The darkness that cradled me felt snug and warm as I gradually regained consciousness. I kept my eyes closed, relishing the sensation, fearful that, once I opened them, reality would crash back into me, cold and unforgiving. The murmur of a heartbeat guided me through the silence. Caspian’s scent, that soft mixture of musk and raging seas, filled my lungs and stretched my lips into a smile.

The memories of what had thrown me into my dormant stasis came back—snippets of my fight with the Manticore queen’s daughter. The punches, our blades slashing and drawing blood. The venomous spike of Pheng-Pheng’s scorpion tail that pierced my flesh. The poison.

Am I dead? Did Manticore venom actually kill me? Could it kill a vampire?

If this was death, it felt amazing. My eyes peeled open and quickly dismantled that theory. I was still very much alive, and I’d been sleeping in Caspian’s arms beneath the cover of a small tent. The animal skin blocking the sunlight was a soft, crackled brown, thick enough to protect us from the sun.

“Harper?” Caspian’s voice made me turn my head, slowly, so I could see his face. His jade eyes were dark, emotions flickering in bright flames of emerald and gold as he smiled gently and caressed my cheek.

I was awake. Pheng-Pheng had not killed me. But I’d fought her for a reason. “What happened?” I murmured, stirring in Caspian’s embrace. He’d covered us both with woolen blankets and a thick layer of fur, and he’d laid down beside me, probably watching over me as I recovered from the Manticore sting. My entire body hurt, but the venom burn was gone. “Pheng-Pheng… Did she win? No, wait. She yielded, didn’t she? But I passed out…”

“You fought like the warrior that you are, Harper,” Caspian replied, his voice rich with pride. “And yes, you got Pheng-Pheng to yield, just before her venom took its toll and rendered you unconscious. But she administered the cure and admitted her defeat. You won. We won.”

I glanced around, breathing a sigh of relief. Judging by the brightness peeking through the tent’s stitched edges, it was early morning. “How long have I been out?” I asked, unwilling to move from Caspian’s hold.

“You were unconscious for most of the night,” he replied, using his thumb and index to grip my chin and pull me in for a deep, sweet kiss. I loved the taste of him on my lips, especially after my near-death experience. “I thought I’d lost you when Pheng-Pheng stung you. I thought that was it. But you… You found the strength to defeat her, despite the poison working its way through you.”

I blushed, brushing my fingers against his lower lip. “The thought of never seeing you again enraged me,” I whispered. “I was horrified that I’d never get to be with you like this. You’re the reason I’m still here, I guess.”

“Good.” He nodded slowly. “Good to know I’m still useful, despite my current condition.”

He meant the blood oath. I knew he wanted to tell me everything that we were missing to complete the picture of the conspiracy between the Exiled Maras and the daemons. His inability to do so made him feel helpless, but judging by his warm, golden aura, that wasn’t the emotion dominating him at this point. That glimmer was all for me, and I welcomed it.

“I don’t know, I think we can find a couple more uses for you, still.” I smirked, then bit my lower lip as I looked up at him. His gaze darkened, and the shadow of a smile flickered over his face.

“What were you thinking?” he replied.

“Oh, I imagine you already have an inkling of that.”

“More than an inkling, Harper. I’m painting an endless stream of images in my mind right now,” Caspian said, then captured my mouth in a hungry kiss.

I was still in my leather suit, and as his lips began to make their way along my collarbone, for the first time, as much as I loved its comfortable design, I genuinely loathed its presence on me. Caspian found the hem of my collar, and growled, equally frustrated. And yet, he didn’t let it stop him.

The sound of my zipper going down made my heart somersault. Caspian was determined to discover more of me beneath my leather suit. He kissed me again as his fingers settled on my throat, then gently traveled downward, peeling away my suit so he could touch and explore my soft flesh.

As his fingers inched lower, he sucked in a breath, then paused and looked at me, his gaze clouded, his aura brimming with bright gold. “I would love nothing more than to take this further, Harper,” he murmured, “but I’m afraid it would mean we wouldn’t leave this tent for a very long time.”

I giggled softly, barely recognizing myself, all flushed and breathless. I stroked his cheek. “Let me guess, they’re waiting for us outside.”

He nodded, then smiled and dropped a brief but intense kiss on my lips. He sat up and offered me a hand. I took it and allowed him to pull me into a seated position. His gaze lingered on my torso, my pale skin and sports bra in full view. My cheeks burned delightfully as he slowly reached out and zipped my suit back up, with a disappointed groan.

“I’ll bookmark this moment then, so we can pick up where we left off, later,” I said, then used one of the elastic bands on my wrist to pull my hair up in a loose bun.

“Oh, no, we’ll have to start all over, I’m afraid,” Caspian said, grinning as he geared up, then passed my protective plates, boots, belt, and weapons over. I got up and began preparing myself for what waited outside—my team, the Manticore queen, and a lot of sunlight in the middle of the Akrep Gorge. “My memory isn’t what it used to be. I forget things...”

I burst into laughter, surprised to see this brighter side of him. It was a sight I rarely saw, and I loved it. “Don’t tell me you’re getting old,” I replied, as he moved closer and took me in his arms.

“I’m full of energy and spry like a flame, Miss Hellswan,” he said, and kissed me again. “But whenever you’re near, my brain and my body refuse to cooperate. Now, gear up while I go get the others. I’ll meet you outside.”

He smiled, then put on his goggles and pulled his hood and mask to protect him from the sunlight. I felt my heart swell with instant longing, watching him leave the tent. Caspian certainly had a way of riling me up, in more ways than one, and being so close to him offered me previously hidden facets of who he really was—a strong, determined Mara whose soft side made me melt like a candle before a fiery blaze.

I let out a breath. I’m going to be a puddle of wax before long.

Five minutes later, I was ready to go, loaded with my protective plates, my weapons and backpack on, and my head and eyes covered as I stepped out into the morning sunshine. The tent had been erected on the very edge of the Manticores’ bowl-shaped arena, next to three others for the rest of my team.

As soon as they saw me, they all rushed to hug me—Hansa, Jax, Caia, Blaze, Fiona, and even Vesta. I was close to tearing up as they held me close and told me how relieved and thrilled they were to see me up and walking again, while Queen Neha, Pheng-Pheng, and Kai stayed behind, quietly watching us.

“You were amazing yesterday,” Fiona said, patting my shoulder. “It’s a shame she stung you, but damn, you fought back!”

“And you won, too,” Hansa added, pulling me into another hug. She held me tighter this time, whispering in my ear. “Be more careful next time, kid. My heart can’t take another scare like this.”

“I swear I tried my best not to get my ass handed to me,” I chuckled, as Caspian discreetly moved to my side and snaked an arm around my waist, bringing me closer to him.

“You didn’t get your ass handed to you. Well . . . kind of. Almost,” Caia replied, pursing her lips. “Okay, technically speaking, you did. But you still won.”

“And I have to admit, no one has ever lived to make me yield, not after I stung them.” Pheng-Pheng stepped forward, hands behind her back. Her wounds had already healed, but I could tell, from the dark colors radiating from her, that her ego was still bruised. “Nevertheless, I must congratulate you. You won fair and square.”

“That is my daughter’s way of expressing admiration,” Queen Neha interjected with a dry smile, using her own voice. “In fact, my little Manticore likes you a lot.”

Pheng-Pheng rolled her eyes and scoffed in response. “Let’s not get all sentimental, Mother. She won the fight. That’s all.”

“You fought extraordinarily well,” I replied with a nod. “I do appreciate how quickly you were able to mirror my movements. No one has ever worked me over the way you did. I say this genuinely—I am floored by your fighting abilities and consider myself lucky to have survived for long enough to get you to yield. I know my life wouldn’t have been spared otherwise.”

Pheng-Pheng offered a brief half smile, then stepped aside for her mother to come forward. Queen Neha was a vision, once more. White silk flowed down her luscious curves, with a heavy belt made of thick, gold disks resting around her hips. More gold plates covered her neck and chest, and her auburn mane was tamed and braided with white silk thread. She carried a strange bird on her left shoulder, the size of an eagle, with a curved beak and fiery red plumage. Its tail was rich with long, crimson feathers, and its glassy blue eyes fixed on me.

“You proved yourself worthy of my support,” Queen Neha said to me, then smiled at Hansa and the rest of my team. “You have an ally in me, from now on. I do want to rid this world of daemons, and the pests that are the Exiled Maras, in particular. They don’t belong here, not at the expense of my people’s lives and wellbeing. So, yes, I will help you. The Manticores will stand with you.”

“Thank you, Your Grace,” I replied, then bowed curtly. “Your support will be much appreciated. We’ll need all the help we can get, when the time comes.”

“And you have our word that, once our people get here and balance is restored on Neraka, the Manticores will have GASP’s full support in your rebuilding efforts. I’m sure you’d all like to leave this gorge, at some point,” Hansa said.

“We’d like to have that freedom, yes,” the queen said, nodding, “but I doubt we would actually abandon it. We’ve adjusted to the climate, and we thrive in the heat. Barring a couple of exceptions, we were never a people who expanded aggressively, but we’ve always enjoyed free movement. We don’t have that, as long as King Shaytan still rules.”

“Rest assured that once we get GASP here, King Shaytan won’t be a problem anymore. Neither will the Exiled Maras,” Jax added. “Too many lives have been wasted for their mindless greed. We’ll put an end to it.”

“We’re off to Draconis next, to look for the swamp witch,” Hansa said. “We’re due to meet back at Ragnar Peak with the rest of our team in five days, with or without her. Once we get her back, it will be over for the daemons.”

“Whatever you do, I wish you the best of luck,” the queen replied, then slipped her fingers under the bird’s feet. She handed the bird over to me, gently stroking its feathers. “This is an Ekar. We use them to communicate across large distances. Use it when you’re ready to call for our help. Just tell it to return to me, and the bird will find me, then guide me to wherever you are.”

“Thank you, Your Grace,” I murmured. The Ekar’s claws gripped my hand firmly. It didn’t hurt or scratch me, and it seemed calm and curious as it scanned my face, its head twisting like that of an owl.

“The Ekar travels at an average of ninety miles over the span of an hour,” the queen said. “So take that into consideration when you send it back to me, depending on your location. You can even fit it with a message, if you wish.”

I placed the bird on my shoulder, and it seemed comfortable there, grooming its wings and occasionally glancing around at the others. “He knows to stay with you now,” Pheng-Pheng added. “I’ve raised Ramin from the day he hatched from his egg.”

“What if we encounter issues in Draconis?” Jax asked, while Caspian stared at Ramin. “Would you be able to come to our aid there?”

Queen Neha thought about it for a second, then exchanged a knowing glance with Kai. “It’s not something we’re eager to do, but, should you need our help to get out of there, Kai can certainly take some of our best warriors and infiltrate Draconis to rescue you. It wouldn’t be the first time we snuck into that city.”

“You’ve been there before?” I replied, suddenly curious as to her experience in the daemons’ prison city. The queen looked at me and exhaled.

“I was a prisoner there for a while, until Kai got me out and brought me here,” she said, resting a hand on Kai’s shoulder. A warm, golden aura enveloped them both, and I understood then that their relationship went well past that of a queen and her subject.

“I suppose your nest will always know where to find you,” Fiona replied, nodding slowly. I figured they’d had plenty to talk about while I was out cold and recovering from the venom.

“We are connected, for life, yes,” the queen replied, then looked at me. “Our fate is in your hands now, outsiders. I trust you will put your life on the line, if that’s what it takes to stop the daemons from killing more of our people, little vampire.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” I said, then offered another curt bow. “We’re allies now. And we will bring fire and fury to those who wish to hurt us.”

“Good. Because those daemons need to burn,” Pheng-Pheng replied, crossing her arms.

They most certainly do. I felt as though I could breathe again, knowing that we now had the Manticores on our side. Our journey and our mission were nowhere near over, but we had allies that we could rely on. I hoped that Scarlett and the others were okay, too, getting the Adlets to join our crew against the daemons and Exiled Maras.

We needed all hands on deck. And paws. And claws. And everything in between, as long as they helped us hold our enemies back while we retrieved the last swamp witch. With Caspian by my side, and fighters like Hansa, Jax, and the others backing me up, I knew that victory was no longer a distant dream, but a palpable reality.