Page 74 of Inevitably Yves

“My brothers revealed what our pain hides from us.” He grips my hand in his. “The reason Hadrian went to such great lengths to tear us apart is because he knew what we tried to deny out of pain. My search is over. It was the moment I met you. Damiano, my beloved Lorenzo, you’re my fated mate and I am yours.”

A tearless sob breaks free from my throat as he grips my hands tightly. “You believe it too? Gods, I was so afraid to put a voice to the feelings in my heart when I saw you again after all these years. The way I never let you go. My heart ached for centuries, and I wanted to believe it was more than mortal love. I was afraid to think it or ask you. Afraid you would reject the idea.”

“I was afraid too. Afraid to finally believe it, but when my brothers said the words, when they put their hands on me and shared their own impressions of us, I knew. Everything slotted into place inside me.”

“That’s why he tormented us,” I whisper. “He knew and he couldn’t bear it.”

“I believe so. Damiano, it’s even more important now that we take him down. If nothing else, because of the centuries he took from us.”

“I fantasize about taking his head. I can taste the rage inside me, and I plan to unleash it.” He cups my cheek. “Tell me, beloved, does your fury still strike fear into the hearts of men?”

“I’ve suppressed it. I had no need for it after…” His voice cracks, but he clears his throat. “Oh, how freeing it is to let those memories wash over me and not feel pain. After Marcello, I was depleted, but what Hadrian has done to us stokes a fire like no other inside me.”

I brush my fingers across his cheek. “My fantasies will come true. We’ll take his head, burn his body, and bathe in his blood, and we’ll rejoice in the knowing and acceptance of what we are to each other.”

Yves nods, searching my eyes, but his expression is tight. “He knows though, Dami, which means he’ll do everything and anything he can to destroy us. That’s his power over us.”

“No, my love. That’s his weakness. That’s why he tore us apart. He knows together we are unbreakable, and now that we know…” I shake my head. “He can try, but he’ll fail.”

His face lights up. “It’s really true. I know in the deepest part of my soul that it’s you. Fate didn’t forget me.”

“No. The one thing I wanted, ever wanted, was your heart.” I lean forward and kiss him hard. “Hold on to what will happen after this. The future we’ll have together. They’ll write stories about us, Yves.”

“Yes. By the gods, I want to make love to you right now.”

“Soon.”

I move in to kiss him again, but we’re interrupted by a commotion toward the front of the club. We’re on our feet and heading in that direction in a flash, shocked to see Syn and Thorn holding up a very wounded Horus.

“Horus,” Yves shouts, rushing to him. “What happened?”

“I…I tried to get it out,” he says, his voice strained.

“Get what out?” Yves asks.

“P-p-poison. He pretended to be you.” Blood gurgles from Horus’s lips while I search his body for the source. “He called us. Clyde…Mere…dead. Marcus… missing.”

“Fuck. Where is Paolo? Did you see him?”

“Heard…not see.”

“He’s alive?” I ask.

“Think so,” Horus says, his eyelids fluttering.

“What did he do to you?”

“He’s coming, Yves. He…knows you’re here. That’s how I found you. He sent…army.”

Yves strokes Horus’s forehead. “We can help you. Is it something you drank?”

He nods, his head falling limp until Yves props him up again. Thinking quickly, he opens the vein on his wrist and feeds his blood to Horus, who drinks like a parched man. His color begins to return even as he coughs and spits out greenish liquid that sizzles on the ground before it dissipates.

His body seizes and he moans in pain, but the more he drinks though, the stronger he gets. After several minutes, Horus exhales, sitting upright and gripping Yves’s forearm.

“Thank you. It’s gone now, I think.”

“What happened?” Yves asks. “Do you know?”

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