Three seconds later, Bryani was sprawled out on the floor.
Bride went over to her and rolled her onto her back. Bryani's eyes were wide open and the woman stared up at her. Satisfied she had her tamed for a minute, Bride seized her mother-in-law and dragged her into the next room, where she locked her into a cage. There was a red switch at the top that said "lock."
Bride flipped it and hoped that would somehow keep Bryani from using her powers against her.
"There now," she said as she watched Bryani carefully. "I'm going to get Carson in a minute because I'm not sure if I gave you the right dosage. Believe it or not, I don't want to kill you. But please notice that I said I don't want to kill you. It doesn't mean I won't."
Bryani's hand moved.
Then again, it was just as likely Bride hadn't given her enough, which is why she'd locked her in the cage.
"Look, Bryani, I'm really sorry for what happened to you. I am, and I understand why you hate Vane's father. You have every right to. But that is between the two of you. It has nothing to do with Vane or Fang or Fury. They are your children."
"They need to die," Bryani gasped, letting Bride know she really hadn't used enough tranquilizer. "They're animals."
"Have you looked in the mirror?" she asked her. "Animals eat their young for no reason. Vane didn't try to kill you for taking me. He left you and your village alone. You're the one dancing through time to kill someone who has never done anything to hurt you. My God, you beat Fury, your own flesh and blood, and left him to die. How is that humane? Stop lying to yourself. You're not human, either, Bryani. Or maybe you are. God knows, humans have committed some of the most atrocious crimes imaginable against each other."
"Animals, like Fury said, only kill to protect and to eat. They're loyal to those they love. My heart was ripped out of my chest and stomped into the ground by a human. And it was Vane who came along and made me feel happy again. He picked my heart up and he cradled it carefully in his hands. I know he would never hurt me, not like that."
Bride's eyes teared up as she realized just how much she really did love her mate. "I guess if I have to choose between a human and an animal, I'm going with the animal. So be warned, Bryani. If you ever threaten Vane or his brothers again, I'm going to show you just how human I am. I will don my camouflage, hunt you down, and skin you while you scream. Do you understand me?"
A massive cheer rang out from behind Bride, startling her. Turning around, she saw the whole Peltier clan plus some others crowded in and around the doorway. But it was Vane who held her attention. The proud look on his face made her entire body hot.
"Damn, Vane, you got a hell of a mate there," one of the Peltier quads said. Bryani lunged at Bride. Her arm reached out from the cage as she tried to grab her. "You can't stop me, human."
"No, but I can."
Bride stepped aside as Acheron walked through the crowd to stand before Bryani. He crouched down near the cage and held her gaze with his. "I'm going to take you home, Bryani, and I'm going to make sure that you can never leave your time frame again. No more piggyback rides with anyone else."
Bryani gave him a sullen look.
"No," Ash said as if he could read her mind. "Alastor won't help again. Your contract is nullified."
"You can't do that," she growled. "He's not free until all of them have met their mates."
Ash gave her a taunting half-smile. "You should hang around the gods more often, Bryani. They've tutored me well on loophole laws. You see, all of your sons have met their mates. They just don't know it yet."
"Excuse me?" Fury asked.
Ash ignored him. "Alastor is free of you, and for fear of my retribution, he won't enter into any new agreements with you."
"What about my retribution?" Bryani shrieked as she rattled the bars of her cage. "Where is my justice?"
Ash stood up and sighed wearily. "I'll tell you what. How about this for a bargain? You return to your time period and make sure Dare remains where he is, and I'll give you the one thing you want most in life."
Bryani cocked her head as she contemplated the Atlantean. "You swear it?"
"Yes, I do."
She made a gesture from her heart to her lips. "It's a deal. Now let me out of this cage so that I can enact my revenge."
Ash shook his head. "I'm not going to let you kill your sons, Bryani."
"But you said"
"Your fondest wish has nothing to do with them. I'm sending you home now, and I promise you, by nightfall you'll be a happy woman."
Bryani vanished out of the cage.