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WHEN I WOKE UP, I WAS back in my bed. “Jesse?” I said. “Wh-what’s going on? I thought we were leaving.”
“Are you okay? You were out for hours.”
“We have to get out of here,” I said.
He shook his head. “I’m not leaving, but you’re free to go.”
“What!? Why? You don’t believe me now?”
“I’m sorry, but you have been through a lot, and my father said—”
“Your father? He’s crazy, Jesse! How could you let him brainwash you like this? You said yourself that I couldn’t have known about the diary—”
“Yeah, I’m still trying to figure that one out, but where is this diary? I mean, I love him and you, and I-I’m just so torn.”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “If you want to live, Jesse, you have to come with us. It isn’t safe for you to be near him.”
“I want you to stay, but if you wanna go, I won’t stop you.”
“Your father will. He won’t let us leave.”
“He said you could. He’s arranged to give you a ride down the mountain.”
“He will kill me the second I’m out of your sight. There’s no way he’ll let me leave with what I know. I might very well run straight to your mom. And what about our friends?”
“Fred, Julie, and Grant already left.”
“What!? Without us?”
“I told them to get out while they still could.”
I shook my head vehemently. “Our friends would never leave us like that!”
“I hate seeing you this upset,” he said. “If you want to go that badly, I guess we’ll both go.”
“I do, Jesse, and you need to come with me.”
“Then take a deep breath and calm down.” He stared deeply into my eyes. “I love you so much. If you leave, I’ll go too.”
I cupped his face. “I know how much your father means to you, but we have to get out of here. He’s not who you think he is.”
“We’ll go then. Just tell me again how much you love me.”
“I love you,” I said with heartfelt intensity.
His hands slid down my hips, and his lips softly brushed across mine. “Now show me.”
“Jesse, this isn’t the time,” I said. “Please. We have to go, try to catch up with the others. Please, I’m begging you.”
He didn’t seem to be taking me seriously, and I was worried that he thought I was some kind of nutcase. I knew his father had probably filled his head with loads of crap while I was in Dreamland, but I couldn’t believe he would choose his lying, infected, selfish, body-hopping father over me.
His tongue trailed down my neck. “I know how much you want me.”
I ran a hand gently through his hair. “You know I do, but like I said, this isn’t the time.”
He plunged his tongue deep into my mouth and kissed me wildly, then pushed his legs between mine.
“We can’t do this,” I said, breaking away.
He trapped my face between his hands. “I’m not inexperienced, Taylor. I won’t let the beast inside come out just because you turn me on. I assure you, I can take this all the way and treat you the way you deserve to be treated in the bedroom.”
I looked at him questioningly, but I was speechless. He didn’t sound at all like Jesse.
“I can make you feel so good. After all, I have hundreds of years of experience, and I will give it all to you in the body you love so much, the young, muscular, healthy body you desire, the body of your precious Jesse.”
In that second, I realized why Jesse was speaking so highly of Ethan: He was Ethan. My stomach dropped. He’d invaded Jesse, and I had no idea what he had really done with my friends.
I punched his chest as he started to unbutton my shirt. “Get off me, Ethan!”
He smirked. “Not in the mood, luv?”
I shot him the most disgusted look I could muster. “Not with you.”
“It doesn’t matter. Soon enough, you will willingly pepper me with your sweet kisses, and you’ll be begging me to put my mouth and my hands on you.”
“If you think that, you’re the one who’s dreaming, you radiated jerk!”
He laughed. “Such a spirited girl. I can see why Jesse so adores you.”
“Where is he?” I demanded.
His gaze narrowed. “He is not here.”
“What did you do with him?” I desperately asked.
He stood and grabbed me by the wrist, then yanked me off the bed. “Get up!” he shouted. “Someone would like to see you...again.”
I was terrified and could not fathom who he was dragging me off to see. For all I knew, he was in cahoots with Drake. Without any other way to defend myself, I lifted my knee and kicked Ethan in the nuts.
The crotch blow hardly fazed him and only made him angrier. “The sooner you realize I own you, the better off we’ll be. You’re mine, Taylor.”
Pain exploded across my cheek as he slapped me, and I touched my face where he’d hit me.
“You’re no match against me,” he said. “I’m not a seventeen-year-old boy, lost in his transformation. I’m an experienced immortal who has fought battles and lived for centuries.”
“Why are you doing this?” I asked.
He grabbed a fistful of my hair and jerked my lips grotesquely close to his. “Because I own your body now, and you are mine. I will do whatever I please.”
I turned away.
He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. “This fight is over.”
“Let me go,” I said.
In one thrust, he threw me against the wall, and I crashed to the ground. He grabbed my hair and dragged me down the corridor. My screams echoed in the hall, but nobody came to my aid.
“Stop!”
He stopped and looked down at me. “Do you have any idea why Grant is in the dungeon?” he asked. “It’s because he intended to leave. I was growing tired of his threats to do so, so I initiated a brawl with one of my men. I knew he would fight back, for he is weak against his own temper, as all werewolves are. I had to lock him away so he wouldn’t mess up my wonderful plans. We can’t just have the sled dog hauling my vessel and my pretty young girlfriend off to Alaska, can we?”
I spat at him. “You’re horrible!”
“I had to keep you guys here somehow, Taylor, and we both know how stubborn werewolves can be.” He lifted me to my feet, then shoved me. “Now walk!”
I was led to the other side of the castle, the terrifying gargoyle side. Ethan opened two large doors and pushed me into a huge room. We walked past a row of guards, toward the queen sitting in a throne, a gleaming, jewel-encrusted crown sitting atop her head.
Her Highness immediately stood, her fluffy white gown swishing. “Hello, Ethan. I see the body suits you well.”
“Yes, Highness. Your priests amaze me.”
Tears welled up in Queen Sarsa’s eyes, and she gripped his hands. “I told you we’d find a way.”
“I never gave up hope, even when Loraine ran off with my vessel.”
“I know you wanted Sam, but it appears that Jesse will serve the purpose just as well.”
“Yes. I am already growing fond of his young, strong body. I haven’t felt this good in ages,” he said, stretching out Jesse’s arms.
A tear ran down the queen’s cheek. “It’s good to see you so healthy and full of life. The boy resembles you, only younger, so you will be your old self again.”
“I never want to be on death’s door again, my Queen.”
“Of course, but you must be careful with this new body.”
“I plan to, Highness, but if anything goes awry, I will always have Sam as backup.”
I couldn’t believe how cold they were. Sam and Jesse meant nothing to them. My knees shook, and my stomach was tied in knots.
The queen’s gaze shot down to me. “Look at the poor thing. She is trembling like a rabbit among foxes.”
“Did everyone know about this little plan to hijack Jesse’s body?” I asked. “Were you all in on this?”
“Of course not,” the queen said. “Only Ethan and his team were aware. Everyone else has been kept in the dark, with good reason.”
“How will you explain it to them now?”
“They will be told of Jesse’s accidental death.”
“His death?”
“We will tell them we were able to save his body and perform the ceremony. Do not worry. We have it all worked out to make everyone happy.”
“Everyone but Jesse,” I snapped.
Ethan shoved me forward. “Bow to our most gracious queen, you peasant!”
I bowed down, hoping she would again take pity on me, but I knew she wasn’t going to give Jesse back to me. She was more than happy to see Ethan in a new body. What I didn’t understand was why the queen hadn’t ordered my death yet. I was certain she would soon be sending me to the arena to fight, just so I wouldn’t tell everyone the truth.
The queen studied me, then smiled. “The weak, timid creature really is beautiful,” she said.
Ethan grinned. “I told you she is quite exquisite.”
She cocked a brow. “Are you sure she’ll work?”
“I am certain of it, milady.”
“I only wish Taylor wasn’t human.”
He smirked. “That can be remedied, Highness.”
“And she’s attracted to the body you now occupy?”
Ethan nodded. “Helplessly. She’s in love with this body.”
“I’m in love with Jesse,” I spat, “not you!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, and it sickened me to the point where I thought I might christen the queen’s chambers with a royal pile of vomit.
“And she harbors the witches’ magic?” the queen asked.
“She certainly does. When we activate it, she will be the most powerful person in any kingdom.”
Her face grew solemn. “But she has many enemies we’ll have to deal with.”
“Enemies are a fact of life for the powerful, Highness. The other witch and the body I now inhabit are not immune to hate.”
“And her great powers will protect you all?”
“I’m counting on it.”
“She will make a lovely bride,” she said proudly.
“I agree.”
“The wedding preparations have been finalized. It will be the most elegant of affairs, more glorious than any this kingdom has ever witnessed.” She peered at me, wiping her tear-filled eyes. “You make Ethan very happy, and that makes me happy too.”
“Then you approve of her?” he asked with a grin.
Her eyes lit up, and she smiled. “Yes, I approve of this body. Mariah will love the person you chose for her. You two will be so happy.”
I gasped. At that moment I realized Ethan’s true intentions were for me. He wasn’t planning to marry me at all; he was simply going to use me to house his dead lover. The queen, Mariah’s mother, was happy because her comatose, half-dead daughter would be alive again, with the powerful general all of them adored, both of them younger and revitalized in bodies belonging to Jesse and me. She would have Ethan and Mariah back for all eternity, and the nuptials were already planned.
“Then I have official permission to start the transfer and move Mariah into Taylor as quickly as possible?” Ethan asked.
“Of course! We must make haste, for my darling doesn’t have more than a few more hours to live. Saving her life is of the utmost importance.”
“Queen Sarsa, you can’t do this,” I said, my voice wavering. “Please consider me. I have a family who loves and needs me, and—”
“It’s nothing personal, dear. We thought the ceremony would only work with Leyna and their pure-bred offspring, so I knew we could save Ethan if we found Jesse or Sam, but I had no idea we would be so fortunate that a witch-empowered human would come right to our door. The witches’ powers act as a buffer, the priests tell me, and you came along at the perfect time to become my beautiful daughter’s host. I cannot bear to see my little girls die. You and your friend are saving valuable lives, and I can’t thank you and your friend for your sacrifice.”
“You’re doing this to Julie too?” I asked, completely stunned.
“Yes, she has the magic too that will act as a buffer. I know my daughters have never done any test runs. But it doesn’t matter. With your magic, the rules are completely different than with Ethan. No test jumps are necessary. And I’m glad, because my girls were too weak to jump into another body to try it out.”
I stared at her long and hard. How could she do this to Julie and me?
“Do not fear, my child. I will do everything in my power to protect your friends and family from your enemies back where you come from. I will also bestow great riches on them. They will be well taken care of, as a token of my appreciation.”
“But I’m their daughter,” I said. “Imagine my mother’s heartbreak. You have daughters of your own.”
She looked at Ethan and made a dismissive gesture of her hand, as if she was telling him to take out the garbage. “Away with her. The wretched creature is breaking my heart. Do not bring her before me again until she is my Mariah.”
“I will. You know I love Mariah more than anything,” Ethan said.
“I know you do,” she said, her voice trembling. “It lightens my heavy heart to know your love will have a second chance to flourish. I can think of no one more deserving. It is as if fate itself wishes you to live on, to continue all the great work you’ve done over the years.”
“I didn’t want to do this to my son, but I had to for the greater good.”
“At least another son lives on,” she said.
“Yes, and that brings me great comfort, my Queen.”
“Now, take this woman away. The next time I see her, I want to see my daughter in her eyes.”
“Nooooooooooo!” I screamed.