He put his hands on her snout and they stopped struggling.
A quick glance showed James trying to soothe Lilith as well.
“Close your eyes. Breathe deep. Let go.”
Her eyes fixed on him before sliding shut. A big huff sent steam curling out of her nostrils. After a few minutes, she started to shrink in on herself.
“They’re doing it.” James dragged his hand over his head. As the dragon avatar shrank, they followed. Their mates were in there somewhere.
Faster now, the bulk of her melted away. Blue light shimmered around her and then the women were there. Trina’s gaze locked on his and she ran to him. Jumped up and plastered herself against him, wrapping her legs around his hips. “You look like hell, Dunc.”
He laughed. “Yeah, well, while you two were playing with avatars, I was down here fighting in the muck.”
“Look.”
From their vantage, it looked as if the Nephilim were gone. “I wonder if we might be lucky enough that he brought them all here.”
“He didn’t.” Brenda stood nearby. “We have a long fight ahead, but I no longer see the total destruction I saw before. Armageddon will have to wait.”
“What about Crowley?” Duncan asked. “Is he still alive? Is he still in Machon?”
Brenda closed her eyes. She was quiet for a long time. When she opened her eyes, her gaze narrowed on Trina’s. “It’s murky.”
“But he’s alive?”
She nodded. “He is.”
And free. Shite.
“Kat!” Trina raised her voice and waved. “Everything okay?”
The redhead gave her a thumb’s up. “I’m gonna head back.”
Harry had heard the exchange and altered his course to walk back with Kat. George rode his shoulder, taking swipes at her hair whenever she got close enough. Harry glanced at his watch.
“That’s interesting.”
“What?” Trina raised her brow.
He pulled her back flush to him and wrapped his arms around her. “He avoids all the other women.”
“Maybe he likes her because she doesn’t have any expectations of him.”
They watched the two for a while. Then his gaze shifted to the daemons lingering about. The coven had survived. As had Doom. They’d been lucky. They still needed to find Crowley so they could hand him over to the humans, but now that he was free from the Watcher, that shouldn’t be too difficult. Not as difficult as getting rid of the Nephilim back home.
“I figured it out.” She pulled away to look at him. “I know why we can’t leave the Darkness.”
“Oh?”
“So we can guide the others stuck in the Darkness.” She leaned in, pulling him down so she could press her lips to his. “Just like when you helped us unmerge.”
Duncan grinned. “Yeah. You see? It’s like I’m always telling you, Duchess: It’s all in your perspective.”
“I think you might be right.” She pulled away and framed his face in her hands. “In this light, even covered in dirt and ash and blood, you’re the most attractive male I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
He laughed. “Only a woman in love could be so damned blind.” Duncan Sinclair hugged his female tighter and laughed some more.
He did so because he was happy.
He did so because he only had three rules:
Always let those you love see how you really feel.
Fuck the job . . . do what’s right.
Always love.
It was that simple.
Books by Cara Crescent
The Last Marine
The Beacon
Don’t Let Me Forget You
Author Bio:
Cara Crescent currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her children and three overly dramatic ferrets. When not writing, you can usually find her curled up with a book, engrossed in a movie or playing video games with her best friend.
Please visit her on the web at www.caracrescent.com
Copyright © 2017 Cara Crescent
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The Shadow: The Original's Trilogy Page 35