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  He looked up at her, complete resolution in his eyes. “You need to kill me.”

  Anastasia shook her head. “Absolutely not. There is another way.”

  “If you kill me, the power will be gone. Thames can’t use me if I’m dead.”

  “Boy has a point,” Vincent said as he appeared.

  “You shut your mouth,” she said to her uncle before turning back to Dakota. “You too. No one is going to kill you, Dakota. We will find another way.”

  “We can try a stasis,” Argento suggested. “I don’t know how long it will hold, but I can retrieve my healer from my world. He will be able to give us more information.”

  “Could that work?”

  “It’s possible. It places the mind in a hallucination. If Thames doesn’t realize that’s what’s going on, it should keep him busy for a while.”

  “Go,” Anastasia said. “It’s a great plan, Argento, thank you.”

  “Anything for you two,” he said, bowing his head.

  Tony cleared his throat. “Let’s give them a few minutes while they have it, shall we?”

  Tony, Elizabeth, Carmen, Zarina, and Shane left the room, leaving Anastasia and Dakota staring at each other through an invisible barrier.

  “I’m sorry, Ana.”

  “For what?”

  “Everything. If I’d just stayed put when you asked me to—”

  “That wasn’t your fault. Thames was controlling your thoughts.”

  “I can’t help but feel responsible.” He got to his feet and walked over to where she stood. The magical barrier kept him inside, and he lifted a hand to press against it. “I love you.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “I love you, too.”

  “Promise me you’ll end it if you have to.”

  “End what?”

  “My life.”

  “I’m not killing you, Dakota. I would rather die than see anything happen to you.”

  “It’s not just our lives, Ana. He is going to destroy everything. You may not have a choice but to kill me. Thames has to be stopped.”

  Tears slipped down her cheeks. “I’m not killing you, Dakota. I can’t.”

  “Please, just promise me.”

  She stared at the man she loved. How had they gotten to this place?

  “I need you, Dakota.”

  “I need you, too.”

  “Your child needs you.”

  His eyes widened. “What?”

  Anastasia smiled, although tears still slipped down her cheeks. “I’m pregnant, Dakota. Don’t make me promise you; please don’t make me do this alone.”

  He smiled and started to speak, but screamed instead, falling to his knees.

  “Dakota!” She started to take down the barrier, but stopped when Dakota lifted his head and his eyes were bright amethyst.

  “Isn’t that sweet?” he sneered.

  “Thames,” Anastasia growled, hands clenching into fists.

  “I get to be an uncle?”

  “Not all it’s cracked up to be, I can tell you that.” Vincent appeared beside her.

  “This is an interesting surprise,” Thames cocked his head to the side. “Can’t say I expected to see you again.”

  “The feeling is quite mutual.”

  “Can’t even kill a man right, can you?” he directed at Anastasia.

  “Oh, she can, trust me. I’m dead. Just seems to be some reason I’m stuck here. Perhaps I have some unfinished business.”

  “Is that supposed to frighten me? You were never powerful enough to deny me, Vincent. Not as a young man and certainly not as you aged.”

  “I may not have been, but Anastasia is.”

  “Is she? You and I both know she doesn’t have what it takes to kill this man.” He gestured to himself. “As long as I possess my brother, she won’t kill me.”

  “Dakota, if you can hear me, I will stop him, no matter what.”

  “Dakota’s not home right now,” Thames said with a grin. “This cage won’t hold me long, you know. Eventually, I will break free.”

  “And then I will kill you,” Anastasia said. “Because I would rather bury Dakota than see him forced to commit horrible acts for you.”

  She turned to leave, Vincent beside her. Thames laughed, and Anastasia forced herself to keep moving even though all she wanted to do was turn around and blast the bastard again.

  40

  Terrenia

  Anastasia

  Argento returned an hour later with his healer, Rayden.

  “Good to see you, Phoenix,” the elderly Brute greeted her with a bowed head.

  “Good to see you too, Rayden. Thank you for coming.”

  “Absolutely. The king says you may need my stasis services.”

  “I think so. Dakota is being controlled by Thames—a Luxe who was behind everything we went through with Vincent. We need to put Dakota out of commission long enough to figure out how to permanently separate them.”

  Rayden considered what she said, his eyes focusing on the wall behind her head. After a moment, he looked back at her. “A stasis should work. It’s never been used for this purpose before, but in theory, it could do what you need.”

  “I’ll keep the room blocked as well, just in case we need a backup. I’ll need to drop it long enough for you to get in and put him under.”

  “Then let us proceed.”

  “Do you have everything you need?” Shane asked.

  Rayden held up his hands. “These are all I need. Take me to Dakota.”

  Anastasia walked through the village, guiding Rayden to her cabin. Once inside, she took a deep breath before heading toward the bedroom.

  Dakota stood at the window, and when he turned, his eyes were normal again. Well, as normal as lavender eyes could be.

  “Thames, you will be stopped,” Argento growled.

  “It’s Dakota right now,” Anastasia told him.

  “I don’t know for how much longer.” Dakota looked down at his hands. “There’s no telling when the asshole will be back. What’s the plan?”

  “Rayden is going to put you in a stasis. Once you’re under, we’ll come up with a plan to separate you two.”

  Dakota nodded. “I’m so damn happy about what you told me, Ana, and I swear, once I wake up, I will make this up to you.”

  Anastasia smiled. “I know you will.”

  “Okay, let’s do this.” Dakota took a seat on the bed, and Anastasia dropped the barrier just long enough for them to get inside before raising it again.

  “Lie back please, Dakota.” Rayden stepped over to the edge of the bed as Dakota did what he was told. “This won’t hurt; it will feel like drifting into a deep sleep.”

  Anastasia wrapped her arms around herself, tears filling her eyes. “I love you,” she said.

  “I love you, too.” Dakota smiled and closed his eyes.

  Rayden began chanting, and Argento touched her shoulder. “All will be well, Phoenix. We will stop Thames and save Dakota.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  Rayden stopped chanting and straightened. “It is done.”

  He stepped away, and Anastasia walked to the edge of the bed. Brushing a strand of hair from Dakota’s forehead, she studied him. His mouth was slightly open, his eyes moving beneath the lids, making it look like he was simply sleeping, enjoying a dream. Which she supposed he was.

  “What did you give him? What vision?” she asked Rayden.

  “A happy one.”

  “Thank you.” Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to Dakota’s forehead before dropping the barrier and stepping out with Argento and Rayden.

  Just as they reached the door, someone screamed outside, and Anastasia ripped it open.

  In the time they’d been putting Dakota under, Pickries had apparently decided it was the day to wreak havoc. The pounding of the creature’s wings covered screams of terrified villagers as they flew over them, striking at innocent people trying to escape.

  “Wrong fucking day,” she grow
led and conjured up twin balls of flame. Launching them at the nearest fairy, Anastasia blasted it from the sky and ran toward the center of the village.

  About a dozen Pickries sat atop the houses, staring down at the village center where Shane, Tony, and the entire Fighter force stood.

  “Give us our king!” One sitting on top of the medical cottage called, and Anastasia immediately recognized it as one of the beings she’d kicked out of Seattle the last time she and Dakota had been there.

  Back when this shit storm started.

  “Good to see you again, baby Sorceress,” it said to her with a sinister grin.

  “Wish I could say the same.”

  “Give us our king’s host, and we will leave.”

  “No.” Anastasia called two more flames to her palm and threw them at the Pickrie, but it dodged.

  “Then this means war.”

  “Good.”

  The sky darkened and filled with the sound of a thousand beating wings as Pickries poured from the trees beyond the village.

  “Get everyone to the bunkers!” Anastasia screamed. Rayden nodded, then began running through the village, alerting those in hiding.

  Anastasia left her sword sheathed and instead called upon her magic. She couldn’t let herself get too drained, or the barrier around Dakota would fall, but there was no way in hell she was going to win with her sword alone.

  The thundering noise grew louder, and Anastasia took a deep breath. “Get ready!”

  Pickries poured into the village, and Anastasia used her power to blast the first round. A wave of dizzying nausea hit her when the smell of burnt flesh filled her nose, but she pushed past it. Great time to be pregnant.

  The second wave dropped down, and Anastasia drew her sword. A Pickrie dove straight for her, and Anastasia slashed out with her sword, slicing right through a wing and knocking the creature to the ground.

  It howled in agony and reached for her with long claws. She dodged, stabbing her blade through its back.

  “Anastasia, look out!” Shane called.

  Spinning just in time to avoid another Pickrie, Anastasia ducked, driving her blade up into its chest.

  Spurting golden blood, it fell to the ground, and she headed straight for another. She lifted her blade, ready to attack, but was shoved from behind and stumbled into another.

  She ducked again, barely missing a clawed hand, but didn’t anticipate the second one that reached for her. Skin ripped as the claws dug into her arm, dragging her up in the air.

  Wind beat down on her from the Pickrie’s wings as it lifted her higher into the sky. Raising a hand, she blasted it with power, and it released her.

  Anastasia fell back toward the ground, managing to stop herself with a barrier just before the impact killed her.

  It still fucking hurt, though.

  Bruised and bloody, she plunged back into battle, determined to get these assholes out of her village.

  Using magic and her blade, Anastasia took down over two dozen Pickries before the rest began to retreat.

  The Fighters around her cheered in victory as the cowards flew away, disappearing into the large portals they’d created.

  “You better run, you bastards!” Shane yelled at them, shaking his sword.

  His body was covered in lacerations and golden blood. Anastasia turned to check Tony, who was mostly unscathed except for a cut on the side of his head.

  Argento and the Brutes he brought with him stood just behind her, and he nodded, letting her know they were all right.

  From the looks of things, the damage wasn’t all that bad, especially considering they had been majorly outnumbered.

  “Why did they leave?” Tony asked. “Seems they could have wiped us all out if they’d truly wanted to.”

  “Dakota.” Anastasia took off in a sprint toward her cabin.

  As the cabin came into view, Anastasia growled. Two Pickries slammed repeatedly into the shuttered windows, trying like hell to get into the bedroom and to Dakota.

  “Hey, assholes.”

  They turned, and Anastasia blasted them with magic, turning them into nothing but a smoking pile of ash.

  Flinging the door open, she ran straight for the bedroom. Dakota slept soundly on the bed, still locked in his stasis. She let out a whoosh of air.

  “Took you long enough. I thought for sure they were going to get in,” Vincent said dryly.

  “Village came under attack.”

  “I heard.”

  “Anyone get in here?” she asked.

  “No, those two were the only ones trying.”

  Anastasia nodded and looked back at Dakota. “I need to go see if everyone is all right.”

  “I’m happy for you, you know.”

  Anastasia turned to face him. “Sorry?”

  “That you’re going to have a child. I am happy you are getting what you want.”

  “It won’t mean a damn thing if we don’t stop Thames.”

  “Sometimes it’s okay to be happy, even if the world around you is turning to shit.”

  Vincent disappeared with a smile, and Anastasia ran back toward the center of the village.

  Shane and Tony were helping a handful of Fighters to the medical cottage, but all in all, it didn’t look like they’d had any casualties.

  Shane stepped back outside and headed for her. “Dakota okay?”

  She nodded. “It was all a distraction. Two Pickries were trying to get in and get him. They’re dust now.”

  “Okay. Well, I’d say we got lucky today.”

  “Yeah, but for how long? They’ll keep coming back. We need to separate Dakota and Thames.”

  Shane put his hand on her shoulder. “We will.”

  “Thanks,” she said, smiling up at him.

  “What do you say we get a drink? I think we’ve earned it.”

  Anastasia’s hand went to her stomach before she thought about it.

  Shane’s eyes widened. “Really?”

  Her face flushed, and she nodded. “You are the only person I’ve told other than Dakota. Thames and Vincent overheard, but I haven’t told anyone else.”

  “My lips are sealed.” Shane wrapped her in a hug and kissed her forehead. “I’m so happy for you, Anastasia. You deserve this.”

  “Thank you.”

  Shane set her down and stepped away. “I’m going to see who else I can help.”

  “I’ll go check to see if there’s anything I can do for Elizabeth.”

  “Awesome. Your grandmother is in there doing what she can, too.”

  Anastasia watched him walk away and headed for the medical cabin, thoughts still on Dakota and trying to figure out just how to get them out of the mess they were in.

  41

  Terrenia

  Shane

  The branches of Violetta’s tree were barren now, its leaves and life having died when she did.

  Shane sat on the ground below, staring up at what had once been the second most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Second only to the woman who’d created it.

  How was it he hadn’t known her long, yet she’d held so much power over him that even now, two years after her death, he grieved her?

  Wind whistled by, making the barren branches shake. He had to stay focused on days like today when it was so easy to get pulled down into depression. Other than his friends, he had no one.

  After Anastasia decided she only wanted to be friends, he was sure he’d never find anyone else who made him feel such life. Then came Violetta—the actual definition of life on her planet—and she was ripped away from him because of this fucking war.

  A war that’s almost over.

  They had a plan now, and with Dakota back—even in stasis form—they were one step closer to being able to take down Thames.

  Not that he had much to look forward to afterward, but maybe he could find happiness with someone again. Have a family of his own.

  His thoughts drifted to Anastasia and Dakota. He truly was happy for them; complica
ted past aside, they were two of his closest friends.

  Shane got to his feet and brushed the dirt off the back of his pants. It was time to move on, to forget the past and focus on the future.

  Pressing a hand to the trunk, he closed his eyes and pictured Violetta as if she stood just before him.

  “Goodbye.”

  He turned away and caught some movement just ahead. “Hello?” No one should be out at this time of night. After the Pickrie attack this afternoon, they’d implemented a curfew to make sure everyone was safe inside when night fell. Other than the Fighters patrolling, and he, who’d briefly stepped out, everyone had turned in long ago.

  The figure stopped and turned.

  Shane straightened. “Dakota?”

  Dakota waved and turned off course toward Shane. “Hey, man, what are you doing out?”

  “I could ask you the same thing,” Shane said warily. Dakota’s eyes weren’t quite their usual shade of blue, but they looked clear. Still, unless Anastasia had let him out, there was no reason he should be out here. And Anastasia wouldn’t have let him out unless she’d been able to separate him from Thames.

  “I woke up.” Dakota shrugged. “Seemed strange to me, but I figured I would go surprise Anastasia.”

  “You mean, Ana.” Shane’s eyes narrowed. “And how would it be a surprise? She would have had to let you out, right?”

  Dakota laughed. “I’m so out of touch, aren’t I? Yes, of course I mean Ana. She let me out after I woke up, to get some fresh air.”

  Shane reached behind his back for his sword and cursed. He hadn’t strapped it on when he’d come out to sit by the tree. He wasn’t on patrol, so it completely slipped his mind.

  Dakota reached back and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m guessing you aren’t buying this?”

  Shane stared. “Let’s go see Anastasia,” he said hesitantly, taking a step forward. If Dakota was in there anywhere, he’d come out. He had overcome Thames before when they’d rescued him. Surely, he could do it again.

  “Nah, I don’t think so.” Dakota moved toward him, and Shane backed up.

  “And why’s that?”

  “Because I have other plans.”