She is utterly addicting. She’s under my skin. I don’t ever want her out.
Which is a problem, because right now, she doesn’t even want tolookat me.
I let out a deep sigh, my chest clenching when I remember the confusion and hurt that flashed in her eyes. She feels webetrayed her, that we didn’t adequately prepare her for the possibility of a mate bond forming between her and Rhune.
It’s just that… it shouldn’t bepossible. She’s a human, and there are zero signs she possesses demon ancestry. It doesn’t make any sense. Yet it happened.
Though, the most troubling part is that Willow doubts the sincerity of her feelings for Rhune and I. More than that, she’s probably worried thatourdevotion to her isn’t as real as it appears. Little does she know, we would worship her with or without a mate bond. There is no universe in which we would not find the gorgeous little human and make her ours. There is no reality in which our souls do not search for the other.
She will understand one day. It will take time and convincing, but one day, she will know the full weight of our devotion.
And obsession.
Excited by the notion of getting to see Willow, I hasten my pace, eager to see her after our night apart. She spent the night in Cin’s bedroom—most likely to avoid Rhune and me, and I can’t exactly blame her. The two of us spent turns checking on her throughout the night, and I believe Rhune ended up falling asleep just outside the door. He wants to be close to her, but still give her the space she needs. It’s cute and a little bit pathetic, but I understand his actions completely.
Just as I thought, I find Rhune curled in a ball on the floor outside of Cin’s bedroom, looking every bit as pitiful as he feels.I should know. The idiot has been letting all his negative emotions travel freely through the bond we all share, and it’s put all four of us in a bad mood.
I take a deep breath to steady my emotions, then crouch down to Rhune’s level. I reach an arm out, poking his cheek with the tip of my claw. “Hello, sunshine.”
A pitiful whine exits his throat like a song—neverending and utterly depressing. If his horns could droop, I have no doubt they would be at this moment.
“What’s the matter, Rhune? You don’t look so well.”
“Willow,” he cries, burying his head in his hands. “I went in to see her earlier, but she sent me away. Shehatesme. I’ve ruined everything.” He rocks back and forth, his eyes flaring bright pink as he tries to hold his transformation at bay. “I need… Ihaveto be with her, Nyx. I think I’m dying.”
“You’re notdying,you dizzy creature. You just need to come.”
He whines. “It feels like I’m dying.”
I roll my eyes. “And they sayI’mthe dramatic one.”
Rhune curls into a tighter ball, his dark-pink wing folding over to cover his face. “Leave me to rot. I don’t want to go on living if she hates me.”
“She doesn’thateyou. She’s just angry—and rightfully so. You snatched her from her home and trapped her here with no option to leave. She’s confused, and hurt, and she feels we deceived her. But… I think eventually, she might forgive you.”
Rhune peers over the top of his wing, his eyes swimming with hope. “Really?”
I shrug, then push to my feet. “Only one way to find out.”
Doing my best to hide the excitement on my face, I shove the covering aside and step into Cin’s room. My eyes land on Willow sitting upright in the middle of Cin’s bed, and my chest tightens with a mixture of jealousy and desire.
As soon as Willow notices me, her eyes narrow in a mighty glare, and my heart thrums with excitement. I love that fiery expression.
“Hi, Willow. You lookparticularlybeautiful this day.” When she doesn’t respond, I try another angle. “I heard you gave Rhune a nice talking-to.”
Now, she whips her head up, fire blazing in her pretty green eyes. “I’ll give you one too, if you don’t leave. I’m not in the mood right now, Nyx.”
I move closer, unaffected by her anger. “Such a shame. Here I was saying we should take a trip to the ocean and get some fresh air. But I guess you’re not interested.” I shrug, beginning to walk away.
“Wait!”
I turn with a grin, only for something to be lobbed at my head. The chunk of ice bounces off my forehead and falls to the stone floor with a soft clatter, but I’m too shocked to respond right away.
She did not…
When I raise my eyes, I’m met with the sight of Willow’s sneer. “If you’re trying to bribe me to make me forgive you and Rhune, you’re going to have to try a whole lot harder than a trip to the ‘beach.’”
My chest lights with glee. “So you’re saying youwillaccept bribery?”
