Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
She opened her eyes, and it had appeared in Killian’s hands. He didn’t hesitate and began to slash at the vines. These were not part of nature, these vines had been created to do evil deeds. They tightened their grip around her. Leah tried to call on Mother Nature, but this was an area where good magic didn’t flourish.
Whatever Killian hoped to find or seek was full of darkness. She felt it pressing onto her soul.
“I can take your soul as payment. Let Killian leave free.” Leah didn’t know who spoke to her.
She wriggled in the vines, trying to be free. Suddenly they released her and she screamed as she fell toward the ground, only to suddenly be picked up and flung around. She was going to be sick, no doubt about it.
“Let her go!” The vines tensed up, and then faded. She was high up in the sky.
Leah didn’t have chance to stop her fall, but Killian was there to capture her.
Her heart raced and her stomach heaved. She was going to be sick. Crawling out of his arms, she felt the ground beneath her, the coldness of it, the death. It was why she couldn’t easily call to Mother Nature. Whoever Killian sought had destroyed all things natural and good.
The sudden laughter had Leah tensing.
They were not alone.
“I could make you go through more tests, but I feel we’re wasting our time.” It was a female voice and as Leah looked up, coldness swept over her.
****
The witch was beautiful, but Killian knew she was evil. Pure evil. She had long. black hair, with streaks of gold running through the length. She had images of vines climbing up her face and across her forehead. She wore a black bra-style top, and a wrap skirt, showing off more of the vines that covered her body.
Killian didn’t know her name. She had long stopped having a name.
The witch looked at Leah and then at him.
“Rose,” Leah said.
The witch glared at her.
“That was your name before, right? Rose, hence all the vines.”
“Ah, so I see the great Lucinda and the great coven make you do your research.”
“Killian, what the hell do you want?” Leah asked.
He saw how tense Leah was as she got to her feet. She was suddenly flipped and sent to the ground.
“The great and powerful Leah is no match here. You may have passed some of my tests with flying colors and you may be alive and breathing, but I can rectify that.”
“Stop it,” Killian said.
“You bring a great threat to my land, Killian. I must make sure she does not kill me. Does she know what you seek?”
“No,” he said, after several seconds of hesitation.
This made Rose laugh.
He didn’t think “Rose” suited her.
Leah got to her feet. “We have to leave,” she said. “Nothing good can happen here.”
“Enough!” Something covered Leah’s mouth, silencing her.
“Stop it!”
“I will grant what you seek,” Rose said. “You already know the price for what you want.”
He nodded.
“Good, but you see, there’s always a steeper price I demand. I need you to tell me exactly what you hope to find.”
He gritted his teeth.
She took great pleasure in this.
“I want you to remove the mating bond that binds me and Leah together. I know the cost. Leah and I will no longer be mates. I will never have the chance of mating again, but Leah will find a mate.”
Rose chuckled.
“And tell her what you had to do in order for this to complete.”
This was cruel. He didn’t know if this was part of the price, or just Rose being a bitch. He had never known this witch before, nor had he ever heard of her.
“I had to mate with her first.”
Rose clicked her fingers.
“What the hell are you doing?” Leah asked.
He turned to look at Leah and saw the tears shining in her eyes. That mating bond made him hate what he was doing. He didn’t want to hurt her but it was the only thing he could do.
“I’m so sorry, Leah.”
“Are you insane?” she asked, looking at Rose then at him.
“I can’t risk this happening to the pack. You are a risk, Leah, and I vowed to my father that I would do whatever it took to keep them safe.”
“You fucking idiot, don’t you see? You going through with this could be the whole point of the prophecy. Mates are strong together. They’re united. She is a witch—a bad one—and she could take away what makes you strong. Each prophecy is subject to interpretation.”
“Oh, enough.” Rose clicked her fingers and Killian watched Leah disappear and then she was in Rose’s arms. “He doesn’t want you. He’d rather go through life miserable and alone, and I am more than happy to grant his wish. After all, I was told that one day an idiot wolf would bring me what I seek most.”