Szereto, Mellanie - Two from the Triangle [Bewitching Desires 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Mellanie Szereto

and she will become one of my servants. The Order of the Elements shall perish with you, ending your line and restoring the Black Triad.”

Chapter 10

    The weight of the world sat on Heléna’s shoulders. By choosing to protect Great Grandmother, she would sentence her family to death if they couldn’t defend against Kazmer. Heléna didn’t believe for a second that he wouldn’t try to destroy them in exchange for her going with him, but her absence wouldn’t weaken the Macska link. They could focus on his destruction instead of keeping her out of harm’s way.
    If she chose Owen and Heath, she had only to sacrifice her heart. What if her grandmother was mistaken about the men Heléna had accidentally sent to the future? Were they really her true mates? Yes, they’d come through the protection spell. Unfortunately, Kazmer had as well, and he wasn’t her mate.
    Why did her hormones have to interfere with her usual logic? She struggled with her warring thoughts. I can’t think! Nothing makes sense!
    Why had she followed the stranger at the bottom of the ladder? The black-haired woman’s voice had sounded like one of the whispers Heléna had heard on the day of the full moon. Her gentle prodding had easily overpowered Heléna’s common sense, and now she had to wonder whether Kazmer had disguised himself to set up the confrontation. The woman had disappeared as soon as they’d reached the chamber. Was she real?
    Kazmer couldn’t have pretended to be the woman, though. He’d likely been one of the voices, but his soul was too irredeemable to have guided her to the chamber rather than simply killing her.
    Confused emotions churned inside her, and she glanced at Romána.
    A hint of a smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “Believe, daughter. My time on Earth is at an end. Yours is only beginning. Your mates will give you strength.”
    The thought of Great Grandmother dying made Heléna’s chest tighten, and tears stung her eyes. Heath and Owen blurred as she tried to judge their feelings for her from their expressions. She’d never been good at reading people, though.
    Both men connected with her momentary gaze. The furrow in Heath’s forehead must’ve been there before the spell to keep them from interfering. Was he concerned or angry? On the island, he’d spent as much time being mad at her as being nice. His mood should’ve been easy to decipher, but it wasn’t. He tended to hide behind a stoic façade. What did his stormy gray eyes signal?
    Do you care for me, Heath?
    She turned her attention to Owen. His intense stare seemed to convey terror, but at what? Fear of dying at the hands of an evil shifter? Fear for her wellbeing?
    Tell me, Owen. Please.
    Did it even matter? The state of her heart when all was said and done meant nothing compared to the execution of her entire family. Grandmother was the wisest person Heléna had ever known. Trusting in her guidance offered the only real choice.
    “I haven’t chosen yet.” Heléna stood up, imitating Romána’s proud bearing. Height didn’t determine a person’s ability to do the right thing.
    Kazmer turned his head to glare at her.
    A subtle nod from Great Grandmother assured her she’d made the correct choice. “I choose...” She let her gaze slip from Owen and Heath to Romána. A pulse of energy entered Heléna’s hands, tingling up her arms—the transfer of power over the spell protecting the pilots. “I choose...the men.”
    Sneering, Kazmer shook his head. “Your choice does not matter. You all will—”
    A ghostly red hand snatched his cloak, dragging him to the opposite wall before he could react. He whipped his scarred face around to confront the source of his irritation.
    “Take me, Goddess! My time has come!” Romána’s joyous tone rang in Heléna’s ears as she ran to release Heath and Owen. “Do not mourn for me, my children. My destiny in life has been fulfilled. Praise the Goddess and the Fates for their