Page 63 of Titan’s Mate

They were glowing red, with flames dancing in the depths.

Her fall must have ruptured the barrier around the curse.

The demon was loose.

Chapter 28

For one second, Titan froze.

He could already see the veins in Mari’s face and neck growing dark, as the toxic sludge of the demon curse spread through her body.

A few minutes. That’s all Tyr said she would have, before the dark magic destroyed her body.

He was still holding the Draken artifact. Focusing its power, he used his Sight to view the spirit world and this world at the same time.

Then he carefully directed the artifact’s power to encapsulate Mari’s spirit. In the spirit world, he saw sparkling white light surround her, and the demon shrieked, flinching back.

In this world, her eyes grew clear.

“Titan,” she breathed. “You’re here.”

“Always,” he said. “But the demon—”

She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “I’m sorry. It’s time.”

“I got the artifact,” he said. “I can protect your spirit.”

“But the demon already has my body.”

He nodded. “So I need to know what you want me to do. If you want me to capture your spirit and cross it over, I’ll do it.”

She waited, eyes on him. He said, “Or I can claim you, and we can fight this together.”

She knew the risks—knew claiming was all or nothing. A small chance of healing, balanced out by the risk of his power attracting more demons.

Her eyes grew determined. “If you’re willing, I say we fight.”

Of course she did. His brave, beautiful xióngmāo.

His bear rose up in him. He wouldn’t let her die. She was his mate, and he’d fight for her—with her—to the last breath if he had to, and if they lost, then they’d cross over together.

The darkness in her veins was extending through her chest. Faintly, in the background, he could hear the rest of the crew arriving in the room, their questions and exclamations.

He tuned it all out. Only she mattered.

He withdrew his power from the artifact, to set her spirit free. The demon returned to her eyes.

It laughed at him through her mouth, and spoke in a guttural voice. “She’s mine.”

“Oh, no, motherfucker,” Titan said. “She’s MINE!”

His bear rose up inside him, his claws manifesting, and he ripped Mari’s shirt and bulletproof vest in one yank, sinking his teeth into her shoulder muscle just where it met her neck.

Blue fire exploded around them, and bonding magic flooded through him. His soul was being ripped apart and put back together, a sun like a supernova igniting in the middle of his chest.

He could feel everything Mari felt—the love, the hope, the excruciating pain. The demon shrieked in fury, and pulled magic through whatever dark bond tethered it to its home in the netherworld.

Instinctively, Titan pulled them into the spirit world, calling on all his shamanic power until they lit it up like a beacon.