Shadow Warriors

Chapter twenty-six

Sarah woke in Axin's tight hold in the massive bed at the cottage. She lay still, listening to him breathe peacefully beside her. The events of the last few days filled her mind.

She almost died. She almost lost everyone she cares about, and her future seemed more uncertain than ever before.

What will Lexi decide to do? She needed her friend in this. To talk to her about it all, and to have someone there besides Axin that she could turn to. She made a mental note to go see Lexi later. To find out how she was doing with all this, and to be there for her in case she was freaking out.

Jake had taken the side of his family. The family that cared about him. It still shocked Sarah that he and Axin were brothers. They still had a long way to go before things become normal between them. Axin and jake had history and not the kind that caused arguments at the Christmas table. They tried to kill each other, several times.

But Jake told them that he was willing to learn from Axin. To dig into the dragon side of him. Axin gave her his word that he would be there to help Jake with that, and Nilu would show Jake how to use his magic for good. To help him sustain the Shadow world.

Nilu couldn't be happier to have someone new under his wing. From the moment they got back to the shadow world, what little she saw of him, he spoke none stop about the plans he had for Jake. It made Sarah smile at the thought that she had a hand in helping such a lost soul find his place.

"What are you thinking about?" Axin's grumbled from next to her, his arms growing tighter around her.

"Just... everything."

He rolled onto his side, kissing the top of her head. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. I just want things to play out the way they're meant to."

He smiled. "How are you feeling?"

She took a moment to answer that question. With everything that happened, she should be locked in the nuthouse. But her mind felt at ease, accepting of everything she saw and went through. Even Axin devouring Fasia didn't bother her.

"I'm great. I thought I would have lost my mind by now, but... I get it. I understand it all, and I accept it."

He kissed the side of her head again. "I'm really happy to hear that. Because I have something to ask you."

She twisted in his hold to lay on her side, meeting his soft red eyes. "What's that?"

He watched her for a moment, narrowing his eyes as he thought.

"Just ask, Axin."

"Come live here with me."

Her smile fell as she frowned. "What?"

"I know it's fast, and you have a life in the living world, but I want you to come home to me at night... here. I thought about last night. We can use your apartment as a gateway of sorts. You and Lexi can go to work, and do the stuff you normally do in the living world, and at night, I will come to get you from your apartment and bring you here. Jake and I can't live in your world. It's too dangerous for us."

Too dangerous for you? You're indestructible, Axin."

She chuckled, "I meant it too dangerous for the people around us. Jake still has a lot to learn. He was raised in a world where changing into a dragon is nothing new. Imagine he gets pissed off in new York and changes. Or someone hurts Lexi by accident. Us dragons are a very protective breed. We don't take well to someone hurting what's ours."

The mention of Lexi brought her friend to mind. "How did Lexi take it all?"

"Fine. She's with Jake now, talking about it. It looks like they're getting back together. She loves him, and is willing to accept everything about him."