Page 7 of Her Immortal Mate

We advance in tight formation. My sword finds dark elf flesh as spells crash against our defenses. Mae stays close, darting out only to drag injured soldiers to safety. Each time she leaves my reach, my muscles coil tighter.

A dark elf breaks through, blade swinging for her throat. They've taken to targeting humans, which I will say is smart. It's how we replenish our ranks, after all.

I catch his sword with mine, metal shrieking. "Touch her and die." I drive my knee into his stomach and finish him with a brutal slash.

Mae darts to another fallen warrior, her hands steady as she applies pressure to his wound. My fingers tighten around my sword hilt as the soldier grabs her wrist, delirious from blood loss.

"Easy." She pries his fingers loose. "I need to clean this before-"

A blast of magic shatters the ground beside us. I pull her behind me, wings spread wide. "Work faster."

"Maybe if someone stopped hovering-"

"Maybe if you'd stay in one spot-"

"There are people dying, Eike."

I don't point out we don't die. Though I guess being reduced to a shriveled body and a thoughtless mind was worse. That'swhat would happen to the wounded left in the sun — or stolen by the elves.

The wounded soldier moans. My jaw clenches as Mae returns to him, her gentle touches making my skin crawl. It's irrational. She's a healer. This is her job. But my fangs still lengthen when she leans close to examine his injuries.

"Commander." An elder vrakken materializes beside me, her wings a deep obsidian. "Interesting defensive strategy."

I grunt, dispatching another dark elf trying to breach our perimeter. "It's working."

"Indeed." Her knowing smile sets my teeth on edge. "Though perhaps your attention is... divided?"

Mae's voice cuts through the chaos. "I need bandages from the supply tent!"

"I'll cover you." I move to follow, but the elder's wing blocks my path.

"Allow me to secure the perimeter. Your... healer clearly requires escort."

I bare my fangs but can't argue. We sprint between pockets of fighting, Mae's movements matching mine as if we've trained together for years. She ducks when I swing, steps where I step. It's like a deadly dance, and she keeps perfect time.

"Left!" She shoves me aside as magic crackles past. I spin, taking out the attacker while she grabs supplies.

"Behind you!" I call. She drops, rolling under a blade as I drive my sword through the elf's back.

The elder watches from above, amusement clear in her eyes. Other vrakken pause in their fighting, gazes drawn to our synchronized defense.

"Got everything?" I ask as Mae stuffs bandages in her bag.

"Almost." She reaches for a shelf of potions. Another soldier calls out in pain. "Go. I know you're twitching every time I touch someone else."

"I'm not-"

"Please. Your fangs are showing."

"Then hurry up," I snap.

This time, she does. I manage to keep her protected until I can get her to the medical area being set up in the back of the camp, and by then, most of the fighting is dying down.

Wanting to unleash some of the restlessness in me, I dive into the remaining dark elves. I slice and stab through their bodies until adrenaline sings through me, and I finally don't see a single gray-skinned bastard moving anymore.

But the second I turn to see Mae touching another vrakken, that same anger roars in me.

Yeah. I'm fucked.

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