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He repeatedly ran his hand through his hair. Only one could live. How the story ended was up to him.
What did his family offer the world? Death? Coercion? Spying on people in the shadows and in their dreams?
He threw himself on his couch, mentally and physically exhausted. What did the curse want from him? Because what he truly wanted, he couldn’t have—Sorrel. He rested his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes. A tear or two leaked out. He hadn’t cried since he was a child. It was a sign of weakness, his father had taught him . . . more like shamed him, for any emotion. Eric swore he would stop the cycle of abuse.
And that’s when it hit him. Here was his chance. It would require the ultimate sacrifice. To destroy either book, blood must be shed. The Aelius queen made sure her revenge was exacted until the very end—life, for the life taken from her. His great-grandfather had been kept around to give his life, if ever they found the Tellus book. The old bastard would probably die soon anyway. But Eric would sacrifice his own life to destroy his book first. It was worth it to protect Sorrel.
He would return her book in the morning, and then he would break the curse. A peace washed over him, knowing that for once in his life he was doing the noble thing. It allowed him to fall asleep, even knowing this was his last night in this life.
His brain was good to him and allowed him to dream of Sorrel. She was sitting in a hospital bed, more beautiful than ever, holding two babies—a boy and a girl. She smiled up at him. “We did good.”
Eric began to approach his little family, until a loud pounding on the hospital room door startled him and the babies. They both began to cry.
“Open up the damn door!” his father shouted.
Eric looked around the room for a safe place to hide Sorrel and the babies, but there was nowhere to be found, not even a closet. He panicked and rushed to Sorrel’s side. “Don’t say a word,” he begged her.
“I’m braver than you think,” she replied.
He kissed her forehead and lingered there, trying to soak in her courage.
His father pounded on the door again. “You can’t hide from me forever.”
“It’s going to be okay.” Sorrel tried to soothe him. “We’ll do this together.”
A calm reassurance spread through Eric, making Sorrel and the babies vanish. In their place was the table and chair set he’d previously met his father at, but this time it was in a stark-white room. Eric took a seat and cleared his mind. He knew what he had to do.
“Come in,” Eric called.
His father sauntered in with a sneer so vile that Eric had to stop himself from flinching. “What took you so long?”
“You were interrupting an intimate moment.”
His father took a seat, chuckling. “Like father, like son.”
Never, Eric thought.
“So, what did you find out about Sorrel?” His father got right to business.
Eric shrugged. “It was like I said, she’s mortal. But . . .”
Vincent’s brows raised and he leaned in.
“I’m in love with her, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to break the curse so we can be together. I want to help you with your search for the Tellus family book.”
Vincent narrowed his eyes and studied his son. After a few moments the corners of his mouth ticked up. “This is excellent news. I must meet this woman.”
Eric forced himself not to swallow or clench his fists. He would never allow his father to get near Sorrel. “Of course. Are you planning to return to the States soon?”
“We’ll be in Atlanta tomorrow.”
Eric’s blood ran cold. He didn’t have much time.
“You took care of mother, I presume.”
“Unfortunately, yes,” his father snarled. “She’s been more trouble than she’s worth from the day I was forced to bind myself to her. I’d just as soon leave her in the hellhole jail she got herself thrown into, but she has a big mouth. And as you know, she has her uses.”
Eric internally shuddered, thinking about the uses his mother had. She was like his father’s minion, used for whatever nefarious purposes his father commanded. “Why don’t we have dinner tomorrow night? I’ll see if Sorrel is available. Just know she thinks I only have brothers and a grandmother.”
“We can work with that.”
“Good. There’s a great place downtown, the Mandolin. Let’s say eight tomorrow night. My treat.”
Vincent gave Eric a shrewd look. “This woman must really be something special. I might have to fight you for her.”
Eric could only hold his composure for so long. “You’ll keep your bloody hands off her.”
Vincent shrugged. “See you soon.” He vanished without another word.
Eric jerked awake, shaking. It was still dark. His first thought was that he had to get the book back to Sorrel and destroy his. He hurled himself off the couch and ran into his room, not caring that it was the middle of the night. He grabbed both books and barely took the time to slip on a pair of shoes. This was it. The curse would die today. Sorrel would live. All would be well.
