Page 81 of Love Bites
"Welcome," Zenon said with a smirk when he noticed my eyes on him. "I thought you should be awake for this part."
"What's going on?" I asked, though I wasn't sure that I really wanted to know.
"Your boyfriend is about to die," Zenon said, still smiling. "And when he's gone, I'm going to think about what I'm going to do with you and the half-vampire abomination you're carrying. Cecil has been moaning about this prophecy for ages...You should fetch a good price."
I didn't even care what Zenon planned to do with me or what prophecy he was talking about. My only concern right now was for Talon. "Don't hurt him!" I made to run toward him, but Aldrich held me back by the collar of my sweater.
"I truly am sorry," Aldrich whispered.
I didn't care how sorry he was. If he hadn't been holding me, I wouldn't have paid him any attention at all. My eyes were glued to the man I loved and the vampire by his side who took his stake from him. Why wasn't Talon fighting back? I called his name, urging him to act.
He met my gaze, and then his eyes wandered to Aldrich, and finally, I understood why Talon wasn't fighting. Because Aldrich might hurt me if he did. He was willing to lay down his life for a one in a million chance that I might still be saved.
Stupid vampire.
I didn't need him to protect me, I only needed him to live.
Didn't he know that I loved him?
Tears stung my eyes as Zenon twisted the stake in his hand.
I couldn't watch Talon die. I couldn't. I wouldn't! A scream tore from my throat as I struggled to free myself from Aldrich's hold in time to stop what was happening.
Zenon raised the stake.
I exploded.
Almost literally.
Heat rushed through me, warm light engulfed me, my skin glowed, and before I even consciously recognized what was happening, I aimed all that energy outward, hurling it at Zenon.
The room lit up so brightly that I couldn't tell what was happening, if I succeeded or not. This was all I had, all my love, weaponized against the monster that was trying to take it away from me. I could only hope that it was enough.
I fell to my knees, too drained even to keep standing.
Finally, the light cleared enough to let me see again.
Zenon was gone.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Zenon had been pulverized. Talon stared at the spot where the vampire lord should have been—hadbeen, only seconds ago. There was only a pile of black ash now. Could he really have been saved? Could Collin have—
Talon whirled around to Collin. His love was on his knees, but awake, alive and happy and smiling. That was all that mattered. Talon rushed to his side. "You did it, love. You truly did."
Collin fell into his arms, holding him tight. "He was going to kill you! I couldn't let him kill you! I love you, Talon! I—"
"It's okay." Talon rubbed Collin's back as the man seemed on the verge of talking himself into a frenzy. The initial shock seemed to be wearing off. "I'm safe. You're safe."
"Am I? Are you?"
"Yes, totally safe. I promise." He gave Collin a kiss, hoping that it would calm him down at least a little.
"I'm so glad you're alive." Collin rested his head on Talon's shoulder.
"All thanks to you." Talon combed his fingers through Collin's hair, feeling the man finally relax. That was good, even if Talon couldn't quite relax himself yet. He looked toward Aldrich.
"Are we really free?" Aldrich asked.
