“Until we figure this out, the Fae cannot know about this. The shield stays up,” she says and stalks off back to the house, ignoring the two men hovering uncertainly, waiting for her.
“Aefre, wait,” Constantine calls after her, running to catch up with her.
Devon glances once more at the dead body and then, with a sigh, he turns to Remiel. “A word of advice?” he says.
Remiel just looks at him, expecting him to say whatever it is.
“If you want Aefre to respect you, you can’t ever do this again,” he says.
“I did what needed to be done,” Remiel answers, only slightly defensively.
“For you,” Devon says. “You need to learn that Aefre’s first instinct isn’t to kill. Not anymore.”
With that said, Devon rushes to catch up with his sire, needing to comfort her, but also in need of some consolation himself. He fears this day is going to get a whole lot worse.
The Underworld, October 2014 – Aefre
My hands are shaking. CK tries to take them in his, but I can’t quite bring myself to touch the weapons that slaughtered his own charge right in front of me. I think that is part of what has shocked me so much. I am full of sorrow and remorse that Sebastian is now dead, of course, even after what he did to me, but the fact that his sire killed him, without any hesitation, makes me shudder.
“Aefre,” he starts, but I shake my head.
“I just need a minute,” I snap at him as I enter the house and make my way into the kitchen at the back, where I hope to find my daughter and her Wolf protector.
“Good Wolfie,” I mutter as I see them, plus a fierce-looking Vito, standing in the kitchen making sandwiches. There is no way that Delinda could have seen or heard anything from this room in the house and I am glad that Lincoln had the wherewithal to know that.
“Where is Daddy?” Delinda demands as soon as she sees me.
“He’s gone,” I say quickly, glancing at Lincoln.
His raised eyebrows furrow when he sees my expression and takes in my meaning. He instinctively shuffles closer to Delinda.
“Why?” she asks, her sad voice breaking my heart.
“There was urgent business,” I mutter, floundering. What can I say? I can’t say that he’ll be back as that is just an outright lie, she will never forgive me for.
I am just about to blurt out something stupid when Remiel comes to my rescue and scoops her up to give her a big cuddle and a bright smile. “Fear not,” he says. “I am sure he will return whenever he is able.”
Which is never.
The gods, we are getting too good with the double meanings around here. The poor girl.
“Okay,” she says and plac
es her head on Remiel’s shoulder. “I am glad you’re here.”
He beams at her and says, “Me too. There is no other place I would rather be than here with you and Mama.” He gives me an adoring look that doesn’t get missed by my husband. My one remaining husband, as it is quite clear that Xane and I are done. He was pretty damn sure about that. Must remember to wed Devon ASAP. I’m in need of another husband now that three of them are gone.
“I love you,” Delinda says with a sigh, interrupting my scrambled thoughts. She is patting Remiel on the chest.
“I love you as well,” he answers, but his eyes are on me.
“I love you too, Mama,” she says.
I cross over to her and give her a sound kiss on the forehead. “You are the most precious thing in the World to me,” I say, blinking back my tears. “I love you so much.”
“Do you also love Papa?” she asks, squinting at me.
Remiel gives me an interested look, but CK has had enough of this show of family time and steps forward.