Page 64 of Titan’s Mate

They were going to do it. They could fight this.

And then the burning toxic sludge of the demon’s essence hit him like an ocean wave. It adhered to his power, turning it toxic too.

The bonding magic turned to acid in their veins, and Titan roared as he burned from the inside out.

Mari screamed, flames burning bright in her eyes. The demon began to solidify next to them in the spirit world, dark tendrils from it extending off into the distance, like humans’ bonds to their bodies when they were in the spirit world.

Except, these led to the realms of the demons.

Titan’s breath began to choke off, and he could feel his tether to his flesh body thinning. He’d made the wrong choice. They were dying.

We are together, said a voice in his head. Mari’s bear. And then her own voice, ragged and painful. You didn’t leave me.

Never, he said. We have to fight.

Don’t know… if I can, she said. Too strong. Like Tyr said.

No. It couldn’t end like this.

And then he felt hands on him. Brock was there, and Titan wanted to shout No! They couldn’t be healed. Brock would be killed.

Brock watched with horror as dark magic spread through Titan, accelerated by the bonding magic.

This was so, so wrong. Titan and Mari deserved better than this, better than having their love turned to death and ashes.

He couldn’t let them die like this.

Grabbing Titan, he poured all of his healing abilities into his friend. He ran down the pathways of Titan’s mind, trying to cleanse them of the demon taint.

It was like trying to walk into a fire hose. He was drenched in the toxin, choking on it, and he felt it spread into his own body.

He took it in, gladly, trying to help them fight.

It wasn’t going to be enough.

“Brock!” Jaeda yelled, reaching for him.

“Stay back!” he ordered. “If one of you touches us, it could spread to all of you, through the crew bond.”

“You think we’re going to stand here and watch you die?” Remy said, his fists doubled at his sides.

“There’s nothing you can do.”

“We can fight. We’re Wild Bloods. Fucking bring. It. On.”

He flung his arms around Brock and Titan. Brock could feel his body jerk in reaction as the toxins spread to him. Oh, gods, they were going to lose everyone.

Jaeda was next, wrapping one arm around Remy and the other around Brock. “You’ve known me my whole life, you jerk,” she said to Brock, “and you’ve never once left me hanging. My turn.”

He could sense the toxins spreading through Remy, and then to her, heard her moan as the pain ripped through her. But it was slowing down, losing momentum.

Then Nick was there, his ghostly form twining between them. Some of the toxin spilled over into the ghost, diluting it even more.

Except in him, he realized. He wasn’t part of the crew bond, and he couldn’t fight it the way the others could. But he couldn’t pull away, either. The part of the demon magic that was within him might rebound back to the others. They could still be overwhelmed.

The darkness started to overcome him. If only he could hold on until Brandon and the others got here, or Tyr. Enough of them to maybe carry the load. Then it wouldn’t matter if he made it…

Vaguely, he heard them coming in behind him, Brandon saying, “Tyr’s out chasing artifacts, but I called him back—”