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B eau and Kyler had settled on brunch. Evie and Jace emerged from the shower to find everyone in the kitchen, including Suha and the two hard-eyed soldiers, who were introduced as Ryder and Jamila.

Beau and Kyler were busy putting together breakfast burritos. A pitcher of orange juice and a bowl of ripe strawberries sat next to fresh salsa, and Suha handed Evie a mug of hot coffee as she entered the kitchen.

Jace fussed over Evie, having her sit and then filling a plate for her. When she started to protest, he stopped her with a kiss. “You’ll find I take good care of my mate,” he murmured against her lips.

“So do I.” She tugged him down next to her. “Now eat.” She made him a plate and set it before him. Then she noticed the open mouths. Everyone at the table was staring at them.

Suha recovered first. “You’re mates—congratulations!” She jumped up and hugged Evie, and then frowned at Jace. “Does she know what that means?”

He wrapped a possessive hand around Evie’s nape. “Of course.”

Suha set a hand on her hip. “You know it’s not binding unless the woman accepts. And she has to know exactly what she’s getting into.”

“Too late. She’s already accepted the claim.”

Suha opened her mouth to argue further, but Evie said, “It’s okay—I know what it means, and I want it.

I can feel him—here.” She touched her chest. “The rest we can work out,” she said with a smile at Jace, “as long as you all are okay with it. And Kyler, of course.” She slid him a cautious look.

She hadn’t planned on making the announcement in front of five other people; she’d intended to talk to him privately after they ate. “But you seem to like everyone, and—”

“Hey,” he said, “of course I’m okay with it.”

Suha’s face split into a grin. “I guess you do know. And of course we’re okay with it. Welcome to the clan.” She gave Evie another hug, and then the men were on their feet and hugging her, too.

“Guess we’re all one big happy family, now,” Kyler quipped as they took their seats again, but the look he shot Jace was wary.

Jace had taken a seat at the end of the table with Evie on one side and Kyler on the other. He dragged Kyler into a one-armed hug. “Yep. You’re mine too, bro.”

Kyler’s shoulders relaxed. He squeezed Jace back and reached for more bacon. “Does this mean I get one of those quartz phones?”

Jace shook his head. “Sorry, they only work for fada or fae. You have to have some magic in your blood.”

Her brother’s face fell. “Not humans?”

“Not yet. But if we figure out the technology, you’ll be first on the list.”

Kyler brightened. “That’s lit. I can be a test subject.”

“It does mean we’ve always got your back,” Beau rumbled.

“Even after what I did?”

Beau’s bushy black brows lowered. “Hey, what did I say about that?”

“Sorry,” Kyler muttered. “And I’ll have yours, for what it’s worth.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll whip you into shape.” Beau slapped Kyler on the back, nearly knocking him into his plate. Her brother just grinned and started eating again.

Adric, Marjani and Zuri arrived along with a man named Luc, a tall, rangy lieutenant with skin the color of teak who was Jace’s fifth den mate. The three of them were somber when they arrived, but as soon as they heard the news, it turned into a celebration.

Adric pulled Evie out of her chair for a bear hug. “Welcome to the family, love. We’ll make it official with a mate ceremony, but I’m claiming you and Kyler for the Baltimore clan.” He kissed her on both cheeks, ignoring Jace’s growled, “Get your own damn woman.”

Then it was Zuri’s turn. To her surprise, his dark eyes were smiling. “Welcome,” he told her. “Jace is a lucky man.”

For a moment Evie gaped at him. Then she recovered enough to shoot back, “Thanks. I think so, too.”

Jace chuckled. Zuri grinned and gave her a hug that lifted her off her toes.

When she sat back down, Jace squeezed her knee. “They like you,” he mouthed.

The noise level increased. Suha toasted Evie and Jace with orange juice, and Marjani brought Luc up to date on everything that had happened. It seemed he’d been in France tracking Tyrus, and was disgusted that he’d gotten back too late to help take the night fae down.

Jace informed Evie that Luc was a wolf, and seeing his cool amber eyes and lean, intelligent face, she could believe it. His expression only softened when he looked at Marjani, but she appeared not to notice.

After brunch, Adric and Marjani left along with the extra soldiers. Jace changed the security code on the outside lock, and then they all took naps, even Kyler.

Jace spooned his hard body around Evie. “God’s cat, I’m tired.”

“Me too.”

But when she closed her eyes, she saw Tyrus’s beautiful face and those malevolent red eyes. An involuntary shiver traced up her spine. She opened her eyes and tucked Jace’s arm closer around her.

He’s dead. He can’t hurt you now.

But then she saw his charred, lifeless body and that was almost worse. Because even though she knew it had been him or them, Tyrus might not be dead if not for her. Her chest tightened.

Jace pressed a kiss to her nape. “Want to talk about it?”

“Tyrus. I—”

He squeezed her waist. “You’re safe, angel. I promise.”

“I know, but—that was my first dead body. Well, except for my mom, and that was different.”

“He needed to die.”

“I know.”

He stroked her abdomen. “Is it what he did before? When I was passed out?”

“That’s part of it.” She swallowed over the rock lodged in her throat. “I felt so violated. Why the fuck does it bother me that I helped kill him?”

Jace blew out a breath and said, “Because you’re a good person. Nobody but a psychopath finds killing easy. Even when you have no choice, it haunts you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

They were silent then, but his hand continued to move over her abdomen in slow, easy caresses. The constriction in her chest eased.

And this time, when her eyes drifted shut, she saw nothing.