41. Pandora

41

PANDORA

I walked out of Hunter’s bathroom with my mind filled with images of Dex being hurt, and my soul urged me to comfort his.

Every instinct in me screamed at me to turn around and join him in that shower?—

“Starlight…” Hunter stood from the bed and strolled over to me, cupping my face and angling my head up for me to meet his gaze. “Hey, it’s okay.”

He was worried too.

“I’m worried about Dex,” I admitted, my voice trembling. Seeing that woman, a shadow demon, slicing into his flesh with her shadows brought back painful memories of my past. My mother had done the same to me, and the scars she left were not just physical. Neither were Dex’s.

“We are, too,” Reed murmured, glancing up at me through his violet eyes. “I can’t believe his parents are part of Dark Veil.”

“Why—” My voice cracked as I knocked Hunter’s hands away and pulled away from him. My heart was racing, and my entire being felt like it was going to burst out and rush toward Dex. “Why would he want to force himself to enter Dark Veil as a spy ? And how could you let him think that was a good idea?”

Hunter’s gaze fell as his arms dropped to his sides, hurt flickering through the bond. “I didn’t think it was a good idea, and I told him as much. He just wanted to protect you in a way he knew how. He said he owes it to you.”

“He doesn’t owe it to me to get himself killed or tortured,” I snapped, my irritation bubbling over. My soul was so unsettled, I felt like I was about to scream. “I’m not mad at you, Hunter, I’m just…”

“You’re upset and overwhelmed.” Reed got up and closed the distance between us, wrapping me up in his arms and pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Breathe. Dex is okay, and he’s not going near Dark Veil.”

“And neither are you.” Hunter placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “We’re not letting anything happen to either of you.”

Their souls were a balm to my frayed nerves, but I ached for Dex, too. I ached for him in a way I hadn’t before—I knew he was the same demon that had used his shadows to hurt me—to torment me, but Fates …this bond between us made me just want to comfort him. I didn’t forgive him yet, but I also didn’t want to see him hurt.

He was still my mate.

Almost as if he’d sensed it, the bathroom door swung open, and Dex emerged, his white blond hair still damp from the shower.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, gray eyes downcast as if he couldn’t bear to look in my direction. “I just can’t seem to stop fucking up, can I?”

His bond to me opened up, and the depth of his pain shot through it, and my soul lurched toward his. I crossed the room, wrapping my arms around him tightly. His coppery scent of blood filled my nostrils.

Dex froze. “You…you’re hugging me?”

“Do you want me to stop?” I rasped, glancing up at him through thick lashes. I’d never been hugged when I was in that cellar, and after being saved, physical affection was something I desperately craved but never knew I needed. Maybe…it was the same for Dex, but maybe it wasn’t.

“No.” He dropped to his knees.

It dropped him to where he was almost eye level with me, but I was slightly above him. My arms were around his neck, and my breath hitched as his fog gray eyes bore into mine. None of his shadows were around either, and he was bared to me completely.

“I don’t deserve your comfort, but please, don’t stop.” Slowly, his strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer. His face buried into my neck, and I heard him inhale deeply as he clung to me, trembling.

“We need to change your room again,” Hunter said, his voice calm, but the bond stormed with vengeance for Dex. “I’m leaving for a vengeance case in the morning, but you all can stay in my room until we get it figured out, if you want.”

“That would be perfect,” I murmured, glancing back with a soft smile to Hunter.

His shoulders were tense, but he smiled back anyway. “Anything for you, starlight. That includes keeping all of your mates safe.”

“ Skel …” Dex went rigid. “Fates, Pandora. I’ll be right back.” He melted into the shadows, and my arms caved in on myself as he left the room.

Panic rattled my bones as I realized Skel was Dex’s roommate.

Where was he?

“Shit,” Hunter cursed. “They must’ve found out where their new room is. I moved Dex and Skel into a new room after his parents?—”

“His parents came to him before?” My heart slammed in my chest.

Had I really been this blind to Dex’s problems—yes, I had been. But there was a reason for that. He’d hid it from me, and he’d been cruel. I hadn’t wanted to seek out his problems until I found out he was my mate…I mean, I’d always thought about him, but once I found out we shared a bond, it changed things for me.

And it was the same for him, wasn’t it?

“Dude, what the fuck?” Skel’s green eyes were groggy, and he had his pipe clutched in his hand while the other went through his hair as he stepped out of the shadows with Dex. “Where are… oh. ” His gaze landed on me. “What happened?”

“My parents,” Dex said simply, wrapping his arms around himself and taking a deep breath. “They took me when I was sleeping and forced me to perform a shadow ritual to call dark magic on Sunstone Revive.”

“W-What?” Skel whipped his head toward Dex. “Oh, fuck, Dex…I’m so sorry I didn’t wake up.”

“It happened too fast,” Dex reassured him. “You couldn’t have done anything. I wasn’t even fully awake when Poppy shadow-traveled me out.”

“Still—Fuck.” Skel squeezed his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“I know.” Dex’s eyes fluttered shut really quick before he took a deep breath. “It’s okay.”

“What happened to the charm I gave you, Dexter?” Hunter asked. “It should’ve hidden you.”

“I…accidentally forgot to put it on after the shower.” He let out a frustrated breath. “But my parents said they have an inside source. They knew about the room change anyway.”

Hunter frowned. “This time, the room change will be off the record. I won’t take the chance of the Shadowhearts finding you again.”

Reed’s hand laced through mine. “Why don’t Dex and Grimshaw take my room with Hemlock? I’ll move Gumdrop to Pandora’s room and stay with her. It just sounds easier.”

“That’ll be perfect.” Hunter nodded.

Skel’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “First name basis, Reed?”

The corners of Reed’s mouth kicked up into a smile. “Sure, Skel.”

“Thanks, everyone...and thank you, Pandora.” Dex’s gaze met mine, and the bond opened for another glimpse—and the amount of longing he had for me knocked the air out of my lungs.

Had I truly misjudged him?