Gravity (Mageri Series: Book 4)

by Dark, Dannika

  “I see plenty of women,” Lucian retorted. “And for your information, Mr. Wooly Mammoth, most women don’t want to feel all that shit on a guy’s chest.”

  “Thank God I don’t date most women,” Levi said.

  I sneezed into the pillow and rubbed my nose. “Do you guys ever stop talking?”

  The mattress depressed beside me and a hand gently stroked my leg. “Did you sleep well?” Logan asked.

  “I slept a little bit,” I said, clearing my throat and rolling on my back. “How long are we going to be in here for?” I stretched and Levi rolled on his side, facing the wall.

  “How about forever?” Logan whispered.

  “Levi snores, so I’m going to have to decline your proposition.”

  “I hope that’s the only proposition of mine you decline, my sweet.” Logan purred as he leaned over me. I pinched his earlobe and he stole a quick, minty kiss. His hand dipped below my jeans and a deep growl vibrated against my chest as his fingers clawed in the spot of my tattoo. I gave him a secretive smirk, as no one else knew about my tattoo aside from Christian and Finn, who were both sworn to secrecy.

  “Leo’s on his way back in,” Lucian said, touching a monitor with his finger. A second later, the door to our secret room clicked open. Leo sat down on the sofa with a grim expression.

  “It’s done. The Overlord has made an official statement.”

  “What was said?” Levi sat up and rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand.

  “The truth. Well, most of it. He emphasized the heroic deeds of the cop, and that will draw a huge sympathy vote. Not many people liked Tarek, and Chitahs hold self-sacrifice in great regard, even if he was only a human. I made a few calls, and there’s already talk about generating a fund to donate money in his honor. Looks like something good might come of this, after all. The Overlord has privately spoken with Tarek’s family, and my only guess is he’s offering a settlement for their loss. The question will be if they take it or choose to pursue justice. They are continuing their investigation and haven’t closed the case. The statement was just a formality.”

  Logan cleared his throat and sat up straight. “What are they doing with his position?”

  Leo stretched his heavy legs and crossed one ankle over the other. “I can’t even remember a time in history where a Lord was assassinated. Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way, Logan. There’ll be an open challenge, but none of his brothers want it.”

  “You’re kidding me?” Levi marveled. “Jesus, they’ll never have that opportunity again, and that speaks volumes about the kind of men they are.”

  “True, but not everyone is a born leader,” Leo pointed out. “I don’t think I could picture Tobias as Lord, could you?”

  Lucian snorted and spun his chair around in circles. “Remember the party twenty years ago when Tobias put dishwashing suds in the fountain?”

  “He’s got to be at least a hundred years old and that shit never gets old for him,” Levi remarked. “At least he’d bring a sense of humor to the Youngblood Pride.”

  “So his family isn’t seeking retaliation?” I wondered aloud.

  Logan rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand. “They disowned him years ago, so for them, this is probably closure.”

  It had slipped my mind that Tarek’s brothers cut him off from the family when they found out he had raped his kindred spirit. I wondered why they allowed him to challenge for the position, but maybe they were concerned that it would shame the family if his dark past were made public. Or what if they had gained a newfound respect for him? The thought was unnerving. Time changes people, and sometimes not in a good way.

  Leo scratched at his short beard. “The Overlord’s word is good. Anyone who defies him and acts out in violence will be shunned. Unlike some Breeds, we thrive on companionship. Family is extremely important to us, and unity.”

  “Leo?”

  He dropped his glance to where we lay.

  “Thanks for being here. All of you. For standing by Logan and protecting him. I know you’d do it anyway because you’re his family. It just means more to me now than it ever did.”

  Leo stretched himself into a standing position, as a man might who had been sitting for a very long time. He slowly walked toward the door and briefly stopped, looking down at the two of us. I knew our relationship was met with the most resistance by Leo. “We’re here for the both of you.”

  He opened the door and joined Christian in the apartment.

  “Logan?”

  He leaned in and swept a few locks of hair away from my face, watching me with his rapturous eyes. “Yes?”

  “I need to see Sunny.”

  Chapter 38

  It was early sunrise, and we were all on edge from the previous night. Logan drove me to Novis’s mansion, while Christian followed behind on his motorcycle. The closer we got, the more I wanted to break down and cry. I hoped that she wouldn’t hate me for not staying with her the whole time. Sunny needed rest and time alone to grieve—this I knew—but it didn’t make our reunion any easier.

  Logan sensed my nervousness and kissed my hand as he pulled up to the front. Novis had instructed the guards to let us enter the grounds without stopping the car and performing a search of any kind.

  The inside of the house chilled my arms, but I allowed Novis to remove my jacket and put it away. Logan said goodbye as we agreed Christian would drive me home.

  “She’s locked herself away, and not even Adam could get through to her.” Novis hiked up his jeans and paused on the landing of the stairs. “I don’t believe they had a close enough relationship that she was willing to listen to him.”

  “Listen?” Now I was agitated. “Listen to what? The man she loved was killed.”

  Novis pressed his lips tightly and clasped his hands together. It took a minute before he said anything. “Adam feels responsible for his death. He tried to offer an apology but she didn’t accept it.”

  “Where does your concern lie?”

  A small line formed between his brows. “My Learner is always priority.”

  “And Sunny?”

  He shrugged lightly. “She is but a mortal and death is a fact of life.”

  I stormed past him. “I thought you had a family?” When I reached the top of the stairs, I turned around. Novis slowly walked up each step with contemplative thought.

  “I don’t know how to feel about a mortal, Silver. What hope can I offer one who is fragile like glass? I have vague memories of this life, and have distanced myself from humans for this very reason.”

  “We’re not immortal, Novis. We’re all going to die someday. She might outlive us all. How can you deny yourself love because you’re afraid of losing it? How can you deny yourself friendship because you’re afraid of it severing? There’s a woman in there who needs to know life is going to get better, and that she’ll have people she can depend on to get her through it. You won’t give her this comfort because she’s human. I’m not even sure you can give anyone comfort. Adam is more than a Learner; he’s a son. He looks up to you and respects you, but none of it matters if you’re cold and distant when it comes to his needs and feelings.”

  I was certain that my nerves were taking hold and that’s why I was venting to an ancient immortal who just so happened to be my boss. Perhaps not the best move.

  My fingers wrapped around the doorknob to Sunny’s room and I left Novis in the hall, closing the door behind me. The bed was to my left and straight ahead, a lacey white curtain veiled the morning sun.

  I crawled on top of the white quilt and wrapped my arms around Sunny, careful not to touch her bandaged arm.

  “Thanks for coming,” she said in a weak voice.

  “Did I wake you?”

  She threaded her fingers through her blond waves and moved to sit up. I propped a pillow behind her back and then we held hands. She looked tired, as if she had cried out every emotion left in her body. I took a deep breath, knowing we were about to have one of those conversatio
ns that you never forget.

  “Did Novis tell you?”

  I shook my head. “Tell me what?”

  “We’re not having a funeral. He suggested an honorable burial, but Knox didn’t want that. He told me once that he wanted to be cremated and have his ashes scattered in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s where he grew up as a boy.” She reflected for a moment and gazed out the window. “We talked about stuff like that,” she said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

  My heart broke. In that moment, we didn’t speak, but wept for the loss. I couldn’t imagine how hollowed out she felt, but I could see it in her eyes.

  Sunny wiped her wet cheeks with the back of her hand. “Adam tried to apologize, but it’s not his fault. He was angry, but none of us could have done anything differently. We never saw it coming. Knox died saving my life, Silver. Did they tell you that?”

  I shook my head, allowing her to continue.

  Her blue eyes glittered with pain and love as her lip swelled up a little. “He leapt on top of me and took the bullets,” she said in a shaky voice. “All for them.”

  “Who?”

  She looked up and smiled sadly. “The babies.”

  I gasped and my heart did a number. “You’re pregnant?”

  Sunny nodded. “Six weeks. I went to a Relic and found out that we’re having twins.”

  “You didn’t tell me.”

  “I wanted to surprise everyone,” she said in a broken voice.

  We fell into an embrace and I cried against her shoulder.

  She wiped her nose and sat back, grimacing at her arm. “Novis doesn’t know, but it’s why I didn’t want any pain medication.”

  “Knox knew?”

  “He was so excited,” she said wistfully, shaking her head. “Since the night we found out, he sang songs. Oh my gosh, have you ever heard that man sing?” She laughed through tears and when her lip quivered, she took another calming breath.

  Sunny was hanging on by a thread.

  “When he was shot and lying on top of me, Knox told me that he loved me,” she said, losing her voice as tears streamed from her eyes. “I could feel him all over me, but I couldn’t hold him. I just wanted to touch his cheek and tell him how much I loved him.”

  “He knew.” I leaned forward and wiped her tears away, letting her tell the story.

  She licked her upper lip and took another deep breath. “After that, it was okay. I knew he was going to die and then he started singing to the babies. He just rested his hand on my belly and sang ‘Hush Little Baby’, except he switched the Momma line around to Daddy. His last breath was singing about the diamond ring.”

  Then her hand opened, one she had been holding in a tight fist the whole time. In the palm of her hand was a diamond ring.

  “Isn’t it beautiful?” she said, sniffing a few times. “It was in his pocket; they found it later. Knox was going to ask me to marry him… and I would have said yes.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I said, lacking the right words to make any of this grievous pain go away.

  She smiled through the tears. “Don’t be. I’m not. I truly knew what it was to be loved hard. Knox was my future, and I can’t imagine one without him. But I have to, because the babies need me now. He gave me something I’d never imagined possible: to be in a relationship and to want children. You know those things never mattered before, but he left me with a legacy of hope. Maybe I’ll never have another man give me the kind of love and devotion that Knox did, but I’m okay with that. He changed me,” she said, rubbing her belly. “He said that if we have a little girl, we should name her Zoë.”

  I held my breath. “Why would he choose that name?”

  “I think he always felt bad you were forced into this new life. I still called you Zoë sometimes, and he knew how much our friendship meant. If we have a boy, I’m going to call him Knox.”

  “Wasn’t that his last name?”

  “The children will keep my last name. Do you think I’d name my baby Knox Knox?”

  We both laughed so hard that it eased some of the tension.

  “When are you going to have the ceremony?” I asked.

  She gazed out the window and wiped her cheeks. “I don’t know; when it’s right, I guess. I need more time.” Then her face distorted into one of devastation. “I wanted to grow old with him,” she whispered in a soft voice. “And call him old man. Knox would have made a tremendous father. I don’t want our babies growing up not knowing how wonderful he was.” After a deep breath, she finally erased the silence. “Will you take the trip to the ocean with me when it’s time?”

  “You really have to ask me that? Sunny, I’d follow you to Hell if you needed me to. We’ll all be there; Knox has a lot of people who care for him and you. I just don’t want you to get too upset. I’m not sure how that would affect the pregnancy but—”

  “Don’t worry,” she said, holding my hand. “I’m stronger than you think I am. Knox is still alive.” She placed my hand on her stomach and smiled. “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but he left me such a beautiful gift. He left me love and hope. I couldn’t have had those things on my own, and I want these babies to know just how special he was. Knox was a one of a kind, and the love of my life. He gave up his life so that his children would live—so that I would live, and I owe it to him to keep on living.”

  “Move in with me, Sunny. We’ll take care of you.”

  “No,” she insisted. “I have to figure this out. Novis said I could stay here for a little while, but he doesn’t know about my condition, so that may not last long.”

  “Are you keeping it a secret?”

  “Not really. There just wasn’t a moment that seemed right to bring it up.” She grimaced and then slammed her eyes shut. “I don’t know what to do, Silver. He just painted the baby room green. And it’s the most hideous color.” After she wiped her eyes, she looked toward the window again. “Living at home without Knox there… I just can’t.”

  “You’re better off here,” I agreed. “There’s too much trouble following me around these days.”

  She snorted. “I see nothing has changed.”

  “Actually, something has,” I said, fidgeting with my hands. “I’ve accepted Logan’s claim. I don’t think we can legally get married or mated, but I’ve made the decision to make what we have permanent.”

  I cringed, uncertain if it was the right time to spring that kind of news on her.

  Her right arm curved around me. “Hold on to him for as long as you can. Cherish every moment.”

  The Relic had ordered Sunny to remain in bed for a couple of days until her arm improved. She was encouraged to walk around the room and sit in the sunshine, but the stitches had to heal first. She stood by the window after we said our goodbyes, and I opened the door and stepped into the hall with Novis.

  “How is she doing?” he said in a quiet voice. “She won’t eat.”

  “She’s getting through it,” I whispered. “It’s too soon to expect miracles. Why is Knox’s hat in a Ziploc bag on the dresser?”

  His mouth formed a grim line. “She said something about not wanting to lose his smell.”

  I sighed heavily. “You need to know something because I want to make sure she’s taken care of properly. Sunny’s pregnant.”

  He blanched, turning his wide eyes toward the bedroom.

  “She’s carrying Knox’s twins, and I want her to have the best care while she’s here. Don’t make her eat anything or do anything that would hurt them. She needs to be treated by her own Relic; she mentioned seeing someone. Don’t give her any medication unless it’s—”

  Before I could finish, Novis flashed into the room and caught Sunny. Her legs had weakened and she almost collapsed. He lifted her into his arms and placed her on the bed, handing her a glass of water from the bedside table. She took a slow sip and he adjusted the pillows behind her before returning to the hall.

  He looked like a man who had just seen a train collision. As Novis shut the do
or, the light in his eyes pulsed as his lips peeled back. “I can’t care for this human the way she needs to be.”

  “You will,” I said. “She won’t stay with me and she doesn’t have any other place to go that’s safe, considering all that’s going on.”

  “What can I offer her?”

  I touched his arm. “Compassion? I don’t know how much of that you have left, but you once mentioned to me that you’d had a family of your own.”

  “They were murdered in front of me,” he said in a flat voice. “That was my mortal life. I had three children slain by my enemy, and you do not want to know how victims in my time were sent to slaughter.”

  “So on some level, you can relate to her suffering?”

  He acknowledged the truth with his eyes.

  “Just talk to her, Novis. Share your story; empathize with her pain. She just needs someone to listen, not someone who wants her to bury her past and her love for that man. I can’t stay, but keep a phone or laptop in her room so I can talk to her.”

  I left with all the hope in the world that he would offer her a shoulder to lean on. I couldn’t be there for her every minute, but I’d be there for her for the rest of her life. I hoped that counted for something.

  ***

  Christian had lent me his trench coat for the motorcycle ride. It didn’t take long before we were home, and I was certain that somewhere along the stretch of highway, we had broken the sound barrier.

  Logan had taken off to help his brothers clean his condo and replace the windows. There was talk about using laminated glass, although I had no idea what that was supposed to do. I jokingly suggested they install mirrored glass, like the kind that office buildings used. Especially since Logan enjoyed sleeping and walking around in the nude. Kidding aside, I reminded them that Logan’s home wasn’t a fort, and you couldn’t keep a determined man out.

  I ran inside, tossing my coat on the hook. Christian remained in the garage to work on his bike. As I skidded around the corner to take a hot shower, I bumped into Simon and nearly fell on my ass before he grabbed my shirt and almost ripped it off.