I remained frozen in place, Georges’ jaws still clamped on my calf, blood still flowing from the injuries. Movement near the gator’s tail begged for my attention, but I couldn’t tear my gaze from him.

“Don’t touch him. Don’t come near me.” Tears never slowed. “Take,” I swallowed hard, fighting the damning pain. “Take the sword out, please.”

“Little flower…” my father murmured.

“Please, Papa Eron. Just… please.”

“Let us care for you first,” he tried again.

I shook my head. “No, just… please. Remove it and leave.”

I couldn’t hold it together much longer. The agony of my loss pummeled me from inside out. My wolf howled in objection, hating that our friend was gone and my fire, it scorched my veins, denying the truth. Georges was gone.

“Caith,” Sam whispered. “You’re bleeding.”

I shook my head again. “I need you to go.”

Murmurs surrounded me, more voices coming near, the rattling roar of their presence vibrating me and plucking my nerves. Didn’t anyone see that I clutched sanity by a single thread?

“Papa,” the word drifted into the wind and I wasn’t sure he heard me.

But then he flexed and the sickening squelch of his blade sliding free of Georges’ body eclipsed all other sounds. The slide had more tears rushing forward, more moisture escaping my eyes. It was then I finally moved, finally worked my calf out of the gator’s mouth. I ignored the hands that reached for me, brushed fingers away and disregarded my mate’s scent. I only had eyes for Georges. I scrambled forward, changing position until I could cradle his large head in my lap. My tears decorated his hide then, wetting the flesh with my sorrow.

He was gone. Gone.

His black orbs were still exposed and I carefully encouraged them to lower, hiding him from my gaze. I couldn’t look into those eyes any longer. They’d been consumed by magic and hatred and then he’d looked at me…

A sob escaped, shaking my body, and I curled in on myself, resting my chest on Georges as the animalistic sounds burst from my mouth. I was surrounded by loved ones, their caring flowing to me on the wind, but I couldn’t banish my sadness. It overwhelmed me, ate at me until I was raw with the emotion.

It burned me, scorched my flesh and set my skin aflame. The brightness of my hellfire slid over me, sticking to my skin and ignored Georges, my clothing. It was proof of my agony, showing one and all that I was… destroyed.

“Shit.” Papa Eron. Then more voices, ones I recognized and others I didn’t. “Little flower,” he soothed, but there was no soothing. None, none, none. “You must calm.”

“They…” I couldn’t release the rest of the words.

“I know, my young one.” Another papa.

“Be easy.” And another.

“You can’t do this, Caith.” That snarl was unmistakable. Papa Al.

“You will cease this immediately.” So like Papa Leth.

They all came. It was what they did. They sensed my pains, my injuries, and immediately rushed to my side.

“What happened here?” Sometimes even Uncle Luc came and brought his roaring hellfire with him, the warmth soothing in some ways.

A thud and grunt reached my ears a brief moment before yet another voice joined the fray. “What did you do to her, angel?”

My mother. My mother left Hell. Not that I knew the woman well. She hardly left home. But… she came.

They could all witness my pain. It gathered, growing and rolling through me with the power of my parents. Yes, my mother created a demon with a little bit of everything, but she also created a demon who had the ability to destroy… everything.

Grunts and groans reached me, and still I only had eyes for Georges. My pretty, pretty boy. It was odd, I knew it was odd, that I had such an attachment to a beast, but I was my father’s daughter. I clung to animals in my care, treated them as my children, and I’d had Georges for so long…

A hiss cut through my focus followed by a growl from Uncle Luc. Good, he got Mom off Sam. Sam… would he hate me when I was done?

Probably.

“I’m sorry, sweet boy.” The anger grew, sliding from my skin to dance and stroke the grass beneath me. Flicking from blade to blade, climbing the roses that lurked nearby.

“Fuck,” Uncle Luc spat. “Get them out of here. I’ll stay with her.”

Bodies left the area. That was good. They shouldn’t be consumed by my grief. The razing of my land was enough. I didn’t want to hurt others, too.

Yes, everyone left. My papas retreated, my mother followed in their wake. They were gon—

No, Sam remained. His sweet sulfur still teased my wolf’s senses. I tore my gaze from Georges and sought my mate. He crouched before me, dark hair shading his pale blue eyes. Pain was etched into his features and I looked him over, hunting for the source. Had he been harmed by Georges? The person responsible had even more to answer for.

But… there were no cuts. His clothing was burned and smoked and his skin…

I was burning him, scorching him with my grief and I immediately withdrew the hellfire from him, easing it into myself.

“Sam,” I whispered.

“I’m here, sweetheart.” His voice was just as low.

“Papa Eron killed Georges.”

“I know. He had to.”

I nodded and another sob escaped, my hellfire flaring in response and my wolf’s fur emerged. The beast wanted to hunt and chase the ones who’d done this. My claws slid free and transformed my hands into deadly paws. My gums ached, fangs demanding release.

My human half would discover the perpetrator and my wolf and hellfire would destroy him.

A tear escaped my eye and it sizzled on my cheek as the fire burned it away. “Yes. I’m going to kill them, Sam. I’m going to find them and rip out their hearts.”

Sam reached for me, his hand nearing my face and I encouraged the flames to retreat further. The last thing I wanted was to burn my mate to a crisp. “I know. And I’ll be with you. I’ll hold them for you.”

I shook my head. “No, On High will…”

He reached for my other cheek and I banished the remainder of my fury. He was touching me, my mate was cupping my cheeks and stroking my face. I couldn’t injure him no matter how hot the hellfire wanted to burn.

“On High will have a choice between understanding my own and accepting my place in your life or banishing me entirely. But no matter what happens, I’m not leaving you, Caith.”

The last of my flames slowly slid back into me, banked by Sam’s words and the hope that blossomed. “But…”

“There are no buts. There’s you and me, Caith.”

I placed my right hand atop his, memorizing the feel of his skin. “I would scorch the earth if you left me, Sam. You have to be sure. If we m-m-m—”

“Mate. We’ll mate, Caith.”

“If we mate,” my voice dropped to a harsh whisper. “If we mate and you leave, no one would survive. You need to understand that. On High needs to understand.”

“I’ll make them understand.” Uncle Luc’s deep baritone drifted to me.

Sam stroked my hair, brushing a few strands behind my ear. “Luc will take care of things, sweetheart.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to my forehead in a brief kiss. “I’m not leaving, understand? I’ll stand at your side.”

I sniffled and swallowed past the lump in my throat. “Okay.” I nodded. “Okay.”

Quiet remained, nothing breaking the silence but our low breathing. Seconds ticked past and no one said a word. Uncle Luc lurked nearby, I knew, but even he remained mute. I struggled to find peace within my heart, but Georges was a heavy weight in my lap, a physical reminder of my loss. Each time I thought I’d banished the sharper edges, they’d cut through me once again. It was a rough, tumultuous battle between calm and rage.

My flesh warmed, the first ticklings of my hellfire easing forward and my cheeks snapped, jaw cracking as my wolf attempted to come forward.

“Samkiel…” Uncle Luc’s voice held a warning.

I reacted without thought, wolf and fire objecting to my uncle’s reprimand. I tore my face from Sam’s touch and snapped in my uncle’s direction, a wave of hellfire flowing to him, burning the wind. I bared my fangs and snarled. No one would speak like that to my mate.

“Amica,” Sam growled, the deep sound calling my wolf’s attention.

While the growl remained, I refocused on Sam.

“You need to calm down.” He cupped my cheeks once again. “Focus on me, on my breath.” He brought one of my hands to his chest, pressing my palm flat so I could feel each inhale and exhale. “Breathe with me. You’re stronger than this. We can’t hunt if you’re not in control. That’s it.” Inhale. Exhale. “I want to take you inside and get you bandaged.” Inhale. Exhale. “You’re injured and that’s unacceptable to me, Caith.”

Injured?

Yes, my lower leg. Georges had… My wolf rose, anxious to go. To find.

“Are you calm, my mate?” he spoke low.

Mate. Yes, I was his mate and he wanted to care for me like a mate should and he couldn’t do that when…

I nodded. “I’m calm. I’ll stay calm.” I stroked Georges’ hide and dropped my gaze. “What should I do with him?”

“What do you want to do with him? Do you want to cremate him? Or do you prefer burial?”

I shuddered. “I don’t want to lose him at all.”

“I know, but we have to do something.”

“Your Helene can help, infans.” Uncle Luc slid into our conversation and this time my demon and wolf remained in check. “She could preserve him until you decide. Until those who caused this are no longer in the tween.”

No longer in the tween.

“I don’t want them forgiven, Uncle Luc. Whoever it is, I want them in Hell.”

“It will be done, infans. It will be done.” I didn’t doubt my uncle. When he gave his word, he kept it. No matter what deal he had to make with On High, the magic wielder would go to Hell. And stay there.

“Okay,” I nodded. “See if Momma R will come by and take care of my Georges.”

“She’s already here, sweetheart. She’s just waiting for you to settle.” Sam’s words tugged my attention from Uncle Luc. “Can she come out?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I can’t… I can’t watch. Will you take me inside?”

I hated that I sounded like a weak child but I couldn’t take anymore. I wanted to be held, to be cared for, to be… loved. Just for a little while.

Then I would feast on the blood of those responsible for Georges’ death.