He locked the heavy oak door.
Her palms grew sweaty and she wiped them on her jeans. “The Cyst want to burst the final prison bubble and you know it. If we give them passage into other dimensions, they might succeed.” How could Niall not see that?
“I know.” His gaze raked her in that way he’d started a few years back. “But if we’re going to chase Logan Kyllwood into the abyss, we need firepower. Grunts we can use and discard.”
Was it possible to find the Seven during the ritual? Was Niall that good? “You think you can discard Cyst soldiers?” she whispered, her brain misfiring until her skull ached. The arrogance in that one statement showed how her people would lose this war. “We’ve aligned ourselves with a species whose main goal is to tear those remaining prison worlds apart.”
Niall drew air in through his straight nose and then exhaled, flexing the muscles in his chest. Sometimes she forgot how big he was. “We need them right now. Then we’ll handle them.”
There was no way to handle the Cyst. She shook her head, disbelief choking her. “We believe in science and exploration. Not war.”
“Right. That’s why we have the most superior weapons and defenses in the world.” Niall drew his shirt over his head, revealing motley bruising and cuts, as well as finely honed muscle.
Even so, his chest wasn’t as big as Logan’s, by any means.
Feeling she was being ripped in different directions, she tried to center herself. She couldn’t let them kill Logan, but she believed in protecting the two bound worlds. What should she do? “Have you even tried to investigate the Cyst? Or the Kurjans?” They were the same people, right? Same species?
He nodded. “Of course. We’ve studied them and had spies in place for a while. They’re spending incredible resources trying to find a way to release Ulric.”
“Which is why they want us. Our knowledge,” she said.
“Of course.”
So they were double-crossing each other. Wonderful. “How close are they to success?” she asked.
His eyebrows drew down. “Close. They’re actually quite brilliant. But if we take out the Seven, we’ll have time to devote to sabotaging the efforts of the Cyst. This is a multistep plan. The best ones always are.”
Actually, the best plans were simple, and his stank. The Fae couldn’t beat the Kurjans, and they would have no other allies if the Seven were destroyed. The Realm would be furious if the Cyst took out the Seven, so they’d never help the Fae. She straightened her shoulders. Finally. A clear answer for this problem. Not a good one, but at least a clear way to go. “You’re following the wrong path, Niall.”
His hands went to his black pants, and she averted her gaze. “My paths are clear,” he said quietly.
Why wouldn’t he get out of the way? Awareness clacked down her spine. “Ah, I’ll go to my quarters. It’s not quite dawn yet, and I could use some sleep.” She didn’t move because he stood between her and the door.
“I think you should stay here.” His voice deepened, and the sound of his pants swooshing to the floor pierced the silence. “You asked for time, and I’ve given you that. But our people come first. We’re mating now.”
Her people had always come first for her, but the universe often had a bigger plan, and all people belonged to it. Finally. She could see that now. Right now, the Fae couldn’t beat the Cyst, and Ulric would be set free. The Seven was their only chance. It might not be a good one, but it was all they had right now.
He sighed. “You’ve fallen for the demon.”
She lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. Her heart belonged to Logan Kyllwood. There was no way around that, and her duty to her people was to help them survive, which Logan would do. “Yes.” Pure and simple, she belonged with the demon. Sometimes it really was that simple.
“That’s unfortunate.” Niall still didn’t move out of the way.
She settled her stance, feeling a thousand years old. After having experienced passion with Logan, she couldn’t think of any other male. She probably never would be able to do so. “I think you’re a decent guy, Niall.” When his expression didn’t alter, she continued. “The kingship was thrust upon you at an early age, and you’ve done an admirable job with it. But this breeding plan to repopulate the Fae isn’t right. It doesn’t serve our people—only freedom does.”
“Freedom for one of the purest Fae to breed with a demon-vampire hybrid?” Niall chuckled, the sound dark. “We might be at war with them someday soon, and you want to add your incredible gifts to theirs?”
“Life isn’t always about war,” she protested.
“Sure it is.” He looked strong and fit, standing there just in his boxers.
What was it with her and immortal males in their underwear? It was an odd trend, to be sure. She shook her head, trying to focus. “No. I agree that completing the Seven is dangerous, but we both know it’s inevitable. As is the release of Ulric. So killing someone to prevent that final event is stupid.”
His chin lifted, showing more bruises beneath his jaw. Logan must’ve spent his time teaching Niall a lesson. “What’s the alternative?”
“Figure out how to save the universe. We have resources that could be put to better use than destroying people.”
He leaned back. “Make love, not war?”
