“I can feel the power in the air. Your winged warriors are on their way,” Geica murmured, standing next to him.

His body was still under the spell they’d put on him. She moved closer to him, running her hand down along his stomach then trailed farther south. He grew nauseated.

She gripped him in her hands, letting a growl escape her. “The masters have granted me you after they kill your precious princess.”

He cut his eyes to her, praying to be released from the spell. A pleasing smile graced her lips as she felt the size of him underneath his pants.

He. Would. Kill. Her.

With his bare hands, he was going to choke the life from her body.

“Remove your hands from me,” he groused.

“You’ll be changing your tune soon enough.” She patted his cock one last time then moved away from him.

The damn demons had tied him to a thick metal pole, literally using him as bait. He knew Vikuth would be careful when they arrived. He wasn’t sure how they’d found him. He figured it had something to do with Rina being able to contact him.

The ploy of the demons was almost comical. If he wasn’t strung up and tied to the damn pole, he’d have laughed at the crude trap. He bit back a growl. The demons gathered around, waiting for the gargoyles to arrive. A tingling sensation fizzed in his fingertips, and he froze.

He wiggled his little finger.

He grinned.

He was gaining back control of his body. He tried again, and this time, his entire hand moved. His muscles tensed, and he tried to remain stoic just in case a demon glanced his way. He didn’t want to let on that he was getting back the use of his limbs. The instant he was freed, he would take great pleasure in killing every demon he could get his claws on.

His gaze swept the land, finding none of the necromancers in sight. He wasn’t surprised. They were probably inside the demon lair, going to let their demon horde do all of the fighting for them against the gargoyles.

The sounds of leathery wings flapped in the distance. He braced himself, knowing his clan had come for him. They weren’t attempting to hide their arrival. War cries echoed through the air.

“Clan Gahnoth!” echoed, announcing the arrival of his gargoyles.

Pride filled his chest at the sight the gargoyles made against the star-lined sky. Winged beasts cut through the heavens and headed toward the demons. The sight of gargoyles landing on the ground and instantly engaging in battle with the demons warmed his soul. Growls and shouts surrounded him as the fight truly began.

Gargoyles versus demons.

No misted beings. True demons that could be touched, cut, and killed. More demons ran out of the mountains and converged on the gargoyles.

“Shit,” he hissed, seeing that his men were outnumbered. “Vikuth! Behind you!” he shouted as another demon had tried to sneak up behind his second-in-command.

Vikuth turned, bringing his talons down and sinking them into the neck of the demon.

“Clan Sukazz!” echoed from the opposing fighters.

Rhodack shot his gaze to the sky. More winged beasts cut swiftly through the darkness.

The Las Vegas clan had arrived to help.

Vikuth must have been in contact with the clan leaders. Rhodack was proud of his friends for stepping up in his absence, but if one of his men didn’t make their way to free him soon, they’d answer to him the minute he was liberated.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched as Chukai and his necromancers stepped from the gates that led into the demon lair. They stood, observing the battle.

Of course they wouldn’t want to dirty their robes.

Their eyes were drawn above. He slowly turned toward where they were looking and fell back against the steel pole in shock.

The Fae had arrived in style amongst small dragons flying through the sky. Each of the Fae warriors rode along, and the dragons flashed out and landed on the ground right in the middle of the melee. Their swords gleamed in the dark night, and they slashed through the bodies of the demons.

He cursed.

She’d better not have come.

She wouldn’t.

“Rhodack!” a familiar female shouted.

He cursed and closed his eyes, praying he’d imagining Rina’s voice. He opened his eyes and found her running toward him.

She looked different.

Determination was evident in her eyes when she reached him.

“I told you not to come,” he said.

She stopped in front of him. “You have a funny way of saying thank you,” she snapped. Her eyes flashed, and she whipped out a small dagger from a sheath on her hip.

“The enemy is here and are after you. Why do you think I ordered you not to come?” He was going to tan her hide. He’d promised himself he was going to do it when she’d defied him before.

Now he was going to take great pleasure bending her over his knee.

His cock stiffened with the thought of her in that position.

“Hold your hands far apart,” she ordered.

He sent up a prayer that he’d be able to fully do what she’d asked.

He moved his arms apart just as she swung her dagger. His arms gave way, and his body flew forward, his knees catching the brunt of the fall. He stayed in place.

“What’s wrong?” she cried, kneeling beside him.

He sensed her powers brewing as she placed a hand on his shoulder. His strength was returning quickly, the rest of the necromancer magic escaping his body.

“What do we have here?” Geica’s voice shot out.

Rhodack glanced up at the female demon stalking toward them.

“You should have heeded his warning, princess.”

A growl released from Rina as she stood tall, holding her silver dagger in her hand. She slowly slid it into the sheath on her hip.

“Through our link, I felt Rhodack experience disgust and now I know why,” Rina murmured, her focused on Geica, ignoring the battle around them.

Rhodack fixed his gaze on Rina, unable to believe she’d experienced his emotions.

How did she know that?

What else has she experienced along with me?

“Oh, don’t worry. Once my masters drain your power, I’ll take care of your gargoyle lover,” Geica threatened. “Bring your little weapon back out, princess. You’re going to need it.”

“No, I won’t.”

Rina felt Rhodack gaining his strength. She didn’t know what magic the necromancers had used against him, but it was fading. When she’d settled her fingertips on his shoulder, she’d sensed the necromancer power in him. She’d quickly sent a pulse of her powers into him to push the necromancer’s out of his system.

“I’ll be rewarded well by taking you to my masters,” the female demon hissed, brandishing her claws.

Rina wasn’t worried about this little female. She needed Rhodack to quickly heal. She could feel his anger and rage coming forth, which would help his strength return.

“Rhodack,” she snapped, sensing other demons stalking toward them. She’d lost track of her father in the melee. The gargoyles and Fae warriors were in the middle of the battle, and she refused to scream for help.

She’d fight to the death to protect Rhodack.

The female gargoyle went on the attack, slashing the air with her claws. Rina dodged the gesture and narrowed her eyes on the demon. She continued to outstep her, as the other demons grew closer.

She had to wait for the perfect moment.

“Fight me!” the female shouted, frustration evident in her face when Rina continued to flash around her.

She flashed again, coming up behind her. She spun and landed a kick into the beast-woman’s abdomen, sending her flying in the direction of three demons who ran toward them.

Now.

She pulled her powers from within and threw her hands toward the creatures. A bright light shined from her hands, sending the demons flying back a few hundred feet.

The ground rumbled as Rhodack stood. His roar echoed through the air, and his wings flashed behind him. Her eyes widened at the magnificent sight of her mate’s head thrown back as he roared his mighty war cry.

His chest rose and fell hard, and she was sure he was now one hundred percent back to his normal self.

“Stay behind me,” he demanded.

Their foes stood from the ground and charged toward them. He grabbed her arm and pushed her behind him.

“No, beside you,” she snapped, pulling her arm free and moving to his side. She ignored his glare and faced the charging demons, her gaze set on the female as she drew near.

This female thought she would take Rhodack from her?

Not a chance.

He belonged to her.

The woman didn’t realize how powerful Rina was. Her body slammed into Rina’s. Her feet slid back, but she didn’t lose her balance. Rina gripped the female’s shoulders and used her strength to flip the she-creature over and toss her to the ground.

Rhodack fought the three other demons. His face was focused on the fight, and Rina knew she’d have to handle this female once and for all.

“You think my masters will let you go?” the female hissed and rolled to her knees and hopped back on her feet.

“I plan to leave of my own free will,” Rina said.

The female charged again.

This time Rina would end this fight.

She caught the woman and wrapped her arm around her neck, tightening her grip as her opponent struggled. Her gaze connected with a dragon flying overhead, and she flashed her and the demon away.

The female screamed as they appeared on the back of the dragon.

“Where are you taking me?” the woman hollered and struggled against Rina.

Rina murmured in the ancient language of the elves and guided the dragon higher in the sky, its scales smooth and leathery underneath her fingertips.

“For a little ride,” Rina said.

The dragon tore through the darkness, taking them higher into the clouds where the bodies on the ground resembled tiny ants. The female ceased her struggles, maybe realizing the altitude they were reaching.

“I surrender. Please don’t kill me,” she begged. Her claws dug into Rina’s skin as she tried to hold on to her.

“Oh no. You don’t get to change your tune,” Rina said. The dragon coasted and leveled itself. “You’ve been so loyal to your masters, see if they’ll save you now!”

Rina pushed the woman off the dragon. Her body fell, her screams cut by the wind. Rina’s gaze followed the demon’s body as it plummeted to Earth.

Rina didn’t feel any remorse for her. The body slammed into the ground. A dirt cloud filled the air, masking the corpse from Rina’s view.

She guided the dragon back toward the ground, determined to end this battle now. As she grew closer, a band of demons surrounded Vikuth and some of the gargoyles.

“Burn them,” she said in her native tongue.

A line of fire shot out of the dragon’s mouth, landing on the demons that threatened Vikuth and his men.

Their screams echoed through the air, and their bodies writhed, covered in flames. She took in the battlefield, finding no sign of her father. She caught sight of Rhodack as the last demon fell at his feet. She focused on him and flashed off the dragon and appeared a few feet away from Rhodack.

“Rina,” he exclaimed, opening his arms to her.

She didn’t hesitate in running into his embrace. He squeezed her tight to his chest, and she welcomed it.

He pulled back slightly, careful to use his talons to tip her face up to his. “Don’t ever disappear like that again.”

“I can protect myself,” she murmured. Her lips curved up into a slight smile. “Don’t tell me you were scared.”

“Scared? Of losing you? Fuck, yeah, I was,” he admitted.

She widened her eyes at his admission. She laid a hand over his heart, knowing she was in love with the fierce guardian protector.

“You will not lose me,” she promised.

Their eyes connected, and her heart melted at the fierce love pouring out of his eyes. She turned in his embrace, sensing a presence behind her. She found Vikuth and other gargoyles standing by.

Again, her gaze swept the grounds, and she failed to find her father. He had ridden in on the same dragon she had, and she hadn’t seen him since they’d both flashed off the flying beast.

“Where is my father?”

“He and a few of his men ran into the demons’ lair after the necromancers,” Vikuth reported.

Her muscles tensed as her imagination ran wild with what could have happened to her father.

“Vikuth, round up the demons who may still be alive—”

“I will handle out here. Go after the king.” Vikuth nodded to them. “Be careful.”

“Always. Let’s go.” Rhodack grabbed her arm. He pulled her behind him toward the mouth of the lair. Once inside, there was no telling what they’d find.