Page 69 of Claiming Demons
“Oh!” he said, eyes wide. Then he rose and stepped back as if I was about to explode. Everyone else joined him, moving back a little.
That didn’t give me a lot of faith in what would happen next.
It felt… a little like being sick to my stomach. Something deep within me squirmed, then built and bubbled forth, rising inside of me. I gave a single, whole-body convulsion, then felt the essence within me leave.
And much of my godly power went with it.
An ethereal form billowed up from my chest and hung in the air over me. It looked like a ghost, vaguely feminine in form, and then it floated down, becoming more physical and real until one toe touched the ground, then a foot, and my mother was standing there before me.
She had dark lustrous hair, so very long and in perfect waves that covered her otherwise naked form… which was good because… Really, Mom?
It was clear I got my hair and eyes from Raphael, but my physique matched Inanna’s: full and voluptuous.
She waved a hand down over her body and a gauzy dress appeared, covering her.
Thank the gods…
She looked around at everyone slowly, then finally turned to me. “I’ve seen you in the mirror so many times, but now… seeing you truly, for the first time, I’m overcome.” Her voice was low and rich and choked with emotions as tears came to her eyes. “Anais, my daughter.”
I rose and was in her arms a moment later, holding her tightly. “Mom,” I whispered.
I’d finally found my mother and my father. All it had taken was a catastrophic event and nearly dying to find my birth parents.
An ancient goddess…
…And an angel.
Wow… yeah… I mean, I sort of thought I was special… but… wow.
“I feel emptier,” I said, voice hushed, only for her. “Did you take your aspects back with you?” I pulled back a bit so I could see her face.
She smiled, spreading her full, dark lips, lending such softness to her features.
“No,” she whispered. “All my powers and Raphael’s are still within you. I simply needed a lot of celestial energy to manifest. It took a lot out of you. You’ll recover in time.”
Good, because I really wanted to keep my fertility aspect and expedite my pregnancy.
Also… I wanted to remain bonded to my guys.
And I was.
I could still feel the connection to each of them. Each of their souls was intricately bound to mine, making me sigh in relief.
Back when I’d not known who the voice within me was, she’d said,I’ve never done it before… but you can use your love to forge a bond with another willing soul.So, still in our muted tones, I asked, “Did you never bond with Dad?”
“No,” she murmured. “I… as he said, I loved him and still do, but I was lost. I didn’t wish to bind him to a lost soul.”
“And now?” I asked. Had her time with me given her what she needed?
She kissed my cheek. “Now I have everything I need and my heart is full once again. Thank you for sharing your life with me, Anais.”
A tear leaked from my eye and traced down my cheek. I hugged her close once again, and in that moment, she shared all her glorious love with me, and I felt truly at peace.
GREY
It wasa lot to take in all at once. Ana had bound my soul to hers and as much as I had no qualms with that, it was still going to take some getting used to. I couldfeelher, feel what she felt, all the time. Add to that the revelation of Ana’s parentage, and it was all a little too much for one night.
We all sought our various beds not long after Inanna emerged. Ramsey and Fen stayed with Ana and me, although we didn’t do anything more than sleep in my large bed — yet another new one after last night’s escapades. And because Raphael and Inanna still didn’t want people to know of their relationship — at least for a little longer — they stayed at my penthouse in a guest room. My place was full now, no rooms left.