Chapter 26 #2
“I’m right here,” she panted, sucking on his tempting lower lip. With a growl, he settled on her and took over, and she relished it as he kissed her deeply, his tongue sliding along hers, teasing, tasting—
Her mobile rang, and he pulled back.
“What horrid timing,” she groaned, throwing an arm over her eyes.
Race rolled off her, then reappeared with her phone in hand and drawled, “It’s Mummy.”
She laughed, hearing him say that in a lofty tone, then she sat up quickly, her eyes wide. “I have to tell them about us. When we’re gone and with the time difference, I don’t want them worrying.”
“Makes sense.”
Okay then, here goes. A deep breath, and she answered, “Mum?”
“Darling, I’ve been thinking, when you return home—”
“Mum, I have something to tell you.”
“You do?” There was a new quiet in her mother’s voice. “What is it, Ash?”
She kept it simple. Later, she’d explain. “While in the Himalayas…” She hesitated, scrunching her nose. “I, erm, met someone.”
Race sat on the bed, lifted an eyebrow and smirked, clearly waiting to hear how this fascinating tale would unfold. She rolled her eyes.
“So, he’s interested in climate change, as well, darling?”
“Er-hmm, no. He’s in…in, er, security. Oh, he’s wonderful, Mum. I cannot wait for you and Dad to meet him.”
“Of course, we’d be delighted to. Will you be inviting him to visit us, then? Does he live in England or…?”
“Tomorrow?” she mouthed to Race. He nodded.
“He lives in Romania. How about tomorrow?”
“But you’re in the Himalayas, darling. Won’t it be rather tight, dashing to get to your flights?”
Damn. Ash rubbed her temples. “I know, Mum. Trust me, we’ll be there. Anyhoo, got to go.”
“Anyhoo? Got to go?” her mother repeated.
His mouth twitched with barely contained laughter.
Ash shot him a glare, then said, “Blame him, Mum. Love you.”
Race’s mirth erupted into deep laughter once she ended her call. “You’re so bad at making up stories.”
“I was trying not to lie,” she grumbled. “I just brushed over the truth because you do live in Romania, and we did meet in the Himalayas.”
He grinned. “Can’t argue there. For me, it was the best save ever.”
“Save?” She arched her eyebrow. “From what? I only ran because I didn’t want to hurt those club-toting twits.”
He smirked as he crawled up the bed and over her, and she fell back laughing. He trailed his nose over the bare skin of her belly, licking her navel. “Now, where were we?”
Much, much later, they made their way down the narrow, softly lit side stairwell in the castle. Evening had fallen.
Race was dressed in his all-black patrolling gear, looking every inch the dangerous immortal he was.
She understood hunting demoniis was his job. Hell, she never realized those vile beings roamed Earth so freely, seeking human souls to steal to keep their dying bodies alive. Still, she couldn’t stop her uneasiness from taking hold.
“I’ve been doing this for millennia, I’ll be fine.” He cast her an indulgent smile, obviously picking up on her thoughts. “So, stop worrying.”
“I know.” Ash exhaled and slipped her arm around his waist. “I can’t believe this is your first time staying here, though I understand why.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Once this is over, we’ll make our home in Romania, or wherever Michael sees fit to drop me,” he said. “In the summer, we can spend time in my cave.”
“I can’t wait to see it…” she trailed off as something he’d said earlier teased her memory. “Race? Back at Talonhold House, you mentioned the Blood Singer foreseeing you’d come into raw powers. What did you mean?”
He paused on the dim stairwell, his brow furrowing. “My family comes from an ancient bloodline. We all inherited some power… The seer told my dam I would inherit the raw power of the gods one day.”
Her eyes widened. “Gods?”
“Aye. My ancestor was the dragon deity, Pyr’xian.”
Ash’s mouth fell open, then shut. “You—you’re part deity?”
“Much diluted, but yeah.” He leaned against the wall.
“Pyr’xian fell in love with a powerful, royal she-dragon and mated her—after she pinned him down with her claws.
” A ghost of a smile flickered on his tempting mouth.
“That’s how our line began. But only one male in each generation wears the Ember Crown.
The Blood Singer never named me specifically—just said I would become powerful. ”
He folded his arms over his chest, a haunted look crossing his features, his gaze distant, locked somewhere in his past. “It doesn’t make sense.
My brothers never cared about any of that—about ascending.
They knew I only ever wanted to fly with the Wing Squadron.
We three were a unit, always had each other’s backs, no matter what.
But when it came down to it…” His throat worked.
“They traded me for their lives, and they died anyway.”
At the raw hurt in his voice, Ash reached for him, wrapping her arms around his solid frame. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”
A deep sigh escaped him, his breath warm against her neck as he held her. “Not your fault. I just hate that I’ll never have closure until I get that bastard—”
“You need help, just give us a shout,” a deep voice rumbled from above them.
Ash jumped and tried to pull back, but Race’s arm tightened around her waist.
A few steps above them, the blue-haired warrior stood, also clad in black, and intimidating despite having his leather coat hooked over his shoulder. Nia waited at his side.
“Aethan.” Race nodded at the warrior.
“Hullo, Nia.” Ash smiled, then frowned. “Your hair? I’m sure it was longer earlier. Did you have it cut?”
The woman laughed, running her fingers through the short, choppy inky strands, the overlong bangs falling into her eyes.
Ash blinked. Wait, that wasn’t Nia. She didn’t have mismatched eyes, the color of molten gold, the other as silver as the bloody moon.
“So, you met my twin? I’m Echo. And you must be Ash. Aethan did mention that Race had met his match—I mean mate.”
Twins?
Race’s amusement flickered through their bond, and she bit her lip to prevent a snarky retort.
“Yeah, I am quite interesting,” he drawled as they headed down the stone steps. “Seems I’m the talk of castle-town these days.”
Echo laughed, and Ash couldn’t stop her own grin, either. She didn’t realize just how much she missed this droll side of him.
“Can’t blame them,” Aethan said, amusement threading his voice. “You never liked a roof over your head. Just glad Ash civilized you somewhat.”
Race snorted, the sound partway between a laugh and a growl.
“Listen, man.” Aethan’s tone turned serious. “I mean it, if you need help with this situation back in Lemuria, let us know.”
The humor faded from Race’s face, replaced by something unyielding. “I appreciate the offer. But this is one fight I have to handle on my own—”
“Not on your own.” Ash pressed closer to him, her fingers finding his and squeezing tight. “I will be there with you, and the Resistance, too. We’ll take down that bloody usurper once and for all—”
Power swept through the castle, causing the air to crackle, and Ash stiffened.
Aethan snorted. “The Arc’s back.”
“He means Michael,” Race muttered, but his grip on hers tightened fractionally. “Guess he brings news from Gaia.”
Ash swallowed, her stomach knotting. Whatever came next, they would face it together. But right now, explaining to her parents that she was ‘dating’ an immortal warrior who served Earth’s goddess—that, somehow, felt like the harder challenge.