Page 31 of A Second Roar for Love

The beast threw down the husk shell of the human. “Disgusting,” it hollered. “A waste of my time.”

The demon pointed a clawed finger at the rest of the group. “Why would I join with animals no stronger than an ant? But she,” he turned to face Ellie, “is quite yummy.”

Reed’s protective instincts kicked in hard. “The hell she is,” he said, trying to get in front of her. With a wave of the demon’s hand, Reed flew through the air, landing somewhere in the woods.

TWENTY-ONE

This was it. This was what she’d been preparing for since she arrived here.

Ellie glared at the dark magic demon that had escaped from the cellar of her grandmother’s home. All the work and sacrifice of her ancestors was for nothing. But her grandmother had worried the imprisonment was temporary. She was right.

“Who are you and what do you want?” she asked.

The demon’s face sneered. Ellie assumed it was his version of a smile. “You don’t think I’m ignorant enough to give you my name, do you, witch?”

Ellie shrugged. Knowing a demon’s name gave a witch power over it. “Well, you did get yourself locked in a basement for a few decades. Doesn’t take much smarts for that.”

Snake eyes narrowed on her. “You are powerful, little one. I will enjoy taking your power then your fellow witches’ magic as well.”

She remembered how her power reacted the first time she and Reed fought the cult. How seductive and intoxicating the dark pull had been on her. This time, she would be ready.

Quickly, she cast a barrier spell around the others still gathered from the battle to keep them safe. That was what she was meant to do. Protect. Then she turned her attention back to Hairy Feet. But she wasn’t fast enough to save herself.

The demon snapped his arm out to grab her around the neck to pull her close. But just as he reached her, a jolt of electricity zapped through her and into the beast. They were both launched backward, crashing to the ground.

Hairy Feet cradled his hand as if he’d been burned, then pointed a claw at her. “Remove that talisman,” it demanded.

Ellie looked down to see the locket she found in the crypt. When she had touched it the first time, she had a vision of others battling darkness and her grandmother’s warning: Ellie, you must be ready. The darkness rises once more. Trust your power, trust your heart. Maybe her grandmother did know what she was doing by leading Ellie to the enchanted necklace.

She placed her hand over the charm, pressing it to her skin. “Not on your life, demon. You don’t think I’m that ignorant, do you?” She snarked at him, throwing his words back at him.

Movement off to the side caught her attention. Reed had picked himself up from where the demon had thrown him and was coming toward her.

The demon raised a brow. “If I can’t have you, I’m sure you won’t mind if I choose someone else.”

Before Ellie could put a barrier around Reed, the demon evaporated into a cloud and shot toward Reed’s body. The townsfolk scattered as her mate stood helplessly alone.

“Stop,” Ellie yelled. Neither Reed nor his animal could overpower the demon’s magic.

There was only one thing Ellie could do and she’d gladly do it because she loved Reed more than herself.

She yanked the locket from around her neck and dropped it to the ground.

TWENTY-TWO

Reed didn’t know what hit him. But, damn, it was vicious. He had flown through the air with no control over his physical self. Just like a rag doll. Then he hit a tree and rolled down, hitting every branch along the way. It didn’t take long for him to figure out that the evil-cloud-thing had tossed him away like trash. That, he hadn’t seen coming.

He had to get back to Ellie. Had to find her and stop that thing from sucking her dry. He shifted and raced through the woods toward her home. Within seconds, he erupted from the tree line and saw both Ellie and the demon on the ground, looking at each other.

Reed transformed back into his human form and hurried toward them. He knew his mate could take down a demon on her own. Even with only defensive guardian magic, she was powerful.

Then suddenly everyone in front of him parted like the Red Sea for Moses. But a holy old guy was not what greeted him.

Reed dodged the hand reaching for his throat, barely scraping by. He heard Ellie screaming, but didn’t make out what she said. But it must’ve been good since the demon stopped chasing him and turned back to her. Wait. That wasn’t what he wanted.

He looked up to see Ellie gazing at him, tears flowing down her cheeks.

She mouthed I love you. I’m sorry.

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