Immortal Rapture: Immortal Heart (13 page)

He sure as hell hoped not… The gorgeous woman and beautiful child in front of him had just become his everything. He wasn’t sure he could move through the world without both of them. He leaned in and pressed his lips to Makiah’s forehead again and then to Marie’s lips before he slipped through the door and made his way to the kitchen.

“I wouldn’t have guessed
nymph,” Makyle said from the living room, his back to Uriah as he walked by.

“Pardon?” Uriah asked, stopping to look into the living room.

“So posh, Uriah, I can taste her magic in the air just as I know you can. I wouldn’t have thought nymph, not after what Izzy became.”

Uriah stared at the back of Makyle’s head but said nothing…
There wasn’t really anything to say.

“Seems she won’t need me to bring forward her Fae side… you know what that means?”

Uriah narrowed his eyes. “Not really, no.”

Makyle smiled even though he knew Uriah couldn’t see him. “I think you’d better do some research on nymphs, their magic binds…
Your magic has called to hers.”

Uriah didn’t say anything else as he made his way to the kitchen and prepared a bottle for his son.

Samira watched Uriah disappear down the hall before she turned back to Makyle. “You’re such an asshole.”

He chuckled. “Why do you say that?”

“You’re messing with him!”

Makyle shook his head. “Oh no, I am not
. Nymph magic does in fact bind with other nymph magic.”

“He’s not a nymph
,” she said with exasperation.

“No, but she is also part Reaper. Their magic will bind.”

***
*

Marie lifted her gaze to Uriah as he entered the room shaking the bottle. He made his way to the bed
, and she handed Makiah to him with a smile gracing her lips. Catching the look on his face, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head as he adjusted Makiah to feed him. “Nothing… Just something Makyle said.”

She scoffed and settled back into the bed on her side to watch Uriah feed his son. “What did he say to you?”

“He said something about nymphs and their magic binding.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What does that mean?”

Uriah smiled at her as he settled back against the headboard. “I don’t really know, but we can find out when we get to the Middle World.”

“Why are you worried about it though?”

“Because, I don’t want magic influencing anything you decide over the next few days. I don’t want it to be why you stay.”

She sat back up to run her hand over Makiah’s head before she leaned in and pressed her lips to Uriah’s cheek. “Uriah, look at me.”

His gaze lifted from his son to her smiling face. “Impulsive has always been my way. I doubt that has anything to do with magic. What I feel here,” she tapped over her heart, “has everything to do with
who
you are, not
what
. I don’t think magic could influence me to want you any more than I have since I walked into Izzy’s house yesterday.”

Uriah laid Makiah down between the two of them and settled into bed. “You do realize what you’re doing to me, right?”

She smiled and closed her eyes, but said nothing. The real question was would he let her be what she truly wanted to be to him. Right there in the dark guest room of a former genie’s home, she had found her future, in the most unexpected of men. A Fae warrior and his little mismatched-eyed son. The bond she felt forming had nothing to do with magic and everything to do with unconditional love.

Makyle stood inside of a ring of salt and candles with Makiah in his arms. His brow arched as
Samira murmured words while circling them.

“You’d better not be trying to turn me into a frog or something,” he grumbled as he turned to follow her movements.

“I would never do that to the frog population. Now be quiet.”

Marie and Uriah waited in the corner, watching the spell unfold in front of them.

“They seriously need to just get it on,” Marie whispered to him.

Uriah chuckled and pulled her back against him. “Shh, don’t let him hear you say that.”

She shrugged. “She’s very pretty. He could do much worse and no better. I like her.”

Uriah nodded. “Me too.”

The candles flared and the salt caught fire, burning the full circle before flashing out.

“It’s done
,” Samira said, flicking the lights on.

“They’re cloaked?” Uriah asked as he and Marie moved out of the corner.

“Yes, you can safely return to the Middle World. The two of them are now shielded from both the Immortal Rulers and any seers that might be seeking them out. I can’t guarantee that there isn’t a witch powerful enough to break through the spell, but anyone looking to find them will be hard pressed to.”

Marie reached out and pulled
Sam to her. “Thank you.”

Samira
nodded. “You’re very welcome… Now, can I hold the little one before you all leave?”

Marie nodded and looked to Makyle. He grunted and reluctantly handed Makiah over to her. Marie laughed and produced a black business card. “When you’re ready to call in your
favor, here’s Uriah’s info. He’ll find a way to get the message to Makyle. If for some reason he decides to hold out on you, Uriah has agreed he owes you one, too.”

Samira
smirked as she lifted her gaze from Makiah’s smiling face to look at Marie. “Admitting that you owe a genie one could be dangerous.”

Makyle scoffed. “Good thing you are no longer a genie.”

“Protecting my son is worth anything you could need in the future. Feel free to call on us. Our security firm Hawk’s Eye also has an office in Desert Oasis. They always know how to find us in an emergency.”

Samira
nodded. “Thank you. For the first time in many years, this world doesn’t feel so lonely.”

Makyle sighed, his shoulders sagging. Every time she
spoke, he felt like a dick for having saved her. He still believed it to be the right thing since he was the one who had killed her, but there was no time to rehash the mistakes of the past or the unfair circumstances that most genies lived under. She had been one of the pure ones, taken advantage of by a power-hungry idiot who thought he could take the Underworld from him and his brothers. “Give me a minute. I’ll meet you on the roof.”

Samira
handed Makiah to Uriah and produced a blue-and-brown sling that she expertly wrapped around Marie, then held her hands out to Uriah. His brows furrowed as he handed Makiah back to her and watched as she slid him between the cloth and Marie. Grabbing some loose pieces of fabric, she cinched it down. She patted his bottom and smiled. “This should keep him a little safer during your flight.

“Thank you
,” Marie said as she grabbed the diaper bag. She and Uriah headed out of the apartment and up to the roof.

Samira
sighed as she watched them go. Forcing strength into her veins, she turned to Makyle, her hand falling to her hip. “I am assuming you want to speak with me.”

He took a deep breath. “How many decades is the attitude going to continue for?”

She snorted. “Are you serious right now?” He shrugged and leaned against the wall. “You’re an arrogant son of a bitch. How long are you going to pretend like you did nothing wrong?”

He growled at her, straightening from his leaning position.

“You don’t scare me, Makyle, unlike everyone else you encounter. I’ve already experienced your wrath. I am well aware of what you can do. I don’t fear you; there is nothing left for you to take from me.”

Makyle ground his teeth. Infuriating, that was the only word that could describe the beautiful woman in front of him. “Yes, I took part of your magic
—to save your life.”

“You just don’t get it… You took my magic and took my true freedom. I’m trapped in this lonely existence, just as I was trapped in that lamp. That is your fault.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’ve chosen to be alone and miserable.”

“Get out!”

Makyle stalked her, pressing her against the wall. His hands slammed against the drywall at the sides of her face, and he lowered his mouth to her ear. “Don’t let what you perceive as a slight and a loss ruin the potential this world has to offer. You have an endless life here. I suggest you try to enjoy it.”

“I fucking hate you.”

“Hate is a poisonous emotion.” He pulled back to brush his fingers against her pale skin. “Try a different one, Sam. This life doesn’t have to be lonely… You are free here.”

Her eyes welled as she tried to fight the emotions that were flooding her. She was pissed, sad, hurt
, and he was crowding her. Part of her loved the connection, the way his body seemed to form to hers as he tried to dominate her.

“I never meant to hurt you,
Sam. For that, I will apologize, but this life is your second chance. It is your freedom.”

With her face turned from
him, she whispered with little conviction, “Let me go.”

Makyle cupped her chin and forced her face to him. Her golden eyes shimmered
, and her lip seemed to quiver. Before he knew what he was doing, his lips had captured hers and his tongue was dipping into her mouth to taste her. For a brief moment, she let him. She even kissed him back before reality hit her and her teeth bit down on his bottom lip, only releasing him as a drop of his blood landed on her tongue. Makyle licked the remaining blood from his lip and couldn’t help but smile down at her.

“Get out
,” she said once more as she pushed past his arm and then disappeared down the hall. Makyle watched her go and sighed as he heard her bedroom door slam. He then moved to the roof to find Marie and Uriah waiting for him.

“What did you do?” Uriah asked as he eyed Makyle’s healing lip.

Makyle smirked. “I kissed her.”

Marie let out a burst of laughter. “Either it was really good, or you pissed her off.”

Makyle ran his thumb over his lip and grinned. “Both, in fact.”

She shook her head. “Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me.”

“Let’s go,” he said, lifting into the air.

Uriah pulled Marie to his chest
, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. “Hold on. We need to get high fast.”

She nodded
, and they followed Makyle. Once high enough that they couldn’t be seen from the ground, a portal opened and they were soon back in the Middle World.

Uriah didn’t settle for ease bringing them back to the Light Fae castle. He landed with Marie in his arms and Makyle at his side just outside of the front doors. He earned a few errant glances from the guards, but no one said a word… that was until they stepped inside to see a surprised and confused Izzy and Bain.

“What is going on?” Izzy asked as she rushed forward to cup Marie’s cheeks. “You okay?”

Marie smiled and nodded.

“Good, where’d the baby come from?”

Marie’s gaze shifted to Uriah. Uriah reached over and lifted Makiah from the sling. “He’s my son. Before you ask, no
, I didn’t know Jelena was pregnant.”

Bain’s brows arched. “Congratulations. May I?”

Uriah handed Makiah over to Bain, who took to the child instantly, studying his little features and talking to him. “Hey, little guy. Oh man, you poor thing, you even look like your father. Don’t worry, you’ll outgrow it.”

Izzy shook her head as she watched Bain, her hand reaching out to smack Makyle.

“What was that for? I’m not the one throwing insults around.”

“That’s for disappearing on me,” she said sternly before turning from Bain to throw her arms around Makyle. “I missed you. You abandoned me, you jerk.”

Makyle chuckled and squeezed her tightly. “I’m sorry. I was dealing with Jelena and Makiah.”

Izzy pulled back, a wide smile on her face as she looked to Uriah. “Is that his name?”

Uriah nodded. “Jelena named him… but I find the name very fitting.”

“Me too
.” She turned to Bain to watch him with the smiling baby. It was sexy as hell and gave her all kinds of ideas. Bain lifted his gaze, winked at her, and tapped the side of his nose.

Izzy bit her bottom lip. “My turn.”

Bain handed Makiah over and turned back to Uriah. “All joking aside, what’s going on?”

“We need to talk. How’s Cree today?”

Bain shrugged. “You know how it is. He gets a little better every day.”

“Good, let’s go get the others. Izzy, can you show Marie to my room and get Darnell to help you get a crib and some necessities together for him?”

“Of course. Come on, Marie, we have lots to talk about.”

Izzy and Marie made their way to the stairs. “To his room, huh?” Izzy whispered as she bumped shoulders with her little sister.