Page 64 of Destined to the Reaper

“Okay,” he said, his voice almost devoid of emotion. “See you soon.”

With much reluctance, I released my brother and stepped back. To my surprise, it was Azrael who stepped forward. He gently reached towards Jasper’s neck. His hand lost its opacity as it sank into him before gently pulling back out. With it, the ghostly silhouette of my brother’s soul was plucked out. My chest constricted at how flimsy and translucid it looked, confirming it had been decaying for a long time. Without missing a beat, Haroth caught my brother’s now soulless body. It unraveled, not into ashes like someone getting drained out oftheir lifeforce, but into a shadowy smoke that evaporated into thin air.

“Do not be saddened, Daughter,” Azrael said in a comforting voice. “Jasper’s soul is damaged, but in time, it will be mended. And you now have all the time in the world. One day, he will be whole again.”

“Thank you,” I said, feeling like an emotional wreck as I leaned against Pharos for support.

He smiled and wiped the wetness from my cheek with the back of two fingers. That simple touch had his divine light seeping through me. A wave of peace washed over me. I watched in silence as Charon placed this hand on my brother’s upper arm. Azrael then released Jasper’s nape. Seconds later, the Ferryman and my brother’s soul vanished.

Although my chest was constricted, a sense of peace dominated. This wasn’t farewell, but merely a temporary goodbye. Azrael smiled at Pharos and me in turn then gave his other son a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. With one powerful flap of his wings, he took flight before vanishing in a blast of light.

“Well done, Sister,” Haroth said with an approving smile. “You made the right choice. I look forward to seeing the both of you often in the future.”

“It was indeed the right choice. Thanks for helping me see reason,” I said.

“Thanks for being open to reason,” he replied with that taunting edge I was growing familiar with where he was concerned. “Go home and rest, brother. Your time off has come to an end. Your roster is already filling up withalmatharsto escort. Welcome back.”

Pharos snorted and released me before pulling Haroth into his embrace. The Grim Reaper seemed stunned at first. It struckme then that this was either an unusual display of affection from my man or that Haroth himself wasn’t much of the physical type.

My gut said it was the latter.

Still, he relaxed and hugged his brother back. After they released each other, Haroth opened a portal and teleported out.

“Let’s go home, my mate. We have much to celebrate,” Pharos said.

“Yes, let’s go home,” I said, my heart filling with joy.

He drew me against him. As the air blurred around us, I cast one last glance at the necromancer, trapped in the eternal hell he had brought upon himself. A part of me thought that I should feel a sliver of pity for him. But the memory of all those he had wronged, abused, tortured, and destroyed wiped out any such lingering thought from my mind.

As the world vanished around us, I smiled.

Epilogue

Pharos

Iteleported us outside my…ourhome. As soon as we appeared, I felt Myress’s presence nearby. Even as I flew towards the balcony to my bedroom, I saw her poke her head out on the main terrace. Our eyes locked for a brief second. Although she was never one to display strong emotions, I felt her joy mixed with a sliver of smugness upon seeing our safe return. She had called it.

And I couldn’t be happier for it.

As was her wont, she made herself scarce again and would redouble her efforts to prepare a celebration feast for us.

But, right this instant, I had a different type of feast in mind.

I landed on the balcony and marched boldly towards the tall doors leading to my room. Using my elemental magic, I flicked the doors open as I carried my mate to my massive bed. A single look at Kali’s face sufficed for me to know she clearly understood my intentions…

…and she was fully on board.

The scent of her arousal whipped my blood into a frenzy. I’d gone through too many emotional extremes over the past few days. Now, for the first time in centuries, I was free, truly free, with the love of my life in my arms.

My Kali, my strong, bold, undaunted bride, who had faced impossible odds without faltering out of selfless love for her brother and for me. I would spend the rest of eternity reciprocating that love.

As I closed the distance with the bed, I claimed her lips in a voracious kiss. Kali responded in kind, her lips eagerly parting to welcome my invading tongue. My cock immediately strained against the confines of my trousers. It throbbed and ached with the need to bury itself deep in the searing heat of my woman’s sheath.

Without breaking the kiss, I laid her on top of the mattress. Kali tried to draw me against her, but I resisted, my hands frantically working on ridding her of the pants she’d worn today for the mission. I made a mental note to forbid her from wearing such obnoxious garments in the future as it blocked my easy access to what I craved. In my aggravation, I nearly tore them to shreds.

Once her belt and buttons gave way, I forced myself to end the kiss in order to tug her pants off her. As I did so, my mate kicked her boots off, aiding me in my task of ridding her of the wretched piece of clothing. I didn’t show her undergarment the same courtesy and summarily sliced right through it with my claws.

Kali’s token protest morphed into a voluptuous moan when I buried my face between her thighs. By the Gods! Her taste on my tongue, her intoxicating musk filling my nose, and the fierce way she fisted my hair sent even more blood rushing into my groin. I almost climbed on top of her to ram myself in.

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