by Lynn Hagen
She shook her head, her hair flowing around her. “To create and destroy are hand in hand within our race. What Novus has destroyed cannot be undestroyed. Palmino’s fate has been cast.” She moved closer and Silo couldn’t move backward. He was still locked in place, and that pissed him off.
“Stay back,” he warned.
Her eyes softened once again as she reached out to touch Palmino, but her hand fell short. “Take him back to the human realm with you. Hold him for as long as you can before his heart gives its final beat.” Faerydae lowered her voice. “Thank you for loving him when we could not.”
Silo growled at her, ready to give her a piece of his mind when the woods faded and he was back in Palmino’s apartment. Silo lowered Palmino to the couch before he pulled out his phone.
“Kinda busy,” Nazaryth said when he answered.
“Palmino is dying. His father cast a spell and…I don’t know what to do.” Tears fell as Silo dropped next to the couch. He pressed his hand over Palmino’s heart and noticed it had slowed even further.
He was losing his zaterio. Pain centered in his chest, pain the likes of which he’d never felt before. Silo was ready to sell his soul to save his little fairy. He was willing to do anything.
Nazaryth cursed. “I’m on my way.”
Silo didn’t bother asking about Kyle. Not when Palmino lay there motionless, his heart beating slower and slower. Dropping the phone, Silo crushed Palmino’s limp body to him as he wept.
Chapter Ten
“Don’t hand me that bullshit,” Nazaryth snapped. “I know you’re more than you let on, and I know you can save him.”
Panahasi glared at Nazaryth as the two stood toe-to-toe. Nazaryth had gone to the demon leader’s home as soon as he’d hung up with Silo. Now Panahasi stood there telling him there was nothing he could do to save Palmino.
Nazaryth had learned the man’s secret ages ago. Panahasi was Life. He was created when the universe burst into existence. If anyone had the power to save the fairy, it was the demon leader.
“I have been warned not to interfere again,” Panahasi said. He set his drink on the bar and took a seat on the stool. “And when my boss says not to interfere, I tend to listen.”
Panahasi had a boss? Since when? “I’ll owe you,” Nazaryth said. “Anything you want, anytime you want it.”
If Silo lost the little fairy, the winged beast would go mad. Nazaryth wouldn’t allow that to happen. He had been Silo’s commander for over two thousand years, and he cared deeply for the guy. He couldn’t fathom having to kill the man.
Panahasi stood and crossed the room. He stopped inches from Nazaryth. “Like I said, I cannot save him.”
Nazaryth felt a slight hum course through him when Panahasi touched his arm.
“I’m sorry, old friend.”
Nazaryth caught on. He nodded and took a step back. “Very well.”
He exited the apartment and hurried back to the human realm. Using the shadows, he emerged as close to Theo’s as possible. Nazaryth rushed through the back door and up the flight of stairs, moving quickly into the apartment.
When Nazaryth entered, Silo’s head popped up. His eyes were swollen from crying, and he had shifted into his beast form. Nazaryth’s gut told him Panahasi had given him the ability to save Palmino. He just wished the demon leader had given him a damn manual on how to use the power.
Paying closer attention to Silo, Nazaryth saw the emptiness in the man’s eyes. Silo looked as if he wasn’t sure where he was or what was going on.
“Is he—?” Nazaryth couldn’t bring himself to finish the question. Palmino lay limp in Silo’s arms.
“Gone,” Silo said, his voice barely above a whisper. “He’s—” He swallowed as fresh tears started to fall.
“Lay him down,” Nazaryth instructed. When he approached the couch, Silo snarled at him, baring his fangs. His grip tightened on the limp body in his arms.
“I’m not trying to take him from you,” Nazaryth said with caution. “I’m trying to save him.”
“He’s dead!” Silo pushed from the couch, Palmino still clutched to his chest. “Why should you care? You didn’t want him around in the first place.”
“I never said that,” Nazaryth defended. “I was just being cautious because I wasn’t sure…. Damn it, Silo. He’s Unseelie. I’m supposed to go on your word that he’s not like his entire race?”
“Yes! You should have trusted my judgment!” Silo’s wings shot out, knocking the pictures on the wall to the floor. “Get out!”
“No, I’m going to save him, Silo. Give him to me.” Nazaryth used the voice he used when giving orders to make Silo obey him, but Silo didn’t put the fairy down. That only told Nazaryth the winged beast was fast-tracking into madness.
With no other choice, Nazaryth tackled Silo, pressing his hand against Palmino’s chest. It was as if something unseen was guiding Nazaryth. He felt the power rush down his arm, but before it could flow into Palmino, Silo rolled away with the fairy still clutched to him. He pushed to his feet, his fangs elongated as his eyes turned wild.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Silo glanced down at his zaterio, and for a fraction of a second, the wildness was gone, replaced with such deep pain that Nazaryth felt the loss down to his bones.
“Let me help him, Silo. I don’t know how much time I have until it’s too late.”
“How?” Silo asked. “How in the hell can you help him? He’s…gone.”
“Please, trust me.” It was hard trying to rationalize with someone who was slipping down the slope of insanity. He could tell Silo was trying to listen, but he stared down at Palmino as if it was already too late.
Nazaryth moved slowly, his steps measured as he approached the winged beast. “I’m just going to touch his chest. I’m not going to try and take him from you.”
Silo’s muscles bunched the closer Nazaryth moved. Silo shook his head as he brushed his knuckles over Palmino’s cheek. “I want to die with him. I won’t let him go to wherever he’s going without me. He’ll be too scared. I have to be with him.”
“He’s not going anywhere,” Nazaryth said in a calm and soothing voice. “I promise you. I’m not going to lose either of you.”
Silo slowly loosened his grip enough to allow Palmino’s chest to show. Nazaryth placed his hand gently on Palmino. The power once again flowed down his arm. Silo jerked slightly, as if ready to pull his mate away.
“Just relax, Silo.” It was like trying to tame a savage beast. Nazaryth knew he had to do this quickly or Silo would plunge further into madness and then there truly wouldn’t be any way back.
Nazaryth felt the moment the energy entered Palmino. The fairy hadn’t moved, hadn’t so much as twitched, but Nazaryth knew.
Suddenly, a blue, luminescent light appeared above Palmino’s chest.
“What are you doing?” Silo asked. “Are you stealing his soul?”
“No.” Nazaryth shook his head. “To be honest, I have no clue what’s happening. I just know what I have to do.”
The light swirled up like a fine mist and then plunged back into Palmino’s chest. The fairy jerked, as if he’d been struck with resuscitating paddles. He arched upward, cried out, and then fell back into Silo’s arms, growing still once again.
Silo and Nazaryth held their breath as they waited. The blue light surfaced one more time before slowly sinking into the fairy.
Palmino’s eyelids fluttered open. He blinked as if he couldn’t figure out where he was or what was happening. Nazaryth pulled his hand away and moved back a step.
“Palmino?” Silo said the name in such a choked whisper that a burning lump formed in Nazaryth’s throat.
The fairy floundered around. Silo looked as if he struggled to keep hold of the small man. Palmino cried out and waved his arms, striking at Silo’s chest.
“It’s me, Palmino. It’s Silo.” The winged beast hugged Palmino close as tears streamed down his face. “It’s me, babe. I’m right
here.”
Palmino curled into a tight ball and began to cry. Nazaryth started to back away. The moment had become private and he felt as if he was intruding.
Neither Silo nor Palmino looked his way as Nazaryth let himself out. After closing the door, he rested his back against the wall, his hands shaking as he blew out a long breath. Whatever Panahasi had given him was now gone. Nazaryth felt the emptiness where the power had resided.
Fuck me. He never wanted to go through something like that again.
Rescuing Kyle and then saving Silo and Palmino had drained Nazaryth. Too bad Hephner had gotten away. Now more than ever he wanted that human dead.
But that would have to wait. He was weary and needed about a week’s worth of rest.
After what just happened, Nazaryth had no problem with Palmino. Whatever he’d done to bring the fairy back to life, had formed a bond between them.
Nazaryth would never tell Silo that. But Nazaryth had seen Palmino’s life and now knew the truth. Palmino had fought against the darkness his entire life and had only used it to save Kyle. He had nothing but deep respect for the fairy now.
With wobbly legs, Nazaryth made his way home.
* * * *
Silo sat on the couch, his arms wrapped around Palmino’s curled body. He just kept staring, unsure if this was a trick of the mind or if his zaterio had really come back to life. “Palmino?”
“Just…just keep holding me,” Palmino whispered. “Don’t let me go.”
“I’ll never let you go,” Silo said. “I’ll hold you until the end of time if I have to.” He soothed a hand down his mate’s back. He’d stopped crying, but Silo felt the tears still brimming in his eyes. “Please tell me this is real. Please tell me you really are alive.”
Palmino shook his head. “I don’t want to talk, please. Just let me soak up your heat.”
That was when Silo noticed just how cold his mate was. He stood and walked to the bedroom. With one hand, Silo grabbed the blanket off the bed and wrapped it around his mate. He wasn’t sure what to expect, so he said and did nothing except sit on the bed, still holding the fairy close.
He meant what he’d said. After losing Palmino once, Silo never again wanted to let the man out of his arms. He pressed his cheek to Palmino’s soft hair, relishing the sound of the man’s beating heart.
When Palmino started to cry again, Silo turned over onto his side, nearly tucking the small fairy under him. He wanted his mate as close as he could get him without crushing the guy.
Palmino’s arms uncurled, slid up Silo’s chest, and then wrapped around his neck as the fairy buried his face in Silo’s shirt.
“You’re safe, babe.” He kept stroking Palmino’s back, and slowly, his mate started to quiet. They lay there for the rest of the night just like that, neither moving an inch away from the other.
And Silo was completely content with that. If his mated wanted, he would hold Palmino for the next thousand years.
* * * *
Navigating through the veil, Panahasi came out on the other side to find Novus and his mate holding court. As soon as Novus saw him, the fairy jerked from his throne. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Panahasi had neither the patience nor the time to deal with Novus’s arrogance. His mates were waiting for him so they could have their movie night, and Panahasi never let Casey or Drake down. They were going to watch the movie naked, and the thought had Panahasi ready to get back home.
“Sit down,” Panahasi demanded as he stopped a foot away from the throne.
“How dare you—”
With a flick of his hand, Panahasi made the pompous prick drop to his seat. “I warned you eons ago about using your death spell.”
“It was an accident!” Novus defended. “I never meant to use it against my own son.”
“A son you disowned because you’re a complete idiot.” Panahasi moved up the three wooden steps until he towered over the fairy. “What did I tell you would happen after you ‘accidently’ killed an entire pack of wolf shifters?”
There was fear in Novus’s eyes, but the arrogance still remained. The man was trying to save face in front of his men, but Panahasi couldn’t have cared less. He might not have been able to save Palmino himself, but he’d felt the moment the fairy had sucked air into his dead lungs. Silo’s loss and pain had been so profound that Panahasi had felt it in the demon realm.
“That you would bind my powers for all eternity,” Novus said as he tried to stand, but Panahasi was too large and blocked the man’s efforts. “How dare you threaten me in my own realm!”
Enclosing his hand over Novus’s forehead and scalp, Panahasi leaned in close. “I don’t threaten. I deliver on my promises.”
With little effort, Panahasi pulled his hand away, taking Novus’s powers with it. The fairy fell limp against his throne as his mate gasped and stared between them. “He will be shunned by his people.”
Heading down the steps, Panahasi cut a glance over his shoulder. “Then he’ll have a taste of what he made your son suffer through. If either of you go anywhere near Palmino, plot revenge, or so much as have a fleeting thought of him, I will return.”
To make sure Palmino was safe, Panahasi closed the veil, stopping the Unseelie from ever leaving their realm again.
Once that was done, he beat a hasty retreat, anxious to get home to his two naked mates.
* * * *
Palmino sighed as he turned onto his side in front of the roaring fire.
“Comfortable?” Silo asked as he knelt next to Palmino, handing him a glass of fae wine.
“I told you I can’t drink this stuff,” Palmino reminded him but took the glass nonetheless. He did love the taste.
Naked, Silo stretched out beside Palmino and ran his hand down Palmino’s bare hip. “I’m dying to see you drunk.”
“That’s one hell of a goal.” Palmino set the glass by the fire and turned over, snuggling close to his mate. It might be cold as hell outside, but in their room, it was blazing hot—especially with such and hunk lying beside him.
Silo chuckled. “I want to experience every facet of my zaterio. Even the silly side of you.”
“Did we have to travel around the globe to make that happen?” Although he wasn’t complaining. He’d seen exotic places and met some amazing people. Just last week they’d been in Morocco. And now they were in a chalet in the Swiss Alps.
“We both needed this,” Silo said. Palmino agreed, although Silo had taken Palmino’s death a lot harder than Palmino had. He was just grateful to be alive, while Silo acted as if he’d lose Palmino again at any second. It was irritating and sweet at the same time.
“Did you talk to Kyle today?”
“I did,” Palmino said as he rose to his knees and pressed his hands against Silo’s chest, making his mate turn onto his back. “He’s happy being a househusband instead of working at the floral shop.” Palmino thought about that for a second. “Or would that be a housemate?” He shrugged. “Kyle wants me to help him with his garden come spring. Oddly enough, I’m kinda looking forward to that.” Palmino began to laugh. “I almost forgot. Kyle caught Mr. Cooper and Gary kissing. He says they’ve been secretly dating for months.”
Palmino crinkled his nose. “Don’t see how Gary can stand the guy, but different strokes for different folks.”
“That is an odd couple,” Silo said. “Explains why I saw them arguing. Must’ve been a lover’s spat.”
Silo turned back over and slid his hand to Palmino’s nape. He pulled him down for a toe-curling kiss. Palmino moaned as he rubbed his hard cock against Silo’s washboard abs. “Need you,” he whispered into Silo’s mouth.
Palmino grabbed at Silo when his mate rolled them and then got up with Palmino clinging to him. “What’re you doing?”
Silo walked them to the glass wall and then lowered Palmino to his feet. “I want to make love to you in front of this breathtaking view.”
Palmino saw some skiers down below but couldn’t
have cared less if they saw him. He was with the man he loved more than anything, and he would do adventurous things with Silo as long as his mate always cherished him the way he did.
“I’m still sore from last night,” Palmino said.
“I’ll go slow.”
Palmino snorted. “I don’t think you know the meaning of slow.”
Silo’s deep chuckle warmed Palmino’s heart. He nipped Palmino’s neck. “You know me too well.”
Silo’s heat left Palmino’s back for a brief second before he was back, his fingers slick as he pushed them past the ring of muscles. Palmino hissed but jutted his ass so Silo had all the room he needed. It didn’t take long for Silo to stretch him. Palmino was still semiloose from their earlier bout of sex.
Lifting Palmino from his feet, Silo lined the head of his cock to Palmino’s slick hole. Palmino pressed his palms into the glass as his mate entered him. “I love when you’re inside of me,” Palmino said, panting heavily. “I always feel claimed.”
Silo kissed the side of Palmino’s neck. “You’re mine for eternity, babe. From when we first met and into the afterlife, I’ll be with you.”
“Just hush and fuck me.” Palmino refused to get teary-eyed while he had his mate’s big cock shoved in his ass.
“Yes, sir,” Silo said with a laugh before he gripped Palmino’s hips and drove his cock deep into Palmino’s body. His thrusts had Palmino leaning heavily into the glass wall as he tried to get purchase so he could thrust back, but all he could do was hold on for the ride.
He’d been told about what Silo had gone through when Palmino had died, and that had only made Palmino love his mate even more. Of course, he didn’t want Silo to die, but the knowledge that his mate had been willing to, if only to stop Palmino from being alone in the afterlife was a testament to how much Silo truly loved him.
For the first time in Palmino’s seven hundred years, he was truly and thoroughly loved. He and Silo were connected on the deepest level, but it was the longing looks his mate gave him when Palmino was across the room, the way they snuggled when watching a movie, or the way Silo went out of his way to buy little trinkets to surprise Palmino with that made Palmino feel like the luckiest man alive.