Wind rustled Cael’s hair as he firmly held onto Raquel. He felt like a whiny bitch as she carried him in her arms, but he was impressed by the strength of the harpy.

Brianne and her sister insisted on flying to their village. There was no way they would make it to Brushy Creek before Aurora left if they drove from Seattle to Mount Ranier. Last time they traveled to the location, it was via the portal. But, it took more than one sorcerer to create the magical gateway, and with Gerrick pouring all his energy into his mate and newborn son, he couldn’t assist Jace.

Not that Cael wasn’t enjoying the trip. Flying was something he’d never experienced. As a vampire with no ability to fly or control magic, he never expected to feel the freedom of soaring through the sky. After he got over the initial wave of discomfort, he relaxed and enjoyed the flight. He wanted to be in his mate’s arms rather than her sister’s, but Brianne couldn’t carry him and his brother. Cael couldn’t stop thinking Raquel could let go of him, allowing him to fall to his death. That would solve Brianne’s dilemma of choosing one of them.

Cael’s gaze drifted over to his mate and Cade. The bond he shared with them told Cael that Brianne and Cade felt the same simple joy over the experience. For a moment, he allowed himself to believe they were all meant to be together. The problem was every instinct Cael possessed told him otherwise. With effort, he forced those considerations aside. Now was not the time for him to go more-in-depth on the philosophical journey of self-discovery that began the night he met Brianne. They had an enemy to vanquish.

“Have you heard from Jace about how to force the demon from Aurora’s body?” Raquel shouted over the noise created by the rushing wind.

Cael shook his head then decided to double-check his phone, just in case he missed a message. He pulled his phone from an inner pocket in his leather jacket and shouted, “Nothing yet. How close are we?”

“See that mist? That’s the first shield of magic cloaking Brushy Keep. We need a plan, warrior. Now,” Raquel insisted.

Cael’s brand took that moment to throb, urging him to go to his mate. It was a constant ache, but this flare reminded him how badly he needed to complete the mating ceremony and blood exchange.

Another round of curses left his mouth before he tried to link with his brother’s mind. They hadn’t spoken telepathically to each other since he found Cade in his bedroom with Brianne.

Vampires were the only race that could enter human minds and erase or implant memories, and while they could communicate with humans telepathically, that wasn’t the case between immortals. Only Zander, the Vampire King, could interact with other supernaturals. Cael and his twin were the exceptions. More often than not, Cade and Cael spoke directly into each other’s minds rather than out loud.

It struck him how quiet his head had been the past several days. A heaviness settled in his gut and soured. Never once had he considered what it would be like without his twin’s voice in his mind, and he acknowledged he hated it almost as much as he loathed demons. Whatever happened between them and Brianne, he didn’t want to lose that connection with Cade. It was as much a part of Cael as his beating heart.

Shaking off the rumination, Cael refocused on the issue at hand and reached out to his brother mentally. “We’re nearly there, brother, and I haven’t heard from Jace. Have you?”

Cade’s head snapped to the side, and Cael saw the lines around his eyes and noted the tight clench of his jaw. “I haven’t heard anything, and I’m worried what will happen when we arrive. Do you think we can pretend we are there to have some fun with the sisters? I don’t think we should play our hand and ruin any chance we have of forcing the demon from Aurora.”

“You’re right. Letting them know our intentions would be a big mistake. I hope that we aren’t pushed into a fight before we’re ready.” Cael replied.

“Neither of us has heard from Jace. We need to pretend we’re there for a good time,” he informed Raquel.

“Shit. You guys willing to become slaves? The only way males are allowed in our enclave is as a servant,” Raquel yelled over her shoulder.

Cael connected with Cade again and updated him as the females landed in a clearing. Raquel set Cael down, and dizziness assailed. His knees felt like they would give out, but then he gathered his bearings. Fortunately, just in time.

Aurora stood clutching a massive sword as she incited a couple dozen harpies. Before he blinked, another half-dozen swooped from the sky and landed beside their group. Cael’s pride in his Fated Mate surged as he considered the beautiful creatures. They wore gunmetal armor suits, and their outstretched wings were black as coal, with crimson-tipped ends. Rumor was their wings were stained red by the blood of their enemies.

Cael struggled to see his Fated Mate as a violent creature, but he absolutely believed it about her fellow harpies. Those that surrounded them were prepared to slay on command, and Aurora salivated over the prospect.

When a group to their left moved, Cael noticed their feet. Not precisely feet, he amended as he stared at the shanks and massive claws. During the last battle at Brushy Creek, he thought they looked like eagles soaring through the sky. He wondered if the others preferred brightly-painted claws like his mate.

This was where Brianne lived and flourished in her natural state. He expected it to detract from his attraction, but it didn’t. Cael was more drawn to her than ever. She was the only female for him, and he thanked the Goddess she was passionate, sexy and fun. In one word, perfect.

“Hey, Aurora. What’s up? Did we miss anything?” Brianne asked as nonchalantly as if there weren’t two-dozen harpies glaring daggers at them.

“You shouldn’t be here. Especially not with Dark Warriors” Aurora spat monotonously. Dark rings circled her eyes and veins popped beneath her pale flesh. The female looked like death-warmed-over after the demon took control of her body.

“Dark Warriors are our allies, remember? I met these two as I was leaving Zeum, and I wanted to sample them, but I missed home,” Brianne purred and rubbed her hand up Cade’s chest.

“Get ready, brother. Brianne is terrified. This shit is going sideways,” Cade barked in Cael’s mind.

“That demon is barely maintaining control inside Aurora. I guarantee that harpy is fighting every step of the way,” Cael added when he saw Aurora’s eyes turn red.

Cael shifted his stance, and the crunch of the ice under his boots echoed like a gunshot through the air. His balls were frozen, and his lips were numb. Two body parts he didn’t want to be damaged. He had plans for them with his mate.

He could never live on the snow-capped mountain. Sure, he loved Seattle and the cooler temperatures, but the weather on Mount Ranier was another story. It was downright frigid, and he wished more than anything he had a bowl of étouffée, with extra hot sauce, to warm his icy blood.

An ear-piercing screech rent the air, and a second later, chaos erupted as a mass of black descended on them. The harpies cried out and looked to their leader for direction, but Aurora only smiled. Cade and Cael took a fighting stance as Crow Tengu attacked.

Cael wondered if the demons had permanently settled in the area. The only time he’d seen them was when he came to Brushy Creek to help the harpy battle them. They looked like samurai warriors, dressed in traditional attire. Their white shirts were tattered, and their black hakamas draped to bare feet. Silver flashed like lightning as their katanas reflected the moonlight.

Cael removed his broadsword and swung, beheading a demon coming after Brianne. Cade pushed Brianne between them and her sister rushed to her side.

“Do you have any weapons?” Raquel asked. “My claws are nail files compared to their weapons.”

Cade had his sgian dubhs at the ready before Cael could react, and handed one to Brianne and the other to her sister. Cael decided to keep his as backup. Aurora rushed toward them while the demons and other harpies engaged. Half of the female warriors looked stunned, unsure of what to do. The last time they encountered the Crow Tengu, they were fighting against them, but now it appeared as if Aurora allied with them.

Raquel screamed when one of the warrioresses lost her head to a demon blade. Cael surged into motion and lunged for the creature. They were vastly outnumbered, but he refused to give up. Not when the lives of his mate and brother were on the line.

A demon barreled into his shoulder and knocked him to the ground. In his rush to get the beast charging toward Raquel, Cael lost sight of his surroundings. In a battle against this many enemies, he usually had more warriors at his back. Brianne yelled at the harpies, telling them to join their side because Aurora wasn’t herself.

Cael rolled and jumped to his feet, heading for Cade in the next breath. Cade was fighting Aurora and being overpowered. Black smoke emitted from her pores and left anyone nearby coughing and choking. It sucked Cael’s energy and made it difficult to concentrate. Good fucking thing he was used to fighting Dark magic.

A demon headed straight toward Cael, its weapon moving so fast he could barely track it. Cael jumped high in the air, hoping to avoid the creature but clashed with it instead. Hot agony seared his shoulder as the tip of its blade sank into his flesh.

Cael grabbed the demon by the throat and tossed it into a tree. He noticed several of the harpies had joined their side. It was about fucking time they got on board with the program, he thought.

A loud pop bounced off the trees, followed by loud howls. Fuck. That evil scum opened a portal, and hellhounds were barreling toward the opening. Cade cursed Aurora and kicked between her legs. The possessed harpy flew into the air, screeching. The distraction closed the rift, but not before a half-dozen hounds managed to break through.

Massive black dogs with red eyes and foaming mouths raced into the melee. Cael rushed back to Brianne and positioned himself in front of her. He easily sliced into the first hound to come at him, but five more followed suit. He dragged Brianne to a nearby tree and picked her up.

“Stay here away from the danger,” Cael ordered, and Brianne scrambled to safety.

“My sister. Grab Raquel,” Brianne begged as her eyes widened. She pointed toward a skirmish where her sister was trapped.

Cael knew his mate would never forgive him if he left Raquel unprotected. He quickly rushed toward the female, leaping over a harpy fighting a Crow Tengu, but didn’t clear the jump. A strong hand reached up, plucking him from the air.

Cael swung his sword and screamed, “Duck before I cut off your head!” The harpy immediately reacted and dropped to the ground.

Cael’s sword sliced through bone and muscle. He continued slashing the creature until he was sure the enemy was dead. Blood and guts sprayed the air, covering his clothes.

“Ewe,” the harpy cried out as she got to her feet.

“But did you die?” he blurted then shouted, “Raquel!” as he searched for his mate’s sister.

“Here!” yelled a voice from the middle of a group.

Demons and harpies surrounded her, and Cael couldn’t decipher if the warrioresses were fighting Raquel, or helping her. He didn’t have time to figure it out, he thought and raced toward the group, shoving bodies out of his way.

He scooped Raquel in his arms and continued to where he left Brianne. Cael set her down at the base of the tree then spotted Cade. He was struggling against Aurora, and the sight had Cael charging toward his twin. As soon as he reached them, he swung his sword but barely managed to nick her arm.

Cael quickly switched tactics and punched with his free hand. He aimed for her face but missed when she ducked the blow. “Grab her arms, and I’ll go for the legs,” he told Cade telepathically.

“Let’s get closer to Brianne and Raquel. They can keep her immobile while we finish the rest of these demons,” Cade suggested.

Cael nodded and lunged for Aurora’s lower body at the same time Cade wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Aurora bucked and shrieked, fighting with all her strength. Her talons embedded in Cael’s gut, nearly causing him to blackout. He held tight as his world swam, and his vision blurred. Before he could focus, a warm hand landed on his back, and his senses flooded with Brianne’s smell. He took solace when his vision returned, and he saw that Aurora was in much worse shape than him.

The demon’s entire body was covered in cuts and bruises. Aurora’s right leg was twisted at an odd angle, and her shoulder was dislocated. This close, he smelled decay, and Cael knew Aurora’s corporeal body was dying the longer the demon maintained possession.

“We will hold her,” Brianne assured him.

He ignored his mate’s gasp when he stood. A little flesh wound wouldn’t stop him from eliminating the rest of their enemies.

Just when he thought they were home free, Cael heard an enraged female demand, “Get off our leader, traitors!”

“What the fuck, Jo?” Raquel yelled as the harpy pushed her, separating Aurora from her and Brianne.

The remaining harpies aligned behind their leader, and Cael grabbed Brianne’s hand and pulled. Cade was at their side a moment later. “We need to leave,” Cael told Brianne.

The wound to his gut slowed him down, and Cade wasn’t in much better shape. The harpies had no idea their leader was possessed by demons, and they were determined to protect her.

“They won’t listen to reason. Let’s go, now,” Cade muttered.

“So many died,” Raquel whimpered as they slowly walked backward. “We weren’t fast enough.”

“We will deal with that later. Right now, we need to get out of here,” Cael informed her.

With one last look, Cade grabbed Brianne’s hand before he turned and pulled her with him. Cael was right next to them with Raquel not far behind.

“Head to our hideout,” Raquel told her sister.

“Exactly what I was thinking. No one knows where it is, and we can regroup while Cael heals. Are you okay to run for a couple hours?” Brianne asked and reached for his hand.

Cael’s gut throbbed, and blood poured from the wound. If he didn’t stop the bleeding, he would lead the enemy right to them. “I can, but let me wash the blood away first. I can hear a stream about twenty yards to the east.”

They took off on foot, and Cael was relieved the demons didn’t follow them.

“What the hell are we going to do now? Do you think she’ll call in more demons?” Brianne asked as they came to the edge of a brook.

“I guarantee she will. Aurora isn’t in control anymore. We will do what we can to save her, but she might be too far gone by now,” Cael told his mate.

Cade slapped him on the shoulder and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Cael missed this closeness with his twin. A stabbing pain through his mating brand reminded him what caused the distance.

“Let’s get you cleaned up and fed, brother. You’ll heal faster,” Cade explained.

The concern in Cade’s eyes told Cael everything. He understood and agreed wholeheartedly. This was what they needed. To fight together and remember what was most important. Their brotherhood.

Perhaps the three of them were meant to be together, he thought but couldn’t contemplate that further as he looked down and saw intestines hanging from his wound.