Page 80 of Shielded Heart

Drakkal’s smile faded. He lifted his chin toward the bedroom. “So this is real, then? Not just the end result of you obsessing over the terran you couldn’t have?”

The question triggered fresh rage in Arcanthus; he forced it aside. Drakkal had been looking out for Arc for years; he knew Arcanthus’s moods, knew his weaknesses, knew itall. As much as it wounded his pride, Arcanthus could admit that he’d been saved from himself more than a few times by Drakkal, even if he’d only admit it in the privacy of his own mind. That’s all this was—not an insult, but attempted vigilance.

“She’s mymate, Drakkal. I didn’t mean that as a figure of speech. Myqalfeels like it’s on fire just thinking about her.

“I’m not sure if I should be happy for you or try to slap some sense into you.”

Arcanthus shook his head and lifted a hand to sweep rogue strands of hair out of his face. “I’ve never been more certain of anything, Drak. And it scares the shit out of me.”

Drakkal dipped his shoulder, leaning it against the wall again. “How does it scare you? Sounds like you hit it lucky. Found your one in ten billion.”

“Because doubt isnatural. I’ve approached everything in my life with some degree of doubt, and it’s served me well even if it hasn’t always saved my skin.” Arcanthus’s tail flicked back and forth through the air in erratic, restless motions. “I feel like I don’t know what to do with it. Like I don’t know how to move forward. My mind says there must besomethingwrong, that it’s too good to be true, but my heart insists that it’s real. This is true, and she deserves all the trust I’ve put in her.”

“Don’t know what to do? It’s simple,” Drakkal said, his voice thick with pent-up emotion. “You embrace it. Embraceher. Take it for what it is. There’s no telling when the universe might decide to take it away.

A pang of guilt struck Arcanthus square in the chest, cooling his anger. “I didn’t mean to diminish what you had, Drakkal.”

“You didn’t.” Drakkal shook his head. “I admired her, I respected her, and I’ve spent a long time missing her. But it was a long time ago, and it wasn’t the same as what you have with Samantha now.”

Arcanthus stared at Drakkal’s face for several seconds. If he’d learned anything about his friend over the years, it was that Drakkal had an immensely deep well of emotions, but he rarely let those emotions rise to the surface. For a long time, Arc had thought it was a matter of Drakkal considering feelings a weakness and refusing to display that weakness to anyone, but he knew better now. Drakkal simply didn’t want to burden the people he cared about with his feelings.

“You’ll find what you’re missing before long, Drak.”

Drakkal bared his fangs. “Who said I was looking?”

“You’re the one who walked in on my naked mate. You don’t have any right to get angry withme.”

“You punched me, Arcanthus.”

“Fuck, azhera, you were apit fighterfor seven years. Are you really whining about one little punch?”

“Your hand is made ofmetal.”

Arcanthus arched a brow and folded his arms, mirroring the azhera’s stance. “You poor, poor thing. Now, what was so damn important that you had to drag me out of bed naked?”

“Just figured I’d see if you wanted me to find a slave collar in your size. We can get one with a tether so Samantha can lead you around the compound like her little pet.”

“Iwillhit you again, Drakkal.”

Scowling, Drakkal turned his shoulder slightly away from Arcanthus. “So sensitive lately, sedhi. I’d ask what crawled up your ass, but I already know.”

Arcanthus stared at his friend.

Drakkal stared back for several seconds before saying, “We picked up Straek.”

Arcanthus pushed away from the wall, throwing up his hands. “Why didn’t you say that to begin with, Drak?”

The azhera’s nostrils flared. “Maybe because someone decided to punch me before I had a chance.”

“It wasn’t nearly as hard as you deserved.”

“Don’t make me give you what you deserve, sedhi.”

“Focus, Drakkal. Where’s the groalthuun? Downstairs?” Arcanthus strode forward, ready to act; he’d not forgotten the threat the Syndicate posed to himself and Samantha, and he was eager to address it now that an opportunity had arisen.

Drakkal stepped into Arcanthus’s path and halted the sedhi with a hand on his shoulder. “Not yet.”

Arcanthus ran his tongue over his teeth, swallowing a flare of agitation. “There’s no reason for further delay. He has information I need. I’m going to obtain said information presently.”

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