Page 31 of Shadow's Claim

Without another word, Kael lifts me effortlessly, two arms supporting my weight while the others manipulate shadows around us. The darkness thickens, forming what looks like a translucent cocoon as he moves with inhuman speed through corridors I've never seen before.

"Where are we going?" I manage to ask as we descend through what appears to be a hidden access way.

"Secured chambers," he replies, his voice vibrating with barely contained fury. "Deep within my domain where even other shadow demons would struggle to penetrate."

We emerge into a space unlike anything I've seen in his territory before. The walls appear solid but somehow fluid, shadows flowing across their surface in protective patterns. The air feels different—heavier, charged with power that makes the shadow patterns beneath my skin tingle in response.

Kael sets me down carefully on what looks like a bed designed for emergency situations, its surface molding to accommodate my body the moment I touch it.

"They will not touch what is mine," he states, darkness extending from his body in writhing tendrils that strengthen the shadows already flowing throughout the chamber. The possessive declaration should anger me, but something in his tone speaks to protection beyond mere ownership.

I watch in fascinated horror as he creates defenses I never imagined possible. Shadows pool and layer, forming barriers that pulse with deadly intent. His four arms work in perfect synchronization, weaving darkness into shields and traps and warning systems.

"How did they find me?" I ask, voice barely above a whisper.

Kael's movements pause briefly. "Someone within the administrative hierarchy has compromised security. The investigation is already underway." His eyes narrow. "But their information is outdated. They believe you're being held in the primary chambers."

Hours pass in tense silence. I drift in and out of uneasy sleep, the hybrid's consciousness unusually active, as if sensing the danger. Kael remains vigilant, shadows constantly flowing between him and the barriers he's created, monitoring everything beyond our sanctuary.

When the all-clear finally sounds, relief washes through me with unexpected intensity. Kael approaches, his massive form looming over me, shadows swirling around him with predatory intent.

"They captured him," he informs me, voice deceptively calm but eyes blazing with dangerous light. "The human from your resistance."

My throat tightens. "Constantin?"

"Yes." He studies my face with unnerving focus. "You knew him well."

It's not a question. Something in the shadow connection between us must have revealed that particular truth during our intimate moments.

"What will happen to him?" I ask, dreading the answer.

"Interrogation. Then execution, most likely." His tone remains matter-of-fact, but he watches my reaction carefully. "Unless you would prefer another arrangement?"

The question surprises me. Is he offering mercy for Constantin? Why would he do that?

Before I can respond, Kael continues. "The toxin he carried was specifically designed to terminate shadow demon hybrids while leaving human carriers alive. A specialized compound developed by resistance scientists."

The words hit me like a physical blow. Constantin came here not to rescue me but to kill what grows inside me. To "purify" me of shadow contamination. The very thought makes the shadow patterns across my skin darken with protective instinct I didn't know I possessed.

"I want to see him," I say, the words surprising even me.

Kael's expression darkens, shadows gathering around him. "Why?"

"I need to understand." The truth slips out before I can stop it. "I need to know if I was just a target or if..." I don't finish the sentence, but the implication hangs between us.

After a long moment, Kael nods. "Tomorrow. Under controlled conditions." One of his hands reaches toward my abdomen where the shadow patterns pulse visibly. "The offspring experienced distress during the security breach. It requires reassurance."

The gentle concern in his voice for the hybrid's wellbeing creates conflicted emotions I'm not ready to examine. Instead, I simply nod, exhaustion washing over me as the adrenaline of danger fades.

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That night, when we return to our primary chambers, something fundamental has shifted between us. Kael approaches me with an intensity that's different from before—not just dominance for dominance's sake, but something more primal and possessive.

He stands before me, massive and otherworldly, his midnight-black skin absorbing the dim light of the chamber. His four arms flex with barely restrained power, shadows coiling around his enormous form like living extensions of his body.

"Take off your clothes," he commands, his voice that impossible resonance that seems to come from everywhere at once. "I need to see what's mine."

Despite everything that's happened today, or perhaps because of it, I comply without hesitation. The shadow patterns across my skin darken under his intense gaze, responding to his proximity even before he touches me.

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