Primal Heat 05 - Darkness Reborn

used my white light to kill him, but it was too late. I couldn't believe he was beyond hope like that, and I waited too long." Her guards were down and Kane was able to touch her mind.
    Again, he was back in that room, feeling Sarah's agony as Mason yanked his claws out of her. Before she could move, two older people rushed into the room, and he knew instantly from Sarah's memories that they were her parents. He felt Sarah's horror as they attacked Mason, her scream of anguish when he cut them down with two quick blows, and finally, her absolute betrayal and loss when he turned toward her again, his eyes blazing red.
    "Sarah," Mason said, his voice a growl of hate and death. "Now you die."
    Kane went still, staring into his eyes as Sarah remembered them. There was something wrong with Mason's expression. Something different. Something off. Then Mason dropped his head and charged Sarah. Instinctively, Kane's weapon exploded into his hand, trying to protect Sarah even in her memories. He yanked her close, his soul screaming in defense of her as Mason swiped his claw at her—
    A blinding white light exploded through Kane's mind as Sarah killed Mason. Kane recoiled from the pain as it ripped through him. It burned his eyelids, seared his mind, made his skin scream. He jerked his mind from Sarah's, cutting the connection. The white light vanished immediately, but the pain didn't. Swearing, he jerked his eyes open, and saw Sarah staring at him, tears pouring down her cheeks.
    Sweet Jesus. Her grief was unbearable. Ignoring the pain from Sarah's attack, Kane pulled her against him, burying her in his arms. Sarah came willingly, her body pliant as she clung to him, her body shaking with the trauma. Kane pressed his lips to her hair, trying to absorb the trembling of her body into his, offering his strength. "It's over, Sarah," he said. "You did the right thing by killing him. You had no choice."
    "I loved him," she whispered against Kane's chest. "How could that not have been enough to save him? How could I have let my family die because I thought I could save him?" She pulled back and looked at him, the guilt in her eyes so heavy. "My beautiful Abigail," she whispered. "She died because I trusted Mason. How could I make that mistake? And I still had to kill him. I had to use my powers that are supposed to be for good. I used them to kill the man I loved. How did I screw up so badly, Kane? How?"
    "Shit, Sarah." He kissed her forehead and framed her face with his hands. "Mason made his choice. There was no stopping him." He laid his hand over her heart. "It's beautiful that you loved him that way, that you offer the world that kind of love. That's never a mistake."
    "But my daughter—"
    "You did protect her," he said. "You offered your life to save hers, and it was Mason's decision to kill her. You can't take the blame for what he did." He gripped her shoulders. "I can't imagine what in God's name could make a man so weak that he could make that choice, no matter what was going on.
    She shook her head. "No, he didn't make the choice. He loved us. He never would have made that choice. He was crazy. The choice was taken away from him."
    Kane's mind flashed back to that moment when Mason had looked at Sarah, and he recalled the way he'd dropped his head and charged her for the final kill. Suddenly, Kane knew what had been wrong in that moment: Mason had not been rogue. His eyes had been red, yeah, but they'd been clear and focused.
    He'd known exactly what he was doing, and he'd done it on purpose.
    Son of a bitch. What was going on in this village? "You're sure he was your soul mate?" He didn't understand how it was possible for a male to attack his own soul mate unless he was rogue. It was simply impossible.
    "Yes." Sarah took a deep breath, still gripping Kane's arms. "I had his mark on my arms. They've been there ever since, as a reminder never to trust another male again." She rubbed at her arms, as if they were suddenly itchy.
    Something dark twisted inside Kane at the idea of another man's brands on Sarah's arms. He set his hand over her arm, as if he could cleanse it from her...
    Her skin was hot. Burning right through his palm. Recognition pulsed through him, an intense sense of ownership and possession that reverberated right though his core. And then he knew. His mark was on her arm. She was his. He jerked his gaze to hers, and saw the sudden flash of fear in her eyes. Of knowledge.
    "Jesus!" He yanked her sleeve