Rejected: Chapter 24

At some point, the abervoq must have realized I wasn’t its usual prey, and instead of running in fear, I was literally hanging on like a baby koala. It smelled strange as I buried my head against the coarse fur, like smoke and dust and an earthy scent I had no reference for.

I didn’t let go despite my fear, and I might have just lucked into a position that was safe from its pawing claws. It appeared to be worried it might slash its own chest, as its blows softened, leaving us in this weird dance of death.

Only one would be the winner today and I was determined for it to be me. No way had I survived everything I had in my life, only to get taken out by a creature that shouldn’t even exist on Earth.

When it roared for the fifteenth time in as many seconds, my wolf also started to howl, and so did I—the call of my people ringing out into the dark sky above.

The abervoq stopped moving, stilling unnaturally, and just as I was trying to figure out the next horrendous thing it had planned for me, a clawed hand came up and caressed the back of my head. It was a gentle, almost loving embrace, and I tensed, waiting for the blade to fall.

Like it had for the hundreds of dead animals that currently surrounded us. I mean, there was legitimately nothing cuddly about this creature, and yet, right now, he was… hugging me.

I lifted my head, finally brave enough to view its face, but there was only a second for us to lock gazes before Shadow arrived, tearing the abervoq off me. I went flying as well, landing in a pile of stinky corpses. The frozen environment had muted the smell of death somewhat, but swimming in bodies like this sent a putrid waft of decay and excrement into my nostrils. Close to hurling up my dinner, I scrambled off the corpses, attempting to hold my breath.

Silver lining: I was covered in ice and blood, but at least I was alive.

Focusing on the fight, I blinked at how one-sided it was. One could go as far as saying that the abervoq was having its ass handed to it today. When it was nothing more than a crumbled mess at Shadow’s feet, I moved closer.

Dark, glossy eyes stared up at me, and why the fuck did that look make me so sad?

“Place your hand on it,” Shadow ordered.

I stared at him. “Why?”

His teeth appeared, looking a tiny bit sharper and more lethal than normal. “Just do as you’re told.”

Fuck you. “Sure, no worries. You should have just said so in the first place.”

His jaw was twitching. His eye too, I was pretty sure. Seemed my job here was done.

Reaching down, I pressed my hand to the fur-covered shoulder. Shadow touched me and the creature, and I felt a buzz of his energy, stronger than usual, course through us all.

The abervoq let out one final mournful bellow, and then it was silent. Inky wrapped around the beast, lifting it into the air, and Shadow set off again in his overachiever walk. Meanwhile, I was in a touch of shock, trying to figure out what had just happened.

How had he used me to subdue the creature? It felt like he could have done that on his own. He was hiding something from me, and I sensed that while it still had to do with these shadow creatures, it wasn’t about me restraining them. It was something else.

I needed the library. It held answers.

“Sunshine, move your ass!” Shadow yelled without turning around.

“Don’t call me that!” I shouted back, not moving an inch, even though I felt like I was about to freeze to death standing here.

Shadow appeared before me, and how the fuck had he moved that fast?

“You don’t like ‘Sunshine’?” he queried, seeming genuinely curious. I rubbed at my neck, wondering if I was going to get whiplash from his mood swings.

I shook my head. “My dad called me ‘Sunny’ because of our family name and my hair. It was a loving nickname, and I loved when he used it. But you… you’re the asshole who kidnapped me, threatened my life, and treated me like your slave. You want me to bow to you, for fuck’s sake. You don’t get to call me cute nicknames.”

He smirked. That curve of his lips was sexy as fuck, and since I rarely saw him with anything resembling a true smile, it about knocked me on my ass. Around Shadow, it was impossible to forget he was a god; there was so much extra about him.

My breath caught as he leaned into me. “You’re this bright, bubbly, annoying creature,” he drawled, “whom I can’t seem to kill, even when I want to. So ‘Sunshine’ stays, and if you have a problem with it, too fucking bad.”

I scowled. “Why do you talk like a human, cursing and shit like that?”

His smile had vanished, but his eyes were still amused, the red and gold vibrant. “I have lived among humans many times throughout the ages, keeping an eye on my wolves. I’ve adapted to every language and age. You’ll find I am very good at adaption.”

Before the smart reply that was hovering on the edge of my tongue could emerge, he reached out and snatched me up into his arms, hauling me over his shoulder in the exact same manner he had the first time he’d captured me. This time, there was no pain or unease as warmth surrounded me, chasing the chills away. Before I could protest being carried—I hated being held like this—we were out of the cold and back in the long hallway between worlds.

“I can’t enter this realm without your help, can I?” I said, figuring it out when he dropped me to my feet.

His expression was closed off again, and whatever humor had been in his gaze before was long gone. “Keep asking the right questions…”

He turned and walked away, heading toward where Inky and the shadow creature waited for him. “‘Sunshine and Shadow’ sounds like a cute couple’s name!” I shouted after him. “Should we go by ‘Shadowshine’ or ‘Sundow’ for short?” I caught a glimpse of flaming eyes before he disappeared from sight, taking the creature with him.