Devils Roses 05 - Death

easily."
    Ophelia speaks up. "He'll come for me. I know he will. He's inside my head still."
    Oliver looks like he's about to say something but gets cut off by Lorri. "This could work. We can't free Henry, we just can't. But if he could free the witch's spirits, wouldn’t they move on and leave their magic behind? Then O can take the magic and her and Trist can go together and kill their mother. Then me and Aimee have a date with destiny. Henry wouldn’t have to know what was going on. Speaking of which, O you stay away from Marcus's house. Henry can read your mind."
    I gulp and Ophelia nods, looking angry.
    Lorri's eyes are on fire when she looks at me and snap her fingers. "Make it happen." She speaks and is gone. No doubt to Japan. She has Roses on every continent. Asia is a very intense section. It's where she spends the majority of her time.
    I glance at Ophelia who looks nervous and annoyed. I harden my face like normal and nod at her. She swallows hard and nods back. She walks to Hanna and starts to speak in a hushed tone. Hanna and her walk away. Something is up with them.
    I turn and smirk at Ari. "So wanna go see some wolves about a madman?"
    I want nothing like I want the revenge I deserve for my mother's death. Aleks's father is number one on my list of people to suck dry.
    Warmth surrounds me. He is trying to calm me. I don’t turn around.
    Ari's eyes sparkle. She puts a hand in as the wolves put paws in. Ari holds her cell phone up for me to see the picture of where we are going and instantly we are there. The lodge in front of us is grand and more than I ever imagined for a bunch of were's. Wolves and humans walk amongst each other in between huge log homes.
    Heads turn, teeth are bared at first, but when they see Ben and Luke they're running and crying out. Wolves nuzzle and humans embrace. Ari and Aleks and I stand and watch.
    Luke and Ben shift and stand naked amongst their people. I avert my eyes.
    "Yeah, they have zero issue with nudity." I can hear Aleks laughing. I glance at him and he gives me his crooked grin. I raise an eyebrow.
    "Kids," I mutter, still annoyed with him.
    He rolls his eyes. "Wanna go meet the alpha?" He asks and takes my hand. I take Ari's and try to ignore the sparkle that happens whenever we touch palm to palm. I keep my eyes down and let Aleks lead me.
    The noise of the crowd is incredible. I wonder if any of them remember Ben's death? I squeeze Ari's hand. She hasn’t been the same since Aleks and Ben came back at the cost of all the children and Sam. None of us have. I know Aleks notices it. It breaks my heart that he knows we all wish Sam hadn’t died. Not that anyone wishes he and Ben had. It's just a confusing pile of shit, as always. Nothing is simple for us. Not even walking through a wolf village.
    A loud voice booms across the lawn. "You bring this here Lucas? This angel of death?"
    My face flushes. I glance up at a huge man standing in front of me. He and Aleks are the same size, massive. Aleks stands in front of me.
    The man is older, forties maybe. He has salt and pepper cresting his brow and sideburns. He looks pissed. No one is ever happy to see me.
    Lucas and Ben come running over pulling on sweat pants. "She's with us. Look at her hand."
    The man's eyes dart to the ring on my finger. I finger it nervously. It's my thing.
    His bright blue-green eyes watch me.
    "You're a Rose?" He says it as if it should be impossible.
    I nod.
    Aleks moves to be more in front of me. His rigidity is making me nervous. I get hungry when I get nervous.
    He glances at Aleks with disgust. "She is your mate?"
    Aleks laughs and looks back at me. "Yeah."
    I frown. "What?"
    Lucas grins and looks at me. "Let's just go inside."
    I notice some of the women eyeballing me and then getting lost in Aleks. They start playing with their hair and batting eye lashes the minute he looks around. Apparently jealousy also makes me hungry. Sparks starts flashing at my fingertips as I snap my fingers, surveying the homes.
    "Aimes." I glance at Lucas who is wearing the shittiest grin ever. I follow them inside.
    I have no idea what to expect or what's going on.

Chapter Four

    Ophelia

    I drag my hand from his. Every step I take I feel the earth shift. I'm tired of him getting pissed at me. I can hear the earth attacking him and trying to separate us. He is sighing and flashing out of the way of the shifting dirt. Anger brings my earth and fire magic. I don’t glance back. Hanna is staying at