Page 45 of Broken Shadows

I brush a kiss to Evie’s hair as she easily snaps my shadow binds, then I draw back. My eyes fly to her chest as Fluffy Fucker strokes his furry cheek against my hand.

My heart backflips, then my brows bunch together before the corners of my lips fall.

What.

The.

Fuck.

I yank my hand away, stepping to Evie’s side and secure her with my shadows. I use another shoot of shadow to encourage Evie’s to lift from Rosa’s wrist, her magic squirming in my grasp before it dissipates. “If Human Rainbow wants to try first, I’m not going to stop her. Ezra is more of an asshole than usual when coming down from blood lust and his shift. Plus, I’m fairly confident Ezra flipped the fuck out because Gideon threatened her.”

Rosa takes Evie in, her eyes softening. Nodding at me, she shakes out her trembling hands as she marches over to Ezra. She holds out a trembling hand palm up to my brother as she delicately steps over Gideon and places her spike heeled ankle boots into the pool of blood. “You got him. It’s okay,” Rosa assures quietly.

Ezra’s head slowly twists to the woman boldly standing before him and turns his unblinking black predatory stare on her. Rosa glides forward and places her hand on the center of his chest, seemingly no longer afraid of the monstrous demon she met in the compact mirror.

The room exhales as Ezra shifts from his unhinged state to his regular humanoid form, shrinking inches and collapsing his mass. He shakes his head aggressively, his sweat dampened hair lashing in all directions, then clears his throat. “Well, now that we’ve got him down. What do we do with him?”

And just like that, Ezra’s back to normal. Well, Ezra’s version of normal. I draw shadows over to Gideon and around his unconscious form. “These won’t last for long as you witnessed earlier,” I mention and run a hand through my tangled hair.

Evie steps several feet away from me, the death glare in her eyes promising retribution. “What if I spelled something to secure him with? They’ll be stronger than the temporary shadows, at least. Although, judging by the power he displayed, they likely won't hold for more than a couple of days.”

I sigh heavily. When will Evie understand that I don’t give a shit about anyone else but her? If her friend wants to throw herself at an enraged demon, that’s her choice. “That should work,” I grumble.

Rosa pats Ezra on the arm. “I've got just the thing.” She grins, then shines her amused expression on Evie. “I’ll be right back.”

I pace behind the couch, stopping at invisible markers like its muscle memory. A cold sweat dots my brow. That’s because itismuscle memory. I paced the exact length of my cage, its dimensions carved into my brain matter itself.Fuck,I utter internally and Evie’s attention flashes to me. Panic coalesces sharply in my gut, twisting my intestines in on themselves painfully as if Ezra stabbed me instead of Gideon.Did I accidentally send that thought down thebond?

Yes, youdid, Evie replies softly.Are you okay?

Later.I inhale for three seconds and exhale for four, begging my mind to recenter itself on the present.We’ll talk later,I concede, then block my end of the bond, cutting off communication. Rosa jogs into the room, her tits nearly bouncing out of her shirt. Ezra moans audibly, eyes dilating as he tracks her.

Rosa winks at Ezra as he prowls toward her. She ignores my brother pressing against her back as she removes the strap of her leather backpack—I refuse to designate it as a godsdamn purse—from her shoulder and drops it onto the mahogany end table. The blue, purple, and gray stained-glass lamp shade shudders as its new burden jostles its base. My eyes narrow on the pair of them. Ezra inhales noisily at Rosa’s neck and her eyelids flitter briefly, then her stare hardens as if she’s slipping on a mask—a dominant one. Interesting. Rosa dips manicured fingers into her bag of tricks and removes a pair of baby pink…

Fluffy.

Fucking.

Handcuffs.

“You've got to be fucking with me,” I say, rubbing my temple, then stabbing a hand into my pocket in search of my cigarettes and lighter.

Rosa rolls her eyes and cocks her hip to the side, dangling the handcuffs from her fingertips. “I don’t give a shit if you like them or not, Lorcan. My good leather pair is at home,” Rosa claims, raising her chin. “A good sex therapist always has a pair handy for demonstration.”

Aiden laughs boisterously and finally uncurls his body from the floor.

Ezra crowds into her further and drapes his arms over her shoulders while rooting through her bag with curious tattooed fingers. I snort and shake my head as Rosa smacks the back of his hand. “Naughty demon.”

“Ouch,” Ezra says playfully, his voice husky. “Do you have any more of those bat snackies? They were fucking delicious.”

I shake my head and move over to Gideon. “I’ll take him up to one of the spare bedrooms,” I announce, then throw my brother over my shoulder and stalk from the room.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Evie

I finish my fourth coffee of the evening and glance at the clock. Midnight. Yet, again, I haven’t followed by body’s cues to go to bed at a normal time.

I hold my breath for a few seconds when Lorcan sits on the chair next to me at the kitchen table along with Ezra, Rosa, and Aiden.

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