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Nicolas rolled off, taking her with him. She pillowed her
head on his dampened shoulder. Something warm and wet
trickled down his arm.
She was crying. His heart turned over, even though he
knew the emotional release was necessary.
He never wanted to be the one to make her weep. Nicolas
buried his face into her soft curls and spoke.
Maggie, sweetheart, you don t have to kill anymore. I
promise you, to my last dying breath, I won t force you to do
it and I ll make damn sure no one else forces you to as well.
He dropped a gentle kiss atop her forehead. You re extraor-
dinary, my special, wonderful Maggie, and I wouldn t change
a thing about you.
I can t do it again, Nicolas. Her muffled sob against him
stung like a dozen knife wounds. His grip about her tightened,
as if he could ward off all the demons chasing her.
I did it before and I will not do it again. Tears dripping
onto his shoulder like warm raindrops.
It was me, Nicolas. Maggie wiped her cheeks. When I
was twelve, I was walking back to our car with my parents.
They jumped at us from nowhere. My parents pushed me
aside to protect me, screamed for me to run. I couldn t move.
I watched them fight them, these creatures, they kept shifting
and shifting. There were too many& five of them. They killed
my parents. Then they turned to me and laughed& .
You were only a child, he said softly, stroking her hair.
I ran to my father and tried healing him, it had worked
for a few animals I found on the roadside hit by cars. But I
couldn t do it. I looked up at these things, and I&
232 The Empath
She took in a shuddering breath. All this rage and anger
and grief rose up. I didn t even think. I tore off my clothes
and I changed into a wolf. I attacked them. I killed two before
they could shift, and then the three others, they attacked, but
as they wounded me, my wounds just healed. I just kept
striking and striking at them until they were dead. And then
I shifted back. There was so much blood, so much&
And you saw what you had done. You killed five adult
Morphs.
I blocked it out. I changed back into my clothing and ran.
The police found me wandering the street a few blocks away,
crying and crying.
There was nothing wrong with what you did, he insisted.
You changed, Maggie and the trauma of your first shift,
watching your parents die, and the attack made you bury ev-
erything inside. You defended your family, Maggie. What you
did was right and good.
It s who I am, but more than that, I m a healer, Nicolas,
she said slowly. I can t be both a killer and a healer. I don t
want to kill.
He lay in bed a long time, his arm draped about her as
Maggie slept. His thoughts chased each other like a dog
chasing its tail. Maggie could not hunt anymore. She deserved
to retain her gentle, healing nature. Before his eyes, she was
changing. And what of him? What if in trying to suppress any
softness, his dangerous edge came out?
The darkness swirled inside him. Baylor insisted he was
a caged beast clawing for freedom. He belonged with the
Morphs. One day, he would destroy members of his own
pack, Baylor always warned.
Nicolas turned to Maggie. His heart ached. What if he ac-
cidentally unleashed his darkness on his mate?
Bonnie Vanak 233
Maybe it was best if he left before any such thing
happened. Though mated and bonded, they could separate.
Eventually, Maggie would forget him if he left. The months
on his own had taught Nicolas strength. He could handle the
loneliness if it meant keeping her safe from the beast craving
to claw free. She could seek another mate.
The thought pierced him like one of his daggers.
In his arms, Maggie stirred. She snuggled closer, resting
her head on his shoulder. Nicolas kissed her forehead. I
don t want to lose you, he whispered, burying his head into
her hair. But I don t want to hurt you, either, caira. I can t
bear it.
After Maggie destroyed the Morph leader, and that par-
ticular threat was gone, he should leave the pack. Leave her,
before he hurt her.
It made sense. It was logical, as Maggie herself was
logical. But even as his mind assured him he had made the
right decision, the treacherous tear slipping out of the corner
of his eye fiercely denied it.
The pack males attacked him en masse the next morning.
Getting domesticated, Nicolas? We noticed you haven t
been hunting. Maybe you ve lost your touch and don t like
killing Morphs. Makes us wonder where your loyalty lies.
At Baylor s sneer, Nicolas went still at the counter. He d
been making a casserole with salsa, cheddar cheese, potatoes
and scrambled eggs for Maggie. She still hadn t accustomed
herself to eating raw meat yet.
I m not soft on anything, he replied, giving the mixture
another stir.
You were dangerous before, Baylor said softly, advanc-
ing toward him. Now you re a double threat. You have her
234 The Empath
healing abilities. If you turn on us, you can wipe out our
people. You ll be a Morph with the power to heal yourself and
your kind. We won t be able to kill you. Maybe we should
kill you now. Eliminate the threat.
Other males muttered uneasily.
Anguish speared him. I d never turn on the pack.
Then prove it. Damian s accepted you back as our beta.
But I won t accept you and neither will the rest until you bring
us proof you re pack again. Bring us back evidence you killed
Kane.
His stomach gave a sickening twist. Nicolas dropped the
wooden spoon onto the counter and turned. So it comes to
this. I knew I couldn t avoid it forever. It s not my destiny
to kill the Morph leader, he said, sweat trickling down his
back. It s Maggie s.
Making your mate kill for you? You re weak, Nicolas.
Weak Draicon are most likely to turn Morph. You don t
deserve to come back to us. Baylor s smile didn t meet his
eyes. You don t deserve Maggie, either. She s got courage,
unlike you. I think I ll claim her for myself.
Jealous rage roared through him. Nicolas growled and
clenched his fists. We re mated. Are you challenging me for
her?
A challenge? You couldn t survive one. Face it, Nicolas,
you re too soft. She needs a real male in bed. All you know
how to do is cook. Go back to the Morphs where you belong,
traitor. Maybe you can cook for them.
Nicolas snarled and lunged for Baylor. Other males leapt
back in startled gasps. He ignored them.
Baylor s punch landed square in his solar plexus. Too
enraged, driven by jealousy and adrenaline, Nicolas grimly
fought back. Over and over he thrashed at the younger male,
Bonnie Vanak 235
the red haze in his mind urging on. Then a familiar female
voice reached out and yanked him out.
Nicolas, stop it, stop it! Maggie pulled at his shirt.
Snarling he turned to her, then stopped. Stricken, he stared
at his mate in horror.
I almost hit you, he whispered in shock. Maggie, what s
happening? What if I hurt you?
Maggie couldn t bear to see what they were doing to him.
Tears blurred her eyes. The pack only saw Nicolas as their
warrior, a fighter who killed. They didn t know his tender-
ness, his affection and the deep wells of courage and loyalty
he had.
All they saw was a bloodied killer.
She knew he was so much more.
You could never hurt me, she told him.
She reached up and touched his face. He flinched. Nicolas
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