“Are you sure you want to do this, Kit?” Thorn’s voice wobbled.
“I’ll fight him, little bird. I’ll find some fucking way to stop him for good.” Damien’s shadows whipped around the room.
“We will all fight him if you don't want to reinstate the bond.” Rowan’s scales came and went as his anger simmered.
“I can do it. You have to trust me enough to do this. Grayson needs to be dealt with once and for all.” Her gaze hardened as she swept it over us all, landing on me.
“We know you can, sweetheart, but we love you. You can’t blame us for worrying about our mate. I will lead the ritual, and all of us will add our magical energy to do it.”
She nodded, letting out a sigh as her shoulder sagged. “Let’s end it now.”
I was thankful for my power of visions. If I hadn’t had the visions, she would’ve had the worst case scenario with no fighting chance, but I couldn't wait until all of our threats were neutralized. I loved Wren with everything I had.
Nothing and no one stood a chance against the eight of us together.
EIGHT
Wren
Theairwastense,and there was a hint of sulfur wafting within the room. Rowan’s tense form rounded his desk and plopped down on his chair. I stood on the opposite side of the desk between Damien and Kian. Lachlan, Alister, Thorn, and Rhett fanned around us.
A moment later, an icy chill slithered down my spine. Freezing hands wrapped around my waist and jerked me back into a hard chest.
Damien snarled, stepping forward as his tail and horns slipped out. “Hands off my little bird.”
Grayson snickered. “And why would I do that?”
I flickered in and out of my incorporeal form, but like Kian had warned, I couldn't shake off Grayson's hold.
I whipped my head toward him. “Why do you always do this? I wasn't good enough for you at first. So what makes me good enough now?”
He let go of my waist and let one hand grip on my arm as he tugged me closer. Something deep flickered in his eyes that looked a bit like humanity.
But it went as soon as it came.
He faltered before his grip on my arm tightened, and his rotten breath fanned over my face as he leaned down. “You are mine.The Fates themselves decided it.”
I shook my head slowly, trying not to show how badly his grip hurt. Stabbing pain shot up my arm from his fingers digging into my flesh. “We don't have a bond anymore, Grayson… But if you would like to replace the bond—”
A horrific amount of rage enveloped his face, and his fingers turned sharp, burrowing deep into my arm until blood welled up around them. Agony pierced through me, and the guys moved forward all at once.
Damien gripped my other arm and pulled me away from his hold, hard enough for Grayson’s sharp fingers to rip the flesh of my arm into ribbons. The black goo dripped from his hand into the shredded mess of my arm. It spread rapidly, the goo stitching the wound together faster than my usual healing.
Darkness coaxed my magic before engulfing it fully, making it buzz at a dangerously low level before spiking again. I gasped, placing my hand on the closing gash in my arm.
Alister raised his hand toward me before a string of curse words left his mouth. “Her blood won’t repel it. It's merging with it!”
Grayson dissolved into chaotic laughter. “How stupid do you think I am? You think I’ll let you replace our matebond, so I can die?”
“How do you know that?” Rowan roared, and Grayson’s laughter settled over me like an unwanted weight.
My blood slowed as it pumped through my veins, moving like sludge, and my head whirred from it. “Just stop!” I snarled at Alister. “It's not working, and all you’re doing is making me lightheaded.”
His eyes widened a fraction as the blood in my veins pumped at a normal rate again. “I’m sorry…”
I swung my glare to Grayson as he finished his laughing spree like a maniac. “Andyouneed to just die already.”
“No thanks.” He shrugged dramatically, raising his arms as he did so. “I'll be back for you, though. I bet your mates won’t even want you after the hell you cause with our dark magic.”
