Page 40 of French Quarter Heiress

"Mimi," I breathe, my voice raw with gratitude. "I... Thank you."

She grins, tossing the bobby pin aside with a careless flick of her wrist. "Don't mention it, mon ami. Just promise me one thing, eh?"

"Anything."

Her eyes gleam with a fierce, unwavering determination. "When we find the bastards who did this to your Elise? Save a piece of them for me."

I nod, my lips curving into a savage, predatory smile. "With pleasure."

Without another word, I turn and sprint down the dungeon corridor, my heart pounding with a desperate, all-consuming need to find Elise. Mimi's footsteps echo behind me, but I barely hear them over the roaring of blood in my ears.

As I burst into the throne room, a scene of horror greets my eyes. Elise lies crumpled on the floor, her body broken and bloodied, her once-vibrant eyes dull and lifeless.

And standing over her, his face twisted into a mask of cruel triumph, is Don Victor himself.

What has he… No. He will not take my Elise from me. He could wound me, maim me, torture me… but he will never rip Elise from my grasp. That’s a promise.

A roar of pure, primal rage tears from my throat, and I feel the change rippling through my body, the wolf within me surging to the surface. Fur sprouts from my skin, my bones cracking and reforming as I grow larger, stronger, and more powerful than I have ever been before. My jaws elongate, razor-sharp fangs filling my mouth as my hands twist into massive, clawed paws.

Don Victor turns to face me, his eyes widening in shock and fear as he takes in my monstrous form. But then his lips curve into a sneer, his fangs glinting in the dim light of the throne room.

"You think you can defeat me, dog?" he snarls, his voice dripping with contempt. "I have lived for centuries, faced enemies far greater than you. You are nothing more than a mangy cur, a beast to be put down."

I don't bother with words. Instead, I lunge forward, my claws slashing through the air towards Don Victor's throat. He dodges aside with preternatural speed, his own claws raking across my flank and drawing blood.

We clash in a whirlwind of fur and fang, our bodies a blur of motion as we tear at each other with savage fury. I can feel the vampire's strength, the unnatural power that flows through his veins, but I have the fury of the wolf on my side, the unquenchable rage of a mate fighting to avenge his fallen love.

I slam into Don Victor with the force of a battering ram, sending him flying across the room to crash into the far wall. He staggers to his feet, his face a mask of blood and fury, and charges at me once more.

We grapple and slash, our claws and fangs tearing into each other's flesh as we roll across the floor in a tangle of limbs. I can hear Mimi's shouts of encouragement, her claws and fangs joining the fray as she leaps onto Don Victor's back, tearing at his eyes and throat.

But even with Mimi's aid, the vampire lord is a formidable foe. His strength is immense, and his speed and agility are almost beyond belief. He throws Mimi aside like a rag doll, sending her crashing into a pillar with a sickening crunch.

I redouble my efforts, my jaws snapping at Don Victor's face, my claws ripping into his chest and belly. Blood flows in rivers, staining the floor crimson as we fight on, our battle a dance of death and destruction.

And then, in a moment of pure, blinding rage, I see an opening. Don Victor's guard drops for just an instant, his throat exposed as he rears back to strike. I lunge forward, my jaws clamping down on his neck with a sickening, wet crunch.

I taste blood, hot and thick and metallic, as I bite down harder, feeling bone and sinew giving way beneath my fangs. Don Victor screams, a high, piercing wail of agony and fear, his body thrashing and convulsing in my grip.

Pure satisfaction rolls in waves through my body, feeling his terror. This is what he deserves for hurting Elise. He tried to take her from me.

He’s lucky I don’t tear his limbs off slowly, one by one, for trying to stand between me and the woman I love.

But I do not let go. I shake my head from side to side, worrying at the vampire's throat like a dog with a bone. I feel his flesh tearing, his blood gushing into my mouth and over my fur, until finally, with a last, wrenching twist of my jaws, I feel his head come free from his body.

I drop Don Victor's corpse to the floor, my chest heaving with exertion and rage. For a moment, I stand there, panting and trembling, the wolf's fury still coursing through my veins.

But then my gaze falls upon Elise's still form, and a wave of anguish crashes over me, driving me to my knees beside her. I shift back into my human form, my body naked and bloodied, and gather her into my arms, cradling her against my chest.

"Elise," I whisper, my voice a broken, anguished moan. "My love, my heart, my everything. Please, don't leave me. Don't go where I can't follow."

Her eyes flutter open and she coughs up blood, but she’s still here.

28

ELISE

Iwake slowly, my body a symphony of pain and exhaustion. Each breath feels like a battle, each movement a herculean effort. As I blink my eyes open, the world swims into focus, a blur of muted colors and soft edges.

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