I snorted. This conversation was ridiculous. “Well, don’t despair, you two, I haven’t fought the Seventine yet. You might still have the chance to find out who would be the saddest upon my demise.”
Colton’s icy-blue eyes twinkled at me, and I couldn’t help but reach out with my one free arm and pull the big wolf-Walker and my pixie friend in for a hug. Of course, Brace was still wrapped around me, but none of them cared. Walkers were okay with dudes hugging, especially if there were two females in the midst. One big puppy hug.
Lucy was sniffling again. “You will beat the Seventine, Abbs. I’ve yet to see a single thing you can’t do, and you never give up.”
She wasn’t exactly right. I had given up a little with Que. It had taken more than a simple nudge to bring me back.
Lucy must have read that in my expression. “You don’t give up in your heart. Of course you’re going to have moments of doubt and fear. Gods know, we’re all effing tired, so you must be almost dead. But if you’d truly given up, it would have taken more than a hard word from me and Brace to jolt you back. You did that all on your own.”
“I love you, Luce.” I had to tell her right then. “I couldn’t have done this without you. None of it, from the first moment we stepped through Quarn’s portal into the royal forest.”
“Love you more.”
Brace finally released me; he still hadn’t said anything, but I sensed more than darkness in his mind now. When Que had me, when he was draining my life essence away, Brace had almost lost himself to that darkness. His animalistic side took over, and I think I was lucky that he returned to me so easily. There was some scary stuff going on in his head.
Luckily I’d survived, and it was this fact alone which returned some of his light. It was well established that for Walkers their mates were the light in their lives. Kept the darkness at bay, caged the predator. I was genuinely worried for the worlds if Brace lost me.
I opened my mouth to saying something reassuring to him, but before I could, he dropped his head and warm lips captured my own. The kiss was a little hard, brutal even – just enough heat to have me pressing myself closer to him. The desperation of this kiss said everything. I tasted his anger, fear and overwhelming love.
I love you so much that it scares the shit out of me. He was finally talking. I’m not sure I can ever go through that again, almost losing you …
He trailed off, and I knew that he was thinking about the Seventine. Heck, we both were. Que was child’s play compared to them. Our kiss deepened further and Brace’s emotions said everything else that his words hadn’t covered. I answered, hoping he’d sense my true regret at hurting him again. Even though I hadn’t been the one to touch Que, I’d put myself into the position which allowed the Walker to get his hands on me. So it was still my fault.
Finally we pulled away. I didn’t want to. In fact I could have quite happily kissed Brace for the next few hours – or days. But this stolen moment was all we had. Everyone around us was trying to give us a semblance of privacy, which was near impossible in this crowd.
With a sigh, I untangled myself and my eyes shifted across to where I’d left Que – yep, he was still in the same spot. No one had gone near him; no one even cared enough to check if he was dead. That’s what happens when you’re an asshole in life: no one gives a shit about you in death.
Brace wrapped his arms around me again, as if he couldn’t stop touching me. Reassuring himself I was alive. Lucy and Colton stepped in closer too. Not to mention Cerberus, who towered over us and rested his huge heads on both boys’ shoulders. Again we were like a puppy pack all huddling together in love and comfort.
A throat cleared behind us. “I hate to break up this bonding moment. Trust me, we’re all basking in the love-shine from your little pack, but I think we have a problem.” Fury had our attention now.
She stood there, dirty and sweaty. Her clothes were torn, white hair tangled all over the place.
Lucy had been right before: we were all tired and worn down. But no rest for the wicked, and it was now time to move on to the next disaster.
The Crais half held out a hand, and it took Brace a moment but he did finally let me go to her. My place right then was with the half-Walkers.
Fury’s hand was hot as I placed mine into it. Heat was her natural state, and when she used her element, her body temperature rose even hotter than Walkers’. I was just about to ask what our new problem was when a voice called out and halted us.
“Abby!”
I recognized the smooth tones, and as the beautiful male with his chocolate-colored skin dashed into view my heart started pitter-pattering harder. Whatever the Gai princeps was about to tell me could make or break us in this battle.
“Jedi.” I released Fury to cross the distance toward him. “What did you find out?”