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“Oh, you meanInever told you the story of my death.”Henodded. “It’sa simple one, actually—simple and stupid.”
“Stupid?Whatdo you mean?”Hannaasked, frowning. “Howcould your death be ‘stupid?’”
“BecauseIbrought it on myself.”Wraithsighed heavily. “Iam, asItold you, aHybrid—both my mother and my father wereKindred, but from different branches of theKindredfamily tree.Asit turns out,Hybridshave a lot of troubleBondinga female to them—the same way manyHybridanimals are sterile.”
“Really?Ididn’t know that,”Hannaremarked.
Henodded.
“It’strue, unfortunately.Anyway,Ihad a femaleIloved very much and she loved me—Marawas her name.”Hesighed. “ThoughItried toBondher to me,Iwas never able to.AndaFailedBondingispainful.”
“Goon.”Hannawas fascinated.Shewas learning so much and he hadn’t even gotten to the main story yet. “Sowhat happened?”
“Iheard that there was a certain wise woman onG’ralaThreethat could helpHybridstoBondwith their chosen female,”Wraithexplained. “SoIwent to see her.”Heshook his head. “Ishould have known there was something wrong the momentIstepped into her hut.”
“Why?Howcould you have known?”Hannaasked.
“Isensed the presence of evil—Iwas always sensitive to the supernatural whenIwas alive.Ididn’t have aGiftlike yours, butIcould feel the presence of the other world that surrounds the world of the living,”Wraithexplained. “AndIsensed it strongly in the wise woman’s hut.ButIwanted so badly toBondwithMara,Iignored my instincts.”
Hannawas hanging on his every word now.HerAuntLunahad gotten up and was quietly clearing the table, probably knowing thatHannawould fill her in later, since she couldn’t see or hearWraith.
“Iexplained my problem to her and she gave me a potion,”Wraithtold her. “Shesaid it would enable me toBondwith my female but cautioned me not to take it untilIreturned to theMotherShip.Ibelieve her exact words were,
‘Takethe brew
AndBondye well.
Butwho thouBonds
Timewill tell.
Shaltnever see the afterlife
UntilthouBonds
Withlove, a wife.”
Wraithshook his head as he finished reciting the short verse.
“Iknow now that those words were a curse.Ishould have known not to take that potion—my beloved,Mara,beggedme not to.Shesaid we could stay together, even withoutBonding.ButIwas stubborn—Iwanted what every otherKindredwarrior has—aSoulBondwith his mate.AndsoIdrank the potion.”
“And…it killed you?”Hannaalmost whispered.
Henodded.
“Invery short order.Iwas already dead by the time they rushed me to theMedStation.Icould see my body as they tried to revive it butIcouldn’t get back into it.Iremember howMarawept and wept.Ihatedmyself for hurting her, for insisting on taking that damn potion…”
Helooked so upset thatHannasqueezed his hand, wanting to comfort him.
“I’mso sorry,Wraith.Thatmust have been unspeakably awful,” she said softly.
Wraithsighed.
“Itwas a long time ago now.I’vejust…never spoken of it before to anyone.SinceIwasn’t able to speak to anyone until you arrived, little one.”Hegave her a half smile that madeHanna’sstomach flutter.
Sheliked it when he called her “little one”—especially since she’d never thought of herself as little before.Shewas taller than anyone else in her family and she’d always been plus-sized, but compared toWraith, who was nearly seven feet tall and extremely muscular, she did indeed feel small and delicate.Itwas a new feeling forHanna, and one she found she liked immensely.
“Well, are you two ready to go shopping?”AuntLuna’svoice cut into her thoughts andHannalooked up.
