He charged me this time, his howl of rage like an explosion in the room. I used his momentum against him. Stepping to the side, I threw him down on the floor and thrust my claws into his back.
Beyond thought, I thrust through flesh to bone, wrapped my hands around his spine and twisted until I felt the bones snap, first one, then two, then more as Engel screamed in agony beneath me.
I held him there, my hand wrapped around his spine as he flailed with his arms. His legs ceased moving and my beast snarled with satisfaction. We had hurt him, ruined him, destroyed our enemy. Engel would not rise, he would not walk, he would never fight again.
And still I could not let go. He pushed up with his arms and I pushed my fist deeper, separating the bones and puncturing soft tissue. I knew his lungs filled with blood. His arms collapsed and he slumped to the floor, his body growing cold, in shock. He blinked slowly as blood dribbled from his mouth onto the floor.
The beast was finished with him. Done. Triumphant. But I would not let go, not until he’d taken his last breath.
“Deek. Deek!” I felt the hand on my shoulder, heard the voice, but it was difficult to break through the haze of hate. Of rage. Of fury. It wasn’t the beast that wasn’t listening, but the Atlan warrior. I wanted Engel dead. The beast, though, listened to his mate and she was talking now.
It calmed and nudged me, hard, to feel my mate’s hand on my shoulder, to hear her words.
“Deek, let go. It’s done,” she said. She squeezed my shoulder and I tore my gaze from the paralyzed Engel to look up at Tiffani.
“It’s over for him. Leave him for the guards.”
“But he hurt you,” I countered. I could not let this chance go by. I needed to destroy the warrior who’d harmed her.
“He did. He harmed you, too.” She swallowed then, for it was a fresh wound for her. “But it’s over.”
“He must die,” I vowed.
She nodded as she cupped my sweaty cheek, stroked her thumb just below my eye. My beast leaned into the touch and preened. “He will die, but not by your hand. Let Dax get in here and heal him.”
“No!” The beast and I were in complete agreement, but Dax stepped forward, fucking ReGen wand already glowing blue and ready to help the bastard.
“Let him face the council, Deek,” Dax told me. “I can’t heal his spine, but he’ll be healed enough for transport to jail. I promise you, he’ll be executed when the council learns what he’s done.”
Tiffani’s eyes were round, pleading. “Let them do this. Let the guards have him. I don’t want him to taint you. Please.”
My little mate was trying to protect me from feeling guilt. What she did not understand was that I had no remorse, no regrets. If Engel died here and now, I would never feel a moment’s guilt. But her heart was soft, her worry genuine, and so I would appease her. Not because I would suffer for killing the man who’d hurt her, but because she would suffer and worry about me.
I was much colder than she knew. I was a killer. A warrior. Only for her did my heart beat. Only for her did I feel pain.
My grip was stiff as I opened my fingers and released my hold on Engel. But I did it for her.
Dax stood behind Tiffani, arms crossed, ion blaster in his hand and waited as the ReGen wand worked. Once done, he motioned with his head and the guards bent down and grabbed Engel and half carried, half dragged him from the room, the criminal’s cries of pain receding.
“Thank you.” Tiffani fell to her knees before me. I could feel the warmth from her skin, her scent swirling between us and I breathed it in deep. “I wanted him dead, too. I did. I should have shot him. I should have protected you.”
My eyes widened. Tiffani was softness and light, love and laughter. I could not imagine such evil touching her. “Gods, no. I forbid it. You don’t need that kind of evil on your hands. It blackens your soul.”
“That’s right.” She placed her hand on my chest and I could feel my heart rate slow. Feel the way her touch had a calming affect not just on my beast, but on me.
“I can’t let you have that on your hands, either. Why? Because I’m supposed to be taking care of you. Me. Your mate.”
I took a deep breath, then another one.
“I don’t ever want to see him again. Promise me, you’ll see him dead?” I asked Dax, tilting my chin up to meet his eyes.
“I will. I will report to you when it’s done. You see to your mate. The ReGen wand removed all effects of the paralyzing agent. She’s fine.”
I was thankful for my friend, for his clear thinking, for tending to my mate while I beat the shit out of Engel. But now it was time to reverse the roles. Dax would tend to Engel—I wouldn’t mind if he beat the shit out of him some more—and I would take care of Tiffani.