Finding Shadow.
Nik opened the door and entered the massive gaming room, then he just stood there. Everything remained the same—near him was the seating area with leather armchairs facing a massive, flat-screen TV, opposite it, the wet bar. At the far side, a foosball table took up space, and a pool table—yet a sense of melancholy reigned heavy in the castle.
The inner door opened, and a tall male with steel gray hair stumbled to a halt. Orange-green eyes widened, his face paling as if he’d seen a ghost.
“Sire,” he whispered. “I sensed an intrusion in the wards…”
And the male’s name floated into Nik’s mind. “Hedori.”
“Aye.” The next second, he strode across and hugged Nik, startling him. He stepped back, eyes bright. “It’s good to see you again.”
Nik nodded. “My mate?”
“In your quarters, asleep.”
He didn’t know where that was. Didn’t matter. “Thanks.”
Nik headed for the door, then pivoted. “Don’t say anything to anyone about me being back, not just yet. I don’t want to be disturbed for a while. And yeah, don’t sire me.”
“Very well, Nik.” He could hear the grin in the male’s voice. “Your return’s going to cause quite the upheaval…sire.”
Snorting at the smartass, Nik strode out into the corridor and made his way to the side stairwell. More memories stirred. These steps, he’d kissed her here, unable to keep away from her even when it had been incredibly dangerous.
Impatient now, he jogged up, tracking the heart-tugging fragrance of wildflowers down the corridor to his quarters. He walked into his dimly lit bedroom. The drapes were undrawn, moonlight casting its eerie glow into the bedroom and over her.
His breath trapped in his lungs, Nik slowly crossed to her side of the bed, where she rested facing the window. Lowering to his haunches, he stroked her much shorter, white-streaked inky hair away from her alabaster pale face, caressing the strands between his fingers and absorbing the silky texture. But her face appeared too lean, eyes sunken.
She lost so much weight.
His heart shuddering in pain, he picked up her slender hand and pressed her fingers to his lips. A soft moan escaped her.
“Nik…” Tears seeped from beneath shut eyelids.
“I am here,agápi mou.”
Blindly, she reached out and tugged him close. “I miss you so much. It hurts to breathe without you…”
His own eyes dampened. He kicked off his boots, shifted her, and lay down beside her, holding her against him, savoring having her in his arms once more.
She burrowed into his chest for several long seconds. Then she looked up, her memorable starburst eyes glittering in the moonlight. She pressed her brow to his chin.
“T-take away this pain, this loneliness…” she choked out with a despair that shredded him. “Make me forget, if just for a while…”
“I’m so sorry for all you went through,agápi mou, but I promise we’ll build new memories,” he whispered, kissing her hot, damp cheeks, her wet eyelids. Finally, he kissed her mouth, needing to taste her, memorize her again…
* * *
Shadow moaned, stroking Nik’s hard, warm back, the dream so tangible she didn’t want to awaken. But tears found their way out, knowing it wasn’t real.
Nik trailed open-mouthed kisses along her jaw and down her throat, his teeth lightly scraping her skin. A sob escaped her, her fingers sliding into his long hair. She gripped the silky strands, wrapping them around her fingers—
Nik didn’t have long hair.
She froze, her eyes snapping open.
At the sight of the shadowy man above her, his hair falling about his face, a cry of horror escaped. “Nooo!”
She reared back and scrambled off the bed, falling to the floor on her butt, and scampered away, her back hitting the wall.Oh, God, oh, God!
