Page 99 of Mating at Midnight: Book 1

When I reach them, Nylah withdraws her teeth, and I pick the man up by the neck as if he weighs nothing. By his size, I would say he’s close to three-hundred pounds combined with muscle and height, but I continue to lift him as his skin sloths off around my hands.

If he wasn’t on the side of our enemy, we could have used his brute and strength. With him focused on the burns to his neck, Nylah and I move in sync, twisting his arms and legs to make a living pretzel. The pain becomes unbearable to him, and he lets out a howl of agony. It’s too late as we snap, crackle, and pop to his bones.

We move on to our next adversaries, tearing them limb from limb. Am I hypocritical to admit that I loved the taste of their blood on my tongue the way Skia did? The metallic taste onlysurged me on to the next, to have more of their life source coat my mouth and throat.

It took no time to have only a handful of Fenrir’s so-called minions left. The sad part about it is they were still willing to give their lives to a frivolous God who didn’t give a shit about them.

Through my anger, I snapped the neck of the man who was effortlessly fighting in my hands.

As he lay lifeless on the ground, useless to Ezeikel and his followers, I start to move on but stop twenty feet away when I hear a female scream. Looking over my shoulder, I see the woman dropping to her knees next to him, sobbing. She must have been his mate. The woman wipes away her tears, then hums before chanting over his corpse. Seconds later, the man’s body twitches as the sky turns black, and a rumbling sound follows. The clouds separate as a form descends to the ground with a dozen more.

“Fenrir,” I hear Odin growl.

Fenrir lands beside the woman. She looks up at him with pleading eyes as Ezekiel comes out hiding to stand next to his master.

What the actual hell? I thought as Fenrir kneeled down and kissed the man’s forehead.

As he leans back, Fenrir lowers the man’s eyelids. Fenrir stares at the man, saying, “There’s a seat already prepared for you.”

He then turned his fury to Odin. “You thought you killed me, Odin? Yes, I’m sure you did, but by the devotion and love of my followers, they brought me back.” Fenrir narrows his eyes. “When you kill a God, you should really make certain they are dead.”

“Not only will I make certain,” Odin declares, “but I will keep your head as my trophy.” Odin grunts rushing at Fenrir. Fenrir is prepared, stepping to the side to avoid Odin’s massive slash withhis sword. Odin quickly recovers by elbowing Fenrir in the ribs. Odin yells for us, “Fight!” as Fenrir recovers. Sparks fly from their blades colliding as the two Gods duel it out. As much as I want to stay and witness their epic battle, I have my own battles to win.

The soldiers with Fenrir were faster and stronger than those that came with Ezekiel. They easily decimate a good number of our Pack and the bears. No, no, no this is not what’s supposed to happen.

My legs almost buckle underneath me as an excruciating burning sensation runs down my back. Turning around, Ezekiel’s there brandishing his sword.

“That mongrel Ballian isn’t here to save you now. I see he’s a little preoccupied at the moment,” he laughs. “Grab him,” he shouts.

I start to fight as I’m attacked by several of his men. Although killing a few of them while getting bitten, cut, and stabbed, even with some of Ballian’s strength and the silver arms I’m rendered helpless when a large silver chain is wrapped around my throat and my arms are stretched behind my back by gloved men. I gasp for air, but they tighten the chain more.

Ezekiel nears us, grinning from head to toe. “I’m going to take pleasure in decapitating you and guess what...?” he slightly bends towards me, leaving a good amount of space between us. “I’m going to do the same to that pretty mate of yours. But I think before I do, I’m going to have a little fun with her.”

A guttural roar flows through me. Ezekiel taunts me by coming within inches of my face as I snap my jaws at him.

“Hold his head still,” Ezekiel orders. As the others continue to hold the chain and my arms, another comes in front of me and grips the front of my hair.

I mentally reach out to Ballian, calling his name, “Ballian.”

A few moments later, a diabolical growl fills the air. Through hazed eyes, I can barely make out the black blur whipping through the crowd, spilling blood while coming closer. My mate is running by his side, doing the same. She must have felt me disappear as well.

Ezekiel notices them. “Lower his head! Lower his head, now. Once he’s dead, so is the beast.” He lifts his sword as my head is thrust down to the point to where my chin is almost touching my chest.

I wait for the final blow to end my life, hoping Ballian and Nyah reach us before it comes. The blow never comes and the chain falls from around my neck. Nyah brawls with the men who were holding chains and the other like a mad woman. Their defensive attacks seem to unfazed her as she draws their blood.

Ballian is taking all of his fury out against Ezekiel. If I were at one hundred percent, I wouldn’t get involved unless it was absolutely necessary. Ballian needed to get his retribution, and I wouldn’t step in the way of that. I continue to watch them as I begin to heal.

After ending the last guy Nyah drops to her knees on my side. She rests my head on her lap. “Braxton,” she whispers.

“I’ll be alright. I just need to heal,” I assure her.

She looks at the wounds on my neck. “Be that as it may, Ballian is out there fighting that asshole by himself. I should help him.”

“No,” I say, looking up at her. I wanted to grasp her leg but thought otherwise because of the silver. “This is Ballian’s fight.”

Nyah rolled her eyes, then said, “Fine, but if at any time it seems like that asshole is getting the best of Ballian, I’m jumping in. I can only imagine the hell we’re...mostly meaning me, will have to go through if Skia loses her mate.”

With every ounce of me knowing Ballian would come out the victor, I tell her, “You and Skia will be fine.”

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