My heart jumped to my throat, and we rushed forward, but the unexpected sight stopped us all in our tracks.
A thin ripple of snow-white fur suddenly rushed along her arms, slithering up her neck where it disappeared. Visible strength captured our mate, her gaze sharpening before she tenaciously rose to her feet. Blazing blue wings extended from her back, and she smirked, squaring up to Vanessa.
“Together…”Starlight’s voice carried a smile as it gently drifted away.
“Absolutely fucking extraordinary,”I sent to Natalia and her gaze connected with mine, pride in herself glistening in her bi-colored eyes.
“Are her ears bleeding?” Dante asked, relief taking over all of us when we realized she was fine.
“It’s not perfect, but I’ll take it.” Natalia walked toward us.
“It’s brilliant.” André pulled her to him, kissing her.
“You, okay?” Vanessa asked reaching us, and our mate nodded.
“Thanks for helping me.”
“You are welcome. But if you ever make me do that again, I’ll kill you for real.”
Chuckles escaped us as they hugged, but my heart stopped when our mate suddenly grabbed her head. Her breaths quickened and she stepped back, face contorting as though she was in pain.
“No!” Vanessa gasped, horrified. “I did hurt her.”
“You didn’t,” Alyce countered, rushing to her side. “She didn’t, right?”
“No,” I murmured because the flames and wings were gone from Natalia. The fire wouldn’t leave her unless there was no need to protect her anymore.
And then it was over.
Panting, Natalia opened her eyes, lowering trembling hands while she glanced at us, but her attention became unfocused as though she couldn’t see us.
“Natalia, what is happening?” I reached for her but when my hand neared her, she jerked away from me.
“Did your claws scare her?”Dante gripped my hand to check, finding none, I was a full man right now.
When her head moved as though she was glancing at people beyond us, people who weren’t there, dread sliced through me.
Blinking, Natalia took a deep breath, steadying herself against something, trying to process it. Her eyes began to move quickly, seeming to witness many things at once.
“Behind you!” she gasped, terror carving her features.
André glanced at me, captured by the same dread I felt. “Is she having a vision? Like Anastasia?”
“I don’t know.” I swallowed.
“Cuore mio,please let me back inside your head,”Dante begged, cradling her face to help her focus.
Her teary eyes shifted to him, briefly seeing him, and she nodded.
Dante’s body went rigid the second he entered her consciousness. “It’s a buried memory…” His voice sounded grave.
“A memory?” I asked André.
“What could be worse than the attack she just?—?”
“Hold on!” Dante ground out like it took all his effort, grabbing onto us.
His warning barely reached us before André, and I were pulled into Natalia’s mind—in a way we never had.
