Savage Fate (Den of Shadows #5)

Chapter 25

Chapter

Twenty-Five

As Fane’s ebony tattoos trembled and the air around him shimmered, a sign his demon wolf was about to appear, my heart dropped to the bottom of my gut.

I didn’t stand a chance against that giant creature. He could tear me apart in seconds.

“Don’t do this,” I hissed, frozen on the table. “I’m your mate, remember?”

Kaspin’s enchantment prevented my words from penetrating the thick fog trapping Fane. Any moment now, he’d shift and kill me.

But a faint electric tingle crept down my spine as a figure emerged behind the demon shifter. Fane, too preoccupied with slaughtering me, didn’t notice until it was too late.

“Get away from her.” Saint crushed his fist into my mate’s cheek and grabbed his arm to whirl him around.

The demon shifter’s transformation halted, and the spikes growing on his back slipped under his skin as he turned his rage on the alpha.

Fane released a vicious roar as he glared daggers at Saint. “ My kill.”

Saint’s eyes widened as he realized Fane was not in his right mind.

Of course he wasn’t! He was trying to kill me.

Alpha power rolled off Saint as he lunged forward, landing a punch to Fane’s jaw. His lip busted, and blood spurted down his chin.

Tension thickened the air, and my heart threatened to beat out of my chest.

“It’s the spell,” I said, climbing off the table. “He’s not in control.”

Saint angled in my direction, his nostrils flaring as he noticed the blood on my throat and staining my tank top. “He did that to you? I knew someone was attacking you, but not your mate.”

A wild laugh burst out of Fane. “Not my mate. My prey .”

His frigid tone had my blood icing over.

“You interrupted my kill, wolf.” Fane cracked his knuckles. “I’ll deal with you after I tear her throat out and eat her heart.”

Fane pivoted away from Saint and leaped for me, but I ducked his hit, spun, and kicked his legs out from under him. As he dropped to the ground, instead of putting distance between us like any smart person would do, I straddled him.

“You’re stronger than this, Fane.” My voice came out in shaky pants. “Don’t let this spell?—”

Saint yanked me off. “Are you crazy!”

Obviously.

As Fane lithely stood from the ground, Saint shoved me behind him and let loose his own snarl as alpha power throbbed from him. “I won’t let you hurt her.”

“Then you’ll die too.”

Oh, for shit’s sake.

This was getting out of hand.

Saint’s grip on my wrist tightened, and he moved to the left to shield me from Fane.

Well, it was a good thing I didn’t need my body to get to the demon shifter. I just hoped he still saw me.

A disorienting sensation cascaded over me, and moments later, my phantom form stood beside Fane as he bared his sharpening teeth at Saint.

“Fane.” I snapped my fingers to get his attention, but he remained focused on the alpha. “Look at me, damn it!”

The demon shifter’s head jerked in my direction, his brows furrowing as he noticed my incorporeal form. “What…?”

I gripped his face, keeping him locked on this version of me. “Stop letting this spell control you. You’re stronger than this. Break out of it.”

His gaze flicked toward Saint and my physical form and then back to me. “I don’t understand.”

My hand lowered to his chest, resting over the delicate swirling tattoo that had formed after we claimed each other. “You don’t want to hurt me. I’m your mate, remember?”

“Mate?” The word rolled off his tongue as if it were foreign. “No. Prey.”

I tilted his head down to show him the matching marks on my hand. “Mate.”

“What in the hell?” Saint analyzed Fane and then me as I stared off into space. “Tate, are you not in your body?”

“I’m with Fane.”

I flinched as those words came from my ghostly form and my actual body.

That was too freaky.

Fane gently stroked the tattoo his bite had given me. “Mine.”

“Yes.” I pressed his palm into my neck right over the mark. “Come back to me.”

The purple fog began to clear from his eyes, and recognition suddenly registered in the glowing blue and gold irises. “Tate?”

A shaky breath of relief spilled from my lungs. “Yeah, it’s me.”

Fane studied the blood staining my throat and shirt. “What happened?” He turned to Saint as the alpha remained in a protective stance in front of my real form.

The blood drained from the demon shifter’s cheeks as the truth hit him. “No.” He stumbled back, slamming into a tree.

My consciousness crashed back into my body, and I jerked out of Saint’s hold.

“No!” Saint grabbed my arm to keep me from going to Fane. “He’s trying to kill you!”

“Not anymore.” I pulled free of him, but Fane lifted his hands to stop me in my tracks.

“It’s not safe, Tate.”

I scoffed. “You’re fine. The spell isn’t in control anymore.”

His head fell back against the tree. “But it is. It always is. I’m barely hanging on.” His agony leaked into the bond, and I inched closer, wanting to take it all away for him.

Once again, Saint blocked me. “You knew how precarious your control was, and you still let her near you, Fane?” His fists curled by his sides, and sharp teeth flashed in his mouth. “How could you be around her when you’re such a threat?”

I shoved him even though I really wanted to knock his ass out. “This is none of your business.”

His mouth dropped open. “None of my business?” He motioned to the blood staining my shirt. “He could have sliced you in half! I don’t give a damn if you think this is my business or not.”

My jaw clenched as I stomped toward the table to grab my hoodie, yanking it over my head. “You don’t understand, Saint.”

“I understand that you’re in danger around him.” His attention jerked toward Fane. “Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me she’s not in danger.”

Fane pushed off the tree and dragged a hand down his face. “I can’t.”

Saint’s bitter laugh echoed through the cold night. “Tate’s safety comes before any of my wants and needs, or I would have tried pursuing this bond. But maybe I should since you don’t seem to care about her safety at all.”

Anger burst through my bloodstream, and I stormed toward Saint, shoving my finger into his chest. “Keep talking to him like that, and I’ll show you a side of me you won’t like. Then we’ll see how much you really want this fated mate bond.”

His lips thinned, but he made no attempt to push me away. “You’re so protective of him, and you’re blinded by the threat he poses.”

“I’m not blinded by anything.” I stepped closer until my boots touched his. “I just have faith that our bond is stronger than the spell.”

“Maybe your faith is misplaced, Tate.” His hand lifted to touch my cheek, but he let it fall back to his side.

Fane marched by, his long strides carrying him away. “I need a few minutes alone.”

There was no way in hell he was leaving in such a vulnerable state. Saint’s words would flood his mind until he convinced himself staying away was for the best.

Didn’t he realize I’d fall apart without him?

As I turned to go after Fane, Saint gripped my arm and hauled me back around. “To say that you are none of my business is complete and utter bullshit, Tate.” He leaned toward me, that aroma of pine enveloping my senses. “Until we formally reject this bond, we are connected. How do you think I knew you were in trouble?”

I yanked out of his hold. “I don’t need your help, Saint. I’m sorry the universe gave you the shittiest, most unavailable fated mate to ever exist, but you have no right to tell me what to do with my actual mate.”

His expression softened. “You’re not the shittiest fated mate to ever exist. You just love someone else.”

Pangs slammed into me, and I had to fight the urge to comfort him. Why did Saint have to pull on my heartstrings like this? I was pissed at him, yet I still wanted to make sure he was okay.

Did he feel the same? Furious I was putting myself in jeopardy but wanting to make me happy?

“I’m only trying to look out for you.” Saint gave a slight shrug. “I honestly can’t help it.”

“I know.” I wiped the blood from my throat and smeared it on the hoodie. As the move caught Saint’s notice, anger flared in those silver eyes, and I expected him to demand I return to the house.

“I’m not leaving until I know you’re safe.” He tapped his temple. “I’ll remain attuned to your emotions, and I don’t care if that pisses you off.”

My mouth dried as I realized just how much this bond had already developed. He came out here because he felt my fear.

Just perfect.

Would I eventually feel his emotions?

A pit of dread tore open in my gut.

Hadn’t I already?

I knew how much this pained Saint.

Unable to speak through the lump in my throat, I nodded and turned, sprinting after Fane.

My boots dug into the snow and frost as the invisible string connecting us pulled me toward him. He couldn’t escape me even if he wanted to. I finally found him leaning against a tree, hunched over, his hands pressed into his knees.

“I told you not to follow me, Teague.”

“I’ve never been good at following your orders, Maverick. What makes you think now would be any different?” He flinched when I rested my hand on his shoulder, making my heart squeeze.

Fane pushed my hand off. “You shouldn’t touch me right now.”

“You’re not going to hurt me.”

His head snapped up, his nostrils flaring. “Don’t you understand how much danger you’re in? Saint is right. I’m a fucking threat, and you shouldn’t be anywhere near me.”

I closed the gap between us, grabbing his chin. “Don’t you understand that I can’t stay away from you?”

“If you know what’s good for you, you will.”

A wild laugh burst out. “I’m barely hanging on. What do you think would happen if you left me?” My lips thinned as I guessed where his mind was headed. “If you say something stupid like I’ll have Saint to help me, I will knock you out, tie you up, and keep you imprisoned so you can’t run from me.”

Once we’d claimed each other, all bets were off. I didn’t care if Fane knew how deep my obsession for him ran. Honestly, there was no hiding it.

Realizing this was a losing battle, he sighed and stood to his full height, towering over me. “I’m still a danger to you until this spell is broken—if it can be broken.” He jammed his fingers through his already tousled hair. “I shouldn’t be around you, at least not without supervision.”

“I’m not having a chaperone watch us every minute of the day,” I said. “Are you going to have someone sleep in the bed with us too?”

His gaze cast on the ground as the words of protest died on his lips. “I need to call Logan to find out if there’s any news from the witches.”

I stepped into him and pressed my side against his. “We’ll call him tomorrow and figure out a plan. Once this enchantment is broken, you’ll have to find something else to keep the excitement in our relationship.”

Fane snorted. “You’ve been hanging out with Logan and Hawk too much if you’re making jokes about this.”

My lips brushed against his chest. “Well, I could be broody like you.”

“Nah.” He smoothed the hair from my face. “That’s my thing.” When he lowered his hand to my side, I winced at the burst of pain from the shallow cuts.

The humor evaporated from his expression, and he looked ready to drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness.

“Let’s go inside and clean you up.” He swallowed hard.

I grabbed his hand and sucked up his emotional anguish before he could stop me. “You don’t need that.”

“But it’s mine, and I deserve it.”

My arms pumped, and my breaths came in heavy pants as I bolted through the forest of barren trees, their branches twisted and burnt. Sweat slicked my skin, and rivulets glided down my nape.

Something chased me. Something even worse than me.

How did I get here? The last thing I remembered was?—

Vicious growls sounded through the night. Their taunts bounced from every direction.

Where were they?

Fear cut off my oxygen supply until my brain was fuzzy and my thoughts jumbled.

I needed to get back home. Or anywhere that was safe.

This place should have been safe. I wasn’t some lowly creature slithering across the rotting ground and ash.

A sharp pain tore through my leg, and I collapsed, cursing as my face skimmed the rocky ground.

“Come out now!” A deep, masculine voice erupted from my mouth as I ripped out the arrow that had been shot into my thigh.

There’s something about that voice…

I jerked awake, clutching a pillow and breathing frantically as if I’d run a marathon. Dread coiled in my gut as the memories of the vision rushed back.

But this felt vastly different from all the others.

For one, the person I’d experienced the vision through didn’t feel like a shifter. And two, the world around me didn’t look like Earth.

And there had been something familiar about that voice. Did I know the nightworlder?

Too bad I didn’t get much to go on to identify him.

If this was related to the culprits behind the murdered shifters, there might be a chance they weren’t only going after our kind. The man could have been a witch, fae, or even a demon.

As the images and fear faded, I turned over, already sensing that Fane wasn’t in bed. To make matters worse, I didn’t feel his presence anywhere in the vicinity.

He left Blackwater Falls.

Without me.