Page 103 of Wicked Fate

Like hell.Ryker struggled to his feet, his eyes wide with horror. Blood streamed from a gash on his forehead as he lunged forward, but his legs buckled. He crashed to his knees, still too far away.

"Any last words?” Ambrosia threw her head back and laughed like she’d just told the funniest joke in the world. “No? Okay." She raised her free hand, allowing her nails to lengthen into razor-sharp points. Then she slashed at my exposed throat.

A deafening crack split the air, and a millisecond before her claws could connect with skin, her body jerked violently. She dropped me.

My knees hit the concrete, and pain erupted on impact, but I looked toward the staircase.

I inhaled sharply, my lungs filling once more as I took in Raven, lying belly-down on the concrete stairs. One of her arms was crooked beneath her while the other stretched out, holding a gun.

A slick ribbon of blood marked her crawl from the upper landing to here. She whispered, “I’m so sorry. I should’ve done that a long time ago.” Then the gun slipped from her fingers and clattered down the steps. Her eyes rolled back, and she went still.

“Raven?” The name rasped from my shredded throat.

No answer—only the slow spreading pool beneath her.

Behind me, Ryker pushed himself upright, disbelief pouring through our bond.

The moment Ambrosia’s body hit the floor, a strange hush rippled through the basement, followed by a series of dull thuds.

A few gasps came from the open area where the royal wolves lay, and the battle continued.

Five of the ten remaining guards crumpled where they stood, their guns clattering to the floor.

My stomach flipped. They must have been sired by Ambrosia. And she’d pretended it was illegal to do that. I couldn’t help but wonder if anything she’d ever said was true.

Raven just killed the vampire queen,I linked.

There was a pause before Kendric replied,Raven?

The surviving vamps broke ranks, some snarling, some bolting for exits. The wolf shifters who were in animal form tore into the panicked stragglers.

The witch conducting the spell over our royals still chanted.

Adara’s mother stepped to the witch’s flank. “I will protect you,” she vowed, looking at me but lifting trembling palms as though to shield the ritual.

The witches moved in synch, preparing to attack, but Ashlyn stepped between them and Adara’s mother. The little girl said, “I will not allow you to harm her.”

My heart shattered. Out of everyone, I’d truly believed Ashlyn was on our side.

Adara’s mother dipped to one knee and snatched a dagger from a dead coven-sister at her feet.

Time hinged on a breath.

A wolf shifter lunged, but Ashlyn batted him down.

Adara’s mom whipped around and drove her blade into the dangerous witch’s back.

The witch gasped and spun around as the magic that seemed to explode from her began to lessen. She swayed on her feet, blood already trickling from her lips. “You betrayed me.”

“No, you betrayed us. I only did what I had to do to protect my daughter.” Adara’s mom grasped the front of her black dress right where her heart was. “I will never forgive myself for what I’ve done, but I can stop it from happening in the future.” She then yanked out the dagger, and the other witch crumpled.

Ashlyn had read her intentions and hadn’t betrayed us.

The crushing magical weight evaporated, and air rushed into my lungs. My head spun, and suddenly Ryker was there beside me. He pulled me into his arms, and the buzz of our connection sizzled between us.

Wolves finished off the remaining monsters in seconds. Then—silence.

Uh…Gage connected.About a quarter of the vampires dropped dead for no reason, and half the others just ran away.

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