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Still, she wouldn’t have gone far. Not far enough that my steady jog wouldn’t have caught up to her. I ran through the woods in all directions.Twice.
I’ve returned to the campsite, lost and crippled with worry. But should I be? My mate is powerful. She’s strong enough to defend herself if need be.Except in the case of poison stings and feral animal bites, I remind myself. Regardless, if she’s gone into the woods by herself without giving me warning, then she must have a goal in mind. Maybe she’s grown tired of my company.
Pacing is the only thing that keeps me sane as I wait for her. I cross the grassy lot, passing the wispy willow with each turn of my stride.
Then I hear soft footsteps crunching over leaves in the distinct stride I associate my mate with. She enters the clearing across from me; her dress lifted off the ground.
I stalk forward, eyes hardening. My lips twist into a scowl as I prepare to scold her for disappearing- but then I pause.
Her eyes are wet.
Thea stumbles across the grassy clearing until she’s beside the fire. Her knees fold, but I’m already there, catching her before she can hit the ground.
“What’s wrong?” I scan her features. There aren’t any cuts, bruises, or even a trace of dirt on her face. The only pain I find is in her eyes.
She sniffles, her small hands wrapping around the collar of my shirt. “I don’t know what I’m doing here, Ren.” she admits, sniffling again.
My brows furrow as I try again to see into her mind. Why must she speak in riddles when I can’t hear a single phrase being whispered in that beautiful, bright brain of hers? I swipe a strand of pale hair out of her eyes, pushing it behind her ear. “Tell me what’s happened.”
Her eyes squeeze shut, spilling more tears. I hug her closer, and she wraps around me until her nose is buried in my neck.
She’s silent for a minute. I think she’s not going to answer, that she’ll hold this in like I tried to hold my pain in. Finally, she shudders, releasing a warm gust of air as she exhales. “I met a human.”
My hands turn to ice around her body.
A human. Probably one I’ve hunted. One that met me at my lowest, and likely one who flees from me in their nightmares. What has this human told my mate that has her so despondent? Have they revealed my history with the clan of human-dhampir mates hidden within the bunker nearby?
I can’t say the thought makes me angry. In fact, I believe I’ve been bracing for this moment since I met Thea. Eventually she’d have found out about my evil deeds. She may have forgiven me when she learned of my past sickness, but what will she do when she finds out I was living in a dual perspective?
What will my divine lover think when she discovers I’ve hunted for the joy of it; that I targeted the humans who had what I didn’t?
I’ll deserve her fury then. It’s the only way for retribution.
I stroke the back of her head, holding her closer now that I know it may be the last time she’ll allow me to touch her. “What did the human tell you?”
Thea pushes against my chest until she’s able to look up at me, her nose red. “I almost murdered her mate,” she blurts.
And then her sobs return, the tears gushing faster.
I’m stunned for the second time. “You what?”
Her chest is quivering as she struggles to catch her breath. “I introduced myself. She thought I was a monster, of course. Her partner did as well, and when he grabbed her, I jumped to the worst conclusion.” She places her hand over her mouth. Her next words are muffled. “I drained him.”
My worries of being outed are replaced with the fear of my mates conscience. She’s too pure to handle a weight as heavy as taking the life of an innocent. Already, she’s been loaded with grief from being unable to save the sick. “But you said youalmostmurdered him, Thea. Tell me what happened.”
She closes her eyes, breathing deeply. “I stopped when I realized she felt something for him. He was still unconscious when I left. I’m not even sure he’ll wake up.”
I rub my hands over her bare arms, soothing her. “You stopped. Dhampirs are formidable, Thea. If he has a mate, he’ll use the strength of that bond to force himself to recover. Trust me.” If it were I, I’d fight death with all my power to return to Thea. “Tell me what they looked like.”
Thea rubs the back of her hand over her nose, causing it to puff up further. “Does it matter?”
I shrug, trying to seem nonchalant. “Maybe.”
She leans against my chest again, this time with her head over my heart. “The human was gorgeous. She had dark hair, brown skin, and calves of steel. The male was… different. He had eyes like yours,” she pauses, her gaze darting over my irises. “His hair was shoulder length, dark. The only word he spoke was the woman’s name.”
I grind my teeth, trying not to pry but needing answers all the same. “And her name?”
Thea’s stare turns dreamy. “Maggie.”
