Page 24 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Seven

Mason shook his head slowly. “Nobody does, but I imagine they were very powerful at one point. You don’t have the sight because your mom was a werewolf. It’s because your father was considered a human god. But all I know are the rumors. You were one of the twelve children saved and are one of theremaining three. You were kept alive for a purpose, but I cannot lie to you. Sometimes, a purpose means your end.”

I stood and reached for him, pulling him in for a hug as I said, “So be it.”

Chapter Eleven

Lilith

His unique power slithers through my blood. I feel him in every pulse: his memories, life, friendships, family.

A tear runs down my cheek.

He’ll miss them.

And now, because his blood is inside me, I will, too. I’ll miss them all so much. And I’ll miss the fact that I knew at one point who to thank for saving my life.

“Stories.” I rub his back. “Are sometimes like nightmares, Tarek.”

His breathing is heavy, his hand weak as he reaches for me. “I have those, too. The nightmares. I see fire and brimstone. I should have asked Timber if that’s the Underworld, but I vaguely remember a girl. I held her hand. She clutched mine back. And what nightmare includes holding a pretty girl’s hand in Hell?” He deliriously chuckles. “So hot. Ice cream would have been nice.”

“Did it even exist back then?”

“Hmm?” He growls, his nails starting to grow as they dig into my skin—his instinct to fight when he knows he’ll die soon. “Sorry.” He retracts them instantly. “My thoughts aren’t alive right now.”

“You mean cohesive?”

“Mm-hmm, that.” I can feel his yawn and look up into his eyes, but they’re closed, and I know that’s how they’ll stay.

I don’t know how long we have, but I assume it’s not long before Danu walks in to a corpse, then steals the very blood she needs me to take to gain more power and freedom.

Will it happen a dozen more times?

A hundred?

I don’t know the answer, but I do know she’s getting more and more powerful. And at some point, she needs to be stopped.

Free will.

Good and evil coexisting.

What absolute tragic bullshit.

I can’t bear it.

I can’t look at Tarek without wanting to cry. Why him? Why did it have to be the very first immortal to save me other than the Council? Why did it have to be someone whose thoughts were so pure it hurt? Why did it have to be a prince of the Earth and someone who will never know how truly special he actually is?

“Eyes,” I whisper.

He blinks at me a few times. “What?”

“Give me your eyes.”

He smirks. “Be more specific. Do you like physically need them, or do you want me to look at you? Because right now, I see a dozen of you. I’m delirious as hell.”

“You’re going to die,” I say as plainly as possible.

He sighs. “Yes, thank you for the reminder. This is a really inspirational speech. Please, go on. Don’t hesitate to detail every horrible moment.”

I cup his face with shaking hands and hold tight. “But before you do, you need to know.”

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