THE THING WEARING HER FACE
2092 Words
Every shadow along the road began to move.
Elara stumbled backward.
The woman wearing her mother's face kept smiling.
“My baby.”
The voice was perfect.
Soft.
Warm.
Familiar in a way that hurt somewhere deeper than memory.
Elara's eyes filled with tears.
“Don't call me that.”
The thing tilted its head.
“But that's what you are.”
Its smile widened.
“My little moon.”
Elara froze.
Something flashed inside her mind.
Warm hands washing her hair.
A woman humming.
A kiss against her forehead.
Sleep, my little moon.
Elara's breath caught.
“How do you know that?”
Maeve climbed out of the car.
“Elara, come back.”
The thing looked past her.
“Maeve.”
Hatred transformed its face.
Maeve raised both hands.
Blue magic surrounded her fingers.
“Show yourself.”
“I already have.”
“You are not Amara.”
The woman's black eyes returned to Elara.
“Are you sure?”
Elara's heart twisted.
No.
She wasn't.
And that was the problem.
She wanted this to be her mother so badly that common sense was becoming difficult.
The shadows moved closer.
They weren't people.
They weren't animals.
They crawled across the ground like living darkness.
Kael jumped from the second vehicle.
“Elara!”
The woman hissed.
Her face changed for half a second.
Skin cracked.
Teeth sharpened.
Then Amara's beautiful features returned.
Kael ran toward Elara.
The shadows attacked.
Three rose from the road.
Kael shifted mid-stride.
Bones cracked.
Clothing tore.
His massive gray wolf hit the first creature.
Claws passed through darkness.
The shadow wrapped around his body.
Kael snarled.
“Kael!”
Elara moved toward him.
Maeve caught her.
“Don't touch them!”
Kael rolled across the pavement.
The shadow tightened around his throat.
His legs kicked.
Elara panicked.
“Do something!”
“I can't identify the magic!”
Seraphina appeared beside them.
Her wounds were still healing, but her fangs were fully extended.
“I can.”
Maeve looked at her.
“What?”
“Death magic.”
Maeve went pale.
“Impossible.”
“Apparently not.”
Seraphina grabbed one of the shadows.
Her skin immediately began smoking.
She screamed but didn't release it.
The creature shrieked.
Elara covered her ears.
Seraphina ripped the darkness away from Kael and threw it across the road.
Kael staggered upright.
The shadow reformed.
“That's annoying,” Seraphina muttered.
More shapes emerged.
Five.
Ten.
Twenty.
The fake Amara remained in the center.
Watching.
“Elara.”
Elara looked at her.
“Come to me.”
“No.”
“You wanted your mother.”
“You aren't her.”
“How do you know?”
Elara's chest tightened.
The woman extended her hand.
“I remember your first steps.”
Elara shook her head.
“Your first word was moon.”
“Stop.”
“You were afraid of thunderstorms.”
“Stop.”
“You slept between your father and me whenever they came.”
Tears rolled down Elara's cheeks.
“STOP!”
Power exploded from her.
A golden shock wave ripped across the road.
Every shadow vanished.
Silence.
Elara stared at her hands.
Golden light danced across her fingertips.
Maeve whispered, “Oh, Goddess.”
The fake Amara wasn't smiling anymore.
For the first time, she looked afraid.
Elara wiped her tears.
“You picked the wrong face.”
The creature snarled.
Its illusion flickered.
Amara.
Something skeletal.
Amara again.
Then a faceless woman.
“What are you?”
Elara demanded.
The creature backed away.
“Elara,” Maeve warned. “Don't chase it.”
She wasn't going to.
Then it whispered,
“Your mother screamed your name when they took her.”
Elara's restraint snapped.
She lunged.
The creature smiled.
A trap.
The road disappeared beneath Elara's feet.
She fell.
“Elara!”
Darkness swallowed her.
---
She hit stone.
Hard.
Pain shot through her shoulder.
Elara groaned.
“Elara!”
Kael's voice sounded distant.
Above her, the road had vanished.
There was no hole.
No opening.
Nothing.
She was somewhere else.
“Elara!”
She pushed herself upright.
“Kael?”
No answer.
Darkness surrounded her.
She reached for her phone.
No signal.
Of course.
“Perfect.”
A torch ignited on the wall.
Then another.
Then another.
One by one, flames illuminated a stone corridor.
Elara stood slowly.
“This isn't creepy at all.”
A laugh echoed through the passage.
Male.
Elara froze.
Silver eyes flashed in her memory.
The face inside the smoke.
I found you.
“Malachi?”
Silence.
Then—
“Not yet.”
The voice came from everywhere.
Elara's pulse raced.
“Who are you?”
“You know.”
“No, actually, that's becoming a major problem in my life.”
A soft laugh.
“You have your mother's mouth.”
Elara's fear became anger.
“You knew her?”
“I knew Amara better than anyone.”
“Where is she?”
“Alive.”
One word.
Elara stopped breathing.
“Prove it.”
“Soon.”
“No. Now.”
The voice chuckled.
“You truly are hers.”
Elara looked around.
“Show yourself.”
“No.”
“Coward.”
Silence.
Then suddenly something stood behind her.
Elara spun.
Nothing.
The voice whispered against her ear.
“Careful, little queen.”
She jumped back.
Her heart pounded.
“Don't call me that.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm not a queen.”
The torches flickered.
Every flame turned black.
“You will be.”
Elara swallowed.
“Who are you?”
“Someone who has waited a very long time to meet you.”
“Malachi?”
The darkness seemed to breathe.
Then the voice answered.
“Malachi is sleeping.”
Elara frowned.
“I was told he's awake.”
“He is waking.”
“What's the difference?”
“The difference between hearing thunder and standing inside the storm.”
That wasn't comforting.
“Why does he want me?”
“You already know.”
“No, I know everyone else's version.”
Silence.
Elara continued.
“Darius says Malachi wants to destroy free will.”
“Darius Blackthorne.”
The voice became amused.
“A loyal little liar.”
“You know him?”
“I know everyone surrounding you.”
Cold traveled down Elara's spine.
“Maeve?”
“Yes.”
“Kael?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
“Lucien?”
The torches flared.
Interesting.
Elara noticed.
“You don't like him.”
“I don't fear vampires.”
“I didn't say fear.”
Silence.
She had hit something.
“Why is Lucien connected to me?”
“No.”
Elara frowned.
“No?”
“Some truths are not mine to give.”
“That's incredibly irritating.”
“I know.”
She sighed.
“What do you want?”
“To give you a warning.”
“About?”
“Your mother.”
Elara's chest tightened.
“You said she's alive.”
“She is.”
“Where?”
“Hidden.”
“From who?”
“Everyone.”
“Why?”
The voice became quiet.
“Because Amara discovered who betrayed your father.”
Elara's heart slammed.
“Who?”
No answer.
“Who betrayed him?”
The darkness shifted.
“Someone you love.”
Elara froze.
“I was four.”
“Love does not always begin with memory.”
Her stomach twisted.
“Maeve?”
Silence.
“Darius?”
Nothing.
“Who?”
The voice laughed softly.
“I told you. That truth isn't mine.”
“Then you're useless.”
A low chuckle echoed.
“I see why the vampire likes you.”
Elara's head snapped up.
“Lucien doesn't like me.”
“He crossed three territories because he felt you awaken.”
“That doesn't mean anything.”
“Doesn't it?”
Elara ignored the strange flutter in her chest.
“What is an Eclipse Bond?”
The darkness became completely still.
Even the torches stopped moving.
Finally.
A reaction.
“You heard that name.”
“Maeve mentioned it.”
“She should not have.”
“Why?”
“Because if she understands what is forming between you and Lucien Draven, she understands what happens next.”
Elara swallowed.
“What happens next?”
A sound came from behind her.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Elara turned.
A figure appeared at the end of the corridor.
Tall.
Male.
Face hidden beneath a hood.
“Your first mate awakened your blood.”
The figure moved closer.
“Your second will awaken something far more dangerous.”
Elara's heart stopped.
“Second?”
The figure stopped.
“Kael Blackthorne was chosen by the moon.”
Another step.
“Lucien Draven was chosen by blood.”
Elara shook her head.
“I don't want another mate.”
“What you want has never mattered to destiny.”
Her anger flared.
“Then destiny can go to hell.”
The figure laughed.
“Excellent.”
Elara frowned.
“That was not the reaction I expected.”
“Perhaps that's why you might survive.”
He lifted one hand.
A doorway appeared in the stone wall.
Moonlight shone through it.
“Go.”
Elara didn't move.
“You kidnapped me to tell me almost nothing?”
“I brought you here to keep you alive.”
“From what?”
His head tilted.
“Look behind you.”
Elara slowly turned.
Words had appeared across the wall.
Written in blood.
THE REJECTED BOND MUST NOT BE COMPLETED.
Her stomach dropped.
“What does that mean?”
No answer.
Elara spun back.
The hooded figure was gone.
“Hey!”
Nothing.
“Why can't I accept Kael's rejection?”
Silence.
“ANSWER ME!”
The corridor shook.
The doorway began closing.
Elara ran.
She dove through it.
---
Strong arms caught her.
Elara screamed and swung.
“Elara!”
Lucien.
She froze.
He held her against his chest.
They were back on the road.
Maeve was crying.
Lyra had arrived somehow and was standing beside the vehicles.
Seraphina looked furious.
Kael was bleeding from several cuts.
And Lucien—
Lucien was staring at Elara like he'd just gotten something back that he thought he'd lost.
The strange connection between them exploded.
Elara gasped.
Lucien's arms tightened instinctively.
His eyes turned crimson.
“Where were you?”
“I don't know.”
Kael rushed toward them.
“Elara.”
Lucien released her immediately when she stepped away.
Kael stopped in front of her.
His hands hovered, clearly wanting to touch her.
He didn't.
“Are you hurt?”
“My shoulder.”
Maeve rushed forward.
“What happened?”
Elara looked at Kael.
Then remembered the bloody message.
THE REJECTED BOND MUST NOT BE COMPLETED.
Her stomach twisted.
“Someone spoke to me.”
“Who?” Lucien asked.
“I don't know.”
“What did they say?” Maeve demanded.
Elara hesitated.
She was tired of secrets.
She refused to start keeping them herself.
“They said my mother is alive.”
Maeve's eyes widened.
“They said someone I love betrayed my father.”
Darius wasn't there.
Lyra looked confused.
Kael's expression hardened.
“And?”
Elara looked directly at him.
“They said I can't accept your rejection.”
Kael stopped breathing.
Lucien's face changed.
Maeve whispered, “No.”
Elara turned.
“You know why.”
Maeve shook her head.
“No.”
“Maeve.”
“I swear, I don't.”
Lucien stepped closer.
“I might.”
Everyone looked at him.
Elara's heart began pounding.
“What?”
Lucien stared at her.
“There's an ancient vampire text about severed wolf bonds.”
Maeve frowned.
“Why would vampires study wolf mating?”
“Because one specific rejection supposedly caused the Crimson War.”
Silence.
Elara's skin went cold.
Lucien continued.
“The text claims that if an Eclipse-Born carries two active fate bonds at once, completing either one incorrectly can kill one of the bonded males.”
Elara stared at him.
Kael went pale.
She whispered, “One of you could die?”
Lucien's expression was grim.
“Possibly.”
Elara swallowed.
“And if I don't complete either bond?”
Lucien hesitated.
“That is the part I need to verify.”
“Tell me what you remember.”
His eyes met hers.
“If both bonds remain active when the next blood moon rises…”
He paused.
“…the Eclipse-Born dies instead.”
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