Eerie dread flooded my chest as the black blood soaked into the crystalized flakes, the pale innocence tainted by the darklings’ presence. I feared that, despite how hard we’d fought, this world might one day fall to their darkness as well. We had barely defeated Melantha before. Would we fail to bring her down this time? Would this be the final stand of the immortals?
A tawny hand appeared before me, drawing me from my thoughts, and I lifted my gaze to Zephyr as I took it, and he helped me to my feet.
“Gods, they came out of nowhere.” Barrett searched for any signs of others, but the silence stretched on, the icy chill that came with their presence vanishing. “And five of them?”
“The group that nearly took out Maria’s team two nights ago was almost twice that,” Zephyr said, crossing his arms over his chest.
At the mention of that night my mind revisited the moment we’d found them, the sight of Maria unconscious on the ground, gutted and bleeding out, Deacon clutching his shredded, broken arm as he and Owen stood their ground, protecting her until help could arrive. They’d been attacked by nine darklings, and their team of three was overwhelmed. Thankfully, none of them had been killed or bitten, but Maria and Deacon being out of commission put a strain on the teams.
“Have you talked to Cas about the Solstice celebration?” Barrett asked as Zephyr and I walked toward him to continue on our patrol.
The Lupai yipped and whined at her name, and I rolled my eyes. “She’s not here.”
They whined again before turning from me to walk ahead, and I couldn’t help but feel as if they were pouting. The Lupai adored Cassie, and she spoiled them in return, always scratching their ears or rubbing their bellies. It was laughable, given their nature as some of the most vicious predators in the Godsrealm.
“I haven’t yet, but I will,” I said.
“Better do it quick. We’ve gotta draw names for the gift exchange.”
Zephyr huffed a laugh. “Someone’s excited.”
“Fuck yeah, I’m excited. I’m hoping I get Cas,” Barrett said, resting his hand on the hilt of his dagger.
I arched a brow his way. “Yeah? Why is that?”
“I think I’m gonna get her some lingerie,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. “What’s your favorite color, Damien? Still black? Or blue, maybe?”
The void in my chest stirred, every instinct rising to the surface as if it were the first time I’d found my mate. I shook my head, forcing it back, but deep within me, the darkness pressed against the cage containing it, begging to make it clear that she was mine.
“You think she’d like that, Damien?” Barrett added, testing me.
Zephyr huffed a laugh. “You’re really asking to get your ass handed to you.”
“What?” Barrett’s lips curved into a cocky grin. “I wonder if she’d blush when she opens it in front of everyone.”
She would, and Barrett loved picking on her, eager for her to snap back at him. I knew why he did it. He wanted to see the hint of her old self, missed the friend he’d lost all those centuries ago. My hands balled into fists at my sides at the thought of him getting her something like that. Gods, the mating bond was making me stupid, territorial in a way I knew wasn’t necessary, and yet...
I continued forward, because I knew if I responded, it would just feed into his game, but the need to claim, to mark and defend what was mine, was nearly too strong to ignore. Just the thought of it made me want to get home. I wanted to be inside her, to mark her in my scent so no one ever questioned whose mate she was.
Barrett rubbed his jaw in contemplation as he and Zephyr fell into step on either side of me. “Do you think she’d actually wear it?”
A growl crawled its way up my throat. “Only once before I rip it off her and take her.”
Barrett whistled low. “Damn, and here I thought you weren’t the possessive type.”
“Barrett…” Zephyr warned from my other side as shadows twitched on the ground beneath us, the void pressing against the confines of my body.
“That’s okay.” Barrett nudged me with his elbow. “I’ll at least get to enjoy the sight of her getting all flustered when she opens it on Solstice.”
“You say that like you’ve already picked her name out of the pile,” I said, looking at him sidelong.
Barrett shrugged. “You never know. Maybe I’ll get your name and you can wear the lingerie instead.”
Zephyr choked out a laugh.
“I didn’t know you were into that sort of thing, Barrett.”
He wiggled his brows. “I’m into a lot of things. Regardless, it would be priceless to see that ass of yours in a thong.”
