Void(109)

“I like being here,” I quickly amended. “I wish...I wish I could have grown up with you like this.”

He didn’t say anything to that. “Your mother called. Again.” Dad slapped at a bug buzzing by his face with disdain, likely envisioning my mother’s face where his palm connected. “She begged me to have you call her.”

“I want nothing to do with that woman,” I seethed. Mother had willingly given me up. She used my desire for love as a way to manipulate me. If I never saw her again, it would be too soon.

“Your Uncle Wrath would be so proud,” Dad beamed.

We stared out over the ocean for a few more moments in contemplative silence. In many ways, I now had everything that I had always wanted. My father was spending a lot of time with me. I was on a beautiful island with all the freedom I’d always wanted. And my best friend was with me, even if he still didn’t quite understand my nature.

But it still felt wrong. I still felt this hollow loss of my identity and a blistering sense of grief. I missed the paragons. And the most surprising reality of it all was that I missed my Void, too.

“Devi, I’m...I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” Dad suddenly choked out with a wince, sounding like the apology physically hurt him. Demons struggled with empathy and remorse, and hearing a genuine apology stream from his pursed lips surprised me.

“It wasn’t your fault. I just...I miss them, you know? I wish...things had gone down differently.”

Dad nodded in understanding before quickly standing back up. “Go back down to the main house. Let’s maybe try to call them?”

I shook my head. “Maybe another time.” I didn’t want to be the girl that chased after things that didn’t want her anymore. I’d spent my entire life chasing my mother’s love. Society’s acceptance. Control of my power. All of it had led to heartbreak.

“We still meeting up later? I want to see you wrestle that alligator by the lagoon,” I joked, trying to push back my sadness.

Dad chuckled. “Sounds like fun. Maybe Reed could record it. I’ve been wanting to explore this YouTube thing more. Could be good for business,” he added. “Anyway, I’ll be back later. There’s a poker run going on and I want to see how many humans I can get to bet their cars.”

I laughed, even though the amusement felt empty. With a flash, Dad disappeared, and I walked over to the edge to start making my way back down. I free climbed down the same way I’d gone up—with my fingers slipping into every crevice I could grab as I struggled to hold on. It was a lot like my life.

When I was about halfway down, a bird passed overhead, its shadow catching my eye. I looked up as it landed on a spot right above me, its yellow talons digging into the craggy shelf. It cocked its head at me, its curved beak snapping slightly at the air. “Don’t judge me,” I told it as I looked down to choose where to land my next step. “I don’t have wings like you.”

With one foot extended on the cleft, I slowly lowered my other foot down. But as soon as it made contact, the rock chipped away from my weight. I scrambled to keep purchase, but more of the rock gave way beneath my other foot as well. My hands suddenly held all the weight of me, my feet kicking and scraping against the rock, trying to find a new ledge, but it was no use.

I fell with a scream in my throat and my breath in the wind. And people were full of shit, because my life didn’t flash before my eyes as I plummeted to my death. The only thing my mind was full of was oh shit, oh shit, oh fucking shit!

The bird leapt off the mountainside and dive bombed me like I was a treat someone had thrown in the air. But as it passed directly overhead, it morphed—into a small, pony-sized, motherfucking dragon.

One second, I was screaming and staring wide-eyed at the bird-dragon above me, and the next, the dragon had sped down, and I was landing on its hard, scaly back.

My body nearly rolled off, but I managed to right myself and wrap my arms around its neck, holding on for dear life. It was like riding an awkward, miniature horse with wings. And it was so bright pink that it practically glowed.

I couldn’t stop my terrified screaming until we landed on the ground, and the dragon obviously had a hard time carrying my weight, because it wasn’t a pretty landing. I went flying off its back, landing on the grass with the breath knocked out of me.

Stunned, it took me a few seconds before I could pull myself up, and when I did, I watched the pretty little dragon morph into none other than a buck ass naked Gritt Boltwright.

“Your third animal is a pink miniature dragon?”

The wild, blond-haired shifter stalked over to me, naked as the day he was born. I tried not to look at his dick, but it was swinging so effectively between his legs, I couldn’t help it.

“It’s salmon-colored. Not pink,” he scowled.

This whole thing was so bizarre I couldn’t help but laugh. “Dude, it was cotton candy, neon nail polish, hand me a rose hot pink.”

He stopped just a foot away from me, his height towering over me and his muscles bunched with a layer of sheen over the tanned skin. “And nothing about me is miniature,” he said, cocking a thick eyebrow.

My smile widened as my eyes darted down to the space between his legs again. He was right about that. “I think it’s cute you’re a little pink dragon.”

He growled, but the effect was lost when I saw the corner of his lips twitch. “If you tell the others, I’ll spank your ass.”