Lion of Midnight (29 page)

Authors: Aliyah Burke

Love defeats all.

Nik thought about the words, but then, the man said something else. “The hilt says, ‘Bleed the snowflake ~ save the lion.’ So, you see, Loki. You bled the snowflake. I suggest you leave before I return this sword to him.”

Nik howled in anger when his nemesis vanished. “Not fair! He took my salvation. If I can’t kill him, then kill me.”

Freya stepped forward, only to be stopped. The powerful man looked at him. “Do you know who I am?”

“No.”
And I don’t care.

“I am Svetoid.”

Nik looked at the god he used to worship. He bowed his head slightly.

Lips turned up in a smile. “Here is your sword, Nikolas Andreyevich. Now, you have two choices.”

αβ

Nik walked along the path. The wind ruffled his hair. Closing his eyes briefly, he abruptly changed direction. He moved faster until he reached the building he sought. Until he arrived to the door he wanted, he never slowed. With a trembling hand, he turned the knob. It was open. Entering in silence, he closed the door behind him before progressing on. He could feel the tension in his shoulders. In the doorway, he hesitated as his fists clenched. Then, he moved in, and his breath left him in a rush.

In morning’s early light, he saw Cleo lying there on the bed.

“Cleo,” he murmured, hurrying to her side and sinking on the mattress. She didn’t move. Cupping her cheek, he pressed a kiss to her lips. When he pulled back, her eyes slowly opened, going from unfocused to focused. They lingered on his face before a tender smile lifted her full lips.

“It worked, then?” she asked gently.

“It worked.” Nik slipped his arms around her and gathered her close to him, pressing every inch he could to her. “Half of me wants to beat you for even trying that,” he growled.

“I love you, Nikolas,” she said in response.

Lips to her temple, he whispered, “I love you, too, woman. And, I swear, you
ever
do anything so foolish again, and I’ll—”

“Shut up and kiss me, Nik,” she interrupted.

Nik did. He made slow love to her mouth while laying them back on the bed. His blood burned for her.

“My love, my salvation,” he muttered in Russian. “I love you more than my next breath.”

“I feel the same about you, Nik,” Cleo said in words the same decibel as his, her hands slipping under his shirt and along his back.

What?
Drawing back, he lost himself in her eyes. “When did you learn Russian?”

“I asked for some help.” Her gaze sparkled.

“Freya?”

Cleo nodded. “Is it truly over, Nik?”

“Yes. Loki won’t bother us anymore. Your sacrifice made it possible.” He frowned. “Did you even think it may
not
work?”

“Freya said it would set you free, and that’s all that mattered to me.”

“Don’t you know it’s
my
job to protect
you
?”

Her short nails dug into his back, and he answered with a low growl. Lowering his blond head to her dark one, Nik made love to her, and for the rest of the day, they barely left each other’s sight, much less the bed. That night, as they lay, limbs intertwined, slumbering, Nik woke to a feather-like touch in his mind.

Goodbye, mortal.

Nik opened his eyes and saw Freya standing there. Her gaze was kind, as was the look on her face.

Goodbye, goddess. Thank you for allowing me to find a love like Marcus and Kit have.

She smiled and disappeared. In his hand, he felt the cool metal of a necklace warming against his skin. In the muted light, he held it up and smiled. Closing his eyes, Nik finally slept. Content in the knowledge the woman in his arms was his for the rest of their lives.

Epilogue

Eighteen months later

Cleo smiled as she lifted the tray up higher to avoid the running children. Setting it down safely on the picnic table already teeming with food, she touched Kit on the shoulder and was rewarded with a large grin.

“Chaos reigns,” Kit said happily.

“Ain’t it great.” Cleo rubbernecked over the people there. All her friends and family. Including the family she’d grown apart from during her marriage to David. They were having a party at her and Nik’s place. He’d bought land adjacent to his brother and built them a home. With a sigh, she sighted down to the wedding ring on her hand. A warm feeling washed over her, and she pulled her gaze from the diamond and sapphire wedding set to spot the ever-attentive eyes of her husband upon her.

Husband.
After David, she’d really never believed she would wed, again. But Nikolas Andreyevich changed all of that. He meant the world to her.

Nik winked at her before holding Kenya’s daughter, Kamden Zyanya Strong, closer to him and putting his attention back on the men he stood with. Cleo smiled before heading back in to get more food. On her heels followed her two dogs. Borzoi. One male, extremely pale cream, who looked white and whose name was Monarch. And his sister, elegant and refined, black with white trim. Her name was Pantera.

Alone except for her dogs in the spacious kitchen, she smiled as her hand drifted to the necklace she wore, and she touched the pendant. It was a silver rectangle within which sat a standing male lion. He had one paw outstretched touching a delicate snowflake. All along the edge of the rectangle, she felt the etching and smiled. It was Meroitic script, and the words brought her comfort.
A snowflake for the Lion of Midnight.

“Everything okay,
snežinka
?” Nik’s timbre purred in her ear while his hands settled along her hips.

Leaning back into him, Cleo sighed. “
Da
. Just got lost in thought.”

“Good thoughts?” He kissed the sensitive skin behind her ear.

“Of course. I was thinking of the necklace, Freya, and everything that’s happened.”

Nik enfolded her into his embrace. “I love you,” he whispered.

“And I you.”

He turned her so they were face to face, and Cleo saw the furrow between his eyes. She reached up to smooth it away, and he caught her hand, kissing her fingertips.

“
Snežinka
, what’s wrong?” He tilted his head, the sun gleaming off his blond hair. “And, don’t tell me nothing. I can feel your sadness.”

“I’m just going to miss everyone.”

“Are we going somewhere?” he asked, tucking some hair behind her ear.

Cleo smiled. She loved how Nik was. It was always them together. Not that he would stop her from traveling alone, or not go without her, he just liked to assume they would be together. So did she.

“I hope so.”

“Was there somewhere else you wished to go for a while? Italy? Brazil?”

“Russia.”

“Russia?”

Sliding her arms around his neck, she nodded. “Yes. I’ve been okayed to teach over there for at least a year in Novgorod.” She watched his expression.

“Of course we can go,
snežinka
. Why didn’t you say anything before? And why now?”

“I wanted to make sure they agreed first. And
now,
because,” she dropped her hands and grabbed his, “I think our firstborn should be born in his father’s homeland.” Cleo placed their joined hands over her womb.

“Cleo,” he gasped, looking between her face and where their hands lay. “A baby?”

“A baby.”

Her legs trembled when he dropped to his knees and placed his hands on either side of her belly. His strong fingers caressed her gently, and he looked up at her. Cleo felt tears prick the backs of her eyes when she witnessed them in his.

With a single motion, Nik rose tall and moved his hands to cradle her face. His thumbs skimmed her lips before his mouth covered hers. Cleo whimpered as he stroked her, creating a burning fire within her. When her body sank into his and her toes had long since curled, he withdrew just until she could lose herself into his eyes.

“You have made me the happiest man in the world,
snežinka
. Thank you for giving me a child.”

“I love you, Nikolas Andreyevich.”

“And, I love you, Cleopatra Andreyevich. Come, let’s go share the news with our family and friends.”

Even as their guests offered cheers and congratulations, Cleo had eyes for only one man. A man who had made her believe in love, again. A man who she knew would sacrifice it all for her. And, for whom, she’d do the same.

He’d been born of a different time and survived to be with her. Like he told her, she was one of a kind. Unique. A snowflake. They were right, she was…

A Snowflake for the Lion of Midnight.

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