September Moon (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #8)

“You can do this, right?” I asked, tentative and cautious, not wanting to appear as if I was doubting him.

Arys rubbed a hand through his mess of short, black hair. There was a storm brewing in his eyes. “Yes. I’ve had a lot of time to accept it was coming.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re ready.”

“I will never be ready.” He was thoughtful for a moment before saying, “I know you’ve seen inside me. I know you’ve seen the way I hunger for your final moments. Please don’t hate me for that.”

I was tempted to go to him, to throw myself in his arms and hope to find comfort. There would be no comfort now, not from anyone. If I were to go to him, I would crumble. And I needed to be strong.

“Arys, I could never hate you.”

“Lilah hates Salem. And I wouldn’t doubt that it goes both ways. That’s what it does, a bond like ours. It destroys.”

“Lilah is weak.” Bitterness laced my tone. “Salem too. Instead of learning to exist together, they have done nothing but imprison themselves. We’re better than that.”

“Are we?”

Arys’s question hung suspended without an answer. Our time together had indeed been a rollercoaster of ups and downs. The conflict had brought us to some very dark places. It had hurt those linked to us. Shaz and Harley were prime examples of that. But we were still willing to fulfill the purpose of a greater good. If we gave up now, then all of that suffering would have been for nothing.

“We are,” I declared. “Tonight we prove it.”

I sipped the hot coffee, savoring every drop. If my stomach hadn’t felt so queasy, I would have devoted the rest of the day to my favorite foods and drinks.

I noticed that Shaz’s snoring had come to a stop. When had that happened? Cracking open his eyes he sat up and frowned.

“Is there something you two want to tell me?”

* * * *

Several hours later we sat in the kitchen with Jez and Jenner. The sun had just set. It hadn’t been easy to say goodbye to the light. I’d drank up as much of it as I could though every second of warmth was plagued by the sense of great loss. The clock was ticking away the time I had left, and I couldn’t help but be painfully aware of every second.

“It’s going to be fine, Lex,” Jez assured me though her green eyes sparkled with worry. No amount of prodding could convince her to stay behind. She insisted on accompanying me to the creepy old hospital. “You have to call Kale. He needs to know.”

I frowned, wishing she wouldn’t bring up uncomfortable forbidden lover drama in front of everyone.

Much to my surprise, Arys agreed. “Do it,” he said. “Sinclair belongs to you. He has to be there. If we need to fight back against Shya and Gabriel, then we’ll need all of the power we can get.”

It was one of the hardest phone calls I’d ever had to make. I stepped out onto the back patio to speak in private. When it rang on the other end, I said a silent prayer that he wouldn’t answer.

“Let me guess. You missed out on your chance to dance with me last night and you’re calling to beg for a do over.” Kale’s chuckle was low and smooth, stirring the part of me that was his.

I couldn’t bear the thought of him being in danger, but Jez was right. He needed to know. “Kale, I have the scroll. It was made with twin flame power, and it can be destroyed that way. I die tonight.” Blurting it out hadn’t been my intent, but what other way could I say it?

He took a moment to process what I’d said. “Tell me everything.”

As I recounted Falon’s visit for him, he listened patiently. With each word that left my mouth, the harsh reality of it all began to take hold. Nerves had me quivering though I was unafraid. Fear had no place here.

“You know I’ll be there,” he said after I’d finished. His voice was strained as if he fought to keep his emotions from coming through.

I wanted to tell him not to come, to stay safe in the arms of one of the many blood whores at The Wicked Kiss. That would be an insult so I said only, “Thank you.”

After ending the call, I sent my sister a message. I was too chicken to call her and risk hearing her voice. It just might break the careful wall I’d constructed to cage the inner turmoil I ignored. It was a simple, straight forward message: Midnight tonight Shya will be on FPA property. Do not come out to confront him. Any who do will die. I’ve got this one. Trust me. I love you.

After some careful thought, I opted to ignore Falon’s advice to involve Brogan. She was a highly skilled witch, but she was also human. The death of her mother weighed heavily on my conscience. I would not risk her life.