“In the morning, I’ll send a garrison of troops to bring the princess here to be questioned on why she shot at you. In the meantime, you should rest,” Ryder offered gently. “I know you don’t like to be away from Orion, so let someone else handle this.”
Ristan tilted his head, rubbing his chin. “No, it needs to be me. I want to do this, Ryder. I can’t keep running in a circle and smothering my son. It will not bring his mother back, and it’s an endless loop that I’m perpetually remembering every single fucking day. Olivia’s gone, and if she were coming back, she’d have done so by now. Holding on to her is driving me crazy. I hate everyone for their happiness, and I don’t want that any more than I want to carry this loathing anger inside me. I fucked someone last week, and I made her bleed because my demon is becoming more dominant when I unleash the pain. He’s not been in control since Danu used me last, and even then, I made certain I was in too much pain to fully unleash him against her. He never made a peep in Olivia’s presence, and I thought she’d sated him, but I’m not so sure anymore. I think he was biding his time and healing inside me.”
“Why do you think that?” Ryder asked hesitantly as wings expanded from Ristan’s spine, dwarfing us in their shadow. Something slithered from his waist, slinking around to wiggle in front of us. “Bloody hell.”
“Yeah, the wings returned rather suddenly. After Alazander removed them, I was under the assumption that re-growing them was impossible, but I woke up two weeks ago in agonizing pain. I cut the skin that had sealed closed over them, and they released. I don’t know if it’s because this world is shifting or because my demon is awakening and his lust for chaos is coming back.”
“It isn’t a bad thing that they’ve returned, brother.” Ryder exhaled, returning his focus to Ristan.
One of Ryder’s hands was on my belly; the other was drawing the infinity symbol on my arm, teasingly. I felt something else slowly teasing my belly, which made me search out what it was. Dropping my attention to Ryder’s hand, I discovered the tip of a tail drifting over my belly. Concealing the shock, I found Ristan grinning before he moved it away.
“Might I suggest you use that aggression on the Summer Court’s newly crowned monarch? As the high king, I hold the authority to grant you permission.”
“I don’t think that’s—” I started, only to be cut off by Ristan.
“I very well intend to do just that. I bet she fucking screams for me when I unleash my demon on her silky skin. I will have to wait until after the solstice concludes since it will be Orion’s first, and I also want to help search for Kahleena.”
“We’re done searching for her. I think the bastard who took her intends to bring her here,” I stated, swallowing over the knot in my throat. “You’re going to want to sit down for this, Demon. It’s a long, horrible realization that both Erie and I have concluded to be probable.” I started at the beginning, telling them about what we’d assumed was occurring within the land before moving on to the predicament and probable fight coming straight for us. Then I filled Ryder in on what was happening with Alden and Zahruk.
“Is that all, or is there more?” Ryder asked harshly. His body had gone rigid behind me. I adjusted, slipping from his lap sitting beside him, fidgeting with the worry of him being disappointed with me. “How do you know that he means to bring her here? You’re not even certain of who this asshole is, but you assume he’s the one who took Kahleena?”
“I think it’s probable, yes. If Danu stole Faery from them, and they’re free of the prison, then we need to consider that they’re pissed off and want revenge. The timeline of events fits, and it is the only thing that actually makes sense. We’ve scoured the entire realm and not found one single sign of her or anyone who’s seen her, Ryder. She’s not in this world or any of the others we’ve been searching. Adam and Adrian are using the guild’s technology, scouring the cameras of every city, and nothing. They’ve discovered nothing. We’ve searched everywhere possible, and not found anybody or anything that links back to her.”
“I know,” Ryder admitted, scrubbing his hand down his face before exhaling. “Has Zahruk returned?”
“Not that I’m aware of. I’ve not seen or heard any news on Zahruk since you were here last.”
“So he’s still avoiding us,” he stated bluntly, which had Ristan snorting in agreement. “And did you say Alden feeds until death, and you’re positive he fed off an immortal?” he countered, watching me carefully.
“I am. If Erie and I are right and Faery is altering creatures to what it thinks is the perfect design, we’re about to be overflowing with issues. Alden might be a rare case, sure. He isn’t fae, and he’s definitely in transition and starving for emotions. He’s terrified and half-mad with hunger. I can’t reach the man he was because it’s as if he is no longer inside there anymore.”
“We’ll figure it out, Flower. We always do.” Ristan smiled tightly, but the look churning in his gaze told me he was trying really hard not to start pacing in worry.
“I know we will,” I stated, not certain we could solve it this time.
“You’ve dealt with all this alone?” Ryder tilted his hand, placing a hand on my leg.
“I didn’t want to distract you while you were gone. It’s a lot, and I’m glad you’re home so you can help deal with everything. You stabilize me, and you’re my strength when I feel weak, Ryder. I am afraid of what’s coming, and our daughter is out there, prisoner to beings that want us gone from this world. Faery is rejecting us, assuming we’re not enough to maintain the power it needs to sustain itself. I can’t do this without you.”
It felt like someone had removed a weight from my chest even though I still had more shit to unload on him, but that could wait until we’d slept and were in the right state of mind.
“Ristan, unless you plan to hear my wife plead for me to fuck her, get out. I promised her she’d welcome me properly, and she’s been through hell. So, you should go because I’m about to remind her why she’s mine, and everything that means.”
Ristan vanished without another word. Ryder stood, slowly hooking his thumbs under the waist of his pants, smiling seductively as he pushed them down to reveal his cock, which was already hard and ready to use.
“Be a good girl for me, Pet. Don’t make me wait too long before you beg me to fuck your needy, starving cunt. I need to feel you clenching around me, sucking me deeper into that deliciously hot pussy. I can already smell your need heating at your entrance, begging to be tasted. Now, get up and strip so I can see what belongs to me, Synthia.”
Chapter Five
Inside the apartment, the lights diminished to a soft glow. Ryder prowled closer, kneeling between my thighs, forcing them apart before grinning wolfishly. His dark head dropped, and his lips deliberately brushed over the inside of my thigh, leaving a fiery trail in their aftermath. My fingers dug into his mane of inky-colored hair, tightening into the silken strands.
A rumble of anticipation trembled from his mouth and spread over my skin, which he revered. Magic shimmered around me, and my appearance altered to how I looked before he’d planted his son into my womb. His golden orbs slid over my flat abdomen quickly before snapping back up to lock on my eyes.