AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes.”
“Marius, there’s something el
se. There was more than one symbol for ‘ruler.’ This one, the one that Rumy saw on Daniel’s uniform, means ‘one who has conquered’ as opposed to an inherited position and I sincerely doubt there was anything like ‘casting votes’ back in the day. And the use of new uniforms with an emblem and a stated purpose emblazoned on the fabric indicates a high level of organization. But can Daniel really hope to achieve total domination without the extinction weapon? I thought once we’d destroyed it, he’d lost his opportunity.”
Marius settled his palms on the soft leather surface. The trouble was, he knew she was right. One hundred percent. His father had never lacked for ambition. “It appears that Daniel thinks he can.”
“What are we going to do?”
He glanced at her, surprised by her use of “we.” He searched her eyes, aware just how much he appreciated her presence in his world, her willingness to help, to spend hours as she had just now searching for answers.
She’d helped him get the extinction weapon and now she’d interpreted the meaning of the symbols on Daniel’s shirt that had translated into a serious warning about his current plans.
“Thank you,” he said.
She glanced at the monitor. “For this? You’re welcome, I guess. I mean, this really was my pleasure.”
“I know.”
And just like that, he knew it was time for her to go home, to go back to Seattle. She didn’t need to be part of what would be happening next in his world. And she definitely deserved better than being caught in a war that had nothing to do with her. She’d called it right early on: The problems in his world belonged to the vampire civilization, no one else.
She rose to her feet almost at the same time. “Marius, no, I don’t want to go.”
He almost laughed. “Did you just read my mind?”
She smiled but looked so sad at the same time that his heart felt crushed. “No, of course not. I felt what you’re feeling and it came as a profound sense of finality. But I don’t feel ready to leave.” Her gaze flitted around. She blinked several times, and he watched tears fill her eyes.
“It’s time.”
She met his gaze once more and took several deep breaths. He felt her pulling inward and he didn’t like the sensation because she was gathering her emotions and shutting them down. “I’ve been here long enough, interfering in a way I never would have in a culture I’d come to study. Of course it’s time for me to go. I can see that. I know you’re right.”
She drew another deep breath, then suddenly a wave of grief hit Marius, emanating first from Shayna, then swelling within him at almost the exact same moment. “Oh, God, Shayna.” He opened his arms and she fell against his chest.
His throat tightened all over again as though he had a noose around it. Tears burned his eyes. His shirt grew damp and the soft sobs that came out of her tore at his heart, making him wish so many things at once, but mostly that she would stay with him forever.
He held her for a long time, rubbing his hand up and down her back until the worst was over and even his own sadness had dimmed. Emotions always felt eternal, but they weren’t, and this would pass like everything else. The only constant in his life was the sudden guilt that surged within him yet again as he remembered the sins of his past, the real reason he’d always be alone.
I wish I understood your suffering. Her voice was the softest murmur through his mind.
He’d miss this as well, the intimate sharing of telepathy, something he’d been able to do with her from the beginning, as easy as shifting into altered flight, like feeling feathers through his mind.
And I wish I could explain it.
I hope one day you’ll be free of this, because it’s like a living thing inside you.
She’d said it exactly right. A python inhabited his soul, tightening at times until he could hardly breathe.
But he’d done the unforgivable and the only thing he could ever hope was that if he continued waging war against his father, maybe then his continual sacrifice could make up for his betrayal of his brothers.
She drew back and he stared down into reddened eyes and cheeks, but she looked as beautiful as ever. “You think that what you’ve done crossed a line that can never be taken back.”
“You don’t know who I really am.”
She shook her head. “You’re wrong. I know exactly who you are. You’re one of the kindest, best men I’ve ever known.” She put her hand on his face and reached up to kiss him.
He drank the kiss in, knowing it might be their last. Thank you for everything, Shayna.
After a moment, she pulled away from him. He saw that her eyes had filled with tears once more, but it couldn’t be helped. She turned back to her worktable and began gathering up her notes.
