Her Immortal Mate (Brides of the Vrakken #3)

11. Mae

11

MAE

T he flight back is a blur of wind and stars. Eike's arms cradle me against his chest, his wings cutting through the night air with powerful strokes. The wildspont's residual energy still hums beneath my skin, making every sensation sharper.

We touch down at the edge of camp. Torchlight flickers between the canvas tents, casting long shadows across the packed earth. Guards patrol the perimeter, their wings dark shapes against the star-filled sky.

"We need to move quickly," Raziel says, running a hand through his disheveled hair. Blood stains his sleeve - not his own. "The dark elves will send more scouts once they realize what happened."

Brinda nods. "I'll gather the commanders. We should have everyone underground within the next few days if we move fast enough." They stride off toward the command tent, already discussing logistics.

My legs feel shaky as I start toward my tent, adrenaline finally wearing off. Eike's footsteps follow close behind. When I glance back, his usual mask of cool indifference has slipped. His brow furrows, jaw tight with tension.

"Mae." His voice is rough. "Wait."

I duck into my tent, but he's right behind me, wings folding to fit through the entrance. The small space feels even smaller with his presence filling it.

"What's wrong?" I ask, setting down my satchel of herbs. "Besides the obvious dark elf problem."

Eike paces the small space, his wings twitching with agitation. The silver membrane catches in the dim light, and for a moment, she has to resist reaching out to touch it.

"Going underground changes things." His accent thickens with emotion. "The tunnels, it'll push us in closer proximity." He rakes a hand through his dark hair. "And I worry it will affect how vrakken and humans interact."

"How so?" I fold myself on the edge of my bedroll, watching him stalk back and forth.

"We don't know if there will be food. Or how everyone will react to the magic." His silver eyes lock onto mine. "And I don't know how long we'll be down there…"

"You think some might lose control?"

"I know they will." He stops pacing, shoulders tight. "Without the dark elves, humans will face threats from us. Some vrakken haven't fed properly in weeks. Humans are rare here. Valuable. And…" He swallows hard. "The magic makes the hunger worse. I felt it while I was down there."

My throat goes dry. "But we should be protected. At least by leadersh-"

"Who can't be everywhere at once." He crouches in front of me, wings curling forward like a shield. "The tunnels are vast. Dark. Easy to get lost in. And some vrakken don't care about law when blood-starved."

"So what are you saying?"

Eike's fingers brush my cheek, his touch sending electricity down my spine. The silver in his eyes darkens to storm clouds. "I can't let anything happen to you."

"Why me?" The words slip out before I can stop them. "There are other humans here who need protection too."

His wings curl tighter around us, blocking out the rest of the world. "Because the thought of you getting hurt tears me apart." His thumb traces my jaw. "Because watching you in danger makes my chest ache. Because every time you smile, I forget what I am."

My heart pounds against my ribs. "Eike-"

"I love you." The words come out raw, desperate. "I've fought it. Tried to deny it. But knowing what's about to happen, I can't ignore it anymore." He presses his forehead to mine. "I can't lose you, Mae."

I reach up, threading my fingers through his hair. "Then don't."

"What?"

"Don't lose me." I pull back enough to meet his gaze. And I know that I probably never would say this, but I continue. "I love you too. Have for weeks now." A laugh bubbles up. "God, I thought I was crazy. Falling for you while there's a war going on. When I barely get any time with you."

His hands frame my face. "And somehow, the little moments I got was enough to fall for you."

He pulls me into a kiss, and I want to melt into it. But all too soon, he pulls back. My brows furrow as I try to piece together why.

"I can protect you," Eike whispers against my skin. "Make you stronger than any dark elf. Make you like me."

I freeze, my fingers still tangled in his hair. "You mean... Change me?"

His wings shift closer, creating a cocoon of warmth around us. "You'd never have to fear them again. Never have to worry about being hunted or trapped." His thumb traces my pulse point. "And we'd have forever."

My heart races beneath his touch. Until now, becoming a vrakken was never something I'd considered. When I first arrived on Protheka, all I wanted was to find a way back home — to escape. But home feels distant now, like a half-remembered dream.

"Would it hurt?" I ask.

"I'd make it as painless as possible." He pulls back enough to meet my gaze. "My venom can numb a lot of it. I'll make sure you sleep through most of it."

I think of the dark elves hunting us, of the dangers lurking in those magic-filled tunnels. Of watching Eike live forever while I grow old and die. The choice suddenly seems obvious.

"Yes." The word comes out stronger than I expect. "I want you to Change me."

His eyes darken. "Are you sure?"

"I want forever with you." I touch his face. "I want to be strong enough to fight beside you."

"Then we should go now, before the others notice." He glances toward the tent flap. "Back to our cave in the forest. It'll be safer there."

I nod, scrambling to my feet. "Give me a minute to pack."

My hands shake as I stuff clothes and medical supplies into my pack. Eike watches from the entrance, wings twitching with nervous energy.

"Ready?" he asks when I shoulder the bag.

"Ready."

He scoops me into his arms, and we take off into the night. The stars blur above us as his wings cut through the cool air. Below, the forest stretches endless and dark, but I'm not afraid. Not anymore.

The cave where we first came together, where we first kissed and I let him feed from me, lies ahead, hidden in the depths of ancient trees. Soon it will be where I die as a human and rise as something more. Something stronger.

Something worthy of forever.