A COURT OF SHIFTERS AND SECRETS

F O U R T Y - O N E

Nova 

"Hey Baby," he whispered huskily to me, locking that pretty amber gaze of his with mine as he twirled a strand of my hair around his calloused finger "Did you miss me?" 

"What kind of question is that?" My gaze scanning his face as I looked for any sign of pain or discomfort "Of course I missed your snarky ass. It was quiet here without you." 

The smile he gave me had butterflies fluttering in my stomach because it was so different than his usual snarky grins or cocky smirks. 

It lit up his entire face, making him appear younger and softer, and more like the twenty-one year old that he is. 

My index finger lightly traced from his temple to the edge of his jaw and his smile widened even more before gently cupping my cheek with his large hand. 

I closed my eyes and placed my hand on top of his, gripping it tightly. 

"You really scared us Atlas" I whispered, my heart aching for some unknown reason "You scared me. We...I...thought you weren't going to make it." 

"Baby," he whispered just at soft as I did "No matter what happens, no matter how far away we've from each other, know that I'd always come back to you. That's my vow to you, forever and always." 

"You can't promise me that" I said, closing my eyes as his thumb swept across my cheek in a soothing motion "Especially not after what just happened." 

"A minor inconvenience" I felt him shrug underneath me like it was no big deal "The thing caught me off guard. It won't happen again." 

My eyes snapped open as I pulled away, glaring down at him harshly. 

"You make it sound as you accidentally broke your arm" I snapped "And not nearly fucking died at the jaws of a monster." 

"Nova..." 

"No, after the stupidity you just spewed, you don't get to say anything" I said, glaring down at him as my hair curtained us in this private, heated moment "Now I don't know if you think that because of your namesake, you're invincible and shit but let me remind you that you nearly fucking died out there. In fact, you were literally in the Grim Reaper's grip before Amethyst was able to bring you back to the land of the living. I watched that thing attack you. I heard the anguished howls of pain you released no matter how hard you tried to keep them in. I felt your blood soak through my clothes and stain my fingers" 

I gripped his face tightly in my hands, making sure he understood the importance of my words. 

"So don't diminish the severity of what just happened to you" I growled, anger radiating through my chest "And don't make promises that you and I both know you won't be able to keep. The world we live in, the world you dragged me into, is too dangerous for that."