Page 297 of Sigils & Spells

“No.” Roark knelt down on one knee in front of Mari, her breath coming in shallow gasps. “They’ve crossed the line again, Fen. I can’t let them claim another one.”

Fenris stepped over the wolf and approached Mari, kneeling at her side. “What are you going to do? Leave her to shift? Kill her?”

“You could take her across to Faery.”

Fenris shook his head. “And upset the balance? No. The veil between Faery and the mortal world is closed for a reason. I’ll not have something else come through if I open it.”

Roark sighed. “Then you leave me no choice.” He stood and twisted his cane, a long sword emerging from the walking stick.

Terror gripped Mari.

He meant to kill her. She’d been so ready for death a moment ago, but now that it was staring her in the face, she grew afraid once more.

A tear slid from her eye, dampening her hair.

Fenris gazed down into her eyes and reached for her blood stained hand, gathering it into his own. Her breath hitched at the colors she found there. And peace.

“Hello, witchling.” His voice was soft, eyes ever assessing.

The witch in her recognized him. He was a prince of the Wild Hunt. Wild magic swirled around him and healed part of her tattered soul.

“You…” It hurt to speak. Or to move…breathe. Anything. It would be easier to die. Part of her wanted to.

“Do you want this? Do you choose death?” He brought his lips to hers and pressed them against her gently. “Or do you choose life?”

Something inside of her leapt at his kiss even as her ravaged body lay dying.

“Fenris…” Roark hissed, his eyes burning red. “I have never brought over another to this life.”

The Fae lifted his head from Mari and considered him then turned his eyes back to Mari. “Don’t you think it’s time you did?”

“It will go against everything. All the rules we’ve set in place.”

Fenris stared at him with quiet intensity. “And this hasn’t? You and I both know Duncan would never stand for what’s happened any more than you or I did. He keeps his wolves in line. I can promise you tomorrow night I’ll be at his door discussing the matter. But right now? Now we have a young witch bleeding out on our streets. Tell me, Roark how fair that is when I can see the magic fading in her eyes for every second you delay?”

“Fuck.” Roark growled. “You gamble with fate.”

Fenris barked out a harsh laugh. “No, vampire. I gamble with nothing. This girl…” He angled his head down and Mari saw the golden green of his eyes. His full lips turned up in a half smile and he reached down to brush a strand of hair from her eyes. “This girl will surprise us all.”

Roark slid the sword back into his walking stick with an ugly snarl and knelt down on the other side of her, his eyes scanning the street for passersby. “You have to let her go. Give her to me.”

Roark slid her dead weight into his arms and placed his face close to hers, considering. “There is no turning back from this, my girl. You become my daughter, birthed in blood. What say you?”

“I…” Mari gasped as the breath was torn from her and darkness ebbed at her vision.

“Roark. Do it now!” Fenris roared.

Dimly she overheard a tearing of flesh and something drip across her too dry lips.

“Drink,” the voice hissed and teeth slid into her neck.

She’d chosen life and she hadn’t been sorry. She just wished Gibbs had been so lucky. The sadness in his eyes as he tried to reconnect with Bertrand was heartbreaking.

“I’ll try and get him to listen to me tonight. I just don’t want everyone to know about this, okay?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Gibb’s lips twisted and he shook his head.

Mari glanced down at her boobs swelling over the top of the bodice and groaned. Jared didn’t take no for an answer and Roark had been trying to get her to befriend the geeky vamp. The reason behind that wasn’t exactly a mystery. His sire was another blood royal and politically they would have been perfect match.

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