A howl rent the air, the sound reverberating through the coach. A second howl went up. Followed quickly by a third and fourth. Soon, a whole chorus of mournful howls filled the air, bouncing back against the mountains in the distance and echoing softly.
Fine hair all over my body raised.
Wolves. From the sound of them, they were large, otherworldly werewolves. That answered my question about who was out there, but it left the why up for contemplation. The horses whinnied and growled, the sound unlike any mortal horse I’d ever encountered.
At first glance, Wrath seemed calm, focused. Until I saw the flicker of excitement in his eyes. He was made for war, for battles. Where others would shut down from fear, something shook him awake. He gave me a slow, cocky grin. “The shifters are angry.”
And that blessed emotion was fueling the demon’s already incredible store of magical power. I returned his smile, feeling relief sink into my bones. We’d be fine. Wrath let the curtains fall back, hiding us from view. Apparently, he wasn’t concerned with seeing his enemies.
Another howl went up, closer this time, louder and filled with what was probably alpha command. Domenico was here. I couldn’t imagine why the wolves were in the Seven Circles, and after Greed’s insistence that they’d attacked his commander, fear gnawed at me despite my husband’s excitement. Given the way Domenico had been with my sister, how easily and quickly he’d heeded her command to stand down with me, I couldn’t picture him acting against her.
Wrath hit the roof of the coach with a closed fist, startling me, and our carriage rolled to a sudden stop. This was it. Nervous energy hummed through me.
If the werewolves were here and so was Domenico, I prayed that meant my sister wasn’t far behind. If she was, and if they weren’t planning an attack on their own, then all we had to do was neutralize the shifters, grab Vittoria, and take her to House Wrath. None of the other princes would even know we’d found her and stowed her away.
Wrath jerked his chin toward the door, indicating he was about to open it. I clutched the hilt of my dagger, my palms damp and heart pumping. If I could find my sister and speak with her, perhaps we could avoid bloodshed altogether. Surely when she saw me, she’d stand down. Then we could discuss Vesta, and I’d have my answer one way or another about her guilt.
“Remember, stay close. Strike fast.” The prince paused with his hand on the knob, then shook his head. He grabbed me around the waist and kissed me hard and fast. “If you die on me now, I’ll hunt you down and drag you back.”
“Sounds rather threatening.”
“It’s a fucking promise, my lady.”
“I love you, too.” I cupped his face. “If you’re quite through, let’s kill some werewolves.”
His gaze darkened. “Bloodshed turns me on almost as much as your little performance did. I’m going to take you directly to bed after the fight.” Wrath flashed a devastating grin. “And we’re not going to reemerge for a long, long time. I hope you packed the pearl skirt.”
Any nervousness or trepidation I was feeling vanished. I suspected Wrath’s speech was meant to get my mind on what would happen after the battle, to give me something to focus on. He was a good general; I’d tear through a thousand wolves just to get him back into bed.
His smile was filled with male arrogance. Deservedly so after our earth-shattering lovemaking, so I couldn’t fault him there. Sensing I was ready, Wrath palmed his dagger and shoved the door open. He burst through it in a flash of violent movement. I jumped out directly after him, my blade ready.
The elation I’d just felt disappeared as I took in the sight before us.
Wolves, nearly a hundred of them, oversized and monstrous, stood on the bridge, shoulder to shoulder, blocking our path to House Wrath. But that wasn’t what had my heart thudding in my chest. It was the dozens of wolves that floated in a semicircle around us, their paws ten feet above ground. They were spirit walkers. And they were waiting in the wings to pounce if any of their brethren went down.
Blood and bones. I had little doubt Wrath would take a huge portion of them down alone, but there were so many. Too many. My sister had amassed an army. As if my thoughts summoned her, Vittoria appeared behind a row of particularly vicious werewolves. Gone was her signature smirk, the mischievous light dancing in her eyes. The being that stared at us was cold, devoid of humanity. Immortal. She was what I truly was, and it chilled me to the core.
“We had an appointment to speak today, sister. I got tired of waiting, so I brought some friends to escort you to the Shifting Isles.” Vittoria’s focus moved to Wrath. “I suggest you let her go quietly.”
The ground rumbled, as if Wrath’s fury had shaken the very core of the realm. “Surrender yourself to House Wrath, willingly and peacefully, and I’ll allow your puppies to live.”
“How very magnanimous of you.” Vittoria’s mouth curved into a slow, vicious smile. “And foolish. It seems you’ve not heard what I can do. Allow me to demonstrate.”
“Vittoria,” I said, forcing calmness into my voice. “Come with us.”
“Why should I?”
“Because you’re suspected of murder, and there’s a price on your head.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.” I held her amused stare. “And I believe there’s much more to the story. Please. Stand down and come talk to me. I want to hear your side of things. Let me help clear your name of any wrongdoing.”
“Why should I care if a prince of Hell thinks I’m a murderer? None of them can be trusted. They trick and manipulate and pride themselves on it. And I’ve tolerated playing by their rules long enough.”
My sister held her right arm up and bent her elbow as if she were holding a ball. She was too far away for me to make out the words she was whispering, but I watched in growing fear as she softly chanted. Glittering lavender light swirled around her bent elbow, slowly circling her forearm and wrist, before settling around her hand.
Wrath cursed and stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body. I peered around him, horrified as my sister’s fingers lengthened. Claws emerged from her too-long fingers, ebony as the night and sharper than daggers. Her arm looked charred, as if she’d stuck it into some hellfire and yanked out magic that wished to be left alone. Dark veins crept past her elbow, seeming to mix with her blood. The swirling lavender light winked out.
She held up her clawed hand, proudly showing off the demonic-looking appendage. I could do nothing but stare as she turned to a shifter. “Domenico, my love. Come.”
The grayish-blue wolf to her right—the size of a bear with glowing pale purple eyes—padded toward my twin, whining softly as it crouched before her.