good. This is about your power tripping, you old bitch.”
She materialized in front of me, grabbing me tightly by the neck. “You have no idea. No idea the sacrifices I have made in my life for this coven. The horrors I have seen. Horrors we have kept from many to maintain morale. I had to marry a man I did not love who was a powerful warlock to grow coven strength. We wouldn’t be where we are now without it. But I spent twenty years with that tyrant who beat me and my kids whenever he could before I was able to kill him.”
I always thought he died of a heart attack. Seemed I knew where that heart attack came from. I knew he was an asshole, but not that he was an abuser. I would have felt some sympathy if she hadn’t set me up to be assaulted and wasn’t currently gripping my neck.
“And this dark mage clan on the rise is infiltrating many of the covens nationwide. They have alliances with many supernatural groups that would devour us. I’ve seen them sacrifice children, assassinate coven heads, enslave coven members who had to bow down to them. These barbaric mages want to rule all of the covens. I won’t allow it. You will do what you have to. You could have worse. They are good-looking, rich and they won’t beat you unless you try to run. I didn’t have that luxury.”
She let go of me, and my hand went to rub my sore neck. How did she know they wouldn’t hurt me? In the long run, it didn’t matter. “One of my guys already claimed me. So, it’s too late.”
She rubbed her forehead, turning away from me. “You’re such a stupid child. You’ve only made things worse for yourself. My pack can still claim you, but you’ll just forever feel the pull of the alpha who already claimed you. We could have him join this pack in a limited capacity. Assuming we could trust him.”
I scoffed. “How kind of you. But your plan is not going to happen. I will kill everyone in here, including myself, before I let anyone I don’t want claim me. So, fuck you and fuck them.”
Before I could even register what was happening, she slapped me across the face. I stumbled back onto the bed. The sting of her hit both shocking and painful. That old lady had some strength. But I wouldn’t let her get to me. This was the last stand, and I just decided I was going out like a soldier, not a victim.
“You can hit me all you want, but I’m not giving in. I can’t believe my father ever called you a friend.” I pushed my hands back, sending her slamming into the farthest wall. She slid down to the floor like a rag doll.
Seizing the moment, I stood up and used my magic to push her into the floor. It cracked around her like ice, and her body pushed into the concrete as if it were a plush mattress.
My hands shook, not because I was weak but because I was nervous about harming her. No one in the coven would understand, especially without proof. I just needed to contain her and get the hell out.
Suddenly, my left wrist snapped back, breaking my bones. I screamed, grabbing my arm in agony as searing pain pulsed through me, crushing me.
Chilli rose up in one swift movement. “You would try to kill me, child? If you weren’t so important, I’d kill you right now. But I can make it so you won’t be a problem.”
I wasn’t going to remain still while she tried. I then pushed out more power, setting her legs on fire. She screamed and then whirled around in a circle, putting out the fire in a magic wind. I tried again to attack her with my power, but she had placed a ward over herself. I crossed my arms in front of myself, ignoring my painful wrist, and recited a warding spell around me. She pointed at me, and I stumbled back, but I wasn’t damaged.
Seems we were now at a stand-still. The body wards would only last so long, especially if we were using other magic. The wards also made our own magic attacks weak. This wouldn’t accomplish anything. I had to drop my ward if I wanted to stop her. I would only get one shot before she got me, so I had to make it count.
She smirked at me. “Do you honestly believe you’re stronger than me? Don’t mistake your lineage to mean you’re all-powerful. I can break you in one snap.”
“You can try.” I then dropped my ward and pushed out my magic with everything that I had, short of reciting a death word.
Her body seized, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Blood dripped from her nose, eyes and ears.
But she did not drop unconscious like I hoped.
Aww, hell. She really was powerful.
She grinned wider. I could only see the whites of her eyes, but she seemed unbothered. She lifted her hand in the air and then swung down.
Sharp pain attacked every part of my body. It felt like all my bones were breaking. I’d never felt that kind of pain before. I screamed in agony, crumbling to the ground.
Billie!Ty shouted in my head.Baby, what’s happening?
I couldn’t answer. My mind was too stuck in a fog of suffering. I rolled from side to side as if that movement would help things. The pain wouldn’t end. Each movement, each breath a burning attack. My bones weren’t broken. It was her magic.
Chilli took a step toward me, still wide-eyed. Could she see? “This will be painful for you. They will claim you, and you will be in agony the whole time. Unable to fight them. You brought this on yourself. So stupid.”
I couldn’t let this be my story. I needed to push through. Needed to break this magic. My bones weren’t really broken. I had to remember that. I didn’t need to be stronger than Chilli. I had to kill her, something she didn’t want to do to me. We weren’t fighting the same. At this point, it was self-defense. I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t know if anyone would ever believe me, but I couldn’t lay there and get assaulted.
Speak to me, Billie.Ty’s voice commanded in my head. His tone was strong, but I felt the edge of grief there.
I’m fine.I lied. I didn’t need his worry right now. The pain was so excruciating, I was surprised I could even respond to his command. It felt like I was being cut from the inside. I screamed, calling for my father, mother. I clawed out at the air, desperately wanting to hold something to help bare the pain. Flashes of light and dark swept past my eyes. A sheen of sweat covered my body as I fought the pain. I could not stay like this. I had to focus on saving myself.
You aren’t fine! Hold on, Billie. We’re coming. Just hold on!
Ty screamed in my mind as if telling me to fight the pain was a command that would work. There were limits, but how I wished he could control me in that way.
