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When I make no move to comply, Josephine conjures a pulse of wind and hurls it my way. It’s not powerful enough to knock me from my spot, but she’s conserving her magic for what’s coming. “I don’t see the problem. It’s not like they care who sits where—they’re dead.”
“Technically, so are you.”
“Touché.”
“Point: Dumont,” Rune hollers.
Finn pegs me with a disapproving glower. “Sebastian, get down from there. That’s Josie’s family tomb. At least pretend yer not totally devoid of manners.”
Josie flings her hand over her head and turns her back on me. “Fine. Whatever. Let him do what he wants. I’m just about done here.”
“Yeah?” Finn asks, both he and Rune crowding around her. “How does it look?”
“You tell me. What do you think?” Josephine asks as Rune leans over her shoulder.
“Looks pretty good to me, cher.”
“Sebastian,” she calls me over, those dark eyes flicking up to gaze at me through her thick lashes. “What do you think?”
I blink at her. “You want my opinion?”
“You’re the only one who has seen the real moonstone amulet.” Josephine holds the chain up for my inspection, the pendant swaying back and forth until I reach out to steady it in my palm.
“Let me see it.”
She retracts her hand, moving the amulet away from me and holding it close to her chest. “I can’t let go of the necklace or the illusion will wear off.”
“Great. So we can fool Egan for all of three seconds.”
“That’s all we’ll need,” she argues. “The amulet is the bait, nothing more.”
Fintan leans in and places a reassuring kiss on her forehead. “Trust yerself, Josie. Yer powerful, and yer magic is formidable. We believe in ye. It looks good, doesn’t it, Bas?”
I sigh and give in to the need of the moment. “I suppose it’s accurate enough to pass as the real thing for a short time.”
With a newfound determination, Josie completes the enchantment, and the replica of the amulet glows with an ethereal light. The crypt is filled with an air of anticipation, and I feel the alpha werewolf drawing nearer.
“He’s coming,” Finn whispers.
Rune widens his stance, taking a deep breath and steadying himself for the coming battle.
The sounds of footsteps beyond the heavy stone doors hush our conversation and signal the arrival of our guest of honor. Time to see if Josephine’s plan will work or get us all killed.
* * *
JOSEPHINE
Inside the dimly lit mausoleum of my ancestors, my heart pounds in my chest as I stand alongside Rune, Sebastian, and Fintan. Beside me, Fintan shifts his stance and tightens his grip on a silver bat, his face a mask of determination. Rune cracks his knuckles, ready for the fight ahead. And then there is His Majesty, Sebastian, shining sword raised at the ready.
What does a vampire need with a sword, anyway?
The air crackles with anticipation, heavy with the impending battle. We set our trap… now we have to wait for Egan to walk into our carefully woven snare.
We aren’t left waiting long.
The thick doors groan as they scrape against the floor, sweeping in to reveal the menacing figure of Egan. The eyes of the Algiers alpha gleam with untamed ferocity. He steps forward, his growl filling the silence and his eyes scanning the crypt as if he knows the danger that awaits him.
My fingers tremble around the thin chain that holds the moonstone amulet. I take a deep breath and try to find my resolve as Egan’s eyes lock onto me, taking another step further into the mausoleum.
