Page 154 of His Retribution

He intervenes only occasionally, only when threats of violence are made and never as himself but as some bystander he inhabits to break up the altercations.

Another shift shows me the day I found my light trying to free the wild horses, an interesting and new perspective on one of my fondest memories.

Zan was there too. Watched us meet, watched us interact before he escorted my angel home and said goodbye while she slept.

And when my visions shift a final time, my entire body is instantly wracked with so much guilt, so much self hate, so much… so much love that I don't know what to do with it. So I watch.

I watch as nine lifetimes pass, watch Zan kill my love in each one, swiftly, painlessly extinguish her light, the same words spoken through endless tears each time.

"Will you finally save me this time, my queen, put me out of my misery or will this be the end once again? I am sorry, my gem. So very sorry."

My eyes flutter open and immediately connect with two blue high beams, brilliant sapphire and cornflower swimming in tears.

Cora smiles at me before she kisses me, wiping a few tears I didn't know I was shedding off my own cheeks. "Are you ok?"

"I understand now, my angel." I reach up and cup her jaw. "I understand and I am truly sorry. He is brother to you as Andrej is brother to me and I would be damned straight to The End if I tried to stand in the way of that."

My light kisses me again then buries her face in the crook of my neck. "Thank you, lovey." She kisses my throat. "I don't expect you to like him, I just wanted you to understand why I want him around."

"I do, my love, I do. And if I can dislike Milos most of the time but still love that asshat, then I'm sure I will learn to do the same with your brother."

Cora giggles and the tightness in my chest releases completely. "Those two are going to hate each other."

"Should be fun to watch." I smile as she laughs. "Do you have plans today, my love?"

"Allie wants to shop for baby things."

"When?"

Cora sighs against me. "After dinner. Or before. I don't remember. I need to start writing this shit down."

I chuckle. "Or perhaps we should simply get you a phone of your own."

I feel her shrug.

"We will discuss that when the time comes, but for now can we just stay like this for a while?" I hold her tighter and nuzzle her hair. "This is my favorite place to be."

"Mine too, lovey." Another kiss to my throat. "You are my favorite place to be."

Oh my light, my angel.

My perfect mate.

I have never been deserving of this kind of happiness, this kind of love.

Thank gods I'm selfish enough to keep it anyway.

Jury

"Ihave to go soon," my angel whispers against my chest, her body still draped over me as it was when we fell asleep. "Are you feeling ok?"

I slip my fingers under her shirt, run them up her spine as I yawn. "I'm feeling much better, my love. So much so that I think perhaps I should spend our last few minutes together before you go shopping, most likely for hours, showing you exactly how good I feel."

Cora smiles against my skin, and traces the scars on my chest that glimmer in the fading sun. "I wouldn't want you to strain yourself, lovey."

I grin and slip my fingers into the top of her leggings, cup her bare ass, and give it a squeeze. "I'm sure we could find a way that will cause very little exertion for my recovering body."

Her lips are on mine in an instant, the petal soft pillows devour me in hungry kisses, kisses of longing filled with so much love and passion that I cannot help but growl at my mate’s act of possession.