He nods, then curls his hands into fists as a tremor rocks him. “You should definitely have it with your witch.”
“No. I'm not having this conversation at all. I'm not ranking up. I'm not trapping her here. I'm not keeping her.”
I stalk off, not waiting for his response. He'll just lecture me some more and try to get me to change my mind. It's hard enough being in this position. Two impossible options. Either I keep things the way they are, hoping the answer drops in my lap, or I resign myself to an eternity of yearning for an existence I’ll never experience.
“You can't make decisions for her,” Dimitri calls after me. “You don't get to dictate her future, Omen.”
I wave without looking, then disappear into the ether. Dimitri isn't wrong. I'm not about to admit that, though. I'm used to making decisions alone and having others follow them.Taking Clara into account, especially when I'm not entirely sure what she'll say, terrifies me.
If I ask her to leave her life behind in the human dimension and stay here, she could end up resenting me. If I follow her home, I'll lose my magic, eventually leaving me a creature born from nightmares. I won't be able to glamour or control my shadows. She'll have to kill me once I no longer recognize her face. I don't want her to go through that. My memories, my friend’s remembrance of me, my ability to jump between dimensions. I don't want to lose any of it.
None of it really matters if I lose her, though. Being soulbound means I'll constantly be searching for her. For the rest of my existence, I'll never be free of her memory. Especially now that I know her intimately.
When I step from the void, and land right outside my bedroom door, I let out a sigh of relief. My muscles relax as I enter, anticipating seeing Clara again.I freeze in the doorway and my gaze skips around the space. It's empty, devoid of life, but her scent remains. If she's delirious, she could be wandering around Hell. She could fall into a portal and end up anywhere.
I rush to the bathroom, then back to the bedroom. Living room, office, weapons room, and finally the kitchen. All of them empty. I close my eyes and focus on the thread tying us together. My fist slams into the wall when it doesn't work. I shouldn't be surprised. Trying to use a mythical power I don't know much about is ludicrous.
“Why are you punching things? Also, you lied to me.” Clara drops a paper bag on the island made of obsidian like everything else in this place. She starts pulling ingredients from inside.
Magic swirls around me and my wings burst from my back. “Where were you?”
She frowns at the ingredients, then shrugs. “I'm not entirely sure. I woke up and you were gone.” Her head pops up and sheglares at me. “That's what you lied about, if you were wondering. Anyways, I went looking for you. Opened a door and it was an empty closet with this bag and your cat sitting on the floor. You shouldn't lock your cat in a closet, by the way. It's rude.”
“You weren't here. I searched the entire house.”
“Are you calling me a liar?”
I throw my hands up and stalk around the island. I grab her and haul her into me. She lets out anoh. I bury my face in her hair and breathe her in.
“Are you feeling better?”
She shivers and her nails dig into my back. “It comes and goes. I'll be fine.”
I cup her cheeks and tip her face up. “I still think you're spellsick.”
She gives me a look, pressing her lips together. “Then how do I get over it? I assume that's what you were doing—trying to figure out how to heal me.”
Shit.I can't tell her what Dimitri said. She'll think I'm just trying to fuck her. I am, but that's not the point. Instead of answering, I cover her mouth with mine. She melts into me, parting her lips. I only meant to distract her, yet I'm drawn into her. I should let go, send her home, and leave her be. Except I can't.
She pulls back and whispers, “Omen, we need to talk.”
I groan, resting my forehead on hers. “I know.”
“If you fuck me, are you going to disappear again?”
I let out a chuckle. “You're here so you wouldn't be summoning me. And I can't be summoned in Hell.”
“You can't?”
“Nope. If I was lower rank, sure. It's annoying as shit.” I brush my lips over hers. “Are you going to keep asking me questions, or can I fuck you now?”
“I suppose we can discuss the other things later,” she murmurs. “Don’t think I forgot what you said when you were in that cage. But, yeah, later.”
“Perfect.”
I wrap my hands around her thighs and carry her toward the bedroom. I could put her on the counter, finish what we started in her own kitchen, but I need her in my bed. If she doesn't stay, at least I'll have the memories. Her scent might fade and her aura will vanish, but I'll remember.
As I lay her down, she clings to me and I have to peel her fingers from my arms. I hook my thumbs in her waistband and stop.
