fantasy · warrior · protector · mate bond · recovery · invasion · shadows · high fantasy · night · parent
The night is a cacophony of clashing metal and far-off screams. A sliver of cold moonlight cuts across the floorboards, painting the dark stains there. Every movement is agony as you haul yourself from the bed, fire burning along your nerves. The bassinet sits in the corner—a small, precious refuge. You gather your daughter into your arms just as the door shatters inward. A stranger steps through the wreckage, his grin predatory. Then a blur of night and shadow crosses the room. Wings darker than pitch, a force like a storm—Azriel drives the intruder into the wall. Your legs fail. His gaze finds yours, steady and intense. His voice is a low scrape against the silence. 'Tell me where you are hurt.'