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Everything was peaceful, like floating atop thick, black, fluffy clouds, or maybe a vast ocean of darkness. Luna went with the flow, her thoughts barely formed before they were swept away, swallowed by the shadows.
Time lost all meaning.
A brilliant golden light sparkled in the distance. It called to her.Yes, I need to go there.When she tried to move her arms to propel herself forward, they didn’t respond. Frowning, she tried again.
Something seeped into her awareness, disturbing the tranquility. There was something wet against her lips. Parched, she tried to part them. Again, her body ignored her commands. She tried to frown, but the muscles in her face remained slack. More perplexed than afraid, she tried again.
“Damn it, Luna, drink.” The shock of a deep male voice invading her space jolted her. A few drops of the liquid seeped into her mouth and trickled down her throat. It tasted almost metallic, like copper, but rich, too, like wine.
Her entire body seemed to sigh when it hit her parched cells. An electrical jolt was followed by crushing pain. She tilted her head back, her lips parted, but no scream emerged. More of the liquid seeped in. She pressed her lips together, not wanting any more of the burning agony it sent through her. God, she wanted to go back to the void, the nothingness, the light.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know it hurts.” The voice was familiar and filled with a pain that hurt her as much as whatever was running through her veins.
Like breakers flipping on in an electrical panel, her consciousness came flooding back—the kidnapping, Solange, Kade, the explosion. Where were they? What had happened? She tried to open her mouth, but her body refused to cooperate. Worse, she couldn’t feel anything. God, was she paralyzed? They’d been buried beneath the building when it had blown.
A terrified whimper echoed in her mind. Sweat beaded on her forehead and slid down her temple into her hair.
“I’ve got you.” His voice was the one solid thing in the madness. She focused on it with all her might. Slowly, she became aware of his nearness and the heat rolling off him but was unable to feel his strength and warmth.
Maybe she was dead and this was hell.
She sensed a constant vibration followed by a turning motion. So not hell but a vehicle of some kind. If Kade was beside her, who was driving?
A trembling started at her feet and worked upward until her entire body was shaking. The thick bone in her thigh shifted position, snapping into place. Shards of agony ripped through her. Her entire body involuntarily bowed, but she was unable to cry out.
“Shit.” Kade sounded worried, but she was too consumed by pain to care. Her insides were on fire. It felt as though something was crushing every finger in her right hand. Sweat poured out of her.
I’m dying.
There was no way she could survive this. The dark void whispered seductively, urging her to give up, to leave Kade behind. She caught a faint whisper of a woman’s laugh.
Rage poured through her, followed by a flood of determination. Death might be calling, but it was being helped along by the vestiges of Solange’s magic. Whatever the woman had done was still working inside her, trying to control her, dictate her actions.
No fucking way!
On a roar, Luna screamed. It came out more like a pained whimper, even though her vocal cords strained with the effort. When she ran out of air, she did it again. Detached from her body, she knew her lungs were burning, her throat aching, and she was practically hyperventilating. None of it touched her.
“Drive faster. Make sure a doctor is on site.” The conversation was muted in the background, all her attention on demolishing the magical barrier keeping her trapped. She was a fighter, damn it, had battled her entire life to escape the control of others. She would not give in now.
Her body convulsed, growing weaker. Whatever injuries she’d sustained, coupled with whatever sticky dark magic remained inside her, were killing her. She was running out of strength.
Give in, the silky voice encouraged.
Something clicked in the back of her brain. Maybe that was the key. The more she fought, the weaker she became. When she went limp, she heard another feminine laugh but ignored it, focusing solely on Kade. Ignoring the whispers of the magic, she sought the man she loved, reached for their link. She’d always been linked to the gray wolf.
I love you, Kade.His hand wrapped around hers. She sensed it more than felt it. It might have been pure coincidence, but it gave her hope. Whether he heard her mental calling or not, it strengthened her to say the words. And maybe he could sense them.
There’s power in words.It wasn’t a voice in her head, more a knowing in her soul. Whether spoken inwardly or outwardly, words were mighty enough to topple empires and inspire people to great heights. Her voice might be silent, but her heart was not.
Stop it!Ignoring the whispered magical compulsion, she pushed onward.
I love you, Kade. It may be too soon, but I don’t care. I played it safe all my life. Maybe I missed out on a lot, but I prefer to believe I was waiting for you, my gray wolf.She continued speaking the same words over and over in her mind until she was hoarse—how such a thing was possible when it was an inner monologue, she had no idea.
The vehicle jerked to a stop and the vibrations ceased. The sound of a door opening was followed by movement. Air brushed over her skin, raising goose bumps, even though she couldn’t feel the cold.
“I’m right here. I won’t leave you.” She took hope from his assurance. Of course, he wouldn’t leave her. He could have escaped the building but had remained, had been buried with her. She had a vague memory of him throwing himself on top of her.
