Prowled Darkness (Dante's Circle, #7)(24)

“Eliana, this is Jonah, my friend and our guard.” Malik moved so she could see the man in the doorway.

She’d seen him before in passing but had never met him. He was tall, broad-shouldered and had the air of someone who took no bullshit. He also had a prosthetic leg but seemed as though he’d been using it for years; from the way he walked, you couldn’t even tell.

He raised a brow at her as she studied him. “Hello, Eliana. It’s good to formally meet you. Malik and I go way back.” He smiled wryly and gestured at his leg before shrugging. “I lost it in a battle long before you were born. I’m just as capable as any guard.”

She blushed and cursed under her breath. “Actually, I was thinking that you walk as though the prosthetic is truly a part of you. I apologize if I was staring.”

Jonah. “You weren’t, actually. I was just making sure you knew I will protect you and your child with everything I have.”

She smiled then and reached out for Pen. “Let me hold her as we go.” She snuggled the baby close when Malik handed her over. “And let’s get a move on because the longer we stand here, the more nervous I will be.”

Malik kissed her again before leading the way. Jonah brought up the rear, and for some reason, she felt immediately at ease with him around.

Malik must have noticed the way her shoulders relaxed and took her free hand. “Jonah is much older than me. And a jaguar. He came to live with my father when Dad was a child. Jonah was one of the ones that raised me. I trust him with my life.”

There was so much she didn’t know about Malik, and with each new piece of information, she knew she’d never learn it all. And that was the point. She wanted to learn more about him every day until the end of their days.

She looked over her shoulder at Jonah, who gave her a mock salute. She couldn’t help but grin at him.

“I’m glad he was there for you,” she said loud enough for the other man to hear it. Though really, if he were a shifter, she probably didn’t need to speak up at all. Apparently, it was going to take longer than a few weeks for her to get used to living with paranormals. They all had such different senses and powers. Yet the only thing she seemed to have was this glow and new ink. Hopefully, she’d find out more today.

Malik led them toward the tree line where he pulled her through the wards the same way he had when she’d been in labor. Except instead of coming straight through to the human realm, she found herself in a new place full of light, white fire, and an energy she couldn’t quite place.

“What is this place?” she asked though she already knew.

“The phoenixes arranged a portal to connect through the opening at our wards for this journey,” Malik answered. “They wanted to meet you.”

Suddenly nervous again, she bit her lip and brought Penelope to her shoulder so she could rub the baby’s back. Pen seemed fine, but Mom needed some reassurance. The phoenix realm had promised a safe journey and had wanted to not only meet her, but her mate and child, as well. While it could have been a trap to kill her off for not being a pure-blood or something, for some reason, Eliana trusted it wouldn’t end in pain.

She didn’t know why she trusted that, but she did.

“Yes, we did,” a voice said from behind a tree.

Eliana froze, but Malik didn’t look too worried. Apparently, having an inner predator helped sense when others were approaching. She was going to have to talk to him about that because she didn’t like being out of the loop.

Two phoenixes walked toward them, each wearing a long, white robe. Both were exquisite beauties. Eliana couldn’t help but stare.

“Hello, Eliana, I am Ripley,” the tall woman said. She gestured toward the man at her side. “This is my mate, Thorne.” The man bowed.

“Hello, Eliana, Leo, sir,” Thorne said. “I am the King of our kind and this is my Queen. Welcome to our home.”

Eliana smiled and knew this could be a home. Her skin warmed and Penelope let out another gurgle.

Ripley smiled brightly, and, if it were possible, became even more beautiful. “Oh, she is a darling. Let us go inside so you can ask any questions you may have of us.”

Malik gripped her hand, and she knew she would be safe here. No matter what happened in the lion realm, she had another home. It was a weird feeling, knowing that so quickly after coming, yet she had to trust intuition. And fate. After all, it had brought her Malik and Penelope.

After they’d settled themselves in the couple’s grand home with ornate furnishings, Malik ended up holding the baby as Jonah guarded them all. Thorne sat next to Malik, speaking of duties fit for a king while Eliana sucked up all the information she could from Ripley as if she were a sponge.

“So we really burn?” Elaina asked, a little nervous.

Ripley nodded. “Yes, if we die from a wound not of our fatal curse, our bodies burn, but we rise from the ashes, whole and new.”

“And are you the same? I mean, are you different? Do you keep your scars? Or do you show up completely fresh and new? And what about your soul? What does it do when you’re ash?” She blushed. “I’m sorry for all the questions. It’s just…so freaking weird.”

Ripley took Eliana’s hand. “Ask all the questions you have. Honestly, you are the first of your kind and it has to be a daunting experience. Our children learn from a young age what they can do what they cannot. It’s inherent.” She looked over at Malik. “Your mate doesn’t know much about our world because we work hard to make it that way. If the others knew exactly how we could be killed, or worse, think they could find a way to use us to not die from mortal wounds themselves…well, it wouldn’t be good.”