by K. G. Reuss
“Please. She’s my mom, Raiden. I-I don’t want anything to happen to her because of me. If this is about the whole engagement thing and us—”
“Wait.” Damien held up a hand. “You did it?”
I moved to Ever and wrapped my arm around her. “I did. I asked Ever to marry me. She said yes.”
Damien and Eric shared a look.
“I thought for sure she’d throat punch you.” Damien chuckled. “That’s great. I mean, it sucks because Raiden is a ladies man, and it effectively ruins him when we go out—”
“Shut up,” I grumbled, placing a kiss on Ever’s temple.
Eric moved forward and wrapped Ever in a hug. “I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you,” she murmured before breaking away. “But maybe it’s a bad idea—”
“It’s not,” I said. “I promise it’s not.”
“Raiden’s right,” Damien said thoughtfully. “You’re both targets, and you’re stronger together than apart. The sooner you two get this shit over with, the sooner we can all return to normal. Not that I’m complaining about gutting the wretched creatures who are attacking, but I really liked it when my biggest worry was Raiden’s mood swings.”
I shook my head at him and turned to Ever. “I think Damien’s right. I’m a target, and so are you. We need to be together. One side apparently wants to end us, and another side wants to strengthen us. The problem is, we don’t know which is which.”
“Are you saying you think the Order is wrong?” she asked.
“I’m saying I don’t know what to believe anymore. Those creatures didn’t just show up at random. They were sent. And I want to know by who. We’ll leave tomorrow. For now, we’ll go patrol outside to make sure everything is safe. I’m sorry, Ever. We need to get back home.”
She nodded wistfully. “I’ll let Mom and Nina know in the morning. We were supposed to get our nails done.”
She sighed as a sad look crossed her features.
I cradled her face. “It’ll get better, baby. I promise. Believe me?”
She nodded forlornly and moved to rest her head on my chest.
I regarded the guys as I held her. “I’ll put Ever to bed. Eric, can you clean up downstairs and make sure there’s nothing left behind to scare Elena? Stay inside and watch over Ever and Elena when you’re done, OK? Try to catch some sleep. I’ll patrol with Damien.”
Eric nodded, and Ever moved away from me to get blankets from her closet. She shuddered. Closets still freaked her out because all the creatures came through them to get to her as a kid. Not to mention, the fact her own father tossed her inside them and locked her up.
She handed the blanket to Eric. “You can lie in my bed—”
I cleared my throat, and she raised an eyebrow at me.
“As I was saying, you can lie in here with me. I’d rather you be up here than downstairs. And there’s no way I’d make you sleep on the floor considering I still have nasty flashbacks about being hauled under my bed by the dead. So my bed it is.”
“Lucky,” Damien muttered.
I shot him a withering look.
“Sucks to suck,” Eric said with a chuckle before heading downstairs.
I kissed Ever once more. “I’m going to be right outside. OK?”
She nodded.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Be safe.”
“Always,” I said, stepping away from her and shifting into a panther again.
Her fingers brushed through my fur, and I gave a low purr at her touch. Damien chuckled as I led the way outside.
All I knew is whatever was out there in the woods needed to pray I didn’t find them before their master did because there would be hell to pay.
Forty-Eight
Everly
The next morning, Eric and Damien made a show of ringing the doorbell. Mom was surprised, but she remembered them from when they picked me up all those months ago to take me Dementon. Nina had come over, planning to take me to the salon when they opened.
“Good morning, Mrs. Torres. Sorry to barge in on your holiday, but we really need to speak with Raiden,” Eric said in an official tone.
Raiden excused himself to have a fake discussion with the guys. When their huddle broke up, Raiden strode over. “I’m so sorry, but I’m needed back at the school right away. I wish we didn’t have to go, but…”
“Don’t worry. Mom understands. Don’t you, Mom?” I asked, nudging her.
“Of course. And at least you were able to be here for a week,” Mom answered, her voice cracking slightly.
“I promise to bring her back soon,” Raiden assured her. He spun toward me. “We should go get our things.”
We’d already packed, but we had to keep up appearances.
A few minutes later, I hugged Mom and Nina goodbye. Tears filled all of our eyes. I’d miss them, but I needed to get away in order to keep them safe.
Mom tugged Raiden in for a hug, whispering something in his ear that made him blush.
Nina kept glancing at Eric while I hugged Mom once more. Eric blushed when he caught her stare, and he scrambled into the Jeep, smiling at Nina as he shut the door.
When I climbed into the passenger seat, I overheard Damien teasing Eric.
Once we were on the road, the guys began talking strategies.
Raiden said, “I need to get to Xanan to put an order in place for guards to be sent to watch over your mom.” He squeezed my thigh where his free hand rested.
“Do you have the power to do that?” I asked.
He shot me a smile and winked. “I’m going to pull the prince card. There are guards I know I can trust to get the job done who are under my pay. Ceres will also be prowling around as an extra precaution to protect your mom.”
His words helped relax me.
I must have dozed off because when Raiden gently shook me awake we were in the garage. Damien and Eric were piling out of the Jeep.
“It’ll be OK,” Raiden murmured, giving my hand a squeeze. “Why don’t you head inside while I get our bags?”
I nodded tightly, hating my mom was in danger because of me. I got out of the Jeep and went in the house. I knew he was going to be busy with his trip to Xanan, so I went upstairs, and feeling dead on my feet, I collapsed in my bed.
I closed my eyes, wondering if I should try to meet up with Nev and reveal Shadow’s identity. Sleep took me quickly.
I wandered along the edge of a lake, peering out at the glassy surface. The warm, bright sunshine poured down on me. I breathed in, the smell of saltwater and the sound of crashing waves relaxing me. Deciding to sit and enjoy it, I sank to my bottom and stared out at the water.
“Took you long enough,” Nev’s deep voice cut through the serenity.
I glanced up at him, confused about why he was in my dream.
“You finally opened up enough to let me in,” he commented, sitting beside me on the beach.
“This is a dream,” I answered, turning back to the water.
“It’s a meeting place. I was hoping for a hotel room, but this works for me too,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. “So this is real?”
He shrugged. “Real enough. We’re having a meeting of the minds, Mancer. Finally.”
“How?”
“It’s one of my many gifts. Dreamwalking. I can enter the dreams of people. I’ve tried with you for months, but you have a hell of a block up. Figured you’d have to be the one to let me in rather than me barging in. Anyway, this is probably the best place for us to meet now without the eyes of the general and Conexus on us.”
“I was going to find you today, but I fell asleep.”
“No worries. It worked out anyway.”
We both grew silent as we stared at the water instead of each other.
“Claudia sends her regards.”
I nodded wordlessly.
“We think things are going to get really bad soon. We need to be ready to bail if it comes to it.”
“What
do you mean?” I studied his face.
“I mean, we need to be able to cut ties and run. We can’t afford to be found out.”
I snorted. “I can’t cut ties. I’d be labeled a traitor and be hanged in Xanan for it. The only way out for me is death.”
“It won’t be an issue, Ever. The world is going to change soon. Nothing the Order says will matter. A new king will take the throne soon enough and get rid of this shit.”
“Raiden let a vampire go,” I murmured, my finger rubbing against the ring on my finger only I could see.
“I heard.” Nev peeked at me before shifting his gaze to the glassy surface spread before us. “I guess you’re rubbing off on him. He’ll be a good ally if you can convert him. I don’t see how he’d ever leave the clutches of the Order though. He’s their yes man, or at least he has been for years. Sharing who and what we are with him is too dangerous until we can see what side he’s truly on.”
“He’s on whatever side I’m on.”
Nev scoffed. “He’s the general, Ever. He’s a puppet—”
“He’s a good man,” I said softly. “I trust him.”
“No offense, Ever, but he has a history of killing my kind. Just because he let one go doesn’t mean he’s had a change of heart. He’s the Order’s man. He’s the prince and soon-to-be king if we don’t overthrow them. His loyalty will always lie with what he knows.”
“Maybe things are changing.”
“A leopard doesn’t change its spots because it chills with a duck.”
“That is the strangest thing I’ve heard you say.”
He sighed. “The point is, he is who he is. We won’t know what side he’s on until he’s forced to choose. And that choice is coming.”
“Is that what my grandmother said?”
“She couldn’t exactly communicate with me like I wish she could because we need to keep correspondence short, but they’re onto something. They’re tracking Shadow.”
My head snapped in his direction. “What?”
He nodded. “They think they know who he is. When they catch him, they’ll give him a choice. If he chooses wrong, he’s dead.”
I got to my feet, fuming. Nev rose to stand beside me and stared down at me, his head cocked in a way which signaled he knew something he wasn’t saying.
“I won’t let that happen. If Dyre wants me on their side, they won’t kill the man I love.”
“No offense, Ever, but we’ll kill anyone who stands to stop us. It’s kill or be killed in this world, and the Order has already made clear their intentions. You swore an oath, and Marcus casted on it. You can’t break that vow.”
“I don’t plan on it,” I snapped. “But I also don’t plan on more innocent lives being taken. You swore to follow me.”
“I swore nothing of the sort. I will not follow if it leads to my death or the death of my people, Ever. Know that my loyalty only lies with you until you turn on me. So don’t turn on me.”
“Are you threatening me, Blackburn?” I snarled, glaring up at him.
He sighed. “I’m only letting you know how it is.”
“I say how it is, not you.”
“I’m your general, Ever—"
“And I just might be your queen someday.”
He eyed me with a frown. “Yes, I suppose you might. It changes nothing though.”
He was pissing me off. I’d already had a shitty night.
“We’re done here. Stay out of my dreams.”
He scowled at me. “Rather I be in your dreams than your nightmare.”
I let out a growl and forced myself to wake up.
I sat up with a jolt, my heart hammering hard in my chest. Darkness had crept up, and my room was black. I knew what I needed to do. I had to tell Raiden everything. I needed him on my side. If I didn’t come clean, he’d be in serious danger if what Nev said was true. If I was responsible for something happening to Raiden, I could never live with myself.
I shuffled out of bed in my thin camisole and sleep shorts and went to Raiden’s room. I didn’t knock. I opened the door and padded to his bed. A sliver of moonlight shone on his face. He looked troubled even in his sleep.
Hopefully, he wasn’t fighting off Nev’s presence in a dream.
I pulled the blankets back and crawled into bed beside him. His arms wound around me immediately, and he pulled me against him.
“Hey, baby,” he murmured sleepily. “You OK?”
“Yeah,” I answered softly, closing my eyes and breathing out. He kissed my head. With the feeling of safety around me, I fell asleep again, making sure to keep my mind off Nev and how much he pissed me off.
Raiden was gone when I awoke the next morning, but he left a note on the bedside table saying he had to go back to Xanan to meet with the Order about a mission.
I sighed and got up to shower. I was the only one at the house since everyone else was still on vacation, with the exception of Eric and Damien who I knew had to be off with Raiden. I spent most of the day just lounging around and reading the new books my mom had gotten me for Christmas. When Raiden came breezing in later, he was alone.
“Hey,” he said, running his fingers through his hair after removing his cloak and draping it over his chair. He looked amazing in his all-black attire.
He moved to me and hauled me into his arms. “I missed you today.”
“I missed you too,” I said, draping my arms over his shoulders.
He pressed a kiss to my lips that quickly became heated. His hands traversed my body before he lifted me into his arms.
When we broke apart, I opened my eyes and saw we were in his bedroom.
“Nice.” I laughed softly against his lips.
He chuckled in return and tugged my top off and chucked it aside. I peeled his shirt off for him before I fumbled with the button on his pants. He was quicker and had his pants off in moments, my leggings following behind. This was as far as we’d ever gotten, and my heart hammered hard as he brought us to his bed and laid me in it, his lips pressing sweet kisses along my jaw.
“I can stop if you want me to,” he said softly in my ear.
“I-I want this.”
He let out a growl of approval and continued peppering kisses along my body. With shaky hands, I moved to his boxers and pushed them down over his thighs. His long, thick velvety length pressed against my center, making my heart thunder.
With ease, he removed my bra and then my panties, his warm breath on my skin as he kissed his way across my collarbone.
“Beautiful,” he said thickly as he sat up and took in my appearance.
I swallowed hard at his assessment and gathered my courage to survey him.
All hard planes of muscles and beauty. Everything about Raiden Hawthorne screamed power.
He leaned down and placed a trail of hot kisses between my breasts. My breath caught as he moved lower until his tongue was sliding along my heat, making my back arch at the intimate touches. He was an expert with his tongue, making me writhe and breathe hard, my fingers tangled in his hair. And when I came undone, I called his name softly, his hands firmly on my hips, pulling me closer to his mouth. He didn’t stop until I was a puddle on the bed, my body trembling from his onslaught.
His lips glistened as he lifted his head and slowly crawled up my body, his length hot against my aching heat.
“I love you,” he said softly.
“I love you too.”
He smiled down at me, his silver hair tickling my cheeks.
“Are you sure you want this?”
I nodded, my throat tight and my heart racing. “Yes.”
He breathed out and positioned himself at my entrance. His aquamarine gaze locked on mine.
“There’s no going back,” he said.
“Good,” I said thickly.
He smiled and pushed forward, entering me in a swirl of heat. The painful pinch of him stretching me left me whimpering.
He stopped and sprinkled kisses along my lips and jaw. “I’m sorry,
baby. The first time always hurts. I’ll be as gentle as I can.”
I nodded as he pushed further until I felt him breaking through my barriers. His eyes were locked on mine the entire time, his necklace hanging low and brushing my neck. He drank everything in as he pushed farther inside of me.
When he was fully seated, he exhaled and raked his fingers gently through my hair.
“You OK?”
“Yeah,” I breathed out.
“You’re so beautiful. How did I get so lucky?” His lips met mine in a gentle kiss.
In moments, he was sliding out gently and then pushing back in. The pain gave way to pleasure, and before long, we were both breathing hard as he moved faster and deeper.
“Look,” he said breathlessly. I tore my gaze from his and let out a gasp. We were floating together a few feet above the bed.
“What’s happening?” I asked, wondering how I’d missed us levitating.
“Magic.” He pushed into me again, his lips finding mine.
Tingles started low in my belly before flooding my body as I tightened around him, pleasure wrecking every facet of my existence. He held me close as he let out a soft moan against my lips so feral it made another rush of pleasure slam into me.
He groaned out my name, breathless, as we landed softly back into bed. He shuddered to a stop, balancing his weight over me.
“You’re amazing.” He kissed the corner of my lips. “Beautiful.” Another kiss. “Perfect.” Another kiss. “My queen.”
“My Shadow,” I said softly as he started moving again.
“All yours, sweet Everly,” he said in a shaky voice as he started to send me soaring again.
The blue flame erupted along our skin, tiny flames eating at the bedsheets as he worked me over harder and faster until we crashed down together.
The flames flickered blue to orange to red to green before turning black as night. Heat swept through me, and I stared up at Raiden as his eyes shifted from the aquamarine I was used to seeing to black then to red like a hungry vampire.
I swallowed thickly as black lines traveled over his body before snaking out and weaving over my skin.
“What’s happening?” I choked out as we stayed connected.