chapter 31

Emily sat in the cage in wolf form and glared at the wolves around her. All seven of them were in human form, but there was no mistaking their scent. Thanks to Williams’ training, she’d learned to discern many scents.Werewolf was an easy one.Interestingly enough, most of them looked at her with wariness and kept a good distance between themselves and her, especially after she’d nearly torn the throat out of the wolf who stuck her in this damned cage in the first place. It gave her some satisfaction to see the fear in their eyes.Part of it was fear of her—of her sheer size since most wolves were about twice the size of an ordinary timber wolf, while she was nearly three times that and winged—a condition unique to her if Paoli was to be believed—but most of it was their fear

chapter 32

Emily sat on one of the bench seats on the bus, feeling strangely satiated. After they arrived at the small campground, the three wolves had taken to the wooded area that hugged the little clearing and gone hunting. It was Emily’s first hunt as a wolf, and it had been absolutely thrilling. Together, they brought down a buck that seemed huge to her, but she was later informed it was at best medium-sized.She would never have guessed how satisfying it would be to use her new big teeth –the better to eat you with, my deer, she thought with a chuckle to herself at her own play on words—to tear apart a carcass, still flanked protectively by the two males.After the hunt, both William and Empusa showered in the RV that she would not go back into for any reason, and joined her on the bus to wait for their

chapter 33

After a long night of flying, the five of them landed outside of the castle on the same runway they’d used to escape only a few weeks before. The irony of that fact was not lost on Emily, and a part of her was expecting to see Lycaon and a whole army waiting for them in a twisted trap. But all that awaited them were two ornate crates that looked as though they belonged in a museum of ancient artifacts.Emily gave William a questioning look when she noticed the men loading them into the back of the plane. With a gentle hand on her arm, William guided her behind him, and Empusa walked behind Emily, successfully blocking her between them as they all disembarked. “It’s daytime,” William said in answer to her silent question. “They’ll get Paoli and Sekhmet to the castle safely.”She eyed the strange

chapter 34

Empusa showed them into a room that was much smaller and less decorated than the one they’d had their previous stay. Guard quarters, William realized.The furniture was much the same type, with a decent-sized bed in the center of the room and a small table in the corner. It was just less decorative and more utilitarian. His nose told him the room was clean, though, and that was good enough.“My quarters are right across the hall. I’m going to grab some sleep, so I’ll be easy to find if you need me,” Empusa said.“With everything going on around here, it’s probably a good idea if we stick together and don’t wonder the castle alone,” William said.“That’s my thought, as w

chapter 35

William and Emily stood side by side before the committee. Paoli stood on Emily’s other side, and Sekhmet and Empusa flanked the group. They presented a united front of strength and power.William was proud to stand surrounded by his people. No matter that some of them had come to him at the behest of the committee itself. They were his now, with blood bonds to unite them, and that was all that really mattered in the end. Unconsciously, he felt for the people connected to him, and found some comfort in his ability to do so. He could feel the nervousness and turmoil of each person, and without even giving it a thought, he sent them strength. Afterward, he smiled a little to himself as he watched the posture of each person relax almost imperceptibly. It was only seen as the set of their shoulders relaxed the slightest bit. It was enough.

chapter 36

“What do you suppose is the significance of what we’ve just done?” Empusa asked when the group gathered in Paoli’s room. He was lounging casually on the bed with his legs crossed at the ankles and his hands folded behind his head, looking for all the world like a man without a care.“You’re the expert on blood binding around here. You tell us,” Paoli returned. “My only experience with blood bonds had proven to be questionable at best. Maybe I did it wrong.” He frowned thoughtfully.Empusa gave him a wide-eyed look of surprise. “I’m a wolf with understanding of pack ties. Here in the Coven, I was a spy to watch Lycaon and report to the committee. I don’t know anything about parchment agreements and blood contracts. That’s more in your wheelhouse, being a vampir