“Artemis sent me. I’m here to help.” Selene ignored the slight shake of her knees and raised her chin in an effort to convey competence.

To her relief, Princess Laina allowed her inside the small cottage and led her to the bedroom where Jason had been laid out atop the bed’s patchwork quilt. The crowd she’d seen before had thinned considerably, with only Silas, Laina, and Gerty surrounding Jason in the small room. It was clear the royal family wanted to handle Jason’s condition discretely.

“This is the work of dragon fae,” Gerty said, smoothing her silver hair and lowering her chin to look at Silas over her bifocals. “Nickelova’s magic, I’m sure of it. Dragon fae magic is rare and I fear, stronger than mine.”

“Can you break the curse?” Silas asked.

Gerty approached Jason’s body, drawing her wand. “Water, water, ever clear, take this blight and disappear.” A spray of thick fluid flowed over Jason, winding up and down his body like liquid mercury. His skin glowed red and the spell went up in steam.

“Oh dear. It appears Nickelova expected my intervention.”

“B—but, you can try something else, right?” Laina placed a hand on Gerty’s shoulder.

Gerty pursed her lips and tapped her wand on the palm of her hand.

“Let me try,” Selene said. Every face turned in her direction.

Laina wrinkled her brow. “This is serious. A dragon fae curse.” She glanced at Silas, a shadow of condescension on her features. “Tell her, Silas.”

Selene interrupted before Silas could say a word. “The artifacts of the Fireborn Primary were given to us by the goddess herself, along with the knowledge of how to use them. I’ve been trained for this.”

“I thought that was all legend. Have you actually broken a curse before?” Silas asked.

Selene sighed, then reluctantly shook her head. “Well, no. Not in actual practice. But I know how.”

Gerty gestured toward Jason. “She can’t make this worse. If anything, it will give me a chance to think of what to try next.”

“Grateful is researching an antidote in her grimoire,” Silas said. “We could wait until she comes back.”

“Who knows how long that could take?” Gerty stepped away from the bed, guiding Silas to the back of the room with a gentle hand. “Let the girl give it a shot.”

The Fireborn alpha met Selene’s gaze. “Do it.”

Swallowing hard, Selene approached the bed. Was she really about to do this? Anxiety made her mind go blank. She tried to remember the ritual as she set the chest down on the bed beside Jason and opened it. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes to steady her nerves. She’d never done this before—only learned about it in theory. And although she was sure she could execute the ritual correctly, if it didn’t work, she’d feel like a fool, like her entire life’s work was a game.

“Can I have a candle, please?” she asked Laina. “Preferably white.”

The princess left for a moment and returned with a thick white pillar, but nothing to light it with.

“Allow me,” Gerty said. With a flick of her silver wand, a flame sputtered to life. Selene nodded her thanks. Then she got down to business.

Kneeling beside the bed, she laid both hands on Jason’s heart and began to chant in the original language of her people. The series of growls, grunts, and clicks combined with more human syllables was not used anymore, aside from her religious order and the orders of the other packs. But her song was an entreaty unto the goddess, begging for divine intervention.

Selene unbuttoned Jason’s shirt as she sang, revealing his chest. The remnants of a broad, muscular physique lay wasted before her, wiry and sunken. He was emaciated by werewolf standards. Curling her lip, she thanked the goddess they’d caught this. Jason had been ill a long time.

With careful fingers, she uncorked a bottle of ink prepared with a single flake of the Primary’s dried blood and dipped one of the Fireborn claws into it. Still chanting, she started beneath his navel, drawing a pattern of symbols in bright red, careful not to break the skin. The tribal prayer she designed stretched in a straight line, over his stomach, up his neck, to the center of his forehead. When it was complete, she wiped the claw clean on her own robes with a crisscross motion over her heart and returned it to the box.

The air felt thick to her now and the candle’s flame flickered more slowly, although she wondered if the perception was due to her deep meditative state and not a verifiable reality. Was everyone seeing things in slow motion? She retrieved the fang from the box, the same one used to carve the tattoo into Kyle’s shoulder, and placed it on Jason’s forehead where it shone white like a crescent moon.

Her song grew more urgent. The goddess must intervene. She called upon her from the deepest part of herself, from the purest depths of her heart. Carefully, she removed the last artifact—a strip of the Primary’s pelt—and draped it across Jason’s chest, over his nipples.

Were her eyes deceiving her, or had Jason’s skin taken on a purple glow? This was the part of the ritual when she was supposed to draw the curse from his body and bring it into hers. It was why acolytes and priestesses kept themselves pure. A curse would fizzle and die inside her, or so she’d been told. She passed her hands through the heavy air over his body, chanting and sweeping the purple energy toward her chest.

Rapidly, a longing stirred deep within her, an ache blooming low in her abdomen. What was this wanting? She leaned over Jason, her thoughts going places they’d never gone before. She could picture herself on top of him, riding him. She’d never done that, not with anyone. A memory of her hand threading into his filled her mind. Only, the skin of her hand was much too pale. It wasn’t hers at all. This was someone else’s memory.

And then she saw something else in her mind: a road, a river, and a place between two mountains. Come to me, a woman’s voice said. Blue eyes flashed from the face of a blond woman whose ghostly body hovered on the other side of the bed.

Selene ignored the apparition and leaned over to complete the ritual. She ended her song of supplication with a kiss to Jason’s mouth. On contact, liquid flame coursed through her closed lips, down her throat, and into her lungs. She gasped, straightening and clutching her throat. The curse twisted inside her, a wormlike sensation that worked through her torso. In her pain and panic, she couldn’t remember the last part of the spell. Desperately, she gasped for air, unable to free herself of the dark torment.

End how you began came Artemis’s voice in her head. Every prayer is a circle. Always end the way you began.

Black spots danced in her vision. Frantically, she turned to the candle and blew. Her breath came out black and ignited the flame as if she’d spit gasoline. Fire flared to the ceiling. Hot, cleansing fire. Once the black breath was burned away, the flame extinguished, dowsing itself in a pool of melted wax.

Instantly, she felt lighter, as if she’d removed a heavy weight from her soul. But the lightness turned into a spinning, floating feeling. She heard Gerty gasp. And then Selene’s shoulder slapped the wood floor.

* * *

“What the fuck?” Jason sat up within a ring of gaping faces. Something dropped from his forehead and he caught it in his hand. A giant fang. What the hell was all over him? He smeared the red symbols painted on his torso.

Laina and Silas were struggling beside the bed to help someone from the floor. Jason couldn’t see who it was behind the full skirt of Laina’s dress. His gaze darted to Gerty whose wrinkled expression gave nothing away but was tight with concern.

“I’m all right,” Selene’s voice came from between them. The elegant blush colored robe drifted into view as Silas and Laina parted. “Water, please.” Gerty nodded and ran for the kitchen.

“What’s she doing here?” Jason asked. “Why is everyone staring? And why the hell am I in Laina’s bed?”

Silas growled. “She just saved your life.” His brother cradled Selene’s elbow as she swayed on her feet.

While Jason tried to wrap his head around that tidbit, Laina stood and retrieved a towel from the bathroom, tossing it to him. “You caught something from the dragon fae you had sex with, Jason, and in this case, you’d be better off with syphilis. She cursed you.”

Gerty returned with the water and Selene took a long drink before speaking.

“She was trying to lure him somewhere,” Selene said. “I saw a road, a river, and two mountains. I saw her beckoning me… I mean, him. When the curse was inside me, I could see what he saw. She was luring him to her.”

“Is this true?” Silas asked Jason.

After a long deep inhale, Jason admitted to himself that he could no longer keep his encounter a secret. “Yes. Nickelova came to me the other night, possessed a woman I was with, and told me she needed me. She placed the vision of that place in my head.”

The others made a series of shocked gasps and grunts. Jason rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. Crap, he’d hoped to avoid this.

“You knew about this? And you didn’t think it was important enough to tell us?” Silas bared his teeth, a dark rumble coming from deep within his chest.

“I had it under control. Besides, I wasn’t positive she was real. It might have been a nightmare.” The lie rolled off his tongue easily. Her lips around his cock had been real enough.

“So where is this place?” Laina quirked a brow. “Maybe we should pay Nickelova a visit.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” Gerty said. “Attacking a dragon fae in her mountain is like attacking a woodland fae in her tree. You’ll never make it out alive.”

“Even if we could, I have no idea where her mountain is. I recognize the road as Route 9, and it’s Stone Eagle River, but there are no mountains in that area,” Selene said.

“No mountains you can see,” said Gerty. “Dragon fae can’t make a mountain but they can use magic to bend space. My guess is that if Jason follows her clues, she’s left him a portal that will take him to her mountain, wherever that may be.”

“I’ll go,” Silas said.

Gerty snorted. “Suicide. Do you think she’d let just anyone reach her? And if she did, do you believe for a second it wouldn’t be a trap?”

“So, Jason has to go,” Laina said. “Or we have to lure her out.”

Selene met the princess’s gaze and wet her lips before speaking. “But… Jason can’t go.”

“What? Why?” Laina asked.

Jason squirmed as Selene’s gaze shifted to him, cutting right through him.

“He won’t be able to say no to her,” Selene said. “You’ll lose him.”

In righteous indignation, Jason bound from the bed, his finger pointing at Selene’s chest. “You don’t even know me. You have no idea what I can and cannot do. I would never put the pack at risk. I’d die first. Who the hell do you think you are?”

Selene’s chin dropped and she took interest in the floor.

Five fingers slapped the center of Jason’s chest, Silas’s hand bringing him to a full stop. “She’s not the problem here.”

Jason looked at his brother. “If you want me to go, Silas, I’ll go. I’m ready.”

Silas’s lips pressed into a flat line. “Why do you feel he can’t do this, Selene?”

Jason tried to protest but Silas held up a hand.

“When his curse was inside me, I saw what Jason saw and felt what Jason felt when Nickie… Nickelova cursed him. He wanted to… deny her… when she possessed the woman in his apartment. He couldn’t. His vice is too strong.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jason charged her again, stopping a half inch from her face. The movement was threatening enough to cause Selene to shiver.

“Your aura is almost entirely black, Jason.” Selene’s voice was as wispy as spiderwebs. “If you continue as you have been, you will succumb to the darkness within and there will be no way for any of us to save you.”

Jason glared at her. Goddess, her eyes were beautiful, pale violet with flecks of silver when the light hit them just right. He wanted to clock her in the jaw for what she was doing to him. But it was like finding a kitten drinking your milk. Part of you wanted to swat it away and another part wanted to give it a good cuddle. Yet he couldn’t allow himself to be sucked in or manipulated by her beauty.

“I can manage my own darkness, thank you very much,” he said, the corner of his mouth turning up. “Maybe it’s you who needs to make peace with your dark side. You seem a little obsessed with mine.”

“Gerty, is there a way to lure a dragon fae from her mountain?” Silas asked, changing tack.

“Hmm. Not exactly.” Gerty cocked her head. “A dragon fae’s magic comes from her heart. It isn’t coincidence that she decided to help Alex. She loved him, which made her vulnerable. Whatever relationship she had with Jason, it was powerful enough for her to come to him when she needed help. She may come for him again.”

“And when she does? How do we stop her?” Laina asked.

Gerty’s eyes landed on Jason. “When she comes for him, he needs to be ready.”

* * *

Every part of Selene’s body felt heavy as if someone had injected liquid concrete into her bloodstream. She wavered slightly, slight enough that only Jason noticed. He was glaring at her, unblinking. He did not steady her or ask if she was okay.

Silas placed his hands on his hips. “Gerty is right. Jason needs to be ready when Nickelova returns. We can’t set a trap for her if he’s going to cave to her seduction.”

“I’m not going to cave,” Jason yelled. “I’m telling you, this… this girl doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” He pointed a hand at Selene.

Laina smoothed the front of her wedding dress. “Your vice is out of control. We’ve all known it for a while now. Nickelova simply took advantage of it.”

“Says the woman who married her vice.” Jason’s face reddened with anger. “I do not have a problem.”

“Then what was the ring for?” Laina countered.

Jason frantically checked his hand. “Where is it?”

“Grateful Knight destroyed it. It was killing you.”

“It wasn’t killing me—it was helping me. I was quitting my vice. I haven’t had sex in days thanks to that ring.”

“Days? It’s only been a day and a half since you were with Nickelova.” Silas ran his hands through his bushy hair.

“It would have worked.”

“You passed out, Jason. You were barely breathing. Whatever that ring was doing, it wasn’t a long-term solution. Laina knows what she’s talking about. Your vice is out of control. You deny it now, but you admitted as much to me yourself at the rehearsal.”

“Silas—” Jason started.

“Shut the fuck up.” Silas puffed out his chest and went full alpha on Jason, who seemed to deflate slightly.

Selene narrowed her eyes on Jason. There was one last thing she hadn’t told Silas, hoping that Jason would rise to the occasion and do it himself. But the defensiveness coming from him made it clear that wasn’t going to happen. “Nickelova wants Jason to come to her. The curse I broke was an ultimatum. If he didn’t come of his own free will, his vice would make him her slave. Every time he had sex, he’d give up more of his free will. She’s going to expect him to come to her… soon.”

Jason shook his head, his eyes rolling. “This is none of your business, Selene.”

Silas ignored his brother and turned toward Gerty. “Nickelova doesn’t know we’ve broken her curse. But she will. The longer Jason stays away, the more she’ll suspect something’s gone wrong.”

Gerty glared at Jason over her bifocals. “If she hears he’s gone back to his old ways but hasn’t come to her, she’ll know her curse has been undone. I highly recommend against that. The best course of action is to make Nickelova believe that he is still under her curse for as long as possible.”

“Which was why I was using the ring. It was helping me stay sober,” Jason said.

“It was also killing you.” Selene fisted her hands. “I can help you break your vice without dark magic. With the help of the goddess, I can lead you through a program to end your addiction and make you strong enough to face Nickelova when she comes for you.”

Jason growled. “I don’t need your help. Frankly, you’ve done enough.”

“What exactly does this program entail?” Silas asked.

“Daily meditation, prayer, diet, and the practice of ritual aura cleansing—”

“No way.” Jason scanned her from head to toe.

Laina huffed. “This is your life we’re talking about! Selene is offering you a way out. It’s not forever, Jason. Just until we can capture or kill Nickelova and Alex.”

“Laina’s right,” Silas said. “Every day you are out there living your old life is a danger to the pack. She’ll come for you again. You need to be prepared when she does.”

“What? What are you saying?” Jason rubbed his head.

“It’s the only way,” Laina said.

Silas set his jaw. “Selene, it would honor the pack if you would help my brother break his vice.”

“Hello? I am still standing here,” Jason said. “And I said no way.”

Silas shook his head slowly. “And I’m alpha and this is my call. I’m putting you in Selene’s care, full-time, until we get this thing figured out.”

“What?” Jason and Selene said together.

Selene cleared her throat. “The program does not require my full-time care. I believe it can be accomplished with a half-day session three times a week.”

Silas shook his head again. “If I could count on my brother to follow your program, that would be good enough. Unfortunately, I don’t trust him—”

“Silas!” Jason pleaded.

“I’m sorry, brother, but you know as well as I do that you’ll be out the door and in the arms of the first woman you see.”

“What are you saying? You’re assigning Selene as my babysitter?” Jason gaped at his brother in horror.

“More like your warden. I want Selene to stay with you, full-time.”

“But I live in Sanctuary at Rivergate Manor. The Preotka—” Selene’s heart raced. Surely Silas wasn’t suggesting she live with Jason. After all, the man looked as if he wanted to kill her at the moment.

“Preotka Artemis will be receptive to your assignment when she understands the safety of the pack is at risk. I assume Jason can’t stay with you in Sanctuary.”

“No.” She chuckled softly. “Males are not allowed.”

“Then you will stay with Jason until he’s better. Do we all understand each other?” Silas looked between Selene and Jason.

Selene nodded.

“You can’t do this to me. I have work. I have a life.” Jason bared his teeth and planted his hands on his hips.

“The faster you get with the program, the faster you can have both of those things back,” Silas said.

“You fucking bastard.” Jason swung a fist at Silas’s head, barely missing Selene in the process. Silas caught his fist, palm slapping knuckles loud enough to make Selene tense away from the crackle of testosterone in the room.

“Back down, brother, or things are going to get worse for you. Much, much worse.”

He lowered his fist.

“I’m going to call Artemis and make sure we’re on the same page about Selene. I’ll meet you out front and escort you back to your condo. Selene, take your time getting your things together. I’ll wait with Jason until you can join us.” He nodded his good-bye.

“I need to find Kyle,” Laina said, hoisting up the skirt of her wedding dress and following after Silas. Gerty gave one last sideways glance toward Jason before making her own exit.

Although he didn’t say a word, Jason’s jaw tightened as he looked at Selene, his gaze raking over her forehead, nose, and lips with barely contained repulsion.

She reached a trembling hand out to Jason’s clenched fist. He jerked away from her, but she gently gripped his wrist and wrenched open his fingers. He was still clenching the Primary’s fang. She slid the artifact from his palm and carefully returned it to the box. She gathered the pelt that Jason had cast aside when he awoke, folded it carefully, and returned it to its place among the other artifacts, checking and double-checking that everything was where it belonged before closing and locking the sacred chest.

“You don’t have to do this,” Jason said. “You could refuse. My brother wouldn’t deny you, especially if you asked Artemis to back you up.”

“Why would I do that?” Selene said, meeting his gaze. “You need me. I can help you.”

Jason stepped in close, his body blocking the window and casting a dark shadow over her. “You don’t want to live with me, Selene.” His finger landed on her chest and traced the smear of blood that remained there from the ritual. “It’s not safe. I’m a bad man with a vice. You’re a woman. You wouldn’t want to put yourself at risk, would you?”

Narrowing her eyes, Selene squared her shoulders, lifting the box from the bed in such a way that it banged into Jason’s stomach. He took a step back with a resounding oomph.

“I don’t believe for a second that you are capable of hurting me. And if you even think about taking your vice out on me, think again. I may be a woman, but I’m not as defenseless as I seem.”

“Every woman has her vulnerabilities.” His threatening tone made her spine tingle.

Exhausted from the ritual and in no mood to argue, she leaned forward and whispered into his ear, “Just remember, I saw into your soul. I know what you did with Nickelova… and other things. I know who you really are, Jason Flynn. Before you even think about messing with me, you’d better consider your own vulnerabilities.”