“Forgive us.” Lunging forward, I sink my teeth into her neck, and O does the same on her left. Hissing, she comes off the floor as her blood flows into my mouth. I swallow the honeyed, metallic nectar down.
I pull back, meet her amber gaze, and freeze.
“There you are, Cub.”
“Alpha protects?”
“Yes, Omega. They’re not getting their hands on you again.”
She flinches, and I growl. Orion’s low rumble accompanies my own at her distress.
“They’re strong. Wrong. They pervert our magic and our ways.” She yelps. “You must stop them.”
“How?”
“Cut off their source.” Her voice is strangled as she struggles to remain in control.
“Where do they draw their power?” O whispers.
“Darkside of the moon.” Her eyes bleed to black once more.
“She’ll be the one to suffer for this.” The masculine voice whispers. The room is plunged into darkness, and the smell of burnt fur and rotten eggs gags me. Her scream turns into a yelp.A yelp?Coughing, I move toward her as the light returns. Crouched on her haunches, a beautiful golden-brown wolf with amber eyes peers at me quizzically.
“You’re beautiful, Omega,” I whisper.
“Look at our mate,” O says huskily.
Approaching her slowly, I sit in front of her.
“Is she okay?”
“I’m not sure. Changing so abruptly could’ve damaged Brook’s mind.”
She bares her teeth, and I freeze. Did we find her, only to lose her to insanity?
Dancing back on her hind legs, she backs into a corner.
“It’s us, Pretty-eyes. You know we’d never hurt you.”
Rearing up on her hind legs, she growls. The rejection stings. Her eyes flash black, and I know the Fellowship hasn’t released its hold.
“Omega, be still,” I command.
Whining, she lowers her snout, pawing at her nose. Blood wells up in the gashes.
“No. Don’t hurt yourself.”
A nasty wet cough curls her body inward. I step forward only to dance back. Hacking, she spits out a black tar-like substance. The splatters gather together, forming a black pool that bubbles up. Raising it becomes a tiny person. It takes off, and I jump out of the way, afraid of what will happen if it touches me.
The imp circles around and races toward Brook. O swings the wooden table like a bat and sends the creature flying across the room.Thwack.It slams into the wall and slides down like a stain. On the floor, the ooze streaks forward like black snakes. Splitting into two, it heads for my brother and me.
“Catch.” O tosses me one of the glass containers filled with candy. Sending the cinnamon candy flying, I stand, letting the streak come toward me. I hit a knee and slam the glass down at the last minute.
It slams into the glass, moving back to the other side, frantic as it tries to escape.
“O?”
“I got it on my end.”