Rune
Nix drops onto the couch beside me. “So…”
I pull my attention away from the wildlife show. “Yes?”
“Vameer told you about the life force thing?”
My cheeks puff out with my exhale. “Yep.”
She lets out a chuckle. “I promise you, whatever your reaction was, mine was worse.”
I snort. “Did you cry uncontrollably?”
“Sure did,” Nix laughs.
I can’t stop my smile. “Well, that’s something.”
“It’s a lot to take in.” She shrugs. “Volik told me before I fully turned. So in the time between finding out and getting these puppies”—Nix points to her head—“I was a mess, worried—no, certain—that I would be the death of him.” She sags like she’s remembering the weight of it. “I was a mess.”
“Yeah… I imagine I would’ve been the same. But I also feel sick thinking about how I almost got us both killed.” I press my hands to my stomach. “Vameer claims that I saved our lives by stepping in front of that dagger. But I could’ve tried to stop it with my hand or something. Not my damn neck.”
Stress roils inside me all over again.
When he told me this morning how mates are connected by more than a heartbeat, how when one dies, they both die, I thought I was going to throw up.
And then the stricken look on his face over feeling like he was the one making me cry made me feel even worse.
“Totally get it.” Nix hums, and I know she understands.
We sit in silence for a moment, the TV playing quietly. I try to focus on the good part. The fact that we didn’t die. But I keep coming back to how close we came.
I close my eyes against the tightness in my throat.
I love him so much.
I want to spend years, decades, centuries together.
And I almost ended it all.
I purse my lips and try to take a calming breath. Vameer has been holding our heartbeat steady since he told me, but if I don’t control my stress soon, he’ll come looking for me.
And seeing his handsome face filled with worry will just make me lose it all over again.
“Uh, Rune?”
“Yeah?” I squeeze my eyes tighter.
“Fire.”
Her tone is even. Casual.
“Huh?” I open my eyes. And yelp.
My shirt is on fire.
My shirt is on fire.
I jump to my feet and pull my hands away from my body because they just set my shirt on fire.
I hold my glowing palms out in front of me and look at Nix. “Help.”
She busts out laughing.
“Nix!”
“Sorry!” She keeps laughing as she stands. “The look on your face…”
“Yeah, hilarious. Help me put this out!”
Unconcerned, she steps closer and slaps at my smoking shirt.
It goes out, but we both look at my hands. Which are still glowing and have a lot of heat rolling off them.
“Pool?” Nix shrugs.
I nod. “Good idea.”
“And maybe don’t touch anything on the way.”
I roll my eyes. “No shit.” Then I look down at my shirt. “We really need to find Haruto. I think I need some of that fireproof clothing too.”
Nix snorts. “No shit.”
Keeping my hands away from my body, I can’t help my smile as I follow Nix out of the house.
I like having a sister.