"No," I growled. "She's going to be fine."
"I'm so s-sorry," Stephanie sobbed. "It's my fault. I just wanted… I don't know why, I can't explain why. I just… something has always been missing."
Cassius swore while Alex held up his hands and walked off in the other direction. "I'm taking the car. Let me know what you decide. I can't watch this."
Stephanie wiped her cheeks. "I'll help you take her to the room. Maybe if she's in some place familiar, she'll wake up."
I grunted and pushed past Stephanie. "Maybe."
"Ethan…" Stephanie croaked. "You have to believe me. I'm so sorry."
"I know," I whispered hoarsely. "I know." With a curse, I turned to Cassius. "Tell her, or I will."
Stephanie sniffed. "Tell me what?"
Cassius seemed to pale in that instant, all at once, as he swayed on his feet, gripping the door with both hands. "Stephanie…"
"What?" She looked between us. "Cassius, what's wrong with you? Why do you look so weak?"
"He saved Genesis," I answered.
Realization dawned on Stephanie's face as she stumbled back from both of us. "When she wakes up… she'll belong to him."
I didn't say anything because I didn't know what would happen, and neither did Cassius.
"Possibly," Cassius finally said.
Stephanie choked out a sob and ran past both of us and up the stairs.
"Cassius," I growled. "Tell her."
"Yeah." He licked his lips. "Just let me catch my breath first."
"It won't get easier with time."
"I know." He hung his head. "Let me just… give me just…" He shook his head. "Something's wrong."
"Cassius?"
"Very wrong." His eyes narrowed until they were fully white then black, tiny pinpricks. "I think I'm dying."
The last sentence he uttered before falling to the ground.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Genesis
SARIEL WAS STANDING WITH ME, HOLDING my hand. It felt good. He wasn't so cold anymore, mostly warm like me.
"His blood calls to you," Sariel whispered.
"Who?" I felt happy, complete, yet a part of me missed something, like I was staring at a really pretty picture, but it was missing something epic, something that would change my world.
"Cassius and Ethan, both of their blood fights for you right now. I'm afraid you must yet again make a choice."
I sighed, my heart remembering Ethan, my mate, my love. "He's so warm. Why is Cassius cold?"
"Opposites, I suppose." Sariel squeezed my hand. "It was never meant to be like this, Genesis."
"Like what?" I continued watching the waves crash in front of me. He'd brought me to the beach. It was calming, beautiful.
"This…" Sariel held out his hand. "Dark Ones were never meant to exist, but it seems a human is just like a siren in the sense that their blood sings to angels in a way immortals' does not."
"Was Cassius's mom beautiful like him?"
"Yes." Sariel hung his head. "And she died just like Ara."
"Because she loved you?"
Sariel was quiet then whispered, "Because I loved her — too much."
"How can you love someone too much?"
"When that love overcomes all sense of reality and logic — when the love once beautiful starts to create fear and jealousy. Just because something starts out good does not mean it ends good. Do you understand?"
I sighed and laid my head on his shoulder. "You aren't good, but you aren't bad either. You're simply both."
"That I am." Sariel sighed. "His blood still calls. When you return to them, you'll have to make a choice, Genesis, but it's yours. Not theirs. Cassius gave you his essence."
"Will he die because of it?"
Sariel closed his eyes; a blue tear slid down his cheek, hitting me in the shoulder. "That depends on the balance of things."
"But…" I frowned. "I thought balance was restored."
"Yours… Ethan's." Sariel rubbed my hand. "But Cassius is still very much unbalanced. That's what love does to a Dark One. It is also why it is forbidden."
My eyes welled with tears. "He loves Stephanie… in that way?"
"He stayed away from the girl for a very long time… pushed her so far out of his mind, out of his consciousness, that he simply rejected the idea of even knowing her. When a female was needed, as an Elder I put the suggestion in his mind, made him think it was his own… made him think he was powerful enough to face his past in hopes he could finally start living."
"Instead, he got worse." I sighed.
"Because every day her smile reminds him of what he can never have."
"There's always a way," I argued.
Sariel let out a laugh. "And this is why I like humans, always optimistic."
"What other choice do we have?"
His eyes met mine. "Exactly."
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Ethan
NOT HOW I EXPECTED TO START my day or end it.
Cassius was in the room next door to mine.
Genesis still hadn't woken up, but her breathing had evened out. Her heartbeat sounded less erratic. I had faith she was just healing — taking her time.
"Have you tried kissing her?" Mason said from the doorway.
"What?"
"Kissing her." Mason walked into the room, his arms folded, eyes tense. "In those movies, the prince always kisses the princess."
"What the hell are you talking about?" I growled. "What movies?"
"Like the King Lion movie… there's tons of them. I had nothing else to do, so I went out and bought them because they made Genesis happy, and I was losing my mind with worry so I watched a few… or maybe… seven… and the prince always kisses the princess."
I fought hard for patience as my fangs elongated, wanting to take a bite out of his silly neck. "You watched cartoons. All day?"
"I made steak…" Mason fidgeted with his hands. "…for when she'd return. I thought maybe we could share it."
I glanced back at Genesis. "She would like that."
"I figured it would give her something to look forward to."
"Sharing meat with a wolf?" I smirked.
"And watching cartoons." Mason pulled a seat up to the bed. "And it's worth a shot. Maybe kiss her, then tell her about the steak."
Werewolves.
"Any change with Cassius?"
Mason shook his head. "His temperature drops for seconds before it skyrockets again. It's like he doesn't have enough blood to self-heal."
"He gave it all to her." Tears filled my eyes. "To save my mate."
"There must be something we can do for him," Mason growled. "He's still king. He's still…"
"Our friend. Brother," I finished. "Watch her for me? I need to find Stephanie."
Mason's face was impassive, but I could hear his heart pick up speed. "So, you'll risk breaking her heart by telling her the truth?"
"Yes." I licked my lips.
"Good luck." Mason shook his head. "I think I'll stay here and talk to Genesis about steak."
I smiled — the first time in a few hours — and patted him on the back. "Don't leave out any juicy details, wolf."
"Wouldn't dream of it," he growled then leaned over the bed and grabbed Genesis's hand. "Listen, human, if you don't wake up soon, I'm going to eat all the meat, and we both know what that would do to my digestive system at this point."
I let out a chuckle and moved down the hallway, my ears sensitive to all the heartbeats in the house.
Cassius was weak, so weak. I'd never heard his heart flutter that way.
Another strong heartbeat joined the mix.
Picking up speed.
I waited as Stephanie reached the top of the stairs. Her hair was piled in a knot on her head, her blue eyes still blurred with tears.
"Remove it," I whispered.
Alex could hear my thoughts — could hear me in the house. He'd just walked in the door when I'd uttered the command. He cursed a blue streak.
"I sa
id…" My voice edged with venom. "Remove it."
Alex's tortured heart slowed, and then the house trembled as Stephanie's hair went from light to dark, her lips from cherry to pale, her eyes — white.
She stumbled back and felt her face.
It would feel different, smoother, stronger.
Her hands shook in front of her. "What did you just do?"
"We need to talk." I held out my hand. "Trust me?"
She gulped, her white eyes blinking in confusion. "I feel different."
"Because you are."
"I don't understand."
"But you want to?"
She nodded.
"Take my hand."
The minute her fingers touched mine, she gasped. We'd always felt warm to one another, but the minute her skin came into contact with mine, frost formed across her fingertips.
"But—"
"Let's go visit Cassius. He may be sleeping right now, but I believe he'd want to be in the room."
"He hates me."
"No." I sighed. "That's where you're wrong."
"Dark Ones do not love," she whispered. "I know that now."
I tilted my head and smiled sadly. "Don't they?"
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Genesis
"IT'S TIME." SARIEL RELEASED MY HAND.
"Will I see you again?"
He laughed, his feathers ruffling next to me. "Do you really want to?"
I shrugged. "You're not so bad."
"So many compliments my head may explode."
He wasn't. It was weird. He was dangerous; he had potential for both evil and good, but he was also in a position where he had no choice but to force the rules on people — and hope that in the end everything worked out. I felt sorry for him.
Sariel tilted my chin toward him. "Don't."
Tears filled my eyes. "Thank you… for staying with me."
"Always." He plucked a purple feather from his wings and placed it in my hands. "I'm only a thought away."
I clenched the feather in my hands and nodded. "Goodbye."
His lips touched my forehead as cold spilled through my body, followed by such intense heat that I started to convulse.
I saw Ethan's warm smile… the first time he'd bitten me, our shared kisses, our mouths fusing together as if we needed each other so desperately we would die without touch.
And then Cassius — his heart of ice — shattering, breaking, and transforming into something beautiful right before my very eyes as his lips met mine, and he whispered¸ "Breathe."
I wanted to breathe.
But not him, not Cassius.
I tried to yell for Ethan.
Clenching the feather tighter in my hands, I fought. Fought for the warmth like it was the only way I would see him again. The cold threatened; it also offered me peace.
While the heat reminded me of the mating, of the severe pain I'd had to go through in order to be his—
I would go through it all over again.
Through the fires of hell to be with Ethan.
I embraced the heat, holding out my hands as the fires singed my fingertips. I welcomed the pain — because would it really be worth it if it was easy? If loving him was that simple?
Fire exploded in my chest, pinching, trickling down my fingertips until my knees buckled beneath me.
There was no relief.
And I was okay with it — I welcomed it. Because soon — I would be with Ethan again.
"Steak," something whispered.
I cried out. Had I heard that right? Steak?
"Lots of steak and other meat. Hell, I'll get you your own butcher… I think Belle had a butcher? Or maybe that was another princess."
What?
The fire got hotter and hotter.
"I told him it was true love's kiss, but does he listen? No, just walks off and lets me talk about food. I have a confession. I hate berries."
Mason? I tried to speak his name, but my mouth was too hot; when I opened it, more heat entered, stealing my breath.
"And pinecones taste like shit, but hey, a wolf does what a wolf does. It's not like it will kill me. Do you think I'm grumpy like the beast?"
I smiled, focusing on Mason's voice as the pain increased. Keep talking! I wanted to yell. Just keep saying something!
"Don't expect me to sing — wolves do not sing."
I smiled.
"Aw, was that a twitch of your lips, human? Alright, I'll tell you something else… something you can never speak of again. When I was a pup, I had a pet caterpillar… cried when the damn thing turned into a butterfly. Circle of life… hey, that's King Lion's song!"
A laugh escaped between my lips as I tried to open my eyes. They felt like sandpaper.
"Come on," Mason urged. "You know you want the steak."
I shook my head back and forth, and then finally, with great effort, opened my eyes.
Mason grinned. "Green. Your eyes are very, very green."
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Ethan
I GRABBED STEPHANIE BY THE ARM and gently led her into the room where Cassius was sleeping — resting — hopefully healing.
The minute we stepped inside the door, I could see my breath leave my lips. Frost lined his body; his lips were completely blue.
He shuddered in his sleep, reaching his hand up to the ceiling only to drop it down again by his side.
"What's wrong with him?" A tear froze on Stephanie's pale cheek.
I sighed, running my hand through my hair. "I have no idea."
"You mean, he's never been like this before? In all the years you've known him?" Her eyes were accusing. Then again, she was scared for him — she loved him.
"Just how old do you think I am?" I fired back. "And no." I released her hand. "I've never seen him like this. I can hear his heart… it's slow."
She slowly made her way to his side and reached for his hand. The minute she touched him, the temperature in the room rose a few degrees, I could taste it on my tongue, taste the heat of life building, boiling inside him.
"I can't explain it." Her eyes locked on him. I imagined she couldn't look away even if she wanted to. "The pull he has on me. Like I've known him my whole life — like I've waited for him—" She hung her head. "Or maybe like he's been waiting for me. It's stupid." Her laugh was hollow. "I know it's stupid, but I can't help it."
"Stephanie…" I took a seat across from her. "It's not stupid… because a very long time ago… there was an innocent little girl caught in the middle of a war that should have never been started. He saved her life and, in return, hid her true identity from herself."
"What?"
The easiest way was to show her, so I bit into my wrist and held the blood to her lips. "Drink and see."
"I've never drunk vampire blood."
"Yes, well, this is a day of firsts." I rolled my eyes. "Just know it's going to burn going down, always does for your kind."
"Sirens?"
My throat was thick with emotion. "No. Dark Ones."
Her mouth dropped open. I took advantage and shoved what I could of my wrist past her lips. The minute the blood entered her body, her head fell back, eyes white, mouth open.
I closed my own eyes and focused in on the exact memory I needed to pull.
Cassius in the Orchard with Stephanie.
Stephanie and Alex.
Him wiping her memories.
And finally, her waving goodbye.
It broke my heart all over again to feel his sadness — to experience his loss as if it was my own.
With a gasp, Stephanie opened her eyes and stared at Cassius. "He saved my life."
"He did."
"He…" Tears streamed down her cheeks. "He promised I would never forget him." Her lips trembled. "He lied."
"He had to protect you — at all costs. Dark Ones are no longer made, Stephanie. You know that. He's one of the oldest, one of ten who were allowed to live."
"But I'm alive," she whispered, touching her fingertips
to her mouth. "I should be dead."
"Yes, well… Genesis made an offer Sariel couldn't refuse."
Stephanie covered her face with her hands. "Tell me she didn't sacrifice herself for everyone."
I didn't deny it. "And when she did Cassius offered her immortality — something that only he was strong enough to give — to bring her back from the brink of death."
"And now he's cold… dying."
"We don't know that," I said in a soft voice. "But I do know he needs you… he needs your blood."
Stephanie's gaze snapped to mine. "Would it work?"
"No idea." I licked my lips and stood. "But it's worth a try." I cringed at the thought of Mason's advice but offered it nonetheless. "The werewolf seems to think a kiss does the trick."
Stephanie's lips twitched. "He never let me kiss him."
"But I thought you spent the evenings with him and—"
"Talked." A rosy hue pinched her cheeks. "I just wanted to be by him. For some reason, his touch never affected me the same way it did others. It was comforting, familiar, so I've been pestering him every night for the past few years. At first he only let me visit once a year, after I'd come of age… and then it quickly turned into once a month, once a week, every night."
"He cares for you," I said. "I'm sure of it."
"I wish that was enough… caring." She gripped his hand tighter. "But maybe I can love him enough for both of us."
"Nobody deserves to live that way, Stephanie, regardless of what he did."
"He saved my life," she said simply. "How selfish of a person would I have to be to not offer him the same kindness, regardless of how I feel for him?"
"Dark Ones have never tried to bond to one another — ever."
"I know."
"You could die."
"I know."
"I didn't bring you in here to save him… but to give you the truth."
"Then thank you," Stephanie stood and kissed me on the cheek, "for giving me both."
In an instant she turned in my arms and lunged for Cassius. The room plummeted in a blanket of cold as she leaned over him.
"I'll need your teeth, Ethan." She held her arm behind her.
I bit deep.
Pain marred her features, and then she was in my arms. "On the lips."
"What?"
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