The SUV screeched around a corner in the abandoned metro tunnel, tires sparking against the metal rails. Gunfire ricocheted behind them, echoing like thunder.
Damon crouched low in the backseat — claws extended, fangs glinting. His silver-lit eyes pinned the enemy like a predator preparing to tear into prey.
"Elara," he growled, voice layered — half-man, half-beast. "Stay behind me."
She should have been terrified.
She should have pushed away.
But all she wanted was closer.
Her heart pulsed rapidly — and Damon stiffened, feeling every beat through the bond.
"Damon…" she whispered.
He whipped his head toward her — face shadowed with barely-contained violence.
His jaw clenched, muscles straining as if holding back a monster that wanted blood.
"Elara," he warned again, rougher. "Don't come near me when I'm like this."
She ignored the warning — reaching for his wrist.
His flesh was burning — like molten steel trying to stay within human shape.
The moment she touched him, he shuddered — breath hitching.
"You're in pain," she whispered.
"I'm built for pain."
But his voice betrayed him — trembling.
"As long as you're safe."
Her chest squeezed so tight she could barely breathe.
"Damon… let me help."
He shook his head violently. "If I shift fully—"
He didn't finish. He didn't have to.
If the beast took over…
he might not recognize her.
Adrian flicked his gaze through the rearview mirror.
"We're boxed in. Two cars ahead, one behind."
Damon snarled. "Ram through."
"Already planned," Adrian said grimly, slamming his foot harder on the accelerator.
The SUV shot forward — metal versus metal —
CRASH!
Elara was thrown forward — Damon caught her instantly, shielding her with his entire body. Sparks flew. Vehicles spun out behind them in roaring flames.
Lucien's mocking voice returned over the radio:
"Still running, little sister?"
Elara's blood iced.
Damon ripped the communications unit out and snapped it like a toothpick. "He doesn't get to speak to you."
But Lucien's voice wasn't what haunted her.
It was his face.
Alive. Hunting her.
Claiming she belonged to him.
"Damon," she gasped. "I can't— if he—"
His fingers curled under her chin — forcing her eyes to meet his.
"He won't touch you."
His voice was steel.
His conviction — absolute.
She believed him more than she believed herself.
Adrian shouted, "Hold tight!"
The SUV shot upward onto a collapsing service ramp — metal plates buckling beneath their weight. Dust rained down. Ahead, bright daylight slashed through a broken barricade.
"Brace!"
The world flipped.
Glass shattered. Gravity spun.
Elara screamed—
Damon roared—
They crashed through the barricade and landed — violently — on a side road outside the tunnel. The SUV skidded sideways until a concrete pillar slammed it to a stop.
Elara's vision blurred.
"Are you hurt?" Damon's hands scanned her frantically.
"I— I'm okay," she croaked.
But his panic was crushing, bleeding through the bond so intensely she tasted it.
Adrian stumbled out the front, coughing. "Not… doing that again."
Smoke rose. Sirens wailed in the distance.
"We need to move!" Adrian shouted. "Backup is coming!"
Damon opened the door, pulling Elara out with impossible gentleness — for someone with claws.
They ran. Her legs shook, but Damon squeezed her hand — grounding her in his fierce grip.
Gunshots cracked.
Enemy boots thundered behind them.
Elara's breath hitched — fear flooding her.
Damon snarled — his monster side answering her terror with lethal fury.
"Don't be afraid," he rasped. "I'll kill every one of them."
She jerked on his wrist. "No, Damon — don't lose yourself."
"It's too late," he said.
Not a threat — a confession.
His body convulsed.
Bones shifting beneath skin.
Fur rippling along his arms.
Fangs lengthening as he inhaled the scent of danger.
He was transforming again — uncontrollably.
"Elara, get back," Adrian barked. "He can't—"
"No."
She stepped in front of Damon — shielding him from the world.
"Elara!" Adrian shouted.
Damon froze — claws inches from her shoulders.
His breath came in ragged growls.
Eyes — molten and desperate — locked on hers.
"Elara…"
Her name was a prayer…
and a plea.
She lifted trembling hands — and cupped his face.
"You're not a monster," she whispered.
"You're Damon."
His heartbeat slammed into hers, bond blazing hot gold.
"Elara… don't…"
His voice cracked.
"If you stay this close, I won't hold back."
"I don't want you to," she breathed.
He blinked — stunned — and in that split second of hesitation…
She kissed him.
A soft press of lips —
a promise —
a choice.
Heat exploded — bond flaring like wildfire.
Damon grabbed her waist — crushing her to him — mouth claiming hers with a hunger that tasted like survival and sin.
A groan rumbled deep in his chest — primal, devastating — as if that kiss anchored him to humanity.
He kissed her back like he'd been starving for her all his life.
"Elara…" he exhaled against her lips, voice trembling.
"This will ruin me."
"Then be ruined," she whispered.
He leaned in again — desperate — when—
A bullet whizzed past.
Damon whipped around — eyes now deadly bright but human again.
The kiss had saved him.
Adrian yelled, "Less kissing, more running!"
Damon scooped Elara up — one arm under her thighs, the other around her back.
She clung to him — dazed — lips tingling.
"You kissed me," he murmured, stunned.
"You needed it," she answered.
He huffed a breath — half a laugh, half a growl.
"I always need you."
Her heart tripped.
Then Lucien's voice boomed from across the street — in person this time.
He stood atop a black armored vehicle — silver eyes glowing like moonlight on frost.
Tall. Smirking.
Cruel beauty carved into his face.
"Well, well," Lucien drawled.
"Our little bond is blossoming."
Damon set Elara down behind him — placing his body like a wall of flesh and fury.
Lucien spread his arms mockingly.
"Come, Elara. There's so much you don't understand about what you are."
She stepped closer to Damon involuntarily.
Just his presence made her breath calmer.
Lucien's eyes sharpened.
"So you've told her nothing? Tsk tsk."
Damon snarled. "Shut up."
"Elara," Lucien continued, ignoring him,
"You and I are the same."
Damon's claws flashed out again. "Don't you dare—"
"Your power is awakening," Lucien said softly.
"That bond won't protect you much longer."
Fire licked through Elara's veins — the same power from the explosion last night.
Her palms heated. Lights flickered. Air crackled.
"What's happening to me?" she gasped.
Lucien smiled — wicked and victorious.
"You're the key," he whispered.
"To controlling the Beast King standing beside you."
Damon froze — rigid.
Pain and shame flickering across his face.
Elara's breath stuttered.
"That's not true."
"Oh, but it is," Lucien cooed. "He needs you to stay sane. Without you—"
He snapped his fingers.
Damon roared — a terrible, tortured sound — collapsing to one knee.
His transformation surged again — uncontrollable.
Elara screamed his name. "Damon!"
Lucien held up a small device, pulsing with red light.
"His curse is tied to you. You are his cage."
"No—!" Elara cried.
Damon's silver eyes turned feral — locked on her.
"Elara," he rasped, struggling. "Run—"
But she didn't.
She rushed to him — slamming her hands against his cheeks again — screaming through tears:
"Look at me! Damon, look at me!"
His beast fought — shaking — claws scraping the pavement — but her voice cut through the rage.
"Elara…" he gasped. "Don't— leave— me—"
"I won't!" She pressed her forehead to his.
"You saved me. Now let me save you!"
The bond exploded in a blinding surge of gold.
Damon's body jerked—
Lucien's eyes widened.
Power blasted outward — a shockwave knocking everyone else flat.
Smoke. Light. Silence.
When it cleared—
Damon was human again.
Kneeling.
Breathing hard.
Elara collapsed into his arms — and he caught her to his chest, trembling.
He held her like she was the only thing anchoring him to existence.
"Elara," he whispered brokenly. "Never… ever do that again."
Her tear-wet smile was shaky but real.
"You're stuck with me."
He buried his face in her hair — a soft, wounded sound escaping him.
But Lucien's voice came again — colder now:
"Fifty-five hours."
Elara stiffened.
A clock ticked in her mind — the cruel system reminder returning:
Betrayal Event Nearing
Target: Damon Blackthorn
Time Remaining: 55 hours
Lucien tilted his head mockingly.
"You're going to kill the man you just kissed, dear sister."
Damon lifted his head — eyes murderous.
"Over my dead body."
Lucien smiled darkly.
"That's the idea."