Page 46 of A Cursed Noel

Fear, unlike anythingI’ve ever felt, rattles me down to my core. I take off down thehall, propelled by my wolf and the fear that Celia is gone.

Taran kneels on thebed, holding Ana Lisa’s slumped form. A large burn mark stains themirror and the opposite wall. Taran points to the foot of the bed,her olive skin ash. “They-they took Celia.”

I shove the bed againstthe wall, using just enough care not to topple it over. An icy chilldrags along my spine as I fix on the hell mouth before me.

A hole, as wide as thebed and as deep as a football field, sputters to life in that wickedred glow. At the base, a smaller pentagram glares obscene light,illuminating the hundreds of nullits crawling along the sides. Theysmack and scurry over each other, fighting to reach the unmoving format the bottom.

“Celia!”

The pentagram castsenough light to shine across her terrified face. Nullits pile on topof her, brutalizing each other for a chance to feed from Celia’ssoul.

A naked man and a womanwith no eyes and blood seeping from the large wounds on their chestscrawl beside her, stroking her hair and whispering words I can’thear. Celia covers her face, sobbing, every emotion she feelsengorging the nearby nullits.

There’s no plan.

No hesitation.

NofuckingwayI’ll let them take her from me.

I dive headfirst intothat hell hole. I flip to soften the impact, except the hole is toodeep and I break my leg as I land. The pain is nothing. I roll toCelia and gather her against me, kicking the nullits closest to heraway with my broken leg.

They hiss at me withtheir mouths. I growl, warning them to keep away.

Celia cries into mychest, pointing at the people missing their eyes.

“It’s an illusion,baby,” I say. “Do you hear me, sweetness? They’re not real.”

“I see them,” shestammers. “They’re dead because of me.”

“No,” I answer,trying to keep the bite from my voice. “It’s the spell. It usesyour worst memories to break you so the nullits can attack and feedfrom you.”

I glare at the versionsof her mother and father. They smile at me. They think they haveCelia where they want her.

They never counted onme.

From above me, the Wirdgirls scream.

The spell must bemagnifying the illusion. It’s the only way they can see it fromhere. “They’re not real!” I yell, my voice thunderous. “They’retrying to feed from your spirits and your magic. Don’t let them.They can’t hurt you if you don’t let them.”

My voice is softer whenI address Celia. I stroke away her tears and kiss her face. “Youhear me, sweetness? They’re not real. I am. Stay with me, and I’llget you out.”’

Celia is shaking soviolently I doubt she can hear me. Yet she nods, gripping my arm whenI offer it to her. My knee and leg aren’t finished realigning. Idon’t wait and start my ascent.

The nullits crawlingalong the walls become nothing more than rails on a ladder. I usethem to climb. They’re too stupid and so afraid of falling, theycling tight. I toss them over my shoulder when I’m done with themor kick their heads off when I push up.

These are young and tooweak to leave their womb. They need nourishment before they caninvade the home. They fed from Ana Lisa. All of them. It’s amiracle she’s still alive.

Their young ages makethem easy to kill. It doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous andgreedy. As small as they are, their combined efforts caused Celia’ssuffering and permitted them to eat.

I don’t pity theseparasites. I only want them gone.

“Push them away withyour mind like I taught you,” I say.

She clutches my armtighter, saying nothing. I glance down to make sure she’s allright. Her tigress eyes blink back at me. She’s fighting. That’smy girl. Except as long as she’s here she’s susceptible. I startto return my gaze upward when my wolf growls inside me.

Shayna and Emme waitonly a few feet above me, their faces shiny with tears. They’respeaking to us. Despite my keen senses, I can’t hear over thebleating nullits.

Shayna extends herhand. My wolf growls again, but it’s not directed at her.

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