Page 90 of The Monsters We Are

“But that’s not how She sees it. And it doesn’t change that She has a way to still take me from you. So let’s not tempt Her to do that.”

Cursing beneath his breath, he scrubbed a hand down his face.

“Before last night, I might have thought She’d never truly take me away from you; might have believed that She wouldn’t want to hurt me that way. But when She urged my monster to merge with me, She didn’t bother to warn me, She clearly wasn’t concerned for how I might freak the fuck out. She just did it.” Wynter swallowed. “It was the first time I’ve ever really felt like I was just a tool to Her.”

The note of pain in her voice pierced the rage fogging his mind like nothing else could have. Struggling to be gentle, Cain drew her to him, curling his arms around her. “I don’t believe you’re merely a tool to Her. She’s too invested in you for that to be the case. But that doesn’t change who or what She is. A deity. A being that will never consider us Her equals. I doubt She’d eventhinkto consider your feelings before acting on Her own.”

“Is there something you can do to protect my soul from it ever again merging with my monster like that?”

“I can protect it from souls who existoutsideyour body—I already do purely by owning it so completely. But a soul that your body acts as a vessel for? No. You might be two separate beings, but you are connected in a fashion.”

Her brow creased. “I don’t know if I’d say we were connected.”

“You once told me that you feel its emotions. You know when it wants something. You can sense if it’s sleeping. You feel it when the monster wakes. It’s an independent entity, but you both share something that is a similar yet preternaturally advanced version of a twin bond.”

Wynter inwardly cursed. She hadn’t looked at the situation that way before. She didn’t like the implications. “Back onto the subject of your creature . . . You read up a lot on the tying of life-forces, but you never brought it up. I’m guessing none of the books held the answers we’re looking for.”

“They didn’t, no,” he confirmed. “But I’ll keep searching.”

“You discovered something you don’t like,” she sensed. “Something that has stopped you from pushing me on this.”

Irritation flared in his eyes in that telling way that said he didn’t like how well she’d read him. “It’s not something I discovered, it’s something that Seth said. He pointed out that if I was to die while your life-force was tied to that of my monster, it could possibly drain you to the extent that you die and are too weak to come back.”

Huh. She hadn’t considered that. “Do you think he’s right?”

“I have no idea. My creature doesn’t think so, but it’s not a source I trust on this matter—it wants to bind with you so badly there’s a chance it won’t apply logic to the situation.”

Sighing, she slipped her arms around his waist and held tight; needing comfort, giving it. “I can promise you one thing: if my monster does try to pull me back to the netherworld, I won’t make it easy. I will have to be dragged there kicking and screaming and cursing. I will do everything I can to fight it.”

Cain’s arms contracted around her. “I will hold you to that promise.” He looked toward the door at the sound of knuckles rapping on it. “Come in,” he called out without first releasing her—not something she’d expected, since PDAs weren’t generally his thing.

Maxim breezed inside the room, his expression odd.

Cain exhaled heavily. “What now?”

“Sorry to disturb you, Sire, but the conduit is back.” Maxim hesitated. “He says that Adam wishes to speak to both you and Wynter.”

Cain stilled. “Is that so?” he drawled, so much menace in his voice it sent a shiver down her spine.

“The blue parlor is occupied, so I placed him in the parlor beside it,” said Maxim.

“I’ll be there shortly.”

Once the aide was gone, Wynter looked up at Cain and corrected, “We’llbe there shortly. No, don’t argue. I won’t be unsafe. Adam can’t hurt me in a psychic space.”

Cain’s jaw tightened. “He’ll try to convince you to give yourself up.”

“You don’t think that would actually work, do you? I’m not like those idiots you see in movies who give themselves up to the bad guy to save everyone else. I know for an absolute fact that handing myself over to Adam would achieve nothing. I know it wouldn’t keep you or anyone here safe. And I’m not noble enough to do that anyway.”

Cain’s expression gentled. “Yes, you are.” He stroked a hand over her hair. “But in this case, you wouldn’t do such a thing—I know that. It’s simply instinct for me to not want Adam anywhere near you.”

“Physically, he won’t be. And like I pointed out before, he can’t harm me in a psychic space. So let’s get this over with so we can go to bed and fuck each other’s brains out.”

His lips quirked. “I like how you think.” He took her hand in his. “Here’s where you find out how I get to the manor so quickly without using the elevator.”

She smiled. “About damn time.” The last thing she’d expected was that she’d have to walk through a mirror. As he followed behind her, stepping into a bedroom at the manor, she blew out a breath and said, “I hadnotseen that coming.”

Humor lit his eyes. “Good. You surprise me often. It’s only right that it’s a two-way street.”

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