Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 62637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
His kiss is soft, tender.
He lays me down against the grass. “I need you now.”
“I need you too.”
His lips move down my neck in worship, toward my shoulders, as his hands intertwine with mine. His palms are warm, pressing me back against the ground. My head hits the dirt. The smell of trees and sunshine fills the air. He kicks my legs wide with his own. I welcome him. He releases a hand and rips at my clothing until there’s nothing left, then snaps his fingers, he’s completely naked.
“Nice trick.” I laugh. “Why not use it on me?”
“I wanted to touch you.” He grins. “I would never use magic to take away your clothes when I could use my hands and feel you.”
Tears fill my eyes. “You’re going all romantic on me again.”
“I missed you for a very long time.” His head descends. “And I’ll love you forever, even in the darkness.”
He sinks into me, his eyes never leave mine. I’m captivated by the way he stares at me while his hips move. He hasn’t even kissed me yet, I’m curious why even as sensations wash over my body.
And then I see it.
Stars shine behind him.
He is, after all, their god.
And I’m now his goddess.
I never want to leave this moment, where the god caught me and kept me for his. Where I caught him and chose him for mine.
Darkness covers us. Stars burn from above as he moves inside me, his mouth parting, and with each pant, I see flashes of my bead in his eyes. Green, yellow, blue.
Yes, you will see what you worship.
I don’t worship my bead.
Or him.
I think what I worship is love.
Us.
He moves hard against me then, shoving me against the soft grass of the forest. “I love you, little fox.”
“I love you.” I arch beneath him and find my home.
My worship.
In my forest.
EPILOGUE
“Nothing is ever really lost…”
~Sariel, Watcher Proverb
Bannik
She tortures me.
And I smile.
She kicks me, and I embrace the blood.
I’ve finally found my home in the darkness, not because I’ve fallen again, but because… I laugh and look up at her. “I am found.”
It’s what happens when a star chooses and I can’t regret that choice. I won’t.
I never truly knew the meaning of that word until this moment, watching again. I finally watch.
I watch from the sky.
I suffer from the darkness.
I’m torn between two worlds. I would not choose anything else. I could be on fire one day and given water the next but in all the suffering.
I was able to watch her.
How lovely.
Could an ending ever be this great?
A beginning so tragic?
I nod my head, and I smile again as the fires of The Abyss take hold, but I wait in that moment; I wait for the ice.
And I smile again.
I always thought passion meant a slow burn, but no, the passion I’ve found, the one I’ve fought for… it’s an icy balm to my soul.
Water in the desert.
Paradise in a dark hell.
I hope they eat their damn ham and laugh.
I hope Horus returned her tails, and she let him keep the bead, the perfect match for the one I watched.
And I hope.
I hope again and again.
And I laugh through the pain of my wings getting cut, blood dripping down. I laugh because I am.
Redeemed.
After all, I am Bannik.
The Watcher.
So even if it is darkness.
I made a promise.
I will watch.
For eternity.
I will finally fulfill my purpose even if all I see is darkness.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Horus
“No. I forbid it.” I cross my arms. “You’re not powerful enough to go out on a girls’ date for a day, even two. What if you fall?”
Stephanie curses. “And I thought Cassius was hard on me.”
“Hard in—” Alex starts talking; Hope hits him, and he stops. Good choice. “Anyway, the girls are going to go hang out, and then we can go hunt some rogue demons; sounds fun, right?”
He’s asking me.
I’m still annoyed.
Doesn’t she want to spend every waking moment with me?
“No,” Cassius answers like he can read my thoughts. “That’s the cause for fights. Let them go, we’ll go catch a demon or two.” He winces at Timber. “The bad ones.”
Timber waves him off. “I like a good run.”
“Anyway.” Tarek cracks his knuckles. “Are we doing this, or are we doing this?”
Mason pulls up in the Jeep. “Aren’t we going?”
Ethan mumbles, “stupid werewolf” at least ten times before stomping over to the car, backtracking, kissing Genesis, then going back to the car.
“He’s a true joy when he leaves her. Really, we should make an award or something.” Alex shakes his head. “Anyway, let’s go!”
Timber and I look at each other, and I realize this is the first time we will actually be together without all the chaos in this timeline, and while we’re still working on getting Bannik out and also, you know, helping Sariel out of his stupor, I know things are going to be okay.