the pain to flow out of his eyes and recognition to return. When it did, fear collided with longing. We were so close, and in that lost state, he was himself. There was no way Kreturus would allow himself to be ruled by someone so broken. Very little was penetrating Collin’s mind. But, now that he actually saw me and realized that I was all right, well, now what?
He blinked back tears and spoke so softly that I could barely hear him, “The fang sliced you. I saw it.”
I shook my head, “But I didn’t die. It wasn’t your fault. And I healed.” I slid my fingers along my neckline just above my hidden scar. “See there’s nothing there.” Okay, that was a lie. But, he didn’t need to know that I was still dying right then. My tank top covered the scar and thin blue line of sapphire serum that was still poisoning me. I took his face between my palms, “I’m alive.”
It was in that moment that he allowed hope to penetrate him, and he heard me. Sometimes when things seem too far gone, hope is a fool’s dream. And when the human mind passes that point, there is no bringing it back. I flirted with the edge of that line for a year. It was Collin who kept me from falling over the edge. It was Collin who carried my grief with me. And now, I was the one calling him back from the edge. In that moment I didn’t care about Hell, demons, or Kreturus. Collin was the only one that mattered. The bond flared to life and filled me with joy, relief, and thankfulness.
Collin’s gaze intensified as he realized that I was still alive and in his arms. His fingers clasped the sides of my face, as he lowered his head and pressed his lips to mine, tasting me as if he couldn’t believe I was really there. The kiss was soft and warm. My stomach stirred as I leaned into him. His arms wrapped around my waist and he pulled me closer. Heart pounding in my chest, I allowed the magic of the moment to overcome me. I didn’t think about the things that I should have considered. I didn’t think about Lorren telling me that a Valefar could give a demon kiss to anyone, at any time. I didn’t think about stealing my soul back. I didn’t think about Collin setting me up to steal the rest of the power locked within me. I didn’t think at all. We were all there was, all that mattered.
Breathless, he pulled away. Questions were all over his face, “How’d you survive? I thought the sapphire serum killed you.”
I hesitated, not knowing what to do. Confide in Collin or not? Could Kreturus hear me? Was he still inside of him? I didn’t know. I didn’t sense the demon, but it was possible he was hiding. It was possible that I couldn’t sense him. And if Kreturus was still possessing Collin, then he could use the knowledge against me. He could make sure I never healed. He could end my life as soon as he realized that Collin had part of my soul in his body, and that if I died, he’d have all my power.
Looking up into Collin’s face, I made my decision to lie. Besides wondering about Kreturus’ whereabouts, there was another reason not to tell him the truth yet. Collin thought he caused my death, and he couldn’t live with himself. It broke him. Finding him like this let me know that he had a severe weakness—he couldn’t handle losing me. If I told him that I had been poisoned and that the poison was still inside of me—slowly killing me—Collin would do whatever I asked to save me, even give his own life. He’d done that before. I couldn’t risk losing him again. Maybe it was selfish, but I couldn’t do it.
So I lied. I shrugged, and looked away saying, “I must be immune. It hurt like hell, but it didn’t kill me.”
Collin pressed kisses to the side of my temples and pulled me into his arms again. When he released me, a look of hesitation came over him. “Why were you acting like you were afraid of me before?”
Swallowing hard, I said, “I was afraid of you. I thought you were Kreturus.” His expression shifted wildly
He blinked back tears and spoke so softly that I could barely hear him, “The fang sliced you. I saw it.”
I shook my head, “But I didn’t die. It wasn’t your fault. And I healed.” I slid my fingers along my neckline just above my hidden scar. “See there’s nothing there.” Okay, that was a lie. But, he didn’t need to know that I was still dying right then. My tank top covered the scar and thin blue line of sapphire serum that was still poisoning me. I took his face between my palms, “I’m alive.”
It was in that moment that he allowed hope to penetrate him, and he heard me. Sometimes when things seem too far gone, hope is a fool’s dream. And when the human mind passes that point, there is no bringing it back. I flirted with the edge of that line for a year. It was Collin who kept me from falling over the edge. It was Collin who carried my grief with me. And now, I was the one calling him back from the edge. In that moment I didn’t care about Hell, demons, or Kreturus. Collin was the only one that mattered. The bond flared to life and filled me with joy, relief, and thankfulness.
Collin’s gaze intensified as he realized that I was still alive and in his arms. His fingers clasped the sides of my face, as he lowered his head and pressed his lips to mine, tasting me as if he couldn’t believe I was really there. The kiss was soft and warm. My stomach stirred as I leaned into him. His arms wrapped around my waist and he pulled me closer. Heart pounding in my chest, I allowed the magic of the moment to overcome me. I didn’t think about the things that I should have considered. I didn’t think about Lorren telling me that a Valefar could give a demon kiss to anyone, at any time. I didn’t think about stealing my soul back. I didn’t think about Collin setting me up to steal the rest of the power locked within me. I didn’t think at all. We were all there was, all that mattered.
Breathless, he pulled away. Questions were all over his face, “How’d you survive? I thought the sapphire serum killed you.”
I hesitated, not knowing what to do. Confide in Collin or not? Could Kreturus hear me? Was he still inside of him? I didn’t know. I didn’t sense the demon, but it was possible he was hiding. It was possible that I couldn’t sense him. And if Kreturus was still possessing Collin, then he could use the knowledge against me. He could make sure I never healed. He could end my life as soon as he realized that Collin had part of my soul in his body, and that if I died, he’d have all my power.
Looking up into Collin’s face, I made my decision to lie. Besides wondering about Kreturus’ whereabouts, there was another reason not to tell him the truth yet. Collin thought he caused my death, and he couldn’t live with himself. It broke him. Finding him like this let me know that he had a severe weakness—he couldn’t handle losing me. If I told him that I had been poisoned and that the poison was still inside of me—slowly killing me—Collin would do whatever I asked to save me, even give his own life. He’d done that before. I couldn’t risk losing him again. Maybe it was selfish, but I couldn’t do it.
So I lied. I shrugged, and looked away saying, “I must be immune. It hurt like hell, but it didn’t kill me.”
Collin pressed kisses to the side of my temples and pulled me into his arms again. When he released me, a look of hesitation came over him. “Why were you acting like you were afraid of me before?”
Swallowing hard, I said, “I was afraid of you. I thought you were Kreturus.” His expression shifted wildly
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