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It’s a playground taunt – so uncharacteristic of these towering, implacable alien warriors – but it demonstrates the intensity of Brennan’s need for me. His face is losing its customary calmness. There’s now rage beneath his gaze – and I recognize that Brennan’s losing himself in his need for me.

Not another step, Otho had warned…

…but Brennan takes it anyway.

The moment Brennan’s foot returns to the concrete, Otho charges him like a bull.

I scream.

As I watch, Otho slams into Brennan with the strength of ten men – lifting the huge warrior clean off his feet and slamming him to the ground with a crunch that makes me gasp.

I run forward to try and get between them – to try and stop these raging beasts – but Lazar grabs me gently by the arm and tugs me back into his arms.

“Don’t approach them,” Lazar warns. “They’re lost to the rage, now.”

I shiver, watching the two Aurelians brawling on the ground.

Brennan shifts and twists beneath Otho’s huge figure, escaping the scar-faced Aurelian’s grasp and rolling away far enough to clamber to his feet.

Otho lifts himself from the ground as well – and charges Brennan once again.

This time, though, Brennan is ready. He leaps into the air and kicks out – his combat boot hitting Otho squarely in the jaw as the two men collide.

I can’t believe they’re fighting overme! It’s both thrilling and terrifying at the same time.

I know how deadly Aurelian Warriors are – the most fearsome hand-to-hand combatants in the known universe. No human can stand up to an Aurelian – only a Scorp, or a Bullfrog could try…

…but these two? They’re evenly matched – two towering, battle-hardened Titans fighting with everything they have.

It’s terrifying to watch. This isn’t sparring or play-fighting – this is life or death…

As I watch, Otho stumbles to the ground, shaking his head. The impact of Brennan’s foot would have shattered the jaw of any human – but Otho shakes the blow off as if it was nothing. The scar-faced Aurelian rights himself, and swings his fist right back.

Brennan ducks the swing and jabs twice to Otho’s stomach. His fist impacts with meaty sounding thwacks:Thump! Thump!

Otho doubles over, clutching his midriff. Before he can even catch his breath, Brennan’s knee comes up and cracks Otho right under the jaw.

This time, he’s out. Otho falls to the floor like a sack of bricks.

Looming over his fallen battle-brother, Brennan gasps desperately for air. He waits a moment – to confirm that Otho is down – and then turns to face me.

I gasp.

Brennan’s eyes are wild. The blood of battle is in him, and he’s never looked so beastly.

“Wait!”

This time, it’s Lazar speaking – his voice aloof.

Brennan wheels around to face him, as Lazar protects me with the bulk of his huge frame.

The rage is still surging through Brenna’s veins.

“Do I need to go throughyouas well?” The leader of the triad snarls out the challenge. With shock, I realize that Brennan’s going to fight Lazar next. He’s already knocked out one of his battle-brothers to get to me, and there seems to be no hesitation in his eyes to do the same again.

Gods! There’s no rational thought left in the Aurelian leader now. He’s devolved completely into a beast – driven by nothing but his primal instincts to battle rivals and claim his mate.

Yet, in the face of Brennan’s ferociousness, Lazar just chuckles.