His

81. Heat Of the Battle

"But there was a dangerous lure about battle that could suck you in, make your lose yourself in the process."  

Ryan's POV

It was the heat of the battle, Chaz and I fighting back to back, swords zinging dangerously as we cut down the new onslaught of rouge vampires. We were focused, lethal and unstoppable. But there was a dangerous lure about battle that could suck you in, make you lose yourself in the process. It was in the rush, the bloodlust, the fight itself and the power. Muscles bunching and responding to my every command, sweat pouring down my body, heart pounding, breathing hard, my sword zinging as it makes contact with another rouge, seeing their fear and terror as I deliver the fatal blow and watching the light die from their eyes; it was a feeling like no other, a deep satisfaction that settled my more primal vampire side of me. I was a predator and I was on the hunt.

Hearing Kiera shriek it was all I needed to snap back, now was not the time to lose myself. The love of my life was in danger. And nothing would take Kiera from us, from me. Nothing. I would fight to protect her or died trying. She was mine, forever.

"Shit! Ryan." Chaz calls, grabbing my attention from my current kill.

"What?" I hiss, annoyed that he distracted me.

Seeing him point at something, I turn just in time to see Justin look at Kiera, and the blood slowly pooling around her and then go into a total black out.

"Fuck... Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." I mutter, my mind instantly switching tracks and beginning to think more tactically and not just about bloodlust. That wasn't good. At this point the Justin everyone knew was gone. In his place was a vicious, lethal predator with an uncontrollable and unpredictable need for killing, bloodlust and inflicting pain. It was similar to Chaz and I but worse, way worse. Even if I got caught up in the thrill of battle and the bloodlust I could still think rationally, I still thought about Kiera. I always would, I, after all was a Guardian now. Justin on the other hand, not so much. His vampire side was completely primal and animalistic. Fueled solely by rage and his protective instinct nothing would stop Justin now. Nothing. He would rampage and he would destroy anything and everything in his path or who posed even the slightest threat to his territory.

Now that sounds all great at first. He would practically do our job for us. However, when a vampire's natural instincts kicked they didn't exactly rationalize or think correctly. He could hurt Kiera, even kill. On accident of course, but it wasn't exactly like we wanted to take that chance. However, with Justin being in a totally black out, the chances of us getting anywhere near Kiera were negative infinity. We'd be dead before we could blink.

But within that second of that thought and before Chaz and I could even begin to think of a plan, Justin had already disemboweled and shredded every rouge left, leaving a bloody mass of limbs, torsos and heads scattered around him and Kiera. And just like that he was back crouched over Kiera's form protectively, sweat shimmering lightly on his body, breathing hard, eyes black as midnight and fangs exposed as he curls his lips into a feral growl.

"Justin?" I say slowly, my hand gripping my sword tightly, even as it points towards the ground in a non-threatening way. I was prepared to throw myself at Justin and take him on even in his black out mode, if it meant the slight chance of getting to Kiera's side.

Hearing another vicious growl erupt from Justin, I back up a pace, signally the rest of the Guard and Sentinels to do the same.

"Easy Prince. We're not going to hurt her." I say again, attempting to calm him down, only to have him growl and advance a step threateningly at Chaz and I.

"Fuck." I cuss, frustrated. I had no fucking idea how to get Justin out of a black out and Chaz and I needed to get to Kiera.

"Jus- Justin!?" Kiera suddenly cries, reaching her hand up to grab at his shirt.

"No Kiera!" Chaz and I both yell simultaneously. There was no telling what Justin would do. He wasn't thinking. He wasn't even really here. Would he hurt her? Not a chance we were about to take, so in that split second we're launching ourselves at Justin, sword aimed for his stomach, knowing very well that this may be the last thing we will ever do.

"Mine." Justin hisses simply, meeting us mid-strike, he manages to disarm me, throwing my sword a few feet away, and pinning both Chaz and I down on the ground, poised to rip into both our chests.

"N- n- no Justin! St- stop! Ry- Ch- Chaz- ahhhh, owe! Owe! It- it hurts! Ple- please! Justin!" She suddenly cries, pain filling her expression, tears beginning to fall as she drops back to the ground, clutching her stomach in pain. But I guess that was all he needed because within seconds the violent, black out Justin was gone.

"Fuck!" Justin cusses, immediately letting Chaz and I up off the ground and flashing to Kiera's side.

"Shhh baby. I- I'm so sorry. It- it's okay. Everything is going to be okay. I won't hurt you love. You're okay. You're safe. I'm right here." He sooths, leaning down to lick her neck over and over, his hand resting on her stomach lightly.

"It- it hurts." She whimpers pitifully, making my heart clench at the thought. I didn't like my mate being in pain. I would do anything to make it go away and see her beautiful smile.

"I know baby. I know it does. I'm so sorry. I'll make it better, I will. You'll be okay love. Just stay with me." Justin coos softly, brushing his hand along her face carefully.

"We need to get her back to the hotel now." Justin panics, his expression tight and stressed.

"Right. Landon call King Jeremy, we need someone to clean this shit up. Jason call the jet, we take off in as soon as Kiera is stable. And get this piece of shit out of our sight, or one of us will end up killing him." I bark out, referring to Chaz, Justin and I as I kick the rouge vampire we had captured.

Hearing mutters of agreement, Chaz and I are instantly at Kiera's side, the rest of the Guard forming around us before we're off. And just like that all was forgotten. It didn't matter what Justin had done or almost done in his black out mode, I wasn't going to let my rivalry with Justin get in the way. All that would ever matter was Kiera.