Obsidian Fire (The Raven Queen's Harem 4)

“Thank you for coming,” he says, stepping aside so I can enter. There’s a fire burning in the fireplace, giving the room a feeling of warmth.

“Sure. Is everything okay?”

Something in his eyes falter. “Yes, well, I’m not exactly sure.” That’s better than someone is dead—or at least I think it is. He gestures for me to take a seat and continues speaking. “I apologize for interrupting your evening out. I hope you had a good time.”

“I—we—did. It was a lot of fun. You should come next time.”

He sits across from me and I tug the hem of my dress slightly lower over my knees, suddenly acutely aware I’m bare underneath. “That’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. You and me. Our relationship.”

“Okay.” Now?

“I’ve known my whole existence that I’m here to perform a job. A duty. I’m here to protect this world from the Morrigan and her Darkness. We’ve failed before but not this time. You held firm and fought unlike any other vessel before. I’m very proud of you.”

I literally have no idea what Dylan is going on about but the fact he’s called me here and is talking instead of brooding up in his rooms must mean it’s important. I wait to hear more.

“I do think that choosing us all as your mates was key in the destruction of the Morrigan. She thrives on lust and the wicked side of men and women. You turned that on her by refusing to cooperate. You fulfilled your destiny and then some.” His eyes falter. “I cannot say I’ve done the same.”

“Dylan, what are you talking about?

He stands and walks over to the fire, resting one hand on the thick mantle. “I’ve failed in my position with you. I’ve been jealous and covetous. I’ve been arrogant and dismissive. I’ve allowed you to service my needs while failing to reciprocate.”

A heavy pause lingers between us and I finally ask, “Wait, are you talking about sex? Or power or magic? I’m confused.”

He turns to face me and there isn’t the slightest hint of irony on his face. “Sex. Obviously.”

I’m completely confused and have no idea where to even begin but I take a stab at it anyway. “You haven’t failed me. Not at all. You’ve been with me every step of the way. Steadfast and true. You’ve protected me and trained me for the biggest moment of my life.”

I walk across the room and take his hand. The fire has made his skin hot. I force him to look at me with those intense blue eyes. “I’m a solider, Morgan. A warrior. Not a lover. Do you know why I’m the only one that hasn’t stopped shifting?” No, but I’ve been wondering. I just haven’t had the nerve to ask. I shake my head. “Because the gods needed a link between worlds. I’ve always been bound to many things—people—and souls.”

I touch his chin. “Because you’re the best, the bravest. They chose wisely.”

“Those days are over. When you split from the Morrigan, I was cut off. That

is how I am here to protect you and only you. But even so, I’m not sure you need my protection. And without that, what am I?”

I frown. “You can’t shift anymore?”

He shakes his head and a deep sense of sadness fills his eyes. I wrap my arms around his waist and pull him close. He buries his face in my neck and for a moment we cling to one another.

I consider the past few weeks. The change in Bunny. The distance from Dylan. Their life changed as much as mine. The others threw themselves into their art—into pleasing me—but these two…Sam was right. They all carry their own weight. It’s my responsibility to help them the way they’ve helped me.

I lean back and tilt his head toward mine. “What you’re forgetting is that I do need you, and in more ways than as my Guardian. When I declared you as one of my mates we moved to a different sort of relationship—one that you may not be used to—hell, I’m not used to it either, but together we’ll work through this.”

A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “I should have known you’d have the answer.”

“I may not be the Goddess of War anymore, Guardian, but I’m still the Queen around here.”

His hand clenches around my neck and in a quiet whisper just above my lips he replies, “Yes, my Queen,” and I know that even though Dylan may have centuries of conditioning to undo, it’s going to be fun being the one to unravel him.

Chapter Six

Morgan

With the idea of starting fresh and facing reality, I wake determined to deal with my writing. There’s one thing that has always helped me get my creative juices flowing, so I lace up my sneakers and head out to the park for a run.

I cross the busy street outside the house and continue on the nearest path. It’s early, but the weather has cooled enough that it feels nice outside. I plug my earbuds in, hit my playlist and pick up my pace.

The world slips away as I try to focus on my story. What started off as a story about a girl and her ravens ended up as so much more—something that mirrored reality in disturbingly sharp clarity. Maverick’s ravens are lost when she opens the gate to the other world. One is injured, the others vanish. She kills the prince and the cat disappears. I know now that the story was really my history—or parts of it. The ravens are my guardians. Xavier, the prince. And Anita, a girl I considered a friend, was the cat that lured me that fateful day.