Free Chasing Faete (Beyond the Veil Book 1) by Sarah Marsh, Elena Kincaid, Maia Dylan Page B

for her kind, someone who could channel and focus the very life energy of a person to heal them, or use the abundance of healing energy within herself. She could also use her powers defensively and offensively as an electrically charged shield or a force she could throw out in front of her. Erica could usually control the strength of the emittance, unless her focus was on healing herself or others or, as she unfortunately demonstrated to Leo and Ben, when her defenses were a side effect from her nightmares. If she were inconsolable, however, completely bereft and devoid of logic or reasoning as any woman would be when faced with the murder of her mates, she may very well be able to use that life force as a weapon. Could this have been what Corrine foresaw? That the only way to stop Alefric was to become a weapon?
    No, that would be unnatural!
    But then the idea began to nag at her. Use the ability to draw a person’s life force as a weapon. The thought went round and round in her head for a while. It was forbidden to use her healing abilities for anything other than to heal, but Erica figured the alternative of seeing that prick Alefric ruling over her people and going to war with a race of shifters simply because he believed them inferior to him might just be the exception. Not to mention that even the thought of one or both of her mates being killed had her already half-crazed.
    If she was going to do this, then she needed to get close to Alefric. She would need to start easing his life force from him, not wanting to startle him into action before she could do what needed to be done. He needed to feel confident and in control, and that there was no threat to him until it was too late. And that meant confronting him alone.
    And if she was going to do this, then she needed to do it when Leo and Ben were unable to stop her. Tears welled at the thought of leaving them. She felt her heart breaking within her.
    Can I do this?
    She had to. This could very well be their only chance.

Chapter Fourteen
     
    Closing her eyes, Erica drew the healing energy within her to the fore, molding it into the form she needed to send her mates into a deeper sleep. She knew that if she attempted to leave, they would notice immediately and stop her. With a heavy heart, Erica pushed the energy from her. The light that came from within her was unavoidable, and she heard both her mates wake and sit up beside her.
    “What the hell?” Leo mumbled. Erica knew he was already feeling and most likely trying to fight the effects. It would be in vain.
    “Erica?” Ben asked gently at the same time, his eyes wide before both of them surrendered to the effects of the energy she fed them. They fell back onto the mattress, caught in a deep sleep.
    Sobbing quietly, Erica scrambled off the bed. She dragged on her clothes and secured her sheathed sword to her back, all the time avoiding looking at her men. Her resolve was weak where they were concerned, and she knew that if she allowed her gaze to linger she would not have the courage to do what was needed. Only when she was dressed did she come back to the bed. Wiping the tears from her face, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to Ben’s lips before circling the bed to kiss Leo. As goodbyes went, it was pretty damn pathetic, but it was all she could allow.
    “Forgive me, my loves,” she whispered from the doorway. Then she stepped into the hallway. Despite the fact that the house was quiet, Erica knew there would no doubt be men stationed on guard around it, especially considering the message Alefric had sent that afternoon.
    Walking quietly downstairs, Erica stepped into the almost deserted kitchen. Only one wolf sat at the counter, drinking a steaming cup of coffee.
    “Donovan, what’s keeping you up at night?” Erica stepped into the kitchen but stood so that she was between him and the back door.
    Donovan looked at her with curiosity. “Hell, princess, there’s a whole lot of shit that keeps me awake at