Page 211 of Tempest Rising
“Listen,Your Majesty, those years roll by faster than you think,” he shot back with a smirk.
Race sighed. Hell, these males were a pain in his ass.
“I’ll need to find someone to fill your shoes,” Michael said. “The north still needs its Guardian quota.”
Race smirked. “Lower your standards, Arc?—”
“You mean grumpy, silent, loner?” Michael snorted, drinking more of his Coke. “Tons of those in my orbit, unfortunately.”
“They have you there, my love.” Ash grinned at him.
The door burst open, and Darci peered in, her expression anxious. “Sorry to intrude?—”
Blaéz was instantly at her side, ushering her inside. “What is it,a leannan?”
She blew a loose curl from her face. “I was working in the library, and Jenna was reading when she shot up and said she was leaving. She’s going back upstate to her home.”
“She can’t leave,” Kira burst out. “She’s still a psi even with her powers bound. If the demons get hold of her… I’ll go speak to her—man, Hedori should be here. He’s her support.”
The females hurried out with her.
“Yeah, I know,” Darci’s soft voice floated back. “But she doesn’t see him in that way, unfortunately?—”
The door closed on their voices.
“Maybe Shae and Dagan should return,” Nik said. “Shae can be with her mother?—”
“And Ash and I will be at the abbey,” Race said.
“Fine.” Michael nodded, then glanced at Aethan. “No news from Hedori yet?”
“No.” Aethan set the cat on the floor, then drew Echo closer. “We can’t force him to return, Arc. He was here because he’d been ordered to do so. Now, he has served his time. His life’s hisown. I can go and check, if you want. I’ll use the portal at Sebris’s place near the Hudson. I’ll be back within the hour—our time.”
Michael shook his head. “I can’t take a chance with these changing portals, not while Echo’s with child and not ready to resume her duties if anything happens. I need everyone here.” He took another deep gulp of his soda and continued. “Things are stirringdown under. We have to be on alert. We’re still no closer to finding the one behind the damn trafficking ring in the Dark Realm.”
He glanced at Race. “You good to get back on patrol?”
Race exhaled, slowly rubbing Ash’s back.
I’ll be fine here,she mind-linked with him.
He nodded. “My mate needs time to heal. We’ll leave in a few days for the abbey. I’ll patrol here.”
“Good.”
Enough of duty. Enough of shadows. Right now, only Ash mattered.
“C’mon.” Race picked up their backpack from the couch and ushered Ash from the rec room. The door shut behind them. “You’re exhausted. Bed.”
“Really? It’s noon. You don’t actually expect me to lie down, do you?”
Race didn’t answer as he headed for the elevator. He jabbed the button. The doors slid open, then closed behind them after he ushered her inside. He dropped the pack and braced his palms against the wall beside her head, caging her in. “Did I say alone?”
She huffed. “You are insatiable.”
His gaze skimmed her smiling face, his chest expanding with the intensity of his feelings for her. “And you’re complaining because…?”
“Didn’t say I was.” She wrapped her good arm around his neck and pulled him into a kiss, and Race felt her contentment deep within his soul.
Yes, the nightmares would still haunt him, the darkness would whisper, but he’d found the one thing capable of silencing both.
Her warmth, her laughter, her light.
His heart-fire. His home.
The End…for now.
