Page 58 of The Witch Queen of Halloween (Immortals After Dark 20)

Iwould sacrificeanythingforPoppy.Hislife?Ofcourse.

“Butyou’ll leave me to watch you turn?”

“There’sno other way.Thiscastle isn’t safe.Oncethe lack of food hit, we’d be defenseless.Whatif that creature gets the door combination right?Andif you aren’t conscious to mute your curse, the visitors will descend upon us again.”

Shestarted to argue more, but he said, “Poppy, there’s no special tea here.IfIgot you pregnant, how would we keep our babe alive?Evenif we could feed a child, would you like to raise it here past its teens?”

Herhand dipped to her belly.Oh, the thoughts swirling behind her eyes . . .Therewas no argument, and she knew it.

“I’lltake the hits, love.That’swhat mates do.”

Hergaze glinted. “Rememberhow we shuddered at the fate of the wizard’s family?You’lljoin them?”

“Useyour witchly skills to discover a cure.Concoctsomething for me to take.”

“Nowitch has ever formulated a ghoul countermeasure, and many have tried!”

“Yeah, but you’rePoppy.Findsome cool plant, and make it work for us.”

Shegrabbed his arms. “Leaveme here.Ifyou got a running start and half-traced, they might not land a strike.Workwith my sisters to open the castle.”

“Wedon’t have time to argue, soI’llmake this simple:Ivow to theLorethat you andIare both getting out of here, one way or another, once that door opens.”

Anunbreakable vow. “Youdidn’t.”

“Did.Willdo it forever, witch.”

Herbottom lip quivered.Hereyes welled with tears, alight with feeling, and it was gutting him.Ina thick voice, she said, “Ican’t lose you,Rök.Wejust found each other.”

Heswallowed, swamped with emotion.Buthe needed to stay frosty to get her free?—

Loudfootsteps pounded outside.Whatnow?Throughthe window he spied yet another green creature advancing on the castle, but this one was gargantuan.Mustbe ten feet tall.

Poppywiped her eyes and followed his focus. “GreatHecate.I’venever seen one that big.”

“NeitherhaveI.Notin all my years.ThinkIknow why.”

Shegasped. “Thewordmordwas in the wizard’s journal, smudged on each side.He’dseen the primordial.”Theoldest and strongest of its kind. “Thatghoul outside is the seed of them all.”

Rökwhistled low. “TheO.G.”

Shemuttered, “Theoriginal ghoul?Oh,Rök, don’t ever change.”

Hestifled a wince.Hewas about to change more than he’d ever imagined. “Ibet it turned the previous explorers when they strolled out the door twenty years ago.Talkabout a mission hiccup.”

“Thewizard wrote that the gateway to an undead realm might be in the vicinity.Ithink he was right.Afterall, this primordial came from somewhere.”True.Mostimmortal species hailed from distant planes.

Asthe behemoth stalked closer, those super ghouls darted out of its way, regrouping behind it.Yetthen it paused in front of the window.ItmetRök’sgaze, and he detected . . . a type ofsentiencein its yellow eyes.Extendingan arm, it grasped for something with those lethal claws.

Newblood, no doubt.AndRökknew it was about to get its wish.

Wouldturning hurt?Turning.Suchan innocuous word fordying.Yeteven as these morbid thoughts raced, he only felt fear forPoppy.

Theprimordial stomped toward the stairs.Outsidethe door, it roared with anticipation, yet it didn’t try to force its way in.

Didit sense the boundary, or did it somehow . . .knowabout it?

WouldRökknow his fate?WillIknowIlovePoppybut still be compelled to hurt her?

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