Midnight Moonrising (Moonrising #2)(59)

Phoenix clucked his tongue against his teeth as he stared down at Roel. "And Mena will never be able to get out of her own head again if she doesn't say it? That is what you're telling me, right?"

Roel nodded. "It's called the Moonrising."

"I suppose it's pretty common since there is a title for it," Phoenix said.

"I've never heard of it happening to an Alpha before. It's not typical for someone to get bitten and then immediately challenge and defeat an Alpha wolf, Phoenix. I don't want to even imagine what it will be like if Mena can't say that name in time. Vampires aren't our only enemy. We hunt down and kill Moonrising wolves, too. Once they get full control, they go crazy, turning people and wreaking havoc everywhere they go. This war you and Mena are trying to end will be just the beginning if we fail her."

Phoenix's brow rose as he pressed his lips together. "I guess we need to figure out that name then, because hurting Mena at all is not an option."

"We won't have a choice, Phoenix!" Roel snapped. "I don't like this anymore than you do, but a Moonrising Alpha could and would end humanity."

Phoenix sat in a chair across the Persian rug from Roel and let his gaze fall to look at the glass tumbler in his hand. "There is a small detail about the spell I didn't share with you. Only Jaxon knows, but he knew I would never let anything happen to Mena, and he trusts my judgment on most things, so he went along with it. Plus, he saw it as a way to keep his own self safe."

Roel stiffened. "What small detail did you lack to inform us of?"

"It was only to ensure Mena stays completely safe," Phoenix stressed, "that she would have the five of us protect her with our lives, no matter what. Rhodes is excluded, of course, because he isn't immortal—yet. He will only be affected a fraction of what we endure. I was going to inform everyone tonight, including Mena. Her wolf has been threatening to kill me—"

Roel slowly stood from his chair and glared down at Phoenix. "What did you do?"

Phoenix shrugged. "Mena's blood was on the towel Lea cleaned her wound with after she was bitten. It was added to Meridia's spell, and now we are all linked together. If something happens to one of us, it happens to all of us."

"You had the witches put a nexus spell on us because you were afraid the wolf would kill you?" Roel asked in disbelief.

Phoenix leaned forward, letting his elbows rest on his knees as he looked up at Roel. "No, Mena made me promise that I would kill her if the wolf ever attempted to kill me. I had to find a way to keep the wolf from ever trying."

"So, if Mena dies…"

Phoenix nodded. "We all die."

Roel's shoulders slumped as he stared at the stupidest person he had ever met in his entire life. "I'm not even going to ask if you're joking, because I can see by the dumb look on your face that you aren't. Is it reversible?"

The High Vampire pursed his lips and slowly shook his head. "That was one thing Meridia warned me about before she did it. We're immortal, Roel. How was I supposed to know something like this would happen?"

"Maybe it would have been a good idea to ask one of us werewolves to explain a little about the way we are before you go linking us all together, *!" Roel shouted, and then slapped the glass tumbler out of Phoenix's hand. He'd hoped that would have outraged the vampire enough to make him hit him, because he really, really wanted to hit him back. Unfortunately, Phoenix didn't even stand up. Roel took a step back and turned toward the door, so he could possibly think clearly again. "What else will this affect? Is it just if one of us dies that we all die or—"

"Anything that any of us experience will affect all of us in some way."

"So I can't kick your ass without feeling every blow I deliver?"

"That's right," Phoenix replied, "and when you get laid, we'll all know about that, too."

Roel gave a short, derisive laugh. "You did this so you would know when the wolf is f*cking Rhodes, didn't you?"

"Actually, that's not something I care to be aware about at all, Roel. I know it will happen; the wolf is adamant about making him hers. Agreeing to that was the only way Mena and I could be together."


"But you thought, if there was no way she could kill you without killing herself that you would get Mena all to yourself."

"The thought did cross my mind."

"You are so selfish—"

"Tell me what you would have done differently!" Phoenix demanded.

"As a werewolf, I damn sure wouldn't have a vampire as my girlfriend! If she even nips your lip while kissing you, we're all as good as dead. You aren't going to have to worry about the wolf keeping you from her; there's no way Mena's pack is going to let you get anywhere near her from now on, and the only reason I'm not kicking your ass is because it would hurt her!"

"A bite won't hurt me if she isn't at least half shifted, Roel; you know that, and as soon as that bitch wolf knows that, you know she will be extra careful where she puts her canines. Nobody is going to keep me from her; you'd be dumb to try it."

"What are you going to do, kill me? We've already established how that's all going to end for the six of us involved—"