Page 66 of The Princess and the Demon

The sensation never gets easier, and I clench my fists against it. A second later the sensation passes, and I am standing in a cavern. I lift a hand to steady my swimming head, looking around the space.

It’s dark, save for a few candles scattered through the dank space. The smell of rot and decaying Earth assaults my senses, and I know I’m in the right place. Crinkling my nose, I stalk forward, clenching my fists.

I can hear Elora’s muffled voice, and it spurs me into action. I run to the end of the corridor I’m in, stopping at a broken wooden door. My heart thunders in my chest as Elora’s voice filters through the cracks.

“Don’t touch me!”

Her panicked statement is all I need to act.

Lifting a leg, I kick outwards against the brittle wood, and the entire door splinters apart. I walk past the threshold as I turn to face the horror before me.

Pure, unadulterated anger fills every single cell of my being as I take in the sight of a very large lesser leaning over my mate.

His claws work at making their way under her nightgown, and I snap.

I wave my hand over the beast, and he and I are sucked out of this space and into another. There is no light here. No life.

Nothing.

It just simply is.

The beast hovers in front of me, clawing at his throat as though the air is being choked out of it.

I sneer, regarding the disgusting creature.

This thing took my mate. It touched her. Tried to mate her.

I raise my hand and clench my fist closed with a growl.

The creature explodes in a hail of blood, guts and bones, the squelching sound music to my ears.

The remains of the lesser seemingly float for a moment before fizzling into nothing.

It will never breath, never walk the Earth or beyond, never live again.

Satisfied, I return to the small cavern, my heart shattering when I see my tiny human female huddled in the corner, trembling.

Her eyes are so wide with fear, and when she looks at me, she doesn’t truly see me at first. I go to her immediately, reaching out to pull her into my arms. She fights, slapping at my hands as I sit next to her, scooping her up.

Realization clears her vision, and she looks up at me. “Elora! Elora, it’s me, it’s ok. You’re safe.”

She lets out a sob, fisting her trembling hands into my shirt and burying her face into my chest. My heart breaks, and I wrap my arms around her, rocking her gently.

“You’re safe, my dove. I’m here.”

I hold her while she cries, running my hands over her back and arms. Eventually she quiets, and her trembling slows.

Her grip on me doesn’t let up, though, and I reach up to lay a hand over one of hers.

What can I say that would make this ok?

After a few moments, I wrap a hand around her upper arms, pulling her away from me to look down at her. “Elora, we can’t stay here. We have to leave.”

Wiping her eyes, she looks up at me through wet lashes, and my heart breaks all over again.

“Get me out of here.”

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