I didn't need some egotistical maniac ruling what was left of my coven-even if it wasn't considered that anymore. I didn't want Ryder ruling any more of my life than he already did. He had enough of that in the last month. I didn't want to be immortal and I sure as h.e.l.l didn't want to go into heat like some freaking animal. But then life wasn't asking me what I wanted.

I dressed in jeans and a s.h.i.+rt, flinching as I pulled it over my stomach that felt raw around the site of the mark. I pulled my hair into a loose ponytail and threw on a pair of flip flops and grabbed the keys to Adam's car off the kitchen table and headed to confront Ryder.

I got no further than his front gate before I noticed something was wrong. The metal gate hung open as if it was expecting someone, so I drove through and parked in the back. Everything on the grounds was eerily silent-no movement and there was always activity of some kind around Ryder's mansion.

I walked across the gra.s.s and decided to sneak a peek through the window, since curiosity got the better of me. What I saw was not what I had expected, or anything I could have mentally prepared for. Ryder's men were inside the room, along with humans and Fae set in a line on their knees. Some of them looked battered if not a little bruised. As I watched, a figure with a hood and cloak stepped up to a male who was already screaming for mercy.

I felt chills run down my backbone, and my heart accelerated. A golden haze came from the hooded figures hands, and the man on his knees began to screaming louder the instant it did, a blood curdling howl that had me covering my ears with my hands.

It had no effect on the one using magic. He had no qualms about using his magic on the poor guy. I scanned the room watching as Dristan came into view. He kicked the screaming man onto the floor and moved to the next male in line. I moved my eyes to the next male, and my blood turned to ice, it was a member of the Guild. There were several other men on their knees, all lined up with Ryder's crew standing close behind them. I exhaled a long shaky breath and scanned the room more.

Dristan smiled wickedly, enjoying the cries from the Warlock. The f.u.c.king Warlock, what the h.e.l.l were they doing to them, and why did they have members from the Guild inside the mansion? I watched as he too screamed with pain as the gold curled around him. I couldn't tell if they were killing them, or if it was some sick and twisted type of torture.

Mathew moved into view as Savlian shoved him from the line, I knew him from around the Guild, but had no idea why Ryder would allow this to happen. I pushed back bile as he began to scream as the others had, begging for forgiveness and finding none. I watched his eyes roll back in his head as blood poured from his nose as the gold haze from the magic wielders' hand touched him. I covered my mouth to stifle the cry that tried to rip from my throat. This wasn't f.u.c.king happening, I stepped back and my foot crunched over the brush littered on the ground. I looked up and watched as the head of the hooded male came up.

"Oh s.h.i.+t," I whispered, covering my mouth with my hand. The hooded male turned his head, as if he'd heard me and looked right at me-with beautiful glowing golden eyes.

*~*~*~*~*~The End~*~*~*~*~*

*~For Now~*

end.