Darci shifted off his lap to sit beside him. Blaéz braced his arms on his thighs and angled his head to look at her. “Tell me about this curse of your bloodline.”
She took a deep breath. “My lineage wasn’t blessed with girls. Then one was born eons ago. Within days she began to weaken…” Darci told him everything The Morrigan had revealed to her. “My ancestors were desperate, they didn’t want the child to die, so they agreed to the trade with the goddess. If ever our paths should cross, we would give back your soul of our own free will.”
“How did the soul pass on?”
“At birth. The Morrigan appears then and reveals the truth. It’s a choice the mother must make…” She met his angry gaze with her own misty ones. “If I’d had a child, I would have chosen my baby’s life, too,” she whispered.
He reached out and squeezed her hands lying on her lap. “Is that why Declan hates my guts?”
Heat streaked her cheeks. She nodded. “I had no idea that he knew until The Morrigan told me. I confronted him and he admitted it. As a child, I was involved in an almost fatal accident. The Morrigan appeared, she said she’d save me as long as Declan didn’t interfere when the time came.”
“I’m sure she did.” His mouth tightened. “What else? With her, there’s always more.”
“She said if I didn’t release your soul then the baby Grace carries would die—Blaéz, I would have done it regardless.”
Swearing a blue streak, Blaéz jerked up and paced to the window, tunneling his fingers through his clipped hair. Then his shoulders sank and a rough sigh escaped him. He pivoted and came back to her, his fury concealed as he searched her face. “How do you feel?”
“I’m okay.”
A stare.
She sighed. “A little tired.”
A brief nod, he helped her back into bed. Ignoring her frown, he pulled the covers over her. “Rest for a while, I’ll go get breakfast. Would you like me to ask your family over? I’ll send Hedori for them.”
And have Declan want to kill Blaéz now? “No.”
He didn’t respond, a nerve beating hard in his jaw, and she knew he understood why. She pushed the covers aside again, and slid off the bed.
“What are you doing?”
“Blaéz—” she held him off when he came to help her. “I need a shower. I’m not an invalid. Yes, I do feel a little tired, but I want tolivemy life. Not stay here and wait my time out. No one can say how much of that I have left anyway. Let’s go out and live—come with me?”
“Go where?”
“Everywhere.” She pulled him down by his ripped shirt and kissed him on his mouth. “I want to see the lighthouses in the Hamptons. Walk on the beach. Dance. I want to do it all, with you.”
* * *
As Darci disappeared into the bathroom, Blaéz shoved his fists into his pants pocket. It took everything in him not to follow. Not to pretend he wasn’t on edge when all he wanted to do was keep her at his side. The sounds of the shower turning on drifted to him, as did a telepathic intrusion in his head. At the familiar insistent vibe, Blaéz growled and opened his mind to Michael.
Meeting.
Dammit. Now? He had no interest in attending any meeting.Fine. But up here, I’m not leaving Darci.
Very well.
Blaéz pulled off his tattered shirt, put on a clean tee then stepped out into the corridor. He settled a shoulder against the jamb. He left the door slightly ajar so he could hear Darci. She wanted normal, this was as normal as he could give her. Along with lighthouses and walking on the beach.
The sounds of squeaky-soled sneakers drew his attention. Aethan and Týr strode in from the back stairs, both wearing Gi’s and damp tees. Probably came straight from training.
Aethan propped himself on the wall opposite Blaéz.
Týr ignored the upholstered Queen Anne chair and dropped to the floor near the marble podium that held a vase filled with lush lilac foliage. The flowers had to be Hedori’s doing. Blaéz had once asked him for their name because their fragrance reminded him of his mate.
Blowing out a weary breath, Týr leaned against the wall, an arm resting on his bent knee. Michael walked in from the main stairway. No sign of the Sumerian. Dagan must still be tracking the elusive killer.
Michael got straight to the point. “Hell’s instrument of torture on this realm—what happened to it?”
