Page 5

CHAPTER 5

ARE YOU MAD

SHANNON

I stew over the demoness’s reaction all the way through dinner.

Draven is one of the ash field farmers. His mate, Collidia, is an excellent baker who has been pregnant the entire time I’ve known Mal. Because of the whole ‘demonesses being knocked-up for three years ’ thing, we must’ve just started showing when I first met her. Now, it’s a race to see who will pop first: Kennedy or Collidia.

In Sombra, there is no real concept of money; at least, not when you live in one of the smaller villages like Nuit. Coins and wealth exist in larger cities, especially the capital, but, when you’re a part of a clan, you work together to survive.

There’s a casual barter system that we use, similar to the suburban habit of knocking on your neighbor’s door for a cup of sugar. If you need something, ask around, and you’ll eventually find someone who will help out. Either for a price now or a favor later, it’s amazing how the system works.

The farmers and the hunters share their food. A handful of villagers prepare it—like baking bread or ash cookies—and pass it out among the rest of us. Collidia and Draven are part of that provider circle. That’s why, after Collidia hear about the beautiful murals that Malphas painted on Alana’s nursery walls and mentioned she might like one for her own baby, my mate didn’t even hesitate. For the last week or so, whenever he could spare the time, he’s been painting her walls.

And, no, that’s not a euphemism. The best thing about locking down a Sombra demon? They are fanatically loyal. Seriously. A line-up of naked models wouldn’t turn Malphas’s head. If anything, he might wonder if they didn’t have clothes, before asking if they needed him to use his shadows to cover them up.

After all, us humans have such a puritanical view of nudity. At least, that’s the impression I gave him when, directly after I accidentally summoned him, I pointed out his obviously naked body and asked him to cover up. I mean, how was I supposed to know he was in the middle of taking a bath when I fooled around with the Grimoire du Sombra and read the true love spell?

Then again, how did I know my true love would be an immortal shadow demon from another realm? I laugh now to remember how I was hoping it might give me the nerve to ask Derek at the Beanery out on date. He was cute, but Mal… yeah. Fate definitely did her job on that one.

Even as pissed off as I am that that demoness openly sneered at Alana, I can appreciate how gorgeous my mate is as he finishes the stew that Collidia sent him home with as a thank you for finishing her mural. And maybe if another demon—a young hunter this time—didn’t shy away from me and Alana as I carried her home earlier tonight, I might’ve been able to let it go.

Might’ve been… nah. I’m Shannon freaking Crewes. When have I ever been able to let anything go?

I do, however, manage to wait until after he clears our crystal table from the dinner mess and I’ve finished feeding Alana before letting her curl up in my lap and cuddle. Usually, I put her down after her last feeding, but tonight I want to hold her a little longer.

Is it because of me? Is it because she’s half-human? Since Haures decreed that we don’t discuss the prophecy with the rest of the villagers, it can’t be that. I never got the vibe that Nuit was full of anti-human bigots, but today was my tipping point.

I’m sitting on the couch in our designated ‘living room’, Alana on my lap.

“So, the weirdest thing happened today, babe,” I begin. “And by ‘weird’, I mean super fucking rude.”

His brows furrow. “Is something wrong, my flower?”

He can say that.

“It was the EL. One of the demonesses came in… not one of my regulars, but someone else. It doesn’t really matter who because, welp, this isn’t the first time it’s happened.”

Mal moves over to the couch, sinking down next to me. “What has happened?”

A small shrug as I try not to let my annoyance turn to out-right anger. Mal doesn’t deserve it. “I had just finished up with Yvette when I saw her. She was standing over Alana’s playpen, staring at our girl. But, like, not with curiosity or interest. She kinda looked… disgusted.”

That’s the word for it, and why it rubbed me the wrong way. Who the hell looks at a baby like that?

Mal gulps. “Oh.”

Oh?

What does he mean, oh?

“Mal?”

He sighs. “I had hoped that, over the many centuries, my people had given up their silly superstitions. That they would understand that, with you as her wonderful mother, our spawn might be different from others.”

Hang on.

“So, it is my fault? They don’t like her because she’s half-human? Because I thought people in Sombra were a little more open-minded than that.”

And why did I? Because Malphas seemed to marvel over the fact that a human was his mate. I’ve heard from Kennedy how some unmated demons made wishful comments to Loki that, one day, they might have a human female like he does. And, of course, the leader of its realm even treasures his human duchess. True, he keeps her tucked away and out of sight, but Susanna Benoit is Amy’s aunt. She’s told me how much Haures has obsessively cared for his mate over the last fifty years that they’ve been bonded. Humans are the stuff of legends, not monsters creeping into Sombra…

At least, that’s what I thought . Was I wrong?

Mal takes in a breath, releasing it slowly through his nose. He worries his fangs against his bottom lip, hand lifting to nervously stroke his horn.

I arch an eyebrow. I know Mal. Sure, I got a download about him from the essence exchange after we first met, but over the years that we’ve been together, I’ve learned everything I need to know about my demon myself. I don’t need to rely on his essence when I have my own memories and experiences that I’ve made with him.

So, yeah, he’s nervous. I can sense the anxious emotion trickling down our bond, and though I could tap into his essence and figure out what’s going on here, that’s not how a solid, trusting relationship works. We need communication and, damn it, I’m gonna sit here and wait until my mate wants to communicate with me.

I wait.

He gulps.

Cradling Alana’s back with my left hand, my baby blissfully unaware of the tension brewing between her parents, I use my right hand to casually stroke Mal’s thick thigh.

I wait some more.

He sighs. “I am so sorry, my Shannon. If I led you to think that it’s her human blood the others are wary of… no. It’s not that. It’s her lack of shadows. Sombran demons are born with shadows. Our Alana wasn’t.”

You know something? He’s right. That’s exactly what I did think. Of course it is. Why would I ever think anything was wrong with my adorable, perfect daughter? One part Mal, one part me, visible proof of our love—and, well, our sex life—and the most adorable baby I’ve ever seen in my life… it couldn’t be her.

But Malphas just admitted that it is. All because she… what?

“Who says she doesn’t have shadows?”

Mal reaches our, trailing one of his caws along Alana’s chubby cheek. “That she was born with colorless skin does.”

Bullshit. “Dude, I’m white. You’re red. She’s basically pink. Come on, Mal. You’re an artist. That’s basic color mixing.”

“I wish it were so. But Sombra demons have very strong characteristics.” Characteristics? It’s not a perfect translation, but I think what he’s trying to discuss is genetics as he adds, “She was always meant to take after me more than you. With her eyes and her horns and her shadows. But Alana… she has my eyes, she has tiny horns, but… she has no shadows.”

Okay. Fine. Let’s say her having no shadows is some kind of big deal that I didn’t know about. “And they’re really going to give her the stink-eye because part of me won out? I mean, look. She’s got my blonde hair. After all, I am her mother.”

He twirls one of her curls around his finger. “And there hasn’t been a better one in all of existence.”

I roll my eyes. “Now you’re just trying to sweet-talk your way out of this conversation.”

“No,” he insists. “Any demoness who gave birth to a child born without their shadows wouldn’t love them like you love Alana. They wouldn’t care for them.” His face shadows, and since he’s a shadow demon in his solid form, that’s pretty impressive. “They would be left on the edge of the deepest, darkest shadows of our world to… to…” He shakes his head. “To perish .”

What?

No.

That doesn’t make sense . “Okay. Let’s backtrack before I lose my ever-loving shit here. You’re telling me that if a baby is born like Alana… they abandon them? They… kill them?”

That’s what Mal means by ‘perish’?

“The shadows take them in the end,” he murmurs softly. “In fact, only one demon in our history has ever been left to the shadows and survived.”

It doesn’t take a Sombran historian to know who that is. Like, gee, who is the only Sombra demon I’ve ever seen without the red skin, the black hair, and a shadow form? I just figured that Haures was too high and might to ever be vaguely hidden in the dark so he always stayed in his striking white-colored solid form.

But that’s not the reason, is it? It’s because he doesn’t have a shadow form…

And, if Mal is right, neither does Alana. I just… I guess I thought it would come as she got older. But he has a point. In the last four months, she’s never shown that she has any other form than the one she’s in now. Pale and solid, and a death sentence to some of these villagers.

What the fuck am I supposed to do? It’s bad enough that my sweet Alana has the weight of the prophecy hanging over her innocent head. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I can’t even bring her home, introduce her to my parents, and show her off to my friends, like Tori and Chris. But now he’s telling me that she’ll always be an outcast in Sombra, too? And that, deep down, they probably all wonder why we haven’t booted her to the shadows already?

Fuck, no.

I grit my teeth. “Thanks for finally telling me, Mal.”

“It wasn’t supposed to matter,” my big demon says insistently. “She is our spawn. I love her with all of my heart, just like I adore you, my flower. I never wanted you to worry about this when it’s clear that neither one of us would change a thing about Alana. If some demons don’t see the magic in her, that is their concert, not ours. Besides, Duke Haures has her under his protection. While he rules Sombra, no one will harm Alana. He vowed it.”

That’s news to me. “He did? When?”

I see the panic flash across his strong features, feel the way his heart jumps all the way from the other side of our bond, and I know that, whatever Mal says next, I’m not gonna be happy with what it is.

“When he came to visit her a cycle after she was born. He hasn’t said anything else during the last few visits, but he’s given his word. And the duke will not go back on it.”

Yeah, see… that’s not what I’m focusing on...

Wow.

Okay.

I was right just now, but I think I was definitely wrong before. Maybe Malphas does deserve my anger after all.

“What?” The word is quiet so I don’t upset Alana, but there’s enough heat to it that Mal has to know he pissed me off. “Are you telling me that he’s been coming to see our baby and you’re just letting me know?”

I didn’t want to upset Alana, but she is as intuitive as her father. She lets out a soft coo, head swiveling to look at Mal, then me.

I bounce her gently, waiting for my mate to come clean.

“He visits her after every gold moon,” Malphas finally admits. “It’s late when he comes. You’re usually sleeping, my mate. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“And Alana?” I ask through gritted teeth.

His glowing eyes dim. “I always hope she will sleep through the meeting. It’s very quick. Mere minutes if that.”

That didn’t answer my question. “Mal.”

There’s only a hint of a glow now. “She wakes up,” my mate confesses. “As though she knows they’ve come to see her, she never sleeps until they’re gone.”

Smart girl.

Her father, though? I’m not so sure.

Jumping up from my seat, needing a little space, I begin to pace around the room with Alana. “Are you kidding? You really thought I’d rather sleep than let the two of you face Haures alone? Did you forget he wanted to put you in a dungeon for not fucking me fast enough?”

Malphas winces. “My mate?—”

“Zip it,” I snap. “You were trying to protect me. I get it. But don’t you understand that, as your mate, it’s my job to protect you, too?”

“You always have?—”

No. I’ve tried . Just like I would’ve done the same for Alana if given the choice. “We’re a family, Mal. It’s you and me and Alana against the world. In Earth… in Sombra… it’s us. You don’t hide things from me, whether you’re doing it for me or not. Got it?”

He gets up, inching closer to me. “I vow it.”

That calms me a little. Sombra demons take their vows super seriously. If he vows it now, he won’t go back on his word. Just like, if the duke really did vow to protect Alana, their gods will hold him to it.

Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Having the ruler of Sombra invested in keeping Alana safe if only because of her supposed destiny… I should be happy to take all the help I can get.

Plus, the next time someone sneers at my daughter, I’ll just have to tell them that Duke Haures wouldn’t like it…

I exhale.

Malphas approached me hesitantly. “Are you mad?”

That’s the thing. I’m not really mad . Disappointed, yes, but how can I be mad when he was only doing what he thought was best for me and Alana? “No,” I tell him. “Not really. But if you ever do something like that again?—”

I don’t honestly know how I was going to end my baseless threat. Probably with something I wouldn’t actually mean, but it doesn’t really matter because, suddenly, I’m distracted by two very seemingly impossible things happening at the exact same moment.

For the first time that I’ve seen, Alana throws back her head and cries. It’s a loud, piercing screech that is like a knife to my heart. Her cries quickly turn inconsolable, gasping sobs that has her face becoming as red as a full-blooded Sombra demon.

That’s enough to shock me. I guess I got used to such a well-tempered baby that part of me thought she would never cry.

But as I instinctively go into ‘mom’ mode, trying my best to comfort her while Mal hovers beside me, eager to help, I see something on the window that I know I’ve never seen before.

Droplets of water. Honest-to-god rain droplets.

My breath catches in my throat.

Panic has me rushing over to the glass, peering through it, making sure I’m not imagining what I’m seeing.

I’m not.

“Mal…” My voice is quiet. Shaky. Alana’s cries drown it out, but he hears me anyway as I whisper, “It’s raining .”