Page 27 of Shannon in Sombra

It’s Malphas. My true love. The father of my missing child. The talented artist who designed Alana’s painted nursery…

She’ll return to it. I’ll do everything I can to make sure of it.

This is my fault. I’m her mother. I don’t care how much the call of the red moon pulled me toward Malphas, that’s no excuse. Somehow… somehow my daughter wentmissing, and I can’t explain it.

That makes it so, so much worse.

Luckily, Apollyon is thinking rationally. While he and Lilith try their best as leaders of Nuit to keep Mal and me calm, he also engaged help from some of the other villagers—and the visitors who ended up staying overnight due to the red moon.

Thank fucking god. Dagon and Sierra are still here, and of all the hunters in Nuit, Dagon is supposed to be one of the best in all of Sombra at tracking.

On Apollyon’s orders, he looking for some sign that Alana left the house. Either because he can scent her or… or if someone took her?—

Who would’ve taken my baby?

Damn it!

“It’s all because of the red moon!” I burst out, shoving away from my mate.

I would never blame Mal, not when all of that blame belongs to me, but I need to do something. Since I can’t just run off into the night when I don’t even know for sure that Alana is out here somewhere, I’m sticking close to the house in case I hear her coo. Considering I can’t hear shit over the thud of my heart, I doubt I will, and that just makes meangrier.

The golden-eyed clan leader nods slowly. “Perhaps. The red moon definitely… affected most of Nuit last night. Probably all of Sombra.”

Perhaps.

Probably.

I’m angry. I’m ashamed. I’mscared.

But, deep down, I’m also Shannon Crewes. So instead of listening to Apollyon’s wishy-washy response, I turn to look at his mate. “You get shadow dicked down, Lilith? Was it so irresistible you’d somehow lose your own child? Or am I just a shitty mom?”

Apollyon’s mouth falls open, visibly scandalized. Mal moves forward tentatively, his solid hand brushing against mine, letting me know he’s right there for me when I need him.

Lilith, though, just keeps a small, reassuring smile on her pretty face. “I’ve experienced countless gold moons since I came to live with Apollyon as his mate. The red moon was something else entirely.”

I should’ve expected an answer like that. Unless some of the other villagers, the clan mother has always been fond of me. Since starting the EL, we’ve become close. Normally, I wouldn’t mouth off to Mal’s clan leader in case he booted us out of Nuit, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

In between fighting the urge to hide my head under a blanket so I can pretend this isn’t a living nightmare and taking off to feel like I’m doing anything to search for Alana, I give Apollyon a ‘so there’ look.

The red moon… I try to remember what Malphas told me about it. Granted, I was so damn horny, I was barely paying attention as I began to strip off my clothes and get my mouth on Mal’s dick, but there’s something…

My back goes ramrod straight. “Did Haures do this?” I ask. My voice is soft, almost as though I know I shouldn’t voice my suspicions, but I can’t help it. “He’s been super weird about Alana since she was born. If it’s a ruler thing, and he’s also a bondmaster… did he…”

Did he find a way to summon the red moon to use as a distraction to take our baby?

Because of the damn prophecy?

I don’t finish asking my question. Not out loud, at least. I don’t have to.

“You cannot blame his Grace?—”

“No,” I cut in. “You’re right. It’smyfault.”

“Shannon—”

I shake my head. “I shouldn’t have let it happen, Mal.”

“What?” he asks, and his voice is barely drowned out by the steady fall of rain. “What did you do wrong, my mate? What could you have done differently? You insisted we check on her first. That we mated on the first floor so we didn’t disturb her. You did everything right… but if you think you are to blame, so am I.”

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