I pull back to look at him, the shadows casting harsh panes along his jaw and brow bone, highlighting the jagged scar running vertically across his pitch-black eye. “Where did you hear that?”

Malice tilts his head, his grin widening. “Abaddon loved that phrase. I imagine Erik told it to your mother, who in turn gave it to you.”

“She never told me the part about monsters.”

“No. That’s just a little flair I added to it,” he murmurs, gaze swimming with a tender emotion I can’t quite place. “Something just between us.”

A pleasant hum echoes in my chest as I give in to the bond, letting the comfort of Malice’s embrace lull me into a false sense of safety. Suddenly, helping him doesn’t seem like such a bad idea, and it’s impossible to remember why I was so against it.

Malice?

He nuzzles his face against my neck, a low purr building in his throat. Yes, little one?

I just… I want to tell you that I’ll do it. I’ll help you with whatever you need.

He pulls back, his brow raised in shock. You will?

I nod. Anything… anything to get all of us out of here safely. But it has to be all of us. Even Kaebl.

Malice’s face sours at the mention of the golden-eyed demon, but it’s gone in the next blink, replaced with an expression of profound relief. I’m so happy to hear you say that.

A mirroring smile spreads my lips as I stare up at my mate, pleased I could make him this happy. What do you need me to do?

You? His smile morphs, turning into something much darker. Deadlier. You just have to relax.

He slides his hand over my shoulder, sweeping along my forearm and stopping at my wrist. His palm curls around my hand as he threads his fingertips with mine, his pinky wrapping around mine like a vise and forcing it back painfully.

Malice? That hurts.

I know, wildfire. His canines slice out, piercing his lower lip as he continues pulling back on my finger. I’m so sorry for this.

Using more force than before, he yanks my finger to the side, a burst of agony flaring from the joint and sparking stars behind my eyes as a crack breaks the air. A film of silver cuts across my vision as that thing living under my skin opens its eyes, desperate for control after being forced into slumber for so long. An ancient energy flows into my veins, sucked from the stone, the earth, the stars. It settles into the space just below my skin, exploding from my pores in a violent burst of light and power.