Page 25 of Dead Wolf Rising (Bad Moon Academy 3)

I’m going to call the men,Joan tells me.

No! We don’t know who this is.

You’re going to get us killed!

We can’t risk them.

“You can,” the woman says. “You need to take more of his power though.”

“More?” I’ve already taken so much, how can I gather even more?

She runs her finger over my forehead, murmuring something about wrinkles, and sighs. “Try again. Take more.”

The command in her voice has my hackles rising, but if she won’t help me off this fucking gate, I have to try. I shout in pain as the magic continues to batter me and dive down into my power, forgetting all about being calm and focused. Tugging on the slimy power, I take more than I ever have before. Until it’s hard to breathe. Until my vision dims and all I can see is black mist in front of me. Until my heartbeat begins to slow. Until it feels like my veins will burst and bleed ichor all over the driveway. Only when the amount of power I’m dragging out of the Underworld feels like it’ll kill me do I release it into the ward.

My palms are at my side, pressed into the bars and coated in blood. Black bursts from my body in a shockwave. I open my eyes, mouth dropping when I see the woman’s eyes have blown black and her lips curved into a vicious smile. She cups my cheeks and nods in encouragement, her hair whipping back in the force of the release of power.

“Let it all go,” she whispers, the brush of her words against my lips makes me shiver, and not in a good way.

My knees shake, and I have to lock them to keep from collapsing to the ground. The woman’s firm grip on my face should hurt, but I can’t even focus on that because the black mist floats in the air around us, hovering about the ground like fog, spreading toward the wall surrounding the grounds and covering it like a blanket. My heart pulses in my chest so painfully I think I might die.

“Cut the connection.”

The woman’s command is sharp, and her nails bite into my skin, forcing my attention to her. Her black eyes bore into me. “Cut the connection,” she says again and this time I listen, dredging up a flimsy dam between the power and my consciousness. It’s so weak and transparent, not nearly as strong as the ones I place between myself and Joan when I need a break. I’m sure it’ll collapse and the dark power will swoop over me again, consuming me once more.

But it doesn’t.

The mist dissipates, and my knees give out. The woman catches me around the waist, sliding her leg between mine to keep me upright.

“You did it.” Her solemn words sink into my skin.

My gaze is trapped by her onyx irises, almost like they’ve taken hold of me and won’t let me go.

Why does she sound so sad?

The way she was grinning earlier led me to believe she wanted it to happen, but for some reason, a flash of disappointment ripples over her face.

“What—” I begin to ask, but she scowls.

“There’s no going back now.” She rubs her thumb over my cheek and brushes a few damp strands of hair from my forehead. “When Death comes again, give him my regards.” Dropping her soft lips to mine, she kisses me before she disappears into thin air.

I slide down the gate, collapsing forward and curling into a ball.

Who was that?Joan asks.

I don’t know,I say then whimper out loud.

Everything hurts, and I feel like I’m dying.

“Raven!” Brayden screams my name, his deep voice slicing through the air and hitting me like a ton of bricks.

Uh-oh.

* * *

BRAYDEN

A trickle of sinister power brushes over my fur, and I abruptly stop running and shift, leaving the guys to their rabbit chasing. I glance around, searching the trees for Death, but he’s nowhere in sight. The same brush of wrongness caresses over me, and I snap my head in the direction of the academy when I hear a soft whimper. This power is filled with a darkness even Death can’t compete with, at least not alone.

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