Undying Hate | Book Three

Thirty-four | Connected

"Kitten?"

"Elias?"

"Where are we? And- why are you crying? Sylvie-"

Sylvie screamed and threw herself against him, wrapping her arms so tightly around his neck she thought she heard it creak.

Shouting and shuffling outside the cocoon became a background noise as she coated his face in kisses.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." Her Lycan abilities were gone, as was the mind link, but she'd give those up a thousand times to have Elias in her arms. She thought of the Fates and the strange creature in the oasis and sent her thanks as she kissed every inch of his face.

The roots receded as her grief ebbed, and hands tore them away from the pair.

Elias blinked at the intruders wearily as Sylvie poked and squished his face between her hands. She just had to make sure it was real. He was back. 

She turned and squinted at Rowan, Kian, Claudine and Rosie. 

They could see this, right? 

She hadn't completely lost the plot. But they weren't speaking. 

Why weren't they speaking? 

Her stomach knotted with dread, but when she gazed at Elias' his confused expression only made her giddy. A laugh bubbled on her lips.

"What the fuck?" Claudine spoke first and reached down, poking Elias in the chest. He grunted and scowled. 

"What are you doing, shifter?"

"No fucking way."

"Sylvie-" Rowan's voice cut off as Elias sat up, adjusting Sylvie on his lap and wrapping his arms loosely around her hips. 

Oh god, his touch. She would never take any of him for granted again.

"What is it?" Elias narrowed his eyes. "I'm still mad at you, kitten. Don't get too comfortable."

She laughed and buried her face into his chest as the others talked over one another. Laughing in the face of his annoyance would probably lead to her getting spanked, but that was okay. She'd take each sexually charged smack without complaint. He was back. He was really back.

"Stop talking. All of you." Elias stood, climbed out of the hole that looked too close to a grave for Sylvie's comfort, and placed her on the ground.

"Kian."

Kian looked from Elias to Sylvie and back again. The dark bags under his eyes reminded her of the days after rescuing him from Lazuli. He was hurting. He was probably mad at Sylvie. She knew she deserved it. She'd apologise to him as soon as the shock had worn off. 

His lips moved, but nothing came out.

That only made Elias pricklier, his shoulders squaring. "Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on!"

"How?" Rosie asked meekly, her eyes full of wonder. She stared at Sylvie like she held the moon in her palm.

"How what?" Elias asked, his tone getting more grumpy, a hint of concern laced in.

"You were dead," Claudine said finally—zero tact. Sylvie couldn't even care. She just hid her face in his side. She wanted to breathe him in, but he sidestepped, moving out of reach.

"What are you talking about?"

Oh boy, this was about to get messy. Did she do something wrong? Besides a few books she'd read, she wasn't exactly familiar with the rules or customs of necromancy. It was usually frowned upon.