Awakening Kiss (Watcher's Kiss Book 4) (38 page)

She nodded, unable to say the same. He’d scared her, yet she felt the need to defend him, because she sensed his world had shifted as much as hers had.

“Ready? The three of us can go together.” Rhys’s tone turned urgent as the mountain shook again.

“Yes, please, let’s go home,” she said.

Brenin, Jude and Tor had already opened a portal. With a giant leap, they disappeared. Aleksai and four dark-clad men on his team did the same, with the rest of the prisoners.

Rhys spoke the words to open their portal, and in seconds they were flying through the disorienting darkness that was now familiar to Enza. Cara curled into her side and Rhys’s arms wrapped around them both. With a thud, they landed in the soft grass of the yard behind the beautiful Chicago home.

C
HAPTER
38

“I’
LL NEVER GET USED TO THAT,
”
Cara grunted as she pushed up to sitting next to Enza. “But I’m so glad it’s not raining.”

“Me, too.” Enza tugged at her soaked T-shirt. “I’d be happy to never stand in the rain again.”

Rhys leaped up as the other portal opened and the rest of the Chicago group arrived home. He helped Enza and Cara get to their feet on the plush green grass.

Cara’s eyes shone brightly with unshed tears. “I can never thank you enough for getting me out of there. How did you even find me?”

“It’s a long story,” Rhys said. “We were tracking the two Deserati.”

“We figured out the full story after talking to Rain.” Brenin strode across the grass to join them.

“You talked to Rain? Oh my gods, she must be so upset,” Cara said.

“She is. Let’s get you home. I’ll call her, tell her we’re on the way,” Brenin said.

Cara hesitated for a second, then flung her arms around Enza again. “Thank you.” She hugged Rhys next. “Thank you. I’m so grateful.”

“In a few days, when things calm down, maybe we can all hang out,” Enza said.

“I would love that,” Cara said, beaming. “I’ll make you a batch of my famous nymphy cookies.”

Enza blinked. Cara could bake? Enza hadn’t even been sure if nymphs ate at all, they were so damn tiny. “Um, that would be great! Thanks.”

“Or I could surprise you with my marzipan walnut brownies,” Cara giggled. “Ooops, then it wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you! Darn it, I need to think of a new sweet treat.” With a wink, she turned and followed the men into the house, where Brenin held the French door open for her. “Thanks again!”

Enza turned to Rhys, jaw slack. “She…bakes?”

“Looks like it.” He grinned. “Though whether her stuff is any good, I can’t say.”

Enza smacked his chest. “You’re bad.”

“No one can hold a candle to you in the kitchen. And if she does a decent job—you need an assistant.”

True. But she couldn’t think about that now. She linked her hands behind his head and pressed close. The hot July sun beat down and already several loose tendrils of hair were dry and flying around her face. “Rhys,” she whispered. “Today was too intense. Too crazy. Tell me it’s not always like this in your life.”

Brawny arms locked at the small of her back. “Hell, no. You ran down that alley and things have been a whirlwind. But
bella
, I wouldn’t trade this for anything, ever.”

“Me neither.” She laid her head against his pec and listened to his heartbeat, sure and steady. “Well, maybe I’d trade some of the details.”

He chuckled. “Deal.”

“How did you even find me?”

He nuzzled her hair. “Miranda scryed, saw what went down at the apartment at Lake Point Tower. We popped over there, but only found Antonio lying on the floor. He told us where Soren took you—not that we had any doubts on that.”

“Antonio apologized.” She swallowed. “He said he didn’t know about me. Said learning that I was his…” her voice caught and she couldn’t bring herself to say the word
daughter
. “…child…changed everything, and he didn’t want to turn me over to Splinter. Or anyone else. He said he was done with that life.”

Rhys frowned. “Do you believe him?”

“I do. Even if it doesn’t make sense. I know it’s possible he could be lying, but I don’t think so.” She pulled back to gaze at him. “He could have turned against us on that mountain. Instead, he fought his brother. Not us.”

“True.” Rhys’s voice held a note of caution.

“What will happen to him?”

“Not sure. Arawn will weigh all the facts, and he’ll probably want your opinion as well.”

She gave a soft gasp. “Will I meet him?”

Rhys’s eyes twinkled. “Maybe. Or we might communicate through Rilan. We have to wait and see. But you need to think about what you want for him. Not right this second, but in the next few days.”

She pressed against him, taking a moment to simply absorb his warmth and strength. “Is it over?”

He paused. “What Antonio and Soren were doing? Yeah, I think so. For now. We don’t know if Soren is alive. And Splinter is like a hydra. Always regenerates another head. Another leader. If Isrami is dead, someone will take his place and they’ll keep growing.”

She still couldn’t wrap her head around the idea that those two could be alive. “And my power?”

“Your power is your power. It’s part of you forever.”

“Will there be times when I have to use it?”

He pulled back, one finger caressing her jaw. “That’ll be up to you. No one will ever make you do something you don’t want to do. I’ll make sure of it.”

His voice rumbled through her chest, along with a certainty that he meant it. That he’d be there for her, faithful…always.

Startled at the strength of the emotion, she blinked up at him. “What about us?” she whispered.

“Stay with me.” His voice was low and full of promise, packed with a deeper wish that she could almost grasp.

“I will. I want to.” She let herself get lost in his brown eyes.
I want you. I can’t get through this without you. We belong together.
Thoughts circled in her head, so intense her chest squeezed. But would he think she was going too far? They hadn’t known each other long. But after all they’d been through…She couldn’t shake the stubborn, intractable feeling that he was
hers.
“I don’t want to share you.”

“Good, ’cause I’m not on the market.” He lowered his mouth to her neck. “I’m all yours. Decided I’m not going anywhere. Ever.” Warm lips licked a sensual path along her skin, making her gasp.

Ever.
The word exploded in her head as his lips worked magic, like a straight line to her core. She wanted to fist pump the air and wanted to drag him upstairs to bed right this second. Even though she didn’t know exactly what it meant and they hadn’t defined anything. Didn’t matter. She turned to meet his mouth, kissing him with all the overwhelming emotions she felt.

He slid his hands down to her ass and delved deeply into her mouth. Surrender. That’s the word she thought of when he kissed her like this—that all she could do was surrender to his claiming. And she was so, so happy to do it.

Too soon, he pulled back, breathing hard. “Baby, let’s go inside. We should get cleaned up.”

“You’re right. Even though making out in your backyard is kinda fun.” She traced a finger down his chest. “I still have a lot of questions.”

“And I will answer every one of them.” He kissed her swiftly. “But we need to decide what to do about your mom.”

She pulled back from the heat of his body. “My
mom
? What do you mean?”

“She’s here. Sleeping.” He nodded at the house.

“What?”

“She fainted in the alley, after Antonio took you into the portal. I didn’t get a chance to tell you. I caught her before she hit the ground…but we had to go after you. We brought her back here and Rilan spelled her into a sleep state.”

“Oh my god. She saw me go into the portal. She saw you get stabbed. She saw me being held at knifepoint!” Enza’s hand flew to her mouth. “What are we going to tell her?”

“That’s what we need to decide.” He pushed damp locks of hair off her shoulders. “It’s up to you, how much you want to say. We’ll all defer to you.”

“But she
saw
stuff. Supernatural stuff. What do we do?”

Rhys draped an arm around her and turned toward the patio doors. “Let’s talk to Rilan.”

Enza let out a shaky breath, sick at the terror and confusion her mom must have felt. She
fainted
. Oh my god. The last thing Enza wanted was to make her mom worry. “I want to see her,” she said as they entered the kitchen.

“You got it.” Rhys led her through to the foyer and the staircase. “She’s in one of the guest rooms, and she’ll stay asleep until Rilan reverses the spell.”

A sleeping spell. Enza hurried up the steps, propelled by the need to see her mom.

Rhys opened the first door on the right. It swung open on silent hinges, revealing a room smaller than Rhys’s but still beautifully furnished. A king size bed in the center held a sleeping form.

“Mom,” Enza whispered and rushed over to the bed. Her mom lay under a soft white duvet, as peaceful as an angel. Her breathing was steady and a small smile graced her face.

Rhys’s hands massaged her shoulders. “You look so much like her.”

“Everyone says that,” Enza murmured, absorbed in the incongruity of her mom being asleep in a house full of demons. “She’s going to be all right?”

“I’m no healer, but I didn’t see her sustain any injuries. She was watching everything that happened and then…I guess it was too much.”

“Yeah.” Of course it was. Guilt and regret churned through her that her mom had to witness the ugliness of her new world. A world Concetta had brushed up with and didn’t even know. Enza turned to Rhys. “I don’t think I want her to know about supernatural stuff.”

“Okay.”

“I feel like crap lying to her though.” Enza’s stomach felt like lead. Then again, what was she supposed to say?
Mom, that Tony guy you conceived me with was actually a demon who’s been kidnapping people for years? He had sex with you during his fertile season because he was in a lust craze and he could pass for a human man?

That wouldn’t work.

Enza swallowed the lump in her throat.

“I feel your concern for her,” Rhys said. “And your love. You’re a good daughter.”

Her shoulders sagged. “I don’t feel like one.”

He sifted his fingers through a dry segment of her hair. “There’s a reason why supernaturals, as a rule, keep our existence on the down low. Plain and simple…it would be too much for humans. Imagine everything you’ve gone through in the last few weeks, times seven billion.”

“It would be complete chaos,” she said softly.

“Yeah. So if you want to keep our world secret from her, you’re not alone.”

“I guess.”

He skimmed his hands down to hers. “It’s not forever. You can tell her in the future, if you decide that’s what’s best. Or if you have the hunch she’d be fine with everything as it is now, and everything from the past.”

“Oh.” She snapped her gaze to his as relief swamped her. “You’re right, I could tell her down the road.” A huge sigh escaped her. “What I decide now isn’t locked in forever. That makes me feel better.”

Tenderness radiated through his voice. “We do this at your pace,
bella
. ”

God, he really was perfect. So patient with her, though he was lethal against the enemy. Clarity slammed her hard, making her heart swell with emotion and everything that was Rhys. He was one of the good guys. The absolute sexiest, most gorgeous gift to womankind that ever walked this earth. And he was hers. He was kind, protective, smart, tough, funny, cared for others…and now? Add to the list that he was good to her mom…

She was sunk.
I love him.

A funny look crossed his face and he glanced at her.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m just glad I decided to follow you into that portal.”

There was more going on, she knew it. And god, that night seemed like years ago. But she only smiled and said, “Me too.”

“Let’s find Rilan. He’ll explain what he can do as far as your mom’s memories.” Rhys led her out into the hallway. He knocked on a door that was ajar, and pushed it open the rest of the way. “Rilan?”

The short, frizzy-haired Elder demon turned from a desk where he’d been sitting, facing away from them. A thick book lay open on top of about twenty others. More books were piled all over the floor, with a narrow path winding through the haphazard stacks

“My stars, I’m glad you’re back safely! Enza my dear, are you all right?”

“Yes. Glad to be back.” Her voice grew small. “We just peeked in on my mom.”

“Ah, yes. Sleeping soundly. What would you like to do about her?”

“That’s what we wanted to ask you,” Rhys said. “Enza’s not ready to tell her mom about our world, at least not yet.” He glanced at Enza, and she nodded. “I know you can’t erase memories, but can you tinker with them in another way?”

“Yes, yes. I can make her memory of today, what’s the word…” He tapped his chin. “Fuzzy.”

“Fuzzy?” Enza asked.

“It will be more like a dream than reality,” the Elder said. “Like when you’re grasping to remember all the details of it, but you can’t anymore. Though some things remain crystal clear. For example she may be stuck with the image of you being taken into a portal, even if she doesn’t know what a portal is.”

Enza sank into a cushy wingback chair. “I guess for her, a dream would make more sense. Everything that happened would be unreal to her anyway.”

“Would you like me to wake her now?” Rilan asked.

“We need to get cleaned up.” Rhys said. “We may be able to pass off what happened in the alley as a dream. But that doesn’t explain why we’re covered in dirt and, for me, blood.”

“You’re right.” Enza frowned at her mud-streaked T-shirt. “She’ll worry more if she sees me like this. And if she remembers you being stabbed.”

“Very good.” Rilan ran a hand through his mop of hair. “Your mom will be fine for a while longer. Take your time.”

“We’ll shower. Then we can drive her home and wake her there, if you’d like.” Rhys quirked a brow.

“Yeah. I think that would be best. She’d be more comfortable if she wakes up at home.” Enza rubbed her arms. “She’ll never know she was here?”