Emon’s breathing became more ragged, similar to the night on the Balsam Plains when he relived the nightmares of our past.
“Breathe Emon.”I held him tighter to me before I said with cold calculated violence. “I said. Get. Out.” My words deadly whispering off the onyx glass making the death god wince and Riella to hold tighter onto me.
My mother’s fury crumpled into empathetic sadness. “I am so sorry, my little chickadee, of course we shall leave. Take all the time you need and I will be here when you are ready to speak again.” Then in a whirl of shadows she disappeared, leaving just Kade and her frustrated mate behind.
“Sister…” Kade took a step towards me and I shook my head.
“Leave,” I seethed.
His face darkened but he nodded, leaving the same way my mother had.
In smoke and shadow.
Now just the death god remained and I bared my teeth at him, releasing a growl even a shifter would be proud of.
Shea flinched. "Fuck," he grunted, regarding my feral defense, his lips pressing into a thin line. “When you are ready, daughter, I will explain everything. Be at ease, your mate is safe for now, he has time before—”
I cut him off with a snarl. “Do not call me your daughter ever again, you are no father to me. Now get the fuck out of my sight.”
Shea frowned and ran his hand down his face, spewing curses I had never heard before. I did not care. If I had my shadows there would be no possibility in all of this goddess damn universe that he would be standing right now, it would be a miracle if he was even left breathing, but I did not have them.
All I had was my rage, and it was enough.
Sending me one last remorseful look, he cursed again. "Now I know why children were forbidden for the gods," he muttered under his breath before he disappeared from our presence.
I stared blankly into the space where Shea had just stood and the knife that marked it, counting the seconds before feeling that we were safe from his manipulations, I raised Emon’s head to look deep into my eyes, Riella still petting his cheek.
“Breath shifter, inhale…exhale.”
His gold eyes blinked at me and before he calmed his breath, he inhaled and then we all exhaled together.
Chapter 7
Ihadn’tlostcontrolofmy emotions since Remnant stalked into my life with her cloak of darkness and kiss of shadows, but today it was as if my reprieve of my nightmare hadn’t been days, but hours. The news of losing Ethereal left me bereft and lonely…something I hadn’t felt since my mother was murdered and I exiled my father, and now here I was, relying on my already shattered soulmate to patch me back together.
That wasn’t her job, it was mine…I fisted the pink unicorn shirt in a ball, growling.
Remnant’s voice was soft within the room of our tower, soothing like the twilight that surrounded us. “Riella will be sad if you shred that shirt, Emon.”
I grunted and looked up to see our little cub dancing on the balcony collecting stardust, still feeling her fear and gentle touch on my face when I lost control.
This could nothappen again.
Forcing my hands to uncurl, I smoothed out the pink fabric and began meticulously folding it, so that the unicorns would show for her to see and admire.
“Are you sure you want to go to this dinner?” Remnant sighed, moving towards me from where she had been leaning against the glass wall, watching our daughter play.
“We need more answers,” I said, setting the shirt on the counter of the large kitchen that occupied half the room of this tower, realizing it was the perfect surface for kneading dough. Drey would have loved it.“What we learned earlier today has just left us with more questions than answers.”
Her hand reached up and turned my face towards hers and I fucking wished I could erase the worry that now was a permanent part of those emerald depths. “You need your rest, Emon. What you have experienced today…most wouldn’t even be standing.”
I turned my lips into her hand, “you would be, my little umbra.” Stepping into her, I pulled her flush to my body, kissing her sweet sinful lips like they were my salvation. When she melted into me, I purred with satisfaction realizing quickly that she was all I ever needed to feel whole, her and Riella.
Delving deeper into our kiss, I gorged myself on the strength of our new love. The shock of today’s events disappeared and instead was replaced with the taste of her, the touch of her, the smell of her—she was my cure, every part of her.
Pulling away, I grinned at her unsteady breathing and the sound of the thundering race of her heart. “Do not worry over me, Remnant. Worry more about what will happen after this fucking dinner, when I am eager for dessert.” Pecking her lips one last time, I left her standing imprisoned in her own desire and my seduction.
Her worry eradicated.
