Chapter 15 - Rachel
I felt a flash of rage and adrenaline through the mating bond that caused me to stumble while sparring with Amelia. As I tried to track that sensation, I fell to the ground, tripping over my feet.
“Are you all right?” Amelia appeared next to me, crouching, her face creased with worry.
“Fine,” I muttered, standing up on shaking legs. “But I have to run. I’ll see you later.”
Without waiting for Amelia’s response, I raced out the door and sprinted to my car.
I didn’t know what was happening. All I knew was that Sam was in danger and I needed to be with him, a primal need so acute and potent it was nearly debilitating, stronger than it had ever been before consummating the mating bond.
A tug pulled right behind my heart, as if it were a string guiding me to wherever Sam was.
A tiny voice told me I should stay away, that I wouldn’t be able to help.
I squashed that. I wasn’t going to be able to stand by and let whatever was happening happen, not when I could sense it all through the mating bond.
I couldn’t stand even the thought of feeling this connection suddenly sever while I was sitting on my hands.
I refused to accept that there was nothing I could do.
Though still furious with Sam for his earlier comments, that wild, overwhelming need to be near him, to help him, overrode any irritation.
I started the car and peeled out of the parking lot.
I followed that tug, hurrying toward it as fast as possible as my heart thundered. When the terrain grew too rough for my car, I killed the engine and ran on foot, continuing to follow my instinct, as if my wolf was calling to her mate.
Noises came from the other side of the rocks. I crouched, all but crawling on my belly as I stalked forward. Slowly, I pulled myself up to peer over.
Panic lanced through me as the sight on the other side of the boulders unfurled. Emma and Sam were pinned against a rock, surrounded by demons, too many of them to fight. And right behind the demons was a large creature made entirely of swirling sand, save for its glowing eyes.
I had only seen the wraith once before, when it had attacked the oasis.
It had been at a distance. Seeing it this close sent my heart racing as my breath went ragged, as if just being in its presence could instill terror.
My mouth went dry, and part of me wanted to turn and run the other way.
But there was no way in hell I was doing that.
Not with Sam and Emma in danger, not when this creature threatened my pack, and there might be something I could do about it.
I crouched back behind the rock, trying to think of how to proceed. I was out of sight. The wraith hadn’t seen me. If I could figure out a plan, maybe I could help Sam and Emma get away unharmed.
Dragging myself back up, I peered over the edge again, trying to get a better feel for the situation.
The wraith leered down as Sam continued to glare up defiantly.
The imps continued to inch closer. One lurched toward Emma, claws outstretched, and Sam snarled, lunging forward and swiping at it with a clawed hand.
Another moved while Sam was distracted. As I watched, Sam shifted, morphing into a familiar giant wolf that blocked the imps from Emma.
“Your dog is loyal,” the wraith noted with a sneer. “Come quietly, and I’ll make his death quick and only a little painful.”
Emma didn’t cower. She glared up at the wraith, refusing to move as she folded her arms. “What do you want with me, anyway?” she demanded. “Why aren’t you just killing me?”
It tilted its head, those glowing eyes glinting as it studied Emma like a fascinating specimen to add to its collection. “Why would I want to kill such a fascinating creature?” it mused. “I’d much rather you use your ability to my advantage.”
Emma gave a derisive laugh. “Good luck with that,” she said. “That will never happen.”
The wraith gave a smile as if amused. “We will see about that.” And it darted forward.
My heart raced as my brain continued to spin. My self-preservation urged me to run the other way. Sam could fend for himself.
I shoved that down the second I felt it. I couldn’t let it hurt Sam. No matter what happened to me, I wasn’t going to be able to see Sam getting hurt when I knew there was something I could do to save him.
My hand flung out at the same time Emma held up hers to shield her face.
A burst of fire shot forward, passing through the wraith’s hand. The wraith howled in anger as it retracted its hand. It glinted in the firelight, no longer the coarse texture or tan color of swirling sand but clear and shiny. It had transformed into glass.
The line of fire stayed, growing and lengthening into a wall between the lesser demons and Sam and Emma, a barrier the wraith could no longer cross, else it would risk injuring itself further.
My head pounded, and my heart raced with the effort, but I kept going.
Without fully realizing what I was doing, I manipulated the wall, making it wrap around the wraith, trapping it.
More flames closed off the demons, who wouldn’t risk crossing that barrier without more information.
I could feel the heat of the flames as orange and white-hot light flickered, coating the area.
The wraith watched with interest, a hunger gleaming in those glowing eyes as his features twisted into a sneer, his head tilted.
“You have new tricks, witch,” he said, somehow sounding both furious and intrigued.
The light flickered off Emma’s face, and I knew her well enough to recognize the stunned, confused features spread across it. Emma managed to swallow her surprise. After a moment, she jutted out her chin, tossing her hair back as she stared up at the wraith.
“And there’s more where that came from,” she said. “So next time, think twice about coming in here and threatening my people or me.”
The wraith snarled, leering. He took a step forward, then recoiled when the fire surged toward him in warning.
“This isn’t over,” he snarled as Sam shook off the dust, panting. The great wolf’s eyes darted all over the area, as if searching for someone. For a heart-stopping moment, I thought he might have seen me. His eyes lingered on my rock. But then he looked away.
“Yes,” Emma growled. “It is.”
Sam crouched, allowing Emma to clamber onto his back. He shot off, bolting toward town.
The wraith let out a gravelly howl that reverberated in my teeth, seeming to shake me to my core.
Not giving myself enough time to think, I ran, keeping to the rocks as much as possible.
I held the flames as long as I could, beads of sweat dripping from my forehead from exertion.
Finally, I couldn’t do it any longer. I felt the flames die even though I was nowhere near home.
I collapsed against the stone, panting as my head thundered, and I finally let out a trembling, relieved breath. Sam was safe. Emma was safe. I had saved them both.
My mind flicked over to the wraith. Would he go after Emma?
Would he flee back to his lair? He had thought she had created the flames.
Surely he wouldn’t go after her without more protection in the future.
And he would need to recover from what the fire had done to his arm.
I hadn’t even realized that would happen.
I closed my eyes as I wiped the sweat from my brow. My stomach churned. I needed to get home and rest.
Just as I got back to my feet, my stomach churned, and bile rose in my throat. I teetered, then a moment later, my entire lunch lay splayed on the ground.
Groaning, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, my breath ragged. Emma had never mentioned that using magic could make you nauseous. Maybe I had overexerted myself.
It didn’t matter. Right now, the only thing that mattered to me was that Sam was safe. I could worry about everything else later.