Lev growled and leapt toward her, but as he reached the stage, Lunara collapsed into the arms of Chandra who had raced to her aid. The alpha female took her pulse and then gently patted her face. “Lunara, wake up.”
The shaman’s eyes opened. She growled and snapped at Chandra, who leapt away. Lunara glanced around as if waking from a nightmare and shook her head. “I’m so sorry. I was possessed.”
“By Svetlana’s dark soul,” said Lev.
The king approached. “Yes, the creature spoke in Russian, what did she say?”
Lunara turned to Lev “Please, translate.”
He spoke, his fangs still extended. “She said my mate would meet the same manner of death.”
King Conan shook his head. “That’s just like the bitch to return from the beyond and spew her hatred toward you for killing her mate and son.” He sighed. “The pack only wants her for breeding.”
Lunara allowed Chandra to lift her. Still weak, she sat on a chair “No, my liege. I’m afraid not.” She turned to the human. “Will you grant permission for Professor James Clayworth to explain, sir?”
The king nodded to t
he human. “Granted.”
James stood, bowed to the king and cleared his throat. “Since I joined Chandra’s pack, I left my university post to study your history and especially Stallo’s ancient manuscripts and grimoire, including Stallo’s book of necromancy.”
“You what?” said the king, his tone fierce.
Lev knew little of the lycan’s history of magic, except Stallo’s book on necromancy had been forbidden and sealed away, if it still existed.
Lunara turned to the king. “My lord, I gave him permission for research purposes, but then realized it was related to the case of the rogue werewolf and to Andrew Joki, the human who works for them as a warlock.”
Everyone talked at once. A few growled, demanding death to Andrew Joki.
The king glared. “Silence. Let us listen to what James has to say.”
James bowed. “Thank you, my lord. We received word from Rylee’s archivist about the unsolved disappearances of human women with the Stallo blood type over the years. He mentioned some of these women vanished during the time of a lunar eclipse. Lunara said moon eclipses were once of importance for fertility and rituals involving necromancy, the raising of the dead. Because of the kidnapping attempt on Rachel and Svetlana’s disappearance, Lunara gave me permission to study the ancient manuscript. The one in our keep is a replica of the original, which we believe is in the hands of the rogue pack and their human warlock.”
Lev’s tone simmered with anger. “What does the book have to do with Rachel?”
James blanched, but continued. “Stallo wrote the blood of his offspring could be poured over the bones of lycan dead on the lunar eclipse, raising them back to life.”
Lev stiffened. “They want Stallo women for sacrifice and not breeding?”
“I’m afraid so. Of all the innocent women they sacrificed, only one turned out to be a Stallo woman, an alpha’s human mate who disappeared in the 70s. If the magic is true, only her blood worked to raise the dead. Svetlana was sacrificed a month ago, but we don’t know how many her blood raised. A dozen or perhaps thousands. All we know is in a few days we have yet another lunar eclipse. A rare total lunar eclipse.”
Rylee asked Lunara, “Did Svetlana offer a clue where?”
“I’m sorry. She blocked me. Her dark spirit wanted vengeance against Lev, by allowing the sacrifice of his beloved mate.”
Even in death the bitch sought to destroy him. Lev needed to get back to Rachel. The LIA headquarters was the safest place on earth, but a mole had already penetrated their defenses. If the enemy had enough lycans and anti-werewolf weapons and devices to render their kind helpless, security could be breached.
Rylee must have picked up on his thoughts. “I’ll contact Slade and Dominic to make sure Rachel and Mia are under guard 24/7.”
The king raised a brow. “Yes, once the lunar eclipse is over, send Team Greywolf to find them and kill them all.”
Rylee sighed. “Unfortunately, they could be anywhere around the globe. The only way—never mind, that’s too risky.”
“What, ma’am?” asked Lev.
“If we could ask Rachel to lure them in, but no. Too dangerous.”
Heat flushed through his body, but he remained in control. “Agreed.” She is mine and I will not permit Rylee or my king to place her in danger.