“I’ve been waiting for you, Skyla.”
The moonlight lights up his features, his bare chest, and I cup his cheek with my hand.
“What’s the verdict?” he whispers.
I curl up in his arms as Logan pulls me into his lap.
“I think we just took down the enemy once and for all.”
A smile flickers on his lips. “I always knew we would.”
23
Gage
There have been some dreams I’ve wished were realities, and there have been some realities I wished were dreams.
My lids beg to stay closed as I do my best to rouse, alone in my cold bed.
My time with Skyla comes back to me in snatches at first, then clear as a celestial bell.
“Shit.” I wipe my face down before grabbing my phone in hopes to see a message from her confirming it was real. It was, I’m sure of it. But there’s no message from Skyla. No message from Logan.
A heavy sigh expels from me.
Now what?
Believe it?
For all I know it was a mindbender designed by her mother—some warped dream to give Celestra the advantage. There’s no way in hell I’m running with it. Not with some serious investigation to back it.
I’m pretty sure I know Demetri will laugh in my face if I present him with it. He is programmed to deny the crap out of any and everything.
But then, why refuse him the right?
My feet hit the floor, and it feels like the very first time. Something has shifted, my world is about to be cemented or hurled into space—toward my wife, our people.
I glance around the room, the room I shared with Skyla back when it was holy. Then with Chloe when it was damned.
Hell, I feel bad about it, too. Yes, she did so much crap, but I killed her as efficiently as she killed Logan, if not worse.
But that was nothing compared to the hell I put Skyla through.
I grab my keys and head straight to Demetri’s. Zero hesitation. Zero regret.
The lights are on. His overgrown house is softened with a blanket of fog. It looks peaceful, idyllic, so very deceptive. How I wish this would go in the direction Skyla wants it to. But this is me. That alone assures me it most likely won’t.
I park right next to the porch and head on up, banging on the door before walking right in. Demetri doesn’t lock the damn door. He’d relish a thief. He’d probably eat the sucker for breakfast.
“Demetri?” I belt it out. “Where are you?”
The sound of footsteps quickening comes from upstairs, and soon enough he’s trotting down the stairs, cinching his robe, his hair looser than he wears it during the day. It’s amazing he puts so much effort into playing the part of a human. I’m shocked he doesn’t sleep upside down in the closet.
“What’s this about?” He squints my way, his lying eyes studying me for a moment. “Let’s take this to the grand room.” He nods as we enter the enormous room to our right and flames roar to life in the fireplace. He strides before me and heads for the bar.
“Too early for a drink?”
“None for me. But you might need one.” A smile flinches on my lips. “Let’s cut the bullshit. What’s going on? Was it real?”
