Page 57 of Bones

I didn’t wait around for an answer. I couldn’t. Pain seared through me as my heart shattered.

My mate needs me.

Out of practice,I worried I would land somewhere in the Sahara. Or that I’d be sent to the wrong Aurora and end up in Norway, standing under the aurora borealis.

But with a single blink, I was back beside the firewood like I’d never left. I scanned the yard and the windows, wondering if she’d seen me.

Explaining how I’d appeared was one way to start the overdue conversation, but it sure as hell wouldn’t be the way I’d choose.

I didn’t see her, and the devastation sitting heavily on my chest remained despite my return. Unsure what to expect, I grabbed the axe and ran toward the house, throwing the door open. “Aurora!”

Silence—other than Victoria’s yippy barks.

I paused long enough to see that Aurora must’ve turned off the stove—saving my house from torching—before I continued my quick pace to check each room of the cabin.

Empty.

Where is she?

Who has her?

And why does it feel like my heart has been pulverized until it resembles the dusty remains of that angel?

I closed my eyes and tried to transport to her—shock factor be damned—but I couldn’t.

What the hell?

I knew my magicks were rusty, but I didn’t think they would deplete from one transport. I didn’t think they could depleteperiod. They never had before.

A pit settled in my gut, growing by the second. It wasn’t about my magicks—though that wasn’t a promising sign when that same gut was telling me shit was about to hit the fan in a damn big way. It was about Aurora. If she’d seen me with Lenuson’s mate and got the wrong idea, she might’ve taken off.

She could be in danger, and thanks to said drained magicks, I was literally powerless.

Fuck, I hope I’m wrong.

I started for the back door to search the woods when Victoria bit the leg of my pants. Gently shaking it to try to dislodge her, I distractedly said, “Feed you in a minute.”

She kept hold of the dirty jeans and shook her head with a low growl, tugging me forward.

Not about to look a gift dog in the barking mouth, I was desperate enough to follow where she guided me. Once she saw I was with her, she released me and bolted for the front door before backtracking. Over and over again.

“I get it,” I assured her, but she didn’t stop.

Not until I was at the front door just in time for it to be thrown open with enough force to shake the windows.

Dodging to the side to get out of the way, my defenses raised.

My axe raised.

And when I felt Aurora on the other side of the open door, my dick raised, too.

A mix of emotions swirled through me. It took me a second to separate mine from hers.

Relief, lust, and possessive need belonged to me.

The anger and devastation were all her.

“What’s going…” I started, my words trailing off when she cleared the heavy wood obstruction, and I got a better look.

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