23. Darcy

Chapter 23

Darcy

I felt it happen through the bond. All the words, all the progress we'd just made, gone. I quickly scrambled to my feet, holding the blanket to me, and squeezed Lyndon's hand. I tried to push my feelings through to him, letting him know I wasn't going anywhere without him. He squeezed back after a moment of hesitation, and my heart started to beat normally. I didn't think he'd totally believe I was staying for real until I proved it to him.

"You opened it?" I tried to keep my voice as casual as possible to not scare Lyndon. I had no intention of going permanently, but I missed my friends. I knew they had to be worried, and I wanted to ease any of their fears. I wanted them to meet Lyndon. To officially say goodbye. Plus, there were some business things I should handle before literally moving realms. I wanted to officially quit my job, get some things out of my house. My clothes. My nest materials. I loved Lyndon's cabin, and it was starting to feel like home, but I missed some of my own personal items. It would be nice to have them.

Ambrose waved his hand in a so-so gesture. "I didn't open it exactly, but I figured out how. I can get you back!"

"To the human realm or monssster?"

"I think it's the base on the monster side of the portal if I'm correct." I'd take it.

I turned to Lyndon then. His face was blank. I cupped both his cheeks forcing him to meet my eyes.

"Come with me."

He blinked like it was the craziest thing I'd said. "I just want to go for a few daysss. I want to sssay goodbye, get some of my ssstuff. I'm not staying over there, bright eyes. But you'll be a nervoussss wreck if I leave you here. Come with me. Meet my friends, sssee my world. And then we'll come back here and ssstart our lives where we belong."

Lyndon swallowed. "You really want me to come with you? You want your friends to meet me?"

"Yesss." No hesitation. "I want them to meet my mate, the man I love."

Lyndon made a choking sound in the back of his throat. He seemed so shocked that I wasn't trying to hide him, I was tempted to find out where that Killian fucker was. I wasn't normally a violent person, but that story had made me feral. I bet Ambrose knew where he was. I'd keep that on the back burner, just in case.

"O-okay. Yeah, okay. I can do this. It's not any crazier than the idea of me adopting a bunch of parahuman children, renovating a house in Maine, and starting my own fucking town, so why not?"

I grinned and kissed him. "Thank you, Lyn. I love you," I repeated.

He made that choking sound again but didn't reply. It was okay. It would take him longer to say it back, to come to terms with it, but I felt his feelings through the bond. That was enough for now. I looked back at Ambrose. "When can we go?" I figured the quicker we got it over with, the better.

Ambrose grinned and hopped back on his toes. He rivaled me for energy, and that was saying something. "Now! Let's go!" He was running out the door before we had a chance to say anything else.

I looked back at Lyndon. "Are you okay?" He squeezed my hand even tighter.

"Yeah, let's go do some interdimensional travel." He smiled tightly, and we walked outside hand in hand.

We barely walked down the porch steps when Lyndon ripped his hand from mind and started sprinting in the direction of his garden. "Oh goddess, I don't fucking think so, Ambrose!" I scurried after him, laughing as Lyndon's hands glowed bright green.

Ambrose stood right in the middle of the tomato patch, exactly when I'd originally landed. I had a feeling he didn't really need to be there. It wasn't like he'd figured out how to open it there. He'd been on his own coven lands a few hours away. But there he was, grinning like a fool. Today he was wearing a hot-pink, cheetah-print jacket that went down to mid-calf. It flapped in the wind as he blew a kiss to Lyndon and started to work magic before Lyndon's could hit him.

"That little fucker . . ." I quickly caught up to Lyndon, wrapping my arms around him. I licked a stripe up his neck. He gave me a dirty look, but I could feel his rage simmering a little.

"It'sss okay, Lyn. I'll help you fix them when we get back." That caused him to finally smile.

"Yeah, okay. I'd like that. So would the veggies. They really like you."

It made me absurdly happy that Lyndon's plants liked me. I was still smiling ear to ear as we walked up to Ambrose, his signature hot-pink portal, that matched his jacket, already half formed.

"Ready?" he asked, giddy.

"How do we get back?" Lyndon asked . . . which was smart.

"Oh! Right! Here." He thrust something in Lyndon's hand. I looked at it—was it a stone? How would that help? But Lyndon was smiling and pocketing it like it was a prized possession.

"Thank you, Ambrose."

"Of course. You're more like a brother than a cousin to me."

"What isss that?" I asked. Because seriously, it looked like a stone he'd picked up off the ground.

"It houses a piece of Ambrose's magic, so we can use it like he does to open the portal back home."

"I already have it set. All you have to do is hold it and think of home and it'll bring you here. Lyndon, just make sure you're holding Darcy's hand and don't let go."

He nodded intently. "Never."

Well, if that didn't make my insides all gooey.

By the time all the instructions were completed, Ambrose's portal was fully formed and humming quietly in front of us.

My heart was pounding. As excited as I was, I was also nervous. What if it didn't work? What if it dropped us off in the wrong place? What if we got there but couldn't get back home?

I shook my head to clear all the negative thoughts. Lyndon was worrying enough for both of us. Neither of us had learned how to completely control what we sent through the bond yet, it was still so new, so I could practically feel every worry and question that was running through Lyndon's head, even if he stayed quiet.

Lyndon looked at me, his face tight but determined. "Ready?"

I nodded but couldn't resist kissing him one last time. His free hand found its favorite spot at the nape of my neck and squeezed.

"This is adorable and all, and normally I'd be all for the free show, but I can only hold the portal for so long."

Lyndon rolled his eyes as we reluctantly broke apart. "Come on, sunshine, show me your world."

We step up to the portal. "Okay, have fun, lovebirds! And don't lose the stone!"

Lyndon shot his cousin the middle finger behind his back and started to walk through. "Thank you!" I shouted over my shoulder. "You and your family are the besssst!"

Ambrose flashed me one last smile, his diamond tooth blinding, and we walked through.

I was right there, standing just feet away from the portal that would take me from the base in the monster realm back to the human one, where I would hopefully find Rafe and Kennedy and my house still in one piece.

I had my passport, and Lyndon passed as human, so he'd be fine. I even knew the guard. Ten steps and I'd be back home. Except, in such a short time, it didn't feel like home anymore. Home was the man standing next to me.

"You got this, sunshine. I'm right here." I straightened my shoulders. Lyndon was right. I did have this.

Passport in one hand, my other one latched in Lyndon's, I walked to the guard, who froze, eyes wide.

"Darcy? Holy shit! Is it really you?"

"Um . . . yessssss?"

"Rafe has been on a warpath for weeks now trying to find you. Where have you been?"

I looked at Lyndon. "It'sssssss a long ssstory. Um, isss he here? Can I talk to him?"

"Oh, right. Yes, of course. He and Kennedy are both here, on this side. Rafe took up one of the officer apartments, refused to leave for the other realm for more than a few hours a day."

My chest felt heavy, tears threatening to come. I knew he'd be worried, but I never expected this. It made me realize just how much I'd missed him.

"Where isss his apartment? I'll go sssee him now."

"Hang on, I'll radio him. We're all under strict orders to let him know immediately if we see you."

I looked at Lyndon, afraid he'd be uncomfortable. He had to be wondering why I'd leave this, but he had nothing to worry about.

We hung off to the side as the guard radioed Rafe. Lyndon looked around.

"Are you sure we're on the monster side? You always made it seem so . . . different."

"It issss. The base looksssss pretty much the same, but if we have time, I'll take you off it and you'll sssee."

"I'd like that."

"It's dangerousss, but I'll keep you sssafe."

Lyndon's warm smile full of faith was everything. "I know you will, sunshine."

I had another thought while we waited. "Is your magic working?"

Lyndon raised an eyebrow, and his hand glowed bright green. "I guess we'll see when we get over to the other side, but here, it feels strong. Almost wild."

It made sense. Even on the base, there was a wildness to this place.

"Darcy! Fucking A, man, where the fuck were you?"

I spun on my heel as my best friend stalked toward me. He was in his half-shifted form, his wings fully extended behind him and his fangs on full display.

"Rafe!" I ran the rest of the way, dragging Lyndon with me, heart pumping as I saw my friend for the first time in so long. I'd missed him so fucking much.

Big arms and wings wrapped around me. I felt Lyndon's hand slip from mine, but I had no room to reach back.

"Fuck, Darcy. I was so worried. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He pushed me a shoulder length away and looked me up and down like he was checking for wounds.

"Um, hi, I'm Kennedy, this asshole's mate." Over Rafe's massive arm, I saw his human mate greeting mine.

"Uh, hi. I'm Lyndon. I'm sunshine's mate."

"Mate?" squeaked Kennedy, his normally deep voice higher than usual.

"Sunshine?" Rafe asked skeptically, finally noticing Lyndon.

I grinned at my two favorite people in this realm. "The guard said you have a room here? I think there's a lot to tell you."