“Too?” he repeated, voice hoarse.
She nodded.
“So, my family, they’re dead?”
She bit her lip and then lifted a shoulder in a helpless shrug. “I don’t know.”
But gut-deep, he knew. “They are.” He shut his eyes, inhaling a harsh gulp of hot air into burning lungs. “And I’ve hated them for so long for not looking for me.”
“You have Aba. He loves you.”
“I know.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yes, he gave me life again, but at times, I hated him, too, for the torment I had to endure just to live. The feedings, the—”
“Do you think it was right to keep thedeathfights from him?”
His eyes snapped open. “He knows? Dammit!” He thrust his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. “I didn’t want to burden him further. I always made sure he was on Earth when I had to fight. He doesn’t know about my deal with Azgor for these fights.”
“He’s your sire, Nate. He’s always going to put you first,” she said softly, pulling free the bottom of her top sticking to her skin, drawing his attention to her sweaty, taut belly. “He was frantic when he found out you had a fight approaching. It’s why he called me. He seemed to think I could somehow sway you.”
Nate didn’t respond, his gaze skimming her face. Her cheeks were flushed with her fever, her internal agitation scraping at him like gravel. He could feel her distress, but he didn’t ask because she’d brush it off. More, knowing what she needed.
“So, you came to the Dark Realm forme?” he asked softly, instead.
Her fingers fisted her top. “Shadow’s my friend, and I would do anything to keep her happy after all she’s gone through. Besides, I like Aba. I don’t like seeing him hurt or troubled…”
“I see.” His chest compressed like a vise tightening, wanting her to say she’d come for him.
“I came for you, Nate,” she blurted, causing his heart to stutter. Her eyes shone with tears. “Because I couldn’t bear this divide between us, but you obviously can’t forgive me for what I’ve done. You’ve moved on…”
CHAPTER26
Hades!Ely’s tears undid him.
Not that he could blame her for thinking that he’d moved on.
Much as he abhorred what had happened to him as a child, once the agony of betrayal at learning she’d inadvertently changed his destiny had abated, the truth glared him in the face.
Ely would never leave a child alone in the face of danger. She was a warrior, but one with a soft heart.
“Ely.” He reached out, needing to touch her, but she stepped back, eyes dark with hurt. “Don’t, Nate. This is hard enough for me—”
“I haven’t moved on with anyone, Ely,” he said quietly. “Qinera is a healer. She had her hand on my lowerabsand was healing me.” Anger gushed through him, thinking about why he wasn’t healing, recalling what else Qinera had revealed. Hands fisted, he glared at the twisted branches of the ash tree lining the edge of the property. A spelled dagger! The cretin, Derrodus, had used a fuckingspelledweapon on him.
“In abrothel?” Ely snapped.
Hell, he could understand her anger at what she thought had happened when she saw another female with her hands on him in an intimate manner, especially in a pleasure den. Becausehestill wanted to skewer the damn fae for not only touchingherbut daring to ask for her name!
He met her glare, dragging in lungfuls of air to keep his anger bolted. “I got hurt while here, Ely. I was in a fight. I wasn’t healing as fast as I should have. I needed help. I heard Qinera was treating someone in the pleasure den. I went over and waited for her.”
Her throat worked. Her lips trembled, then she stepped past him to the edge of the land, staring out at the black river slithering through the cliffs’ foothold in the distance, arms wrapped around her waist as if to hold herself together.
She didn’t believe him?
* * *
The demoness was a healer—ahealer!
Ely lowered her head and blinked back her tears, a knot of emotion choking her, trying to get her unraveling mind leashed. He hadn’t gone to another female.
