William Read online

  Swallowing against the lump in her throat, she shook her head.

  “Yes, you can,” he argued.

  Again Poppy shook her head. “I’m a necromancer, I raise the dead by contacting their spirits and bringing them back to their bodies. I don’t bring the dead back to life.” She held her hands up, trying to reason with him.

  “But you could do it.”

  “No, I can’t.”

  “I’m begging you.”

  “I can’t do it. She would last a few days but then she would start to decay, William. My power is to raise the dead for a few minutes, a couple of hours at the most. What you are asking is for me to abuse my power.”

  The corpse would decay and the soul that was left would turn to nothing more than a zombie, craving human flesh. It would be ugly and dangerous. The longer a dead spirit stayed within the body, the harder it was to extract it and send it to the afterlife.

  “But she’s walking around there, alone and lost.” Tears dripped from his eyes, falling onto Katie.

  “Come on, Brother.” Robert approached him.

  Poppy wanted to help. She connected with her spirit self. If nothing else, maybe she could get Katie to give William a final message. Anything to help him in this time of torturous need.

  Her spirit self searched for the missing link. If Katie was walking around, waiting to deliver a message, she would be able to find her.

  But Katie was nowhere to be found.

  Poppy opened her eyes and moved to William’s side, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Katie has moved on. She is not waiting or alone. She has been embraced by the afterlife and taken into their love.”

  A crossed-over spirit was even harder to bring into a body.

  “William, she deserves to be buried with respect. We’ll take the body and lay her to rest like a mate.” Adam pressed his hand on top of Poppy’s to show his support.

  “A mate? We didn’t even get time to finish the ceremony.”

  William looked up, not seeing the people with the concerned faces, with the love and upset shining out of their eyes.

  He looked past them, feeling only the dead weight in his arms.

  Katie would have made a wonderful mate.

  This was all James’ fault. His thirst for greed, power and position had killed William’s mate. He closed his eyes and saw visions of Katie in his world. In his arms, smiling, laughing and being the woman with attitude whom he’d come to love.

  Katie had been taken away from him and he knew what he had to do.

  Getting to his knees, he braced himself, taking Katie in his arms. He would put his woman to rest, then he would avenge her death and hopefully afterwards he would join her.

  If she couldn’t be with him here and now, then he would be with her wherever the hell she was.

  Ignoring his family, he walked out of the door, resigned to his fate.

  After tonight, he was going after James.

  James was going to die.

  Chapter Eleven

  Everything was so wonderfully crisp and white. Fresh, light and wonderful. Katie opened her eyes and gazed at the fluffiest clouds imaginable. Sighing, in pure heaven, she stretched, feeling the burn as untried muscles protested slightly.

  She giggled.

  “William?” she called. But there was no reply.

  Sitting up, Katie frowned. The room was decorated in the purest of whites. A single mirror lay frozen across from her. Katie noted her pale complexion. Her amber hair had flowers dotted through it.

  Katie spun and saw an angel.

  She was sitting on a window ledge with her legs crossed. Her blonde hair lay in waves down her back, all the way to the floor. Her eyes were clear blue and her voice musical.

  “Am I in heaven?” Katie asked, glancing around wondering where everyone else was.

  “Well, yes, you are.” The angel turned, putting her feet on the floor and moving towards her. “Well…you are, but at the same time you’re not. Wow. It still amazes me how languages don’t make sense in this realm.” Shaking her head, she moved closer until she was only a foot away.

  “Where am I?”

  “I’m Tara,” the angel said, giving Katie her hand.

  Katie looked at the hand being presented to her. Taking it, she gave it a quick shake.

  “Huh, human protocol. Interesting.”

  “I’m Katie.”

  Tara laughed. “I know silly. I mean, I am an angel.” She pointed at the halo and the wings.

  “Okay, I’m confused. Where am I?”

  “Well, you’re in heaven but you’re in the Seeing Room. Here, come and see.” Tara took her arm and led her over to the mirror.

  The mirror lay blank, showing nothing.

  “I don’t get it,” Katie said.

  “Really? In your time down there you seemed pretty intelligent to me,” Tara accused, folding her arms. “Oh, for God’s sake.”

  “You know, for an angel you take the big guy’s name in vain a lot.”

  “The ‘big guy’ is older than life itself. The use of using his name in curses means as little to him as…Pluto suddenly being called a moon instead of a planet.”

  Katie held up her hands.

  “What you are seeing is a window into the other life. Katie’s last moments of life. Your last moments,” Tara said.

  The battle she had just had with Emma came flooding back to her, along with the pain in her chest. Katie placed a hand over her heart.

  “Ah, it’s starting to grow. Move your gown aside and check.”

  Katie really wasn’t keeping up with the flow of conversation, but she moved her gown aside anyway. A tiny tree was tattooed on her chest.

  “What is it?”

  “The sacrificial tree of life. Sort of Adam and Eve’s theme. Whoever wears that tattoo carries the symbol of a great warrior who has sacrificed herself in battle. She represents a chance for the world to start again and run smoothly.”

  The last moments of the battle started to play in the seeing window, freezing as the image of Katie turned to William.

  “You defeating Emma restored balance between the good—being you—and the bad—being Emma. The death of two sides.”

  “Where is Emma?”

  “Rotting in hell, burning for all the sins she committed. Even Lucifer doesn’t like people messing up the balance.”

  “I don’t understand what’s going on.”

  “I’ll tell you, but no interruptions.”

  Katie nodded.

  “My job, as one of the All-Seeing Angels, is to watch over the immortal races. I’ve been paying attention to the Valentines, as they play an important part in the coming battles and wars of the twenty-first century. To put it simply, they will decide the outcome of this battle between good and evil. I know it’s a cliché, but still, it seems that no matter what, every few hundred years or so, some party tries to ruin the balance set out by the gods and so a war happens, wiping out and destroying equal numbers on both sides. With me so far?”

  Katie nodded.

  “Excellent. William Valentine holds a key role in this fight, as do you.”

  “But I’m dead.” Should she feel a little freaked by that?

  “Exactly. You’ve messed with my plan. Well, not you specifically—that little glitch can be found with Emma who is now in hell and probably surrounded by lots of fire. I need you back on Earth.”

  “Why?”

  “Wow. You really need it spelling out for you. William is useless without you—in fact he is set on a path that will likely kill him and the rest of the Valentine crew, knocking out the balance, screwing up the existence of every immortal on the planet.”

  “They’re immortals, how bad could it be?”

  “Okay, the reason there is a balance is because the planet can only sustain so much life force at one given time. It must balance to keep things working sustainably. You’ve heard of global warming, the economic crashes and breakdowns? It’s all building to this battle.”

/>   “What have I got to do with William?”

  Tara huffed. “Show William,” she commanded the mirror.

  Katie looked into the glass at the moment that her image fell into his arms. She saw the pain and sorrow. The begging and pleading as he asked for her to be returned to him.

  Katie moved closer as the scene before her changed. Her body lay in a white coffin. He stood stroking her hair back from her head. She heard the faint whispers of his voice as he spoke to her empty body.

  “It’s all because of him. After tonight, I’ll join you, sweet cheeks. Wherever you are, I’ll be with you.”

  Katie felt tears well and fall. He sounded so calm and serious as he leant down, kissed her cold lips and left.

  “What does it mean?” she asked the angel.

  “William is about to go and kill James. He believes it’s all the wolves’ fault.”

  “Why can’t he kill him?”

  “It is not James’ time. You don’t get it—things need to happen, revelations and justice must be served, but not like this. William Valentine will die tonight if you don’t save him.”

  “I’m dead, how can I help?” Katie was panicking. Her chest hurt when she thought of William dying. She could cope with the thought of him moving on without her, living his life with happiness and love, but not with this.

  She’d never wanted this.

  “I need you to clip your wings and agree to go back into your body.”

  “I can’t do that. My body is dying.”

  “You are William Valentine’s destined soul mate. You can be reborn back into your own body, but it’ll hurt like hell…and there’ll be a catch,” Tara informed her.

  “What kind of catch?”

  “You’ll be linked to William and you’ll contain all the magic you released from Emma. You’ll have to control it. It’ll be dangerous. The other catch is that as William’s life mate and link, the connection between you will be stronger than ever.”

  “Meaning?”

  “When he dies, you’ll die.”

  “What about if I die?”

  “The magic inside you will bring you back. It will all depend on William. That is the catch.”

  “Why do I get the sense that you’re breaking every single rule in the book to do this?”

  “Because I am.”

  “Why?”

  “Humans, with all their whys. Because saving the planet and the human race is more important than protocol and rules. Sometimes, in order to make things work, stuff needs to get broken. Also, in a few months or probably a few weeks, I’m going to need your help, without question.”

  “Okay…” Katie didn’t like the sound of that, but she was prepared to work with it to get William safe.

  “Is this a deal?”

  Katie looked at William, at the determination on his face. He wouldn’t abandon her and she had no intention of doing it to him.

  “Deal.”

  “We’ve got to work quickly. The preparation for your funeral took place last night. You’ve already been dead for twenty-four hours.” Tara moved around the room with speed. Katie watched, wondering what the hell was about to happen to her.

  “You ready?” Tara asked her as she pressed a sharp blade into her hands.

  “For what?”

  “I need you to cut your wings and then hold my hand.”

  Katie gazed at the shining blade.

  “Will this hurt?”

  Tara hesitated. “Yeah, it will.”

  Katie shook her head, turning her eyes to William. She began her task.

  They stood at her coffin. Sophie was in the room. Katie saw the tears seeping from her eyes. Robert was standing by her side. She flinched away from his touch.

  “Can they see us?” Katie asked Tara.

  “No.”

  “Let’s get this show on the road.”

  “Are you sure you want to do this with them watching?”

  “Yeah. I always wanted to come back from the dead.” Katie watched Sophie step away from her mate. She saw the agony on Robert’s face, the guilt, and she knew in her heart that it wasn’t right. “What do you need me to do?”

  “Lie on your own body and match everything up—fingers, toes, everything.”

  Katie moved up onto the table, settling herself inside the cold weight.

  “What next?”

  “Embrace everything about to happen and close your eyes.”

  “Why am I closing my eyes?”

  “It’s easier if you don’t tense up and if you think of William.”

  Katie closed her eyes and imagined William. The man she was returning to. The one she loved with her whole heart.

  She screamed. Tara had pierced her heart with a ceremonial gold blade encrusted with diamonds, and was dipping her fingers into the blood and chanting. She couldn’t hear the words. Katie was being pulled. She felt the thrust of magic consume her and agonising pain as her blood drained into the dead body below her.

  Her body, soul and mind were reuniting, becoming as one.

  “I’m so sorry Sophie,” Robert apologised again.

  Sophie shook her head. “You should have gone after her when you had the chance. The council…everything else could have waited and now the one person I asked you to keep safe is dead.” Sophie was breaking up inside.

  She looked at the corpse of her dead friend, knowing she had failed her.

  “What is that?” Sophie asked, moving closer. A red blood stain was appearing over where her friend’s heart was.

  Robert stepped forward as well, inspecting the mark.

  They both jumped back as Katie lunged forward and screamed, inhaling the deepest breath she’d ever taken.

  She panted for several seconds, seeing the vision of Tara motioning her on. “William—where is he?” she asked the two people she had scared. At any other time she might have found it funny.

  “You’re alive?” Sophie rushed to embrace her.

  Katie hugged her friend, clambering out of the coffin and jumping off the table.

  “Where’s William?” she asked again, holding onto the table, feeling a little unsteady on her feet.

  “He’s in his room.”

  “No, he’s not. Where would James go?”

  “William wouldn’t dream of going after James.”

  “Yes, he would.”

  Robert looked at Katie and she knew he saw the determination in her eyes, her knowledge of William.

  “James will still be at the old mansion picking up the pieces.”

  “Thank you.”

  Katie didn’t waste any more time. She ran out of the basement and headed for the door. She heard someone yell, ‘Dead witch walking’ before she opened the door and sensed her mate’s anguish.

  Taking a deep breath, she knew he was already fighting James. She could feel and sense his pain; his anger and his raw need to be with her.

  Closing her eyes, she opened the portal to her magic. Running or driving would be useless, but teleporting would be faster.

  She recalled the spell sent down the generations, chanted the few words and disappeared along an invisible path to rescue her mate.

  Chapter Twelve

  “You knew if you stayed here I’d come back for you.” William had entered the ruined mansion seconds ago. James stood amongst his pack looking calm and relaxed.

  “Actually, I figured you’d still be paying respect to the dead witch,” James said, stopping one of his wolves from lunging for William. “Or are you intending to join her?”

  “I’m taking you with me,” William announced.

  “Just so you know, Emma fooled me as well. I thought Katie was meant for me and my pack but the prophecy didn’t say anything about a witch. I was too impatient. I didn’t want Katie—Emma did.”

  James was trying to soothe him. William was not in the mood to be soothed.

  “If it wasn’t for you, Katie would still be with me. When you realised what Emma had done you could have sent her back t
o me. You didn’t. Now you’ll pay the price.” William removed his shirt.

  James started laughing. “What are you—”

  James was cut off as William went at him, taking him down in a heap. The wolves around them turned, circling their master, waiting for the opportunity to take the vampire out.

  William didn’t care. He wanted this wolf’s head.

  He kept Katie in his mind. Thinking about her kept her real to him. He was doing this for her.

  William struck first, pummelling James’s face with his fist. James reared back, instantly bloody.

  William kept hitting the beast until James lunged, his teeth piercing the skin, the deadly strike of animal’s canines going through the flesh to the bone.

  The death strike, between wolf and vampire.

  William howled in pain but nothing more. He knew he would die soon anyway and the attack had put James at a bad angle.

  He sank his teeth into the wolf’s neck, tasting his blood.

  What the fuck?

  James wasn’t Alpha. James was a fucking half-breed.

  Before William could understand what he’d found out, the wolves around them growled, ready to lunge.

  “Quiet!” The yell echoed through the hall.

  He knew that voice. Moving away from James, he got to his feet and turned to see Katie standing in the doorway.

  “You’re dead,” he said.

  “Well, I love you too, sweetheart.”

  James cursed, obviously knowing his secret had just been discovered. He staggered to his feet, retreat the only thing on his mind.

  “This isn’t over Valentine,” he growled, moving away and towards the door.

  William scarcely noticed James running away. He only had eyes for Katie.

  “Have I died and gone to heaven?” he asked, walking over the smashed glass to her.

  Katie snorted. “That is such a bad line.”

  “Forgive me, but wherever you are, it feels like heaven.” He stopped before her and just stood there, looking at her.

  Katie smiled at him, taking his hand in her own and pressing it against her cheek. “I’m here and alive.”

  He moved to surround her with his arms. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of him against her. He smelt so good. She never wanted to leave the comfort of his embrace.