Tears form in Cyrus’s eyes as he silently fights the spell that’s compelled him to do her bidding for centuries. “Fight her,” I say, offering no help at all.
“I can’t,” he answers, moving toward Stella. His voice holds sadness.
Simon steps between the two of them. “I won’t let you kill her, man.”
“Kill me, my friend,” Cyrus whispers. “It’s the only way to save her...” he looks at our group. “All of you.”
“You can’t ask me to do that,” Simon answers.
Cyrus disappears, returning with a piece of sharp wood. “You have to. I want you to. I have no power to fight her. I can’t break the spell.” Tears fill my eyes, making me feel more helpless than I’ve felt in a long time.
Terrin steps closer to Aurora. “Leave,” he demands.
Aurora’s laugh echoes over the noise of the raging fight. “How dare you issue an order to me? You are no more than a child.”
The boy doesn’t respond. Instead, he raises both hands in the air. “You are human. You are weak, fragile, and dying,” he says, staring at the vampire in front of him.
“What?” she asks with a confused look on her face. “I haven’t been human in more centuries than I...” She stops talking as her face contorts. Dark pupils enlarge at the realization that something is happening. Smoothskin ripples, forming into deep creases and wrinkles. Long fingers touch each cheek as they transform into bent twigs of bone and skin, swollen with age. She pulls them back, watching them disfigure. “My hands!” she screams. “What did you do to me?”
“You. Are. Human,” he repeats.
Aurora runs to a mirror that was uncovered during the chaos and screams. The primal sound that leaves her lips is one of anger, frustration, and pain. “My hair!” she screams as her once beautiful hair turns white and covers the floor by her feet. “This isn’t possible,” are the last words to leave her mouth.
“You have no power here, witch,” Terrin continues. “You shall return from whence you came!”
I watch in horror as the powerful vampire that stood before us moments earlier disintegrates and is replaced by a pile of dust and fabric. “She’s dead,” I announce the obvious.
“Am I free?” Cyrus asks.
“Yes,” the boy answers. “When she died, the spell was uncast.” I have no idea how he knows, but after witnessing Aurora’s death, I don’t doubt his words.
“Terrin? How did you do that?” Simon asks.
He shrugs. “It’s something I can do. One of the many things I can do.” I instantly understand why his safety is so important—Lucien’s right. Terrin truly can change the world for better or for worse. With his ability, someone like Callum would control every vampire and lycan in the world.
“Terrin, you have to stop him. Can you turn Callum human like you did Aurora?” Cyrus asks.
“Possibly. I’ve never tried with anyone like him.” He looks at what remains of Aurora. “Truthfully, she was the first.”
“You have to try,” Stella answers.
Terrin moves closer to the whirlwind of vampires, raises his tiny arms, and yells. “Stop!” The movement stops immediately.
Callum’s clothes barely look wrinkled as he stands in the middle of the room with a look of boredom covering his face. Harrison, Gideon, Erick, and Phillipe look like they’ve been in a bar brawl. Erick’s shirt is in shreds, hanging by his side. Large wounds cover Phillipe’s face, and Harrison is covered in blood.
“Ah, there’s the one I’m seeking,” Callum says, wearing a wide smile. “It’s a shame it took all of this to find you, son.” The ancient vampire flies across the room, pulling a young Lucien from the chair he was hiding behind. “Who are you?” he asks.
“Raphael…” he starts.
Callum slaps him so hard, I fear the impact killed him instantly. “I am bored with this.” He lifts Lucien, throwing him across the room.
“No!” Terrin shouts. He raises a hand, stopping Lucien from slamming into the brick walls that surround us.
His actions bring a wide smile to Callum’s face. “I knew you would be powerful when I changed you, butyou have far exceeded my expectations. What else can you do?”
“You’ll never have him,” Lucien spews, spitting blood from the side of his mouth.
“I will have what I want, warlock,” Callum answers. He motions around the room. “Clearly, there is no one here powerful enough to stop me.”
