The Claws Clause was clear.
She would only be a threat if Maddox showed her mercy.
He knew the moment that Cilla realized that her pleas were falling on deaf ears. She looked crushed, but she recovered quickly. A nasty expression turning her face ugly, she sneered, “If I can’t have you, then she can’t, either.”
Cilla snapped her fingers.
Crack.
Evangeline screamed.
It was the only thing that could’ve ripped his focus off of Cilla and she knew it.
The barrier dissolved like so much smoke, but Evangeline never got the chance to leave the ring of diamonds. The remaining jewels b
urst into flame, crackling three feet high, surrounding Evangeline with dark violet sparks that shot toward her.
Maddox didn’t even stop to think. He ran right through the magic fire, scooping his mate up in his arms, shielding her from Cilla’s revenge.
The fire licked at his body, singing his clothes, blistering his skin. The scent of burning hair filled the air, added to the baby powder smell of Cilla’s power and the sharp tang of Evangeline’s sudden fear. He had to save her. Maddox didn’t give a shit what would happen to him. He was a shifter. He could take it.
While holding tightly to Evangeline, he reached up, tucking her long hair beneath her shirt. Then he urged her to fold her body in tight before bowing his body over hers.
“I’ve got you,” he promised.
She choked on the heat from the flames, shuddering in his embrace. When she found her breath again, she nodded. “I know. You always have.”
“And I always will,” Maddox promised.
He crouched low, pushing off of the hardwood floor with as much power as he could. Maddox leaped over the flames, hearing the sizzle as the sparks hit the soles of his shoes. He landed with a grunt, immediately moving out of the magic’s reach before checking that Evangeline was unharmed.
He dashed across the room, laying her out on her couch. Running his hands over every part of her he could, Maddox didn’t back off until Evangeline murmured repeatedly that she was fine. She was okay.
Once he finally believed it, and he was sure that she was safely out of the reach of the flames, Maddox got up and turned his attention back on the witch.
Smoke started at her feet, pale purple tendrils wrapping around her legs, twisting her torso, wafting toward her fingers. As Maddox stared over at her, his chest heaving, his wolf desperate to strike, the smoke continued to climb, passing her throat, covering her face.
The whole thing—from Cilla’s threat and Evangeline’s scream until he watched her get cocooned in the magic cloud—might have taken a minute. Maybe less. After using the last of the diamonds in her circle, Cilla was almost completely tapped out. Instead of taking advantage of Maddox’s distraction and using it to escape, Cilla stayed where she was, conjuring the smoke.
He could hear her chanting under her breath, still casting.
It would be harder to pull the magic into her without her precious diamonds. Cilla had sacrificed the last of the stones with her failed assassination attempt. All she had left was the magic that came from being a born witch.
It would be enough to hurt Evangeline.
He thought about what her spell did to Colt. He thought about the look of relief on Evangeline’s face, as if she doubted that he would come for her. And he thought about the promise he made to his brother before he raced inside the building.
Get that fucking witch.
Make her pay.
Maddox lunged toward Cilla, swiping down. His claws met resistance. He sliced through something. He knew he did. Witch’s blood—a combination of the rusty, iron tang and sweet baby powder—perfumed the air. It splashed on the floor.
But when the smoke finally cleared, there was no sign of Priscilla Winters anywhere except for a few drops of blood and the charred remains of destroyed diamonds.
Epilogue
“It’s been twelve hours already. How much longer do you think he’ll be out?”