J. Tyler: Black Moon

“I’m going,” Malik said. “Be ready.”

He vanished and Kalen tugged on her arm, urging her toward the stairs. She opened her mouth, but he silenced her with a finger over her lips.

“We don’t have much time.”

“For what? You’re scaring me.”

“Shh.”

He led her to a large suite with an opulent bed taking up quite a bit of space. Then he closed the door, turned and took her into his arms. Kissed her with all the pent-up passion they hadn’t been able to express for a day or two. When he set her back from him, his face was filled with such love, it took her breath away.

“I love you, baby. Never, ever forget that. No matter what you see or hear before dawn, don’t forget I love you so.”

“What’s going on? I saw you losing your mind in that cell and—”

“I did lose it,” he said, his voice aching with regret. “In that cell, the evil consumed me and I longed to kill. But when Nick grabbed you . . . Yeah, I went nuts. You’re my mate and seeing his hand on you reminded me I’d do anything for you. For you, not for that sonofabitch.”

“Oh, Kalen.”

“I’m still fighting the compulsion, and God, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But you make it go away. The only time it’s really manageable, when I feel like I can win, is when you’re in my arms. When he brought you here, I had to make it believable that I’m completely on his side. I do love you. I’m sorry, baby.”

She held him tight and they stood together, breathing each other in. Holding on to this moment in time, because it might be all they had. “He’s going to attack. What are we going to do?”

He stroked her face tenderly. “ We aren’t doing anything. I’m sending you back to the compound because that’s where it’s safest. Then I’m joining the fight against that fucking Unseelie bastard who is not my father in any sense of the word.”

“But you just lowered the shields there! I don’t understand.”

“I didn’t lower them, sweetheart. I strengthened them.”

She sagged against him. “Oh, thank God. I thought . . .”

“I know.” He kissed the top of her head. “And I’m sorry all I’ve done tonight is scare you. This will be over soon. I promise.”

“I’ll kill you for it later. We need to get going before he decides to come back or something.”

“He won’t. Malik’s too focused on his mission. And we have time.” He edged her backward, toward the big bed. “Let me make love to you, baby.”

“Here? In his house?”

“It’s not his house. It’s an illusion. But we’re not, and neither is how we feel.”

“I know, but—”

“Loving you keeps him out of my head and my soul. Help me drive out the darkness for good. I need to show you how much I love you before . . . before I have to fight.”

That sounded far too much like goodbye. She wouldn’t accept that, but neither would she waste any precious moments with him. And if it would help him, she wouldn’t refuse. He undressed her with care, the regular way because he enjoyed it, then himself with magic. He pushed her onto the bed, followed her down.

Covering her, he pushed inside. Made slow, tender love to her, cradling her close. He whispered in her ear, “Never forget this. Never forget me, or how much I love you and our child. How much I want you both.”

“I won’t,” she told him. Tears streamed into her hair. It was a beautiful joining, despite the uncertainty that awaited them.

They reached their orgasm together with mutual cries and floated down. He held her as long as he could, then slipped out of her. Standing by the bed, he clothed himself again, then her, with a wave of his hand.

“I wish I could take you far away from here. Just run from the fight with you.”

“But you’re not made that way.”

His smile was heartbreaking as he took her hand. “No. And you wouldn’t love me if I were. Hold on. I’ll take you back.”

Before she could protest, the room disappeared. The same sense of flying shot a thrill through her, and it wasn’t as nauseating as before. In moments, her feet touched solid ground and she found they were standing outside Sariel’s room. Kalen knocked, and it took several seconds before the door opened and his brother stood gaping at them.

“Good gods!” The prince ushered them inside and glanced up and down the hallway before shutting and locking the door. He faced Kalen with worry. “Are you mad? If Nick finds you here, all hell is going to break loose. Again.”

“He won’t. I’m not staying long. I just brought Mackenzie back, and then I’m joining in the fight. On the Pack’s side.”

“That’s not what Nick believes.” Sariel eyed his brother.

“He’ll believe it when he’s faced with the proof. I can’t do any more than that to convince him.”

“You don’t have to do this.”

“Yes, I do. I told my mate and I’ll tell you—I don’t run from a fight.”

“You seem in control of yourself. Nothing like what I saw earlier.”

“It’s a lot harder than it looks,” Kalen said, his expression bleak. “Mackenzie grounds me, and it’s worse when people or circumstances interfere with our harmony.”

“She won’t be with you in this fight. How will she ground you then?”

“I’ll just have to keep her and the baby in my thoughts. And my real family—you and my Pack brothers. All I can give it is my best shot.”

“I’m joining you. I’m not standing by this time and allowing all of you to fight my battles.” He held up a hand to forestall Kalen’s argument. “I am Malik’s son as well, and this conflict started because of me.”

“No. It started because of Malik’s plot to create super-shifters. The Pack was already after him. They just didn’t know who they were chasing for a long time, and you being related to him and on his hit list was pure coincidence. You’re under their protection now and they don’t resent that one bit.”

“That’s true,” Mac put in. “Everyone adores you.”

Sariel’s face colored a bit. “Well, I think the world of everyone here and I’d hate to leave.”

Kalen’s expression hardened. “You won’t have to. We’re going to give that asshole a taste of what super-shifters really are—and he’s not going to be able to handle the reality check we hand him.”

“I think I’m going to enjoy having you for a brother,” Sariel told him with a smile.

“Same here.” Kalen glanced at Mac. “Give us a minute, baby?”

She nodded and the pair moved across the room, murmuring in hushed voices. Sariel seemed upset but eventually capitulated to whatever Kalen was speaking to him about. Apparently satisfied, Kalen pulled the prince into a brief embrace, then let him go. Kalen returned to Mac and gave her a hug as well, ending hers with another searing kiss.

“When this is over, we’re taking a vacation in Fiji. Just so you can start packing.”

She gave him a watery smile. “Sounds good to me.”

“I love you, baby.”

“Love you more,” she choked out. Before she could say anything else, he vanished. She gazed at the spot where he’d been. “What did he say to you?”

Sariel just sighed heavily.

“Tell me.”

“He asked me to take care of you and the baby if he doesn’t come home. But he will,” the prince said fiercely. “We have to believe that.”

She was trying. Really, really trying to keep the faith.

But it was getting harder with each passing second.

Nick was perched on the edge of the conference table, slurping as much coffee as he could to keep himself going, like many of his Pack.

They were all tense. Waiting. Jax and Zan were scouting the perimeter, using the cover of darkness to locate Malik and his Sluagh. A crack of lightning split the sky outside the window and thunder rolled again, the time in between shorter. Stronger. The storm was closer and moving in fast.