I shutter my eyes in revulsion. Steeling myself against the pinch of his fingers roaming my body, his hips thrusting and circling, seeking rhythm with my frantic attempts to relieve myself of his weight. A low groan building deep in his throat, as he reaches for the soft buckskin pouch that lies between my breasts.
He’s trying to strip me of my power in every conceivable way.
Trying to demoralize me by rendering me defenseless and weak.
Knowing the moment he peeks inside, the magick of the talismans will be lost.
Knowing the moment he violates me, he will have won.
I turn my head to the side, press my cheek to the dirt, as I desperately search for Raven. Relieved to find he’s still with me, perched only a few feet away. His mad squawking suddenly silenced, though his eyes glimmer in a way I’ve never seen. Their glint growing in intensity as Cade loops a finger around the strap and the pouch begins to tremble and heat.
I continue to buck hard against him, but with the way he lies astride me, his legs hooked on either side of mine, I can’t get much traction.
“I’ve always been curious just what it is you people keep in these pouches,” he says. “Guess I’m about to find out.”
He drags on the drawstring, as I continue to squirm and resist with everything I have in me. Trying to summon my magick—summon the Wind. Summon the athame back into my hand, so I can jam it into Cade’s eyes and ensure he never gets to leer at me again. But somehow, with his body covering mine, he’s blocking my magick.
That’s the only explanation for the way it suddenly fails me.
The only explanation for why the Wind slows, Raven falls into silence, and Coyote, now released of my spell, butts his snout against my forehead, emitting a low, menacing growl.
With no other options, I wet my tongue and take aim. Biting back a grin when the glob of spit lands smack between Coyote’s creepy red eyes. The act causing the distraction I’d hoped for when he yelps in outrage, and Cade momentarily loses his grip. Enough for me to free a hand and crash it down hard on his head.
But it’s only a second before he’s regrouped and pinned me again. His face enraged when he says, “Don’t mess with me, Seeker. Like it or not, you’re soon to be mine…”
His hand slips to his jeans, loosening them, urging them down past his hips. Then when he’s got them where he wants them, bunched around his knees, he reaches for the pouch once again. “First things first,” he sings, yanking roughly on the drawstring, once, twice—
The next thing I know Coyote is yelping in pain and Cade’s eyes are rolling back in his head as he’s lifted by an unseen force and hurled into the air.
I leap to my feet, looking to Raven, sure he’s somehow responsible. But then I hear my name and whirl around to find Dace standing behind me, his brother a discarded heap in the very far distance.
I rush into his arms. My relief at seeing him trumping any fears I might’ve had about his coming here. Though it may play into the prophecy, clearly the prophecy’s changed. Dace and I are together. It’s the only thing that matters.
“You were just in time! If you’d been just one second later…” My voice fades as I shudder to think what nearly became of me. I burrow into his chest, seeking the comfort and warmth of his flesh.
“There’s no reason to worry.” His lips find my forehead, my cheeks. “I’m here. I’ll always be here. There’s nothing to fear. He’ll never come near you again. I’ll make sure of it.” His whispered promise accompanied by the soothing hand that drifts down my back, before curling around and pulling me close.
I press my cheek to the small golden key at his chest, my voice thick with emotion as I say, “I saw you at the fence. I thought you’d—”
“Shhh…” He presses a finger to my lips and tilts my face toward his. “It’s not what you thought. I’d never give up on our love. Never.”
My hand finds his cheek, needing to see the words reflected in his eyes, only to notice how different he is.
He’s darker.
Harder.
His energy odd and frenetic—offering only a fraction of the usual swarm of unconditional love I’ve come to expect.
And when my eyes meet his, it’s like looking at Cade. His gaze is dark, fathomless, fails to reflect.
“Dace—what happened?” I ask, unable to stifle my panic. Watching in dismay as he quickly turns away, as though too ashamed to be seen.
“Don’t. Don’t look at me. Please. I’ll explain later. As soon as it’s over, I’ll tell you everything. Just—trust that I did what I had to. I did it for us. For you. And it’s nothing that can’t be undone. But please, I can’t bear for you to see me like this.”
He moves away, but I grasp hold of his arm and pull him back to me. “Who did this to you?” I reach for his cheek, needing to look into his eyes once again, to determine it truly is as bad as I think, only to have him jerk free.