Page 10 of The Monster's Mate

“I don’t know,” Malice replies. “Truly, I don’t. Say your goodbyes.” He lifts a hand, studying his disappearing shadows. “I can’t hold the bubble any longer.”

“I need you to come back to me, okay?” Charity runs her fingers through the hair at the base of my skull. “I know something awful happened to you, and the wyvern has been safeguarding you from that, but if you don’t face it, I’m afraid I’ll never be able to touch you like this again.”

My head tilts as I try to determine what she means. The agony that pulses in my skull is so severe that my entire body trembles.

“Shh, it’s okay. If it’s too painful, I just need you to tell me it’s okay to take those memories…” Charity stares up at me with her brow furrowed, brushing her fingers over my cheek.

I open my mouth to reply.

In place of words is a horrible screech from the maw of the wyvern. The nightmare places a hand on my shoulder, and everything goes black.

Chapter Five

Bane

How do you kill something that turns to shadows and feeds on nightmares? Fuck if I know, but I am going to find out.

My time as the High Commander of the Shield for the dragon’s court taught me that, with a little determination, anything will bleed. With a whole lot of it, you can kill just about anything, including angels and demons.

They may resurrect in Heaven or Hell, but everything that made them who they were is wiped clean in the process.

That’ll have to do.

It’s too bad Wraith likes Malice. They’re clustermates, meaning my chances of convincing the reaper to devour the nightmare are very low.

Although, I have heard the talk about Hazel, one of Nadia’s twins. According to the conversations I’ve listened in on, the baby is supposed to be a full-blown devourer.

There’s a solid chance Charity would never forgive me if I borrowed her friend’s baby with the intent of extinguishing the nightmare’s life force. As such, killing Malice and sending him for rebirth in the pit will have to do.

My clawed hands wrap around the iron bars of the cage, giving it another solid shake.

That motherfucking nightmare is going to pay for trapping me in this box.

“Sorry about the delay.” Malice’s voice rings through the air as the bars melt into the ground. The black sheet he threw over the box slowly disappears until I can make out my living room. “I can understand your fury, but after listening to their exchange, I believe it’s time you come to terms with things.”

My head tilts as my eyes glow, signaling my dragon is close to the surface. No matter how hard I search, I can’t pinpoint Malice’s location as he darts around the room.

“She’s my fucking mate,” I snarl, swiping a clawed hand over my face.

“I know,” Malice agrees. “Why haven’t you told her who Veryn’s father is?”

My chest gets tight.

If I had it my way, she would never have to learn the truth about Cyril.

The first time I scented Veryn, it was clear he was of royal blood.

The only male royal who has spent any time in the human realm within the last several decades is the heir to the throne.

Daddy dearest, King Cadryn, refused to pass along his birthright until the prince proved he could carry on the line of succession by producing an heir. Which Cyril’s mate has been unable to do over the course of several hundred years.

Cyril would have known he laid an egg with Charity. He’s a drunk, with no true leadership skills, but even his disorganized ass couldn’t have missed it.

He knows there’s a chance he has a son or daughter.

The day the fae snatched Veryn and Ember to lure Aline back to Faere ruined everything.

There was no stopping the rumors that a dragonling exists in the human realm that smells of the royal line. There’s also no way that whispered gossip hasn’t made its way back to the prince and his wife.

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