Page 36 of Dead

Eilam drew him close. “A bear in pants is one of the silliest things I’ve ever seen.”

“Beats throwing away clothes every time I have to shift on the fly,” Noah said, wrapping his arms around Eilam’s waist. “I can’t believe you didn’t share that info with me before now.”

“An animal in clothing is like having a beacon turned on them. An advertisement that something is strange.”

“But we’re in Midnight—where we can be who we are without worrying about humans seeing us shift.”

“For how much longer?” Eilam asked, worry filling his expression.

“You worry for him.”

“You don’t?” Eilam asked.

Noah nodded. “Of course I do.”

Silence grew between them, and Noah realized he knew so little about their mate. “What’s his name?” Noah asked. “I’ve only heard you refer to him as the king.” Eilam had gone into so much description about the king’s appearance but hadn’t shared something as simple as a name.

“I suppose I never shared it. I’m sorry. It’s Adriel,” Eilam murmured. “Adriel, Son of Theral. But you are not to speak his true name in his presence. Something about magic and a name holding power. It’s why no one calls him by name.”

Adriel. Noah liked the sound of the name. “Perhaps if we called out to him, he’d hear it somehow? He’d return here so we know he’s alright?”

“I suppose it couldn’t hurt,” Eilam said. “I’ll leave any yelling to you. My throat is still somewhat sore.”

Noah stepped away from Eilam slightly and lifted his hands. “Adriel… Son of Theral! You can’t imprison us here!” Noah paused, waiting to see if the king would answer. He called out the king’s true name a few more times, but nothing happened.

Dropping his hands, Noah turned back to Eilam. “We are good and stuck… with no way to know if he’s okay. What if something happens to him in Midnight? Will we be trapped here forever?”

“I don’t know,” Eilam said.

“When he comes back, we need him to give us an emergency exit of some kind.”

“A good idea,” Eilam answered, drawing Noah back into his arms. He laid a gentle kiss on Noah’s lips. “We should get back up to the house, in case he arrives.”

They made their way back to the shore. After grabbing Eilam’s clothing, they returned to the house. Eilam lay across the bed, still seeming not completely himself. A niggle of worry entered Noah’s chest.

He needs to be checked by a healer.

Noah lifted his stare and caught sight of the mirror. And then he remembered the king had asked Theis to write a message on the mirror in his study. Noah turned to the buffet still laid out. Above it, was a large mirror. He walked over to the food and dipped his finger in a rich, red sauce before lifting it to the mirror. Across the surface, he wrote Adriel’s name… along with the word help.

Within seconds, the king appeared inside the room, worry on his face. “What’s wrong?”

“We need to get home,” Eilam said. “There’s no way out.”

“You need to heal,” the king replied.

“I’m nearly myself,” Eilam said. “And there’s much to do. I need to lead the security team… all of Midnight could be in danger.”

“I’m handling security,” the king said. “I need you whole, Eilam. Not weak. Now is a time for strength. Until you’re fully healed, you’re a liability.”

“I can lead operations from behind a desk. I know I’m not physically ready to jump into the fray quite yet,” Eilam said.

“I have a team myself,” Noah said. “The illegal portals being closed are even more important right now. If the vampires are planning a full-scale attack, then we need as many boots on the ground as possible.”

“I can handle things,” the king admonished.

“You’ve been the focus of both attacks,” Noah said. “You need to go underground. If anyone needs to remain in this space, it’s you.”

“I will not show weakness now,” the king cried. “I will lead the charge against this threat.”

---