Page 45 of Victoria's Embrace

And then, as fast as the pain came, it was gone, leaving him numb, empty. His mind felt fractured, disconnected, empty and full of fog at the same time. He tried to focus, to remember where he was, who he was, but there was nothing, only the slippery black fog.

And then a voice whispered through the dark, “Kill her.”

His limbs moved without thought. His eyes locked onto a beautiful, fiery-haired female without sight.

* * *

There wasno time to react when Salesh whipped around, her jaw unhinging like a snake, and struck at seemingly nothing. A split second later, Thegan appeared, his body rigid, his face a mask of agony with Salesh’s fangs buried in his neck.

“No!”

She stumbled forward just as Salesh released him, fear turning her blood to ice. Thinking she’d poisoned him, Victoria reached automatically for the RegenBand on her finger, but faltered when Salesh, her voice layered and vibrating, whispered up at him, “Kill her.”

Confusion was first until Thegan, his face slack, followed Salesh’s gaze to her. Seeing the empty, unfocused look in his eyes, Victoria jerked to a stop and recoiled. Understanding hit her like a knife to the chest.

For an endless second, everything went still.

Victoria gasped his name. No reaction. He took a wooden step in her direction, his glazed eyes looking right through her. With a shaking hand, she raised her gun, aiming it at his chest, but couldn’t make herself squeeze the trigger, denial and shock still holding her in their grip.

Snitch growled at her side, shifting closer so his stiff wing brushed Victoria’s arm. The movement broke through the insulating layer of numbness trying to settle over her.

Blinking quickly, she swallowed past the knot of tears tightening her throat and started to press the trigger, but hesitated.

That time, it wasn’t denial that stilled her shot. Nor was it the flicker of life in Thegan’s eyes or the falter in his steps. No. She hesitated to give the sword, hovering near the throne, time to get into place.

Screwing her face up to hide the movement of her lips from Salesh, watching the show with sadistic glee, Victoria breathed, “Get ready to pin him.”

It was a risk. Oh god, it was a huge risk.

Please…

“Now!”

Shots rang out as her people opened fire on the enemies still standing.

Snitch and Tesha lunged at Thegan, taking him down.

And a naked Thorn materialized beside Salesh, bringing the sword down on her head with such force he cleaved it in two.

Heart seizing in her chest, expecting to feel the rumble of an explosion, her legs almost gave out beneath her when she saw Vi’kail, equally naked, on Salesh’s other side, his hand wrapped around her’s, holding her finger on the device.

Shaking and weak-kneed, she allowed herself only a moment to feel relief before she gazed down at Thegan. He was struggling against the combined weight of Snitch and Tesha, but he wasn’t throwing any punches.

Hoping that meant part of him was still aware and trying to fight against Salesh’s venom, but knowing she couldn’t take the chance, she met his gaze and whispered, “I love you.”

Then she shot him in the chest.

Chapter 27

Victoria only managed to take a single step toward the throne where Vi’kail was holding a dead Salesh’s finger on the bomb when yelling erupted behind her.

Her stomach sank even as adrenaline poured through her. She met Thorn’s eyes, then whipped around and ran toward the line of people facing off against whomever had just come through the complex’s entrance doors. She ignored his shout for her to wait, knowing he’d catch up.

Expecting to find more of Salesh’s mind-controlled henchmen attacking them, she burst through the line, gun raised, finger on the trigger… only to stumble to a stop.

Recognition, shock, relief, and elation shot through her in quick succession.

Taking three more running steps, Victoria slammed into the leader of the small army spread out in front of the entry doors.

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