He saw her as he crested the last hill before Phelan\u2019s tiny camp and knew that somehow, impossibly, the night had suddenly found a way to get ten times worse.<\/p>\n
Jacqueline was nearly to the edge of Phelan\u2019s camp, riding hard toward the thin figure in pale gray and completely ignoring the dreadlocked woman bathed in red-white light.\u00a0 Cameron\u2019s mount pounded down the roadway behind her without his conscious direction, since the ex-pilot\u2019s mind was still reeling from the sight of the Hecate hovering so close.<\/p>\n
Beef with Phelan and Neve\u2019s brothers and hunting for me because of Seamus.\u00a0 Hell.\u00a0 What\u2019s she doing here?\u00a0 We were only supposed to deal\u00a0 with bloody <\/i>Hamrammr, not her and the <\/i>Dirae, too!<\/i><\/p>\n
But he\u2019d known as soon as they\u2019d encountered the Dirae<\/i> on the road that things had gone from bad to worse.\u00a0 He knew that their appearance couldn\u2019t have been coincidental.<\/p>\n
He just hadn\u2019t allowed himself to entertain the possibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell do you want?\u201d Phelan demanded of the former witch-goddess as Jacqueline threw herself out of her saddle and Cameron drew within earshot.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t going to end well.<\/i>\u00a0 He was glad he hadn\u2019t sheathed Caliburn.<\/p>\n
The Hecate laughed at the question.\u00a0 \u201cThe same thing I\u2019ve always wanted, you fool.\u00a0 Either you naked in my bed and begging me for it, or you dead at my feet with your power made mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
…yeah.\u00a0 This just got a lot worse than I ever could have imagined.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I\u2019ve got news for you–you can\u2019t freaking have him!\u201d\u00a0 Jacqueline shouted, storming up to Phelan\u2019s side and reaching down to help him back to his feet.<\/p>\n
The Hecate tsked softly, looking at Jacqueline like she was an annoying bug.\u00a0 \u201cStay out of this, girl.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t concern you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLike hell.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJac,\u201d Phelan said, \u201cplease, don\u2019t do this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStop being an idiot,\u201d Jacqueline told him.\u00a0 \u201cI love you, okay?\u00a0 I\u2019m not going to let anyone take you from us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron grimaced, eyes scanning the array of figures around them.\u00a0 A half-dozen skinchangers.\u00a0 The Hecate.\u00a0 Leinth, a pair of daggers clutched in her fists as she eyed the Hecate warily.\u00a0 The other woman hadn\u2019t noticed her yet, and it seemed that Leinth had no desire to draw any attention just yet.<\/p>\n
No <\/i>Dirae.\u00a0 Of course, they may be laying in wait.\u00a0 There were the three on the road that ambushed us.\u00a0 There must be more nearby.<\/i><\/p>\n
Hopefully, Thordin and the others hadn\u2019t finished their fight with the Hamrammr<\/i> only to end up going toe-to-toe with a bunch of Dirae<\/i> on their heels.<\/p>\n
Cameron slid from his mount\u2019s back and strode toward Phelan and Jacqueline.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve got us at your back, Phelan,\u201d he said as he took up position at the other man\u2019s shoulder, both hands wrapped around Caliburn\u2019s hilt.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t have to play her games or give in to anyone.\u00a0 Not tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan looked stricken as he met Cameron\u2019s eye.\u00a0 \u201cD\u00e9ithe agus arrachtaigh<\/i>, Cameron,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cWhy the hell did you come?\u00a0 You should have stayed where it was safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNeve would never forgive me if you got killed and there was something I could do to stop it from happening,\u201d Cameron said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow touching,\u201d the Hecate said, smirking as she watched them.\u00a0 \u201cAre the lot of you quite finished arguing and posturing?\u00a0 I\u2019d like to get on with this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron\u2019s eyes narrowed as he stared at her.\u00a0 The Hecate drifted down until the hem of her robe touched the ground.\u00a0 She twitched a hand and sent the skinwalkers sprawling, crashing into each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet thee gone,\u201d she hissed at them.\u00a0 \u201cTell your mistresses that they tread where they\u2019re not wanted, where there\u2019s prior claim.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hamrammr<\/i> stared at her in confusion for a long moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cGo!\u201d she barked, red light flaring in her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cOr feel my wrath and suffer a fate worse than death.\u201d<\/p>\n
The lead skinchanger snarled and leapt for her throat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
He saw her as he crested the last hill before Phelan\u2019s tiny camp and knew that somehow, impossibly, the night had suddenly found a way to get ten times worse. Jacqueline was nearly to the edge of Phelan\u2019s camp, riding … Continue reading