Chapter 38
Shadow glanced at Nik as they made their way indoors, her heart bursting with happiness.
“Keep looking at me like that, agápi,” he murmured, dragging her close to him, “and we’ll end up back in our room.”
Like that threat would work. Laughter spilled free, her joy impossible to contain, her gaze skimming his gorgeous hair, his smiling face. “How is your hair so much longer, and your stubble isn’t?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because of the regeneration.” He shrugged, stroking his shadowed jaw. “The beard was, but Gaia said I shouldn’t scare you off, so she used her abilities and left me with the scruff. “Liam?” he asked, his fingers stroking her waist.
“He’s at university now. He’s boarding out, remember? Oh, man, he’s going to be so stunned when he sees you. I’ll ask him to come home this weekend.”
Seeming in no hurry for his reunion, her mate strolled with her down the winding, elegant corridors, stopping occasionally and kissing her, leaving her panting, until they finally reached the hallway to the kitchen. As they neared the door, voices grew louder, then Týr grumbled about what a dead night it had been.
Shadow opened the door and stepped into the open-plan kitchen and dining room. Everyone was seated at the table for their meal, and Hedori was busy in the kitchen as usual. Kira looked up, as did the warriors.
“Hey, you’re up—” Her eyes popped wide.
Silence fell as if the wind had whooshed right in, sweeping out every bit of noise, then it rushed right back like the tide. Chairs dragged, boots thudding across the marble floor.
Shadow hastily stepped back as Dagan hauled Nik into a rib-crushing squeeze and then slapped his back, followed by more of the same from Aethan, Blaéz, Týr, and Ely.
With all the hard hugs, thank god her mate truly was immortal.
“How?” they demanded in unison.
His gaze found hers, where she escaped the crush and now stood with the other girls near the open French doors, and she smiled.
A swirl of silver sparks shifted the air, and Michael appeared on the terrace. He stood there for a moment looking shellshocked, then strode over and hauled Nik into a one-arm hug.
“What… How are you back?” he asked.
“Gaia,” Nik said the one name that had them stilling. “It seemed we are truly tied to her, even our life force, by the very sword we use to kill supernatural evil…” He explained all that had happed from the moment of his so-called death.
“Then Seth?” Týr asked. “Is he…?”
Shadow had no idea who that was.
“It’s another Guardian who supposedly died a long time ago,” Kira whispered.
Nik shoved back his long hair. “I haven’t seen him. I was in some kind of healing cavern in a subterranean realm. Whatever’s happened to him, I don’t think he’s dead.”
As the warriors spoke, Kira slipped her arm around Shadow and hugged her. “I can’t believe he’s back. God, I’m so happy he is.”
“Me, too,” she whispered, her gaze fixed on Nik. “Though I feel as if I’m still caught in a dream.”
Ely hurried over and squeezed her tight. “I’m so happy, I could cry.”
Smiling, Shadow patted Ely’s arm. She grown closer to her in the passing months.
“You are,” Echo said with a shaky smile.
The other girls laughed, but tears gleamed in their eyes, too.
“I’m so happy for you and the baby,” Jenna said then, her gray eyes soft. She gave Shadow a gentle hug.
Heck, she went from being alone to having all their people as her family now.
Bob waddled out from Hedori’s quarters, brushing against Týr’s legs, ignoring Blaéz and Aethan, and giving Dagan a wide berth—because of the warrior’s need for blood? Then he weaved between Nik’s legs, surprising Shadow, before stalking off.
Nik arched a brow at the cat. The feline usually gave him a wide berth as well, considering what Nik could trap within himself.
Bob prowled out to the terrace and disappeared through the arched trellis and into the gloomy gardens.
Goosebumps raised the fine hair on her arms as a thick silence intruded on their happy reunion. She frowned. No insects chirped…no birds. Something was out of sync in the gray breaking morning.
Was Pithius still around?
Bob screeched.
Oh, no. Shadow rushed to the door.
“Bob,” she called softly. “Come here—”
A wave of power surrounded her, hauling her out onto the terrace.
Two males took form. The dark-haired one had a huge sword strapped to his back, his expression flat. “Female, you and the Guardian Nikkos have broken the Absolute Laws.”
Dammit.
“Shadow!” Nik yelled, flashing outside, blood thundering to his head.
One minute she was in the doorway, the next she was gone. Then he saw the bastards on the lawn outside the kitchen gripping his fragile mate by her arms.
Fucking law-keepers.
Shadow scowled and yanked free of their hold.
Fury raged through him like wildfire as he charged across. So many fucking assholes always between them, and never a moment’s peace. He pushed Shadow behind him.
“We’ve watched for your return, Guardian,” the dark-haired asshole said, like Nik should appreciate his patience. “You and the human female have broken the Absolute Laws.”
“The fuck we have,” he growled.
“Do you declare she isn’t human?” the blond one asked, tone cool.
Nik clenched his teeth. At her core, Shadow was human, and she was pregnant—
Heavens! These bastards would kill her without even a fake trial if they scanned her and found out she was with child. No mortal should be born with the powers of the gods or angels. And their young would be half mortal—shit.
“Did The Morrigan not rescind this damn, no-human-mates rule for us?” Blaéz demanded, appearing at his side.
“Indeed. But only for you. With your mate an immortal now, it no longer applies, anyway.”
“Fucking asses,” Týr growled from Nik’s other side. “You’ll have to get through us.”
“Maybe I should just kill them both,” Aethan muttered.
“It won’t work,” Nik growled. “Even if we killed these fuckers, more would crawl out of the gutter until they’ve carried out their damn brand of justice.”
“Nik.” A small hand touched his back. “Give me a minute to talk to them.”
His gaze shot to her. “These assholes don’t fucking talk or ever listen,” he bit out. The urge to kill them had power tingling in his hands.
“Nik.” She pushed between him and Týr. “Let me talk, just for a minute, please? You are all here and can guard me.”
His jaw hard, Nik glared at her.
Please, Nik, she telepathed him. It is something I must do, or they will always hunt us.
Hell, it went against everything in him to let her talk to these pig-headed assholes. Exhaling roughly, he gave a stilted nod, keeping a hand on her waist, ready to skewer them if they put a foot wrong.
Then Shadow took a step from him—dammit—and faced-off with the huge, dark-haired law-keeper.