Gabriela’s breath hitched, and she clutched her daughter closer.
The eyes looking down at them glowed a vibrant purple, a sharp contrast to the black sclera surrounding them. Mason’s features were sharp, sharper than they’d been when he looked human, and long, pointed ears stuck out of his dark hair. Even longer black horns protruded from his hair above his temples, curving toward the back of his skull. And his long, powerful fingers were tipped with black claws.
“Are you okay?” he asked, revealing his sharp fangs.
That was what she’d felt with her tongue when they’d kissed—not a canine, but a fang.
The air fled Gabriela’s lungs, coming out in a cloud, as she ran her eyes over him. “M-Mason?”
His expression tightened, and he glanced down at his hands, balling them into loose fists. “Ah, gur’osh brakhan.”
“Are you the devil?” Ana asked, sounding a bit out of breath but startlingly unconcerned.
“Am I—what?” Mason shook his head. “No. I’m… My real name is Broxen kor’Stygos.”
“What…are you?” Gabby asked quietly.
“The same male you’ve known, Gabriela.” His gaze roamed over her and Ana, and his frown deepened. He released a soft huff through his nostrils. “I’ll tell you everything later. When you’re both warm, safe, and indoors.”
Something flickered over his red skin; it was there only long enough for Gabby to glimpse some sort of hexagonal pattern, like a grid projected onto his flesh. Then it vanished, and he was…Mason again. No horns or fangs, no black-and-purple eyes, no claws, no red skin. All of it was gone as though it had never existed.
But now that’d she’d seen the real him, she couldn’t pretend those parts didn’t exist. She couldn’t pretend he was…human.
Mason—Broxen—sank into a crouch, holding out one hand to Gabriela and the other Ana.
Ana leapt out of Gabriela’s arms and threw herself at him. He caught her with one arm, holding her close as she clung to him. He looked back at Gabby.
Gabriela hesitated. Hurt flashed in his eyes, and though they were not his true eyes, the emotion was real.
“Everything I said is still true, Gabriela,” he said, his voice low and raw. “I would never hurt you or Ana.”
“I know,” she said.
And she did know it. He’d saved her daughter—twice. What…what did it matter that he looked like a demon? He’d offered them his home, clothed them, protected them, cared for them. Nothing had changed…nothing except that they now knew the truth.
Tears flooded Gabby’s eyes, and she reached out, placing her hand in his. “I know.”
The smile that settled on his lips was subtle, but it brimmed with relief. He closed his fingers around her hand with all the gentleness he’d always shown her and lifted her up to her feet. She immediately stepped into the shelter of his body and wrapped her arms around him and Ana, pressing her face to his chest. Broxen banded his arm around Gabriela, clutching her against him.
“Are you hurt?” she asked.
He rested his cheek atop her hair. “No.”
Ana tilted her head back. “Can we get the tree now? Before that cat comes back?”
Broxen chuckled. “Yes, we can get the tree. But I don’t think the beast will come back.”
“Good. I probably taste bad, anyway.”
Gabriela, still feeling as though her heart was in her throat after nearly seeing her daughter attacked by a mountain lion, couldn’t help but laugh at Ana’s lightheartedness.
Gabby definitely hadn’t fully processed the fact that her new boyfriend—her new mate—wasn’t human, but she knew, somehow, that everything was going to be okay.
Better than okay.
Fifteen
The ride home began with Ana asking Broxen a rapid string of questions, but after a firm shake of Gabby’s head, the girl quieted. He’d said he’d talk to Gabriela when they returned to the house, and she could tell by the look on his face that he was deep in thought as he drove. She already knew he wasn’t comfortable talking about himself or anything personal. It wasn’t such a stretch to imagine that this situation would be even harder for him to explain.
Without conversation to occupy her, Ana’s exhaustion caught up to her, and she nodded off and dozed the rest of the way home. But Gabriela couldn’t stop glancing in Broxen’s direction.
It was so strange using another name for him. For a year, she’d known him as Mason Lee. She’d thought he was human. Now all that had changed.
When they were nearly home, Gabriela reached into the backseat and gently shook Ana. The girl raised her head a little unsteadily, looking disoriented.
“We’re home, baby,” Gabriela said softly. “Time to wake up.”
“Okay,” Ana mumbled, rubbing one of her eyes.
Broxen turned into the driveway and shut off the truck. He handed the keys to Gabriela. “You two can head inside. I’ll get the tree.”
Ana opened her door. “I’m hungry.”
“I’ll make you some lunch in a bit,” Gabby said as she climbed out of the cab and closed the door. “Come on.”
When they reached the front door of the house, Gabriela unlocked it and pushed it open for Ana to enter ahead of her. She glanced back to see Broxen reach into the truck bed from the side and take hold of the tree.
“Do…you have a tree stand?” she asked.
He looked at her and tilted his head. “A tree stand?”
She nodded. “To stand the tree up with and keep it watered.”
His brow knitted, and he scowled down at the tree. “Oh. No. Didn’t know about that.”
Of course he wouldn’t have known. Just like he didn’t know what a permit was, or what a snowball fight was, or how to build a snowman.
“It’s okay,” she said, offering him a small smile. “I’ll find something.”
Gabriela stepped into the house.
Ana had plopped onto the couch. She sat limply, browsing through the content from the channels her YouTube subscriptions. Her coat, hat, boots, and gloves were all strewn about the floor.
Some things never change.
Gabriela picked up the articles of clothing and the boots, hanging the coats in the closet and placing the footwear on the floor below. She toed off her own boots and placed them beside her daughter’s.
Making her way to Ana, Gabby crouched down in front of her and placed a hand on her daughter’s knee.
“You okay, Ana?” Gabriela asked.
Ana smiled. “Yeah. I’m good. Just tired.”
“Yeah, I know. Too tired to hang up your coat and put away your boots, right?”
Her daughter grinned. “Yep.”
Gabby rolled her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she fixed Ana with a serious look. “Really though, mija. Are you okay? After the mountain lion, and…and…”
“After finding out Mason’s a demon? Yep, all good.”
“His name is Broxen, and he’s not a demon…” I think. Gabriela’s brow furrowed, and she frowned. “You’re taking all this really well.”
Ana shrugged. “He said he’d always look out for us, that he’d keep us safe.”