The battle was almost over. I could taste victory on my tongue, and I knew we owed it all to Nina.

The pride I’d felt when I saw her join the battle, taking on creatures twice her size and dominating the field in ways no vampire could dream of—God above, that had been more beautiful than anything I’d ever seen before.

My blood rushed through my body, and simply watching her, watching the force of destruction she was, had me wanting to take her to my bed now.

All memories of what she was, what she’d done, were gone from my mind in that moment.

All I could see was what she was now.

I plunged my hand into the chest of a downed creature—held down by Nina’s spell—and yanked its heart out, threw it to the ground and let the body drop.

This was too easy.

I grinned, enjoying the fight and the feeling of strength and fulfillment that came from the life-and-death nature of battle.

Then she fell.

My heart lurched, and I rushed toward her, my need to protect her too strong—but then she was up again.

What was she doing?

I turned my head, following the direction she was headed in, and my chest constricted against as I saw the beast headed toward my mother. I stopped, unable to take a step forward, frozen with fear.

And then the worst thing in the world happened.

Nina threw herself in the creature’s way, taking the blow meant for my mother.

NO!

“NINA!” I screamed, my body coming to life again as I plowed through the crowd of vampires.

Everyone was screaming, and those who weren’t busy cleaning up the few remaining creatures were converging on Nina and my mother. Accusations flew through the air, some saying that Nina had attacked my mother, but I knew better.

She’d saved her.

“GET OUT OF THE WAY!” I roared, shoving vampires aside with a brutality I hadn’t realized I possessed.

What a fool I’d been, thinking I wanted her dead. I couldn’t take this—this not knowing if she was alive or dead. I couldn’t handle it.

My vision was tinted red. I could barely see. All that was in front of me was Nina’s lifeless form.

It seemed to take forever for me to reach her, but at last I did, and I yanked the monster from her back and threw it to the ground. There was no one to help me, and I should have been outmatched, but nothing could stop me now.

Nothing would keep me from Nina.

I tore its head off as if it were a rag doll and hurled it back into the crowd, then whirled back to Nina.

She’d crumpled. Her leg was bent awkwardly, and no, no, no, I couldn’t take this.

Slowly, cautiously, as if I might break her, I bent and gathered her into my arms.

I pressed my head to her breast, listening for what felt like hours until I heard her heart stutter in her chest, and then my breath rushed out of me in one great whoosh.

She was alive.

I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath of much-needed air, and forced myself to return to a somewhat normal state.

When I opened my eyes, the Council was there. Somehow.

How had they gotten here so fast?

Someone had helped my mother to my feet, but the rest of them were hissing at me to destroy Nina.

“Kill the blood mage,” Isaiah said. “Now’s your chance.”

“No, she—” my mother tried to interfere, but Isaiah cut her off.

“Kill her!”

I bared my fangs at him, a growl rumbling in my chest.

I’d destroy them all, for her. The world would run with blood if one of them dared to touch her, for she was mine.

Still cradling her to my chest, I stood and shouldered past the group that had formed around us. No one dared to touch me, not when I was more beast than man, and I stalked away from all of them.

They could clean up the rest of this battle. I was done.

I walked the battlefield of death, stepping over bodies as I went, but I saw nothing of it, so focused was I on Nina.

“Live, little one. Live for me,” I whispered, gazing down at her.

I felt the small, shallow breaths she took, each one a struggle. She wasn’t conscious now, and all I could do was hope that she’d survive.

I wouldn’t survive it if she died. Of that, I was certain.

I swept into the castle, then charged through the halls and up the stairs until I reached our suite—our suite.

It was as much Nina’s as it was mine. It had been so empty without her there. Every day had felt so pointless without her, and now I was facing the possibility of losing her forever.

Again, I cursed myself for my idiocy.

What had I been doing, thinking of destroying her?

She was mine and always would be, no matter what had been done.

I wouldn’t give her up, not now.

I walked into my room and placed her gently on my bed, the beast inside me rumbling its approval.

This was where she belonged. With me. In my bed.

She’s mine.

I took a few steps back and settled myself on the chair beside the bed, brooding as I watched her.

She would live. There was no other option. She was a blood mage; she’d heal herself while she was unconscious. She would live, and then we’d figure out where to go from here.

This wasn’t over, not by a long shot.

But we weren’t out of the woods yet.

I might have realized that I couldn’t live without her, but that didn’t excuse her actions.

I didn’t know what I was going to do with her, but one thing was clear: she’d earned her freedom. She wouldn’t be put in a cage ever again. There would be no collar about her throat.

And I’d fight anyone on the Council who wanted to take her, or my throne, from me.