Page 181 of Commanding Blood And Bonds

I blinked furiously, heart pounding as I tried to find her in the now-dark basement.

Panic surged—but only for a breath.

Then I heard her voice. “Fuck.”

She was slumped against the far brick wall, rubbing the back of her head. Relief flooded my lungs.

Then the visions took her.

White-blue flames. Hands outstretched. A scream as magic was ripped out of her and the portal closed.

An Irish pub—engulfed in flames just before it exploded.

Weeping women. Dozens of them.

A golden theater, full of smoke and screaming, the curtains ablaze.

The raven-haired and blonde witches, clinging to each other—both of them bloodied.

Aren, sun-kissed and beautiful, crying as he met Ally’s eyes.

“When?” I asked.

“Now,” she breathed. Her horrified gaze snapped to mine. “It happens now. Minutes at best.” She fumbled for her phone, then cursed. “No bars down here.”

“Go. Warn them.” I yanked her to her feet and glanced over my shoulder at the pulsing portal. “Quickly, though. I don’t think this is over.”

She nodded, already typing, already moving.

An inhuman chorus of screams echoed from the chasm.

I drew the last of my blades and turned to face it, wishing more than anything I had my armor—and a goddamn bow.

A great horn sounded. My stomach dropped and every inch of my skin pebbled with gooseflesh.

Alvara

At some point, you have to admit when you’re at the end of your rope.

I’d warned as many allies as I could before August was overrun by sheer numbers. Then I returned to his side—back where I belonged—to fight with my mate.

Hours. Endless hours.

We held the line. Just the two of us.

As it had always been. Me and August against the world.

No matter which ally I called for, all were occupied—or about to be.

Was this how it ended?

The portals would stay open, and from them a ceaseless torrent of demons would pour. We’d be trapped fighting at the gates forever. An eternal stand. A slow bleed into exhaustion.

Eventually, someone would slip. A hand would falter, a ward would fail, and these monsters would tear through to humanity.

Battlefield calm had long taken over. My movements flowed smoother, more precise. Every slash and flare of magic perfectly choreographed. Our rhythm held the tide—for now.

How many of them were there? Portals, just hemorrhaging enemies into our realm.