Henry twisted around and collapsed.When he grabbed Lucian’s ankles, Lucian bellowed and crumpled out of sight.
My animal lashed out with her claws and mauled Henry’s chest, ripping apart his shirt.The Mage grimaced but jumped out of sight and then onto my back.He wrapped his arms around my neck, and one excruciating energy shock after another paralyzed me where I stood.
My tiger roared in pain.When she fell onto her side, Henry’s hold loosened.She sensed his weakness.He had used up his light and lost too much blood.
Lucian crawled to me, his eyes as black as a bottomless pit.He gripped the Mage’s disheveled hair and hauled him off my animal.Henry put his hands on Lucian’s chest, and I couldn’t tell if he was pushing energy into him or stealing it.
Lucian flipped Henry onto his back in a swift movement and drove all four fangs into his neck.He bit him over and over on his arms, neck, and chest.
Henry made a haunting sound, like a death moan from a deer before it dies.He convulsed, foam coming from his mouth, eyes rolling into the back of his head, the last of his light sparking from his fingertips like dying embers.Seconds later, he went limp.
Lucian crawled to my animal and draped himself over her body, his ear against her chest as he listened to her groan.
Feeling my consciousness fade, I forced my way out and shifted.
Lucian pulled me into his arms.I sighed against his chest as a purr so deep lulled me into a state of calm.Exhausted and feeling residual aftershocks of the electric assault, I clutched him as if he might disappear.
“I wanted to save you,” he said after snapping out of his primal state.
“You did, baby.”
“I should’ve killed him that night at the bar.”
I drew back, and though I couldn’t see his face in the darkness, the rage in his voice was palpable.“No, you did the right thing, Lucian.You gave me your word, and you kept it.That’s why I love you—that’s why I trust you.”I cupped his cheek with one hand.“Doing the right thing is the hardest choice.It’s something I struggle with every day.You couldn’t have known what he would do any more than I can predict what a prisoner might do when I release them.We can’t punish people for what they might do.But when he walked into my house and threatened my father—all bets were off.”I lowered my hand.“You won’t get in trouble for this.”
“Trouble?You think I give a shit what happens to me?What if I hadn’t gone back out to the garage and picked up the scent of fear you left behind?What then?”
“I would’ve mauled his ass.”
“Or died trying.Your tiger’s strong, but he’s still a Mage.”
“A Mage isn’t invincible.I’m not gonna let him rule us in death.You hear me?”After I sat on my heels, I gripped his shoulders.“Do you know why you walked outside to that garage?The fates are guiding us.They’re involved.They want us to be together, but Henry couldn’t see that.That selfish bastard only cared about himself, and after we cremate his worthless ass, I’m going to flush his ashes down the toilet.”
Lucian slid his fingers around my nape.“I might go to prison for this.”
“I won’t allow it.”
“Damn.”
“What?”
His lips found my mouth in a sensual kiss.“Because I was looking forward to a strip search followed by a little prison sex.”
I laughed and put my arms around him.“Is that right?Well, Lucian Cross, once we get mated, you might start to feel like you have a ball and chain on your ankle.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
“Are you stealing my line?”I kissed his neck and realized I needed to go back.“How far out are we?”After standing up, I brushed grass and pebbles off my legs.“I need to make sure my father’s okay and call the Council.”
“Say no more.”The breath rushed out of my lungs when Lucian swooped me into his arms and ran into the night.
Chapter28
Lucian washed the blood off his hands in the bathroom sink.After speaking with her father, Eden had gone outside to call the Councilmen and recite the events as she remembered them.
In the quiet aftermath, Lucian recalled the scent of terror lingering in his pack’s garage after he had gone out there to shut the door.There were alarms all over their property, and he hadn’t received an alert that the garage door closed after Eden sped off.Had he not gone down and checked it himself, he would’ve never known something was wrong.
Staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, he splashed cold water on his face repeatedly until his black hair glistened and water trickled onto his shoulders.His head was pounding, but nothing topped the phantom pain in his neck, chest, and arms from the Mage’s attack.Their energy was deadly enough to knock a man out and even kill him.
