“I have to go to her,” I whispered to Shadow, seeing the shattered desperate face of my best friend as she flew toward us.

“I’m only sharing because she was as broken as I was,” Shadow warned me. “And only for a few minutes.”

I leaned in and pressed my lips to the right corner of his mouth. “Thank you, mate.”

As I went to pull away, he tightened his hold on my waist, and when I lifted my gaze, expecting another possessive warning, I instead got a slow, sexy smile. “I love you, Mera Callahan,” he said without hesitation, that smile softening as he gave me another piece of himself.

“I love you too,” I choked out. “For what it’s worth, considering how you feel about that overused word.”

Now he chuckled, finally releasing me. “I’ve decided that it’s not the word, Sunshine, it’s the depth of emotion behind it. When we use the word ‘love,’ it becomes ours. We will claim it.”

I had to laugh. “Arrogant Beast.”

He wasn’t wrong, though. Love was ours to claim.

51

Angel held me with the same force Shadow had. The same desperation. The same sense that neither of them had expected to see me again. “I’m so sorry,” I said over and over. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

She wasn’t talking. She was just clutching me, her head buried near my neck as the simmering strength of her energy rocked into me. Our powers didn’t merge like Shadow’s and mine, but the bond between us was stronger than ever, energies frolicking like old friends.

After some time, she pulled away, her eyes haunted. “I can’t do it again,” she said, her voice barely heard. “I can’t lose another member of my family.”

I swallowed roughly, holding on to her biceps. “Well, I have some excellent news for you.” I looked at Shadow, who was just behind me. “For you both. I can’t really die. It appears those born of the Nexus can be reborn of it if they choose.”

Angel choked out a sob. “What if next time your soul is tired and decides that it’s time to truly rest?”

Shadow’s rumbles filled the air. “There’ll be no next time,” he snapped. “No more chances. We end this once and for all. Today.”

Angel stopped him with a shake of her head, her spectacular amber wings wrapping around her protectively. My own wings moved into a similar position without any real thought from me. “It might not be today,” she said. “We have to recharge our power, and there’s no better time than while the fortress is draining her.”

“Wait!” I said, whipping around to Shadow. “You said before that there was an issue with releasing the cage and removing the stone? What issue?”