Isle of Flames: We Witches Three, #6

By Humphrey Quinn

Firebrand Feyks have cursed Riley Deane with a rage spell and it's a race against time to keep him from fulfilling Melinda Howard's prophetic dream. If they can't, she will lose her friends, her family, her motorcycle man and the vampire she loves but can't have. 

 

Equally terrifying, she'll face burning at the stake alongside William—unless he turns her into a vampire to save her—two vital parts of the vision she was too afraid to share with anyone, including the one vampire it matters to the most…William. 

 

A decision Melinda Howard will regret for the rest of her life…

 

** We Witches Three is part of Demon Isle Witches, the YA/Teen Edition of the Series... 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rachel Daigle
• Release date: Jan 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393313137

Humphrey Quinn

Ruby Raine writes steamy supernatural witch mysteries... 

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Eva Jordan rushed into the house shouting for her father. She’d just escaped the clutches of Charlie Howard after lying to him that she was pregnant with his child.

Or was she pregnant? She wasn’t entirely sure. The Firebrand Feyk had done something to her. If it wasn’t a fake pregnancy, what was it?

And she didn’t even want to think about the possibility that she might actually be pregnant. Kids were not in her future. She preferred independence.

Anthony Jordan, her father, appeared from out of the kitchen meeting her in the foyer. He leaned calmly against the doorframe with a filled mug of coffee and took a swig.

Eva proceeded to pass him, grab a suitcase from a closet and disappear into her room. We have to leave. Now.

He remained calm, watching his daughter make a mad dash to pack. Why do we have to leave?

Char- the Howards found us out! They’ll be coming for us. We don’t have much time so start packing.

This is not necessary, her father disagreed, far too calmly considering what she’d just revealed.

Eva spun around, hands on her hips. "You think they’ll just ignore everything we’ve done? I killed that Guardian Charlie was crazy about. Not that I had a choice. She threatened to tell the Howards who I was. But I also broke into their house and stole their father’s diary. I am the alpha werewolf Charlie thought he already killed. I don’t think he’ll have a problem killing me again."

Being a bit dramatic, Eva, don’t you think?

She let out a sharp gasp. Dramatic? You are kidding me, right?

Anthony waved her off.

What the heck was wrong with him? She needed him to see reason. Dad, is this vendetta of yours worth dying for? Because that’s what’s coming. There was no other way to put it. Death was coming for them in the form of the Howard Witches.

"It’s our vendetta, her father reminded with a stern glower. And don’t worry, Eva. Charlie Howard is not going to kill you. I’ve taken measures to ensure this."

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. What aren’t you telling me, Dad?

"What aren’t you telling me?" he returned.

Games? Really? She continued with her rushed packing.

The Feyk took care of everything, claimed Anthony. Charlie Howard will not sacrifice his own child to kill you.

Eva froze. Dumbstruck.

How did her father know this?

I might not win the father-of-the-year award, but you are my daughter, Eva. I am quite aware of what’s been going on between you and Charlie.

She fumed in speechless anger and humiliation.

Her father had discovered her secret. That she’d been sneaking out of the house at night. Not so much her, as her wolf. Eva had been more of an unconscious participant to her wolf’s depraved desires. Mainly consisting of playing the part of the submissive wolf to Charlie Howard. He would pay for that. I don’t submit to anyone. Even my father.

It’s not your fault, Eva. I don’t blame you, he continued. It’s your wolves reacting to each other. Nature, taking course. But seeing as it was happening, I decided we could use it to our advantage.

Eva opened her mouth to reply, her breath catching. "Let me get this straight... you let my nighttime romps with Charlie Howard continue, rather than put a stop to it, because you thought you could use it, me, to our advantage? And you did this all behind my back?"

I couldn’t have stopped it, Eva. Even if you had made the choice to confide in me, and fill me in on what was happening, you’d still have gone romping off at night with Charlie Howard. You chose not to tell me. I chose not to interfere.

"Oh, so no stopping it. But using your daughter to your advantage is okay? Letting another man take advantage of your daughter is..."

Anthony growled. It wasn’t like that and you know it!

You could have locked me up. Kept me the heck away from him.

And have werewolf-Charlie storming the house to get to you. You can’t fight nature, Eva. For whatever reason, your wolves saw each other as potential mates. And to be frank, it would have been a smart match if you’d gotten Charlie under your control as originally planned.

So now this is all somehow my fault? Because I wasn’t able to get Charlie to submit to me as his alpha?

No. I’m saying it is what it is. It’s over now. Let’s move on.

I cannot believe you did this to me, she stammered hotly. But you’re right about the moving on part. We don’t have time to argue. They’re coming. Screw packing, let’s just leave the Isle.

Eva, we are not leaving. You need to calm down.

Calm down? Dad, I don’t think you’re grasping the seriousness of what’s happened. It’s over! We came. We tried. We lost!

No. I do understand. But I’ve taken care of things. We have time.

Eva sucked on her lips, many choice words wanting to spew through them at her father, but what came out was, The Feyk, they did do this to me, right? Just a trick? Please tell me I’m not actually pregnant. I so can’t deal with this crap right now.

"No. You’re not pregnant, Eva. But it’s real in the eyes of Charlie Howard, and therefore will keep you safe. And alive. Which is my point. I could not stop nature from taking course, but it gave me the chance to protect you."

And in protecting me, if this also just so happens to work to your advantage, she added snidely.

Anthony shrugged. It gives us more time. What more can I say? If I hadn’t asked the Feyk to do it, do you think you’d still be alive right now?

She let out an aggravated sigh. No. She would not be alive. Without that second heartbeat, Charlie would have killed her. But she hated that her father had done this to her behind her back.

More than that, she was starting to see his point. They thought a lot alike, her and her father. She’d have done the same thing in a heartbeat.

So if it’s fake, why can’t I shift? I thought the shifter gene only went dormant during pregnancy?

The spell the Feyk used is very powerful. Your body sees the pregnancy as real.

"And you don’t think that’s a bad idea? Taking away my ability to shift? Her voice was calmer now. How fast does it wear off?"

He hesitated.

"Dad?"

A couple of days, or so.

Days? Are you serious?

It doesn’t affect your wolf. Only the shifter part of you.

Oh, that’s totally helpful. I can grow my nails, get some sharp teeth and turn my eyes yellow, unless you’ve figured out how to have a full moon each night of the month. It’s only my shifter side that can turn at will, Dad.

I am aware. But considering the alternative...

You mean me being dead?

Naturally I’d rather keep you alive. Besides, you can still let a little of the wolf free, like you said. That includes some of the strength.

"I really don’t see how this gives us extra time, other than to get off this island. Yes, it kept me alive. But Charlie will figure out I’m faking it. I still vote for leaving. Immediately."

I’m not leaving until I finish what I came here to do, Anthony barked impatiently.

"A few more days is all we need. We know the location of the power source, we just need to figure out how to get inside. The Feyks have guaranteed me they have something special in store for the Howards. Their attention will be elsewhere. And if we do reach the power source, we won’t be the ones fleeing The Demon Isle."

Eva closed her eyes, fisting her hands. "And if we don’t succeed? Then what? I’ll ask it again, Dad. Is this vendetta worth dying for? Because I’m telling you they are coming for us, Feyks keeping them busy or not. Me being pregnant, or not."

I will avenge your mother’s murder with my own dying breath if I have to, he blasted in a raised voice. The Howard’s will pay for killing her. They must!

I want them to pay, Dad, Eva agreed. But maybe this is not the time. Maybe we need to try again, later, when we’re not freaking dead! She darted into the hallway scouring inside a basket for keys. They could drive to the ferry; there was one leaving in just a few minutes if they hurried.

Anthony followed her, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. This is our only chance, he beseeched his daughter. "The Howards have been in control of this Isle for too long, killing anything they see as a threat because of a power source only they have a right to control. What gives them that right? What gave them the right to kill your mother?"

Don’t act like this is all about the Howards, Dad. It’s not like Mom was just here vacationing, spat out Eva. "She was here for you. Remember? Spying on the witches... searching for the mysterious power source. Your obsession. Not hers." There was a hint of blame in her tone.

She didn’t do anything that warranted her execution! he blasted back, his rage level rising.

We don’t know what happened! Only that the Howards killed her. Yes! I want them to pay for that. But not at the expense of our lives, too. Your obsession over the power source is going to get us both killed. Face it, Dad! This is Howard territory and we’re outnumbered.

We have the Feyks.

That’s not enough.

I’m not leaving, said Anthony stubbornly. "I will avenge your mother. And if finding the power source and dethroning the Howards requires my life, then I give it freely."

"Now that, is a sentiment I can agree with..."

It wasn’t Eva or her father who said it. They