“He came back.”
“What?” he seethes. His face begins to shift back and forth from monster to human as if he’s a hologram glitching. I place a hand on his cheek, bringing him back to the moment.
“Let’s get home, okay? Then I’ll tell you everything.”
27.
Within the hour, Moth and I sit on the porch, a cable knit blanket wrapped around my shoulders and homemade matcha, courtesy of Moth, in my hands. Biting down on my bottom lip, I steel my nerves. I guess there’s no use hiding anything anymore.
“So, Chris—the hunter—he was right here when I came through the portal.” I stand in the same spot on the steps. “I scared him off—it was awful, actually. I didn’t feel like I was in my body. I didn’t transform, not like you, but my nails got long, and my vision was all red and spotty. Iwantedto hurt him.”
“No one would blame you if you had. In fact, I will be happy to finish him off…” he begins, heading towardthe door.
“Wait—no!” God, this is exactly why I haven’t talked about any of this with him. “Right now,” I say, grabbing his hand, “I just need you to listen.”
He nods stiffly, allowing himself to be guided farther into the house with me.
“It happened right here,” I say, standing in the kitchen—the same place I stood when Chris broke in. “I heard footsteps. I thought it was you, and I was so happy,but then—”
I shake my head. I so do not want to cry about this right now or honestly ever. That asshole doesn’t deserve any more tears.
“He tied me up and threw me in the back of his truck. He was so focused on catching you, and I was just … nothing. Bait on a hook to lureyou out.”
“Heather—”
“I didn’t think he’d actually hurt me. God, how stupid can someone be?”
“You arenotstupid.”
“If I wasn’t so focused on making sure everyone likes me, I would have never let it go so far… and now I’m like this.Do you feel like you’re stuck with me now?” I ask, bringing my hands together in front of my chest. Anxiously, I turn the engagement ring on my finger, the wordsObligationandRequirementplaying through my mind.
“Do you need me to propose again, my flame? I have never been stuck—you are a fire, a life force, a need, not a want. If you had remained human, I would feelthe same.”
His fingers trail down the base of my wings, andI shiver.
“Does it hurt?” he asks. I stop myself from shaking my head and telling him it’s “no big deal” and nod.
“Honestly, it can be … uncomfortable. Like, when I’m not fully shifted, it feelstense, like they could burst out of my skin at any second—and my antennae too.”
“They cause you discomfort as well?” he asks, tenderly stroking my hair.
“No, I just can never figure out how to style my hair around them!” I burst out, causing Mothto laugh.
“I apologize. I just did not expect you to say that.” He lightly rakes his fingers through my hair. “You always look lovely.”
“It’s just...”
“Different?” he offers. I nod, settling into my spot next to him. The weight of his body crammed against mine on our small loveseat is a comfort I didn’t know I missedso badly.
“Why have you not mentioned this before?” he asks softly, his fingers combing through the tangles of my hair.
“I was worried it would make you feel like I was ungrateful to you for saving my life,” I say. “And honestly, I do like everything, you know? Flying with you is incredible, and I wouldn’t trade this for the way I was before, but… it’s different.” I settle on the word he offered. Even that small truth has been hard to get out.
“Heather, I have never once asked for your gratitude,” he says, tucking the top of my head under his chin. “The choice to save you was not done with yourblessing.”
“I think I thought maybe Eclipsica would be good for us, but that’s not the life I want either.”
“Thank goodness for that,” he scoffs, causing both of us to chuckle.
