Darkest Wolf(46)

Relaxation is huge. We are going to take our little magic and we are going to make it work for us in a huge way. And then you are going to have your coven back.” And if Elizabeth were lucky, she’d have Rex back. Please, she silently begged the goddess, please let me get to him in time to help him. Please let him forgive me.

The sirens were loud outside the house and she could hear a lot of hoopla happening in the hallway. Some of Drea’s supporters seemed to be running away. Others were yelling, and Drea herself hollered at the officers who had come to the door.

It would just be a matter of minutes—seconds, maybe.

Elizabeth whirled around. “Listen up. Enough relaxation and Drea is going to hit the ground. None of us can do it by ourselves. I’m not sure I have any magic at all. But all together—seventeen people using what little they have—it will be enough to put her down long enough for all of you to get out of here.”



“All of us?” Her mother’s voice sounded squeaky. “Where will you go, daughter?”

“To get Rex.” She wouldn’t be leaving here without him. If he didn’t go, then neither did she. “Now, everyone line up around me. When she comes through the door, I will lunge at her, and you will grab onto her and not let go until you’ve given everything you have to a relaxation spell.”

One of the older members of the coven, James, slowly got to his feet. “It’s been so long since I did any magic, I’m not sure I remember how.” Elizabeth waved her hand in a way she hoped conveyed her feelings that it was a silly thought. “I’m sure it’s like riding a bike. You never forget how to do it. The practice will come right back.”

She moved in front of the door and heard the rest of the people in the room step behind her. In truth, she knew she asked a lot. Some of the members of the coven were very old. They’d never been able to stand up to Drea. Why should they suddenly be able to?

Steeling her shoulders, she pushed those thoughts from her mind. They would do what they had to do because it was past time they did. All of the years she’d been out on the road taking the twins to various dance clubs and Disney events and not one of the folks behind her had managed to take down Drea. Clearly, it was going to have to fall to her to handle this. After she made sure Rex was okay.

Drea’s stomping footsteps down the hall alerted Elizabeth she was coming seconds before the door banged open.

“Did you think you were being amusing?” Drea spoke through clenched teeth and addressed Elizabeth directly. Good, the woman should know who had orchestrated this. If it all went to hell, Drea could blame the right culprit.

“No.” Elizabeth sighed dramatically seconds before she put all of her strength into plowing into the older witch. Drea’s eyes widened.

Someone behind Elizabeth screamed “get her” right before the other sixteen members of the coven exploded into action. Hands assaulted Drea as Liz rolled to get out of the way. She had no working power. Her presence in the front of the small mob just put her in the way.

Laughing, she jumped to her feet. “It’s time for you to take a nap, Drea.” Chapter Thirteen

Rex’s wrists, bound together by some kind of rope, took the brunt of the pain, as they were what supported his weight as he hung from the ceiling. He swayed slightly, his feet dangling above the ground.

For hours now he’d been able to think about absolutely nothing. His mind felt like it had gone completely blank and it wasn’t because of the magic Drea had shoved at him back at the hotel room. He also couldn’t blame his father or the weird conversation he’d caught pieces of in the hotel room, which now threw into question his lineage. No, it was all because of Elizabeth. His mate had betrayed him. He closed his eyes.

Did you see it coming? Rex had avoided any kind of communication with his wolf knowing it would only bring his pain more to the forefront of his mind.

Now, however, he knew he’d have to deal with things if he were to ever get down from the ceiling. The police had arrived outside—he could smell the humans and he could hear the muted sounds of their alarms—which meant someone had called them. All of this meant it was time for him to make some kind of move. If he intended to at all.

Being bound, naked, and vulnerable to his father’s abuse was not his idea of a good time. But neither was facing the future without his mate in it. Gods, how could he be such an idiot?

Do you want an answer to the question you asked me?

He turned his focus back to his wolf who Rex could see as if he lay in front of him, his head down on his outstretched paws.

Sure.

His wolf sighed. No, I did not see it coming and it’s depressing as hell.