Curiosity and a sense of anxiety surfaced within. A shiver rocked through her. “What onus? You mean like a price or obligation?”
“Yes. According to this, the onus for cursing an unbeliever into servitude to theTres Deaeis a flesh price. The user must sacrifice a piece of their flesh for the spell to work.”
The floor teetered under her. Was that what she’d seen in her dream? Had that silly little girl offered up the flesh of her arm as a sacrifice for her spell?
Haven turned from the desk and made her way to the couch nearest the doors to the terrace. She sat. The burden of fear and hopelessness pressed down. It was all too much.
Strength leeched from her body, her limbs refused to move, and her neck was unable to hold the weight of her head.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Logan sat down beside her. Minutes ticked by in silence as Haven stared through the glass doors.
What was going on in her mind?
Regret scratched at the portico of his heart.
If she left, if they found a way to get her back to 2025, what would he do? He wondered if life would return to normal. He wondered if he would miss her, her face, her touch, her scent, her saucy mouth, and quick wit. Did he even want her to leave? Yes, he did. Didn’t he? How else could be keep his promise to never bed her again? Memories of their passion and pleasure still heated his skin, and made his balls ache.
As promises went, it seemed an easy one to make in the dark of the night. But in the bright, revealing light of the sun, his vow turned to ash within his grasp.
He could keep her. He could make her want to stay.
No, that wasn’t fair. It was her life, and she wanted to get back to her own time, her own friends. She wanted to get back to her job, removing her clothes for men. Men who weren’thim. Men who could look upon her with greedy eyes and pockets filled with filthy lucre.
He shook his head. What she did with her life and body wasn’t his business, but dear God, he was jealous of men he’d never met, men he wanted to disembowel with a dull garden trowel. As anger roiled in his gut, he watched her beautiful, expressive face.
“The watch,”she blurted. “Esmae told me to ask the watch—no, she told me to ask Perez. She said he can hear me, which makes total sense because he’s responded to me a few times.” Like the first night when she’d walked into the black tent at theCarnal-Val
“Where is it now?” He stood, prepared to take immediate action.
“It’s in a drawer in the armoire.” Before she could move, he strode toward the door, but she grabbed his arm, and shook her head.
“Where’re you going? I’ll go. I think...I think I need to talk to him alone. I don’t know if he’ll talk to me if someone else is there.” At his anxious, disbelieving look, she said, “If you’re there, who knows what will happen. He’s talked to me before, but I was alone.” She rubbed at her arms, chilled even in the warmth of the afternoon.
He tensed, his expression one of deliberation. “Fine.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw, and his lips pressed into a thin line.
Again, she remembered how supernatural, paranormal, and unreal her situation was. Time travel, three real goddesses, dark witchcraft, a book of spells, an old Roma woman who could apparently manipulate smoke to do her bidding, and a gorgeousphilanderer slumbering in her panty drawer—what part of that didn’t sound insane?
She smirked.
Whenshe got back to 2025 and told the girls where she’d been, they’d look at her like she’d gone completely nuts, then they would order Chinese takeout, and tell her to spill every detail. God, she missed them. The yawning hole in her heart ached to be refilled with long talks, loud, riotous laughter, and the smiles and hugs of her dearest besties.
She nodded to Logan.
“Wish me luck. I’m about to boldly go where no woman has gone before.” His confused expression made her smile.
Of course he didn’t get the reference, but at least she got to have a laugh at his expense.
He dragged in and then slowly exhaled a long breath.
“While I doubt your bedroom is uncharted territory, I do wish you...er...luck. Please be careful.” Care and concern poured from his countenance.
“I will.” She gave him a crooked smile, and left the room, making her way upstairs to where Perez waited, nestled within the softness of her neatly folded underwear.
Haven didn’t know how long she’d been staring at the drawer in the armoire.
