Chapter Twenty-Eight

Issa carefully lifted Muriah’s lifeless body, carrying her to the bed. He laid her down and stretched out beside her. She hadn’t swallowed his blood. He’d been too late. He stroked her hair back from her forehead as he kissed her cooling lips.

A sob strangled his throat. Issa looked up at the stairs toward the lightening sky and screamed. He’d stopped Apep. The God of Chaos would not gain control over the Night Walkers, but in the process, he’d lost everything.

He’d failed Muriah. She offered her life because she believed in him.

He got up and crossed to the steps. Soon the sunlight would bathe him. He reached out mentally to his remaining immortal brothers, Kane and Colin. Forgive me.

Kane’s strong voice filled Issa’s mind, and although his brother was far away in Paris, Issa heard every word. My brother, there is nothing to forgive. I will come to you at sundown.

If there is any mercy left in this world, I will be gone by then.

Kane grew agitated. Whatever has happened, I will make it right. Rest now.

Issa turned toward Muriah’s lifeless body. Nothing can ever make this right.

He broke the connection with Kane and returned to Muriah’s side. Something she said when they left San Diego came back to him. “Take care of the store for me.”

That had been her one request of him. He’d given his word he would return her there, that she would see that red door again.

He glanced longingly at the stairs. Death would be easy…to go on living would be the real challenge. Groaning, he lay down beside her again, burying his face into the nape of her neck, breathing in her scent. She gave her life for his and for those of her friends.

If he were ever worthy of her love and trust, he needed to protect what she held most dear. She treasured her family’s legacy. For her, he had to live.

Blood tears stained his cheeks as he carried the bed into a deeper chamber, away from the desert sun. His body weakened, slowing, but he struggled to cover her with a blanket before sinking to the ground as a final breath left his lips.

…

Zafrina marveled at the tiny immortal baby. This was Mulac’s heir. The Night Walker she had loved and grown to loathe. This tiny child would grow to be the mighty God of the North, upholding the mortal world beside his three brothers. She cooed to him in her native Mayan tongue, smiling as he grasped her finger in his small hand.

“He’s amazing, isn’t he?”

She looked up to find Lori standing beside her chair. Zafrina smiled. “Not nearly as amazing as the mortal woman who defended him from the monks of the Fraternidad del Fuego Santo.”

Lori’s swollen lip curved into a lopsided smile. Zafrina’s heart swelled in her chest. “I only had to hold him off until you woke up.”

Zafrina rose to her feet and brought the babe to Lukas. “Take care of him.” She bent to press a kiss to Gretchen’s forehead. “You saved us all.” Glancing at Lukas, she added, “Stay alert. Apep could still be coming for the child. I have not heard from Issa.”

She straightened and took Lori’s hand. “Come. Let me attend to your wounds.”

Once they were alone on the deck, Zafrina brought her fingers under Lori’s chin, gently tipping her face up. Lori stood only an inch or two shorter than Zafrina, perfect. “You are a lioness for those you care about.”

Lori chuckled. “I’ve been called a bitch before. Lioness is a much nicer way of putting it.”

Zafrina raised a brow and brought her hand to her lips, sinking her fang into the tip of her index finger. The moment her blood mingled with the wound, Lori smiled.

“It tingles.” Her smile faded, and her lips kissed Zafrina’s fingertip. “Thank you.”

They sat on the deck chairs, overlooking the ocean, and Lori rested her warm hand on Zafrina’s. “I’m really glad the baby is healthy and you’re all right. I…” She turned toward the water, her gaze distant. “I’ve never met anyone who made me feel like I had butterflies in my stomach before.”

Zafrina frowned. “This is a good thing?”

Lori’s eyes met hers, and Zafrina warmed inside. “It’s a great thing. I hope now that the baby is here you won’t be going back to Cozumel. Not yet anyway.”

Zafrina shrugged. “I had not considered what comes next.”

“At least stay for the wedding.”

“Not for the wedding.” Zafrina shook her head and lifted Lori’s hand to her lips. “For you, lioness.”

Calisto came through the French doors, and Zafrina glanced up at the tall Spaniard. “The Fraternidad monks are gone?”

He nodded. “Kate and I wiped their memories clean of the child and this place.” He rested his forearms on the railing of the deck, watching the water. “No doubt the monsignor will send more eventually, but we are safe for now.”

Zafrina got up and stood beside him. “Until we hear from Issa, we still need to be on guard. Apep could be anywhere.”

Calisto glanced her way. “Lukas told me they were planning to trap the God of Chaos.”

“We do not know if they were successful.”

He nodded and turned to Lori. “Thank you for helping Gretchen today. We owe you our lives.”

Lori raised her hands with a little shake of her head. “Gretchen did all the heavy lifting. I just bought time with our unwelcome guest until you all woke up.”

“It was more than most would have done. You and Edie have my gratitude.”

Zafrina pulled her hair back behind her ear. “I was wrong about this wedding you have been planning.”

He raised a brow. “How so?”

“I saw no point in planning for the future. If the child did not survive, neither would we. There would be no ceremony. I believed it was wasted energy, but I see now that hope does have power. You gave everyone, including Gretchen, something else to focus on. You and Kate offered all the others a reason to look ahead to the future, confidence.”

Calisto clasped his hands together and stared out at the waves crashing into the sand. “I wish I could claim such selfless motives. The truth is I had decided if the end was coming, I wanted to leave this world with my commitment and my love for her proclaimed. I did not get that chance in our last lifetime together. The devil himself could not steal it from me this time.” He glanced her way with a fire deep in his dark eyes. “If Apep returns for the child, I have every intention of stopping him.”

Zafrina patted his arm. “Hopefully, it will not come to that.”

She focused on the water, wishing she could reach Issa.