Shattered Emotions (23 page)

He seemed surprised for a moment, and then like his friend, he fell to his knees.

She twisted the knife then pulled it out, watching as the life faded from her tormentor’s eyes.

“You’ll never have me again. Ever,” she whispered as he died.

Ellie looked up at her mate and saw the love and admiration in his eyes. He’d let her fight for herself, yet she’d known he’d be there if she’d needed him.

This was just another reason why she loved the man.

“Touching, really fucking touching,” Corbin drawled from the doorway. “I’m not surprised you’re back for the little wolf. I
am
surprised you two came alone. It’s as if you
want
to die by my hands. Something that can be arranged.”

Corbin lunged then, apparently done talking. His claws were out, and Maddox jumped forward. Their bodies crashed against each other as Maddox pushed Corbin into the wall. Ellie ran to help her mate but hit the ground as two more wolves entered the room, pouncing on her.

She kicked the nearest wolf, ignoring its whimper, then stabbed the one above her with the knife she still held. The weight of the wolf burned her arms, but she pushed it off then scrambled to her feet as four more wolves entered the room, their teeth bared, their souls just as black as the others. The darkness that seeped from them was so blatant, that anyone could have seen it; felt it.

Goddess, they were outnumbered.

However, she and Maddox were stronger than the other wolves because they hadn’t been eaten away day by day by a magic that was darker than anything she knew. Only Corbin and Caym were stronger, and she had a feeling Corbin was only stronger because of Caym himself.

She tamped down the fear that threatened to take hold and charged, taking down one wolf with her knife to its chest. She ducked to the ground and rolled, slicing another wolf at its paws. Another wolf jumped on top of her, and she twisted, trying to get away. The wolf clawed at her, and she screamed but didn’t stop moving.

The weight was lifted off her as Maddox picked up the wolf and threw it into the wall. The crack of its back breaking echoed into the room, and it whimpered. Maddox pulled her to her feet, and she nodded, not able to do anything more than be glad he was alive.

She glanced at Charlotte who hid behind a table, huddling, tears running down her face.

Maddox turned toward Corbin again and started at him, his fists flying. More wolves poured into the room, and she went on autopilot, fighting as hard as she could. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mate fighting. He was a thing of beauty, his muscles bunching and flexing as he moved. Her empath was quiet and smooth yet fought with a grace like no other.

Ellie killed two more wolves and turned to help Maddox with Corbin—who was stronger than them both—then screamed as another guard in human form pulled at her arm and flexed his wrists, breaking the bone in a sharp sting that flooded her body with pain.

Maddox turned at her scream then shouted.

Corbin smiled and pulled the knife out of her mate’s side, Maddox’s blood leaving a crimson stain on the blade.

The mating bond tightened in pain then pulsated, sending a scorching heat toward each of them as tears slid down her cheeks.

Goddess, it wouldn’t end like this.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Charlotte pulling at her chains, working hard to try to break free.

At least the little girl was safe for now, but, goddess, Ellie needed to fight harder.

Despite the pain in her arm, she fought, clawing and tearing at what she could. Only  three wolves remained, but she’d kill them all. She had to. Maddox continued to fight Corbin, even with the blood running down his side.

Finally, finally, she broke the last wolf’s neck and turned toward her mate. There had to be a way to end this. She took a step forward then screamed her body freezing.

Caym stood behind her, chanting a spell she didn’t understand, but she could
feel
the bond between her and Maddox shaking.

“It’s a lost cause, my dear,” Caym drawled. “I have a perfect spell for you, and believe me, you’ll break under the onslaught. Your Omega can’t tamp down the emotions anymore. Now, everything he’s ever felt is amplified, and since you’re mated to him, you’ll both feel
everything
.”

The emotions suddenly flooding through her system, her mind, her nerve endings, rendered her speechless. Goddess, she could feel it all. The pain, the happiness, the sheer amount of the endless bonds, to not only the Redwoods but to something far darker. Her old bond to the Centrals that had been broken flared again, and she could feel the evil seeping through it and enveloping them. She and Maddox locked gazes and fell to the ground, their bodies shaking. She reached for Maddox as tears stained her cheeks.

Oh, goddess.

The pain.

They tried to fight the evil threatening to take hold but neither could breathe.

Everything seemed heavy, the weight on her chest capable of killing her.

Caym and Corbin laughed as they moved toward her. Her brother picked her up, each point of contact between them a searing pain.

The darkness dripped off him, covering her like a thick blanket of hate and fear. They stepped over Maddox on the ground as he struggled to get up. Caym kicked him but didn’t look down. Corbin chained her to the wall and smiled.

She hung from the wall, her toes barely touching the ground, her broken arm going numb, the pain so intense she nearly passed out.

Corbin took a step back and tilted his head. “I’m sorry that it had to end this way, dear sister. You should have been by my side all this time, but you ran away.”

Everything around her seemed to pull her down, each movement became slow, heavy. She pulled her head up and looked into his black eyes.

“I’ll never regret it,” she said, her words slurred.

Corbin shook his head. “You won’t have long to regret it.”

Caym handed him something, but she couldn’t tell what it was. Her vision had blurred from the pain and the influx of Pack bonds.

He raised his arm, and the light bounced off the barrel of the gun.

“Good bye, dear sister,” he said and fired.

Her chest exploded, fire scorching her as she gasped for breath.

Her head fell forward, and she looked down, not really understanding what had happened. With one last effort, she looked up at her mate, her Maddox.

He crawled toward her, bleeding, screaming.

Their bond screamed as well.

Ellie closed her eyes, her lids heavy.

The darkness took over.

Chapter 19

Maddox screamed.

His throat burned as he yelled, his voice hoarse.

The mating bond throbbed then thudded to a quiet breath.

Oh, goddess, no.

Ellie’s head lolled to the side as she hung from the wall, the large hole in her chest a stark reminder that everything had gone wrong, that everything had changed.

Though their mating bond had dimmed, it wasn’t completely gone. It couldn’t be. He tried to reach it and tried to pull her to him, at least through the bond, but he couldn’t grasp it.

No.

Goddess, no.

The assault of whatever spell Caym had forced on him still echoed through him, coming and going in shifts until it reared up again, knocking him back down to his stomach. There was no way he’d just stay there though. He’d get up and get his mate.

She was not dead.

There was no fucking way she could be dead.

He heard a whimper behind him, and he closed his eyes.

Charlotte.

Hell, he’d get her out too.

Ellie would be okay.

She had to be.

The salt from his tears tasted bitter on his tongue, and he forced himself to work through the pain in his side and in his bones. He lifted himself up and almost fell back down but forced himself to his feet.

Corbin and Caym were staring at Ellie, ignoring him.

Their mistake.

On shaky legs, Maddox rose and staggered toward his Ellie, his mate. Quietly, he lifted the knife that had been used on him from the table and moved.

Corbin turned in that moment, surprise on his face.

The knife slid into Corbin’s heart like butter, the blade smooth, heavy in Maddox’s palm as he twisted.

Corbin fell to the ground, his black eyes still wide in surprise. Caym turned on his heel and frowned. Without another word, Caym’s arm shot out and slammed into Maddox’s chest. Maddox hit the wall, sliding down to the ground, his chest on fire from his ribs most likely being broken.

Maddox watched under heavy lids as Caym cupped Corbin’s cheek. It would have been an almost intimate gesture if there had been any emotion whatsoever on the demon’s face.

Caym whispered something Maddox couldn’t hear, and Corbin screamed. The bastard wolf’s chest shook as Caym slide the knife out, leaving no wound behind.

Fuck.

It seemed it wouldn’t be him who killed Corbin today. He only hoped what Corbin had thought was true, and North would be the one to do it and do it soon.

Caym picked up Corbin and made his way to the door, his process slow, labored. Apparently, the magic he’d used—twice in a row—had taken its toll on the demon.

Good.

Caym stopped at the door, having walked over the bodies Ellie had taken care of before.

“I’ll give you ten minutes because I admire the way you surprised me, Omega. Ten minutes.”

With that, the demon walked out the door, limping slightly.

Maddox pulled himself up, ignoring the searing pain and heavy magic pushing him down. He limped to Ellie first.

Goddess, no.

She had to be okay.

He slowly unhooked her from the wall. Corbin had been so sure of himself he hadn’t bothered to lock the chains. After all, considering the curse Caym had thrown at them, what use was a mere lock?

His wolf howled as Maddox slid to the ground, Ellie in his arms. Her eyes were closed, and she looked completely white. He grit his teeth as another wave of emotion slammed into him, but not from his Ellie, and he brushed a lock of hair from her face.

The bullet had pierced her heart.

Her heart that was no longer beating.

Their mating bond slowly faded to almost nothing, but unlike the way Adam had lost Anna in that split second of severing, Maddox could still feel his mate, just not her life.

Another hit of whatever spell Caym had placed on him caused his body to convulse.

Hell, he was dying too.

His chest shook as he screamed again, his body convulsing in gut-wrenching sobs. He’d only just found her. He’d only just let himself believe he could be with her.

And now she was gone.

“I’m sorry,” a little voice said from the corner, causing Maddox to look up with a growl.

Charlotte cowered in the corner, her collar now off her neck. The chain must have been pulled off the wall during the fight. Somehow the little girl looked okay, despite all that had happened around him. Yet she hadn’t run away, instead staying with him and Ellie.

“It wasn’t your fault,” he said honestly.

Though they’d come to the den to save her, it wasn’t her fault Maddox hadn’t been strong enough to save his mate. It wasn’t her fault that Corbin was a sadistic bastard and had killed his own sister.

Killed.

“Can you help her?” she asked, yet there was no hope in her voice.

He ran his hand through Ellie’s soft hair, willing her to be okay, to come back to him. He looked up at Charlotte and started to shake his head then stopped.

There was still that bond.

Why?

Maybe his and Ellie’s bond was stronger than most.

He also had all this extra energy and emotion running through him. Emotions were part of life, a life force unto their own. Maybe he could use what Caym had given him and save his mate. Hannah could heal even the worse of wounds, maybe he could use part of her power through the Pack bonds and whatever else he could.

Goddess he hoped so.

Caym had given him only ten minutes, and two had already passed. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the bond. It was there, thin and thready, but goddess, it was there.

He focused on that thread and found the other emotions running through him. He then funneled all he could through him and into that thread.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his body shook. He gasped as he felt a little hand on his forehead. He opened his eyes and stared into Charlotte’s dark ones.

She looked like a miniature Ellie.

Tears slid down her cheeks just like his, and he closed his eyes again, leaning into Charlotte as he tried to breathe life into his mate.

The bond thickened, his wolf howling along with the energy flowing through them.

He opened his eyes again and looked down, willing his Ellie to come back to him.

“Ellie mine, come back. Please, I need you. I love you so much, Ellie mine. Come back.”

Nothing happened, and his chest ached. He couldn’t lose hope.

She had to come back.

He cupped her cheek and lowered his lips to hers.

“Ellie mine,” he whispered.

Ellie gasped against his lips, her body stiffening in his hold. He watched as the wound on her chest knitted together, the energy that had been attacking him before now flowing through their bond, breathing new life within it.

“Maddox.”

He started. She hadn’t said that aloud. That had been
inside
his head.

“Ellie?”
he asked, using that same fragile path she’d used in their minds.

“What happened? And how am I hearing you in my head?”

He kissed her hard then pulled back. “We’ll talk about it later, Ellie mine. Oh, God, you’re back.”

He kissed her again then felt another little hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Charlotte and nodded.

“We need to go, Ellie. Can you walk?”

Her arm and chest looked healed, but considering she’d just died, he had no idea how she would feel. They’d talk about it all and what this knew power of theirs meant when there were safe. Now, though, they needed to go and find the Redwoods.