Page 50 of Grabbed By the Guard

Billie is very popular among the other mated females in the village. When I’m patrolling the borders of Nuit with the clan leader, making sure our hunters return safely with their prey, and that none of the mindless prey beasts—such as the arkoda—attack from the edge of the shadows, she spends her time with Kennedy, Lilith, or Simra, one of the hunter’s mates. All are currently without spawn, though Loki’s mate is carrying his, and they drink javitz spiked with elderflower and chat when Lilith finishes lessons with the children for the day.

Apollyon did not need my company today. I was looking forward to seeing my mate, and telling her more stories of my time as a guard. Though she can simply look into my essence and see, my mortal loves to be entertained. We don’t have a rectangle with moving pictures—a ‘television’, as she calls it—in Sombra, and while she borrows books from Kennedy and Lilith to keep from getting bored, her favorite entertainment is leaning back and listening to me rumble about my realm.

For a female who is so certain she cannot stay, she loves to hear about it. More than that, she admits she’s enjoying herself. If only she didn’t have responsibilities of her own in her world that she is determined to return to, our mating might be a smoother one… but she is happy for now, and that is all that matters to me.

I had prepared a story about a campaign in Brille Rouge, but before we could settle down with the lunch I made—since, for all Billie’s blessings, cooking is not one of them—Apollyon knocked, and I knew from his face that he did not bring good news.

At least, not for me.

“Glaine. I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

He is, but I’m careful not to tell Apollyon that. Not after all he’s done for my mate and me. “Is there something you need?”

He clears his throat. “One of Duke Haures’s mages is here.”

I’d known this day would come. The doppelseers’ magic concealed Billie and me while we traveled to Nuit, but it was Apollyon who—at Lilith’s urging—offered us his protection. The duke accepted it, but the longer I lived with Billie without fulfilling our mate… I’m not patient. Duke Haures? He’s even less so.

I straighten my back. I’m also trying to block the door as Billie tiptoes behind me, obviously curious to the identity of our visitor. “For me?”

“No.”

My heart skips a beat. “For Billie?”

He can try to take my mate, but I fear it won’t be easy?—

“Not quite.”

I blink. “I do not understand.”

Apollyon exhales roughly. “It is her kin.”

Her… kin.

Sierra. The one soul I know that has my mate’s affection and love. Her family.

And she’s in Sombra.

For a split second, I have the urge to slam the door in Apollyon’s face. Maybe Billie didn’t hear him. Maybe she doesn’t know that her kin is her. Maybe I could hide her and keep her and?—

No.

I am a better male, and I am for her. So, hiding any trace of panic rushing through me, throwing up a shield in case Billie tries to read my racing emotions, I glance over my shoulder to find her staring at me. Her lips are slightly parted, a very fetching shade of red coloring her pale cheeks. Her dim eyes seem glassy. Watery.

Are they leaking?

“Billie?” My voice is raw, and I gentle is as best I can. “Your kin is here.”

That’s all I need to say. As though a spell has been broken, her grin widens and, as though I am not there at all, she pushes past me and runs out through the open door.

I try not to let it hurt as much as it does that she runs and never looks back at me.

But I am a Sombra demon. I am pure shadow. Of course I shall follow her.

There are three figures standing beyond Apollyon: a human female with hair twisted the same way Lilith wears hers, and two demons. I recognize them both. The red-eyed hunter is Dagon, while the purple-eyed male with chin-length hair and stunted horns is another of Duke Haures’s mages, Erebus.

I see three figures. My mate has eyes for only one.

“Sierra!”

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