“I haven’t changed my mind. But there’s something I need to do first.” She raced to the backpacks and dug out her gauntlets. Once they were anchored to her hands, she returned to the circle. “See? Better.” She already felt more dignified.

“Allow your instincts to guide you, and you’ll know what to do.” Kind, gentle—adoring—he brushed two fingers along her jawline, offering comfort, before moving outside the circle and erasing his expression. All hard edges and unwavering determination, he said, “Ready?”

Her palms sweat, and her stomach protested. Still she nodded. He palmed a dagger and then...he began to move around the circle, performing jumps, spins and crouches—slashing each man’s neck. Blood gushed from their wounds, pooling at her feet.

Violence no longer fazed her; the sight and scent of death no longer sickened her. Instead, it helped combat her nervousness, and she began to hum with anticipation and delight.

Instinct kicked in—he’d been right about that—and she knew what she had to do next.

Bane arched a brow, waiting for her to act.

She peeked at Zion. He’d taken Bane’s warning to heart, and hadn’t turned around. Very well. Trembling, she followed her inner promptings and stripped bare-butt naked, removing everything but the gauntlets. Cool air stroked her skin as she eased to her knees.

Unconcerned about disease, she wet her hands in the pool of blood, and smeared crimson under her eyes, over her heart and across her belly. Droplets slid down, down, streaking the rest of her, blistering her flesh.

Bane continued jumping and spinning, his movements graceful yet powerful. Hypnotic. The air crackled, lightning flashing.

Dizziness invaded, screwing with her equilibrium, but she straightened and moved in a similar fashion. As she danced, the blood attracted the lightning. She absorbed the energy, until her cells crackled, too. Strength infiltrated her muscles...bones...marrow. Glorious strength. And she knew. Those lightning strikes were happening inside her mind, not around her.

Her beasts were awakening!

More. All! Weak? No longer. Never again would someone hurt her or her loved ones. Never again would someone threaten her life or family without suffering for it. Never again would someone make her do something she didn’t want to do.

From a distance, she heard a beastly roar, soft but gaining traction. Then she heard another. And another. The sweetest music, sung by thousands of warriors come to life at last.

Connection. Nola felt them, spirit, soul and body, a link forming. Like the one she shared with Bane, but weaker; the beasts fed her strength, and she knew, knew, she would never again experience withdrawal, would never have to deal with another disease. The past was the past, dead and gone, a new future forged.