“Delilah, baby, wake up,” Abel called, hand to his mate’s hip, shaking hard.

She continued moaning and moving with agitation.

“Lilah, bao bei, wake the fuck up.” He shook her harder.

“No!” she screamed, but she did it in her sleep.

And after she did it, she didn’t wake up.

“Goddammit,” he growled, rolling her to her back and looming over her before he curled his hand under her jaw. “Delilah, wake up.” He bent close, digging his fingers in as hard as he could without harming her as she stopped shifting and started writhing. “Wake up,” he repeated. When she didn’t, he barked, “Wake up!”

The door to the bedroom flew open and he looked over his shoulder to see Jian-Li rushing in.

“My Abel—” she began.

“They got her,” he cut her off. “I can’t get her out. I have to go in.”

She skidded to a halt by the bed. “But—”

“Go get Lucien,” Abel ordered.

“Abel, you don’t—”

“Go get him!” he bellowed, turned back to Delilah and concentrated solely on his mate. Let me in, he ordered. Let me in, Delilah. He dipped his face so close that his nose brushed hers. Fucking let me in!

With that, he collapsed on top of her, his chest to hers, his forehead sliding down her cheek, his eyes closed, for all appearances asleep.

Jian-Li hesitated not a second before she turned and rushed from the room.

* * * * *

In a Pub Somewhere in London

“What’s that?” the bartender asked, his eyes to the telly.

The football game was gone.

Instead, they had some bird standing in a street, facing a ton of tall men and women and…

He peered closer.

“What are those things?” he asked the screen.

Doing so, as well as when they heard the scream, the attention of a couple of blokes sitting at the bar went to the TV.

* * * * *

Delilah

At my scream, no blue light.

Shit.

I started backing up as they kept advancing.

Okay, this was not good.

I kept backing up as they kept coming and Etienne started talking to me.

“No mate?” he smirked. “Why doesn’t he come for you, Delilah?” He threw out a hand. “Perhaps he understands one human is just like the next. He can easily find another. He can find hundreds, thousands, and enjoy them after you’re gone.”

“You’ve obviously never been in love, asshole,” I muttered.

Let me in.

I heard Abel’s voice in my head and I blinked.

“I tire of this,” Etienne stated, suddenly stopping, and when he did, his army did the same.

Let me in, Delilah.

Uh-oh.

I was in a dream.

But I wasn’t in a dream. I was in a dream.

I stared at the sea of supernaturals before me.

With only one of Abel and my puny efforts, against all of them, neither of us would survive.