Page 70 of Reign

“Mother fucker!”

He grinned and turned his demonic power on me. Prime pushed through in the blink of an eye. And not only could I feel my loyal wolf there, but the Hell-beast himself, mixed with the dark fae monster that inhabited my body. My grin matched my father’s.

“Connor! Help us!” Sophie’s wings glowed, and she floated just above the ground.

A demon jumped, trying to grab her ankle. Drake roared and leaped onto its back, snapping his jaws closed on its neck and flipping it over his head. As a man, he was big; as a wolf, he was huge and powerful.

“B’nar! Keep him still!” I roared, pointing towards Rex. B’nar did, sending wave after wave of ice to hold my father, keeping the Rift from melting it away.

More of our allies had entered the fight, and there were wolves and demons locked in battle everywhere. I barrelled through the fray towards my sister and my brothers and skidded to a halt beneath Sophie. She looked down. The wound in her arm bled freely, leaving the Halo covered in it. Drake froze and looked up at Sophie as he caught the scent of her blood. He snarled but could do nothing.

“Now!” I yelled.

She threw it in the air over the Rift, holding the glowing yellow disk aloft with the force of her angel side. Chants left her lips. The runes began to glow just as a dark, ominous vibration rocked the ground. The Rift glowed brighter.

“No!” yelled Sophie.

I looked up.No. No. No.Despite her wings, Sophie was being dragged into the vortex of air above the Rift, the Halo along with her.

Drake fought the demons and the storm-force funnel of wind. He ripped and tore to get to her, but there was nothing either of us could do, not when a huge, black column of evil rose from the Rift and plucked her from the air.

“Sophie!” I yelled.

Drake howled and leaped for her at the same time I leaped for him and threw him sideways. He took out three demons as he crashed through them, skidding to a halt on his side before he shot back up. “Donotgo after her!” The wave of compulsion I sent his way knocked him down to his belly. He snarled and growled and snapped, but it made no difference. He could not defy me.

I howled. The signal to Balthazar to come running. We’d lost. Satan had the Halo, and with it, my sister. I caught Owen’s eyes. He snarled, but the wave of compulsion I’d hit Drake with extended to every shifter at the battle. None would follow me. I launched forwards, Prime lending me his speed. The King of Hell-beasts flooded me with his power, turning my blood to lava and my body indestructible to the fire that raged around us. My eyes narrowed, my vision honed in on Sophie. I would not let her fall. I charged through the heat and the raging wind as if it were nothing and plucked my sister from the vortex that dragged her down. With a roar, I threw her from the clutches of the Rift.

Her scream ricocheted off the Rift walls. I looked down. The Halo was being dragged further into the Rift by the vortex. There was no choice. With one last look at my world, I dove into the fiery pit of Hell.

Chapter 27

Ember

The battle ragedboth inside and outside the beat-up old building. I surveyed the mess below me. The stone and metal structure was big, but it was still too confined. Balthazar’s vamps couldn’t get in quickly enough to answer Connor’s call for help. My stomach twisted. I’d heard it; I’d felt his anguish. The vamps and extra shifters had been a back-up, which meant Sophie had failed.

With a gust of hot air, I cleared the roof of the vamps trying to get in through it. They landed heavily on the hard ground, but hey, they were immortal...mostly...A hard landing wouldn’t kill them.

Fire answered me. Together we heated the roof and then ripped the building open like we were opening a tin can.

As I searched the area below, Sophie came flying out of the pit of fire that was the Rift. My wings grew larger, and without hesitation, I plummeted toward her as she reached the apex of her ascent and began to fall. Drake leaped for her. Shifting into a man, he caught her, burned wings and all, but his speed wasn’t enough. It looked like they would both fall into the Rift if I didn’t help.

Spiralling, I swooped, and with my wings, knocked them sideways. Stone threw a net of magic beneath them. They landed safely, though it was amidst the fight. No matter how many demons were slain, more kept appearing.

I looked around frantically. No Connor. Ice coated my stomach.

Connor?

Nothing. No bond...just nothing.

Keeping my panic contained, I landed next to Owen, who fought side by side with Rawson. They shifted back to males, both wearing nothing but combats and boots.

“Where’s Connor?”

“He dove in there, the stupid bastard.” Owen snarled towards the Rift.

“Owen, listen to me. Walker tried to kill me. Do not trust him if he comes here. Stop him before he can stop you.”

Owen’s face blanched, and he snapped his attention towards B’nar.

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