Page 137 of The Demon Tide

I turn to Diana, who is flashing me that dazzling Lupine smile of hers.

“Oh, Diana...” I manage, her form wavy through my tears. We pull each other into an embrace as Rafe, then Jarod and the others, embrace Yvan in turn, exclaiming their relief over finding him alive.

“My sister,” Diana says as we draw back from each other and I take in her exultant grin.

I glance toward Rafe. “So, you’re Lupine mates now?”

Rafe shoots Diana a rakish look. “One could say that.”

“Well mated,” Diana agrees, growing serious as she raises her chin, her wild eyes filling with formal import. “He is a strong and virile man. My family would have been proud of our union.”

As culturally odd as it is for me to hear her speak of my brother in this way, I nod, fresh tears pooling in my eyes, my smile fading under the weight of horrific tragedy—the last time Diana and I saw each other just a day after the vicious slaughter of her entire family, her Lupine friends...almost everyone she loved. “I’m sorry,” I tell her, choking up. “Your family, Diana... I’m so sorry.”

She nods tightly as Rafe’s arm encircles her. She leans toward him, her gaze taking on a hard, predatory glint. “We have established a pack in the Eastern Realm. A new Gerwulf pack. Over a hundred of us and growing.”

I stare at them both in wonder. “So many?”

“A new branch of the Vu Trin forces,” Rafe says, serious, as well. “We’re building an army, Ren.”

Diana’s expression turns vicious. “The army Vogel feared we would build.”

“Good,” I say. “Because he’s coming.”

Diana’s lip twitches. “Let him come.” She flashes her teeth, and the hairs on the back of my neck prickle with an involuntary rush of intimidation. “I need to have a talk with him,” she growls.“With my teeth.”

A shiver ripples down my spine and I can sense, in the ferocity of her expression, how altered she’s been by the unspeakable tragedy. There’s new gravity to her, but I can also tell that she’s grown fiercer for it, and I’m glad of it.

Aislinn, Andras, and Jarod step nearer, tears misting Aislinn’s newly amber eyes. Aislinn and I pull each other into a close embrace and I’m overjoyed to find her slight, frail appearance so altered, her skin enhanced by a healthy glow, her form infused with a wiry muscularity.

“Your fastlines,” I breathe, my eyes catching on her blank hands as Yvan embraces Diana, Rafe, and the others in turn, falling into earnest conversation with them. “They’re gone.”

She nods, her tear-slicked gaze hardening. “The Lupine Change took them away, along with my affinity lines.” She eyes me significantly. “That’s part of why we’re here, Ren. Not just for your protection. If something goes awry when your magic is unbound...we can turn you.”

I stop breathing, my power shivering. Yvan’s fiery attention snaps to me and I meet his eyes, fire leaping between us. I’m surprised by the strength of my recoil from the idea of losing my lines. Of losing my connection to wood and earth. As well as my magical connection to both Lukas and Yvan—fire to fire.

A conflicted understanding seems to ignite in Yvan’s gaze and I know he grasps my sudden turmoil on an intimate level—what would it feel like to be stripped of fire? To be stripped of my very magical core? I turn to Rafe, conflict storming.

“If it comes down to it, Ren,” my brother says, rock-solid support in his gaze, “let us Change you.”

My head spins with revolt. Especially because my fastlines would be stripped away along with my power—which are my clearest path to finding Lukas. But I also know I’ll do this if I have to. If it’s the only way to survive, or to keep my magic from falling into Vogel’s hands.

I give a quick, tight nod to my brother, unable to meet Yvan’s gaze as his fire flickers through mine.

“What was it like...to Change?” I ask Aislinn, my throat tight with tension.

“There’s some pain,” she admits. “But...then...” An emotional gleam overtakes her gaze. “Elloren...it’s glorious.” Her expression dampens, her voice coarsening. “I shouldn’t have waited to join them. It was a mistake to wait.” She glances shyly at Jarod, and I reach out to touch his arm, overcome to be back together with all of them and looking into his kind, beloved face.

“Brother,” I say, more tears pooling in my eyes, the two of us true family now.

“My sister,” Jarod returns with warm emphasis.

I hug him tightly, choking up at the remembrance of my last glimpse of him, hunched over and in shock over the horrific loss of his family. When he pulls away his eyes are sheened with emotion.

“Are you two...togethernow?” I ask, looking hopefully to both him and Aislinn.

Aislinn gives a small wince and Jarod takes hold of her hand. They exchange a quick, affectionate glance.

“Not as of yet,” he says, more to her than me. “In time.”

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