Dark Possession - Aja James Page 0,96

the more blinding.

“There you are. It’s time to go home.”

Eveline sighed, but didn’t say anything, tucking her own face into the hollow of Ramses’ throat.

She inhaled deeply, breathing him in. Though his scent had a burnt edge to it, the intoxicating male musk beneath calmed her, filling her weary body with a contented languor.

“I can carry you both down the mountain, but I don’t have the strength to fly us all back. We’ll have to travel to the Cove by traditional means when we’re on the ground.”

That was Rhys talking. Eveline had closed her eyes again, but she could tell by his voice. She burrowed further into Ramses’ heat, though he already held her tightly in his arms.

Skin on skin. She loved that feeling. It must mean they were naked.

Why were they naked?

Probably because all their clothes had been incinerated in the volcanic blast. Blessedly, she didn’t remember much of that ordeal.

And why didn’t it bother her at all that Rhys was also present despite their nakedness?

Eveline shrugged slightly, just a barely-there shift of her shoulders. Ramses held her so closely he covered up all the naughty bits. She couldn’t complain.

“What about the Eagle King?” her magnificent Mate uttered low, and she felt the vibrations of his words through his chest.

Oh, right, whatever happened to that eagle-man? Eveline was curious enough to stay awake for the answer.

“I didn’t see anyone else when I came up here. I just know that when the volcano was rumbling to erupt, I was able to transform again. Just as I exited the cavern, I saw the plume of lava and ash explode into the air. I tried to fly up, I knew you were there, but it was all I could do to avoid the flaming debris the volcano spewed.”

Ramses grunted.

Eveline interpreted that to mean he was glad Rhys wasn’t severely injured. She was relieved to hear it as well.

“When I found you,” the Chosen warrior continued, “I thought at first that you were a rock, a large boulder of obsidian, actually. And then you moved slightly, revealing the Keeper on the inside.”

Ramses had protected her with his own body. Eveline remembered. He’d curled himself all around her like an impenetrable shield.

“There was no one else?”

“While you took care of the Keeper, I scanned the entire crater from above, as well as on the ground. I detected no one else. But…”

“But?” Ramses prompted.

“I can feel him,” Rhys said. “I don’t know how, and I can’t pinpoint his location. But he is near. And he is alive.”

“Good,” Eveline croaked without opening her eyes.

Immediately, the arms around her tightened, squeezing her so forcefully she almost couldn’t breathe. But that was all right, because she squeezed him back just as hard, hanging onto his neck like a militant, needy spider monkey.

“Little sprite—”

“I like the other name better,” she inserted, keeping her eyes closed. “But you can call me that when we’re alone. Take me home, Alend.”

And so he did.

*** *** *** ***

Four Days Later.

Eveline sat with Grace, Clara and Ava sipping hot chocolate (Eveline), wine (Clara and Grace), and bubble milk tea (Ava) in Clara’s apartment.

Ariel and Anastasia were in residence as well, but they hung out more with the males than with the other females. Probably because they were warriors.

Ryu was back from his mission abroad, so Ava returned to the Cove as well to join her husband. The men were out somewhere—Eli, Devlin, and even Ryu, though he said he only went for Kane’s sake, because Devlin was his favorite uncle, and the boy rather hero-worshipped Eli. Ryu, however, still had reservations about his sire.

Annie knelt in front of the coffee table, drawing on a giant sketch pad as she often liked to do, while the women chatted.

“And then what did he do?” Ava asked, eyes rounded.

From her visits to the Pure Ones’ Shield to work with Rain on medical research, Ava and Eveline were already friendly acquaintances. Now that Eveline was staying at the Cove for the duration, Ava warmed up to her even more. But then, Ava was an open, affable, tender-hearted woman. And so was Clara. Grace was…different. Though she didn’t show it, deep down, Eveline could tell that she was loyal and kind.

Eveline was catching her up on how she came to be at the Cove, her temporary role as the New England Hive’s librarian, and her recent adventure to the American Falls, then to Mount St. Helens for the ultimate, victorious showdown.

“He sent these boulders into the sky like they