SEVEN

Bonfire

Elden admired Silence, naked in her sleep, with one hand on her swollen belly and the other over her head. Their daughter slept within, and their heartbeats soothed him. Yet, as he leaned in the doorway of their chambers, Elden couldn’t find peace.

Reports of a foreigner meeting in secret with Silence worried him. The armies she amassed of his people worried him. Umbra whispered to Elden of Silence’s alliance to find some place called Ishkur and destroy those known as Aegis. With such uncertain thoughts swirling in his head, Elden found it difficult to sleep beside his goddess.

On that mournful note, he left her in bed and flew to the nearest secluded lake of crimson waters. Elden’s reflection came back to him in scarlet when he sought clarity.

Was it ever right to seek the obliteration of an entire species?

“You have exceeded our expectations.”

One.

He stood in the center of the lake, all the white reflected in red. Except for the pupils of his eyes. They were black stars scattered in the white. His smile was kind, almost pitying, as he said, “Hello, Elden.”

Elden asked, “Have you come to take me again? Fill my veins with black matter? You and Tumu.”

One walked across the surface of the water without so much as a ripple. “Friend, I come with two warnings.”

This bristled Elden’s feathers, and he glared at the other man to continue.

A step away, One stayed on the water as he said, “My brother is interested in your reputation, and any interest of his is dangerous.”

“And the second warning?” Elden wanted to return to Silence and ensure her safety with One’s arrival.

The mysterious foreigner brushed his shoulders and straightened his sleeves at the wrist as he said, “Your goddess must never enter Enki with her armies, or your people will not survive.”

Elden thought as much, but shook his head anyway. “My Surra—my Silence—is a force beyond anyone’s control, and I, for one, wish her free to do as she pleases. This makes her happiest, and I love her happy.”

Again, the pitying smile. One said, “This is more to protect the Icari than to thwart the love of your life. As for her happiness, I will guarantee she finds it. I wish Silence no harm.”

Somehow, Elden knew it would come to this. Stand in his mate’s way to prevent the decimation of his people. War was never to anyone’s benefit. Not to their place in Eternity, at any rate. He asked, “What will you require of me?”

One looked over Elden’s shoulder as he said, “To face my brother and to reckon with Silence, you require upgrades.”

“Apologies, but this will hurt.”

Elden couldn’t whirl on Tumu in time before the foreigner jabbed Elden with something sharp and fluid. They injected him with—

Searing and bruising, Elden fell to his knees in agony, screaming, “One!”

“Rayne, wake up.”

Surfacing from the dream, Rayne opened her eyes.

Nox sat on the bed beside her, looking concerned. He said, “You were shouting.”

She laid in bed, bare legs tangled in the sheet, and tried to remember how to breathe. Was Elden showing her his past intentionally? Or was the Icarean deity also dreaming? Rayne said, “Nox, I think… I think the Aegis manipulated your people as much as Primary Rem manipulated your family.”

Any mention of Remorse instantly made Nox frown. “Why do you say that?”

“Elden. I’m dreaming his life, and he met an Aegis named ‘One.’ And… I can’t believe I’m saying this. He was working with Tumu to upgrade Elden. From the beginning.” At his widening eyes, Rayne continued, “And the strange thing is, I feel like I’ve seen One somewhere before.” When his brows raised, she shook her head, trying to grasp it. “Sorry. It’s a jumbled mess now that I’m awake.”

Nox brushed Rayne’s hair from her face. “If I’m certain of one thing, it’s that you’ll sort it out and finish it. It’s one of those attributes which makes you so incredible.”

His compliment made her blush, and suddenly Rayne was aware she was only in her cropped tee and panties. With the struggle from the dream, the shirt rode high, and she’d kicked the sheets off of her. She knew the second Nox realized the same thing because his eyes flashed and their pulse started racing. To take matters further, she’d fallen asleep imagining last night’s shower moment taking them further than tender back scrubbing. Taking them to this enormous bed. It was enough to make her appreciate waking from a nightmare to the gentleness on his handsome face.

When Nox shifted on the bed, he did it slowly so Rayne could tell him to stop. She knew it, and he kept his eyes on her, seeking any signs of distress. Whatever was on Rayne’s face gave Nox permission to kiss the sensitive skin on her ribs just below the hem of her shirt. Rayne closed her eyes on a shiver, and her heart pounded like thunder. When his warm lips pressed against her skin, lower than before, her eyes snapped open. The sight of Nox gazing up at her after kissing her thigh below the curve of her panties left Rayne wanting more.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

And that’s what shocked her out of the sensual moment.

A hot, frustrated tear fell from her lashes as Rayne came to her senses and implored on a breath, “Nox, no. Please. I want you, but I’m scared…”

Of what?

Xelan.

Tameka.

Basically, everyone Rayne knew—And she was afraid of disappointing all of them. Would they hate her for being with Nox? For accepting him after so much… Being his partner in the fight against Celindria—Hell, even being his friend—might be acceptable. But sex? And what about her feelings for him?

As Nox retreated, the loss of hope in his eyes killed Rayne inside. He must’ve seen it on her face because Nox cupped Rayne’s chin and thumbed the tear away. His voice was hoarse with sorrow, but his smile was gentle as he said, “I am long lived for these worlds, and I have a better grasp on patience now than ever in my life. I’ve waited a hundred lifetimes for you, Rayne. Whether you eventually let me in or let me go, you are worth every second.”

More tears. These were from Rayne’s heart. It wasn’t breaking; it was full. She’d felt platonic and romantic love in her life, but Nox’s love for her always gave Rayne more than she knew what to do with.

He tsked and shook his head, wiping her tears away. Nox’s deep chuckle surprised Rayne, and he smirked at her response as he explained, “It’s the juxtaposition of you. The extremes. Your violence and your vulnerability. Your ruthlessness and your kindness. I know from watching you fight—from experiencing it—that you love it. Crave it. But you abhor the damage you cause. The blood you shed. Your heart is too vast for your darker appetites. You killed me, but you couldn’t let me die. The storm in you draws me in as it always has.”

The volcano and the ocean.

Rayne grabbed Nox’s hand as he tried to take it back. She stared down at how small her hand was compared to his before looking into his eyes. Nox was so conflicted with Rayne’s mixed signals. She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his palm. “Thank you.” For not taking advantage of her. For being patient with her. And for simply being there for her.

Then, perhaps in an act of cruelty or kindness or both, Rayne stood, letting Nox have an unobstructed view of her panties—The woman who wanted him and trusted him with her in this vulnerable state. Nox maintained eye contact as he stood, a little stiffly—possibly for good reason—and stared down at her. Craning to look up at him, she asked in a husky voice, “Would you like something to eat?”

Nox laughed, pure and good, and shook a finger in her face. A warning. Sure, he may have the patience of a saint, but she was playing with fire.

Rayne pulled on her shorts before following Nox down the stairs and around the corner to the kitchen. He started the kettle onto boil while she went through the supplements. “Shit. We forgot to buy more. Oh, well. We can get some on this mission today.”

Nox handed Rayne her tea. She said, “Thanks,” and hopped on the counter to drink it while eating a Vittle bar. Climbing up took effort, and after she glanced at the cabinetry, she asked, “Why did Xelan make these so high?” The supplement was dry and tasteless. What she wouldn’t give for bacon and eggs.

After taking a bite of his supplement, Nox answered by walking over to the counter beside her. She glanced down and saw the extra height met his hips. Perfect for someone so tall to cook, to wash dishes, and to be at the right height for…

Rayne squeezed her thighs together to stop the tempting direction of her thoughts. Humming helped disguise her discomposure.

Nox must’ve missed the hint because he changed the subject. Sorta. “In the dive bar all those years ago, were you singing to me?”

Like a deer in the headlights, Rayne stared at him. What a thing to bring up. Unable to speak, she nodded.

Nox tucked a section of Rayne’s wavy hair over her shoulder. “The lyrics… You said you wanted ‘to feel me in your bones,’ among other vivid descriptives for longing.”

Rayne looked away, turned red, and swallowed before confessing, “I wrote them for you to hear. I never imagined…”

Nox crooked a finger under Rayne’s chin and brought her back to meet his eyes. “I knew it for the honor it was, and I was too foolish then to accept your offer.” She started to speak, and he held up his other hand. “I know Korac intervened for what he thought was the good of Cinder, but I was still King, and I chose to listen to malice rather than believe the passion in your singing.” He peered into her eyes, and their heart fluttered like a bird. After a few seconds, he said, “If only I’d listened then.”

Nox backed away, turned around, and leaned against the island. Rayne knew he was collecting himself to stop this from happening. They kept moving closer and closer to each other like waves crashing into cliffs, asking for entry always denied, but over time, the sea would win.

She blurted, “I’m going for a run.”

Nox looked over his shoulder at her, bewildered. He said, “You run kilometers in seconds. How can you find recreation in it here?”

“Aha!” Rayne hopped off the counter, set down her empty mug, and ran into the library. There she found the device she was looking for before running back into the kitchen. “I have this.” She handed him the ankle bracers.

Nox glanced them over. He sounded impressed as he asked, “Gravity densifiers?”

Beaming, Rayne took it back and marched to the stairs, saying, “Yup. There’s another if you want to join me. We’ve got time before the mission.” More time together.

While she created jogging clothes upstairs, Nox answered from below. “No, I think I’ll find our mysterious water source. Are you prepared for our next endeavor?”

Rayne worked her hair into some braids as she returned to the kitchen. “I think so. I’m less worried about this one emotionally annihilating me.” She got a smile out of Nox and considered it for a moment. To consider how much she loved the light in his eyes.

“Rayne.”

Nox startled her. How long had Rayne stared at him? His eyes traveled down her sports bra and skin tight shorts, all the way down her legs—

“I’m going.”

Rayne spun and ran out, running from Nox, because she wanted him so badly. The anchor tech worked perfectly, and let Rayne run with so much resistance that her heart rate peaked as she wondered how it felt to him.

What was holding Rayne back? They wanted each other, and they were adults. So why not?

“I can’t love Nox because you won’t let me.”

It had hurt more than Rayne cared to admit, telling Xelan her truth. Like a betrayal to Nox.

“There is no way you could ever disappoint me.” That was easy for Xelan to say while he thought Nox was dead and gone, but what would he think if he knew the truth?

Nox was alive, and Rayne wanted him.

“Nox did so much for me. More than you can ever know. But I hold it all back—gratitude, affection, forgiveness—because of you. As long as you can’t forgive him, how can I let myself love him?”

Rayne’s feelings for Nox felt so strong, but love?

Was it wrong to be with someone who loved you without loving them back?

A long, long time ago, Rayne told Xelan she was happy for him and Tameka because she didn’t want him to be lonely. Xelan had looked at Rayne with so much sadness as he said, “You’re one of the loneliest people I know.”

Xelan wouldn’t want Rayne to stay alone forever.

She stopped at a junction of tree bases. Frustrated and anxious, Rayne gripped her braids and tried not to cry.

Why was this so hard?

Wallop.

The bird…

He called again, somewhere directly above Rayne. The poor thing was still looking for his mate.

No one should be lonely.