Avery didn’t say anything, only held her head up high. It was almost sad how much Wren sounded like their mom. They had been close once. Not anymore. Not after she had become an enforcer and the spitting image of her mother.
Wren made a signal with her hand, and the sound of cocking rifles rang over the crashing waves. Tension rippled through the bond as Wren came two steps closer, enforcers following closely behind. She could feel Felix priming himself for a fight, her body doing the same. For the first time, the shadows didn’t feel so far away, like they were at her beck and call, simmering just under the surface and ready to strike.
“Don’t,”was all she said to Felix. As much as her sister was a bitch, she didn’t want her to get hurt either. There was a wayto come out of this without bloodshed. Because that was what it would be.
“Do you have any idea what you are standing next to? What this looks like?” Wren said, venom dripping off every word. But her sister had a tell, the slight clench in her jaw told her it was a front, that fear was driving her more than anything. Avery didn’t blame her for it, though. Her mother and every other person on this island had shifter hatred drilled into them since they were children. Untold stories about how dangerous they were.
“I know what it looks like,” Avery said, trying to keep her voice even despite the tremble in her arms.
Wren blinked, gripping the rifle. “Then you understand why I have to do this.”
“Please, I’m begging you to let us go.”
Wren laughed coldly. “Leave? Avery, listen to yourself. Where are you going to go with a shifter?” Her demeanor showed a crack for only a second before it went back to its practiced mask. She never used to wear it, not much anyway, but since she became a commander, since her father had died, it had become a permanent fixture on her.
“The shifters killed our father,” she said, devoid of any emotion.
She held her sister’s gaze. “He could still be alive.”
“Don’t be stupid. Shifters have killed so many of us, and you’re standing there having a fucking stroll with one.”
Avery flinched, but she didn’t let the doubt take root. She knew it looked like she was spitting on her father’s empty grave. But what she didn’t have enough time to explain was, well,everything.The bond, the bunnies, the goddess, the statues. That everything wasn’t what it seemed, and that she had bet her life on Felix, several times over. But there wasn’t enough time. Her throat felt tight, words scraping out as she spoke. “We have it all wrong. Shifters are not who you think they are.”
Behind her, Felix said nothing, but she felt another thrum of power surge down the bond, a crackling force ready to unleash at any moment.
Disgust flickered along Wren’s face, her eyes hardening. “I will not let one of them take another one of my family away.”
Avery’s heart dropped, a conflicted flicker going through her. Her sister did care, but it was too late. Avery knew what she was about to do. Time seemed to stop, the beach deadly quiet as Wren sent out the command. “Take the shifter!”
“No!” The word tore out of her as chaos ensued around her.
The enforcers moved.
But Felix moved first.
Shadows exploded as the monster inside Felix formed into a beast as large as the dragon. It let out a deafening roar, bullets slicing through its limbs. No matter what they thought. It was still Felix. Her mate. She had to stop this. Had to stop him from being killed. But before she could do anything, a whip of darkness flung Avery into her sister.
No.
Pain flared up her side as she landed in the cold sand. The impact knocked the air out of her lungs, while bullets continued to whistle past her as she took wheezing breaths.
“What are you doing!”Avery said to Felix through the bond.
“You will be safe with her. I will hold them off for as long as I can.”
Shot after shot rang out. She saw it unfold in slow motion. Shadows moved everywhere, piercing enforcers like spears and tossing their limp bodies into the ocean, the inky depths claiming their souls. Magic burned her nostrils so much that she wanted to claw it out.
Her sister’s hand wrenched Avery’s arm, pulling her off the sand. “We’re leaving.”
With surprising strength, she got on her knees and pushed Wren back a few feet. Shock plastered on her sister’s face, as if she didn’t think Avery would fight back. Well, she was sick of being predictable. Sick of being underestimated. Sick of being drowned by the weight of others. It was about time she clawed her way to the fucking surface.
“Stop this! You don’t understand,” Avery said, rising up from the sand.
“I understand perfectly,” she snarled.
Using her fingers, she felt for the mating bite on her shoulder. When she found it, she sank her nails into it. Pain radiated out from the wound. But she didn’t care. She kept going until hot rivulets of blood ran down her chest. Avery called forth her shadows. They listened to her, because they were hers. This was her power, and no one, not even Felix, could take that back from her anymore.
First, she formed her shadows into wisps that left every part of her exposed apart from her lady bits. Because goddess forbid a powerful bitch not want her hoohaa out on display. The mating marks glowed gold on the edges, lighting paths around her body. And with the way Wren’s face dropped, her sister had seen them immediately.
