by Calista Fox
“You can’t protect me every second of the day. Nor would I want to be so stifled. I’ve come to terms with what I’m capable of and I can no longer live with the easy, narrow path in life. I want more—a future. I want to help humans and demons. I want to be someone who makes a difference. You’ve helped me to become this person. To see beyond my present—and my misery. You’ve helped me to evolve, Davian. And I can’t return to complacency.”
She drew in a breath, as though to steady herself. She had more to say. He waited patiently.
She explained, “I might not be the perfect solution for world peace or the right woman to be your queen, but I can continue to study life on both sides of the border and strengthen relations between our worlds.”
Contradictory thoughts assaulted Davian’s mind. As usual, they waged a war in his brain as to whether he should give in or keep pushing back. But a prevailing notion overruled everything sensible he had to say on the matter. He wasn’t one to let his emotions trump his rationale, yet one glaring fact could not be overlooked. Even as agitated and confused as he’d been the past month—and each time Jade had been injured—he couldn’t deny that he respected her tenacity. Nor could he let go of his love for her.
Sweeping aside his pride, he asked, “Do you understand the concept of compromise?”
One corner of her mouth lifted, as though she were about to smirk at him. But then it dipped and she frowned instead. “In theory,” she admitted.
“That seems to be my problem as well.”
She regarded him curiously, then asked, “What are you getting at?”
“I make demands,” he said in an honest tone. “I believe you accept them in good faith, but then you go and chase after your friend Michael in the woods and end up broken and battered when you’d agreed to stay inside your cottage. You take a stand against forty demons and try to kill a fire wraith, when I’ve explicitly told you to stay in the village.”
She opened her mouth, likely to defend her actions, but he silenced her with a look.
“You take the oath of a demon slayer,” he continued on, “knowing full well it’ll send me over the edge.”
Her expression turned remorseful.
“And you accept my marriage proposal because you think it’ll provide leverage in keeping the villagers safe.”
“No,” she quickly interjected. “I wanted to accept that proposal from the very beginning. Not because of any leverage I might gain. I wanted to marry you.” Her gaze held his, her eyes searching for Lord only knew what. Confirmation that he believed in her words? “There were no ulterior motives, Davian. I just… I needed validation that it would all work out. For us. For your demons. For my humans. We all live in too close a proximity to make decisions lightly—no matter what the circumstances are.”
She shook her head, as if that explanation didn’t fully encompass what she wanted to say.
She took a few moments to compose her thoughts again.
“We were secretive with our romance, for the most part,” Jade said. “That wasn’t the appropriate approach. I shouldn’t have hidden my feelings for you from my friends, regardless of whether or not they approved. I should have been upfront—and more delicate when I did reveal our involvement. Springing the engagement on everyone wasn’t fair to them. Or to you.” She lifted her hands as though in surrender. “I know I appear impulsive and reckless. But I do think about my actions.”
Davian didn’t say a word.
She further told him, “The trouble I continually encounter is that what I do is driven by demon interactions. I had to try to protect Michael when he left my cottage in a fit of rage. I had to divert the fire wraith from burning my house to the ground the first time he injured me. I had to take Walker’s place because there was no one else to do it—and I possess the skills. And I had to follow Toran to the border in an effort to stall the demons long enough for your scouts to reach you and for you to return with your men.”
Davian tried to reconcile all this in his mind.
Jade stared up at him, imploringly. “Yes, I am constantly in dangerous situations. But that could change for me—and all humans—if we work together, as you’d asked me to do.”
He shoved a hand through his hair. Forced his entire body not to go rigid.
Of course, he did not want a partner who lived in fear or was too weak to defend herself and the people she cared for. He wanted a woman who was strong and determined. He wanted Jade. Everything about her appealed to him, even if she did repeatedly create internal strife for him. He wouldn’t get so aggravated or be so worried over her welfare if he didn’t have such powerful feelings for her.
But could two strong wills truly unite? Find that elusive common ground they’d previously left unresolved?
The Demon King didn’t know.
Unless…
He said, “There’s one thing I haven’t shared with you yet. Something that could significantly alter everything about us from this moment on. In a positive way.”
Intrigue flickered in her mist-covered eyes. “What is it?”
Unraveling the satin ribbon on the necklace, he wrapped it around her throat and tied the ends, since the clasp was broken. If Jade chose to keep the pendant, he’d have the jeweler who’d crafted her ring fix the fastening.
“The Star of Nathea,” he told her, “is a mystical piece. It was forged and blessed by a demon princess. The immortal who gives it to a mortal can grant an eternity. The gift hasn’t been invoked in centuries. The necklace has been in my possession since I was a child.”
She gaped
His brow rose.
She said, “Are you telling me you have the ability to make me immortal?”
Davian nodded. “If I ask you, all you have to do is say yes.”
Jade turned away. His heart sank.
“An eternity,” she whispered, a hint of awe in her voice, but also a note of regret. Glancing over her shoulder, she reminded him, “I told you humans can’t comprehend that extensive amount of time.”
“And you would carry your painful memories with you,” he warned her, in the interest of full disclosure.
Her lips twisted and her brow dipped. Then she shook her head and said, “Not exactly.”
This perplexed Davian. “What do you mean?”
Facing him, she said, “I inadvertently took Sheena to the spot where my parents were murdered by the shifters that had stalked them. Once there, I somehow felt compelled to tell her what happened and how ashamed I was I didn’t do anything to save them.”
“Jade,” he stared at her, aghast. “You were eleven years old. What could you have possibly done?”
“Led the wolves away so my parents could have escaped.”
“And they would have watched you be slaughtered.” He gripped her shoulders. “Your parents would not have escaped, Jade. Your father would have followed after the shifters. They would have killed him regardless.”
“That’s basically what Sheena said. And I know it’s true. But you can’t tell me that every time I ended up in battle with the fire wraith that you didn’t hate yourself for not doing something to keep me from getting hurt.”
His hands dropped. “You have a point.”
“Anyway,” she said. “I made myself really think about what Sheena said and…so much more. I realized I couldn’t continue to cling to those excruciating feelings. I’d let them become too big a part of me and, to be honest, I used them as a crutch. I used them to keep me secluded in my cottage and distant from people. And that was wrong. I’ve learned how wrong that was. So… I let them go.”
This time, his eyes searched hers. Davian had to admit, there was a vibrant clarity to her sapphire irises he’d never seen before. Despite a few spilt tears moments before, torment no longer filled her eyes.
“How…?” He was at a loss for the correct words.
She shrugged. “I don’t know exactly, except to say that I reached a point where I could continue to allow the pain to taunt me or
I could push it away from me. Expel it. I was ready, I guess. I knew it was time.”
The backs of his fingers brushed her cheek. “And you’re all right?”
“Yes. I feel about fifty pounds lighter, actually.”
He chuckled. “You would joke.”
“Why not?” she asked. “I can’t live the rest of my life under a dark cloud. It suited me initially, sure. But no longer. I can envision so much more for myself now. Because of you. As well as Sheena and Morgan. Toran and my human friends.”
His fingers skimmed her jaw and down her throat. He touched the Star of Nathea and said, “You could have an eternity to explore everything you were meant to be, Jade. Everything you were meant to do.” He gave her an earnest and beseeching look as he all but begged, “Spend it with me.”
She pulled in a ragged breath. Conflicting emotions flashed in her eyes as she said, “But I irritate you on a regular basis.”
He laughed a bit heartier this time. “Yes, but I still love you. I always will, I told you that. I haven’t done a good job of showing it this past month and I promise to rectify that. Make up for it. But, Jade, if you were immortal… Your tenacity wouldn’t disconcert me so much. I’d still insist you be careful, yet you’d be much more resilient.”
“Are you saying you still want to marry me?”
“I never stopped wanting to marry you.”
“But—”
“Yes, I know.” He sighed, guilt festering in his core. “I’ve been intolerant, obstinate and I’ve avoided you. I’m not proud of any of this. Clearly, I have anger management issues to work through.”
Jade bit her lower lip, likely to keep from declaring he’d just made a monumental understatement.
“Look at the couth and diplomacy you’re demonstrating?” he offered. “You really have learned a lot. Although you could be more discreet with your sarcastic expressions.”
She smiled. “I’ll work on that.”
Gazing into her eyes, he said, “I can only ask you this once in order for it to take effect. Will you stay with me, Jade…forever?”
Her breath hitched.
As she hedged, panic tore through him. This truly was a one-shot deal. If she said no, he’d never have the chance to summon the gift again.
Davian did not want to lose Jade. He’d confessed to not handling the situation with her in the best manner, but he knew now they had the potential to work together and resolve the complications they encountered. But he also had to face that, in his heart and soul, he wanted her to be an immortal. Not just because she’d be markedly safer, but so that they could share endless years together.
Her gaze remained locked with his and he could see she was overwhelmed with the decision presented to her. Damn it. He should have given her more time. He should have considered that she’d need to process this and—
“Yes.”
Davian’s heart soared.
“I will spend an eternity with you,” she swore. “Happily.”
His hands cupped her face and he kissed her. She responded with equal fervor and Davian knew they had finally found their common ground. It turned out to be unwavering devotion.
When he eventually pulled away, he said, “I love you, Jade.”
She smiled up at him. “You’d better. We’re going to be together for a very long time.”
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.
“I love you too,” she whispered.
“You had me going there for a moment.”
“Forever isn’t easy to quantify.”
He kissed her once more, then loosened his embrace. “Where’d you pick up that term?”
“I’ve dabbled with the mathematics books you added to Lisette’s library. But Sheena will have to tutor me. I’m at a complete loss when it comes to Calculus.”
“Think of all the time you’ll have to master it.”
“That’s the advantage to immortality.”
His brow crooked. “There’s just one?”
She nipped his lower lip and murmured, “Teasing, remember?” Then another thought occurred to her. “How can you be sure I’m immortal now? Shouldn’t there have been a bolt of lightning from the sky or some sort of high-voltage jolt within me? I don’t feel any different.”
“It’s not an invasive transformation. The power flows in your bloodstream.” Releasing her, he stepped up to the ledge of the church and tugged on her hand so she joined him.
“You’re not going to push me over the edge in order to test this, are you?”
“Of course not,” he said with a smirk. Holding her hand, he told her, “Be still and listen.” He gave her a few seconds, then asked, “What do you hear?”
“Birds chirping.”
“Beyond that.”
She concentrated harder. “Tree limbs brushing against each other from a light gust of wind. The stream of water that’s broken through the ice trickling downriver. Voices.” Her eyes narrowed. “No, just one voice. Near my cottage. Toran? He’s wondering where I went without Walker’s horse. But…he’s muttering.”
“Your senses are heightened.”
“Yes.” Her gaze swept the clearing on the opposite riverbank and the woods that started at the base of the mountain. He watched her closely. “I can see farther. Hear more acutely. And now I feel…a little strange. Your hand.” Her eyes dropped to where their fingers were entwined. “Your touch is even more electrifying.”
“So you know what I feel every time I’m with you.”
She stared up at him once more. “I feel…incredible. Euphoric, even. And my veins are actually humming now.”
“A word of caution,” he said, though he kept his voice light. “You’re invincible against a normal human. But not necessarily a slayer or a vanquishing spell. Or another demon. You’ll be harder to kill, but not impossible.”
“I’m definitely not invincible. Sheena pointed that out the other night.”
“Bear it in mind. Although…” He reached for his dagger with his free hand.
“You’re not going to stab me in the heart, are you?”
He laughed at her jest, remembering their first encounter of this nature in the library. “Trust me.”
“Always.”
Raising their twined hands, Davian shifted his hold on her so he exposed her palm. Then he slowly dragged the blade over her flesh. It split and blood oozed, as it had in the past.
She gasped. “Was that really necessary?”
“What do you feel?”
“It hurts, but… Not the way it did the last time.”
“So your threshold for pain has increased.”
As had her self-healing abilities. Within seconds, the blood absorbed into her skin and the wound sealed. Not a scar to be seen.
Snatching her hand from his, she stared at her flawless flesh. “Unbelievable. I’ve never healed that quickly.”
“What’s so difficult to believe?” he asked. “After all, you are part-demon. Immortality is much more compatible with demons than with humans. Your gifts are now sharpened, as are your senses.”
“Fascinating. I want to test it further.” Turning away, she said in an enthusiastic tone, “See that pile of rubble there in the corner? All that stone—it’s a heavier mass than anything I’ve ever tried to lift with my mind.”
His gaze alternated from her to the enormous heap and back. He didn’t say a word as she focused. Determination exuded from her, and suddenly, the mound vibrated and began to rise.
“Extraordinary,” he mumbled. But a stone slipped. “Wait. You dropped one.”
She released the pile and it crashed to the hard floor with a resounding thud and a plume of dirt and debris. “I never claimed to be perfect.”
He grinned down at her. “I think you are.”
Facing him, hope shining in her eyes, she asked, “Does this mean we’ll be getting married, after all?”
Without a second thought, he swept her up in his arms and said, “You didn’t think we�
�d spend an eternity living in sin, did you?”
She twined her arms around his neck. “I suppose not. You’re much more conventional than that. But…what about the living arrangements?”
“I did mention compromising earlier, didn’t I?”
She snuggled close to him and provocatively queried, “If we were to spend three nights a week at the castle, and three nights at the cottage, and I used the seventh night to relieve Toran on evening patrol… That would be a compromise, yes?”
Davian groaned. “You’re not still hell-bent on slayer duties, are you?”
“Of course. As well as ambassador duties. Friendship duties. Wifely duties…” She smiled seductively at him. “Any complaints, my Lord?”
If he had even one, would he ever win against her? Doubtful. “Suit yourself. But I should get top priority, don’t you think?”
“Hmm. We’ll see how that pans out for you. You know how much I like being on top.” She winked, conveying her sexual innuendo.
He shook his head. “You are such a pain in the ass.”
Looking indignant, though he knew it was feigned, she insisted, “No one has ever said that to me before.”
“Right.”
He carried her down the stairs and they mounted Thunder. Back at Jade’s cottage, she disappeared into the bedroom, but returned a few seconds later.
Between her finger and thumb, she held up the ring he’d given her. “Will you propose again? I want to say yes this time. Officially.”
Taking the ring from her, he studied it a moment, then glanced back at her. “I once told you I felt less powerful when it comes to you because I can’t give you everything you might need or desire. I said that because, at the time, you were mortal and I didn’t know you were a demi-demon. I didn’t know enough about you, in general. That’s changed. And continues to change. Evolve, as you said earlier.”
He smoothed a hand along her hair, plucking a few leaves she’d obviously collected while searching for the necklace.
Davian swore to her, “I will give you anything and everything your heart desires.”
“As long as it doesn’t threaten my safety?”
“That goes without saying.”
She laughed softly. “I hear you loud and clear. I will be very careful. Even as an immortal, I know I still have weaknesses. Just remember, I can’t make full guarantees. I’ll only upset you in the long run if you expect that of me.”