Queen Bitch, Lyka answered.

He shifted his grip on his sword and amplified his vision. There was plenty of light in here for him to see, but a heightened attention to detail was definitely in order. When a man was on a mission to save the woman he loved, he needed every advantage he could get.

Love? Her shock rang through the question, making it clatter in his thoughts.

Now wasn’t the time for such confessions, but he was acutely aware that he might never have another chance to let her know how he felt. So rather than hold back, he opened himself up and let her feel what he did. He let her see the way he saw her—beautiful and brave, fierce and loyal, sexy and sweet. She was everything he could have ever hoped for in a mate, in a wife, and he felt like the luckiest man alive to be with her for whatever time they had together.

Something in her fluttered. Expanded. He felt her absorb his love and let it strengthen her. If you want more time with me, you’d better hurry. Eric and I are about out.

That was all the motivation he needed to change tactics. He was done with sneaking around. It was time to attack.

Joseph rolled his shoulders and started hacking his way toward his woman.

Chapter 42

Eric and Lyka backed into a corner where the demons could come at them from only one side. She lifted her hand and drew on Joseph’s power with the idea of defense in mind. A shimmering film of pale light appeared around her and Eric, protecting them from the slavering demons.

Some of them were weaponless and clawed at the luminous barrier, but most of them wielded rusty, primitive swords that looked like they’d been banged out in haste. The blades were thick and heavy, and she felt each one strike the wall she’d erected.

“Nice trick,” said Eric.

Sweat was already forming on her forehead. As much as she loved the feel of Joseph’s power running through her, it was exhausting as hell. “It won’t last long.”

“Can you move it?”

She had no idea. “Why?”

“If we can get to the door, we might be able to trap a metric shit ton of these fuckers in here. I’ve had plenty of time tied to this bed to study the place. The doors are solid. It will take them a while to chop through. It’s the only chance I see of getting out of here.”

It was worth a shot. There was a man out there who loved her, and she really wanted to know what that felt like for longer than the time it took her to die.

If Joseph had given her only words, she never would have believed that he loved her, but he’d done more than that. He’d let her in, let her feel what he did. It was beautiful, warm, safe. She’d slipped right inside his thoughts and basked in the glow of his love.

And she really wanted to do it again.

The only way to manage that was to survive, so Lyka mapped a path from the corner where they were trapped to the doorway. They had about thirty feet to cover and several pieces of furniture to go around—no small feat.

She took a step to her left and forced the barrier to slip around to cover Eric’s flank. He was weaving on his feet, doing all he could just to stay upright. If he took a hit now, she didn’t think he’d be able to stand, much less walk.

The shield moved with them, but dragging it was as hard as lifting a bank safe with one hand. She had no idea how she was going to make it thirty feet.

You can do it. I’m with you every step. Joseph’s comforting support settled over her. He was waging battle, slicing his way through a hallway stuffed with demons, and yet he still took the time to ease her worries.

Because he was the prize for survival, Lyka gathered her strength and took another step, then another. Sweat poured off her body and her legs were shaking with weakness, but she kept moving.

Eric started to go down. Lyka grabbed him before he could, but the shield faltered and a rusty blade made it through the hole before she could plug it.

She didn’t even realize she’d been hit until she felt the blood trickle down her arm.

You’re hurt. Joseph’s worry came through loud and clear.

She gritted her teeth as the pain hit her. Keep your nose in your own combat, Theronai. I’m fine.

Her blood excited the demons, making their attacks come at a frenzied pace. With each hit the barrier took, she felt herself wobble, weaken. She really didn’t know how much longer she could keep this up.

As that thought passed through her mind, she felt a rush of power flowing into her. Joseph was pushing it her way, trying to ease her burden.

She was floored by his thoughtfulness, by his care of her. She didn’t know how to repay him other than to keep fighting. Refuse to give up. When this was all over, she’d work on paying off all the debt she was racking up.

No debt. We’re one now.

And they were. She could feel everything he did, hear every thought that passed through his mind. He was with her, in her, his power flowing through her. She’d never felt anything half as intimate as the connection they now shared. It was so beautiful that she had to blink tears from her eyes.

Cry later, kitten. Fight now.

For him, she would. For them.

The conduit between them opened wide, giving her a rush of power. Her skin tingled as it raced over her. Her bones vibrated with the strength he housed. The air around her crackled in anticipation.

Lyka shoved her shoulder under her brother’s arm and bodily hauled him along with her. He did his best to support his weight, but he was in bad shape. She could feel his strength fading.

She had not come all this way just to watch her brother fall now.

Joseph’s power seethed and boiled at his end of their connection. She didn’t know how much more she could take, but if ever there was a time for her to get tough, this was it.

She sucked a huge mass of power into herself and used it to clear their path to the door. Demons flew back as if they were bowling pins struck by a wrecking ball. Their bodies hit the opposite wall with a wet thud, splattering reddish black blood everywhere.

The remaining demons smelled the blood and went berserk. They turned their attention toward the new source of food and descended on their kin like vultures.

Lyka used the distraction to jerk her brother through the doors and slam them shut.

Joseph was just outside the doorway, finishing off the last of the demons left alive. There were piles of dead foes in his wake. His sword was bathed in their blood. He was shirtless, his muscles glowing with sweat. With each heavy breath he took, his lifemark swayed.

She rushed into his arms, leaving her brother to hold himself upright. Her naked flesh felt good against Joseph’s, like she was finally coming home after a lifetime of being without one.