He nods. “We can talk later.” He presses a kiss on my temple.
“Jade’s right,” Maxum says as he washes Rob’s blood off his hands in the kitchen sink. “We need to cut off the head of the snake.”
“Did you get any intel?” Osen asks as he walks up to Rob’s corpse and shoves his chair over, so the body crashes to the floor with a wet thump.
“A bit.” Maxum frowns, drying his hands on a dainty tea towel. “The good news is that it doesn’t appear that Galiana trusted many people with her plan to use Jade’s magic. There is one other witch I saw briefly flash in Rob’s mind. Not even Floofers knew all that was going on with you, just the mediumship, not the unique powers.”
“But how did they even find Jade in the first place?” Arran demands, his werewolf quelled, relaxing with the death of the warlock.
“When you asked him about that, I saw your books,” Maxum says to me. “Do you know why that might be?”
I shake my head, but I think about his question. How could my books lead them to me?
“Even before I met Rob, I had weird dreams. So I was probably seeing a ghost’s memories. Maybe I wrote about something that happened in real life? But even then, I’d be shocked if witches are reading smut by an indie author. Besides, it isn’t like I just wrote verbatim what happened in my dreams. Or… I don’t think I did.”
“We can’t rule that out completely.” Maxum gives me a grin and a wink. “It’s a great excuse to take the time to read your books like I’ve been meaning to.”
It’s so weird it makes me jittery to think of him reading my work. Maybe because it’s a whole different kind of vulnerability. Authors pour their souls into their worlds, often giving up a normal life. And for those keen enough to read between the lines, they can see past the words and right inside an author’s being—their wounds, healed and unhealed.
I worry Maxum won’t like my writing… that he won’t like the parts that are me.
“Time to take out the trash.” Osen bends to drag Rob’s body out of the house.
“No,” Calder snaps, catching his arm. “Go. Rest. We can deal with this.”
Osen grumbles, but takes my fingers in his and gently guides me back to the bedroom. “You could use some rest too, sweet monster.”
33
TOGETHER SEPARATELY
JADE
I’m in a bit of a daze as Osen leads me back to the bedroom.
Watching Rob die was a mind-fuck. I think that’s the first time I watched a human’s life force leave their body. The effect was eerie, but oddly, I don’t feel upset by it.
Now, an animal dying, especially a pet, would have me ripping my hair out and tears flowing until I was gasping for breath. Perhaps it’s because an animal is pure, whereas Rob was corrupt.
A weight in my heart has been lifted. He was a threat to me and my guys, and to the supe population at large. I will no longer have to fear him breaking into my home and hurting me.
Osen leads me over to the bed, but stops me before I crawl in. I realize just how tall he really is as he towers over me. He’s not as broad or as tall as Maxum or Flint, but definitely six-three with an athletic build. His long, brown hair drapes over the topsof his shoulders with a soft wave. His hypnotic gray eyes are light right now and not the dark charcoal of when he’s feeding.
His fingertips trace the planes of my face as he studies me like I study him.
“It’s strange to see you like this. In real life.” He places a feathery kiss on my forehead. “You’re more beautiful than you believe you are in your mind.”
“And you look a whole lot better alive,” I say with a smirk.
Osen’s hands skim down my neck, and he slowly pulls the robe down and off my shoulders and unties the belt, letting it fall to the floor. He pulls the shirt over my head. Then his hands slide over my breasts, admiring me, then around my waist. He draws me close, dropping his head down to give me a soul searing kiss.
“I don’t have the words to communicate how much I appreciate what you did for me. Being so kind to me when I was possessing you, then risking yourself to bring me back from the dead.” He twists a lock of my silver hair around a finger. “And now, to be able to touch you and Calder… to love you both the way you deserve… it’s beyond any fantasy I could have had about how this would turn out.”
I’m blushing at his words. I suppose I’ve never been great with compliments. “I’m happy you’re here with your pack.” I pause, and then ask what I’ve been curious about. “Did you and Calder talk about what you both want moving forward?”
“We did.” Osen steps toward me, further encroaching on my space.
I back up a bit. It’s intimidating, having his commanding presence here in real life. My legs hit the edge of the bed, and my ass lands on the soft mattress behind me.
