Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood 10)

"My shellan and I are there for you. Wear that during the ceremony so that you know my blood, my body, my beating heart are yours. "

George chuffed and wagged his tail as if backing his master.

"Fucking hell. " This time, Tohr was the one who reached for his brother, and the embrace was returned sharply and with power.

Afte

r Wrath left with his dog, Tohr pivoted around and leaned back against the door.

The final knock was soft.

Steeling himself so that he at least appeared to be a male, even though he was feeling like a pussy on the inside, he found John Matthew out in the hall.

The boy didn't bother signing anything. He just reached out for Tohr's hand, and pressed. . .

Darius's signet ring into Tohr's palm.

He would have wanted to be here for you, John signed. And his ring is all I've got of him. I know he'd want you to wear it during the ceremony.

Tohr stared at the crest that was stamped in the precious metal and thought of his friend, his mentor, the only father he'd really had. "This means. . . more than you can imagine. "

I'll be right beside you, John signed. The whole time.

"Right back atchu, son. "

They embraced, and then Tohr shut the door quietly. Going back over to the bed, he looked down at all the symbols of his brothers. . . and knew that when he faced this crucible, it was with all of them with him - not that that had ever been at issue.

Something was missing, though, in all of this.

Autumn.

He needed his brothers. He needed his son. But he needed her, too.

He hoped what he'd said to her would be enough, but there were some things you couldn't come back from, some things that there was no healing from.

And maybe she had a point about the cycle thing.

He prayed there was more to it than that, however. He truly did.

As Lassiter stood in the corner of Tohr's room, he kept himself invisible. Good thing. Watching that in-and-out of males had been rough. How Tohr had managed to get through it in one piece was a flipping miracle.

But this was finally coming together, the angel thought. Finally, after all this time, after all this - well, shit, frankly. . . things were finally turning in a good direction.

After spending the previous night and day with a very quiet Autumn, he had left her at sunset to stew in her thoughts, putting his faith in the fact that she was replaying that Tohr visit over and over in her head and finding nothing but sincerity in what had been said to her.

If she showed tonight, he was home-fucking-free. He'd done it. Well, okay, fine - they had done it. In truth, he had been a sideline player in all this. . . except for the fact that he kind of fucking cared about the pair of them. And Wellsie, too.

Across the way, Tohr went to the closet and seemed to brace himself.

Taking out a white robe, the Brother put the thing on and then returned to the bed to gird his waist with the magnificent ribbon Phury had brought. After that, the guy picked up the folded piece of parchment Z had given him, tucked it into the tie, and drew on a white holster - into which he slid V's two spectacular black daggers. The signet ring went on his left middle finger, the black diamond on the thumb of his fighting hand.

With the unfamiliar sense of a job well-done, Lassiter thought about all the months he'd been back on earth, recalling the way he and Tohr and Autumn had all worked together to save a female who would in turn. . . well, in different ways, free each of them.

Yeah, the Maker had known what was up when this assignment had been made: Tohr was not the same. Autumn was not the same.

And Lassiter himself was not the same: It was simply impossible for him to disconnect from this, to be all blase, to act like nothing mattered - and the funny thing was, he really didn't fucking want to pull out.

Man, there were a lot of purgatories getting expunged tonight, he thought ruefully, both real and figurative: When Wellsie transitioned unto the Fade, he was going to finally get out of his prison. And with her release, that meant Tohr's burden was lifted so the both of them were free.