back his growl as his friend placed it around Mackenzie’s shoulders first before drawing it around Hartt’s, because Fuery only meant well, wasn’t trying to steal her from him.
He opened his arm to Fuery as the male sank to his knees beside him and wrapped him in an embrace too, holding both him and Mackenzie, eternally grateful to have both of them in his life. He reached for the bonds he shared with both of them. He felt the one he had with Mackenzie and was relieved to know it could survive a phoenix death and resurrection.
The bond he had with Fuery was slower to come into focus, and for a chilling heartbeat he thought it was gone, but then he sensed it as Fuery reached for him, as the blood bond and the spell that linked them revealed itself.
“We should move somewhere warmer.” Rosalind continued before he could agree with her, “Mostly because I’m freezing my tits off.”
Vail gathered her into his arms and rubbed her back through her thick clothing. “To the cottage?”
She shook her head, but Hartt beat her to speaking.
“What happened to the mage?” He looked at Mackenzie.
Syn poked her in the shoulder. “Someone incinerated him. I don’t think blood magic can bring him back from that death.”
Hartt was glad the bastard had gotten what he deserved, held Mackenzie a little closer as he realised that was the reason she was naked—she had died again, destroyed herself with her own fire in order to defeat the mage.
He had tried to spare her that pain, but in the end he had only hurt her.
“Come on. Cave, now.” Rosalind tapped Fuery on the back of his head, earning a growl from him.
She disappeared before Fuery could turn on her, whisked away by Vail. Hartt mustered his strength to teleport, but darkness swept around him before he could manage it, and when it fell away, warmth caressed him. Mackenzie pressed closer to him, and he huffed as he felt her naked curves against his, thought about how things had ended the last time she had resurrected and felt the first stirring of desire.
He summoned clothes from his quarters, the thick winter ones he had discarded on the battlefield, and held them out to her. She wriggled onto her backside and pulled them on, donning the trousers first and then the jacket. Hartt glanced at his wrists, relieved to see the twin black and silver bands that contained his armour had survived the fire of his rebirth.
He issued the mental command to it and scales swept over his body, covering him from neck to toe.
“Guess we don’t have to worry about giving ourselves away now.” Syn tossed three logs and a handful of kindling onto the fire. It flared, showering sparks high into the arched ceiling of the cave, and greedily devoured the new fuel.
Fuery sank to his haunches beside Hartt again, giving him the impression he wasn’t going to be able to go anywhere without his friend, for a while at least. He doubted Fuery would let him out of his sight for the next year at a minimum.
A black patch formed on the ground closer to the mouth of the cave to Hartt’s left and Frey rose out of it, holding on to Isla and Night’s hands, facing Grave. The King of Death was quick to release his brother and fuss over his mate, checking her from head to toe and back again. Frey’s blue gaze slid to Syn and then the fire, but Hartt had the feeling it would be slipping back to her again before the demon knew it.
“It has not been pleasant to meet you all.” Grave finally stopped checking every inch of Isla, and turned to Mackenzie and Hartt. “But, should you ever need help with something, I owe you.”
Hartt nodded. “Same here.”
Mackenzie shifted so her side pressed against Hartt’s and snuggled close as he placed his arm around her shoulders.
She looked at Grave. “Same goes for my guild. As a bonus, I’ll even add you to my do-not-kill list.”
Grave scowled at her, but then his features softened and he nodded slightly. “I would appreciate that.”
He turned to Isla and then his brother, and finally Frey.
“Are you able to teleport us home?”
Frey hesitated and snuck a glance at Syn, who kept her cheek to him. She had her gaze locked on the fire in a way that reeked of avoiding looking at him. He stared at her, a silent battle in his brightening eyes,