Ashes (Dark in You 3)

“So, you no longer suspect him of being one of the Horsemen?”

“I didn’t say that. I’ll never dismiss any of them as potential suspects. Not when that would put you and Asher at risk. Did Linda happen to tell you why she helped Nora?”

Harper took a moment to gaze at her son again before answering, “She promised Linda she could have Asher. As you know, all Linda wanted was a child.”

Knox frowned. “I don’t think Nora would have handed him over to anyone.”

“Neither do I.” Harper fiddled with her rings. “I said as much to Linda, but she didn’t listen. So I killed her,” she added a little too cheerfully.

Knox chuckled. “I’m jealous.”

“Hey, you got to kill Nora, remember.”

“No, my demon did.” He exhaled heavily. “I was really hoping it wouldn’t kill her. She could have told us who the last Horseman is.”

“She wouldn’t have told,” said Harper. “And, honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted to let her live. She was too powerful. I’d have worried that she might escape, especially since it’s highly likely that she was able to help Crow escape your prison.”

Knox rubbed her thigh. “Then I’m glad she’s gone so you don’t have to waste another thought on her.”

So was Harper. “Does Wyatt know about Linda yet?”

“He knows that she’s dead and that she was working with Nora to some extent, but he doesn’t know the full story yet. He will soon. Keenan and Larkin will pay him a visit later today.”

“On the one hand, I feel bad for him. It’s going to be hard for him to accept that his partner pretty much betrayed us all, but he betrayed her first. Talia was one of the people he cheated on Linda with.”

“And yet, she wanted McCauley?” Knox asked, incredulous.

“She wanted a kid.” Harper lightly stroked Asher’s leg over his fleecy white blanket. “How was McCauley when you last saw him?”

“Same as always, but he seemed glad to get back to Elena. I think he’ll settle there.”

“Good. He might be weird and creepy, and it’s true that his demon sent him to warn me for selfish reasons, but he still helped you work out what was happening.”

Knox nodded, slightly distracted by how stiffly she was moving. “How sore are you?”

“Not as sore as I thought I’d be.”

“Maybe that’s because you weren’t in labor for very long. According to Sharon, first pregnancies usually… why do you have an odd look on your face?” But she didn’t answer him. “Harper,” he prodded.

“Okay,” she relented. Harper hadn’t wanted to tell him this, but she didn’t like keeping things from him. “Time was different there.”

Knox narrowed his eyes. “Different how?”

“A minute to you was… an hour to me.”

He quickly calculated the time in his head. “You went through that agony for over fifteen hours on your own? You were trapped there all that time?”

She took his hand and squeezed it. “I knew you’d come.”

Knox swore under his breath. “I hate that you went through most of the labor alone – Linda might have been there but she doesn’t fucking count.” He clenched his jaw. “I hate that I wasn’t there for you.”

Leaning forward, she rubbed her nose against his. “Don’t go beating yourself up about it, Knox – it wasn’t your fault. I wish you had been there, because I feel like you were robbed of the experience. But most guys will tell you that the labor itself is pretty boring anyway.” Hoping to shift his mood, she quickly added, “On another note, we’re gonna have our work cut out with this kid. He protected me.” A faint smile played around the edges of Knox’s mouth, to her relief.

“Yes, I remember the shield that slammed up in front of my demon when it tried to get to you. I wasn’t sure if it was really Asher, though.”

“Oh, it was definitely him. Your demon knew he’d be powerful, didn’t it?”

“It would seem so.” His demon still wasn’t being very upfront about it. He rubbed her thigh again. “Baby, about my demon, about what it did to you —”

“Don’t you apologize for it. The pain it inflicted was necessary to make sure I lived, just like all that labor pain was necessary for Asher to be born.”

“Intellectually, I know that.” Linking his fingers through hers, Knox kissed her hand. “I wish I could say my demon feels bad about it, but it doesn’t.”

“Of course it doesn’t – our inner demons feel no guilt.”

“It does wish you were spared the pain, but it doesn’t regret what it did.”

“Neither do I,” she said truthfully. “Just like I don’t regret absorbing the vortex’s energy to help me use my gifts – which incidentally also helped Asher to use his. It was a risk, but I had to take it. I was out of options. Things might have ended very, very differently if I hadn’t done what I did.”

“You think I’d ever blame you for that? You did what you had to do.”

“And so did your demon,” she pointed out. Knox opened his mouth to say something else, but then his brows snapped together and she sensed him speaking to someone telepathically. “What is it?” she asked.

“Meg told the sentinels that you’re awake. They’re asking if they can come up here.”

Harper blinked. “They’re downstairs?”

“They camped out in the living room with Jolene and the girls.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised. Have they seen Asher yet?”

“No. We both stayed here with you.” Knox hadn’t wanted her out of his sight; probably wouldn’t for a while, he thought. “Honestly, I figured he’d wake after a few hours. Maybe he psychically tired himself out trying to protect you.”

Harper bit her lip, nauseous all of a sudden. “I don’t like that idea.”

“He’ll be fine. He is fine.”

“How’s your demon doing?”

“Fascinated by Asher, and it’s no longer stressing now that you’re awake, which is good. What about yours?”

“It seriously adores the sight of you holding Asher.”

His mouth curved, but then he sighed again. “Apparently, your grandmother woke up and is now also pushing to see you.”

Harper rolled her eyes. “I need to use the bathroom and stuff; then they can come in.” After she’d done her business, Knox curled an arm around her waist and brought her to sit on his lap on the chair, careful not to jar Asher. “Thank you for giving me my son.”

The wealth of possession in his voice made her smile. “Thank you for giving him to me.”

“You were amazing yesterday. I’m fucking proud of you. You went through a lot for the three of us to be right where we are now. I love you, baby.”

She brushed her mouth against his. “And I love you.” At the knock on the door, she let out a long breath. “Brace yourself.” Getting back into bed, she propped herself up against the headboard. She held her arms out for Asher, wanting to have a little hold before they came in and took him, but knuckles again rapped on the door – this time impatiently.

Knox opened it wide, still holding Asher. Jolene entered first and literally melted as she got a good look at the baby. “Knox, he’s just you with a lot less hair.”

Harper smiled. “That’s what I said.”

Jolene wasted no time in taking Asher from him and, nuzzling his head, then made a beeline for Harper. She kissed her hair. “You did good, sweetheart. He’s beautiful. Does he have a name yet?”

“Asher,” Knox told her.

“Asher,” Raini echoed as she walked in. “I like that.”

“Very appropriate, all things considered,” said Levi, no doubt remembering the shield of embers, sparks, and ashes.

Everyone filed in, kissing Asher’s head and then giving Harper a brief hug, but none succeeded at getting their hands on the baby. Jolene was determined to have her moment with him.