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That’s all it takes.

All I need.

My release paints the tiles as I blink my eyes open, instantly coming down from the high I was riding seconds earlier. It’s anticlimactic, to say the least. My hand slackens on my cock that still stands hard, desperate for the real thing, but that’s not going to happen anytime soon. There is no feeling in the world quite like coming inside of her. The feel of her pussy clenching around me is a craving I’ll never be able to sate, and I’ll never want to.

I’ll hear her cries soon enough. I have to.

Mindlessly running through the motions, I finish my shower and step out. Water droplets cling to my skin as I reach for the towel, running it over my damp hair when a blaring sound echoes from the other side of the door.

Frowning, I head for the door, but as I grab the handle, I quickly remember I need to put clothes on. I rush to get dressed, refusing to use my magic. Every ounce of my magic is being saved for when it matters most. Not that I’m certain it will make a difference, but I’m not willing to chance it.

I can hear the others talking, confusion and a sense of panic in the air as I clamber down the stairs to find them gathered at the front door.

“It feels too early for them to be here,” I state, joining them to earn a pointed look from Creed.

“It is,” he grumbles, and the impending worry that was simmering inside of me roars to life.

Eldon’s brows are furrowed as he pulls the front door open and peers outside. Marieta and Peta are just as tense as the three of us, which doesn’t calm the situation.

Something isn’t right.

Fuck.

We’re not going to get any answers if we just stand here, though. No matter what it is, I’m sure we’ve faced worse, and if not, it will be good practice.

Slipping between Creed and Eldon, I move out onto the porch, ignoring Marieta whispering my name. I’m not trying to be rude, but I’m not waiting around for trouble to come to us when we could have acted first. It’s exactly what Raven or Brax would have done, but neither of them is here.

Brax has held up everything on our end in the Elevin Realm; it’s only fair I channel his fearlessness here too.

“What’s happening?” Eldon asks, and I shrug, not turning to check in with him.

“I’m not sure.”

All I can see is the same blank space around us. An array of grays coloring the area, all except Brax’s family home. Closing my eyes, I focus on my other senses, hoping to hear something or feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise in anticipation, but nothing comes.

Turning back to the house, I find Eldon and Creed slowly making their way toward me as Peta appears in the doorway with a sword, Marieta a step behind him. He spins the handle, the glint of the silver-tipped blade dancing at his side.

The second they’re all off the porch, the house disappears. My eyes widen along with my stance as I blindly prepare for whatever is about to come next.

“What the fuck is going on?” Eldon bites, hands fisted at his sides as movement flickers out of the corner of my eye.

I twist in a rush to see a shadow forming beside me.

Holy fuck.

The silhouette shows a head, arms, legs, and torso, just like my shadow would appear. But this is different… completely different.

Another appears, followed by another, until six stand in a line beside me.

“Zane,” Marieta warns, panic clear in her voice. I lift my hand slowly, signaling for them to remain calm and not act yet. Something’s going on; we just need a second to understand what.

The shadow moves toward me and I take a step back, not in fear of them, almost as though I’m instinctively following their guidance. A few more steps and I’m standing between Creed and Eldon with Marieta and Peta right behind them. Before there’s time to act, the shadows circle us. Hands joined, they grow, stretching out longer and longer until they rise, covering us.

Everything goes black, but the desire to fight doesn’t come. They don’t feel aggressive or malicious, but I don’t know why I feel that way.

The darkness only lasts a few moments before they move again, but this time, we’re not standing in a blank space; we’re in a cave. Not just any cave, the one we were in before we stepped through the emerald gate leading to the Realm of Shadows.

The black silhouettes remain spread on the floor at our feet, making me frown. When I glance at the others, I find them just as confused as I am.