Gage shook his head. “You get eternity,” he said sternly, as if his tone could somehow keep her here with him.

  Katy heard a sniffle, and she turned her head to see tears in Lola’s eyes. Katy reached out a hand to her, and Lola practically lunged at her to grab it. She pulled it to her chest and pressed a kiss to the top of Katy’s knuckles. “No crying allowed during an eerie boat ride through a dark-magic infested bayou.” Katy’s voice was rough.

  “Shut your piehole.” Lola huffed. “I’ll cry if I want to.”

  Katy’s lips turned up in a smile. She loved her friend and, damn, she didn’t want to die. The thought pierced through her, and she had to clench her jaw to keep her own tears at bay. This was not the time to lose her crap.

  “Mistress.” Otto was suddenly there, standing in his baggy clothes, his head reaching her knee. He placed a clawed hand on her leg, and the pain in his eyes nearly broke her. “Otto make it right. I…” He paused, and the scales on his face changed color several times before going back to the green she was used to. His eyes closed briefly and then opened, staring straight into hers. “I love you.” Then, in a streak of green, he turned and lunged from the boat.

  “OTTO!” Katy tried to reach for him.

  “Dammit,” Gage cursed. “Bane, can you follow him?”

  Katy looked over at the panther. He gave a sharp nod, then looked at Taras. The Prime inclined his head. “Go. Watch yourself.”

  In a flash Bane went from man to sleek panther and jumped from the boat just as it came to a halt, bumping up against the shore. Katy’s heart felt weak in her chest, though Otto’s little stunt had definitely made it beat faster. She was going to strangle him. Her body felt so heavy, and she suddenly just wanted to sleep. So she’d strangle him after she took a nap.

  “You can’t go to sleep.” Lola patted her cheek. “All hell is about to break loose, and I need you present and accounted for, Katy Dire.”

  “Gage,” Talbot said. “I came to bear witness to what happens here tonight. My mate and I will have to give testimony to the shaman and our kingdom. But this is not my battle. I will keep her safe, and Callon, I will keep your mate safe as well.”

  Gage looked down at Katy and then helped her sit up. “I don’t care what that demon said. You need my blood.” He bit into his wrist and held it up to her mouth. The look he gave her made it clear that there would be no arguing with him. As she took his wrist in her mouth, her mate looked back at the snake king. Katy didn’t think there was any chance that Gage would allow someone else to guard her, so she was shocked to hear what he said next.

  “If anything happens to her, I will kill you and leave your mate to live a life broken and alone, and I will destroy your kingdom until all that is left is dust.” His voice was flat as he spoke, but the look in her mate’s eyes made her shiver. He wasn’t bluffing.

  “I understand.” Talbot’s words came through clenched teeth. He was a good diplomat. She’d give him that.

  As her mate’s blood filled her, energy renewed Katy’s lungs and muscles. Nothing like it had before, but she could sit up and even stand on her own. She released his wrist and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with, well, not fresh air. It was putrid, but at least she was breathing.

  Zeena moved suddenly, jumping to her feet, and everyone else who had been sitting stood as well. Katy looked at the former queen, her eyes focused on the dark clearing in front of them. “I can feel him. He’s coming.”

  Taras leapt off first, his wild mane of hair flying behind him like a banner of war. Lyra followed close behind, with a look of determination across her delicate features. Nico followed, whistling a happy tune like he wasn’t about to fight some fallen snake king and an evil witch.

  Callon looked at Lola and took her face in his hands. He pressed a quick, firm kiss to her lips. Katy probably should have looked away, but dammit, they might all be dead soon. She wasn’t going to miss a second of what might be the last of her life.

  “Stay close to Talbot,” Callon told her. “Shift if you need to.”

  Lola nodded and patted his cheek. “Don’t die. I will be beyond pissed.”

  He grinned, and his sharp teeth gleamed. “I love you, too, Sazzi.” Then he turned and sprang over the edge of the boat with the grace and ease of his beast.

  Gage turned to Katy, and she held up a hand. “I know. Stay with Talbot. Don’t do anything stupid and don’t die. I’ve got the rules memorized.”

  He pressed his forehead to hers and took a deep breath. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Katy Dire.” His voice was gruff as he spoke, his hands resting on either side of her neck. “Whatever happens tonight, it’s going to be okay. We’re going to be okay.”

  She frowned, not really understanding this version of pep-talk. She’d totally thought he’d be giving her the “don’t do something stupid” speech. Then she realized why he was saying this to her. “Otto.” She breathed out as if the air had been punched from her lungs. “What’s he gonna do, Gage?”

  When he didn’t answer her, Katy stepped away from him and headed for the edge of the boat. Screw being safe. She was going to move while her legs still worked. She was going to stop her reckless little shadow from getting himself killed. As she tried to put her leg over the boat, it bumped up against something solid, only there was nothing there. She tried again and was repelled by an invisible force field. “Umm, why the hell can’t I get off this boat?”

  Raphael stood only a couple feet away, and had been about to jump off the boat. He stopped and looked at her, his brow drawing down over his violet eyes. He walked over to her and grabbed the wrist that had the bracelets on them. Gage was beside him in a second, growling, of course.

  The demon chuckled. “The little lizard is sneaky. He put a spell on the bracelets. A boundary spell. And then he made the boat the boundary.”

  “What?” Lola walked over to where they stood. She reached out her hand and tried to shove it outside the edge of the boat. It came up against an invisible wall, too. “So we’re stuck on this boat?”

  “Dammit!” Katy stomped her foot. “That sneaky little scaly bastard!”

  “Looks that way.” Raphael turned to the captain, who looked rather calm for the circumstances. Katy wondered what sort of glamour they’d managed to use on him. “Jack, once the three ladies and the gentleman are the only ones left on the boat, could you back it away from the shore?”

  “I can do that.” He nodded as he took his hat off and scratched his head. “I’d appreciate that you do your business quickly. The bayou, well, it ain’t right. I mean, it’s worse than usual.”

  Raphael’s eyes glowed as he smiled, showing sharp teeth. “Don’t worry, we will be quick.” Then he jumped over the side of the boat in his dress shirt and slacks, somehow looking just as deadly as Callon had.

  “Have I mentioned that I’m going to strangle that little bug-eyed, baggy clothes wearing lizard when I get my hands on him?” Katy attempted to untie the bracelets. Whatever magic he’d used on them, they weren’t budging. Lola, too, tried her best to remove the bracelets. She pulled at them with her teeth but had no more success than Katy.

  Gage cupped her cheek, regaining her attention. He started to say something, but there was a loud crashing sound, and they all turned to see what caused it. Moonlight illuminated a clump of nearby shaking trees. Suddenly, an enormous emerald snake burst from the foliage, venom dripping from its foot-long fangs as it let out a menacing hiss. Azure had arrived, madness radiating from his reptilian eyes.

  “Keep them safe, Talbot,” Gage said, and then the man was gone, and in his place was a massive wolf. He let out an ear-splitting howl as he launched himself toward Azure.

  Lola’s eyes widened in shock as Azure, the massive serpent, crashed through the dense canopy of trees. The sound was deafening as branches snapped and leaves rustled in its wake. Before she could even process what was happening, her companions sprang into action with supernatural grace and agility.

  Callon let out an earth-shaking roar, his muscles bulging with power as he transformed into a golden lion. He launched himself at the snake, his large paws pounding the ground with each stride. Taras, already in his sleek, tawny lion form, joined the attack with ferocious speed and grace. Gage, with his swift movements and lightning-fast reflexes, darted forward to distract the serpent while the others attacked.

  The bayou erupted into a violent battlefield. The air was filled with snarls, howls, and furious hisses as fangs and claws clashed in a deadly dance. Trees splintered, and the ground trembled underfoot as the creatures fought with savage ferocity. Lola couldn’t tear her eyes away from Callon’s form, every swipe of his powerful paws sending her heart racing.

  Even Azure, with all his formidable strength and size, struggled against the relentless onslaught of attacks. For every strike he landed on his opponents, they countered with fierce determination. Sharp claws and teeth found purchase in his scaly hide until it was stained black with ichor.

  In the midst of the chaos, a shrill laugh cut through the cacophony like a knife. Lola’s head snapped toward the sound just in time to see a woman, who must be Marissa, the voodoo priestess, emerge from the shadows. Her skeletal hands were already twisting in dark spells. Before Lola could even cry out a warning, the witch’s magic flew from her fingers straight toward Lyra’s unprotected back.

  But Raphael was quicker than lightning, using his own impressive powers to knock the Prima out of harm’s way before turning to face off against Marissa. Nico’s chanting rose above the madness, his shamanic abilities, whatever the hell those were, adding to the chaos as he fought against the witch’s dark magic with his own light. The battle raged on, a symphony of magic and mayhem, and Lola was stuck on the boat, unable to help. The beast inside of her flexed, frustrated that she wasn’t being let out to assist their mate. But what the hell could a lion do from a boat?

  She heard a gasp and turned to see Rose, the new KOV queen, covering her mouth as she watched in wide-eyed horror the bloodbath that was happening fifty yards away. However, Lola noticed the boat had moved and was still moving farther from the shore, as Raphael had asked.

  “Talbot.” Rose’s voice was much stronger than Lola expected it to be. “You’ve got to go help. He’s going to kill them.”

  “I won’t leave you unprotected,” Talbot told his mate. Scales covered his skin as he watched the fight. “And I spoke the truth when I told Gage this wasn’t my fight. This is not my kill.”

  “Do you really think you can defeat me?” Azure’s voice came from the snake’s mouth, and it was as loud as Callon’s roar. “You pathetic, weak foolsss who don’t even know what is best for our kind.”

  “Oh great.” Katy huffed. “This is the part where the evil ass gives us a monologue about why he can’t be killed. Seen it in every action movie ever. Didn’t like it the first time. Definitely won’t like it this time. Would somebody shut him up? And where the hell is the panther with my lizard?”

  Rose’s eyes widened as she looked at Katy and then at Lola.

  Lola winced. “Not a sentence you thought you’d ever hear in your life, right? I would say that she’s usually saner than this, but that would be a lie, and I’d rather not start our relationship off on the wrong foot.”

  “I appreciate that.” Rose stood a little straighter, as if Lola’s joking made her less fearful.

  Lola tried to pay attention to what was going on with Nico, the voodoo chick, her mate, and Azure all at the same time. Her eyes were bouncing back and forth like a ping-pong ball. Couldn’t they fight closer together? Would that be too much to ask? Okay, now Katy’s attitude was totally rubbing off on her.

  “What’s that?” Katy pointed at Azure.

  “Really?” Lola asked dryly. “Is your brain shutting down now because of this voodoo spell, Katy? That’s Azure, the bad guy in his snake form.”

  “Not him, you dip,” Katy bit out. “Past him and past all the trees his massive, scaly body smashed. There’s light.” She squinted her eyes.

  Lola rolled her eyes. “Use your wolf’s eyes, Katy.” She huffed. “Amateur.”

  “You’ve been a lion like a whole fifty minutes longer than I’ve been a wolf. Don’t act like you got it figured out, princess. How, exactly, do I just use my wolf's eyes?”

  Lola simply envisioned herself with her lion’s eyes, and suddenly she was able to see a whole heck of a lot better. She assumed the same would work for Katy. “Just picture yourself with your wolf’s eyes.”

  “Whoa.” Katy braced herself on the side of the boat. “He has really torn this place up. I mean it looks like a tornado has come through here.”

  “That light you see is a house,” Lola pointed out. Lola made a hissing sound as Azure got a little too close for comfort to her mate. “Callon, I wasn’t joking when I said I’d be pissed!” She yelled out to her mate. Suddenly, another lion joined the fight, this one without the huge mane. “Lyra,” Lola said absently as she watched the lioness move with beautiful agility.

  “If Bane would get back here with Otto, he could help them finish this.” Katy sighed. Her eyes were focused on the house. “He must have gone there. That’s probably where the women are. Oh, he’s gonna free them. Then Bane could bring them to us.”

  Lola thought about what the little lizard had said to Katy. He said he would make it right. Nico had pointed out on multiple occasions that killing the two human females would solve the Katy dilemma. Oh snap. Lola stared at the house. She didn’t think Otto had any intention of freeing the women. All he was thinking about was how to save his mistress. Otto was no nonsense and all business. He would take the easiest path to the resolution he needed, which was Katy alive and healthy. Lola’s stomach dropped as her beast spoke to her. He’s going to bite them.

  Chapter Eighteen

  This Is The Only Way.

  “There can be no love without sacrifice.” ~Zeena

  Otto darted through the darkness, his feet pounding against the cold, wet ground. The scent of earth and fear filled his nose as he navigated the treacherous terrain. His body was partially shifted, the protective scales of his beast providing a barrier between him and the aggressive creatures of the earth realm.

  In the distance, he could see the faint glimmer of lights from the house. He had been there occasionally in the past when he had still been Azure’s unwilling punching bag. Marissa had surprised him with her cunning abilities, and she’d also taught him a few things, like the binding spell he’d put on the bracelets.

  He would give a quick bite to the human females bound to his mistress—painless and swift. It was almost a kindness, in a twisted way. As Otto reached the final few stairs leading up to the porch, he paused to catch his breath and scan his surroundings. His keen eyes caught movement in the grass nearby. Otto turned just in time to see a sleek black panther emerge from its hiding spot. Bane, always one for dramatic flair, had allowed Otto to hear him approaching. But this panther knew how to be truly silent when it hunted. He wasn’t after Otto. Not yet at least.

  “Why you here?”

  Bane glanced over his shoulder at the battle waging, then looked back at him.

  “You not stop me,” Otto warned and then walked up to the door. He scurried up to the latch and pushed down. It clicked and then swung open. A slight breeze blew in and unsettled the dust, causing Otto to scratch his nose. He jumped back down to the ground and stood still, listening. As soon as he heard their voices he took off running.

  “Otto,” Bane’s voice bellowed from behind him. The panther had shifted back to his human form.

  The lizard’s heart raced as he heard the heavy footsteps of his pursuer behind him. Ignoring the thudding fear in his chest, Otto pushed through the door with all his might, bursting into the room where two human females sat huddled together on the floor. He could feel their fear radiating off them like heat waves, their wide eyes fixed on him in shock and surprise. Even the dimly lit room didn’t hide their trembling forms or tear-stained faces.

  “Otto, you don’t have to do this.” Bane stepped into the room. He glanced at the females, then looked back at the lizard.

  “My mistress dies,” Otto said as he looked up at the panther.

  Bane slowly knelt down. “I know.”

  “Are you going to save us?” one of the females asked, but Otto didn’t look her way. He knew there was only one being in the room that might be able to stop him.

  “They alive. She not,” Otto said, as if Bane didn’t understand the first time.

  “There’s another way,” Bane said, gently.

  Otto shook his head. “Otto think and think. This is only sure way.”

  “Don’t let him kill us, please,” one of the females pleaded.

  Bane did not look away from Otto. Smart panther. Otto watched as Bane pulled out his phone and pressed the screen. There was a ringing, and then his mistress’s voice filled the room.

  “Bane, how on earth did you carry a cell phone while in your cat form, and where the hell is my lizard?”

  “Magic,” Bane answered simply. “He is here, with the two females drawing from your life force.”

  “Why? Why are you there, Otto, and not on this boat with me where you trapped me?”

  Tears welled up in Otto’s eyes. “I told my Katy. I make this right.” His voice shook as he stared at the phone, wishing it were her face he could see. Even mad at him, there would be kindness in her eyes.

  “Biting them is not the answer,” Bane’s deep voice rumbled.

  Katy gasped. “Otto, no. They’re innocent, victims.”

  “No one is innocent,” Otto grumbled. “I old. I know things.”

  “But they don’t deserve death,” Katy argued, her voice tight. “You don’t get to decide when they die.”

  “I not let you die,” Otto bellowed, and his shoulders shook. “Mistress may hate me, but you be live. That enough for me.”