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Chapter12
EVAN
That’s my mate, chomping at the bit to take on a creature that can crush paranormals. Maddy is not just my mate; she’s the mother of my unborn child. I’ll be damned if I’d watch her take on the succubus alone.
Luckily Gabe’s wound distracted her. I’d found Max collapsed in the heated garage near the snowmobile. He was still suffering from hypothermia. If it wasn’t for needing his blood to help Gabe, I’d have left Max to die.
Max wasn’t a thrilled donor, but given his weakened body he didn’t have a choice. He winced as Gabe greedily sucked blood from his wrist.
Watching Maddy help Gabe, I marveled at her. I’d wasted so much time focusing on myself that I’d missed years with this amazing woman. No more. I wasn’t going to miss anything if she could forgive my past actions.
If not, we’d co-parent our child and for the rest of my days what I lost with her would haunt me. I’d been young and stupid and self-centered, but her generous heart would have forgiven that. If I’d only come clean to her myself.
After he’d ingested a significant amount of Max’s blood, I noticed Gabe’s odor again. “He’s feeling better.”
Maddy turned to me. “We have to smoke her out.”
“What?”
“The only way to weaken her is to destroy whatever she has. I bet her nest is inside. She’s trying to lure us away. Who else is in the house?”
Max said, “Only the two of us.”
“Someone was making food and taking care of the house. You can’t tell me that Rika was scrubbing her own toilets.”
“She employed ghosts.”
“Slutty, evil, and cheap.” Maddy sounded impressed in spite of herself. “I’m going to get a match.”
“I’m going with you,” I said. But first, I placed my hand on her forearm to stop her. “Are you pregnant?” No need to mince words.
She turned to face me. Her cheeks colored, and her eyes darted away from mine. “I think so. All of a sudden, a lot of things make sense. I’ve been tired and nauseated. My fox spirit is so quiet, I think she’s asleep. What do you think?”
“I think Sleepy Briar has been a lot better to me than I deserve. I came back here to end my silent partnership in the inn and to pay back Rika. The second is no longer possible.”
“And the first?” Maddy asked.
“It’ll be impossible for me to be a silent partner while I’m living here. You might decide you’re sick of having me around. I probably deserve that, after all I’ve put you through. You’ll never get rid of me, though.”
Her smile is soft, delicate and reaches into my heart. “Having a baby is the best gift I can think of.”
“No,” I said, taking her hands in mine. “Maddy, you are the best gift. Will you be my mate? We can have something official later. Whatever you want, big or small.” Moonlight glinted through the large window at my back and played in her hair. “I’ve loved you for longer than I can remember. I’ve been a damn fool. Will you ever forgive me?” I’ve never feared another person’s words before now but I felt the knots in my stomach tighten as I looked into her green eyes.
She cupped my face and I leaned into her touch. “Oh, Evan. I think we were fated long before we ever caught on to what love really was.”
I brushed my lips over hers, the wind, snow and cold all forgotten.
“I agree. baby. I would have died alongside you today had the succubus succeeded in taking you from me.” I pulled her slight frame into my larger one and held her a little too tight.
“Please be mine. Please give me another chance and I will dedicate my life to you and our new family.”
“Yes, Evan.” She wrapped her arms around my neck buried herself in my arms. “I’ll be your mate, now and forever.” I captured her lips in a claiming kiss hot enough to melt the snow at our feet. The sound of her soft laugh when I pulled away makes my heart swell with joy I have no right to feel.
I tip her chin up and kiss the tip of her nose. “What’s so funny?”
Not funny, but almost magical. You’ve never kissed me in the moonlight before but the way it falls over us in this awful place is…” Her words fall off.
“Magical?”
“Yeah.”
“Now that you’ve been moon kissed, can we get out of here. We need to get you to the doctor.”
“Good idea. Let’s burn this place to the ground. Get a good bonfire going. But first, I wonder if there’s any real food inside. I’m craving s’mores.”
“That’s my girl. I’ll grab some matches.”
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