Severo rolled his eyes. “I’m going to call to have him come home for lunch, so we can talk in private, in person.”
“Good choice, and good luck.” Killian patted the Dweller on the shoulder before walking out with Skya.
A yawn forced its way out when he reached the elevator. “Ah, a new cup of coffee would be a good idea, I think.”
Killian winced as soon as he thought about the shit that was currently brewing in the coffee pot on the tech floor. While he knew Cyrus purposely bought shitty coffee for his level, so he didn’t have to refill it often, on Killian’s floor, they took turns bringing in coffee beans each day, and the person today apparently had no functioning taste buds, as it had tasted like ass. Not even excess sweeteners had saved it.
As Killian stepped into the elevator, he pushed for the ground floor, instead of heading up as he first intended.
Glancing down, he smiled when he found Skya looking up at him. “Ready for a nice fun walk with Kill-Kill, Skya?”
The little girl’s face scrunched up. “Ookie!”
He chuckled. “Well, I suppose it’s only fair you get something out of this walk. And I happen to know for a fact that not only does Chocolate Java have an amazing coffee lineup, but also a rather delectable selection of cookies to choose from.”
“Ookie!” Skya squealed happily this time.
Smiling, he bounced her lightly against his hip. “Come on, you cookie-obsessed child, let’s bust out of this popsicle stand.”
She giggled, clinging to him as he carried her through the lower level and lobby, and out the door.
The weather was perfect—not too cold, not too hot—and at eleven AM, the streets weren’t too busy yet. It only took ten minutes to walk to Chocolate Java, but it was more like twenty before they were able to leave with their goodies.
With his caramel macchiato in hand, and Skya clutching tightly to her giant sugar cookie, the little girl sprinkling grains of sugar all over him, Killian walked through the automatic doors of the establishment.
“Skya, I know having stretchy, bendy, shadowy powers is fun and all, but stealing from my desk is something I’d rather you not do. Though I suppose it is my fault for leaving it unlocked,” he mused, before taking a sip of his coffee, while starting to walk back the way they came.
When she didn’t respond, he glanced down and found her blinking up at him cutely. It was more than a struggle to not be taken in by it. “Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
The little girl took a bite of her cookie, while continuing to blink at him.
“I know exactly what you are doing, and it’s not going to work.”
Apparently, Skya didn’t care that he knew, because the adorable little brat just kept eating her cookie while looking cute and not responding.
Killian snorted, and went to take another sip of his coffee, but the cup suddenly slipped from his hand… A hand that had gone completely numb in seconds.
His fear spiked while the cup broke on the ground, coffee spilling everywhere. Holding determinately to Skya, Killian didn’t have time to think as his body began to lose all feeling. He just desperately tossed his head back, changing the direction of his fall, so he landed on his back, and not on top of the little girl.
“Run, Skya,” he tried to scream, but his voice wouldn’t come out. His mouth was not even attempting to form the words.
Rage bloomed in his chest when the little girl started to cry, the feeling only grew as Killian found himself unable to do a damn thing as people in all black approached and tugged Skya from his hold. Right before the world fell away, the click of a solid metal collar around his throat told him enough about what was happening.
Cyrus’hands clenched, his nails drawing blood from his palms, as fear and uncertainty rose up while he watched the thread he’d altered go taunt, snapping fully into place, telling him full well that the new fate he’d created was now in motion.
To whose detriment, he didn’t know… But even with all the fear and uncertainty, he still couldn’t find it in himself to regret it, when the alternative was a world without Killian… He just hoped that didn’t change…
Seri North saton the plush couch in his living room, eyeing Severo, who sat right next to him, as the Shadow Dweller continued to say absolutely nothing. Which wasn’t exactly a disappointing endeavor as his man was hot as hell with his dark-black hair pulled up into a messy bun, his strong, pointed nose, deep-olive skin, five o-clock shadow, pointed ears, and hazel eyes. At the same time, the man being hot didn’t take away his irritation at the lack of answers as to why they were there.
“So you see—well—actually, the thing is?—”
“Severo!” he snapped, cutting the Dweller off. “Just say what you areactuallytrying to say.”
The Dweller swallowed hard before blurting, “Skya has started to manipulate her shadow!”
A surge of fear rose up inside him, but he shoved it back down, refusing to let his past taint how he viewed what his daughter was, what the love of his life was. “Ah…I see. I mean…” Seri swallowed. “We knew it would come eventually, right? I just didn’t think it would be this soon…” He shook his head and sighed. “No, I suppose it’s right on time…”
“Yeah, she is on time… I’m sorry, Seri.”
