“That’s a fucking lie and you know it!Ifyou weren’t acting like she was your mate too, then why did we share her?”
Ravik swung again.
This time,Severindidn’t let the blow land unanswered.Heblocked it with one forearm and drove his shoulder intoRavik’schest, shoving him back a step.Raviksnarled and came at him again, and suddenly the two of them were grappling like a pair of wild animals, boots tearing up the damp grass, massive bodies colliding with enough force to makeCassie’sstomach twist.
“Stop it!”she screamed.“Bothof you, stop!”
Neither one listened.
Ravik threw a punch thatSeverinducked at the last second.Severinretaliated with a hard blow toRavik’sribs, andRavikgrunted but barely seemed to feel it.ThentheBeastKindreddrove forward, caughtSeverinby the front of his shirt, and slammed him backward against the base of the tower hard enough to make metal shriek.
Severin’s oculars fell halfway down his nose.
Ravik hit him again.
This time there was a sharp crack as the lenses shattered.
“No!”Cassiecried.
The broken oculars flew sideways into the grass, one lens spiderwebbed and the frame bent.Severin’shead snapped back and blood appeared at the corner of his mouth, bright red against his pale skin.Fora moment he looked almost shocked—not by the pain,Cassiethought—but by the fact thatRavikhad actually broken something he knewSeverinneeded.
Then theBloodKindred’sexpression went icy.HeshovedRavikback and punched him hard in the jaw.Ravikstaggered, then lunged again.Theywere going to kill each other—Cassiewas sure of it!
She didn’t think—she just moved.
Darting between them, she threw up both hands as though she could somehow stop two enormous alien warriors with sheer panic and attitude.
It was a stupid thing to do—she knew it the second she did it, but by then it was too late.Ravikhad already swung andSeverinwas already moving to deflect the blow.
The punch glanced offSeverin’sforearm and clippedCassieon the side of the head.
For a moment, the world flashed white.
Pain exploded near her temple and the ground seemed to tilt sideways.Sheheard someone shout her name—maybe both of them—and then she was falling.
Her knees hit the grass first, then one hand, and the damp ground rushed up beneath her as the sky spun in a sickening circle overhead.
Everything went muffled…then both males were there, bending over her with terrified expressions on their faces.
“Cassandra!”Severin’svoice was sharp with horror.
“Cassie!”Ravikdropped beside her, his big hands hovering over her as though he was afraid to touch her and afraid not to at the same time.“Gods, baby—didIhurt you?”
Cassie blinked hard, trying to make the world stop moving.Herhead rang and her stomach rolled, but at least she was conscious—that had to count for something.Shehoped, anyway.Shetouched the side of her head and winced when her fingers found a tender spot already beginning to throb.
“I’m fine,” she said, though she was absolutelynotfine.“Imean,I’mnot dead, which is apparently the bar we’re working with today.”
Ravik looked stricken andSeverin’sface had gone pale except for the bright red smear of blood at the corner of his mouth.
“You’re dizzy,” he said, reaching for her chin with careful fingers and tilting her face up to his.“Lookat me,Cassandra.Followmy finger,” he commanded, moving his index finger from side to side.
“Donotgive me a concussion test whileI’mmad at you,” she muttered, but she followed his finger anyway because he looked genuinely terrified.
Ravik made a rough sound and touched her shoulder with unbearable gentleness.
“I’m so fucking sorry—Ididn’t mean to hit you, baby.”
“I know.”Cassieclosed her eyes for a second, then opened them again when that made the spinning worse.“Butyou two idiots were so busy trying to beat the crap out of each other thatIgot caught in the middle.”
