What Love Makes Monsters Do
The first chain snapped with a sound like thunder.
Seraphine’s expression changed instantly.
Not fear yet.
But close.
Silver magic flared violently around her hands as more enchanted restraints tightened around Malachi’s arms and wings.
The ruins groaned beneath the pressure.
“You cannot overpower court bindings.”
Malachi barely seemed to hear her.
The bond pulsed again.
Weak.
Painfully weak.
Morticia.
Every instinct inside him twisted violently toward her.
Protect.
Find.
Kill.
The second chain shattered.
Stone exploded outward across the ruins.
Seraphine stepped backward this time.
Finally cautious.
“You are destabilizing.”
Malachi slowly lifted his head.
Rain streamed down sharp horns and glowing eyes while black wings strained against the remaining restraints.
“No,” he said again.
Another chain snapped.
“I am focused.”
The mountain trembled.
Far below—
Something collapsed violently within the ruins.
Morticia’s fear spiked sharply through the bond at the sound.
Alive.
Still alive.
But fading.
Too exhausted.
Too hurt.
Malachi’s control thinned further.
Seraphine sensed it immediately.
“You feel every injury now, don’t you?”
The words dripped fascination.
Not sympathy.
“You linked yourselves completely.”
Malachi’s breathing roughened.
Because yes.
He felt it all.
The bruises.
The blood loss.
The terror.
And worst of all—
The loneliness.
Morticia needed him.
And he wasn’t there.
That alone nearly ripped him apart.
Seraphine stepped closer carefully.
“You understand now why the court fears this bond?”
Another chain cracked loudly.
“He would destroy worlds for her,” Lucien had warned.
And they were right.
Malachi’s claws flexed violently.
“Where.”
Seraphine tilted her head.
“You obey first.”
The final restraint snapped.
Everything went silent.
Seraphine froze.
Malachi unfolded slowly from the ruined chains.
Towering.
Monstrous.
His glamour gone completely now.
Bone armor crawled across his skin while massive wings spread wide enough to blot out half the stormlight overhead.
Glowing blue eyes fixed solely on Seraphine.
Predator.
The air itself felt terrified.
For the first time since taking Morticia—
Seraphine looked uncertain.
“You would kill a member of the high court?”
Malachi stepped forward once.
The ground split beneath him.
“You touched what belongs to me.”
The possessiveness in the words sounded almost feral now.
Seraphine steadied herself quickly.
Then smiled faintly.
“There he is.”
She still thought she controlled this.
Still believed Morticia gave her leverage.
And she did.
For now.
But Seraphine misunderstood one critical thing about collectors.
The more emotional they became—
The harder they were to contain.
Malachi lunged.
Seraphine vanished instantly in a burst of silver light just before claws ripped through the space where her throat had been.
The force of the missed strike obliterated half the ruined wall behind her.
She reappeared across the chamber breathing harder now.
“Impressive.”
Malachi didn’t answer.
He attacked again.
Faster.
Deadlier.
Silver magic collided violently with black energy as the entire ruin shook around them.
Seraphine blocked his claws with a blade of light.
Barely.
The impact still launched her backward through stone pillars.
She landed hard.
Shocked.
Blood dripping slowly from the corner of her mouth now.
Good.
Malachi stalked toward her through the wreckage.
Every instinct screaming murder.
Seraphine wiped blood from her lip slowly.
Then smiled.
“You truly love her.”
The words stopped him cold.
Only for a second.
But Seraphine saw it.
And laughed softly.
“There it is.” Her silver eyes gleamed. “Not obsession. Not instinct.” A pause. “Love.”
The bond twisted painfully at the word.
Malachi hated how true it felt.
Because it made him weak.
Morticia made him weak.
And somehow—
He would still burn the world for her willingly.
Seraphine rose slowly from the rubble.
“You could have ruled beside the court.”
Malachi’s wings flexed sharply.
“I do not care about your court.”
“No.” Her smile sharpened. “You care about the human.”
The bond suddenly surged violently.
Morticia.
Closer.
Much closer.
Malachi’s attention snapped instantly toward the lower ruins beneath them.
He could feel her now.
Barely conscious.
Weak.
And terrified.
Seraphine noticed the shift immediately.
“You have a choice.”
Malachi looked back toward her slowly.
“Kill me,” she whispered softly, “or save her before she bleeds out.”
The world stopped.
The bond pulsed weakly.
Morticia’s pain flickered faintly through him again.
Fading.
No.
Seraphine smiled knowingly.
Because she had calculated perfectly.
And she knew exactly which choice he would make.
