With a vampire's speed and a lover's instinct, Damien grabbed Luna, twisting her behind him as the claws met flesh. They raked down his back, slicing through his coat and into his skin. Damien gasped, his knees buckling. He fell on top of Luna, shielding her even as pain lanced through him.
"Damien!" she cried. She quickly pushed him off and scrambled to her feet, placing herself protectively in front of him. Her arms were spread wide, a wild, furious shield of woman and wolf. Her body shook from rage.
"You cannot do this, Kyllian!" she screamed at the massive beast. "He has done nothing wrong!"
Kyllian shifted back slowly. "Princess Luna," he said. "The king banished you for your bond with the vampire prince."
"Now that I am king, I can lift the banishment. You can come home. You can belong again. But you have to make a choice—your people…" He gestured around, to the torn land, to the bruised warriors. Then his finger pointed directly to Damien. "Or the blood sucker."
