I nodded.
His eyes seemed to glow a brighter red as he leaned up again and moved his hand down to my chest, and I felt the burning sensation all over my skin.
Haden called my name to the heavens as if it were a prayer, and he slammed into me, finding his own release. My magic swarmed from me and circled around Haden. I did not know what it was doing. My magic was in a frenzy as it swam around us. He moaned loudly before our magic stopped immediately and he collapsed on top of me. I pulled his head back by his hair and kissed him.
“I fucking love you,” I muttered. “I am going to die from pleasure.”
Haden’s body shook with a silent laugh.
He sat up and looked down at my arm and smiled. I looked down and saw he marked me with a new red tattoo. It was two large stars, falling next to each other through a sea of small stars. I smiled at it. Haden looked down at his chest and frowned when he saw nothing. I smirked as I pointed to his arm. He traced the silver lightning strike that was now running down the entire length of his arm, splitting in all directions. He looked at me.
“Perfect.” He traced my mark. “I am completely in love with you.” He stared at me with tears in his eyes. Gods, he was never going to be okay when I died. I leaned up and grabbed his face in my hands.
“You are everything, Haden. I would not have traded this life with you for anything. You know that, right?”
“Yes, Storm, I know,” he whispered.
I stared into his stormy eyes and realized they had not been void this entire time, but he was his void personality.
“Your eyes aren’t void.”
Haden grinned. “I found a way to merge both sides together so that we are both always conscious. Both sides of me are present at all times now.”
“How did you do that?” I smiled.
“The nice side of me had to agree. He had been blocking me, but after what he said to you, he knew he fucked up, and he agreed.”
“You know I understand why he said that. I do not blame you if a part of you hates me for what I did. I would have saved her if I could.”
“I’ve always known that.” He frowned. “And now he knows it too.”
I felt tears stinging the backs of my eyes as I stared at him. There was nothing I wanted more than for both sides of Haden to love me. But I also knew I could not ask for forgiveness for what I had done.
“Does he love me too?” I looked at Haden. “He’s never said it to me, and I always wondered if he ever would love me back.” I could feel my throat tighten as tears sprang to my eyes.
Haden paused for a moment. Nothing noticeably changed about him, but I could sense the difference when he smiled; it was the friendly, dimpled version of the void. Nice Haden was present.
“I do love you, Della.”
I cried as he pulled me into his arms. “I love you too.”
Haden kissed the top of my head as he climbed off the table and pulled me with him. He carried me up the stairs to our roombefore tucking me into bed. He pulled me to him and rubbed my back softly as he held me. I pretended to fall asleep. Slowly, his hand stopped moving as he fell asleep too. Haden’s chest rose and fell in even breaths. I slowly crawled out of bed. With one last look at his face, went to my home in the stars.
When my magic disappeared, Mikel was already in the sitting room. I hesitated for a moment before I stepped toward him. His starlight eyes met mine, and I could tell he had been crying.
“I was wondering if you were ever coming back,” Mikel whispered as he slipped a black velvet box out of his hands and shoved it toward me.
“Mikel…” I was already crying as I stared at the box my star was in. The one I bargained with to save Thea and Cassius.
“One of us should be happy.” He swallowed hard, frowning as he stared into the fire. “I should apologize for how I treated you and everyone for the past nine years, but I’m not going to. Because even though I understand that you had no choice, I am still the one who ended up without a mate.”
I sat down at the small table in front of him. “You do not need to apologize to me.” I closed my eyes tightly and watched the grief on my brother’s face. I recognized it. I had lived through it.
“Is this what it felt like for you?” he asked, tears falling from his eyes. “This constant ache as if your heart and soul are missing?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “You can’t enjoy happy moments without wondering why they aren’t there to celebrate it with you. You both love and hate the memories of them. I would think of all the things that Haden and I talked about for our future and think I would never get to experience it. I would not wish this grief and torture upon anyone. And I caused it for you, and I do not know how to live with this guilt.”
“Maybe the heavens will give her back to me, like they gave Haden back to you.” Mikel looked at me with hopeful eyes. “How long did they make you wait for him?”
