“Nik!” a woman screamed.
At the sheer terror in her dark eyes, her immense agony his own, Nik rubbed his chest or tried to, but he had no body, had no way to ease the torment. He was a mere thought in the ether right now—or so it felt. And then the images flowed faster…
A burning sensation along his neck…knees caving…the sobbing woman holding him in her arms, tears streaming down her beautiful face.
“Hold on, Nik, hold on…don’t leave me.”Her anguish speared his heart.
He tried to speak her name, reassure her, but words wouldn’t come. A coppery taste flooded his mouth. He was dying…he could sense the mystical threads of his soul holding onto hers, pulling her with him into death. No-no, she couldn’t die.
His mate. She had to live—
Nik reared back from the images. “Shadow,” he rasped, something inside his soul cracking apart.
“She lives,” the ancient goddess murmured, “because you severed your mating bond.”
“I have to go to her. She needs me. The fucking demon—”
“You cannot,filius. She is not of this world.”
Anger consumed him, but he couldn’t move. Couldn’t take a step.
“You are without form. Your physical self needs to heal and regenerate.”
“How long?”
“I cannot say. The mystical healing of this place works in different ways.” Aware of his agitation, she said quietly, “Watch.”
More images flickered through him…demons and trees flying up from the ground as if caught in a tornado. Swirling—merging—in one horrendous distortion. A small figure stopped at the verge of the open field—a ragged cry tore out of her, and she flung out her arms. A dull explosion ricocheted, and everything rained down in wet clumps…
Nik blinked in shock at the power radiating out of her, but his chest hurt too fucking bad to enjoy it. He wanted to hold her, tell her he lived, just not with her for now.
The images changed. Familiar dank tunnels…more fighting…her old basement.Her tears and pain gutted him…tunnels again…the redhead demon with that damn hellhound at his side.Her immense rage consumed Nik.She plunged her dagger into the demon…the hellhound leaping, his jaw clamping down on her—
“No!” he cried out.
The images cut off, and Nik stared blankly, feeling as if someone had yanked out his lungs, his heart.
“Where is she?” He scrambled to find the images again. “Show me!”
“No. Rest,filius,” Gaia whispered, a soothing touch seeping into his soul. The immense agony dissipated, and the memories faded as a peaceful haze drew him back to oblivion…
Chapter 35
Shadow tuckedstrands of her hair behind her ear, her gaze fixed on the lit paper lantern the fall breeze carried upward into the darkening sky. Her tribute to her lost love glowed like a star as it rose higher and higher.
In the passing months, she’d come every evening to the beach to light a lantern.
Wherever you are, my love, I hope you see this…and find your way back to me. She swallowed the lump in her throat at the impossibility of what she yearned for.Orat least know you’re always in my heart…I miss you.
The sea undulated gently as if sensing her despair, and she wrapped her arms around her still flat stomach.
Every morning she forced herself to get out of bed, breathe and take one step, then another, and another…because she had a new life to worry about now. But nothing stirred her from her melancholy or pulled her out of this unrelenting emptiness—this silence inside her.
The warriors had held a memorial of sorts for Nik in the training arena months ago, but she’d been too broken to say anything.
Exhaling roughly, she rubbed her sternum, dully aware of the gnawing sensation there that had started days ago. She needed to feed, but Pithius hadn’t visited in over a week. She supposed she could summon him, but listlessness had her pushing it aside once more.
A stone disrupted the calm water, sending out ripples.
