Page 95 of Tethered Fates

I stroke his cheek, put on my best charming smile, then turn away from him and move out the door. “Hello, ladies.”

The wind whistles between us, fluttering Summer’s blonde ponytail.

Dark circles are smudged under her intense gaze. Her skin is sallow. She has the energy of someone who’s been awake for days on a diet of coffee and Red Bull.

“I’ve come for one simple thing,” Summer announces. The mages at her back buzz with the same tired, frantic energy.

I tap on my chest. “Oh yes, my heart.”

She shrugs. “Doesn’t have to be yours.”

“Vidar’s?”

“Vidar is Kai’s mate. I don’t want…” she sighs, clenches her fists, then continues, “There’s another vampire with you. Bran. Either his or yours. I don’t care.” Each word is heaved out like it weighs too much, and she’s too exhausted to keep carrying them.

“Teagan is my mate.”

This stops Summer cold, but she soon shakes it off when Emma speaks up. “What is with you lot and finding your mates?” she complains, as if she didn’t already know.

Curious that she didn’t tell Summer.

Summer sends her a whip-sharp look, which Emma ignores.

“Is…” Summer turns back to me, her chapped lips pressed together. “Teagan. Is he okay?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t you know better than anyone if he’s hurt?”

She doesn’t flinch, but I spot a flash of guilt.

“Enough already,” Emma sighs. “This is boring. We’ve come for your heart.” She nods to the shadow-blood mages, who appear to like Emma less than I do.

“Here’s the problem,” I reply with a smirk. “I happen to like where my heart is.”

“Well, shucks,” Emma replies dramatically, propping a fist on her cocked hip. “Does that mean we have to kill you all?”

I grin, my fangs dropping. “Or maybe the other way around.”

Elio steps out.

Emma’s eyes narrow.

“Not this time,” Elio yells.

“Get down!” Emma shouts as Elio throws the murky crystal ball.

Summer drops into her shadow—the others aren’t lucky.

The ball expands like blown glass within seconds, rising high above the mansion to block out the risen moon, tinting the world in a crimson glow.

Then—it shatters.

The mages barely have enough time to scream as blood rains down to coat them in red that hardens the second it touches skin, encasing them in scarlet glass.

Emma slices her wrist, blood streaming upward to follow the path of her hand as she raises it to the sky. Her blood curves into the shape of an umbrella, holding off what was meant to trap her.

Kai runs out of the house, followed by Golden, Teagan, and Apollo. They jump over fallen mages, their glass shells beginning to form webs of cracks as they fight their way out.

Sweat beads on Elio’s forehead. “I…can’t…hold on…!”