Chapter 23 #2
She knew she needed to leave him and help those in pain. However, it was on the tip of her tongue to say she loved him—she loved them both. And yet, she held back. Now wasn’t the time. After touching his jaw, she said, “I trust you. But make sure to let me know if anything changes, okay?”
“I will, love. I promise.”
He kissed her, and she reluctantly went to help River. And as she coaxed the injured to stay calm with her secondary persuasion magic, she and River made quick work of healing those who needed it.
She and her brother were approaching the newest refugees when the door disintegrated and light flared, blinding them all.
Once it died down, she blinked until she could finally make out a tall male with blond hair holding Helena and pressing a glowing knife against her throat.
He pricked her skin, and she instantly went slack.
Meadow lunged forward, but the male’s booming voice—aided by dark magic—filled the space.
“Take another step, and not only will she die a slower death, I’ll kill you too. ”
She stilled and instinctively gathered magic into her chest. She’d removed her training bracelet to help the injured, and maybe, just maybe, she could use her powers of lust and desire to stop the madman and his companions.
Because those who resorted to the dark arts couldn’t use magic protection items. If they did, it would cancel out any dark hexes inked into their skin.
However, to have any chance of success, Meadow needed enough magic to release her strongest spell ever. Given the dark aura and signs of dark arts visible on the male’s hands, he’d be harder to manipulate than the average fae witch.
If at all, rushed through her head.
Pushing aside her doubts, she began to weave a tight net, one she could toss over the leader. Him going down would create enough confusion to give the others a chance to help her.
For a split second, she wondered where Joseph was.
But to worry would affect her magic, so she pushed it aside and continued making her net until she thought it was good enough to place over the leader.
She did, carefully, and he flinched. His eyes zeroed in on hers, glowed a dark red, and he tossed Helena aside and stalked toward her.
“I warned you about what would happen. You die first.”
A cry came from the door, and Laurie and Joseph crashed inside. The male sliced his hand through the air, and a table rose and flew backward, hitting the pair and sending them against the wall. A loud crack filled the room before they thudded to the ground.
They didn’t move.
Pushing aside her fear and the need to go to them, Meadow focused on the anger coursing through her—how dare he hurt her vampires. He needed to pay.
She would try one more time to control the leader, and this time, she wouldn’t be careful. No, she would fully embrace her powers and let go, giving him everything she had. She was a motherfucking Wielder, after all.
And if she could get the other fae witches to use their powers to help distract him? It should give her a few extra seconds to focus so she could attack again.
She shouted, “Use whatever magic you have to help me!”
Persuasion magic filled the air, and others began dancing fire, and water, and even light around the room. Some of the lesser intruders turned ill or changed into frogs or even shimmered, as if they were fading from existence.
Anger and love and determination swirled inside her. She was ready.
Drawing in as much magic as she could, she screamed, “Lust after your fellow traitors, embrace and hold each other, never allowing them to flee. Writhe on the ground and become too aroused to move!”
Unleashing her magic, she let it free, aiming it at their enemies.
For a beat, nothing changed.
Then they began clutching their dicks over their trousers, lunging for one another, and holding each other to the ground, to keep them from running away.
“Anyone able, help restrain and capture the traitors!”
Various fae witch guards stumbled to their feet and attacked the intruders. Magic and knives and pistols were used in a flurry. The adults were shielding the children as best they could. Meadow wished she could save them the scene, but saving their lives was more important.
As the enemies were taken down, including their leader, Meadow rushed to Laurie and Joseph’s sides.
They were still, so still.
But then she saw the slow rise and fall of their chests, and she sobbed. They were still breathing, which meant they were alive.
Looking around for River, she saw him helping Helena, who was now sitting up and holding her head.
“River! If she’s healed already, come help Laurie and Joseph! Please!”
She focused back on her two males, kissing each of their cheeks and murmuring, “You’d better wake up again. I love you both and want to tell you. There’s so much more to our story, and I refuse to believe it ends here.”
River arrived, and he placed a hand on each male as he performed his magical examination. He met her gaze, and she didn’t like the mixture of resolve and worry there. “I need to heal them. Now. One has a broken spine, and the other a massive head injury.”
Meadow swallowed a sob. “Tell me what to do.”
“Use your persuasion to keep them here with us.”
A series of bells rang outside, and Meadow looked around for more enemies.
River answered, “That’s the all-clear. The threats are contained.”
Maybe for the evening, but as she stared at Laurie and Joseph, the threat of losing the future she wanted was still there. “Then let’s get started. Help them, River. Please.”
He nodded, looked as if he was about to say something, but then focused on healing Joseph first—who had the brain injury.
River’s hands glowed as Meadow whispered right between Laurie and Joseph, “You two will live. You had better. There’s so much more to our future.
But to be happy and finally embrace all of who I am, I need you two. You’re my everything. I love you.”
And she put her faith in her brother’s abilities, unable to think about what would happen if he failed.
But as her heart calmed and the adrenaline faded from her body, the room tilted before going black.