Alternating between the sword and my power, Ren and I made the perfect team, our movements fluid and smooth as we were unyielding in our quest.

  A minute glance around showed me we were closer to the center of the room now, and there was a lot more room to maneuver. There were more dead Fae on the floor than there were standing now!

  I could see River closer to the huge banquet table where he was battling three of the traitorous fucks. I charged, leaping over chairs and bodies and thrust my sword into the back of the closest one, stabbing it downward viciously to insure the wound was fatal before yanking it out and kicking him to the side. Ren darted under the huge table and grabbed the leg of another, yanking until his back hit the floor before she pounced on his chest, her fangs latching onto his throat. River quickly ended the third with a brutal strike before turning and grinning at me. I held my fist up for a bump, but he just looked at me in confusion, so I yelled, “You bump it with your fist!” He did and we both laughed.

  Ren leaned against my legs and we both huffed out a breath as we took in the vast room. There were still battles going on at the doors at both ends as well as by the windows. I took that to mean there were Fae trying to escape and Landis’ guards were stopping them. Yay us!

  I met Ren’s eyes and jerked my chin to the windows.

  “We should go there.”

  Ren darted back under the mammoth table and I leapt half the table before sliding on my hip to the far edge. We met there and continued our assault on Landis’ enemies. I may not have made up my mind about him being my mate, even though the little voice in the back of my head said he was, but I was not about to let these fuckers take his home!

  The fighting was fierce and Ren and I stayed side by side watching each others’ backs because what had looked like Landis’ guards stopping anyone inside from escaping was wrong, and they were actually trying to keep more Fae from getting in! How the fuck many of these assholes were there!

  I repeatedly swung the sword and slapped them with my power as Ren ripped and tore them into pieces. Both of my hands buzzed with the exertion and a faint burning was working its way up my forearms.

  I worried for both of my mates but didn’t have the time and couldn’t take the chance of losing concentration to check on them. I felt both bonds strong and steady, so kept my head in the game.

  I gave a particularly strong Fae a hard kick in his thigh and was pleased to hear a loud crack as his fractured femur caused him to drop to his knees, allowing Ren the chance to grab onto his neck from behind, silencing his screams.

  We ducked and dodged, swinging and kicking, dropping our foes as we moved right up to the windows. Outside I could see Fae desperate to climb into the windows but being held back, barely, by Landis’ guards. Based on the number outside and the numbers of us still inside, it wouldn’t be long before they overpowered us and came surging in! We could never win against that number! We had to retreat or come up with a different plan.

  If I hit them with enough power, I could push the whole lot back to the trees, send them flying over the wall, but it wouldn’t likely kill them, and they’d make their way back here. The only thing that would take them out permanently was fire. I spoke directly to Ren.

  I’m going to blast the windows apart and then take them out with fire. I need to let Lan’s guys know to get out of the way.

  Ren pushed her head under my hand briefly, her side heaving with exertion as she grabbed yet another Fae that swung towards us.

  I focused on each of Lan’s guys, one after the other as I pushed my words into their minds with intent.

  When I yell, get away from the windows!

  Ren pressed against the backs of my legs as I reached for my power, let the swirling ball of energy grow and heat as I pictured a massive fireball at my fingertips.

  Move!

  Landis’s guards all fell back and I raised both hands, unleashing a blast of air that blew the windows out from the center of the wall before I spread my hands further apart and took out more windows.

  As I lowered my arms briefly, I could see the Fae outside surging for the now open space where the windows once blocked their entry. I held my fists tightly clenched until the first traitors could be seen, ready to climb inside.

  My fingers spread wide open and I called on my fire, white hot in a stream of flames that hit those at the opening and spread further into the crowd outside. They were engulfed in seconds, a massive flame reaching skyward and the heat from it caused those of us inside to move back as the fighting all but ceased as everyone turned to look at the massacre outside.

  I shut off the flames, letting my hands fall to my sides as I tried unsuccessfully to block the screams from my mind.

  Ren whimpered softly as she circled me, watching for anyone still wanting to continue the fight.

  My arms burned from the massive amount of power I’d just used and my ears only registered a buzzing sound, not entirely unpleasant, but it made me feel cut off and I reached for Ren.

  My fingers found purchase in her fur, now sticky from all the blood and I held on as I blinked a few times and attempted to swallow past my parched throat.

  The sound of swords hitting the floor began to filter into my brain, past the buzzing in my ears and I looked around to make sense of it. Lan’s guards appeared to be pushing a bunch of the traitorous Fae into the center of the room and guards at the far ends looked to be doing the same. I tried to find my mates but couldn’t see them above the numbers of Fae being herded together.

  I untwined my fingers from Ren’s fur and leaned forward to speak into her ear.

  “I’m going to jump up onto the table to find the guys.”

  We moved toward the table together and when we got close enough I leapt onto it, careful to avoid the massive chandelier still hanging over the center. From my vantage point I could easily see Landis, organizing those guards at the far end as they forced their enemies to their knees. Looking to the other end of the room, I spotted Raife and Dallas, both stained with blood and still brandishing swords at those who’d not yet dropped their weapons. It looked to be no more than a handful of Fae so I waited, not wanting to distract them by calling out, but anxious to see their faces and longing to gaze into their eyes. I could hear Ren as she crossed under the table and knew she’d emerge on the other side to join me.

  As if they could feel me looking at them, my mates turned together and caught sight of me standing on the table at the same time. I stared into Dallas’ deep brown eyes and let my relief show that he was okay, before looking at Raife and locking onto his eyes of deepest blue. They were both okay and I smiled widely, my heart swelling as I sent love through our bonds.

  I held their gazes, just wanting to revel in this moment when I felt pushed from behind and Dallas’ mouth twisted into a look of horror, a guttural scream tearing from his throat and my name ripped out! Raife looked too stunned to move, but then became just a blur as he raced towards me.

  I couldn’t figure out what had happened to make them look so horrified until a wrenching pull in my abdomen made me look down and I saw six inches of the point of a silver sword protruding obscenely from my middle.

  My brain tried to catch up with what my eyes were seeing but it wasn’t happening fast enough. A sword was sticking out of me! Someone had stabbed me in the back and it went straight through! Why didn’t I feel the pain? Why was I just standing here?

  As if by thinking it, I could feel the beginning of a searing pain in my back and my legs began to tremble before I sank to my knees. I wanted to call out to Dallas, to Raife, to tell them I loved them and it would be okay, but as I tried to work the words from my throat, I coughed and blood bubbled out from my lips and streamed over my chin, the warm liquid trailing down the front of my neck.

  The pain increased as I watched the end of the sword disappear, pulled back through my body and it felt like my insides were on fire before I tipped forward, landing flat on the table, the smooth wood surface almost comforting against my cheek.

  My eyelids were being dragged down, feeling too heavy to stay open, but I tried to see what was happening as I heard Ren leap onto the table, her huge paws and deadly claws digging into the surface. She must have leapt onto someone behind me because I heard a thud and a scream that was abruptly cut off.

  My eyes closed just as I felt a hand caress the back of my head and a voice whispered in my ear. Raife!

  “Jules, I’m here sweetheart, you just hold on. We’ll fix this.”

  His hand caressed my cheek and I pulled my eyes open to stare into the blue depths of his. They were filled with grief and despair like I’d never seen on his beautiful face and I just wanted to make it go away. My Raife should never be in pain like that.

  I couldn’t speak from the blood coating my throat so I tried to send my love directly to his mind.

  “I love you Raife, with every part of me. You have made my life worthwhile and I will love you forever.”

  “I love you Jules with my entire being. I’ve waited more than nine hundred years for you and I will not let you go now. You stay with me sweetheart. Just hang on.”

  I felt lips brushing my eyelids, my cheeks, my nose and I knew Dallas was with us also.

  “Hang on my love, we’re with you.” I heard his voice break even as I felt his tears fall softly on my face.

  I love you Dallas, forever.

  I wanted to say more but my mind was wandering and I was so tired. Their voices sounded further away and I thought if I just slept for a little while, maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much when I woke up.

  Chapter fifty-six

  Dallas

  I battled these Fae with every trick I knew, my claws coated in blood as I tore through them. Clearly, Landis had no idea so many of his kingdom sided with his enemy or he’d never have believed he could win. Raife and I fought side by side, pushing back the horde threatening to overwhelm us. Jay in his wolf form darted behind the fuckers taking their legs out as Trey swung his sword with the expertise only someone who’d lived hundreds of years could.

  It felt as if this would continue until one side became too fatigued to go on, or we were all dead!

  Raife nudged my shoulder and pointed behind us to the center of the room where a huge fireball had erupted just outside of where the windows once were.

  Jules. I knew that was the work of my mate! No one else held that kind of power and from the screams coming from outside, she’d just eliminated a huge number of our enemy.

  I swung back around just in time to rake my claws across the abdomen of a big fucker lunging at me. The shock on his face was almost comical as he watched his insides spill onto the floor and I yanked a claw over his throat before he went down.

  Some of the Fae had stopped fighting, their weapons dropping to the floor, but a handful were still pushing toward us, needing more convincing.

  Raife spun and struck with such speed and deadly efficiency that six more Fae dropped to the floor and we both turned at the same time, needing eyes on our mate!

  She stood on top of the massive table, a sword hanging from one hand as she looked straight at us, meeting my eyes and a smile graced her lips. I was in awe. She was magnificent! My heart could barely hold the love I had for this woman, the mate bond swelling where it lay in my chest.

  A barely there flash of movement broke the spell that held me as my mind tried to register what I saw.

  Clarissa stood on the table behind my mate, sword raised and before I could react, she stabbed through Jules’ back, the point of the sword protruding grossly from her body. A stabbing pain ripped through me as I roared in agony. “Jules!”

  Raife leapt away in a blur, racing to save our mate and I followed him, forcing my feet to move even as my mind refused to comprehend what I was seeing.

  Jules' knees buckled and hit the table as her face registered the shock of seeing the blade sticking out of her, even as Clarissa yanked it back out, raising her arm for another strike!

  Jules dropped forward, her body laid out on the table and I pushed myself harder, leaping the bodies strewn across the floor, trying not to slide through the pools of blood garishly decorating the white stone.

  Ren spun from under the table, leaping onto it before her body stretched to her full length, flattening as she sailed through the air and collided with Clarissa, knocking her to the ground.

  Raife had Jules, his hand cradling her head as I skidded to a stop next to him. Jules’ eyes were closed and blood seeped from between her lips, her skin milky white against the deep red of the blood pooling beneath her.

  My hands shook as I reached to smooth the hair from her face, my tears landing on the face that I loved more than life itself.

  “Hang on my love, we’re with you”, I whispered.

  Her voice whispered through my mind. Dallas, I love you forever.

  Her eyes didn’t open, her chest barely moved with breath and I shuddered when I felt the bond stretching.

  “No, I won’t let you go Jules, you stay with us, you hear me!”

  Raife turned to me and the agony in his eyes brought me to my knees, my hands gripping the edge of the table.

  “We need a healer, Raife, we need to stop the bleeding.”

  He looked at me and I refused to see the defeat in his eyes!

  “The bond Raife, give her every ounce of power you’ve got left, send it through the bond.”

  “Landis!” I screamed out at the top of my lungs. “Get a healer here now!”

  I grabbed Raife’s hand and shook him. “The bond now Raife, do it!”

  Every drop of power I had, I sent down the bond to Jules, pushing it with everything in me and I could feel Raife doing the same. No way was I giving up on my mate! I pushed until I had nothing left, barely able to hold myself up, the pain in my gut searing my insides.

  Jules lay unmoving, the slightest breath passing her lips and I leaned forward close to her ear as I let my lips brush the soft skin of her neck.

  “Stay with me love, I can’t go on without you. I need you here with me, with us. Please Jules, I love you.”

  Trey stepped up next to Raife and offered a stack of clean cloths. I reached for them, beseeching Raife to help me with just the need in my eyes. He leaned into me, his arm went around my waist, his face against mine, his despair overwhelming.

  “We need to slow the bleeding until the healer gets here.”

  He held my eyes for a moment and gave me the smallest nod.

  Being as careful as I possibly could I lifted the hem of the tunic Jules wore and ripped it up the middle, exposing the jagged gash in her beautiful skin, just to the right of her spine, below her ribs. Raife placed a thick square of cloth over the wound, pressing gently as I eased Jules over onto her back. I tore her tunic enough to show the vile wound in her abdomen, blood still seeping from it, staining her smooth skin.

  We pressed another square of cloth onto her front, then carefully wound strips around her middle to hold it tight. My palm cradled her head as I laid my cheek against hers and fought to hold the tears that refused to stop, blurring my vision. Raife lowered himself to the table alongside her and I met his eyes across her face, the face that neither of us could live without.

  “Just hold onto her Raife, don’t let go, don’t ever let go and we’ll make it,” I whispered, unable to make any true sound.

  “We’ve got you Jules, you’re not going anywhere, you stay with us,” Raife’s voice was barely more than a thought as we held her, our love.

  I felt a wolf behind me but wasn’t sure if it was Jay or Ren and refused to take my eyes from Jules to look.

  “Move aside,” Landis barked as I felt him approach behind me. “I have the healer, let him help her.”

  I lifted my head and slid my knees across the floor, but was unable to rise, grasping Raife’s arm as Landis moved to my side. I watched the Fae with Landis as he moved closer to my mate and my wolf wanted me to push this unknown male away, but I had no strength to move and I knew that we needed him to heal her.

  He stretched his arms out, his hands hovering about an inch from her body where the thick cloth we’d wrapped around her was now turning red. His eyes were closed and he grimaced as his hands began to shake. Abruptly he pulled his hands back and pushed them into his long golden hair. “There is some sort of a shield inside her that is repelling me. I am unable to get around it.”

  “Try again,” Landis gritted out. “We’re not giving up.”

  Again he extended his hands over Jules, moving them from her neck to her legs as his hands began to tremble and a groan escaped his lips.

  I squeezed Raife’s arm, desperation shaking my voice. “Raife, we need to do something. What can we do Raife, please.”

  I didn’t know if he’d heard me. He was so still and I felt everything slipping away, voices no more than a far off murmur as my hand fell from his arm and I could no longer hold my body upright. My head lay on a wolf’s body and the feeling was not unpleasant as a numbness surrounded my body.

  Chapter fifty-seven

  Landis

  We were losing them, all three of them. The bond that tied them so closely was pulling them down with Jules and the dam healer couldn’t get around her shields to heal her! Think Landis, think! The fucking bond that I never wanted was killing Jules’ mates just as surely as Clarissa’s blade was killing her! Fucking Clarissa! That wolf had ripped her evil head right off her body and I still wanted to drive my sword through her black heart!

  Wait! If the bond tied them so closely that they were dying with her, maybe if we healed them, it would flow through the damn bond to her!

  I grabbed Arvin by the arm, he was our best healer and pushed him toward Dallas. “Heal them and it should travel through their mate bond to her! Do it now!” He dropped to his knees beside Dallas where he lay against the wolf, his skin a grayish white, his eyes closed as his chest barely rose with breath.

  Arvin’s hands hovered over Dallas’ big body, moving slowly from his abdomen to his chest then back down, again and again. Slowly his color returned and his breathing became steady, his chest steadily rising and falling. Arvin leaned back, letting his arms drop to his sides.