Moon Tortured (Sky Brooks Series Book 1) (27 page)

The were-animals continued to stare at me strangely as though I sprouted horns and grew a tail. Inconspicuously, I ran my fingers over my hair and down my back just to make sure I hadn’t. Weird things were happening these days, and nothing seemed too implausible.

“You saw it; didn’t you?” Josh asked in a strained voice.

I swallowed a response and bit down on my lips too hard, puncturing them and causing blood to seep into my mouth.

“What did she see?” Sebastian asked as he started to distance himself from me, since I seemed to be much calmer than before. I was calmer, but the images in my head hadn’t subsided.

Josh sighed, filling the room with a heaviness that left everyone on edge. “Her death,” he said softly. “She saw what they are planning to do with her,” he elaborated. He was still frowning when he turned back to look at me. Placing his hand on my shoulder, his gaze held mine as he spoke to them. “I had to research the information further in hopes that what Caleb showed me was wrong. But … ” he shook his head “ … he showed me nothing but truth. The Gem of Levage is used to transfer power sources from one person to another, or, in this case, from Skylar to Demetrius’s seethe. During the ritual, if there is a blood exchange by both people then they exchange abilities. This isn’t anything very special for a vampire because it is one of their gifts and the very dynamics of the trade.”

He looked at Sebastian then Ethan before continuing. I wish we were outside because the strong emotions radiating off everyone made the air feel thick and suffocating. Leaning my head as far back as possible—I inhaled.

Josh took a seat in front of me. Distress covered his face as I listened to the tale of why I was going to die. “They want her abilities; and with the ritual, there only needs to be a one-way blood exchange. Once life is drained, with the use of the gem, the donor abilities remain indefinitely. Their seethe, which is well over two hundred strong, will possess immunity to light, will no longer go through reversion when staked, can enter any dwelling without an invitation and will be unaffected by religious symbols. They will also gain her strength, making them significantly stronger and faster than you all,” he stopped for a moment and looked at Sebastian, who was listening to him attentively. “This will be true of anyone they create thereafter as well.”

“But why her?” Ethan finally asked.

“Most humans, due to their fragile nature, can’t sustain life long enough to complete the ritual. Apparently, this ritual has already been attempted by Demetrius using a mage, several humans and a were-puma. They even tried a dhampir, obviously without success. Most dhampirs have human fragility and couldn’t survive the ritual. They were just fishing for candidates until Skylar came to their attention,” he looked at me, I assumed to see how I was doing. The panicked look that was now etched on my face should have let him know that I wasn’t doing well at all.

“The mage was human, though he had magical ability, he was unable to survive. For reasons unknown to me, were-animals are immune to their magic. That’s why they can’t enthrall or change you all and the very reason they failed when they used the were-puma. Skylar is somehow connected to them; the terait is evidence of it,” he stated, pointing toward his left eye. “That is the reason they were able to enter her home without an invitation. I don’t know how this occurred but it did. An anomaly at its worst. She heals as the were-animal does and would be able to survive to complete the ritual. It is not definitive whether or not the transference will work, but since Demetrius is going to such extreme measures to get her, he must believe it is highly likely.”

Sebastian stiffened, seemingly taking the information worse than I did. He kept his focus on Josh, stealing short glances in my direction. Everyone else went through great pains to keep their focus anywhere else but on me. “Steven, take Skylar to Jeremy and let him check her out,” he stated, taking me by the elbow and guiding me toward the door.

Who was he fooling with that? He wasn’t that concerned about marks that were virtually gone. They no longer wanted me there. They needed to discuss things that they deemed sensitive pack information, and I was no longer welcomed. I glimpsed over their faces as I followed Steven out of the room, and the tragically disturbed looks on everyone’s faces made leaving the room easier.

Steven dropped me off at the office. I kept looking at him wanting some type of assurance that things were okay. A look that said,
this was nothing; they had seen it all before
. But he looked concerned. It was the first time those lambent, olive green eyes looked so deeply troubled that it scared me.

I expected Dr. Baker to lock me in one of the recovery rooms with the padlocks that I had seen earlier. But instead, he examined me on a small table next to his desk in the corner of the large infirmary. He was assiduous as he went over the marks, examining them. Each touch was skilled and gentle as he handled my injured limbs. Was it because he was the pack doctor and had seen so much that there were very few things that rattled him or was it because he had mastered stoicism to an art form? I wasn’t sure. .

He examined me for a long time, looking at things that had nothing to do with what occurred in the library; it didn’t take me long to realize he was stalling me. From his office, I couldn’t hear what was going on in the library. After Dr. Baker finished with me, he escorted me back to the room, taking the back way, ensuring that I didn’t go past the library.

I waited until Dr. Baker’s footsteps had padding down the stairs. I took the stairs on the opposite side of the hallway and headed back to the library. Standing just outside the door to the right, I was hidden only by the open door from the next room. The debate was so emotionally charged, they were unable to keep their voices down. .

“So, if we retrieve the gem, this will all go away?” Sebastian’s edgy voice inquired.

“That’s a great big if,” Josh responded, frustrated. “I know Demetrius has it, but he has a protection spell on it. He’s using dark magic, and I can’t find it. I’ve tried several times today. Tomorrow, I’m going to talk to London. She is more skilled than I am in matters like this and may be able to remove the protection spell. Once we locate it, the rest is easy,” he admitted.

“Are you sure she will help? In the past, she always resisted assisting us,” Sebastian said.

“That’s before we helped her. She owes us, and I believe she will be relieved to no longer have that debt.”

He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest as he was drawn into his thoughts.

Josh watched him intently. “Sebastian,” Josh stated respectfully. “Storming in the vampires’ home and threatening them until they give you the gem won’t work. A battle like that will end with a great number of dead vampires but were-animals as well. We would be no better off,” Josh stated gravely.

“I am assuming that killing Demetrius won’t help either. Is it safe to assume anyone in his seethe can perform the ritual?” Sebastian asked.

He must have confirmed, because Sebastian made a frustrated sound.

“Then kill her,” Winter suggested calmly. “She is the most imminent threat. At least that will give us time to find the gem.” Her voice was far too casual for someone who was suggesting the murder of another being.

“She’s not the threat,” Steven interjected.

“Stop it with that load of crap! You can’t still believe she’s not a threat.” Winter rumbled angrily.

Apparently, this wasn’t the first time Winter had suggested this option, but now with everything that had taken place, she had a more compelling argument.

“She isn’t. Nothing she’s done has threatened us,” Sebastian stated firmly.

I walked from around the door that I used to hide me. If she wanted to me dead then she would have to say it to my face. As I stood at the threshold of the library door, it was Winter who noticed me first. I had lost my status as a person—now I was a
situation.
She held my gaze for a long time before she directed it back to Sebastian.

“Her very existence is a threat. She is not one of us, and we should stop protecting her as though she were,” Winter stated sharply.

“Josh, what do you think?” Sebastian asked, his voice calm and level, a direct contrast to Winter’s.

“She’s is capable of things within the magic realms that aren’t typical of were-animals. But Winter can charm, which is atypical of were-animals’ abilities and she isn’t a threat to us but rather an asset. I can’t say Skylar isn’t capable of being dangerous because I am not quite sure what she really is. However, she would never endanger us intentionally.”

“I am not saying it would be intentional,” countered Winter “But she is dangerous for so many reasons, starting with why the vampires wish to have her. Is anyone else concerned that we really don’t know what she is? You said yourself that the necromancer got a weird reading on her. Terait, were-animal, odd magical ability, there is something terribly wrong with her. Kill her and this all goes away.”

“Until they find another sacrifice,” Steven interjected. “Then what? Keep killing anyone who can be potentially used? Then what form of evil do we become? She needs protection, not death. What we need to do is locate the gem and make sure the vamps never have the chance to use it.”

“Yes, sounds so very simple. However, if it were that simple, then why don’t we have the goddamn thing? Demetrius is going all out for this. His legion—seriously, when has he ever used them? He’s risking the safety of his seethe to keep the gem hidden with dark magic and accruing a huge debt in the process. He has the gem, and we have her. It’s simple. Kill her, and things get a lot less complicated.”

“Can you take the life of an innocent were-animal without cause in cold blood?” Ethan asked calmly, but his voice held a twinge of unease, disappointment.

“For the safety of this pack, I’ll do it without hesitation. If we keep this up, there will be a battle. Lives will be lost—our lives. And for what? Her? Ethan, If you find it too distasteful for your civility, then I will do it right now … ”

“ … Winter!” Sebastian snapped.

She exhaled a ragged breath. “She’s not one of us,” she declared in a desperate voice. Winter began to fidget, searching desperately for the right words to persuade them. “She is dangerous. We need to kill her. It will give us time to find the gem and not have to worry about protecting her," she stated calmly. But it was a calmness that came from a place of resolve. Whether she convinced them or not, Winter had decided she was going to take my life.

“She’s right,” I stated with a heavy sigh, stepping into the room. I looked at Sebastian, who seemed to be the most approachable at this time. Who would have thought?

“I am not one of you, and I don’t warrant this type of loyalty and sacrifice. It is a lot to ask. I am terrified of what I am capable of, so I can understand her concern. It would be easier to end my life, but I ask that you don’t. I will leave.”

I wanted to leave the house because the wavering trust I had for them had changed. It was only a matter of time before Winter convinced them that I wasn’t worth saving. Trapped in the house with my potential murderers or being hunted and possibly captured by vampires to endure a ritual that would ultimately kill me left me between a boulder and hard place.

“Leaving this house isn’t enough. Your very existence is a danger. Death is the only option for you.” Winter hissed so coldly it would have sent shivers through me if I weren’t so numbed by fear.

Sebastian looked in Winter’s direction but spoke to me. “Skylar, if I thought you were capable of protecting yourself, my pack would not have intervened. You will continue to stay here under pack protection until the gem is retrieved. Your life is protected and all members of this pack will do what is needed,” he stated firmly, directing the last part toward Winter. With much effort, her eyes returned to their deep hazel color.

“Then you are protected,” she stated, her words mechanical and forced.

“Thank you.” I glanced in Winter’s direction. As much as I disliked her, I understood her position. This was her family, and I was putting them in danger. I had already lost my family. It was unfair that she could lose hers.

Winter stared at me, “Don’t offer thanks to me. I do it because I am commanded to. If it were up to me, you would be dead right now,” she admitted honestly, before heading out of the room.

Sebastian followed her toward the door and stopped her. “You take as much time as you need. She’s under our protection and if you kill her, I will enforce the law to the fullest extent. I don’t want to, but I will,” he stated firmly as he leaned in touching her gently in a fatherly gesture.