Page 121 of Fractured Souls

He wished he could go back in time as he was now and slaughter those Imperial soldiers. They’d killed the only person who’d ever shown him kindness in that place.

As he’d howled his fury on the frozen Vaal, surrounded by the dead hunters, the soldiers had returned, pinning him down, tying him up…

“He’s the type the scientists are looking for. There’s a reward for specimens like this. Quick, restrain him. We’ll bring him back to base.”

Dragging him to a hell-planet called Xar so they could carry out their terrible experiments on him.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Nythian slammed his fist into the floor again and again, beating the dead Xargek’s chitinous exoskeleton into a mangled pulp. He didn’t know how long he was in that state for. He didn’t care. He just wanted to release the terrible rage inside him, but the pressure kept building until he felt like his head would explode.

He stood…

And saw a dark warrior standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the curving frame. It was the same warrior who had appeared before. “Are we done here, brother?” the figure said, releasing the helm that protected his silver face.

Nythian rushed at the warrior, who ducked, blocking his raised fist with his armored forearm.

Suddenly, a blade was at Nythian’s throat. “Easy, brother. I don’t want to use this, so don’t make me do it. You’ll be a walking skeleton by the time your nanites are done fixing you up. I know you’re angry, but I ain’t the ghost of your enemies.”

He managed to stop… only just. Breathing hard, he stared into familiar golden eyes.

He knew this person.

The madness ebbed away… a little.

“Lodan,” he growled, still thrumming with rage, not knowing where or how to release it. “I am not very good company right now.” He hated that his brother was seeing him in this state, but that was just his pride. Lodan knew him better than anyone. He’d seen him like this before, just as Nythian knew Lodan’s weaknesses inside and out. So much for the legendary First Division training and discipline.

“Someone wanted—demanded—to see you,” his battle-partner said, keeping his voice carefully neutral. “She’s actually very Kordolian-like in the way she goes about things.”

Lodan didn’t need to say anything more, because Nythian already knew that she was here—he could smell her, hear her…

She was intoxicating.

Goddess, how he wanted to touch her.

But not like this. Never like this.

“You were supposed to keep her away from all this.” He strode forward, fangs bared, his claws flicking out. How dare Lodan bring her into this filth? He loved his brother, but he also wanted to smash his fucking face in right now.

The only reason he was able to hold back was because of her. No matter how bad things got, he could never take out his anger on her.

Lodan was a different matter. Just like Nythian, he lived to fight. They’d always absorbed each other’s anger and frustration in the training chamber.

“Nythian…” Alexis stepped out from behind Lodan. They were surrounded by chaos, but she was focused only on him.

There was no fear in her eyes, no disgust, no horror, no revulsion.

Just acceptance.

“Hey,” she said softly, stepping over blood and Xargek venom to reach him. She slipped her hands into his, not caring that he was naked and lean and strange, his muscles eaten away by the ravenous nanites. At least he was almost fully healed now.

And in that instant, the toxic anger disappeared in a puff of vapor, leaving him raw and wanting.

How the fuck did she do that to him?

“Hey,” he rumbled, inhaling her scent, drowning in her softness.

The anger was still there, but now he was able to cage it.

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