Silly vampire, I say to him. Don’t you trust me?
He blinks at me, swallowing hard.
Then I look at Ezra and Wolf, giving them a warning look, before I throw my arms out into the air, displaying three fingers on each hand.
Six of Skarde’s creatures go up in flames at the same time, with Solon, Ezra and Wolf quickly pivoting away and out of their grasp.
I watch as the rest of the Dark Order falls to the ground, screaming.
Then the flames suddenly leave my body as quickly as they came on, draining the well inside me until it’s empty, snuffing out every living cell in my body, my blood shrinking in my veins.
I collapse to the floor among the creatures on fire.
And everything goes cold.
The flame inside me blown out.
For good.
Chapter Twenty-Six
I’m staring at a dog.
A black pit bull with big warm eyes and a wet nose.
The dog whimpers and then licks my face and I’m overwhelmed with the scent of raw meat and dog breath.
What on earth?
“Odin,” Solon’s commanding voice rings out. “Get over here.”
I blink and then Solon walks into my frame, crouching down to be at my level. I stare at his face as it comes into focus, and my god, sometimes I don’t know if he’s an angel or a devil, but right now, I’m afraid I might be in heaven. He’s so beautiful that it’s something close to dying, his black arched brows furrowed in concern, a soft smile on his lips, those glacial blue eyes flickering with affection, pupils large and dark.
“Solon,” I say softly, trying to move, but my limbs feel like they’ve been filled with lead.
“Shhh,” he says to me, placing his hand on my cheek, his large palm soothing against my skin. “Take it easy. You’re alright. You’re safe.”
I try to swallow, my throat and mouth painfully dry. “Where am I?”
I can’t move my head much, but the room is completely unfamiliar. Sunlight streams through in the background and the walls look like they’re made of shiplap.
“Shelter Cove,” he says. “Northern California.”
The name sounds familiar. “Is this…your house?”
He nods, stroking my cheek gently. “Yes. One of them.”
“And the dog?”
“That’s Odin. He’s also mine. I brought him up here a while ago, knowing you’d be with us in San Francisco. He can be territorial, but I had nothing to worry about. He likes you. Barely listens to me though.” He sighs in amusement. “So much for being the alpha.”
I frown at him, learning new things. “You had a dog all this time?”
“Most vampires do. We are predators after all. Who better to understand us?” He brushes the hair back from my face. “Don’t you witches have cats?”
I manage a smile. “I’m allergic.” I pause. “And I’m only a half-witch.”
He studies me admiringly. “Don’t sell yourself short. What you did back there…”