A soughing noise escaped El, and slower, much, much slower and with a pain that had even Trip wincing—and he was in fucking agony—El made a reappearance.
She was on all fours and she was naked.
Yesterday, she’d reverted with shredded clothes all around her, the magick having shredded them up and tossed them out when she was back in her human skin.
Now that she was naked said she’d shifted when she’d been nude.
He frowned, wondering what had preceded this moment, well aware that his neurons weren’t firing on all cylinders and that certain memories were a blank.Before his attention could be stirred too much, El let out a sob and bowed her head.
“I can’t do it again, Marc, I can’t.”He crouched on his feet and hugged her close.
“You’re doing so well, so damn well,” he crooned, rubbing his hands all along the length of her spine.She was a handful, was their mate, and with Marc’s tanned skin pressed against her pale form, well, the sight shouldn’t have had his cock stirring when he was in this state, but it did.
She was beautiful.Even when she was exhausted and in pain.
Because he was in no doubt that she was in pain.“What’s going on?”he asked, his voice low, hoarse.“Why is El hurting?”
He’d have dropped to his knees too but there was no way he was going anywhere.He was lucky he was standing upright, wavering from side to side though he may be.
“El is triggering our shifts,” Ryan explained, his voice equally as hoarse.“I’m so sorry, baby, but we need to shift again.”
Her eyes were soaked with tears that nearly broke Trip’s heart.“I can’t do it again,” she whispered, but the statement was more of a plea.“I can’t.It hurts.Oh God, it hurts.”
Marc swallowed and his grip on her tightened.He swayed with her, rocked her from side to side.“I know.I know, darling.But you just...we need you again.Trip’s shifted twice but it’s not enough.Look at him.Look at Ryan.They’re still injured.One more go and they should be able to do it themselves.”
Trip’s eyes widened in astonishment.“I’ve been flashing through forms while unconscious?”
Ryan cut him a glance.“It’s to do with Pantera mating magick.”
Trip frowned.“What the hell’s that?”
Adam cleared his throat.“Don’t worry.You’re just reaping the benefit of it.”
Trip wanted to shake his head to shake off the confusion he was feeling, but instead, he just sighed.“I’m so sorry, El.I don’t want to hurt you, but I-I really am feeling rough.”
She gulped, shot him a look that was loaded with misery.“I-I can’t.”
“You can.You’ve got this.”Marc’s words were encouraging but Trip saw on his face he was worried.His brow was puckered and his mouth was pulled taut, but El couldn’t see that, not with his chin resting on her shoulder.
Her jaw wobbled and she sucked in a sharp breath.“The l-last time?”
Marc nodded.“Just one more go.Look at Ryan and Trip, baby, you can see they need it.”
El’s eyes flashed over to his, then over to Ryan.She trembled.“I-I need you both to be okay after this.”
Trip tried to smile, failed.“I’ll do it just so you don’t have to suffer again.”
“I-I’m sorry for not being strong enough for you,” she said on a low whisper, her gaze ducking with her shame.
“El!”Ryan’s tone was more of a bark and it had even Trip jerking in surprise.“Don’t you dare say that.You just brought Trip back from the dead.”
When he jolted in astonishment at that, Ryan just gritted his teeth.
“We both know he was dying.You saved him.How does that make you weak?We’re asking you to do something that takes months of practice as a child.You’re doing so fucking well, sweetheart.I feel better as it is.”He touched his face.“The burns have gone, haven’t they?”
She nodded, her bottom lip trembling.
“You see?That’s how much the shift heals us.”
