The vision broke apart and I opened my eyes back in the barn. Jonathan was sleeping in the hay beside me, snoring softly.

Doran leaned over me. “Rylee, what did you learn?”

A chill of déjà vu slid over me and I shook it off. Planning wasn’t going to work, and maybe I’d already known that. “The only thing I need is one supernatural from each species at my side for the final ceremony.” I ticked them off. “Doran, for the fanged. Ophelia, for the winged. Jonathan, for the psychics, Liam, for the furred, Lark, for the blooded, and Louisa, for the magicked.” I had to pray Lark would get here in time to play her part.

Doran gave me a look, raising his eyebrows. “And the demons? They need a blade on you too, don’t they?”

I swallowed hard and looked at my stomach, the wound still seeping. “Deanna already did it.” Understanding hit me. She knew. She’d known a demon needed to cut me, and how else could that happen, safely? I closed my eyes for a moment and silently thanked her.

She’d given her life for mine. “Everyone get to the fucking ceremonial slab. That’s the job, got it? Get there and stay alive.”

Around me, they nodded. Liam crouched beside me and the world faded except for his eyes, blue rimmed in silvery gold. “Are you sure you don’t want to plan this?”

I touched his face, leaned in, and kissed him softly. “Absolutely certain.”

My instinct was to get up high on Ophelia and see what the fuck was going on.

I am here. The demons are massing, Rylee. This battle is going to push us all to our limits.

I had no fucking doubt about that. Standing, I looked over my head. I needed to get to the ceiling and then from there onto the roof so Ophelia could pick me up. Liam wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me onto his back as if I were a child. “I see what you’re up to. Let me help.”

He climbed the beams that took us into the rafters. A few seconds alone, that was all we were going to get.

“I love you, Liam,” I said softly, placing a kiss against the back of his neck. “With all I am.”

“I know, Rylee.”

“And I love Faris a little, too.”

He grunted. “Yeah, I know that, too.”

“And maybe even Doran a little.”

From below us, Doran whooped. “I knew I’d win you over!”

I tried not to cringe, knowing that Berget also loved Doran. “I said only a little,” I shouted down at him.

“I’ll take it,” he shouted back.

Underneath me, Liam chuckled. “Your heart is big enough to hold us all in it, within different capacities, Rylee. I understand that. But I also know I am your mate; no matter what happens, we will be together.”

I pressed my face against his back and breathed him in. “I don’t want to do this without saying what I have to say.”

We were under the trap door that led onto the roof. He pulled me around and into his arms. “Then say it, beautiful, and then let’s kick demon ass.”

I laughed despite the pain in my guts. I pressed my hands to either side of his face, no longer seeing Faris, but only seeing Liam and his soul shining through his eyes.

“No matter what happens, no matter how this plays out, I want you to know I wouldn’t have lived this last year any other way.”

His eyes searched mine and peace flowed through them. “Neither would I.” He cleared his voice and Faris spoke softly. “Neither would I, Rylee.”

I reached around his neck and pulled him tightly to me. “Bite me, Faris.”

“That’s rather rude.”

“No, I mean it, bite me. Invoke the bite when, if, I yell for it.” An insurance policy. In case things went sideways.

Who was I kidding? They’d be sideways two minutes into the battle, knowing my luck.

Outside the barn came a booming bellow that could be only one person.

Orion.

“Rylee, Tracker, Slayer, Blood of the Lost. Are you coming out to play? Or should I send my demons in to fetch you?”

Faris bit my neck, taking only a few mouthfuls. I let the pleasure wash through me; a reminder that life could be good and was worth fighting for to the very last breath.

He pulled back. “Go get him, Rylee.”

One last kiss, a fleeting touch of our lips. I wasn’t sure if it was Liam or Faris, and in that moment, it didn’t matter. I loved them both. Just differently, like Liam said.

Liam gave me a boost, his hands tight on my ass as he lifted me over his head and out the trap door. The last of the sun caught his fingers, but he didn’t jerk back. Only waited for me to scramble onto the roof on my own.

I didn’t look back as I strode up the sloped roof, heading for the peak. At the top, I straddled the two sides and looked across my farm.

Or, should I say what was left of my farm? As far as I could see, which on the prairie is a long fucking way, was black with demons. Millions and millions of demons. As if we were in the center of a fucking anthill and we’d stirred up the nest by tossing rocks into it. I looked down at the base of the barn and the two shamans holding the circle of protection.

“Louisa, how you doing?”

“Rylee, we can’t hold this much longer.” The fatigue in her voice was no surprise.

Orion stood near the ceremonial slab and in his arms was a tiny, dark haired little girl.

My blood ran cold and my heart went into overdrive. He held her up over his head. “I believe this is the prize you want. Yes or no?”