Chapter 107

“What are you doing?!” I ask, my voice turning shrill in sheer panic, but before Dante could answer Noah and another soldier had positioned themselves in front of him, to protect their master.

I stare Dante down, but I don’t shake his hold on me. His hands grip my upper arms in a bruising hold, his rifle forgotten, hanging uselessly on its strap.

“Jean—”

“It’s okay,” I whisper, “It’ll be okay.”

With my eyes, I beg Dante to understand. I don’t want to make the sacrifice either, knowing full well that Serafino is just salivating at the notion of possessing me, but I know what I have to do. I’m desperate to stop this. I won’t be able to take it if another person gets hurt because of me. Especially if I can stop it from happening, even if I have to turn myself in to do it.

“Jean, no.” Dante’s voice is stern, but there’s desperation mixed in there too. He’s grasping at straws the same way I am. There’s no explanation for it, just the urgent need to protect.

Dante’s stormy gray eyes hold mi