clinging to the cabin. Unlike the previous spells, this one had been imbued into the cabin. It was anchored by a physical object. Golden sparks flared. The cabin shook and wood groaned as the Life and Imbuement spirits resisted my Love spirits. Green and black energy clashed with golden.
“You can do it, spirits!” Penny shouted. Her Love spirits joined the fight. It was harder for the spell to resist the both of us. Penny's added energy was enough to split the spirits attention, distracting them so my spell could overwhelm them.
Golden light exploded down the lines of the vines. Life and Imbuement spirits sped away from the cabin, disappearing out into the world. The air hummed as my Love spirits danced about the cabin in triumph.
“We did it!” Penny screeched. I pictured her hopping up and down.
“Why isn't he doing anything?” Forrest growled. “He's letting the pair of you take down his spells. I thought he would have responded.”
“He knows I'm a Love witch,” I answered. “He knows he can't keep me from dispelling his magics.”
“Okay, that one was easy,” laughed Penny. “Boy, I thought it would be harder. I was worried that we couldn't dispel an Imbuement witch's enchantment.”
“Let's do the last one,” I smiled. “On three.”
“Get ready to breach,” Forrest growled. The cops tensed.
“Roger! One, two, three.”
We cast our spell and threw out our magic. My Love spirits crashed into the Love spirits protecting the cabin. My father's spell was overwhelmed. My Love spirits were like a mighty wave. They crashed over the cabin in an explosion of golden light and swept the protection spell away.
“Dispelled!” I shouted, my heart thudding with excitement.
“Breach, breach, breach!” Forrest shouted into his radio. Kiernan ran towards the cabin's front door holding the battering ram. Forrest was on his heels, trailed by his other deputies as they rushed the cabin. The werewolves leaped the pit that had been hidden before the cabin's stairs and landed on the deck.
The front door opened. My father stepped out.
My heart stopped. My father stood unafraid as Forrest and his deputies raised their weapons. Vanessa pushed me down so I crouched behind cover. She aimed her rifle. I peaked around the corner of the SUV.
“This is quite—”
The gunshots broke off my father's words. Forrest's shotgun fired. He racked the gun, ejecting a spent, red casing. His deputies fired rifles and shotguns. The day exploded with thundering sound that rang my ears. The stinging, burning scent of gunpowder irritated my nose and made my eyes water. Splinters of wood flew through the air and glass shattered as the storm of bullets were fired at my father.
He stood unharmed. Love spirits danced around him, intercepting the bullets. Golden sparks burned about him. He smiled, confident and cocky. His green eyes focused right at me. You can't hurt me, Dakota, his eyes taunted. I am so much beyond you.
I had to dispel his protection. I stood up and drew my voice as the cops ceased their fire. They kept their guns raised, waiting for me to neutralize his magic so they could kill him. I opened my mouth but the words faltered.
I would be killing him. He was my father. He did horrible things to me, but did he deserve to die, gun-downed by my fiance and his cops? Even if he did deserve it, could I live with it?
“Surrender!” I shouted at him. “Or I will break your protection and they'll kill you.”
“Such fatherly concern touches my heart, Dakota.” The smile on his lips didn't touch his eyes. “Prove how strong you are. Take down my protection and let these wolves tear me apart.”
He stepped forward.
“No closer!” growled Forrest.
My father turned his attention to my mate. “You have done an admirable job protecting the Moon Tear Spring. You were a worthy guardian.”
“I'm still protecting it!” Forrest threw his shotgun down and lunged forward. His hand touched the shield as he tried to
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