Allegiance of Honor (Psy-Changeling #15) - Nalini Singh Page 0,174

know what I’ve done . . . who I’ve become.”

Gentle reproof in her expression. “My love for you will never fade.”

Xavier had no doubts of the truth of her vow, but he still needed her to understand how much he’d altered from the laughing young man she’d known, didn’t want to steal her with false promises. So he read out the letters that spoke of battle, of violence, of his friendship with Judd and Kaleb.

“I’d like to meet your friends.” Nina’s hand remained firm in his. “We’ve both been marked by life, Xavier, but we haven’t changed where it matters.” She lifted their clasped hands to his heart, then to hers.

Yes.

They continued to walk together, content to simply be with each other. He spoke at times, Nina at others. At one point, he said, “I once told one of my friends that love is the greatest form of loyalty. But I think from loyalty can come love.”

“Of course.” Turning into him, she laid her head against his chest.

Listening to his heartbeat, as he so often found himself simply watching her breathe.

“So many bonds,” he murmured as the two of them stood under a night sky that reminded him of Kaleb’s cardinal eyes. “So many connections. Our world is becoming the interlinked entity it was always meant to be.”

The majority of those connections were fragile, breakable, or barely budded, but a rare few had passed the Rubicon, would endure. Such as the bonds that linked him to Judd and to Kaleb, the bonds that linked Judd to his mate and his pack, the bond that linked Kaleb to Sahara, and through her, to another pack.

Such was the bond that tied Xavier to his Nina, and through her, to all the villagers she knew. In return, he could link her to so many others. Together their family spanned continents . . . and it existed right here in this moment when he held Nina.

PART 8

Chapter 51

BO WAS UNSURPRISED when he received a visit from Malachai Rhys as the sun was setting over Venice in a splashy display. What he was surprised about was the public nature of it. “I had the feeling you wanted to keep the Alliance-BlackSea relationship on the down low,” he said as he held out his hand.

Malachai shook it after stepping out of the water taxi that had ferried him from the mainland. Then he removed his mirrored sunglasses in what seemed a conscious act. Realizing it was, that to see the eyes was to know the man, Bo removed his own and tucked them into the pocket of the short-sleeved shirt of chocolate brown detailed with bronze studs that he wore over jeans.

“We’ve had a change of heart.” Malachai slid his hands into his pockets on those words, a big man in a flawlessly tailored black suit teamed with a crisp white shirt. “Some people only believe in power they can see.”

Humans knew that better than any other race on the planet. “It certainly does us no harm to be linked to BlackSea.” Bo wasn’t about to turn down a potential ally when the world remained a turbulent place—and when the Consortium had only gone quiet. Everyone who knew of the group also knew the vipers would rise again, that they were probably plotting their next move at this very instant.

Then there were the smaller fanatical groups, and they weren’t all Psy.

“You’ve suffered no blowback as a result of rescuing Leila?” the BlackSea security chief asked as they began to walk along the edge of the canal.

“Isaac can take care of himself.” Though Bo had offered him Alliance assistance should he need it. “Whoever kidnapped your packmate—” He paused. “Is that the right word?”

Malachai gave him a sidelong glance that was at once penetrating and quiet. “We’ve adapted to use the common terms.”

Bo read the subtext: to be too different made it difficult to be part of the world.

“Like I was saying,” he continued, “whoever kidnapped your packmate would do better to just let it go. No point hunting Isaac and his friends and giving us more clues to follow.”

“I agree.” The other man said nothing further until they’d passed a group of tourists taking pictures of a balcony that was a delicacy of froth and curves. “What’s your price for assisting Leila? It was a far bigger favor than the one we did you.”

Bowen had considered leveraging the rescue. Despite the projected degradation of his implant, he’d so far felt no ill effects. His mind was