Clearly, our few times together since our memories had returned were not enough to make up for our time apart. Of course, we had that small matter of saving the worlds to deal with, but if we couldn’t manage to fit in at least six to ten more quickies during this mission, the world might just be on its own.

Never taking my eyes from Shadow’s, I lifted the section of power Angel had torn off, and pushed it toward my mouth. It slid down my throat, like a thick, hot cocoa, as sweet and delicious as anything I’d ever tasted.

The heat that followed spread and bloomed throughout my body until I felt like I’d swallowed a drop of sunlight. “Your power will take a minute to accept the offering,” Angel said from the side, and no lie, I’d almost forgotten she was there. Between the heat and Shadow, my mind was consumed and occupied to its fullest degree.

Her advice was solid, though. Within seconds, the warmth faded everywhere except right in my center, where my own flaming power existed alongside my wolf. My wolf wasn’t too sure about this new power, to be honest, but she didn’t fight it, either, nudging against it with curiosity before resuming her position of calm watchfulness inside.

When the power settled, I shook myself in an attempt to put everything back in its place. “That was… interesting,” I said, energy threading my words. “I’ve never felt anything quite like that.”

Shadow and Angel both watched me closely, in that unblinking way I was coming to see all immortals had. “You don’t feel odd?” Angel pressed.

Ominous words, but deciding to humor her, I pushed deeper into my power, examining the new drop of sunlight in there. “Not really,” I said. “Just lots of heat, but it’s always hot in my energy, so no huge difference.”

Shadow and Angel exchanged a look, and I didn’t like it when they did that. It was very hard to take these ancient beings by surprise. When a surprise happened, it usually wasn’t a good one.

“What were you expecting the power would do to me?” I asked, looking between them. “Since that was clearly an experiment.”

Angel wrapped an arm around me, her wings shooting out behind us. “No, seriously, it was definitely not an experiment. Neither of us would ever allow you to try anything that could harm you. It’s just… the lock on your power. I keep waiting for the moment you burst free and become everything you are capable of. You’re born of the Nexus. Your power is about as raw as it comes, as are the layers of my land here. The two together…”