When we pulled apart, I had to ask him, “Would you really have ended this world? I mean, I’m sure you’re aware, but if you had succeeded, you would have not just taken out Dannie, but also our pack and… yourself.”

He shrugged. “The others might have survived, but anything born in the realm… yeah, it was end game for us. Dannie was just a bonus, but the real truth is that I go where you go, Sunshine. Right or wrong, you and I exist together… or we don’t exist at all.”

Fuck, Shadow spoke love without saying the words better than any being I knew.

This time, I kissed him, using my power to lift me so I could wrap my arms and legs around his body, our naked skin sliding together as I pulled his head toward mine. As the kiss deepened, our energy mingled, and for a second, I felt him in my mind.

For a second, we were one.

It was only then that I understood the big deal they made about kissing here in the Shadow Realm. Having just touched Shadow’s soul, I wasn’t sure I’d ever think about kissing and its connective forces the same way again.

Rocking against him, I was hit with frustration that there was no time to seal this new soul-bond with some good old-fashioned sexing. We were already naked, and it would have been so easy to slide onto his impressively hard cock, but today we were rocking PG-13 since we still had a world to save.

“Come on, Sunshine.” Shadow growled, clearly having the same thought. “The others are waiting for us.”

He moved back far enough to magic up a pile of clothing in his hands before he all but threw them at me, his energy dressing my body faster than I could have done myself. Comfy sweats and sneakers covered my sensitive skin, and I still had to marvel at his skill in choosing just the right outfit for me. Even if I figured out how to create my own clothing one day, I was fairly certain Shadow would still be better at it than I was.

“Tell me about Dannie,” I said, watching as Shadow dressed himself as well in the same manner. “Did the cage work?”

His fire flared again at the mention of his mother, and clearly, he was not ready to talk about what had happened yet. “Your energy sealed the fortress,” he finally rumbled. “It drained you until you shattered like ash in my arms.”

Fuck. Seriously, fuck.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know,” I said, wrapping my arms around him again. “I promise I would never have touched it knowing that I’d hurt you like that. I wanted to stop Dannie too, but it was a stupid risk.”

He let out a curse. “In hindsight, it was the best choice to make. She remains caged, and I believe it’s slowly draining her. But if you ever take a risk like that again, I will punish you so thoroughly, you won’t be able to sit for a week.”

My lips twitched, and I managed not to encourage this line of thinking. Not today.

“Draining her is good,” I told him. “So now we just wait until she feels weak enough, and we release the cage, hold her down, and tear the stone from her?”

He nodded. “Yes, we’ll have no choice but to free her long enough for one of us to rip her to pieces. And in regard to that, there’s one problem only you can help us with.”

Before I could open my mouth to ask what the hell he was talking about, a flash of amber over his shoulder caught my eyes.

“Angel,” I breathed.

My rebirth had allowed some of my shifter frailties to fall away, and with that came a new, clearer vision when I looked at beings like Shadow and Angel. They were so much brighter and more brilliant to me now. The shine of their power and strength filled my eyes and my heart to the point where it felt a touch overwhelming.

“I have to go to her,” I whispered to Shadow, seeing the shattered desperate face of my best friend as she flew toward us.

“I’m only sharing because she was as broken as I was,” Shadow warned me. “And only for a few minutes.”

I leaned in and pressed my lips to the right corner of his mouth. “Thank you, mate.”

As I went to pull away, he tightened his hold on my waist, and when I lifted my gaze, expecting another possessive warning, I instead got a slow, sexy smile. “I love you, Mera Callahan,” he said without hesitation, that smile softening as he gave me another piece of himself.

“I love you too,” I choked out. “For what it’s worth, considering how you feel about that overused word.”

Now he chuckled, finally releasing me. “I’ve decided that it’s not the word, Sunshine, it’s the depth of emotion behind it. When we use the word ‘love,’ it becomes ours. We will claim it.”

I had to laugh. “Arrogant Beast.”

He wasn’t wrong, though. Love was ours to claim.

51

Angel held me with the same force Shadow had. The same desperation. The same sense that neither of them had expected to see me again. “I’m so sorry,” I said over and over. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

She wasn’t talking. She was just clutching me, her head buried near my neck as the simmering strength of her energy rocked into me. Our powers didn’t merge like Shadow’s and mine, but the bond between us was stronger than ever, energies frolicking like old friends.

After some time, she pulled away, her eyes haunted. “I can’t do it again,” she said, her voice barely heard. “I can’t lose another member of my family.”

I swallowed roughly, holding on to her biceps. “Well, I have some excellent news for you.” I looked at Shadow, who was just behind me. “For you both. I can’t really die. It appears those born of the Nexus can be reborn of it if they choose.”

Angel choked out a sob. “What if next time your soul is tired and decides that it’s time to truly rest?”

Shadow’s rumbles filled the air. “There’ll be no next time,” he snapped. “No more chances. We end this once and for all. Today.”

Angel stopped him with a shake of her head, her spectacular amber wings wrapping around her protectively. My own wings moved into a similar position without any real thought from me. “It might not be today,” she said. “We have to recharge our power, and there’s no better time than while the fortress is draining her.”

“Wait!” I said, whipping around to Shadow. “You said before that there was an issue with releasing the cage and removing the stone? What issue?”