Page 58 of Total Eclipse of the Moon
Had he discussed anything about her with Roman? She thought she’d been with Shane pretty much the entire time and recalled no discussion about her via cell phone.
"I despise surprises." Efrem released a long exhale, dropped his head, and massaged his forehead. Quickly, he glanced back up. "I need your word she won’t cause problems. Should she misbehave, we will eliminate her. She understands this?"
"I’m right here," she said. "Treating me like I’m an idiot or deaf makes me irritable. Then I get unpredictable."
"Not helpful," Shane said through the side of his mouth. "Efrem, this is Madeline Edney. Madeline, this is my mother’s right hand. Kind of a bodyguard,chef du cabinet,and body burier all wrapped into one."
A conceited smirk tweaked Efrem’s lips for an instant.
She whispered back to Shane, "He’s being rude when I’m here of my own accord to try to resolve the situation. Tell him to stop being a jerk."
Efrem cocked his head, waiting for Shane to confirm he understood his request.
"I vouch for her," Shane said.
Efrem nodded. "Follow me, please."
They trekked behind Efrem to the back of the villa in silence.
The house was light and airy, and decorated in neutral tones that emitted an aura of peace. Something had been done to remove negative energy in here. She didn’t smell sage or other burnt herbs. Her eye caught on a few reiki candles she recognized by brand. A light sniff as they walked by and she identified them as the ones for "love" energy.
Efrem cast an evaluating glare her way every few feet as if expecting her to attack.
Three colossal lycan males greeted them in silence from where they stood around a dining table, shooting a truckload of hate in her direction. She recognized each of them not because they’d been introduced but because she’d monitored them over the years. The one with the dark, short-cut hair and glower she recognized at Roman, the eldest and designated leader. He had an earnest, yet deadly, aura that engendered leadership. Next to him, in a ball cap with a sucker in his mouth, was Flynn, the tech and hacker guru, and the one she’d spoken with on the phone earlier. He had piercings across each eyebrow, a nose ring, and several earrings in each ear. That, plus the visible tattoos, gave him a pirate-surfer vibe. The blond with shaggy hair and an edgy, distrustful stare next to Flynn crossed his arms, but she didn’t miss the serrated blade fisted in his right hand. That was Ky, the weapons specialist.
She knew all about them. Studying them from afar had become a hobby. Know thy enemy and all that jazz.
"Why’s she walking free without her hands bound behind her back so she can’t throw a spell on all of us?" Roman crossed his arms and glared at her.
"Would it make you feel better?" She put her hands behind her back and looked up at Shane, expecting him to cuff her with something.
Shane shook his head.
Roman growled, "Shane…"
"She's not going to do anything stupid," Shane said.
Her bracelet glowed.
Shane thrust her behind him. "Come at her and you’ll have to go through me. If she dies, then we’re stuck in this curse forever."
"What?" Roman asked.
"That's right. She's the only one on the planet who can reverse it. She’s the only reason we’ve got a chance to get free.A chance.Let’s bring the homicidal attitudes down about six notches. Who’s got immediate plans to kill her?"
Roman met the gaze of each brother. All shook their head. "We’re all here to discuss the logistics of ending it. Whether or not she lives after?" Roman shrugged.
Shane held up her glowing wrist. "Someone wants her dead. I want to see everyone visible andinvisiblein this room," Shane thundered. "Nova, make yourself visible and get over there next to Roman. Vivi, if you’re in here, go next to Flynn."
Two lycan females, one with long red hair pulled into a ponytail and one with dark hair in a braid materialized as if out of thin air and moved to stand next to the men. Invisibility. Neat skill. Magic radiated off both, which was unheard of in their kind. Traditional lycans, a term that clearly didn’t describe any in this room, distrusted magic to the point the ruling lycan council made its use punishable by death. Interesting that these ladies slid through the cracks. Madeline picked up the hint of elemental magic, which differed from witch magic. Unlike Madeline’s magic, theirs relied on power drawn from natural elements like water, wind, and fire. Madeline’s magic came from inside herself and she often channeled through items like crystals or used spells and potions.
Shane glanced down at her wrist where the bracelet still glowed.
"Do I need to say it again? Don’t make me choose between blood and her, especially not with this demon…" Shane’s eyes swirled with black. He gnashed his teeth and cursed as his muscles enlarged and teeth lengthened. This must be a partial shift to his primal form. "No asshole in this room gets to kill her."
Shane didn’t usually curse like that. That was the demon getting a foothold on gaining control. Not good.
Madeline clasped his hand. "Look at me." She tugged on his arm for attention and waited until he looked down before speaking to the demon. "They understand I must stay alive for now. The one who wants to kill me is driven by the love of a mate. That’s commendable, but stupid, if she truly loves him. She must see beyond momentary hate to the endgame." Madeline chanced a glance at the redhead who narrowed her eyes right back at her. "Her spell also ensures if one of the Lanzo brothers dies, I get to feel it. If you hurt one of them, I’ll feel it too."
