Fallen Embers (Fallen Guardians #9)

Chapter 33

Chapter

Thirty-Three

Pinpricks swept through him, and Lore gritted his teeth. Dammit, not now!

He refused to let anything stop him from claiming Nia as his again. He shut his mind shields, and still, the sharp buzz coasted through him, stirring him to full-blown need.

What in the ever-loving stars?

“Lore?” Her legs hooked around his hips, keeping him locked to her with his cock buried deep inside her. Slumberous eyes like flames of amber met his. “What is that?”

Dammit, she felt it too?

“I’m not sure.” He braced his arms, keeping his weight off her, but his back hurt like the damn devil’s army stomped on his wounds.

“Maybe it’s your powers awakening?” Worry darkened her eyes as she gently stroked his back, soothing some of the jabbing pain. “Should we stop until you’re better and know what’s happening?”

“The only thing we should be doing,” he growled, “is this.” And his mouth covered hers.

She sighed and sank into his kiss with the same urgency consuming him. His love for her swelled, making all that he’d endured by falling worthwhile—even the loss of his wings, which dug deep into his psyche.

Then it all faded from his thoughts as she lifted her hips, her inner muscles fisting his sex like a vise. “Lore, move…”

Without a word, he retreated and surged, giving her, giving them both what they so desperately needed—and treasuring this gift that had been granted to him. He might have broken their mate bond, and it didn’t matter if it never reformed. She was now all the beats of his heart, the air he breathed, his love?—

“Lore,” she said huskily. “I won’t break. Take me like you did in the abbey.”

At the slumbrous invitation in her eyes, it was instinct to pin down both her wrists above her head with one hand as she closed her legs, trapping his cock in an even tighter hold?—

A deep groan broke free. He moved harder and faster, her core and thighs squeezing his shaft unmercifully?—

Hell! He loved it.

Pressure built along his spine. The urge to chase after that inevitable explosion took hold. And the prickling sensation he’d awakened gathered momentum?—

No, dammit! He stilled.

“Don’t stop!” She moved her hips. “God, you feel so good!”

He shook his head, trying to tamp down whatever was happening to him, but her tight sheath clamped his cock, and he couldn’t stop. He knew what she liked, how she liked to find her orgasm. But this way, he could still improvise. He found her clit and rolled it firmly.

She whimpered, moving faster, chasing after her orgasm.

“Yes,” he grunted, and those prickles gave way to a blazing white light barreling down his spine?—

“Lore!” she cried out, her body arching beneath his, her sex squeezing him.

His release exploded, his seed filling her, his entire being held in the throes of unbelievable pleasure?—

White light burst free, brightening every facet of him. He buried his face in Nia’s warm neck, the aftereffects of their lovemaking holding him in thrall as the light faded.

Her breath escaped in pants. Her chest heaved. She wrapped her legs around his hips. Gently, she caressed down his lower spine, his butt, and up again. “Are you okay?” she asked, her voice husky.

Dragging in air as if there were little oxygen left in the room, he lifted his head to stare into the face of the woman who owned his heart… And she did, even if he hadn’t realized it then, from the moment he saw her.

Her eyes?—

“Lore, your eyes are glowing white.”

“As are yours,” he rasped.

He disengaged from her warm body, regretting the loss. He sat up, agony flaying him, jabbing red-hot pokers along his shoulder blades.

“What does it mean?” Nia bolted upright, her gorgeous breasts bouncing a little. “Are your powers awakening again? I mean, the first time we made love, it felt similar.”

He tried to breathe through his pain. “I’m not sure…”

He shut his eyes as the ancient goddess’ words seeped through his foggy head. A chance to reignite what you broke.

Their mate bond?

His heart pounded. By the stars! It had to be.

He lifted his head, taking in Nia’s glowing eyes. She was so incredibly beautiful. He lifted a hand, ignoring the spike of pain impaling his back as he caressed her cheek, trying to remember what he knew about soul-joined mates. The only thing that came to mind was that the females possessed power over their mate’s obsidian dagger and…telepathy.

“Obsidian dagger?” Nia repeated. “Telepathy?”

A smile started. “You heard me?”

She blinked. “What?”

“I didn’t say that out loud. It’s what came to mind concerning the gifts of being soul-joined…” His gaze grew tender. His heart filled with so many emotions that they overwhelmed him. “The last time we soul-joined, I had no clue and messed up badly. Neither of us knew what had happened between us.”

And now we do. He heard her soft voice in his mind.

Her smile brightened the room like the dawning sun.

This was his life with her, his light, his happiness…

She truly, finally belonged to him.

“What about the obsidian dagger?” she asked.

He stroked the dent in her chin. “Summon it.”

“What? How?”

“Call it to you.”

She nodded, her brow furrowing as she concentrated… And the dagger appeared in her hand?—

“Eeep!”

She would have leaped from the bed if he wasn’t holding her.

He laughed. “This blade is yours. It’s my mate’s dagger. So, you’ll always be armed and can summon the weapon anytime you need it.”

“Oh, wow.” Grinning, she examined the glittering ebony blade with the amber stones.

Lore shook his head and rubbed his upper arm, then frowned at the ink of a sword made up of a myriad of symbols on his left biceps, like what the other Guardians bore.

More, he could feel the pull of the scabs forming over the wounds where his wings used to be—phantom wings wanting release. Their absence felt as if an intrinsic part of himself had been ripped from his soul.

A clamor reached him from the ground floor, and he frowned. “Sounds like the brotherhood is getting impatient.”

She laughed and set the dagger on the bedside table. “I can’t blame them. I’ve been in hiding since you left.”

“Good for you. I’d rather spend my time here with you.”

“Well, you’re still healing, so we’re off the hook for now.”

He pulled her to him, fell on his back, and grunted, pain strangling him. Stars! He gritted his teeth.

“Oh, your poor back!” She scrambled off the bed and picked up the dreaded potion bottle.

At her gimlet look, he had no choice but to drink that awful thing again.

Late that afternoon, Nia sat on the padded bench in the dressing room and zipped up her low-heeled boots. After Lore had awakened her with another bout of lovemaking, they’d finally showered and dressed.

He leaned against a chest of drawers, waiting for her, his shiny, sunset-hued hair pulled back in a ponytail. Man, he looked abso-hot in simple black dress pants and a dark gray shirt he’d taken from the closet. Hedori had filled it with clothes Lore typically preferred, and there’d been things for her, too.

Even without powers, he still retained that dark, dangerous air. Guess nothing would change the core of what he inherently was.

Her gaze lifted to his, and she found those silvery-green eyes tracking her every move.

Yup, she knew exactly how prey felt, except this prey so wanted his mouth and hands back on her.

“What?” she asked, rising to her feet.

He shook his head.

The fact he didn’t make a suggestive comeback, Nia knew he must be in pain. “Do you want more of the potion?”

He snorted. “No.”

She let it go for now and straightened the thick, forest-green sweater over the jeans—clothes she was sure Echo had selected. Nia finger-combed and scooped up her drying hair into a topknot and fastened it with a scrunchie. “I’m ready.”

“No hurry,” Lore said, still watching her.

She laughed, then said, “I don’t know the way down. Maybe I should call Echo?”

“I know the ground level. We’ll find the stairs. Come, ruh , let’s get this done.” He extended a hand, and they headed out.

“Well?” she asked as they made their way along the wide, elegant corridor, wall sconces casting soft pools of light on the marbled floor. Pretty period chairs were placed sporadically along the walls, and a few tall urns held an array of flowers and trailing greenery.

“Well, what?”

But she heard the smile in his voice. He was baiting her with his silence. “You called me ruh , twice now,” she grumbled.

He slowed his steps at the landing and walked her backward, caging her against the circular balustrade. “What happens if I don’t tell you?”

She narrowed her eyes. “I’ll go to the boathouse and bunk with my brother and Ely again.”

He loomed over her. “Threats? That will never happen, qalbi .”

“Lore, please,” she groaned at another new endearment, palms pressed to his chest.

“You beg so shamelessly, my heart.”

“Gah!”

“It’s what qalbi means…” He kissed the tip of her nose. “ Ruh , my breath of life.”

“Who knew my tutor had a romantic side to him?” Echo joined them with a wide grin, Aethan following.

Lore’s expression smoothed out to cool as he straightened.

“Glad to see you whole and back,” Aethan said, smirking.

“Has Michael returned?” Nia asked. “He said he had to go do damage control.”

“What?” Lore frowned at her. “You didn’t tell me that.”

“Oh, right. You weren’t yourself. Too much had happened for me to mention it at the time, and then I forgot.”

“He heard rumbles in the Celestial Realm,” Aethan said, putting his hand on Echo’s waist. “He sent a message for us to be on standby, just in case.”

“Indeed.” Lore’s jaw hardened. “They never like the order of things disrupted.”

Nia’s gaze darted between the men. Oh, no! More trouble?

His gaze softened as it met hers, probably sensing her anxiety. I feel you, my heart. There is no need to worry about anything, his voice coasted into her mind. Out loud, he said, “They have to accept it is over. I have left.”

“Echo?” a voice shrieked from below.

Laughing, her twin leaned over the banister. “Hey Kira, what’s up?”

“C’mon, girl. Don’t keep your sister and Lore up there. Everyone’s dying to meet this rockin’ goddess and find out how she conquered the almighty angel.”

Echo huffed a laugh, and Nia bit back her smile.

Lore’s eyes narrowed.

I’m not laughing at you, my love. But you have to admit it’s true, she teased.

His palm slipped to her lower back, expression even. Oh, you will pay for that later, habibti .

Can’t wait, er, mon amour , she shot back, grimacing inwardly at her lame comeback.

A faint smile tipped his mouth. Yeah, he knew what it meant, too. Ugh.

Aethan shook his head. “C’mon, let’s go before she corrals everyone up here for this meet-and-greet.”

They headed down the sweeping grand staircase lit by wall sconces.

Ready for this? Lore asked as they followed.

God, no. Back home, I dreaded when Nan held her dinners.

His brow furrowed. From what little I learned about her from her letter and her friends’ reactions to you, I can safely assure you the residents of this place are nothing like her.

Nia knew that. Still, crowds increased her anxiety. According to Echo, there were four other Guardians and their mates in residence. She rubbed her palm down her jeans.

As they approached the second-level landing, a tall, curvy woman with a riot of corkscrew auburn hair framing her latte-toned face waited for them. The blond man Nia had met several days ago—the one who’d mistaken her for Echo—leaned against the balustrade near her.

“Hey.” The woman grinned, revealing ridiculously gorgeous dimples. “Nice to meet ya. Wow, love all your piercings.”

“Er, thank you.” Nia rubbed her left ear with the multiple studs.

“Nia?” Echo hooked her arm through hers. “This is my best friend, Kira. We go way back to our preteen years,” she said. “And that’s her mate, Tyr.”

“We met briefly,” Tyr smirked, those slashing masculine dimples taking life as he straightened. His gaze shifted between her and Echo. “Damn, to see you both is surreal. But good to meet you, Nia. Nice job, taming the untouchable.” He shot Lore a full-on taunting grin.

Lore lifted an eyebrow. “You make me sound like I was some sort of plague.”

“An angelic one.” Tyr grinned. “Now he even speaks to us lesser beings.”

Lore sported a faint frown, and Nia bit back a smile.

But deeper, the awareness rose. There was nothing lesser about this immortal, Tyr, either.

Nia hooked her hand through Lore’s arm, enjoying their snarkiness. Her mate was more of a watcher, no pun intended to her ancestors.

“Come on,” Kira chimed in. “Noon tea is waiting.”

“Yeah, I’m starving, elska . Thanks to our workout.” Tyr threw his arm over her shoulders as they headed down. Kira snorted and pinched his side, and he laughed.

If the rest of the couples were like them, then it would be okay.

As they descended the grand staircase, Nia glanced around, a little overwhelmed by the undeniably beautiful castle. They hit the ground floor, and she stopped, her gaze fixed on the floor-to-ceiling stained-glass window on the left. It depicted knights and their ladies from a time gone by, with angels abound… “Wait, are those knights the Guardians ? ”

“Hardly.” Aethan snorted behind her. “We would never pose for that.”

“Nope,” Tyr added. “We don’t like ‘em winged dudes.”

Nia frowned and glanced back as the girls rolled their eyes, seeming used to this banter.

“These warriors were quite the antisocial lot back then,” Lore said, tone dry as kindling. “They have improved in the last two years or so.”

“Look who’s talkin’,” Tyr baited, and Nia bit back her smile, but she sensed Lore’s amusement as they continued down the corridor.

At one of the shut doors—man, Nia lost count of how many they’d passed—Kira pushed it open, and the mouthwatering aroma of something cinnamony baking wafted in the air.

Nia followed them into an airy kitchen. On one side, there was a sea of oak cupboards, and a large central isle separated the spacious dining section. Two couples currently occupied the long table set for afternoon tea.

A man with bronze skin and multiple warrior braids relaxed next to a slender redhead. Opposite them, a curvy brunette with a messy topknot and caramel skin sat next to a man with cropped dark hair, who listened to her with his head lowered.

Nia was sure both men were Guardians, judging from the perilous air around them and their otherworldly good looks.

They looked up. Smiles followed, then the women went back to their tea and conversation?—

Their heads snapped up again.

A pin drop could be heard in the silence that swept through the kitchen.

Then their smiles started, and the men smirked, at least the blue-eyed one did. The guy with the warrior braids just watched.

“That was so worth it!” Kira laughed, joining Tyr in the kitchen, who’d already scooped a slice of chocolate cake onto a plate.

“Everyone, this is Nia, my sister.” Echo flashed them a wide smile. “And you all know Lore.” Then she slid into the intro. “Nia, that’s Darci with the topknot, and the model next to her is her mate, Blaéz.” The man chuckled, his blue eyes bright with laughter. He dressed like he should be in a photo shoot or something—just like her man.

I am no man, habibti .

My bad. She bit her top lip to stop her smile. Yes, I know, my angel. At her dry tone, his amusement drifted along their mate bond, warming her heart.

“The redhead is Shae,” Echo continued. The woman gave a little wave and smiled. “And the warrior watching all this hoopla with nonchalant detachment is Dagan, her mate.”

The male’s citrine eyes flickered, almost as if in amusement. While the others had teacups in front of them, this warrior held a glass of red wine.

“Nik and Shadow aren’t here as yet,” Echo told her. “She’s pregnant and resting. You’ll meet them a little later.”

Nia nodded. God, she hoped she could keep all their names straight.

Lore put his hand on her hips and drew her to him as if he needed to touch her. Though he appeared his usual cool and collected self, she felt more through their mate bond now. His exhaustion tugged at her, and his skin appeared paler from his blood loss. He needed food and more liquids.

I’m fine, he said through their mind-link. Stop worrying.

The French doors opened, and a windblown, auburn-haired woman hurried inside. Her pale cheeks bore the flush of the wintry air or maybe from a run. She halted at seeing them.

Her cool, dove-gray eyes morphed to warm. “Two peas in a pod. I’m so glad you and Echo have something for us to differentiate between you two,” she said in a husky voice.

Behind Nia, Echo laughed. “Maybe I should grow out my hair, get my ears and nose pierced, oh, and get contacts again. Then you’d all have to learn us.”

The woman laughed.

Finally, Nia understood Tyr’s odd remarks when he mistook her for her sister the first time she met him. Bi was likely Echo’s bicolored eyes, and her twin had probably worn contacts at one point.

While Nia was glad to see her sister happier, the nagging feeling that Echo wasn’t quite herself wouldn’t leave.

Aethan got a glass of golden-hued juice and put it in Echo’s hand.

She glanced at it, and a soft sigh escaped her. “Thanks,” she said, then smiled back at them. “Nia, Lore, this is Jenna.” She waved a finger at the woman who’d just entered the room from outside. “Shae’s mom.”

Wow, the woman didn’t look old enough to have a grown-up daughter.

Nia met their friendly smiles, inhaled deeply, and said, “I’m so glad to finally meet you all, and I’m sorry for taking so long to do so. I wasn’t in a good place.”

A soothing warmth seeped through her. She leaned into Lore’s side and slipped her arm around his waist, careful not to touch his upper back.

“It’s all right,” Kira said, setting out plates, glasses, and cutlery for two. “We know the feeling, one way or another. Sit, you guys.”

“Never thought I’d see this,” Blaéz said, smirking at Lore as he ushered Nia to a seat farther down the table so they could see everyone. “Though I did have an inkling of a takedown between you and a human female. Damn glad the human won.”

Jeez, did all the Guardians gang up on him? Yet Nia didn’t sense any unkindness, just good-natured ribbing.

“No, I won,” Lore said. “I have her.”

“Well done.” Blaéz smiled. “And welcome to the castle and matehood. So?” He rose from his seat. Man, he was as tall as the rest of them. “Want to learn how to play pool, foosball, or basketball?”

“You should. It’s fun,” Tyr added, eating the last of his cake, his expression amiable, tone…suspect.

Aethan snorted, leaning against the counter, watching them.

“You two, stop,” Kira groaned as she set out rolls and a dish of butter on the table.

“What?” Tyr cocked a brow at his mate, energy drink in hand. “It’s an innocent question.”

“I think I’ll wait awhile,” Lore said. “Nia’s going to show me how to play other, er, games.”

The men stared as Lore took a seat next to her. Nia blinked at him in confusion, then a furnace exploded in her cheeks at his innocent stare.

“Thanks for that,” she grumbled.

Without missing a beat, her man said, “Arcade games.”

Laughter broke out, and Nia wanted to hide under the table.

The door opened, and Hedori walked inside. He slowed his steps when he saw them, and his eyes crinkled, warmth lightening his expression. “Sire, it’s good to see you up.”

“It’s good to be on my feet again,” Lore murmured.

With a nod, Hedori headed for the kitchen. Jenna turned from the fridge with a soda and almost bumped into him.

“Careful,” he murmured, putting a palm on her waist, but she hastily stepped back, eyes wide.

His hand lowered, fingers clenched.

Nia couldn’t see his face, but she sensed his dejection as he crossed to the oven at the back wall, checking on whatever was there. Then he walked out through the far exit.

Her mouth tight, Jenna turned to the window, set the soda down, and rubbed her temples.

Shae shot up and hurried over. “How was your run, Mom?” Her soft voice drifted to Nia.

Tyr shook his head and strode for the door. “Aethan, let’s go get in a game or two of pool before work,” he called out, breaking the tense air. “Us against Blaéz and Dag.”

“You’re on.” Dagan rose, his braided hair swaying like multiple whipcords down his back. He cast a glimmer of a smile at his mate, picked up his wine goblet, and followed.

“And they’re sure to lose,” Blaéz added, tone baiting as he kissed Darci’s head.

Aethan touched Echo’s back. “I’ll see you shortly, me’morae .”

“You can try, you cheating bastard,” Tyr’s voice drifted as the door shut behind Aethan and Blaéz.

Nia blinked, a little overwhelmed.

“This is them,” Lore murmured.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to them,” Darci told Nia. With a sigh, she rose. “Please excuse me. I need to make sure my mate remains in one piece.”

Nia’s mouth twitched at her dry comment, her attention returning to Echo. Her sister set down her untouched juice, got a glass of water, and gripped the edge of the sink with one hand as she guzzled it.

Nia frowned. Maybe it was the twin connection, but something definitely wasn’t right with her sister.