formidable weapon. I had seen two more Nightmares stalking their creators in the Observatory tonight that might make a good addition to my team.
Only a few weeks ago, the agents of the Fourth Division had been terrified of me. While they still feared my power and my ability to annihilate them without breaking a sweat—as they should—they now admired and respected me. I had never expected to derive greater pleasure from their idolizing awe than from their fear. My pet, Agent Peters, certainly knew how to stroke my ego without even trying. It was the sincerity of his admiration and appreciation of me that affected me so deeply. It disturbed me to want to provoke more such reactions from others. Being liked didn’t mesh with the persona of an apex predator.
In the end, however confusing this concept of teamwork felt at times for a solo hunter like me, it made me feel stronger. It gave me confidence that we could overcome any challenge, even Darryl. And that made me very happy. Although nothing would ever make me as happy as my woman. In many ways, Naima had changed me. Yet, for all that, they were small and superficial changes that, combined, had a powerful impact, allowing me to function in her world. But at the core, she had accepted me and learned to love me the way I was.
I couldn’t wait for her to finally go to sleep. Although she had tried to keep it a secret, Naima had planned a special evening for us tonight. That fucking bastard Darryl had ruined it. However, I, too, had planned a special evening here in the Mist for just the two of us. I intended to push her boundaries, test her limits, and make her shed the last of the inhibitions she still held on to in the name of those silly human principles.
Why the fuck was she taking so long, anyway?
Just as that thought crossed my mind, I finally felt my female’s consciousness poking at the portal of the realm of dreams. Excitement surged within me, and I almost drew her to me before remembering that this no man’s land wasn’t an ideal location. Granted, I’d pretty much cleaned the place out of anything that could even remotely present a threat, but still… I cursed under my breath when I realized how far I’d wandered from my domain.
As I began to race back towards my territory, a sense of unease took root deep within me. Something felt off. Naima was attempting to fall asleep with such frantic impatience—almost desperation—that it instead caused her consciousness to bash against the portal, making it resist the assault. She needed to ease herself in for the Veil to yield.
This was unlike her. I reached for my mate through my brand on her chest. The wave of fear, panic, and urgency that smashed into me left me reeling. Something terrible had happened. Stopping dead in my tracks, I erected a protective wall over a small radius around me. It burned some of my energy, but finding out the source of my mate’s distress was more important. As soon as it formed, I pulled Naima’s consciousness to me. For the first time, I hated the slow transfer of her soul into my world, manifested by the fall of her ethereal body towards me. Her shape and features became more defined as she neared the ground.
My woman’s eyes snapped open right before she landed. They immediately searched for me.
“Zain!” Naima exclaimed, throwing herself into my arms the instant her feet touched the ground. “You must come back! Darryl is inside the base. He has let the Mist and the Beasts inside.”
“WHAT?!” I shouted, my hands tightening on her upper arms. “Tell me everything.”
She gave me a quick rundown of what had transpired. Her quick thinking and Peters’ foresight had helped avert a tragedy. But knowing he was there, with a simple wall between him and my mate had me on the verge of panic. Even though he couldn’t breach the walls without sustaining extreme pain and energy loss now that he had been banished, there were workarounds. I only hoped he wouldn’t think of it.
“Stay put,” I ordered, my mind racing. “I’m coming,”
“Okay,” Naima said in a shaky voice. “Please, hurry. I’m scared.”
“I will not let anything happen to you, Naima. You are my life. I love you,” I said before crushing her lips in a desperate but brief kiss. “I’m sending you back now. I’ll be there