A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

we
came. I tuned out, sprinting down the path because I couldn’t get away fast
enough. Amber was waiting for me. Had the ritual worked? It better had,
otherwise I’d be back, and it wouldn’t be a visit to afternoon tea and scones. I
barely noticed when we reached the car and Devon disappeared again.
    “Amber’s a fighter, mate. If anyone can
pull through this it’s her. I’ll stop by after my shift to check on her.” Cass
patted my shoulder. From the corner of my eye I noticed something underneath
her oversized shirt, tucked in beneath her armpit.
    “You’re going to keep that?” The corners of
my lips twitching, I pointed at the ancient book she’d just stolen from the
Shadows.
    She smiled. “Let’s just say I’m the most trustworthy
one out of this bunch.”
    “Thank you,” I said, meaning it.
    With a wave of her hand, she jumped into
her car and sped off.
    “You think that too?” I asked my brother.
    “What? That she’s trustworthy?” Kieran shrugged
and opened the car door. “I’d rather see that book in hell than in my enemies’
hands.”
    “Leave the car here. We’ll get it later,” I
said.
    Kieran raised his brows. “You’re good to
teleport already? What about the wounds?”
    I shrugged and pictured the mansion. A
second later, I materialized in the driveway, my gaze hazy, the cuts inflicted
by the succubi tearing open again.
    It had started to rain, thick droplets drumming
against the cobblestones. Kieran appeared beside me, heading for the door when I
grabbed his arm, holding him back.
    “What’s wrong?” Kieran asked.
    “I don’t know.” Something was off. I could
feel it in the air, smell it. My mate
winding on a bed, shivering, calling my name. The vision broke. “You stay
here while I go in and check.”
    “What? No way.”
    “I said—” I rubbed a hand over my
face. I had no time for an argument. Kieran was old enough to know what he was
doing. If he wanted to go in, he’d do it anyway. I walked past mumbling, “Whatever.”
    All lights were switched off as I entered
through the front door, minding the creaking floorboards.
    “I’ll check upstairs,” Kieran whispered. I
nodded and headed for the living room, then yanked the door open. My breath caught
somewhere in my throat as I took in the picture before my eyes.
    Clare bound to a chair with the same chains
I had used to tie the others to the tree during that fateful night of the race.
And then Amber, lying motionless on the sofa, pale in the darkness, her pulse
barely stronger than the fluttering wings of a butterfly. With a cry I dashed
for her when something pierced my chest, missing my heart by less than an inch.
I tumbled forward, hitting the floor with a thud, dizziness washing over me. I
tried to stand, but my legs gave way under me, my gaze searching for Amber.
    Blake appeared in my line of vision, blood
dripping from the spear in his hand as he held it over my throat, rattling the
chains. Amber was dying; her heartbeat was slowly fading. My chest felt as
though on fire, blood oozing too fast. I had to gain time because once the
chains were attached I had no way of freeing myself. I peered toward the door,
hoping my brother wouldn’t fall into the same trap. “How did you get hold of
these?” I asked.
    “You forget I used to live here,” Blake
said. “I know what you hide in that basement.” Damn, I should’ve thought about
finding another hiding place for the chains, but I hadn’t figured I’d see Blake
again so soon.
    “Why’re you doing this? I let you live in
the woods.” I tried to sit up. My vision muddled. After centuries of drinking
frozen blood, what I had taken from Amber had made me temporarily weaker because
my body wasn’t used to it. I needed more blood, and time to heal.
    Clare shook at her chains, a yelp escaping
her gagged mouth. Where the heck was Kieran.
    “You won’t die. I missed your heart on
purpose,” Blake said.
    “Then why all of this? You realize I will
never forgive you.” I could barely feel my physical pain. My chest constricted,
rage surging within my veins, making me roar. Amber wasn’t breathing. Fate was
telling me to hurry up, or I’d lose her forever. Gathering my strength, I
stumbled to my knees, only to tumble forward seconds later. My body was losing
blood while at the same time it craved more to resuscitate what it had lost in
power over the last centuries.
    Blake shrugged. “Ever since Amber entered
your life, she’s been nothing but