Page 22 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Seven

“He’s a werewolf. Had no idea when he was younger. Mason was there, and it just made sense. But he had something extra…” I squeeze my eyes shut. Never have I felt so much guilt. “He was one of the children during the destruction of Pompeii after the king mixed demon and angel blood to save his daughter—Tarek accidentally ingested both.”

Stephanie drops my hand and looks away. “These are the details I need to know. So, where is he now? He’s our family. We can’t just abandon him.”

“Stephanie.” I pull her back against me. “I’m powerful. So are you, Alex, Timber… We all have the power to save, but at the end of the day, us saving him isn’t really saving him. The point of free will is that you sometimes have to save yourself in order to become what you were born to be. So now, we wait.”

“Will he die?” she asks seconds later.

I don’t admit the fear, so I merely answer her. “Fear is not welcome here.” Then I wave my hand over her face and snap my fingers. “Sleep.”

I know it’s wrong to use my power on her, but she’s pregnant, exhausted, and she’ll worry.

Yet again, I suddenly miss my father, his wisdom, the way he looked at things. I cannot imagine walking through life, seeingall the choices people can make, and watching them make the wrong ones over and over again.

But now I know.

Because the minute Tarek started working at that bar, and the minute the girl he held hands with so many years ago saw him...

His fate was sealed. And so was hers.

I grab one of my purple feathers and flick it into the air. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Creator.”

It was silent for several minutes before a childlike voice whispered. “I always do.”

Chapter Ten

Tarek

It was a fever dream. I was hot, sweaty, exhausted, and sticky with blood, and she was on me, breathing heavily, sighing against my chest.

Maybe by way of sex, this was always my journey.

Death by sex.

Wow, the things they could have taught me in elementary school. Ha. I’m delirious. I know I don’t have much time left. My eyes roll to the back of my head as I pass out into more dreams, ones I hate, yet ones I feel I need to see before I go.

Ones of my past.

Reminding me I have no future.

“Eva!” Cassius’s voice was thick with emotion as he held nothing but dust in his hands. Like diamonds, the glittery particles spread in a perfect circle around his body. His head was hung, his shoulders tense.

Sariel stood behind him, looking just as menacing as ever. Then he disappeared, leaving Cassius alone.

I’d never seen a Dark One cry. Didn’t know they were capable of it. Ever since my birth, I’d had trouble even conjuring up watery eyes. Although I felt sadness, I couldn’t express it.

The voice in my head narrating the vision was male, familiar. Was it Alex? Someone else? Them? Was it someone else, or was I really just so delirious I was making things up?

Cassius was wrapped in a type of red toga, a sword at his side. He slowly pulled it from its silver casing and held it out in front of him.

I could feel pain all over me just hearing the voice narrate—like nails running down a chalkboard over and over again.

“Don’t.” Ethan appeared in front of Cassius. “Put the sword down, brother.”

“She’s gone,” Cassius whispered. “I have nothing left.”

“You have Alex,” Ethan joked. “He’s like a two-year-old. He needs guidance. You know how new he is.”

Cassius continued to stare at the long sword. “I want to forget the pain.”

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