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  “But what about blood magic?” Mika said.

  Gabrielle recoiled. “Blood magic? How does a Lycan know of such things?”

  “Our enemies use it.” She quickly told them about the mages, at least the short version.

  “Bad gris-gris, blood magic,” Adelaide said with a tsk. “We stay away from it. For decades, my family and I have kept to ourselves, because we do not like to get involved in wars.”

  “It has kept us safe. Kept our children safe,” Gabrielle said as she patted Marina’s head. “Our dark magic keeps most people away from us. Surrounds our home so no one can harm us.”

  “I can’t explain it, but I heard it calling to me.” Just like the first time he had heard the shadow call him. “And then we were pulled to shore.”

  “I felt him too,” Gabrielle said. “At first, I thought that someone had penetrated our shields. I was the one that hauled your boat to shore.”

  “You can control shadows,” he deduced. “That’s how you kicked me out.”

  She nodded. “Helene and I used to play this game. She would hide in the shadows and I would try to find her, and when I did, I would push her out.”

  “It’s fate that you came to us, Marc,” Adelaide said.

  “Oh, shit!” Mika blurted out. “Sorry … this really is amazing, but that’s not quite the reason we came here.”

  He nearly forgot about Remy. But when he remembered that bastard, rage pumped through his veins. “We’re here for Remy. We have to make him pay.”

  “Marc,” Mika said. “I know you’re furious at him—hell, that probably doesn’t even begin to describe how you’re feeling. But we can’t kill him. You know that. If the Council finds out—”

  “You’re here for Remy Boudreaux?” Gabrielle got up from her chair, the legs scraping across the wooden floor. “I want to go with you.”

  “We have to take him in alive,” Mika said. “We have a council that governs us, and if they find out we killed him, they’ll come down on Marc and I.”

  “But we’re not part of any council.” Adelaide’s eyes burned with the fire of someone decades younger. “We will avenge my Helene.”

  “And my father,” he said. “Mika … your plan was brilliant. But you know this is what has to happen. You have no idea what Remy is like. You’re a leader, too, and you have to make hard decisions sometimes. Remy wouldn’t hesitate to kill you or any of us.”

  “I—” She took a deep breath. “We need a confession from him. We have to be sure it was him.”

  “Oh, he will confess,” Gabrielle clasped her hands together. “I will make sure of it.”

  “We strike tonight.” Adelaide stood, her eyes still ablaze. “He will not expect it.”

  “Tonight?” Mika said. “But Remy has a lot of wolves. There’s only us.”

  “We are not alone.” Gabrielle smiled. “The entire Beaumont clan will join us. To avenge our Helene. And Marc, who’s been kept from us all these years.”

  “Marc,” Adelaide turned her gaze to him. “It’s time for you to meet the rest of the family.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The boats moved through the water, silent as shadows, floating along the bayou towards one destination.

  He should feel some fear, seeing as they were about to take on his former clan, but Delacroix was calm. This feeling, he couldn’t describe it except that it was like he belonged, not just to this place, but to these people.

  About twenty or so were with them now, all piled into the half a dozen boats floating along the bayou. Even now, with what lay ahead, there was that sense that this was where he was supposed to be, with his people. There were seven families who lived in the swamps, nearly fifty people in total. His introduction to them had been brief, and he didn’t have time to learn all their names, but they all immediately welcomed him without hesitation. And when they learned of Remy’s betrayal, each one was eager to join them.

  “All of you have blessed powers?” Mika had asked. Most witches only had the power to cast spells and potions, and the few who had active powers, like Jacob or Lizzie, were called blessed witches.

  “Most of us do in some shape or form,” Gabrielle replied. “And we have a stockpile of potions we can use to confuse and stun our enemies. Not a lot, because they cost a lot to make, but there is no better time than now to use them.”

  “We’ll definitely be a more even match then,” he had said, and with all the pieces in place, they began to plan and strategize how they were going to get to Remy.

  The first part of their plan was to sneak up on them by way of the swamps, not to the warehouse but his actual home where Remy would be holed up and surrounded by most of his Lycans. He realized now the reason Remy told them to never go near the water, and him in particular. He was afraid Delacroix might discover his real identity if he ever got too close to the Beaumont’s territory.

  Remy’s house was another couple of miles down the bayou, and it took them a while longer to get there seeing as they had to use the shadows to propel them. Gabrielle and another witch with similar powers used the darkness to push the boats in a slow, silent procession, and they all knew to keep noise to a minimum.

  Beside him, Mika slipped her hand into his and gave him a squeeze. He knew he couldn’t ask her to sit this out, as she was determined to see this through. However, she agreed to stay in the rear and protect Adelaide, who had insisted on coming as she demanded to be able to look Remy in the eye when he finally confessed the truth.

  A short whistle rang out, catching everyone’s attention. He focused his gaze up ahead. Just as I thought. Remy’s property was lit up like Rockefeller Center at Christmas. Flood lights surrounded the property. Remy knew that for him to travel from shadow to shadow, he would have to see his destination, and with no shadow anywhere, Delacroix wouldn’t be able to get near the house unless he walked right up to the front door.

  Gabrielle let out a low whistle, the signal to get ready. She raised her hands, and the boats slowed to a stop as they approached the shore. One by one, they hopped over the side and waded through the waist-deep water, the shadows concealing any noise they made.

  He glanced around. No one seemed nervous or worried, and so he decided he would assume they could all handle themselves.

  When they were all assembled on the shore, Gabrielle signaled for one of her cousins, Aurelie, to come up front. “Now,” she whispered, and the other witch nodded. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

  Slowly, a dark fog enveloped her, then flattened to the ground. The shadow began to spread farther, in the direction of the house. “Rising darkness,” Gabrielle had called it. The ability to create shadows.

  “It’s time,” Gabrielle said.

  He looked at Mika, then gave her a brief kiss on the lips. “I’ll see you soon, cher.”

  Her green eyes glowed in the dark. “See you soon.”

  After a quick nod to Gabrielle, he walked toward the shadow Aurelie created and walked into it. It was a narrow strip, as Aurelie could only produce a limited amount, but it was long enough for him to reach one of the generators that powered the freestanding flood lights illuminating the property. Once he got near it, he shut it off, and the area plunged into darkness.

  He heard a commotion from inside the house, and a few seconds later, the door opened. A man came strolling out, one of Remy’s lackeys, and headed toward the generators. Delacroix sprang into action as soon as the man was close enough, grabbing him and taking him into the darkness.

  “Merde! Where the fuck—Help!” He screamed as he tried to get away, but Delacroix threw a small bottle of knock out potion at him, and he crumpled to the ground. Once he was sure the other man was completely out cold, he dragged him as far away from the house as possible and tied and gagged him.

  A few minutes later, another Lycan came out of the house. Delacroix repeated his earlier actions, dumping the unconscious man next to his companion.

  He waited in the darkness, the seconds ticking by
as he watched the front door. There was noise coming from inside the house, this time, hushed whispers. His instinct told him that they knew something was up. Remy wasn’t stupid, after all.

  The front door opened, and paws pounded on the front porch as several Lycans poured out onto the front lawn, already in wolf form. Lycans were much larger than their animal counterparts, and even one that wasn’t well-trained in combat could do a lot of damage, and Remy made sure all his wolves knew how to fight.

  That was why the Beaumonts would have to use every advantage they could. They stayed in the shadows, waiting for their enemies to advance. The Lycans would be able to see them in the dark, but that was the idea. Their one advantage wasn’t that they could stay hidden, but the shadows themselves. Everyone scattered about, and so the Lycans spread out. Just as planned.

  A long, high-pitched whistle rang out, followed by two short bursts. That was the signal. Delacroix began to shift into his wolf form as the witches and warlocks held their positions.

  He charged forward, moving into the shadows before reappearing behind two wolves in the back of the line. The element of surprise was on his side, so they didn’t notice him until it was too late. He sank his teeth into the neck of the larger one, digging deep until blood flooded his mouth, then did the same with the other. Though it might be inevitable, he wanted to avoid having to kill his kind, so he tried his best not to make it a fatal wound, but only slow down his opponents.

  As the other wolf staggered to the ground, whining in pain, Delacroix’s wolf glanced around, using his enhanced vision. The Beaumonts were definitely holding their own, and the display of powers was impressive to say the least. One witch created a shield made of shadows, which stopped two wolves from knocking her down. Another seemed to be forming a dark fog over the eyes of a large gray wolf, blinding it. One of the older warlocks was surrounded by three wolves, and Delacroix was ready to charge in and help him when he turned into a dark gas and dissipated, only to re-form outside the circle, then hit them with a bottle of potion that knocked them out.

  Knowing his relatives would be able to take care of their enemies, he shifted back into his human form and stalked up to the main house. His heart thumped so loudly in his chest, it was the only thing he could hear.

  He was afraid of Remy; he had no problem admitting it. The man abused and tortured him, physically and mentally, making him feel worthless and unable to escape. It wasn’t until he saw that innocent child, and faced with the horrific thing he’d done, that he found the courage to run away.

  And now, it could be his very own child’s future at stake. Remy would get his revenge at any cost. His mate and pup would never be safe until he was gone from this world. Delacroix wasn’t sure if he would be able to wait for a confession; even if Remy didn’t kill Helene and Armand, he already knew the Alpha was guilty of other things that he should answer for. If the Lycan High Council decided he should die for killing Remy, then he would be able to go gladly, knowing his family was safe.

  With a determined stride, he drew closer to the house, ready to charge up the porch steps when the door flew open.

  “What the fuck is—you!” Blue eyes blazed with anger. “Feet pue tan! I should have known.” Remy Boudreaux’s reputation preceded him, and he was known to many as a cruel and heartless bastard. Many perhaps pictured him as a cartoon villain or typical Hollywood bad guy, but many who met him for the first time were immediately arrested by his good looks. He was over six feet tall, extremely fit for a man who was nearly sixty years old, and had the face of an angel—a blond, blue-eyed Lucifer who seemed ageless. It was the hard, cruel glint in his eyes that gave away the ugliness in his soul.

  “Remy,” he said. “You know why I’m here.”

  “Seems like you just made things easier for me,” the Alpha replied smugly. “I should thank you for that, Delacroix. Saved me the trouble of havin’ to collect you myself.”

  “So, were you trying to kill me or get me back? Still sore that you couldn’t order me around anymore?”

  Remy barked out a laugh. “You must have thought you were so smart, getting that transfer right under my nose.” He spat on the ground.

  “You should have left me alone, Remy. You have more than enough wolves to do your dirty work.”

  His mouth curled up in arrogance. “You think I needed you and your powers? Ha! I didn’t need you. But your little disappearin’ act started a little rebellion among the younger ones.” Remy started training his wolves young. Training them to fear him, anyway. “Thought they could get out too. But I had to show them that wasn’t an option, and if they left, there was nowhere on earth they could hide from me.”

  “Well, your assassin wasn’t successful.”

  “And he paid for it with his life.” His nostrils flared. “But then again, I got a better offer.”

  “Offer?”

  “Seems your new clan has made enemies. Powerful enemies. That red-eyed, bald headed diable wanted to get his hands on you.”

  “Red-eyed devil …” Then it struck him, who Remy was referring to. He’d seen them before, back in that cell in Zhobghadi. “You made a bargain with the mages? Don’t you know what they want?”

  “They were willing to pay a lot for you,” Remy said. “Much more than I thought you’d be worth.”

  “You fool,” he said. “The mages will kill you the first chance they get. Don’t you know anythin’?”

  “I’m a fool?” Remy shouted. “Non. You are the coullion. What about you? Comin’ here to take me on by yourself? Even if you did succeed in killing me, you’d never leave here alive.”

  Ah, now this was what he was waiting for. “Why don’t you call your wolves then?”

  “Gladly.” He let out a series of whistles, a signal that Delacroix knew was meant to have everyone come back to gather around him. A few seconds passed and there was nothing. No sound of feet or paws coming back or howls to acknowledge they had heard his call. Remy repeated it, louder, but it was only greeted with silence. His jaw hardened, and eyes filled with hate turned to him. “What did you do?”

  “I didn’t come alone. I had help.”

  “Help?”

  “Yes. From my mother’s family. The Beaumonts.”

  Remy’s face twisted in hate. “Those dirty bitches!” he screamed. “What did they do to my wolves?”

  “You may hate magic, Remy, but it has its uses. Like a little somethin’ they call ‘shield of darkness.’ It can block out any sound or light, even from Lycan senses.” One of his witch cousins had snuck around the back and created the shield around the perimeter of the house and the yard, which was why they couldn’t hear what was going on around them. “As we speak, the Beaumonts are taking down all your wolves.”

  “Pic kee toi!” Remy ran forward, launching himself off the porch and toward him as he began to shift. Delacroix stepped into the shadows so Remy’s partially-shifted form landed on the ground. Re-emerging from behind, he pinned the Alpha down as he lay vulnerable in mid-shift.

  “Give up, Remy!”

  The Alpha let out a snarl and swiped a claw back at him, barely missing his face. He pinned him harder to the ground, using his own bodyweight as leverage. He managed to hold on for a few seconds, but Remy somehow broke free of his grasp and scrambled to his feet.

  “It’s over, Remy,” Delacroix said as he got up. “No one’s coming to your rescue. We can fight it out if you want, but even if you killed me, the Beaumonts will come after you.”

  “I should have gotten rid of you when I had the chance!” Remy shouted. “Why I let you live after Helene died, I don’t know!”

  Rage was burning inside him for the mother he never knew, but he kept it reined in. “Did you kill her?”

  “Kill Helene?” he roared. “I loved her.” An angry snarl contorted his lips. “But my wolf hated her. Hated what she was. And hated me because I couldn’t stay away.”

  Delacroix stared at him, stunned, as he could clearly see the anguish and conflict
inside him. Wolf and man, sharing the same body but wanting different things. “Your wolf—”

  There was a flash of pain there in his eyes. “We met Helene at the same time, your father and I, at the diner where she worked. But she only had eyes for Armand from the first moment. They said they were True Mates, and you were the proof. So, I allowed it, allowed her to live in our territory because I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing her. I kept fighting with my wolf; it wanted her gone. One night, I decided to show my animal it couldn’t control me, so I went to her.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “She was alone. Your father was working a double. And I told her I wanted her and loved her. She couldn’t believe it and said I was mistaken. Demanded I leave but … my wolf it was already lunging for her. And so, she ran. It went after her. She hid in the shadows for as long as she could, but my wolf searched for her the entire night. It was your cry that gave you away and I knew that she’d given birth to you.”

  Numbness overtook him and if he hadn’t shaken his head to clear his thoughts, he surely would have sunk to his knees. Child of the shadows … in more ways than one it seemed.

  “My wolf tracked her down from the smell of her blood and your cries. And it … when it saw the two of you … they said she couldn’t be harmed!” he cried. “She was supposed to be invulnerable. That’s what they said.”

  “Only while she’s pregnant!” he spat. “You didn’t know, did you?”

  He let out pained groan. “By the time I was able to wrestle back control from my wolf, she was … she was … gone.” The agony in his voice was real. He really did believe he loved Helene. “And then your father was there. He must have realized that she had run and tracked her down. Saw she was dead. He came at me, but he was so blinded by grief that I easily took him down. Then I made up that story about a gang of Lone Wolves breaking into their home. But I had to hide you, so … I went to Armand’s great-uncle and aunt, told them to never reveal who you were because the Lone Wolves were still after you.”