The flicker of the green flames behind us made it seem like his eyes were smoldering with the endless burn of starfire. I waited for him to explode. To throw me off him and announce that I would need to be punished for my defiance. A part of me almost hoped for it. Dominant, overpowering, and angry Ramel was somehow better than whatever this cold, distant version of him was. Instead, the sharp line of his mouth softened, and I watched, fascinated, as his Adam’s apple bobbed.
“That’s not true, Lilith.” His voice was so low I felt it in my bones. “I regret a great deal of what I have done to you.”
I suddenly felt like my heart was in my throat. He dropped the crystal glass on the small end table next to us and ran his hands up and down my extended arms, looking at me like he wanted to beg me to forgive him but didn’t know where to find the words.
If I didn’t know any better, I would say his eyes were welling with tears. His Adam’s apple dipped again as if he were swallowing past a painful lump in his throat.
I reached up and rubbed my thumb over his bloodied cheek, and this time, he didn’t pull away. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch, letting out a shuddering breath.
“Ramel. What happened?” I asked, and for a long moment, I didn’t think he was going to answer me. Finally, he opened his eyes and sighed.
When he spoke, he chose his words carefully, as if not sure how much he wanted me to know. “I received some bad news today. Yahweh has beenbusy, for lack of a better word. He’s managed to build a significant advantage against us. If Shem and I can’t find a way to get the upper hand, I’m worried I won’t be able to protect you from Him.”
I brushed a piece of hair that was now tacky with congealed blood out of his eyes. “So, what can we do? Surely, there must besomeway to fight back against Him. He managed to put all those other gods and goddesses into a never-ending sleep; maybe there’s a way we can do the same to Him?”
Ramel frowned at me, rubbing a thumb along the side of my jaw. “I don’t want you to have to worry about things like this.”
“Well, why not? Maybe I can do some research in the library and help you guys find a weakness of some kind. I’m used to being busy, Ramel. Keeping me in here like some kind of spoiled pet is not exactly the life I imagined for myself.”
His eyes flashed, and his hand suddenly tightened on my jaw. “You aremine, Lilith. If I want to keep you in this room and spoil you until you fucking rot, I will.”
I smirked at him and rolled my eyes. “I’m well the fuck aware. All I’m saying is, I want to help if you’ll let me.”
He softened his grip on my chin before releasing me. Relaxing back into his seat, he eyed me thoughtfully. “You don’t have your memories. You will basically be starting from scratch. It’s very unlikely you’ll find anything.”
“Well, it can’t hurt to try. Besides, hopefully, I won’t be in there slinging books by myself. I assumed you or Shem would be there to help me as well.”
Suddenly, he broke out into a sly grin. “Are you telling me that after only two hours of freedom, you’re already itching to spend the day with me again?”
I felt my cheeks flush at the implication, and he chuckled, brushing a thumb across the warm blush of my skin.
“No. It would just be nice to have one of you around to carry some books for me. That’s all.”
His smirk widened, and he grabbed the back of my neck so abruptly it caused me to gasp. “Sure, deathtrap. Whatever helps you sleep at night.” He pulled me into him and kissed me softly on the lips, massaging his fingers up the back of my neck as he did. The metallic tang of blood flooded my mouth, and I unintentionally let out a tiny moan, causing him to smirk against me.
“I love it when you make that sound,” he whispered against me, giving me one more chaste kiss before releasing my neck. I could still taste blood on my lips as I pulled away and used the back of my wrist to wipe it off. I frowned down at the red stain.
“Whose blood do you have all over you?”
“Thatis something you definitely don’t need to worry about,” he said firmly, gesturing for me to get up. I got off his lap but scowled at him.
“I think I deserve to know whose blood you seemed to have bathed in, considering you’retechnicallymy husband.”
He towered over me, tracing the pad of his middle finger over the ridge of my collarbone. He looked down at me, his eyes shining with mirth and the corner of his mouth twitching.
“I’m nottechnicallyyour husband, Lilith. Iamyour husband.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips against my forehead briefly. “As much as I appreciate the concern, you don’t need to worry about whose blood this is. I don’t want you overthinking it and somehow finding a way to blame yourself like you always do.”
That made me even more curious, but I knew he wasn’t going to budge, so I let it go.
“Fine. Don’t tell me,” I muttered, and he chuckled softly.
“I won’t.” He looked down at me, and for a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me again, but instead, he said something that made my heart stop in my chest.
“Thank you,” he whispered, and I cocked my head to the side.
“For what?”
“For trying to cheer me up. I wasn’t expecting that.”
