“It’s dick measuring time,” I said, somewhat amused. My eyes met Shadow’s. “You gonna whip yours out too? You might be the underdog here, but I’d still put some money on you.”
His lips twitched. “Anyone ever tell you your smartass mouth is going to get you killed?”
Another snort of laughter. “Old news, my friend. Very old news.”
Shadow actually grinned, the first true smile since he’d entered the room to find me once again breaking the laws of his world. Focusing on the plump, perfect planes of his lips, I wondered how, for the love of shifters, I was lusting over the devil?
“Your mist is communicating with Inky,” Shadow said suddenly, his eyes locked on the two of them towering above us.
We are reaching a truce to coexist with you both.
I nodded. “It’s going well, right? A truce is the best we could hope for.”
Shadow looked like he needed a moment to wrap his head around what was happening here. “Your mere existence is upsetting the delicate balance of these worlds, and I have no idea if we’ll all survive the fallout when whatever is coming makes itself known.”
I took a step closer to him. “What is coming?”
His face gave away no secrets. “I have no idea, but one thing is clear: Nothing will be the same now that you’ve embraced your destiny. We’re about to find out the true shine of your light, Sunshine.” His smile was mocking. “Let the games begin.”
For some reason, this didn’t send me into a tailspin of panic and existential dread. My upbringing in Torma pack had prepared me well for this life, and the thought that I might not make it to the next moonrise had always been my constant.
This was just the next challenge, and I’d deal with whatever terrible shit happened… well, when it happened.
“It’ll be fine,” I told Shadow. “Let’s put our positive thoughts out into the world. We’ve got this.”
His laughter was low and unexpected. “You are delightfully human at times. Naïve, but I enjoy the break from normalcy.”
“I aim to please.” And at least he didn’t have his hand around my throat today, so we were making progress.
Inky and Midnight, having finished their standoff “conversation,” shrunk down to small clouds of smoke again, each wrapping around their bonded partner. Despite my misgivings about this bond, there was a facet of comfort in its presence, and I’d only had about ten minutes to get used to it.
Shadow was just staring, those flames in his eyes flickering brightly. “I’ve never known another to bond to the mists. It’s beyond rare. “
“How did you?”
His expression morphed and I almost took a step back. For a brief moment in time, he personified death, a mask of darkness shrouding his features. “I’m the Supreme Being, the true heir.” He had told me this before, but not in much detail. “I was betrayed the day I should have received my power, and as I was sent from my world, I dragged Inky with me. We bonded, and he’s been with me ever since.”
I pointed at myself and then at him. “We’re way more similar than I bet you’d like to admit.” A horrific thought hit me, one that Angel had touched on, but maybe she’d misread the genetics. “You don’t think were related, right?”
Jesus, I didn’t have the mental capacity to handle that truth.
Shadow laughed. “We’re not. My kin are well known to me, and I plan on killing a decent amount of them.”
Phew.“Good to know.” A pause. “Also, you’re a touch scary.”
Shadow shrugged. “I am what I am. If you can’t handle me, that’s your issue.”
That stopped me short, for the pure beauty of his statement. For my entire life, I’d tried to shrink myself to fit in, to make others comfortable and happy and accepting of who I was. But Shadow was unapologetically himself, and if it was too much for me, thenthat was my issue.
Years of blaming myself, when all along… The issue didn’t lie with me.
The revelation was breathtaking. And painful. And the best gift Shadow had given me.
“I can handle it,” I told him truthfully. “You’re not too much for me.”
He tilted his head, unsure, but there was a low, simmering ember deep in his eyes.
Midnight pressed into me, and I felt its confusion.You like him?
