‘And once all of this is done, you and I are going to sit down and make some decisions,’ Lincoln went on.
‘About?’ I asked, nervously shovelling in another mouthful of pasta. I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Not that it was a problem but I’d built a life, albeit not a perfect one, around being a Rogue, and there was a part of me that was proud of that.
‘About a lot of things. For example, where we are going to live.’
I swallowed with a gulp. ‘I agree. Let’s just …’
‘Save the world first?’ he offered with a raised eyebrow.
‘Yeah. And then a city.’
When Lincoln left to thank the chef for our dinner, I headed to the infirmary. Despite all the world-ending problems we were facing, things were … good. Odd how that can happen, I suppose, but I was also sure that nothing would be right in my world if I let down Spence when he needed me most.
‘What did you do?’ I asked quietly as I held his hand. He stared at me from his bed, seeing nothing, and I was struck by his green eyes – how devoid they were of their usual mischievous spark. My hatred towards Sammael grew. ‘You should never have gone after him. I should never have left you to deal with my mess. I’m so sorry, Spence. Just hold on, wherever you are.’
I threw my arms around my frail friend who had become my brother and whispered in his ear. ‘I’ve got your back. Now, and always. I’ll bring you home.’
I forced a smile and tried to hold his eyes that had begun to wander aimlessly, seeming to focus in on things that I could not see. ‘We should go on vacation after all this, don’t you think?’ I forced a pathetic smile. ‘A beach. You can teach me to surf, and laugh when I’m tragic at it. Lincoln can cook and we can bring the whole gang. You can even bring Mia – yeah, I know all about that little secret,’ I teased, even though my voice quivered.
I stared at my hand holding his. ‘I really made a mess of things, Spence. And something tells me I owe you big time for helping Lincoln when I was gone. But here’s the crazy thing: I finally know who I am.’ I half laughed. ‘I’ve been searching for so long. Hiding for even longer.’ My eyes stung with unshed tears. ‘I’m human,’ I whispered, my words catching in my throat. ‘And I get it now. My flaw is my strength.’ I squeezed his hand. ‘I’ll fight for my family and friends to the end, Spence. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure no one else is hurt in the process.’
Lincoln found me as I left the infirmary and then led me to his – our – cabin.
After a shower – one that Lincoln insisted we share for the all-important reason of water conservation – I lay in his arms that night not knowing what tomorrow would bring but realising that, for the first time in my life, I was content and that no matter what lay ahead, we would face it together.
Mia and Chloe were watching over Spence and they would stay with him until this was all over. I would find a way to bring him back to them.
We drifted in and out of sleep for a few hours. I smiled whenever I woke to find Lincoln’s hands tracing every inch of my body and encouraging mine to do just the same to his. His eyes held mine, piercing green even in the dark, daring me to question everything we were to one another ever again. It was a dare I knew I would never take. Never wanted to.
Later, when I woke him with gentle kisses to his face and down to his chest, I laughed when he grabbed me in response, pulling my mouth up to his in order to explain – in his own toe-curling way – that gentle kisses were simply not going to cut it. I’d never felt so beautiful, or loved, or cherished or … flat-out wanted. Years of imagination had gone into these moments and they did not disappoint. Bottom line: it was hot. He was hot.
In the early hours of dawn, exhausted but sated and unwilling to miss a moment, I pulled Lincoln’s arm close and snuggled into the crook of it. ‘Promise me you haven’t made any secret side deals with Phoenix or anyone else that could take you away from me again?’
His fingers played on my arm, weaving some kind of pattern over and over, distracting me. ‘I promise. Now, promise me that you won’t cross over the realms again without me by your side.’
Although I’d already agreed about tomorrow night, I could sense that this was about an ongoing commitment. I swallowed, part worried that I was risking him, part relieved that he would be with me always. ‘I promise, Linc.’
I started to sit up but his hand snaked around my stomach and pulled me back to him. ‘You should try to get some more sleep,’ he said.
‘I can’t,’ I said. ‘Not until this is over.’
He sat up beside me, taking my hand in his and quickly kissing the back of it before suggesting, ‘Run?’
The man knows me.
I glanced out the small window. The sun was yet to appear on the horizon and rain fell lightly, but the wind had eased for now.
I beamed. ‘Coffee first.’