Chapter Eight
Cedar crouched low inside the frozen cave she’d built, listening to Daryn as he explained the shiften creation story the way it was passed down to him by his ancestors. Of how the goddess Rhen had needed help protecting humans from the demon Khain who was bent on destroying them.
Of how one night she’d asked a pack of wolves to help her, and together they fought the demon back. She gave them each a small piece of her body, which allowed them to shift into human. Those wolves became the first wolven, or wolf shiften and were tasked with helping her protect humans.
Of how later, Rhen found a group of bears who were using their paws to tamp out the fires Khain left in his wake. She gave the bears a piece of her also, and these became the first bearen, who were to keep humans safe from fire.
Of how Rhen ran through the forest chasing the demon even in her weakened state, having given so much of herself to the animal army she was accruing, and almost ran over a cliff. A mountain lion jumped in front of her, roaring for her to stop, and saved her life that night. She put a piece of herself inside the mountain lion, and found others as well. These became the first fellen, or feline shiften.
And finally, of how his own kind came to be.
“Later, Rhen lost track of Khain and needed help finding him by air as she was too weak to continue scouting the globe for him. She’d given nearly all of herself away at that point, to save humankind from destruction…”
An electric lantern from Daryn’s supplies lit the dark cavern and the storm outside raged on. He’d laid out a water barrier and their sleeping bags for them to sit on, and now he was pulling packages of non-perishable food rations from his pack and passing them to her. She had granola bars in her bag, but she hardly cared what she was filling her stomach with now.
She only wanted to know what Daryn knew. I know exactly what you are.
And then, if what he revealed wasn’t too terrible, maybe he’d kiss her again. In that soul-shattering way he did outside.
She’d never felt anything like that before.
“… so an eagle landed to rest beside her after a long flight. The bird had heard stories of the great battle between good and evil on earth, and knew what side he would choose. Rhen told the eagle, ‘I am weak and cannot find my enemy. Will you help?’ And the eagle crowed a plea to any bird who would listen, gathering a flock of them to fly the skies, looking for Khain.”
“Did they find him?”
Daryn nodded. “They did. And the wolven attacked, leaving the demon injured once more.”
“Let me guess,” Cedar interrupted, too excited to let him finish. “Rhen gave the birds a piece of her body.”
Daryn’s blue gaze shone as he finished the story. “They became the first bird shiften. She named them avien and asked them to watch over humans from the sky.”
“Wow,” Cedar whispered.
Daryn passed her a pouch of something he’d warmed using a heat pack. It looked like mashed potatoes but she couldn’t be sure.
“So that’s what you do. In the Coast Guard. You watch out for humans from the skies.”
“Yes.”
“Are there more of you?”
He frowned. “Lots. Not as many as the wolven or bearen or fellen. But enough. Not that you need to know any of them. Ever.”
She eyed him as she sucked some half-warm goop from her meal bag.
Was he… jealous?
“Is that right? Why, are they hot like you?”
He jerked his gaze to her, looking all fierce like he did out in the snow. It sent a lightning bolt of desire through her center.
“No. They are all ugly. Man-hags, all of ‘em.”
“Uh huh. I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true. But it doesn’t matter because you’re mine.”
Cedar froze. Wow, did that hit her hard. Square in the chest, where her heart was thumping truth truth truth…
She felt like his. She had since the moment she’d opened her eyes to a little hint of island on a snowy mountain.
But… what did it mean? To be his?
“You said you know what I am. So tell me, please,” she whispered. “How do I fit into all of this?”
His gaze softened. “Fit in. Is that something you’ve always longed for, Cece? To fit in?”
Blood rushed to her cheeks but she nodded, admitting it to him in the dark of the cave.
“You aren’t just a piece of this world,” Daryn rumbled. “You’re the future of it. You’re the answer to everything. You were born to find me. Me alone. And I was born to protect you, love you, make you smile… which I’ve done tonight. At least five times.”
“Which part?”
His blue eyes burned hot. “All three at various times in the past few hours. But I plan on doing a lot more. Tonight, and also for every night after this one. Understand?”
Cedar chewed at her lip. She got what he was saying. He wanted to be with her. Forever. It was fast, but she’d be lying to herself if she said she didn’t want it too. What he was offering was exactly what she’d always wanted for her life.
Someone who could accept her powers without thinking she was strange. Who looked at her like he did, like she was special, not weird.
But was this more selfishness on her part? Was this her new adrenaline addiction, being with Daryn? Was she just moving from one high to another?
“What am I?” she asked, almost afraid of the answer. Somehow, she knew it would change everything for her. Her life, her business, her wants and needs. They were all hanging on what Daryn told her next.
Was she ready?
Daryn sighed, his expression growing grim. “As Rhen grew weaker and weaker, Khain knew the shiften were his greatest obstacle. So he figured up a cunning way to end them. In one fell swoop, he killed the shiften females. A few survived the demon’s poison but most were gone, leaving only the males. Including children.”
“No,” Cedar gasped. He killed them all? “When? When did this happen?”
“Many years ago. Khain thought with no females to perpetuate the race, shiften would eventually die out and he’d have free reign of the humans. But Rhen called for help, and the angel, Azerbaizan, was moved by her mourning. He came to earth for forty days, mating with thousands of human women all over the world, to create females who would someday be strong enough to mate with shiften.”
Cedar held her breath, instinctually knowing what was coming next.
“You are one of those females.”
“No,” she breathed.
“Yes. The prophecy states, In twenty-five years, half-human, half-angel mates will be discovered living among you. Warriors, all. With names like flora. Save them from themselves, for they will not know their foreordination,” he recited quietly. “You are twenty-five, pretty damn badass, and I’m guessing Cece is short for something. Am I right?”
She could hardly breathe, but somehow she answered, “Cedar. My name is Cedar.”
Daryn’s gaze glowed. “Cedar.” His whisper sounded like he was testing her name on his lips.
“What else do you know?”
“Her body may respond to any, until she is mated in a ceremony of her choosing, then she will acknowledge only one male as he becomes her One True Mate. And he will be sworn to her and her purpose of rebuilding the shiften race, so that they may fight the evil demon and protect humans from him.”
The darkness from her nightmares. Could it be the demon she was meant to fight? Was it her instinct trying to tell her all along that she had a higher purpose than making really awesome makeup products?
Her soul settled inside, telling her this was right. This was why she’d never felt at home in her world.
“I’m adopted,” she murmured absently. “My nanny used to tell me stories of humans who could turn into animals. But my parents… I don’t think they know.”
“What happened to her? Your nanny?”
“She disappeared when I was young. Moved to be closer to family, I was told. Do you think… do you think she’s shiften?”
Daryn shook his head. “I don’t know.”
She stared at him. “So, my powers. I have them because I’m part angel?”
He nodded.
“I don’t feel like an angel.”
This brought a quiet chuckle as he grazed her cheek with his thumb. “You feel like one to me.” Under his touch her cheek heated once again.
“So, my dream of a simple life. It’s pretty much never going to happen, is it? Not if I’m meant to fight a darkness I’m only beginning to understand.”
His happy expression dimmed. “I don’t know about simple, love. I can’t promise you that. But we can give it our best shot. If you’re willing. If you want me. Because no one will try harder than me to make you happy. That’s a promise I can make. And will make every day of our lives.”
“I believe you,” she whispered. “You let your crew fly off and leave you on a mountain, stranded with me. When you could have just shifted and flown away.”
He inched closer, gripping her neck like he needed her badly.
“I’d never leave my mate alone.”
“Did you know even then?”
“I knew you were special. Didn’t know how, but my heart told me. I flew down to you when the snow buried you.”
“You did?”
He nodded. “Dug you free with my hands. Panicked hard when I found you weren’t breathing. Was angry, wondering how the hell I was supposed to keep you warm all night.”
“I know some ways we can stay warm.” She sucked in a sharp breath at his expression.
His hand had found her hip and he squeezed it hard. “My woman teases, but I need to know if you’re serious.”
“Mating is serious.”
He nodded. “Very serious to me.”
“This is happening so fast,” she reminded, and his expression softened.
“I know. But do you want to try?” He cradled her cheeks with his hands, saying his next words with so much vigor her heart flopped over in her chest. “When they come for us tomorrow, stay with me in Alaska. Give us a chance. Let me show you I can make you happy.”
She already knew that was what she wanted. Wanted it more than anything.
But… her business.
Sell it.
Her family.
Visit them often.
Her…
There was nothing else. This was where she belonged. With him, her Maldives in winter. Her rugged savior. Her raven.
She nodded once. “I want to try. With you, I want to try hard.”
He nodded, as if they were shaking on it, a promise in his gesture.
And then his lips crashed down on hers.