Page 75 of Dead Wolf Rising (Bad Moon Academy 3)

“Leave the boy alone, and I’ll give you back your immortality.”

Death swallows, and his fingers twitch at his side. “Why?”

Pressing against his body, she cranes her neck to look at him. “Because war wouldn’t be the same without Death.”

“It doesn’t have to be this way. If you concede—” Death cuts off with a choking sound when Mazzikin holds him the same way he held me.

“I will not concede. I was born to rule, and you and your brothers won’t stop me.” She slowly licks his cheek and hums in approval. “Your heart is racing, my love. Thump, thump. Thump, thump. I cannot wait to watch you all break.”

“Kill me now. Why are you waiting?” he asks between gritted teeth.

I know this isn’t the best time, but that’s a damn good question. What’s this crazy bitch waiting for? Shank his ass and be done with it.

Ignoring Joan, I watch the microscopic change flash over Mazzikin’s face. Something like shock washes over her features for a second before she covers it up with a sultry smile.

“Silly boy. I like to play with my food.” She shoves her hand into his chest.

Death screams, this time very human and weak, and Mazzikin bites her lip, casting a side-ways glance in my direction. Death’s red eyes flare brighter and brighter until they burn with white. Black veins snake down his forehead and dark smoke begins to curl around their feet.

“I might say I owe you a favor, but seeing as I saved your little boy toy, we’ll call it even. Be careful with your magic; it’s probably best if you stop using it. That power wasn’t meant for supes.”

With those last words of encouragement, Mazzikin disappears in a puff of ash and smoke. I cough and groan, eyes fluttering closed.

I am so tired of this shit.

Chapter 26

RAVEN

I don’t actually faint. Instead, I rest my cheek on the cool floor and try to relax so my body can recover. I’ve never felt so drained. I hardly feel human.

You’re not human. I’m forcing a shift.

There isn’t enough energy for me to mumble a response to Joan, so I simply breathe through the change. Some of the bone deep exhaustion is gone with the shift, but the hollowness I felt inside my chest is present in our wolf form. We whine and walk over to the guys. They’re all still passed out, so we settle next to Brayden and rest our head on his stomach. The bond tells us we need to be close to him.

We almost lost him.

A few minutes later and he would have been dragged back to the Underworld to do Death’s bidding. I’m not sure what to think of Mazzikin bargaining for Brayden’s freedom, but bringing Death back to life somehow satisfied her sinister desires. I’m too mistrusting to think the exchange was even and she won’t come back for more, but for now, I’ll leave those worries for another day.

The splinters of my soul have been taped back together multiple times, but something about the power I used made the pieces slant. There are small, distinct holes, filled with darkness and an evil urge to do more. To use the magic and take lives.

In our wolf form, we whine again at my internal thoughts, and Brayden shifts under us. His hand digs into our fur, and he takes a big breath.

“Luna.”

The word alone gives us enough spark to rise to our feet. We go lick his face, and his mouth splits into a wondrous grin. So alive. So happy. So real. He doesn’t know what I’ve done. He doesn’t know I’ve lost pieces of myself to save him, and I’ll never tell him. This is my mark to bear. My darkness to endure.

For him, I’d do it again.

* * *

BRAYDEN

Raven has stopped licking me, and she sits, tipping her head to the side. I groan and get off the floor. I stretch my arms over my head, relishing in the pop of my lower back. Death is gone. Then again, I knew the instant Raven arrived he wouldn’t win. The bond nearly choked me with the magic she used. I can only hope whatever she’s done worked.

Draco moves his arms, bringing them to his face and scrubbing furiously to erase the daze he’s in. Everett wakes with a crazed growl, instantly shifting to his wolf form and snapping his teeth. His yellow eyes fall on Raven, and he settles, treading over to her and brushing against her soft body. Carter and Adler are slower to rise, but we’re all standing a few seconds later. Raven shifts, letting her gaze stray over all of us like she’s checking to make sure we’re not hurt.

Not even her naked flesh can distract me from the haunted look in her green eyes. She covers her lower half with her hand and frowns at her shredded clothes.

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