I just fucking brought someone back to life. Dead for weeks, then not dead. Ididjust steal fire from the gods.
I hope they aren’t going to be pissed.
But then the room swirls. I fall back into Arran. “I over-magicked.”
Arran scoops me up into his arms, bridal style, and I let the world fade away.
“Rest, sweet mate.”
When I awaken, I see we aren’t in the bunker anymore. I don’t know where we are. It’s dark, but I can make out that I’m in a bedroom. I’ve been stripped down to my panties and bra. And a thin blanket has been thrown over me.
Osen is asleep beside me. The moonlight filtering through a window reveals Calder’s silhouette sitting on a chair near our bed. He’s watching us like some dark protector, flames burning low in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
Calder rushes to the side on the bed’s edge near my hip. His warm hand grazes down my cheek, over my hair, and settles over my heart. “Nothing. Everything.”
“That doesn’t help to clear things up,” I say with a hopeful smirk.
“I want to be here with you both, but I also want to have my turn ripping Rob to shreds.”
“I’m surprised he isn’t dead already.”
“I’m sure he wishes he was. The guys have shown him no mercy.”
“Why aren’t you helping them?” I ask.
“I found the sight of torture… triggering,” he explains, and I nod in understanding.
Osen hasn’t stirred with our conversation, and I worry. “How is he? What happened after I passed out?”
“He rallied enough to sit up and wiggle his toes. So that’s good.” Calder frowns. “We gave him a shower and some food. He passed out not long after. He still needs more time to heal. Unfortunately, I don’t have healing magic beyond regenerating myself. And Maxum believes his sex magic only works on his true mate.”
Hmm. He didn’t mention that to me. I suppose he hadn’t wanted to scare me before when he used it.
Then I remember. “Hold up. I healed Flint after we were attacked at the lake house. Maybe I can help now.”
“We’ll have to see if that will work, but should wait until you recover more.” Calder narrows his eyes. “You’re completely spent. And we still don’t know what replenishes your magic. Other than time and rest.”
Being a late-blooming freak has more drawbacks than I expected. I will have to figure out the replenishing thing soon. But since I’m not quite a proper witch, fae, or demon, I may never know.
“Why wouldn’t my healing work on Osen?” I frown, studying Osen’s profile in the low light.
“You had initiated a mating bond with Flint when you healed him. Some demon and fae have a healing ability… but only with their mates.”
“Oh.” I bite my lip. “And I haven’t mate bonded with Osen.”
Calder rubs the back of his neck, thinking. “But we don’t know if you healing Flint was that or not. It will be worth a try when you’re replenished, my flame.”
I grin at his mating nickname. With my depleted magic and overall fatigue, I feel more like a little flickering candle, and not a roaring bonfire.
Curling up against Osen’s side, I place my hand over his heart. A heart that wasn’t beating yesterday.
His shallow breathing instantly becomes deeper.
I try to recall how it felt when I healed Flint. The need to take away his pain and suffering was overwhelming. All-consuming.
While I concentrate on Osen, I stir those same feelings. It seems ridiculous that we’d get this far, so close to having it all, for it to fail now.
