Page 52 of Primal Vow

Taryn turned his focus back to the threat at hand, engaging the remaining humans with renewed ferocity. His blade was a blur of motion, deflecting their clumsy strikes and retaliating with surgical precision. These humans were no match for a Borraq warrior at the peak of his abilities.

A pained grunt drew his attention back to Rhys's struggle. The human had gained the upper hand, pinning Rhys to the ground with his greater bulk. Taryn felt icy dread grip his heart as the human aimed the gun towards Rhys—

Taryn lunged forward, his blade whirling in a deadly arc. The human crumpled to the ground, clutching at the blade buried in his side.

But even as he moved to protect Rhys, Taryn felt a fiery line of agony sear across his back. One of the remaining humans had seized the opportunity, slashing his blade across Taryn's unprotected flank.

Taryn grunted, the pain lancing through his body like a bolt of lightning. His knees buckled, and for a moment, the world tilted sickeningly. Through the haze of anguish, he heard Rhys's anguished cry.

"Taryn!"

The fear in that beloved voice cut through the fog of pain, igniting something primal within Taryn's soul. He was the protector, the guardian tasked with keeping Rhys safe at all costs. Failure was not an option.

Snarling, he straightened, his eyes flashing as he whirled to face the human who had struck him. The human's eyes widened in shock and fear, but Taryn was beyond mercy.

He didn't need his blade for creatures as pathetic as these, that would threaten his mate in front of him. His hand closed on the human's neck, wringing the life out of him. When he was done, Taryn turned his gaze upon the last remaining threat.

The final human stood frozen, his face a rictus of terror as he stared into the blazing fury of a Borraq warrior defending his mate. Taryn advanced, his footsteps slow and inexorable, his blade recovered and held at the ready.

"P-please," the human stammered, his voice thick with dread. "I surrender."

The human's voice trembled with fear. Taryn paused, his blade at the ready.

"Don't listen to Jak!" Rhys growled. He was battered and scraped from the fight, his nose bleeding, but he got to his feet. The anger in his eyes was unmistakable. "He's scum!"

"I surrender," the man repeated, his eyes fixed on Taryn, as if he hadn't heard Rhys at all.

For a heartbeat, Taryn considered showing mercy. The battle was won, the threat neutralized. Perhaps in this last human was a spark of reason that could be preserved. Perhaps he could face justice in the proper way.

Then the man's eyes flickered, his gaze darting towards the tangled mass of wires on the explosives. He lunged for it.

With a snarl, Taryn threw himself forward, his blade a streak of silver in the dim light. The man's eyes widened in shock as Taryn's strike found its mark, the razor-sharp edge opening a crimson gash across his throat.

The human crumpled, his fingers scrabbling uselessly at the wound as his lifeblood spilled forth. Taryn stood over him, his chest heaving, every muscle in his body thrumming with the adrenaline of battle.

Then a hand gripped his arm, and he turned to find Rhys at his side, his face flushed with exertion. "It's over," Rhys said, his voice trembling with relief. "That's all of them. You did it. We did it."

Taryn felt the tension bleed from his body, the weight of their victory settling over him like a mantle. He pulled Rhys into a fierce embrace, his arms enveloping the smaller man as he buried his face in the crook of Rhys's neck. Rhys's scent filled his senses, rich and intoxicating, a reminder of all that he had fought to protect.

"You were incredible," Taryn murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I could not have done this without you."

Rhys laughed, the sound breathless and giddy with the thrill of their triumph. "I had a good teacher."

Taryn drew back, his gaze roaming over Rhys's face, committing every detail to memory. His heart swelled with a love so strong that it threatened to overwhelm him.

Cupping Rhys's face in his hands, Taryn leaned in and captured his lips in a searing kiss. Mine. Wonderfully mine.

When they finally parted, Rhys's eyes were alight with wonder and adoration. "What was that for?" he asked, his voice hushed.

Taryn smiled, tracing the line of Rhys's jaw with a reverent touch. "For being you," he said simply.

Above them, the great city of the Borraq stood unaware, its citizens sleeping peacefully. But in that moment, the only thing that mattered to Taryn was Rhys's embrace.

He tightened his arms around the human, breathing in the intoxicating scent that had once repulsed him but now filled him with a sense of belonging. "Let's go home."

Chapter twenty-two

Taryn and Rhys walked through the tunnels underneath the city, disheveled but victorious, their hands intertwined.

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