Intertwined Bloodlines (Blood Moon Book 3)

13: Son of the Nightshade Alphas

Numerous voices clamored in Annika's ears. With a desperate cry, she placed her trembling hands over them, attempting to drown out all of them. It seemed as though every simple sound had been amplified to an unbearable volume.

"She is a threat to us all!"

"Annika."

Her eyes flickered open, locking onto electric blue ones. She attempted to muster a smile for her father, to no avail. "I can't control it."

"Of course you can."

The cacophonous noises reverberated in her head, causing it to throb. "It hurts... it hurts so much."

An arrow sliced through the air, and her father reached out to catch it, his fingers grasping nothing but empty space. The real arrow became visible inches from her, the tip nearly piercing her chest. Her gaze met Devyn's as he materialized before her, his fingers wrapped around the arrow's shaft.

"And I'm the enemy, right?" Before anyone could react, he launched the arrow through the air toward Emeric, who held the bow.

Harrison intercepted it and snapped it in half. "He is no enemy. He acted out of fear."

"Nothing but excuses."

When her father advanced, Annika stepped in front of Devyn, forcing him to an abrupt halt. Her father's eyes widened in surprise, but before Annika could utter a word, she found herself floating in darkness. In a matter of seconds, a dazzling light caused her to squeeze her eyes shut for a moment. As she reopened them, her body collided with a hard, unforgiving surface. She rolled to a stop and scrambled to her feet, her eyes darting around the unfamiliar surroundings, quickly realizing she was inside a cabin.

Devyn stood in the center of the room, as motionless as a statue, lost in thought.

"Take me back," she demanded.

"No."

"This is kidnapping!"

He moved closer to the wall, removed his necklace, and plunged the sharp crystal pendant into it. Aqua blue ink spilled from the pendant, cascading across the wall and transforming it into an arched door. Sapphire and teal hues swirled through the ink like a mesmerizing blend of the sea and flames.

"Go ahead, go back. Return and kill them all as you would have if I wouldn't haven't gotten there on time."

Annika remained frozen, uncertain of where it might lead. For all she knew, it could transport her deep into the abyss of the ocean. Her eyes darted toward the nearby door and took her chances. To her surprise, she managed to step through it before Devyn could stop her escape. However, her relief was short-lived. The door led her into Asthrien Forest, a place known as the Forest of Death.

Urgency gripped her as she moved through the ominous forest faster than she ever had before. With each step, a sinister cloud of black dust billowed into the air, assaulting her nostrils and making each breath a laborious struggle. Black ink coated her once-pristine gown as she compelled her aching feet to continue moving.

"Help me."

The plaintive cry echoed in the distance, its desperation tugging at Annika's heartstrings. She halted and turned toward the sound, taking one tentative step.

"Please, help me!"

She hesitated, her mind flooded with memories of the countless horror films she had endured alongside Scarlet and Frederick. Her heart continued to hammer against her aching chest as the chorus of distorted screams echoed around her, merging with bone-chilling, primal, animalistic sounds.