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“Goddess, that sounds amazing. Okay, okay …” She released him, stepping back, and nodded as if she were trying to convince herself it would be safe, that conjuring hellhounds was a great idea. What else could they do? Drag me off to Hell? Yeah that. Get it together, Cass. You can do this.
“You all right?” Julian asked. “You don’t have to?—"
“No, no. I’m fine. I’ve got this.” She didn’t give him a chance to finish. She knew he’d burn a hole through his own palm trying to hold the coin. But her gut told her she was destined for this moment. The hounds had been chasing her for her entire life and today it would end. She’d call them and demand their submission. And hopefully, the coin would work to break their bondage.
As Cassia lay down onto the makeshift bed, a cold snowflake kissed her skin. She looked to Sayuri, then Greyson, Rafe, Xavier and Dominque. Her gaze settled on Julian. If she didn’t survive, if she didn’t wake up, Julian’s face would be the last she’d ever see.
“I’m ready.” Cassia reached into her pocket, fingered the coin and closed her hand around it. She held it tight, the coin buzzing with energy against her palm. She closed her eyes, letting her body drift into the ether, commanding the white light of the Goddess to surround her, to protect her from evil.
Come to me, she called. Within her protective bubble, she extended her mind, searching, reaching, calling. I have the vessel. I hold the secret to Hell. Come to me! I command you to come now!
The putrid stench of sulfur permeated her nose, alerting her to their presence. Beady red eyes pierced the veil of darkness, the faint but familiar cry of the hounds sounding in the distance.
In her mind’s eye, she held up the coin. Come be freed of your bondage. As she extended her hand, a bright light shone from her fingers. Channeling the power of her Alpha, she illuminated a path far into the distance. You must come to the earthly realm, she ordered. You must come now and break the veil. Now!
Her heart pounded in her chest as she caught sight of nearly twenty-five hellhounds rushing toward her. Cassia. The Alpha called to her. As she turned to his voice, a bright light shone, a portal opening to the earthly realm beckoned in the distance.
Cassia set off running, faster and faster, the hellhounds closing in on her. The light grew brighter and larger as she edged closer to consciousness. Her chest heaved for breath, her legs burned. A hellhound snapped at her heels and she leapt into the portal.
Cassia’s eyes flew open and she scrambled to her feet. A pack of hellhounds snarled and growled at her from inside the circle.
“I have it. I have the vessel!” She held the coin up into the air, and they responded, crying and howling. “I have the Aroya!”
“Read it. Read it now,” Julian urged.
“We must hurry,” Sayuri urged. “The snow is melting the circle. They cannot be allowed to escape. You must transform them.”
“Inferni ad shifting, emissi es vinculi tui. Iam non servis.” Cassia’s stomach dropped as the hellhounds growled at her, unaffected by the spell. “Inferni ad shifting, emissi es vinculi tui. Iam non servis.”
“Go to them into the circle,” Sayuri suggested. “The circle keeps them in but it must be blocking the spell.”
“Are you crazy?” Julian yelled. “She’s not going in there.”
“She must go to them now,” she insisted, urgency in her voice. “The salt…it’s melting. Cassia must do this. It is her destiny.”
“Fuck destiny.” Julian plowed his fingers though his hair and turned to Cassia. “Give me the coin.”
“What?” Cassia’s eyes widened. “No. This is my responsibility. I must do this.”
“I’m ordering you…as your Alpha to give me the coin. I can’t lose you.”
“We’re running out of time,” Sayuri warned.
“Julian. You can’t do this. This is my fate alone. I’m sorry.” Without giving warning, she leapt across the salt to the hellhounds.
“Cassia!” Julian yelled.
“I’m okay, I’m okay,” she assured him, holding out the coin to the hounds. “Look…see…they’re not attacking. They know this coin. They know the Aroya.”
“Say the spell! Say it now!” Sayuri yelled.
Without waiting one more second, Cassia released the spell with intention. “Inferni ad shifting, emissi es vinculi tui. Iam non servis.”
“What’s wrong with this spell? It’s killing them. They’re dying,” Cassia cried. The ground shook and the fire roared, the tails of demons piercing the flames.
“Give me the coin!” The Alpha yelled to her.
Flames shot up all around the perimeter of the circle, and she shielded her face, unable to respond to Julian. Through the chaos, she caught the gaze of a tortured hellhound as it lay writhing on the ground. Help me.
