The queen left us then, and for a quiet moment the three of us existed in a bubble of contentment. It was hard to believe I’d died, been reborn, discovered all the truths, and saved the worlds since I saw Tabitha last, but being here with Len and her made all the rest worthwhile.
When our daughter yawned, so big it took over half her face, we finally got to our feet and left the cozy tranquility of the courtyard. Shifters had restless animalistic energy and rarely sat without trying to do ten other things at the same time. Fae were not like that. Their longevity had them stopping to smell the roses, or whatever exotic plants Len created, and I enjoyed that just as much as the bustle of a shifter world.
“Let’s get this little one to bed,” Len said, lifting Tabitha from her marshmallow chair. “We all need to rest, and when we wake, Mother will have the meeting called.”
“Rest sounds amazing,” I said softly, falling in beside him, my heart fluttering happily as his free arm wrapped around me. He held us both close, and we moved together as if we’d been doing this for years.
“Yes, it does,” he replied. My heart fluttered again, harder this time, and Len’s chest rumbled as he leaned over and pressed his lips to mine as if he couldn’t help himself.
“Here’s hoping our baby girl sleeps through the night,” he growled as he pulled away, very shifter like.
“Or at least for a few hours,” I replied breathlessly.
Len’s smile was feral. “A few hours… ah, little Storm. That’s a decent start, but I’m going to need much longer than that.”
Did my pussy flutter? Yep, that greedy bitch was about to take flight she was so excited. As Sammia, I never had sexual desire, but this new version of me wanted everything. Every part of Len, and our new matebond.
My pace picked up, and a laugh burst from him as I dragged them across the bridge toward home. “Come on, buddy,” I joked, “you’re only a few thousand years old. Can’t you move a little faster.”
I let out a low shriek when his chest rumbled and hauled me over his shoulder, Tabitha secure in his other arm. He moved at super speed then, and I spent the time running my hands down his back, digging my nails into hard muscles as I traced the contours of his shoulders.
“Sam,” he said warningly. The heat pouring off him told me he was more than affected by this little prelude to our night tonight.
First though, we had to get Tabitha, who was yawning again, off to bed for a decent few hours’ sleep. The truth was, even if she didn’t sleep tonight, we would be happy to spend the time with her. Len and I had an eternity together for nights like this, and that meant, that when she needed it, Tabby had all our attention.
One day she would leave the nest and find her own destiny.
A bittersweet truth, but at least there was a future to plan for now.
A proper second chance.
Home and happiness.
51
SAMANTHA
The house was lit up, as if it waited to welcome us home.
“You are my home,” Len said, keeping me firmly over his shoulder.
Jerking my head toward him, I blinked. “You read my thoughts?”
We were connected as true mates, but without the direct link we’d had earlier, his mind was closed off to mine.
“No, not directly,” he said, “but I can sense some of your stronger emotions. When we entered the house, your energy grew soft and warm.”
He was smart and observant. The first to ever truly pay attention to me. Before Len, I’d been an Origin god—a tool to be used and forgotten when not needed.
“And now your energy is sadder and cold,” Len said softly, pausing in the entrance as he dropped me back to my feet so we could face each other. “What are you thinking? I don’t want to guess at this, I want to fix it.”
Warmth returned to me as my lips tilted up. “Origin gods were always on the outside looking in. We didn’t get the mate or the family or the pack-like connection that most others crave. We were tools, created and designed to keep the worlds turning and powered. My memories of that time are clouded now, so I feel some distance, but it’s painful to truly understand the difference now.”
I shook my head to dispel the memories. “I really didn’t comprehend it until Tabitha and you came into my life. Funny to be so grateful to Dalmia, since he almost destroyed our world, but I kind of am.” His actions had changed everything, including the power balance in the worlds, which allowed me to weaken enough to find a mate and have a child.
“Baby, I need you to look at me.” The command in Len’s voice had my head jerking up, my gaze locking on his. “You will never be alone again,” he said. “Not for one second from this moment on. If the magic allows, we will have a dozen babies, travel every world with them, and I will love you and our babies through each and every moment. My life began the day we met.”
“Yay!” Tabitha yelled suddenly, breaking the spell he had me locked in. “Love. Together.”
