Depths of Hell

HOLLY

~My world was swirling in darkness.~

~I could see the light. It kept shining, trying to bring me closer to the truth…~

~Shadow after shadow consumed my vision, trying to cloud my senses.~

~I was stuck in a dream I couldn’t control. A nightmare that shifted and morphed every few moments, blurring all perceptions of what was real and fake.~

~As I floated through the mist of uncertainty in my mind, I recalled flashes of images that were hard to ignore.~

~A chaotic battle.~

~Werewolves and vampires, clawing and growling, trying to tear me limb from limb.~

~Witches falling from the sky like wounded birds…~

~A familiar, scarred wolf, writhing on the ground. His eyes piercing mine, searching for help…~

~When our eyes met, I wanted nothing more than to reach out and calm his aggravated nerves.~

~But the visions shifted again…~

~I stood in a destroyed village, the buildings and corpses charred and smoking. Every breath I took was filled with the unmistakably sour scent of death.~

~I watched as one by one, the corpses rose from the ground and turned their black eyes toward me.~

~“Save us,” they called. “Don’t you want to help your family?”~

~Of course I wanted to save them with my magic! That’s why I had gone to university…~

~So that I could save my people!~

~A sudden gust of wind blew through the village. Every corpse turned to ash, the dust of their bodies carried away on the wind.~

~Matthias and Devina suddenly stood in my path. Their laughter filled my ears as they pulled me closer, holding me in their toxic embraces.~

~I tried to run, but my legs felt like concrete—too heavy to move.~

~Matthias smiled, and the skin on his face fell to the ground. I could see the muscles and bones of his skeleton.~

~“You’re one of us now,” Matthias sneered. “You can never escape your fate.”~

~I tried to close my eyes, but my eyelids were no longer there. I couldn’t turn away from the horrific visions before me.~

~I watched as Devina’s body melted into a pool of blood and oozed across the ground. It was getting closer and closer.~

~The ground beneath me opened up, swallowing my body inch by inch…~

~I screamed, but my voice was silent…~

~I struggled, but my body wouldn’t move…~

~Then I heard something break through the fog.~

~Tortured howls…~

~The more my body descended into the earth, the more I tried to swim toward the noise.~

~I knew that voice!~

~It was the same tortured howl I’d heard on the battlefield.~

~It belonged to…~

~Ekon!~

~Hearing an old friend in pain gave me unexpected motivation.~

~With great effort, I managed to pull my legs free from the ground. Devina’s blood clung to my skin and tried to hold me in place, but she had lost some of her power.~

~I stepped across the black liquid, one foot after another. Soon I was out of the burned remnants of my village and into the woods.~

~Ekon’s howls filled the dark mist once more, and I headed in the direction of his voice.~

~I could see the light on the other side!~

~If I could just get a little closer…I would be free…~

EKON

Sweat dripped from my fur, mixing with the blood already pooled on the ground at my feet.

Devina and Matthias had taken me to a grotto deep within the cave. If I were to somehow escape, it would be difficult to find my way back out.

But there was no possibility of escape.

I’d risked my potential freedom to try and kill my siblings. In the end, all it had done was put me right back in their clutches.

My paws were bound with chains.

The shackles bit into my skin, rubbing it raw. Crimson blood continued streaming down my black fur.

I was being treated like a diseased mongrel. But I was too tired to fight. My body ached with pain and fatigue, and all I could think about was making it home to Bambi.

“You pulled yourself from the depths of hell,” Devina laughed. “And you still couldn’t say goodbye to your family.”

A growl ripped from my throat, echoing off the stone walls. Devina focused a burning spell on my skin, and the deep growl quickly turned to a whimper.

Matthias was hunched over in a chair across the room. He looked worse than I felt, which was saying something.

He spotted me watching him and laughed so hard that it quickly turned into a cough.

“Listen to him,” Matthias said. “Sounds like he’s enjoying it.”

“If you think he’s enjoying it now, just wait,” she replied. “I’ve got something in store that will make him squeal like a pig.”

Devina stepped closer, and I could smell the death on her body. It was as if all the souls she had taken had somehow stained her skin. And she would never be able to wash away their horrible odor.

She grabbed my chin and forced my head up so that I could look deep into her eyes.

“I’m going to take everything you’ve ever loved,” she sneered. “And I’ll enjoy watching you suffer as it happens.”

I wanted to rip off her face with my fangs, but that required too much strength for my feeble body.

I felt another presence enter the grotto and turned my head to see Holly staring at me.

Devina and Matthias acknowledged her appearance before returning their attention to me.

“It’s good to see you, Holly,” Devina said. “I wouldn’t dare think of taking all the fun without giving you a little.”

Devina stepped aside, leaving me to the young witch.

“What should I do?” Holly asked blankly.

She looked at me with an odd curiosity, as if I were a new beast that she needed to study. For a brief moment, I thought I could see the sadness in her eyes.

But that quickly turned to excitement as she stepped closer.

“Do something wicked,” Devina said. “After all, you are a witch after my own heart.”

“And mind,” Matthias added with a harsh laugh.

Holly looked at Devina and Matthias before turning her attention to me.

Then I saw her ~wink~, and step closer. Her hand, cold and clammy, grasped the fur on my chest.

“If it’s something wicked you want to see,” she said. “Then I’ve got just the thing.”

I felt a surge of energy build between us. Suddenly, Devina and Matthias noticed the energy too.

For the first time all evening, my siblings actually looked confused.

Holly turned toward Devina as she wrapped her arm around my body.

“Next time, make a stronger mind-control spell,” Holly said with a mischievous smile. “Until then—later, bitch!”

I was overtaken by a sudden dip in pressure as if I had suddenly found myself on the bottom of the ocean.

And then we were gone, sucked into a swirling mass of darkness as Holly teleported us to safety…

BAMBI

I saw the portal open up before I could see anyone inside. Two figures emerged from the swirling darkness and tumbled to the floor of the library.

“What in the hell!?” Max screamed.

Before my mind could process the confusion, I found myself looking into the smiling face of…

“Holly?” I asked, surprised.

The young witch stepped forward and wrapped me in a hug. I had no time to react, the only thing I could do was return her embrace.

Suddenly, Max was at my side, pulling us apart.

“Get away from her!” he screamed.

Holly turned to Max and smiled.

“It’s nice to see you too,” she said.

Max’s jaw dropped as he stared at Holly, uncertain of how he should react.

I didn’t know how or why I felt it, but I did—Holly was back to her old self.

My eyes looked at the ground, where Ekon’s wolf lay, his breathing ragged and uneven.

I fell to my knees and wrapped him in my arms.

“Baby,” I said, shocked. “What happened to you?”

“A lot,” Holly said. “But there’s one thing left to do before he’s normal.”

Holly got down on her knees and placed her hands on Ekon’s giant wolf head. Within seconds, I could see a bright glow emanating from her hands.

The ground shook as Holly transferred energy from her body to Ekon’s. The fur on his body began to recede, and his elongated jaw slowly morphed into a human chin.

The caked blood still stained Ekon’s naked body. But he was human again!

“That feels better,” Ekon murmured as his eyes fluttered closed.

Max had left moments earlier and had now returned with a host of servants.

They quickly gathered his naked body on another stretcher and took him to the infirmary.

I followed close behind, not willing to let my mate out of my sight. After his vitals were checked and he was hooked up to an IV, we were left alone to wait for the doctor.

But I couldn’t wait patiently.

I hugged Ekon and felt his body wince under my pressure. I’d just gotten my man back and was already about to smother him…

“I can’t believe you’re here,” I said.

Ekon smiled and turned his head in my direction.

“It’s good to hear your voice,” he said weakly. “And even better to smell your scent.”

I felt so happy I could melt.

But only if it allowed me to meld with Ekon and become one with his body…

Ekon touched my hair gently, and I moved toward him. He inhaled my scent, and the warmth of his body pulled me closer.

I kissed him passionately and became lost in the familiar dance between our tongues. He tasted just like I remembered.

I finally pulled away from his kisses and looked at his haggard face.

“I’m so sorry for everything,” I said. “The fighting, the lack of trust…I didn’t realize until I was without you how much it’s been clouding our relationship.”

Ekon shook his head.

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” he said. “I’m the one who couldn’t stay sober. And it almost got us killed.”

We kissed again, and I felt the sparks of our love reigniting.

“I’m going to get better,” he said. “And this time, I’m going to keep my promise.”

I kissed his cheek and swept the hair from his forehead.

“I know you will,” I said. “And I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

EKON

The infirmary room was packed. Without my wolf, I could no longer see, but I could feel everyone.

And they were patiently waiting for an explanation. But it was hard to explain everything that had happened over such a short amount of time.

I took another breath and gathered my thoughts.

“It’s true,” I said. “Devina is still alive and more powerful than ever.”

I heard the collective sigh as the room took in my words.

“Devina is essentially untouchable now that Joan Cabot has possessed her body. The only thing that can stop her is a witch of her own bloodline.”

The tension was so palpable it was nearly suffocating. I knew what their silence meant.

We were screwed. There was nothing we could do to stop my sister…

“We’re…we’re not out of options yet,” Holly’s voice called out hesitantly.

I turned my head toward the direction of her voice.

“What do you mean?” I asked. “No witch is left alive from our bloodline.”

Even though I had no sight, I could still sense the anxiety spreading through Holly’s body.

“You said no one left ~alive~,” she murmured. “There might actually be a way… but it involves raising the dead.”