“And I don’t want to live, unless I have you.”
She closed her eyes, unable to face the sincerity of his gaze. Why was Valteri doing this? Why was he being so stubborn? “Are you willing to damn yourself for a moment’s worth of pleasure?”
“For one sweet moment with you, aye! Point me to the road to hell and I’ll gladly walk it. Never once in my life have I ever expected to grow old, and I would rather live one day held in your arms than to live out the rest of my life in the empty void that has followed me since my birth.”
Ariel pulled away from him, his words branding her. It would be so easy to stay, so very easy to give her pledge that she’d remain with him for whatever time fate had set aside for them.
But the price was too high and she was unwilling to pay it.
Her thoughts whirled through her head as she sought some argument that would make him understand her side of the matter. If only he could see things as she did.
Aye, that was it. She must show him.
“And what if the curse said that I was the one destined to die inyourarms, Valteri?” She touched his cheek, his whiskers gently scraping her palm. “Would you be willing to take your pleasure in the present if you knew that any day my life would end and that you might have to live out the whole of your life without me? Could you stay by my side knowing that was the price?”
Valteri opened his mouth to speak, then stopped. He’d never once thought of it that way.
“As I thought. You’d never take such a risk. Yet you expect me to.”
Damn it, she was right. But still, he didn’t want to admit it. “It’s not the same.”
“It is, and you know it.”
Valteri clenched his teeth, the knot in his stomach tightening even more. Aye, he did know it. He knew it and cursed it. “Then what’s left?”
“I don’t know.” She walked away from him, her shoulders slumping. Her obvious misery sliced through his conscience and brought a painful burning to his heart.
Indecision racked him. Life had never been more than a grueling burden for him that he’d gladly leave behind.
He’d resented every fucking breath he’d ever drawn.
Yet it would be selfish of him to ask her to live on with the guilt of knowing she’d caused his death.
How could I do that to her?
Valteri sighed, uncertain what to do. He clenched his teeth and cursed himself. He was a selfish bastard, but not so selfish that he would hurt her so needlessly.
So be it. He’d had his time with her. He wouldn’t ask for more. Since death was his sentence, he would meet it bravely.
Away from his Ariel.
I came into this world alone and that’s how I’ll leave it.
Not exactly true. He’d had a twin brother, but even his own brother had abandoned him in infancy.
Because no one wants you.
It was time to let her go.
“Very well,” Valteri said at last. “You stay here where you’re safe and protected. I shall make terms with my brother for your welfare. I’m sure he’ll appoint a steward loyal to him, but you will retain final say in all things. This will be your home and you will be the one in charge.” Clearing his throat, he pulled his gloves from his hands. “I’ll leave for London on the morrow.”
Ariel gasped as she finally won her war.
’Twas what she’d wanted, so why did her heart ache to the point she feared she’d die from it?
“Come, milady. Neither of us has rested. I doubt I shall die in my sleep, so let us take our slumber.”
Ariel nodded, her throat too tight for her to speak. Inside, her heart shriveled up. She bit her lip to keep her tears from falling.
