Page 154 of Claimed By Fangs and Darkness

Her blood on Aster’s tongue. The sight of her running from me, how easy it would be to catch her. To wrap her blonde hair around my fist and pull her small body back against mine. To push her head to the side and?—

Remember yourwhy, Kylo. Back to basics.

Princeton’s voice might’ve been soothing if his words weren’t making everything so much worse. Because now I was thinking about that primordial wound, Aisling tortured and killed as I was forced to watch. I felt the same helplessness then as I felt now letting Evie spy on the born without my protection.

That isnotyourwhy…

A body slammed into mine. My back hit the earth, my teeth rattled together. Blade held me down with his massive size andstrength. His magick was potent and sharp, making my skin prickle and mind more alert.

I thrashed and snapped my jaw. I was aware that I looked like a beast gone mad, but my fangs were burning, my every instinct telling me tochase Evie and destroy Aster.

“She’s fine—she’s with Idris and Vesper,” I heard Harmony say from behind Blade.

“Use your words, brother,” Blade said, straining against my power. “What the fuck is going on?”

I pulled my shadows back, so I didn’t hurt my friends. And in that moment, I remembered mywhy.

Frustration and shame and rage battled it out. My human and monster sides were at war. But like I had countless times before when being trained out of bloodlust by my mentor, I held onto my love for Blade and Harmony and the clan. I held tightly to my duty to protect Etherdale and mortals across the realm. And to my adoration for Evie that transcended blood and flesh.

The darkness receded from the corners of my eyes. I didn’t want to let go of my wrath. But bloodlust was out of the question—especially not with so many eyes on me. I had to put my leadership role ahead of my ego.

“Fuck,” I hissed through gritted teeth.

Harmony dropped down next to us. “What’s got you feeling so operatic?”

Blade snorted, and the humorless laugh that left my lips sounded like more of a warning than anything else.

My body was heaving, magick straining against my tattooed skin. “Operaticseems light compared to what I am feeling right now.”

Blade cautiously moved off me. “I saw it in your eyes,” he said, voice low. “Were you about to?—”

I swallowed, ashamed to admit the answer to Blade’s unspoken question aloud.

“Aster stole a taste of Evie’s blood.” It didn’t look like feeding, exactly, but I didn’t fucking care.

“Helia’s heavens,” Harmony said.

She and Blade assessed me with new eyes, fully aware of how intensely possessive and unhinged Evie made me. The drive to protect her had already been driving me mad. But now?

I couldn’t breathe right.

We were in a community garden space, a quiet nook in this mostly residential neighborhood. I glared toward the faintly visible border, the glamour and defensive magick that kept us protected.

I pushed to my feet. I needed movement. I needed action. This wrath had to go somewhere, or it would eat me alive.

“Where is she,” I hissed.

Harmony and Blade exchanged a concerned glance.

“You sure that’s a good idea right now, mate?” Blade asked.

I paced as if I truly had gone insane. My thoughts moved rapidly, body lit up from within.

“Fuck it all, I can’t think straight until I kill some born,” I said.

Harmony released a breath. “Okay. Let’s go.”

They weren’twho I wanted to kill. Masked and lustful for violence and bloodshed, Blade and Harmony helped me find a group of born to slaughter.