“It’s not done, Dorian. We can change it. We can change it all. Bring them all back.” I looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Losing his sister had made him go mad. His words were impossible.
Even the gods hadn’t liked to play with bringing people back from the dead. It never ended well.
“Give it up, Griffin. Mourn your dead and be free.” I started to walk away when his next words stopped me.
“You could have a second chance with her. To love her.” His eyes were pleading me to take a leap on whatever he was trying to sell me.
I couldn’t help myself as I tilted my head and looked up at the stars that were peeking through the false night sky.
She would see me as a monster if she was here. But would she still love me? If it were possible to change things, would she still love me after all I’ve done? I didn’t think so.
I kept walking, my heart hurting with the knowledge that I was choosing for things to stay as they were in fear that she’d no longer love the villain who’d killed her friends and took away the light, despite my revelation of my own love.
“Stop running away from your feelings! Help me change the Fates’ design, Dorian. Help me bring them back!” I kept moving.
“Why do you fight it? Why won’t you give in?” he yelled while stomping after me. I’d had enough.
“Because I love her!” I yelled.
“I loved her, and I don’t wanna see that look in her eyes now that it’s too late.”
Movement from behind Phillip caught my eye. Draco was healed and moving toward us. His eyes weren’t filled with hate—instead they beamed with hope. He would move mountains to be with Rose again; he would do anything to hold her in his arms.
I felt shame for the first time in so long.
What was I willing to do to have Esme again?
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Draco
I saw the war in his eyes: the pain, the hope, and the fear.
“We have to make it right. For them. I don’t care what I have to do, I’m willing to give her better than this.” I looked to my love who lay on the cold ground.
Phillip and I both watched Dorian as he sorted through his mind.
“It’s not possible.” He deflated, and I knew he felt as I did. Love had finally wrapped itself around his heart, driving him to make things right. For Esme.
“Between you two, we have the blood of the actual gods of ancient Greece. All we need is a little magic.” Phillip looked down to Asher, who was holding Echo in his arms.
The few that were left in Dorian’s crew had left when they saw the war raging inside him, the turning of change stirring in the air.
“It’s going to take a lot of power what you’re asking of me.” Asher’s eyebrows narrowed but he kissed Echo’s head before giving her his torn leather jacket to cover her up and headed toward us.
Dorian and I both exchanged confused glances.
“We have the power of the gods right here. Can’t get any more powerful than that.”
“Explain,” I asked, since there seemed to be something I wasn’t aware of.
“Asher is spotty in all the visions of future. I can sometimes see him, but sometimes I can’t. He and I had an in-depth conversation weeks ago about his people, and magic. I believe we can turn back time with his help. It’s hard, but not impossible. You both have the gods inside you, unlike us, that just host their powers. Your blood and Asher’s magic can go back to before this began. Before Rose wound up in your coop, or before Esme and you got together. Before this whole war.”
Phillip spoke with complete confidence, but there was more to this whole situation—I could feel it.
“What’s the catch?” Dorian asked first, voicing what I was thinking.
“Draco becomes mortal, and everyone we bring back might not remember any of this. All these months could be gone from their mind.”
My whole body froze hearing his words.
Mortal.
Rose might not remember me, her husband.
I shook myself out of it and answered quickly.
“Let’s do it.”
Immortality was nothing without her, and if there was a chance she wouldn’t remember me, I’d be there to remind her that she is mine. She would remember me, though. I had faith in love. Love was going to be what saved us all, including Dorian.
Dorian looked angry but nodded.
“This isn’t going to be pleasant—in fact, it’s going to feel like fire in your blood and your muscles are being pulled from your bones,” Asher said flatly and walked over to Dorian’s sword that was lying on the ground where Phillip had tossed it after pulling it from my chest.
“Or at least that’s what the legends say it feels like. Could be worse.”
Asher was in no mood for joking. Couldn’t say I blamed him. Our family was broken, and we were joining sides with the man who caused it all, to bring them back.
But I knew the heartache that Dorian was suffering from. He’d kept Esme’s death inside, unwilling to accept what he felt. Seeing my pain and Rose die in my arms brought it all out for him as if it was happening in the present.
“See you in the past,” Phillip said as he took steps back to stand next to Echo, wrapping his hand in hers. I could see them both sending us prayers of hope that this would work, that we could right our wrongs, both Dorian and me.
“Fuck, I’m glad we are going back because I would probably be murdered by my old coven for doing this.” Asher looked at the sword and cursed.
Dorian looked at me, and I saw he would do whatever it took to have Esme back, his hatred for me and whatever bitterness he had held on to for so long was nothing compared to his love for her.
Love had saved us all.
“I call upon the elements of time and space.”
Asher closed his eyes and raised the sword in the air.
“Lend me your energy for all of the human race. I invoke the sun, the stars, and the moon—the keepers of time.”
Wind picked up around us, spinning around as if a tornado was brewing and we were right in the eye. His magic was doing something, that was for sure.
“Fire and sky will fall for the sacrifice.”
Thunder shuddered through the sky, and lightning shot down in a burst of light and electricity right to the sword, as if the metal was absorbing the firebolt.
“Holy fuck.” Dorian was stunned, as was I, having never seen anything like that in all my years.
“Give me your hands,” Asher demanded, and we moved to follow his command.
He gripped my hand first, shoving that sword that seemed to be made of lightning into my hand, slicing my skin. It burned like hell, and I felt electricity travel through my blood to every part of me.
He moved to Dorian quickly, doing the same.
We both hissed as the pain began to intensify.
“Blood of man, blood of a god, and blood of the immortal.”
He brought that sword to his hand and sliced his own. Our blood ran from our hands to the ground, where each droplet burst into flames like drops of fire falling from the sky.
The wind picked up around us further. Phillip and Echo had to move farther away or be caught in the storm that was brewing.
“Bend the powers that be, unnatural energy, I invoke thee.”
Lightning was dropping from the sky all around us, shattering concrete, towers, and whatever else it could connect with.
“I don’t think your magic likes this very much,” Dorian commented, and Asher shot him a look that said his statement was obvious.
“Keepers of time and space, a line of the past I trace. We bend thee, we bend thee, we bend thee.” The sword of lightning started to glow before he seemed to struggle, moving it over him, then with all the might he could muster, he drove it into the ground where our blood had mingled together. My body exploded into excruciating pain.
Chapter Forty
Dorian
I’d been tortured before. I’d been stabbe
d through the chest with rebar.
The pain that was overtaking my body, as well as Asher and Draco’s, was indescribable.
It was like being thrown into lava while high-voltage electricity was hooked straight to your veins.
We’d all fallen to our knees before the sword that was streaming a bright light to the sky above.
I could barely keep my eyes open to see that the world around us was beginning to shift.
“I have to pull the sword at the right moment.” Asher gritted out his words before his head flew back from a surge of torment that blasted through this break in time.
We tried to focus on what was happening, but the pain was trying to claim us.
“Almost there.” Asher tried to stand but was pushed to the ground again. The powers we were fucking with were unnatural, but here we were.
He rose to his hands and knees, trying to crawl to the sword.
“Fuck this.” I pushed against the gravity that was trying to flatten me against the earth while I suffered.
A bellow of pain erupted from my chest as lightning hit me, and when it left my body, all the power from the sun and light I’d taken earlier was ripped from my body.
Digging my fingers into the ground, I moved slow, but I managed to wrap my hands around Asher and push him forward, using my strength to get him to the sword. Draco had joined me as we used our bodies to move the witch.
He cried out in pain, gripping the hilt with everything he had and pulling, chanting something I couldn’t focus on because of the agony inside my own body wreaking havoc.
Then it was over.
We were thrown back as the world stopped spinning from the force. Everything still hurt, but nothing like before. It was more of a soreness you’d get from being in a car accident.
“Good job, guys. You did it.”
Phillip’s voice penetrated the air, and I sat up to look around. Everything was back to normal. The sky was blue with the sun shining, and people were walking around like they hadn’t been part of a supernatural war. Phillip was standing there in clean clothes, looking more chipper than ever.
Draco tried to talk but couldn’t get the words out. I tried, and nothing. My throat was dry and felt like it was burned.
“It’ll come back soon. Everyone is alive and kicking. I can tell you where they are, but we have to talk first.”
We all were starting to stand on shaky legs, while Phillip narrowed his sight on me.
“We have a chance to start over, to do things the proper way, and learn from our mistakes. You gave up your hate for love. I trust you have no plans on going back to your villainous ways?”
I could see both Draco and Asher tensing, ready to fight me again, depending on my answer.
“It’s done.”
Might as well embrace this new path of mortality and be…happy for once.
“No more immortality?” He went further, and I shook my head. I’d give that up too. Immortality was a pain in the ass, and after having felt things I never wanted to feel again, I didn’t want to outlive Esme.
Esme. I ached to go and see her. Would she remember us together? Or still see me as the asshole doctor I was before?
“Great. Welcome to Seahill, one year prior to when you left the city in chaos. People without gifts don’t remember a thing. The rest of us, it just depends. Some do, and some don’t. There is not another you in this time. You and your body before merged. Complicated stuff, but just know you won’t be running into a you from one year ago. I suggest you go on with the life you had, and we will figure out how to make the Hero Society better than it ever was before. Yes, Dorian, I am including you in this. You’re welcome to join our little club.” Phillip smirked, and I rolled my eyes. That invitation would be sitting on the table for a while.
“Okay. Now, about your loves: Rose is at her apartment. Esme is at the hospital working, and Echo is driving to her apartment. We got second chances, guys, let’s not fuck it up.”
I didn’t waste time, and neither did the others. I flashed to my office, which looked the same as I remembered it a year ago. Not even bothering to change out of my clothes, I opened the door and went looking for Esme.
I looked into the future and saw the many possibilities. Ones where she didn’t remember me, ones where she did, ones where she hated me, and ones where she forgave me.
It was a leap of faith trying to find her, but I was already past the point of no return. I went back in time and let go of my hate, for her. I would at least try.
I racked my brain to remember what part of the hospital she was in a year ago, but that was back when I was an asshole who thought she was a waste of time.
Complete asshole.
I spotted Melissa Ann at the nurses’ station. Her eyes wide, taking in my appearance. Dried blood from the slices Draco had made—thankfully the golden tint had faded a while ago, so no one would see that. My clothes looked like shit, and I knew it must have blown her mind.
“Dr. Dorian, were you in an accident? We should get those wounds of yours checked out immediately.” She rushed around the desk and tried to start checking me over.
I shrugged her off easily.
“I’m fine. Where is Esme?” I asked, and Melissa shook her head.
“I’ll get her for you, if you agree to be looked at.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stood tall. The woman was being ridiculous. Still, the advantage was Esme would come to me instead of me barreling into her by surprise.
“Fine.” She ushered me into a room and took my vitals; they were fine, as I knew they would be. My wounds would need to be cleaned, and for some, stitches were required.
“I want Esme to do them,” I stated, and Melissa sighed.
“Be nice to her today. She’s been in a sad mood, and I don’t want you making it worse,” she said right before she left the room.
I didn’t say anything. Now that I was paying attention to everyone’s reaction about Esme and me, instead of getting annoyed like I was before, I wanted to prove them wrong. Show everyone, including her, that I was the man she deserved.
A small knock on the door brought my attention to the present, and my breath got stuck in my chest.
The door handle moved, and the door opened slowly.
“Dr. Dorian, what shit have you gotten yourself into today?” Esme entered the room, and I completely forgot how to breathe, my eyes glued to the beautiful woman who was staring at me with hazel eyes filled with annoyance.
Chapter Forty-One
Esme
Dorian was wide-eyed as he looked over me, in shock at seeing me alive.
I had to admit seeing the look on his face made me feel hope that something crucial had changed in him. I know something big had happened in the world since I was alive, even though I remember dying.
Still, I didn’t know what happened, and while I was beyond happy to see him, I wanted to know where we stood. Was this the Dorian that was an asshole to me, or the one that despite everything made me fall for him?
“Esme.” His voice was barely above a whisper, and I felt that hope inside me flutter.
My fingers reached out to touch his wounds, and his body shuddered against my touch. A good shudder or a bad one?
“Did you get in a fight with a knife while dicing vegetables?” I teased, a defense for the strong feelings that were running through me right now.
“No, Esme. How are you feeling? Melissa Ann said you were sad today.”
“Today has been a weird one, that’s for sure, but if I’m being honest, I do feel sad.”
“Why?”
He was just as unsure in this moment as I was.
Something had changed in him. I could see it in his eyes, his wariness being around me.
Dare I keep hoping he realized his feelings for me? Instead of ruining the world, he somehow saved it and brought me back?
“Well, it’s sort of a long story. I don’t want to bother you with my feelings. I know how much you detest emotions.”
I couldn’t get my words out, for some reason, even though I saw that something was different, I was still guarding my heart.
“Maybe this would help you loosen your tongue.” He stood, closing the small distance in between us. My eyes drifted up to his, my heart beating faster in my chest.
“I love you, Esme. Sorry I was too big of an asshole to see it.”
As cliché as it was, my legs gave out, but Dorian was quick to wrap his arms around me while sitting back in the chair and bringing me with him onto his lap.
“I hope those are tears of happiness.” He spoke softly while reaching up to wipe the tears that were falling down my cheeks.
“The man I sacrificed my life for loves me back. Of course they are happy tears, you jerk.”
I was being overly emotional, but considering I’d died for him, and then was suddenly back in a place where he loved me, I think my happy tears were acceptable.
“You remember everything?” he asked, as if still scared that I might not, and I nodded my head.
“I remember everything. What did you do, Dorian? Why do you look like you were in an explosion?” My hands started running all over his skin, touching every part of him I could, making sure he was real.
“Are you sure you want to hear it?”
“Yes.” I knew without a doubt I wanted to know.
“I started a war, and people died, but seeing one particular person take their last breath opened my eyes. And love won. Asher was able to work a spell with my and Draco’s blood to go back in time. A time where you were living. I gave it all up to see you breathing again and to tell you I love you.”
My smile was wide, and my tears wouldn’t stop flowing.
“Do you hate me?” His hand left my side and cupped my cheek. He made mistakes, big ones, but in the end, he made it better.
“I knew falling for the villain wouldn’t be easy, but turns out the villain was really the hero in the end.” I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled from my chest as a big smile grew on his face before he leaned in and pressed his lips against mine.
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