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flashlights into his red eyes. During their stunned silence, Lothaire had time to anticipate their reactions.
    The larger one to the right will fire first, three shots before he realizes I’ve plucked his spine from him. The one to the left will stutter an answer to my question, though he knows he’ll die directly after.
    “Hands where we can see ’em!”
    Lothaire attacked. First shot, second shot, third—
    A tortured scream. The big one’s spineless body crumpled to the floor.
    With one hand, Lothaire tossed away the length of bone. With theother, he lifted the remaining guard by the throat. “Which way to the execution chamber?”
    Lothaire eased his grip just enough for the man to grit out, “R-right, then . . . then second left. All the way to the end. But p-please—”
    Snap. By the time the guard’s body collapsed, Lothaire was already at his second left.
    He’d put Elizabeth from his mind, assured she’d be relatively safe. After all, he didn’t care about her mind, only about her body, the temple that housed his Bride.
    My mate. The female meant only for him. And what a glorious, bloodthirsty female she was. . . .
    Did Saroya sense this execution? Was she desperately struggling to rise, to protect herself?
    His black claws dug into his palms till blood flowed. Focus. Focus!
    As he delved deeper into the building, Lothaire fought to distance his thoughts from his own recent imprisonment. The reason I’m late for my Bride’s execution.
    Weeks ago, when he’d learned of this date, he’d been on the verge of rescuing Saroya. Then he himself had been captured by the Order, a mortal army.
    He’d escaped them . . . but in time?
    Beams from more flashlights shone ahead. Three guards in riot gear escorted out a handful of civilians.
    “Is someone there?” one guard demanded.
    Lothaire envisioned cutting a swath of blood and screams through the group. No, focus! Though pleasurable, it would be selfish.
    To save time, Lothaire traced past them, disappearing and reappearing in an instant.
    When he reached the viewing room, he teleported inside. Two young males had just burst through the door of the adjoining execution chamber to guard her, fumbling with Maglites and assault rifles.
    Then, for the first time in five years, Lothaire’s gaze fell uponElizabeth. The last time he’d beheld her, she’d lain in the snow, her unusual gray eyes peering up at him with delightful fear.
    Now she lay restrained, dressed in a dingy orange uniform. Her long, coffee-colored hair was pulled back severely from her face.
    Again, she was terrified, her eyes darting blindly in the dark, but he felt no sympathy, only hatred.
    This was all her doing! With Elizabeth’s blessing, needles had been sunk into both of her inner arms—
    A transparent liquid already flowed down each tube.
    His heart felt like it might explode. Too late?
    With a roar, he traced inside, batting the two males away, launching them headfirst into opposite walls.
    “Who’s there?” Elizabeth cried when he laid shaking hands on her delicate arms to thread those needles out of her veins. “What’s happening? Can’t see!”
    He leaned down to scent the fluid, nearly sinking to his knees with relief. Saline. No chemical odor, merely salt water.
    To be certain, he sliced the line with one claw and dripped the liquid on his tongue.
    Safe.
    But if he’d been seconds later . . .
    As he ripped free the electrodes covering Elizabeth, he grated, “You’ve been a bad little mortal.”
    A sucked-in breath. Then she yelled, “Stop this, you bastard! You leave me be!”
    Once he’d slashed through her bonds, he clamped his hand around her wrist and yanked her to her feet.
    Before Lothaire traced her back to the safety of his home, he promised her, “Now, Elizabeth, you will pay.”

    When the ground suddenly reappeared beneath her, Ellie pitched forward. She knew that monster had ahold of her, would recognize Lothaire’s voice anywhere.
    That deep, accented