Page 152 of Wicked Bonds

Nythos took another step forward, placing herself within arm’s reach.

“Don’t touch me,” Balthazar said, his voice holding a lethal edge he rarely used. But he was not about to let this woman in his head again.

His words merely made her smile. “Sweetheart, I will absolutely be touching you. With or without your consent.”

The statement sent another wave of liquid fire through his veins, the lack of compliance in this whole situation infuriating him.

Balthazar tolerated many things in life.

Forcing intent on an unwilling person was not one of those things.

Nythos reached for him, causing him to take a step around Leela.

Run,B!she screamed mentally.Run now! There’s more—

A crack in the air grabbed his attention for a split second as two Seraphim appeared nearby. One of them lifted a hand toward the patrons at the restaurant—all of whom had been listening and watching the events unfold around them with dropped jaws—freezing them in place. Literally.

“Dian is not going to be pleased about this, Melanythos,” the male said, his voice emotionless and very Seraphim-like. “These mortals will need to be dealt with.”

“I’ll wipe their memories,” she replied flippantly. “Once I’m done with Balthazar.”

His eyebrows rose. “You sound rather confident about something I have no intention of allowing.”

She smiled. “You won’t have a choice, baby.”

Two more Seraphim appeared, bringing the playing field up to five against two.

Well, technically one since Leela couldn’t move.

She couldn’t seem to speak either, her body frozen beneath whatever spell that net had woven over her. Her mind wept, the sensation reminding her of reformation, where she’d go to die and forget everything she cared about in life.

Including him.

Caro had been able to fight it because of Sethios, her mind rebelling at every turn.

But Leela had only established half of their bond.

Without Balthazar’s bite, she would be lost to the madness of reformation. And his own mind would be altered in kind.

Perhaps even worse since Nythos would have to erase all his knowledge of her, too.

Would Vera tell him the truth?

Or would she be hunted next?

Nythos would see all their links, learn about Stark’s and Vera’s true connections to Osiris.

She’d also hear the truth about Osiris’s past.

Would she react to it like Patreel had? Or did she already know?

Every secret in his head would be at risk. Every relationship he’d ever created or craved, potentially destroyed. And his link to Leela would be dismantled once more.

Because what they had wasn’t permanent. Not yet.

But it could be.

With a bite.