Page 101 of Bitten

“What if Cannon wanted retribution?” Eilam asked.

“What do you mean?” Ralnur asked.

“Cannon’s missing from his room at the hospital—that’s why we came so quickly. If he’s truly in league with the vampires, you’re all in danger,” Adriel said. “We need to get back to the castle now.”

He turned and created another portal. Pages floated around in the wind it caused, making even more of a mess. Grabbing the history, he herded everyone through before taking Eilam’s hand again.

“You can’t take that!” the librarian cried.

“I’m the King of Midnight. I’ll take it if I choose,” he spat before storming through the portal and into the dungeons…

Where Kane had Cannon in a death grip through the bars of the cell.

* * * *

Crossroads…

Kane could feel that singsong sound echoing in his ears.

Lub-dub, lub-dub…

Cannon was afraid, the scent of his fear filling the space. Kane inhaled the rich aroma and felt the need to bite singing in his veins. “I’ve never bitten a shifter before. I wonder what you taste like.”

“They’ll… kill… you…” Cannon gasped, his red, mottled face still bruised and torn from the last asswhooping he’d gotten.

Kane chuckled. “You mean like you were going to kill me? You’ve done such a good job of it, haven’t you?”

A whirlwind blew through the cell, blasting back his hair. He looked to the side and saw he had an audience. A smile crossed his lips as he saw his mates… the hunger grew as he scented them close.

And then a growl came up from his throat. He still needed to make Caelian pay for his crimes… and he would…

“Let Cannon go,” Ralnur cried, slowly moving closer.

Kane sensed his amulet on the warlock and grimaced. He could hear its call in his mind. “Get that thing away from me.”

“I cannot,” Ralnur said, lifting a hand where it appeared fused to him. “You need it.”

“I don’t need it any longer. The bloodlust has me now… and it feeeels so good.” He hissed at Cannon, bearing his fangs.

Ralnur glared. “If you drink Cannon’s blood, you lose the man you were. Forever.”

“Something wrong with that?” Kane asked. “As a Halfling, I was weak. No longer.”

“If you remain as you are—I will never be yours,” Ralnur hissed.

“Me, either,” Caelian murmured beside him.

“As if you have a choice!” Kane screamed. “You. Are. Both. Mine!”

“You might be able to force my body to comply—but you’ll never have my mind. My heart. I will never love this man you are,” Ralnur said.

Kane eyed him, digging his claws deeper into Cannon’s throat. “You wish to save this traitor and deny your mate…”

Lub-dub, lub-dub…

Oh that sound…

“I wish to save you, Kane,” Ralnur said before turning to Caelian. “We both do.”