“A gift,” Cassius whispered across my lips as he moved languidly against me. “So that when you are tempted to fall to the darkness—you see light instead.” Our mouths tangled then broke free. “You’ll see me.”
Instead of closing my eyes, I watched, I watched him, I locked onto his light and held on for dear life as he embraced me, rocked into me, loved me with his words, with a language I didn’t understand as he pressed gentle kisses to my face.
And as my body released, the darkness dissipated as if it had never been there in the first place.
I had no strength to ask.
But Cassius must have known it was there because his next words were. “Where there is darkness there will always be light.”
Body still trembling I whispered, “What are you?”
“The same.” He hesitated for a brief second then added. “Fallen, evil, a curse, abomination. I’m all of those things.”
“But—”
He silenced me with a kiss. “I’m just more angel than human now.”
“So seventy-thirty?”
He shook his head.
“Eighty-twenty?”
Another shake.
I opened my mouth again.
“Stop!” He laughed, the sound did funny things to me, making me want to kiss him and never stop. “More like ninety-nine to one.”
“Oh.” I felt my eyes go big.
“Still fallen.”
“By one percent.”
“Numbers.” He shrugged and raised one eyebrow. “What are they anyways?”
“Important?” I teased, licking his lower lip while a small growl erupted between his teeth. “I take that as a no.”
“I’m the same…” He smiled gently and captured my gaze. “I still hunger for you.”
“And the bird outside my window?”
With a burst of sunny laughter, Cassius threw me back onto the mattress and braced himself over me. “I won’t eat your blue jay.”
“Now,” I said.
“I love you.” He sobered. “Completely.”
“Stay with me forever?”
We linked hands, palm to palm, as our fingers clenched together.
“I can do that.” He brushed a soft warm kiss across my forehead. “I can do that.”
Alex
I SENSED THE SEX.
Or love.
A female would scrunch up her nose or possibly be aroused by my use of the word, after all when you were with your mate, it was love and sex, a beautiful heady mixture of sugars, spices, alluring scents that would drive any sane person—just the opposite I supposed.
With a scowl I tossed the tennis ball hard against the wall over and over again, the rhythmic beat was the only thing calming my racing heart, well that and the distinct impression that if I asked Ethan to slow it, he’d probably kill me and say “oops” afterwards.
Mated.
I rolled the word around in my head.
I wasn’t the type.
At all.
To love one person went against every cell in my body, every fiber of my being. I was a Siren. I did not love one. I loved all.
And I loved them well.
All sizes.
All shapes.
Every sex.
Every plant.
Animal.
Creation.
I loved everything.
I spread myself around as all good Sirens did, and I was damned good at it. The very thought that I’d be tied to a measly human for eternity had me tempted to write a suicide note and steal Genesis’s little purple feather, draining my own immortality mid-orgasm.
The sound of my door opening and closing softly interrupted my bitter thoughts, and then the scent of cedar and dirt joined me on the floor.
Mason slumped next to me.
Silent.
And then, grabbed the other tennis ball.
And started slamming it against the wall opposite me.
We stayed there for hours.
Neither of us talking.
Until finally, the Wolf opened his mouth. “I can’t do this.”
I knew how it would work, one of us would go first, we’d call one number, the ceremony would take place, we’d be given time and then the next number would be called.
It never happened all at once.
Maybe I was feeling suicidal, because the first words out of my mouth were. “I’ll go first.”
Want more Dark Ones?
Be looking for Alex’s story Fall 2016! Darkest Seduction!
RACHEL VAN DYKEN is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching "The Bachelor".
She keeps her home in Idaho with her husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers. She loves to hear from readers.
You can connect with her on Facebook at facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel's New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com.