The Price They Paid: Imprinted Mates Series, стр. 31
I moved to go to the bathroom and grew lightheaded. I reached for the wall to steady myself but missed it by a long shot. I saw Ms. Sandy run towards me, but it was too late. I hit the floor hard. I saw a blast of light around me before darkness took me under.
Seuss
There were bright red beams of light that came from the ground and reached toward the sky. The circle of light was blinding to stare at, but I could hear her voice loud and clear.
“Dearest Seuss, it’s nice to see you again.”
I growled as I paced the circle looking for a way in. I could feel wolves approaching from different angles. Eight of them. I shifted to speak to her.
“You have some nerve coming back here.”
“Do I?” she chided.
“You should have died with all the others.” I was growing restless. I could feel Justice and she wasn’t well. What had this fucking mage done to her?
“I told you then and I’ll tell you now. I didn’t know …”
I turned, feeling the arrival of the wolves. Anna, Beth, Tina, Ree, Ms. Kento, Lisa, Ms. Cordell, and … Mandy? I hadn’t seen her since … suddenly I remembered her. She was the sister. The quiet one. She hadn’t been around since I’d imprisoned the mage. I leapt toward her and more beams came from the ground creating a larger circle.
Cut off before I could reach the beams, Maddox pummeled me to the ground and rolled away from the light. I growled at him, but he held steady.
“Those beams will burn you alive if you touch them, Seuss.” Maddox rolled off me and stood.
Yes. He’d probably just saved my life, but that didn’t make me feel better.
“What in the hell is going on?” I watched the layers of beams as they circled one another. There were nine force fields keeping me from the woman that I loved. Each woman was inside a different layer like a protective fold around this goddamn mage.
“Sandy!” I yelled.
“You could make this stop at any moment, Seuss.”
“What’s going on?” My brothers and father suddenly appeared. Alec stepped forward trying to gauge the situation.
“It’s that crazy mage, Sandy. She’s got Justice and she’s killing her.” I let the power dancing along my fingertips grow into a powerful ball of energy before I threw it at the force field.
“Nooooooooooo!” Maddox yelled at me.
The ball bounced off the field and blew all of us backward onto the ground. “What in the fuck are they?!”
“Guardians.” My father stood up and dusted off his hands. “They are protectors. Question is, are they protecting Sandy or Justice?”
I didn’t think I wanted to know the answer. “What do you want from me, Sandy?”
“I want you to save her. I want you to believe me. You can’t have her without me.” I heard her sniffle and that caught my attention.
“What’s wrong, Sandy?” I tried to see through but couldn’t.
“She’s … dying …”
I roared. “Let me through!”
“You’ll kill me. If I die … she dies.”
“What?” I looked at my father hoping that he had answers.
“Guardians are blood bound. If she’s used her blood at all to heal Justice, the moment that she dies, so does Justice.”
“What is it that you want me to believe?” I asked. I felt doom closing in around me. Should I let my mother’s killer walk freely to save my mate?
“Christophe came to me for the spell. That’s true. I made it. But only because he threatened the life of my sister. I didn’t know that it was for the queen. I’d never hurt her. She’d protected the nine of us for so long …” Her voice trailed off. “I didn’t know it was for her until your guards arrested me. I still haven’t forgiven myself for that.”
“Why did you run?” I asked.
“Justice was coming of age, and somebody needed to watch over her. I’d been around off and on over the years, but she was growing stronger. I was set free to protect her. She needed me.”
“Who set you free?” I asked the question but already knew the answer.
“I did.” Mandy spoke the words easily.
“Treason,” I barked at her.
“I’m sworn to protect Justice at all costs. Justice needed Sandy.”
“I’d never hurt Justice, Seuss,” Sandy said. “If you promise not to try any funny business, I’ll show you.”
“Then you’ll let me heal, Justice?” I asked.
Sandy hesitated. “Yes.”
I saw a burst of light come from the center and then heard gasps from Justice.
“Fine!” I roared. I didn’t know what the hell she was doing, but I could feel Justice more than I could before.
Everybody stood behind me ready to attack.
“Tell them to back away,” Sandy said. I could see her through the light advancing toward us.
“Move back!” I yelled. Everyone stepped backward but Maddox.
“I’ll stay here.”
Sandy emerged from the light and looked over at Maddox. “I want to cause no harm to your Alpha, but I know what it means to guard someone with your life, but stay back Beta.”
Sandy kneeled on the ground in front of me. She was smart. Coming to me without Justice ensured that she stayed safe.
“I know you read memories, Seuss.” She kept her head bent, waiting.
I lifted her head and rested my forehead against hers. Bright light welcomed me, and I shielded my eyes from it.
“Guardians of nine, you’ve been chosen because you are the fiercest and strongest in the lands. You’ll guard my lineage to the end of time. No matter the consequences.”
The man was tall and strong. The crown upon his head spoke of his royalty.
“You’ll guard our lives with your own making a sure path for our future.”
The king wore garbs that molded to his chest and extended down to his waist. His pants were burgundy leather that matched the dress of his queen. She sat beside him rocking a beautiful baby girl. While his skin was tanned from