forehead. “You foolish changeling. You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, have you? But it doesn’t matter. You’ll be dead soon. Just like your sisters.”
The monster cackled then opened its mouth. The rows of teeth glistened with blood and saliva. Hilly’s heart stopped as the monster lowered its head, ready to plunge its fangs into her.
“No!”
An inch from enclosing Hilly’s head in its jaws, the monster stopped. Twisting its neck, it stared at Tanner.
“Tanner, please help me.” Hilly reached for him, then dropped her hand, her strength gone.
He stood with his feet apart, his hands on his hips, his attention leveled on the creature. His hair flared outward, electrified. The silver-blue of his eyes changed, growing to a crimson red. “Leave her alone.”
“You know this is for your own good. Now go away.” The monster opened its jaws wider, exposing the hideous tongue.
“Like hell it is.” Thrusting out his arm, he sent a surge of power toward the monster. The air rippled with electricity as the wall of energy struck the creature, throwing it off Hilly. Black blood squirted from one leg.
The creature scrambled to its feet but was knocked down again as Tanner struck out with another burst of power. The thing roared a deafening sound, and Hilly clamped her hands over her ears. She crawled toward the edge of the clearing, her gaze averted from her sisters’ bodies.
“I won’t let you do to her what you did to Mira.”
“She was no good for you and neither is this one. I did what had to be done.”
“You did what entertained you.”
“Mira was a coward who took the easy way out.” With a huge roar, the monster struck back. The energy blow struck Tanner in the head, knocking him on his back.
He scrambled to his feet. A black liquid ran down the side of his face.
“Don’t make me hurt you again. Remember, you’re just like me.” The creature pointed a curved claw at his cheek. “See? We share the same blood.”
He wiped the black blood from his face. “I won’t allow you to invade Hilly’s dreams.”
“You won’t allow me?” The monster threw back its head and laughed. “You are a fool.”
“You have no place here.” Fury pulled his features into a dreadful mask. Power, both beautiful and frightening in its terrifying strength, whipped around him. Tanner waved his arm, striking out with even more intensity, and sent the monster flying into the mist. “Go back to hell where you belong.”
With a roar that vibrated the ground, the monster whirled head over heels, its image blurring as it spun.
“This isn’t over.” Convulsions shook its body. Fury seared from the ferocious red eyes and smoke poured from its widened nostrils. Suddenly, an enormous boom filled the air, and the creature was gone.
Several minutes passed as Tanner and Hilly stayed motionless, each of them staring into the blackness. At last, she pulled Meg’s body into her arms, then turned to stare at Allie’s glazed eyes.
Tanner knelt beside Hilly and slid his hand down her arm. “You’re okay. You’re not hurt.”
She buried her face against his shoulder and dragged in a breath of air, trying to come to grips with the carnage around her. “They’re dead. They’re both dead.”
“Hilly, trust me. Everything will be okay.”
She sought his eyes, saw the sincerity and wanted nothing more than to believe him. Yet she had no strength to do anything more than mourn the loss of her sisters. “Meg. Allie.” She leaned against him and wailed.
“Listen to me. You’re safe now. I won’t let her hurt you again.”
Hurt her? What did it matter now that her sisters were dead? She clutched Meg’s body, unable to believe what had happened. Yet as she gripped her sister’s body, Meg seemed to grow less tangible, becoming less solid. She gasped and stared at the empty place where her sister had lain.
Meg’s and Allie’s bodies had disappeared, leaving no trace that they’d ever
The monster cackled then opened its mouth. The rows of teeth glistened with blood and saliva. Hilly’s heart stopped as the monster lowered its head, ready to plunge its fangs into her.
“No!”
An inch from enclosing Hilly’s head in its jaws, the monster stopped. Twisting its neck, it stared at Tanner.
“Tanner, please help me.” Hilly reached for him, then dropped her hand, her strength gone.
He stood with his feet apart, his hands on his hips, his attention leveled on the creature. His hair flared outward, electrified. The silver-blue of his eyes changed, growing to a crimson red. “Leave her alone.”
“You know this is for your own good. Now go away.” The monster opened its jaws wider, exposing the hideous tongue.
“Like hell it is.” Thrusting out his arm, he sent a surge of power toward the monster. The air rippled with electricity as the wall of energy struck the creature, throwing it off Hilly. Black blood squirted from one leg.
The creature scrambled to its feet but was knocked down again as Tanner struck out with another burst of power. The thing roared a deafening sound, and Hilly clamped her hands over her ears. She crawled toward the edge of the clearing, her gaze averted from her sisters’ bodies.
“I won’t let you do to her what you did to Mira.”
“She was no good for you and neither is this one. I did what had to be done.”
“You did what entertained you.”
“Mira was a coward who took the easy way out.” With a huge roar, the monster struck back. The energy blow struck Tanner in the head, knocking him on his back.
He scrambled to his feet. A black liquid ran down the side of his face.
“Don’t make me hurt you again. Remember, you’re just like me.” The creature pointed a curved claw at his cheek. “See? We share the same blood.”
He wiped the black blood from his face. “I won’t allow you to invade Hilly’s dreams.”
“You won’t allow me?” The monster threw back its head and laughed. “You are a fool.”
“You have no place here.” Fury pulled his features into a dreadful mask. Power, both beautiful and frightening in its terrifying strength, whipped around him. Tanner waved his arm, striking out with even more intensity, and sent the monster flying into the mist. “Go back to hell where you belong.”
With a roar that vibrated the ground, the monster whirled head over heels, its image blurring as it spun.
“This isn’t over.” Convulsions shook its body. Fury seared from the ferocious red eyes and smoke poured from its widened nostrils. Suddenly, an enormous boom filled the air, and the creature was gone.
Several minutes passed as Tanner and Hilly stayed motionless, each of them staring into the blackness. At last, she pulled Meg’s body into her arms, then turned to stare at Allie’s glazed eyes.
Tanner knelt beside Hilly and slid his hand down her arm. “You’re okay. You’re not hurt.”
She buried her face against his shoulder and dragged in a breath of air, trying to come to grips with the carnage around her. “They’re dead. They’re both dead.”
“Hilly, trust me. Everything will be okay.”
She sought his eyes, saw the sincerity and wanted nothing more than to believe him. Yet she had no strength to do anything more than mourn the loss of her sisters. “Meg. Allie.” She leaned against him and wailed.
“Listen to me. You’re safe now. I won’t let her hurt you again.”
Hurt her? What did it matter now that her sisters were dead? She clutched Meg’s body, unable to believe what had happened. Yet as she gripped her sister’s body, Meg seemed to grow less tangible, becoming less solid. She gasped and stared at the empty place where her sister had lain.
Meg’s and Allie’s bodies had disappeared, leaving no trace that they’d ever
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