I was fighting the blackness and my own fear. I needed to help Nico, but I also needed to rest. My body was weak from exhaustion, tired from my restless sleep the day before, and trauma of this evening's events. I struggled to keep my arm lifted but I was determined to stop Luc from killing Nico.

Luc stood the otherside of Nico, watching me quietly. His arm holding the stake dropped to his side, and he stared at me. "Come on, Mia. We both know you can't hurt me," he said softly.

My finger rested lightly against the trigger and I pointed the gun a little off centre and fired a warning shot. The soldiers behind Luc rushed forward, but he quickly waved them off. Reluctantly they stepped back, allowing him to deal with the situation. I returned the barrel of the gun back to the centre of his chest and waited quietly to see what he would do.

"You know," Luc said licking his lips, "that gun won't stop. The bullets will injure me - and hurt like hell, but it won't kill me."

"I don't want to kill you," I said, "I want to protect my friend."

Nico lifted his head and let out a groan. He turned his head and look'ed towards and muttered, "Mia, shoot him and run-"

His sentence was cut short when the heel of Luc's black shoe collided with head, forcing it back against the ground. Luc's aura was darkening again and he leaned over Nico, threatening to crush his skull into the ground.

"Stop it," I yelled, "You're going to kill him!"

Luc lifted his stare from Nico to me and asked in a low growl, "Do you care for him?"

"What?" I murmured in disbelief.

"I said, do you care for him?" He repeated.

Astonished at the accusation I snapped, "I care for him as a friend."

"Then why is he trying to take you away from me? Does he want you for himself, just like Jacques did?" He said.

I shook my head, denying the allegation. "No, for Christ sake Luc, we'd just been attacked in the corridor. Nico was protecting me," I said.

"By taking you away from the one person in the world who would never hurt you? The one person who has sworn to protect you with their body, and even their life if need be. There is no logical reason why Nico would suddenly think to steal you away from your husband and one true mate," he yelled.

"Well maybe he had his own doubts about whether or not you really are my one true mate!. God knows I've been having them since we first met," I cried.

Luc winced, as if my words had physically slapped him. He stared at me with sad hurt eyes that pulled at my heart strings and made me want to take it all back and apologise. But I held my nerve and kept the gun pointed at his heart.

Luc shook his head and hissed through his teeth, "So these are the lies you've been feeding her, Nico," he said now averting his attention back to Nico, "you're the real reason why she shut me out of her head. You're the one who has been turning her mind against me!"

His foot pressed harder on Nico's skull threatening to crush it. I screamed at him to stop but he continued to ignore me. The darkness around him began to grow, radiating outward, making the walls and floor beneath us shake. Once again I yelled, "I will shoot you straight in the heart if you don't stop!"

Luc lifted his head and shouted, "Fine, it won't stop me from killing him and taking back what rightfully belongs to me."

I stared at him, completely stunned. He was going to kill Nico regardless of what I did, and then throw me over his shoulder and drag me back to his cave like some Neanderthal. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Furiously, I rose to my feet and said, "If shooting you won't stop you from killing him, then I guess I'll just have to shoot myself!"

I turned the loaded gun away from Luc and pressed it against the left of my sternum, then looking Luc dead in the eyes I said, "Shall we see how well I fair when shot with a bullet through the heart."

Luc's face went ashen and his foot lifted slowly off of Nico's head. He then carefully raised both hands in the air and said, "Okay, Mia. You win."

I held the gun firmly against my chest and looked down at Nico, who was gazing up at me like I was mad. Carefully stepping around him I said to Luc and the guards, "Step out of the room or I'll pull the trigger."

Luc's shook his head, "Mia, please. You're killing me. Put the gun down and I promise not to hurt Nico."

"Do what I tell you and no one will get hurt," I responded.

Luc raked his hand through his dark hair and with great reluctance turned towards the guards and said, "Everyone get back now!"

I leaned over Nico, who was pretty badly beaten up and asked, "Can you walk?"

Weakly he nodded, "Yes but both my arms are broken, and I don't think I can carry you out of here - I'm so sorry Mia."

"It's okay," I said softly, "I'll try and hold off the guards and his Highness, while you escape."

Nico rose up on to his feet and with wobbly steps followed me out the room into the corridor. Luc waited anxiously for me by the doorway. I paused and gestured for him to take a couple of steps back, which he reluctantly did. I pressed the cold end of the gun against my chest and said to Nico, "Run."

Nico obeyed. Using the last of his strength, he ran out the corridor, out of sight and hopeful to freedom, while I stood standing in front of Luc - my lovely murderer. The black spots came back again, dancing in front of me. My body swayed, and I nearly fell sideways.

Luc screamed my name, diving forward and knocking the gun out of my hands. I fell forward, landing hard against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me softly whispering my name over and over as if it was an ancient mantra. Sleepily I rested my head against his chest, and felt the pull of sleep over coming me.

"Mia, baby, what were you thinking?" I heard him whispering into my hair.

I wanted to answer him, but before I could the blackness overwhelmed me and I passed out.

***********

To celebrate hitting 50k followers as well as 20 million hits, I thought I release an extra chapter today!!! Please enjoy xxxx

Next update will be Monday!!!