Chapter 17
Pain ripped through Skylar’s body as she rolled over, her cheek pressed to the cold floor.
She grimaced, choking back the stench of the urine-soaked dirt.
Disgusted and determined, she pressed the palm of her hand to the ground and shoved up to sit.
Her head spun with dizziness, the room a whirling blur as she blinked open her eyes. Where am I?
She fought the rising panic curling in her chest and stumbled to her feet. The last thing she remembered was being outside tossing pecans to the crows. Though her first instinct was to scream, self-preservation kicked in, warning her to remain calm, evaluate her situation.
A stream of light speared through a small window illuminating the adobe clay cellar. As her eyes adjusted, she caught sight of a wooden arched door. No handle. Drip. Drip. Drip. Water leaked from a pipe extending out of the wall down into a vented grate. Bare, the room held no furniture.
Skylar rubbed her hands, shedding dust. She sized up the window, estimating if she could fit through it. Considering it was her only option out of this shithole, she’d have to attempt an escape.
She listened, the familiar raspy croak of a raven called to her from the distance. Its song calmed her nerves, reminding her of home. Though the crows were far more abundant and territorial of her parents’ backyard, the occasional ravens would swoop in for a treat or two.
“Oh, hey buddy. I’m stuck in here. Can you help me out?
” she called to the bird. I’m losing my mind.
No, you’re desperate. Skylar might have been able to imitate a crow, but the raven vocalizations were a little tricky.
Once again, she called to the bird and whistled.
“Hey, buddy. Can you talk to wolves? Tell them to find my friend Rafe.”
He’d come for her, she told herself, refusing to allow a seed of doubt to take root.
Remain positive. Sebastian would tell Rafe.
She was fairly certain her mom had been watching her.
She would have seen it happen. They would have contacted Rafe and Greyson.
It was just a matter of time before they searched for her.
Thoughts of Rafe spiraled. Her lips tightened, her emotions rushing over her like a tidal wave.
She wondered if the spell had truly worked.
The last time she’d seen him his majestic wolf had run off into the countryside.
Ilsbeth declared that the bond had been broken yet it certainly hadn’t severed her feelings for Rafe.
The aching in her heart confirmed she’d fallen in love with him.
“I’ll be okay,” she mumbled under her breath, wondering if she could pry the bars off of the window. She studied the room once again, searching for a tool. “Come on, Sky. We’ve got to get out of here. There’s got to be something I can use.”
Unstable on her feet, the sweltering heat caused her to sway. She glanced to the water dripping from the pipe, shuffled toward it and sniffed. The clear water didn’t smell rancid. “Good enough.”
Decision made, she leaned onto the wall to balance herself and ran her fingers through the cool water. She didn’t dare drink, but it instantly brought her relief. Her eyes fell to the grate where a shard of broken metal hung precariously from the eroded adobe mud.
Skylar stuffed her hand into the bottom of her shirt, tugging at the fabric, to protect her fingers. She reached for the metal and snapped it off. “Oh God, thank you.”
Grateful, she once again put her hand into the water, washing it clean. She closed her eyes, focusing on her breath, calming her nerves. Her mind drifted to Rafe. Picturing him in her mind’s eye, energy prickled over her skin, and it was almost as if he was with her. He’s coming.
A loud thud rumbled from the door startling Skylar. Her heart pounded in her chest. She looked to the shard of metal in her hand and stuffed it deep into her jean pocket, concealing it. She tugged her t-shirt over her pants and pressed her back against the wall, steeling her nerves.
The door screeched open, smoke billowing from the doorway. A beautiful woman dressed in a long crimson gown glided towards her. A set of silver horns protruded from her scalp through her long black hair.
Skylar’s pulse raced. Do not show fear. Staring into her pitch-black eyes, Skylar stood her ground. “Rafe’s going to come for me.”
“Humans are such easy prey. Interesting. My sister’s prodigy chooses a human.” Zyaire sniffed the air and gave a laugh. “But are you? You’re something, aren’t you? Very clever.”
“He’s gonna come for me.” Skylar ignored her rantings. “He’s not alone.”
“No, no, no. Not quite a human, are you?” Zyaire outstretched her hand.
Skylar turned her cheek as the witch’s blood-red coffin nails raked over her braid.
“You’re going to die, pet. He’s going to watch.”
“They’re coming for you. Ilsbeth. Rafe. Greyson. That’s right. They’re together.” A cold smirk emerged on Skylar’s face as she noticed a twitch of Zyaire’s eyelid. She’d gotten to her. “That’s right. I hear you can’t keep a man. I hear Ilsbeth likes yours. Greyson.”
“Really now?” Zyaire laughed as she twisted the braid into her fist.
“Stay away from me.” Skylar shouted.
“Your mate will come to me—”
“He’s not mine,” Skylar argued.
“Oh, he’s going to come,” Zyaire taunted. “You know how I know that?”
“Let me go.” Skylar glared at the witch, sensing the demonic energy crawling over her skin like a thousand millepedes.
“I have a better idea,” With a jerk, she released Skylar’s hair. “I’m going to turn you.”
“He’s going to kill you!” Skylar screamed.
“I’ve been busy you see. Creating, if you will.
I imagine you were part of the little fire at the blood club, destroying my babies.
But I was already onto my next version. They’re much better fighters.
Still experimenting of course. But they are ever so faithful to my master, to my darkest desires.
Are you ready?” A cold devious smile bloomed on her face, her lips curling upward.
“Ready for what?” Skylar’s eyes widened as Zyaire lifted her skirt revealing a skinless human-like creature.
A living cadaver, it flipped onto its back and crawled toward her, its head spinning to face her. Skylar released a bloodcurdling scream as it hissed, lunging toward her. She dropped into a defensive position and thrust her foot against its chest sending it flailing across the room.
“Enjoy, darling. See you in a few hours after your transformation.” Zyaire waved her hand and slammed the door shut.
Skylar’s adrenaline shot through her veins, her heart pounding against her ribs. She dug the shard of metal from her pocket and held it with both hands. The creature sized her up, crouching in the corner.
Without warning it screeched at her and launched itself at her once more.
Though Skylar dodged a direct hit, her arm lit with fire as its talons sliced her open.
She rolled to the ground clutching her wound, still holding tight onto the shard.
Fury speared through her mind, every cell of her body on alert, Rafe’s magick pumping through her body as if he was standing right there.
Amped with rage, Skylar shoved to her feet, readying to kill it.
“Come get it, motherfucker!” Her voice billowed round the cell, a wild wrath coursing through her. “You think you’re going to eat me? I’m going to destroy you! Come and fucking get it!”
The creature leapt on all fours, springing towards her like a panther.
Skylar screamed as it attacked, driving the metal spike deep into its eye socket.
Kill or be killed. Choice made, she withdrew the shard and plunged it into its other eye.
It flailed, shrieking until it finally surrendered to its death.
Covered in its green blood, she succumbed to her own feral nature. With a burning rage, she released a guttural scream from her lungs. The call of the raven from above sounded as the shard fell to the ground from her fist.
Her rage lit magick within her, igniting her transformation. As she shifted, she rocketed out of the window, flying high above her prison. She followed the black dot above her, flapping her wings. Free from her prison, she flew as fast as her wings would flap.
A hazy sky settled into the late afternoon as the sun dipped toward the west. The raven leading her descended toward a dilapidated homestead and settled on an old weathervane, calling to her.
Skylar followed, instead choosing to land on the ground.
As she opened her beak to call to the raven, she convulsed, transforming back to her human form.
Her lungs burned, inhaling the dry desert air. Her body was wracked with pain, seared by the fiery hot dirt. What the hell just happened to me? Skylar wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, her vision clearing. A dust devil spun in the distance, an impending powerhouse hurtling toward her.
“What the fuck now?” Naked, she shoved to her feet, seeking shelter. With great care, she walked toward the house, grimacing each time a rock stabbed the pads of her feet.
“Skylar!” she heard him call to her.
Her heart filled with joy at the sound of his voice. Strong hands spun her around and she fell into his arms. Rafe.
My Alpha.