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She turned toward Nero, her heart stinging in her chest. He was propped on his elbow, watching her with his brows together.

She hurried to his side. Blood had soaked his shirt, and a burn on his shoulder had destroyed the upper part of his sleeve and turned his skin a mottled gray-pink. It must have been outrageously painful. A combination of demonic rage and sadness battled for dominance in her. She hated that this had been done to him. She hated that he was in pain.

She reached toward him, then realized her hands were still aflame. Nero looked at them, then looked up at her face, wary. Zara breathed deeply, watching the flames, and when she focused on it, they shrank and then disappeared.

She reasoned that if the demon allowed Theron to heal himself, then perhaps she could also use its magic to heal. Reaching out cautiously, she laid her hands on Nero.

A white glow exploded from her palms. Nero closed his eyes tightly against the light, and magic began to flow into his wounds. Zara observed the magic passively. It seemed to work on its own, without the years of practice that it would have taken a mage to work this kind of spell. Something about that was alarming. This kind of power didn’t come without a price.

After a few seconds, the light faded. Nero’s wounds were sealed over—a long, neat line across his chest, and a pale burn mark on his shoulder.

Nero released a breath. He looked up at Zara uncertainly.

It occurred to her that he might be disgusted by her now. She could feel the demonic presence in her, a faint not-alone-ness in the back of her mind. Its power stirred deep inside her, terrifying and deadly. And yet, it was not entirely uncomfortable. It felt good to be angry. It felt good to be strong.

Could he see it when he looked at her? Did she look frightening? Did she look mad?

A demon had looked at her and decided that she was even more hate-filled than Theron. Perhaps she was no better than he was.

“I’m sorry,”she said. Strange vapor clouded out of her mouth when she spoke.

Nero’s brow furrowed. “Sorry for what?”

“For what I’ve let myself become.”

“Righteous vengeance is sacred in the eyes of the Goddess.”His hand went to her cheek. His touch sent shivers through her. “You protected us. You have done everything perfectly.”

“I am too angry.”

“You are perfect.”

Zara swallowed tightly, her breath hitching. She had tears in her eyes.“I love you.”

A smile broke across his face. He moved his hand to the back of her neck, pulled her down, and kissed her.

She circled her arms around him, tipping him over as she leaned into him. She breathed him in deeply, loving the familiar, warm scent of him and the secure feeling of his body against hers.

As she touched him, the anger inside her slowly changed into something softer. Something equally powerful, but gentle and giving. The anger was still there, but it was protective and courageous, not vindictive and bloodthirsty.

The rage gradually calmed, and then it melted out of her.

She pulled back suddenly, choking as blackness was expelled from her mouth. It evaporated from her skin like smoke, and as she heaved a deep exhalation, the last of the darkness left her body and disappeared into the night air.

The presence inside her had gone.

Nero’s eyebrows were nearly at his hairline. “Are you… finished?” he asked.

She collapsed onto him, shuddering. There was nothing left in her. She was completely drained. Tears burned her eyes, and her throat and chest ached, grated raw by the demonic presence. But it was gone. She was all right. They were all going to be all right.“I’m… tired.”

Nero wrapped his arms around her, his hands rubbing her back as she lay bonelessly on him.

She loved him. She loved him so much. He was a beautiful thing that needed to be protected and cherished. She wanted to be the one to do those things for him, the way he did them for her.

“It’s all right,” he murmured, and he actually laughed a little with relief as he petted her hair. “Everything is all right.”

She pressed a clumsy kiss to his jaw. “I know.”

Chapter 32