"Rosehall was an ideal. It was a celebration of life and love and freedom."
"And death. Don't forget the celebration of death."
"That was never part of the original idea."
Hadn't it been? After everything she'd read, she had to wonder.
"Jontee was never free, Jina. Not then, and not now. Especially now that you've ensured his infamy lives on. Ensured he can't rest in peace."
"The only thing I'm ensuring is that he can finally rest, knowing that the very people who caused his downfall will finally join him in hell. Now drop the damn weapon."
She didn't drop it. She squeezed the trigger and fired, aiming for Jina's hand rather than the safer option of a body shot. The gun's retort echoed across the brief silence, followed quickly by Jina's yelp as the bullet tore through her hand. Blood, bone, and weapon flew. Jina's face contorted with pain and fury as the shimmer of shapechanging swept over her body. In wolf form, she launched herself across the fire, teeth bared and the bloody need to rend and tear gleaming in her eyes.
Savannah braced and aimed the gun, but before she could fire, another shot rang out. Jina flopped to the ground, blood and God knows what else leaking out from the gaping hole in her head.
Anton rose from behind the boulders across the clearing and gave her a grim smile. “That's one less murderer for the courts to worry about."
Trista came out of the shadows, and a second later, so did Ronan. She met his gaze, saw the relief there, and gave him a smile before she looked at Cade. The relief in the navy blue depths of his eyes echoed right through her. Tension slithered from her limbs, leaving her suddenly weak and shaky. They were all right. All of the people she cared about were all right.
And in the end, it had been almost too easy to stop Jina's mad plot for revenge. Something she certainly hadn't expected.
She wiped the sweat from her brow, clicked the safety back on the gun and shoved it away.
"I think Candy's still alive,” she said.
Anton nodded. “We'll take care of her, since I'm sure you'll want to take care of the boss.” A grin touched his lips as he glanced at Ronan. “Which leaves René to you."
"I always get the best jobs,” Ronan muttered.
She walked over to Cade and lightly touched his cheek. “As if I'd let her shoot you anywhere, let alone something as vital to our future as your cock."
He grinned. “So I'm only loved for my skills in the sack?"
"Well, at this stage, I'm not sure what more there is.” She kissed him softly and sweetly, but with all the relief and love that was welling inside her. Emotions she could feel in the warm glow of his thoughts, and in the caress of his lips. When she finally pulled away, she added, “I guess it's up to you to show me what else there is."
"Hard thing to do when I'm tied up,” he said wryly.
"Ah. Well, I guess I'd better untie you then."
"It would be a good start."
She grinned and walked around the stump. His wrists were rubbed raw, and the tight rope was blood-soaked. “You've made a mess back here,” she said, getting out her knife.
"Well, I was hardly going to stand back and calmly watch you walk into a trap now, was I?"
"I can defend myself.” The first strand of ropes snapped away. Two more to go. She frowned in concentration, trying to avoid cutting his bloody flesh along with the rope.
"I know. I just didn't want you to have to defend yourself. A wolf likes to protect his own."
Another strand gone. “You know, Neva and I swore long ago never to fall for alphas. We decided your lot was far too much trouble."
"And how old were you when you decided this?” Amusement touched his voice.
"Five."
"A very wise age,” he commented, the amusement deeper this time.
The last strand fell away. He stepped away from the post, rubbing his wrists as she shoved the knife back in its sheath. Then she met his gaze, and she realized that the amusement in his voice didn't touch his face. That his eyes were, in fact, curiously blank.