Page 68 of Loving Amari

“Ascended to what?” She tries to sound dismissive, but her voice shakes.

I point at a small spider on the wall behind her. “I can see you everywhere now. No matter where you go, I’m always watching.” I lean closer, lowering my voice. “And I’m waiting. Because you aren’t just going to die in this realm. You’re dying in limbo.”

I give another wicked laugh.

“Thanks for the tip,” Alexis says, visibly afraid despite her attempt at bravado. “I’ll make a special note to have the building fumigated.”

“Brookstone and Blackburn is ending. No more havoc. No more torturing innocent children.”

Alexis spits back, “Those supernaturals are far from innocent.”

“The best thing about this is I get to watch you self-implode.” I circle her one more time. “I don’t need to interfere with anything you’ve got going on. I just get to watch and enjoy, like watching you lose the game.”

I step back, preparing to leave. “Sleep tight. Don’t let the spiders bite.”

I laugh again as I disappear, returning to limbo.

I look around the empty, quiet void, walking up to my throne. I smile at Verto, who’s resting in his massive web above me, and sit down. The throne is cold beneath me, but it’s mine. My domain. My responsibility.

I close my eyes and watch through my connection to every spider in existence. I find Amari in the web bed in the forest, anxiously waiting for me. His body is tense, his eyes scanning the darkness like he’s searching for something he can’t see.

I appear on the side of the web bed, staring at him. He can’t see me, can’t feel my presence, but he can hear me. I can’t reveal my form to him. I’ve saw him nearly break at the sound of my voice, I can’t handle him doing it again.

“Sorry it took me so long.”

Amari’s face breaks into a genuine smile, the kind that reaches his eyes. “I’m just happy to hear you.”

“Tell me about your day,” I say, settling into the one-sided visibility of our connection.

“The same as always. Doing things to pass the time. Hating that I will have to sleep tomorrow.” He puts a hand to his chest. “But I can’t speak to you in my slumber.”

I scoot closer, putting a hand over where he lies, though I know he can’t feel it. I can’t feel him either. The barrier between our realms is absolute in that way.“I wish I could feel you.”

“Oh, when you get out and officially come home, I’m fucking you like a bear.” His voice drops to that growl I love. “I mean I’m breaking you through the mattress, goddess or not.”

I laugh.“I hope you do. I’ll be able to handle it this time. You won’t hear ‘lemonade’ ever again.”

Amari laughs at that, the sound warm and rich.

“You’d be proud of me,” he says.

“Oh, I’m listening.”

“Tofi has balanced out bonding with me and her mate Noki, and they’re getting along well.”

“You’re right. I am proud of you.”

“I know you can’t stay long.” He shifts in the web bed, getting comfortable. “But can I just tell you that I’m proud of you?”

“Not again. You do this every night.”

“You need to hear it every night. The sound of your voice eases the ache, but the fact that you find a way to come here for me...”

“It’s for me too,”I interrupt gently.

“It means everything to me. I don’t care how long this takes. You have my undying loyalty. I will do anything, everything, to be with you. I love you. Our love is eternal, everlasting, forever. Me, you, and our children. And I’d be willing to go into the void of limbo for that eternity.”

“Stop. You’re going to make me cry.”