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The predator would show her no mercy.

Goosebumps pebbled her flesh, and she shivered. She wanted to remember the man, not the monster.

She drew a deep breath, held it… Then reached for the chains.

* * *

Jericho flinchedfrom Alex’s touch, holding tight while she unwound the chains from his wrists.

“Alex, no. What are you doing?”

Her eyes met his, piercing into his soul.

“Taking my place in the sun.”

The words sliced through his heart.Gods no.“Leave them.” He tightened his grip on the chains in his hands.

She shook her head, strangely calm. “With the locks gone, willpower won’t keep you there forever.”

Alex was close. Too close. His chest expanded, drawing in her scent. So fragrant, better than any perfume. She shifted to his other arm, and his nose dipped toward the curve of her neck. Her pulse fluttered beneath her skin. Beating. Throbbing. Pulsing. He’d fed from her there. Her blood—warm and sweet as it coated his tongue.

Hungry. His teeth ached to tear into her vein.The female is yours. Drink. Take all of it. Do it now! Sink your claws into her flesh.

Thick metal links slipped through his palms, and he threw out an arm.

“Get back!”

Alex’s cry raked his ears as she tumbled across the floor.

He slammed his shoulders into the concrete wall and slid to the ground.

The fragile hold on his humanity slipped through his fingers, and he struggled to keep the madness at bay. Gods, the drug. Not only was he losing control, he was enraged. The drug pulled at his darker instincts, twisting, warping reality. It oozed through his system like venomous tar, infecting every cell.

Alex rose on shaky legs, her wrist cradled to her stomach.

Bile crawled up the back of his throat. “Alex, I’m so sorry,” he apologized in a broken voice, dropping his face into his hands. Seconds out of the restraints, and he’d already hurt her. What would he do to her once the darkness took control?

She crept closer, kneeling at his feet.

“Alexandra,” he grated through clenched teeth. “You have to stay away from me.” He fisted his hair to keep from grabbing her. Pain lanced his scalp, not enough to distract him. The enticing thump of her heartbeat called to him. Beautiful, tempting—his.No!

“Jericho, it’s okay.” Her fingers wrapped around his forearms, pulling his hands down. Unable to resist, he raised his head to look at her.

His mind recoiled from the acceptance on her expressive face.

“No,” he grated. “No!”

“I sense the violence rising in you. You’re slipping away. We both know what will happen once you turn.” Tears clouded the determination in her eyes. “I’ve seen firsthand the damage a rogue can cause. The waitress at the club. My mother. As a child, I saw my mom torn apart. Listened to her screams before he ripped her throat out.” Alex’s voice cracked. “In my nightmares, I’ve experienced it over and over again. I can’t go through that. Not like she did.”

White-hot rage licked through his veins. He banged his head against the wall.Not yet. Have to fight it.“Someone will come for us,” he insisted. “There’s a chance… If I can just hold out.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks. “We’re out of time. With each second that passes, you slip further away. You must do it now, Jericho. Before the madness takes you from me. Let my last memory of you be one of tenderness, not fear.”

Darkness swelled, demanding he strike out. Sweat beaded his skin. He sank his claws into his thighs, savoring the bite of pain. “So what? You’re going to give up?” he snarled in a voice he didn’t recognize.

Her chin tilted at that stubborn angle he’d come to love. “I’m not giving up. I’m taking control. I won’t let that bitch dictate my final moments with you. She wants us to suffer, and I refuse to give her the satisfaction. I say we do this on our terms. And just maybe, once they’ve set you free, Victor can find a way to bring you back.”

The words resonated with hope and desperation.