help them until they came to the last man. He was crying, kneeling down begging for mercy. “I love you, Melanie. I love you.” He kept chanting.
Ariella moved toward him, feeling the strength of the bond between this man and his mate. She felt the love, the connection from afar.
As she went to touch him, Palidor pulled her back.
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“No. He’ll hurt you or worse. Look what the others chose. Death.
It’s black magic. Something powerful and evil enough to kill them on the spot. No, Ariella. No,” he begged of her.
She shook her head.
“I can save him.”
She looked at the man.
“Do you want to be free?”
“Yes. Yes, please save me.”
“Do you want to see your mate again?” she asked him, moving closer.
Palidor and Orion kept a hand on her shoulder. She looked up toward them, feeling the strength of their connection and care for her as their mate. It was growing so strong despite the fact that they hadn’t mated yet.
“Keep your hands on me.”
“Wasn’t planning on letting you go,” Orion said as he stared at the man before them.
“I feel your love for her. For Melanie. She is your mate and she needs you.”
“I didn’t choose to be this. He made me. I was forced to be his rogue and killer.”
He cried out in pain as his head fell back to his shoulders, his chest puffed out forward as if in massive pain and he yelled.
“You have a choice now. Choose to stand beside me in a fight against that evil that holds you. Push him away and feel the goodness, the love you have for your mate, and fight him now,” she said.
The man clenched his teeth and cried out in agony.
Ariella reached for him. When she placed her hand on his shoulder, Orion and Palidor yelled but then the vision overtook the four of them.
She saw the black blood in his veins, the sharp fierce grip that held his heart in its talons. The creature was a mix of evil things, monstrous, dark horrible things.
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But hidden within the hold was love. A love so bold, so strong and beautiful that she focused her energy on it. She felt her men beside her. They, too, understood the bond between mates and the depth of that love and connection. They saw what she saw and what this man saw. Melanie. “No!” the evil voice roared. As the black liquid flowed away from the man’s body and a light so bright and pure circulated through them. Ariella immediately knew that the man was saved. That he would see his mate, his Melanie, and survive this ordeal.
As he became whole again, Ariella felt the strength leave her body and darkness overtake her.
* * * *
The man was crying and hugging Ariella as she slept in Palidor’s arms. He held her close and locked gazes with Orion.
“That was amazing,” he whispered.
“She is amazing,” Orion said as he caressed her cheek.
Ariella began to stir, as Palidor walked her to the SUV. The others followed.
“Is she okay?” Talib asked.
“What the hell happened over there?” Derry asked.
“That was freaking crazy. She saved that man,” Eamon added.
“I know. She’s special. She needs protection and I think we should get her someplace safe.”
“Take her to the Venificus mansion. She will be safest there.
We’ll secure the man she saved and the others. The circle of elders have been notified along with Samantha, Charity, Antoinette, and Lexi. We’ll take care of the rest,” Talib told Palidor and then touched his shoulder.
“Thank you. We’ll get her there now,” Orion said as they got into the SUV.
* * * *
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Palidor drove the SUV with some of their Omegas and security in another SUV behind them. Ariella lay her head on Orion’s shoulder.
Orion gently moved the hair from her face and inhaled her scent.
“She’s weak. Her breathing is so light. I’m worried.”
“She overdid it. Between shifting, fighting off the rogues, and then healing that man from the evil monster holding
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