Page 30 of Of Pixies and Promises
“Of course,” he mumbled. But his eyes shifted to Nyra. He didn’t want to leave her side. She reached for him.
Telling Colt that he refused to go to the Order was on the tip of his tongue when she said, “You won’t be the first mated Guardian. But you will have to train before you can return to your mate. The council will decide the rest of your fate, and I can put in a good word. Nyra is family, but there are five other Councillors in addition to the Prime who will decide your fate. Oh, look. Here’s another Councillor now. I believe you may have met him already—D’arn Shade.”
Two bodies emerged from a cloud of shadow further down the shore.
That Sid could even see the shadow amongst the impossible night again proved that he was different inside. With this new clarity, he noticed shadows gather like a storm cloud and then release its inhabitants—one male, one female.
“Silver,” he rasped, getting to his feet, his heart lurching.
This was the moment. He could make amends for hurting her. But would she let him atone? Would her dangerous vampire mate allow it? Sid kept his wary eyes on the dark-haired, obscenely handsome vampire as he stalked closer. The shadows followed him and folded around his black leather Guardian battle uniform. Vampiric wings unfurled behind him and Silver as they approached, almost languidly, almost like a sleepy cat stretching when sensing a rival amble by, plucking at the ground in a veiled warning—See my claws. See my wing span. See, I am an apex predator.
Silver was named for her long silver braid. He used to think it was because of the silver vambrace she always wore around her forearm, but now he could see it was more. No silver or metal clung to her as far as he could see. She was in complete control of her fearsome power, and the color in her bronzed cheeks brought a beauty he’d never seen.
Sid’s eyes slid to Shade. He was the reason for Silver’s happiness, just as Nyra was the reason for Sid’s.
Nyra hissed and bared her fangs. She stepped between him and the approaching couple. Sid sensed her possessive defenses slam up. Nyra’s mating mark on his chest burned, and he felt the need to protect her as if that fae bargain still jolted his body into action. He placed a palm on her shoulder and tugged her back to him, silently folding her wings and keeping them dormant between them. She shivered, and goosebumps erupted on her skin, but she settled against him.
“My my,” Shade drawled, his voice smooth like whiskey. He looked Sid up and down. “How the tables have turned.”
“Sid?” Silver gaped.
She stepped forward, but Nyra gnashed her fangs, and Shade halted his mate. “Careful, darling. You’re about to walk toward a newly mated pixie.”
“Mated?” Silver’s eyes darted between Nyra and Sid, then to his left eye. “Fuck, Sid. You have a lot to catch me up on.” But then she grinned widely and breathed, “You fucker. You’re here.”
“I’m here,” he returned, his lip twitching in amusement, and he wasn’t sure why, but he nodded to the pixie at his front and proudly announced, “This is Nyra, my mate.”
“PrincessNyra of Athyrium Gully,” she corrected, never removing her glare from Silver.
With a smug look, Silver hit Shade’s chest with the back of her hand. “See? You wanted a reason not to kill him. Ask, and the Well shall provide.”
“Hmm.” Shade turned his shrewd gaze to the pixie still baring her fangs at his mate. “Fuck with her, pix, and you will have me to deal with.”
“Fuck with himagain, vampire, and I will bite your dick off before feeding it to the worms.”
Shade roared in laughter. Silver’s smile stretched, and she met Sid’s gaze. “I like her.”
“I…” Sid’s voice died in his throat as Nyra’s hand wrapped possessively around his. He glimpsed the scars still running over his knuckles. This was why Nyra was defensive. He met Silver’s gaze, to apologize for almost hitting her, but Silver stopped him with a shake of her head.
“It’s in the past,” she said. “You’re in Elphyne now.”
“And we have more pressing issues to deal with,” Shade said as more Guardians and representatives from the Order arrived. Some came by wings, some by portal, and some by foot. Shade glanced over his shoulder, his eyes locked on a regal, white-winged and haired woman with dark skin as she strode across the sand. Then he met Sid’s eyes. “If you want to defend your mate’s gully, we must go before the Prime arrives and demands you stay.”
“He’s right,” Colt confirmed. “She will insist you stay and leave the fighting to others.”
Shade held Sid and Nyra while Silver grabbed him, and then he muttered, “Let’s hope this works.”
His shadows threw ribbons of darkness around them and turned everything black.
Chapter
Thirteen
Nyra’s scream muffled as a hand slapped over her mouth and the shadows around them faded. They weren’t at the lake anymore, but in a forest with random gunfire peppering the air. Moonlight shone down, illuminating their environment enough to tell her where they were—near her home and where the humans were raiding.
The vampire Guardian had somehow portaled them through shadows. He let go of her mouth and glanced at Sid, who braced a tree and gathered his breath.
“It takes some getting used to,” Shade explained quietly.
