“—with Veda,” she finished.
His jaw flexed as he turned away from her.“Look, Daya, I’m sorry about the way I reacted at the fortress about Veda being a guardian.That wasn’t fair.But that doesn’t mean I want to help you convince her to stay.”
“Even if it’s what she wants?”
“Is it?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted.
He sighed, resuming their impasse from before with a stubborn set of his chin.
Other than her guardian status, they’d always been honest with each other.It was one of the things she’d respected about him.He’d trusted her completely, with no memory and no reason but his own instinct guiding him.Maybe if she’d told him in the beginning, he would be more accepting of the situation now.
As she stared into the eyes of the man she’d fallen in love with, she let the hurt come to the surface.The guardian concept was a lot to swallow.Fair.But by rejecting it outright, he was rejecting her too.And that hurt more than any injury she’d ever suffered, including the one that had nearly taken away her ability to walk.
“Would it be so bad?If she grows up to become like me?”
Shock filtered over his face, followed by earnestness that was pure Raiden, without the hard edge of the warrior at Connor’s core.Logically, she knew they were one and the same, but she was having trouble making sense of the distinct personality traits that seemed to come and go depending on his mood.
“I’m sorry.That’s not what I meant at all.”He immediately stepped into her space and framed her face with his hands.“Dayanara, there is nothing wrong with you or your life.Except that it takes you away from me, and I’m not handling that well.”
“I don’t want you to regret me,” she whispered, hot tears pricking her eyes.“What we can’t have, yes.But notme, who I am.”
“Never, anaiah.”His tone danced over her skin with the playful seriousness she’d come to know.He caressed her cheek with a soft touch that sent shivers through her.“The truth is that I love you.My mate, even if I can’t keep you.And that pain is never going to go away.I feel like you’re dying, and I can’t save you.Which is ironic, because you’re the one who will outlive me by a few hundred years.”
He was an animal caught in a trap he couldn’t escape, lashing out as he was forced to watch his kin die around him.Veda, his teammates, his family.Herself, worst of all.Because in his eyes, she was making a choice that wasn’t him.
Not knowing what to say, she wrapped her arms around him.
“I told you, love.The soul knows better than the mind.”
He’d known all along.Kept gently pushing when she’d resisted.
Turning, she caught his mouth and kissed him, letting him know exactly how right he’d been.He returned the kiss with fervor, squeezing her sides as if he could keep her forever if he held on hard enough.Her breathing ratcheted up as she chased his lips, seeking his essence.Groaning, he fused them together until she could scarcely contain the feelings evolving inside her.
The need for air finally forced her to break away.Deep, hurried breaths pulled his scent into her lungs, invading her senses with nothing but Connor.His forehead came to rest against hers as he pressed a few more kisses to her face.
“My anaiah.What am I going to do without you?”
“Connor—”
He cut her off with a slow, deep kiss that made her heart stutter.When he’d thoroughly wiped all the thoughts from her mind, he stopped and pulled her into a tight hug.
Protected in his embrace, her heart slowly unwound from the emotional spin his kisses had caused.She said nothing for a long moment, wanting nothing more than to stop time and lose herself in his arms.But that wasn’t one of her guardian powers.Pushing back her emotions, she focused on the problem at hand.Her future was set, but Veda’s wasn’t.
“Will you talk to her?Please?”
“Yes,” he sighed, pressing a kiss to her temple and stepping back.“I’ll talk to her.Did you tell her anything yet?”
“Only in the context of me, and what I do as guardian.Not her.Cass suggested waiting until you could voice your support.Veda trusts you, Connor.Maybe only you.”
“How do you know this is right for her?”
“It was right for me.I was older, I know.But the mountain wouldn’t have called her if she didn’t belong here.It could be right, if she gives it a chance.”
“You need to prepare for the healing fire ceremony we’re doing with the kids this evening, right?”
She nodded.
