Paxton ran a hand down her thick hair and kept going, tracing the fine lines of her small body to cup her buttock. “I think Drake and I both knew it would always come down to that in the end,” he admitted. “We just didn’t know which way it would go.” There had been no hesitation in his movements, even though he and Drake had known each other as children. When it came to Hope’s safety, Paxton would never waver. That was absolute. Hopefully she understood, but even if not, he wouldn’t be moved.
“The Kurjans never should have invented that knife,” she said. “Any weapon that can decapitate an immortal so quickly should be outlawed.”
Paxton couldn’t argue with that sentiment, although he’d been happy he’d had the weapon at that moment. While he could live with killing the Kurjan leader, his Hope was a sweetheart with a kind soul. Even though she was a fighter, a warrior even, she’d had such dreams about fixing the world. “Drake didn’t give us a choice. You know that, right?”
She nodded and her head bumped his chin. “I do know,” she said. “He was going to kill you and Hunter, and at some point, me. I would’ve done it if I’d had my hand on the knife,” she admitted quietly. “I’m not sure what that says about me. We’ve been friends since we were kids, and I still think I should have been able to find a way for us all to live peacefully together.”
His heart turned over as it usually did when she showed her sweet side. He wouldn’t allow her to blame herself for the outcome. “I wish we could have found peace as well, but that’s not what Drake wanted. He didn’t give either of us a choice.”
She was silent for several long moments, no doubt thinking through his words. “Do you think there was ever a point, even for a moment, when he wanted to work with us? To make peace for everybody and not just his version, where he ruled the world?”
“No.” Paxton had seen the truth in the Kurjan leader from the beginning. “Sorry.”
She sighed. “Why do you think he captured those enhanced females and yet promised to let them go?”
“He was probably lying.”
She shook her head and bumped his chin harder. “I don’t think so. It felt like he was telling me the truth. The Kurjans are injecting something into the enhanced females. I don’t know what. I don’t know why. It’s driving me a little crazy, and I’m worried about Lyrica and Genevieve, who are two enhanced females that were kind to me when Drakekidnapped me.”
“We’ll find them and free them,” Pax promised. Having her naked body wrapped over him was killing him, but he’d already taken her three times, and she had to be sore. He forced himself to relax. He now had lifetimes to enjoy with her, and keeping her safe and comfortable and happy would always be his first priority. “We’ll figure out the Kurjan plans. All of them. Vero didn’t know, but at some point, we’ll infiltrate their entire computer system and find out what the Kurjans are up to.” He flexed his wrist, still feeling residual pain from yesterday’s break. He sent healing cells to the fracture lines and to his fingers to repair the damage sustained during the torture Ulric had inflicted on him.
Hope kissed his chest, and he felt the small touch to his heart. Maybe deeper. “You’re better? Your blood isn’t sluggish any longer?” she asked.
“Yes. The Kurjans do seem to like their drugs lately.” His blood was finally flowing freely as his body accepted the return to his actual genetic composition. He shifted uneasily. Even though he had evil Kurjan blood in his lineage, he wasn’t letting her go. Maybe it was because of the evil. He didn’t care. “Should we talk about the fact that I’m a Kurjan?” The idea made him want to hit something. Hard.
“Half Kurjan,” she said. “Half demon. You’re still Paxton. Does itmatter to you?”
The sweet words eased something hard inside him, but he still thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, it matters to me.” He needed to get his head on straight, and being honest with her was the first step. Hope had been a good sounding board ever since childhood. “I’ve hated the Kurjans my entire life, and to find out that I’m one of them—well, itpisses me off.”
She chuckled, her breath warm against his skin. “What about discovering that you have ahalf-brother?”
He ran his hand farther down to her lower back and then settled on her sweet butt. “I like the idea that I have a brother,” he admitted. “Vero seems like a good soldier, and he has a kindness in him I haven’t seen in many of the Kurjans. I think taking his blood earlier helped me to heal faster, and it also completed the change in my blood. Plus, he helped us escape.” Pax wished he could return the favor. Hopefully Vero wassafe right now.
“Yeah, he did. His loyalty was to you and to Hunter, and maybe to me when it mattered,” she said. “I think he’s as lost as you are, Paxton. I think he needs a brother as much as you do.”
Paxton kissed the top of her head. “Maybe, but I know he’ll want to return to the Kurjan nation, and after betraying Drake, it won’t be safe for him. There may be nowheresafe for him.”
“We can give him a home in the Realm,” she said. “Maybe he can help broker peace with the rest of the Kurjans.”
It was a sweet thought, even if untenable. “Maybe,” Paxton said. “I don’t think Drake was alone in his determination to take down the Realm.” There would be even more enemies coming for them now.
“Yes, but doesn’t it come downto leadership?”
“Right now, with Drake dead, Ulric is their leader,” Paxton returned. “He wants Destiny as his Intended, and he wants the other Keys butchered. We’re at war. There’s no question about that.”
She made a small sound of distress. “I need to be home to direct my team when the Kurjans attack. I wish Vero and Hunter would hurry.”
Paxton didn’t much like the idea of her being in the middle of a battle, but he certainly wanted to be there. “We still have time.” The Kurjans most likely wouldn’t attack until dark. Even though it was December, the sun was bright over northern Idaho this week because of the frigid temperatures. “They won’t attack while the sun is out, even though it doesn’t harm them the way it used to.”
She looked up, for a third time bumping his chin. Her eyes met his. “What about you? Does the sun weaken you?”
“I didn’t feel great when I was in it yesterday,” he admitted. “That’s something we’re going to have to watch. But perhaps since I lived most of my life in the sun, I will have some sort of defense.”
She traced the ridges of his abs with one finger, shooting fire through him. His cock hardened instantly, which was his default setting if he was anywhere near her. “Most of the Kurjans can be in the sun for up to four hours these days, so if you have a few more hours’ tolerance, you could be just fine. We’ll just watch it.” She kissed his chin.
“That sounds like a good plan.” He couldn’t believe that she was finally his. “Are you all right?” he asked softly. He’d awakened her two more times during the day, and he’d tried to be gentle, but that seemed not to be what eitherof them wanted.
“Yeah, I’m good,” she said, her eyes a mellow blue. “How about you?”
