Page 152 of This Blood that Bonds Us

“I think you made your point,Darling,” Zach said.

I saw something in his eyes I’d never seen before. Jealousy. That pointed scowl was directed at me.

“Soon you’ll see it would have been mercy to kill her now before her love turns to hatred.”

“It’s done, then. You’ll leave her alone?”

“We should bleed her before The Legion arrives,” Sirius said. “No loose ends.”

Something feral from inside me lashed out in the silence of my head. I was confident I wouldn’t let him do that. I’d give up everything to stop that from happening.

Presley interjected. “You can’t. She said so . . . right?”

“Take hold of your brother’s mouth,” Sirius said.

“He has more right to talk than you. You’re standing in my brother’s spot. Warming it up before you croak.”

“Keep your mouth shut.”

Zach checked his fake watch. “Any minute now, you’ll leave this mortal plane and float up into the fucking stars you love so much, and I’ll never have to hear your irritating voice again.”

“Ah!” Presley cried out and pushed Kimberly to the floor. Licking the blood from his hand, he pouted. “She bit me.”

“You can’t kill me, and you hate that. You and your stupid prophecy is null and void if I’m dead. How does that makeyoufeel?”

Kimberly lifted to her knees, her eyes burning with a new determination, to face the queen. What was she doing?

The queen leaned in close to her face. “I can break you.”

“Try.”

Of course, she was smarter than me. Kimberly was showing the queen she held power. Torturing her only proved Luke’s point further. The queen might be powerful, but all that power was fragile.

The queen reared back and motioned for Sirius.No.

I let go before I realized I had. Before my vision went red and my hands went numb.

I let go for her.

Sirius shot to Kimberly in an instant and grabbed her by the hair. Aaron Calem was gone by the time he raised the dagger, poised to slice through Kimberly’s back once more.

So gone I didn’t feel my body move to grab Sirius by the throat.

“How . . . did you . . .?” he choked out.

I shouldn’t have been able to remember my name. To even hear him or the gasps from my brothers. I’dletIt take me, but I was still in there, fighting and struggling to get back to the front of my mind.

Take him down,I told the thing inside me, and in less than a second, It replied.

No. Give in. Let her die. Serve your queen.

The red took over, and I was being forced backward. It should have been too much, but I had the control.

No. You’ll serve me.

With one easy flick of my arm, I flung Sirius into the wall.

I’d had the control. The effects of all that power lingered in my arm with a dull ache, and I stared at my hand, marveling at the fact I’d stayed grounded.