I didn’t want to hear all the reasons why we’d never work as a couple. Talking about it would only depress me.
I shuddered, pulled by a feeling of doom. “Something’s coming.”
Without hesitation, he thrust me behind him and erected a shield of frothing wind.
“I can’t see,” I complained.
“Alandra,” he growled. “Stop being a pain in the ass and stay back.”
He totally turned me on when he acted mean. Especially because Aerolus was always so nice. “Pain in your ass? I bet you wouldn’t say that to your affai, now would you?”
Silence met my taunt, and I wanted to kick myself for blurting what I’d been trying to avoid. Wasn’t it enough that I’d been dwelling on his affai all night? So what that we didn’t have a future? We had right now. Reminders Aerolus had an unknown bride waiting for him somewhere weren’t conducive to hot, heavy sex.
He held up his hand. “Not another word.”
Thankfully — how desperate am I to view a threatening intrusion as a thankful delay? — a dark void appeared on the far wall of the living room. Keeping the kitchen island and the wall of wind between us, Aerolus pressed me back until only the dishwasher stood between me and the wall.
“Aerolus, I can’t breathe,” I huffed, only slightly appeased when he gave me half an inch.
Peering to his side, I watched Arim step through the black hole in the wall, followed closely by two more Storm brothers. They looked hearty and healthy. And intimidating as all get-out.
I swallowed, nervous. Though the brothers looked fierce, Arim looked as if he’d fought the hounds of the Next and survived as the victor.
Tanselm’s legendary sorcerer had blue marks of the Dark upon his cheeks, burn holes in his tattered clothing, and blood streaking his forehead. His hair was mussed, clumps of black strands stuck to the dried blood on his face. But his eyes.
Shadow’s Bend. His eyes swirled with color, the way they had when he’d attacked me.
I clung like a burr to Aerolus’ back. I knew Arim wouldn’t harm his nephew, but my last interaction with the Killer of Shadow had been near deadly.
An additional worry filled me with fear. What if he’d somehow learned what I hadn’t yet told Aerolus?
“I take it your brother hasn’t returned?” Arim asked, his voice echoing throughout the room.
I felt Aerolus tense, but his shield remained strong. “No, he hasn’t.”
I peeked around him. Arim stared. Behind him, Darius and Marcus — I could tell them by their eye color — exchanged long, thoughtful looks.
Arim sounded tired when he said, “You can release your shield, Aerolus. I’m not going to hurt her.”
“Not until you calm down.” Aerolus spoke soothingly, using his wind magic to stir warmth throughout the room. Pressed against him and sharing his power, I could feel his magic touching the cold on Arim’s face and healing the ravages of Dark violence.
“Good. Heal him,” Darius growled. Always so hot-tempered, his red eyes burning like flame. “He wouldn’t let us help him. So how’s it going, Aerolus? I see you have a woman with you.”
Marcus grinned. “It’s a miracle, truly.”
Darius nodded. “Gotta watch the quiet ones.”
“Enough, you two,” Arim snapped. “I’m calm.”
“You don’t sound calm,” Darius muttered but said nothing more when Arim glared at him.
“Lower the shield.” Arim did sound upset, though his eyes returned to their normal black.
Aerolus waved his hand, and the air in the room settled. “What happened, Uncle?”
“Uncle?” I stepped around Aerolus and stared in shock from him and his brothers to Arim, seeing for the first time what had always been there. “It’s not just an affectation. He really is your uncle. Wow. It’s obvious now that I see you all together. I can’t believe I observed you for so long and never realized.”
“Your attention to detail is lacking,” Aerolus teased.
