Chapter thirty #2
Since they were still surrounded, Amaya threw up a shield around them both.
Her family beat at the shield she’d erected with their power, her grandfather’s muffled voice shouting orders.
She didn’t know how long her shield would hold.
It wasn’t like the members of her family weren’t powerful in their own right.
One of her cousins got closer to the shield, his magic making a dent in it.
Amaya dug into her pockets and pulled out the heartstone she carried on herself, directing it at him.
Using her connection with Levi, she used their bond to amplify her own magic.
With that boost, she snatched her cousin’s power from him, shoving it into her stone.
He dropped to his knees a bewildered look on his face.
The stolen power swirled within her heartstone.
Bradford held his hand up and the attacks on them ceased. “What did you do to them?”
She held up the heartstone. “If you want their power back, you’ll let us leave.”
Searching the table where they sat for the easiest target, Amaya reached out again, aiming for the person with the lightest mist, and the least amount of power. Her great uncle gasped and leaned forward on the table, his face ashen as she snatched his power and funneled it into her stone.
Bradford turned to his brother in concern before whipping back to Amaya. “You have betrayed this family.”
“It’s you who have betrayed the women in this family. Let me go.” Unable to maintain the shielding, she let it drop.
No one approached her, the swinging pendulum in her hand stalling their attack.
She nudged Bronx toward the door. The crowd parted around them, no one wanting to be next in line to have their power stolen.
Little did they know, Amaya had expended all the magic she could at this point.
They would be screwed if the family renewed their attack.
She didn’t breathe easier until they were walking down the stairs of the front entrance.
Her hands trembled with the effort to keep the magic she’d stolen contained, so she released it back to its owners.
“Amaya, wait!” Tracy called out, rushing down the stairs.
Amaya paused, anxious to see what her cousin would say. Tracy clutched her purse in her hand as she joined her at the SUV.
“I’m going with you. I swear I didn’t know about any of what they were planning. Grandfather asked to talk to you—just talk.”
Amaya searched her cousin’s eyes and found them shining with the truth.
She nodded her head, already formulating how she would ask her mate to take in her cousin.
No sooner than she’d opened the door to the truck, an explosion rocked the night.
Heart stuck in her throat, she searched until she spotted her mate walking through the blown-up front gates.
His men, clad in balaclavas, followed behind him, their pace unhurried, their guns lifted, pointed towards the main house.
Behind them, black SUVs slow-rolled up the driveway. Amaya raced to him, jumping into his arms. Levi lifted her as though she weighed nothing, swinging her away from the eyes that watched them from the front porch.
He cupped her cheek, anger making his eyes red. “Are you okay, beloved?”
She nodded. “Mom?”
“Richard confirmed that they were fine and the men they sent to my compound have met their ancestors.” His tone was furious.
She buried her face in his neck and released a shuddering breath. He set her on her feet and stepped back.
“You handled that shit, my queen?” he questioned, his gaze wandering to the house behind her.
She straightened her shirt, understanding that her mate was claiming her for all of her family to see. “I took care of it, love. We shouldn’t have any other problems from them.”
Levi’s eyes narrowed, spotting the fear she knew was on her family’s faces.
A sinister smile tilted his lips. The men behind him slapped their fists to their chest in a salute to her.
The loud sound reached to her family, some of them gasping in shock.
Amaya nodded her head in thanks, pride squaring her shoulders.
The approval of their coven flowed down her bond with Levi.
There were times where she questioned whether she would be strong enough to lead beside Levi, but feeling the faith and trust from the vampires under King gave her confidence.
Levi gripped her hand and walked her over to the SUV she and Bronx had driven. Before helping her in, he turned to face her family.
He pointed to Amaya. “That one is mine. Lay another finger on her and I’ll wipe all this shit off the map and make sure there ain’t nothing left to rebuild on.”
Turning his back on them, Levi guided her into the back seat of the SUV. He buckled her in and cupped her cheek.
“You sure you’re good?” he asked softly.
She nodded, tracing his face with her hand.
Gods, she loved this man. Levi walked around the back of the truck and entered the other side, helping Tracy inside before joining them in the back seat.
Amaya unbuckled and switched places with her cousin, cuddling into Levi’s side.
The front doors opened and Sebastian and Bronx got in.
Bronx floored it away from the Chawi compound and Amaya knew it would be her last time visiting there. Her grandfather would never forgive her and she couldn’t find it in her to care.