I stepped back. My mouth opened and closed as anger flashed in a defensive red wave. “How can you say that? You have no idea what you’re talking about,” I spat. “I’m quite happy with my life the way it is.”
What Marius said had some truth to it, and maybe that’s why I turned so defensive. I had been hiding from life in a way after I broke our engagement. Working so closely with Lucas and Zoe reminded me of what it was like to be in love. Yet, they brought out the best in each other and were happy. When I was with Marius, watching him venture down a darker path to seek power, moving farther away from me, had brought me tremendous pain.
“Yes, I know what you’re doing.” He released a weary sigh. “Chasing down teens pulling pranks with magic they don’t yet understand.”
How dare he insult me like this? “There’s more than that.” We’d prevented demons from opening a portal and unleashing chaos in Salem if not the world. “You know so little.”
“I know more than you think.”
“You faked your death.”
“I did what I had to.”
“Why?”
He watched me from across my living room but didn’t reply.
The old, familiar pain forced its way to the surface. “You let me grieve. Mourn for you.”
His green eyes softened. “It was better for you to think I was dead.”
That didn’t explain anything. Frustration churned like a tornado. I pointed at him. “You don’t get to decide what’s best for me.” I shook my head once, none of this making sense. “Why are you showing me you’re alive after all these years, anyway?”
“I already explained. I’m here to see you.”
I huffed from my nostrils. “That doesn’t explainwhy.” When he didn’t provide any additional information, I gestured in frustration. “How did you fake your death?”
His lips slipped into a secretive smile as he paced before me. “I’ve learned some skills over the years. Skills I can share with you.”
He’d promised something similar before we fell apart. He’d said we could be incredibly powerful together. I wanted nothing to do with whatever nefarious magic he’d toyed with, either then or now.
My heart panged. I remembered the man I once loved. No doubt, he’d achieved some of that power he’d sought, but at what cost? “Have you lost yourself in the darkness?”
Marius cocked his head and searched my face with an intense stare. “How happy are you hiding in the light?”
My skin felt stretched and uncomfortable as he probed deep into my psyche. I turned away and rubbed my shoulder as memories of our troubled end tumbled in. We’d been recklessly in love when we were young. When he’d proposed, I’d been deliriously happy. But Marius always danced on a dangerous edge, which might have been part of what attracted me to him. The destructive lure of a bad boy. I wasn’t the first woman tempted by one and unfortunately wouldn’t be the last.
He’d waltzed closer to the dark side of magic. It had tainted his mind and had created a wedge between us.
I’d tried to bring him back before he went too far, but it had been futile. He chose power over me. I’d broken our engagement, and he’d disappeared. I’d heard he’d been killed but couldn’t get any details of how or where. Weeks turned into months, and months turned into years. I had to accept that he was gone.
“I can see that you’re upset,” he said from behind me. “I’ll give you time to process everything. But don’t worry, I’ll be back for you.”
When I turned to face him, Marius was gone.
Had I imagined that entire episode?
After blinking several times to clear my vision I stepped forward and raised my hand. No, I didn’t imagine it. I sensed his vibrant energy in the space he’d been in my living room. Marius was alive.
I raised my trembling fingers to my mouth. Marius was back in Salem.
My heart thudded hard as if I’d caffeinated myself with guarana.
And promised he’d be back.
CHAPTER7
PANDORA
