Page 229 of Shadowblood Souls: The Complete Series

Thirteen

Riva

M y heartbeat doesn’t quite even out until I see Jacob and Zian emerging from the car outside the mansion.

Rollick reported that he’d gotten word their covert mission had gone as planned, but after seeing how resistant Jake was to the whole idea, I couldn’t help tensing in anticipation of some disaster.

I know all too well how vicious he can be with people who’ve provoked his rage.

I push past the doors to meet them. Jacob strides over to me with a tight smile that shows he’s still not happy about the situation, but he doesn’t show any signs of guilt.

“It was fine,” he says brusquely. “We bashed up a couple of buildings, left an obvious message, and got the hell out. The worst any of the people got was a splinter.”

Zian huffs. “They deserved a lot more than that.”

I grab his hand and squeeze it. “Well, there’ll be plenty of time to see that justice done after we’re finished with Balthazar. Come on. Are you hungry? You’ve got to be tired after all that traveling.”

Rollick sent them in a private jet from a nearby airfield across the ocean and back again. Does jet lag even set in when you’re only in the other time zone for a couple of hours?

Jacob shrugs and slings his arm around my waist with a vaguely possessive air, as if he doesn’t want Zian to hog all of my physical attention. “We had a four-course dinner on the flight back. And a nap. I feel about like I would if I’d been here the whole time.”

As we walk into the mansion, the other three guys come into the hall to look Jake and Zian over. The softening of Griffin’s expression reassures me more than my own observations of the duo.

“It all went well,” he says. “Good.”

Jacob makes a face. “We’ll see how ‘well’ it actually was when those assholes get their butts into gear. I don’t know if the Guardianship will definitely fall for the trick—or if they’ll do anything useful even if they believe Balthazar has joined up with shadowkind to attack them.”

Rollick’s smooth voice rings out as he emerges from a nearby room. “We’ll just have to wait and see on that score. I have people watching the board members we identified—and Pearl will nudge them in ideal directions as much as she can.”

The thought of the succubus having to seduce the jerk currently leading the guardians makes my stomach turn. But I have to admit she didn’t look all that bothered about it when she left to make her own trip via portals.

I guess when it comes to meals of sexual energy, all sources are pretty satisfying. And I know she likes getting to contribute to our war with Balthazar the one way she can.

I sigh, and Jacob’s arm tenses around me, pulling me a little closer. I haven’t been doing a whole lot all day other than tracking Balthazar’s movements and brainstorming possible attacks, but I feel as worn out as if I’ve jetted around the world alongside him and Zian.

Rollick’s penetrating gaze passes over us, and a sly smile curves his lips. “I think the six of you deserve a break. You’ve been through an awful lot—in the past few months, and in your entire lives.”

I shake my head to deflect his concern. “We’re used to it.”

“You shouldn’t have to be. And you’ve been working hard ever since you finally broke free. You are free, even if everything else isn’t perfect. For once, no one’s even hunting you down. Why don’t we establish a new normal? It’s time you took the opportunity to unwind.”

I study the demon warily. “Unwind how, exactly?”

I don’t think he’d suggest anything I’d find totally horrifying. Rollick has our best interests at heart. But he is still a sort-of monster. He doesn’t see things the same way a human being would.

The demon waves off my question with a carefree air.

“However you like. I’ll just make it easy for you.

Why don’t you take a little staycation in the guest cabin across the west garden?

It’s set up for visitors who want a little more independence.

The fridge is stocked, and so’s the bar.

” His smirk grows. “And I’ll make sure none of my shadowy companions venture out that way all night, so you don’t have to worry about invisible spectators. ”

It's not hard to figure out what he’s suggesting with that remark. A wash of heat tickles over my skin, matching the trace of pheromones given off by the guys on either side of me.

“That’s very generous of you,” Andreas says in a wry tone. His gaze holds mine for a beat, desire flaring in the dark gray depths of his eyes. “A night off from worrying sounds good to me. Why don’t we check the place out?”

I’m sure we’ve all noticed the building at the edge of the west garden before. I’d hardly call the thing a “cabin,” though.

As we cross the lawn between the flower beds, the grass whispering under our feet, I study the white-washed walls that match the mansion and debate whether it could even reasonably be called a “cottage” or if “house” is the only fair term.

The place is only one floor, but it’s decorated as immaculately and stylishly as the mansion proper.

We roam from the sprawling kitchen with its gleaming stainless steel through a living room full of plump leather upholstery and peek into three bedrooms with king-sized beds and the relaxing scent of lavender lacing the air.

I can’t help comparing the space to the home I imagined us settling into after we first fled the facility. At the time, I pictured someplace full of old wood and a cozy atmosphere, off in the untamed wilderness.

Kind of like the isolated forest cottage where we found Ursula Engel. Tangling with our creator left me with mixed feelings about that kind of setup.

Rollick’s guest “cabin” is expansively airy and bright with daylight-toned light fixtures, but something about the openness makes it easier for me to consider unwinding.

Like there’s room for me to set aside all of the worries on my shoulders for the night, knowing I won’t lose sight of anything I needed to keep track of when I come back to them in the morning.

Back in the kitchen, Andreas starts mixing drinks from the offerings in the bar cabinet and fridge. He slides them across the counter to their recipients one by one with the total confidence of the guy who’s always held on to every bit of our history.

Jacob speaks up before Drey gets to him. “I want Riva-style lemonade. If you think you can pull that off.”

Before I can open my mouth to say I can make it myself, Andreas grins. “Already had it planned. I can make double.” He flicks his gaze to me. “And you can tell me how successful I am.”

As he squeezes the lemons, I lean my elbows on the island between the kitchen and the living area, basking in the unexpected sense of normalcy. How impossible is it that after all the torment we endured, all the lies the guardians told and the enemies we’ve faced, we all ended up here?

Together. Alive. More deeply connected than I could have conceived was possible.

Andreas pushes the first glass of homemade lemonade my way, and I bring it to my lips. Does he have any idea how tart I actually like it?

Apparently so. The sourness hits my tongue hard enough to send a shiver through me, but it’s one of delight. All of my tastebuds jitter eagerly as I take another gulp.

I grin at Drey. “It’s perfect.”

Jacob takes a swig from his glass and shakes himself. “All right, that’s got bite. Just like our wildcat, when she’s in the right mood.” He aims a teasing look my way.

With total maturity, I stick my tongue out at him. And then get back to draining my shockingly refreshing drink.

“Where’d you learn to make cocktails?” Zian asks Andreas, sipping from his own glass. It’s a fair question, considering we haven’t exactly had access to liquor for the vast majority of our lives.

Dominic chuckles. “You know Drey. He probably taught himself out of some bartender’s memories.”

Andreas holds up his hands. “Hey, we’ve got to make use of our talents every way we can, right?”

Griffin smiles at him. “We’re nothing without our memories, so you’ve got a pretty important one.”

The casually friendly conversation wraps around me with a different sort of warmth. A lump rises in my throat that I can’t quite wash away with the last of my lemonade.

Andreas catches my expression, and the happiness in his fades. “Is everything all right, Tink?”

“Yeah,” I say around the lingering ache. “It really is. Even with all the crap we’ve had thrown at us, even with Balthazar carrying on like a maniac… It’s amazing that we’re here. That we’ve got each other. We really made it out. No one’s controlling us anymore.”

A glow lights in the guys’ faces as they absorb those words.

“We made it,” Dominic agrees in a soft voice. “Maybe there’s more that we’d want to do than we’ve accomplished yet, but this—this is as far as we ever dreamed four years ago.”

Griffin tucks his fingers around my elbow and guides me closer to him, his sky-blue eyes sparkling. “And I think we should celebrate that fact—and the woman who made sure we got here.”

I’d protest that all of us worked together toward this goal, but then he’s drawing my lips to his. I can’t refuse the tender passion of his kiss.

The desire that first kindled at Rollick’s suggestive proposal flares low in my belly again. I kiss Griffin back hard and then glance around at the others.

“We should definitely celebrate. It’s the first time we’ve been totally free—let’s make it the first time all six of us consummate this crazy relationship together too.”

Andreas’s gaze turns more intense as he comes around the island. “I’m not going to argue with that suggestion.” His attention veers to the other guys, his mouth curving slyly. “We should show Riva just how well we can all work together.”

From the rush of desire coursing through the air around me, I can safely assume that the others agree.

Jacob leans in to press a kiss to the side of my neck and then raises his eyebrows at Andreas. “Should we take this celebration to one of the bedrooms?”