"Who says you will be the one who gets to kill him?"Flicking her hair back over her shoulder, I could not hold back the hungry stare at my soulmate’s lush blue-black waves as they swayed just above her delicious ass.
Chuckling, I growled. "Shall we make another bet then, little umbra? What shall we play this time? Winner gets the first attempt to kill your father."
Her soft laughter filled my mind and my heart soared at the sound. "You certainly know how to court your mate shifter…the promise of death instead of a kiss this time?"
I grinned both at her words and my new discovery while still watching the way her powerful ass flexed with every stride. Her worry had eased along our soulmate bond and just like that, I knew how I could distract her from the anxiety that plagued herevery thought since coming here—seduction."Whatever it takes, soulmate."
Remnant's steps faltered but neither of us had a chance to respond when our daughter shouted from atop my shoulders, practically falling off as she bounced excitedly. "Look father! What is that?"
Gritting my teeth, I gripped her body tighter to prevent her from falling again and followed to where she pointed. "What in the goddess is that?" I said, hissing at the creature in warning. Something just wasn’t right about it.
The nondescript animal paused, morphing into several creatures before it at last settled into a petite black rabbit. Long twitching ears and blood red eyes glared back at me before zooming in on my cub.
I growled, my instincts telling me thisthingwas way too interested in my innocent daughter.
"It's a pookah," Remnant's brother said with disgust, shadows springing out from his hand to shoo off the creature. It hissed back at him, head turning while its eyes were still transfixed on Riella. "Their numbers have increased since we arrived with the shadow court. They are guardian spirits constantly seeking a soul to champion."
Riella giggled above me. "He is so cute! Can I pet it? Do you think we can keep him?"
The three of us exchanged baffled looks, knowing that the shifting creature was anything but cute. Reaching up, I patted my daughter's thigh. "It would be for naught, my cub. Their fates are entwined to the soul they are bound to, best leave it be so that it may find its destined partner."
Feeling, rather than seeing her deflate, I quickly added, "But if any fae has the ability to tame a pookah spirit, I would not be surprised if it was you, Riella. Be patient, perhaps what you wish for will come true."
And if she absolutely wanted the hideous thing, I would make damn sure I found a way to obtain it for her. All she needed to do was ask with those big swirling green gold eyes on her sweet little cherubic face and it would be done—as it would be for anything she ever wanted in this world.
Unicorns, done.
Pounds of stardust, done.
Burn this world down, done.
"And if she wanted you to find her a soulmate of her own one day and leave us behind?"
Startled, my head snapped up to meet Remnant's glittering emerald eyes, reading me so easily.
Gritting my teeth, I snarled irritatedly inside her mind."Done."
Then as quickly as it appeared, the pookah was gone.
“Awe.” Riella pouted, slumping further over my head with disappointment.
I patted her leg again, sympathizing but inwardly I was fucking relieved. I seriously did not like the way that thing looked at her.
Kade cleared his throat, glancing between us all quizzically. "We are here."
Holding Riella, I reached out to pull Remnant into me. Her startled reaction settled when I placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, her hair catching briefly on the scruff of my beard.
Fuck I needed to shave.
Sweeping the strands back and smoothing them into place once more, I fortified our soulmate bond with resolve. "Together." I reminded her.
Leaning briefly more into me, Remnant reached up and touched our daughter's booted foot. "Together."
Riella's soft hands reached down and cupped either side of my face. "Together."
Turning my mouth into her tiny hand I kissed it softly. "Always, little cub."
Remnant sighed and moved away, pulling us along with her as we stepped up to the swirling black building. There was no door but like the balcony the transparent wall was an illusion and it instantly transported us into darkness. A tiny light flickered in the distance, then another, and another. Soon, the tower was awash with lights, trailing and circling upwards, all the way to the seemingly never ending peak of the ominous tower.
