Page 15 of Our Dark Winter Wish

‘I made the walls bleed.’ I shudder. ‘I made Cole almost-’

‘You didn’t do it on purpose. We’ll get there. It will be okay. I’m here to help in any way I can.’

‘I’m supposed to be the strong one helping you.’

‘Oh, Dream Walker. I’m like a tree. Cut me down, and I just grow back stronger.’

I wince at her words, my body tensing without instruction from me.

‘What?’ she asks, peering down at me with a slight frown. ‘What is it?’

‘Don’t… Don’t call me Dream Walker, Pixie.’

She scoffs out a little laugh but soon sees I’m serious.

‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.’

She starts to pull away, but I firm my arms around her, keeping her in place.

‘That’s what you called me when you were mad at me. When you were so full of hatred that you couldn’t even bring yourself to speak our names. I don’t call you Ashe because you told me that that was the name they gave you. Your coven. Cole. The man who raised you as though he hated you. You don’t call me Dream Walker. I don’t call you Ashe.’

Her features soften, and I get a lingering kiss on my forehead.

‘Deal. Now, let’s go home. Before my tits freeze and fall off.’

We stand, and I take her hand in mine as we make our way back to the cottage.

When we walk inside, Dorian is back inside his mortal form, and Archie is tending to the fire in the hearth. Their clothes are still bloody from the manifestation of the nightmare, and it’s clear they’ve just been sitting here waiting for us to return.

Dorian simply rests a hand on my shoulder. His forgiveness offered without a sound. Archie throws his arms around me.

‘You had us worried, mate.’ His forehead meets mine, and he looks into my eyes.

He grounds me. Assures me I’m not alone. That it’s not only our Pixie who understands and accepts our combined violence and damage. We’re all broken. She’s right about that. And we’re all ready to fix the others. No matter how dangerous we have all become.

Archie’s eyes flick past me to her. She nods as he speaks to her through the Mate Bond they share.

I long to hear her thoughts. To feel what she feels. To share something that’s just ours.

Just mine.

‘I’m going to clean up,’ she says.

I look again at her bloody body and matted hair. Her skin is so pale, and her hair is so ashen, blood stands out in a frightening way against her.

‘Want some company?’ Arch asks hopefully. ‘I could scrub your back?’

‘I’m good,’ she replies with an eye roll.

‘Too full of Shaw’s juices to play with me? You know I don’t mind sharing.’

‘Never, ever, ever call it that again, Archie,’ she sneers. ‘It’s up there with the words moist, flesh rod, my weeping pussy, kitty cat, minge or foo foo, cum catcher and ribbed little cave of forbidden treasure.’

‘The list of words I’m not allowed to say is growing every day,’ Archie sighs with a massive grin. ‘You wash up, Pix. We’ve got a treat planned today.’

‘What treat?’ she asks.

They both look at me. Today is my idea.

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