A fierce command thundered in my mind:“Get away from them!”
My lion’s roar filled the room, vibrating with the ferocity of my protectiveness, even though no words could pass my lips. Julian turned and met my charge, his fury matching mine, but I was driven by something more potent—a newfound clarity and desperation.
Lucas’s pained groan from behind me only fueled my rage further. I had to end this now before Julian could do any more damage. As we clashed, the room blurred into a swirl of motion, every strike and counterstrike a dance of life and death that I was determined to win.
The battle intensified with every passing second, each of us driven by our own desperate needs. Julian was relentless, but the sight of Lucas injured and vulnerable gave me strength I didn’t know I possessed. I saw my chance as the demon lunged with his tail again. With a mighty leap, I landed on his back, my claws sinking deep into the fiery texture of his skin. Julian howled in pain as my jaws clamped down on his majestic wing. Feathers flew around and he bucked like a wild bull.
I clung to him with all my might, trying to maintain my grip despite his thrashing. I wouldn’t let go. As we battled, Dominic sprang into action. He conjured a blade from nowhere—its handle as dark as obsidian and its edge gleaming with a malevolent light. It wasn't an ordinary knife, but something forged from the depths of the nether realm, imbued with a power that even Julian seemed to recognize with a flicker of fear in his glowing eyes.
“Back off, Juls!” Dominic shouted, his voice a mixture of anger and determination. With a swift, practiced motion, he lunged, driving the knife deep into Julian’s side. The demon roared, the sound mingling with the storm’s fury outside, as dark, viscous blood seeped from the wound.
For a moment, Julian faltered, his movements growing sluggish as the combined assaults took their toll. I took advantage of his momentary weakness, pushing off with all my strength to send him stumbling forward. As he tried to regain his balance, his eyes darted between me and Dominic, calculating his dwindling options.
“Leave now!” I growled internally, knowing I couldn’t speak but hoping my intent would resonate through my actions. Julian glared at us both, pain and rage warping his features before conceding he was outnumbered and outmatched.
With a snarl of defiance, he spread his majestic wings, the motion stirring up a gust that momentarily obscured our vision. When the air cleared, he was gone, retreating through the broken window into the heart of the storm.
Exhausted but vigilant, I turned to Dominic, nodding in gratitude and respect for his timely intervention. We hurried to Lucas’s side together, fear and concern for our mate overshadowing the triumph of driving Julian away.
“Lucas, can you hear me?” I asked, finally speaking in my own voice as I shifted back to my human form, kneeling beside him. His eyes fluttered open, revealing pain and confusion in his gaze.
“Yeah,” he whispered, his voice weak but filled with relief as he saw us both safe. “I’m here… you guys got him?”
“We got him,” Dominic affirmed, his tone filled with concern. “I know this will hurt, but I need to see the wound.”
“It burns,” Lucas groaned, pain etching his features.
“Dominic, what’s going on?” I asked, not liking how Dominic was acting.
Dominic’s expression tightened with worry. “Help me lift him while I check the wound,” he instructed, sidestepping my earlier question.
I did as instructed, and grimaced at the inflamed wound. Lucas moaned in pain. Dominic met my eyes, and I saw fear reflecting in them.
“What is it?” I asked, my voice tense.
Dominic carefully eased Lucas back down. “Julian’s spikes have a natural poison.”
“Is that why it burns so bad?” Lucas managed through gritted teeth.
Dominic nodded solemnly. “If you weren’t a shifter, you’d be dead already.”
“Lucky me, I feel like I’m dying,” Lucas quipped darkly.
“Who is Julian?” I asked but then shook my head. “Actually, we’ll talk about who that was later. How do we help Lucas?”
“Good plan. Help Lucas,” Lucas panted. “Just make this pain stop.”
“I can make it stop,” Dominic said gravely.
“Then do it,” Lucas urged.
Dominic hesitated. “Lucas, there are two ways to help you. One way is you barter with a demon. That would essentially make you a slave.”
I growled. “Fuck that!”
“Pass, I’m no one’s slave. What’s the other way? Fuck, this hurts,” Lucas cried out.
“We bond. The power of bonding should heal you.” Dominic bit his lip before mumbling, “I think.”
