“Are you buddies now?” I asked in shock.
“He's cool. I like him.” His voice shrugged.
“Okay,” I muttered. Then I brightened. “Actually, that could be helpful. Do you think you could pay him a visit? Keep an eye on him and see if he's acting strangely?”
“Sure but what exactly do you expect... oh, fuck no! You think the Devil's back?”
“It's a possibility. Remember? We discussed this. I had to help Lucifer exorcise the Devil after he and Darc killed Petra.”
“Yeah but it's been awhile,” he muttered. “I thought he was safe by now.”
“I don't think there's a time limit on incorporeal evil souls possessing people,” I said blandly.
“Yeah, all right, you don't have to get snippy with me.”
“Just watch him for me, Cer. Please? Don't tell him about any of this. Instead, wait and see if he lets anything slip. If he knows anything about this, it will likely be because he's a part of it.”
“I'll watch him but, El, be careful. I know you said you've heard the lectures already but I need to say this to you as your friend. This behavior isn't normal for you. You don't abandon the people you love. Just think about it.”
“Okay, Cer,” I said softly. “I will.”
“And if you need me to do some ass-kicking, just call.”
“You can count on that, Hellhound.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
We stepped out of the bedroom to find my fiancé and husbands (I include Gage in that group even though we're not technically married; a Griffin mating is considered an even stronger bond) waiting for us. Something shivered across my skin at the sight of them. They were a stunning collection of men but it wasn't their appearances that had affected me. For a second, I had felt... something. But it was gone like a breath and replaced by anger.
“What did you do?” I growled at my father.
“We thought that seeing them might... spark a reaction,” my mother answered sadly.
“Oh, you've got a reaction all right,” I growled.
“Little bird.” Torin reached for me but I evaded his hand and he dropped it. His expression fell into horrified hurt. “Has the spell taken that much from us?”
My anger faded instantly. Whether I loved them or not, we had history and none of them deserved this. “I'm sorry, Torin. I don't mean to hurt you,” I said gently. “I've just changed. People change.”
“You're under a spell, El,” Gage snarled. “This isn't you. How can you not see that?”
“Becauseshe's under a spell,” Slate snapped at Gage in irritation. He swung his head back toward me and softened his expression, his silver eyes filling with love and patience. “I just want you to know that we're here, honey. I know the woman I love is in there someplace and she needs to know that we're going to do everything in our power to get you better. We won't stop until the spell is broken and you're back home with us.”
“Slate, please, I—”
“I know,” he cut me off, lifting his hand. “You believe you love him—youknow itwith all of your being and you can't comprehend how you ever lived without him. Am I right?”
I glanced at Verin uncomfortably. Verin squeezed my hand, his gaze steady and his eyes staying somewhere between icy blue and happy turquoise. It didn't matter what they said now, no amount of words could separate us. I smiled at him in relief and turned back to face Slate with more confidence. Maybe this ambush wasn't so bad; there was something we needed to talk about.
“Yes, I love him,” I declared. “And I don't know if I'll ever feel the same way about you—about any of you.” I looked at my husbands, not with anger or indifference but sympathy and respect. I had loved them once. I truly didn't want to hurt them so I'd be honest but I'd also try to be gentle. “But I still need you. The RS needs you. If you're willing to stay with me, even though I can't promise you love, I'm willing to try to get that emotion back.”
“More than that,” Verin added with a supportive look my way. “We'll do whatever it takes. Elaria needs you to love her but she also needs to love you in return or the RS may destroy them both. And if Elaria is destroyed, I will be as well. So, even if we need to...” Verin's jaw clenched on the rest of the words.
“If I need to have another love spell cast on me, I will,” I finished for him. “Whatever it takes. That is, if you're all willing to help me through this.”
Banning let out a long sigh and hung his head. The other men were less obvious about their relief but it still showed in their briefly-closed eyes and loosening fists.
“Of course, we will,” Declan answered for all of them. “You're our wife, Elaria. We won't abandon you.”
