Chapter 11: Bane

Chapter Eleven

Bane

I don’t sleep. At all. Not a motherfucking wink. Athos—who I’m not convinced even needs to sleep—slumbers wrapped around my mate.

But not me.

The Gods don’t grant me a single second of unconsciousness.

Instead, I lie awake, listening to Charity’s whimpering moans. It’s a constant battle to stay on my side of the mattress, only reaching over to verify her fever isn’t up to a concerning level.

I’m genuinely fucking baffled how Athos can sleep through it all.

Charity jolts in her sleep, grunting as she thrashes.

I turn toward her, running my hand over her soft cheek.

“Shh, I’ve got you,” I murmur, moving to tease my fingers through her hair.

I’ll never understand how things went to shit so fast. She was skittish, but I was here, putting in the work every fucking day.

I left my entire life behind without a second thought, and it still burns that she feels like she can’t trust me because of someone else’s sins.

Fucking Cyril.

He better pray that he never has to face me in open combat. I’ve got a lot of anger to work off, and I’ll direct it exactly where it’s deserved.

Veryn wakes up long before Charity seems ready to rouse. Based on the fever she still has when I climb from bed next to her, I call Meena to see if she meant what she said about keeping the little guy for a few days.

I help him pack a bag and bring him outside to practice shifting before Meena arrives to pick him up.

He’s an undeniably quick study.

He just needs a little guided practice, which is something he should have had since hatching.

It kills me knowing Charity went through so much alone, but I’m grateful that she stumbled across Haven. Before everything fell apart between us, she told me all about how her mother left her with her human father when she was only a teenager.

Full-blooded siren often have their own harem of partners, and her mother simply got tired of the responsibility of being stuck in one place.

Not that my parents did much better .

My skills were noticed from a young age, and while I was often allowed to visit my family, they surrendered me to the Dragon’s Shield before my seventh birthday. Spending a weekend a month with your family is not the same as being raised by them.

If nothing else, Charity and I will ensure we break the pattern of hands-off parenting.

Veryn struggles to get his wings to retract as he pulls his T-shirt over his head. It takes a few tries, but he finally gets it, and the material falls over his slender form.

He gives me a toothy grin.

I give him a high five. “Good job, kid.”

“Thanks.” He glances over at his house. “You think my mom will feel better soon?”

I grab his shoulder, tugging him in for a hug. I’m not the most affectionate of beings, but children need physical contact and reassurance.

“She’ll be fine,” I tell him truthfully. “It’ll be a nice change of pace from hanging out with Mrs. Segar.”

“Yeah,” he agrees. “She always makes me do schoolwork when I get too loud.”

I snort.

Mrs. Segar used to be a schoolteacher, and she still teaches most of the kids in Haven, since there are so few. She already keeps Veryn four or five evenings a week, so asking her to keep him now felt like too much.

“Veryn,” Ember’s small voice calls out as she runs between Aline and Mrs. Segar’s houses.

Meena and Emerson follow behind the toddler.

Veryn grins, shakes out of my hold, and jogs off toward the small wolf shifter.

If they truly are mates, we’ll have to watch them closely when they’re teenagers, but for now, their genuine excitement at seeing one another is pure.

Warmth fills my chest as Ember chucks herself at Veryn. He catches her with ease, spinning them in a circle as they laugh.

Parenting is complicated. He might not be biologically related to me, but that doesn’t make him any less mine.

I think they’ll make for a fine pair one day.

“Ooo, you gots a dragon,” Ember says as Veryn puts her back on her feet. “I wanna pet him.”

“Um.” Emerson, Ember’s mother, looks terrified as her eyes meet mine. “I don’t know about that.”

I shrug. “He’s mostly domesticated. He won’t hurt her.”

“That’s Eldritch.” Veryn links his hand with Ember’s, and she proceeds to drag him across the courtyard. “He’s a wyvern.”

I have faith enough that Eldritch won’t harm the kids, so I focus on Meena. “Are you sure you don’t mind keeping him?”

“Not a bit.” Meena smiles. “Nadia isn’t anywhere close to being ready to part with her girls, meaning I’ll take all the little ones I can get.” She laughs, bumping her shoulder to Emerson’s. “They keep me young.”

“Eww, he’s scratchy,” Ember says. “And sad. I wish he could feel better.”

My entire body tenses as my eyes meet Meena’s.

She simply shrugs.

My mind races through ways to take out a djinn.

Too fucking bad I don’t know a single one.

“Ember, you adorable, pure-hearted pup.” Athos appears in a silvery-blue cloud of smoke. He scoops up Ember, tossing her into the air and catching her. “Do you have any idea how you just changed fate?”

“I do.” Meena chuckles softly.

“No way,” Emerson whispers. “That’s why you literally wouldn’t let me say no to bringing her over.”

Meena’s lithe shoulder bounces as she tucks her long, dark hair behind her ear. “It’s best not to fight a vision.”

“Again,” Ember cheers, patting Athos’s hands.

“Last time.” He chucks her into the air, disappearing and reappearing behind her as he catches her.

Ember hits her feet and runs over to Veryn. “Wanna play at Mimi’s house?”

Veryn pats her head. “Yeah, I just have to grab my bag and say goodbye to my da—” He freezes. “Bane.”

My heart tries to race out of my fucking chest as I scoop up his duffel bag and stride over.

Veryn gives a tight smile, like he doesn’t know how I’m going to react, but I grab him with my free hand, pulling him to me.

“Be good for Meena, or I’ll kick your ass,” I say to let him know how much he means to me.

He laughs, squeezing my back. “Yeah, got it.”

“Love you, kid. Have fun.”

“Love you too,” he says, smiling like a fiend.

“All right, someone grab me a cherry carbonated beverage and everyone clear out.” Athos rubs his hands together. “This wish might take a while.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Charity says, tightening her robe as she stumbles down the stairs and into my arms. “I woke up and couldn’t find Veryn?—”

“How are you?” I murmur, scooping her up.

“Not great, but I’ll live.” She rubs at her abdomen as I walk us back up the stairs. “Where’s my kid? Either I’m exhausted, or he’s a stealthy little escape dragon.”

“He’s with Meena. You’ve been pretty out of it since last night.” I nuzzle my cheek to the top of her head as I carry her down the hall toward her bedroom. “Are you feeling the need to nest?”

“What?” she whispers, tilting her face to study mine.

“Meena came by last night while you were unwell.” I bump her bedroom door open with my ass and kick it closed with my booted foot before heading toward her bed. “She believes there could be consequences to your partially formed matebond with the wyvern.”

“Eldritch,” she groans, slapping my chest. “His name is Eldritch, and he’s truly a lovely man.”

She’s far too trusting.

She might find him attractive, but that doesn’t speak to his character.

I scoff. “You saw him in a dream for ten minutes.”

Charity shoves her hair away from her face and glares. “I spent all night with him again last night.”

I drop her onto the mattress and climb over her before I can stop myself.

That’s good to know.

While I practically gave myself an ulcer worrying about her all goddamn night long…

She was, what?

Fucking the wyvern in her dreams?

That’s my guess, based on the way she moaned and thrashed all damn night long.

“It’s not something I can control. I’m pretty sure our partially formed bond pulls us together now.” Her fingers dig into the material of my T-shirt. “But I also realized, as I was sandwiched between Athos and Eldritch, that something was missing. Or rather, someone.”

I hear her words, but my dragon fights for control.

Bumping her cheek to the side, I bury my nose in her throat. It’s the location her bite with Eldritch would be if it transferred to our reality.

My tongue teases down her skin, making my nostrils flare as I taste hints of Eldritch.

“Did you hear me?” Charity asks, running her fingers over my neck.

Yeah, I did.

My dragon is also obsessed with figuring out how her scent smells like Eldritch in humanoid form. That shouldn’t be possible if they only interacted during her dream.

“Bane,” she huffs. “I think it’s possible you are my mate.”

I shove up on my forearms, studying her face.

She’s the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen.

Not to mention, incredibly fucking stubborn, but then, so am I.

It’s probably the universe ensuring I don’t overpower someone who would be too meek to stick up for themselves.

“Um, did I short-circuit your brain or something?” Charity asks as her nose wrinkles.

My head shakes, and a low laugh slips from my lips. “Do you realize how much of a pain in the ass you are, woman?”

“Hey,” she grunts, slapping my chest.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m thankful you finally caught on, but you’re so fucking stubborn.” My eyebrows rise. “I spend two hours every morning keeping Veryn busy outside in the courtyard.”

Her face contorts in confusion.

That’s probably because I sneak him back inside most days before she wakes up, so she won’t experience any guilt about catching up on her rest.

“Not just since we started practicing his shifting, either,” I clarify. “Ever since Aline found her pack, he’s been coming over to wake me up. And guess what? I don’t mind. You know why? Because the two of you are mine.”