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“Peri.”
He stepped forward, the sensation of electricity crawling over his body. He stopped, not daring to go any closer.
“She can’t hear you.”
The voice came from the shadows and he glanced toward the mage, who had moved to press herself against the door. Tia’s silver hair had tumbled to her shoulders and there was a streak of dirt on her cheek. She looked nothing like the proud woman who’d entered the cabin with the arrogant belief she could control the miasma and use it to her advantage.
“What’s happening?” he demanded.
Tia stared at Peri with something that might have been awe. “She’s released her wild magic.”
Valen frowned. He might be a vampire, but he knew that the magic that burned through a human to transform them into a mage was a one-time event. A rebirth, not a steady source of power.
“That’s impossible,” he growled.
Tia continued to stare at Peri, a naked lust smoldering in her dark eyes. “I’ve heard stories that long ago, a mage could tap into the ancient magic. But I thought it was a fairy tale. Now this.” She shook her head as if she was struggling to find the proper word. “Amazing.”
Fear clenched Valen’s heart. He didn’t care why the magic was flowing through Peri, he just wanted it to stop.
“The miasma has been destroyed. Why is she still releasing the magic?”
“She can’t control it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Now that she’s tapped into the ancient power, there’s no way to shut it off,” Tia said.
Valen watched as Peri’s head tilted back, her mouth opening as if she was releasing a silent scream.Shit.
“Will it run out?” he rasped.
“Not until she’s dead…”
Tia’s words trailed away as she glanced in Valen’s direction. As if she could see the merciless determination etched on his face.
Peri wasn’t dying. It didn’t matter what he had to do, or who he had to kill. She wasn’t dying.
“How do we stop her?”
“We can’t.”
His power snapped in an icy warning, his fangs fully extended. “Tell me.”
Tia pressed herself against the door, well aware that Valen was willing to do whatever necessary to protect Peri. Even if it meant sacrificing her to get the information he needed.
“There’s no way to get close to her. Not even for a leech.” She waved a hand toward the lightning that sizzled and snapped, as if daring anyone to approach. “The magic would destroy you.”
Valen pointed toward the case that she clutched close to her chest. “Then use one of your potions to open a passage.”
A harsh laugh was wrenched from her lips. “If I had a potion that could match the sort of power that Peri is using, I would never have come here. I would have everything I need.”
Her words rang with sincerity. She didn’t have any way to allow him to reach Peri. Turning away, he returned his concentration to the woman who had captured his unbeating heart. Her head was tilted back, but her mouth had pressed toa thin line, as if she was struggling against the power that raged through her.
“I have to do something.”
He was speaking more to himself than the mage behind him, but Tia answered.
“Do it quickly,” she said, an unexpected urgency in her voice. “She’s not going to last much longer.”
