The Darkest Craving

Hurry, hurry.

“I’m more than a no one.” Ears ringing, she moved slowly, purposefully, and flattened her hands against the invisible barrier.

He kicked her, his leg penetrating the shield no problem, and she stumbled back—but still she came back for more. “Give up, Josephina. You can’t win. I’ve fought opponents far stronger than you. Far faster. Far smarter. And you...you’re weak. Disposable.”

“I’m not! I’m worth something.” Fury stopped rising and simply exploded. She hit the shield, and flames shot from her, dancing together, growing stronger, hotter, until the air began to sizzle, creating a hole in the barrier big enough for her fist.

Tiberius paled. “How did you—”

Josephina punched through the opening once, twice, three times, moving so swiftly he couldn’t dodge, breaking his nose, knocking out two of his teeth, dislocating his jaw. Blood sprayed against what remained of the shield, blending with the flames.

“That’s for my mother,” she said, hitting him again. “That’s for Kane. That’s for me. That’s for having a black heart. That’s for...my mother again.”

His knees buckled. By the time he hit the ground, he was out.

Panting, she peered down at him. She’d done it. She’d defeated him.

She should have felt more triumphant, but the sadness she’d denied had found new life, filling her, spilling out. But that wasn’t going to stop her. She grabbed the king by the hair and dragged him to Leopold. Then, she searched the room for the queen...there! She was still prying at the seam in the doors, desperate to escape.

Josephina simply stepped up behind her, joined her fists, and struck. The woman fell to her side and stayed down.

William appeared just in front of the unconscious body. Red, Green, Black and White appeared just behind him, completely healed.

“Looks like we arrived just in time, gang,” William said with a grin.

The group rushed into the thick of battle, unsheathing swords along the way.

“No!” Josephina cried out.

But they didn’t attack Kane; they attacked the people around him.

The black mist that usually accompanied the Rainbow Rejects remained at bay. Maybe it wasn’t needed. The boys never mutated into their other forms, and with only a few minutes of hacking at the opposition, William and his children had the rest of the crowd backing away in fear.

“Knew you’d need us,” William said with a pat on Kane’s shoulder.

A winded, blood-splattered Kane snapped his teeth. “I had the army right where I wanted it and was about to make my final move.”

“Please. You were at the cliff, about to be kicked over.”

“Whatever.” Kane stalked to Josephina’s side. Gently he cupped her jaw and tilted her head to the left, allowing light to fall over her wound. “That’s going to scar.”

“Yes.” Unlike full-blooded immortals, she wore her injuries forever. “I’ll still be beautiful to you.” After everything this man had done for her, she wasn’t ever going to doubt his attraction to her.

“More than beautiful. Exquisite.” He kissed her, soft and sweet. “I’m so proud of you.”

“And I’m proud of you.”

Black hoisted the queen over his shoulder, then wrapped an arm under Synda’s stomach and hung her at his side. “I’ll take these two.” His gaze moved to William and narrowed. “I deserve some sort of reward for vowing never to touch Kane or his woman.”

“That vow saved you from my deathblow. That was reward enough. Now, you’ll put the females in the dungeon, or else,” William commanded.

Kane gri

“I am.”

Kane kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ll be right back.” He flung the prince over his shoulder, then grabbed the king by the hair. He motioned to Black with a nod of his chin. “Lead the way.”

Black didn’t bother trying to open a door but crashed through, using the queen as a battering ram.

Licking her lips, Josephina faced the crowd. Every eye was glued to her, wide, expectant and angry.

“All right,” she called. “You saw my strength, my skill. You saw the strength and skill of my friends.” As she spoke, she could feel the rest of the energy leaving her, and within a few seconds, a strange heaviness was settling over her limbs. To mask the oncoming weakness, she eased onto the king’s throne and continued her speech. “There’s more where that came from if—”

A shadow dropped from the ceiling, snagging her attention as it landed on White’s shoulders. The girl had no time to react. One second she stood proud, the next her head was on the floor—without her body.

Josephina screamed.

As the girl’s body flopped to the floor lifelessly, blood pouring from her severed neck, the person responsible landed on her feet and straightened.

“I told you that you’d regret what you did to me,” the Phoenix said with a grin.

Red realized what had happened to his sister and fell to his knees.

Green released an agonized “Nooo!” The first word he’d ever spoken in Josephina’s presence.

A pallid William clutched his heart.

Shock slammed through Josephina. The horrific nature of what had just happened—

Wasn’t even the worst part.

As she reeled, White’s entire body changed. Her skin darkened, blackened...cracked, leaving thousands of tiny round pieces. Those pieces sprouted legs and broke away from each other. Bugs, she thought with a wave of revulsion. The creepy crawlers sped into action, sweeping through the room, covering the floor, the walls, chasing the Fae and trying to burrow under their skin.

Shrieks and panicked footfalls erupted. Fists banged at the closed doors. People were stampeded as others struggled to push their way out of the only opening. Someone must have found a key to another realm, because a new doorway was created at the back of the room. A few of the Fae managed to race through it—but so did some of the bugs.

The bugs. Oh, sweet mercy.

Where were they headed?

Amid the chaos, the Phoenix circled Josephina. “You have only yourself to blame for this. Well, yourself and your man. He crossed the Moirai. They said he changed their fate, and so, they changed his. They were only too happy to use me to punish him—and what better way to punish him than to destroy his darling wife?”

“Leave Kane out of this. It’s between you and me.”

“The Moirai dropped me in your life at the perfect time. You’re finally without your protector—and I’m without patience. This battle has been too long coming.”

The Phoenix launched at her.

Josephina spun out of the way, and the girl soared past her, dang it. Instincts, she thought—she needed to override them. She neededcontact, even if it hurt.

The Phoenix quickly gained her footing and turned, swiping out a hand covered with metal claws. Josephina twisted to the side, taking the nails in her forearm, even while sucking a little of the girl’s strength. The Phoenix didn’t seem to notice—yet. As warm blood trickled down Josephina’s arm, the girl came at her again, and this time, her thigh took the brunt of the abuse. This injury proved worse, but she was able to suck in even more strength.

A fist into her heart.Hissing, Josephina wrapped her fingers around the girl’s wrists at the moment of contact. She was swept forward as the girl drew back for another strike, but managed to hold on, taking more and more energy.

Strengthening.

The Phoenix weakening.

Realizing what she was doing, the girl jerked away, out of reach. “You dare try to thieve from me again!”

“Try?” She forced a laugh.

Growling, the Phoenix dove at her. Her arms crisscrossed as she attempted to slice Josephina into pieces, without allowing any prolonged contact. Josephina dodged, moving faster than she had a few minutes ago.