Emon stepped toward me growling low, his hand cupping my face. "No, little umbra. I took your fears and loved you, honored you, worshiped you for them and ensured your mind got the rest it needed."
I pulled his hand from my face and snarled. "You cannot keep doing this, Emon. Using this uncontrollable need for each other to not face the truth." I glared at his pink shirt for emphasis. "We are not whole and that puts our daughter in danger. Pretty words and soft kisses don't change that!"
Emon snarled, turning away from me to prowl the grove. Raking his hand through his hair over and over again, shaking out his claws and retracting them. Snarling and hissing at the wisps that attempted to reassure him.
He had every right to be frustrated…but so was I—and hurt. I had confessed my fears to him and expected that in return. He could not possibly think that just because he had no beast that I did not see him as powerful? Was he that worried I lacked so little confidence in him?
Jar sighed, shaking his head. "I suggest you both reflect before you leave here. What you find will assist you with the journey ahead." He bent down to gaze at Riella. "While your mother and father work, would you like to see more of the grove?"
Riella's eyes swirled, the gold in them shining more brightly. Emon paused, his hand dropping from his face, seeing it as well. "Oh yes," she said, turning towards us and I inhaled, her eyes almost pure gold now. "May I?"
I nodded dumbly. "Yes of course."
Jar gave us both a knowing look. "Sort this out and do it quickly, you don't have much time." Then he glanced over at Emon. "Try not to hurt any more Prime trees here." The woods hummed and then shuddered. "They know what you did to their kin and won't take kindly to your outburst a second time."
Emon’s fangs flashed with frustration. "I also apologized."
Jar chuckled, his eyes sparkling before a flash of light shifted him into a powerful snow leopard. He was a beautiful beast, especially when the golden light shined down upon him.
Bowing to Riella she scrambled upon his back, grinning madly at us with her golden gaze and waving goodbye as the snow leopard stalked through the trees.
"Her eyes turned full gold," Emon said softly, breaking the silence between us.
I turned towards him, fisting my hands at my sides, my teeth bared. "I swear to the goddess Emon,” I hissed, “if I had a sword right now it would be laid across your throat until you spilled every truth you have been holding back from me."
Emon narrowed his eyes, anger and excitement flashing in them. "If you could even get close enough to me in the first place that is.”
I held his gaze and exhaled slowly, “Is that a challenge shifter?”
Emon chuckled darkly, shifting our bag on his back. “Perhaps, it is little umbra.”
I grinned, there was no happiness or pleasure in it—there was only dark intent, “You’ve made a grave mistake.”
Emon returned my smile with a feral one of his own. “See if you can come at me then, soulmate. First touch on me, no matter how light, and I’ll confess all my fears for you to hold in your already tortured heart. Since that is what you fucking want so badly.”
Fury, pure fury had me lunging for him but I knew my shifter, knew he was faster than any other I had come across. I could see it in every coiled ounce of his muscle as he spun away from me, a dark chuckle teasing me as he went. But I was pissed enough to make it happen.
This challenge would be a difficult one.
“Too slow, my love.”
Baring my teeth, I moved again, faking my advance and spinning towards the direction I knew he favored. His eyes widened with surprise for a brief second before twirling from me. My hands grabbing onto the pack he wore on his back instead of his body, and ripping it towards me.
With stealth, he allowed it to be pulled off of him and I threw it down with mild irritation. The sound of its contents spilling and the knowing slide of steel drew both our attention.
Chests heaving we stared at the pair of black swords before lunging at the same time. Emon slid and I flipped, grasping one of the pommels before I launched over his head.
Spinning without pause, I faced him, our swords ringing loudly in the grove and the trees around us shuddered. Emon was still on his knees, the sword held high above him and his golden gaze was like being pierced by pure fire.
A slow smile curled up on the edges of his lips before he rose, pushing my blade upward with his great strength and towering height. “Shall we change this game?”
Raising a brow, I swung my sword down and around to dance back from him. “First blood?”
“Would that satisfy my savage soulmate then?”
I inhaled deeply, feeling my mind calm with the weight of the sword in my hand. “Perhaps.”
His teeth flashed the sunlight peeking through the trees. “So be it.”
