Page 57 of Fire & Ice

"Let him go, you sun-born bitch!" I snarled.

The smirk remained as she replied. “Let him go? But why? He's mine."

Panic and terror consumed me as I watched black vines slither around Beau's hands and wrists, fusing to his flesh and trapping him. The anger inside me intensified and grew until it coalesced with the elemental remnants of Charlie-- awakening a new power within me.

My eyes narrowed, and I bared my fangs as the dark vines slithered around Beau's hands. They coiled around his wrists, melding with his flesh and imprisoning him.

Sara yanked the knife out of his stomach with a sickening squelch of tearing skin, and I could sense her evil intent as she raised it above his chest.

"You will pay for this!" I cursed at her.

"I might--but if I can't have him--Tempest--neither can you." Sara's voice dripped with malice as she plunged the blade deep inside Beau.

Without hesitation, I took an aggressive step towards her. The fires from my eyes completely eclipsed the flames of the candles around the room. With another wicked smile, Sara plunged the dagger deep within him before I could reach them. My scream echoed throughout the small cottage as hysteria took over. I watched in horror as the vines entwined around Beau, their dark hue melding with his skin and holding him still as he suffered--the dagger gleaming cruelly in his chest. My gift could no longer be contained as it sought retribution and burst out of me, encasing the kitchen, as thousands of black vines surrounded Sara, encasing in a cocoon.

Chapter 46

Beau

As the world around me dimmed, I felt the warmth of Tempest's flames wash over me, and a sense of calm took hold. Even as I lay there, the dagger still embedded in my chest, the vines holding me tight, I couldn't help but marvel at the sight before me. Tempest, my fierce and beautiful love, was a force to be reckoned with.

As the flames grew, I felt the vines begin to loosen their grip on me, and I struggled to free myself from their grasp. Each movement sent a searing pain through my body, but I knew I had to keep fighting. I had to be there for Tempest.

Finally breaking free, I stumbled to my feet with a grunt of pain. Blood poured from the wound, but I couldn't focus on that now. I had to help Tempest.

Looking around the room, I saw Sara, encased in a cocoon of black vines, creating more vines to replaces the ones crumbling to ash under Tempest onslaught. I couldn't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction at the sight, but I knew I had to get to my mated, and quickly.

Tiny veins of ice raced across the dagger, traveling along the vines weakening them as the cocoon surrounding Sara starts to fall away revealing her - clothing singed, hair wild--eyes wilder.

My sight briefly flickered between Sara and Tempest as they move closer to one another. Sara triumphantly raised her hands, vines sprouting from her palms, ready to strike. But before she could attack, Tempest whirled around, her leg sweeping out and knocking Sara off balance.

"You may have broken Charlie’s spell and the power of the stones and accomplished what we thought was impossible," Sara said, her voice dripping with disdain as she dusted herself off. "But I meant every word when I said, if I cannot have him, neither can you."

Tempest's red eyes briefly shifted to me before she replied, her tone full of contempt. "You are blinded by your own foolishness. No matter how much you wish it were true, he is not yours. What will you do when the King and Queen discover the depths of your deception?"

"You are nothing more than a pathetic imitation," Tempest added mockingly.

With a roar of defiance and anger, Sara lashed out. Black vines shot out like whips from her fingertips as she attacked, but Tempest twisted out of the way, dancing between each strike.

I saw one, would get the best of her and before she could react, I lunged forward, shoving Tempest out of harm's way and taking a brutal blow from the vine, hit as if a whip had been flayed across my skin. My body quivered from the force of the blow, sending waves of pain throughout me, but I refused to back down.

With a feral cry of triumph, I pounced on Sara. Her eyes widened, registering shock, as my hands wrapped around the dagger buried in my chest as metal began to turn to ice. With a grunt of effort, I wrenched the dagger from my chest and plunged it into her own.

The shock registered in her eyes as she grabbed the blade, her hand grasping my fingers. Her eyes turned to me, pleading, but it meant nothing to me.

Chapter 47

Tempest

Sara let out an unearthly howl of rage as her vines lashed out hurling Beau across the room to land beside me. Biting into my wrist I allowed the blood to flow over his lips as i watch for more movements from Sara.

She struggled to stand--Fear and pain twisted Sara's face, making the green glow of her eyes dim.

Rage burned in my veins as I pulled away from Beau and charged at Sara, who was desperately trying to get off the floor. A red fog clouded my vision as I grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her head back before sinking my fangs deep into her throat. The taste of earthy blood exploded across my tongue as it flooded down my throat. With a mighty roar, I slammed Sara's head against the floor one more time before ripping away from her neck with a chunk of flesh between my teeth.

Sara's cries turned to gurgling as she tried in vain to fight back against me. My wounds were nothing compared to the pain of seeing him hurt, and I knew that I had to protect our bond no matter the cost.

"He's mine," I growled as I drove the frosted knife deeper between her ribs and twisted it cruelly. "My Beau, my prince, mine!"

---