Page 77 of Hunted By Darkness

“Min from the Dark Fae Society?” I asked, surprised to hear the name.

“She’s got a soft spot for me,” he admitted with a little blush in his cheeks.

I snickered, thinking back on the cute Dark Fae who followed Lev around for nearly three years in a lovesick haze. “That’s putting it lightly. But her brother—”

“Was an asshole, and she’s happy he’s gone,” Lev finished.

Min was the younger sister of Zephyr. I hadn’t been aware she didn’t like him, but I wasn’t really close with the pink-haired beauty. It was a relief to hear that not everyone was a raging asshole. Maybe there was hope for them yet.

“How do you feel, Niks?” Lev asked, waving the stone around me and mumbling something under his breath.

“Confused,” I murmured. “Why can you all see and talk to Tometi and Ryker? How long have I been asleep? Mostimportantly…did it stick? You know, the banishing that asshole demon to the After thing?”

Silas groaned and fell back against the pillows, in full big baby pout mode. I patted his chest in apology and grinned down at him. I did feel a bit bad that I’d gotten him all revved up. All I could do now was hide his massive erection between my legs and act like sitting on top of him was completely normal.

It didn’t appear anyone else cared. I sensed their relief. I’d probably been out a while if they were acting like this. At first I’d thought a few days, but by their expressions, I got the distinct impression it was longer.

Ignoring the growling mercenary under me, Ryker bent over and kissed my forehead like it was a completely natural exchange between us. My confusion only grew. Thankfully, it was followed by a brutal strike from Tometi. The giant wasn’t cutting Ryker any breaks. He glared at the ground-bound blonde and then folded his arms across his chest, a hint of a smile lifting his mouth.

“It was rather strange. After…” Tometi trailed off, and I realized why. He meant after what I did to Salvator. I nodded for him to continue, a lump in my throat. “It was as though we’d been given the final piece of ourselves. We can now shift into our respective animals, and yet, we are still…like this.”

“Alive? Human…well, human-ish?”

Ryker was on his feet. “Exactly, sweet girl! Not sure how it happened, only happy that it did.” I couldn’t help but smile when he bounced around, expressing his overwhelming happiness to have his first real chance at life.

“So, you’re shapeshifters?”

Silas sighed and crossed his arms, refusing to move from underneath me. “I liked them better when I couldn’t see or hear them.”

His jealousy was beyond adorable, if I were honest. The big man pouting like a kid always got to me in the weirdest ways. It made me want to tease him. But more than that, it made me want to kiss him and give him the affection he was so desperate to get, enough to forget his pride and pout.

Ryker scoffed unattractively, brushing back his shiny hair. “Be honest, you big brute. You never liked us at all.”

“Not true, mutt,” Silas argued, earning him an eyebrow from Ryker. “I like that massive wanker well enough. I’ve never likedyou.”

Talking behind his hand, Ryker winked at me. “I think he thinks I’m too pretty, and he’s probably still salty about the kiss.”

“Sorry?” Silas was upright and glaring. “What’s this about a kiss?”

“Anyway,” I cut in, hoping to end the fight before it’d begun. “How long have I been asleep?”

Lev sighed as if he’d carried a heavy burden while I was unconscious. Based on the first few minutes around the group, I could only assume it was brutal without me to mediate. “Two weeks.”

I blinked. “Two weeks?”

“Yes, but unlike some of us, I wasn’t worried you wouldn’t wake up,” Lev said with a smirk Silas’s direction.

“Oi, you cheeky wanker,” the mercenary growled. “It’s weirder you weren’t worried. What kind of bastard are you not to worry over your very unconscious friend?”

Rolling my eyes, I directed my next question to Lev as well, “What about Rilas?”

Silas interjected before Lev could, “He’s gone, love. You did exactly what you were meant to. That bastard was swallowed up by the After portal you summoned, and the world didn’t end.”

My throat burned when I thought about what I had to do to make it all happen.

Salvator.

As if he’d heard my thoughts, Silas rubbed my arm and touched my cheek. “I’m sure that wolf bastard will be living large in his next life thanks to you,” he grumbled.

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