Reborn (Shadow Beast Shifters Book 3)

It was later than expected when we finally made it back into the lair. If we weren’t literally going into battle in the next few hours, I had a feeling we’d have talked with our friends all night.

Was this what family and pack life were really like? If so, I’d seriously been missing out. Even before my father’s death, I’d never experienced anything like that, and that might be the first real truth I recalled from my childhood. It had always been cold.

“What are you thinking?” Shadow asked as we strolled toward his room after leaving Inky guarding the lair entrance.

“I had a lot of fun tonight,” I said honestly. “I’ve never sat around in a group like that. Usually, I avoided anything to do with gatherings because it was hazardous to my health.”

Shadow did not like it when I talked about my life in Torma, but I wasn’t one to bottle that shit up. I didn’t dwell, and I didn’t think of it a lot, but I also wasn’t about to pretend it had never happened. To me, that wasn’t healthy, and for my own mental health, I had to talk it out.

“I mean, I do remember the early years, before my father decided that I was a demon child who needed to be torn apart by the alpha, but even then, I was lonely.”

Shadow’s expression grew darker. “I know you told me about your father briefly,” he said, “but I’m going to need you to elaborate again. Now that I’m in my right mind.”

“You want to know why he attacked the alpha?”

Shadow nodded, and I experienced a warm burst of emotion inside—he cared enough to ask for more information. “Apparently, it started when I was five,” I started, before going on to detail everything I’d learned from the Lewisons, and my own theory that my Nexus side would escape when it was about loss or protecting loved ones and not about protecting myself.

Shadow listened intently, his hand on the doorframe of his room that had just appeared before us. “You’re definitely geared more to altruism than self-protection,” he agreed gruffly. “Hence why the abuse toward you never tapped into your Nexus side. You’re too strong of mind and body. You can handle anything thrown at you—fuck, you handled everything I threw at you, all the while tossing it right back in my face. But when your loved ones are hurt, that’s when you crumble.”

He knew me better than I realized. Shadow saw everything, and he was too smart not to piece together. “I’ve thought about this a lot, especially when I was trying to recall what triggered my first bout with fire power.”

“Did you remember?”

I swallowed roughly because I had recently remembered.

It was a painful memory for me, but I’d tell Shadow. “I’d blocked this out because at the time, it was so traumatic for my young mind,” I said softly, “but I’ve had to force myself to delve into the past recently, and with that, the memories returned.” I swallowed hard and he reached out and took my hand, but didn’t say a word, allowing me to speak in my own time.

“I had a pet rabbit from the age of three.” I sighed. “My parents apparently allowed me to roam free through the woods, and somehow, I found a brown bunny. No one in Torma had pets because Victor had an issue with wolves befriending food, but I was too young to understand how serious his rule was. I visited my bunny every day, and for two years he was my friend, until one time we played too close to the house and an enforcer caught sight of it.”

They’d killed him. Just an innocent animal who’d made a mistake in trusting me.

“It was my first taste of loss. I didn’t handle it well.” I swallowed roughly. “I still don’t handle it well. We can’t lose anyone else in this war… We just can’t.”

Shadow stared at me for this extended, heavy moment. The connection between us thrumming wildly, like a baby bird taking flight for the first time.

“I can’t promise that you won’t lose anyone,” Shadow said, leaning into me, his nose scenting along my cheek. “But I can promise that no matter what happens, you won’t face it alone. We’ll fight together and give it everything we have.”

His words were comforting and ominous at the same time, but I understood why it was a promise he couldn’t make. None of us knew what would happen when we faced Dannie. But at least we had one last night before our final battle.

Shadow and I entered his room, and I had to pinch myself at how couple-y we were tonight. He led me into the bathroom, where he ran the shower hard and hot, dragging me under fully clothed. He leaned over to kiss me, and I was already pushing myself up to meet him, my hands scrambling against his shirt so I could rip it from his body.

We were naked in seconds, and he was inside me in the next second, the heat of the water almost cool compared to the flames of our power. Every time we joined like this, there was a solidifying of our bond, and I was starting to understand how this mate bond truly worked.

Torin and I had the initial pull, but that would never have been enough. We were missing the fuel to fan the fire. Shadow and I were filled with fuel and spark and flames, and our fire grew stronger every day.

Moaning, I clawed at his shoulders as the orgasm hit me. The first of many, and by the time we finally got clean and crawled into bed, we were only going to get a few hours’ sleep.

Lucky, we were supernatural creatures because I wasn’t giving up the sex for sleep. No freaking way.

Far too early the next morning, I was dragged out of bed by a very naked Shadow. He deposited me in the wardrobe and told me to get dressed, and maybe it was my sleep-deprived state, but I honestly couldn’t hear a word he was saying around that hard cock he sported like a weapon.

“Mera,” he said again, his tone both biting and amused. “I need you to focus, Sunshine.”

I groaned, my tongue darting out to moisten my lips because it was really thirsty in here… No wait, hot. It was really hot in here.

“I thought we weren’t leaving until later today,” I mumbled, my eyes still staring his dick down.

“We need to practice the fortress of binding circle this morning,” he reminded my addled brain. “It’s the strongest prison that can be formed, but it requires a skill and coordination that can take months to perfect. We have hours.”

I nodded, and his dick nodded with me. Or… did he just straighten up? Because I was fairly certain that even Shadow’s dick didn’t have an ability to bob around independently from the beast himself.

“Sunshine, have you heard a damn word I’ve said?”

I finally managed to tear myself away from where I’d been cockmerised, blinking up into his golden eyes. “Yes, right. Circle of death. Got to practice. I mean, what exactly does one wear when creating a circle that might possibly destroy us all? Red?”

Shadow’s irises filled with flames, the gold swallowed in an instant. “Red works for me.”

I was just taking my first step toward him, all cylinders of my brain and vagina firing and ready to go, when his power held me immobile, stopping me in my naked tracks. He strolled toward me, and I managed to plaster a glare across my face.

“Sunshine,” he drawled. “We don’t have time for what your scent is begging me for, but since you tempt me like no other has or ever will, I can’t leave you naked and pleading.”

His hands skimmed along my sides, and when he sank to his knees before me, his magic lifted my body so my pussy was level with his face. The moment his mouth attached to my clit, his lips and tongue sliding over them in the most delicious dance a mouth could do, I cried out and managed to push through his power to thread my fingers through the short strands of his hair.

In general, it bothered me that there was always so much giving of pleasure and never time for me to give back, but I was starting to see that was Shadow’s way. And only an idiot would complain about his way.

The orgasm, which started as an early morning slow build, quickly turned into a steam train, slamming into me much faster than anticipated. I screamed, my body jerking as my head hit Shadow’s wall of power behind me. My mate didn’t ease up as I rode out the orgasm, and when the flicking caress of his tongue increased on my clit, and his fingers slid into my pussy, I screamed again, rocking against him faster and faster, like that would help deal with the sensation.

It didn’t help, or at least it didn’t prevent the next orgasm, and I was so fucking satisfied when he finally swallowed the last of my release. His tongue cleaned me more thoroughly than any shower ever could. My eyes closed as he released me, and I sank down to the floor completely wrecked.

“I’ll see you outside, mate,” he said, his gaze heated and possessive as he stared down at me before he turned and left.

Well, fuck.

On weak, wobbly legs, I managed to pull myself up and find an appropriate outfit for saving the world, which included a red tank, black jeans, black biker boots, and a thick, fur-lined black jacket. My shirt and hair were the only two pops of color in my somber ensemble, but that felt appropriate. I also shoved my parchment in my pocket after shooting off a quick message to Simone.

In the bathroom, I used the facilities, brushed my teeth and hair, and braided back the thick strands one more time. After leaving Shadow’s room, I reached through my bond to Midnight, hoping that by some miracle, my mist might be ready to talk. I got angry static in return, and no matter how I attempted to get through to Midnight, there was no give in its barriers.

I’d been trying so hard not to mourn over what had happened between us, hoping that it would work itself out in time, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was losing a part of myself I’d never get back. The ragged trails of our bond, which were all that remained between my mist and me now, were enough to almost destroy me.

I couldn’t let that happen yet, though. I had to focus on Dannie, and maybe, once we’d sorted out her shit, I’d have the time to figure out a plan to pull my mist from the library system. With that in mind, I hurried from the lair, making my way into the Library of Knowledge.

The others were already gathered in the largest open space near the center of the room. Angel was there, quietly waiting off to the side, her molded gold-and-black armor fitting every inch of her body to perfection. Her hair was braided as well, much neater than mine, her wings tucked behind her.

Reece was once again part of our group, but he was on the opposite side of the room to my best friend. His eyes were on Len and Alistair, who were bickering over the best way to position themselves for this to work, but I sensed that Reece was very aware of Angel and every move she made. His fury and deep-seated resentment toward her had gone nowhere, still seeping from the desert deity as he crossed his arms, one shoulder nudged into a nearby shelf.

Shadow distracted me with a scorching gaze as he took in my outfit. I shot him a sassy smile, but before I could torment him further, the group noticed my arrival.

“Mera’s here!” Len exclaimed. “Let’s get started. We’re wasting daylight hours when we could be hunting a Danamain.”

Galleli gave me a very respectful nod, similar to how he’d greeted Shadow. I returned the favor, hoping one day he’d respect me for more than just being Shadow’s mate. One day I’d prove myself and my worth to him.

“Okay, you’re all going to have to explain exactly what happens today,” I said, forcing myself to sound calm and determined. “Because I’ve never heard of a fortress of binding power, and I don’t want to be the weak link that will fuck it up.”

There was a beat of silence, like they couldn’t decide who was going to break the news to me. Shadow ended up being the one, since they were likely guessing I’d take it best from him.

They’d guessed wrong.

“We believe it’s best if you sat this out. Your power is too similar to Dannie’s, and she might be able to figure out how to counter it if it’s part of the fortress.”

The smile that appeared on my face was not a nice one. “You’re her actual son, Shadow, so maybe you should sit it out and I’ll take one for the team.”

If they came at me with a legitimate reason for why I’d be a negative influence on this cage they were creating, I’d listen and respond accordingly. But I just knew this was about Shadow trying to protect me.

I loved him for it, but that wouldn’t work in this sort of war. We didn’t have the manpower to leave anyone behind, especially when it was a woman. Womanpower was always the most important. Pretty sure there was a meme about that somewhere.

Shadow released a deep breath. “Okay, how about… you have no idea what you’re doing and you might get yourself or one of us killed.” This time, he was blunt and honest. “As I told you earlier, it would usually take months to perfect this sort of cage because it has to be completely secured on all angles. Even the smallest sliver of a gap between our energies and Dannie can burst through it. We’ve all studied and trained in this sort of shielding before. You have not. And your power isn’t even fully available to you as the two sides of your essence fight for dominance.”

I swallowed roughly. Dammit. There he went with that legitimate reason I’d been searching for. My wolf poked her head up as well, as if she wanted to remind me she was part of our dual nature causing this issue.

“Okay, I concede to your reasoning here,” I said stiffly. “When my involvement affects everyone else’s safety, I understand why it’s best I’m not part of it.”

I stepped away, moving out of the main space, allowing the others to fall into a natural circle, like they’d known all along where the strongest team would stand.

Angel ended up beside Reece, and I waited for someone to suggest they move apart because that was a total explosion waiting to happen. But no one did. Apparently, when the world was at stake, those two could act like the grown-up, ancient immortals they were.

The seven of them joined hands, and there was an instant ricochet of power that sent me back a few steps. I wasn’t the only one, books and goblins flying around me. Luckily, the demi-fey were tough, taking their impromptu flying lessons in stride, not missing a beat as they got back to their feet and started to gather up books and paper.

A deep vibrating ding echoed through the library, originating from the center of the circle of power that was starting to build between the seven. I found myself moving forward, drawn into their energy as they began building a visible and intertwining cage of power.

As more of the energy grew, golden lights twining into each other, I understood why Shadow had been so worried by this task. Each strand of power had to be painstakingly created and then woven, one at a time. Shadow was the first and when the full rotation of his golden cord was complete, it was Reece’s turn, followed by Angel, followed by Len, and then so forth. Over and over, in the same order, they wove their power into this complex blanket of energy, until there was a half-formed golden dome rising above their heads.

“Enough!” Shadow bellowed.

It cost him to speak through the fortress, his voice echoing around the entire library. The others in the circle relaxed, and then one by one, they withdrew their power. It seemed that when it was intertwined, the only way to pull it back was to untangle it in the same manner.

“That was actually a really good first try,” Gaster said, appearing at my side and near sending me out of my skin.

“It looked impressive,” I admitted, my eyes on the group. “I’m guessing if even one of them falters in concentration, though, it could fuck up the entire thing?”

He nodded. “Oh, yes. The strands look innocent enough contained like they are, but it’s similar to when electrical wires cross each other. It only takes one wrong connection for a surge of power that could kill all seven of them.”

I hadn’t been that nervous, but I was now.

Thankfully, they managed to untangle their power with no incidents, and after a quick discussion about ways to finesse what they’d done, they started it all over again.

I settled in to chew off my nails, all the while hoping no one would kill themselves before we got to the realm. Dannie would love it if we took ourselves out first.

Here’s hoping we didn’t make it that easy for her.