A protector?!

"L... Lev?" Her voice broke, tears streaming down her cheeks. And she yelled his name with excruciating force. "LEV!"

Lev's fire blazed fiercely... that familiar intensity. She shook her head, fists clenched.

"Is this some kind of nightmare? Please let it be a nightmare?" She mumbled, her tone devoid of the pain pounding in her chest.

Nikolai reverted completely to his human form, but his eyes remained crimson, glittering with pity for his wife.

"Ophelia." He took a step forward, eager to get to her.

"Do not even think about it!" Lev screamed, setting off a wall of fire that blocked Nikolai's path.

Sensing the roaring heat of the fire god's flames, which could very well hurt him, Nikolai took a small step back. He was holding back so much! All because of her.

"Nikolai?" Ophelia screamed. Even though she was aware that he was still alive, her heart was racing so much.

"The audacity." Lev snorted with contempt and glare at her.