“Could’ve been different.” He forced out the words as one of his rotten teeth fell from his mouth.
I shook my head, the pain almost too much to bear as Grayson's body started to crack.
His gray flesh crumbled, flaking off as the night breeze blew through, and his flesh and bones turned to ash, floating into the breeze until the only thing left was his eyes filled with hatred and trained on me.
Alister darted forward as soon as Kian stopped chanting, and he crushed both eyeballs in his palms before cupping his hands together. A red glow flickered in his hands as the rejected bond vanished and the grip of it released me.
Alister opened his palms to reveal a small red stone, but as soon as he did, the black goo sucked into it like a vacuum.
“That’s not supposed to happen,” he hissed, holding out the stone as far as he could until the dark magic sealed itself inside it.
Damien and Rowan were at my side, helping me to my feet as Kian stepped forward with Lachlan and Rhett.
Alister stepped forward and held out the stone. “I promised you a blood stone of Grayson, and this is it. But I think we should have this checked out first, considering it's imbued with dark magic now.”
A hiccup pulled from my chest as tears spilled down my cheeks, and a laugh burst out of me. “I think that’s probably a good idea.”
“Tiny fox, you okay there?” Lachlan tilted his head.
“She’s overwhelmed with emotions after being numb for such a long time,” Rhett explained, crossing his arms.
“Pretty sure that would fuck with anyone,” Alister muttered.
“What do you need, fledgling?” Rowan’s hand tightened around my arm, smoke pluming from his nose.
“Let us take care of you, Kit.” Thorn blasted his ice magic over my body, and I breathed in the icy air until it filled my lungs.
“I wish his brain had survived so Kian could reanimate him, and I’d kill him again for putting his hands on you,” Damien growled, his fingers gliding over my throat where Grayson had choked me.
“I’d have done it, too,” Kian muttered. “He’d deserve it.”
“Thank you.Thank you all.”I sobbed.
We had seen Grayson's death, and the relief that trickled through my bones was enough to make me want to sleep for days.
“I'll take the blood stone to Drecken. He’ll check it over and make sure the dark magic is well and truly trapped,” Rowan said, taking the blood stone from Alister and pocketing it.
My chest felt lighter, and my body went into recovery mode for holding onto the dark magic for so long. “I need you all to hold me while I sleep.”
They paused and smiled at me.
“Of course, fledgling.” Rowan’s eyes flashed with fire.
“After all this shit, all I want to do is hold you, baby,” Rhett muttered, running a hand through his hair.
“The blood stone will be yours soon, but I need you in my arms now, sweet ruby.” Alister’s tongue flicked over his fangs as he glanced at the pile of ash in the circle.
“You need rest, and we need you, sweetheart,” Kian said softly, adjusting his glasses and taking a step forward.
“Ready, Kit?” Thorn swept a blue lock of hair from his face.
I nodded. “I’m more than ready.”
“As you wish, little bird,” Damien’s voice caressed my body as his shadows slipped over us, and my mates did exactly what I needed.
EIGHTEEN
Wren
