Page 21 of Shannon in Sombra
Of course, no one felt it harder than the king who blamed our enemies that he survived while his mate perished. For the next five centuries, he stood before the throne alone, waging wars with any demon realm who opened their portals to him and his soldiers. To make up for Queen Alana’s death, he made moves to colonize them, to bring them under his rule.
Until, two thousand years ago—and more than a millennium before I was born—when Haures rose up against Yelios, ousting him from the crystal throne, before disappearing the old king forever.
Stories say he walked into the shadows, choosing to end his existence so that he could finally be reunited with his beloved mate. No one has ever heard from or seen the imposing green-eyed soldier turned king since then, and I only think of Yelios now because Lucian mentioned him, and because of the red moon shining ominously over my head.
I understand the mate sickness now. When Sombra’s ruler takes their mate, the world celebrates with them. The red moon brings all mated pairs together, their mating a blessing that represents an eternity of well-wishes for our liege.
It’s a story. Like Lucian said, a fable.
But as I palm my erection again, I’m not so sure about that anymore.
Glaine glares up at the moon while Dagon regards it warily. “Why is out now?”
“I don’t know,” admits the doppelseer. “Haures is a bondmaster. For his own reasons, he’s held the red moon back after he bonded Susanna to him.”
“Because he’s kept her hidden,” suggests Glaine. “Very few Sombrans even know she exists.”
I do because of the name written in theGrimoire du Sombra, and because Susanna Benoit is Amy’s kin. Dagon was a hunter-turned-chosen guard for the duchess. Glaine, of course, is the head of Duke Haures’s guard.
And Lucian knows nearlyeverything.
His nod says that Glaine has a point. “Yes, but maybe this is his way of sharing his mate with the rest of Sombra.”
“His Grace will never do that,” cuts in Dagon. “He loves Susanna too much. He won’t even let her out of the garden if he has the choice. Until Sombra is safe… no. He wouldn’t willingly share her now.”
Maybe not, but there’s no denying the red moon is out, and I’m in desperate need of my mate.
Glaine doesn’t argue with Dagon. Instead, his gaze going back to Billie, he asks, “Is the red moon the same as the gold moon in other ways?”
Ah. I understand. My Shannon… she doesn’t want any other spawn. As she said, with Alana, she is ‘one and done’. If I fully mate her while the red moon is out, will she conceive?
“No,” says Lucian, to my relief—and to Glaine’s, too. He and his mate have chosen to be like Amy and Nox: no spawn for them for now. “It is all about the pleasure. Of enjoying your mate until the red moon sets come morning as we reinforce our bonds just as the duke and his mate must be.” His purple eyes flicker, and he glances over his shoulder in time to see Damien disappearing out of Nuit with Tandy. “Just like my twin and I shall enjoy ours.”
With one last nod, Lucian turns, striding after his brother and their mate.
Glaine doesn’t hesitate, either. His jaw set, he starts toward the females, his intent to break up the ‘girl talk’ obvious. Then again, Billie’s head turns, meeting the hunger in his expression as he strides over. She murmurs something to Sierra, then starts jogging toward her mate.
Dagon claps me on the shoulder. “Just a touch will help with the mate sickness,” he says, “but if the red moon insists we pleasure our females… isn’t that what an honorable male would do?”
He follows behind Glaine.
I forget all about my fellow demons as I search for my Shannon.
Our eyes meet.
Dull yet pretty, her bright blue gaze seems to gleam and glimmer in invitation as she rises from her lean. And I know—because I know my mate—that the red moon is affecting her. That, or she simply knows her male, and will always, always welcome him when he needs her.
And because Iamher male, I will give her what she needs.
The females have scattered by the time I reach her. Glaine has taken Billie. Dagon has Sierra. Tandy has slipped out into the eve with her mates. Loki and Sammael haven’t returned yet, but Kennedy sidles back to her home, taking Hope with her.
And then there’s Shannon.
She raises the furry strips of pale hair over her lust-filled eyes.
Without any warning, I heft my mate up in my arms, tilting Shannon so that one hand cradles her back, the other tucked securely beneath her knees. Her squeal of delight jumps right to my cock.
And I know that, whatever happens tonight, it’ll be a night to remember.
