Page 134 of Craving Carla

Jacob points at Moria. “Bad girl. Stop scaring my mate.”

Angie starts beating Jacob’s back. “Don’t take her fucking side! These monsters need to be put in a cage.”

I groan, “Moria...”

Amari’s voice takes on a commanding tone. “Moria, get down and go home.”

To everyone’s surprise, Moria listens immediately without any argument. Damon, Kade, Anora, and Selene stare in awe, then look at Amari with newfound respect.

“That is enough for tonight,” Amari announces. “I’m taking her home. Let’s reconnect in a couple of days to go over what Carla’s learned in limbo.”

Anora nods but narrows her eyes at me for a moment before teleporting away. Kade, Damon, and Selene just stare at each other while Angie continues fussing in the background.

“Wintermoon is getting fucking weird,” Kade says, shaking her head. “Real weird, and that’s saying a lot for a supernatural community.”

Damon just grins at her, and I close my eyes, letting Amari’s strength support me as the reality of my situation sinks in.

Queen of Limbo. Guardian of the realms.

Tabatha’s words stay with me: Stop begging to sit with people who are beneath you. You have a throne. They do not.

45

Amari

Six hours.

Carla has been trapped in that magical web for six hours, and now she’s been sleeping for hours more. The combination is enough to drive me insane. I’ve been watching her breathe, counting each rise and fall of her chest, terrified that if I look away, she might disappear again.

She fell asleep in the SUV on the way back to the cabin. I carried her inside, changed her into a nightgown, and stripped down to my tank top and boxer briefs before crawling into bed beside her. I haven’t moved since, just watching over her, my eyes tracing the curve of her cheek, the softness of her lips, the curls that frame her face.

Movement on the wall catches my attention. Moria and Kemnebi suddenly appear in the bedroom, their legs making the faintest tapping sound against the wall. I sit up, my eyes locking onto them.

“I know you went into limbo with Carla,” I say quietly, careful not to wake her. “What happened?”

They remain still, offering no response. No images, no communication of any kind.

“What is it?” I press, frustration leaking into my voice. “I’m not allowed to know? She is my fated mate.”

Still nothing. Kemnebi shifts slightly, his eight eyes fixed on the window, but offers no explanation. I turn away from them with a sigh, returning my attention to Carla. My fingers gently stroke her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my touch.

“Wake up, baby, please?” I whisper, leaning in to press soft kisses against her arm.

She shifts a little, rolling onto her back, and I smile as I detect the change in her heartbeat. My fingers move to caress her forehead.

“She’s waking up,” I murmur, more to myself than to the spiders still watching from the wall.

Her eyes slowly flutter open, and she moans, squirming against the sheets. When she finally focuses on me, a smile spreads across her face, sending a wave of relief through my body.

“Finally,” I say, gently stroking her cheek.

She puts a hand to her mouth and yawns. “How long was I out?”

“Hours,” I tell her, my thumb tracing the line of her jaw.

“How long was I in limbo?”

“Six hours,” I reply, watching her closely for any sign of distress.