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  With each step Mephistopheles took, Alessandro matched it. He froze on the spot when he realized Rose stepped as he stepped until she hovered directly behind him. Her warmth sent chills down his spine and her strength washed over him, providing him with the added edge he needed. But he wouldn’t attack with her in range of being hurt. One hand eased behind his back, clasped her arm and sent a mental message to her father, blocking his words and his actions from his enemy.

  “Catch her Smythe, protect her.”

  At the same time Alessandro thrust forward attacking Mephistopheles, he guided Rose toward the safety of her father with a strong jerk of her arm. The rough action caused her to stumble off balance. Smythe acted quickly, caught her around the waist and shoved her behind him.

  Mephistopheles met his thrust and stopped it within inches of his face. A twisted snarl tainted his lips as he spoke. “I see you have a soft spot for the two you refused to kill.”

  Alessandro didn’t have to look. He knew who the demon spoke of. Ilene and Joseph.

  A sinister snarl upturned Mephistopheles’ lip then he continued. “It will be my pleasure to finish the deed once I dispense of you. And from the scent of you, your mate understands pleasure well. It will be my honor to teach her how to service my needs.”

  A well-placed shove to the chest sent the demon stumbling backward a few steps. A deep growl resonated from Alessandro. He shifted upright, tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword and anger roared to life within his veins. Heat seared his soul. Hatred commanded he react. The demon would not kill anyone and he’d be damned if the bastard laid a hand on his Rose. The darkness swallowed his heart and led him into battle though he struggled against it.

  Swords clashed, sparks flew as steel upon steel made contact. Alessandro fought inwardly against relinquishing his soul to the savageness gnawing at his innards. This demon needed to die, screamed through his thoughts. Yet Alessandro refused to yield total control to the darkness. If Mephistopheles fell, it was only right that it be at the hand of his creation. The words of the Black Knight of Death whispered through his head. Relinquish control to me.

  Alessandro felt the inner beast tear free of the slender grip he held upon its leash. Everything hazed and blurred except his intended target. Mephistopheles’ face filled his narrowed view. Years of hatred guided his sword and thrust upon thrust, parry upon parry, he sought the demon’s destruction.

  Though blood dripped from his wounds, Alessandro continued. For each slash he received, he gifted his nemesis with the same. Blow upon blow, gash upon gash, led to the loss of blood and flesh and still they fought. Circling one another, swinging and slashing, each aimed for victory.

  Chapter Eight

  Rose watched in horror. Her eyes widened at the sight of Alessandro switching into this fighting beast. An ugly haze slid over his face and his eyes seemed to glow an eerie shade of yellow. Sweat mixed with blood dripped from him and her stomach knotted.

  Before her stood the Black Knight of legend. She heard of his feats, but never thought they spoke the truth until now. Visions of his past skirted her thoughts and made her cringe. Battles and death, blood and mutilation filled the path of his lifetime.

  It wasn’t his choice, a little voice whispered at the base of her brain. Rose closed her eyes and forced the brutal visions from her thoughts. Good lived within Alessandro. This she knew in her heart and felt in his touch and reveled in when they sought pleasure. She swallowed hard. The Black Knight of legend lived in the darkest recesses of his soul, but she intended to free Alessandro of its grip. Her mate deserved more than darkness and she refused to lose him to this evil created by a demon. Rose shoved past her father, but Kade caught her around the waist.

  “Let me go, Kade. Alessandro needs me.”

  “No, little one. You must not interfere,” Kade warned as she struggled to get free. “This is a battle Alessandro must face alone if his soul is to be cleansed.”

  Rose went lax in his arms. The knowledge Alessandro faced this demon without her assistance tore at her soul. He needed her. This she knew with every piece of her heart. She bit the edge of her lower lip and stared at her mate. With her eyes glued to his every movement, she waited and watched.

  Each new wound made her heart sink. Alessandro should not battle this demon alone in her opinion, but Kade’s grip made her concede at the moment. They were bonded mates and that gave them the greater advantage in this fight. Two against one would win, she decided. She shot a sideways glance at Kade. No overzealous cousin would stop her.

  Together they would defeat Mephistopheles or die trying. This she knew in her heart. Her hand tightened on Kade’s arm wrapped around her waist. She took a calming breath and tried desperately to appear as if she accepted Kade’s statement as fact. If she played the part of a weak woman, then maybe Kade would loosen his grasp. It seemed to work as she felt his muscles relax. He still held her, but not as tightly. When Alessandro’s time of greatest need came, she would be ready.

  Mephistopheles blocked Alessandro’s thrust and locked their swords. A twisted grin spread upon his lips as he taunted, “Your mate has fire. That is a trait I hope she takes to bed.”

  Something broke inside his chest. The thought of Mephistopheles in bed with his Rose shredded the last of the decency left in his soul. Rage took control. Alessandro dropped his shield and two-fisted the hilt of his sword. With the strength of a madman he advanced on his enemy.

  Mephistopheles met his challenge, dropped his shield and lifted his sword, protecting himself against the attack. Alessandro tasted death, smelled it with each intake of air and surged toward the chest of the demon. His aim was true. His sword sought home near the demon’s heart, running him through.

  Alessandro stood with his hand on the hilt, amazed the demon-man didn’t fall. His gaze held firm to the monster’s face. A slow smile upturned the demon’s lips. Rose’s scream penetrated the fuzziness of his brain.

  “Alessandro, my love!”

  Coldness enveloped him. Reality washed over him even before he lowered his gaze. Mephistopheles had not missed. His sword was embedded in Alessandro’s side. Each landed a mortal blow. Yet Mephistopheles remained standing as Alessandro’s knees buckled and his grip loosened leaving his sword in the demon’s chest.

  He had failed.

  As he crumpled to the ground images of Rose filled his mind. The beauty of her soul wrapped around his and cradled him in unusual warmth with her love. It took a tremendous effort not to slip over the ledge into unconsciousness. Pain riddled his chest. Shards of severe agony tainted each breath yet he refused to let go.

  Rose needed him. Her love filled his heart. The realization he battled to hide no longer mattered. He needed her to know the truth of his heart before he surrendered to the darkness. Alessandro looked directly at her as the truth hit him dead center of his chest.

  “Rose, I love you.” Though he tried to fight it, his eyes closed.

  “No!” Rose screamed, twisting in Kade’s arms. She couldn’t lose him. Not now. Not ever. Unable to control her anger, Rose shifted into the white panther. Clothes tore and dangled at her sides. Kade lost his grip.

  She sprang to Alessandro’s defense, placing herself between the demon and her man. Teeth bared, every hair stood on end and pure bloodlust tore at her gut. This man deserved to die.

  “Ah, my white panther,” Mephistopheles’ voice taunted her. “You could not kill me before, what makes you think you have it in you to kill me now?”

  Rose froze. What was he talking about? She’d never seen him before that night at the inn and he wasn’t one of the ones who attacked her. He entered the barn in time to see her change and run. She had not confronted him and he wasn’t in the room when she stole the missive.

  “Search your memories, little one,” he suggested in an evil tone. “I was there.”

  Rose held firm her position between him and the crumpled body of Alessandro. Sweat beaded Alessandro’s brow and his ragged breathing haunted h
er ears. She was losing him. There was no time for this.

  Before she attacked, a vision of her momma flashed into her head. A bloody arrow stuck from her side. As she stared at the demon, his features shifted into the laughing face of the farmer then back to himself. Though it surprised her, it explained much. The demon man held shifter abilities. Rose’s gaze narrowed as the realization struck home. It was truly a demon who stood before her.

  “I see you have remembered. It was my arrow that killed your mother.”

  Mephistopheles’ laughter echoed all around and inside her head. He had taken the shape of the farmer. He killed her momma. But why? Rose couldn’t look anywhere but the demon’s twisted face. The sight of the sword sticking from his chest, blood dripping, made her brain click. What sort of creature withstood such a blow and remained on his feet, talking as if the steel didn’t exist?

  A scream shattered the night as Poppa dropped his pistol and lunged for the demon’s throat. Mephistopheles caught her father’s arm, deflected his attempt to choke him and twisted Poppa’s arm until the sound of breaking bone sent a shiver down her spine. Without an ounce of effort he tossed her poppa like he weighed nothing into the crowd.

  Using the distraction to his advantage, Alessandro pulled the sword free of his side without being noticed. Nearly depleted of all energy, he managed one last feat of strength. He shifted into the black panther. It was the only way to heal himself and save his mate from certain death, he reasoned.

  As he lay on his side, he saw the true nature of Mephistopheles. He suspected it for years. No man held the natural abilities such as he. Many times he watched the demon man survive things no human or shifter would have lived through. He should have known Mephistopheles was the spawn of the Devil.

  The evidence stood before him. No man withstood being run through with a sword and remained upright. If steel through the heart would not take his demon spirit then Alessandro knew of two other possible options. With his strength being nearly sapped from his system, one method was not plausible. He maintained no ability to lift or swing his sword so that left only one way—send him back to hell through the portal from which he came.

  Alessandro struggled and forced his panther shape to move. All four legs trembled. His tongue rolled in and out of his mouth at a rapid rate, but he managed to walk. Though weakness threatened to topple him, he stood at his mate’s side and hoped he portrayed an image of strength.

  He reached her before she lost total control to the bloodlust and acted in a way he knew she’d never forgive of herself. Pain riddled every ounce of him and blood loss threatened to defeat him. But he refused to buckle in defeat. Digging deep, he grappled for the energy he needed to help his mate.

  Shielding his thoughts to only her, he whispered, “Together we must do this.” When those erotic panther eyes of hers met his, he forced himself to focus on the mission and not the flame of need that roared to life in his loins. With a slight nod of his intent he added, “Sending it back from which it came is the only way to end a demon.”

  Rose nodded. With each movement he made, she sensed his pain and weakness. It tore at her soul, but she hid it from their enemy. Teeth bared, she turned on Mephistopheles, keeping her injured mate behind her. With raised hackles she moved slowly and methodically toward the demon. With the grace of a practiced huntress, she made him move. Each step she took, he took one back until she had him where they needed him.

  “What is it my little panther wishes? Do you seek to get me alone? Taste the pleasure that I can give you?” he stated as he tugged the sword from his chest and tossed it aside as if it were nothing more than a splinter under his skin.

  Though his words made her stomach churn, Rose remained focused. Just one more step and…

  The black panther sprang from behind her and landed a full-bodied blow that sent them both toppling into the raging campfire. Flames shot up, engulfing them, hiding them both from sight.

  “No. It was not supposed to happen like this! Alessandro! Alessandro!”

  Rose shifted, screaming her words mentally into the night. Kade and several men surrounded the roaring fire trying to find Alessandro and keep the fire from spreading. Ilene stripped the cloak from around her shoulders and wrapped it around Rose’s naked body.

  Colors of deep red, purple and orange danced in the flames sending them high into the sky. The scream of a pure evil monster screeched from the fire pit and everyone shielded their ears against the pain. Several buckets of water were thrown upon the flames and instantly a hideous creature rose from the fire. Everyone scrambled for safety.

  But not Rose.

  Anger sizzled through every ounce of her being. In a split second, she shifted. Ilene’s cloak pooled around her paws.

  She stood her ground, facing the horrific sight. This demon caused her to lose her bonded mate. It wasn’t something she planned to forget or forgive. Every muscle coiled in her panther form ready to attack when the right moment arose. A low growl emanated from deep within her throat as she waited and watched for her chance to take it down.

  Large wings spread from its back. It screeched and shook within the center of the fire. Sharp horns grew from its head and its huge body sprouted a massive set of arms and legs. A spawn of the Devil stood within the ring of fire, taking its true shape with bright white teeth and a mouth and eyes that glowed red as if they could spit flames.

  Its large head turned, followed by its body as it searched and located Rose. A normal woman would have run. But not Rose. She wanted revenge so badly she tasted it. Crouched low to the ground, ears back, chin lifted, she never took her eyes off her prey.

  The hideous creation from hell roared, flapped its wings then moved in Rose’s direction. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow spring from the fires behind it.

  “Sword me, Kade!” The words echoed through the night and the demon stopped in his tracks.

  From the other side of the fire, the sword her poppa made flung through the air. Light from the flames glinted off the steel. Caught in his hand, she knew from his stance it was Alessandro. Too slow to twist its demonic body in time to protect itself, Alessandro made a single, wide swipe and sliced the demon in two. The torso landed upright facing Alessandro while the lower half ran around in circles. Instead of blood, a green substance pooled around the creature. The face of the monster took Mephistopheles’ form as a macabre laugh left its lips.

  “You think you have won,” Mephistopheles taunted. As if the sound of his voice was all it needed for guidance, the lower half of the monster’s body turned and headed for the torso. “It seems you know not how to kill a demon, my son.”

  Before the two parts could reconnect, Alessandro reacted. He ran full force at the demon’s torso and did the only thing he knew killed any and all forms of life—even demonic. He skidded to a halt, took aim and removed the head from the demon’s neck in a level solid swipe of his sword. The head rolled and stopped at his feet.

  “I told you not to call me son,” Alessandro growled.

  He kicked the head into the fire, grabbed the torso and flung it in as well before he crumpled to the ground. Kade tackled the legs, gathered them by the ankles and tossed them into the roaring flames. The moment the final body part entered the pit, a huge explosion occurred. The power of it knocked anyone near several feet back from the fire pit. Bright rays of light filled the sky and temporarily blinded all who watched. A putrid scent burned their noses and watered their eyes.

  That didn’t go exactly as planned, whispered through her head a split second before she lost consciousness.

  Chapter Nine

  “Rose. Rose.”

  The weak sound of his voice inside of her head warmed her soul and forced her to pry her eyes open. Heavy-headed, she shifted into human form and slowly sat up. Everything ached. She coughed, clearing the graininess from her throat. Blinking, she tried but had difficulty focusing through the haze of smoke and ash in the air. Though she couldn’t see him, she sensed him.
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  On shaky legs, she stood as he stumbled toward her through the dense smoke screen. When they reached each other, he took his last possible step. His knees gave way and before he crumbled to the ground, Rose’s arms encapsulated him. It took all the strength she could muster to lower him to the ground but she did it. Blood seeped from the deep wound left by the sword thrust through his side and soaked her hand.

  Frantic, she searched his body for other wounds. There were so many, her heart thundered in her chest. He needed to change if he were to have a chance at survival. Rose grabbed a portion of the fabric of her dress, which hung tattered at her waist and ripped it. The bleeding had to be stopped. She pressed the cloth against the wound and prayed as tears fell from her eyes.

  The gentle touch of his hand to her cheek made her lean into it. She stroked his palm with the side of her face then turned to place a tender kiss. A weak smile crossed his lips. His eyes were glassy, but they were open and she took it as a good sign as she continued applying pressure to his deepest wound.

  “Alessandro, I thought I lost you before. You cannot leave me now,” she stated as she continued trying to stanch the bleeding.

  “I could not let you kill him, Rose.” His voice sounded weak and ragged inside her head. “Bloodlust is a powerful thing. Once tasted, it grows and rules the soul, turning it black. A sword to the heart didn’t kill it, nor did sending it back to hell. Beheading was my final choice. It worked?”

  “He is dead.” Rose gave him a smile, but panicked inside when his eyes rolled back in his head. Determination set in, he wasn’t leaving her. Not if she could help it.

  “Alessandro!” she screamed as she shook him. Both eyes opened wide, but she wasn’t sure if he saw her or not. They held a glassy appearance.