Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“My love,” Lucas tries again, unable to hide the worry in his eyes. “What did you—” He cuts off when I gasp as searing pain hits me right in the middle of my forehead. Pitching forward, I bring my hand up to my head as the pain radiates through my body. Lucas catches me before I fall, the pain intensifying. It’s like I’m being ripped apart from the inside out, hurting so much I feel like I’m going to throw up or pass out. Gripping Lucas’s arms, I feel hellfire spark around my fingers.
And then I hear Juliet let out a screech of pain.
“Get…get her…” I start, gritting my teeth as I look up at Lucas. My father and Lucifer are gone and the horrible yet familiar pain registers. “ …out of here. Angel…angel…” Feeling like someone reached through my skin and is twisting my spine, I whimper in pain and close my eyes.
The hellfire smolders against Lucas’s cool skin and, for the first time ever, it burns. The heat is too much and I can feel my flesh charring. Fuck! I need to stop using my angel powers and instead channel my witch powers. It shouldn’t be hard…I’ve tapped into them longer.
Maybe?
I suppose I’ve always used a mixture of both, but didn’t have the full power yet thanks to dear old Dad binding the powers. Sucking in a breath, I pull my hands away from Lucas, not wanting to burn him even though he’ll heal in seconds. Balling my fingers into my palm I force my eyes open and look at Lucas.
“Angel…re…repellant,” I manage to say and he gives me a curt nod, knowing exactly what I’m talking about.
“How far?” he asks and Juliet’s cries grow louder as Eliza comes out of the house with our baby in her arms.
“Betty’s,” I grunt and Lucas shouts something to Eliza in French. My stomach churns and I drop to the ground, pressing my fingers into the ground.
Sky above me. Earth below me. Dammit. The fire within is hell-fucking-fire and not what I need right now.
“Keep her safe,” I pant, hardly able to get the words out.
“I’m not leaving you.” Lucas drops down and puts his hand on my shoulder.
“I’ll go with her,” Eamon says and I glance up, slitting my eyes open for half a second. He’s on the porch next to Eliza, and Kristy is to the side, looking terrified. She’s been through so much in the last few hours. This isn’t fair.
This isn’t right.
“What’s happening?” Kristy stammers. “Where…where are…” She cuts off, her fear palpable.
“It’s some sort of spell,” Lucas replies, scooping me up. “A spell that banishes angels.”
“Oh shit,” Kristy says and rushes down from the porch. “Callie’s only half angel. And Juliet…”
“Get her out of here,” I breathe, my voice hardly audible over the sound of my baby’s cries. The heartbreak is worse than the pain, and I want to take it all away from her. Not being here to protect my child kills me, but I have no idea if she can even survive this.
And then I will fucking kill whoever cast the spell.
“Go!” Lucas bellows and my vision starts to blur. The last time this spell was cast on me, my powers were still partially locked down. Now it’s like my insides are being liquefied by the second and it’s only a matter of time before I implode into a puddle of goo right here in my own yard. “Can you do something?” Lucas asks Kristy, his usual calm and steady voice wavering. I’d like to tell them we could run too, we could join Eliza and Eamon at Betty’s and hope that’s enough distance to let the spell wear off. Then when I’m back at full power I can kick some fucking ass. I cannot get the words out.
But there’s a chance it won’t be far enough.
“Um…I…I…don’t,” Kristy stumbles over her words. Binx shadows out of the house, circling around me. “Right,” Kristy tells him when he suggests a return to sender spell. “Okay,” she says to herself, trying to get centered.
My body twitches involuntarily and Lucas holds me tighter against him. He won’t stand here much longer, watching me writhe in pain.
Kristy holds up her left hand, fingers extended toward the moon. She places her right hand on my arm and closes her eyes. “Maledicere, retorquere. Redi ad mittente,” she chants. “Maledicere, retorquere. Redi ad mittente.”
My pain slowly starts to subside, as suddenly as it began. Binx lets us know something is in the woods, heading toward the Covenstead door.
Go, I mentally tell him. Take Scarlet and Pandora. Freya, who has really started to bond with Juliet, followed Eliza through the woods and I can sense that they’re already at Betty’s house.
“Maledicere, retorquere. Redi ad mittente. Maledicere, retorquere. Redi ad mittente.” Kristy’s voice rings out around me and I suck in air, feeling more like myself. The burns around my fingers are gone, and anger surges through me, just as strong as the pain.