“We fight supernatural evil, we always have pests after us. That damn thing could have torn you apart!” He started patting her again, checking her everywhere, his normally olive-tan skin chalk white.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she reassured him, even though her heart still struggled to find its way back to her chest. “I hurt it…” She grimaced at her blood-coated fingers, surprised to see she still held onto the gory dagger. More watery red dripped from her hair and clothes, and it now smeared Nik.
“How did you do that? Create that wave?”
“I have the power of cryokinesis. I can command all forms of liquid. Create ice weapons, etcetera,” he said, swiping her bloody hair stuck to her cheeks.
“Thank God for that.” She gave him a trembling smile.
“Unfortunately, it can’t always be used while on patrol with humans around.”
“Here.” She handed him the obsidian dagger, her mind still caught in the deadly confrontation. “Your weapon probably saved me from the hellhound.”
Nik stared blankly at the blade in his hand, then his gaze flashed to hers. “Did you have the dagger with you?”
She shook her head. “No. It just appeared in my hand, and at the right time, too. Thanks. Ugh, I’m a mess. I stink of sulfur. I need a shower.”
“Shadow, how did you get this blade?”
At his statue stillness and x-ray stare, she frowned and got off his lap. Wait. Did he think…? “I didn’t steal it, okay?” She scowled. “I only ever stole money when I had to. For food.”
“I’m not accusing you.” He rose to his feet, towering over her.
“And I already told you it just appeared in my hand.” She stomped into the bathroom. Honestly. So many questions over his blade when they just fought off a darn hellhound.
As she dragged off her wet clothes, Nik appeared, dagger in hand, his eyes flashing an eerie shade of green. “Please, Starshine, tell me exactly what happened. How did you get the dagger?”
Still mad at him, Shadow hauled a navy towel from the rail and wrapped it around her body, swiping a blood-wet strand from her cheek. “When the creature appeared, I wished I had a dagger, and that weapon formed in my hand. Yeah-yeah, I know, I’m human, and we can’t do things like that, but it happened. I thought you willed it to me.”
“I didn’t,” Nik rasped, looking like someone had whacked him in the head. “When did you first touch this?” He held up the obsidian blade.
“Early this morning, after you left to go on patrol. I took a shirt from your closet to change into and saw the dagger. Look, I was only admiring it,” she said, a thread of defensiveness creeping into her voice again. “I didn’t do anything, but something about it drew me.”
“And?”
Man, what was with the grilling? But he appeared as if he stood on the edge of the precipice, a wrong foot, and he would plummet. Her fingers tightened on the towel. “The blade glowed when I picked it up. I thought you had a protection spell on it.”
“No.” A smile started, bringing out his single dimple. He flipped the dagger and caught it again in a movement so intrinsic to him.
Shadow eyed him suspiciously. From a maddening inquisitor, he now appeared…happy? “What’s going on, Nik?”
* * *
Nik shook his head, his heart pitching around his chest like a ping-pong ball. Feeling as if he’d run a marathon, he shut his eyes, tracingherwarmth inside him, one he’d felt since this morning. Andtherein the deepest part of him, like sunlight, it glowed, a warm radiance that was all her. The white flash of light in him when he’d made love to her,thatwas the defining moment of their souls merging. Not relief over finally having her, as he’d initially thought.
Stars! Emotions crowded him.
It had beenherall along. And why he couldn’t stay away from her from the moment he’d first sensed her at the castle. Whateverno-matespell his mother had cast had broken.
He’d finally found her.
His miracle. His destiny.
“Nik?” she eyed him worriedly.
He probably looked like an idiot, standing there, just smiling.
Happiness consuming him, he tossed the dagger on the counter and hauled her to him, kissing her brow, her eyes, her nose, and finally, her mouth.You are mine, agápimou.Mine.
