Nobela ni dearsandie28

Belarie's grip on Onika's wrist was iron. His eyes bored into hers with an intensity that made her breath catch."There's more work to be done," he said softly."Let me go." Onika tried to pull away, but his fingers didn't budge. "You have the baby. Our deal is done. Let me—""Look at me."The compulsion slammed into her again. Her eyes snapped to his against her will, her body going rigid.Belarie's voice dropped to that terrible, silken tone she remembered from the balcony. "You will stay in this monastery. You will not leave. You will not do anything. You will remain until I say otherwise. Do you understand?""Yes—" The word choked out in her throat.The compulsion settled over her like chains she couldn't see but could feel in every cell of her body.Belarie released her wrist.Onika stumbled backwards, her hands flying to her throat even though there was nothing there. She tried to take a step toward the door—her body simply wouldn't obey. She could move around the space and coul

Killian stood frozen on the highway, trying to process what Dante had just told him.Onika took your son.The words didn't make sense. They couldn't. Onika—loyal, fierce, protective Onika—had taken Jeffrey the moment Annie gave birth and delivered him straight to Belarie.But there was no time.No time to rage, no time to break, no time to let the hybrid fury building in his chest explode into the violence it wanted to become.Annie was still bleeding out miles away, and she needed Katherine's healing spell. "Mom, get in the car." Killian's voice was flat, controlled—the kind of control that comes right before something shatters. He turned to Katherine. "Now."Katherine didn't argue. She slid into the passenger seat of Candice's car, and Killian was behind the wheel before she even closed the door.The engine roared.And they were gone.The remaining group stood scattered across the highway like survivors of a shipwreck—Kael, Dante, Candice, Darius, Eloise, Lady Eden, and Lady Eliana

Annie's entire body went cold. "What's wrong with you? Why would you betray us?"Onika's expression was unreadable, but her eyes—her eyes were glistening and remained distant. "Belarie wants me to bring him. He came to the house the other day. He compelled me. To bring Jeffrey as soon as he was born."Peggy's head snapped up, a memory surfacing with terrible clarity. "At the balcony," she breathed. "That day I and Adam found you sitting on the floor. It was so hot—That was him, wasn't it? That was Belarie?"Onika's face twisted with anguish. "Yes.""Onika, listen to me—" Annie tried to push herself up, her arms shaking with the effort. Peggy immediately moved to support her, and together, they managed to get Annie into a sitting position. Every movement sent fresh agony through Annie's body, and she couldn't stop the whimper that escaped."Don't do it." Annie's voice was raw but fierce. "Don't do this. You have to fight the compulsion. I know you can. You're stronger than this—""I ca

Kael's face went white. "No. You can't be serious.""A wraith," Dante continued, his voice rising, "is what happens when our wolf is contaminated by a vampire's blood. You want to turn him into a zombie just to keep him alive?" He stopped, his throat working. "We're not doing that to Killian."Kael's eyes snapped to Candice, and his glare held old recognition. "You made damn sure we understood what happens when a werewolf is turned into a vampire. You gave us a whole lecture on it when you—" He stopped, his jaw clenching. When you almost turned all of us. When you held that threat over our heads. Thanks. But we're not turning Killian into a hybrid abomination. He wouldn't want that either."Candice's eyes flashed. "Boy, don't look at me like I'm the villain here. You were the ones who barged into my home and blew up my gates. What exactly were you expecting? That I'd serve you dessert and send you the fuck on your way?"No one spoke for a moment. Candice stepped closer to Katherine,

"Adam." Onika's voice cracked. "Adam, no—please—Adam—"His eyes were already empty.The light that had been there—the kindness, the loyalty, the quiet strength that had held them together through so much—it was just gone."ONIKA!" Peggy's voice from the car was desperate. "We have to go! Annie has no time—we have to move!"Onika looked at Adam one more time. She touched his face, saying goodbye in the only way she had time for.Then she stood, her grief transmuting into something cold and purposeful, and ran back to the car.She slid into the driver's seat and turned the key."Is he—" Peggy's voice shook. "Onika, is he dead?"Onika didn't answer. She couldn't. If she said the words out loud, they would become real in a way she wasn't ready for.She just drove.The silence answered for her.Peggy understood. Adam was gone.***Eden. Eliana." Katherine's voice didn't waver. It couldn't. Not now. "With me."The three witches moved away from the chaos—away from the screaming bullets and

Killian blinked through the smoke, his lungs burning, his eyes streaming. He took Candice's hand, and she pulled him up.And beside her, moving like a shadow with purpose—Darius.Killian was on his feet before conscious thought caught up with instinct. "Onika! Help me get Annie out!"Onika was already moving, her hands finding Annie's shoulders, lifting her with the kind of desperate strength that comes from knowing every second counts.Killian turned to Brie—and his heart stopped.Dante was already there—on his knees beside Brie's body, his hands hovering over her. Kael was still holding her, his face carved from something beyond grief."Briana—" Killian's voice cracked. He dropped to his knees beside them, his hand reaching out—hovering just above her chest where Belarie's fire had gone through. Her eyes were open but empty. Staring at nothing. His baby sister.Gone."We have to go," Katherine's voice came from behind him, sharp and terrible in its control. "Killian. We have to mov