Page 125 of Vengeful Mates

Zethan and Castor probed the bond for her response. She reassured them with loving pulses that eased their alarm.

Colton called Faline into his arms, sniffed her hair, and kissed her neck. “You’re mine now, outa.” The cunt brushed her hair, showing her surprising tenderness for a cockhead who rejected her.

I breathed in Aaliyah’s vanilla and cherry scent. Relief soaked into my soul that we got her back alive. The flame in my heart that went out at the threat to my old lady and children’s life reignited with her back in my arms. Skin cold, body shivering, and blood trickling down her side. Our lips met from the briefest kiss and relief teemed through me, shaking off the remainder of my hostility.

Magick spluttered as she went to work healing herself, her palm pressed to her abdomen.

“Fuck, sugar,” I panted, stuffing down my burning temper. “Stop me from killing him for cutting you.”

She caught my hand and entwined our fingers. “Please, don’t do anything reckless that will break the accord.”

Urgency on the bond conveyed Zethan and Castor’s need to circle us, protect her, get her out of here. Desperation echoed in my mind. They held back, keeping their defensive position in the event Colton made a move. Backup if things went south.

I lightly cupped the back of her neck and pressed my forehead to hers. “Swear to me that he only took a kidney.” My free hand protectively went to her belly.

Her palm warmed the back of my hand. “The babies are fine.”

“Thank the fucking gods.” A sob burst out of my throat. “I would have gone thermonuclear if he hurt them.”

She sob-laughed with me.

Fifteen feet away, Faline twined her fingers in Colton’s jacket and clung to him. They were mates, all right. Betrayal and pain separated them, and they needed to find their way back to each other. A long road ahead of them when she didn’t trust him, and he wanted to punish her for stealing his casino.

“Come.” Colton’s hand slid down to capture hers. “Let me get you home. You will agree to my terms of surrender for taking what is mine.”

Faline smiled at him, the hostility she wielded as a weapon when we first met going up in flames as they turned to leave.

Aaliyah had other ideas. Wrath scorched the bond, a deadly promise of devastation. Despite my steady embrace, she spun out of my grasp, her body dropping away, releasing her cobra shifter.

Fuck, she was magnificent. Huge. Coiled up. Scales glistening with ferocity. Fangs sharp, bared, and dripping with poison. Pride welled in my chest when she mounted an attack on Colton, striking out at him, snaring him in her jaws.

Faline shrieked with surprise and twisted on her heels with grace, ready to defend him.

Too late. Raw and wild, my old lady lifted him off the ground, shaking him, snapping bones. Back, neck, and shoulders according to my war gift. Victory surged through my muscles and heart.

“Fuck, sugar, you’ve never been more beautiful.” Savage. Vicious. Heart burning with vengeance.

Woman hissed at me, her bond scolding me.Hah!For that, I’d let her rebuke me until the cows came home. My old lady was my fucking hero. My conqueror. My goddess.

She dropped the broken cunt to the concrete with a gratifying thud. Mouth peeling back to reveal her fangs, she went in for the kill and injected him with her poison.

My glee turned to horror as Aaliyah’s skin iced over with a deadly gray as if he turned her to ice.

Zethan started forward. “He’s using his power on her.”

My enforcer was on top of him, pinning him to the ground, and punching him. Spine fractured in two places and shoulder crushed, Colton couldn’t do a thing.

“No!” Faline lunged for Zethan, gripping his neck, ready to snap it and end him. “Kill him and I’ll kill your man, bitch!”

The mafia princess’ threat earned a long and intimidating hiss from Aaliyah.

Zethan didn’t stop hitting Colton and bloodying his face.

Castor wedged Faline’s arm back, giving Zethan some breathing room. Fuck, she was a good fighter for someone so put together. Elegance dropped away for an MMA cage fighter. Her elbow went around Castor’s neck in a death vise, and he spluttered, clamping on her arm, wrenching to release himself. Bitch had a grip stronger than a python’s.

I stuck to my truce with Colton and let the others bring his demise.

“Finish him, Hellhound Bitch!” Zethan roared at Aaliyah’s cobra.

---