Page 101 of Rafe

“Really now?” Zyaire laughed as she twisted the braid into her fist.

“Stay away from me.” Skylar shouted.

“Your mate will come to me⁠—”

“He’s not mine,” Skylar argued.

“Oh, he’s going to come,” Zyaire taunted. “You know how I know that?”

“Let me go.” Skylar glared at the witch, sensing the demonic energy crawling over her skin like a thousand millepedes.

“I have a better idea,” With a jerk, she released Skylar’s hair. “I’m going to turn you.”

“He’s going to kill you!” Skylar screamed.

“I’ve been busy you see. Creating, if you will. I imagine you were part of the little fire at the blood club, destroying my babies. But I was already onto my next version. They’re much better fighters. Still experimenting of course. But they are ever so faithful to my master, to my darkest desires. Are you ready?” A cold devious smile bloomed on her face, her lips curling upward.

“Ready for what?” Skylar’s eyes widened as Zyaire lifted her skirt revealing a skinless human-like creature.

A living cadaver, it flipped onto its back and crawled toward her, its head spinning to face her. Skylar released a bloodcurdling scream as it hissed, lunging toward her. She dropped into a defensive position and thrust her foot against its chest sending it flailing across the room.

“Enjoy, darling. See you in a few hours after your transformation.” Zyaire waved her hand and slammed the door shut.

Skylar’s adrenaline shot through her veins, her heart pounding against her ribs. She dug the shard of metal from her pocket and held it with both hands. The creature sized her up, crouching in the corner.

Without warning it screeched at her and launched itself at her once more. Though Skylar dodged a direct hit, her arm lit with fire as its talons sliced her open. She rolled to the ground clutching her wound, still holding tight onto the shard. Fury speared through her mind, every cell of her body on alert, Rafe’s magick pumping through her body as if he was standing right there. Amped with rage, Skylar shoved to her feet, readying to kill it.

“Come get it, motherfucker!” Her voice billowed round the cell, a wild wrath coursing through her. “You think you’re going to eat me? I’m going to destroy you! Come and fucking get it!”

The creature leapt on all fours, springing towards her like a panther. Skylar screamed as it attacked, driving the metal spike deep into its eye socket. Kill or be killed. Choice made, she withdrew the shard and plunged it into its other eye. It flailed, shrieking until it finally surrendered to its death.

Covered in its green blood, she succumbed to her own feral nature. With a burning rage, she released a guttural scream from her lungs. The call of the raven from above sounded as the shard fell to the ground from her fist.

Her rage lit magick within her, igniting her transformation. As she shifted, she rocketed out of the window, flying high above her prison. She followed the black dot above her, flapping her wings. Free from her prison, she flew as fast as her wings would flap.

A hazy sky settled into the late afternoon as the sun dipped toward the west. The raven leading her descended toward a dilapidated homestead and settled on an old weathervane, calling to her. Skylar followed, instead choosing to land on the ground. As she opened her beak to call to the raven, she convulsed, transforming back to her human form.

Her lungs burned, inhaling the dry desert air. Her body was wracked with pain, seared by the fiery hot dirt. What the hell just happened to me? Skylar wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, her vision clearing. A dust devil spun in the distance, an impending powerhouse hurtling toward her.

“What the fuck now?” Naked, she shoved to her feet, seeking shelter. With great care, she walked toward the house, grimacing each time a rock stabbed the pads of her feet.

“Skylar!” she heard him call to her.

Her heart filled with joy at the sound of his voice. Strong hands spun her around and she fell into his arms. Rafe.

My Alpha.

18

Rafe’s lungs burned, inhaling the blistering desert air. He closed his eyes, concentrating, searching for Skylar. Her face flashed in his mind, his wolf rushing forth, howling to alert him. “She’s here.”

“So is Zyaire. I feel her.” Ilsbeth exhaled loudly. “Ah yes. She’s hidden underneath a glamour.”

“I don’t feel or see anything except for the animals, so I hope whatever you’re both sensing, we’ve got this right.” Greyson sniffed the air. “I can’t smell any humans.”

“It’s hot as hell. But it’s dry heat. Reminds me of home,” Thorn said.

“Dry heat my ass,” Dominique brushed the dust off her leather pants and kicked a scorpion off her boot.