10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

O wen knew Fenix had been worried about him, but surrounding their cabin with Guardians seemed a bit excessive. Add the Nightstar siblings and a literal fucking god, and the guy had clearly lost his mind.

On the bright side, his despair had vanished the moment the front door had swung open—only to be replaced by overwhelming fear and intense embarrassment. Fenix probably thought he was being irrational, but Owen couldn't be around anyone, and not just because he hadn't showered in days.

For the love of everything holy, he was still wearing the bathrobe they had taken from the pool house. He couldn't even imagine what he looked like, and he probably smelled even worse. Mostly, though, being that close to other people scared the hell out of him.

Ever since he'd lost control, he felt like a ticking time bomb. It wasn't a matter of if he caused another disaster, but when. No one was safe around him, not even his mate, and he would never forgive himself if he really hurt someone. In his mind, isolation had been the only solution.

Not sitting on the end of the bed surrounded by two people he cared about and two complete strangers.

He recognized Prince Orrin Nightstar instantly because of the family resemblance to Iliana. That meant the other male had to be his mate, Cerberus. The hellhound who was actually a god but who didn't like being called a god.

Or something like that. The explanation had been incomplete and kind of confusing.

He just knew the guy had some major power, and the air in the room crackled with the energy that flowed off him. Oddly, no one else appeared to notice it, which only made him more nervous.

What the hell was happening to him?

Erus wasn't the only one turning the room into a fireworks show, either. The prince had arrived with some heavy-duty magic of his own.

And he had come to sit right beside him.

Owen clamped his knees together and pinched the top of his robe closed as he tried to subtly put some distance between them. "Fenix?" He pleaded with his eyes, seeking answers. "What's going on?"

"Don't be scared, talei . Nothing bad is going to happen."

"You must be Owen," Prince Nightstar said, his voice almost as musical and Iliana's. "I'm Orrin."

Owen and Orrin. Maybe they could start a boy band. O Squared.

He kept that inappropriate thought to himself and nodded.

"I hear things haven't been going so well for you."

An understatement, but accurate enough. "Yes, sir."

"I'd like to help you if you'll let me."

Owen's heart fluttered, but he quickly shoved that flickering sense of hope into a deep, dark corner. The last time he had accepted help from someone, it had blown up in his face.

"I appreciate it, but I don't know if you can. I just can't control it."

Orrin smiled. "Do you want to?"

What a strange question. Of course, he wanted to control it.

No, that wasn't strictly true. Control would be nice. Acceptable. It wasn't what he really wanted, though.

"No," he answered honestly. "I don't want this at all. I wish this had never happened to me." Clasping his hands together in his lap, he lowered his head and sighed. "Is that horrible of me?"

Some would say he had been given a blessing. One he should be thankful for. From his limited knowledge of Otherlings, he did know they were, by large, proud of their heritage. How selfish and ungrateful he must sound to the paranormals in the room.

Only, it wasn't his heritage. Not really. His parents were human. His grandparents were human. The fact that he had this curse proved magic must have existed somewhere in his family tree, but he was so far removed from that part of his history.

"I don't think it's horrible at all," Orrin answered kindly.

"But it's a gift." He tried, but he couldn't quite keep the sarcasm from his voice.

"A gift shouldn't hurt you," the prince countered. "I have to ask, though. Are you really sure that's what you want? Once it's gone, there's no way to bring it back."

"I'm sure." It was all he'd ever wanted since his abilities had first appeared. "Please."

"Very well." Orrin took his hand and held it gently as he reached out with his other. "Fenix?"

"Wait." He tensed and jerked his hand back. "What are you doing?"

"Energy can be renewed or recycled," the prince explained. "It can be transferred or displaced, but I can't just make it disappear."

"No." Shaking his head, he slid farther across the bed. "No."

He wouldn't wish his curse on his worst enemy. No way in hell he would allow his mate to take on the burden.

"Hey, easy." Fenix crossed the room and knelt in front of him, resting his hands on Owen's knees. "Breathe, talei. "

"Did you know about this?"

"No, but I don't care."

Yeah, well, that made one of them. "I won't do it."

"Hey, hey, listen to me." Fenix's large, warm hands came up to cradle his face, forcing him to meet his gaze. "I can handle it. I can control it. Let me do this for you."

His eyes stung, and tears welled along his bottom lashes. "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" One side of the shifter's mouth curved into a smirk. "Because I love you."

Well, that did it. The tears spilled over to streak down his cheeks, and it took everything in him not to dissolve into a blubbering mess. "I love you, too, which is why I can't say yes."

"Don't you trust me?"

Owen sob-snorted. "That's so unfair."

"Do you?"

"You know I do."

"Then, let me do this."

"I'll do it," Iliana said, speaking for the first time since she had entered the cabin.

"No!" everyone else answered at once.

She folded her arms over her chest and mumbled under her breath. "It was just a suggestion."

"So, what's it going to be?" Orrin asked.

Fuck, he didn't know what to do. Fenix had the control. He already had magic in his blood. If anyone could handle it, he could.

"Are you sure?"

His mate leaned in to brush their lips together. "I'm sure."

Owen turned to the prince, took a deep breath, and prayed he was making the right choice. "Okay."

According to Hollywood, the whole process should have been fairly dramatic. It wasn't. Actually, he'd go so far as to call it anticlimactic. No flickering lights. No angelic music. No one's eyes or skin glowed. He didn't even get a single whirling cloud of golden glitter.

Yet, while he didn't see anything, he definitely felt it. The first sign that something significant had happened was when the crackling energy in the room dissipated. Well, more accurately, he could no longer sense it.

When his abilities had first manifested, they had been accompanied by a constant, low-level thrum he likened to a guitar string that had been pulled too tight. Years later, he barely noticed it anymore.

Until it was gone.

Both his mind and body quieted, and the most incredible sense of stillness came over him. Slowly, almost reluctantly, his muscles in his neck and shoulders unknotted. The constriction in his chest eased, allowing him to take his first deep breath in years. His pulse slowed to a nearly meditative rhythm, and all those intrusive thoughts burned away like dew on a summer morning.

"How do you feel?" Orrin asked a moment later.

He took time to think about it, giving the question the weight it deserved. "Free."

All eyes turned to Fenix. He didn't look any different, and he showed no signs of distress. Rather, he wore a bemused smirk on his face.

"I feel completely fine." His right shoulder lifted in a half shrug. "Better than fine, really. Strong, like I just had an energy drink and a vitamin infusion."

Owen frowned. "Do either of those things actually work on you?"

"I'm trying to paint a picture, talei ."

Chuckling, he held his hands up in supplication. "My bad. Please continue."

"I'm just saying that I feel good. Like I was made for this."

With another quiet laugh, he grabbed his mate's face and dragged him close for a hard kiss. "Thank you."

"You know," Prince Nightstar said. "I did help. A little."

He jerked his hands back and immediately turned to face the elf. "Thank you for everything. I don't know how I can ever repay you."

Orrin gave him a kind smile as he rose to his feet and crossed the room to join his mate. "Enjoy your new life. That's payment enough."

"If we're finished here," Erus said into the following silence, "we should go. We have a meeting with Hades."

The blood drained from Owen's face, and he gripped the top of Fenix's shoulder, his fingers digging into the hard flesh. "Hades?"

Erus bobbed his head. "Do you know him?"

Was he serious? Who just casually knew the fucking lord of the Underworld?

"No. Uh, never had the pleasure."

"Nice guy. A little moody, but I'm sure you understand."

Nope. Not even a little bit. What the hell was he even supposed to say to that?

Thankfully, he didn't have to think too hard about it because Iliana chose that moment to interrupt.

"I have one more favor to ask."

Her brother sighed. "I think you have met your quota."

"Not you," she shot back. "Erus, I know Fenix has a mate now, but I want him to stay as head of my Guard."

Fenix stilled, and his big frame stiffened. "Princess."

"I'm serious," she insisted. "You're my family. You belong at Nightstar Palace. Do you really want to leave?"

"It's not about what I want. It's just the way it is."

"Well, I say it's not." She looked to Erus again. "Well?"

The big god sighed as if he found the entire conversation tiresome. "This family will be the death of me," he muttered. "If you agree to add an extra member to the team, he can stay."

"Yes," Iliana answered immediately. "Send two, if you must."

"That's actually not a terrible idea."

Her manicured brows drew together, and one side of her nose scrunched. "You don't have to sound so surprised."

Since Owen had zero clue what has happening, he could only listen, his eyes swinging from one side of the room to the other, like someone watching a tennis match.

From what he could gather, it sounded as if Fenix would be allowed to keep his position and remain at the palace. In exchange, the princess would be assigned an additional Guardian. Maybe two. No one had asked or cared about his opinion, but it sounded like a fair compromise to him.

And apparently, Erus had the authority to grant this because…reasons.

Damn, he really didn't understand any of this, but on the bright side, it sounded as if he would have the rest of his life to learn.

After setting up a time to discuss the particulars, Erus and Orrin took their leave, literally disappearing right there on the spot. Iliana followed suit, though she used the door, and she left with no goodbyes, but rather, a smug little smile.

"What the hell just happened?" Owen asked when they were finally alone.

In response, Fenix asked a question of his own. "How do you feel about Ireland?"

"I've never been, but I could probably get used to living in a castle."

As long as he had the big shifter, he didn't care where they lived. Still, who wouldn't choose a palace over a studio apartment?

Fenix snorted. "You say that now."

"I already have everything I've ever wanted. The rest is just details."

With a possessive growl, Fenix grabbed him by the waist and pulled him tightly against his hard body. "I like the way you think, talei. "

"Hold that thought," he said, slapping a hand against the guy's chest. "I need a shower."

Fenix grumbled but released him without much protest.

Not exactly what he'd had in mind, but this way would be more fun. Walking toward the bathroom, he slipped the robe off his shoulders and let it slither to the floor behind him. Just inside the doorway, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder.

"Are you coming or what?"

He didn't think he had ever seen someone move so quickly.

Fenix crossed the room in three strides and lifted him off the floor with a quiet growl before carrying him to the shower. He probably hadn't meant it to be funny, but Owen couldn't stop laughing.

This was how life should be. He was happy, loved, and free from a burden that had weighed him down for far too long. For once, he could actually see a future for himself, and in that vision, there would always be Fenix.

And that was something worth celebrating.