Page 72 of Sticks and Stones and Broken Bones

I turned to the body on the ground. “Still might need it for this one.”

“Nah,” Nox said despondently. “He will just be an angry soul.”

I placed my hand on his shoulder. “Might put up a fight though?”

“We can only hope,” Nox said with a sigh.

I chuckled and left him to capture the soul of the drunk driver with the others. I strolled to the end of the alley and looked up into the sky, trying to fathom the numbers of shimmering stars. I could hear the guys behind me dealing with the drunk driver, there were shouts and grunts as they tried to capture him, and it sounded like Nox got his wish for violence.

Something drew me out here, but I didn’t know what. Almost like there as a piece of string tugging me in this direction.

“Careful, Raevyn,” the voice from my dreams whispered. “I don’t like this.”

“I’m sorry I don’t remember your name.”

“Don’t worry. It will come back to you when we meet again.”

“Good. Is it me, or is it really quiet out here?” We were back in Midnight and this area should be teaming with activity. Vampires were nocturnal creatures, and I got that it was nearly sunrise, but the older vamps could still walk in the daylight and there were other inhabitants in the area. There should be someone around at least.

“It’s too quiet. Something isn’t right, Raevyn.” He sounded panicked. “Get back to the others. Now!”

But it was too late. A circle of runes appeared beneath my feet, glowing brightly in the moonlight.

Pain ripped through me, like fire searing my skin.

“Raevyn!” the guys shouted. I saw them running towards me, but I knew I was standing on a transport circle, and they weren’t going to reach me in time. My coven’s sigil was woven into the markings on the ground and, as the pain intensified, I swore I wasn’t going to let my grandmother win.

She was going down, and I was going to take the whole coven down with me.

Chapter Thirty-One

Nox

She’d vanished. Right in front of us and we’d done nothing to stop it.

I kicked the dumpster and yelled at the sky, cursing the Gods.

I felt sick to my stomach. I hadn’t realised how much I needed her just in the same space as me and now that she was gone… There wasn’t a future for me without her in it.

“Where is she?” I growled. “Where’s she gone?!”

“We’re trying to figure it out,” Rook snapped. Korbin was hovering his hands over the circle left behind after Raevyn disappeared. “Calm down. You’re not helping anyone.”

“I’ll calm down when I’ve found her.” I wouldn’t, I’d probably be in a rage so fucking strong I was going to hold her tight to me and never let go.

Hawk was swinging his axe idly between his hands, but I felt the same violence bubbling under his skin. Shadows seeped from his torso, the only sign that he wasn’t quite holding it together as well as he wanted us to think he was.

“The coven has her in the old abbey near her mother’s house,” Korbin said as he stood. “But I can sense an undercurrent to the magic. There is more at stake than just Raevyn being taken.”

“I trust your magic, love, but even I know that location was way too easy for you to find.” Rook interlinked his fingers through Korbin’s. “We need to be careful.”

“Is this because I withdrew favour?” I asked, fear suddenly pooling in my gut at the thought that Raevyn was in danger because of me.

“It might be, but I don’t think that’s all of it. I think her grandmother has figured out what she is.” Korbin’s expression was grim as he spoke and I had to step away from him, not sure I could trust myself or my actions. I was just so angry at the coven, at myself. I’d done this. This was my fault.

I twirled my blade between my fingers and paced around the edge of the coven’s circle. They were going to rue the fucking day they dared to mess with what was mine. And Raevyn was mine, as much as I was hers. Completely and irrevocably. I didn’t know what the Raathmores had done when they sent her to us, but I sure as shit wasn’t going to let them take her back.

“We need a plan,” Korbin said.

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