Words of Power (Alice Gray Book 3)

27

What's your name?" I asked, realising it was high time I knew who this guy really was. He might be my only ally against the vamps and the DPA tag-team from hell. At least until I could contact Lucas and the pack.

"Sam," he said.

"Alice," I replied, grabbing his free hand and shaking it briskly.

"Everyone knows who you are. Alice Gray, freak witch with the silver power. Murderer of vamps, witches and wolves." His deep, grand voice announced it like a roll-call of achievements.

What it was, in fact, was the list of complaints brought against me by the DPA. And I wasn't guilty. Well, not entirely, anyway. "I haven't murdered anyone," I grumbled.

Sam's brows drew together, his lips twisting into a tight pout.

"Ok, only a vamp," I conceded, "and that was self-defence."

"You don't have to convince me," Sam said, holding his hands up in surrender. "I'm all for a bit of vamp killing."

His cheeks warmed in embarrassment when I didn't respond to his enthusiasm. This guy was just a kid. A tall, muscular, fully-grown wolf-shifter, but inside a kid nonetheless. How did I become the responsible adult?

"Sounds like I do need to convince you," I said, looking at him from under lowered brows. "Freak witch? Who the hell is spreading that shit round?"

"It's everywhere," Sam said, eyes slanted to the side as he realised that repeating all that dodgy gossip to my face may not have been a good idea.

"But where did it start?" I whispered, more to myself than the flustered teenager in front of me.

I had so many enemies: witches, vamps and shifters, not to mention the DPA. Any combination of these groups could have taken it upon themselves to inflate my crimes. Hell, it could be the first total alliance of paranormal groups, everybody united in the goal of bringing down Alice Gray.

I couldn't sit in here at their mercy. It was suicide to passively wait for the next lot of goons to come with their syringes and meaty fists. There was a conspiracy at play, and I was the target. The authorities were compromised, I was sure of it. I had to at least try to escape.

Closing my eyes, but keeping hold of Sam's hand, I focused inwards. The fizzle of pure energy that rippled over my skin told me that the silver magic was alive and ready.

Sam tried to pull his hand out of mine, his wolf sensing the throbbing rhythm of the silver as it surged forth through my blood in ever increasing waves of dominance. I held fast. I needed him. I needed his hot, virile, shifter energy. It would draw my magic out, encourage it to expand, help it knit together into a web that I could push out to reach my pack-mates.

A tiny niggle of doubt in the back of my mind warned me that what I was doing was wrong. That I was taking something from him, something that he was unwilling to give, but I didn't care. This was for his own good. I was the adult in charge here.

And just as I knew it would, as the thrill of elation flooded my brain with a final surge of energy, all considerations other than the splendour of the silver power washed out of me in a tsunami of silver particles dancing on the triumphant song of silver leaves.

Looking up at Sam, I could see the silver of my own eyes shining back at me from his, and it felt like victory. Not even shifter magic was denied to me now. My silver life-force could bring them all under my thrall.

Closing my eyes again, I pushed the silver particles out, still drawing on Sam's heat to reach further and further. Out to the guesthouse where I knew my Alpha was waiting for me. The sensation of growth, of expansion was exhilarating, and as joyous as the silver leaves that rang like bells in my head at their freedom.

Emotions that weren't my own slammed into me, pushing the air out of my lungs in a painful blast. An onslaught of images flashed in my mind, one after the other, a kaleidoscope of colours that morphed into faces, sounds and actions. Evan and Anne, researching on their laptops, Emily pacing while talking on the phone, brows drawn together, lips pursed into a tight grimace. Ralph shuffling around them, taking care of his gross lavender scented guesthouse. This was what Lucas saw, every image that was captured by his brain since I was taken away from him.

I had to assume that the connection worked both ways because a rush of anxiety, relief and then anger, ballooned in my heart until I thought it would explode out of me in a bloody gooey mess. Lucas. I rolled onto my side on the bed, desperately trying calm my rapid breaths and get my heart-rate under control.

It was too much.

Silver particles scattered out from my skin as the shock of my Alpha's emotions filtered through my system. The silver power was still there, but once the pack bond was engaged the overwhelming urge to possess dimmed just a little. Just enough for me to realise that I was a hair's breadth away from becoming a monster like my father.

Shaking my head, my brain re-adjusted to the strength of Lucas's command, and it was only then that I saw Sam slumped on the floor. Shame burnt a trail of horror through every cell of my body. I'd drawn the energy to reach Lucas from him, without his permission.

I scrambled off the bed to the floor by his side. "Sam, can you hear me," I whispered, fear and guilt drawing all the force from my voice. His long black eyelashes fluttered against his cheek. I'd taken too much. I'd drained him in my selfish bid to reach Lucas.

When his eyes snapped suddenly open, the breath left my body in a gust of exaltation.

Silver shone out, bright and pure.

Oh no! Has Alice gone to far? Read on...