Page 21 of Shadows Ascend (Remnant Archives #2)

M y eyes cracked open from my slumber at the sound of deep laughter and innocent giggles. Staring at the steam hovering above a warm beverage lovingly placed on the bedside table, I listened to the continued giggling of my daughter, allowing it to pull me back to the waking world.

My sleep had been deep and I felt groggy as my bare feet dropped to the cool glass floor.

The feel of it was soothing and I took a few moments to relish in the sensation, allowing the lingering sleep to dissipate and my senses to awaken.

Drawn by the delicious aroma of hot liquid steaming at my bedside, I blinked through the slightly brighter twilight of Sheol’s morning and picked up the cup to gaze across the room.

Smiling, over the rim of the glass, I basked in the vision my soulmate and daughter made as they conversed in the kitchen across the wide open room.

If only every morning could be exactly like this one.

Absentmindedly, I sipped at my drink, before my brows rose with shock as decadent chocolate liquid hit my tastebuds.

A symphony of subtle hints of cinnamon and chili lingered with the rich bitter sweetness of cocoa, and I savored the taste long after I had swallowed.

Smiling into my cup, I took a deeper and more appreciative drink this time, not caring if the liquid burned my mouth.

It reminded me of Emon—everything that was good and sinful about my mate all in one cup of warming liquid that heated me thoroughly on the inside just like he did.

I hummed my pleasure.

" Oh to be that hot chocolate right now, little umbra, " Emon's voice whispered in my mind.

My heart skipped at his growling sultry tones and I looked up to see his golden eyes cutting across the room, watching me intensely. Unaware, our daughter chatted away, her legs swinging on the countertop from which she sat upon.

" You are a clever shifter, except…I woke up alone. So perhaps not too clever, " I purred back, licking my lips at the lingering remains of the cocoa, and watching his eyes glow brighter in the dim light.

" Apologies soulmate, but our daughter was hungry and I did not wish to wake you. You needed your rest. Come join us when you are ready. Clothing has been set out for you by the enchantment of the tower. "

When I was ready? I was more than ready to ditch the spiced hot chocolate and drink in the real thing that was watching me with bright eyes from across the room—but he didn't need to know that.

Emon smiled when I took another long sip, teasingly holding his gaze and licking my lips afterwards.

If it wasn't for the distressed cry from our daughter and Emon's natural instinct to catch whatever Riella had accidentally knocked over, I knew my soulmate would not have been able to stop himself from pouncing on me from across the room.

" Cruel, " Emon growled low to me, distracted by our daughter's apologetic stumbling as he frantically attempted to clean her up.

Grinning, I rose from the bed and stretched out my rested body before dressing quickly, sparing my soulmate any more sensuous torture.

Tying off the last laces of my thigh high boots, I eyed my reflection in the onyx glass.

There was something different about the fae that stood before me in a tight fitted bodice of leather and black shorts—something darker and more unhinged.

A wild creature with no direction. Emon had recently freed me from the cage that had smothered my soul for all these years, and now I was back in another one, this time supplied by my would-be father.

And me being cornered and trapped was a recipe for destruction.

My eyes flickered with doubt in the dim light as I attempted to draw the shadows to me—failing again, not even a twitch this time and this was what terrified me more than the cage ever could.

Turning away from my dark reflection and my self inflicted uncertainty, I stealthily moved across the room where the light was not nearly as dim, revealing the disorderly state of my daughter and soulmate who grinned when I approached.

Was that flour covering them and—sweet goddess, was Emon wearing a shirt?

Frowning up at my grinning soulmate, I trailed my finger down the familiar fitted pink unicorn shirt he had been forced to wear just yesterday. The definition of his muscular body could still be seen molding the fabric, but it was not the same as seeing and feeling his delicious bronze skin.

“A shirt?” I arched my brow suspiciously.

He winked, a sheepish expression on his face that reminded me of when he destroyed my mirror within my cabin. Emon was up to no good. “Anything for my cub.”

“It’s my favorite,” Riella added happily.

I hummed, rubbing the abnormal amounts of the white dust that had transferred to my fingertips when swiping his shirt, confirming it was indeed flour.

Looking between the two of them both dusted thoroughly, I held back my questions for Emon later.

"What are you two about?" I said curiously, taking in the sight of Riella’s dark hair now a unique shade of gray. Not to mention, there was a delicious aroma that was not just my hot chocolate but something even more tantalizing.

Riella's legs swung excitedly, her flour covered hand streaking more of its dust into her hair as she swiped it back from her animated face, the words gushing out of her all at once.

"Father was teaching me how to make pastries.

" She looked back at Emon with wide questioning eyes, "Mother is awake, may I have more now? "

My soulmate chuckled and attempted to wipe her hair with a damp cloth, failing miserably at his mission.

Her excited bouncing only a fraction of the reason for his unsuccessful attempt.

"I don't know how you are still hungry, my little cub.

You ate half my filling and had two full pastries already. "

I stifled my laughter into my cup, watching over the rim at the way she enchanted Emon with wide innocent eyes and fluttering dark lashes.

"But I really want to try the custard one…

you said it was your specialty and that we had to wait for mother to eat it.

" Then she extended her bottom lip in the most adorable pout.

Emon snorted, struggling against his need to give her everything she wanted and being a stern parent. "Let's make a deal then my little cub. How about you go get cleaned up and dressed for the day, then we will all eat that one together?"

Her excitement deflated for only a brief moment before she straightened, clapping her hands. "Okay! Can I use that thing that sprays water out at me?"

I lowered my mug. "The sink?"

She shook her head with exasperation, rolling her eyes. "No, not that one, the one that is like a waterfall."

My brows rose at her snarky response and Emon chuckled, sparing me having to answer back to our daughter’s sudden attitude. "You mean the shower?"

She nodded eagerly. "Yes that."

He grinned, lunging quickly to scoop her up off the counter top and launched her into the air.

Her loud squeals of laughter reverberated off the black onyx walls as she descended down into his waiting arms, nuzzling her flour covered nose lovingly.

"It is likely best that you do, my cub, but remember to take your clothes off this time.

The bathroom will provide you with everything else that you need, soap, a towel to dry off, and new clothes to wear.

" Setting her down, he crouched low to whisper in her ear and then both turned to look at me.

She nodded once before skipping towards me, closing the distance between us. Smacking into me, she hugged my leg, looking up with her swirling gold and green eyes. "Good morning, mother!"

I chuckled and bent to embrace her, not caring at all about the white flour that now covered me too. Bowing my head to hers, I placed a kiss into her gray hair. "Good morning to you too, chickadee."

Pulling away, she grinned up at me. "Don't eat without me, please!" Then spun off, racing towards the bathroom, shutting the door behind her with a soft click. Moments later her squeals of delight could be heard with the rush of water.

Snickering, I glanced back at my soulmate, my laughter trailing off at the predatory stare he instantly captured me in. I licked my lips, feeling the need to run, marveling at the way he heightened all my senses.

Nodding at the platter of buttery golden brown pastries that appeared to be filled with various types of custards and jams, I teased him, "So the thief became the chef?"

He grinned, wiping his shirt and flour covered hands off on a wet towel before throwing it back down on the counter. He stalked towards me while he answered. "Of course I did. I had to work every summer until I reached maturity in Drey's kitchens as my punishment for my thievery."

I backed away slyly, clutching my mug to my chest to hide the way his prowling made my body tremble. "Alas it still did not cure your habit of thieving pastry?"

His hair fell across his brow, pausing to assess me. "It did not."

"You must have been up all night baking…did you not sleep at all?" I said breathily, damn my body for betraying me to this shifter.

Emon's eyes glowed brighter at the sound, his nostrils flaring at the scent of my increasing need for him. A need that I both feared and prayed would never leave me.

His grin widened and his fangs lengthened past his lips. I shivered at the memory of what he did with them last night, my body clenching hard now with raging need. Sensing the danger, I shifted to move quickly, but I was no match for his speed, not this time anyway.

Squealing much like our daughter had moments before, the world spun before I was pressed up against the frigid steel of the ice box while the hot body of my shifter growled sexily down at me.

Through disheveled hair, Emon slowly raised my cup up to his own lips. Somehow, he had managed to take it from me and not spill a single drop. Now it was his turn to watch me over the rim as his hard thigh wedged deliciously between my legs, lifting me to his own eye level.

"You keep forgetting that your soulmate is a shifter, little umbra.

I am faster and more efficient than any other fae you have ever known.

" Tipping the cup back, he drank deeply and then set it down on the counter beside us before gripping my hair with his clawed hand, tilting my head back to slam his lips against mine.

Shocked, I moaned loudly when the spiced hot chocolate filled my mouth forcing me to swallow hard before his tongue swooped in to claim it for his own.

He was devouring me so thoroughly that I could feel the scrape of his beard against my flushed skin, the hard length of him pressing into me, sending my core into euphoric spasms while I clutched desperately at the soft pink fabric of his shirt.

Pulling back, he released my hair, planting both his hands on either side of my face, while we shared the same gasping breaths.

Panting against my mouth, he purred. "Good morning my little soulmate goddess. "

I shivered at the sound of his dark husky voice. "Good morning, my soulmate king."

He chuckled and then ran his tongue sensually across my lips. "Drey also taught me how to make his award winning hot chocolate," he purred. "Tell me, little umbra, what tastes better…"

Kissing me slowly this time, his tongue swept inside my mouth like a dark caress and I arched further into him, needing to be closer, to bury myself beneath his skin, or at the very least beneath the damnable clothes he now wore.

Why choose this time to wear a goddess fucking shirt?

Groaning and releasing my mouth, Emon kissed sweetly along my jaw up to the shell of my ear whispering, "The hot chocolate or me?"

Blinking, it took a moment for my head to clear in order to completely understand what he was asking me. He chuckled, his lips descending on my skin again.

Swallowing, I breathily answered him. "You," I gasped quietly, as his silky lips grazed my collar bone. "Perhaps if you add in more spice next time it would have been closer."

Emon’s chest rumbled, rubbing his beard against my sensitive skin, knowing how it would send shivers down my spine. "I think…that perhaps the spice should stay with me…what do you think, my little umbra."

"I—-I think I'm okay with that," I whispered, reaching up and running my hands through his flour dusted hair .

His head pulled back to look at me then, his gold eyes shining with depths of happiness I could barely comprehend. "Today is a new day, which means, I get to tell you how much I love you all over again."

Captured by his purity, I stared at him before leaning forward to kiss his lips softly. "I love you too Emon."

He inhaled, wrapping his arms tightly around me, and I gasped when the world blurred, finding myself now perched on the cool marble countertop.

Watching my lips press into a thin line of disappointment, Emon laughed. Placing my mug back into my hands he leaned forward to kiss my forehead softly. "Our daughter has finished her shower."

Sighing shakily, I growled with irritation. "Then you shouldn't have started this."

Emon's eyes trailed over my aroused state—the way my chest rose and fell quicker than normal, my disheveled hair, the red flush of my skin that I knew still colored my cheeks.

Slowly, he slid over the plate of delicious smelling fresh baked pastries. "I have a feeling you'll forgive me." When I reached for one, he stopped me purring low, "Be patient my love, our daughter has not returned."

Sighing harshly, I drank my hot chocolate instead, glaring at him over the rim.

Smirking, his golden eyes twinkled in the cosmic light. "Waiting makes everything that much sweeter, little umbra. Remember that, when I worship you again under the stars and you lose your voice screaming my name."