Fuck.
In one, impossibly smooth motion, he scooped Luna up and spun, his greatsword cutting horizontally through the air. He didn’t wait to see what damage he’d done, if any, as it flinched away.
On a boost born of sheer terror—not for himself, but his mate—Brand leapt, clearing dozens of the steps he’d made before landing again and breaking into a dead sprint. A piercing roar rent the air in his wake, clattering footfalls reverberating through the depths.
Hopefully, the distance would buy them enough time to?—
“No!”
Luna’s shout was the only warning before the flesh of his calf was being ripped to shreds. His own bellows joined hers andthose of the dreadbeast as flames spread to overtake every nerve ending in his body.
Agony. Burning. Eating him alive.
Fighting the urge to vomit, Brand craned his neck to find himself pinned straight through his leg to the chasm wall by one of its talons—within the confines of a shield that was supposed to be impenetrable.
The rest of the monster rose slowly behind them, as if it were savoring its catch. Talon by talon, like a monolithic spider, it cleared the landing edge.
Its poison must have addled his mind because—as it swooped closer and brought its “face” to his—he would have sworn it looked… perplexed, almost, as if confused they would be running.
Luna’s choked gasp brought him back from the edge of his toxic insanity. Without another thought, Brand swept his sword down with all of his might, severing the spike holding him.
Whether he or the dreadbeast screamed louder was unclear.
It flailed back, spittle and ooze flying from its gaping maw, the severed end of its arm pumping black blood into the air.
He swayed, the weight of his greatsword dragging him to the side. Blinking, Brand tossed it into the ether and commanded the stone to release the talon’s tip, freeing him. The thing was still lodged in his calf, ravaging muscle and sinew as he ran up, up, up, digging his fingers into the cliffside to keep himself upright when his leg threatened to buckle beneath him.
“Hold me upside down,” Luna demanded, breathless.Urgent.
At least, he thought so. It was hard to tell.
“Brand! Now!”
He vaguely registered Luna pummeling a fist into his chest, but the rest of her words turned to nonsense. The sheer panic across her face, though…
A boost of power jolted through him. He had to get her to the surface. Couldn’t lose himself and leave her vulnerable.
Hugging her ankles to his chest, Brand let her upper body fall and forced himself forward again, the long lengths of her hair spilling down to tangle around his knees.
She wrenched the talon from his flesh with a violent yank and he nearly blacked out, his shoulder slamming into the chasm wall as he stumbled. Something cracked within, the new onslaught of pain too much when added to the rest.
Sisters save them, his worst fears were coming to life. They were going to die here. His mate was going to?—
There was nothing gentle about her power as it slammed into him with all the force of a lightning strike. Strength lit his bones, the fog clouding his mind lifting.
Just in time for Luna to scream, “Jump!”
He immediately obeyed, flipping her upright before he landed. She didn’t miss his grimace of pain or the strange way his other arm was hanging, and stretched across his torso to tend his shoulder as they ascended.
She gifted him with more of her raw, battering might, feeding so much fucking life into his body that he was almost crazed with it.
Wrapped in Luna’s glowing power, the world turned red, wrath replacing his physical anguish. Every scraping breath was hot with vengeance, his body bulking up even more as light swirled over his skin.
A Demon’s change being fueled by their Sisters-given power was one thing. When it was bolstered with true, visceralrage?
The second she was safe, he was going to chop that fucking creature into so many pieces they’d never be able to find all of them.
A haze of black hung above, the portion of the chasm she’d cleared coming to an end. She finished healing him andlaunched straight into weaving another spell, her owl appearing with a screech. Luna murmured in his ear and he took flight, shooting straight up into the encroaching darkness.
