"They betrayed me, and they will deal with the consequences just like you will, you ungrateful bitch," Renata snarled. "We could have had everything, but you threw my offer of power back in my face. Then you have the audacity to come flouncing back into the city like you own it. I will not lose my position to a useless, selfish girl like you. I will keep you in line, even if I have to hold onto your father's shade for an eternity."
The air beside her shifted, and the shade of a tall man with Marcella's curls appeared beside her.
Marcella stiffened. "Are you okay, Papa?"
Matteo gestured to his mouth. Renata had stolen his ability to speak. Cosimo's fingers tingled with magic, his claws sliding free, eager for the fight.
"You have always been a jealous and hateful woman, Renata. You made your son even worse. You abused me for years, and now you act like you are the injured party. I didn't come back for Forli as you asked, but now, after seeing what you have donehere, I can't walk away," Marcella said, her voice steady to the point of being almost toneless.
Renata's lip lifted in a sneer, and magic lashed out from her and Carlo in a coordinated attack. Carlo pulled out a gun and pointed it at Marcella. Cosimo reached for his knife, but Valentine was faster, his dagger sailing past Cosimo and striking Carlo in the forearm. He dropped the gun with a shout of pain.Stregheraced in through the doors behind them, called to action by the noise.
"Enough of this," Marcella commanded in a whisper.
The fight stopped as dark death rolled out of her like smoke. Ghosts appeared in the room, rising out of the floor and crowding around them. People gasped and fell to their knees, crossing themselves repeatedly.
Silvery lines of magic were wrapped around Renata and Carlo like webs. It took Cosimo a moment to realize that they were all the spells and curses they had connected to the living, and were using to drain their energy.
So many…Cosimo wanted to kill them, but not nearly as much as Marcella did. Her eyes had turned fully black with so much power that Cosimo wanted to fall to his knees in awe like the others.
My mate.He was so in love with her and could barely handle it.
Renata was growling through her teeth, Marcella's magic holding the witch's mouth shut. Marcella didn't snarl any threats or snappy comebacks. She made a simple, cutting motion with her hand and shredded the threads of the magic tied to Renata and Carlo. They screamed, a tortured, hair-raising sound.
Renata's long nails clawed at her face as her youth melted away. Her skin turned papery, color leeched from her hair, and her eyes grew yellowed. Carlo, clutching his wounded hands tohis chest, sobbed like a child, the front of his pants growing dark as he pissed himself.
"What a disgrace of a man. Every time he's in a fight, he pisses his pants," Valentine snorted.
Matteo's shade moved to Marcella's side. "I knew you would come for me. I love you,piccola.I'm so proud of you."
"I love you too. Go to Mama. She was worried about you," Marcella said, the darkness in her eyes softening when she looked up at Matteo.
"I'll tell her how well you did. She always knew you had it in you," he said and vanished.
Marcella turned back to the moaning pair on the floor. All softness vanished from her expression, her anger a living thing that made her magic shiver. Cosimo's heart was in his throat. He couldn't look away. She was a force of nature…and she belonged to him.
"You have harmed the city, tortured its people, and its shades. For that, the dead will judge you, not I," Marcella said, her voice cold. The leash that was holding back all the glowing shades in the room snapped, and they rushed Renata and Carlo in a wave. They poured into their mouths, through their noses and eyes, until they were both writhing on the floor, frothing at the mouth but still breathing, which was more than what Cosimo would have allowed if it had been up to him.
Marcella turned away from them and back to Cosimo. "They will do as they will. Let's go home."
Cosimo nodded and offered her his arm. She took it, and they walked past the coweringstreghe, who stared in horror at their leaders on the floor.
"I would advise you to take these two miscreants to a hospital before you all leave this city and never return," Valentine told them as he and Yelena passed them. "But before you go, youcan return our van to its rental company, and don't make a fuss about it."
Cosimo passed a whimpering guard the keys, and he opened the door of the restaurant for Marcella.
Outside, they moved into a discreet alleyway, and Valentine opened a portal. Cosimo held tightly to Marcella as they stepped through and into the garden of the villa in Florence.
As soon as the portal shut, Marcella let out a shuddery breath, and the dark power pulled slowly back inside of her.
"It's over. It's finally over," she said, her voice cracking.
Cosimo wrapped his arms around her, and she buried her face into his chest, a sob breaking free from her. "Yes, love, it's over. You will never have to worry about them hurting you or anyone else ever again. Forli is safe, and so are you."
And the gods help anyone who tried to bother his mate ever again.
34
Inside, the villa was loud and crowded. Cosimo went to the kitchen, where everyone was hanging out, and Marcella slipped into a bathroom and washed her tear-stained face with shaking hands.
