Page 42 of Princess

Even though I said I wouldn’t ride again, the bikes were faster, so that’s what we took.We were through the gates in nine minutes.We’d all shifted to Warrior form.Beck had been informed that he was in charge while we were gone.Axel would assist in every way he could so Beck wasn’t disturbed.Unfortunately, that might be impossible.

Fury and fear shot through Nokita’s expression.Kamen came with us, bringing our small force to six.It would have taken too long to form a larger group.Maylin’s and Nokita’s children were turned over to the women at the citadel.There was no keeping Nokita from this fight.He was out for blood.

“They were hellhounds with that thing leading them,” Kamen said before the roar of motorcycle engines drowned out his voice.

I needed to wrap my claws around thatthing’sneck.

It took thirty minutes to get to the spot where they were attacked.We didn’t see the two Shadow Warriors.A small curled-up form was on the road in front of us.Nokita was off his bike and running before the rest of us stopped.

He picked up an unmoving Maylin.I drew closer, but the wild look on his face made me stop in my tracks.

He stood still and lowered his cheek to her mouth.After several long seconds, he said, “She’s breathing.”

“She needs to be checked for bites and scratches,” I said.

He turned away, his massive Warrior frame shaking.He wasn’t controlling his rage, and I didn’t want to be the focus of it.If she were bitten, there would be nothing we could do, so I didn’t press the issue.

“Do we follow?”King growled.

“If we do, it weakens us.”I looked at Kamen.“You think there were fifteen of them?”I asked.

“At least fifteen.Possibly one or two more.”

“Maylin must get to Axel,” I told a very angry King.I looked at Nokita.“Get on my bike and hold her,” I told him.I shifted back to human form before he said anything.“It’s the only way we’ll have room.”I hoped with the size of my stomach it wasn’t a lie.

He turned to me, not moving.

“We must get her to Axel.If you want to drive, I’ll hold her.”

He finally shook his head, my words sinking in.It was a tight squeeze, but he managed to get on the bike with Maylin in his arms.

I drove at breakneck speed, hoping Maylin held on.

Chapter Eighteen

King

Axel ran out the front doors when we arrived at the citadel.

“She’s breathing,” Nokita told him.His next words held so much anguish.“She hasn’t moved.I don’t know if she’s been infected.”

“Follow me,” Axel said.

I waited until they were inside.

“Getting Maylin away from him could be difficult.Do you want to handle it?”I asked Marinah.

“No, I’ll be there in a few minutes.You have a better chance of talking him down; you went through this when I was bitten,” she said.

I had threatened Axel and refused to do what he ordered.I injected Marinah with serum, even though it wouldn’t have worked if she were human.All I could think about was saving her.Then I cut the dying flesh from her wounds.Axel couldn’t get me to stop, even when she screamed.I’d gone over the edge.

This wouldn’t be easy.

Marinah took off, walking as fast as she could with her enlarged stomach and disappeared.All I could think about was ripping Knet from limb to limb, slowly.

I entered the medical bay.Nokita placed Maylin on the examination table without argument.He looked at me.I could see defeat in his eyes.He thought she would die.Unlike me, he didn’t feel he could fight it.The only thing that had saved Marinah was her being a Shadow Warrior.Maylin didn’t have a chance.

I shook my head.“We are not giving up,” I said.

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