She couldn’t speak. Desire was turning her feral.
“As much as I want you, when we give ourselves to each other, that’s forever.” He sat up and dropped his legs to the floor. The broad muscular expanse of his back was an invitation to touch. “It would change everything, and most of those changes would involve choices and sacrifices.” He went to the window and peered out. The track pants he wore fell softly around the taut, firm globes of his ass. “You couldn’t stay here. At least, not all the time. If you were mine, I’d want you with me, and I’m a possessive fucker. I could let you go for short periods, but the rest of the time, I’d need you there.” Raising one arm, he leaned on the window frame.
Amber streetlight highlighted the swells of muscle, while mysterious shadows pooled in the dips. He was like a still life study in muscle, bone, and sinew. She wanted to stamp the image on her brain.
Eddie should be listening to what he was saying, but need beat through her with every thump of her heart.
“With me,” he said. “There won’t be any divorce or changing our minds. I will never stop loving you and wanting you.”
And that was a bad thing, how?
“You’ve been raised human. You can’t have any concept of what forever means to a being like me.” His raised fist balled against the window frame. “When you’re with me, there’s no exit. And I will spend every moment of that forever making sure there is nowhere else you want to be.”
She had been raised human, but she wasn’t human. Any relationship she had with a human male would eventually end in heartbreak—hers. According to what she’d been told, as Nephilim, she would outlive any human partner, friend, or family member.
“And then there are children to consider.” He pressed his forehead to his raised arm. “I’m not sure we could ever reproduce. We know Nephilim are the product of a hell prince and a human, but as far as I know, there has never been a hell prince and Nephilim pairing.”
Eddie had never considered the possibility of them having children. Mainly because even as a youngster, she hadn’t seen herself having children. A partner for life, yes. Children, no. Not all women wanted to be mothers, and she’d never seen herself as one. “That’s not a problem for me.”
“Eddie.” He turned. His face was shadowed. “You’re too young to be making that decision.”
“By your standards, yes.” He wasn’t giving her any of the disbelieving condescension she’d always received from people when she told them she didn’t want children. “But in human terms, I’m old enough to know my own mind.” She sat up and indicated herself. “Raised human, remember. Human frame of reference.”
Shade stilled. “What if you change your mind?”
“What if I don’t?”
He growled. “I’m hanging on by a fucking thread here, Eddie. Be very sure of what you say next.”
“Everything you’ve said. All those impediments you’ve raised, those are good things.” Her hesitation dissipated like it had never existed. Her entire life she’d been cautious because life didn’t come with guarantees. She’d learned to always expect the worst. Then she’d discovered she was Nephilim, and that changed everything. And Shade changed everything. He loved her and was promising to do so for the rest of their immortal lives. Running away was Rosabella’s MO. “I need you.”
“Eddie.” He stared at her. “Be sure. Be very fucking sure.”
“I am.” A weight lifted off her chest, and she took what felt like the first decent breath she’d taken in months. Maybe even years. The only fear she’d harbored was fear itself. A lifetime of having what she wanted snatched away had taught her not to want. You couldn’t lose what you didn’t dare to reach for. “I know who and what you are. I am choosing this. Choosing you. Choosing us.”
Thud. The door rattled in its jam.
“Master.” Xerxes spoke in Shade and her mind. “Arm yourself.”
“What?” Shade went tense and alert.
“Demons,” Xerxes said. “Many of them.”
“Shade!” Sophia called. “Incoming! Get ready.”
Shade’s power washed through the room, and he was standing there in fighting leathers, swords in both hands, and wings out. “Get the children to the basement,” he said to her as he opened the door. “And summon Wrath.”
Hell princes weren’t the only ones with tricks, and Sophia had been teaching her. Eddie pulled her own fighting leathers and weapons from the ether. As she’d discovered, she had an affinity for knives and cross bows. She summoned Wrath down their bond and got an instant response. “He’s on his way.” She followed Shade into the hallway.
Whirling back to her, Shade snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “Later. You, me, and that outfit.”
“Count on it.” She pressed a kiss to his beautiful mouth. “Stay safe.”
“You too.”
Dee and Daniel rushed into the hallway.
“I’ve called for backup,” Daniel said.
“Let’s get the children to the hell gate.” Eddie took charge. “If it comes to that, you and Dee take them through.” She sent Shade a hard look. “Make sure it doesn’t come to that.”
He saluted her with a grin. “Yes, ma’am.”
Ethan grizzled as they woke him and bundled him up. Eddie grabbed snacks, drinks, and an iPad to keep the children entertained.
Pale and wide-eyed, Emma clung to Dee’s hand.
A guttural roar broke the silence.
Emma flinched but went silent like a child who knew only too well when not to make a sound.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Dee said as they descended one flight and then another. “We’ll keep you safe.”
Xerxes and Cronus stayed with them until they were safely in the room beside the hell gate. Then they went to join Shade.
The hell gate flared. Wrath and Haziel stepped through, both dressed in fighting leathers.
“Daughter.” Wrath took in her outfit and grinned. “Do you need me here?”
