A girl with raven-black hair and dark brown eyes, laughing as he chased her through a golden field.
The love and devotion in her eyes as she looked up at him through thick, dark lashes, pulling him down for a kiss.
I felt everything about that moment as if I were living it myself—his heart hammering, his love for her. His desire.
Their lips met again. The kiss deepened.
And just as quickly, those feelings turned to fear. To icy dread.
I tried to stop the memories, to close my eyes, to break the connection, but I couldn’t. This was private, this was painful, I shouldn’t have been there, and yet I was, forced to watch the raven-haired beauty’s skin turn the color of ash as the light faded from her eyes, forced to scream her name, force to feel that soul-sucking loss as I tried over and over to bring her back, to take back what I’d done…
“Release him, Gray. Now.” The commanding voice broke through the fog, shattering the memory like glass. Slowly, the attic came back into focus. I was dimly aware of Liam’s hands on my shoulders, his mouth lowering to mine.
I felt the press of his lips, but my soul resisted, clinging to Asher’s. I felt the hold, the fierce connection, and though I knew it was wrong—knew it would likely doom us both—part of me wanted to let it happen…
“Gray Desario, release him at once!” Liam had transformed into the shadowy darkness of Death once again, his voice reverberating through me, forcing me to obey. I felt my soul shrink back, and with a searing pain like nothing I’d ever felt before, Asher’s soul finally left my body, taking with it the memories I’d seen, the scent of him, the feel.
Death’s eyes glowed bright blue, and then he released me.
I closed my eyes, falling to my hands and knees, barely able to keep my eyes open.
“It is done,” he said. And then he was gone, disappearing in a swirl of black smoke and raven feathers.
My insides ached. My outsides ached. I was wrung out and all used up, and all I wanted to do was collapse on the floor and sleep for a month.
But when I lifted my head and opened my eyes, I saw my demon lying on the floor, limp and lifeless.
“Asher!” I crawled over to him, feeling for a pulse. It was faint, his skin now cold and clammy, but he was still alive. I stripped off my hoodie and covered his torso, quickly rubbing heat back into his arms.
When his eyes finally fluttered open, a sob escaped my lips.
“Cupcake,” he whispered. He lifted a trembling hand to my face, but he didn’t have the strength to hold it there. “Haley… Took Haley.”
“Shh.” I smoothed the matted hair from his forehead. “Don’t worry about that right now. We’ll find her. Right now I just need you to be okay.”
I looked around the attic for something—a blanket? Food? First aid kit?—but the bare room held no hope.
I wanted to scream. I’d manipulated his soul—risked both of our eternal lives—to save him. Now he was going to, what? Bleed out? Fade away?
“Asher, I need to know how to help you. I—”
Oh, Gray. You dummy.
A slow smile spread across my face.
“You’re not going to like this,” I teased. “Not at all.”
I leaned forward, slowly lowering my mouth toward his.
“Don’t,” he said, trying to swat me away. “You could… hurt…”
“Asher, you’re a god damn incubus. If you don’t let me try, you’re going to die. Do you understand me?”
He shook his head, his eyes fluttering closed.
“What the fuck? You don’t want to kiss me?”
“Not… not like this,” he whispered.
