38

Malice

1 year later…

“I’m going to fucking kill you.”

“You can try, but you’ll have to get through her first.” Cyprien crouches behind Dagny’s spread wings, hiding his insufferable smirk from view. “Good luck, kitty cat.”

I wipe the remnants of the ice from my cheek, my skin stinging from the assault. “Wildfire? Kindly step to the side. I’d hate for you to get blood on your new armor.”

Dagny rolls her eyes, though it doesn’t detract from the small grin pulling at her lips. “It was a snowball, Malice. You’ll survive.”

“My pride will not.”

She laughs, the full-bodied and melodic sound filling the air with an enchanting song that rolls over my skin and imbues my chest with a humming warmth. And suddenly, I am not so angry anymore.

“Come here, you melodramatic killing machine,” she says, holding her arms out wide, inviting me into her embrace. I lunge forward, crushing my face into her chest as my arms slide around her waist, holding her flush against my body.

A rumbling purr builds in the base of my throat as she feeds her hands into my hair, teasing the long red strands and scraping her fingernails against my scalp in loving, gentle strokes. She tugs my head back softly, and I tilt my chin up to meet her beautiful silver-ringed gaze.

Dagny cups her hand around my jaw and leans in, pressing her lips to the spot that was struck with the snowball. Heated sparks of electricity flare to life, spreading through my veins like wildfire and breathing life into every one of my nerve endings.

“Better?” she whispers, gazing up at me through dark, fluttering lashes.

“ Perfect. Everything is, now that I have you.” I lean down, crushing my mouth against hers in a passionate embrace, loving the way her skin shudders and gives way beneath my touch. Loving the way she burns for me.

I pull back, mesmerized by the sight of her swollen pink lips. Wanting more. Needing more—all of her. “Dagny… ”

Smack!

My grip on Dagny slips as I stumble back, forehead stinging and vision hazy due to the impact of the second snowball—and all my forgotten rage rushes back tenfold. “ Cyprien! ”

Cyprien’s laughter peals through the air, adding fuel to the fire raging in the pit of my stomach, spreading throughout my veins. “Oh my gods… your… your face.” The yellow-eyed demon clutches his stomach, his face twisted in glee. “So funny. I think… I think I almost pissed myself.”

“What a revolting thing to admit,” Lir murmurs, his nose crinkling in disgust.

“I said almost. ”

“That hardly makes it better.”

Dagny laughs again, the sound causing all of us to halt our bickering and turn our attention fully to our mate. We stand there for several moments, not breathing or blinking, just reveling in the look of pure joy beaming from her smile.

“Gods, I love that sound,” Roark murmurs, his throat bobbing gently as he watches his mate from where he’s perched on the outcropping ledge. “So fucking beautiful.”

“So fucking ours, ” Fenryr adds, lunging forward and wrapping his arms around Dagny’s middle. She lets out a little squeal as he hauls her away from Cyprien and me, retreating toward the rock wall at our backs. Once he’s there, he pushes his face into the crook of her neck, kissing and biting at the tender flesh as the air is filled with her breathy giggles.

“ Fen, we’re gonna miss the lights again,” she murmurs, shoving weakly at his chest.

“They’ll be better if you have a cock inside you,” he says, his emerald eyes shining with a devious light.

“That’s what you said last time, and look how well that went.” Dagny giggles, wriggling free of Fenryr’s hold. “Plus, I have to make sure Malice and Cyprien don’t kill each other.”

“What better way to come together and make up than by pleasuring our mate?” Roark asks, his eyes twinkling with a mischievous light. “Seems like a win-win situation.”

“Exactly! See, Roark gets it!”

Dagny’s chest shakes with a silent chuckle as her eyes roll to the skies. “Stubborn demon.”

“Just obsessed with you,” Fenryr replies, wiggling his brows as a wicked smirk spreads across his face. “Completely and utterly consumed.”

Dagny’s eyes heat as she leans in and presses a gentle, loving kiss against Fenryr’s waiting lips. But before he can trap her in his grip again, Dagny whips around and scurries back to the ledge, her mouth working upward in a teasing grin as Fenryr looks on with an expression set in shock.

“Such a tease,” I murmur, moving to the tip of the outcropping to join her. “You’re going to drive the poor thing mad.”

“He’ll survive for an hour,” she says, her eyes glinting with a seductive light. “I’ll make it worth the wait once we get home.”

My mouth curves into a smile as I think of the secret underground dwelling we’ve managed to create in the past year. With the help of five other demons and my wonderful mate, we’ve truly managed to turn the crudely carved lair into a beautiful home. It’s cozy, warm, free from the elements, and most importantly, safe. It’s all I’ve ever wanted and more. A space to call ours, a place my mate and the five other soul pieces can live without fear, bloodshed, death, or the constant threat of battle. A place where we can build something rather than destroy.

I weave my fingers with Dagny’s, squeezing her hand tight as I stare out at the vast, tranquil sea. “You know, when you say things like that it makes me want to rip your clothes off and fuck you right here in the snow and ice.”

The side of her mouth tips in a smirk, but she doesn’t take her eyes off the horizon. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hmm. I think you do. I think you know exactly how intoxicating you are. How tempting…”

She breathes a small laugh, flicking her eyes to the side and catching mine with a heated expression. Before either of us can act on the charged energy swirling between us, the sound of wings beating the air punctuates the silence, breaking the spell and drawing our attention to the edge of the outcropping.

When I look, I’m met with the sight of Kaebl lowering onto the ledge near Roark, his expression made of stone, and his heated golden gaze locked on his mate. I thought I might find you here. I’m glad I was right.

“Kaebl!” Dagny’s eyes light with excitement as she races toward Kaebl, throwing her arms around his middle with such force, it nearly causes them to topple backward off the cliff.

Kaebl’s chest shakes with a silent chuckle as his wings snap out, brushing the air in a sweeping downward stroke to propel them back onto the ledge. Easy, little one. You’re stronger than you think.

“I was just so excited to see you,” she whispers, pushing her face into the center of Kaebl’s chest with a giggle. “I couldn’t help it.”

Hmm. In that case, I hope to always be greeted with as much eagerness. A brush with death is worth it to see that smile on your face. His arms curl around Dagny’s shoulders and back, pressing her flush against his torso with the force of his embrace.

A delighted purr rumbles in her throat as she nuzzles deeper into his hold. Meanwhile, Kaebl stares down at her with a small, rare smile, a look of unending adoration swirling in his golden eyes. Pulsing waves of electricity move down the bond as he leans in, pressing his lips to her forehead and nose before capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss.

“I missed you,” she whispers, reaching up to cup his face in her palm. “How was it?”

The human realm is ever the same. I did manage to find you a few of those red things you love.

“Apples?”

Kaebl nods, his smile widening at the look of joy in Dagny’s eyes. They’re waiting for you at home.

“You’re the best.” Dagny places an exaggerated kiss to the hollow of his cheek, and Kaebl’s eyes flash with pink for the briefest moment. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

Yes. But it sounds sweeter each time you do. He leans down, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck, his chest vibrating with a silent groan. I will never tire of it.

“Well, I love you,” she whispers, closing her eyes as a wave of bliss travels down the bond. “So, so much.”

“I love you more!” Cyprien whines, scurrying over and plopping down at Dagny’s feet. His arms wrap around her legs like a vise, and he uses his leverage to bury his face in the back of her thighs. “Give me attention!”

A laugh explodes from Dagny’s mouth, and she places her hand on Cyprien’s head, twisting her fingertips into his short blond hair. “What’s the matter, Cyppy?”

“You haven’t said you love me in the past fifteen minutes .”

She chuckles under her breath, sweeping her hand down the back of his head and neck in a soothing gesture. “I love you, Cyppy. I love all of you.” She turns her gaze toward Roark, Lir, Fenryr, and then me—her eyes swimming with a tender warmth. “I love our life together, and what we’ve built.”

I can’t help but smile as I take in the light beaming from her carefree smile. It’s hard to believe that just a year ago, we were fighting for our lives, under the constant fear that every coming day would be our last.

Now, we live peacefully in the underground lair I started building twenty-two years ago—the same one that has blossomed into a beautiful home. We live peacefully, surviving off the land and the occasional journey to the human realm to restock the food Dagny loves so much. We haven’t felt the need to rebuild Abaddon’s castle yet, and I’m not sure if we ever will. Maybe one day, if our goddess of a mate ever gets bored with our quiet little life and decides she wants to rule this world. But until then, we will all cherish every single moment. We’ll bask in the tranquil mornings, revel in the calm of the night, and be happy—thriving—as long as our mate is by our side.

My eyes trail down her frame, stopping to admire the gentle swell of her hips, stomach, and thighs before finding their way back to her smile. That smile.

“I love you, wildfire,” I murmur.

“More than air. More than life, ” Lir adds, his eyes filling with the same emotion filling my veins.

“More than anything. ” Roark moves toward Dagny, placing his hand on the small of her back as his gaze burns into her profile. “Our beautiful, ineffable mate.”

“ Ours, ” Fenryr whispers, crawling over to join Cyprien at Dagny’s feet, staring up at her with a look of wonder. “It’s still too good to believe… even all this time later.”

“Yet it’s real,” she says, reaching down to cup Fenryr’s cheek. “It will always be real.”

The corners of her eyes crinkle as he nuzzles into her touch, a low whimper echoing from the base of his chest.

“Look,” Cyprien whispers, tapping Dagny’s leg to draw her attention. “ The lights. ”

Dagny’s gasp fills the air as we turn our attention to the horizon, finding the skies bursting with vibrant color. The light shifts and dances across the skyline, staining the atmosphere with brilliant hues of merging, shimmering pigment.

On cue, the penkins littering the coastline below tilt their heads back, opening their mouths wide as their haunting sonnet fills the air, rolling over my skin and raising the hair at the back of my neck.

As they sing, we place our hands to our hearts, honoring Abaddon, his loss, and his sacrifice that led to our triumph over Slaine and his army. Without him, there would be nothing. Without his death, we would not have been given the gift of life.

When the lights fade and the penkins bellow their last dreary note, Dagny turns to me, her eyes welling with unshed tears. Before they can fall, the six of us surround her, wanting to ease her pain, needing to stop the throbbing ache traveling down the bond. We hold her, soothing her with gentle caresses and loving whispers—and eventually, that beautiful light returns to her eyes. The one that’s filled with hope and love, despite all she’s lost.

She looks at me, and I forget how to breathe. But the next words out of her mouth are all I need to survive. “ I’m ready to go home. ”

I cup her cheek, my head singing, slamming wildly against its cage. “Okay,” I whisper. “Let’s go home.”

As the seven of us launch into the skies, my mate turns to give me a tender smile, one that fills my chest with a tingling warmth and breathes life into my cold, malicious heart—and I’m struck with the most wonderful realization.

For the first time in my life, I have someone to love. Someone who has seen the darkest parts of my soul, the fatal flaws of my being, and has decided to love me back. There is no sweeter taste, no finer sensation, no awareness or purpose or gift that could compare to the knowledge that this extraordinary being—this wonderful, beautiful woman—is mine.

For life. For always. Forever.

Ours.

The end.