by K. A Knight
“Rest now, amore, and shift when you wake up. You’re safe. We are safe.” I lean down and kiss her cool, unresponsive lips. “I love you, Remi, forever and a day.”
Then I lie next to her to settle in and watch her heal and rest. I hear my brother downstairs, and I feel his heart reaching out into the world for the mate he lost.
And for once, I feel like I’m the lucky one.
REMI
My whole body aches like I have been in a fight. Oh, wait, I was. Groaning, I open my eyes to an unfamiliar wood ceiling. I’m used to waking up in strange places, but this feels different. I hear the blowing of wind, and it sends a shiver over my body as the scent of the ocean, salty and fresh, hits me. I hear the banging of something far away, like pots and pans, but only one heartbeat. Scanning the room, I sit up with a frown. My animals are subdued, and my body is still sore like I recently healed. The bedding is slashed up, I’m guessing by claws, so I shifted, and there is an empty, bloody plate to the left, so I’ve eaten as well, though I don’t remember it. Other than that, the bedroom is vacant—no Khalid.
I’m on a creaking steel bed with white sheets. The window to the left is open, showing a view of the ocean stretching as far as the eye can see, and the sun is streaming in. The fireplace at the end of the bed isn’t lit, and there’s a rocking chair to the right of it. Swinging my legs off the edge of the bed, I touch my feet to the cool wood as I stretch, cracking my neck.
What the hell happened?
I stand and grab onto the bed as my numb legs wake up, and when I can, I walk to the door and crack it open. I suck in a deep breath as the scent of cooking meat reaches me. Stepping out into the corridor, I follow the sounds of sizzling food to a curving staircase with a white bannister, which I grab and slowly tread down. I stop halfway to peek at the man in the kitchen through the open doorway, a man who’s definitely not Khalid.
There is a cute living room below me, but through the doorway is an old, farmhouse style kitchen complete with a stove and large dining table. I blink at the corner of the living room when I spot a floor-to-ceiling circular cage… Okay then. I don’t see any weapons, so I call my animals to the surface. The wendigo responds instantly, its claws sliding out. The transition was seamless, it isn’t even fighting me for control… It’s like we are finally one.
Creeping down the stairs, I slip into the kitchen, keeping my eyes on the hunched back of the giant moving around the space effortlessly. Bacon and eggs cook on the stove, and plates, mugs, and cups are set on the table.
He doesn’t even turn, but a deep, rumbling voice comes from him, sounding like boulders crashing together. He reminds me of giants, but there is a hint of magic around him that he can’t hide. “I won’t hurt you, mate of my kin.” He turns and grins at me. It splits his wide, square face, his bald head shining under the light as he smoothly flips the bacon. “I’m Atlas, Khalid’s older brother.”
“Where is he?” I ask, not putting away my claws. If he notices or is scared, he doesn’t show it.
“Out by the ocean, getting some air.” I frown a little. He left me here alone? Why does that annoy me? Atlas chuckles like he knows my thoughts. “He didn’t leave your side for two days straight, not even to relieve himself. After you shifted and ate and went back to sleep, we knew you would be okay, so I told him I would watch you while he got some air.”
I nod and glance to the front door and back at Atlas. “Where are we?”
“Somewhere safe, outside of the city. Go to him, I won’t be offended. Breakfast will be ready in around thirty minutes. He needs to eat,” he orders, his eyes narrowed slightly.
I hesitate for a moment, wondering if I should tell him about what I saw and what the Fate told me…but how can I tell him he must die? That his mate has to also? I can’t, so instead, I keep it to myself, hoping for once the Fates are wrong. I nod and slide to the door as Atlas turns away and carries on cooking. For such a huge man, he moves with grace. Shaking my head, I turn away, retracting my claws since he’s no threat. I open the door and step out into the sun. The birds are chirping, and the trees are blowing in the wind. There is a gravel area before the cottage we’re in, and beyond that are just trees. There are flower beds to the left and right of the cottage, and ivy crawls up the yellow and grey brick of the structure as I walk away from it and look back. Strolling around the house, I climb the dunes, and with bare feet, I step onto the soft, warm sand. I search the horizon for Khalid. The pull in my stomach guides me to the left as I spot a person’s silhouette in the distance, walking away from the house.
Treading lightly across the sand, I glance out at the bright blue ocean. It’s such a change from the dark, ominous feeling of a few days ago… I can’t believe it’s been a few days. What happened to the necromancer, the zombies? Did she get away? What are we going to do?
I hurry after him, and he must feel me, because he turns and waits, shielding his eyes as he peers towards me. The sun heats my back as I tread towards him, moving faster as I go, needing to be with him for some reason. I have hazy memories of being in his arms and his lips on my head, even words, but I discard them, because what I am remembering couldn’t possibly be true.
I don’t stop when I reach him, deciding what the hell. I throw myself at him, and he laughs as he catches me. He grabs my ass as I cross my legs behind his back. My grin grows as he smiles down at me. He’s wearing his real face, the sun highlighting those black eyes and scar, but it’s his jaw and lips that have me leaning in and kissing him. “Amore,” he murmurs as he strokes my back. “I’m glad you’re finally awake.”
“I met your brother,” I tell him as he turns and sits down with me still on his lap, his hands stroking across my back and brushing my hair from my face.
“Hmm?” he hums as he leans in and kisses my neck.
“You got the hot, dangerous genes in the family, didn’t you? You look like a serial killer who would fuck me to death, while he looks like he wants to rip everything to pieces.” I giggle, and he bites my neck in punishment.
“You only need to look at me.”
“Or what?” I challenge, tipping my head back and closing my eyes as the sun heats my hair. My lips twist into a happy smile for once. I can’t stop it. I feel like we have grown past all the issues, and honestly, after us both nearly dying again, I’m done fighting this. Life’s too short to be unhappy, to be worried and live in fear. So I’m in this all the way. He’ll still have to make up for lying to me, but I know he did it to protect, not harm.
“Or I’ll fuck that plump ass right here and now, make you scream for him to hear,” he snaps, biting my neck again as I groan and grind down onto his hardening cock. The threat makes my pussy slick as I lick my lips.
“Promises, promises,” I murmur. “How about you just fuck me instead?” I lift my head and meet his black eyes as he leans back. “Right here, right now…mate.”
His eyes widen at the term, and then he’s on me, pushing me into the sand, tugging at my clothes, his mouth eagerly devouring mine. I think he likes me using that word.
Our clothes are shed quickly, his lips fumbling on mine as he kisses me desperately. “I almost lost you again,” he growls.
“Nah, I’m too strong for that,” I murmur as I drag my nails down his back. When I bring them back up, they’re claws, and they rip into his skin, making him jerk against me as he moans. We need to be quick. I want food, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun…
His eyes narrow, locking me in place beneath him. The sun may be shining, but my god is all darkness and sin. He circles my neck with his hand, squeezing until I can’t breathe. “You dare hurt yourself again, and I will chain you in a basement and seal the door with us inside. Understood, amore?”
“Will…it…involve…chains?” I gasp, rubbing against him as my eyes start to blacken from the lack of oxygen. He grins and releases my throat a little, even as his other hand glides down my body, cups my wet pussy, and strokes it slowly.
“Yo
u bet. Fuck, I love your wet cunt. I can smell it.” He sucks in a breath, closing his eyes for a moment before he grins and winks down at me. “My favourite fucking scent. Your surrender, your desire.”
“Yeah? Mine is your blood,” I retort, and he groans, slapping my pussy hard.
“Then make me bleed, amore, take it all. It’s yours anyway. Body, mind, and heart,” he vows as he leans down and kisses me before dragging his tongue down my chin, throat, and chest. He stops at my breasts to lick and flick my nipples until I’m moaning. Carrying on, he pauses above my pussy, inhaling my scent as he pulls his hand away to look at it, his lips parted on a moan.
I love his response to my body.
“Look how fucking pretty you are.” He sighs as he lies down, his hands on my thighs to keep them open as he drags his fingers down my slit before slamming them inside of me, giving me that sharp edge of pain I crave.
My head falls back, the sound of the crashing waves loud as his tongue finally lashes my clit. He doesn’t go slow… No, he flicks it, demanding my release as he starts to fuck me with his fingers, fast and hard. I grip my breasts, squeezing them and rolling my nipples as I ride his face.
His tongue drags down my pussy, circling my hole where his fingers are before gliding back up, tasting every inch of me. “I want to feel you come.” He groans against my folds. “See it in the daylight, see that glistening cream dripping from my fingers.”
“Then make me,” I dare him.
He growls against my pussy, the vibrations making me gasp as those fingers spear into me faster and faster, while his lips wrap around my clit and suck. It throws me into my release, my scream filling the air as I grind against his mouth. He sucks me through it before releasing my clit as I fall back to the sand. With a self-satisfied smirk, he pulls his fingers from my pussy and sits back, showing me the glistening cream as he turns them in the sun before sucking them clean.
“Those are your fingers,” I rasp. “Now get your dick wet.”
I flip over, digging my claws into the sand as I stare at the ocean, wanting him to rut me like an animal. My shifters are calling for it. He happily complies. One hand wraps around my hair, stretching my neck back in a hard, painful line as his other hand digs into my hip, holding me still as he buries his cock inside me. He splits me with its size, the pain and pleasure melding as I shiver, pushing back to meet his thrusts as he starts to hammer into me, knowing I can take it, knowing I love it.
My animals howl in happiness along with me, going wild under his touch, thrashing and slashing out, but he easily pins and controls me. He dominates me like only an alpha can, fucking me through it all. His teeth dig into my shoulder, restraining me against the sand as he continues to fuck me, and I finally concede to his power.
We are both alphas.
His teeth finally release my shoulder, and he yanks my ass higher into the air until his huge cock is dragging along those nerves inside of me. Sand runs through my fingers as I moan, my eyes closing and head dropping forward. My heart slams as I fight the oncoming release, wanting this to last.
“Come. Now,” he snarls, his hand coming down hard across my ass twice in succession. That sharp edge of pain sends me over the edge, and I come again with a scream, my pussy clamping around him until, with a roar, he slams inside of me and stills. I feel his release filling me up before we both fall forward, breathing heavily and satisfied.
He pulls me into his arms as we catch our breaths, and my body stops twitching. “God, you’re amazing, amore,” he whispers.
“I know,” I reply, kissing his hand as I twine our fingers together and just relax.
Lying with a smile on my face, the heat on my bare skin, the ocean crashing not a few feet away, I finally feel like I found my home. It’s with him, and I know whatever heads our way, we will do it together.
I will never be alone again.
The lone hunter is no more. Together, we are so much better.
Mates.
Forever.
We will stop this world from ending, and after, we will find our happily ever after…with some extra bloodshed.
My heart and my animals agree, even my wendigo, because we know he’s our final missing piece.
KHALID
Remi smacks my ass and dares me to race her back to the cottage, telling me breakfast is ready as she runs off. She leaves me swearing and falling over my clothes as I try to catch her. I do, just outside the door, and I throw her over my shoulder. As she laughs and spanks me, I carry her through the door to see Atlas just serving the food. He looks up at the sound, freezes for a moment when he sees us, then turns away, but not before I saw the pain in his eyes.
“Food smells good,” Remi comments and climbs down, sitting in one of the seats. He comes over with a kettle, and her eyes light up. “Oh god, is that tea?”
“Yes.” He nods and offers it to her. She almost squeals as she pours herself a mug, and then one for me without asking, as I slide in next to her. My hand rests on her thigh under the table, since I’m unable to stop touching her. Atlas sits down opposite us and starts to eat, and we dig in as well. Once we have finished, Remi leans back with a groan, rubbing her stomach.
“That was so good, thank you. I think I got the wrong brother,” she teases, and I spank her leg under the table.
“I’ll remind you again later,” I murmur before wiping my mouth and leaning back, sipping the tea and staring at Atlas.
“Okay, now that Remi is awake, tell us everything,” I order. His eyebrows rise at that. When we were younger, I was always quiet, but he’s not the only one who’s changed.
“There isn’t much else to tell. I’ve been hunting her, trying to figure out how to stop her.” Atlas sighs, getting comfy. “What about you?”
Remi and I share a look, and she licks her lips. “We followed the zombies, and after seeing a message—”
He leans forward then, his eyes flashing. “What did it say?” he demands.
“It said, ‘Think to stop me, my love? This city is my present for you, a warning of what is to come. Stop searching, or the world will burn next.’”
His eyes close for a moment, and Remi carries on. “That’s when we ran into her, I also had what we think was a vision.”
“A vision?” Atlas prods, looking over at me.
Remi nods and tells him what she saw, then she swallows and hesitates. “I also saw a prophecy in the Librarian’s library.”
“You went to the Librarian?” he murmurs, and I nod. “What did it say?”
Remi tells him what she saw, and then we all sit back in silence until I break it. “I think we need to find the others. This is Lilith, after all, they deserve to know, to see her once again—”
Just then, there’s a knock at the door. We didn’t even hear anyone approach, but all three of us leap to our feet. Magic forms in Atlas’ hands, I crouch slightly, and Remi grabs two of the knives from the table, her eyes flashing black and fangs dropping.
“Hello?” comes a feminine voice, so we share a look. “Seriously, we can hear you. It’s super rude to ignore us.”
“Bella,” someone chastises softly. “Erm, hi! So yeah…can you open the door?”
“Oh, just move. Hey, assholes, it’s us, let us in!” a familiar voice calls.
“Kyro?” I ask, walking towards the entryway. I rip open the door to see not just Kyro, but all of my brothers there…and women? I look them over and glance back at Atlas. “What the fuck?”
“Surprise, asshole,” Slate says, his arm around what looks to be a silver fae.
“The cottage is very…cute,” Ciar offers, peering over my shoulder, and a red-headed woman at his side elbows him.
“Khalid, is Atlas here too?” Calder queries, a smaller redhead next to him.
“Brother,” Mishal greets.
Just then, Remi comes to my side, twirling her blades as she leans into me. “Well, isn’t this a family reunion? You here for the zombies or breakfast? ’Cause we ate it all.”
<
br /> All their eyebrows rise, and the blue-haired female next to Kyro and the redhead next to Ciar laugh. “Oh, I like her.”
“Let them in,” Atlas rumbles, and we both step aside so our eldest brother can see them all. “It’s about time. Come in, we don’t have long and we have much to discuss.” With that cryptic message, he turns and heads back to the kitchen.
I share a look with my brothers, who all smile knowingly. Atlas is still an asshole. Kyro snorts and walks in, tugging the blue-haired woman behind him. He slaps me on the shoulder on the way past before winking at Remi. “Nice to see you got him to wear his own face.” He fake shivers then. “Creepy when he wears the others. As kids, he used to do it to scare us. He once wore mine and hovered over my bed until I woke up. I nearly wet myself,” he whispers before heading to the kitchen.
Remi laughs as Slate and his woman and the others all troop inside as well. I shut the door and head to the kitchen with Remi. It’s a tight squeeze with Ciar sitting down, his woman on his knee. Slate too. Calder is holding his woman, and the blue-haired girl is on the counter, her legs wrapped around Kyro from behind while Atlas puts the kettle on the stove. I lean back into the wall as Remi hops up on the counter next to me, swinging her legs back and forth.
We are all here.
Lilith tore us apart, and now she is bringing us back together. It fills me with sadness, but also with happiness to see my brothers again. My family is almost whole.
The silence stretches on, none of us knowing what to say, until Remi sighs. “All right, this is super awkward.” She looks at the women. “I’m Remi, this asshole here is Khalid.”