Chapter Twenty-One
I love you.
The words were barely out of her mouth before the knife came down. The mage had been right about one thing. When it came down to it, he couldn’t harm Onyx. But unless she hacked off his head or carved out his heart, he’d be okay. He assumed she had a plan. His job was to be ready to attack.
The blade bypassed him, ramming straight into her chest. A golden glow, brighter than the sun, consumed the entire room. A howl ripped from the depths of his soul. He shifted back to human and lunged for her as she toppled to the floor. “No! No! No!” He dragged her lifeless body into his arms.
What had she done? She’d honored the blood vow she’d made. That’s what she’d done. It was the ultimate sacrifice.
His wolf was going crazy inside him, snarling and howling, the beast demanding the blood of his enemy. A vortex of brilliant energy coalesced and spun around them. His skin was electrified, his hair flying outward from his body, although there was no wind. Not in here. Onyx was the hurricane and they were safe in the eye. It was like being surrounded by millions of supernovas, caught within them as the stars exploded. Any other time, it would have awed him. Now despair swallowed him.
His hand shook as he brushed the hair from her face. “Why?” There was no answer. Not that one was necessary. He already knew it. She’d given it to him when she’d whispered I love you . The bittersweet words stabbed at his heart. He wanted her to take them back. He wanted to protect them and hold them close.
Her lifeless hand gripped the pendant he’d bought her, as if it brought her a measure of comfort in death. A lone tear rolled unchecked down his face and splashed on her skin. The marking of the lone wolf burned on his skin.
Throwing back his head, he howled. Grief was an old friend. He’d lost his family and pack at a young age and with them a chance at a normal life when the spirit of the lone wolf had claimed him. That was nothing in comparison. This was like having a hand reach inside him and yank out every organ in his body. All hope, all light had died with her.
His life had been dedicated to protecting his species with little to no appreciation. He was more likely to receive disdain for his efforts, had been the victim of many assassination attempts. Not to mention being the target of Solange and her partner. His primary objective had been to protect the other lone wolves, the closest thing he had to family. It was the first time he’d ever admitted that was his true motivation. But what good was any of it if he couldn’t save the one person he cared about more than all the others?
He’d known better than to allow anyone to get close to him. This was the result—heartbreak and pain. Despite his best efforts, she’d gotten under his skin until he couldn’t imagine life without her.
“What will I do without you?” She’d become an integral part of his life the moment he’d discovered her existence. Their cat-and-mouse games had taken them around the world. He’d looked forward to them, been challenged and impressed by her cunning and intelligence. Then they’d met and everything had changed.
He assumed Solange had survived the explosion. She was like a cockroach, nasty and difficult to kill. His entire focus should be on ending her, but in this moment, he didn’t care. Not about her or anything else. Nothing and no one was more important than Onyx. Her magic created an impenetrable wall, protecting them. He wasn’t ready to leave her. Not yet.
The knife was an abomination sticking out of her chest. Hand shaking, he took hold of the hilt, eased it out, and set it down beside them. The dark blue of the dress absorbed the blood, making it difficult to tell she’d been stabbed, but the familiar coppery scent burned his nostrils and left a bitter taste in his mouth.
He should’ve locked her away in his bunker. “You wouldn’t have stayed, would you?” He brushed her hair again, fingering a stripe of black mixed with her natural red, stunned by the selflessness of her actions. His Onyx was stubborn. She’d call it determined. She’d have fought him tooth and nail and then blasted her way out.
There was something he could give her. It was too late, but maybe her spirit lived in the magic, maybe there was some way she’d hear. “You’re braver than I am.” Every living wolf would laugh if they heard him admit that. Not the other lone wolves. They’d understand. Hell, he finally understood what they’d tried to tell him. He’d fought the bond between him and Onyx because it had been forced on them by Solange’s manipulations and spells. He hadn’t realized there was a force more powerful than any physical strength, enhanced senses, immortality, or even magic.
“You defended that alchemist so passionately, insisting Annalisa was trying to help her wolf, not steal his immortality. I thought you naive, but I was the one who didn’t understand. I’d do anything, give anything to save you.”
Leaning down, he pressed his lips to hers. They were still warm. “I love you,” he whispered. “Now and forever.”
Will you give everything? The voice had his head snapping up. The almost blinding light spun madly around them, their private tornado of protection.
“Who are you?” He clutched Onyx closer, cursing when her hand slipped from the pendant and fell by her side.
In answer, his tattoo began to pulse. He stilled and listened. Mark her, make her yours. The human side of him believed it served no purpose. The wolf inside him yearned to have that intimate connection.
What could it hurt? It wouldn’t bring her back. Humans didn’t become werewolves from a bite. That was nothing more than myth. But the bond would bring comfort in the lonely days ahead, assuming he survived. If nothing else, the added connection might allow him to find her in the afterlife. He truly believed there was one. How could he not, considering who and what he was?
He eased down the neck of the dress, careful not to rip it further, even though it was torn and bloody. It had made her so happy to wear it. It had filled a yearning inside him to buy it for her. He kissed the spot at the base of her neck where it met her shoulder.
Fangs dropped and he sank them into her skin, tasting her blood. Another tear trickled down his face, landing against his lips, adding saltiness to the mix. He withdrew his fangs and rubbed his cheek against his shoulder. It was done. The mating mark was now part of her.
“You’re mine, and I’m yours. I’ll avenge you.” It was a promise he’d die to keep.
Use your connection. The voice was beginning to annoy him.
“It’s too late. She’s gone.”
Not while the magic exists.
A kernel of hope lit inside him. Use the connection , the voice had said. They had a blood link and now a mating bond. Was it his imagination or was the light beginning to fade?
A sliver of cynicism whispered that this could be a trick, a way to steal the very essence of the lone wolf. What if Solange was manipulating him? It’d be the ultimate victory for her if he was willing to offer up the power that made him the black wolf.
He hesitated, his mind sorting through possible scenarios faster than a computer. The light around them flickered. Onyx began to grow cold in his arms. In the depths of his being, he understood that when the light was gone, she would be, too.
The wolf inside him gave a howl of heartbreak and fury. His jaw tightened and he gripped her harder. If there was a chance to save her, he had to try. There was a chance their combined power would kill them both, but it was a risk worth taking.
The light was almost gone. If he was going to do this, it had to be now.
…
Onyx was surrounded by energy. No, not surrounded, she was the nexus creating it, focusing it. It was exhilarating. No longer was she limited by a human body. She was free of all encumbrances, infinite power.
Nothing or no one could control her.
Darkness nibbled at the edges of her awareness. No, she would not be held prisoner again. Shaping the magic to her will, she sent it winging toward the intruder. There was an awareness of someone else, something else fighting for dominance.
She had no memory beyond where she was and the light around her. There’d been something before this, hadn’t there?
Maybe the darkness knew. Her curiosity pulled her toward it. A wall of black, like thick tar, was trying to seep into the light. Beyond it, a red-haired woman stood, lips peeled back in rage, eyes glowing with a furious madness. There was something about her…something familiar that made Onyx recoil.
Something tugged at her, pulling her inward to the heart of the light storm. She sped toward it, a sense of urgency driving her. Then she saw him. Black hair flowed around his bent head, covering his face. He was naked, the muscles in his back and shoulders sculpted and gleaming with sweat.
Pain swamped her. It was impossible to tell if it was hers or his. She wanted to withdraw from it but couldn’t. His mere presence held her captivated. He was cradling someone in his arms. She angled around to see who it—
Like a movie playing at an impossible speed, her entire life unfolded before her. Dagen! Her heart cried his name. The woman in his arms was her. She reached for him but no longer had hands. Her body was lifeless, sacrificed in their war against Solange—the dark woman trying to destroy the light.
Shock vibrated through her when he raised his head and a single tear slipped down his face. The black wolf—assassin, lone wolf, and powerful broker—was crying. For her. When he rubbed his fingers against strange puncture wounds on her neck, she got another shock. That was a mating mark.
Profound sadness mixed with overpowering love. They’d been doomed from the beginning, their path set by fate. It wasn’t fair they’d never have a chance for a life together, but she was profoundly grateful for the time they’d had.
Wait. Why am I here? She was dead, right? Then why was she aware of everything?
It was the magic. Her essence was tied to it. It alone anchored her spirit to this place. Panic erupted when the light began to dim. Once it was gone, she’d cease to exist. Who would protect him from Solange? The woman would never stop her insane quest for immortality.
As she watched, Dagen laid her on the floor. Kneeling beside her, he ripped the front of her dress, exposing the bloody wound on her chest. An echo of pain slammed into her. The light shimmered. He glanced toward the fading barrier, the only thing between him and Solange. Ignoring it, he dragged his palm over the sharp edge of her bracelet. When blood welled, he pressed it against the wound. What was he doing? They might share a link but his blood couldn’t heal her. It didn’t work that way.
He pressed his free hand against the white sickle-shaped marking on his chest—the sign of the lone wolf. “My life for hers.”
No! She’d given her life for his. That’s the way it was supposed to work. The lone wolf needed to live. Her black wolf, her love had to survive.
Do you love him? The voice wasn’t hers. She refused to answer, fearing it was Solange. It didn’t “taste” evil, but she distrusted it. Fight for him. The voice went silent.
Dagen’s head was thrown back, the cords of his neck standing out against his skin. A foreign but familiar energy pulsed around her, through her—the spirit of the lone wolf. As she watched from outside her body, her wound closed. Her skin knit together until not a single mark remained.
Oh, God. Somehow, some way, he was giving her his immortality. She had to stop him, but how? When another tug came, she didn’t fight it but flowed with it. She slammed back into her body with a force that left her momentarily stunned and breathless. Panicked, she sucked in a huge gasp of air. Dagen’s head snapped down, their eyes met, and he smiled.
“Stop!” she yelled, or tried to. It came out more as a wheeze. He ignored her. There was no stopping him. He was stronger than her. Magic swirled around them. Reaching out mentally, she grabbed it and with everything in her wrenched it back. “What is mine, come to me. As I will, so it shall be.”
The light spun faster, closing in around them as the circle tightened. It poured into her, absorbing into every cell of her body, becoming a very part of her.
Energized, she shoved his hand away and came up onto her knees facing him. “What have you done?”
His fingers were featherlight as they danced over her forehead and cheeks, his eyes lit with wonder. “It worked. It saved you.”
Her gaze went to his chest. “It’s still there.” She pressed her hand against the marking, relief making her lightheaded. “You’re still the lone wolf.” She’d stopped him in time.
“I’d give everything for you.” He lowered his head. “I love you.”
Hearing that was a greater shock than being brought back to life. Then his mouth was on hers. She threw herself into his arms and kissed him back with everything she was.
He loved her! What should have been the most perfect moment of her life was rife with fear. Their lives were in jeopardy. The likelihood of both of them making it out alive was slim to none. Even if they did, there was always a chance he’d eventually come to resent her for stealing a piece of his immortality. Maybe believe she’d somehow manipulated him into it. She couldn’t forget the way he’d viewed Annalisa and her connection to the original lone wolf.
The last of her magic returned to her in a blinding rush. The light around them died, and with it their shield. She’d always carried the power inside her, but this felt different. She didn’t only have magic, she was the magic. Jumping to her feet, she faced the woman who’d given her life, the one she had to defeat to save herself and Dagen.
The room looked as though a tornado had ripped through it. The titanium cage had been totally obliterated. Not a single piece of metal remained. The gate blocking the entrance was also gone. The walls had been damaged but hadn’t been completely destroyed. The evil symbols on them pulsed wildly. Solange stood, hair tangled, clothing torn and dirty, and vengeance etched on her face.
“You’ll pay for that. I’ll kill you both. I don’t need either of you.” She raised her hand, sending dark magic racing toward them.
Onyx threw herself in front of Dagen and raised a shield of light. The malevolent power slammed into it, driving her down on one knee. The protection held, but for how long? Swallowing her doubts, she dug deep. I can do this. She didn’t have a choice. And she wasn’t alone. It was two against one. Between them, they could defeat her.
“Solange!” a male voice yelled. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out what you were doing?” A tall male stood in the open doorway, glaring at all of them. Charles Armstrong was well over a hundred years old but he didn’t look it. Naked, his muscles rippled, more reflective of a wolf in his prime. Wolves aged slowly, but she sensed a little something extra. Likely some sort of spell from Solange.
There went their advantage. Now they had to battle on two fronts. But how united were the other couple? She could use their discord against them. “She was trying to cut you out, Charles.”
Dagen watched both their enemies the way a predator studied his prey. If he saw an opening, he’d take it. They’d need every advantage to survive. Solange wasn’t anywhere near defeated.
“Don’t listen to the girl. She’s weak. I wanted them both contained before I contacted you.”
“The lone wolf is mine.” Having made the claim, Charles shifted and leaped at Dagen. The two slammed together, Dagen shifting on the fly. Claws ripped at skin. Fangs flashed. Then the brown wolf was thrown against a wall.
“Charles!” Solange screamed her lover’s name. Momentarily distracted, her guard fell. Onyx attacked, sending bolt after bolt of light winging toward her. With a cry, she fell back but quickly righted herself. “You think you can take me, girl? I should have drained your blood when you were a child. You’re nothing but a disappointment.”
It wasn’t anything she hadn’t heard before. Her childhood was riddled with put-downs and negativity. Even knowing it was said to undermine her confidence, she was powerless to stop the barbs from sinking their sharp claws into her.
What if she’s right? What if I fail? She shook her head, dispelling the emotional blows. Dagen believed in her. And she believed in herself. That was all that mattered.
Hit the power at the source. The idea popped into her head from seemingly nowhere. Not worrying about where it came from, she recognized the rightness of it.
Dark strands of power emerged from Solange’s hands. Wielding it like whips, she attacked. Onyx ducked, but not fast enough. One of the strands curled around her arm. “Got you.”
She dug in her feet, but Solange yanked, sending her to her knees. Rather than fight, she focused on the book lying on the altar. The words spilled out of her mouth, getting louder until she was screaming by the end. “Blood and death your pages hold. Release it now. Let it go, do as you’re told.”
If Annalisa had taught her anything, it was that residual magic resided in such items. She was genetically tied to Solange. The dark magic fought for its existence, but it recognized Onyx’s authority and dropped its shields. The force behind the incantation was unlike anything she’d experienced. The book blew off the stand, bursting into flames and toppling to the floor.
The dark whips winked out of existence as Solange lunged for her grimoire. But she was too late. The fire consumed the book of dark spells. Swirls of light escaped the ashes, arrowing straight up to the ceiling. They darted back and forth, as if unable to escape.
“What have you done?” Solange staggered a step before righting herself. “All my work. All that power.”
“False power. Taken from others. How much is actually yours?” Onyx sent a bolt spinning toward the ceiling. It opened up a gap large enough for the souls of the damned to escape.
Behind her, the sounds of a vicious fight raged. How much had healing her weakened Dagen? She had to trust him to get the job done. It was up to her to destroy Solange.