Rafael staggered back before he slid slowly to the floor.
"Oh God," she cried, horrified by what Acheron had done, as she knelt down beside him.
Rafael's face was contorted by pain as a small trickle of blood left the corner of his mouth.
Instinctively, she reached for the dagger to pull it out.
"Not yet," Acheron said, pulling her back. "He has to die or he can't go free."
Tears filled her eyes as she panted along with Rafael. He cupped her cheek in his palm as he offered her a small smile. "It's okay, Celena."
She only hoped he was right.
Covering his hand with hers, she held it tight as she watched the light fade from his eyes. And she gave a small cry as the last breath was expelled from his body.
Acheron took the stone from the box and held it out to her. His swirling silver eyes bore into hers. "Don't drop it."
Nodding, she took it from him only to scream out as a furious pain seared her skin. It burned worse than any imaginable fire and it was all she could do to maintain her hold. The only thing that kept her from releasing it was the knowledge that Rafael would die if she did.
She ground her teeth as Acheron helped her place the stone over the mark. Tears flowed down her cheeks from the pain and fear as she waited for Rafael to open his eyes.
It seemed an eternity had passed before Acheron pulled the dagger out of his chest.
An instant later, Rafael took a deep breath and blinked his eyes open to look at her.
Celena laughed in giddiness as she saw eyes that were no longer black. Now his eyes were a light amber brown that sparkled with human life. He was even more handsome than he'd been before.
Biting her lip, she pulled him into her arms and held him close.
Acheron moved away and returned the dagger to his boot.
"Thanks, boss," Rafael said as he pushed himself to his feet.
Acheron gave him a kind grin. "I'm not your boss anymore, Rafael. She is."
Rafael laughed. "That doesn't bother me."
Acheron snorted. "Yeah, be glad you're human now. Nothing like answering to one single woman for eleven thousand years to make you wish for the end of time."
Celena laughed again. "Thank you, Acheron."
He inclined his head to them. "You kids have fun."
Rafael looked down at the woman in his arms and tightened his hold on her. "Trust me, we will."
And as soon as Acheron was gone, Celena pulled him down for a fierce kiss. Rafael's head swam at the taste of her. It was a taste he would now spend the rest of his life savoring.
New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon has more than six million copies of her books in print, in twenty-four countries. She is the author of the Dark-Hunter novels, which have an international cult following and have appeared on the top-ten lists of The New York Times, The Globe and Mail (Toronto), Publishers Weekly, and USA Today. Writing as both Sherrilyn Kenyon and Kinley Mac-Gregor, she is the author of several other series, including Brotherhood of the Sword, Lords of Avalon, and BAD.
Near Nashville, Tennessee, Sherrilyn Kenyon lives a life of extraordinary danger ... as does any woman with three sons, a husband, a menagerie of pets, and a collection of swords on which all of the above have a major fixation.
Visit her Web sites at www.sherrilynkenyon.com and www.Dark -Hunter.com.
A Hard Day's Night-Searcher Page 5