“But we fear him most of all,” she said.
“Because I feared his return most of all!” Caemorn thumped his chest. “Because all of this–everything I had wrought–had gone so wrong. And I thought he would never forgive me. But he did. He has. And still you bleat.”
“We know what’s coming if Daemon takes over fully,” she whispered. “There will be another war greater than the one before. So many will suffer. So many will perish.”
“Yes,” Caemorn laughed sourly. “Of course, there will be. The humans will not go down without a fight.”
“But it can be stopped,” she said.
“No, it cannot. Because all of this was determined before you were born,” Caemorn told her. “There isnothingyou can do or say that will change things. Not the grand arc that is coming.”
“And if all the humans perish because of it?” she asked.
“Then we go somewhere else. As we have done in the past,” Caemorn answered.
“Like locusts?” she breathed.
“The Ever Dark once knew sunlight,” Caemorn told her. “And there have been many worlds–many species–who have known us and come to regret it.”
She just stared at him. Legion said nothing, but Caemorn was certain even without reading their mind that Legion wasn’t a true believer. They had just wanted Weryn for themselves. He advanced upon the bars. She retreated step for step, but she could never truly get far enough away.
“Did you think you were special?” Caemorn sneered. “Did you think you were chosen?”
“Immortals are monsters.” She shook her head almost violently.
“It all depends on your point of view,” he answered tiredly. “But if you’re truly worried about humanity, you need not be. For Julian–our prince, Daemon’s one–started as a human. And so, as a gift, as a boon, Daemon will preserve them. So the Sect of Dawn has succeeded in spite of itself. Hurray for you.”
AFTER
Grayson’s eyes fluttered shut. His dark eyelashes fanned over flushed cheeks. Perspiration caused his skin to glow as Ryder moved on top of him and inside of him. His arms were loosely wound around Ryder’s neck, fingers linked to keep them there, as Ryder delved inside of him.
Ryder had worried that Grayson was still too exhausted to make love and that they should concentrate on more sleep. Grayson’s languidness and his gentle participation in their lovemaking seemed to merit that assessment. But Grayson had been insistent that they make love. He’d said he couldn’t imagine a night together where they didn’t.
“I’ll sleep more after. I’ll sleep more deeply after. Better after,” Grayson promised him. “But I need you now.”
With the “no funny business” still ringing in his ears from Dani who remained outside like a sentinel, Ryder had given Grayson a lifted eyebrow.
“Thenyouwill have to take the brunt of Dani’s anger,” Ryder told him.
Grayson grinned like a little boy. “Not if she doesn’t know. We can be quiet, can’t we?”
“Not that quiet,” Ryder grunted. “And the scent will be unmistakable.”
Grayson blushed. “Yes, I keep forgetting how keen a Vampire’s sense of smell is.”
“Indeed. There will be no hiding it. I can already smell your desire coming off of you in waves.”
“So the cat is probably already out of the proverbial bag anyways. And asking for forgiveness instead of permission never works with her either.” Grayson sighed and turned to the door. “Dani? Would you come inside for a minute?”
The door immediately opened. Grayson hadn’t even had to raise his voice so that likely meant that she had heard everything else they’d said too, which was really not a surprise. Grayson was not only her Immortal, but her Master and she was attuned to him more closely than any other. She did not say anything about the fact that they were cuddled under the blankets with Grayson still resting on top of his chest. She did shake her head though. “Funny business” incorporated even cuddling, or maybe she just knew them better than they did themselves and understood that cuddling would lead to other things despite the best of intentions.
“You look all rung out, Grayson,” she said quietly.
Ryder expected Grayson to disagree, but instead his beloved answered, “Iam. More so than I’ve ever been. I feel like I could sleep for a week.”
“Why don’t you?” Dani looked meaningfully at Ryder’s hands gliding up and down Grayson’s back.
“He’s not keeping me up, Dani,” Grayson insisted, but a firm look from her had him amending, “Not in spite of my own desires actually.”
