“I decided to join you in the fountain. It’s far too humid tonight.”
She glanced around at the noisy crowd. “What happened?”
“A burst water pipe,” he evaded. “Can you stand?”
She nodded. He set her on her feet and rose, but kept an arm around her waist. A frown marred her brow. “Wait, I remember. I felt dizzy, a bright light or whatever that was disorientated me for a moment and… I fell?”
“Yeah. You knocked your head on the fountain floor.” He scanned her again, found no bumps, which surprised him. She seemed to be checking herself as well, then she snorted. “I'm fine, I'm not that fragile.”
“I'm just glad you weren't hurt.”
The noise level around them escalated. Reynner eyed the growing crowd. “Why don’t you sit down while we handle this confusion? Then we’ll leave.”
Making sure she was seated where he could keep an eye on her, Reynner glanced at North. “Let’s do this, before anything else goes wrong.”
“Reynner?”
He pivoted to find her behind him, raking back a tangle of wet hair. “Eve, I told you—”
She stopped him, a hand on his chest. “Did you find the Stone? I felt a humming, the Stone should be here, right?”
He shook his head. This wasn’t the place to talk about something this monumental, or for Eve to find out the truth about her parents’ deaths.
“Later.” He brushed a quick kiss on her lips and left to go deal with the cleanup and memory wipes.
***
Eve watched Reynner as he walked slowly through the noisy crowd. He nodded at whatever North said. With no idea how a mind sweep worked, she went back to the steps and surveyed the chaos around her.
Naturally, everyone would think the underground water pipe feeding the fountain had burst. But deep down, Eve knew she’d caused that. Something had happened when that light—power, whatever it was, exploded from her.
A sudden wave of pain swept through her.Oh, Christ,she gasped, unable to breathe.Doesn’t that bitch ever take a break?
Panting to ease the torturous onslaught, she searched for Reynner, her anxiety increasing. She found him alone, moving unhurriedly through the gaping crowd. He appeared calm, focused, but her heart knew differently.
That Inanna would punish him like this for spurning her clawed at Eve’s gut. She had to find a way to stop this, if that malicious witch ever found out the truth about their relationship, she’d hurt him more. Or worse, have him back in her bed.
Eve knew, to keep her safe, Reynner would do anything.
Inhaling another harsh breath, unable to bear that thought, she hurried to him and grasped his arm.
“Eve,” he began then his expression tensed. “What’s wrong?”
Jesus, how could he be this brave, this strong, for so many centuries?
“Nothing.” She smiled. Tried to be strong for him. “I-I didn’t want to be alone.”
He drew her close and studied her face in the lights surrounding the fountain. Eve ducked her head, hiding in his chest. She didn't want him to see her pain. “Please, let’s go home.”
***
Reynner bit down on his molars as another wave of pure agony rode him. Eve gasped, a hand flying to her left breast, ending in a clenched fist, and then he knew. “You’re in pain.”
She shook her head. “I'm fine—I'm fine. It will pass.”
The fuck it would. He knew just how long this shit could ride, days before Inanna got bored and found something else to occupy her. And now every time she wanted to hurt him, Eve would suffer because of their strengthening bond.
He had to leave before that damn demented female took it into her head to come after him.
