A sob pushed at my chest. Tore at my lungs. Ripped at my throat. She was gone. She was somewhere I couldn't follow. Somewhere I couldn't bring her back from. I coughed to cover the sob. It came out wet and brittle. Even to my own ears, I could hear the sorrow. No one else was going to be fooled. I buried my face in the curve of her neck and shoulder. Shook as the next wave of tears and grief swamped over me. I sank my hands into her long, cool strands of hair. Gripped her head tight. "Come back, Hollyn. Please come back," I whispered against her neck. Someone stumbled through the forest next to me. I cringed back. My grief was still too raw to allow others to see it. To show it to anyone else. "Hollyn." It was practically toneless. Nothing more than an exhalation of anguish. The person stopped as if I'd shouted at them. I laid still in the grass. Waited for them to walk by. I tried to cover as much of Hollyn's skin as possible. As if the moon were trying to caress her sk
I was barely holding myself back from ripping Stretch from her grandmother's arms. I knew I wasn't the only one hurting, but damn, did I need some one-on-one time with my girl. I'd almost put her in the fucking ground. Only Tag's stubbornness had led to this moment. That and his uncanny ability to walk around fully armed without alerting anyone. I was indebted to him for the rest of our natural-and supernatural-lives. Shame ate at me. Ripped through the joy of having our girl back. In our arms. Alive. The only thing I could keep thinking of was my demands to bury her. To put her body under the soil so it would no longer taunt me with the reminders. To have it removed from my sight. My heart. My memories. I'd known I wouldn't survive her loss. Much like with losing Charlie, I needed to put it behind me as quickly as possible. Shovel as much fake normalcy on top of the yawning cavern of grief and pain as possible so I could continue to put one foot in front of the other. I
I turned from the circle of my family. Looked out into the night. Funny thing about this new power of mine...I could see just as well in the dark as I could in the full brightness of day. It was as if Chaos' power had somehow flipped a light switch in my brain. Not only was I glowing, but my eyesight seemed to have its own night vision as well. Oh well. Just one more thing to get rid of after I killed Merlin. Drace and Finn walked over. A passel of children following in their wake. When Drace saw me, she squealed and ran over. I was up and twirled around in circles as she hooted with laughter and tears. "Corcra, I've never been so excited to see anyone in my entire life." She gave me an extra squeeze before she put me back on my feet. I stumbled a bit as my brain tried to right itself. I smiled. "Well, next time, just a hug will do. But I'm sorry you were frightened as well. Merlin is a twat waffle douche canoe who likes to play at being a god." Her mouth dropped open. A
They rushed me into the elevator. Then stood on the far side of the moving car. Their gazes made me hot as they shifted and snarled low in their throats. Grumpy reached for me at one point.Thane slapped his hand back. "Mine first."I smiled. "Do you think people are going to be in our living room?" I asked as I played with the hem of my shirt. I looked up at Thane through my lashes. "They better fucking not be." He swallowed hard. "Can one of you call Drace. Tell her to make sure it's empty?" I slid my shirt up just a little. Felt the cool air ghost over the skin of my belly. Tove had his phone out and up to his ear in a heartbeat. "Clear everyone out." He listened for a moment, never taking his eyes off me. "I don't care. Put them in a hotel. Yes, we'll pay for it. Just leave. Now." I lifted the shirt a bit more, slid my other hand down over the waistband of my pants. "Stairs. Take the elevator from a different floor." He hung up without taking his eyes off me.
"We share her. But I swear to the fucking stars, Tove, you get her mouth." I slammed the bottle of syrup on the kitchen island. I was this close to losing it. He laughed. "I'm good with whatever part she gives me, bro. But I'm pretty sure all of that is up to her." He flipped another pancake over on the griddle. "What's up to me?" She took a deep breath. "Pancakes?" Her eyelashes fluttered closed. "Sweet stars, you made me pancakes?" Her lavender eyes opened, zeroed in on me. Shifted to Tove. She clasped her hands together, pulled them to her chest. "I love you both so much." Just like that, the tension left my body. Oh, I was still going to fuck her into next week, but the frenzy was off. Nothing had changed for her. Not really. Even though it felt like I'd lived a lifetime without her, she was basically back to normal. She wasn't going to be hiding under the bed. Cowering back from us in the dark. If anything, she looked lighter. Brighter. More settled than I'd ever se
I glared at the light streaming in the windows. Did it have to be so bright? Couldn't it just keep blazing up into the sky? Why did it have to sit right there for what felt like hours on end?Tove snorted, jerked awake. "What?"I snickered as I rolled towards him on the giant bed. "Who you talking to, Batman?"He plopped over on his side, smiled at me. Most of his face was still buried in the pillow. "You, beautiful. How do you feel this morning?"I smiled. "Except for hating the sun for shining in my eyes, surprisingly good. I'm not sure I'll look at powdered sugar or honey the same way ever again, though." I pouted. He laughed, the sound joyous and happy. "Oh, I think it's become my favoritest ever."Grumpy laughed from my other side. "Mine is now powdered sugar and Hollyn's skin." I felt the bed dip slightly as he rolled up against my back. He planted a soft kiss on my shoulder. "Morning, Grumpy."He growled in my ear. "That it is, cheeks. That it is." He snaked hi
My smile was huge as I watched this group of people give my girl the love and acceptance she should have received as a child. For this alone, I would be grateful to them. Even had we not had an alliance, I would have come to their aid had they needed it. Once the laughter died down, Hols took her seat at her grams' feet once again. She curled her knees up, wrapped her arms around them, and settled her chin on her arms. "I just wish there was something someone could tell me about any weaknesses Merlin might have. I'm not really looking forward to going into another fight with him with just my moxie."My heart froze and my soul jolted. There was no way we could let her go into this final battle all by herself. I wouldn't stand the waiting or the loss. If she didn't win, I was going to follow her into whatever came after this stupid life. Ari and Hollyn both startled. "Someone's coming," Hols said. The room went into battle mode in a moment. Everyone had weapons or some kind
The small group of men who had volunteered for the privilege of power influx were finally done. Now it was my men's turn. My heart was so full with their sacrifice. Their willingness to put others before themselves. I'd asked Thane when I first met him if he was a good guy. He'd answered he liked to think of himself as one. Every day, they proved that they were. I was the luckiest woman in the whole fricking universe.Grumpy stood before Chaos and Aether. Thane had just finished receiving his portion. Apparently, birth order was a common way of calling dibs. Poor Tove. "Will I lose my hybrid form if I get any power?" he asked. Chaos and Aether looked at each other for a moment. "I have no idea what you're talking about, child," Aether said. Grumpy nodded. He stepped back a bit and brought his dragon form out. "My hybrid form. Ari said it had something to do with the fact that I sucked Hollyn's blood when we thought we were going to lose her."Chaos' eyes widened as he took
Eleven Months Later"Give me my babies, Grumpy. I carried them. I get to hold them." I held out my arms. My tired and noodley arms. I didn't care if I could barely hold them up. I was going to snuggle with my three girls until we all fell asleep anyways. He slid the one wrapped in purple into my arms. "So bossy, cheeks." He kissed my sweaty brow. "I love it. But I'm still the boss." My daughter's blonde hair and dark purple eyes were a startling combination. Her dusky skin made her even more exotic looking. I blew a raspberry at him. "That's what you think. We've got you outnumbered now."Tove carried over the little girl snuggled in pink. "Yes, you do. We're all going to be wrapped around your fingers. Hell, I already am and I have no problem admitting it." With her citrine eyes and black hair, she was just as pretty as her sister. Thane smiled. He laid the little bundle of yellow on my chest. "I'm right there with you. They're perfect, Stretch. Just like you." Little Miss Sun
One month laterI looked at the little computer screen. Squinted. When that didn't help, I rubbed my eyes. Blinked. Looked at the screen again. "Are you sure?" I asked. The nice dragon smiled at me. "Very sure, my lady."I grimaced at the name. But no matter how many times I told people not to call me that, they continued to do so anyways. I shook my head. "I still don't believe you.""Cheeks, you're pregnant. You can't tell me all the crazy mood swings and eating us out of house and home has been lost on you," Grumpy snapped at me. His face was basically plastered to the little screen. I glared at the back of his head. "If that's so, maybe I should go live with Drace and Finn. They won't bitch at me."He turned with a snarl. "Try it and see what happens."The dragon healer chuckled, the sound a little uncomfortable. "Perhaps we could all calm down. New mothers, especially dragon carriers, need to be calm and happy." I raised my eyebrows in victory at Grumpy. "Yeah. No m
"Where is she? Where's my granddaughter? Hollyn, he was lying. He was lying, baby!" Ari raced up. Tears and fear soaked her voice. "I would never do that. Not ever. You're mine. Just as your mother was mine. I don't trade one for the other. I'd never do that." I looked up at Tove, his blue green eyes smiling down at me. "Think I should talk to her?"He nodded. "You know you want to. I can tell." He gave me a cheeky wink. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Watch it, mister."He smacked his lips to mine. "You just smashed Merlin into light particles. I'm pretty sure you can handle a discussion with your Grams."I smiled hugely. I had smashed Merlin into light particles. His bitchass was no more. My eyes widened. "Shit!" I pushed Tove off me. "We've got to get out of here. Merlin's gone. The Valley could collapse at any second."Ari crushed me into her body. "He was lying. He was lying. I swear to you he was lying." She kept saying the same thing over and over again, her eyes wi
I still rushed forward. I would do whatever was necessary to help her win this. To get her back. To bring her home. Literally blind, I plowed into someone. She gave a hoarse oomph as we smashed to the ground and rolled. "Batman," she whispered. Then she settled her lips on mine. Two more heavy bodies crushed down on us. She inhaled sharply. "Can't...breathe."With a grunt, I forced myself to my hands and knees. Made a cage of protection over her. My brothers rolled off to the sides. "Sorry!" Tag said as he popped back up."Damnit, Tag," Thane snarled. "You good, sweet girl?" I whispered. She nodded. "As long as you're all here, I'm better than good."Soon, she was in our arms in another Hollyn burrito.
I saw his smug stupid face as he smiled up at me.He raised a hand. The energy crackled like pale pink lightning in his palm. His lips moved. The stores of my magic that had been topped off with Chaos' boost bubbled and writhed as I filled them with starshine. There were no longer any stars in my bright Autumn sky. None. Save for one. The sun. Using a thread of Chaos' magic, I linked up to the shining orb that rested high above our globe's heavens. The power shivered and danced through me. An unbreakable link that let me see far beyond what my eyes were capable of. The hint of pink shot from Merlin's hand, straight at me. I steadied myself. Prayed that my magic would hold me true. That I wasn't going to be the reason everyone in my life, in this fucking Valley, died. Just as the spinning, crackling sphere of pure energy neared me, it burst into a rainbow of motes. I hurtled towards the earth and an idea began to form. I had no idea if it would work, but I was out
He dies. Right now. I was torn between screaming in victory and yelling at my girl until I ruined my voice forever. Either way, I was out of time. As we raced up the final small hill, I saw her dart down from her spot in the sky. We thrust through the line of Wardens as she angled herself like an arrow at the man who had caused all of this. "You shouldn't have told me my men were dead." Her voice was in my head, but I could also hear it as if she'd whispered it to me. Shit. I poured on the speed.
I gritted my teeth. Tried to convince myself it was a lie. He wrapped a hand in my hair, yanked my head back. With his free hand, he displayed another screen of some kind. "Watch, pet. Watch with me as you realize your doom." A picture wobbled and then steadied in front of me."My daughter, Hollyn's mother, crying out for me," Ari said as she turned to look at someone.Grumpy. She was with Grumpy. They were both wearing the clothes we'd arrived in. The backdrop of the picture showed the hollowed out remains of the Village. Body and pieces of creatures dotted the ground."She's gone. You said yourself that she was gone. Cheeks told us." Grumpy squeezed her arm. Ari's gaze darted over his shoulder, back to his face. Her blue eyes were wide, scared. She shook her head. "You don't understand.""NO!" I screamed and thrashed against his hold. My heart stuttered in my chest. "No!" She was just like everyone else. Only using me for my power. For what I could give her. She wanted
I sliced through the last zombie that stood in front of me. Wiped a hand over my brow. I hadn't thought there were that many people in here the last time. But I guess if Merlin could raise one, he could raise all the dead people here. Time wouldn't really be a factor. Ari yanked her sword back, spit on the corpse that still twitched at her feet. "And stop touching my shoes!" She hacked off the creature's hand. I snorted, causing her to look up at me. A blush rose over her cheeks. "Sorry. That wasn't very goddess-like."I shrugged it away. "Honestly, I liked it better than the goddessy parts you usually show. A bit more real."She smiled as she looked around the Village. Dead bodies littered the ground like trash in an abandoned alley. "Where is everyone else?" She looked at me. I pointed to the right. "Apparently there were a lot coming in from the standing stones. I'm guessing these were the old Villagers?" I shrugged. Oh well. They'd deserved to die for treating my Sweet
I bent my knees to keep my balance as I soared on Drace's back. I hadn't really been thinking about anything but destroying Merlin when I launched myself towards the sky. Luckily, my bestie had my back. Although...I think I might have been able to fly for a little bit there. I focused as huge, gleaming balls of pure energy were launched into the sky. He's throwing magical grenades, I announced to the dragons. Hold on, Mistress, Drace said. She started dipping and dodging, weaving and winding in the sky as she tried to miss being hit with the missiles of unadulterated power. I lost my balance and landed on my ass between her spikes. Luckily, they felt like feathers instead of the sharp knives of Thane's scales the first time I'd hit those. I clenched my hand around the one directly in front of me as I held on for dear life. I'm going to swoop down and let you off. You're nothing up here but an easy target, corcra. Just make sure you stay alive down there until I can come and