Page 106 of Gray

“The dragon armies have been given their orders,” Bellamy said. “Besides, the bigger threat will be with us.”

The bigger threat. What Lazarus said came back to me as I hugged my knees, seeing the creases of worry on both my brothers’ faces.

“If you truly wish to make yourself useful? Do what you failed to do long ago. Find your father and kill him.”

I knew what I needed to do. Actually doing it wasn’t nearly as easy. I had failed once. What if I failed again?

“Gray?” Bellamy knelt beside my chair, resting a hand on my arm. He must’ve felt my unease.

“It’s a good thing Cas and Daman are coming home,” I said, not recognizing my voice. It sounded so empty. I met Alastair’s gaze. “We need a good tracker.”

He stared back at me, understanding flashing in his pale blue eyes. “You’re going after your father. That’s too dangerous, Gray.”

“I don’t have a choice.” I hugged my body tighter, making myself so small on the cushion. It felt like my insides were trying to crumble apart, like a chisel on flagstone rock. “Lazarus trained me to be an assassin, and I used to be a damn good one.”

“And what did you have to do in order to achieve that? You became something dark.”

“I became what I had to,” I whispered. “My dad needs to be stopped before he collects enough souls and reaches the celestial gates. I’m the one who needs to stop him. You know I’m right.”

Alastair gave me a hard look. His concern still bled through. “We’ll talk more once our brothers arrive. For now, go back to Mason.”

It wasn’t a direct order, but I got to my feet and left his study anyway. Truth was, I needed my mate. I needed his warmth. Because I felt so empty. Cold. When I slid back into bed, Mason’s arms automatically came around me.

“Where did you run off to?” he asked in a sexy, sleep-heavy voice. “Neverland?”

I closed my eyes as tears welled in them. “The only place I wanna be is right here with you.”

His breathing changed, so subtle not many others would’ve noticed. But I was so attuned to him. “What’s wrong? Other than the zombie apocalypse.” The last part was probably intended to make me smile, but I was hurting too much.

“I’m gonna have to do something bad,” I whispered in the dark. “Humans are dying everywhere. My dad can’t keep doing this.”

Mason’s hand stilled on my back. “You’re going after him.”

I didn’t answer him. I couldn’t. My heart was wedged in my throat, and no words would come out. I burrowed into his side, my head on his chest, and focused on his breaths, listened to his heart thumping beneath my ear.

“Look at me, angel.”

I shook my head. “I’ll cry if I do.”

Mason grabbed my chin and brought our mouths together. My lips trembled against his, but then something powerful came over me. I straddled his hips and pushed down his sweats. He yanked down my sleep pants and smoothed his calloused palms over my bare ass cheeks.

As our bodies joined, I tried not to think about the war. I didn’t want to think about killing my dad and how much it would tear me up inside if I did.

“Focus on me,” Mason said, thrusting up into me, slow but deep. “Nothing else.”

I bent forward and kissed him, then broke from his lips with a whimper as he hit my sweet spot. “Only you.”

Whatever happened tomorrow couldn’t touch us in that moment. I lost myself in Mason’s touch. I found myself there too.

Chapter Sixteen

Mason

“So you’re Gray’s human,” Castor said, giving me the up-down. He and his husband had just arrived at the mansion and joined us in the living room. A very cramped living room.

Daman and the ice dragons had arrived a few hours before them, and Clara had stayed the night. Simon hadn’t gone to work for obvious reasons, so he and Galen were cuddled on the couch.

“I’m Mason.” I held out my hand.