Page 145 of Huntress

“Hey?” He waited for her attention to return to him. “It was an animal.”

“I wasn’t paying attention,” she whispered, horrified. “What if it had been someone from the compound? I wouldn’t have known they were coming.”

“Breathe. It’s okay to be distracted while I’m with you.” He gently rubbed circles into her back. “The mage caught us, but I won’t let it happen a second time. It’s okay to enjoy this, I’m watching out for you.”

She sighed and laid her head against his chest, deliberately taking several slow breaths.

“You’re too good to me.”

“Hardly. Our situation restricts my actions. You haven’t even begun to experience the level of treatment I’ll give you. I’m going to spoil you so thoroughly that any other mates you collect over our lives will have to treat you like royalty to come close to satisfy your expectations,” he promised.

Elsie pulled back, pressing on his chest to get him to back away. She scowled at him, then splashed her way to land. Once she reached shore, she kept walking without looking back.

Saint followed, brows knit together. “Wait, don’t storm off, talk to me.”

She turned so fast he tripped over himself trying not to crash into her.

“I told you, I don’t want any more mates!”

“Okay.” He licked his lips, then pressed them together for a moment, knowing full well his next words might upset her even more. “I like hearing that, but it’s not a decision you have to make now. Witches as powerful as you generally have a whole collection of mates. They’ll find you eventually, and you might change your mind.”

“Witches do, but reapers don’t! I’ve taken precautions while with the hunters because I don’t want to be tied to anyone, especially since meeting you. You’re enough for me. I’ve never heard of my sisters taking a single mate, let alone multiples!”

“I guess that makes you special.”

“Psh, you sound like my mother,” she muttered.

“All mothers think their children are special,” he said, but she was already shaking her head in denial.

“Santa Muerte always used to tell me crazy things before she left me here.”

He raised an eyebrow and waited. She rolled her eyes.

“I’m the ‘last reaper, the greatest of her children whose name will become legend.’ She was always telling me I had a destiny to fulfill, but she was cryptic, never giving me answers when I asked.” Elsie snorted. “She used to introduce me as ‘The Daughter of Death and Kings’, whatever the hell that means.”

Saint’s brow creased. “Why am I just learning this now?”

“Because it’s ludicrous.”

“Mistress, a goddess wouldn’t say things like that unless she meant it. Did she ever mention any prophecies about you?”

Elsie snickered, then laughed until her belly and cheeks hurt. She doubled over, gasping and wiping tears from her face.

“Prophecies? Don’t be ridiculous, this isn’t the dark ages. Do you know how many daughters my mother has? I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s already had another one since I last saw her. Huh. Maybe she has had another one, and it made her realize I’m not her special last born.”

“But you said the prince of a thousand hell dimensions instructed you to keep practicing your use of the ancient language until they returned?”

“Yeah, Stolas. He said something about it being imperative to my future. If I were actually that important, I wouldn’t still be here fifteen years later like a dumped pet they don’t want anymore. You know what? I don’t need them anyway, I have you.”

“You’re saying that because you’re hurt.” He cupped her face in both hands and gently ran a thumb over her cheek. “And you have every right to be. It’s messed up that they’ve left you here this long, but maybe there’s a good reason? If she told you those things multiple times, she believed them. She believed you were special and worthy of being introduced to people as The Daughter of Death and Kings. I’m inclined to believe she was right.”

“You’re telling me what you think I want to hear.” Elsie pouted.

“Was there even the shadow of a lie in my words?”

“No?”

“No.” He leaned in and touched his forehead to hers. “Do the hunters have any records of prophecies? My father had a bunch of them, but getting them would be impossible.”