Chapter 32
Chapter
Thirty-Two
Reality shifted abruptly, throwing us from ghostly non-physical to solid and corporeal.
The change was almost violent, too bright, too loud, like we were little gems in a kaleidoscope, and some kid had decided to pick us up and give us a good shake.
I held onto Donovan as if he were a part of me, and he, in turn, wrapped his strong arms around my body, holding me tight as we hurtled through the gateway.
Then, bodies slammed into us, burying us.
But this time, they were real.
Cecil reached me first, hurling himself over the circle of blue flames, and shoved his furry snout into my face. “Chosen! Oh, gods, Chosen, you did it!”
“Ouch.” One of his hooves smacked me in the crotch. “Goddamnit, Cecil!”
Violet vibrated her whole floor so hard my teeth rattled; she was so excited, so happy to see us. Nate jumped on next, then Eryk, their arms wrapped around us, squeezing, patting.
“Thank the heavens,” Eryk cried, tears splashing my bare skin. “You made it back.”
Cress wriggled her way into the pile, shoving all of them aside so she could get in between us. She kissed me on the mouth. “Chosen,” she cried. “You saved him. You saved my brother. I could kiss you.”
“You just did, Cress.”
“Then I shall kiss you again.”
Bronwyn cleared her throat. “Darling,” she said reproachfully. “You— Actually, you know what, go ahead. No tongue, though. We have to set boundaries.”
Donovan wrestled his sister off me and wrapped me in his arms again. “No boundaries,” he whispered in my ear. “No borders, no boundaries. Nothing will stand in our way ever again. You know, we have magical rites to complete, Chosen.”
“Well,” I said, grinning up at him. “You’ll have to let me check in at work, first, because I’m sure to be in all sorts of trouble since I missed a whole day at the office without telling anyone where I was. Then, I’ve got interviews to complete, paperwork to go through. And I should probably?—”
My next words were muffled, silenced by Donovan’s lips as he bent down and kissed me.
I fell into it, surrendering completely, lost in the bliss of his soft lips, his roving tongue, his cool breath in my mouth, his hands caressing my face, fingers entwined in my hair.
With his kiss, I could forget myself—who I was, who I was trying to be, and I could just… be.
I could be with him. It was all I needed.
And I could probably check my emails later.