“You’ll get your vengeance,” I promised, keeping my gaze out toward the desert.
She opened her mouth to say something else, but chaos magic rippled between us as Demo manifested, planting her paws into the sand and growling into the darkness.
Pandora’s hand struck out toward the area Demo was staring at, and her shadow slinked out and whipped the air with a resounding crack as if it had actually made contact with something.
“What was that?” I asked, helping her to her feet and putting myself between her and the area her shadow struck at.
Her entire body was frozen, and I could feel her panic leaking through our matebond. “The shadow had a mind of its own. I didn’t mean to use it.”
My mate was spiraling.
I scanned the desert. Demo continued barking, and my gaze caught on a bat that lay on the sand. The sound we’d heard was the shadow whipping it out of the air.
The bat got back up and flew away.
“It’s okay.” I turned back to her. “It was only a bat.”
“Fates! Is it okay?”She jerked her hand back as the shadow writhed around, not going back into Dexter’s mark. Her chest rose and fell too fast, and her eyes were wide and unfocused, like she was trying to figure out how to run away from the shadow that was connected to her.
“The bat’s fine.” I cupped her face and forced her to look at me. “Hey, starlight, look at me,” I murmured, thumbs brushing over her cheeks.
“Hunter,” she croaked.
She was hot, and her skin was damp. Her pulse raced under my fingertips. “You’re safe. You’re here with me. You’re not in the cellar, Pandora. She can’t hurt you anymore.”
She tensed before nodding slowly. “She’s dead.”
I nodded. “She’s gone. She has no power over you anymore. You killed her.”
“I killed her.” Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over her cheeks and my thumbs. Her breath was still erratic, and her body still shook.
I kept my hold on her face. “Breathe with me,” I coached, inhaling deeply so she could follow. “In for five.” I held my breath. “Hold for five.” I breathed out. “Out for five.”
She tried, but her breath stuttered, and the shadow continued wiggling around us.
I didn’t let go of her, though.
She kept my gaze. “Hunt?—”
“Again, starlight. In for five…” I breathed in, and she followed my pace. “That’s it. Hold…” We held our breaths. “And out for five.” I exhaled with her. “Good. Keep going.”
The rhythm of her chest slowed, the tremble in her hands lessened as I guided her through it, each breath pulling her a little further from the edge.
Her eyes were still glassy, but there was something else now—recognition.
She was coming back to me.
I ran my thumbs over her cheeks again, wiping away the tears that clung to her skin. “You’re in control,” I reminded her softly. “Not her. Not the past.You. That shadow is yours.”
A shuddering exhale left her lips. Her free hand finally reached for me, gripping my wrist as if I was the only tether she had to solid ground, and I was more than happy to be that for her.
“I—” Her voice cracked.
I shook my head, brushing a damp strand of hair from her face. “You don’t have to say anything. Just stay with me, okay?”
She nodded, another shaky breath leaving her lungs, but this time, it was steadier.
“Trouble, I’m letting my shadow calm yours. Is that okay?” Dexter’s breath hit her ear as he stepped behind her, and she tensed only slightly.
