29. Rina
TWENTY-NINE
rina
There’s no way you can just storm in there without a plan, Rina,” Julian argued with me.
“I hate when he’s right, but he is. That’s a suicide mission,” Victoria agreed.
One by one, the eldest vampire had traced us here. Turns out, Ezra really was telling the truth: you couldn’t trace somewhere you hadn’t been before. Luckily, he’d been here once, a long time ago, back when Ezra had been with their coven’s leader.
I was really fucking pissed with him for not telling me, but I had to keep my head clear if this was going to be a successful rescue mission.
“We don’t even know where they’re holding him,” Scarlet reminded me.
I groaned. “I know. But they don’t know about me, do they?”
They all shared a look. “We doubt it. Ezra was very careful to only reveal what you are to those of us he trusted. Even the employees in the manor wouldn’t have known for sure, even if they guessed.”
Raven shrugged. “You two were sluttin’ it up all over, so it was pretty obvious you were something.”
“But blood mates are rare,” Victoria interrupted her. “So even if they thought you were together, they most likely didn’t guess it was like that.” Her eyes lingered on my arm. “Unless, of course, they saw that.”
Most of the dresses I’d worn had sleeves, but there was always a chance someone had seen my mark. “Still, I think the element of surprise is our best bet. And I have five vampires at my back. You’ll keep me safe.”
Aldric frowned. “Unless… we’re walking into a trap.”
I’d considered that. It was likely, if they were trying to get the book back. But there was no ransom note, no demands. “I think it’s something else. You said she knows about Ezra’s position?”
“It’s hard not to if you’re in vampire circles. And these witches are. Always have been. They have some sort of agenda, and I think they decided they were done waiting.”
I shrugged. “Seems like they picked the wrong vampire.”
Though no part of me believed in torture or burning witches alive, the rage coursing through my body couldn’t be dampened. Like I’d harm anyone who threatened my mate.
“Let’s go.” I pulled the hood over my hair. Ambrose peeked his little head out, and I scratched his chin.
We were on the outskirts of the town, still hidden in the woods, though we’d already crossed through their wards. Their boundary felt weaker than ours, though maybe that had more to do with the corrupted barrier that had been put up to keep other beings out.
These witches had nothing to fear—certainly not if they were comfortable abducting a vampire.
Still, something about Raven’s Hollow felt strangely similar to Pleasant Grove. Maybe it was just the magical signature, though I’d never specifically met witches from another town before. I couldn’t put my finger on it. But I couldn’t ignore it either.
“Look,” I said, pointing into the distance. “Smoke.”
We all rushed in that direction, moving through the trees.
I couldn’t believe how fast the vampires moved.
Victoria was at my side, tracing us from place to place—as far as the eye could see.
It was more disorienting than it had been when Ezra had traced me to his bedroom, though luckily I avoided getting sick.
Finally, we stopped at the edge of the trees, thankful for the cover of the night to cloak us.
There was a giant bonfire in the clearing, and I could make out several silhouettes of people by it.
There was a witch chanting a spell, though I couldn’t make out the words.
I assumed she was the leader of their coven—the one behind all of this.
A man was kneeling on the ground, his hands bound behind him.
Somehow, I knew without even seeing his face that it was Ezra. I growled at the sight.
Victoria’s voice was low at my side. “Remember, be careful. These witches dabble in black magic. There’s no telling what they might do to you if they catch you.”
“I don’t care about that.” I just cared about him. Unstrapping the dagger from my thigh, I wished I had more than one. I could levitate multiple objects at once—as many as my mind could control—but I only had one solid projectile.
“Trace us in,” I told Victoria. “Right behind Ezra.”
“Rina—”
“Do it.”
Without another word, she wrapped her arms around me, and then that same dizzying sensation I’d experienced with Ezra last night—how had it only been last night—happened again.
As soon as we’d appeared, I let my dagger fly towards the woman leading the spell—watching as it landed directly in her chest. Her eyes widened as she looked down at the spot where blood leaked from her body.
“Miss me?” I asked as Ezra turned to me, his expression morphing into relief.
“Rina,” he choked out. “You’re here.” I couldn’t help but trace my eyes over him, cataloging all his injuries.
What the hell had they done to him? Not on my fucking watch. They were going to pay. Touch him and die.
The witch pulled out my dagger, throwing it to the ground. “Big mistake,” she growled.
“Hold that thought,” I said to my mate. “Ambrose, stay with Ezra.” I didn’t know why, but I had a feeling my tiny raccoon kit would somehow keep Ezra safe.
Or maybe I was just losing my mind. The raccoon hopped off me, curling his tail around Ezra.
He gave a few worried chitters, but I noticed Ezra hadn’t pried his eyes off my face. “You stay there.” I told him.
My vampire gave a hopeless shrug, the chains rattling. “Like I can go anywhere else.”
“Right.” With one thought, the metal came free from his body, and he clenched his fist, flexing his muscles, only giving me a slight nod before I charged across the clearing.
It was only when I came face to face with the woman leading all of this that a hint of familiarity flickered through me. It should have been impossible. But why did I feel a tie towards her?
Her aura was black. Darker than I’d ever seen before. Once, I’d found Ezra’s off-putting, but it was nothing like this.
“Who are you?” I asked out loud.
The wound I’d inflicted seemed to heal in front of my eyes. She smirked at me. “You don’t know me, witchling?”
I frowned, not enjoying being treated like a child. “No.”
“Ravenna Hollow. I was named after my ancestor—the one who founded this town. Created our sanctuary.” It was all there: in the slope of her jaw, the structure of her nose, the tilt of her mouth. Even staring back at me, though my brain couldn’t process it. “She had a sister.”
“No.” I couldn’t accept it. I wouldn’t.
“Maribel thought she was too good. Better than her sister, Cora. So she, along with her best friend, Florence Cromwell, split their town apart.”
I shook my head. None of this was part of our town’s history. She was lying, wasn’t she?
“Hollow and Hallow aren’t so different, are they?
” She laughed, but the sound was devoid of any warmth.
It was sinister—a threat. “Because they aren’t.
Maribel just wanted to separate herself from the sister she considered evil.
” Ravenna rolled her eyes. “But we aren’t evil.
We just want to create the world we were supposed to have.
” There were other beings in the clearing, I realized.
It wasn’t just witches. There was a man who reminded me of Cassius, a werewolf like Ezra and I had encountered, and even another vampire.
All of them were allied with this dark coven.
“I’m not so sure about that,” I muttered. “Where do we come into this? What do you want with Ezra?”
“He’s the key.” She turned to the fire. “My key to unlocking the world. To all the power in the universe.”
My voice was firm, my hands balled into fists. “You can’t have him.”
She chuckled. “You think you’re going to stop me?”
“Maybe not alone.” Just then, the other five vampires—Ezra’s trusted circle—stepped out from the shadows.
“But you see, I’m not alone.” I grinned, gathering my aura and pushing it out over the crowd in a wave that knocked them over, leaving them all gasping for air.
The only one still standing was Ravenna.
She let out a growl. “Cute trick.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You. Can’t. Have. Him.
” Each word was punctuated with another wave of magic.
For the first time in my life, that well of power within me seemed endless.
Somehow, my abilities had made my senses sharper.
Moving towards her in a blink—just like Ezra could—I called my dagger back into my hand, watching it whizz through the clearing.
“Because he’s mine. My mate.” Even though I couldn’t see him, I could feel him behind me. His pride.
His pain, too, though I planned to solve that after dealing with his evil ex.
“You’re an aura witch, too,” Ravenna said, eyes wide.
I grinned, putting all the pieces together as I stood in front of her.
“I guess I have you to thank for Ezra knowing about my magic. He’s been helping me, you know?
Training me. Helping me test the boundaries of my abilities.
” Which was how I knew I was even more powerful than the witch in front of me.
I’d been fated for him for a reason. “But unlike you, I’ve never touched black magic.
And I never plan to.” I pulled her grimoire out of my satchel, holding it over the fire, thankful for my newfound speed.
“You wanted this, didn’t you?” I was taunting her, and I knew it.
I’d listened to her stupid villain monologue, and now it was my turn.
Behind us, Ezra’s vampires were still fighting with the coven—though I’d noticed a lot of them had bolted after they’d arrived.
“Too bad you can’t have it back.” I smirked, dropping it into the fire.
“No!” She shrieked, darting into the fire after it. Her clothes burst into flames, her entire body coming alight. Gods, it was an awful sight. I sent up a prayer to the goddess, asking forgiveness for causing the death of another witch.