The laugh sounded again, and I stared down in horror as the bird lifted off me, landing back down on the floor. Then the sensation of thousands of wings filled the air, hundreds of ravens swooping in. 

I ducked down, covering my head, their caws reverberating through my ears. Eventually, they tapered off. Their black shapes flew into one solid figure, a body forming from their beating wings.

Their feathers turned into a long, pitch black dress that floated out from a tall, slender body. Skin the color of pale moonlight contrasted against the dark dress, and with another swoop of dark wings her face was revealed. I knew instantly she was related to Ronan, even without hearing his words. She had his exact same eyes, a bright bloody red. They were sharp and angled, lifting up to her long, sleek black hair. She barely looked older than me.

Her eyes flickered from me to Ronan. She pursed her lips. "Son."

She said the word in such a cold, detached way I knew their relationship had none of the same meaning that it did to me and my mother.

Ronan moved slowly into the space, cutting a clear path between me and the vampyr. The muscles along his shoulders was coiled tight. 

"What do you want, Hekate?" he snarled.

His mother pursed her rosebud lips, and tilted her rounded face. To anyone, she would have been the picture of innocence—had it not been for the emptiness in her eyes. She gave him a wicked smile, revealing her pointed fangs.

"You know what I want, son."

Ronan laughed coldly. "Well you are going to have to go back to your master empty handed, yet again. You know you can't beat me." Ronan looked down as if to inspect his hands, and a flicker of flame traveled across his fingers, a silent threat.

Hekate smiled, though it was closer to a sneer. "Perhaps, but I don't think I will be going back without anything." Her eyes drifted from Ronan over to me. 

I stepped backwards, my eyes darting side to side. I could still feel a brush of wind at my hands, but it felt weaker all of the sudden. Like the magic was diluted. Darkness yawned out on either side of me. I wasn't sure which way I had been coming from or heading towards.

"Pretty little human you have there, son." Her voice had turned sickly sweet. "I see you have taken quite a liking to her. I was so surprised at the spectacle I saw last night."

Ronan let out a low bone-chilling hiss. "You stay away from her."

Hekate prowled forward, each step measured and precise, the sway of her hips bespeaking a predatory confidence. "I was hoping you might say that. Oh, you young child. You think you have seduced her, but it is the other way around. You wouldn't be the first faerie to fall for the allure of a human. Mab herself was ruined because of it. Love." She sneered at the word. 

"You are just like your father. I never would've guessed. It's disappointing, I was really starting to think I would never find your weakness."

Ronan was silent, but even though I couldn't see his face, I knew his expression must have been venomous. Hekate smiled wider.

Her head snapped around quickly, focusing her red eyes back on me. In a blink, she was in front of me. She tilted her head, looking at me closely. I sucked in a deep breath. Her fragrance prickled at my nose, a mixture of roses and decay. Her eyes were lit with a small part curiosity, but mostly contempt. She reached out to touch me with one black-tipped clawed finger, and I stumbled back.

Just as quickly as she appeared, I felt a warm presence come up behind me. Ronan's arms coiled around my body, pulling me close to him. I felt his chest rumbling behind me, a low warning growl.

I flinched, trying to pull myself from him, but he held me tight.

"Touch her and you are dead."

Hekate arched a brow as she watched me try to pry myself from Ronan's arms, lips quirking with mirth. "It doesn't look like she feels the same."

Ronan gripped me tighter, one of his long nails cutting into my shoulder. I cried out and he instantly loosened his grip, though he didn't let go of me.

"That's between us."

Hekate didn't back off, prowling around us. "Ronan, haven't you learned anything? You can't just force the girl by your side." She tutted condescendingly. "That's going to make her want to run even more. Humans want things inaccessible to them, the things lingering just out of their reach. You have to make her come to you. Trust me, I would know." She smirked.

I glared at her. "Quite frankly, I don't want anything to do with either of you."

Hekate's eyes widened, then she laughed. "Oh, a feisty one! No wonder you are having such a hard time trying to control her. Must be a shame, considering the...gifts she has."

Ronan froze behind me. He didn't reply, but a satisfied smile curved Hekate's lips.

I tried to work my elbow into Ronan's stomach, but he quickly shifted his arm, catching my strike easily. However, it created a break in his hold, and I leaped forward. He grabbed both my arms, crossing them as he pulled me back to him

"Stop talking about me like I'm not even here."

Both of Hekate's dark brows shot up, and her smile slowly lowered into sneer. "Fair enough."

Her face flickered, morphing into something monstrous. Her lips rose off her fanged teeth, and her features sharpened and contorted. She sprang forward, aiming for my neck, and Ronan roared before pushing me away and leaping for her with fiery finger tips.

Hekate let out a hiss, but dodged him before glancing up at me. I figured out what she was about to do just moments before Ronan did. 

He let out a furious snarl as Hekate sprung for me and wrapped me in her arms, the scent of roses overpowering me so much that I let out a gag. She gripped me with long pointed, fingernails and dug them into my skin. She laughed at my ear as Ronan stormed toward us.

I tried to pull myself away, but Hekate's hold was just as powerful as Ronan's. She stopped laughing just as black feathered wings filled the air, the sounds of their caws nearly drowning out her voice.

"If you don't want her dead within the next three days come fetch her yourself in Vinmire. I'll be looking forward to it, son."