Her red eyes bore into each of us, the intensity in her gaze driving the point home.
“I know you want Natasha to be safe, and Anastasia would probably rip your heads off if she knew we were even thinking about going after her,” Natalia added. “I get it, guys. Natasha is your mate and your number one priority, but I can protect her too. I can protect them both.”
Lifting her arms, she let the fire rise out of her palms, blue flames dancing up her forearms and eerily illuminating her determined face.
A powerful wave of heat radiated from it, piercing my skin, and successfully reminding me of the agonizing pain I’d suffered under it just last night. Worst of all, it called onto the only part of me that was immune to her power. The one I had fought so hard to repress not even ten fucking minutes ago.
The Beast.
Fur rippled out of my pores before I could try to stop it, the transformation taking merely a second as my body grew and adapted, no longer susceptible to herEternal Blaze.
Damn it!
Surprise and regret illuminated Natalia’s face when she took in my new form, and she closed both fists. The action slowly extinguished the fire. “Hannes, I-I didn’t mean… I wasn’t going to hurt?—”
“I know,” I reassured, not wanting her to feel bad even though my voice mixed with the Beast’s.
It was too late, and I could see it in her eyes.
After a few seconds, she regained her bearings and glanced at us, her back straightening.
“The people in this room hold more power than anyone could ever dream of. The indestructible Beast, the formidableLord ofTwilight, and the Vampir Ancient who can literally channel the energy of the sun…” She gestured to each of us as she purposely reminded us. “The three of you alone can take on anything and win. And then there is me. The first Vampir-Wolf Shifter hybrid. There is nothing myEternal Blazecan’t obliterate. Wehaveto go rescue Anastasia. Otherwise, what the hell is all this power for?”
What the hell is all this power for?
André, Dante, and grimly I looked at each other. Not so long ago, we had asked ourselves a similar question.
“This is what she saw and kept from us…” Dante murmured in realization.
“There is no fucking chance she would have seen them coming after her daughter and not prepared us for it,” I argued.
“Anastasia?” Natalia asked again, but we didn’t answer.
We couldn’t. Our minds were reeling with information and putting the pieces together.
“Unless she didn’t see them taking Natasha,” I corrected. “She saw them taking her and what would come after.”
“Natasha trying to rescue her…” André finished.
“That is where she’ll need us,” Dante somberly agreed.
“Can somebody please tell me what the fuck you are talking about?!”
Troubled, I turned to her. “This is why your mother got the three of us together, as your mates, to protect you not from the boathouse attack but from what is coming next.”
Her keen gaze traveled over all three of us, considering everything we had discussed, and she finally sighed. The fire died inside her—pun intended.
“Not that I don’t appreciate having three powerful mates as my bodyguards, but I can charbroil every single one of your assess if you piss me off, so technically, I don’t need you.” She lifted a hand, suddenly interested in her long nails. “I mean, I’drather think she did it because every woman deserves to have her own harem of sexy supernaturals.” With a shrug, she placed the hand on her hip. “But what the hell do I know?”
Dante chuckled while André shook his head, fighting a grin. I, however, grinned widely at her, enchanted by her character, her sarcasm, and her strong will.
“I’ll attest to that. If anyone knows you can charbroil anyone is me,” I huffed half-heartedly.
Her saddened eyes connected with mine, but she offered me a small smile.
“I think it’s time,” I told the guys, and both of them instantly straightened.
“Are you sure?” Dante asked and I nodded.
