“We will pull his asshole out through his nostrils,” Liam finished, hard with promise.
Willow smiled despite the fear, the tattoo burning hotter under her touch.“Well, okay then.At least we have a plan.”
Her heart stuttered when the door to the room opened.
****
“Hello, my darling.”
Liam’s wolf went predator-still at the sound of the man’s voice.Both because he knew exactly who it belonged to, but also because he felt Willow’s fear spike to epic proportions.That man might call himself Marcus in this life, but he and Matthew were one and the same.The man who had killed him, his brother and their mate was sitting right in front of Willow.
“M-Marcus,” Willow stuttered softly, and Liam’s heart ached for her.“What is going on here?Why are you lying to these police officers?”
“Officers, if it would be okay,” Marcus turned to the two uniforms, voice honeyed poison, “I would like the opportunity to speak with my fiancée in private.It shouldn’t take but a moment for me to remind her of what and who I am to her and how badly it will feel if she does not listen to me and do what I tell her.She does so hate to disappoint me.”
He leaned across the table, his movements predatory, his shadow stretching over Willow.Even through her, Liam could feel the heat of his presence, oily and suffocating.Marcus’s smile was too sharp, too practiced—like a wolf baring its teeth before the bite.
“Wow, there was nothing veiled about that threat,” Willow’s voice trembled slightly and Liam had to fight his wolf for control.His beast wanted blood and the man wanted to give it to him but now was not the time.
“No, love,”Liam spoke into her mind, pleased that his voice wasn’t as bloodthirsty as his thoughts.“But we will not allow that to happen.Ursula warned us not to show our transition from this realm to yours to anyone, but we will if we must.You will not go with that murdering asshole.”
He felt and heard Willow’s sharp intake of breath as the two officers stood and departed.“He killed you.He killed Jacob.”Her fear was swiftly eclipsed by rage.“He killed me, too.Oh, this fucker is going down!”
“Willow, you need to calm down,”Jacob cautioned, ever the voice of reason.“Ursula will be working on a plan to get you out.Wait for her.We need to do this properly, take our time so we can end the prophecy the right way.”
Marcus loomed closer, his fingers tapping the table in an idle rhythm that made Willow’s skin crawl.“How does it feel, bitch?”His tone dripped with superiority and disdain.“You think you can turn me down, walk away and that there would be no reckoning?Your reckoning will be at my hand and I am looking forward to making you scream.You did so beautifully the last time you bled out before me.”
“I think you’ll find me harder to kill than last time.”Willow’s voice was low, steady.No fear.Marcus jerked back a little, surprised.
“Well, look at that.The little witch has a spine.”Desire flared in his eyes, twisted and hungry.“I will enjoy breaking you of that spirit.Time is running out, little witch.”
Liam felt Willow’s confusion.A pulse throbbed faintly in the tattoo on her stomach, the wolves inside straining.“What has time got to do with it?”
Marcus crossed his arms.“Everything.You have until the next full moon to break this curse, or your men will be lost to you forever.”
“How is that possible?”Liam demanded.“Would we not just return to fight for our mate in another life?”
“If we fail in this life,” Willow said, her confidence sharp enough to surprise even Liam, “then we will just kill you in the next one.”
Marcus’s grin widened, eyes glowing demonic red.“Your mongrel mates have manifested in this time.Somehow, that little witch friend of yours gave them form.Once they die in this life, or the curse is not lifted, they are gone for good.Think about that.They have been living a half-life for two centuries.Lost in a void between realms.I’d rather be dead than live like that.Wouldn’t you?”
Shock and grief rolled through Willow, nearly breaking Liam.He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms.Jacob growled low in the void between, his rage vibrating through their shared bond.
“But,” Marcus continued smoothly, “if you surrender to me—give yourself to me, as you should have always been—I will make it so that they can return to the time they were meant to be.Let them live a normal life.”
Willow swallowed.“You can do that?”
Marcus’s grin turned cunning.“Yes, little one.Once you and I are together, there will be nothing I cannot do.They’ll live out their lives happily back in their time, never remembering the last two hundred years of non-existence you forced them into.”
Liam pushed against the barrier, furious.The tattoo on Willow’s skin burned, a reminder of how close yet unreachable they were.Willow was listening to the bastard.Dangerous ground.
“Your witch friend can’t stop me,” Marcus added, almost apologetic.“She is not that powerful.I will end her too, if you force me to continue this chase.I am growing weary of the game.You will be mine in this life, the next and every other life.Because you.Belong.To me.”
“Not yet she doesn’t, asshole!”Ursula’s voice cut through from the doorway, fierce and sharp.
Relief surged through Willow and Liam felt it too.Ursula strode into the room just ahead of a dark curly-haired woman who seemed oddly familiar.“Get the fuck away from her before she chokes on your demonic stench.”
Marcus growled, the sound reverberating through the walls and took a step forward, his hands curling into fists.But the dark haired woman stepped between them, calm and lethal.Power shimmered faintly in the air around her.“Don’t make me stop you.You know that I can.”
