Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 137871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 689(@200wpm)___ 551(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 689(@200wpm)___ 551(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
He looked away, his jaw tight with tension and his body vibrating with the effort to keep his anger contained. “All this time, I was lying to myself—lying to all of you. I thought if I gave Gracie space, something would change, and we could end up together. It was me against one faceless guy. Turns out, I’m a soulless monster—”
“Hey,” she snapped, yanking his arm and forcing him to look at her. “You have a soul, Dane Foster. All of those religious constructs, they’re just desperate ways to rationalize coincidence. That’s what religion does, it puts a pretty story over nature. It’s just nature. Just like instinct, hunger, and love. Having a little competition does not mean you drop out of the race.”
“You don’t honestly believe that.”
Her jaw twitched. “I have to. I love Adriel, but I’ll never be her called mate.”
“Oh, shit.” Realization and understanding flashed in his eyes.
“Yeah. There could be someone else out there, someone way more capable of stealing her heart.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think of that.”
She shook her head. “It’s fine. It’s not like I’m going to give up. I don’t care what her destiny is. She’s mine. Even if I only get a handful of moments with her, I refuse to give up a single one.”
He finally pulled his hands out of his pockets and hugged her. “We’ll save her, June. You guys will have your chance.” He pressed a kiss to her head.
“The hour’s getting late.”
They turned to find Lazarus standing in the doorway. He held a tattered book in his hand.
“I’ll uh…get our stuff together.” Dane shot a thumb over his shoulder and slipped past Lazarus into the house.
Her gaze dropped to the book in Lazarus’s hand. “What do you have there?”
He stepped past the doorway and held it out to her. “The pages are delicate, and the ink’s mostly faded, but I figured you might want to read it.”
Juniper took the offering and frowned at the cover.
“It’s written in Akkadian, but there are several sections about the kitsune. It will help you understand.”
“Thank you.” Looked like she had a date scheduled with Google Translate. “I can’t wait to read it.” She wasn’t ready to go inside, so she sat on the step.
Lazarus joined her. “Something is weighing on you?”
She sighed as she stared out at the black night, the horizon slowly shifting into shadows as the dawn approached. “I just keep thinking we could all die today.”
“That, little one, is a truth you could tell yourself every morning.”
She thought about the other children Lazarus and Lilias lost and how they all perished at the hands of one monster. She didn’t understand how anyone could tame such rage. Lazarus was one of the chillest immortals she’d ever met. But he was also scary as fuck when he needed to be.
“Do you think we can kill him?”
“Yes. Some animals simply need to die, no matter the cost. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to see to my family’s safety.”
Was he saying he was willing to die? “What about Lilias?”
“Lilias is willing to risk the same. Adriel’s our daughter.” He cleared his throat. “But I find myself wondering… What is she to you?”
“Oh.” Juniper dropped her gaze. “You know… We’re friends.”
“Foxes are a member of the canine lupus family. Like wolves, we cannot hear their thoughts.”
She frowned. “Are you telling me I’m part dog?”
He chuckled. “I’m trying to delicately explain that after nine hundred years, I’ve learned to lean on my disciplines to communicate. Your thoughts are blocked to me, so that puts me at a bit of a disadvantage.”
“How so?”
“I don’t like it.”
“Oh.”
“Care to enlighten me about your and my daughter’s friendship?”
Her lips pressed tight as she tipped her face to hide a blush behind the curtain of her hair. “I’m relieved you can’t see into my head.”
“So it appears.”
That also explained why Adriel and the others could never pass her defenses. She glanced nervously at him.
“What if we were more than friends?”
“Who am I to judge how she lives her life? She’s made it this far on her own. I’m a stranger to my only surviving child.”
Her heart pinched when his voice turned to gravel. “It won’t always be that way.”
A smile ghosted over his lips. “I hope not.” He stretched out his long legs like two tree trunks. “I would like to know her. And you.”
She smiled at his acceptance. “And Dane. He’s sort of ours. Like a stray dog that goes wherever we go.”
Lazarus chuckled. “And Dane.”
She fidgeted, nervous about the upcoming hours. “Once we’re on our way, I can implement a protection spell.”
“That will be helpful.” He glanced back at the house. “After losing the children, Lilias lost part of herself. She entered what I refer to as her endless winter. If it comes down to it, I’ll ask that you protect her before me.”