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He held Raine by the throat. “You can’t use the talisman. Not now. It’s too dangerous.”
Dannika’s gaze went to her mate. Black veins ran up his neck, and multiple white marks marred his throat. He hung loosely in Killian’s grasp.
Her fingers circled the rim of the chalice. “Well, that’s entirely up to you, isn’t it?”
Killian moved to the side as Julius and Breck exited the pathway.
Julius’ gaze jumped between Killian and Dannika. “I’ll kill you all before I allow that portal to open.”
Dannika looked at her brother. “I only want Raine. Give him to me and I will leave.”
Killian’s nails dug into Raine’s throat. “You are not going anywhere. I will turn Raine reaper and you can mate him, but you will remain with your family.”
Reapers exited the pathway, moving to stand behind Killian or Julius. The cavern became crowded and cramped. The clan appeared to be evenly split.
Dannika had learned that survival sometimes required you to be quiet and still. Wait for the monsters to make their next move.
This was one of those times.
Clan members bickered, growling at one another. Neither side seemed sure which would win, but they wouldn’t change their support.
Julius and Killian remained quiet, attempting to keep their subordinates in line.
Dannika’s eyes remained locked with Raine’s. His fear was genuine. Not for himself, but that she would use the talisman. That she would unleash hell on humanity.
His fear was justified.
A reaper from Julius’ side slashed a reaper from Killian’s. The two fought, shifting and growling as they bit one another.
Dannika had to admire Julius. He had subverted half the clan. He had everything ready for a takeover, but she had altered the time frame.
She had no illusions about her future with her brother as a reaper leader. Despite Breck’s infatuation with her, Julius would kill her as soon as his leadership was secured. His hatred was absolute. Killian’s interest in her, as despicable as it was, made her brother jealous. It had festered like an infected wound, growing over time until no salve would heal it. Julius didn’t realize she was just another tool to Killian, something to exploit to gain power.
She knelt on the ground, holding the chalice in one hand as she made symbols in the dirt. The fights continued around her, the growls echoing in the chamber.
Killian pulled Raine to his feet. “Dannika, stop. You are dangerously close to opening that portal. You do not have the scroll. If you make a mistake, you could rip the fabric of our reality, merge our world with that of the demons.”
Dannika made a circle in the dirt and stood inside it. She motioned to the flat rock behind her. “Did you think I chose this location because I was nostalgic? This place was prepared for the portal. As for the incantation, I memorized it. You forget the caverns are lined in blessed steel. Unless you know about that single pathway, you’re trapped in here.”
The reapers stop fighting. They stood looking at their leaders, unsure of what to do.
Killian’s eyes darted around the cavern, a trapped wild animal, searching for an escape.
Dannika held the chalice before her. “Anum caru. Anum candrae. Belifrite toleran solorin.”
“Stop!” Killian’s fingernails bit into Raine’s throat. Blood flowed over his hands.
Dannika’s vision faded. The sounds of the cave became static in the background.
Raine’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as a knife sliced through his neck. The scream echoed in the cave, before she realized she was the one making the sound. The images blurred before she understood what was happening.
Raine’s head rolled along the dirt of the cave before orange light broke through the wall.
The next image was even more gruesome.
Killian’s voice brought her back to the cave. The grotesque vision receded.
“Dannika, what did you see?” Killian asked while holding Raine’s throat.
