Reclaimed (Shadow Beast Shifters, #2)(19)

The badass herself didn’t seem to know what to do with my compliments, her face crumpling briefly, before she recovered enough to school her features. So rarely did she lose composure, that I had clearly struck a chord with her.

Before anyone else could speak, Simone squealed, and all but dove forward, wrapping her arms around Angel. “Thank you for keeping Mera safe,” she choked out. “Thank you so much.”

I was watching closely, wondering how this was going to play out. Angel’s face showed another brief moment of shock, which morphed into something softer, and before my eyes, her icy demeanor thawed. “You’re more than welcome.” She patted Simone on the back. “I care a great deal about Mera, and… her friends are mine.”

She’d fallen into her formal talk and was clearly out of her element, but it felt like less tension lingered after that.

Simone pulled away, wiping at her eyes. “Same for me. If you’re in my girl’s corner, then I’ve got your back.”

Angel nodded. “We will meet again, and upon this day, we will eat and laugh.”

She didn’t mean that literally, since she didn’t need to eat and hadn’t enjoyed her single taste of food. But the sentiment itself was what mattered. We’d made grounds that could spell a true long-lasting friendship between the three of us.

Simone was amused and overwhelmed, rubbing at her face. “I look forward to that day, Lady Warrior.”

“We need to leave,” Shadow rumbled, clearly sick of this “girly” bullshit. I elbowed him. It was subtle, but Lucien saw. The vampire’s face went a little ashen, and he darted toward me with an arm out, like he was going to save me from the beast.

Shadow blocked his friend, wrapping his arm around me, spinning my ass toward the door. Peering around Shadow, I saw the way the vampire paused, his gaze flicking between the two of us. He wore a new expression, and even though he’d joked before about me being Shadow’s “woman,” he was clearly surprised by what had just happened.

When my gaze met his, I shook my head. There’s nothing to overthink here, dude.

He replied to my silent statement with something like… What the fuck have you done with Shadow?

A shrug. He needs me to complete his vengeance. End of story. Once he’s done, I’ll be kicked to the curb.

Lucien’s emerging grin was very smirk-like, and I kind of wanted to slap it off his face. He shouldn’t have been stirring this pot; the beast and I had enough issues.

Shadow, once again, stole my attention by nudging me toward the door. When we stood right before it, he leaned over and picked up a backpack that I hadn’t even seen sitting there. “Since I’m going to be minimizing my energy use, I packed you some essentials. For your frailties.”

Ignoring the urge to elbow him again, I shrugged the reasonably heavy bag on my back. Shadow had one as well, and I wondered what was in his, since there were no “frailties” he needed to stress over.

Angel opened the door in one quick movement, and I knew all of us were anticipating some sort of attack. Holding my breath, I tried not to panic about what would emerge.

“I can’t see anything,” Simone said softly from behind us. “Should we see something?”

Lucien whispered to her, too low for me to hear, and I didn’t bother to chastise him again. All of my focus was on the mysterious Shadow Realm.

Simone’s comment was accurate—all I could see were swirls of darkness. Probably because the pathway was waiting for directions from the first being to step through. A skill Shadow and Angel had, but not me. “It smells sweet,” I whispered. “Like… nectar.”

Shadow closed his eyes for a brief second, and it was only because I was—once again—staring at him that I saw his throat move roughly as he pulled himself together. “Home,” he breathed.

In my own fear about what we’d find in the realm, it had slipped my mind that Shadow would finally step back into his world. A world that had been blocked from him for near two thousand years. His home.

I couldn’t help but wonder if on the other side, he’d finally get everything he’d been wanting… or would it spell his downfall?

A surge of protectiveness rose within me.

My fear about what lay beyond paled in comparison to my worry about Shadow’s new path.

I was in way too deep, but it seemed there was no other way to be. Sink or swim, I was in for the long haul.





10





Simone pushed through for one more hug. “Promise me you’ll stay safe and return to me,” she said against my neck, her voice hoarse.

“I promise,” I replied, not knowing if I’d just lied to her again. I would do my absolute best, if that made a difference. “Stay close to Lucien and Midnight,” I told her as we parted. “They will keep you safe.”

Her eyes darted to the vampire, who was without his characteristic smirk for once. “Yeah, I think I can manage that,” she said softly.

I leaned in. “Not too close, you little hussy.”

She lifted her eyebrows at me but didn’t reply as she stepped back.

Midnight wrapped around me one more time, and I sucked up the comfort. Thank you for staying and protecting Simone. She’s my family.

Yeah, maybe I could rock the mental connection at a time like this.