Page 22 of Marked By Moonlight

He huffed. “I already do.”

I wouldn’t have thought I had it in me to feel for him at a time like that, but somehow, I did. So, yay me. I could go to my death knowing my morals hadn’t sunk as low as I’d feared.

But I didn’t want to die. I wanted to find Marius and live happily ever after with him, as I discovered in that moment of terrifying clarity. And if he rejected me, then someone else, maybe. (My moral fiber wasn’t all that upright, as it turned out.)

He cocked his head and leaned closer, focused on my neck.

“No!” I screamed.

Well, I tried, but all that came out was a squeak.

The far door crashed open, and someone snarled, “Henrik!”

I couldn’t turn my head, so I swiveled my eyes left.

Bene!I nearly cheered.

The lion shifter advanced slowly, holding up one hand. “Let her go, Henrik. Now.”

Henrik didn’t speak. He hissed — literallyhissed, like a snake, sprinkling spittle over my face.

“Henrik.” Bene locked eyes with the vampire, but his voice shook. So, shit. He was scared too. For me? For himself?

The closer Bene came, the more tightly Henrik squeezed my throat.

“Leave us. Now,” Henrik barked at Bene. His fangs had fully extended by then, slurring his words.

Oh God, oh God, oh God…

“You don’t want to do this,” Bene warned.

Henrik licked his lips. “Oh yes, I do.”

I lifted my right foot, calculating the distance to his groin. I went for his shin instead, slamming with all my might. But Henrik was so far gone, he barely grunted.

“How are you going to explain this to Gordon?” Bene tried next.

“To hell with Gordon!” Henrik roared.

Bene shook his head, desperate for some next angle to try. Then he gritted his teeth and murmured, “What would Katarina say?”

Whoever Katarina was, I loved her, because her name made Henrik go perfectly still. He kept on squeezing my throat, but the red of his eyes went from intense points to wider, fainter pools.

“Katarina has nothing to do with this.”

“Katarina would say let her go,” Bene whispered.

Henrik’s throat bobbed, and his grip loosened enough for me to suck in a breath. He stared at me, then at his own hand — the one choking me. With a grimace, he pushed me away, and I tumbled into Bene.

The lion shifter shoved me back, stepping between Henrik and me. I banged my knee and shoulder in the process, but I’d never appreciated him more.

Roux burst in as I crumpled to my knees, gasping for breath.

“What’s going on?”

Bene shot Henrik a dark look. “Someone has gone too long between feedings.”

“Dammit, Henrik,” Roux cursed.