Page 37 of Dane's War

The witch watches me closely before turning to look around the area. “I know that Death chased them all away. They all but disappeared. He did not appreciate losing them. He had plans to use them. The ones he was able to catch escaped. But we know they left behind one. An infant. The rumors that were from then, she was to be the sacrifice for she’s dream walker and human alike. She wasn’t going to be able to live among dream walkers and survive.”

I tense further, knowing this woman is talking about my mate.“She wasn’t going to survive among the dream walkers?”

“I’ve said enough, anchor. You now know this place is sacred, and without her, it should never be touched. Without the dream walkers to watch over thedead, evil can easily come in and bring back to life what should never be brought back.”

Tucker snarls next to me, and I can hear Abel and Jackson both doing the same. They’re protecting their brother by warning the witch they don’t take kindly to what they’re hearing. I don’t blame them. My wolf is more than ready to come back out and kill something.

I watch the blood witches slowly walk back the way they came. The witch who spoke stops, eyes coming to me. “You’ll be warned that Death cannot be killed without living again. He’ll be back again. You will not know when it happens when he comes, but he’ll come for you all. Not just your club, but the other one as well. The prophecies are coming to light one by one. You are the anchor that bonds your dream walker halfling. The blood of those to come into themselves will ripen, and soon, he’ll want them all over again. Their blood is what will make him powerful all over again.”

Struck stunned by the words the witch gave us, I watch her disappear into thin air, becoming vapor.

“What the fuck just happened?” Tucker snarls, having shifted back after the witches were gone.

“That’s a damn good question.”I don’t know what just happened other than finding out this land issomewhere I don’t want to come back to. Hell, they can have this sacred place all they want.

They can’t have it. It needs to be protected.My wolf snarls in my head.The dead come alive again, and everything will change. It’s what makes Raine so special. When the time comes, it’s us to keep her here instead of letting the dead take her as they will. She’s human and a dream walker. Don’t you see?

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

If Death does indeed come back, he’ll want her. Want to be able to control her, but being able to hold her to me, keep her grounded, he won’t be able to touch her. I won’t let that happen. They’d have to kill me first, and that’s something my brothers won’t let happen without a war to end all wars. We’ve all got each other’s backs.

“We should get back to the clubhouse, fill Corbin and the others in on what we’ve learned,” Abel remarks having also shifted.

“Yeah, he’s not gonna like this.” I grunt.

“What did that witch mean this place was sacred ground and dead bodies? What bodies? I don’t see any markers for marking any graves,” Jackson states.

I hadn’t seen any either when Tucker and I first started looking around, making our way down this path. I’d only felt uneasy the farther we went.

“I don’t know, but I think we’re gonna have to find out more about this place,” I state and look between my brothers. “What we do need to do, though, is make sure this land stays protected.”

“Agreed,” Tucker remarks. “Maybe we could have the dragons?—”

“No,” I interrupt him. “If what that witch said is true, a dream walker has to protect it. How, I don’t know, but for now, we keep an eye on this place and don’t let anyone step on it without me present.”

“Thought she said your mate had to be present,” Abel reminds me.

“Yeah, but until I know exactly what’s buried in the ground here, I’m not letting her anywhere near this place.”

“What if it’s more dream walkers?” Jackson questions. “Like this is a burial ground for dream walkers.”

“That would make sense,” I mutter to myself more than I do anyone else. “Dream walkers would want to protect those who are of their own linage. If Death brings them back to life, they won’t be just dream walkers. They’ll be walking nightmares.”

“Fuckin’ hell.”

“Fuck.”

“When does it fuckin’ end.”

Each of my brothers say at the same time.

“Come on, let’s get the fuck out of here. Get to the clubhouse.” I want to not only see my mate, feel her close, and know she’s with me still, but I also want to know what the fuck is up with Coby and why he backed the fuck out of coming with us. It can’t be a coincidence that he backed out at the last minute, he knows something, and I want to know what the fuck it is.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Raine

My cell rings for the first time since I turned it on and looked at it. Upon turning it back on, I found dozens of text messages from friends—several from Brady, all of them demanding my presence. The last one even said that I should have learned my lesson with the beating his friends gave me.

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