He went back to pacing and thinking. Jewel’s mind was working as well. He had been successful before, so what was different this time? Then it hit her, and she had a complete ‘duh’ moment. Before she blurted out her revelation, something inside of her screamed at her to keep her mouth shut. The difference was, of course, they were gypsy healers. Volcan’s previous witches were regular women, created by a direct magic transfer from fae to human Now they were mixing two types of magic—Volcan’s darkness with their healer purity, and trying to use that on a regular human woman. There was no way that didn’t change things. She was sure it complicated the spell insomeway.
It felt like forever before Volcan finally stopped pacing and addressed them once again. “I’m not—” He stopped in mid-sentence and then let out a string of curses. “It appears an urgent matter requires my attention. I won’t be gone long. When I return, you will resume your task, giving it your complete and utter devotion. First search for information you need, and then, once you’ve found it, begin turning the women. Until then … you will have a visible reminder of whom you serve. If your loyalty begins to waver, simply look in themirror.
Volcan stepped forward and took one of their arms in each of his hands and flashed them from the room. They reappeared in what could only be described as a dungeon. It seemed a little cliché with its dark gray walls, dripping water, and foul smell but, then, if it was any different, it wouldn’t exactly be adungeon.
“My lord.” A short man with a bald head and sharp yellow teeth stepped out of thedarkness.
“Is that a vampire?” Anna whispered right next toherear.
“It’s definitely not a friendly leprechaun,” Jewel answeredsoftly.
Volcan held out his hand to the short man and a knife appeared there. The blade glowed and Jewel could feel power emanatingfromit.
“They need to be branded,” he told thevampire.
“Back of the neck?” The vampireasked.
Volcan shook his head as he looked at Jewel and Anna. “Abdomen. The most vulnerable place on a wolf. It will be a nice message to the dogs when the time comes. The blade is enchanted. You will find that it will take many, many cuts for the mark to be thoroughly embedded in their flesh. It is a fae blade, which means no magic can alter it orremoveit.”
“Asyouwish.”
Volcan pointed to two stone slabs. “Lay down on those,” heinstructed.
Neither Jewel nor Anna moved, both unwilling to simply crawl onto a table in order to be branded likecattle.
“NOW,” Volcanroared.
Jewel’s body moved against her wishes, as his blood in her veins reacted to its master’s command. Anna made the same jerky movements and they both climbed up onto the slabs and lay down on their backs. Their arms were stretched out so their bodies formed aTshape. There were no straps holding them in place, but no matter how hard Jewel tried, she couldn’t raise her head, her arms, her legs, or any other part of her body. It was as if she was completely fused to thestone.
“Behave,” he told them beforedisappearing.
The vampire walked over to Jewel and pushed her shirt up, exposing her stomach. He did the same to Anna, and then he picked up the glowing blade. Jewel tried to prepare herself for the pain, but nothing could have. When the blade made contact with her skin and began to move, a scream welled up from deep inside of her and rose until it rushed out of her lungs like a hurricane hurling itself at the shore. The force was painful, and she would be surprised if her vocal chords came out of this experience unscathed. Tears fell down the sides of her face as the pain seared her flesh and ate at her sanity. So much loss happening in such a short amount of time. She’d just lost her mother, and now she was losing a piece of her dignity. She might ask what more could Volcan possibly take, but that would be foolish. There was plenty he could still rip away from her. Even in her anguish in that moment, she knew she had not hit rock bottom because she still had people she loved out in the world. People she would die to protect and, as long as they existed, Volcan would hold her in the palm of his hand. If there was someone for him to torture, destroy, or take from her, Jewel would do whatever he asked of her. The only way he couldn’t benefit from her was if she joined her mother and said goodbye to her life on earth. The thought was fleeting at first, but then it began to take root as she considered how much grief she could prevent if Volcan didn’t have her in his power. How many people could she save if he couldn’t use her as a tool in hissickplan?
Her thoughts were distracted as she began to hear Anna’s screams. Hearing her friend in so much pain was actually worse than the pain being inflicted on her own body. She closed her eyes and felt more tears run down the sides of her face. Her mom had told her not to give up. How could she hold on when there was so much pain? How did she keep hope alive when it made more sense for her tojustdie?
“You will notbreakme.”
Jewel heard Anna growl throughthepain.
“You will not break me, and you will not win,” the other healer said. “You can come at me over and over again, but I will rise back up every time you knock me down. I have too much to live for. I have friends who I care about and care about me. I have a mate I really want to get a chance to know. I have a mom who I need to know better. I have a future that I didn’t know existed, and you will not take itfromme.”
Her words reminded Jewel of another time when she’d lain on a slab and endured torture. She told herself to endure just five minutes longer. She told herself that the only difference between a hero and an ordinary person was that a hero fought the battle for five minutes longer. Anna was right. They did have too much to live for. They couldn’t just lay down and die. They couldn’t expect someone else to step up and fightVolcan.
“He won’t break us,” Jewel said out loud, joining in Anna’s declaration and letting her sister know she would stand with her. “He will not defeat us. He will not because we won’tallowit.”
“Damn straight!” Anna screamed from determinationandpain.
Jewel echoed her sentiment, “Damnstraight!”
Chapter10
“I haven’t held her. I haven’t seen her face. I haven’t known her many moods or temperaments. But I have wanted her for as long as I can remember, and the very small amount I do know about her makes me want her all the more.” ~said every male Canislupusever
Gustavo staggeredand fell against a tree, but not even that could hold him up. His knees hit the ground, and sharp pain radiated up his legs, which was nothing compared to the agony that was searing into his abdomen. He pulled up his shirt and surveyed the damage. His skin was unharmed, but he felt in his mind as though he was being burned layer by layer. The pain wasexcruciating.
“Gustavo?” Adam’s voice barely broke through the hazeofpain.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and snarled, whipping his head around to snap at the one who dared to touch him. There was only one whose touch he wanted, and anyone else best keep theirdistance.
