She blinked and swallowed hard. This was it. They were so screwed.

“Is there a way around it?”

Eddie shook his head. “The only way to get onto the podium without tripping the laser is from inside the mausoleum.”

Her brother looked up into her direction. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I didn’t know he’d go through with it. I didn’t realize how crazy he is. When I understood what he was planning, it was already too late.”

Amaury looked at Nina, agony and torture obscuring his beautiful features. Without breaking eye contact with her, he addressed Eddie. “Get us into the mausoleum. Now.”

She watched as Amaury spoke quietly into his mic, then listened to his earphone. She caught his frustrated look, before he huddled with Samson and Eddie. They were speaking too low for her to hear, but their gestures told her they were in disagreement over something.

“No! Are you crazy?” her brother shouteded at Amaury.

“It’s the only way.” Amaury’s reply was just as emotion laden.

He looked at her, a sad look in his eyes.

Trust me.

Nina heard his voice in her head. Trust him with what? What the hell was he up to?

Several seconds later all hell broke loose. From out of nowhere, Amaury’s vampire friends appeared, swarming the area. And then she saw the others, Luther’s men.

Johan stalked onto the scene from behind the mausoleum, together with three others she didn’t recognize. One of them had helped tie her and Delilah up. The others she’d never seen before.

While she still tried to survey the area to understand what was happening right in front of her, she noticed Amaury and Samson move. Like sprinters they ran toward the podium, only faster than any human could run.

Her heart pounded in her ears. Nina didn’t need to look at the clock to know that her last sixty seconds were ticking away. This was how her life would end? Blown to bits? Would it be painless at least?

With a loud thud, both vampires jumped onto the podium and straight toward her and Delilah. One second more and Amaury was behind her.

***

Amaury had pulled the knife out of its sheath in mid-jump and was ready to cut her restraints when he saw them: silver handcuffs.

“Nooooo!” His own cry mingled with that of Samson’s, who was behind Delilah and had met the same obstacle.

“Oh God, Nina,” was all he could say.

He felt her kick against the pole. In frustration he hit against it—it was made of iron, a metal a vampire could bend and break if he used enough force.

“Samson, the pole—break it!”

Save yourself, Amaury, please.

“I won’t leave you!”

His anger mixed with determination.

“Bend forward, away from the pole as much as you can,” he ordered her. Nina did as he asked.

Amaury kicked against the pole with his leg, then followed it with the blade of his hand. Again the leg, then his hand. In a steady, but rapid rhythm a human’s eye would barely be able to follow, he kicked and hit. Another one. And one more. The pole started to crack on one side.

One more, just one more.

He collected all his strength and crushed his foot into the pole. Searing pain shot up his leg, but he ignored it. The metal split. With vampire speed, he reached for her wrists, not even noticing the damage the silver did to his own hands. Wedging the pole up, he twisted it away, letting it fall onto the podium. Tugging up her bound wrists, he wrenched her free.

Amaury grabbed Nina as he jumped off the podium. The shadow next to him had to be Samson, but he didn’t have time to look. With several more steps, his mate clutched to his chest, he was able to put distance between them and the podium, before he felt the explosion rock him. The shockwave punched him to the ground as heat seared over him.

With his last ounce of strength he covered Nina beneath him, cradling her in the safety of his broad body, hoping the fall hadn’t hurt her. Her body felt soft underneath his, her breasts crushed against his chest. But she felt cold. How long had she been made to stand up there in the chilly night air? Her breathing was as ragged as his own. Seconds passed before he knew it was safe to lift his head.

To his left he found Samson lying in a similar position to himself, covering Delilah with his body.

Looking behind him he saw his colleagues fight the opposition. They outnumbered Luther’s men. It was safe to sit up. Amaury rolled off Nina. Her arms still bound behind her back, she couldn’t move much on her own. He helped her sit up before he tugged at the duct tape.

“Sorry, chérie: it’ll hurt.”

Her eyes were wide. She was clearly still in shock. Amaury pulled the tape off in one swift move, then instantly pressed his palm onto her lips trying to soothe the pain.