“Not a thing.” In fact, he knew little about fighting like a wizard since he"d always been devoted to carnal pursuits. Now, he regretted that like mad.

“The robed figures that are half rotted and cold-skinned are dead humans with no soul.

They are immune to magic.”

“Like an untouchable?” No one had heard of such a person in a thousand years or more.

“Not that special. You can kill these easily.” Into his left hand, Caden slapped a long, wicked blade, its serrated end promising maximum damage. “Jab this into the chest or belly, then stand back and watch them bleed.”

A moment later, Caden demonstrated. Ronan"s eyes widened. The creature bled black before it collapsed to the ground and died.

It was both barbaric and effective. Still, he"d have to get unnervingly close to the creature…which meant Kari would as well. His every instinct as a mate resisted it.

Two more of the creatures crept his way, and Rhea eyed Kari with malevolence. “You can"t protect her. She"ll make a tasty little sacrifice to Mathias"s pleasures.”

Ronan growled. Never!

Tucking his wand away, he transferred the knife to his dominant hand and edged closer to the first of the two attackers.

“Stay close to me,” he said to Kari, grabbing her wrist.

The first creature bared its teeth, then leapt on him quickly. Its skin chilled him, freezing his muscles, pinning the knife between them, as the other rounded him, his gaze fixed squarely on Kari. Ronan twisted and surged, trying to get free, but the creature was astonishingly strong, and the deep freeze of his body frighteningly effective at holding him immobile.

“Ronan!” Kari screamed close to his ear.

His heart stopped, then chugged into overdrive. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the second creature lurch closer to Kari. She shivered against him, recoiled. Ronan could smell her fear. And redoubled his efforts to get her free.

If he didn"t she would die. Had his affection, the curse, put her in the wrong place and the wrong time? Would he lose her forever—if he made it out alive himself?

Or was Shock and Kari right; no one was assured a long life?

“I"m frozen.” He hated to admit it, but he owed Kari the truth.

Then he saw the second zombie reach out a hand with rotting flesh. A second blast of cold trapped him, though his belly burned with fear for Kari. And with regret.

Just before the monster grabbed her hair, Kari ducked between Ronan"s legs, grabbing frantically at the sword in his icy hand. As she pried it out of his stiff fingers, Ronan felt the creature in front of him place decomposing fingers around his neck and squeeze—hard.

The grip was bloody strong. His oxygen disappeared immediately.

He tried to fight, cough, sputter, wrench free. To no avail. The creature"s hold was chilling and absolute.

The edges of his vision were graying and his hope fading as he reached out to his brother through their twin bond and begged for energy.

Ronan felt nothing from his brother, and as the zombie behind him clawed its way down his back, sending the deep freeze all the way through his blood, he felt his heart slow.

His heart stopped completely when the fiend grabbed Kari by the hair and loomed over her with malevolent glee. But she didn"t surrender.

“Die, you bloody bastard!” She shoved the knife into the monster"s belly.

It staggered away, black sludge oozing from the open wound.

The beast still choking Ronan snarled, then tightened his grip. The freeze stopped the blood running in his veins. His world narrowed to a pinpoint with Kari at the center as he fell to his knees. The end had come.

Get out! Love you, he mouthed.

“I"m getting out—and you"re coming with me.”

With that, she kicked at the zombie"s rotting hip. It dislodged from its socket, and the leg fell away, crumbling out from under him. The monster stumbled, reaching out to Kari to defend or balance itself. Suddenly, one hand at his throat was gone, and Ronan could breathe again.

Before he could strike his attacker, Kari linked her hands together above her head, then swung them down right on the fiend"s elbow.

The arm broke in half—and ended his hold on Ronan. The weakness it left behind was debilitating. He literally had been chilled to the bone. His heart was barely beating, his oxygen not flowing. He watched the melee around him as if it was far away.

Hopping back, the creature glared at Kari, then grabbed her neck with his good arm. A solid push later, and she fell to the ground, on top of the zombie, who enfolded her in his icy, deathly grip.

“Not happening,” she grunted, then stabbed the sword into the zombie"s side.

It howled, and black flowed from its open wound.

Kari hopped away—only to be dragged to the ground by another hollow-eyed monster.

Her scream chilled his blood in a way the creatures" icy clutches never could.

God, she"d made such a valiant effort to save them both, and though he could finally feel the bloody beating through his heart and his hands tingling as they defrosted, he could still barely move. Still had no energy.

Raiden! he screamed down his senses. Please. My mate…

A flood of resentment invaded his consciousness. Then Ronan understood: Raiden didn"t loathe him; his twin was jealous that he had no mate of his own.

Ronan vowed to do whatever necessary to help his twin if he made it out alive.

A moment later, Raiden"s energy drenched him, a wellspring of force and intensity.

Along with his own determination to see Kari safe, it was enough for him to wrench the blade from Kari"s hand and sever the head of the robed figure attacking her.

Together, they had sent three of the terrible things to hell. Around him, Bram and the rest of the Doomsday Brethren had nearly dispensed with the rest.

Duke reached out for Rhea, intent on trapping her. She flicked her wand at him, a nasty spell. Ronan could only guess at its dark magic. Thankfully, the wizard warrior deflected it, rage stamped across his chiseled features.

With a scream, Rhea teleported away, leaving the fallen bodies of Mathias"s soldiers for their disposal.

Ronan"s energy fled, and he fell to the ground. Kari dropped beside him, her hands clasping his shoulders. “Are you all right?”

An instant later Raiden appeared at his feet, his watchful gaze taking in his mate"s devotion. Ronan felt another spurt of jealousy. He didn"t want Kari for himself…but he did want that sort of happiness. Why hadn"t his brother let him feel that earlier?

“Raiden,” Bram greeted, panting. “A bit late to join the fight.”

“But the perfect time to take care of my brother and see for my own eyes the brutality Mathias has brought to magickind.”

“I"m fine.” Ronan stumbled to his feet and brought Kari against him. “She saved my life.”

“And you ended those creatures. We"re safe and alive.”

Because she was tough and tenacious, clever and strong. Because she"d refused to become anyone"s victim and die easily.

“And we succeeded together,” he murmured, kissing her softly.

“This is where I leave,” Duke muttered grabbing a few of the bodies and disappearing.

After he departed, Caden and Ice followed suit, each grabbing more of the fallen to haul them away. Marrok placed one hand on Caden"s shoulder, and held three bodies with the other.

In the next moment, the small group disappeared.

Bram approached the twins, looking from one to the other before he fixed his gaze on Ronan. “Not bad for a first effort and no training. Want to join us permanently?”

The fight would be dangerous and long and filled with struggle. He looked at Kari, who said, “I think you should. Forces like this can"t be allowed to prevail. There"s strength in numbers.”

“Exactly,” Bram seconded, then looked at Ronan again, “So?”

Slowly, he nodded, seeing their wisdom. “The cause is worthy and the battle necessary. I will.”

“And you?” Bram slanted a gaze at Raiden.

His twin snorted. “Someone has to keep him out of trouble.”

“Our bond was invaluable today,” Ronan said solemnly. “Thank you.”

Raiden sighed. “I might have wanted you to fuck off, but not forever. If you"re going to join this war, I"ll follow.”

Ronan"s heart filled as he brought his twin close for a brotherly hug. After a moment, Raiden returned the gesture.

“Will she Bind to you now?” his brother asked softly in his ear.

“I hope so. Will you accept her?”

After a brief pause, he nodded. “If she makes you happy.”

“You will find your own happiness.”

Raiden pulled away with a tight, empty smile. “See to your woman. I will confer with Bram and inform you later.”

Ronan hated that his brother couldn"t picture his own happiness, but time would hopefully reveal the path to him. “Thank you.”

Raiden and Bram collected the remaining bodies, then teleported away.

“What was that about?” Kari asked.

“An understanding.”

“Perhaps we can have one as well?” Tynan asked. “If you"re going to join the Doomsday Brethren, we must learn acceptance and trust.”

Ronan"s eyes narrowed. He had Called to Kari, and she had told him that she loved him and begged to Bind to him, not Tynan. He needed to keep that in mind.

“You will maintain proper behavior with Kari.”

Tynan raised a dark brow. “She will be as she has ever been: the little sister I never had.”

“As you"re the annoying big brother who tries to tell me how to run my life,” Kari teased.

In their exchange, he saw affection but not desire. Finally, the last of his worries eased away. “Very well. I sense we will need friends in the dark days ahead.”

“Indeed.” Tynan shook his hand, then disappeared, leaving him and Kari blessedly alone.

So many things he wished to say to her. After nearly losing his life—after nearly seeing Kari lose hers—he would not losing her again. He needed her as his mate. Now.

“Bind to me,” he commanded softly.

Her gaze tripped up to his, wide and startled. “What about the curse?”

“Whether I"m cursed or not hardly matters. I now know that ten minutes with you is far better than an eternity without you. Avoiding you to avoid the pain only made me hurt worse.

Every moment we have is precious. You are precious. I love you. Please, Bind to me.”

She smiled, and tears of joy seeped from the corners of her eyes. “As I become a part of you, you become a part of me. I will be honest, good, and true. I heed your Call. „Tis you I seek.

From this moment on, there is no other for me but you.”

Rightness settled across his skin, into his bones. This woman was meant for him, and he for her. Nothing would ever keep them apart again.

“For one cursed, how did I get so lucky?” he asked softly, then pressed a kiss to her mouth. “How did we get so lucky?”

“You"re not cursed, and we"re not lucky.” With a mischievous smile, she pulled at his shirt until it fell to the ground. She did the same with her own. “We"re fated.”