CHAPTER 20
Zarreth
I n all of my 600 years, I have never felt so complete. A lump forms in my throat as I swallow a few times, trying to push it down. The words, I have none. My voice escapes me, leaving me shaken to the core. “Thank you,” I say, the only thing I manage to get out.
I know Frankie will be sore after the euphoria fades, so I run her a bath, adding a few drops of lavender oil, and heating it with my magic so the water stays warm longer. After turning off the faucet, I make my way to her room, my heart still racing as I reflect on what just happened. I pause in the doorway, drinking in the sight of her sprawled across the bed, her curls tousled around her head like a halo. I catch sight of her neck and grin. I marked her good.
She glances up at me and smiles, biting her lip as her cheeks turn pink. My cock stirs, but I ignore it as I scoop her up and carry her to the bath. She lets out a soft sigh, sinking into the warm water as I set her in the tub. Kneeling beside her, I wash her tenderly, letting the warmth soothe her muscles. How is it possible to love someone this much?
The next morning, I find myself staring out the kitchen window, waiting for coffee to brew so it’s ready for Frankie when she wakes. Watching two deer grazing in the back yard, I decide to update Ronin and see what intel he got from the other night.
I stretch my wings as the phone rings, relishing the familiar weight at my back, as my muscles contract. I’m whole again.
“Good morning,” I say when he picks up.
There’s a brief pause. “Zarreth?” he asks, confused. “Why the hell do you sound like that?”
“Like what?” I ask, a stupid fucking grin crossing my face.
“I don’t know, happy? Wait, did you get laid? I was right, wasn’t I—she’s your mate?”
I rub the mark over my chest, making sure it’s still there; that I didn’t dream it. “She is!” I want to fly around, screaming it from the sky for everyone to hear.
Ronin whoops. “Hell yeah! Congrats, brother. How’d she take the news about Nate?”
My smile falls. Fuck, I still need to come clean. I should’ve told her, but the moment she said she loved me, obsession consumed me with an insatiable need to make her mine. I’ll tell her the moment she wakes up.
“She still doesn’t know about Nate. I need to…”
“What about Nate?” I freeze at the sound of Frankie’s voice, disconnecting the phone. Shit!
Her eyes burn into the back of my head as I turn around to her glaring at me, arms crossed over her chest. “ Melita , I meant to tell you before last night.”
“Tell me what? What do you know about my brother?” she demands.
I grab Frankie’s hand, pulling her to the couch. “Maybe you should sit down first.” Damn it. I’m not ready for this.
She sits on the edge of the cushion, knee bobbing up and down, waiting for what I have to say. I squat in front of her, my wings brushing the floor as I take her hands in mine.
There’s no easy way to say it, so I just say it. “He’s in the Dark Realm.”
I watch as my words sink in. I can almost feel the dread washing over her, panic flashing in her eyes. “What?”
“We were imprisoned together. Aradon has him.”
Her eyebrows knit together in confusion. “That’s impossible. You were here when Nate went missing.”
I rub my thumb over her knuckles, knowing what I have to say next will break her. “Time works differently there. One day in the Human Realm is equal to one week in the Dark Realm.”
Frankie pulls her hands away, her eyes pleading for my words to be a lie as she does the math. “No! Zarreth, no. Please tell me it’s not true. That means Nate has been there for months.”
“I’m so sorry, Melita , I never wanted you to find out like this,” I say, knowing my words won’t comfort her.
She releases a sorrowful wail, wrapping her arms around her waist before folding over her lap.
I sit next to her on the couch, pulling her into me, holding her as she cries. Her sobs slowly turn silent as she stands up, wiping her tears away before walking to a group of photos on the wall.
She points at a picture of Nate filleting a fish on the tailgate of a truck, while Frankie poses next to him making a peace sign with her fingers, sticking her tongue out.
She smiles sadly. “This is my favorite picture. It was taken two years ago when a group of us were camping in the mine pits not too far from here.” She turns to look at me. “That was the summer we moved into this house. It was the best time of my life. We were finally free to do whatever we wanted in a home where we felt safe.”
Her smile fades as determination washes over her face, her eyes glowing. “How soon can Ronin trace us there? How does that work, exactly?”
I look at her like she’s crazy. “You’re out of your mind if you think I’m letting you go to the Dark Realm.”
Frankie’s eyes widen in shock as she crosses her arms over her chest. If it were any other situation, I’d chuckle. Did she really think I’d let her go to the Dark Realm?
“Fuck you, Zarreth! Just because you’re my mate doesn’t mean I need to listen to you.”
My cock hardens at how tough she thinks she is, but I keep my expression neutral. I must be fucked up if seeing her mad turns me on.
“Nate knew what he was doing letting Aradon believe he was an only child. He knows you’re going through the change, so protecting you, he lied to Aradon. Don’t make his sacrifice be for nothing.”
She huffs. “You don’t get it, Zarreth. You have no idea what Nate and I have been through together. I owe him my life. I didn’t tell you what happened when Nate found me in the pantry that day. I almost died! I was starving and dehydrated. Nate nursed me back to health because my mom was gone, and the fuck head wouldn’t let me go to the hospital. After that, Nate turned into a punching bag every night, trying to stop my stepdad from crawling in my bed. I will not abandon him.”
My blood boils with rage the moment the words spill from her lips, but I manage to tamp down my anger for Frankie’s sake. I make a silent vow to kill that bastard someday, making him regret the day he met Frankie Hart. “I know exactly how you feel about protecting a loved one. That’s why you’re not going to the Dark Realm.”
Frankie balls her fists in frustration, gritting her teeth. “You can’t stop me. I’ll just go to Dante for help. He seemed to like me.”
I stalk toward her, a deep rumble stirring in my throat. “Don’t underestimate me, little one. I will burn the fucking world down for you if that’s what it takes to keep you safe. If you think I’m bluffing, fucking try it. You don’t know how far I’ll go.”
Her nostrils flare in anger. She starts speaking, then stops, taking in a deep breath. “Get out,” she says through clenched teeth.
I chuckle. “Or what, you’ll call the cops like last time? Or maybe your big prison boyfriend will come save you.”
“Maybe he will,” she says with a mocking tone. “He might care enough about me to help get my brother back, especially if I return the favor.”
She shrieks when I grab her wrist, twisting it behind her back. My fingers wrap around her small throat. “Talk that way about another male, fake or not, and see what happens. The spankings the other day were for pleasure. Imagine how it would feel as punishment.”
The scent of warm honey fills the air as I tighten my fingers, letting me know how aroused she is. “And I won’t let you come next time.”
She moans, but quickly schools her features when I release her, blinking away her desire, leaving anger in its place. Her expression hardens as the air shifts, making it clear I’m not forgiven. She opens her mouth to speak but quickly changes her mind.
“Get the fuck out,” she finally says, walking to the door and pulling it open. Biting her lip, she tries holding back her emotions, her eyes glisten with moisture as she wipes away the single tear rolling down her cheek.
Fuck, I hate seeing her cry, but if that’s what it takes to keep her safe, so be it. “Frankie…”
She stares straight ahead, avoiding eye contact. “Just go.”
I grab her wrist, bringing her close. She only fights me for a moment as I bring my lips to her forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then I turn and walk out the door.