Compelled (Shadow Beast Shifters, #5)

by Jaymin Eve

Pain was odd in that, if the initial shock didn’t kill you, your body adjusted. Your pain threshold grew so you could handle more than you ever thought possible. Once the first burst of pain registered, I was able to compartmentalize it so I could go back to figuring out who was in the room with me.

The gong from before started up again, and it was louder than ever, the vibrations picking up tempo as the volume increased. It went on and on, filling the space and shaking the walls until the crumble of rock turned into large boulders. They landed all around me, but nothing hit the water or my broken body. Instead, it was as if the fabric of reality was being destroyed. I could only hope it was breaking to be rebuilt.

Whatever weakness I’d felt from her over the last year was gone as the final cohesion between vampire and shifter occurred. She was whole. Brilliant and strong. Smart and lethal.

It tore apart the sliver of rationality I’d managed to hold on to, and as I raged through the darkness, I was nothing more than need and instinct. Need to save my mate and instinct to destroy whoever held her.

At this point, Carter truly lost his mind, grabbing the sides of the metal bathtub, and hefting it at me in one solid thrust. I had no idea how heavy it was, but as I braced myself, I caught it with ease. Not just caught it but threw it back so fast that I even took the vampires by surprise.

I’d been strong, and now I got to be needy, fully embracing the multifaceted nature of my personality.

“I don’t know how I missed your soul through the centuries, but I’m so fucking glad I found this version of you.”

“You are the only one I want in my fantasy world, Bee,” he murmured. “You won’t ever have to escape into books again. Any adventure you desire, we’ll find it.”

My father might have prepared me for torture, but no one had prepared me for this sort of love. Love that I was excited to experience and grow into over the years. I would never take any moment for granted.

“I knew you’d love it. I’ve been throwing myself into getting this ready while I panicked about what was happening in Valdor. I wanted you to return to all my love for you.”

“Permission to touch,” he murmured, staring up at me like a golden god of destruction. My destruction.

“Fuck,” I groaned. “You’re not playing fair.” He strode over to me, only a head taller now that I wore heels. “I play to win.”

“Welcome to the world, Aurora,” he called. “You are the epitome of Sunshine and Shadow meeting at the dawn of each day, and you are our perfect creation.”

I wasn’t a mother and didn’t understand the bond, especially when I’d never had it with my parents. I imagined that it would be hard to let your child go… those perfect pieces of your soul.

CrimsonBee forever.