Reckless Revenge: Book Four (Spellbound 4) (21 page)

But even the most thought-out plans never go as planned.

Over Phoenix Lake, a blood-red moon hung in the reticent sky. Its beauty only broken by the lazy winds that threw silver clouds across the moon’s palette. The eerie radiance of moonlight formed ghostly shapes on the grass. Eyes glimmered from tree hollows. Muddy earth squished beneath my trusty, kickass boots.

Among the trees, the wind murmured, beckoning us further into the meadow. Crickets sang and frogs croaked as I stamped over the damp grass.

To save my best friend I might have to let the demonic power within me flow freely. Embrace my dark side if it would save Ariana. But if I tapped into those darker magicks tonight, there would be a good chance that it might obliterate my white magicks forever.

And…well, I didn’t want to think about that.

Yet I wasn’t some weak, scarred-up teenage girl anymore. I was a strong, badass witch. Not a coward. I’d battled demons and kicked their ass. I would rely on the powerful Sioux blood running in my veins to rein in those demonic powers. The blood of my father’s people would guide me. The white magick, on my mother’s side, would prevail.

At least, that’s what I hoped.

We settled in to wait for the lycans and their hostage. Impatient and grumpy, I slumped against the trunk of a tree, ignoring the twigs that snagged at my jeans and the moss that grimed my skin. The cool air slashed through my warm clothing and beneath the layers of cotton, I was sweating.

The rest of Paranormal Prodigies stayed on high-alert from their positions. Brittany had scrambled up a tree until she found solid footing, and put her back against the trunk, relaxing on a branch high above me. The height gave her a panoramic view and she could warn me if the lycans were planning to be less than honorable. I glanced at Evans, who crouched out of view on a small crest overlooking the lake, with a shotgun aimed and loaded with silver ammo. And Trent crouched behind a huge redwood on my right.

I folded my arms, pressing my scarred arm against my side. The twisting emotions in my gut intensified as I stared at the trees—waiting.

I didn’t have to wait long.

Ariana stumbled into the meadow, visibly shaking. Her round face was magnolia white, but her eyes glittered with strength.

A black lycan trotted out of the forest, its golden eyes gleaming in the half-light. Its thick coat was speckled silver and black, its shoulders and paws massive. Twigs crunched under the weight of the huge beast. The wolf snarled, flaunting immense fangs.

But the black lycan wasn’t alone. It was shadowed by ten wolves that bounded into the clearing.

Ten?
Oh, god.

Two of the were-creatures snarled and snapped until they halted beside the black lycan, flanking him like soldiers awaiting orders, rigid and stiff. The wolf on the right had black fur and a white muzzle. Nasty sharp, pointed teeth. A growl rumbled in his throat. The other lycan was a charcoal color and just as powerful.

I swallowed. We weren’t prepared for ten wolves. Three, yes. Ten? No way. Evans might be able to shoot a few of them, but it would take more than one shotgun loaded with silver bullets to stop them, and not before at least one killed Ariana or me.

The black lycan stepped forward. He must be the alpha. His yellow eyes were too shrewd and human for that of a wolf. The other two hunkered into position, licking their lips. Hunger and death in their gaze. Their heads elevated, ears flicked up and forward.

Ah, hell.

I moved beside my best friend, then grabbed Ari’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze of reassurance. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. I owed her that, at least.

The pack parted and another lycan stood before us, three hundred pounds of pure, inhuman power. I returned the stare, refusing to show any submission. No way would I cower, not at this point. Not when one of these beasts had murdered my dad.

“Clearly, you’re still waiting for the running and the screaming, aren’t you?” I said.

As the lycan closed his eyes, the sound of crunching bones began. His lycan form, shaded by shadows, shrank away. He shapeshifted from lupine to a more humanlike form. He stepped near us, beyond the pocket of shadow, patches of fur still covering his nude form.

Brittany remained hidden in the tree, her gaze trained on the hillside for impending danger. Silent and watchful.

“I’m listening.” Coach Ramírez had a raucous voice that matched his mutant physique.

“I got your note. I’m here as we agreed. My life for my friend’s. But I have a request.” I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “I want a one-on-one fight with the lycan that killed my dad. If I win, Ariana and I both go free. If I lose…” I shrugged.

“I can’t do that,” he said. “You know I can’t let you leave here alive.”

My scar warmed. “Why? Because it was
you
? Did you kill my dad?” I stared at him, my heart beating too fast.

“No, I didn’t murder your father. Nor did I attack anyone.” The honesty in Coach Ramírez’s stare made me believe him.

Wait a dang minute…Coach wasn’t the mastermind? But if he didn’t kill Dad, then who did? And who was he protecting? Carter?

“Then tell me who the lycan, er, person is that’s responsible—I
have
to know. Or…or I’ll call on my black magicks.” To put stress on my words, the elements roused. Wind rushed through the trees. Fire sent a current of warmth and the earth trembled beneath us. The lake water undulated into crashing waves. My body was swathed in a whirlwind of silver, turquoise, and violet magick.

Evans could chew me out later for revealing my powers. If we lived through this…

Coach Ramírez contemplated my threat for a moment, but before he could respond, Brittany shouted from above us, “Look out, Shiloh!”

But the warning came too late.

I glanced over my shoulder. Five more football players had approached us with Regina Ramírez in the lead.

“Such empty threats. You can’t call on much with your throat ripped out, Shiloh Trudell.” Regina’s voice was cold and exact as she moved beside her husband. “You couldn’t keep from sticking your nose where it didn’t belong. Breaking into my house? Stupid. Your stink was everywhere. Same stench as your daddy.” Her expression showed no remorse.

Carter moved beside her, like an obedient lapdog, and folded his arms.

My mouth dropped open in horror. “What?” I stared incredulously at Regina. She killed my dad. Not Carter. Not Coach Ramírez. She was the freakin’ alpha.

Oh, hell no.

I glanced at the hillside where Evans squatted with the shotgun, but I didn’t see him. My heart skidded into hyper-speed.

Regina smiled impishly. “Looking for your friend? Don’t worry, I took care of him.”

Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod…

Fur was crawling along Carter’s jawline. He glared at me with yellow eyes. “I want first bite of the pink-haired, bitch,” he snarled, his shoulders hunching and expanding at once. The fabric of his clothing ripped at the seams.

“It’s not pink. Its
fuchsia
, dumbass,” Ariana snapped.

Trent joined us in the clearing. He stood resolute and formidable. Not a teenage boy, but a
man
. Confident and strong. Deadly and dangerous. Trent’s eyes blazed like flecks of iron, as if his gaze could melt the she-devil before him.

“I see you brought more snacks,” Regina said, licking her lips.

“Why can’t we just try to live together peacefully?” Ariana asked.

“Really? That’s your solution? We have our
own
rules. Our own lycanthrope laws. Humans wouldn’t understand,” Regina said, her voice sonorous like that of an alpha lycan.

“You got that right! So shut it, you—paranormal pedigree!” I spat. “I’m calling the shots now. You’re
so
over.”

Carter and Coach Ramírez’s bodies quivered, muscles and bones transforming. Carter’s clothes fell in ragged pieces as both of them instantly
shifted
. I studied my enemies carefully. Enormous, taller than the average man, with the furry bodies of a wolf, but with somewhat human heads. Their eyes golden with slatted pupils. They stood on their hindquarters.

“You’re murderers!” I shouted.

“You can’t prove we’ve killed anyone, Shiloh,” Carter said.

“Seriously? Is that why you’ve tried to kill me?
Twice
?”

Regina smirked. “Third time’s a charm.”

Trent’s hands curled into tight fists before they loosened, then curled again like he imagined Regina’s neck being squeezed between them. “Shut up, bitch.”

Regina’s fingers touched her parted lips at Trent’s outright audacity.

That’s right, fur rug.
I had a super strong cambion on my side.

A beat of silence, then footsteps. Daniel pounded downhill and halted beside Ariana. He took her hand and squeezed it.

“You okay, goldilocks?” Daniel asked.

Ariana pressed her palm to her heart and leaned into his side. “Much better now.”

“Go home, boy,” Coach Ramírez ordered. “Your mother and I can handle this.”

Daniel’s apologetic gaze met mine. “You were right, Shiloh. About everything. My parents locked me in the basement earlier so I couldn’t warn you. They’re abusing their power.”

“This power is a blessing,” Regina snarled. “We’ve transformed into something extraordinary. Don’t you feel it? With our supernatural strength and endurance, we’ve become more than mere beast. We are invincible.”

Daniel didn’t move. Indecision crossed his face, then he groaned. He put an arm around Ariana. It seemed by the tender look that Daniel gave my best friend that he cared enough for her to defy his parents, even his own pack, to protect her.

Daniel finally turned to Regina, and in a choked voice, said, “You’re hurting people, Mom! Destroying lives! You even let me become a suspect in Kayla’s murder. Would you actually let me take the fall for a crime I didn’t commit? To save Dad’s career?” Daniel’s hands and arms flailed with quick nervous movements. “When I realized my
own
mother was behind this stupidity, I felt sick. You disgust me. And involving Carter? Asking him to kill Kayla for you, just because she was a witness?” Daniel glowered at his mother.

I bit my lip to stay silent. Let them have their say, this would be over soon enough. One thing still bugged me though. If Carter had killed Kayla, and Daniel was Regina’s son, why did she let people think Daniel was a suspect? Or was it because Carter was more willing to be a lycan and partake in whatever Regina commanded? But why not link someone else, like James to the murder? Or maybe she just hadn’t gotten around to it yet…

“You don’t understand. I had no choice but to waken my lycan DNA!” Regina cried vehemently. “Your dad was going to lose his job. The team hadn’t won a championship in over ten years. They were going to replace him, and I couldn’t let that happen. When I explained my plan to your father and some of your teammates, like Carter” —she pointed at the russet half-lycan boy— “they consented. Well, not
all
of them. Some needed more convincing than others—”

“In other words, you bit them and left them no choice,” I said.

Regina frowned. “It wasn’t like that—they thanked me afterward.” She turned and gazed imploringly at her son. “I’ve already bitten over half the players, and we have a pack now. You don’t need to be here for this. Go home, Daniel. Once they’re dead, there will be no more witnesses. Now your dad won’t lose his job. Don’t you see? I’ve thought of everything.”

Daniel moved to stand in front of Ariana. “Have you thought about what you’ll say to the police, Mom? Because they’ll be arriving any minute. I called them on my way here,” he said.

Regina scoffed. “You’re bluffing.”

“What if he’s not?” I said, straightening my posture. “Besides, do you think I came here without a backup plan? I brought reinforcements.”

Trent stiffened beside me, then grinned slightly at our foes.

Regina’s eyes narrowed as they zoned in on me hatefully. “What makes you think a few teenagers can destroy a power such as the lycan?” Her laugh was low and sharp, a total now-my-evil-minions-will-destroy-you type of laugh. Which caused the severity of my warning to dissolve. Regina clucked her tongue. “You’ll pay, witch. Now not only will you die, but so will all your friends.” She stared at me with venom in her gaze and added, “
You’ll
die first for turning my son against me.”

“No, Mom, you did that on your own.” Daniel glanced at his father. “It’s about picking sides, right, Dad? And I’m on Shiloh’s team.” His muscles plumped, long black hairs exploded over his bare skin, and his jaw began mutating. He was preparing for battle. His clothes tore and shredded as he began to
shift
. He had only halfway
shifted
into a lycan, but it was enough to make him look scary as hell. Ready to fight at my side.

“There’s no need for more bloodshed,” Ariana said. “We won’t tell anyone, Mrs. Ramírez, but you need to stop turning the boys against their will…and tell us who killed Shiloh’s dad.”

Regina laughed again, more like a bark. She hadn’t
shifted
, but she stared at us with canine eyes, the irises bright yellow. My heart hammered against my chest. We waited. No one moved. No one spoke.

The tension stretched, unbearable second after unbearable second, and the scent of autumn leaves and wood fires crammed the air.

“This is your chance to confess and clear your conscience,” Trent said.

He hadn’t relaxed. In fact, every hard ridge and muscle Trent possessed was pressing into my side protectively. His gazed churned with
Darkness
. His eyes flickering from bright green to deep black. The lycans backed up a step and regarded him with narrowed stares. I got the impression none of the lycans wanted to risk getting any closer to him. Trent would kill to protect me.

Regina crossed her arms and reclined coolly against a tree, not acknowledging Trent with words, but with a superior glint in her eye. She whistled and more lycans loped into the clearing. Five more football players had joined us. Her confidence beamed. Mine wavered. No other choice, so I played my trump card.

“I’ve brought more friends, too. My guardians,” I said.