Page 76 of Crossing Between
They looked so right together, so complete, that I felt a momentary pang of uncertainty. Perhaps I should give them space, let them comfort each other without my intrusion.
I took a step back, prepared to slip away unnoticed, when Kenji's head snapped up. His eyes locked onto mine with startling intensity.
"Don't you dare," he growled, extending one hand toward me. "Get over here, Kraken. This involves all of us."
Varon lifted his gaze to mine, his expression softer than I'd ever seen it. "Elias," the invitation was clear in his voice.
And Zoey—our Zoey, our Soulbinder—reached out one hand to me, her eyes still red-rimmed but determined.
Something loosened in my chest as I crossed theroom to join them. Kenji pulled me into their embrace, and I found myself enveloped in their collective warmth, my back against Varon's side, Zoey's hand clasped in mine, Kenji's strong arm around my shoulders.
"We face this together," Varon was resolute. "All of us."
"No one's turning into an Essencefeaster on our watch," Kenji added fiercely.
I felt Zoey's fingers tighten around mine. "What if I can't control it?" she whispered, voicing the fear that hung between us. "What if I become what we're fighting?"
"Then we'll bring you back," the certainty of the promise bone-deep. "Your soul is bound to ours now, Kærasta. We won't let you fall."
She looked at each of us in turn, vulnerability and strength mingling in her gaze. "I'm scared," she started to shake a little again.
"Good," Varon pressed a kiss to her temple. "Fear keeps us vigilant. But don't forget, you're not alone in this."
"Never alone," Kenji echoed, his usual playfulness subdued but present. "You've got three overprotective supernatural beings ready to fight the world for you."
A small smile tugged at Zoey's lips. "Lucky me." She relaxed more.
I leaned forward to kiss that smile, tasting the salt of tears and the sweetness that was uniquely Zoey. "Lucky us."
We remained tangled together as the fire burned low, drawing strength from each other. The revelation about Zoey's nature had shaken us all, but as I held them, as we held each other, I felt something solidify between us. We were in this together.
Chapter 42: Zoey
I sat at the edge of Varon's infinity pool, my legs dangling in the cool water. The morning sun played across the surface, creating patterns of light that should have been soothing. Instead, my mind kept replaying yesterday on an endless loop.
Dragon blood. Soulbinder. Essencefeaster.
Each word felt like a stone in my stomach, weighing me down. I kicked my feet gently in the water, watching the ripples spread outward. The guys had given me some space this morning after I'd asked for a moment alone. Even they seemed to understand that learning you have dragon blood and are potentially something called an "Essencefeaster" warranted some processing time.
I heard soft footsteps approaching from behind, too light to be any of my men. I didn't need to turn around to know it was Quilith.
"May I join you?"
I nodded, not trusting my voice just yet. The fabric of their flowing silken garments rustled as they settled beside me, removing their delicate slippers to dip their feet into thewater. I noticed the subtle glint of soft-colored scales along their ankles catching the light.
We sat in silence for several minutes, watching gentle ripples across the pool's surface when I moved my feet. The quiet was comfortable, allowing me to gather my scattered thoughts.
"How are you feeling?" Quilith finally turned those ancient eyes toward me.
I let out a humorless laugh. "How am I supposed to feel when I find out I'm part dragon and could turn into some soul-eating demon?"
Quilith winced slightly, their shoulders drooping. "I am truly sorry, Zoey. For the shock, for the burden of this knowledge, for not recognizing it sooner."
The genuine regret in their voice softened something inside me.
"But," they continued, their tone warming, sounding like the Quilith I was used to, "I cannot help but feel joy as well."
I turned to look at them, surprised. "Joy?"
