Slowly, I turned the handle and opened the door to my mother’s room. As soon as we stepped inside, I realized my mistake. There was a gasp as we turned on the overhead light in the windowless room. Beside me, Ash jumped and assumed the fighting stance. My heart swelled with pride and yet when I spotted Alayna huddled in the corner, it sank too.

“What are you doing here, Jax?” She frowned then her eyes widened. “And you brought a human, no less. What were you thinking?”

I sighed. “I was thinking I’d finish the potion Scarlett made me.”

Her reaction was swift. She clasped her hands in front of her. “You’ve seen Scarlett? How did you find her? Where is she?” Tears welled up in her eyes.

Without hesitation, Ash crossed the room to kneel in front of her. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered as she dabbed at the woman’s eyes with her sleeve. “She’s okay, for the most part. She’s safe, as far as we can tell.” Ash glanced over her shoulder at me.

“Alayna, she’s at Shadowborne. Any idea how she might have ended up there?” I studied her reaction while standing patiently. As much as I wanted to rush out, I feared if we pushed too hard and too fast, we’d jeopardize our plan.

“Scarlett left here one evening, looking for herbs. She said she was working on a potion for you.” Alayna smiled sadly. “I know you’ve never felt for her like she feels for you, but she still hoped if she could break your sire bond, then you might see how much she loves you and you’d return her feelings.” The woman turned her attention to Ash, who still squatted beside her on the floor. “I can see now that the potion won’t matter.” She sighed sadly. “I’m glad she’s happy, at least.”

My brow furrowed. “She’s not happy, Alayna. She’s being held captive by the head of the council. She’s chained to the floor by the ankle.”

She clapped a hand over her mouth. “My poor baby. She has never truly had a chance to live, Dexter.”

I shook my head. “I go by Jax now.”

Her eyes widened. “Okay…Jax.” Her head dropped and she stared at the floor. “I know we’ve never been close.”

“My mother wielded you like a weapon, brandishing your powers. You hung over my head like a constant threat. You taught Scarlett how to drug me,” I growled. “No. We were never close.”

“I will do anything to save my daughter. Why are you here?” She stared at me sadly.

“Simple. I would do anything to break the sire bond and let Ash have her vengeance.” I gestured to the young woman I’d grown to love more quickly than I cared to admit.

“I see.” Alayna studied Ash for a moment. “Molina. I remember you.”

At that, Ash stood and stepped back toward me. “I don’t remember you at all, but of course you planned it that way, right?” I could hear a hint of bitterness in her voice, which saddened me.

“Your mother meant well. She loved you and wanted to protect you.” She knotted her fingers together and moved them nervously. “Much like I love and want to protect my daughter. She’s all I have, Jax.” Alayna turned to me. “Your mother saw to that.”

“What if I promised to free Scarlett if you help me, us? What if I reunite the two of you?” I tugged at my chin as I worked to formulate a plan.

She shook her head. “I don’t want her to come back here.”

“I could rescue both of you, free you to live as you wish on your own.” I crossed my arms over my chest and rocked on my heels, painfully aware of every passing second.

Alayna tilted her head while she considered my offer. “That sounds so pretty, but where would we live. I have no history, no income, no job. I’ve spent the better part of my life here among the vampires, doing your mother’s bidding.” She shook her head. “No, freedom isn’t for me. I wouldn’t even begin to know what to do with it. Scarlett deserves it though. She should have a chance at the life I used to dream of living.” The woman struggled to stand and even though Ash looked mildly disgusted, she offered her a hand. “Thank you, Molina.”

“I’m Ash now. I’ll never be Molina again.” She shook her head resolutely.

Alayna patted her hand. “I understand.” Then she walked closer to me. “Jax, help Scarlett. Promise me to free her and I’ll do anything you ask.”

I stared into her eyes and knew she meant it. I nodded. “Okay.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the glass bottle with the potion Scarlett had concocted. “This is what she made me. She says it needs one of my mother’s hairs and to be charged under the moon.” I passed it to her and watched her reaction. “I don’t suppose you’d know how to do that?”

With a slight nod, Alayna murmured, “Meet me outside, on the boulder.”

I hesitated. I’d been tricked by a witch before. For all I knew the woman would shatter the potion and screw me over. “I’ll stay right here.”

She shook her head. “You don’t believe me. I understand.” Slowly, she moved toward the fancy box my mother rested in every evening. Unlike her ancestor, since she had a windowless room, she had no need of a casket. Alayna examined the pillow and frowned. She must’ve known what she was looking for and sadly, she wasn’t finding it. “Hm. I wonder.” She moved toward the bathroom. I watched as she disappeared into the room.

Again, my doubts had me hovering in the doorway. “Can I help you?”

She held my mother’s brush up closer to the dim lights. Finally, her fingers pulled out a couple of hairs. “This. This should work.” Alayna seemed pleased, but serious as she examined the hairs she’d selected. “Follow me.” She passed me and wandered across the room toward the open door to the hall. There, she paused and laughed. “As if you were going to do something other than follow me like your life depended on it.” She stared at Ash a moment. “Somehow, I think it does.” Then she grew serious. “I understand, Jax. This is important. I won’t let you down. I need you to save my girl.”

I nodded and moved to Ash’s side. She reached out and held my hand, giving it the briefest squeeze before we trailed after Alayna. The woman paused at the closet near the door. “Supplies,” she murmured in explanation. I watched as she pulled out a small cauldron, a ceremonial dagger, some crystals, and several candles.

Then we exited the hive after nodding at Grant. Within minutes we were outside, walking up the graded embankment on the way to the boulder, which often acted as a ceremonial altar for Alayna and Scarlett. Ash and I stood in silence as we watched her remove her shawl and lay everything out on it. I’d seen this more than once before, but it was probably completely new for Ash. She kept licking her lips nervously and I knew she worried over the potion.

“It’ll work,” I murmured in reassurance. “Alayna and Scarlett are incredibly talented otherwise, my mother would never have kept them around this long. You can’t imagine the hassle it is to remember to keep a hive stocked in human food.” I shook my head. The grocery store run had been one of my least favorite human tasks, but someone had to do it and my mother trusted few with her money.

“I’m glad you’re so certain. Me, I’ll be holding my applause for the moment, if you don’t mind.” She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Alayna working a few feet away.

After nearly half an hour of chanting and calling upon goddesses, the witch passed me the finished product. “Drink,” she urged. “It’s strongest now, while it’s fresh, especially under the moon.” She smiled. “I called on Artemis herself to aid us in this task. I believe she answered.”

I stood there holding a scepter I hadn’t noticed before. Alayna kept pushing it toward my mouth. The potion reeked. Though once opaque, now it had turned blood red. While this should make it more appealing to me, knowing it would taste nothing like the rich liquid, which sustained me, I truly had to psych myself up for the task. “Bottoms up.” I lifted it toward the moon and said my own little prayer. Please, Artemis. Please let me have a life with the woman I love.