Page 68 of Bound By Love
The question reverberated through his head as bloodlust threatened to splinter him apart. He knew this bloodlust; it had ruled him for far too many years.
He’d sworn he’d never return to his old ways, never be that man again, but the man he’d become was fading away beneath the gaping hole the loss of his mate had created. Something was missing from his soul; a large piece had been ripped out to leave him exposed and suffering.
And the fury was the only thing loud enough to almost drown out the melancholy. It couldn’t completely ease it, but it was better than curling into a ball and giving up.
He wouldn’t give up until he saw her again and knew she was gone. But a part of him, the best part and maybe the only good part left, already knew the truth.
Saber pummeled at the walls as rocks tore away what remained of his fingernails and bits of his flesh. He had to get to Caro. Even if she was gone, he had to hold her one more time and inhale her ocean, fire, and salty air scent.
He had to feel her silken skin against his hands once more. This time his roar wasn’t only one of pure rage but also grief as tears choked his throat.
Burying his grief beneath his anger, he returned to pummeling the rocks as he tried to claw his way out of his coffin. He was so focused on getting free that the banging didn’t register until a bead of light pierced through the darkness.
Out of control, he snarled as he surged toward the light. He hooked his fingers into the dirt, tearing away chunks that rained down on his face.
The hole grew bigger, and a face loomed over him. He lunged forward, teeth snapping as he broke free of his tomb, and his fingers encircled a throat.
Shouts followed his attack, hands grabbed at him, pulling him back and prying him away from those he intended to kill. He struggled against their hold until his arms bent back and his shoulder dislocated with a pop.
He didn’t feel the pain that normally accompanied such a thing happening. There was no room for physical pain inside him anymore.
“Saber!”
His name came from all around him, but he didn’t register who the voices belonged to. They were nothing to him. There was only one who mattered, and her voice and scent weren’t amongst those here.
“Saber, calm down!”
“You’re okay now!”
“You’re out!”
The words were issued in different voices from around him, but the faces were a blur coated in the haze of red clouding his vision. He didn’t care who they were or what they said; he’d kill them all.
He bellowed as he threw himself forward. The hands holding him slipped a little as they tried to hold him back.
Something hard crashed into the side of his head. As his ears rang and stars danced across his vision, he shook the blow off before screaming again.
Another blow against his temple brought only darkness as his legs gave out beneath him.
* * *
“Shit.”Lucien released the sword he’d used to knock Saber out. It had been Saber’s sword, and it clattered as it hit the rocks.
“He must think Caro is dead,” Kadence murmured.
“But he should feel her through the bond,” Elyse said.
“Not if she’s dead,” Killean replied.
It had taken them three more days, but they’d finally managed to locate everyone except Saber and Caro in the rubble. Ronan, Declan, Willow, Killean, and Brie were all in really rough shape when they emerged, but they’d all started healing. Blood and being reunited with their mates had sped up the process.
Now, on the thirteenth day, Saber was finally located. However, unlike the others, who hadn’t emerged looking to fight, he was primed to kill.
Most of the others were unconscious when they found them. Only Ronan and Willow emerged with their eyes open.
Lucien ran a hand through his hair as he studied Saber before shifting his attention to the mound of rock before them. They’d already spent thirteen days in this hellhole. They were all filthy, exhausted, and stunk almost as bad as the demons.
It was time to return to the world and their duties, but they couldn’t leave Caro behind, even if she was dead. He wasn’t that much of a prick.
