Szereto, Mellanie - Two from the Triangle [Bewitching Desires 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (12 page)

Kazmer scoffed at the old woman’s words. “They have not gifted her with children. Nor have they taken the vows. The seventh joining will not come to pass in this cycle, and her failure alters the balance. The time has arrived for the Triad to prevail over its enemy.”

Spinning to face Romána, he spread his arms wide, gray pulses radiating from his misshapen hands. The walls shook, and debris rained down from above.

Heléna crouched into the corner, her obvious lack of confidence in herself and her lovers cutting into Owen’s soul. If he could speak, he’d expose his deepest emotions to her, admitting that he was falling in love with her. Seeing her so defeated had him fighting whatever kept him from moving, but frustration was his only reward. A chunk of rock missing his head by inches fueled his need to break free of the invisible bindings to no avail.

“Don’t hurt them! I’ll go with you!” Her declaration ripped a hole in his gut. Didn’t she know Kazmer would kill them all no matter what she agreed to? The evil bastard was wrong. She
was
innocent.

No, Heléna! Don’t believe what he says!

Kazmer’s mouth curved upward into a disturbing grin. “Do you think I don’t know you’re lying? You can’t hide what’s in your mind from me.”

Tree roots suddenly invaded the walls, creeping along every surface to grab and hold the crumbling ceiling. Romána remained stock-still, her stance unaffected by the danger around her. Had she stabilized the room with her powers?
She had to have done it. Her powers are strong. Why doesn’t she end this?

An outraged scowl distended the scorch marks on Kazmer’s cheeks, and his black irises bled into the white of his eyes, swallowing them in darkness. “I have waited many centuries to destroy those who refuse to bow to the Triad. Your tricks will not save you, matriarch.”

He stretched his gnarled fingers toward Owen and Heath. A shower of sparks shot straight at them, but no amount of willpower helped Owen duck. The mist sizzled, seeming to absorb the fiery burst.

Heléna straightened, taking a step away from the wall. “Stop! Please, I’ll go with you!”

“No, daughter.” Romána’s calm demeanor irked Owen. Why didn’t she transport them out of this hellhole instead of facing off against the madman?

Or better yet, blast the son of a bitch to kingdom come already!

The old woman’s voice softened. “My destiny has been determined by the Fates, Heléna. You must follow your path, and I must follow mine.”

“But the family needs you.” The implication of Heléna’s unspoken words hit Owen in the chest.

I
need you, Heléna. I swear if we survive this, not a day will go by that I don’t show you how much I need you.

She dropped her chin to her chest. “And even if I chose Owen and Heath, I couldn’t protect them. They can go on with their lives without me, but how will our clan survive without you, Grandmother? I have to go so you can save everyone.”

Kazmer gave a triumphant laugh. “She has chosen you over the men, Macksa witch. You and your clan shall die, and she will become one of my servants. The Order of the Elements shall perish with you, ending your line and restoring the Black Triad.”

Chapter 10

The weight of the world sat on Heléna’s shoulders. By choosing to protect Great Grandmother, she would sentence her family to death if they couldn’t defend against Kazmer. Heléna didn’t believe for a second that he wouldn’t try to destroy them in exchange for her going with him, but her absence wouldn’t weaken the Macska link. They could focus on his destruction instead of keeping her out of harm’s way.

If she chose Owen and Heath, she had only to sacrifice her heart. What if her grandmother was mistaken about the men Heléna had accidentally sent to the future? Were they really her true mates? Yes, they’d come through the protection spell. Unfortunately, Kazmer had as well, and he wasn’t her mate.

Why did her hormones have to interfere with her usual logic? She struggled with her warring thoughts.
I can’t think! Nothing makes sense!

Why had she followed the stranger at the bottom of the ladder? The black-haired woman’s voice had sounded like one of the whispers Heléna had heard on the day of the full moon. Her gentle prodding had easily overpowered Heléna’s common sense, and now she had to wonder whether Kazmer had disguised himself to set up the confrontation. The woman had disappeared as soon as they’d reached the chamber. Was she real?

Kazmer couldn’t have pretended to be the woman, though. He’d likely been one of the voices, but his soul was too irredeemable to have guided her to the chamber rather than simply killing her.

Confused emotions churned inside her, and she glanced at Romána.

A hint of a smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “Believe, daughter. My time on Earth is at an end. Yours is only beginning. Your mates will give you strength.”

The thought of Great Grandmother dying made Heléna’s chest tighten, and tears stung her eyes. Heath and Owen blurred as she tried to judge their feelings for her from their expressions. She’d never been good at reading people, though.

Both men connected with her momentary gaze. The furrow in Heath’s forehead must’ve been there before the spell to keep them from interfering. Was he concerned or angry? On the island, he’d spent as much time being mad at her as being nice. His mood should’ve been easy to decipher, but it wasn’t. He tended to hide behind a stoic façade. What did his stormy gray eyes signal?

Do you care for me, Heath?

She turned her attention to Owen. His intense stare seemed to convey terror, but at what? Fear of dying at the hands of an evil shifter? Fear for her wellbeing?

Tell me, Owen. Please.

Did it even matter? The state of her heart when all was said and done meant nothing compared to the execution of her entire family. Grandmother was the wisest person Heléna had ever known. Trusting in her guidance offered the only real choice.

“I haven’t chosen yet.” Heléna stood up, imitating Romána’s proud bearing. Height didn’t determine a person’s ability to do the right thing.

Kazmer turned his head to glare at her.

A subtle nod from Great Grandmother assured her she’d made the correct choice. “I choose...” She let her gaze slip from Owen and Heath to Romána. A pulse of energy entered Heléna’s hands, tingling up her arms—the transfer of power over the spell protecting the pilots. “I choose...the men.”

Sneering, Kazmer shook his head. “Your choice does not matter. You all will—”

A ghostly red hand snatched his cloak, dragging him to the opposite wall before he could react. He whipped his scarred face around to confront the source of his irritation.

“Take me, Goddess! My time has come!” Romána’s joyous tone rang in Heléna’s ears as she ran to release Heath and Owen. “Do not mourn for me, my children. My destiny in life has been fulfilled. Praise the Goddess and the Fates for their wisdom.”

Grasping a hand of each man, Heléna glanced back to see crimson hands embrace the ancient shifter. A deafening howl issued from Kazmer as he and Great Grandmother exploded in a blast of sparks and flame.

How had she known her time had come? Had a lifetime of gaining wisdom given her the gift of sight?

She waited for me to choose. Why did
I
have to make the choice?

Grief flooded Heléna, but she focused on getting out before the cavern collapsed.

“To the inner circle go,

Where my sisters’ love does flow.

Keep us safe. Bring harm to none.

Blessed be. Thy will be done.”

She held tight to Heath’s and Owen’s hands and tensed when the far wall disintegrated from the explosion. Burning embers scattered, sending the glowing ashes hurtling toward them as the cavern faded to darkness.

A moment later, chanting filled her mind, and she blinked at the sudden brilliance shining in her eyes. Arms gathered her close, cradling her on both sides. Warm lips pressed kisses to her ear and neck.

“You’re okay.” Heath’s gentle tone became a whisper. “I couldn’t protect you. I tried, honey. God, how I tried.”

Owen smoothed his palm along her jaw. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”

The horror of what she’d witnessed slammed into her, and she nearly doubled over as wracking sobs assaulted her. Kazmer had been destroyed, but so had the Macska matriarch. The one person who had kept the family bonded together for so many years. Gone. She’d given her life to end the centuries-old battle with the Black Triad.

“Great Grandmother...” Heléna tried to share her sorrow with the women forming the ring, but the flood of tears made talking impossible.

“They know, Heléna.” Owen stroked her hair, and she leaned against his chest to keep from falling. “They’re mourning too. It’ll be okay.”

Okay? How could anything be okay ever again? Great Grandmother had sacrificed her life to save Heléna, Owen, and Heath—because the newest full-fledged witch hadn’t possessed the abilities to aid in defeating Kazmer. Guilt and shame would linger long past the ceremony to usher Romána’s soul into the afterlife.

“Don’t.” Heath lifted Heléna’s chin to wipe away the tears. “You’re blaming yourself. I know you are. She was at peace with what she did for us, and that lunatic was hers to destroy.”

Owen looked down at her with a slight smile. “She did a damn good job of it too. Maybe in a few days you’ll be ready to tell us more about those powers she mentioned.”

Powers? I have no powers compared to everyone else.
Not ready to consider revealing her ineptitude, Heléna glanced away. All she wanted right now was quiet, solitude, and sleep.

“Mr. Ulrich, would you mind carrying my sister up to her rooms? She needs to rest.” Rebeka’s motherly tone didn’t irritate Heléna as much as usual.

Heath tucked his arm behind her knees, picking her up as her legs threatened to give out. “I don’t think she’s eaten yet. Can somebody bring up some food, if it isn’t any trouble?”

The comfort of being cradled against his body relaxed her, making her yawn. Perhaps she could tolerate being taken care of just this once.

“No trouble at all.” Rebeka leaned in to kiss Heléna’s forehead. “Great Grandmother must be happy to know we’re all safe from Kazmer. She’s waited for this day for a long time. Rest well, little sister.”

They were safe, but at what cost? Too tired to think, Heléna closed her eyes and breathed in the familiar scent of Heath’s skin. She’d dream until reality forced her to admit her shortcomings to her family.

* * * *

Settling a sleeping Heléna on the mattress, Heath debated climbing in bed with her. He’d savored every second of holding her close on the way upstairs, and he wasn’t ready to let go. Easing the bathrobe off her shoulders and down her arms allowed a more intimate touch and time to process the morning’s bizarre incident.

Even without an explanation of the events leading to her great grandmother’s death, some of the strange happenings involving Heléna now made more sense than when they were on the island. If he had to guess, he’d have to say she’d most likely transported herself onto the plane with him and Owen, as well as the three of them off Hawksbill Cays. Her family obviously practiced some sort of witchcraft—but not the turn-people-into-toads kind.

The crafty old man who could shift to other forms was another story. Kazmer had been the aggressor in the confrontation with Romána and Heléna, always belittling and antagonizing. Poor sweet Heléna seemed to take every negative comment to heart, and her grandmother’s encouragement had only given her enough confidence to escape the fiery explosion. Her fortitude had crumbled the instant she’d brought him and Owen out of the danger zone.