Page 127 of Lethal Souls
I miss you too, Hassha.
“Yuri says he misses you,” I say over her shoulder. “And that you’re a bit dramatic.”
Hassha chokes on a laugh. “I knew he was in there,” she whispers. When she pulls back, she grips my shoulders with a proud smile. “You will conquer, Caspian. I have no doubt you and Yuri will see us through.”
SEVENTY-SIX
WILLOW
“That was unlike anything I’ve ever seen, Caz! And look at you!”
I can’t stop staring at this new version of my fiancé. He was already taller than me before, but now he towers above me by at least four heads. He’s as tall as The Regals, if not an inch or so taller, and his hair is no longer just black but streaked with white.
His ice blue eyes remain the same, though I notice specks of red within them now. Yuri has fused with him physically, making Caz appear like a god.
Caz stands in front of the cabin, studying his hands in awe.
“Daggers,” he says, and two red, glowing daggers appear in his palms. He huffs a laugh, head shaking. “I can’t believe this. Guns,” he shouts. Guns form in his hands next, silver with red handles. He turns swiftly and aims one of them, shooting at a tree. The tree bursts into splinters. “Stronger than any gun I’ve ever owned.”
With a flick of the wrist, the gun disappears, and his eyes fall to mine.
“You’re just like them now,” I say as he curls his arms around my waist.
“No.” He smiles. “I’m still me.”
I laugh, my eyes falling to his lips. “That’s true. But I shit you not, I thought I was going to fall to my death. Hassha’s lucky she’s a Regal. I swear she needs to get punched just one good time by me. It’s like they don’t care that I’m pregnant.” That still feels weird to think, by the way. Me, being pregnant. Only a year ago I was lounging on my bed smoking weed and singing sad R&B songs.
He chuckles. “Probably because they know you’ll survive…plus the baby will be strong, apparently. Not that it was right of her to do.”
I smile, and before I know it, his mouth falls to mine. He consumes me, a groan rattling in the base of his throat as he presses me closer to his warm body. His skin feels hotter, his lips too, but oddly enough, it’s soothing.
“I’ll never let you fall, Willow Woman.” His voice hums on my lips. “You’re mine to protect. Now and forever.”
I start to speak again, but the ground quakes beneath my feet. Rocks and pebbles rattle around us, and the treetops bristle.
“Are you doing that?” I ask, peering up at him.
“No.” He frowns, stepping away and studying our surroundings.
Cerberus and Silvera bark up at the sky, and Onyx snorts and whinnies in the distance, raising his front hooves before stomping them into the ground. When I look at Caz again, his irises flash red and his fists wrap in flames.
A shadow appears in the sky, spreading over the forest and erasing most of the sunlight. A deep, distant screech crackles in the air, causing Caz to grow rigid at my side.
“She’s here,” he mumbles, still staring up.
My heart thumps behind my ribcage as I watch something black with sharp edges appear in the sky, floating across like an oversized spaceship.
“What is that?” I gasp when the sunlight completely fades and we’re drowned in darkness.
Instead of answering, Caz takes my hand and runs with me to Onyx. When he helps me onto the horse’s back, he jumps behind me and grips the reins, shouting for Onyx to get us back to Blackwater.
SEVENTY-SEVEN
WILLOW
Onyx doesn’t stop until we’ve reached the manor.
In the middle of the field in front of our castle-like home is Hassha, Korah, the Blackwater Clan, and several of Hassha’s warriors. The Regals’ hands and eyes are ignited as they glare at the hovering mass in the sky.