Page 82 of Nitro

A chilling realization gripped my soul—was this it? Were these my final moments on earth?

Regret flooded through me, a bitter taste in the back of my throat. After everything I endured, this wasn’t fair.

Thoughts of Nitro, of a future we'd hoped to build together, triggered the desperation to survive.

I couldn't let it end like this. The fight for a future with Nitro, for my new life, couldn't be extinguished here.

I summoned the last reserves of strength within me, delivering a forceful kick to Killian's groin area.

The vampire staggered back. The relentless grip on my throat loosened just enough for another breath.

"Is that all you got?" Killian mocked.

Before I could respond, a deep growl echoed behind him.

"It's enough." The voice belonged to Nitro.

In an instant, my mate tore Killian away from me, breaking the vampire's hold on my throat.

I gasped, greedily inhaling a lungful of air as relief flooded through me.

Relief washed over me. I met Nitro’s gaze and he gave me a nod. The battle wasn't over.

Nitro and Killian clashed. Killian moved with uncanny speed, but my mate was able to match him for every strike and blow.

As I watched, my heart pounded in my chest, torn between fear and hope.

Nitro partially shifted his hands to claws and I thought that was it, but Killian was a formidable foe.

I gasped as Killian sunk his fangs into Nitro’s shoulder but Nitro easily shoved him backwards.

Killian looked momentarily distracted.

Nitro seized the opening. His claws found their mark, stabbing into Killian's chest.

The vampire's eerie cry pierced the air. Time seemed to slow as Nitro's claws remained embedded in Killian's chest.

A moment of silence followed, broken only by Nitro’s labored breaths. Killian's eyes, once filled with arrogance now held a glint of defeat.

Nitro, his breath heaving, pulled his claws free, and the vampire crumpled to the ground.

Nitro stood over Killian's fallen form, panting. It was finally over.

The weight of fear lifted from my chest, replaced by a surge of relief. Nitro turned towards me, and without hesitation, I sprinted towards him.

Wrapping my arms around him, I held him close, enjoying his familiar scent and warmth.

Over Nitro's shoulder, I caught sight of Spike, who was tending to Marc's injuries, using torn pieces of cloth from his own shirt to bind the wounds.

Our eyes met, and he offered a reassuring nod.

"He's a tough one. I made a call to Micah before we entered the mine. He and Greed are on their way here. Your brother will be just fine," Spike informed me.

"Thank you," I mouthed.

I wanted to say more, but Nitro abruptly pulled my mouth into a crushing kiss.

After everything we had just faced and the worry I put him through, I couldn't complain.