Page 86 of Beast

The two guards behind him move forward.

Roan leaps across the distance, his hand reaching for thebutton that releases the door to the cage. Both security guards fire and hitRoan. His body jumps, spasming as the electrical current runs through it.Struggling, his hand moves forward. His teeth grit, but he slaps his hand onthe button, and my cage opens.

Chaos reigns. The guards release the darts and bring theirweapons back online. Palgrave moves forward, his sonic blade lifted and ready.Roan falls, utterly unconscious. I leap from the cage. My body aches, but itdoes not matter now. All that matters is getting Dante out of here alive. Iattack the first person I see. The guard screams as I go for his throat. Hetries to get the Taser unit to work, but he drops it as I dig my teeth in. Ifeel the blood begin to flow and let go. I do not have time to play with him.

When I look up, Dante has caught the second guard’s dart andhas it wrapped around his throat, but Palgrave is coming for him. Before I canjump, Palgrave is thrusting the blade into Dante’s back. I smell the bloodbeginning to flow, feel the horrible pain, but I take it because it is halved.Dante is able to twist and block the next blow. He swings out, catchingPalgrave in the chin.

I leap into action. I jump up, trying to get Palgrave’sthroat, but he is fast with the knife. It catches my leg, and I fall.

“Kaja!” Dante screams my name, but I feel it more than hearit.

He gets to his feet and faces off with Palgrave.

“Give it up, Dellacourt. I have reinforcements coming. Youcan’t win.”

“You’re not leaving here alive.” Dante is unarmed, but hedoes not back down. “Kaja, you get behind me.”

Limping, I move to his side.

He looks down at me. “Yes, I suppose that is your place. Ilove you, Kaj. I’ve never loved anyone before. You’re half my soul and all ofmy heart. No matter what happens, I want you safe. When the time comes, you runand don’t look back.”

I hear the words, but I will not heed them. I will neverleave him. If this is the end for him, then I will take out whoever I can, andthen I will follow him. I do not know what comes after this life, but I willfollow him.

Palgrave pounces. He races forward, knife out. He hits Dantewith the full force of his bulk, and the two men go down. They roll, and thenDante gets to his feet. He is hit again, this time low in his gut. Palgravemoves, circling my husband. I growl and get ready to leap.

“Mine, Kaja. This kill is mine.” Dante bares thosemagnificent fangs my way.

“You’re not killing anything, Dellacourt. You’re bleedingout. You’re so fucking weak, I won’t even have to try this time.” Palgrave’slips curl in a sneer.

Dante is weak. I can feel it. I remember how females duringthe hunt sometimes send their mates energy. I take a deep breath and send everyspare bit of energy I have his way. My body sags down, unable to stand a momentfurther. I am done. If Dante falls, I will go with him. I hold tight to theinvisible thread that binds us. If he goes down, he will take me with him, andwe will be together.

“That won’t happen, baby.” Dante can read my thoughts. Hestands tall, his skin practically glowing. “I’m taking you out of here.”

Palgrave runs, and Dante is with him. They meet in themiddle, and there is a horrible crack as Dante punches at Palgrave’s chest. Hisfist meets flesh and does not stop. I manage to lift my head as Palgrave’s facetakes on a horrified, blank look.

Dante pulls his hand out of his opponent’s chest. It doesnot come back empty. Palgrave’s heart is in Dante’s hand.

“That was for my consort.” Dante holds the heart as it turnsto dust, and everything that is Chalen Palgrave becomes a pile of dirt on thefloor.

Dante turns and races to me. He gets on his knees. “Baby.Gods, baby, tell me you’re all right.”

I am tired. So tired. I feel my body failing, but it is allright to go because Dante is safe. Dante is whole. The energy I sent him healedand saved him. I want to hold him with two hands. Using the very last bit ofstrength I have, I change. I bring my hands up to touch his beautiful face. Heis my magnificent beast.

I hear Dante curse. When I look up, his eyes are still fullgreen, but there is a sheen of tears in them. He clutches me with one hand butdraws his other to his mouth. “Don’t you leave me, Kaj. This has to work bothways.”

He gouges at his own flesh, and his blood begins to flow. Heputs his wrist to my mouth. “Drink, baby. I’m full of you. Your blood, yourenergy, your strength. Take it all back. Please. I need you.”

The blood fills my mouth. Immediately I feel the healingbegin.

“That’s right, baby. Take it. I can handle it. Drink.” Hepresses his wrist to my mouth, cradling my head.

I fall back the instant I know I will be all right. I hearRoan groaning in the distance. My body is laid across Dante’s, and I can feelhis soul reaching for mine, brushing and touching. Safe.

But he is still a vampire. He pulls out his phone. “Hey,Susie. Yeah. Start a hostile takeover of Palgrave. No. He won’t fight back.Why? Because I just pulled his heart out of his body. Yes, I’m serious. I wanthalf.”

Dante tosses his phone away and cuddles me against him as hestands.

“You all right, Kaja?”