Bronywyn
“What the hell did you do?” Bella all but screams it as the world fades back into view. Rainey, Delaney, Cole, Elijah, and Fearghas all look incredibly guilty as they stand on the street just outside a massive mansion.
“Where are we?”
It’s my mother who answers. “Bellamy’s hive,” she replies.
“Who the fuck are you?” Rainey demands.
While fear is a heavy weight on my heart, I shake my head at her. “You don’t get to ask questions. What in the actual hell are you doing here?”
“We came to read Bella’s mother her last rights.”
“You attacked a succubus queen in her den. Are you morons?” Bella demands.
“See, we didn’t know she had any special superpowers on home base,” Cole deadpans. “Had we known that, we obviously would have considered a different option.”
“She’s a succubushive queen,” Bella replies. “They are beyond powerful unless you remove them from their hive.”
“Obviously, it was a miscalculation.”
“And what is it she wants from you, I wonder?”
At my mother’s question, Fearghas steps forward. “Who exactly are you?” His tone is sharper than I’ve ever heard it, his eyes narrowed on her as though she is the enemy. Who knows; maybe she is. It’s not like I’d be surprised at this point.
“I am Bronywyn’s mother,” she replies, coolly.
All heads whip toward me. “I thought your mother was dead?” Rainey questions.
“Join the club. Where is Tarnley?”
“Inside.”
I turn to Delaney. “Excuseme?”
“It’s why we called. She wants Bella in exchange for Tarnley.”
The pit in my stomach grows larger as I consider her words. Over and over again, I repeat them. “You’re telling me that Tarnley is trapped inside a succubus hive with a succubus queen?”
“Yes.”
Rainey’s curt tone pisses me the fuck off. I snap.
Lunging forward, my hand closes around her throat as violet magic swirls up both forearms. Power pulsates around me, and I can’t be bothered to care who—or what—is watching.
“Easy, Bronywyn, can’t have you getting your pretty pink fingernails chipped, can we?”
Rainey’s insult falls on deaf ears as I grip her tighter, letting my magic burn her skin.
“Bronywyn! Let her go!” Somewhere, someone calls for me, but I don’t hear them. “You arrogant bitch,” I snap. “You have no power over me—” The anger vanishes, and I release Rainey. She falls to the ground, gasping for air, and I stare down at my hands.
“Good girl,” I hear Fearghas snarl.
I spin, expecting to see the succubus we’re here to see, and instead, my panic for Tarnley is momentarily misplaced as new fear for my mother emerges. Fearghas has her much like I was holding Rainey, hand around her throat, suspended in the air. I lunge forward. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Easy.” Delaney places a hand on my arm, and I stop in place.
“You’ve been conned.” He doesn’t look at me, his gaze trained firmly on the blonde woman he’s holding. Her green gaze shifts from him to me.