Page 24 of Deadly Reckoning (Broken Ashes #7)

I run my hand through my hair. There was a time when I wouldn’t even second-guess myself in this situation, but it’s been a long time since I’ve properly been around them, and although some things have just settled like I never left, other things are taking a little bit of time getting used to.

Asking for help when I need it being one of them.

“You know you can talk to me about anything,” Ransom says. Correctly guessing why I’m hesitating.

I smile, “I know that man. It’s just difficult to remember sometimes, and even if I do, it’s difficult to remember that there won’t be any negative consequences or pain if I do talk to one of you about it.”

Ransom’s expression darkens, but he replies with understanding, “I get it.”

He waits, allowing me to sort through everything with absolutely no pressure or expectations to tell him. I know for a fact that if I changed my mind now, he’d drop it, he wouldn’t try to convince me to tell him, and he wouldn’t tell anyone else either.

“I have trouble sleeping,” I start, and he nods. “By that I mean that I don’t sleep at all.” I pause, “Apart from if I’m with Neith, apparently. I used to take a mixture of herbs and a spell that would knock me out for a few hours and actually make me rest.”

“Cadal?” Ransom asks with a slight frown.

“Yeah, that’s it. I was wondering if you would be able to make some, please?” I ask.

“I can, of course. But Cadal is known for its unpleasant side effects. If you’re comfortable with it, then I can give you the same one that Reed and Doc use.

They don’t sleep unless they’re with Neith either.

It won’t give you any of the nasty side effects that you probably experience with Cadal,” Ransom offers.

I grin, “Yes, please. I’d much rather have something that you’ve concocted.”

Ransom grins, “It shouldn’t take me too long to make you some. I’ll put it in your room for you.”

“Thanks, man,” I say gratefully.

“Anytime, now go and make sure River and Neith don’t burn down the woods,” he teases.

I raise my eyebrow as I stand and we start to walk out, “You’re leaving me in charge of that?”

“Yeah, good point.” Ransom chuckles. “Don’t burn the woods down.”

I wait until he’s nearly out of earshot before I yell, “I make no promises.”

“Coen!” I hear him yell with warning as I launch myself off the steps that lead out to the back of the house and transform into my dragon.

I don’t technically need to change into my dragon in order to find River and Neith, but I have fucking missed being able to transform, so I’m going to shift as much as I possibly can.

I soar high into the air, tucking my wings and then dropping back down, opening them at the very last second before I hit the top of the trees.

The relief that courses through me when I pull off the move flawlessly matches the same relief that I felt when I first realized that I could still fly. To be honest, I think that it will take a while before that relief diminishes.

If it ever does.

I lived a long time without being able to fly, and I won’t ever take it for granted again.

The wind rushing through my scales feels amazing, and I spend a long time soaring through the air. Every time that I get close to the ward that Ransom has put up, it buzzes in warning, and I know that I’ve gotten a little bit too close.

Thankfully, and probably due to Griff, Reed, Raiden and now Neith flying, Ransom has set the ward height really fucking high. So high that when Neith and I were playing, we didn’t even get close to it, which shows just how high I’m flying now.

The guys showed me where Van’s pool was, so I check there first, and sure enough, Neith and River are shooting streams of fire out over the water. As I watch, I can’t help but be surprised at the way that Neith’s pink fire is behaving.

It’s like it's got a personality, a mind of its own. It’s playing with her and messing with River, too.

As I circle down closer to where they are, a bright pink stream of her fire shoots up into the air and wraps around me. I tense, thinking that it’s attacking because it doesn’t know if I’m a threat or not, but instead it just warms my scales pleasantly and threads its way around my body.

Neith’s gaze follows, and her smile widens as I land and shift back, the fire hanging around for a few more minutes before it goes back to her.

“Are you controlling that this time, or is the fire still doing it?” I ask her with a smirk.

She grins, “Well, I sent it up to you, but the fire decided to stick around and play.”

River smiles proudly, “I’ve never seen fire behave like hers does.”

“That’s probably because we’ve never met a supernatural like Neith before,” I point out. “Plus, it’s Neith. She wouldn’t have done what was expected even if she were a supernatural that we were all familiar with.”

“Good point,” River grins.

Neith

I grin, “You know I’ve decided just to accept that nothing about me is ever going to do what it’s supposed to do. I mean, it’s been the same way for thirty-odd years. You would think that I was already used to it by now.”

Coen smirks, “I think that’s a good way to look at it.”

He moves over to me and pulls me into his arms, kissing me deeply and making me forget my own damn name. Just when I think that this moment can’t possibly get any better, I feel River move up behind me, his body molding to mine, and his hands holding my hips tightly.

His lips trail up my neck, and I moan in pleasure, causing both of them to growl in the most delicious way. Coen’s tongue dances with mine for a moment longer before he pulls back and smirks, spinning me so that I’m facing River, and his lips kiss up the opposite side of my neck.

River kisses me with a need that has my thighs clenching and my pussy pulsing with need. The feel of Coen pressed up against me, and both of their lips on my skin has desire rising within me, and I’m seconds away from telling them to get naked.