Digging deep into his psyche, he summoned the last bit of his waning power and sent her back to sleep. Unsheathing his dagger hidden beneath his tunic, he headed for her. He picked up her slender hand and sliced across the pad of her thumb. A ruby red line appeared.
He licked the blood. A coppery taste flooded his mouth, and like a fist to his belly the air was knocked out of him. His body heated, his groin stirred. His heart rate sped up. Struggling to breathe, he dropped her hand.
Yes,shewas the foretold one.
“Take her.”
***
Eve stood by the window, unable to move. So sure her fractured heart would collapse if she did. Aerén had tried to convince her that Reynner had gone to Exilum, where he’d lock himself in the dungeon until the agony passed.
But Eve knew the truth. He was with Inanna. She felt none of his pain in her now.
Blurry-eyed, she stared at the stars wavering in the dark skies and blinked away her tears. Hours had past, she had no idea how many, since they’d gotten back to the apartment. Her clothes were damp and her skin itched.
“Eve, you should eat.” Aerén stopped next to her, tone roughened in concern.
“Not hungry.”
“He’ll be back,” he consoled.
Yes, he would. The Stone had to be found, buttheywould never be the same again. She shuddered on a broken breath.Dammit, no—she refused to let that bitch win. She turned to Aerén. “Take me to Exilum.”
“Eve, don’t. He wouldn’t want you to see him this way.”
“Don’t you see? For two thousand years he resisted her, and now, because of me—” Her breath hitched. Tears crowded her eyes. “Please, just take me.”
Whatever Aerén saw in her face, the desperation, the pain, or the tears that wouldn’t stop, he exhaled roughly and nodded.
***
Eve stepped through the portal into Exilum and Reynner’s mountain home. The brilliant afternoon sunlight had her shading her eyes. She breathed in the fresh, moisture-laden air while the portal closed with a soft hiss. The roaring waterfall, the stark beauty of the meandering mountains gave her no comfort. All it did was remind her of Reynner.
“Is he here?” she asked Aerén. He pushed back swathes of hair escaping its tie, his brow furrowed as he scanned the place. “No. I don’t sense him… I thought he’d be here.”
She bit her lip and wondered if her heart could break anymore. “The Sumerian pantheon. He has to be there. Let’s go—”
“Eve, no, you can’t,” he said horrified. “You’re mortal. Inanna would sense you the moment you step foot there. She will break you. She’ll use you to get Reynner back.”
And I am his weakness.
She sucked in a ragged breath, hating her mortality. “I have to help him. Please, would you go?”
A pained expression crossed his face. “I can’t leave you alone. If anything happened here, there would be no way for you to leave, and Reynner would kick my ass. He still hasn’t forgiven me for kissing you.”
It seemed so long ago when Reynner had turned on Aerén for touching her, and now she had to live with the thought of him with Inanna, probably touching her, kissing her…
No—no!She wrapped her arms around her waist. He may not want to, but he’d do it to keep her safe.
“Ah, hell.” Aerén rubbed his neck with a helpless look. “Very well. I’ll try to be back as fast as I can.” He opened a portal, stepped through it, and vanished from sight.
Slowly, Eve walked indoors.
“Mistress?” An agitated Izzeri confronted her as she entered the foyer. “Why are you here?”
Usually, Reynner’s houseman appeared happy to see her. Now he looked harassed. Upset. “Izzeri, what’s wrong?”
And just as quick his expression cleared. “Nothing.” A quick smile. “You took me by surprise, mistress. Where is sire Aerén?”
