Page 37 of Tall, Dark & Horny

The ache bloomed sharper. “Why didn’t you come then?”

“Because I didn’t feel like I had the right,” he explained, raking his fingers through his hair. “I’m not used to being anything less than confident, but seeing you, I had no clue what to do. How to tell you who I was without terrifying you.”

His explanation wasn’t enough to ease my pain. “You didn’t give me the chance to decide.”

“I didn’t, and I’m sorry for that,” he conceded with an apologetic smile. “I never expected to have a child. I’ve lived longer than you can imagine without a fated mate, and offspring with anyone else is almost unheard of in our world.”

I looked up at Adan, and he nodded, confirming that what my father said was true.

“I won’t pretend I know how to be a father, but I am your blood. I’d like to be part of your life now, if you’ll let me.”

I stared at Typhon, searching for some false note behind the words. But all I saw was a man who had made too many mistakes and didn’t want to make another.

Adan didn’t speak, but he laced our fingers together, anchoring me.

“I don’t know what having a father looks like,” I admitted. “But I’m willing to try.”

Typhon’s posture softened. “Then we’ll start from here. And if you ever want help exploring your storm born gifts, I’d like to be the one to help you understand them.”

My pulse kicked up at the promise, but I didn’t back away. “Deal.”

Typhon gave me one final glance before turning toward the shattered archway. “You chose well, daughter. He may be Abaddon’s son…but I can see he’d burn the world down for you.”

Then he disappeared into the wind.

17

ADAN

Typhon had barely disappeared before my father turned to me with a smirk that made me want to set something on fire. Namely him, even if it wouldn’t do much harm.

“Well, I’d linger, but we both know what comes next. And even I’m not quite that much of a bastard.”

“Debatable,” I muttered.

He chuckled, unbothered. “Brand her well, son.”

Then he was gone.

Calliope shifted beside me, and I turned to face her fully. Her skin was still flushed from power, but her storm-kissed green eyes held steady on mine.

“You okay? With what Typhon said?” I refused to call him her father when he hadn’t earned the title.

She hesitated, then nodded slowly. “I think so. I don’t know what having a father in my life looks like, but I think I’m open to finding out.”

I reached up and brushed her hair back from her face. “You were incredible tonight.”

“I wasn’t alone,” she whispered. “I had you.”

The words hit harder than they should. I’d spent centuries keeping everyone at a distance. Never wanting to let them in. But with Calliope, there was no space to hide. “You’re the fire in my veins now. The tether that holds me to this world.”

“I probably should have known something was not quite human about me when we met.” She pressed her palm against my chest, over my heart. “Your darkness calls to me. Just like you do. That’s not exactly what most people would call normal.”

“It is when you’re a demon who just met their fated mate,” I reassured her. “You set fire to the darkness and made it something beautiful.”

“Stop.” She sniffled with a smile. “If you keep being so sweet, I’m going to cry.”

“Hold those tears back for one more minute, baby.”

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