“Yes, he should have,” she said.
The shadows parted enough to reveal Cole’sbroad back. Sometimes, because he was so gentle and caring withher, she forgot how large he was. But seeing the corded muscles ofhis back bunched as if preparing for a fight, she couldn’t stopherself from remembering what he’d done to Malakai with suchease.
However, even with these malevolent shadowssurrounding him, he wouldneverharm her.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she told him.
His head turned until he looked at her overhis shoulder, but he didn’t face her. She wasn’t sure if he couldsee her through the shadows, but he most likely sensed her distressor smelled it. Lycans were known for their keen sense of smell andhyped-up senses.
“I’m not afraid of you,” she stated.
“Your scent says differently.”
“That’s because I’m afraid of losing you, butyou won’t hurt me.”
He didn’t move, and neither did the shadowsas they hovered around her. She wasn’t sure he breathed as hishands fisted and the corded muscles of his arms stood outstarkly.
“You should leave here; I’m not sure what Iam anymore,” he said.
“I know what you are, and I knowwhoyou are, and that’s what matters to me.”
“I’m a monster.”
“No, you’re not.”
“You didn’t see all of what I did.”
“I saw enough to know you could never be amonster. The shadows are changing you”—she had to admit it, theyall did—“but you won’t lose yourself to them. Neither of us willallow it.”
The shadows hissed and darted toward her, butwhen she didn’t move, they recoiled and retreated to his back asthey spread out like wings from his spine. She imagined this waswhat Lucifer looked like, in the pits of Hell, with his blackened,broken wings spread around him.
After seeing what the shadows could do, shewouldn’t be astonished to learn he could also use them to fly. Thepossibility was as awing as it was terrifying.
What if he decided to fly away from her?
She didn’t doubt that if he left now, shemight never get him back.
Lifting her chin, she walked straight into theshadows. Instead of trying to stop her or pushing her away, theyparted for her.
She hadn’t expected them to do so, but as shecontinued toward Cole, they moved out of her way. When she stoppedbehind him, the blackness swelled around his back.
“You’re wrong,” he said in a voice more hisown. “Iambecoming a monster.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist andrested her cheek against his bare back. “If you are, then we’llbecome one together.”
The shadows either dissipated or moved awayfrom her skin; she couldn’t tell which, but it didn’t matter asthey no longer floated between them. When Cole shuddered againsther, she pressed closer as she sensed his need for more.
She tenderly kissed his back as she huggedhim closer. Like someone flipped a light on, the shadows vanished,and the two of them were all that remained.
Despite the shadows being gone, she sensedthe darkness lingering within Cole, even before seeing hiseyes.
CHAPTER 71
Lexi couldn’t breathe as the brilliant silverof his eyes met hers. But it wasn’t the impossibly silver colorthat trapped the breath in her chest…
No, it was the black that had seeped in toencompass the whites of his eyes. It encircled his silver iris inan embrace of such impenetrable and unfathomable darkness, it sentan icy chill straight to her soul.
That black made the silver burn like a fireilluminated them and his eyes almost didn’t seem to be a part ofhim anymore. She’d never imagined such a thing could be possible.It was as beautiful as it was disconcerting.
