She stared up at the demon who looked so much like his eldest son, apart from the dark hair and soulless eyes. He’d been the first to side with her when she’d suggested that they use her as bait, seemingly not too concerned with any risk the plan might pose to her.

Yet as he stared down at her now, she could have sworn that there was genuine worry somewhere beyond the pained despair in his deadened gaze.

Then he was gone, returning to join the fight, and Selma was left to cower alone behind her shelter.

It was never the intention that she should join in; Kain had been very, very firm on that point, reminding her how completely her attack on the queen had drained her.

Yet as she saw the man she loved fight against the creature who had tried to force them apart—saw his broken family rally around him to protect the two of them from being torn apart again—she knew she couldn’t just hide in the corner like some damsel in distress; not when she had finally been given the power she needed to defend herself after years of being a victim.

The two groups—Naharan and the nine females on one side and Kain, Kesh, and their father on the other—seemed evenly matched. After the attack on the roadside in Colorado, they hadn’t expected Naharan would bring along many, if any, supporters, opting instead for speed and stealth.

They had obviously miscalculated, and Selma didn’t like the sudden chance they might not win. That Kain….

The real risk that he might die suddenly became clear when the Prince leapt across the room, twisted his body out of the way of Kain’s dark magic, and landed a blow to her mate’s head. The claws on his other hand ripped a long, red gash across Kain’s back, making him roar. He swung around just in time to shove Naharan off him, narrowly avoiding decapitation.

Selma’s heart stopped dead as the man she loved staggered. It only took him a few seconds to regain his momentum and turn on Naharan with a fierce snarl, but it was enough for her to realize exactly what she could lose this night.

Everything.

The white light burst out of her before she’d even made a conscious effort to summon it.

30

Kain

He’d only seen her light twice before, but Kain instantly recognized the bright shine of power out of the corner of his eye when he faced off against the Prince.

Selma.

Worry made him look toward her to see if she was in some sort of trouble, despite his need to focus on his attacker. The absolutely murderous intent in her eyes, fixed on Naharan, had him diving for the floor just as a wave of white energy crashed through the room.