At the thought of losing her, his gut twisted, and he had to force the words out. “I can’t blame you if you want to leave.”
“What?” Her brow creased. “I didn’t say that.”
“You’re thinking it.”
“Nik, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I said I’d stay.”
“For how long, Shadow? A day? Two? Aweek?” he demanded.
“For as long as I can,” she whispered, eyes dark with distress. “Nik, the demon merely glanced at me, and you wanted to kill him. When the time comes, I’m afraid of what you’ll do. I care too much to ruin your life.”
“Sure, you do.” Bitter laughter escaped him, and he shoved to his feet, her words like a dagger gouging his chest. “They toocared, so fucking much, it’s why I—what the fuck does it matter?” He shook his head and stalked to the edge of the plateau, staring down into the valley far below, not really seeing the forest but the abyss of emptiness that lay before him.
She’d shown him a moment of joy, only to snatch it away and drop him into hell again.
* * *
Shocked at his outburst, Shadow stared at Nik, where he stood right at the mountain’s precarious edge. Then she leaped to her feet and dashed across to him. Good thing vertigo wasn’t a problem for her…much.
Shoulders hunched, he continued staring down into the gorge below.
“Nik?” She touched his tense, powerful forearm. “Talk to me.”
He stepped away as if he didn’t want the contact. “There’s nothing to say. You’ve made your decision. Let’s go. “I’ll take you back to New York—”
“Darn it, Nik, stop. Don’t shut me out. Not now. What did you mean, they too, cared? I would never deliberately hurt you. I only said what I did becauseIam terrified ofyouwalking away when my need to feed becomes too much for you to witness.”
Still, he didn’t look at her, his focus fixed on the endless vista. Thick, dark clouds gathered, concealing the warm glow of the setting sun. The breeze picked up.
“Do you know what I am, Shadow?”
She frowned at the change in conversation. “Yes…you’re an immortal and a Guardian.”
Finally, his light gaze flickered to her. “And?”
“And you’re from the Greek pantheon. Kira told me,” she said, heat seeping into her face. “I asked.”
“Yes and no.”
Frowning, she shoved back the freed strands of hair flying into her face. “What do you mean?”
“I’m a half-breed who never really belonged in any pantheon,” he said, tone flat.
“What do you mean? You’re a Greek deity.”
Needing to get his focus back to her, she grasped his callused hand and inched to his front, trusting him not to let go, considering she was only a foot away from a deathly fall off the mountain.
“Was,” he corrected, a cold smile flickering and vanishing, reminding her of how the Guardians lost their godhood.
He blinked, his stare focusing on her then dropping to the edge. He hauled her into him, flashing them back to safety near the eroded step. “Why do you always risk your life?” he snapped. “You could have fallen to your—dammit.” He let her go and rubbed a palm over his unshaven jaw.
At least it broke the icy wall he’d retreated behind.
Arms folded beneath her boobs, Shadow remained in front of him, refusing to let him withdraw into himself. And waited.
“My mother,” he finally said, “is the Moon Goddess from the Indian pantheon. Beautiful, graceful, and most of all, untouchable. Men desired her but could never have her. My sire is one of the old, primordial entities, Eros, the God of Procreation. On a hunting expedition in the godly realm, he saw her at a river she sometimes visited. Rumor was, she desired him but refused his pursuit. In the end, she must have succumbed, because here I am.”
“I don’t understand.”
