"I seriously fucking doubt that," I mutter, already irritated by the thought of all the horny basement-dweller guys who areprobably drooling all over this perfect girl in whatever footage they have of her.
Since Heidi is now under my charge, I should probably watch the footage for myself and see what political shit she's getting dragged into that Everett mentioned. I'm sure it'll piss me off, but from what I heard in her conversation with him earlier, there's something big going on that's led to the fae getting pissed at her.
I need to know who her enemies are so I can protect her from them.
Pushing away from the island finally, I grab the pair of car keys hanging in Heidi's living room on the way to the front door.
"Asher?" she calls after me, completely unaware of how much I like hearing her say my name. "Wait, where are you going?"
"Fixing your window and finding out who busted it in the first place so I can return the favor to their fucking teeth. Lock the door—and when I get back, you'd better be resting," I warn before the door closes behind me.
20
KAENON
The visionsin my head have thickened with need.
I dream of prowling through a dark summer wood, my mouth watering when I catch the sweet fragrance of my mate. I hunt her until she is pinned beneath me, her soft lips trailing up my neck before she gives me the stinging pleasure of her bite, claiming me as hers. I worship her with kisses until she is gasping for air in the glow of the moonlight, the trees echoing with sighs of her pleasure.
I salivate for her scent.
Finally, the time has come for me to belong to another.
In most clans, shifters choose to resist their heated urges to mate until their fated one or ones are revealed to them. Our first pleasure comes from exploring what pleases our mates. While fae and other beings often ridiculed the custom, it was to show deep respect to our future fated ones.
I respected my future mate well, and now I’m eager to learn what brings her pleasure.Truepleasure, not just this dreamy want within my own mind.
I wish to please her in every way, but first I must escape this darkness to reach her.
As another dream unfolds, I find myself holding my mate close as we lie together. Her face is tucked into my chest as she slumbers contentedly, wrapped in a soft blanket, as she allows me to bask in her complete trust. Desire for this kind of intimacy with her warms my bare chest.
I want every intimacy with her. Every moment and breath and smile.
Until all at once, the fae spell that dragged me into this sleep fades.
I wake to strange sounds blaring angrily above me. Red lights flash like blood fae spells across my vision. The scent of blood and burning tickles my nose, rousing the creatures beneath my skin.
Sitting up, I realize I am no longer in my sarcophagus. Instead, I lay on a strange bed wearing a thin paper gown. There is a peculiar band of fabric on one of my arms connected to an odd metal monster nearby, which beeps menacingly.
To my left is another bed, empty but for a splatter of blood.
Nivarrah’s work, I’m sure.
Fly to our mate, one of my beasts urges, awake now that I have regained consciousness.Quickly.
I slip off the table, removing the band from my arm as I study my surroundings. This is a cold, soulless place filled with things I don’t understand. My attention moves to a long metal table nearby, where several odd glowing squares sit beside stacks of scrolls. A fae lies half-slumped in a chair beside the table, his white coat saturated with red that drips steadily onto the floor.
But beside him, on the metal table, sits the leather bracelet Athanis left with me.
“Praise to the gods,” I whisper, moving swiftly through the room toward it.
The moment I fasten it around my wrist, I see that a handful of fae surround me, their eyes wide as they gasp and speak to oneanother in their language I still don’t understand. I only know they are spirits because I can see through their bodies slightly—and because one owns the face of the dead fae beside me. The others also have blood-stained coats.
I am about to step through these dead beings when a familiar voice speaks nearby.
“See? Did I not tell you that you would behold me on the other side?”
“Athanis,” I gasp, turning to see that he waits in the corner of this strange flashing room.
