Chapter 122
Volik
Istare at my uncle.
His eyes are bloodshot.
Tears stain his cheeks.
And I think I remember… dying?
I think our hearts stopped again.
But unlike the other times, this time, my consciousness stopped with it.
But Uncle’s smile is wide. And I can feel my mate’s exhale on my neck. I can feel her back rising and falling under my hands.
We are alive, but my brain is not on track yet. “What did you say?”
Uncle wiggles his brows. “Horns.”
Maybe Uncle’s brain is not on track yet either.
I close my eyes.
Crazy old man.
He huffs. But I just squeeze my mate.
My Nixy.
My lips pull into a smile as I move my hands up and down her back.
She’s asleep—unconscious—but I can feel her strength. She just needs a moment to recover from the blast of magic she absorbed.
Our clothes are mostly dry from my heat. But I lift my hand to smooth over her hair, wanting it dry and combed when she wakes.
Something pokes my palm.
My hand stills.
I open my eyes. Stars look down at me.
Then my uncle’s face pops back into my view, his smile even wider. “Horns.”
Slowly, I lift my head from the grass.
And…
And holy shit.
My beautiful mate has horns.
Sticking up through her hair, in the same place as mine, same ridges along the base as mine, just smaller, to fit her size, is a pair of black horns.
“Holy shit.” I sit up.
“That’s what I’ve been saying!”
I ignore my uncle and readjust Nix so she is sitting across my lap.
Her eyes are closed, hiding their solid black color. Her mouth is closed, hiding her fangs.
But there is no mistaking the horns sticking out of her skull.
There is no mistaking what she is.
“Is… Is she…?” I cannot ask it. Whatever she is, she is mine.
“She is what you suspect.” My gaze lifts to the old druid’s.
“So she…”
“Her body belongs to the rules of vampires now. There is no human left.”
There is no human left.
I will never let harm come to her again.
It is my purpose from now until forever.
But…
I press a kiss to her forehead.
Rules of the vampires means she is as invincible as I am.
She will like that.
I hook an arm under her legs, but before I can stand, my gravito appears around us like smoke.
Uncle jerks away, and everyone else—including the old druid—takes a step back.
But as my gravito lifts us, I relax into its hold.
I am tired.
Exhausted.
I do not feel drained of power. My gravito carrying me up the hill to the castle is proof my power still exists. I am just drained of emotions.
The events of today… I never want to experience anything like that again.
We move slowly enough for my uncle to walk beside us. My aunt, Barth, and his family follow.
Surrounded by our familia, I lean my forehead down to Nix’s.
My horns knock against hers. And pleasure rockets through me.
Nix moans.
I pull my head back as my uncle snickers.
We will explore that later.
A tendril of my gravito reaches out and pulls the massive front door open, then carries us into the castle.
I expect it to take us upstairs, to the bedroom we shared on our last visit, but it turns us the other way, deeper into the great room.
We pass the massive dining table and move to the cluster of furniture.
Gently, carefully, it sets us down in the corner of one of the couches, Nix still on my lap.
“So…” Uncle rocks back on his heels. “Are we worried about your gravito being… sentient?”
I smirk as I lean back against the cushions. “I am not worried.”
He nods. “As long as you’re not worried.”
Barth waves his hands and starts a fire in the stone hearth.
My aunt sets out clean clothes for both of us. “Tell us when our Filia wakes.”
I nod, recognizing the sheen of relief in her eyes.
But I stay where I am.
Holding my beautiful mate.
Feeling her warmth.
Embracing her softness.
And I wait.