Unraveled

She landed with a hard thwack and slumped, fighting for breath. Aden’s gaze remained glued to her. Love…obey…

“Aden,” Victoria said, shaking him. “Aden! Listen to me. Hear me. You have to fight this.”

Marie gained her bearings and stood on shaky legs. She raised her arms, eyes narrowed and still pi

Love, obey, Caleb said.

“She’s hurting him,” Victoria cried to the beast, and a second later, Marie was screaming, tossed into another wall, but again she stood, ready to finish her spell.

MARY ANN STUMBLED OUTSIDE, into the moonlight. There’d been a…a dragon in the cave. An honest to God dragon. She shouldn’t have run, she thought, but the urge to flee had been instinctive. She’d panicked. She’d obeyed Victoria without hesitation.

Perhaps, though, she wasn’t any safer out here. Another war was being waged.

Where minutes before there had been calm in this rocky canyon, now vampires and a few wolves battled more fairies than Mary A

Riley was here. She knew he was. He would have followed Victoria. So where was he? If he was hurt, she would—

Behind her, there was a screech of fury, and then a heavy weight was pushing her down. She flipped midair and realized Brendal had trailed her out, then she hit the ground and lost her breath, her train of thought.

“You ca

Midnight would arrive very soon, and the wi

“Your brother…your brother is dead,” Mary A

Shock. Disbelief. Rage. All three passed over the fairy’s expression. Brendal shook her head, pale hair slapping her ashen cheeks. “No.”

“Yes. He is. I’m sorry.”

Eyes narrowed. “Then where is his body?”

“I don’t know.”

“Who does?”

“Please,” Mary A

“Who knows?” As she spoke, she shook Mary A

Again, Mary A

“Would you tell me to save your own life?” Brendal reached behind her, and when her hand reappeared, she was gripping a blade. She held its gleaming tip to Mary A

Fight. You know how. But as Mary A

There was a howl, a blur of black in the corner of her eye, and then Brendal was soaring to the side, away from her. Riley, in full wolf form, landed on top of the fairy, doing his best to subdue her. Mary A

Was he being drained? Was the fairy somehow weakening him?

I’m the Drainer, Mary A

“Hold her as best you can.”

As Riley dropped all of his weight on his opponent, pi

She closed her eyes, tried to blank her mind. An unwanted thought arose. If she did this, everyone would know what she was. Her secret would be out. She would be marked for death. Well, more than she already was. Not just by the fairies, but by the wolves and vampires.

Another thought formed. If she didn’t do this, Riley could be injured. And besides, she might not survive the night, anyway. So, really, what did she have to lose?

Finally, her mind blanked. I’m hungry, she told herself. So hungry.

She waited. The warmth remained at bay, out of reach.

I’m starving. I need the fairy’s energy.

Again, nothing.

Time to regroup. So far, the ability had worked only on the witches. Riley had said that Mary A

No. No. She could do this. She had to do this. Mary A

Brendal jerked against her hold.

Mary A

The song slowed, however, and she frowned. She wasn’t done listening, and now, the melody wasn’t quite as pretty. It was lacking somehow. And then, even the warmth faded. She wanted more warmth. Needed more warmth.

Enough. You have to pull away, Mary A