Human.
Like me.
“As touching as this is, remember, it’s not permanent. When you die… and it looks like you’ll die together now… this human shroud will fall away, and Sephtis will ferry you to me, as heshouldhave from the beginning. Then you’ll both be put to work.” I could barely tear my eyes from Sephtis to look at Death, who was staring at Aiden expectantly.
“Come take it if you want it, Death.”
Sharp teeth flared at Aiden’s tease, and Death stepped forward. When they were standing together, it was hard not to notice how much taller he was than the blond man, how his willowy frame looked less human standing next to Fate.
It was impossible to ignore the tension dancing between them as Death tangled his fingers in Fate’s hair and jerked his head back before pressing his lips to his.
This wasn’t a chaste kiss. This felt like a battle—like war waged mouth to mouth, all tongue and teeth.
Death’s arm wrapped around Aiden’s waist, and I recoiled when I watched those claws dig into flesh, piercing through skin as he dragged him so close it almost felt like he was trying to merge them into one.
They kissed each other like they were trying to kill each other—like they’d been desperate for the contact all along and they were going to take any excuse they could to get the most out of it.
They kissed each other like they either wanted to fight or fuck or both, and by the time Death pulled back and I watched the last wisps of that black spill between his lips, I had a feeling it wasdefinitelyboth. I was starting to think that if this heat and tension weren’t there between them, none of this would have happened the way it did.
“One of these days, Fate… I’ll get my claws into you for more than a kiss.”
Aiden laughed as he shoved away, bringing his thumb up to wipe at his lower lip before he popped the digit into his mouth with a grin. “Good luck with that, darling. Fate can’t die.”
“Hm, we’ll see about that.” Death’s eyes swung to Gethin. “And you… I’ll speak with you soon.”
And then he was gone—not in a flash, or as dark smoke. He just… vanished. The tension that had been running through me, the fear that somehow we wouldn’t pull this off and I’d literally have to fight Death to keep Sephtis by my side faded… and I nearly collapsed in his arms.
Of course, we weren’t quite free yet. Aiden turned his attention to us, looking from our joined hands to the place where I knew that red line still existed between us. “Strange things indeed. Tell Wren I said hello the next time you see him. And you…” His eyes flicked to Gethin. “Watch yourself. You don’t understand what you just sold yourself into.”
“Oh, fuck off. It can’t be worse than what you did to me.” Gethin sounded awfully brave for someone who’d been cowering away from Aiden only a few minutes ago, but Aiden just shook his head.
“We’ll see about that. Don’t come to me when you realize all favors come with… strings attached.” Aiden’s eyes flicked to Gethin’s chest… and then he disappeared too.
As soon as Aiden was gone, Gethin swayed and then fell to the ground. When I started forward, he jerked his head up. “You absolute shit. Why didn’t you tell me that was your fucking plan?”
I wanted to apologize. I wanted to tell him I hadn’t meant to trick him… but my body was slowly melting against thewarmthof Sephtis’s arms around me. Like he could see it, Gethin let out a grunt of irritation and pushed himself to standing.
“Sorry,” I murmured, though I wasn’t looking at him.
“Fuck off, Cole.” At least he didn’t just disappear. Gethin stalked off, and I turned my face up to Sephtis as soon as he rounded the corner.
We’d been through hell—caught between Fate and Death. I’d seen my brother, and there was still a red petal that glowed, caught between us on the ground… and all I could do was let accusation melt into my voice when I lifted my hand and slapped him on the shoulder. “You said you loved me.”
Sephtis’s eyes—God, were they even prettier this color?—widened at the contact, and he winced.
“I did.”
“You said youloved meand then you let Death abduct you.”
Sephtis bit his lower lip. Maybe this was my way of coping. Everything that had happened was too much. Death and Fate… and Sephtis.
Real and whole and human.
Mine.
“I did.” He said it again, leaning his head down. His lips brushed softly against mine, and the warmth of his breath drew a moan from my chest. “And I’ll say it again, Cole. For the rest of our lives… ourlives,” he whispered. “I love you.”
I was so caught up in the warmth of him that I nearly broke down in his arms. “You need to spend the next sixty years showing me you’re worth an eternity of working for an asshole like Death.”
