Page 62 of Bait N' Witch

Manifesting nature was almost as exhausting as forming energy from nothing. He wasn’t going to be able to hold much longer.

But apparently Grey realized that. Because, suddenly, he stopped the twister, dirt and debris froze, and so did the wolf, about thirty feet up in the air. Then everything dropped to the ground. Only she managed to hop off one branch then another on her way down. Landing before Grey unharmed.

“Help him,” Rowan urged any animals in the area, hoping like all the hells they could hear her.

With a snarl, she hurtled through the air, deadly jaw wide open.

Grey’s hands shot up and froze her in place. Only immediately, he grimaced as though she’d struck him just the same. Holding an ancient werewolf had to be draining what little he had left inside him.

A terrifying roar erupted from the forest, and the massive grizzly bear who’d once warned Rowan of danger burst out into the clearing. He slammed into the black wolf mid-air. Coming down on top of her, he clamped his massive jaws around her head. With a twist and a sickening crunch, he snapped her neck.

Grey dropped to his knees, chest heaving from the effort.

Those wolves still alive, seeing their leader’s lifeless form and the forces gathered against them, took off through the woods, Rowan’s defenders in pursuit.

Rowan let out a whoop of relief. “Grey,” she turned toward him, then sucked in a breath.

Three streaks of red crossed the white of his shirt, growing larger with every passing moment as blood spilled out of him. Apparently, the she-wolf had struck her mark before the bear had intercepted her. With a cough that brought blood bubbling up out of his mouth, Grey dropped to his knees before falling over to lie on his back, legs jacked up awkwardly beneath him.

“No,” the word tore out of her.

In a blink Rowan was at his side. She closed her eyes, reaching for her body, willing herself back into the realm of the living, but nothing happened. She didn’t have enough energy left to get herself out of the ghostly realm.

Grey was dying before her eyes, and she could do nothing but watch as she herself let go of life. Another gurgle of blood spilled out of his mouth as he choked on the liquid filling his lungs, and a new determination surged through her. She was lost, but maybe she had enough left in her to save him. Acting on pure instinct, Rowan held her hands over his chest and pulled from the magic deep inside her the energy produced by her very soul.

A whispered word, and her hands, even in this muted realm between life and death, began to glow—softly at first, then brighter until the light was almost blinding. Then, just as slowly, the light faded away. Under her hands, Grey’s chest no longer bore the marks of death. Blood no longer pooled under his body.

“Rowan?” His deep voice brought her gaze to his face. Miraculously, he seemed to be looking directly at her. “How is this possible?” he asked. He shook his head, eyes dazed. “What are you?”

Rowan gave him a sad smile. “I’m—”

Cold in the form of biting pain slid through her bones and took over every inch of her. With a gasp, Rowan held up her hands only to find the shadowy image of her fingers disappearing. Gods, she was vanishing so fast.

“What’s going on?” Panic laced Grey’s voice.

She didn’t have time.

They didn’t have time.

“Greyson Masters…” Her voice echoed through the trees around them. She reached for him, but most of her was gone. “I love you.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

“No!” The word burst from inside him.

The woman he loved. The woman he’d claimed with his heart, his body, and his soul—had faded from all existence before his very eyes.

He’d fallen to the ground, knowing the injuries he sustained from that damn wolf were fatal. But warmth had lit inside his chest, and he’d opened his eyes to discover a bright glow hovering above him, and the breathtaking image of Rowan’s face in the darkness beyond, her hair flowing around her more black than red.

And now she was gone.

He jumped to his feet and sprinted for the house. Grey had no fucking clue what was going on, but no way in hell was he losing Rowan. Not now. Not when he’d finally found her. The burning sigil on his chest told him this story couldn’t be over yet.

Grey burst into the house intending to bring every mage, every creature with power, here to fix this. He had to save her.

He pulled up short at the sight of his daughters, standing in a circle in the middle of the family room among shards of glass from the shattered windows, and most of the furniture toppled over. Hands clasped, they swayed and glowed, like they did in the forest.

“Is Rowan still here?” Chloe asked.

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