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Chapter Forty-Six

Kade

Kade had not doubted it, but now there was no question. Evelyn was his mate. Witnessing her against the demon, watching as it attacked her, hurt her, turned him feral.

Protect her. Save her. Defend her.

As he delivered the final blow to the demon, Kade and his wolf relished saving their mate. Yet, his victory had been rocked by an all-consuming fear when he laid eyes on Evelyn. The light in her gray-blue eyes, the silver he cherished, dimmed.

She was dying.

He ran. Faster than he ever had before. Black poison crawled like vines up her slender arm. Kade’s heart hammered in his chest. Fear strangled his heart, tore at his soul.

Reaching her side, he pulled her into his arms. Moons, she’d grown so cold, like ice to the touch.

“Princess, stay with me.”

Her eyes wouldn’t focus on him.

“Hey, love. Come on, love. No. Evelyn.” Her eyes fluttered completely shut. Her body went slack. Kade heard her heart skip. Felt it within him. Skip, skip, skip.

“No, no, no.”

Kade channeled his strength, tried to channel it into their mating bond. A flutter of her magic met his, familiar and welcoming. Her heart thumped once. Twice. Her chest swelled with breath and the slow rhythm of her heartbeat resumed. Kade almost sobbed with relief.

He shifted, bringing Evelyn into his furred arms and clawed hands, the black poison spreading to her neck, spilling like ink from her obsidian hair.

He ran with her to Callum and prayed to the Moon and Sun, pleading with them to pull Evelyn from the darkness.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Evelyn

Sleep weighed Evelyn down, threatening to pull her back under. She fought it, regaining her senses. A fire crackled nearby. Pattering rain sounded against a window like a lullaby. A layer of blankets warmed her muscles. A familiar weight sat atop her feet. Rose and ivy filled her senses. Evelyn’s head pounded, her mouth dry. Lying there, succumbing to sleep, seemed to be the wise choice. Her body begged for it.

Then she stiffened, images of the White Lady coming forth and reminding her of what had happened.

Her eyes flashed open, and Evelyn found herself in her apartment, a quilt brought up to her chest, Maxie curled at the foot of the bed. She tried to sit up, but a gentle hand held her shoulder.

“Whoa, there,” someone said.

Evelyn blinked, her vision blurring until she made out the sharp jawline shaded with scruff she loved.

Kade.

“Take it easy. You’ve been out for three days,” he said.

Evelyn gaped. “Three days?” Her words rasped out of her.

Kade nodded, releasing her shoulder. He leaned over her bedside table and poured a glass of water, handing it to her. Evelyn’s hands shook as she held the cup. She was embarrassingly weak, but driven by a maddening thirst, she drank. Water trailed down her throat, settling into her stomach.

“The demon was called a scairp,” Kade said. “According to Aster. And one of the deadliest demons to roam our world. Your heart almost stopped beating from the poison. You almost died, Evelyn.” His last words were a mere whisper, as if it hurt him to say them.

They assessed one another. Evelyn couldn’t find words, worried she would say the wrong thing. Kade appeared hesitant and tense, his jaw tight.

“Do you want me to leave?” Kade asked, eyes downcast.

Evelyn realized with a sinking feeling in her gut that Kade was gauging how she’d react to him being here, in her apartment. If she asked him to leave, he would. She knew it. Yet, that was the last thing she wanted.