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She bucked, thrashing to break free, and Cyn staggered—her anguish likely hitting him too—giving her the opening to escape upstairs.

As he steadied himself, his gaze met ours, revealing all the pain and confusion he struggled to hide in those obsidian eyes.

How Rae’s fear had morphed into desire and then pain spoke volumes about the reality of our situation. Even she couldn’t ignore the pull.

Although she’d said she wanted Cyn gone, the raw emotion in his voice, devoid of his typical attitude, struck deep inside her. It reminded me of the sharp sting of her heartache when she believed Zeke and I no longer cared.

Haunted by the loss of her entire family while self-isolating to avoid being institutionalized, she’d built a wall around her heart, allowing no one to get close before now.

I didn’t think Cyn understood the extent of the damage his callous words would inflict when he said them.

I wasn’t sure if we could breach the wall again to reach her, or if Cyn destroyed our one chance of having a future with our Nyrith.

41

FALLEN

RAE

My phone felt like a ticking bomb in my hand.

I wanted to call Maya and talk to her about everything that happened, but what would I say? So, you know how we wished Shane would disappear? Surprise! He’s dead! This super hot demon guy with shadow tentacles killed him!

I shook my head.

I couldn’t tell her about Shane—or infernals—or the whole fancy mate situation without sounding certifiable. I didn’t know if I believed in mates, or if I just didn’t understand it enough to accept without reservations.

My stomach growled, and I looked at the time with a sigh.

I’d hidden away for hours, unable to face them.

Ezra saved me again. He killed my boss. I didn’t mind the killing part, or even the dark powers he used.

It all came down to fear.

The fear I felt when I looked at him after his shadows receded wasn’t mine. The cold, alien dread settled in my bones the longer he stared at me. With what I know about Nyrith mates—and the feelings I’d experienced around the other guys—I knew the fear belonged to Ezra.

I didn’t know what to do with that information.

Witnessing such a powerful man’s fear, even after the danger passed, unbalanced me.

I looked up when someone knocked on the door.

It had to be one of two people: Ash or Zeke. Unless Cyn came to finish me off.

Heaving a sigh, I placed my phone on the nightstand and climbed out of bed. If Cyn wanted to start something, I preferred to face him on my feet—not in my bed.

“Come in,” I called, standing a few feet from the door, bracing for round two with the magnetic asshole.

When Ash came in carrying a steaming bowl of cheesy shells, I deflated.

He chuckled. “Disappointed?”

“Thankful.” I took the bowl, sat on the bed with my legs tucked beneath me, and shoveled shells into my mouth.

“Hungry?” He smiled and sat at the foot of the bed.

I held a finger up while I swallowed. I remembered he didn’t like people talking with food in their mouths. “Didn’t eat much earlier, and all that down there made me a little sick.”