Reborn (Shadow Beast Shifter, #3)(113)

Galleli placed his hand on Len’s shoulder, and whatever he said was meant for the fae alone. By the time he was done, they both looked much happier. Spirits lifted. The loss of the family stone would take Len some time to get over, but the fae appeared to be dealing with it as best he could. Unlike Reece, who wasn’t even here.

“Where’s our favorite desert deity?” I asked the group.

Angel shifted in her seat behind me; I felt the movement, but when I looked her way, she was unmoving, her expression blank.

Shadow answered me. “He said there was some unrest back home that he needed to deal with. He’s not sure he’ll be back for a while.”

I narrowed my eyes on Shadow and he leaned in. “He needs some time,” he murmured. “Your death and Angel’s death didn’t sit well with him. He’ll be back when he sorts himself out.”

Reluctantly, I let it go because Reece needed to do what he needed to do. That was true of all of us. He was allowed to deal in his own way, but I would be getting the full story about him and Angel out of somebody very, very soon.

The food arrived then, and that allowed a sense of celebration to creep back into the atmosphere of the room. Drinks were brought out as well, and just like the first time I’d ever seen this group of friends together, Shadow and the other four enjoyed a dark amber liquid in crystal glasses. He offered me a sip of his, and I almost died at the first blast of liquid death in the glass before politely declining another taste.

The food was much better than the drinks, and when the table was literally groaning under all of the dishes, I started eating and didn’t stop.

“Everything tastes the same since your rebirth?” Angel asked, shaking her head at my skill level of shoveling food into my mouth.

I had to swallow before I could speak. “Yep, if anything, it all tastes better than ever. My senses are strong, but they regulate themselves, so I don’t have a freakout overload. It’s nice.”

“You know you probably don’t have to eat now, right?” Shadow said from my side, only shutting up when I tried to murder him with my eyes, mouth full as I slowly chewed and swallowed. “Never mind,” he added, lips twitching.

They’d pry food from my cold dead hands, and even then, I’d demand a last meal.

“I wonder how it will taste for me now?” Angel said, looking down at the food in front of her, which consisted of a creamy chicken pasta, with spices and dried tomato and lots of vegetables. In my opinion, it was one of the best dishes that had come out so far. Others might have disagreed, especially those around the table filled by a huge fish carcass, which smelled a tiny bit rotten. They clearly did not eat in the same food pyramid as I did, but that was cool. As long as they stayed downwind, no one needed to judge.

“Here we go,” Angel said, a pasta curl sitting on her utensil.

I found myself holding my breath, hoping that someday soon, she would need to eat in the same manner as myself. She popped it into her mouth and started to chew. Over and over, her brow furrowed, and I was about to hand her a napkin to spit it out when she swallowed.

No one spoke as we stared.

“It’s good,” she said suddenly. “It tasted good.”

She smiled broadly at me before near bouncing in her chair, acting nothing like my centuries-old friend. This new joy had come with her rebirth, and in a way, she felt younger and more vulnerable. No less badass, of course, but more emotional.

“Do you require food for energy now?” Shadow asked her as she ate another forkful of pasta.

“Both,” she told him, her eyes locked on the food. “I found I could meditate in Honor Meadows for energy, but an empty feeling persisted that’s only easing now as I eat.”

“Just like me,” I said happily. I’d never had admitted it to anyone, but I had been mildly concerned that food would no longer taste good to me after my own rebirth. Thankfully, I’d worried for nothing. “Twinning at its finest.”

Angel dropped the utensil into her bowl, turning to me with a sudden serious expression. “I’m honored to be your twin,” she said.

I blinked at her. “There’s some sort of context here I’m missing, isn’t there?”

“Twin souls, separated at birth,” Shadow said from beside me, still just sipping his lethal drink.

Turning back to Angel, I reached out and grasped her hand, squeezing it tightly. “Twin souls. I’m honored as well.”

This made her happy and even though I still really didn’t understand the significance, sometimes it was enough to just make them happy.

Happiness was all I wanted for Angel, and all the rest of our friends.

I tipped my head up to see Shadow, enjoying the way his eyes locked on mine, burning into me with their intensity. I remembered that moment on the lounge when his body had been buried deep inside mine, but more than that, it felt like his energy had filled me as well.

“Here’s to the beginning of our new life,” I said, clinking my respectable water with his glass of swill. “Thanks for kidnapping my ass. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. And you, of course, because… Shadowshine.”

He leaned over, and I felt his breath brush across my cheek, sending shivers down my skin. “You belong to me, Sunshine. Now and forever.”

As his lips met mine, all I could think was: Where’s the lie?