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He settled Victoria gently on the ground and stood, then closed the distance between hi her," he said, patting the beast’s side

A slight nod

What are you doing? Caleb demanded Don’t hurt her Please don’t hurt her We love her

"There’s only one way for this to end happily for everyone, Caleb" He hoped

Possess her?

"Yes" He would force her to call theto order He only prayed it counted "And while we’re in there, you can search her ain with the soul, he would bargain

You won’t force her to do anything to harm herself?

"I didn’t punch her when I had the chance, did I?"

All right, then Yes

"What are you doing?" Marie’s struggles increased "Stop Don’t coht you wanted rabbed her wrist and closed his eyes so that he wouldn’t accidentally be ensnared He shouted as he turned to mist and tried to push his way inside her, but there was so hiain "Looks like ill have to hurt her," he said on a sigh, "but it’s only to save her, Caleb," he added before the soul could protest

No!

Undaunted, desperate, he searched every one of the witches He confiscated every ring he found--only four--and returned to Marie "Tell me which ward to burn away or I’ll destroy all of them" A vow "And it will hurt, Marie You knoill"

Aden…

She saw the rings in his hand and stilled, panic filling her eyes Panic and fear He would do it; she had to realize that He didn’t want to, but he would do it

"No," she said "I--I won’t I can’t! Try to understand"

There was a ward tattooed on her wrist "I don’t have time to understand" He latched on to her arm and poured several drops of je la nune on the ink She screah her The scent of burning flesh rose

He tried again to possess her, but met the same block Steady "One one"

"If I…call the …will you vow to release us? Alive"

"Yes," he and Caleb said at the sah Aden didn’t dare to hope Yet "If you will vow not to cast any spells on your way out"

"I do," she gritted out

Thank God Thank God, thank God, thank God This , and I vow upon my life--and death--that you and your coven will have free passage from this cave"

"No one can follow us"

"I vow that no one will follow you"

She pushed out a breath as her head fell to the ground She stared up at the ceiling, tears leaking from her eyes If she meant to waste time, to wait until it was too late…

"Do it now! Or I start pouring" He took hold of her other ar the ward tattooed there

She squeezed her eyes shut "Thisis…called to… order"

He waited several seconds, but nothing happened He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but this certainly wasn’t it "That’s it? That’s all you have to do? All you have to say?"

"Yes"

"My friends are saved?"

"Yes, daave out Thank God His friends were safe They were finally safe, free of their curse He stayed just as he was for an eternity, shaking, basking, relieved, shocked, numb then excited, nu--then, finally, blessedly, accepting

Another battle, another victory Only, this one was so much sweeter They Were Safe

"You can release her now," he told Chouard the vampire while I take care of the witches?"

Another nod, and the beast was clo off to hover over Victoria, teeth bared at all the witches in warning

"Carry the ones who can’t walk on their own and follow me," Aden told the women who’d al for a reply, he stood and stu Footsteps soon echoed behind hih a long hallway, but finally reached the outside<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>