Page 69 of The Wars of Monsters

“Freed?” Warrick scoffed. “The Katakin monsters don’t want freedom. They merely want the illusion of control, of power. They need me.”

“The only thing they need is a new perspective,” Darian countered. “And a new treaty with the fae.”

At the mention of the fae, a few fae soldiers joined the circle, and Warrick hissed. The vampire shot forward, but I wouldn’t let him hurt anyone else. For too long he’d been allowed to get away with whatever the fuck he wanted. And he deserved to bleed for it all.

Before he could reach them, my brothers and I were moving. My blades went through Warrick’s chest at the same moment that Asher’s ax sliced his head clean off. My chest heaved as his head thudded to the ground, his black eyes changing to a pale gray.

Around the battlefield, the Katakin monsters who had been fighting the rebels blinked, their eyes clearing. They stared around in surprise, the weapons falling from their hands as they took in the scene of death around them.

I stood with Raine and my brothers staring down at the slain vampire who’d tried to end us all.

CHAPTER 34

~ Cara ~

Withthebattleover,I walked among the wounded fae and rebel monsters, healing those I could. Silver moonlight bathed the battlefield, illuminating the destruction, and a cold numbness settled inside me.

I’d been too late. My sister was a monster. She was cursed, all because I hadn’t found my way back to her. And all the bloodshed…

When I came to King Chalir’s crumpled body, I slumped to my knees. For so long, I’d been tasked with keeping the king alive and tending to his every wound, and now seeing him broken and motionless left something hollow inside of me. Fae soldiers started to crowd around us, like they were expecting me to bring him back, but I couldn’t heal the dead. I couldn’t even tell how he’d died.

A groan sounded, and I moved to where a rebel monster had fallen. The male had stone-colored skin, a strong jawline, and deep-set pale eyes. I’d seen the vampire’s giant beast clamp its teeth onto him and send him flying. The rebel monster’s stony chest was crushed, his wings bent at odd angles, and black blood oozed from his mouth.

He stared up at me, his expressive eyes taking in the gems on my face.

“Did we win?” he rasped.

I nodded slowly, though it didn’t feel right. No one won the battle. We were simply the ones who’d survived.

It was enough for the male. He calmed, his frown slipping away, softening his handsome features as he closed his eyes.

I wasn’t sure why his calm unsettled me. Usually, when I went to the sides of the grievously wounded, they cried and begged, terrified at what awaited them after death, but this male was silent. Peaceful.

In a sudden movement, his eyes flared open, startling me. “Move,” he barked, and I jerked back in shock as he lifted the sword at his side. A small creature ran at me, but the rebel monster’s blade sliced it into two before its fangs reached my neck.

The beast fell beside him, and I gaped at it, my heart pounding. When I couldn’t see any other creatures, I rushed back to the rebel monster’s side.

The sword fell from his hand, and he closed his eyes again like that last burst of energy was all he had. Without thinking, I pulled my gloves off and pressed my palms against his bare arm.

Pain zapped up my hands, my veins burning like liquid fire, but I didn’t let go. His life force was becoming weaker with every passing second, the blood continuing to spill from his wounds, but I wasn’t about to let him die. My power flowed into him, and slowly his wounds knitted together, his ribs repairing, and life returning to his body.

When I was done, I hung my head, my eyes heavy with exhaustion, but when I looked down the male was staring at me. His glowing eyes watched me with fascination, like he thought I was one of Mother Falia’s angels sent from her haven.

“What did you do to me?” he asked, his voice a low rasp that made my belly tighten.

He reached up like he intended to brush his fingers against my cheek, but he dropped his hand again a moment later.

I couldn’t explain the disappointment that went through me. I hadn’t wanted any male since Xander, but as I stared at the monster I wanted to climb into his arms, to feel his skin against mine, and surrender to his pale lips.Goddess, Cara, the male almost died.My cheeks flushed as I internally chastised myself, and I subconsciously touched the gem that had formed on my neck when I’d healed him.

The male tracked the movement of my fingers, his brows furrowing when he spotted the sparkling crystal.

“Uh, so you should be able to get up again,” I said, quickly moving my hand away from my neck.

He lifted to his feet and flexed his wings, marveling as he stretched them out and flapped them slowly. “You saved my life,” he said, those penetrating pale eyes finding me again. “I’m Garan.”

I squirmed under his intense gaze, but before I could brush off his comment, an achingly familiar voice had me spinning around.

“Cara!” Raine rushed over to me, almost making me fall over as her arms wrapped around me in a vice grip. I hugged her back just as tightly, laughter falling from my lips as my eyes watered with tears.