Drawing in as much magic as she could, she screamed, “Lust after your fellow traitors, embrace and hold each other, never allowing them to flee. Writhe on the ground and become too aroused to move!”
Unleashing her magic, she let it free, aiming it at their enemies.
For a beat, nothing changed.
Then they began clutching their dicks over their trousers, lunging for one another, and holding each other to the ground, to keep them from running away.
“Anyone able, help restrain and capture the traitors!”
Various fae witch guards stumbled to their feet and attacked the intruders. Magic and knives and pistols were used in a flurry. The adults were shielding the children as best they could. Meadow wished she could save them the scene, but saving their lives was more important.
As the enemies were taken down, including their leader, Meadow rushed to Laurie and Joseph’s sides.
They were still, so still.
But then she saw the slow rise and fall of their chests, and she sobbed. They were still breathing, which meant they were alive.
Looking around for River, she saw him helping Helena, who was now sitting up and holding her head.
“River! If she’s healed already, come help Laurie and Joseph! Please!”
She focused back on her two males, kissing each of their cheeks and murmuring, “You’d better wake up again. I love you both and want to tell you. There’s so much more to our story, and I refuse to believe it ends here.”
River arrived, and he placed a hand on each male as he performed his magical examination. He met her gaze, and she didn’t like the mixture of resolve and worry there. “I need to heal them. Now. One has a broken spine, and the other a massive head injury.”
Meadow swallowed a sob. “Tell me what to do.”
“Use your persuasion to keep them here with us.”
A series of bells rang outside, and Meadow looked around for more enemies.
River answered, “That’s the all-clear. The threats are contained.”
Maybe for the evening, but as she stared at Laurie and Joseph, the threat of losing the future she wanted was still there. “Then let’s get started. Help them, River. Please.”
He nodded, looked as if he was about to say something, but then focused on healing Joseph first—who had the brain injury. River’s hands glowed as Meadow whispered right between Laurie and Joseph, “You two will live. You had better. There’s so much more to our future. But to be happy and finally embrace all of who I am, I need you two. You’re my everything. I love you.”
And she put her faith in her brother’s abilities, unable to think about what would happen if he failed.
But as her heart calmed and the adrenaline faded from her body, the room tilted before going black.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Joseph sat next to Meadow’s bed, holding her hand, and willed for her to open her eyes.
According to River, her saving the day had come at a cost—magical burnout.
She’d pushed her magic beyond her limits, and now she faced an internal battle none of them could see. And if she didn’t overcome it, then she’d never wake up.
It’d been two days since the disastrous festival. Khan was doing damage control and using every iota of magic he possessed to get answers out of the still-living traitors.
Apparently, one of Yesenia’s weapons—a brick—had been tossed back at Khan during the battle, knocking him unconscious. The fae witch male was as cool as ever, but at least he didn’t hold any ill will toward Yesenia. Plus, Leo fighting to save Khan had gone a long way toward the fae witches beginning to trust the new vampire Dark Lord.
Joseph was fully healed now, and although Laurie’s spine was mending and he’d make a full recovery, it would take time to get there and he currently relied on a wheelchair.
For the time being, they were inside Dark Lord Khan’s residence. Not only for safety concerns but also because it held rare texts that River was looking through to try and find a way to help his sister.
Joseph brushed some hair off Meadow’s forehead and murmured, “Come on, love. Wake up for us. After everything that happened, it put things into perspective, and we want you with us. Forever. But first, you need to wake up.”
