I held him a little tighter. “There has to be something we can do,” I said, dreading my sentiment wasn’t true. “We’ve come this far.”
“We have,” he said, his hand tracing small circles at the bottom of my back. “Don’t worry about the curse. It doesn’t matter. This is who I am now. I’ve made peace with that.”
I tilted my head against his shoulder and listened to the beating of his heart. It was so strong now, so alive.
“Don’t you miss it?” I asked. “Being human?”
“I try not to,” he said, but his voice was quiet and strained. “But there are … things that I would love to experience again.”
“Like what?” I asked, lifting my head and meeting his gaze.
“Dreams,” he said ruefully. “I can’t—my kind doesn’t dream.” His eyes glazed over. “And that would be all right if not for my sister.” He bit his lip. “She died when I was twelve. Paintings were expensive then, and my family didn’t have any money. But I dreamt of her almost every night. It kept her face fresh in my mind.” He pulled my body back against his again, maybe so I wouldn’t see the pain etched into his expression. “I’m not sure I even remember what she looks like now.”
I kissed his chest and twirled my fingers through his. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” said a voice from behind me. “He does it to himself.”
Satina.
I turned. She stood just a few feet away, although, floating might have been a better word for it. Every inch of her skin shone with light, and despite her few acts of kindness, I still found it odd that she wasn’t cloaked in shadows instead.
“Satina, don’t,” Abram growled.
“What is she talking about?” I asked, unease creating a pit in my stomach.
“Nothing,” Abram said. “Just ignore—”
“The curse is his to break, Supplicant. All the pieces are in play.”
“What does that even—”
But before I could even finish my sentence, it all fell into place. Like a runway show, the idea coming to life as finally the make-up is applied, the hair styled, the wardrobe divvied up. Where I could not see the designer’s vision before, it was all very clear to me now.
“Oh, God,” I murmured, my gaze rolling back to Abram. “You do love me.”
His eyes went wide, but the rest of his face steeled over. Still, I knew the truth. I had wormed my way into his heart, and he wouldn’t admit it.
“He has to say it, doesn’t he?” I asked, turning to Satina.
“Before the sun comes up,” she answered, looking at the almost bright sky. “He has two minutes.”
“Abram!” I said, spinning around to him.
He shook his head, tears gleaming in his eyes.
“I should have known,” I said. “I knew you couldn’t have kissed me like that, couldn’t have touched me like that, if you didn’t love me. I knew it was true.”
He cupped my face in his hands. “Charisse,” he said, his voice firm, “you need to let this go.”
“No way!” I said, pushing his hands away from my face. “You have a chance to be human. We have a shot at a real life. We can have a future. Abram, I know you feel it, all you have to do is say it.”
“Absolutely not,” he muttered.
“Don’t be so hard headed! What is your issue? You waited over a century for this. Please, I’m begging you. Just—”
“Is that what you think, Charisse? That we can just go skipping off into the sunset?” He waved his hand. “Dalton wasn’t the only one after you, remember? You’re a commodity. There’s always going to be someone out to steal what makes you special. Besides, Satina told me about the future. Your trials aren’t over, and that means neither are mine. You are always going to be in danger, Charisse. And I’m sure as hell going to make certain I’m able to save you.”
“I just saved you!” I shot back, incredulous. Ugh. I didn’t have time to deal with his sexist views right now, and I was kicking myself for not making more of an effort to get him over them sooner. “I can take care of myself. Surely you have noticed this by now!”
He scowled. “And if you do, then what good am I?”
“I love you, you moron. That’s what good you are. Now for the love of God, you’re running out of time! Stop being so goddamn self-sacrificing.”
His eyes narrowed. “I’m not a martyr, Charisse. If I’m human, if I can’t save you, then you’re gone. And what am I supposed to do then? Would you just expect me to go on without you? Because I have lived over a hundred years, and I have made it through things that would tear mortal men apart, but I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt, I would never make it through that. Not for a day. So no. I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for me. For me and for us.”
He leaned in and pressed his lips square against mine, and something in me shifted as we kissed. Gold light shimmered across him. The sun was up, the moon on the window was full. The curse was permanent.
He pulled away and took one of my hands gently in his own.
“Now I love you,” he said, and with his free hand, he swiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. “And I always will. Now and forever.”