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Heat rushes to her cheeks, and I know right here and now, that I want to make her blush for all of eternity. “You are too kind.”
“You make me this way.”
Her smile widens moments before it begins to fade and her gaze refocuses on the horizon. “May I be honest with you?”
“Of course.”
Bronywyn sighs. “There are times I wish Elijah could not day walk as he does. I fear he’s going to draw too much attention to you both with the bodies beginning to pile up.” When she looks back at me, I see the fear clear as day reflected in the green of her eyes. “I can only ward the humans off for so long, Tarnley. And I don’t know that I want to continue shielding their deaths.”
The pain in her voice, her tormented expression, it tears me apart. Reaching forward, I brush a strand of blonde hair from her pale cheek. “I will talk to him. Perhaps it’s time we re-locate.”
Staring blankly ahead once more, she nods. Moments pass in silence as the sky grows brighter. I take a step farther into the alleyway behind me, knowing I’ll need to run to the sewers if I wait much longer, and still willing to risk bursting into flame for even another heartbeat in her presence. Such is the strength of my love for her.
“May I ask you another question?”
“You may ask me a thousand questions, and then a thousand more.”
She turns to me and swallows hard, pulse hammering in her throat. “Do you think he will ever love me as he did her?”
Her words strike me dumb, and I’m helpless to turn away from the hope burning in her bright gaze. I only wish I had a better answer for her. I could mislead her, tell her that the man she adores cares more for her than he has for any other, but somehow, I know that will only bring her more pain.
And I want this woman to never feel even an ounce of heartache. “I don’t—”
“What the bloody hell are you still doing out here?” Elijah’s harsh tone breaks through the moment, and we both turn. He’s standing in the alley behind us, chest covered in blood. It drips from his short beard, matting the ends of his dark hair.
“Elijah! What did you do?” Bronywyn’s horrified tone matches her expression.
Elijah sways. He’s drunk on grief, my brother, and I hate it for him, even as I know he’s screwing up on a scale even I may never be able to pull him back from. “I was hungry.”
“You’re going to get yourselves killed and me burned at the stake,” she snaps as she rushes forward, skirts gathered in her hands.
Elijah grins at her and slings an arm around her shoulders. My fingers itch to pull her away from him and tuck her safely beside me.
He turns to me. “You need to be in the dark, brother. Get your arse down into the sewers before I have to kick it there myself.”
Bronywyn glances back at me. “We’ll see you tonight.”
I nod, offering her a smile as I watch them retreat into the darkness. As soon as I’m sure they’re well out of range, I swallow hard and whisper, “He will never love you as I do.”
