AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Telling West the truth?”
“Subduing the werewolf.”
“I didn’t stop to think how it felt. I needed to act, and I did.”
His brow wrinkled. “That doesn’t concern you?”
My body stiffened in his arms. “What about it should concern me?”
“That you were so quick to resort to your powers in a time of perceived crisis.”
I blinked. “You’ve uttered multiple wrong words in such a short sentence. Impressive.”
“West is more than capable of defending himself. You should’ve stayed out of it instead of endangering yourself and others.”
I balked. “Now you sound like Pops. What’s gotten into you?”
The pads of his fingers pressed into my skin. “You, Lorelei Clay. You’ve gotten into me.”
And it terrified him.
“You’re the one who dubbed me the liminal deity. Should I have let them kill Sage and Gran and kidnap West?”
“I suggested nothing of the sort, but if you intend to use your powers more frequently in Fairhaven, you should practice.”
I scrutinized him. “Why do you care whether I practice?”
His voice grew low and intense. “Why do you think?”
“You think if I can learn to control the darkness within me, that we have a chance.”
“You see that, don’t you? I’ve come too far, Lorelei. I can’t risk falling back into the depths of that hell. I agreed to move forward at the pace you set, but unless you do the work, time alone is meaningless.”
I continued to sway in his arms as I mulled over his words.
He leaned forward, his lips brushing my earlobe, and whispered, “Tell me you don’t want it as much as I do, and I’ll walk away right now. We never need speak of it again.”
I wanted it. I wanted it more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life, and I resented him for it. I’d tried so hard to keep my life simple. Manageable. Fairhaven changed all that.
I found my voice again. “I don’t want death and darkness for either of us. You know that.”
“But?” Kane prompted. “I hear a ‘but’ coming.”
“I can’t make a promise I don’t know that I can keep.”
“You can promise to try.”
“And that would be enough for you? You’d risk your humanity solely on my pledge to try?” I was willing to bet on myself in many scenarios, but the ability to embrace Melinoe without becoming consumed by her… Pops hadn’t been convinced it was possible and neither was I.
“I’d risk far more than my humanity,” he replied. His intense gaze threatened to burn a hole through the sheer fabric of my dress.
The song ended, and we broke apart, except for my hand, which he continued to hold.
“We should mingle,” I said, feeling breathless. “Remember the reason we’re here.”
“You are the reason I’m here, Lorelei Clay. And don’t forget it.” His hand slipped from mine, and he disappeared into the crowd.
“Thought I saw two familiar faces.”
