Damn ass. Don’t force him, moró, he telepathed her, reeling in his irritation. It’s his choice.
Her soft mouth flattened. He’s so stubborn.
The male’s dark eyebrow lifted, and he gave Nik a tight-lipped, taunting smile. “What exactly are you?”
“Nik’s one of the Guardians of this realm,” Shadow answered.
“A Guardian, eh?” He cocked an eyebrow. “Good for you.”
But something intense flickered in his eyes and vanished as fast before Nik could decipher it, leaving a cold mask behind. Nate lurched from the bed, the bloodied towel sliding from his abs, revealing the circular burn on his chest amidst the tatt there, like someone had stamped him. No sounds of pain, but he had to be drowning in it because those wounds were demon inflicted. Nik ought to know.
Nate pressed the terry cloth back to the seeping lesion. “You need to leave.”
Her mouth tightened in frustration, then she squared her shoulders. “Very well. Just one more thing,” she said. “A demon gang leader is looking for you. He’s determined to kill my maker. I assume that’s you since you gave me this otherworldly blood that healed me and caused these nodes—that supposedly belong to him—to form. His name’s Tolvi.”
“You know this demon?” Nik demanded.
“No.” Nate’s brow creased, his narrowed stare fixing on Shadow. “What did the fucker do?”
“It doesn’t matter—”
“If you count him trying to gouge out one of her nodes,” Nik growled, “it sure fucking does matter.”
Nate’s jaw hardened, the only sign of his ire. “You have a life now, a mate. Go, and don’t come back here.”
“You’re still such an ass. I don’t know why I came—wait, I did because Aba asked me!” She stalked out.
Her footsteps receded down the stairs, and the old demon’s low voice drifted to Nik as he spoke to Shadow.
Nate exhaled roughly, swayed, and dropped back down on the bed. Towel forgotten, he glanced up, expression amused, but pain lines bracketed his mouth and darkened his direct stare. “Yeah, yeah, I get you want to rearrange my face. Can’t stop you, but I cannot do what you can. Keep her safe.”
Nik stilled. Most of what he’d told Shadow were all truths, and while Nik might hate that this male liked her, too—
Of course. In his own way, he was trying to keep Shadow protected. This garage, situated in this roughest part of town, was a hotbed for demon activity at nights. And Shadow wouldn’t care about all that, she’d want to stay and help, see him healed. Like she tried to help women and the kids get to The Shelter. She even took on that mobster, Enzo, regardless of her own safety. Because it’s who she is.
“That was no simple blood exchange causing those symbionts to form…” Nik stressed the word, voicing his sudden suspicion. “You put them in her. What were they?”
“Faery dust.” He smirked.
Couldn’t he fucking answer straight?
Nate hunched over as if he couldn’t hold himself up any longer. “She wasn’t healing no matter what I tried, what blood I used…and she would have died, until the…symbionts.”
“You still haven’t answered me,” Nik snapped. “Where did you get those symbionts?”
His flat stare lifted. “The Dark Realm, if that’s what you’re asking. Angels, demons, who the fuck knows? They don’t exactly label stolen things down there.” His expression grew shuttered. “Just be thankful she lives—I didn’t tell Shadow about them—she was having a hard enough time dealing with her change. But those symbionts were the only thing that brought her back to life, repairing the damages from inside out.” He exhaled slowly as if it hurt to breathe. “Yeah, they have a darkness to them—a side effect I suppose from her having gotten demon blood, too—and will now require energy to sustain themselves and her.”
“You mean demon souls?”
“Same thing.”
“If I take them out of her?”
“Then she dies. Those symbionts not only fixed her, they also bonded to her.”
Nik pivoted for the door, then stopped. Hell, this tight-lipped bastard had saved Shadow—saved his destined mate. If he hadn’t, Nik would have gone on for eternity alone, never knowing she existed. No matter how he felt, Shadow cared about the stubborn ass.
Nik glanced back. “You know what I am. You need help, let me know.”
Hollow laughter. “I don’t need anyone’s help.”
Yeah, he could relate. They’d all been stubborn asses. But no one could force a mule to accept assistance. His mind reeling at what he’d learned, Nik walked out.
No matter where the symbionts came from or what they were, he was just grateful his mate lived.
Nik found Shadow outside the workshop in the rain. Night had already descended. He slipped his arms around her and pressed his lips to her wet nape.
“He’s so darn stubborn,” she whispered. “I—we could have helped him.”
Nik had to plant his foot down not go back there and smack the shit outta the damn idiot.
“He must have his reasons. He only wants you safe, moró…” Damn it. He couldn’t keep this from her. “Shadow, he not only gave you demon blood but actual symbionts of no known origin because you were dying. If demons come to know you can give them momentary relief from the eternal darkness in their souls, they will always hunt you. He only wants you safe.”
“I know all that.” She faced him, swiping the rain from her face. “Okay, not about the symbionts themselves. I just wish he’d let us help him.”
“Let it go, Shadow. He made it clear what he wants. You have to respect that. Besides, I—” he broke off at the cacophony of gunning engines and human chatter in the area. Hell, their lives were a constant battle with evil. For once, he wanted to give her a little quiet time, something just for them.
Nik drew her into his arms, stepped back into the dark workshop, and dematerialized them. Moments later, he took form on the rain-drenched over-long grass of the old church ruins. Wan moonlight seeped from between the black clouds, underscoring the rustling rain, the looming pine trees slowly encroaching on the weeded grounds, and casting the crumbling, lichen-covered stone building in a silvery glow. This place had been his sanctuary through the centuries.
Nik scanned the area. All appeared quiet. Safe.
“Where are we?” she asked, studying the ruins.
“Near Cold Springs in the Hudson Valley.” He looked back and found her obsidian dagger taking form in her hand.
“Just in case.” She scrunched her nose at his smile. “Before you, I was always armed and prepared. Besides, I like it. It doesn’t make my skin itch like my iron dagger does.”
He frowned. Itch? Iron was usually detrimental once plunged in the hearts of demons, but the metal didn’t affect their skin in any way…only one species he knew off was affected by a simple touch—
“So,” Shadow said, distracting him from his suspicions as she sat on the dripping, moss-covered stone seat. “You used to come here?”
“Yeah, when I needed to get my head together.” He hunkered down in front of her, tucking back the damp strands sticking to her face. “I wanted this moment for us, a little time together.”