Claimed by Light by Reese Monroe Page A

Slade yelled.
    So much happened at once, Halena had trouble tracking it all. Justin veered off his demon and charged Slade. Theo rammed his dagger in the other demon’s chest and said the vanquish. Justin, dagger poised, sliced Slade’s arm. Yvonne reached for him.
    “No!”
    “Stop!” Theo yelled and sped toward Justin. “Stand down.”
    Yvonne skidded to a stop a mere foot from touching Slade.
    Holy shit, that was close.
    Halena pushed up to her feet, all muscles tensed to keep her upright despite the light-headedness.
    Justin moved toward Slade again, who was now slumped on the asphalt, blood oozing from his shoulder.
    “Lena.” Slade’s gaze landed on hers. Her chest warmed and neck tingled. An invisible force urged her to approach him. To touch him.
    She stiffened her back.
    Justin reached for Yvonne’s hand, focus shifting from Theo to Halena.
    “What’s happening?” Addie asked as she inched toward her brother. “Slade?”
    Justin steered the girl clear of Yvonne and urged her toward Theo, but she turned toward Slade instead. Yvonne slid on gloves that reached mid-bicep.
    Addie fell to her knees in front of her brother and yanked him into a hug. “You’re alive. And I don’t see fangs.”
    He stood, taking Addie with him. Slade was probably the best big brother on the planet for all he’d sacrificed for his sister, and he held no grudge. He simply hugged his sister tight, twisting at his waist.
    “Theo, can you heal him?” Halena asked. Sure, she wanted him healed, but that didn’t mean she was ready to get her Mark. She lifted her chin toward Yvonne and Justin. “Thanks.”
    Justin dipped his head. “You okay?”
    “No.” She rolled her neck, cracking things back into place. “Poison takes longer to heal.” And it hurt like a banshee.
    Slade captured her focus with his unrelenting brown eyes. She ordered herself to look away, but couldn’t. Damn him. Damn the Ahavah connection.
    Ahh, who was she kidding? She was glad to see him safe—and not demon.
    Theo touched Slade, and he twitched. Addie’s eyes went wide as she watched the slice in his shoulder disappear.
    The muscles along Slade’s jaw tightened. Addie looked from him to Halena and back to her brother.
    Theo released him and said, “He’s not demon.”
    Addie hugged Slade at the waist. “Thank God. We got you in time.”
    “But he’s close.” Theo pulled Addie away and looked to Halena. “Addie’s his final kill.”
    “Damn it! Addie. Get over here.” Halena reached toward the girl. “Now.”
    Addie squirmed out of Theo’s grasp and dived for her brother again. Justin intercepted, grabbing her around the waist, and twirled away from Slade.
    “I won’t hurt her.” Slade’s voice eased over Halena’s ears like a familiar song.
    “Better safe than sorry.” They didn’t know what kind of fucked-up game the demons were playing with Slade and Addie—Halena, too. Couldn’t chance it.
    “Let me go!” Addie yelled, but she couldn’t free herself from Justin’s grip.
    Sweat poured down Halena’s back. Her heart was hell-bent on breaking through her chest, and she had the sour taste of bile in the back of her throat. She just wanted a shower, rest, and some seriously powerful mouthwash. But no, she was staring eye to eye with her Mate, unable—unwilling—to act on her impulse to touch him. She’d get the treasured Ahavah Mark on her neck that matched the one she knew he already had on his shoulder.
    Hell, her neck pulsed as if it were Marked already. No—she wasn’t ready for that.
    Wasn’t sure she ever would be.
    Slade stood tall under the scrutiny of two Shomrei Gatekeepers. “It’s Theo, right? And…Justin, your Companion? I read about you.”
    Theo dipped his chin. It didn’t escape Halena’s notice that he stared at Slade and kept his feet shoulder-width apart as if ready to fight.
    “I need a favor from you, Theo.” Brave little bugger, asking for anything.
    Theo stepped forward.