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She closed her eyes and breathed, “You…”

He stilled and grinned. “What was that?”

She panted through the pain, forcing her mouth to form the words. “Will never… have all of me.” He would never have her heart.

Cerberus cackled darkly, the chilling sound echoing through the cavern. “Your heart? If I wanted your heart, I’d cut it out of you.” He sneered, wrenching her head back by her hair as he stabbed his claw into her flesh. “I could eat right from your chest while your arteries are still beating—but I’d never let you fully die.” He dropped her head, letting it smack on the stone floor. “What fun would that be?”

He faced the entrance again. “Keep your heart.” He dragged his razor-sharp claws down the cave wall. “I prefer you alive. Although…” He glanced back at her, his fangs gleaming. A small bite wouldn’t kill you.”

Her breath hitched as he was once again slicing into her chest. “I could cut you open here.” His claw scraped down her breast with scalpel-like precision. “Steal a hunk. Not enough to kill you, but enough to make you suffer.”

Her vision blurred with fresh tears.

“Tedious tears. Like that ever worked on me.”

He yanked her to her back and settled his weight over her. He loved her surrender most when it wasn’t voluntary, so she refused to fight him as it would only excite him more.

“Shall we begin?”

Her head lifted with a breathless gasp as his claw stabbed deep, embedding in her chest and scraping the tissue of her heart. She prayed he’d go too far and kill her once and for all. The plunging pull and pressure of his fist tightening around the organ gave her hope. If he yanked it out of her, this torture would finally be over. She welcomed the thought and closed her eyes.

“You think—” His words cut off, and his hand yanked away, leaving her racing heart intact.

A sudden crash, louder than thunder, barreled into the cave as lightning struck the entrance, igniting the earth with flames. Blinding light filled the cavern, and she shut her eyes.

Perhaps her brain was having some sort of attack. The flashes of light were so intense they lanced through her skin, and her vision strobed behind her lashes.

A vicious growl pierced the air and her eyes shot open. Cerberus bolted to his feet, crouching in a defensive pose. Wind surged through the cave, throwing him against the wall, and hehissed angrily as something moved too fast for Adriel to fully see, but Cerberus snarled and she enjoyed watching him struggle against the unseen enemy.

Another boom, and he crashed down again. The flames of the fire roared to life as the rock walls trembled and crumbled. Cerberus roared and rushed forward, throwing her into the wall and out of his way as he tried to evade the intruder. His blood-red eyes flashed as he bared his fangs, hungry for battle.

Another blast threw him back.

Was she imagining it? Had she hit her head too hard? What was doing this?

Light radiated from below, bright enough to carry a hum. Cerberus covered his ears as the frequency grew to a sharp whistle. The glowing white aura screamed so loud the wind became a whisper.

From the blinding light emerged a hulking figure, tall and imposing. A halo of white light defined every limb of the massive figure. It was no one she recognized.

Cerberus growled and lunged, but he was thrown back. Rocks fell onto Adriel, one heavy bolder landing directly on her skull.

Winking in and out of consciousness, she watched the imposing figure close in on Cerberus, never giving him a chance to fully recover. He displayed unearthly power and the authority of an all-powerful god as his eyes blazed withrighteous fury. The air tinged with the sharp oxidized scent of magick.

Then the hair on the back of Adriel’s neck rose as her blood tingled with the sense that others were near.Juniper!It was too late. She shouldn’t come here. The damage was done and if Cerberus saw her he would recognize her from Adriel’s mind and hurt her just to punish Adriel.

No, no, no, no!

She couldn’t come now. Escape was hopeless. She needed to leave her and save herself.

Cerberus hissed, bared his fangs, and clawed at the avenging immortal. He jumped and pounced, slamming his fists into the ground and shaking the cave hard enough to rattle Adriel further into the wall. The massive newcomer only growled and stepped closer, unmoved by the tremors racing through the cave.

Something was protecting him. Adriel squinted through the cloud of dust at the entrance of the cave. Fear siphoned the breath from her crushed lungs as Juniper's familiar form revealed in the smokey light.

Adriel choked on a sob of relief and worry. It was too late. She shouldn’t be here.

Go back! Run!She internally screamed, too weak and devoid of blood to communicate any other way.

Juniper couldn’t hear her. Her eyes were locked on Cerberus, her hands crackling with magical energy, and her face a mask of fierce determination. The sorcery she conjured wentbeyond her skill and Adriel wondered who was helping her.