Chapter 4

4

W atching the light go out in Rush's apartment meant his mate was safe and sleeping. Raydon continued to watch, then checked the surrounding area to ensure no one else was watching his mate. He heard footsteps and turned to see Cyan approaching. The fact Raydon heard Cy meant the shifter wanted him to know he was there.

"He sleeping?"

"Yes." Raydon watched Cy as he stared at the building.

"You know about Alex?"

"Your mate? Raydon shook his head. "No. Is there something I should know?"

"It might help. It might not." Cy flashed him a quick grin. "I had to wait for him too."

"He's human. They take longer to adjust."

"True, but in Alex's case, it was different." Cy kicked at the ground. "He was a blood slave, like Jacques. Held in the same place."

"Ah. I understand. He was used for his body and his blood. He would have had a difficult time adjusting to having a shifter for a mate."

"He did. He rejected me. Told me we had no future together. I used to stand outside his place and watch over him. It was all I could do."

"He accepted you in the end." Raydon had seen them together, could see the strong bond between them. There was no mistaking how much they loved and adored each other.

"He did, but for a while, I believed him when he'd told me no. I…wasn't in a good place for a while."

"I've seen what happens when one mate refuses the other." Raydon looked Cy up and down.

"Yeah, I was a mess. My brother tried, hell, all of them did and then I bawled my eyes out all over my mom. It was Teal who managed to get through to Alex. They became friends; he told him stories of me growing up and all the stupid things I did. One day, Alex asked me to meet him for a drink, and we went from there." Cy ran a hand over his neck. "He had an issue with mating me. We bite like vampires."

"Demons too. I can see it would cause him great distress when considering mating you."

"It did. You've seen the scars?" Raydon nodded. Alex didn't hide them, so he had seen them on his throat and wrists.

"He used to cover them up. Didn't want anyone to know, but most of us did. I was never put off by what he'd gone through. To me, he's an amazing man, and I'm honored he's my mate."

"It takes time to overcome. Why did he mate you?"

"Why did he change his mind?" Raydon nodded. "We hit a lab to free some shifters, and I was stupid and ended up getting shot. Alex told me in the hospital I was his, and we were going to mate." Cy smiled softly as he stared at the apartments. "Best night of my life."

"He is lucky to have patient mate like you who was willing to wait."

"Nah, I'm the lucky one. Anyway, I'm telling you this so you know Rush will mate with you. I mean he moved here, yeah so, he's obviously interested, and have you seen his girls? They're gorgeous."

"They are, as you say, cute." Raydon stared up at the dark apartment. "I will mate him and be a father."

"Scary." Cy waggled his eyebrows, making Raydon smile.

"Not as scary as not having my mate in my life." Raydon furrowed his brow. "I don't know about diapers, so yes, those are scary."

"I can't wait to be a dad. We've been discussing it."

Raydon turned and watched Cy. "You would make a good father. You and Alex balance each other well. A child would do well with you."

"Thank you." Cy exhaled heavily. "When this is over, there will be children with nowhere to go. We know they have been killing the adults."

"The children will have endured something unimaginable. They will need plenty of love and support, and who better than you and Alex—who has also suffered. Alex will know how to handle it based his own experience. Maybe that is why he went through that, so he could help others."

"He said something similar when we talked about it." Cy took a couple of steps away. "I'll leave you to it. Just… If you want to talk…"

"Thank you, and I will come to you if I need advice." He watched Cy walk away, then went back to staring at Rush's apartment. One day, he would be there, living with his mate and the girls who would be his daughters. He understood the need to wait. He was a demon, and Rush had never met a demon before; Raydon knew Rush needed to adjust to that. Rush's brother had mated a shifter, so Rush would be used to them. Raydon would have been a shock to Rush had he not met a shifter. Rush had been a shock to him, but he'd been more than happy to find his mate.

He'd been revolted at the idea of Earth and the people crowded on her, but when Balor explained what shifters were facing, he knew he had to help. Balor had met his mate, and maybe he would too. He hadn't expected to meet Rush the first night he was there, but he was glad he had. Glad he'd agreed to help even if his instincts had initially been against it.

Watching the apartment, he remembered those first few moments, hearing the fighting near the village, seeing the women and children rushing toward the community hall. He'd stood alongside shifters, helping them in, seeing and scenting their fear, hearing them cry out every time they heard an explosion. No child should have to experience that, and he hoped with time, the memory would fade.

He looked up and saw this dark-haired man running toward him, a small child in each arm, and reached to help. Then he'd felt it. The pull, the sensation of this man being more than a stranger. Rush, as Raydon would learn, had stopped and stared up into his face, then swallowed like he, too, could feel the bond between them.

Raydon had taken one of the children—girls, Erin, as he found out later—and helped him inside. Rush had continued to stare at him, his silver eyes wide, finally asking, "Who are you?" He'd refused to lie, answering, "I am your mate."

Rush had gasped, taken Erin from him, and found a corner to settle in, but his eyes had followed Raydon wherever he went. Wanting to stay in eyesight of his mate, he'd asked a shifter to swap positions, eventually explaining why. Once he had, the shifter had congratulated him and moved so Raydon could stand guard over his mate and family.

There he had watched his mate, seeing how open he was, how expressive he was. He also noticed how much he loved his girls. His life had changed completely in that moment. No one would harm them.

They'd defended the building for hours until the fighting stopped. Raydon had watched those defending the village come back into the center, and he knew they'd witnessed death. He later learned some had been severely injured, others had died, including a man most knew well.

He'd helped his mate reach his home, had made sure he was safe inside, then left to find Balor. He found the other demon with his mate, covered in blood and guts, wearing his anger like a second skin. Balor had seen him and nodded him over.

"Raydon."

"I found my mate."

Balor had looked surprised, his eyebrows arching up. "That's good news. Human or shifter?"

"Human. He has children."

"I might know him," Indy had murmured. "What's his name?"

Raydon looked at Indy, seeing he wasn't doing so well. "I can inform you later. Maybe you should seek medical attention."

"I will once everyone else has been seen to." Indy winced, then frowned at Balor.

"His name is Rush. He has two girls."

Indy had given him a ghost of a smile, then grimaced. "He's a nice guy. I'm happy you found him."

"I will leave so you can get the necessary treatment you need."

Raydon then teleported home. A place he, more than likely, would only to return to visit. He walked around his home, deciding what items he would take with him. He'd been alone for as long as he could remember. But now those days were over.

Blinking, Raydon returned to the present and shoved his hands in his coat pocket. He wasn't patrolling that night, but it hadn't stopped him from making sure his mate was safe. Until the people who wished harm on the shifters were stopped, Raydon would place himself here and protect his family.

His phone beeped, and he pulled it out of his pocket and read the message. Rush. Reaching out to him.

Do you want to come in?

Raydon read the message several times, then shoved his phone back into his pocket. The light was still off inside Rush's apartment, but Raydon now knew he was standing there watching him. How long had he been watching Raydon? There was only one way to find out.