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Emotion rushed into my chest, lodged in my throat, and nothing mattered but him. It was one of my deepest fears that I’d never see him again, and now that I could, I moved before I realized what I was doing.

I reached up and touched his scruffy cheeks, sure the man couldn’t be real. Letting my fingers taste his skin, I tried to commit the sensation to memory. It was smooth in some places and rough in others, just like the man himself. His entire face radiated beautifully after nothing but darkness, and I wanted to bask in it for a second.

Because I thought for sure I’d never live through today. I was sure I’d die and that my time was up.

And when his beautiful light irises came into view, tears as pretty as a box of jewels collecting around his eyes and streaming down his face, I wanted to comfort him. I wanted to thank him and tell him everything was okay.

So, I kissed him.

The familiar taste of his mouth was a pleasure I worried I’d never feel again, and I sunk into it. Drowned inside of it. Lived for it in those several minutes where nothing but Phillip mattered.

I let my mouth express what my voice couldn’t. I kissed the Austrian with every bit of feeling I held for him, for his calming effect on a terrorized spirit. I tasted the salty tears he cried, and I would’ve kissed him forever if he let me.

But when Phillip’s hands covered mine and he pulled away, smiling almost as if he was uncomfortable, it was clear I wouldn’t be allowed to kiss the Hunter forever. “Mein schatz...” his deep voice entreated in the softest whisper, one meant only for me.

I stared at him, but words weren’t forthcoming, and all I could think about was what the beautiful, foreign phrase meant.

Someone cleared their throat, and I stiffened. Finally, I noticed the two other men knelt down beside us, both in different states of shock. Even Sloan couldn’t hide his surprise.

But Nigel...

Nigel was in a state of perpetual denial, refusing to believe I would kiss the man I practically hated weeks ago. “V, are you okay?”

Couldn’t exactly blame him for asking. Even I wasn’t sure what I was doing these days.

Phillip moved swiftly out of the way as I got to my feet, fully healed. But the struggle to get my head together was another thing entirely.

Why had I kissed Phillip?

“I think we have things to prepare, yes?” Sloan asked of Phillip, who only nodded his agreement. “Eros fled, so there’s no sense in giving him chase. I think we need to regroup and decide our next move.”

You had to give the dude credit; Sloan knew how to break the tension. Thank Christ for that.

Phillip fingered through his hair, no evidence on his face that he ever cried. “I’ll leave it to you to deal with the Shadow Goblins. For obvious reasons, she and I can’t stay here.”

Nigel tensed, then stepped forward. “You’re leaving? Just like that?”

My eyes flicked back and forth between the two men, worried another fight was in the works. “I...I think there’s really no other choice,” I finally replied.

Dispirited, Nigel dropped his eyes to the ground. “So that’s it? I’ll never see you again?”

Any anger I’d held onto where Nigel was concern melted away in that moment. “You’ll see me again. We’re friends, right?”

His dark eyes jerked up, widened with surprise. “We are?”

“Yeah,” I said, lips twitching. “We are.”

Palming his hair, Nigel visibly relaxed and breathed out. His strong body shifted and tensed with the movement, a display of his good figure, but also a testament to how tense Nigel had been.

“I know I’ve said it before, but I’m sorry, V. I really am.”

My heart hurt just to look at the defeated man standing in front of me, over six feet and still somehow looking so damn small. It tugged at my heartstrings. I guess maybe that made me easily manipulated, or a bit too forgiving, but I knew better than anyone how easy it was to make mistakes and say things you didn’t mean. Nigel deserved a second chance. He deserved to be given the benefit of the doubt, because people acted crazy when life got in the way.

I’d done a lot of things I never would’ve done before I learned the truth behind my birth. Just look at the way I kissed and even had sex several times with a man I’d sworn off weeks ago. Or the fact that I’d probably do it again despite knowing I shouldn’t. Or how I didn’t recognize myself at all these days. Anyone could act out of character. Everyone was capable of wrongdoing and mistakes. Most of all, people changed.

I know I had.

“I get it. I’m sorry, too. I know I’m not innocent in this,” I offered gently, crossing my arms over my chest and glancing at Phillip. “You should apologize as well.”