Page 10 of Shannon in Sombra

Hang on.

“So, itismy fault? They don’t like her because she’s half-human? Because I thought people in Sombra were a little more open-minded than that.”

And why did I? Because Malphas seemed to marvel over the fact that a human was his mate. I’ve heard from Kennedy how some unmated demons made wishful comments to Loki that, one day, they might have a human female like he does. And, of course, the leader of its realm even treasures his human duchess. True, he keeps her tucked away and out of sight, but Susanna Benoit is Amy’s aunt. She’s told me how much Haures has obsessively cared for his mate over the last fifty years that they’ve been bonded. Humans are the stuff of legends, not monsters creeping into Sombra…

At least, that’s what Ithought. Was I wrong?

Mal takes in a breath, releasing it slowly through his nose. He worries his fangs against his bottom lip, hand lifting to nervously stroke his horn.

I arch an eyebrow. I know Mal. Sure, I got a download about him from the essence exchange after we first met, but over the years that we’ve been together, I’ve learned everything I need to know about my demon myself. I don’t need to rely on his essence when I have my own memories and experiences that I’ve made with him.

So, yeah, he’s nervous. I can sense the anxious emotion trickling down our bond, and though I could tap into his essence and figure out what’s going on here, that’s not how a solid, trusting relationship works. We need communication and, damn it, I’m gonna sit here and wait until my mate wants to communicate with me.

I wait.

He gulps.

Cradling Alana’s back with my left hand, my baby blissfully unaware of the tension brewing between her parents, I use my right hand to casually stroke Mal’s thick thigh.

I wait some more.

He sighs. “I am so sorry, my Shannon. If I led you to think that it’s her human blood the others are wary of… no. It’s not that. It’s her lack of shadows. Sombran demons are born with shadows. Our Alana wasn’t.”

You know something? He’s right. That’s exactly what Ididthink. Of course it is. Why would I ever think anything was wrong with my adorable, perfect daughter? One part Mal, one part me, visible proof of our love—and, well, our sex life—and the most adorable baby I’ve ever seen in my life… it couldn’t be her.

But Malphas just admitted that it is. All because she… what?

“Who says she doesn’t have shadows?”

Mal reaches our, trailing one of his caws along Alana’s chubby cheek. “That she was born with colorless skin does.”

Bullshit. “Dude, I’m white. You’re red. She’s basically pink. Come on, Mal. You’re an artist. That’s basic color mixing.”

“I wish it were so. But Sombra demons have very strong characteristics.” Characteristics? It’s not a perfect translation, but I think what he’s trying to discuss is genetics as he adds, “She was always meant to take after me more than you. With her eyes and her horns and her shadows. But Alana… she has my eyes, she has tiny horns, but… she has no shadows.”

Okay. Fine. Let’s say her having no shadows is some kind of big deal that I didn’t know about. “And they’re really going to give her the stink-eye because part of me won out? I mean, look. She’s got my blonde hair. After all, Iamher mother.”

He twirls one of her curls around his finger. “And there hasn’t been a better one in all of existence.”

I roll my eyes. “Now you’re just trying to sweet-talk your way out of this conversation.”

“No,” he insists. “Any demoness who gave birth to a child born without their shadows wouldn’t love them like you love Alana. They wouldn’t care for them.” His face shadows, and since he’s a shadow demon in his solid form, that’s pretty impressive. “They would be left on the edge of the deepest, darkest shadows of our world to… to…” He shakes his head. “Toperish.”

What?

No.

That doesn’t makesense. “Okay. Let’s backtrack before I lose my ever-loving shit here. You’re telling me that if a baby is born like Alana… they abandon them? They… kill them?”

That’s what Mal means by ‘perish’?

“The shadows take them in the end,” he murmurs softly. “In fact, only one demon in our history has ever been left to the shadows and survived.”

It doesn’t take a Sombran historian to know whothatis. Like, gee, who is the only Sombra demon I’ve ever seen without the red skin, the black hair, and a shadow form? I just figured that Haures was too high and might to ever be vaguely hidden in the dark so he always stayed in his striking white-colored solid form.

But that’s not the reason, is it? It’s because he doesn’thavea shadow form…

And, if Mal is right, neither does Alana. I just… I guess I thought it would come as she got older. But he has a point. In the last four months, she’s never shown that she has any other form than the one she’s in now. Pale and solid, and a death sentence to some of these villagers.

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