Page 153 of Black Willow Witch
His ravaged face set into a snarl. ‘Why couldn’t you just die!’ he demanded of her, a ball of magick in hand.
Chanting, she yanked her fists toward her, wrenching at his arms and dislocating both shoulders.
Ames cried out, the orb of magick in his palm disintegrating. He tried knifing upright, so she slammed her hands together, shattering his kneecaps this time.
He screamed a very non-manly scream. ‘You whore! You fucking whore!’
‘I warned you that it was a mistake for you to come here tonight. You didn’t listen. So sad. For you, anyway.’ She broke his neck with a mere twist of her hand. ‘And so eight becomes one,’ she drawled, flicking her attention to Ward.
‘Get her!’ he screeched, shoving a covered-in-goblins Rabid toward Emberlyn. He then struck fast, but she tossed out a wave of glittering magick from her palm that ‘shoved’ his blow right back at him. He hit the ground hard . . . which was right when she heard a rumble of engines.
Emberlyn looked up to see several vehicles fast approaching, including Ripper’s truck. Feeling her lips curve, she shifted her gaze back to Ward, whose expression had turned from enraged to outrightterrifiedas he noticed the newcomers. ‘Hmm, I think I’ll let Ripper have you. It’s not fair of me to haveallthe fun.’
Ward’s eyes sliced to her, gleaming with horror.
She let out two sweeps of magic. One shot upward, easing the storm; calling off the rain and wind. The other healed the fissures in the ground and made the rats, snakes, toads and insects disappear as if they had never been.
Tires screeched as the vehicles pulled up. Werewolves jumped out of their cars only to halt in shock at the sight of the goblins.
Who wouldn’t?
Emberlyn chanted, communicating directly with the goblins; redirecting their attention solely to the Rabid so that Ripper could have his fun.
Ward struggled to his feet, looking as though he’d make a run for it, but Ripper had recovered fast from his shocked stateand was stripping at lightning-fast speed. He ran right at Ward, shifting shape as he lunged. Then a huge mass of dark-furred muscle landed on the male witch.
Ward fell to the ground, smacking his head hard. His limbs flailing, he screamed. And screamed and screamed andscreamed– the sounds joined the growls, snarls and roars of the wolf savaging his body with teeth and claws.
Emberlyn felt her lips tip up. Maybe she should have felt disturbed rather than satisfied, but Ward had it coming. Not just for what he’d done to her, but for all he was guilty of as part of the faction.
She looked at Reena, finding the woman’s face a hard mask. There was grief there, but also a sense of . . . not quite satisfaction, but a cold justice.
Ripper kept on brutalizing Ward. He tore off strips of his skin. Bit out chunks of flesh. Raked his claws deep into Ward’s stomach. Hauled out his intestines. Closed his jaws around Ward’s nose and ripped it clean off his face.
Well, fuck.
Ward’s cries grew weaker and weaker, until they turned into whimpers and gurgles. Then finally his body slumped, the sounds cutting off altogether.
Emberlyn glanced up to see the other werewolves hanging back, hesitant to get close. Not fearful of their Alpha, just conscious that coming near her could be misinterpreted as a threat while he was in that enraged state.
Ripper raced to her, still in his wolf form.
Squatting, she stroked his fur, carefully avoiding his bloodied muzzle. As his body started reshaping itself, she rose to her feet. Moments later, she had a naked Ripper wrapped tight around her, drinking in her scent.
‘Fuck, baby,’ he said, his voice guttural with worry, relief and anger. ‘What the hell happened here?’
She licked her lips. ‘I’ll give you the rundown in a moment. First, I need to do something real quick so the Rabid can be subdued.’ She chanted, letting out a rope of magick that turned into hundreds of moths. The moths zoomed around and zigzagged between the goblins, distracting them.
Trying to grab at the flying insects, the creatures followed them up the path.
She released another wave of magick, putting the Rabid to sleep. Once they’d slumped to the ground, the crows flew up to the sky and scattered. The other werewolves wasted no time subduing the Rabid with zip ties.
Frowning at the goblins, Ripper jerked his head back. ‘What the fuck are they?’
‘My friends,’ she prevaricated.
His brows flew up. ‘Yourwhat?’
Ignoring that, Emberlyn led the way as she directed the moths through the manor. Giggling, goblins either skipped or skittered or flew as they followed. She walked into the kitchen, where she opened the door to the basement. ‘Your aid was appreciated.’ Once they’d pursued the moths down the steps, descending into the shadows, she closed the door and turned to Ripper. ‘Are you all right? Ward didn’t hurt you?’
