35. Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

A howl echoed in the streets of Atlanta. Nero's panther raged inside of him, hissing at the sound. The Citizens had released only a handful this time, but had done so in full view of civilians.

Remmus, the technopath who'd discovered it, had barely had enough time to gather a team. Nero and Eden, along with Jeremiah and Zia, had arrived on scene surrounded by a mixed team of immortals. The vampires were the most necessary piece of the puzzle: no human could remember what happened here.

Rabid wolves leapt from the truck only moments after they arrived. Rukia's gifts fogged the air within seconds, rendering low visibility that had humans scattering—unless that was the effect of an imminent wolf attack.

With Eden by his side, Nero's blade sung through the first of a pair of wolves headed toward a building. Behind him, his mate wielded a long katana given to her by her sire, protecting his back.

By her own request, Eden had entered intensive combat training, and nearly every immortal nation was contributing to her education. Nina was personally invested in seeing her newest fledgling learn the ropes, and Aidan was equally as immersed. The original werewolf had claimed her for his own personal pack.

Another howl refocused Nero.

The second predator launched into the air before Nero could extract his blade from the dying werewolf at his feet. Eden caught the wolf in a headlock, pausing only a moment for Nero to confirm its mind was gone.

With her vampiric speed and werewolf's strength, she was an unstoppable force … and his greatest ally. Eden was a natural fighter. For a woman who'd studied fiction and fantasy her entire life, she took to the battlefield as though she'd been born for it.

It didn't take long before the immortal team cleared the field. The fog remained to cover any trace of their temporary victory.

They couldn't rest on their laurels. The Citizens no longer cared about keeping their secrets. Their intent was to devastate immortalkind, and with it, turn them from myths into monsters. Nero would do everything in his power to keep it from happening.

In a voice filled with sorrow over the senseless loss, Zeke said, "I'll teleport them back to our clan lands for a pyre."

Aidan nodded.

The despair that once burned so deeply in the alpha had cooled slightly. Though tonight had taken its toll on him—as did every night where he was forced to hunt his own kind—Eden's presence had been helping.

As if knowing she was needed, Nero's mate closed the distance between her and the original werewolf. She encircled Aidan in her arms, and he immediately embraced her back.

There was a peace that only she could comfort him with—an omega's peace. Nero hadn't believed it until he'd witnessed her in action. The stress that Aidan had been holding in a roiling pit of despair, soothed and dripped away as he took solace in Eden's presence.

Is it helping?

Eden's telepathic voice whispered into Nero's mind. It'd been two weeks since she'd developed the ability to speak with him telepathically.

Nina, and others of Nero's clan, had guessed it had to do with the fact that Eden was a hybrid, the combination of both werewolf and vampire immortal cells. She'd been created out of adversity, healed by necessity, and had flourished in diversity.

One of a kind.

It figured that she'd develop abilities only the oldest werewolves and vampires had shown. Nero had taken pride when he'd made the discovery, and Eden had instantly set about researching everything on the topic she could find in the one place that held many answers: their archive room.

Yes, professor, he replied. Thank you. But now we should hurry, we can't very well be late for our own mating ceremony.

As the remainder of the deployment team vanished, so did Eden and Nero. The moment they materialized in their bedroom, Eden's mouth was on his.

It was passionate, possessive, and far too pleasurable. His panther purred as he devoured his mate, and Nero found himself nearly calling off the ceremony to enjoy an afternoon alone with her.

She reared back mid-kiss, adopting an admonishing look when he whimpered. "Bad kitty. We have places to be, Nero, things to do."

"Can't we just stay here and—"

"Nope." She grinned. "It's funny. When we met, all you ever did was go from task to task, and now you're the one hoping to cancel. My, how Coffee Shop has changed."

"Like you're one to talk. The only time you weren't alone was when you were teaching, and now you're constantly surrounded by immortals of all kinds."

She stood on her toes to place a chaste kiss on his lips. "We're good for each other, I think."

It was the truth. Before they'd met, Nero had been suffocated by responsibility. His mind had never rested, and it had led to insomnia and the constant urge to keep moving. Eden had taught him how to center himself—to set and protect boundaries instead of always keeping them open. While he encouraged her to seek new horizons, she would always center him: she was his home.

"It's bad luck to see the bride on her wedding day," she taunted. "See you at the altar, Coffee Shop."

She was gone before he could pull her back in for another kiss. Panther prowling under his skin, Nero readied himself before their guests started arriving. It was two hours later that he stood alongside the other members of the Peace Accords, waiting for his bride.

Zeke, who was typically the quietest member of any gathering, offered him a genial smile. "Ready for this?"

"Eleven centuries ready."

They moved collectively toward the outdoor area that'd been decorated with rustic accents. It was nearly ten at night, and the moon had just begun rising. Sobering, he clapped Zeke on the shoulder and held tight.

"Nina has my deepest gratitude for what she did for Eden."

"It wasn't just for Eden, Nero. It was for you, too." Zeke's tone conveyed the depth of his sincerity. "You've been confidants for centuries, and friends for the better portion of your lives. There's little she wouldn't do for you, and I've a feeling the sentiment is mutual."

Swallowing against the thick emotion that suddenly seemed to choke him, Nero nodded and squeezed Zeke's shoulder again before releasing him. Nothing else needed to be said.

By the time he'd stood at the altar, he'd regained some semblance of control over his burgeoning emotions.

When Eden appeared at the end of the aisleway, his every thought fled. Fighting leathers, a deep, robust shade of emerald that complemented her vibrant red hair, clung to her curvy frame in a way that instantly made his blood heat.

Hope, adoration, and confidence infused her smile, as though she could barely contain her happiness. Glass-green eyes shimmered, illuminated by the firelit torches that bracketed the aisle. Everything about her was marvelous. And she was his .