I never expected a relationship was in the cards for me. Not any longer.
But if it ever was, I wanted this sort of love.
An imperfectly perfect one.
8
SAMANTHA
Mera figured it out in about two minutes, finding the small groove that released a trap door. It had been very cleverly disguised. I’d never have found it without help—without her amazing extra senses. She lifted it all the way back to reveal wooden stairs leading down into darkness.
My heart squeezed so tight in my chest that I coughed to try and relieve the pressure.
Mera’s head jerked up to meet my gaze. “You okay?”
“No,” I choked out, as anger added an extra layer to my voice. No, not anger, pure rage. “He’s been keeping my fucking daughter in a hole in the ground. No wonder she’s failed to thrive. That bastard. Remind me to kill him before we leave.”
Not just kill but destroy. He had to cease to exist in this world and the afterlife, and I had the sense Shadow would know how to undo that waste of alpha genetics. Mera told me to trust in them. To rely on them.
In this situation, I would be.
Mera let me descend first, and by the time I reached the level below my fury had red tinting my vision.
“Here,” Shadow called, appearing in the low light filtering in from a few gaps in the wooden walls. He held a small bundle in his hands, and I let out a cry as I raced forward.
“Tabby!” Sobs broke from me in loud gasping sounds. My chest was crushing in on itself; I couldn’t breathe. Not even when Shadow placed her in my arms and she lifted her head just enough so that I could see her violet eyes. “Baby, baby girl, baby.” I just clutched her and cried, until a scream wrenched from me. It was dragged up from my soul, followed by a howl as my beast roared to life.
For so many minutes I clutched at my reason for existence, just holding her until I found the will to stop howling and just breathe. Lifting my head from where I’d had it tucked down near her frail body, I used my shoulder to wipe away tears so I could see her clearly.
“Mommy has you,” I whispered, examining her.
A gasp escaped me when she reached out and pressed her hand to my face. It was the first time I’d seen her move her limbs so independently rather than lying like a complete newborn. Her white-blond hair even looked a little longer, and her skin—a shimmery silver—looked healthier than usual. She was full of life for once.
“In his mind,” Shadow said softly, watching me with flames in his eyes, “the alpha indicated that he drained her before she visited with you, so you’d always worry he was the only one keeping her alive.”
The rage that had simmered down briefly returned in a blast.
“He will pay for everything,” I said shortly. “For her suffering. My own is one thing, but hurt my child and I will make sure you regret it forever.”
Shadow nodded, not having a single issue with that statement.
Mera, who’d been standing off to the side, caught my attention when she moved closer. “She’s perfection,” she breathed, sounding choked up as if she’d been crying with me. She wrapped an arm around us. “We’re going to figure this out, Sam. We’ll right the wrongs done to you and Tabby.”
With her free hand, she reached out and brushed some of Tabitha’s curls back before she slid her finger across the tips of her ears. Across the obvious sign that my daughter was only half shifter. It was this feature that had prevented me from asking for help, in the worry Shadow might choose to destroy her unknown genetics.
“She’s fae,” Shadow said simply. He didn’t sound surprised, and I had to guess that the moment he held her in his arms he knew the truth. The very slight curve to the top of her ears an indication of her heritage. “But her energy is almost muted. I don’t feel much from her.”
“I guessed she was fae,” I said truthfully. “But I never knew for sure. Are there other races with pointed ears?”
“Yes, there are,” he told me. “But when you add in her need for crystals, her true heritage becomes obvious.”
“Why can’t we sense her energy?” Mera asked, brushing her hand down Tabitha’s cheek. “It’s almost like she’s a dead spot of power.”
“I feel her,” I said quickly. “That’s how I knew for sure she was my daughter. But no one else appears to have the same connection.”
Mera shot me a sad smile. “Girl, she looks just like you. Gorgeous. Like a baby model. I have no doubt she’s your child, but it is curious about her energy.”
Small flames flickered around Shadow. “I’m not sure if it’s the fact that she’d been deprived of what she needs for growth and development, or something in her genetics. We need to return to the library and research. Len will also be helpful in this situation.”
