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God. I murdered a man.
If hell is real, I guess I will see my father there some day, after all.
I lower the trashcan, wiping my hand across the back of my mouth.
"Here." My captor appears at my side, taking the trashcan and handing me a bottle of water. "Drink this. You'll feel better."
That's unlikely. But I obediently twist off the cap and take a drink to rinse my mouth, too numb to argue. "Thank you." I hand it back to him.
He sets it on the nightstand built into the bedframe before holding his hand out as if to help me up.
I eye it for a long moment, half afraid of what he might do if I allow him to touch me…and half afraid of whatImight do. I can't cry right now. I won't.
I carefully place my hand in his, jolting when a current of electricity rushes up my arm, plunging deep into my veins. His little corner in my soul yawns wider. I feel him as he pulls me to my feet, more strongly than I've ever felt anything.
I don't know what he's thinking. I can't read his mind. But it's as if I know what's in his heart. A pervasive, piercing ache. Asense of awe. Need so intense it makes my legs quiver. Dear God, it's so strong it's nearly overwhelming.
Desire surges through me in response, hot and fast, igniting me from the inside out. My core temperature rises, my gaze flying to his.
"Valkyrie," he groans, his deep voice guttural. The green of his eyes seems to swirl with light, growing bright. "Ah, Gods."
I jerk out of his hold, quickly putting distance between us. My God…whoisthis man?
Nei, lyseste lys. He was no man.
Oh. Are you?
The snippet of conversation floats back to me like a bubble popping. What was his response? I search my mind for the answer, but it doesn't come.
What did he mean, the man I killed was no man?
I'm almost afraid to ask.
"Rissa," I whisper.
"Hmm?"
"You keep calling me Valkyrie. My name is Rissa."
"Rissa," he whispers as if testing it out.
I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself.
"I'm Adaxiel. Everyone calls me Dax."
Adaxiel. Dax.The name fits him.
"If I ask where we are, will you tell me?" I turn back to face him. He's right where I left him, his feet rooted to the spot. "Or am I not allowed to know that?"
"We're in Eitr, Rissa."
"Eitr?" The name tickles the back of my mind. "Why do I know that name?"
"It's a little town in the Cascades a few hours outside of Seattle."
"No." I shake my head, a frown overtaking my face as I concentrate. There are countless dozens of tiny towns in theCascades, places no one has never and will never hear about. They certainly aren't on any map. People don't move into the deepest, darkest recesses of the mountains out here because they want to be found. Which doesn't give me much hope that this man actually means it when he says I'm not a prisoner here. He doesn't have to tie me up to keep me here. A remote town with an odd name in the Cascades in winter is the next closest thing to a dungeon for someone unfamiliar with the terrain. "That's not it."
He sighs, a long-suffering sigh.
