Page 49 of Frosted Torment

I placed my hands on Baz’s side, unable to contain the frustration of my inability to see.

“Move!” I demanded, and a flash of static electricity shot through my fingers.

Baz jumped and shook his head as the other wolves glanced at me with a look of annoyance in their eyes.

“What was that, Noa?”Baz’s confusion was clear in his question.

I stared down at my hands for an answer. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I only wanted to see what was happening for myself.”

Baz chuffed in amusement and stood beside me as he focused back on Jax walking across the field. My eyes darted back and forth between Vincent and Jax.

As Jax approached the center of the field with a woman whose life now dangled by a fragile thread, Vincent’s wings gathered strength behind him like a storm. Jax dropped the body to the ground with the casual disdain of flicking away an insect. The soft thud of her form hitting the earth echoed in the stillness, and I swear Vincent stopped breathing.

The entirety of his skin drained of all color as he retreated backward from Maros. Vincent turned and dove toward the woman’s body, hitting his knees, and agony took over. Jax stepped back and held out his arms with a smug smile across his face, proud of having helped to end the woman’s life.

Out of the corner of my eye, Nakoma released an arrow at Jax. It sliced through the icy air with a piercing whistle before embedding itself deep within him. Brilliant flames now engulfed Jax. They licked at his flesh, seeking to consume him. Then, he turned to ash before us. His bones and wings remained, like a forgotten myth.

“No worries, pretty boy,” Maros taunted. “I have more where he came from. But for now,” he hummed and gestured a kiss to Nakoma. “I’ll let you have that one.”

Vincent’s wings collapsed like wilted petals. He lifted the woman’s head, wiping away the blood from her mouth with jittery fingers. Nevaeh ran to him, and her hands flew to her mouth with a gasp.

Maros laughed at Vincent as he spiraled in the air. “Did you honestly think I’d hand over half of everything to you?” He rose higher toward the top of the trees, clapping erratically. “Not to mention that I believed you wanted to share it all with me. What a naive fool you are!”

“Is Vincent in on this, Baz?” I asked him, terrified of the answer.

His tone was serious as he replied,“It could be a ploy. Remember that.”

Maros reached his hand out and pulled at the air as if it bore an invisible enemy. Whatever it was, he grasped it by the throat with his talons. Then, a thunderous crash shook the earth as dark tendrils of smoke erupted around him, curling back toward us like living shadows. Baz and the other wolves stood tall, barking into the air and ready to attack.

“Stand your ground, Lex!” Jossy’s voice cut through the chaos across the field.

Dawson stepped onto the porch with an assault rifle slung over his body and aimed at Maros. Ena remained ready if needed. When I looked back at Maros, he raised his arm high and, with a snap of his free hand, Ivy appeared ensnared in his grip.

“I’m keeping this one for good measure,” he purred, clutching her tighter.

“Ivy!” I shrieked. Without thinking, I ran for her, Baz on my heels.

Before Baz could reach me, Lex materialized next to me and then enfolded me in his wings.

“Stop, Noa!” Lex pleaded in my ear. “You can’t help her now, and this is what Maros wants.”

“Then let him take me,” I said, sobbing against his chest.

Ivy thrashed erratically, her wings flapping uselessly against Maros’s unshakeable arm. I balled Lex’s shirt in my hands as I struggled against the urge not to run to her again. Though Ivy’s wings were on display, they remained motionless, pinned to her sides.

Ivy released a guttural scream as she slashed at Maros’s face, her sharp nails glancing off his skin, leaving him untouched. Jossy and Lex exchanged a glance. Then, Lex released me. He and Jossy flew up, circling Maros like vultures ready to descend.

“Notice anything, boys?” Maros grinned while stroking Ivy’s midnight wings. She’d turned entirely dark. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her for you,” he snarled.

“You’re going to die!” Jossy bellowed, then twirled in the air like an acrobat. He dove, slicing at Maros with the razor-sharp edge of his wing.

Maros dodged him, using Ivy as a shield, and a gash openedacross her stomach. Scarlet droplets began to fall like rain from the sky as Jossy landed in a puddle of her blood. Lex reached for his neck, but sensing him, Maros used his free hand to strike him, sending Lex tumbling to the ground.

“And when I’m done with you, brother,” Maros cackled down at Vincent, “I’ll pick off your toy soldiers here, one by one.”

“But I’ll save my favorite morsel for last. She’ll bleed for me, and I’ll relish every secret I wring from her frail human mind.”

Maros blew me a sardonic kiss. I shuddered with revulsion as his malevolent laughter rang across the ranch. He snapped his fingers, and they vanished without a trace.

---