Page 50 of The Prince's Mate

"We got all the souls," Arty reported before his eyes fell on me. Flashing me a grin, he shook his head and pointed at Damien and Walker. "These two were maniacs out there. Well, and Ro'Shassz too. I'm glad you're okay, Caelan."

"Me too," Reece added, and I smiled at them, shifting on my feet as I realized the robe had started sticking to my skin.

"Can we go?" I asked, and Walker nodded quickly.

"Wait," he said before I could take a step, and I raised a brow at me. Leaning closer, he pressed his lips to mine.

"I love you," he murmured against my lips, and I blinked at him.

"Seriously? I've waited four years to hear you say those words to me, and you decide to say it now when I'm covered in blood and wearing this godawful thing?" I demanded, and he started laughing.

I shook my head as his dads joined in and even Dympna's lips turned up.

When they'd finally calmed down, I told Walker in no uncertain terms, "I'm not saying it back until I've showered and I'm wearing proper clothes."

"Fine with me. Let's just get out of here," he said, taking my hand in his.

Turning to Dympna, I asked, "Do you have somewhere you can go?"

"I'm going back home," they said, a soft look on their face. "Maybe I'll come back someday, but for now, I want to see my family again."

"I'm sure they've missed you," I said with a smile, and they nodded.

"Do you need us to drop you anywhere?" Damien asked, and they shook their head.

"Thank you for saving me," they said, gripping my upper arm and giving it a firm squeeze.

"You saved me first," I reminded them with a wink, and they smiled, accepting it with a nod.

Turning back to Walker, I took his hand in my less bloody one and raised a brow. "Shall we?"

Walker nodded, and I followed his dads out the door, Dympna at my heels. It was time to go home.

I couldn't wait to get all this blood off me and wear my clothes again. And I definitely couldn't wait to tell Walker just how much I loved him.

Ro'Shassz

Step Twenty-Two: Kill them all.

Twenty-Three

Caelan

I whistled at the massacre that greeted us when we stepped through the door and eyed what remained of Andras's hired goons and vampires. Some of them had been beheaded, while others lay in pieces like someone had chewed them out, literally.

Dympna gasped beside me, and I followed their gaze to Ro'Shassz, who slithered toward us in his huge form, his mouth covered in blood. He looked more like a sea serpent than a regular old snake in this form, and if I didn’t know him, I’d be terrified of him.

"Hey, Ro," I greeted with a grin, and then made a face when he pressed his head against my side, smearing even more blood on me. "I didn't think you'd ride to my rescue too."

"Doesn't look like you needed it," he said, eyeing me up and down. "But eh. It was fun."

Damien laughed as I rolled my eyes, and then I turned to Dympna. "See you around, then?"

They nodded, bid goodbye to the others, and then hurried out of the room. They probably wanted to get as far away from this place as they could.

"Let's go," I said to Walker because I didn't want to stick around for another second either.

"Otherworld or apartment?" he asked, and I pursed my lips.

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