"Coach! Look!"

I turned to see Denny pointing through a part in the trees. I gasped at the sight. At least three hundred more vampires had just teleported. t.w.a.t. The Monopoly bloke had had more allies than they'd expected. Or were they allies? It seemed more likely that they had acted as though they were working in league with Bennington but were in fact planning to let Bennington fight most of the fight and then jump in at the last minute to steal the victory.

Suddenly there was a lot of cursing and shouting and movement and the squad retreated to join the others and prepare for the new invaders. But when Jared tried to drag me along behind them I resisted and shook my head. "We can't fight off that many, you know that." He was going to electrocute me for this but I couldn't see any other choice. "Don't resist it."

"What?"

That was when I merged into him. Just like last time, there was that sensation of fusing and melding with this other body as though I was encasing myself in an all-in-one suit. Each of my five senses came to me, one by one. And then there was that burning pain as though I was melting into this suit, into Jared, and our cells knitting together. Again, I felt totally and utterly omnipotent. But unlike with Joy, there was another feeling: that I was complete, which made no sense but it was there.

I examined first my hands and then the rest of me; my hands were slightly larger and calloused, I was burlier and taller. I was exactly as I was in that vision that I'd had via Luther. Just like in that vision, I felt more alive than ever; my entire body buzzed with power and energy. Jared's energy was fifty times the strength of Joy's. Two things unsettled me. One, I wasn't sure I could channel such a large concentration of power of both mine and Jared's combined. Two, I didn't seem to care that I might not be able to channel it. I was filled with this sense that nothing could happen to me. All I could think of was releasing this caged power against the attackers.

Sam, no! The voice reverberated around my head. You need to unmerge with me right now. I told you not to do this; you can get drugged on the power!

Although his words didn't quite penetrate, Jared's voice still somehow snagged my attention.

That's it, baby, just think for a minute. Think. I know the power feels good to you but it's too much, it could take over you! It could kill you!

That couldn't be right. I was invincible. Wasn't I?

That might be how it feels but it's not real. Baby, please, listen to me: you have to unmerge with me right now.

He was right, I finally fully realised; I could be hurt, the power really could overwhelm me. But I couldn't unmerge with him like he wanted. Not when I knew the attackers were coming. I could even hear them. I have to do this, Jared.

f.u.c.k, no!

With my Svente agility and Jared's Pagori strength and speed all mixed together, leaping from tree to tree in my ascent was practically effortless. Finally I reached the overstory layer where I perched myself steadily on the top of a large, st.u.r.dy tree.

Sam, baby, please don't do this?!

I need to do this, you know I do. We do. Now stop resisting or this won't work. Please?!

From where I stood I had a clear view of the approaching vampires. I could also see flashes of energy and light in the distance where the others were battling. I raised my arms straight above my head, shoulder width apart, with my hands balled into tight fists. I then closed my eyes as I tapped into the eager power inside me that seemed to have a life of its own. It was like it was impatiently clawing at my insides, b.u.mping against my organs and making me feel as though I was going to burst. For a moment I wondered if Jared was right, if it was too strong for me to channel. But then he spoke and although I wasn't sure what he said his voice grounded and anch.o.r.ed me.

Using the combination of my ability to tap into the natural elements and Jared's gift of electrokinesis, I opened my fists and it was as though the energy streamed out of me as I released it and manifested it into a ma.s.sive grey cloud; a cloud that increased in size with each second. I watched as it continued to grow and darken until it was like a smoky blanket hanging over the island. A harsh wind picked up and then there was a loud clap of thunder.

Then came the lightening. I directed the bolt at the High Master vampire, Winston Jones, who had been fast approaching until the storm began. Instantly he was ashes. Seeing that his vampy friends were ready to make a run for it I sent a ma.s.sive gush of wind at them, sweeping each one of them up and then I shaped the wind into a gigantic tornado; a tornado that touched nothing but what I instructed it to. I was sweating and shaking as I directed it West, sweeping up each and every enemy that I could see it was easy to tell them apart from the friendly vamps because they were the only ones running away. Any that somehow managed to escape the tornado got struck by a lightning bolt. I then moved the tornado to the South, collecting more of the surviving foes, and then onto the East to gather the rest of the attackers I could see. Then I lifted the lid on the last bit of power I had contained inside me and created a large ball of fire that engulfed the tornado and every vampire within it.

And then I collapsed, greeting an unconscious state with gratefulness.

(Jared) She obviously wanted me to kill her. That was the only explanation I could think of as to why she'd place herself in that much danger. I'd felt how it had been for her when she Merged with me and our energies clashed; it was as though she was standing at the edge of a precipice, fighting against a wind that could possibly throw her over the edge. I sensed each time the power almost overwhelmed her enough to throw her over that edge into oblivion. And I hadn't been able to do a G.o.dd.a.m.n thing about it. I'd tried over and over to undo what she'd done but as the Merging gift was hers I had no choice but to be nothing more than a voice in her mind, grounding her.

"Sam, baby, wake up," I coaxed as I lay her on the forest floor. As soon as she'd collapsed with exhaustion her own body had peeled away from mine, leaving my skin itching like crazy for a minute, and I'd had to then carry her down the bulky tree. I squatted beside her, running my hand through her hair. "Come on, wake up."

Becoming aware of a presence behind me, I turned to find Antonio, Luther and Sebastian being teleported by one of the guards.

"How is she?" Antonio immediately asked.

"Totally wiped out. She'd known from what happened with Joy that she could drain me if she wasn't careful, but she'd ended up draining herself."

"Thank G.o.d it wasn't to the point of death," said Luther.

"A coma?" enquired Chico as the entire squad suddenly appeared from the trees with Alora.

I heard some of the guys cursing in. "She's just unconscious," I a.s.sured them. "But she's sapped."

"So she'll be okay?" David was swallowing hard in panic.

I nodded. The only thing I could think of that might rouse her from this state was blood. I slid my hand under her upper back and raised her slightly, allowing her head to fall back a little. Then I bit hard into my wrist and swiftly put it to her mouth. Although the skin quickly healed itself I still managed to get a few drops onto her tongue. "Come on, Sam." Nothing; no movement, no sounds, not even the flicker of an eyelid. "Sam, I swear to G.o.d if you don't wake up I'll spank your a.s.s."

b.a.s.t.a.r.d, I heard in my head.

Instantly a smile curved my mouth. "She's alright, she's waking up."

Denny raised a brow, still tense and anxious. "How can you tell?"

"She's just telepathically called me a b.a.s.t.a.r.d." There were laughs at that but the air was still filled with worry. Then she inhaled a long breath through her nose and everyone seemed to sigh and sag in relief. Aquamarine eyes found mine and she smiled a little. I raised her and pulled her onto my lap as I sat down. "Hey baby."

"I told you not to call me that."

"Was there a reason why you felt it necessary to turn into Storm out of the X-Men?"

"Oh shut your noise." She looked up at Antonio then. "Many casualties?"

He smiled. "Not as many as what I would have expected, given how outnumbered we were. It seemed that Rupert's legion suffered the worst. Although I think things would be very different if you hadn't...turned into Storm, as Jared so aptly put it."

"It was so cool," said Harvey with a wide smile. I shot him a scowl.

She turned to the squad and smiled, her eyes flicking to each one of them. "I don't mind saying I'm proud of you lot." They each grinned. "But if you let it get to your heads and rods reappear up your backsides it'll be storm time again, alright?"

They each chuckled but nodded.

"If you think we'd risk your wrath you're crazy," said Damien.

Jared? It was Evan, anxious.

"Evan's awake," I told her. "I stashed him out of sight further into the rainforest when I found him unconscious."

Alora dashed forward. "Can you take me to him? Please?"

I nodded then stood upright, Sam still in my arms. "See all you guys later."

"Put me down." She kicked her legs until I planted her on her feet, an arm around her waist, waiting while she steadied herself before grabbing Alora's hand. In under a second we were stood before Evan who stopped in his anxious pacing and quickly locked his arms around Alora who, to my surprise, eagerly returned the embrace.

I looked at Sam. "That was fast work for Evan." She only smiled. Then her smile wobbled a little and she suddenly seemed nervous. "What is it?"

She cleared her throat but when she opened her mouth she didn't say anything, as if she wasn't sure she should say whatever it was. I encouraged her with a look. "When I Merged with you...it meant I could access I wasn't snooping, it's just part of the Merging your thoughts and memories and...feelings."

I knew where this was going. I'd suspected that the process would allow her to do that.

After a second, she murmured in disbelief, "You love me. Or at least you think you do."

I smiled. "I know I do." I wrapped my arms around her. "And you love me." Her eyes widened; clearly she hadn't known that I'd had the same access to her mind as she had to mine. "If you sensed I love you then you must've also sensed that I meant it when I said I was claiming you as mine. And no, I'm not asking, and the reason I'm not asking is because the answer no' is unacceptable. I want the Binding Ceremony everything."

A wicked, crooked smile formed on her face. "If I do say no...will you strap me to the bed for longer than a month?"

My smile mirrored hers. "You'll leave me no choice but to have to. And then, of course, I'll have to spank your a.s.s, bite your nipples, and tease your c.l.i.t with my tongue until you change your mind."

"Then the answer is definitely a resounding no."

"Note that I'll also be giving it to you up the -"

"Bro, we can hear you over here," whined Evan. "Those are visuals I could live without."

I sighed while Sam giggled. "Come on, time to go to my apartment and get started on that spanking."

The second we arrived at my apartment she smirked. "You'll have to catch me first."

And then the insane b.i.t.c.h turned back into Houdini.

end.