For a brief second, before the interloper had joined them in Piria’s world, while Sean held Eden in his arms, he’d felt a sense of what life could be like, holding her.

That had flipped the second this new woman joined them. He found himself bristling at the danger that emanated from her. She was bad news, and that was evident from the tone she’d used when addressing them, to the body language she was exhibiting.

He stood at the ready, glancing at his bear to be sure the animal would also be prepared to act—if needed.

“Who am I? What do I want?” The newcomer tapped long nails against each other as she paced back and forth in front of them. Her gaze traveled between Circe to Piria to Albani to Eden. Over and over her eyes wandered over those four, essentially ignoring Ciara, Sean, and the shifter animals.

Circe stepped forward. “Realm-Crosser.”

Albani joined her.

“Ding, ding, ding. The award goes to Circe.”

Sean looked at Eden, wondering what the hell a Realm-Crosser was. Eden gave him a shrug. So he asked,” What’s a Realm-Crosser?”

The woman snapped her head in his direction. “Why is he even here?” She turned to Circe. “Why did you bring him in here. He does not belong.”

Circe’s jaw was tight, her full lips in a line. She pointed toward the black-attired newcomer. “She’s a witch that can travel along elemental paths. Entering elemental worlds when the veil is lifted to allow others in. When I made an entrance for us in the veil, it allowed her access.”

Sean did a double take. “A witch? They captured the witches at the cabin.”

Eden put her hand on his shoulder.

The newcomer scoffed. “I was not at the cabin.”

“So, you’re the boss-witch of those other two. One of your minions is dead, just so you know. The other is being held and questioned.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You talk too much, shifter.” She shot her hands outwards, sending waves of shimmering light directly toward Sean.

Eden pressed her fisted hand toward her mouth in a panic.

Piria’s hand rose, a flame cascading outward.

Circe threw her hands out, lightning bolts flying toward the witch.

Sean knew when those waves of shimmering light hit him, it would be over. He just knew it. He processed all the activity and all his thoughts in the brief seconds it took for her to attack him.

He didn’t know what he could do to counter the attack. He couldn’t duck, the waves extended from the ground to above his head, and they were too wide to outrun.

Just as the waves were about to touch him, a brown blur appeared before him, catching the brunt of it.

His bear collapsed to the ground. The waves vanished.

Sean dropped to one knee, putting his hand on the bear’s chest. It rose slightly.

“You could have killed him,” he yelled at the witch.

“Silence, shifter.”

He rose, stiffened, his muscles bunched up, ready to leap on the witch.

Eden grabbed his forearm, held it tightly. “Don’t, please,” she whispered.

Sean reined in his temper.

The Realm-Crossing witch turned to Circe and Eden. “What I want is for you to get out of the way. But you won’t. You insist on interfering with our agenda.”

“Who is our?” Eden asked.

“Our is the witches in Europe,” Circe replied. “They are the ones that want the twins.”

“Where are they? I know you moved them.”

Sean clenched his jaw, his gritting teeth sounded loud in his ears. Eden tightened her grip on his arm.

“You can’t have them.” Albani took a step forward in front of Circe.

Piria joined Albani, making a shield that protected Circe.

“You cannot stop me, elementals. All I have to do is kill this one,” she pointed at Piria, “and you’ll all be trapped here, and unable to stop us.”

Sean frowned, the hell he’d let that happen. The next series of events were a blur.

The witch raised her hands, more shimmering light, though this time it was like a laser beam rather than a large wave.

Piria raised her own arms. A flame sprouted from her fingertips and turned into a shield of fire that surrounded her.

Sean shrugged Eden off and stepped between the witch and Piria, but the vicious blast of her light knocked him to the ground, forcing the air from his lungs.

Albani pushed her hands toward the sky. Lightning flashed, searing through the atmosphere, attaching itself to her fingertips. She made a circular motion with both hands, shoved them outward, then was flung into the air, catapulted into a somersault, and brought down on her back, next to Sean.

The witch pointed to Albani. “No parlor tricks. I’ve bound your elemental skills to me.”

Albani’s face contorted with panic.