I watched in horror as my mom’s hand suddenly manifested an ice shard, as was one of her magical abilities. It was long, thin, and lethal-looking. The point was so fine I could hardly see the end.

  “Be careful now, Kenna. Don’t move,” My grandfather warned. “You remaining perfectly still is imperative to keeping your child alive. I must have some of its blood, but I do not intend to harm it. You must trust me.”

  He must be kidding. I would never trust him again, but I would do as he asked for this. I laid as still as possible, not wanting to risk my and Seth’s child.

  “I’m sorry I can’t help you with the pain,” he added as the ice pierced my skin. Gritting my teeth, I attempted to swallow my scream out of fear that it would make me move too much.

  It was over before I could blink, and suddenly Dee Dee was handing Damien the bloody covered shard. As soon as he took it, she placed her hands on my stomach, activating my mom’s healing magick to undo any damage she had created.

  Resuming his chanting, Damien took the ice shard and poked it directly into the heart inside Dee Dee’s chest, and retracted it quickly. He paused, watching as the heart jumped to life, a broad smile creasing his face.

  Dee Dee’s spirit exited my mom’s form and entered her own.

  “Mom!” I shouted as she fell to the ground unmoving. Mom? I tried again, accessing her mind. She wasn’t conscious.

  Turning back, I watched as Dee Dee’s body began rapidly repairing. It was the craziest thing.

  Kenna, my dad pressed into our link. You must try to escape. Time is of the essence.

  Immediately, I began pouring my magick against the metal bracelets that kept me prisoner. Heat flared around my body, but I couldn’t tell that it was doing anything. I continued, my eyes never leaving the growing threat beside me.

  Dee Dee sat up, turning to face me as she stared at me hungrily. This was no human reincarnation before me. No, this was a demon being resurrected to her most vile form. Red irises glowed at me through black eyes. Her skin was so pale she appeared dead, except for where her white flesh was streaked with the dark, demonic poison in her veins. Black horns rose from her head above her furrowed and crinkled brow.

  Waving a hand, the sheet around her morphed into an unremarkable shift, but her eyes never left mine as she licked her lips.

  Slipping off the altar, she stepped toward me, the tip of her tongue flicking against her long, lengthening fangs. “You smell so good,” she said, cocking her head as she stared at me curiously. “I had no idea. No wonder you attract so many. It is the magick in your blood.” Reaching out, she lightly dragged her long black claws across my face. “I wonder what you taste like?”

  “You will never know,” Damien said. “That was never part of the plan.”

  Dee Dee smiled wickedly. “Surely, one drop will not hurt. I haven’t eaten in so long.” Her gaze fell to where my mom was lying on the ground. “Maybe you’d prefer if I drank from her?”

  “Try it, and you’ll have another stake in your heart,” Damien stated, his voice firm and even. “Portia belongs to me. I’ve raised you in the middle of a Fae war. If you can’t find something good to eat, that’s your problem.” My grandfather waved at the battlefield chaos going on around us. “It’s a literal smorgasbord.”

  I watched in amazement as an athame appeared in his hand. He drew it quickly across his palm, not even grimacing as it welled with a significant amount of blood. He held it out toward Dee Dee, and she looked at it curiously before raking one of her sharp nails over her own, drawing blood.

  They grasped hands, chanting something together as their blood mingled. Damien’s skin began to pale, taking on the same shade as Dee Dee’s. His demonic mask slipped over his features, growing even more pronounced every second until his veins were as black as hers and the same dark horns curled up from his head.

  “You’re about to witness true power, Kenna,” he said breathlessly, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. “I’m about to demonstrate everything you could be in your purest, most natural form.”

  “I’m already in my purest and most natural form,” I responded, trying to push forward a bravado I wasn’t sure I felt.

  “You have no idea what you can become,” Damien stated, his voice low. “Go,” he whispered to Dee Dee.

  One second, Dee Dee was standing there. The next, she flew through the barrier as if it didn’t exist. She landed on the ground directly in front of my dad.

  “Run!” I screamed, but it was too late. She had him by the throat.

  41

  Vance-

  * * *

  Dee Dee flew at me so fast that I barely had time to register the blur of movement before I felt her icy claws grip my skin. Kenna cried out a warning, but I was already evaporating away from Dee Dee’s monstrous clutches.

  “Kenna,” I shouted as I rematerialized on the opposite side of the circle. “I need a way in there!” My eyes drifted to my father. His lips were still moving as he chanted, but his eyes studied the creature he’d released upon us.

  Following his gaze, I watched in awe and terror as Dee Dee tore through the masses, drinking the blood of the Fae with abandon. She didn’t harm those of the Dark Court, only those who were siding with us. The second she consumed their blood, their souls seemed to stretch from their bodies into the circle. I glanced back at my dad, horrified as he began sucking the souls and the magick of these Fae inside him, consuming their powers.

  Frantically, my eyes flitted to Portia and Kenna. I needed to get them out of here before Dearg-Due came for them. It was time to recognize this monster for what she really was—pure evil.

  Jumping high, I tried sailing over the barrier, but it was no use. The magick was too strong. It was keeping me out.

  “Dammit!” I yelled, irritated.

  Kenna! I shouted into her mind. He’s activated the Possession of Souls again, somehow. He’s consuming the magick of everything inside that circle. It appears that Dee Dee must bite them first to activate it. Whatever you do, don’t let her bite you or your mother!

  He intends for us to live, she answered. I heard him say that the baby had to live for Dee Dee to survive.

  “Shit!” I responded. Killing my grandchild wasn’t an option, so we needed to find a different plan, but first, we needed to stop this one, or nothing I did would matter.

  At that exact moment, I saw movement below. Jett, Rowan, Birch, and another guard ran out of the tunnels. Rowan breached the lower circle before Damien threw up another shield that locked out Jett and the other guards.

  Rowan charged Damien, his sword raised, ready to strike a killing blow. Damien simply smiled and raised a hand. Rowan froze, visibly stunned at his inability to move anything besides his head. In the next instance, Dee Dee was back inside the circle, her face and fangs dripping with blood.

  “Right on schedule,” Damien said, nodding toward Rowan.

  Dee Dee guided Rowan’s stiff body to the table she’d just vacated.

  “What are you doing?” Kenna asked, squirming against her bonds.

  “Patience, my child,” Damien replied. “All will be revealed shortly.”

  “I’m not your child,” Kenna snapped. “Let him go. He’s done nothing to you.”

  “He’s been in my way,” my father responded.

  “He’s the Crown Prince of Murias!” Kenna shouted. “You harm him, and you’ll have to answer to all of Fae!”

  My dad grinned. “I’m counting on it.” He gestured to Dee Dee with a slight flick of his wrist.

  She opened her mouth wide, baring her long bloody fangs before sinking them into Rowan’s neck.

  Damien took one of his arms and bit him also. I watched as the two voraciously drained his blood. The more they took, the more the bond Rowan had hijacked was restored to Kenna. I couldn’t feel what she was feeling, but I could sense the heaviness and weight it caused on her.

  I can feel it, she said in her mind. Seth’s death. Jett’s fear. It’s too much. A groan escaped her as she stared at Rowan. How has he been carrying so much inside him for so long?

  He loves you, Kenna, I replied through the link. He’s about to die. If you have anything to tell him. Now’s the time. His heart is growing weaker. I hated that I could do nothing to ease this for either of them.

  “No.” She wept. “Please. You must let him go. You’re killing him. He’s done nothing to you.”

  I knew her words were fruitless. Nothing would stop my father.

  “Rowan!” Kenna shouted. “You’ve got to fight, dammit! You can’t die! Fight!”

  His head lolled to the side, his eyes latching on her. I could tell he was almost gone. “Don’t lose faith,” he muttered. “My family is coming to save you.”

  “I don’t need your family,” she cried. “I need you. Now fight!”

  “I’m bringing the fight here,” he said, and I strained to hear his words. His blue eyes suddenly flared brighter. “I love you, Kenna. I will always love you.” The spark of life left him.

  “Noooooo!” Kenna screamed, and suddenly it was like thousands of people were screaming with her. Massive amounts of bodies filled the hills around the amphitheater, overflowing with Fae warriors decked in full battle gear. All of them were screaming a war cry. I recognized the colors of the Murias guards. These were Rowan’s people, his army, coming to save him, to help us.

  They were too late.

  The walls of the circle collapsed.

  “Finally!” I shouted as I saw Jett and the other guards run forward.

  “No!” Kenna screamed, knowing they’d be running to their death like Rowan. “You’ll only be feeding them more!”

  Damien swung around, grabbing Jett. His jaw dropped wide as he started performing a Demon Kiss on him, sucking out his soul. Anguish tore through me.

  I threw a giant fireball toward my father, but he shifted Jett forward as a shield. I immediately stopped.

  “No! Stop! Help!” Kenna struggled against her manacles, desperate to break free.

  Dee Dee resumed her attacks on the now abundant numbers of Fae, sending all their souls to Damien. I charged my father, intent on breaking the connection between him and Jett.

  Plowing into him, I caused him to loosen his grip. Jett fell to the floor right as I was hit with a massive burst of power that sent me flying several hundred yards away.

  I hopped to my feet, using my jinn powers to quickly reenter the circle, seeing Hex and Milly arrive to join the fight. Another war cry captured my attention, and I looked up to see Kyle leading another charge forward. Relief filled me at seeing him. I was happy he’d managed to get away from Luna’s grasp. Hopefully, he’d been able to take care of her in the process.

  Not that it mattered anymore.

  We were all going to die. Every single one of us. I didn’t know how I knew it. I just did.

  More souls poured into my father. Even as I watched, he appeared to be growing, both in size and stature.

  What the hell was happening?

  Damien’s dark shape shifted upward, massive black scales rippling over his body as his limbs shifted and enlarged. His chortling laughter grew louder as he rose into the air, morphing into an entirely new form.

  I blinked rapidly, unable to believe my eyes.

  “Did he just turn into a dragon?” I asked, unsure whom I was speaking to as my eyes followed him into the sky. This was . . . unreal.

  “There are no dragons anymore,” Birch responded from beside me. “That is straight-up some magick shit. He is crazy strong.”

  “We need to get out of here,” I said, knowing we were all sitting ducks. “This army is only feeding both of their magick.”

  “He’s going to kill everyone,” Kenna whispered, and I dropped my gaze to her. “He will kill everyone except Mom, the baby, and me. He’s going to keep us as his family.”

  My skin overheated at the rageful fire burning in my veins. “The hell he will.”

  “You need to go, Dad! Mom and I are safe. You need to get our family away from here while you can. Regroup and figure out a new way to attack.”

  “Kenna, if he has your mom, he can take you both anywhere. I wouldn’t be able to follow you. I’d be stuck here.”

  “But you’d live to fight another day. You have to go.”

  “No. I won’t leave you.” My resolve was firm. I wouldn’t leave my loved ones behind.

  “The girl is right,” Birch said. “We have no way to defeat him. Escape, and maybe we will find a way out of this mess.”

  “I will not leave my family!” I shouted.

  Giant wings unfurled and flapped through the air. I watched with revulsion as my father started breathing fire down on the approaching armies, incinerating hundreds at a time.

  “Everyone get into the tunnels!” I yelled, hoping the family could hear me. I turned to Birch. “Please! Carry Portia into the tunnels. I need to get Kenna free. Kenna and I can stave off his fire powers if needed, but Portia can’t.”

  Birch didn’t hesitate, scooping up my wife and carrying her to safety. I couldn’t afford to watch. Time was limited. I didn’t know how long my dad would be distracted by his newly found abilities.

  All around us was total chaos as people ran for cover, trying to escape the now double onslaught of Dee Dee and my father. So much for not changing history. I was sure annihilating an entire race of creatures would definitely upset the balance of things.

  I didn’t have the luxury of trying to save everyone this time. I needed to get my family to safety, but these damn manacles of Kenna’s refused to let go.

  “Dad! Get out of here!” Kenna shouted. “Leave me before he comes back for you.” Her eyes flitted to an area somewhere above my head and went wide. “Run!” she shouted.

  Flinging my body over her, I tried to cover every part, burying her face in my hands. The onslaught of fire hit me mercilessly in the back. Screaming filled my ears, and it was a full second before I realized it was me making that sound.

  This was a fire like I’d never felt—like all the agony of my life wrapped into one—beating me, tearing at me, licking painfully against my flesh. I could feel the blisters rising over the surface.

  Kenna was right.

  He was going to kill me.

  The sound of beating wings came closer, and the strength of the fire increased. Sharp talons gripped my neck and picked me off my daughter, carrying me into the air. The fire kept coming, and I realized, with alarm, that I couldn’t fight him. I was too weak and could only direct my magick to my skin as protection, but I wouldn’t be able to keep it up much longer.

  Weakness sapped my bones. I’d only felt this way one other time in my life. It was when I was dying at the hands of my grandparents. I knew I was losing the fight once again.

  “God, help us.” It was the most fervent prayer I’d ever uttered.

  Immediately, there was an extremely blinding white light, followed by a massive crack of thunder. I felt more than saw the weapon’s movement as it passed, soaring over me. It sliced through its target but didn’t slow, whipping off in another direction.

  My dad didn’t even have time to register shock before he died, falling back to the earth with me in his clutches. It took every ounce of my strength to evaporate before we hit the ground.

  Climbing unsteadily to my feet, I watched in amazement as the curved blade continued spinning through the air, taking off Dee Dee’s head like she was made of butter. She slumped to the ground.

  Instantly, all the fighting stopped as if someone had thrown a switch. The weapon returned to the hands of a tall figure cloaked in black standing a few feet away. A hood covered his head, and his black cloak billowed about him as if they weren’t bound by the laws of physics.

  The ominous figure shifted slightly, and I noticed Brigid standing beside him.

  “You did it,” I gasped, unable to stop my grin as relief flooded my entire being. “You found a mortal weapon.” And not a moment too soon, I added to myself.

  Brigid gave a slight shrug. “I figured a Reaper’s blade ought to do the trick. Now the Underworld can deal with these two and see that they receive the proper punishments.”

  With my dad dead, Kenna finally broke through her manacles. She sat up, rubbing her raw wrists. “You brought the Grim Reaper with you?” she asked, surprise on her features.

  “There is actually more than one Reaper,” Brigid replied. “In fact, all departed souls have the opportunity to reap others after they die. It is part of the death journey and teaches compassion for each other. The Underworld exists throughout all levels of time, so Reapers are sent everywhere. I personally requested this Reaper, though. Thankfully, Hades agreed to let him come.”

  “We’re so grateful for your help,” I said, addressing the hooded figure. “We’d all be dead now if it weren’t for you.”

  Portia materialized beside me, slipping her hand into mine. Whatever spell had kept her immobilized was clearly no longer affecting her. “Yes, thank you,” she added.

  The Reaper stepped closer, but we still couldn’t see his face. “It was my pleasure,” he responded. His voice was so . . .

  Portia was running toward him before I even had time to react. She threw her arms around the imposing figure and started sobbing.

  The Reaper drew his hood back, and I stared in shock as Milly screamed and ran forward, throwing her arms around her long-departed son, Sean.

  Wait? What was happening? Portia’s dad was the Reaper? It didn’t make any sense.

  “How is this possible?” I asked, moving forward, unable to believe what I was witnessing.

  Sean smiled at me. “Brigid needed a Reaper to wield the weapon. It can’t be used by the living. It’s the Death Bringer. To touch it is to know death. My help was requested because they knew you would need someone you could believe, Vance. I was more than happy to come. Plus, I needed to finish the job correctly this time.”

  “But technically, you’re not even born yet. So how can you be dead?” I asked, trying to grasp this.