I understood that. The Grand High Pair wouldn’t have the confidence, trust, and loyalty of vampirekind if they were known for going back on their word.

“So that leaves you with two options, Will,” continued Sam. “Option one: you and your mate can voluntarily leave, thereby escaping punishment for harassing two legion members –”

“I did not harass them!”

“– and for not warning us that your firstborn was scheming, which is something your blood-link would have helped you sense. Option two: you can hold me and Jared to our word and remain here, but you’ll have to accept punishment for your actions.”

“P-punishment?” stuttered Blythe nervously.

Sam regarded her with an analytical gaze. “I doubt you’re guilty of anything more than blindly following your mate, but you will of course share any pain he feels through your bond; there’s no way of getting around that.”

Will spluttered. “You cannot be serious!”

“Let me assure you I’m very serious.”

“I have –”

“Will, maybe we should agree to leave,” interrupted Blythe, apprehensive.

“I will not be run off!”

“Don’t let your pride get in the way,” she begged quietly.

He ignored that. “I am guilty of nothing other than voicing my opinions!”

“You have repeatedly made accusations against Ava,” began Sam. “Accusations that would have led to her being harshly punished if we had believed your bollocks.”

“I see the real her, just like Gina did,” growled Will. “She has even turned Salem against me – his own Sire.”

Ava gave a soft groan. “Here we go again. Annoying,” she added in a singsong voice.

That got a few chuckles from the bystanders, who were all glaring at Will with a mixture of anger and pity. And that was what did it, what knocked Will over the edge and sent a pounding need to hurt through his system; I felt it through our blood-link, knew exactly what he was going to do. So I was ready when, with a battle cry worthy of a highlander, he launched himself at Ava.

Several things happened at once – all under the space of a second. The legion members in our audience moved to plant themselves between Will and Ava; Sam conjured her whip, most likely intending to curl it around Will; Jared raised a hand, his fingers trickling with electricity; I raised my fist, ready to hurl a psychic punch at the motherfucker.

But then we all froze, because it became clear that none of us had been quick enough to keep her and Will apart. Having moved faster than all of us, Ava was now latched onto his back like a spider monkey. Her hands were tightly gripping his head, showing him that with just one minor move, his head would be hanging from his body. Shock alone had Will freezing, wide-eyed.

“Don’t think I won’t do it,” she snarled at him. “I don’t like that it would put Salem in physical pain. But I know as well as you do that you’ve just signed your death warrant. If I don’t kill you tonight, someone else will.” But Ava didn’t want it to be me who killed him, I quickly realised as her expressive eyes landed on me. She didn’t want me to be responsible for killing my own Sire, even if said Sire was a complete prick. Because prick or not, he was still my creator – family, in a sense. She worried that my killing him would pile more guilt on my shoulders, so she’d intervened.

It was sweet, but…“Ava, move. The bastard’s mine.” But Jared got in my way.

“Don’t hurt him,” pleaded Blythe.

“He tried to attack a member of the legion,” interjected Jared. “There’s a penalty for that, and he’ll pay it.”

“Excuse me,” a familiar voice called out. The crowd parted, allowing Imani through. “Thanks.” She laughed at the sight of Ava on Will’s back. “I got your message…Can’t say I expected to find you like this when I got here.”

I arched a brow questioningly. “Message?”

“She’s here to sever your blood-link with Will,” Ava told me. “If Imani does it, it will cause you only a brief moment of pain.”

Will’s brows knitted together. “Break the link?”

“Ava, come here.” I wanted her back with me, away from the fucker who’d tried to hurt her.

She pouted. “But I’m comfy here.”

I jerked my head. “Come here, baby.”

With an extremely put-out sigh that made Imani chuckle again, Ava hopped down and came to my side. “Happy now?”

“Yes.” I curled an arm around her, holding her close as I glared at a still seething Will.

Sam turned to Blythe. “You have a choice to make. Will is going to die tonight. As you’re Bound, if he dies, you die. But I don’t believe in making people pay for what others do. You’re no fluffy bunny, but you don’t deserve to share in his punishment. Imani here can sever your Bond before Will is punished, which will save your life. Or you can die with him. It’s your choice.”

Blythe and Will both stared at Imani in shock before then turning to face one-another. They didn’t say a word, but their emotions were clear in their expressions. Blythe was torn and confused. Will was pissed that she would even consider Sam’s offer, warning Blythe with his eyes not to betray him and accept that offer. Which just demonstrated how much of a bastard he truly was. If I’d been in his position, I’d have insisted that Ava accept that offer and live. I wouldn’t have seen that acceptance as betrayal, wouldn’t have cared what she did as long as it kept her alive.

“We need an answer, Blythe,” prompted Jared.

She shook her head, though she still seemed torn. “I don’t want to live without him.”

“Fair enough.”

Ava looked at her friend and squad member. “Imani?”

All business, the short brunette turned to face me. “I’m told it’s a similar feeling to when Ryder goes surfing inside your brain. The only difference is I’m not searching through what’s there. I’ll only find and touch the blood-link.”

Imani closed her eyes, and then I felt it: a tiny hand treading through my brain. But it wasn’t an invasive feeling because the pads of those psychic fingers were simply skimming the surface as opposed to digging.

When the hand stilled, I knew she’d found the link. One finger lightly flicked the taut thread, sending reverberations through my head. I flinched, involuntarily clutching Ava tighter to me. Shit, no wonder Butch had been in agony when Imani had strummed his link like a guitar string. Then two fingers seized the link and pulled hard. The ‘snap’ echoed through my brain, left me feeling like I’d taken a hard blow to the skull. I winced, grinding my teeth against the pain, as I grabbed my head. I distantly registered that Will was doing the same.