Page 76 of His Eternal Temptation

At least no one else would suffer at Cris’s cruel hands. Rowan had the absurd urge to thank Satan, even though he knew the Devil, and he had nothing to do with this stroke of luck.

“When the fighting broke out, you attacked your fellow conspirator.” Rowan pointed to the dead witch who had held Jack along with Marshall. “Why?”

“Of course I attacked him.” Marshall drew himself up as best he could. “They lied about Lane. He wasn’t being held captive, he was right there with you. I only went along with their terrible plan to find him and bring him home.”

“Where are the other Blackburns?” Lane asked, a slight wobble to his voice.

“Home. I said I’d call on them once I’d seen you safe.”

“And they let you leave everyone behind? The Hillmans believed I was dead. They cursed me with a near-incurable parasite.”

Marshall’s face went ashen. “Satan, save me. Dead?”

An echo of horror constricted Rowan’s heart. The Hillmans had meant to kill Lane on the off chance he warned Rowan of their plan. Not Marshall, as Lane had believed. Lane’s death would have been all Rowan’s fault, and they hadn’t even been associates at the time. What had the Hillmans been thinking? Had they heard Lane sided with Rowan against his father, seen him in Shearwater Landing, and assumed he was here with the Valeros?

It was a good thing they were all dead, or Rowan would have made them pay for killing on such a stupid assumption.

When no one refuted Lane’s claim that he’d almost been murdered, Marshall’s expression hardened. “If that’s the case, I suspect Cris planned to hypnotize me to call the rest of the Blackburns here. He seemed happy to take my support by force, especially when things weren’t going the way he hoped.”

“I see.” Rowan folded his hands behind his back. Perhaps this was why Cris had turned to witches when he couldn’t find more support among vampires. He could control an army, and he’d always preferred using people over working with them.

Rowan had no further questions, and Lane seemed to have no more to say, so Rowan gestured to Jack, and he released Lane’s father.

Marshall got to his feet and staggered toward his son. “When I saw you stun Cris, then stab him, my heart stopped. You were fearless. I’m so proud of you, Lane.”

Lane’s lips parted, but he didn’t speak.

“You should be proud.” Rowan leveled a glare. “You have a remarkable son. He found out about the Hillmans’ treachery and came to warn me even though he was dying.”

“You found out the Hillmans were after the Valeros? Lane, I’m so sorry I asked you to leave. When I thought I might lose you…”

“I’m glad you came for me, Father. When I saw you here, I feared you’d been in on this all along.”

Marshall flinched. “I’m sorry.”

Lane gave a sad sigh and leaned against Rowan.

Even on this horrible day, being with Lane felt right, almost like divine alignment, magic like Rowan had never known.

Perhaps that was the key to keeping Lane forever.

TWENTY-ONE

LANE

Lane returned to Arcadia with Rowan and the other Valeros after Rowan granted Marshall permission to stay within the city for a few days. Lane hadn’t asked, but Rowan seemed to sense his need for a conversation with his father when emotions weren’t so high.

Marshall’s apology, though brief, was enough for now. He regretted sending Lane away. Perhaps it was the first step in rebuilding their relationship, but even if it wasn’t, even if Marshall disappointed him all over again, Lane would be okay. He didn’t crave approval as he once had. He was happy with who he was and where his life was going.

A life Lane didn’t want to end. Leaving Rowan behind when he went to the afterlife wasn’t worth anything. Magic was important, but he wasn’t defined by what he could do any more than he was defined by his father’s expectations. Lane wasn’t his powers, and sacrificing one talent didn’t mean he’d be any less himself.

He’d find a new point to build independence around, discover new skills. It might even be exciting to reinvent himself and shed more than his Blackburn association as he stepped into a new life. The possibility thrilled rather than scared him, his future opening up rather than closing off.

“Am I glad to see these four walls again,” he said as they entered Rowan’s bedroom.

Rowan clicked the door shut and paused. “Don’t you hate this room?”

“No. Why would you think I did?”