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Not going to happen. With a burst of speed Dante didn’t think himself capable of, he crossed the distance between him and Kaja just as the goblin lashed out. It caught him across the chest, opening a gash in his skin. Dante hissed at the pain. That blade had gone deep. He heard Kaja scream as the goblin raised the blade again. Her hands pulled at him, as though she would take his place and the blade for him.
His brave, sweet Kaja.
He didn’t have time to avoid the blade. He shoved Kaja back and took it straight to his gut. The pain burned, an agonizing fire in his flesh. He was close, so close to the goblin.
“Enjoy that, vampire.” He shoved the blade in further, twisting it.
Dante stumbled back, the blade coming out of his gut. Blood. So much fucking blood. The world seemed to slow down. It got louder. Meg was screaming. Kaja called his name. The goblins began to circle, sensing blood.
He needed a fucking weapon.
“Kaja, run.” He held his hand to his gut, trying to keep himself together. The goblins would tear him apart, but they would take their time. Their bloodlust was up. They would ignore Kaja until they’d taken apart Dante. “You have to run, baby.”
It would be all right as long as Kaja got away. He could take the pain. His hands shook, but he could stay alive long enough to let Kaja get away.
The ground was shaking. Fuck. Why was the ground shaking?
Dante fell, the earth beneath him moving. Vines burst from the ground, sending dirt flying. Kaja was suddenly kneeling beside him, her hands covering his, trying to keep his guts on the right side of his skin.
“I told you to run,” he growled her way. Even as he roughed up his voice, something inside him calmed as her scent, the touch of her skin, her very nearness washed over him.
She shook her head. “I cannot.”
“This is going to cost you a very nasty spanking, Kaj.”
“Survive, Dante,” she replied, tears coursing down her cheeks. “Survive and I’ll lay over your lap.”
Her arms wrapped around him. The very earth seemed ready to swallow them whole. Vines and roots spat from the ground.
“Retreat!” Roan shouted, his eyes wide as he seemed to catch sight of something terrifying.
“Baby.” He forced himself to talk when it hurt to even move. “You have to go. Something bad’s happening.”
Kaja’s arms tightened.
Roan was suddenly in front of him. “Feed. No one likes to talk about it, but your consort can save you. Her blood can heal you, Dellacourt. I never meant to hurt the women. If I’ve been betrayed, then I assure you I’ll take care of it. Feed.”
Roan took off, and Dante finally got a good look at what had sent the mercenary running.
Cian.
He walked forward, the trees and bushes bending around him to give him access. Cian Finn’s hands were stretched out as though he embraced the world around him and it embraced him in return.
Dante watched as the goblins were caught by vines. They snaked across the field and caught their fleeing prey. The vines wrapped around their ankles and pulled the goblins screaming into the ground. It was as though they were being swallowed feetfirst. The goblins clawed and fought, but they went down screaming, the earth sucking them down.
“What is happening?” Kaja asked, her voice tiny and frightened.
“Cian is happening, love. He won’t hurt you.”
His cousin was utterly transformed. The Green Man walked toward them now, and he was pissed off.
The vampires were fleeing, but some of them got caught by the trees. They leaned over, and their heavy branches became wooden swords.
Kaja’s arms tightened around him, one hand covering his heart as though she could stop the trees.
Smart trees. And they had damn fine aim. A vampire screamed and exploded as a tree branch caught him straight through the heart.
Chaos reigned. Blood flowed. Dante just felt tired. Kaja would live. Cian would see to it. Cian would take her to Dante’s family, and his father would take care of Kaja. His father. Anger fled. He loved his dad. And his mother. And his annoying sister.
