Blood was everywhere. It was too strong.

Kat!

It didn't yield, didn't want to pull back. It wanted to slash and destroy.

Kat! No, no, no!

The curse was more powerful. He'd been fighting it for years, and yet it had never felt so strong. As much as he tried, he couldn't reign in the beast, couldn't pull it back inside him where it belonged.

And through his distorted view, all he could see was blood. Her blood.

His body was broken. From the rearranging bones, the claws, the fucking fangs.

No, he would not tear her throat out with his teeth. He would not dig his talons into her chest and pull her heart out.

He would not kill her. He would not.

Blood splattered his face.

Kat! No. Fight this thing! Fight ME!

A sharp pain slashed through his stomach, like steel and fire all at once.

Iron.

His bones cracked and rearranged so quickly, he almost passed out from the pain. Then he blinked, and his eyes were his own again.

All he could see was blood.