Page 8

Seneca sat there feeling shocked that her new mate and his friends had left, while the others in the room didn’t seem to care. They just kept eating as if nothing had happened. She couldn’t help feeling like Killian had just abandoned her, though he probably had a good reason for leaving.

Recounting the last year of her life hadn’t been easy for her. It was even more difficult than it had been when she’d told Shadow everything earlier. Despite Killian being her mate, most of the people in the room were virtually strangers. Telling them the sordid details of what had happened to her was embarrassing since it was like putting her weaknesses on full display.

It was also pretty painful.

Being reborn might have wiped the slate clean for her, but the mental anguish of the events she had lived through was still with her like invisible scars. As she recounted the events that had occurred, she had tried to detach herself from the sorrow of the past. She hadn’t wanted to go into too much detail, but she’d felt an overwhelming need to be open and honest with Killian.

An omission wasn’t an outright lie, but it wasn’t the full truth either. Perhaps it was the influence of the mating bond that had made her want to spill her guts to him. That compulsion had made her blurt out far more than she had initially been prepared to tell them.

Retelling her story made parts of her previous life flash in front of her eyes. It was a bizarre feeling, the two timelines colliding and intertwining in her head until she had a hard time deciphering what was real. Memories surged through her mind, vivid and haunting, each one a fragment saturated in agony and despair. In contrast, her new reality was brighter and filled with hope, but that made it harder to believe.

It almost felt like she was still stuck in a strange dream. The boundaries between past and present blurred, leaving her feeling confused as she tried to separate the two. But it was a dream she was willing to indulge in, especially since it had brought Killian to her.

Amidst the chaos of being reborn, she had found her mate.

Out of everything that had happened over the past few days, meeting Killian had to be the most unexpected. Despite the undeniable connection she felt with him, a part of her still didn’t fully believe that he was really hers. She knew she had to trust his declaration, though. He wasn’t just any supernatural being. As a reaper, he was immensely powerful and perceptive. That meant there was no way he would claim someone as his mate if he wasn’t sure it was true.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure they will be back soon. Just eat. You’ve barely touched your food.” Celine scooped some of the creamy pasta with giant pieces of lobster onto her plate. “Try this. It’s really good.”

Still unwilling to let it go, Seneca turned toward Arson. “Do you know where they went?”

“If I had to guess, I would say your badass mate went to kill the witch who murdered you,” Arson said bluntly.

“Bro, you could have eased her into that a little,” Gunner chided as he carried over an enormous magnum bottle of champagne and stemless crystal flutes. With expertise, he opened the bottle and filled the glasses before handing them out. “Here, have some champagne.”

“But…but…he can’t just kill her,” she sputtered.

“Sure he can,” Arson countered cheerfully raising his glass in salute. “And after what you told us, she definitely deserves it.”

Seneca had been hoping it would be easy to convince Killian to help her strike back at the people who had hurt her during her last life, but she hadn’t considered he would just go out and kill them for her. She knew she should have been horrified by that thought, but she couldn’t help feeling a little flattered that he would do something so extreme for her.

“But she didn’t do anything to me in this timeline,” she pointed out, more as a reminder for herself. “Not yet, anyway. How can he just—?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Gunner said dismissively before shoving a forkful of brisket into his mouth. “He’s kind of a pro at this sort of thing.”

Her brows winged up at that. “What does that mean?”

Gunner sighed and shot her a sympathetic look. “You really don’t understand exactly who your mate is, do you?”

“He’s not a serial killer or anything like that,” Celine assured as she patted her shoulder. “But Killian Black isn’t just a powerful supernatural. He is a dark god, one of the very last remaining ancient reapers, and the boss of the Guardians of the Underworld.”

“Oh, and he also used to be some sort of royalty, but he doesn’t really care much about that title these days,” Arson added breezily.

Seneca felt like her head was going to explode. That was a whole lot to digest. She had never attended a magical academy during her previous life so she didn’t know much about the supernatural hierarchy beyond what she’d learned from her friends. She knew reapers were the most powerful beings in the Hell Realm, but hearing her mate being called a dark god put a whole new spin on things.

She really was mated to a magical badass.

Unconsciously, she reached for the relic she had gotten from her mate. She liked thinking of it as his first gift to her, although the way he had spoken about it made it seem like the magical parasol had chosen her. As soon as she touched the crystal handle, she was instantly flooded with a sense of warmth and comfort. That startled her enough that she let go of it. She wasn’t used to inanimate objects being able to do something like that.

Taking a big gulp of champagne, she tried to calm her nerves a bit. “What are the Guardians of the Underworld? Is that like the supernatural mafia or something?”

“Sort of, but we mostly use our power and influence to make sure supernaturals don’t cause problems here in the Human Realm,” Arson explained.

“You’re one of these Guardians as well?”

“We all are,” Celine confirmed. “It’s why Arson set up The Manor in the first place. To make it easier for us to monitor the supernatural community in this area.”

“So, are you guys sort of like the Supernatural Council?”

Arson snorted. “Hell, no. Those assholes are almost as useless as human politicians. We, on the other hand, maintain balance and order so the majority of the human population remain unaware of the supernatural world.”

“The Supernatural Council only deals with bigger issues that affect the six realms, while we strictly handle things here in the Human Realm,” Celine explained.

“The Council is totally useless,” Gunner muttered before shoving more food in his mouth.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, a year from now most of the Council is going to be replaced with better people, or so I heard.”

“What else can you tell us about the future?” Arson asked, leaning forward.

Gunner grinned. “Do you remember any lotto numbers?”

Seneca chuckled and shook her head. “Sorry, no.”

“Damn. How about who won the World Series? Super Bowl?”

“Didn’t really pay attention to that either.”

She wanted to laugh at the disappointed look on his face, but a wave of apprehension swept through her. She really didn’t pay attention to most sports, but she had always been a big supporter of Thane and his snowboarding career. She really hoped Shadow and her brother were now safe at home, and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, hoping that she might have a text from them.

Unfortunately, the phone wouldn’t even turn on.

“That won’t work here,” Arson confirmed. “We’ve got a landline if you need to make a call out.”

“I just wanted to make sure Shadow and Thane were okay.”

“I can go check on them for you,” Celine offered.

Before she could respond, the dark angel disappeared from her seat. Teleporting really did come in handy. That was definitely a skill she wished she had, but it wasn’t something most witches were capable of. Since Celine was good friends with Thane, Seneca had no doubt she would track them down to make sure they were okay.

Even though she wasn’t full yet, Seneca had lost her appetite worrying about her friends. She was also feeling a little anxious waiting for her mate to return. Not that he couldn’t handle himself. Safety wasn’t really an issue for him, but she was pretty damn curious about what he was doing.

She got to her feet, earning the males’ full attention. “Could you tell me where the restroom is?”

“Across the hall to the left,” Gunner answered around a mouthful of food.

Arson gave her a speculative look that made her ask, “Why are you looking at me like that? Are you afraid I’m going to run away or something?”

He sighed. “No, I’m just trying not to think of how many different ways Killian would torture me if something were to happen to you while he left you in my care.”

She snorted out a laugh. “I think I can manage to go to the bathroom by myself without getting lost or injured.”

“Let’s hope so.”

Leaving the private dining room, she followed their directions to the restroom. She hadn’t realized it until she’d left the room, but she desperately needed a few moments to herself. Unlike her old self, she was out of practice being social, and putting on a brave face in front of everyone was utterly exhausting.

Like everything else in the private club, the black and gold bathroom was a well-appointed space with individual rooms instead of stalls. A pleasant scent drifted from a colorful arrangement of fresh flowers sitting on a high table in the small vestibule near the entrance. She paused to study the flowers and noticed a few that she’d never seen before. When she leaned forward to sniff at their alluring fragrance, she immediately felt lightheaded like she had downed half the bottle of champagne instead of only taking a few sips. Quickly stepping back, she shook her head to try to clear it.

Leave it to The Manor to use magical flowers from other realms as decorations.

After she took care of her pressing needs, she made her way over to one of the sinks to wash her hands and frowned when she got a good look at herself in the mirror. She had been expecting to find herself looking like a hot mess since she had arrived at The Manor soaking wet, but she looked the same as she had when she’d left the house.

Actually, she looked better.

Her icy blonde hair had a new glossy sheen to it, and her dewy skin looked like it was airbrushed with makeup to look completely flawless. Her dark lashes seemed even longer than usual, making her gray eyes look even brighter. As she dried her hands with one of the hand towels that had been laid out for guests, she noticed that her clothes were completely dry. That must have been Killian’s doing. It made her smile that he had seen to her comfort without mentioning it.

“I’ll have to thank my new mate later,” she murmured.

“Thank me for what?”

Seneca gasped as her gaze shot back up to the mirror. Killian was standing behind her, his taller frame allowing her to see him clearly. Still impeccably dressed in his black suit, he looked no different than he had a few minutes ago. He certainly didn’t look like he had just gone out and committed murder.

Strangely, she realized it wouldn’t really bother her if he had.

Perhaps dying had screwed with her sense of morality. Or maybe she’d always been that way due to her unique upbringing. Either way, she figured that was probably a good thing considering she was now mated to a reaper.

Smiling at him through the mirror, she said, “I don’t think you are supposed to be in here.”

His eclipse eyes seemed to glow brighter as he took a step closer to her. “I don’t think anyone is going to stop me.”

His deep voice made her want to shiver. Not only was it mesmerizing, it was also addicting. She wanted to close her eyes and savor every word he spoke to her, but she didn’t want to lose the view of his ridiculously handsome face either. Even though they weren’t touching, she felt the heat of his body against her back.

“You’re probably right about that,” she teased with a laugh. Sobering, she met his steady gaze through the mirror. “Did you kill Whitley Dalkis?”

“Not yet,” he answered easily. “But I bet she wishes I had. She is spending some quality time with Anika right now. There are answers about the magical black market we want from her before she meets her end.”

“But she didn’t do anything to me in this life.”

“I still would have killed her for what she did to you in your past life,” he admitted. “However, there were two other people she was holding captive on her estate. We also discovered several bodies buried in her garden, so there is no question she must pay for those crimes.”

Seneca vaguely remembered her captor mentioning there were others like her, but the memory was hazy since she’d been dying at that point. She wasn’t the least bit surprised that other people had been buried in the backyard either. Any guilt she’d been feeling evaporated like smoke.

The crazy witch deserved to die.

“What happened to the captives?” she asked. “Are they okay?”

“Dario took them somewhere safe so they can begin to heal and contact their families.”

Satisfied with the way everything was handled, she couldn’t really ask for more. “What about Clara and Mark? Did you visit them as well?”

“Their time will come,” he said ominously. “We can talk about how you want to handle them later.”

She nodded. “Thank you for drying my clothes earlier.”

“It was my pleasure, mate.”

“Did you give me a magical glow-up while you were at it?”

“What does that mean?”

“It means my hair and skin look better than it did a few hours ago.”

He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently turned her until she was facing him. “I used magic on you earlier, but I didn’t do anything to alter your appearance. Perhaps you are sensitive to my magic because we are mates.” He traced a finger down her cheek. “But you are right. You were beautiful before, but now, you look luminous.”

When their eyes met and held, she lost the ability to speak. Her pulse began to race as the air between them seemed to thicken with their lust. She let out a loud gasp when he surprised her by lifting her so she was sitting on the edge of the counter between two of the sinks.

“Killian…”

“I love hearing my name on your lips,” he murmured. “Are you afraid of me, Seneca?”

“No, but I probably should be,” she blurted out. “You make me nervous, though. And I say stupid things when I’m nervous.”

“Nothing you say is stupid,” he countered.

Stepping between her parted thighs, he spread her legs wider to accommodate his large body. His movements were slow as if he were testing her reactions to him. She had been honest about being nervous. Even though he was her mate, he was an intimidating male who was still essentially a stranger to her.

But that didn’t stop her from wanting him.

It was as if every cell in her body was calling out to him, needing him closer. Excitement and longing were drowning out her nerves, making her body hum with anticipation. He slowly leaned closer until they were mere inches apart, and she shivered as she felt the warmth of his breath across her lips. She heard a strange creaking sound but couldn’t pull her gaze away from his to figure out where the noise had come from.

Time seemed to stand still as they continued to simply stare at one another. He was as still as a statue, but she could sense the tension radiating from his frozen frame. She appreciated his restraint almost as much as she cursed it. She instinctively understood he was waiting for her to make the next move, but it would have been a whole lot easier to let him take the lead.

The choice was hers to make.

It felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting to dive into the unknown. But she was ready for it. Not just ready, she was eager to take that dive with him.

She wanted to be his mate.

Leaning closer, she brushed her lips against his in a soft, tentative kiss. When she started to pull back, he pressed his lips firmly against hers. Taking her hand in his, he gently intertwined his fingers with hers so their palms were pressed together. That gesture might have seemed innocent, but the intimacy of skin-to-skin contact formed a connection between them that was electric.

His other arm wrapped around her waist, and he jerked her against him as he took the kiss deeper. She gasped when she felt his hard shaft, hidden beneath the layers of clothing between them, rub against her core. Taking advantage, his tongue swept into her mouth to twine with hers. The taste of him was even more potent than the champagne she’d had earlier, and her head swirled as if she was already drunk on him.

The kiss was a clash of passion and tenderness, an endless fusion of raw desire and growing affection. Their tongues moved in harmony, his coaxing hers into a dance of passionate exploration. She gasped again, this time in pain from a burning sensation on her palm. She tried to pull her hand away from his, but his fingers tightened around hers, holding her in place in silent refusal.

The burn on her palm intensified until she could barely stand it, then the pain vanished leaving behind a tolerable warmth. The pain wasn’t gone, though. It was being blocked by Killian. She wasn’t sure how she knew that until she realized exactly what was happening. He was marking her with his magic, creating a bond between them that would never be broken.

As she felt his magic surging into her, she tried to figure out how to do the same to him. She knew they both had to share their magic to complete the bond, but she’d never learned exactly how it was done. Even as she considered it, he let out a low growl of pleasure as her own magic began flowing into him.

Apparently, all it took to complete the mating bond was the desire to do so.

That realization clarified the situation, but it didn’t mean the process was simple. Her head began to spin as she was suddenly bombarded by a complex jumble of emotions. What she felt wasn’t just coming from her. She was also feeling Killian’s emotions. Their minds, souls, and magic were merging together until even their hearts began to beat in unison.

She wrapped her arm around his neck and clung to him like an anchor against the onslaught of emotions. Killian’s need for her was overwhelming. It felt truly incredible to be wanted like that. To have such a powerful male desire her that way was both humbling and exhilarating.

She sensed Killian’s satisfaction and pleasure from claiming her, but he was also angry with himself for doing it without discussing it with her first. She couldn’t blame him, though. It had been an intuitive action. An instinctive response from them being so close. It was as if fate was making sure they would never again be separated.

Powerful supernaturals had a much more difficult time resisting the mating bond than beings with less magic. Even with that added pressure, he had still attempted to give her a choice. She appreciated that even if it wasn’t necessary. Since their bond had started to form the moment she had kissed him, if anyone was at fault, it would be her.

“No, mate,” he growled through their bond. “There is no fault between us.”

Hearing his voice inside her head startled her. She knew that was part of the mating bond, but she hadn’t been prepared to actually experience it.

Then, in a flash, their mating bond was complete.

Not letting go, Killian continued to kiss her with a fervor that heated her blood. Pleasure surged through her as he rubbed against her core, and she couldn’t help moving her hips against him in a desperate plea for more.

She didn’t realize she had started tugging at his clothes until a loud pounding on the bathroom door jerked her back to reality. When she tried to pull away, he held firm and refused to release her.

“Hey, Seneca! Why is this damn door locked? Are you in there? Did you fall in the toilet or something? Can you hear me? Answer me, damn it!”

Seneca wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or cry at the sound of her best friend’s loud voice coming through the thick wooden door. It was a relief to know that Shadow was alive and well, but her timing left a lot to be desired. Killian finally broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers with a sigh.

“I locked the door as soon as I entered,” he explained. “I should have soundproofed the room as well. Clearly, that is an oversight I will not make again.”

“She won’t stop until I answer.”

“I already told her to go back and wait for us in the dining room.”

Seneca couldn’t help but frown at that. “You can speak to other people telepathically?”

“Anyone I choose to, yes. But it is not the same as our connection.” He smiled as he rubbed his thumb along her lower lip. “Are you jealous?”

She was, but she wasn’t about the admit that out loud.

“You don’t have to say it out loud.”

Oh, god. She was fucking doomed.

Groaning, she closed her eyes. Now that they were bonded, he was going to be able to hear all the weird stuff inside her head. She wasn’t ready for him to figure out just how crazy she could be when she was talking to herself. Especially when she was planning out a storyline for one of her graphic novels. When she was plotting, she could sound like a fucking serial killer or someone with multiple personalities.

“I find you utterly adorable, mate.” He brushed his lips against her forehead, then grabbed hold of her waist and lifted her off the counter. Once her feet were touching the ground again, he said, “Don’t worry, I can refrain from being inside your head all the time until you get used to our bond.”

“So, we really are fully bonded? Just like that?”

“We shared magic and branded one another with our mating marks, so, yes.”

She glanced down at her hand and saw a circular mark with an ancient symbol made of silvery iridescent light in the center of her palm. The mating mark was beautiful, but it was more than just a pretty adornment.

It was proof of their magical bond.

“But I thought we had to…you know.”

His lips curved into a seductive smile. “A lot of mates bond while having sex, but it isn’t necessary. We can mark each other again while we—”

“Okay, we can talk about that later,” she said, cutting him off. “Our friends are waiting, and we have a not-so-natural disaster to stop. We don’t have time for any of that.”

“Any of what?”

He chuckled as she stepped away from him. She immediately missed the heat of his body pressed against her, but it was better to avoid temptation…for now. They really did have more pressing things to deal with.

That reminder was enough to counteract her lust.

When she turned back toward the mirror, she blinked at the sight of the two holes in the marble countertop near where she’d been sitting. She quickly realized that had been the sound she’d heard while he had waited for her to kiss him. He had literally pulverized the marble with his bare hands to hold himself back.

Again, that should have been scary, but she found it extremely flattering.

“I’m glad you think so,” he said in response to her inner thoughts.

She shot him some serious side-eye. “I thought you said you could stay out of my head.”

He sighed as he used his magic to fix the damaged countertop. “I will try, but I can’t help hearing when you shout your thoughts at me.”

Okay, she was really going to have to stop doing that if she wanted to keep an ounce of her dignity intact. Then again, perhaps she should just embrace the inevitable and get used to embarrassing herself in front of her mate since it was bound to happen often.

But it was a trade-off to have a mate who could fix things at will.

“You will be able to as well,” he pointed out. “It might take a little longer for our connection to fully settle into place, but you now have access to some of my magic.”

She wanted to groan at that. Not only would she have to get used to having a powerful mate, she now possessed some of his magic. Considering she could barely handle her own measly witch powers, learning how to handle reaper magic was going to be a bitch.

“It won’t be that difficult once you scan my mind. You will be able to learn whatever you need to simply by accessing my memories. I have centuries of knowledge to share with you.”

“Finishing college should be a breeze, then,” she quipped, then her eyes widened. “I also gave you some of my magic when we bonded. I know it’s nothing compared to yours, but does that mean you got some of my luck?”

He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again as he considered the possibility. “I wonder if the six realms will be able to handle a lucky reaper on a revenge quest for his beloved mate.”

That thought was enough to make her shiver.

“I guess we will have to wait and see.”