Dark Empathy Archibald Bradford (best books to read in your 20s TXT) 📖

Part of her soul died with her bond-mate, and now she would have to learn to live without it.

The greatest fear of any bonded monster.

He was still in her mind when Volka caught up to him, joining him in comforting the poor creature.

Working together with his angel, the young Empath soon had her in a state where her friends and colleagues could take care of her through her grief.

Which was just as well, as Nameless needed to take care of himself; he was physically and emotionally drained from the day’s activities and from dealing with the wrecked monster girl.

As Volka feared, he was coming apart at the seams just a little bit.

“Husband?”

She phrased the single word as a question as she reached out to his bruised cheek.

He pressed two fingers from each hand into his eyes, he and Volka were sitting on another cot, the others at a respectful distance.

“I’m okay.”

Despite his words, his voice sounded miserable.

“That’s a relief.” She remarked drily as she folded one wing around him.

He looked up, staring straight ahead with red-rimmed eyes.

“I have to be.” He wiped at his nose with the back of one hand as he sought to focus; “Where are the others?”

She tilted her head down and sideways to examine his haunted features.

He had dealt with the grief of monster girls before, but never when it was so fresh, and never through the loss of a bond-mate. The guilt and rage of the Tenebrae he had encountered was almost trivial compared to the inescapable sorrow brought about by losing the center of one’s world.

“They are still helping with the search of the machine shop.” She answered after a few moments; “They are working under Grant’s supervision. He will keep them out of trouble.”

She nudged against him, her arm going over his shoulder as her wing folded itself tighter around him.

“You did well today, every step of the way. We are all proud of you. Your parents would be proud of you.”

He felt as if she was trying to make him cry, and indeed she was attempting to draw out his emotions.

Better he process them now, with her, then let them build up inside.

And so, at her coaxing, he asked a question that he had been struggling with for some time.

“Why does it never feel like I’m doing enough?”

She absorbed his words, and felt the emotions behind them through their bond, but didn’t say anything for a long time, merely held him tighter.

Eventually she turned and kissed the side of his head, then pressed her lips to his ear.

“Because you are a fucking moron.”

With her tongue she pulled his lobe between her teeth and pressed them together slightly, not enough to cause pain, but enough to remind him that she had little patience for self-pity.

He tensed up at the reminder that there were others who had far more to worry about, but didn’t shy away from her.

After a moment she released his tender flesh from between her teeth and let out a heavy sigh.

“My love, my husband... my heart. You are but a single man, however gifted. We each of us have our roles to play... and our limitations. I, for example, cannot rub my belly and pat my head at the same time, but that is my burden to bear.” Despite the silliness of her words, her tone was serious; “Today you did everything that you could be reasonably asked to do, plus some more besides. Now stop moping. If you really feel you need to do more, then let us go and do more! We can join up with the others and help with the search of the machine shop.”

He drew in a deep breath to steady himself, then nodded.

“Alright, let’s go do more.”

Chapter 42:In the Dark

It was a long day after that, with an enormous amount of work to be done cataloguing all of the weapons and processing all of the prisoners.

A few of the less hardened ones were selling out anyone and everyone they could in hopes of getting lighter sentences when all was said and done. The task force made a few more arrests that very day, even in some of the fancier neighborhoods as decades of corruption were unearthed.

While the Aegis toiled Cordelia and Christine had taken it upon themselves to feed everyone, since they were operating out of the hive as much as the local Aegis office.

Renaldo would have a lot of baking to do the following day, as even Bruti was full.

As it turned out Cordelia’s worry was unnecessary, as not a single Hornet was lost, Oldeera and her hive having learned the harsh lesson regarding flamers in the past.

When night finally fell, Nameless was dog tired.

Together with his bond-mates they sought their bunks in the Aegis compound. Before they got there though Grant took him to one side to check in with him.

“Hell of a day cadet, you doing alright?”

Stifling a yawn, Nameless shrugged, unsure of what to say.

Grant nodded, scratching at his neck.

“Yeah, it was a hell of a day, we won’t be doing much tomorrow. Bruti is going to be asleep until well into the morning, so don’t expect to be up at dawn or anything.” The training officer stifled a yawn; “I sure won’t be.”

Still Nameless didn’t say anything, just nodded.

Grant grimaced slightly.

“Look, I know this is kind of awkward, we’ve known each other for like three minutes, but I am responsible for you. Today was… way more than any cadet I’ve ever worked with had to face all at once, so if you need to talk or anything, I’m here.”

He was right, it was awkward.

Fortunately, Volka specialized in awkward.

Grant yelped and