When I entered the stairwell, he gripped my arm and held me there. “Aye, we need you. You’re the one who volunteered, remember?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
He searched my eyes, his grip iron. “What vexes you?”
“My father!” I pounded my fists against his chest before burying my head in it. “Gem ran into a lady from the party who’s invisible to humans.”
“Ahh.” He encased me with his arms and said nothing.
I wasn’t a big crier at all, but when it came to my father, all bets were off.
“If I stay like this forever, I might never see him again.”
“Now, that’s not exactly true,” he said, tenderly stroking my hair. “He just won’t be able to see you.”
I pulled back, my eyes wet with tears. “Because I’ll be dead. I can’t put him through this again, Christian. It’ll kill him.”
“He knows the risks you take, love. He understands that losing you is part of loving you.”
I sat on the first step, my red gown cascading down like a waterfall.
Christian sat beside me. “If you went there and told him what happened, what do you think he would say?”
I wiped my nose and imagined the conversation. “He would ask what the hell I’m doing there and to get my ass back to Viktor. But at least I’d be able to give him one last hug. Now you’ll have to hug him for me.”
“Over my rotting corpse.”
I took a deep breath and composed myself. “I know what needs to be done. I just—”
“You just wanted to see your da. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting that. The way you love that crusty old man is the reason I admire you.”
I wiped my face, makeup all over my hands. After a few seconds, it vanished, and I was left staring at the hourglass. “What if we disappear all the way? How much does Sparrow really know about this realm he put us in? He said the living and dead will see us, but he didn’t specifically exclude humans.”
“All the more reason to fight your way out of this. And Raven, should that happen—should you disappear from me—don’t linger. I know there’s a chance you might not have a choice in the matter, but if you do, I want you moving on. Don’t stay here because of me or anyone else.”
“You don’t want me haunting you?”
The woeful look he gave splintered my heart. Christian took my hand, kissed it, and held it in his. “Have I told you how fetching you are in that dress?”
I essayed a smile, but my heart wasn’t in it. “Get used to seeing me in it forever.”
“So long as I can see you. I’m not giving up, Precious. I’ll ask that you do the same. He gave everyone ten days, but I suspect you’ll have less time than that before all the changes take place.”
“What if I submit?”
“And give that spark plug your fealty? Don’t even consider it.”
“But if he brings us back to life and breaks the spell, we can kill him. The others who follow him might not have the balls, but I do.”
“Giving a man your word is binding in our world. It will smear your reputation forever. He wants to overthrow all forms of government and rule as a king. This won’t be done in secret, and you’ll be one of his minions.”
“He can’t make me do anything.”
“He has loyal Vampire subjects. They’ll charm you, to be sure. Either to see if you have ulterior motives or make you believe that there is no one else to serve but Sparrow.”
“Charming makes you do things, but it can’t make you believe something.”
“It can, and you know it. It won’t last, not unless they turn your memories into swiss cheese. Powerful Vampires can make your oath binding with deadly consequences. It won’t matter if your intention is to kill him. Immortals will never forget you swore your allegiance to a traitor, even if it was part of a plan to overthrow him. Your treasonous act will earn you a swift execution. I’ll not have it.”
