Page 20 of Hunted By Her Demon Wolves

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PHOENIX STUMBLED INTOa room that reminded her of a larger version of inside her mother’s lamp. The stone walls were lavishly decorated with several hanging woven murals and the slate floors were covered with striped fur rugs. In the center of the room was what looked like a raised stone well with mists that swirled in the middle, gently spilling over the stones in thin whisps.

Phoenix recoiled when a whisp spun on the floor toward her like a slithering serpent. These mists looked too much like the one in the Vindictus’ tower, a grim reminder that Hecate had once been one of the evil witches.

Daeva broke away from them with a strangled cry, running into Dragomir’s arms. Phoenix squinted at Daeva’s bronze arms as she wrapped them around her mate’s neck. Her entire body shone like a copper pipe. When her sister turned from Dragomir and flung herself into her mate Cyrus’s arms, her skin shimmering like fish scales, Phoenix knew that her sister’s transformation wasn’t just a trick of the flickering torch lights above. How strange. Her sister’s appearance had changed from one dimension to the next. How? Had Hecate restored Daeva’s demon form like Phoenix had once done for Horatiu? Odd, because Phoenix had visited her sister through the fires about a month ago, and she’d still looked like Tori. Horatiu had turned into a silver demon, too, but she’d expected that from him.

Daeva’s eyes flashed golden when she went to Lucian and her lips curled back in a fanged grin. This demon hardly looked like her sister.

“You’ve changed,” she blurted when Lucian finally let go of her sister.

“I’ve taken on my demon form.” She flashed a fanged grin while smoothing hands down her curvaceous hips. “Hecate restored me.”

“How nice,” Phoenix answered through a stiff smile. Phoenix couldn’t deny she was jealous of her sister’s relationship with Hecate. During their brief meetings, it seemed that was all Daeva talked about, some new miracle Hecate had performed. And now it seemed Hecate had completely erased every last bit of her sister’s Amaroki roots. Tori was definitely gone for good.

Daeva went to her, taking her hand in hers. “I’m still your sister, Phoenix, or should I call you Bennu now?” Her golden eyes twinkled, then warmed to a dull amber like a waning summer sun.

“It’s Phoenix,” she answered gruffly. She didn’t even like the name Bennu.

“How did it go?” a woman’s voice echoed around them.

Phoenix looked over Daeva’s shoulder as the beautiful woman approached them. Hecate. She was dressed like an ancient Greek goddess in flowing white robes criss-crossed with golden rope belts. She wore a simple gold crown on her head placed between her two spiked horns. She looked much like her shifter sons with long, raven hair, golden eyes, and silver skin that glowed like an ethereal moon.

Horatiu stepped forward and kissed his mother’s cheek. “Not well.”

She frowned, taking his and Daeva’s hands. “I feared it wouldn’t. What did the chieftains say?”

Horatiu shook his head. “They don’t trust demons, not after dealing with succubi.”

She gave him a questioning look. “Do they not understand the Amaroki originate from demons?”

Daeva laughed. “I don’t think they’re too fond of that story.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Phoenix blurted. “We don’t need them anyway.”

Phoenix wanted to crawl out of her skin when Hecate turned an assessing gaze on her. “Phoenix, how nice to see you again.” She released Horatiu and Daeva and crossed over to her, kissing both of her cheeks. “It’s been too long.”

Phoenix felt like a fly trapped in a spider’s web when Hecate’s fingers dug into her shoulders. Something about the witch unnerved her. “It has, but I’m finally here now.”

“Yes,” she said as she pulled back, shadows falling across her features. “You’re herefor now.”

Phoenix tensed. No way was she letting Hecate kick her out, no matter how much power she wielded. “Forever. I’m not going back.”

“Tor will be pissed,” Daeva said from behind Hecate’s back, but she might have well been behind Phoenix’s back, driving a knife between her shoulder blades. Why wasn’t her sister supporting her?

“I don’t care.” She squared her shoulders, glaring at Hecate and then at her sister. “I’m a grown woman and can make my own decisions.”

“He’ll try to get you back,” Horatiu said as he crowded behind his mother.

She flashed a triumphant grin. “He doesn’t have a way of getting here. The Amaroki have abandoned Romania and the haunted forest.” And, therefore, the portal to hell.

“So I take it you brought Jezebeth’s lamp with you?” Hecate asked in a voice that was suspiciously flat.

“Damn.” Phoenix chewed on her lip. “I left her behind. Do you think she’ll bring Tor here?”

“She will if they think you’re unsafe,” Hecate answered. Which meant Jezebeth would definitely bring Tor to hell.

She gave her sister a pleading look. “What do I do?”

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