Page 19 of Beyond the Storm
“You want your daddy?” Warrin walked toward me. “That makes two of us.”
We left the castle shortly after Nikolai and I finished a second glass of wine. The added ambrosia laced through my bloodstream as Warrin and I strolled through the wintery forest toward our cottage. Sorin was bundled up but didn’t seem to mind the cold.
As a Nephilim, temperatures had little effect on me, unless they were extreme. With Warrin being an ice dragon, he thrived in the cold. It seemed Sorin shared that with him. His big, pale-blue eyes stared at the falling snow in wonder before his lids grew heavy. It was his bedtime.
“About the incident with Feliks,” Warrin said. “I apologize for losing my temper.”
“I thought you actually restrained yourself well. I would’ve knocked his smug head off.” I offered him a small smile as our eyes met. “And don’t be sorry. You did nothing wrong.”
“I made him cry.”
“No, your arrogant prick of a nephew made Sor cry. You were defending us.”
Warrin was quiet the rest of the way home. I felt his mind working—felt him fretting. My gentle dragon. He was way too hard on himself. Once reaching the cottage, he walked with me upstairs to Sorin’s room, and we put our little guy down for bed. He woke up and started to fuss just as I laid him in his crib.
“Easy, little one.” Warrin picked him back up and gently rocked him against his chest. “You are so loved. Never forget that. Your daddy and I will always protect you.”
That infuriating lump returned to the base of my throat. I kissed Sorin’s temple before Warrin carefully placed him back down. Alastair had bought him a lamp that projected shapes of dragons in flight on the wall. A few clouds were mixed in. I turned it on and smiled as Sorin followed the lights with his eyes, and then his lids fell closed again.
“I love watching him sleep,” I whispered, staring down at him. He was absolutely perfect, from the top of his silver hair down to his little toes.
“As do I.” Warrin wound his arms around my waist. Minutes passed as we watched our son sleep.
I’d always remember the first time we’d ever laid eyes on Sorin. His little voice had filled the room as he cried. No sound had ever been more beautiful. Tears had brimmed in Warrin’s eyes as he’d grabbed and squeezed my hand. I’d held back my tears, but once our baby boy was placed in my arms, they’d fallen uncontrollably.
My father had abandoned me and my mother when I was only a baby. Then, not too long after, my mother had died. I’d been alone in the world and found refuge in the forest with the spirits that dwelled there. I hadn’t been sure if I’d be a good parent, and leading up to the birth, those troublesome worries had plagued me. But the moment I’d held Sorin, some of that doubt had been washed away by joy. Excitement.
Love.
Making mistakes along the way was inevitable, but with Warrin by my side, I knew we could succeed at this parenting thing. He was my husband, my lover, and the father of my son. He was my soul mate and the one person who never failed to take my breath away with a single touch.
“War?” I rested my head on his chest.
“Hmm?”
“I love you.”
I felt him smile against my hair. “I love you too, kotya. More than my own life.”
I braced myself for that knotting in the pit of my stomach, the one that tried to convince me that my happiness would be torn away, either by another war or Warrin deciding he no longer wanted me. I braced myself for the insecurity and fear of not being enough.
It never came.
Warrin
Daman sat curled up beside the window, lost in his drawing. His dark hair fell over his eyes as he concentrated on the tablet. He lightly moved the drawing pen across the screen, his movements delicate but precise.
“I smell coffee,” he said without looking up.
I stepped closer and handed him a large steaming mug. “Black. Just how you like it.”
“I like it your way, too, with a touch of brown sugar.” Daman shifted his legs so I could sit beside him on the window seat. He took a sip and softly sighed. “Coffee always tastes better when you make it for me.”
The compliment caused my cheeks to heat.
“My blushing commander.” Daman’s green eyes shone with a smile.
“Always. But only with you.”
