Crais(59)

Suddenly he turned and strode away. He didn’t go far, just to the metal railing near my balcony. Leaning his arms against the wall, he let his head fall to hang between them. I ached to move closer, but he seemed to need a few minutes to pull himself together.

He lifted his arms and, faster than I could process, slammed his fists into the steel pole holding my deck up. He repeated the action. I gasped, moving forward.

“Don’t,” I cried out. “Don’t hurt yourself, Brace.”

He faced me, the blood on his knuckles already starting to dry.

“This isn’t hurting me, Red,” he said wryly.

He moved and was right in my face before I could blink. Everything he’d ever done to keep up his ‘human’ facade was gone now. He was wild and strong and god-like.

“Hurt is being trapped in my own head unable help you. Hurt is watching that dead, empty look on your face.” He swore a few times as he grasped my biceps and pulled me closer. “Hurt was knowing that that piece of shit was manipulating you and I couldn’t stop it.” He roared the last part.

It was kind of messed up but this outraged anger for me was actually turning me on. Bumps crossed my skin and my heart rate galloped – and not out of fear.

Was there anything more beautiful in the world than the knowledge that you were loved, and loved so much that there was nothing above or beyond that could compare?

Before I could analyze the consequences I threw myself at him.

As my lips hit his I managed to murmur, “You know how to get rid of all that hurt? Shut up and kiss me.”

I felt his lips shift under mine. “Yes, Red.”

When we eventually pulled apart, our breathing heavy, I was distracted by a shimmering portal opening in front of us. Why had Brace opened a doorway? I swung my head around to meet his gaze.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to take you somewhere.” He held out a hand to me.

I didn’t hesitate for a moment, reaching out to follow my mate.

Brace pulled me into him, his strong arms scooping me up again. I would have protested but somewhere deep down I liked it.

We entered the vacuum. It didn’t take him long to walk through. I tried to see clearly what was on the other side but it was too dark. He paused just a moment before stepping out of the doorway. As we moved into the cool air my jaw dropped open.

“Where are we?” I gasped, never having seen any place so beautiful.

We stood on the edge of a snow field, the white expanse spreading out before us. Flakes swirled around, and icicles reflected off every surface, forming the most intricate patterns.

But the part which took my breath away was the stars.

Lighting up the darkness were millions of fiery balls, spanning almost to the untouched horizon. I’d never been so close to the sky beauties. It felt as if I could reach out a hand and capture them.

“This is the Northlands of First World. It’s always winter and perpetually night, but it is the one place in the worlds where you can stand amongst the stars.”

I wasn’t cold. Brace’s warmth surrounded me like a favorite coat. Suddenly he started to walk. I continued to stare at the sky, mesmerized by the beauty. Flakes of snow coated my face, leaving tiny pricks of cold. I gasped as a cabin came into view, hidden amongst the untouched environment.

It was stunning.

Wood lined the walls, surrounded by a large wraparound balcony.

Brace walked us across the wooden entrance, before reaching out his free hand and pushing open the door.

Stepping into the dark room, he lowered me gently to the ground. With a whisper the house lit up and warmth spread over me as a nearby fireplace sprang to life. Being mated to a Walker was never a dull experience. I took in the full expanse of the room before me.

“Holy amazeballs,” I said, spinning in a circle. “I love this.”

It was larger than I expected, yet still felt cozy. Very open plan, with a spacious living-dining area all merging onto the kitchen. The wood theme continued, although the luxurious white carpet under my feet and squishy dark-gray couches indicated there were high-quality fixtures throughout.

Brace smiled. “Good to hear, Red, because it’s yours.”

I stopped spinning around, my arms falling to my side.

“What do you mean?” I blinked at him a few times.

“After we melded I had this built for you. This has always been one of my favorite places in all the star systems. And I wanted you to have a slice of the stars all to yourself.”

I stepped closer to him. I couldn’t figure out how to react. My heart felt like it was about to burst and there were no words to describe my emotions.

“How did you do this?”

He smiled. “A few handy Walkers owed me a favor.”