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She shrugged. “I’ll eat in a bit. I just want to get through this part first.”
I got back to my feet and gently took the book out of her lap. “Come eat with me,” I said, tucking the tome under my arm. “You can continue reading afterwards. Before you protest, consider that you’re doing me a favor so I don’t have to eat by myself.”
Celeste studied me for a beat, but I could see she was fighting back a smile. “Fine,” she said. “But no five-course meals.”
“No five-course meals,” I agreed, leading her to the kitchen. As she sat at the island, I handed the Handmaiden grimoire back to her and headed toward the stove, considering what pan I was going to need when I heard Celeste inhale sharply and felt a sudden spike of adrenaline through our bond.
“What’s wrong?” I demanded, whirling around.
Celeste was sitting rigidly, gripping the stone countertop as she stared ahead. “I don’t…I don’t know,” she said quietly. She took a breath and swallowed hard. I couldfeelher stress. It wasn’t pain, but a keen alarm, not unlike an animal sensing a predator in the woods. “I don’t know what’s wrong, butsomethingis. I don’t…I don’t feel safe, Fenris.”
I focused on my own paranormal senses, but couldn’t find anything amiss on my island. Gilbert was still in the containment room across the mansion. Piers and Abigail were with him, sharing dinner. I could hear Val, Grant, and Walter having a discussion outside on the patio. Though I couldn’t hear them, I could sense Morgan not far beyond them, practicing some magic, with Cody nearly glued to her side. Lyka and Liana were outside as well.
It didn’t really matter what everyone was doing, only that I knew where they were. Everyone was all accounted for, and all doing what I’d expect of them.
The scrape of chair legs against the tile floor snapped me back to reality. Celeste jumped out of her seat, hurrying down the hallway in the direction of the containment cell as I followed her. She’d gone pallid, but there were beads of cold sweat at her temples by the time she reached the door, practically yanking it open. “You have to get out of here,” she blurted out.
“Celeste?” Abi said. “Are you okay?”
Piers glanced around, clearly not liking the look on Celeste’s face, while Gilbert balked. “I am not sure if—” Gilbert began.
“Do what she says,” I said, storming forward to release the lock on Gilbert’s chamber. The attacks on Kal in Alaska wasn’t far from my mind. “Quickly.”
Gilbert didn’t argue further, leaving the cell at once and grabbing Abi by the hand before leading her out the door. Piers gave me a look, but said nothing as he followed them.
As we turned to leave, Celeste touched my hand. “Can you please get Esme?” she asked breathlessly. “I don’t know if she can leave under her own power.”
“Of course,” I said, leaving Celeste to exit with the others as I hurried to Val’s healing room. The older witch was asleep when I entered, but she didn’t protest when I quickly scooped her up, only giving me a dazed look as I hurried toward the patio. For once, I wasn’t upset about the meddling in her mind, as it made her easy enough to evacuate.
“We need to get away from the mansion!” Celeste was shouting, motioning for Grant and Walter to follow her toward the forest.
Walter did as she asked, and Grant followed, albeit a bit slower. “What’s going on?” he asked, looking back to the house. “Is there a fire?”
“No.” I strode towards the group, still carrying Esme. “Listen to Celeste.”
“Something’s wrong,” Celeste said. Her face looked sallow, and if I hadn’t seen her premonitions before, I’d have thought she was ill.
“Where are we supposed to go?” Grant asked, motioning at the sand and the jungle. “That’s the only—”
The massive crack of an explosion behind us cut him off, my ears ringing as I flinched. I whirled around to see the ex-hunter thrown into the sand, magic fire crackling against his clothing. Grant screamed fiercely, but I couldn’t help him. Behind him was my home—or what remained of it. An entire wing was engulfed in bright white flame.
When I glanced back at the hunter, he had stopped moving. I grimaced. Humans were particularly weak to a witch’s flame.
I turned, about to share the news with Celeste, when a cold chill ran down my spine. My wolf suddenly bristled, all his senses screaming “danger!” Seconds later, a cold burst of air greeted me, sending all my senses into overdrive.
Sabine appeared moments later, her face split in a wide grin. “Found you!” she sang as another witch and a warlock materialized moments later.
I snarled, but the warlock began working dark magic at once to open a portal. Seconds later, a few vampires came spilling forward. I could sense their bloodlust at once, more victims of Sabine’s meddling.
Lyka and Cody went charging past me, already in wolf form as they intercepted the first two vampires through the gate. I set Esme down and let my wolf free, stepping in front of Celeste and her aunt as I snarled. I could feel Celeste already starting to work up a spell behind me, but I didn’t have time to look. I knew I needed to get to the warlock, or he’d keep releasing more vampires in our direction.
“Get to the boat!” Walter shouted, already at the dock.
Liana hurried after him. Morgan and Val, though retreating, summoned up wards as well. I felt the protective magic building, but it wouldn’t be enough if we didn’t deal with Sabine and her lackeys first.
I lunged forward, tackling the nearest vampire and grabbing him by the shoulder. He was so blood-crazed that he didn’t notice the pain or the flesh I ripped apart, hissing and clawing at me until I shook him violently, snapping his neck.
Tossing the corpse to one side, I noticed Sabine’s green eyes locked on Lyka’s dark form.Shit. No matter her loyalty to the Solar Sovereign, I was certain her thirst for revenge would win out. She cradled her hands together, a purple flame starting to grow above them.
