The Union standing on the beach was an illusion, just like those giant scorpions. Real-Union thrashed around, trying to escape the beast’s jaws of death. After shaking the male with enough force to snap his neck, the beast dropped its bounty and flinched, in obvious pain. Did he share Bane’s injuries, or have ones of his own? Or both?

Union crawled away, exerting so much energy a vein popped up in his forehead. Despite the beast’s gargantuan size, he proved shockingly fast. In a blink, he mauled Union’s torso, ripping out his rib cage.

As she peeked through the foliage that shielded her from the fighters, a horrified gasp escaped. The slightest noise. And yet the monster whipped his head around, his large black eyes zeroing in where she crouched. Fathomless, deep, endless, terrifying eyes, with no hint of Bane’s passion, only his fury. Blood splattered the creature’s face, and viscera hung from its razor-sharp teeth.

Holding her gaze, he blew another stream of fire, setting Union ablaze. A scream brewed in the back of her throat. Union was dead, utterly eviscerated. I’m clearly next on the menu.

Teleport. Teleport now!

The creature turned his whole body in her direction, preparing to attack. She reared back, tripping over a tree root. Heart galloping, she toppled to her butt. Frantic, Nola scrambled up and ran. Fast. Faster. A cowardly move? Probably. But no sane person would stick around to challenge that...that thing.

She wracked her brain for a place to go. Back to Zion? No way. Someone had already found their hideout. Try to teleport to Vale?

Heck no. If the beast were to follow her...

What about going home?

Home! Yes! As she ran, she pictured the small, two-bedroom house she and Vale rented in Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, the tornado and flood capital of the world. She adored the house’s shabby chic furnishings, even though said furnishings were way shabbier than chic. They’d spent all their extra money on bills, Vale’s business degree, and the trip to Russia, so interior design had taken a back seat.

Seconds passed. Nola remained on the island. Crap! Her stupid panic must have stifled her stupid ability.

The beast gave chase, the entire island shaking. Trees crashed behind her. Bile churned in her stomach, panic threatening to give way to hysteria.

Quickening her pace, she dared a glance over her shoulder. So close. Too close, murder gleaming in the endless abyss of his eyes.

By the time she faced forward again, the beast was almost upon her, the steam from his nostrils charring her shirt and blistering her skin. As she whimpered, he slammed his snout into the middle of her back, lifting her off her feet, sending her body flying through the air.

A tree trunk stopped her flight, its bark like razors, flaying off a layer of flesh as she slid to the ground.