“I would slay an entire world of innocents just to punish you.”
“You…you monster.” Tears streamed down Heather’s cheeks as she patted her mother’s cheek. “How could you do this?”
For a moment, only a moment, Percen’s anger gave way to devastation and hurt. But he rallied fast, grating, “I am what my brother has made me.”
“Soon, I will make you dead.” Truth. All the hatred he felt for his brother surfaced. “If you are brave enough, let us fight to the death and leave the others out of our war.”
His brother hesitated for a long while, probably weighing his options. Finally, he shoved Katie aside. “Aye, ’tis time we at last ended this, and what better way than death.”
Jorlan didn’t give him time to defend or plan. With an unholy roar, he sprang into action, leaping across the distance, drawing back his elbow and planting a fist into his brother’s jaw.
Percen’s head snapped back, blood trickling from a split in his bottom lip.
Excellent. Jorlan struck him again.
This time, Percen was prepared. He ducked, then flew at Jorlan. They grappled to the muddy ground, fists and legs flying.
Heather’s scream pierced the air.
“I cursed Mon Graig,” Percen taunted, half in laughter, half in rage. “Even if your woman falls in love with you before the deadline, you cannot go home.”
“You are wrong. So wrong. I can take myself.” Jorlan smacked his fist into his brother’s nose. Cartilage snapped. “And my woman has already fallen in love with me. Your spell is broken, brother. I will never return to stone.”
Percen evinced nothing but satisfaction. “Adorable. You believed me when I said you could break the spell with a woman’s love.”
* * *
KATIE CAME TO her senses slowly. As soon as reality settled in, she froze, shocked. Jorlan and Percen fought with the savagery of two wild beasts.
Pain-filled moans assaulted her ears. While Percen lacked Jorlan’s strength, he more than made up for it with his magic, teleporting away from blows, sometimes appearing behind Jorlan to deliver a punch or kick.
If she lived to be two hundred years old, she would never forget the terror and desolation of this moment.
Though she hated to leave her man even for a second, she raced inside the house. Trembling, she grabbed the phone. It took her three times to dial, but she managed to call Gray’s cell phone.
The moment he answered, she rushed out, “I’m at the Victorian. They’re killing each other. Hurry! And bring lots of firepower.” She didn’t give him time to respond, just threw down the phone and rushed back outside.
The fight had worsened, both men slashed and bloody.
Jorlan landed a blow to Percen’s mouth. Blood and teeth flew from the man’s parted, swollen lips. He stumbled into the new statue, leaving a smear of crimson behind.
A second later, the stone disappeared. A beautiful, dark-haired woman took its place. She noticed the dueling brothers and shook with horror.
Katie paid her no heed. Jorlan was in danger. She had to help him, had to make the battle stop. She glanced around for some type of weapon. Found nothing.
“You cursed me,” Jorlan growled. “Then you cursed our mother and tried to kill the woman I love.”
“You cursed me the day you were born, for that is the day Mother ceased loving me. She preferred you. Always you.” Percen spit the words.
In the distance, Katie thought she detected the blare of police sirens. Yes! Red-and-blue lights flashed in the horizon. Oh, thank goodness!
The fight continued, even as the police cruiser parked and Gray and Steve rushed over.
“Katie!” Gray shouted.
“Hurry! We’re in the garden.”
He and Steve Harris entered her line of sight. As soon as they spotted Jorlan and Percen, they knelt and drew their guns.
“Get on the ground and put your hands up,” Gray ordered. “Now!”
“We’ve already called for backup,” Steve told the combatants. “Unless you want twenty other guns pointed at your heads, do as you were told. On the ground, hands up.”
Jorlan and Percen ignored them, circling each other.
Percen unsheathed a long, lethal-looking dagger.
“Put the weapon down,” Gray shouted now. “I mean it. Put the weapon down now.”
Again, Jorlan and Percen ignored him, lunging for each other.
“They don’t understand what your guns can do,” Katie hurried to explain. “Don’t shoot. Please don’t shoot! Jorlan, my brother’s weapon can kill you in less than a second. Please, listen to him.”
“Less than a second?” The woman who had changed from stone to flesh spoke up for the first time, shouting, “Harm not my child.” She sprang toward Percen.
With a scream, Heather rushed in front of Percen, as well. Katie leaped in front of Jorlan.
Four shots rang out, the woman and Heather both collapsing at Percen’s feet.
Katie remained standing and unharmed.
Percen gazed down at the two bodies now motionless. His eyes widened, and he dropped his blade. “Nay. Nay, nay, nay!”
“I—I’m fine.” Heather sat up gingerly and wiped tears and rain from her eyes. “Ex-except for my shoulder,” she said, her teeth chattering.
The other woman remained immobile, blood seeping from her chest in three separate spots.
“I love you, Katie James.”
Jorlan’s voice reached her hears. Katie whipped around—and gasped. He stood frozen, his beautiful skin now silver stone. “Jorlan! No, no, no. I told you I love you,” she yelled over a clap of thunder. “I do. I love you so much.”
Nothing happened.
But, she knew she loved him. For real. “I told you in time, and I meant it. I wasn’t sure if I’d know if I meant it or not, but I did. I do. I love you. I told you in time,” she repeated, desperate. “You have to come back to me. Please!”
Again, nothing happened.
His stone eyes seemed to gaze down at her, his lips curled in a smile. She thought she heard his voice in her head. You have made me the happiest of men, katya. Never doubt that.
What had she done?
Katie’s knees buckled. On the ground, she sobbed into her hands. My fault. All my fault. She must have waited too long.
She laughed, bitter. She’d refused to trust him, or herself, and she’d lost him. She’d also wanted proof of his love. Well, here it was. His only thought as his future had slipped away? Me.
“I think I’ve loved you since the beginning,” she whispered, her tone ragged, broken. “I was just afraid to admit it, even to myself. I don’t think I ever really doubted your feelings for me.” The truth seemed so clear now. “I just couldn’t allow myself to believe. If I had, I would have had to go to Imperia with you or let you go without me. I didn’t want to let you go.”
Behind her, Steve rushed at Percen. With a wave of his hand, Percen created some type of invisible shield around himself that no one could penetrate.
The sorcerer sank to his knees. “You saved me,” he said to the unconscious Heather. “You saved me.”
Sirens echoed in the background. The Dallas PD backup.
At the moment, Katie didn’t care about anyone but her husband. She stood on her tiptoes and placed a soft kiss upon his lips. “Please, Jorlan, come back to me. I love you. I swear I do. I’ll live with you anywhere. I’ll give up anything. Just come back.”