But in this moment, he needed to feel her against him. As she said, to know that he wasn’t alone.
Because she was right. He didn’t want to be by himself through this. He was so fucking tired of fighting by himself. Of looking around and seeing nothing more than his shadow. In the past, the only thing that had kept him going was the knowledge that Renata had needed him. That if he failed, she’d have no one to protect her. He was her strength and her guardian.
With her gone...
He had absolutely no reason to keep fighting.
Let the world burn. It wasn’t as if it had ever done him any favors. Hell, most of the time he didn’t even want to be here. Didn’t want another day of drudgery.
No one cared if he lived or died, and most wanted him dead. No one mattered.
Except one little dragon who made him crazy.
Closing his eyes, he felt her hand in his hair as she held him and comforted him. No one had ever held him like this. Like he mattered. And definitely not when he felt so vulnerable. Not when he needed strength.
She had no idea how much he needed this, and he could never let her know that, either. His world was brutal. It devoured creatures like her. It had shattered him and forged a monster so feral that even he was scared of the demon inside him.
Because even he wasn’t surewhat he was capable of. All he knew was how much horror he’d done in his past.
Why his horn had turned as black as his soul. Renata hadn’t been wrong in her accusation that last night when they’d fought.
He was the very thing that made the darkness weep. His mistress had been brutality, and he’d claimed her fully, without regret. And he would do it all again to get here.
His enemies had no idea what they were facing.
But they would learn why he was called Coeur de Noir. Why Meara had signed anaþasweretruce with him and abided by it when no one else had ever been able to cow that bitch.
Suddenly, a bright flash went off several feet away from them.
Dash stepped around to protect her.
Tanis wasn’t sure what to expect as a herd of unicorns appeared in front of them.
Well, maybeherdwas ambitious. It was seven total. A brown unicorn, two grays, two white, and two that were a bluish sort of color. All of them had red horns that were covered by silver armored face plates. Which made her wonder if the color of the horns was some kind of uniform or family designation.
Were they? It would explain why they were all one color.
Again, she wished she’d bothered to learn something about unicorns.
Dash immediately shifted into his unicorn form that was larger and more muscled than theirs. He was at least two hands taller.
“Who’s the human?” the brown unicorn asked. He was slightly larger than the others with him.
Dash didn’t hesitate with his answer. “A girl I was asking for directions.”
“Town’s that way,” Tanis said, pointing toward Auderley with both her hands. “Thinking I should be heading back to it before anyone misses me.”
“Yes, you should.” One of the grays moved aside for her to pass.
Holding her hands up over her head as if she were surrendering, she moved slowly through the group of unicorns. The tension in the air was so thick she felt as if she were moving through a sea of heavy foam.
No one else moved. It was very creepy and unnerving. Not even a tail swished or jerked.
She was about halfway through the herd when Dash finally spoke. “You’re the Unicorn Head Guild I signed an order for.”
The brown one nodded. “We are.”
Dash seemed pleased by that. “Veterans of my army. You fought by my side.”
