Prowled Darkness (Dante's Circle, #7)(28)

He was worth this pain, worth it all. Because he would raise their child and he would be Malik. She wasn’t anything less than him, but this was something she could do. She could take this risk because it was hers to take.

And perhaps she would come back.

Perhaps she would rise again.

Perhaps.

****

Malik couldn’t let her die but he didn’t think he had a choice. Her throat was ripped out and his mate was bleeding in his arms, her life quickly fading. She blinked up at him, once, twice, then didn’t blink again.

He had his hand around her throat, trying to keep her skin together, but he knew it was a lost cause. As soon as his aunt had clawed through that precious, smooth skin, Eliana had taken her last breath.

Before he could kiss her goodbye, before he could process what had just happened, Eliana’s body erupted in flames. The red and white flames didn’t burn, but warmed him before leaving him cold and holding the ash of the one he loved, the one he’d thought would be in his life from now until eternity.

The mating bond beat once before fading and he roared, his body shaking. In a fog, he stood up through the ash and shifted back to his lion form. He ripped out Prudence’s throat with one slash and clawed his way through anyone who dared approach him. His uncle shook against the wall, his face pale.

Malik would have liked to have shifted back to human form so he could scream at the bastard and tell him everything he’d done wrong, but instead, he let the cat take over. He slashed the old man’s throat and watched as his uncle fell to the ground, clutching his neck.

His eyes bulged and he let out his last gasping breath, alone and forsaken.

Still in lion form, Malik prowled through the line of dead bodies around him. His people had lived, stronger than those who had opposed his throne. The only ones who perished were the ones who had taken the wrong side.

And his mate.

His beauty.

His Eliana.

She had died for him, died for his throne, and yet he prayed she would come back. The others had said there was a chance she wouldn’t, but that meant there was a chance she would.

Before he could grieve, before he could hope, before he could find Jonah and Penelope, there was something he had to do.

He went to the balcony that looked out over the Pride and roared. His mane shook as he put everything he had into the roar. Around the Pride, every single person stopped what they were doing and roared back. Some fell to their knees while others bowed their heads. It was a roar of grief, a roar of power, a roar of the Leo.

When he was finished, he shifted back to human and clutched the stone railing in front of him.

“I am Leo,” he called out. “I am King. Those that threaten our Pride, that threaten my family, shall perish. Know this and follow. Know this and live within the Pride.”

His head still lowered, he closed his eyes, aware that others watched him. He had to leave soon before they saw him break, before he became his father and a hollow ache of the man he’d once been.

“Malik,” Jonah said from his side.

Malik turned and ran toward the man who held Penelope in his arms. He put one hand on Jonah’s shoulder and cupped his child to his chest with the other. He would not be his father. If the mating bond never returned, if fate had taken his mate from him in an everlasting sorrow of death and sacrifice, he would not allow Penelope to be raised as he was.

But he couldn’t think of more than that now.

He couldn’t think at all.

Because Eliana was dead, and he hadn’t had the chance to prove to her that he was worthy of her sacrifice; that he was worthy of the mating mark she bore on her shoulder.

“Malik.”

He froze and raised his head. Jonah blinked up at him and took Penelope from his arms as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.

“Malik,” the soft voice said once again.

He let out a shuddering breath and turned on his heel. “Eliana,” he rasped, his voice breaking. “Eliana.”

She stood before him in a long robe, reminiscent of the one Ripley had worn in the phoenix realm. A new feather covered her arm—fresh ink and a new life.

He tried to take a step toward her, but fell to his knees. He held out an arm, tears falling down his cheeks.

She ran toward him, sliding to her knees at the same time to end up in his arms. He crushed her body to his before kissing up her cheeks and temple. He licked her mating mark, his hands roaming her body to make sure she was there and that this wasn’t a dream.

“You’re back,” he whispered. “You came back.”

“I can’t explain it,” she said in awe. “I was here, and then I was…well, I don’t know where I was. But I came back. I’ll always come back for you.” And with that, she kissed him. He slid his tongue along hers, needing her taste.

Dimly, he could hear the roar of the crowd, but he ignored it, his soul, his mind only for Eliana.

“I love you, Eliana. You’re mine for now and forever, for this lifetime and the next. You rose from the ashes for me and for our child, and until the end of my days, I will show you that I’m worthy of that flame, worthy of your soul.” The mating bond pulsed between them and he let out a shuddering breath.

She cupped his face and smiled. “I love you, too, Malik. And you are already worthy of me and everything I do. I’m yours from now until the end of our days,” she said softly before looking over her shoulder. “Now I want to hold my baby and be in your arms until I can catch my breath again. Because what just happened? Talk about breathless.”