Page 104 of Fated In Forever
He looked at me, and for the first time since he'd burst through that door, I saw the male beneath the monster. The one who loved Evie so completely he had somehow pried a portal open between realms with his bare hands, and bore the marks like a badge of honor.
Evie is ours, I continued, tamping down a fresh wave of jealousy. Because Iwasjealous. But Malachi was Evangeline’s choice, which meant I had to make my peace with this.
She chose you, knowing the risks, just like she chose Blake and I. And now we—all of us—must protect her. Ravok is still out there, stronger than ever. This world is in danger, and we are running out of time to save it.
Blake stepped forward so we stood side by side, like we always had, and said,Evie is all that matters. Every decision,everything we do is in her service, for her protection. The three of us are a family, so I guess that makes you family too, whether we like it or not.
Something shifted in the air around Malachi. The shadows began to settle, and the sulfurous scent faded. His massive frame shrank just a fraction, though he was still intimidatingly large.
I've spent centuries protecting her, he said quietly.The idea of trusting others with her safety...is not an easy thing.
“Just so you know, I am right the fuck here and I don’t appreciate you three talking behind my back.” Evie grumbled, awake again, arms crossed over her chest. Sabine was propping more pillows behind her head, and her color was already better, that death pallor fading.
“We’re working things out between us,” I told her. “I didn’t think you’d especially want to know how.”
“Iwant to know,” Sabine looked raptly between us.
“You really do not,” I muttered.
“Probably with grunts and hand signals,” Evie wrinkled her nose. “Though I’m not sure how that works, mind to mind. Still, it’s rude to not include me.”
Fine then, we’ve decided you are our single most important priority and the three of us are going to dedicate our lives to making you happy. How is that?
Color flooded her cheeks, and damn if it wasn’t the prettiest thing I’d ever seen.
Well, okay. I think I can live with that.
Beside her, Malachi made a sound that might have been laughter and we all looked at Evie—this extraordinary female who looked so tiny in that bed, but would rule this world—hell, two worlds, once she got back on her feet.
“So,” Sabine said, her fingers twitching as she surveyed Malachi, “Can I touch your horns?”
“Over my dead body,” Evangeline growled, “And who the hell are you, anyway?”
“Oh, you and I are going to have so much fun.” Sabine clapped her hands together. “I’ve been waiting forever to meet you two,” her pale gaze swung between them, something like recognition in her eyes. “And neither of you disappoint.”
51
EVANGELINE
I’d been poked and prodded, drank a gallon of water, fed from Blake—twice—then Sylvester checked me over, sporting an expression of supreme disappointment—probably because I’d actually survived—before declaring me on the road to recovery. I’d asked Riordan and Blake to give us a minute and now they were off somewhere and…
I was alone with Malachi.
For the third time in a row, he lifted his head, nostrils flaring, followed by a delicious, primal full-body shudder I felt to my bones.
Me.
He’s smelling me, and he’s…aroused, so aroused he’s fighting to hold himself back.
Which, in turn had an effect on me, which wasn’t at all normal, because I was seriously knocking on death’s door like barely two hours ago, waiting to be let in.
You look enormous.What have you been doing?I raked my eyes down his body, a landscape of powerful muscle and strong bone, of gloriously ripped abdominals and that V thing that made my tongue dart out and wet my lips.
Another inhale.
Another shudder, another of those deep, rumbly purrs.
You need to feed. He finally said, eyes glowing like he’d finally settled upon a solution for all the pent up tension building between us.You are too pale, and my blood will jumpstart your recovery, make youheal faster.
