Page 8 of Echoes From the Void (Shadow Locke Shifters #3)

Chapter 7

Matteo

“Come on,” Leo says once my mother returns to monitoring the twins. “Let me check those new changes somewhere private.” His tone is light, but his eyes hold the intensity I’ve known since we were teenagers, sneaking glances in locker rooms and making excuses to sleep over.

We end up in one of the empty observation rooms, moonlight streaming through the windows. The moment the door closes, Leo has me pressed against it, his fingers tracing where my fangs had been.

“Show me again,” he whispers.

“Leo—”

“Please?” His sunshine energy wraps around me, a familiar warmth. “I’ve watched you fight your nature for so long, Teo. Let me see you embrace it.”

The nickname, one he’s used since we were fourteen, breaks my control. My fangs descend as I pull him closer, shadows meeting his. Through our potential bond, I feel his fascination, his desire.

“You’re not scared?” I manage, even as he runs his thumb along one sharp point.

“Of you?” He laughs softly. “Never. Even when we were kids, and you’d get that look in your eyes—the one that made everyone else back away? I knew you’d never hurt me.”

“I wanted to hurt plenty of people who hurt you.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t. You controlled it. Like you always do.” His lips brush my jaw. “But control doesn’t mean denial anymore, does it?”

“No,” I growl, the sound deeper with my new fangs. Years of memory flash between us—Leo defending my anger issues to teachers, me threatening anyone who mocked his endless optimism, both of us pretending our lingering touches were just friendship.

His hands slip under my shirt, finding the shadow marks that spiral across my skin. Unlike everyone else’s hesitant touches, he traces them with reverence. “Remember when you first showed me your shadows?”

“Junior year. Behind the gym.” I drag my fangs lightly along his neck, feeling his pulse jump. “Three years after I moved here, and you’d just taken a beating defending your sisters from those seniors who mocked your Spanish. You understood what it was like, being different.”

“And you went all dark avenger on them.” His laugh catches as I nip at his collarbone. “Got suspended for a week.”

“Worth it.”

“Your mom was so mad.”

“No, she wasn’t.” I pull back enough to meet his eyes. “She’s always understood you were different. Special.”

The potential bond between us pulses with years of shared history, of unspoken devotion. Leo’s sunshine energy wraps around my shadows like it belongs there, like it always has.

“Speaking of special,” he murmurs, pressing closer, “these new fangs are really doing it for me.”

“Everything does it for you.”

“Not everything. Just you.” His smile turns wicked as his own shadows start to curl around mine, golden-tinged darkness that’s uniquely Leo. “Want to see what else they can do?”

I’ve always loved this about him—how he can shift from sunshine to shadow without losing his essential warmth. His power feels like twilight, that perfect moment between day and night.

“Your shadows are showing,” I murmur against his throat.

“Only for you.” He arches as my fangs graze his skin. “Well, and the pack. But this—” his shadows tangle with mine, creating patterns of dark and light that mirror our history, “—this has always been ours first.”

He’s right. Long before Frankie and her wolves, before Bishop’s politics or Dorian’s mysteries, we had this. Secret moments of shared power, of understanding what it meant to walk the line between light and dark.

“Remember the first time your shadows emerged?” I ask, running my hands down his back where I know his own marks spiral. “During that championship game?”

“When that guy from Aurora tried to break your leg?” Shadows flare with the memory. “Yeah. Kind of hard to explain to the coach why the field suddenly went dark.”

“You’ve always been protective.”

“Says the guy who literally just grew fangs to defend us better.” His fingers trace my jaw again. “We match now. Both of us changing, becoming more.”

I press him against the window, enjoying how his shadows dance with the moonlight. Even in darkness, Leo finds ways to shine. “You never did tell the others about that game.”

“Didn’t seem important.” His breath hitches as my fangs find his pulse point. “Besides, I liked having secrets with you. Like that summer after graduation...”

“When you climbed through my window every night?” My shadows wrap around his wrists, pinning them above his head. “Nearly gave my mother a heart attack.”

“Please, she left the window unlocked.” His shadows twist free of mine playfully, a game we’ve perfected over years. “She knew I kept you balanced.”

It’s true. Even at my darkest, Leo’s twilight energy could reach me. Now his shadows chase mine across our skin, leaving trails of warmth where they meet.

“You’re thinking too much,” he murmurs, pulling me closer. “I can feel it through the bond.”

“Someone has to think in this relationship.”

“Rude.” But his smile is soft, knowing. “At least I got you to admit it’s a relationship. Only took what, six years?”

Instead of answering, I let my fangs descend fully, enjoying how his pupils dilate. His shadows surge in response, wrapping around us both in a cocoon of familiar darkness shot through with his unique golden light.

“Show off,” I murmur against his lips.

“You love it.”

I do. Have since we were fourteen and he was the only one who saw past my careful control to the predator underneath. The only one who wasn’t afraid.

His shadows slide under my shirt, tracing patterns we learned in stolen moments between practice and study sessions. My fangs graze his shoulder in response, drawing a sound that makes my own shadows flare.

“The pack’s going to feel this,” he warns, even as his power tangles deeper with mine.

“Let them.”

His laugh turns into a gasp as my fangs find a sensitive spot. “So much for your famous control.”

“Maybe I’m tired of controlling everything.” The admission comes easier in the dark, wrapped in our merged shadows. “Maybe I want them to know what you mean to me. What you’ve always meant.”

Leo’s twilight energy pulses with emotion. Through the potential pack bond, I feel the others stirring—Frankie’s curiosity, Bishop’s knowing amusement, Dorian’s feigned disinterest.

“About time,” Leo says softly. “You know that’s part of why I pursued the others? I saw how they looked at you, how they could accept all of you, just like I do.”

My shadows tighten around him possessively. “You pursued them because you’re a shameless flirt.”

“That too.” He grins against my neck. “But mainly because I wanted you to have what I’ve always seen—a family that understands both sides of you. The healer and the warrior.”

Through the window’s reflection, I watch our shadows dance together—his edged with light, mine now marked by these new changes. Different kinds of evolution, but still perfectly matched.

“I love you,” I say in Hindi, the language of my deepest truths. “Have since we were kids.”

His shadows wrap around me like an embrace. “I know. Why do you think I learned Hindi?”

The admission hits me hard. All those years of him casually dropping Hindi phrases, I thought he was just being Leo—friendly, curious, wanting to connect with my mother. But this...

“You impossible man,” I growl in Hindi, the language I taught him late at night when homesickness hit hardest.

“Your impossible man,” he corrects. “Always have been.”

His hands find my face, thumbs tracing where jaw meets throat. “You know what I love most about these new fangs?”

“Hmm?”

“They’re proof you’re finally embracing who you are.” His twilight shadows emphasize the words, wrapping around my new features. “No more hiding. No more pretending to be just the good doctor’s son.”

I press him harder against the glass. “I seem to recall you appreciating the good doctor’s son quite thoroughly behind the rugby field.”

“Different kind of appreciation.” His laugh catches as my fangs find his pulse again. “Though that was pretty great too.”

Through our amplified connection, memories flow between us—rushed touches between classes, long nights studying that turned into something else, years of wanting and having but never quite admitting what it meant. My shadows chase his twilight energy across our skin, leaving marks that fade too quickly.

“They’ll stay soon,” Leo murmurs, reading my intent. “Once Frankie seals the bonds.”

“Impatient?”

“Says the man who just grew fangs from sheer protective instinct.”

He has a point. Everything is changing—my body, our bonds, the very balance of the realms. But this, us, remains constant. Evolving but unshakeable.

“I can feel you thinking again,” he says softly. His shadows tangle with mine, creating patterns like dawn breaking through storm clouds. “Stop it.”

“Make me.”

His eyes flash with golden shadow energy. “Is that a challenge?”

“Always,” I growl, letting him feel the full weight of what we are, what we’ve always been to each other.

I swing him back around pushing him against the door savoring his moan as I use my shadows to hold his hands above his head.

Leo’s eyes gleam with a mixture of challenge and desire as I pin him against the door. His twilight shadows pulse, trying to break free of my hold, but I’ve always been stronger in raw power. What Leo lacks in brute force, he makes up for in cunning and creativity.

“You know,” he says, voice husky, “I’ve been practicing some new tricks.”

Before I can respond, his shadows shift, becoming almost liquid. They slip through my grasp like water, reforming behind me. Suddenly I’m the one pressed against the door, Leo’s body flush against mine.

“Impressive,” I growl, feeling my fangs lengthen in response to his display of power.

“I learned from the best,” he murmurs, nipping at my earlobe. His hands slide under my shirt, tracing the spiral patterns of my shadow marks. Each touch sends sparks of sensation through our connection—both our personal bond, built over years of intimacy, and the newer pack bond forming between all of us through Frankie. As alpha, she’ll eventually seal each individual bond with her bite, but we can already feel the web of connections forming: my link to Leo running deep and true, while newer bonds with Bishop and Dorian pulse with potential, all of them anchored by Frankie’s alpha energy at the center.

I let my own shadows unfurl, wrapping around us both in tendrils of darkness. Leo’s twilight energy responds, golden light threading through the inky black. The contrast is mesmerizing—like watching the sun break through storm clouds.

“You’re beautiful like this,” Leo whispers, his fingers tracing the sharp points of my fangs. “Powerful. Dangerous.” His smile turns wicked. “Mine.”

The possessive growl that escapes me is entirely inhuman. My shadows tighten around him, pulling him impossibly closer, as I lean in and capture his lips in a fierce kiss.

Our shadows intertwine, a dance of darkness and twilight, as our kiss deepens. Leo’s taste is familiar, yet amplified by the new intensity of our bond. His hands tangle in my hair, pulling me closer, as if there could ever be any distance between us.

“Yours,” I growl against his lips, feeling his shadows pulsing in response. “Always.”

His breath hitches as my fangs graze his lower lip, drawing a bead of blood. The taste of him—earthy and sweet, like sunlight after rain—ignites something primal within me. Our connection flares, a surge of power that’s both exhilarating and terrifying.

“Teo,” Leo whispers, his voice ragged with desire. His shadows wrap around me, holding me tight, as if afraid I might slip away. But I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not ever.

My fangs descend fully, and I trail kisses down his neck, feeling his pulse quicken under my touch. His shadows ripple, golden light flickering through the darkness like candle flames. The sight is breathtaking, a testament to our intertwined destinies.

“I never want this to end,” he murmurs, his hands gripping my shoulders as I continue my exploration. “Us. This bond. Everything.”

“It won’t,” I promise, my shadows tightening around him in reassurance. “We’ve been through too much to let go now.”

Leo’s laughter is soft, filled with a mixture of joy and longing. “Remember when you first came here? Everyone else backed away from that look in your eyes—the culture shock, the anger—but I knew you’d never hurt me. You were just lost in translation.”

“Now look at us,” I echo, lifting my head to meet his gaze. His eyes are luminous, filled with a love so deep it makes my heart ache. “You’ve grown into someone who can protect himself, and I…I’ve grown fangs.”

A wicked smile spreads across his face. “Talk about an evolution.” His fingers trace the outline of my jaw, lingering on the sharp points of my fangs. “But you know, it’s not just about protection anymore. It’s about us. Our future.”

“Our future,” I repeat, the words resonating.

Leo suddenly drops to his knees, his hands sliding down to my hips. He looks up at me with a heated gaze, his intentions clear. “Let me show you what our future holds,” he says, his voice filled with desire.

Leo’s shadows dance around us, casting an ethereal glow as he looks up at me, his hands resting on my hips. His gaze is filled with a mix of mischief and desire, a look I’ve come to know well over the years. My own shadows respond, wrapping around us like a cloak, cocooning us in our shared power.

“Leo, what are you—” I start to ask, but the words catch in my throat as his fingers deftly unbutton my jeans, his intentions clear.

“Shh,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my skin. “Let me show you.”

I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I watch him. This isn’t the first time we’ve explored each other’s bodies, but there’s something different now—a heightened intensity, an electric charge that hums through our bond.

His hands slide my jeans down, along with everything else, leaving me bare before him. There’s a vulnerability in this, a raw honesty that sends a shiver down my spine. But with Leo, there’s no fear, no hesitation. Only anticipation.

His shadows dance along my thighs, their touch feather-light, a stark contrast to the firm grip of his hands. I can feel his desire, his love, pulsing through our connection, a steady rhythm that matches the beat of my own heart.

When he leans in, his breath hot against my skin, I can’t help but let out a low growl. My fangs ache, my shadows writhe, every part of me yearning for him. He presses a soft kiss against my inner thigh, then another, and another, trailing a path of fire until?—

A sharp intake of breath escapes me as he takes me into his mouth, his lips and tongue working in tandem with his shadows. They caress and stroke, their touch both gentle and firm, driving me to the edge of madness.

“Leo,” I whisper, my voice hoarse with desire. My hands find his hair, tangling in the soft strands, holding him close. Our shadows intertwine, a dance of light and dark, a reflection of our souls.

His pace quickens, his shadows pulsing in time with his movements. I can feel his pleasure, his joy in giving me this moment, amplifying my own sensations. Our bond is a feedback loop of desire, each of us fueling the other’s pleasure.

My fangs throb, the primal part of me wanting to claim him, to make him mine in every way possible. But I hold back, letting him set the pace, letting him show me this vision of our future.

His hands grip my hips tighter, his shadows wrapping around my thighs, holding me in place as he takes me deeper. The sight of him, the feel of him, the sheer intensity of our connection—it’s overwhelming. My shadows surge, wrapping around us both, cocooning us in a world of our own making.

“Leo,” I growl, a warning and a plea all at once. I’m close, so close, and I want him to feel what he’s doing to me, to understand the depth of my need for him.

He responds by taking me even deeper, his shadows pulsing with his own desire. The sensation is too much, too intense. With a final growl, I let go, waves of pleasure crashing over me as I spill into him.

Leo’s shadows surge, absorbing the energy of my release, reflecting it back at me. Our bond flares, a supernova of shared ecstasy. Through the haze, I can feel his satisfaction, his happiness at bringing me to this point.

As the waves subside, I pull him up, needing to taste him, needing to share this moment with him completely. He comes willingly, his lips finding mine, our kiss a tangle of tongues and teeth and shadows.

I can taste myself on him, and it sends another jolt of desire through me. My fangs ache with the need to claim him, to complete this dance of light and dark, of sunshine and shadow.

“Do it,” he whispers against my lips, sensing my need. “Make me yours, Teo. Completely.”

I don’t need any further encouragement. My fangs sink into his neck, the taste of his blood sweet and warm. His shadows surge, golden light flooding our bond as I claim him, as I make him mine.

The sensation is indescribable. Our hearts beat in sync, our breaths mingle as one, and our shadows dance in a frenzy, celebrating our union. Through the bond, I feel Leo’s ecstasy mirroring my own, his love pouring into me like liquid sunlight.

His hands grip my shoulders, nails digging in, anchoring us both against the storm of sensation. I can feel his heartbeat, steady and strong, resonating through our shared connection. His shadows surge, wrapping around us like a second skin, holding us tight in their golden-tinged embrace.

As I withdraw my fangs, I lick the punctures, sealing them with a soft brush of my tongue. Leo shivers, his breath hitching with the aftershocks of our shared pleasure. We stand there, leaning against each other, shadows slowly settling, pulsing gently with our united heartbeat.

“Forever,” Leo murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. “That’s our future, isn’t it? Forever together.”

I nod, pressing my forehead to his, letting our shadows mingle and merge, a living testament to our bond. “Forever. Through darkness and light, through shadows and sunshine.”

His smile is radiant, filled with love and promise. “We’ve come a long way from sneaking glances in locker rooms and sleeping over.”

“A long way,” I echo, feeling the weight of our journey, the depth of our connection.

Leo’s fingers trace the line of my jaw, lingering on my fangs. His touch is gentle, reverent. “I love these,” he says softly. “I love you, Teo. Every part of you.”

“I love you too, Leo.” The words are simple, but they carry the weight of our past, our present, and our future. “You’re my light in the dark, my balance, my everything.”

We stay like that for a moment, lost in each other’s eyes, our shadows dancing softly around us. Then Leo grins, his trademark wicked smile, and I know what’s coming next.

“Ready for round two?” he asks, his shadows flaring up, golden light dancing in his eyes.

“We should definitely head back.” I whisper against his neck.

“We should get back,” Leo repeats eventually, though his shadows still cling to mine. “Your mom’s probably wondering where we disappeared to.”

“She’s known about us since high school.”

“Yeah, but now we have an actual crisis to deal with.” He straightens his shirt with a grin. “Plus, I want to show off your new look to the others.”

I touch my jaw where the fangs have retracted, feeling the potential for change beneath the skin. “You’re impossible.”

“Your impossible,” he reminds me, pressing one last kiss to my throat. “Come on, warrior-healer. Let’s go save the world.”

Our shadows reluctantly separate, though threads of his twilight energy still twine with my darkness. Some connections run too deep to break.

Through the window, dawn begins to break over Shadow Locke. A new day, new changes, new challenges.

At least I don’t have to face them alone.

Not anymore.

Not ever again.