Page 86 of Sealed By Fire (The Nature Hunters Academy 2)

“I told you, little one, there is nothing good in me. I am a selfish creature. I never pretended to be anything but what I am. I want you. I am allowing a way out for you, but it will be at a great price.”

“I accept,” Ra said. He looked at Shelly and lifted his hand to her face. “If you give your soul, you won’t have the life you want, Shelly. If you allow me to share my soul with you, then we both have a chance. Are you willing to do that? Please,” he pleaded.

Shelly hated the idea of Ra dying. Even if it was the fate of every human in the end, she hated the idea of anything happening to him. “Okay,” she said finally. “I’ll do it.”

Ra hatedthat he could not spare Shelly any pain, but this would at least protect her from the darkness she would be exposed to in his world. He would make sure he died first. Even if he had to stab himself in the heart, he would keep Shelly out of Hades.

Osiris walked over to Shelly, and Ra tensed. He didn’t like the lord of the underworld so close to her. He was a threat as long as they were in his domain.

“This is going to hurt. For that, I am sorry,” Osiris said as he placed his hand over her heart. His palm began to glow with a red light.

Shelly gasped in pain, and Ra wrapped his arm around her waist, pressing her back to him so she would know he was right there. He would take the pain from her if he could. He hated this.

A bright white light began to pulse from her chest. As Osiris pulled his hand away, the white light followed until it left her body completely. He closed his hand around it, and the light absorbed into his flesh.

Shelly sagged against Ra, and he held her tightly so she wouldn’t crumble to the floor. She began sobbing, and it broke his heart.

Ra leaned down and pressed his lips to her ear. “I’m so sorry, beloved. I would spare you this if I could.”

“Press your hand over her heart where my hand was,” Osiris said, his voice completely flat.

Ra obeyed. Then Osiris covered Ra’s hand, and the red began again. Ra felt a pulling from deep inside of him as if something were tethered to his gut and was wrenching it from his body. He watched as a white light from his chest expanded until it ran down his arm, into his hand, and then into Shelly’s chest. She sucked in a deep breath and leaned back against him.

Osiris dropped his hand and stepped back. “It is done.”

Ra could feel Shelly’s heartbeat even after he dropped his hand away from her chest. He could feel her inside of him. He focused on it, feeling her fear, her pain, and her love—for him. Then it was gone. His eyes snapped to Osiris. “What’s wrong with it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I could feel her, now I can’t.” He paused then suddenly he could feel her again. “Now, I can feel her again.”

“It takes more for a soul binding than just me putting your soul in her,” Osiris said. “For two to become one, you must join your bodies.”

Ra’s gut clenched. “What?”

“Do I really have to spell it out?” Osiris sighed.

Shelly was finally able to stand. She placed her hand on top of the one Ra had pressed to her stomach, keeping her against him. “I’m sorry, but what did you say?”

Osiris rolled his eyes as if he found it ridiculous that what he was saying was shocking them. “To complete the soul-bonding and make it stick, so to speak, then you must have sex. Isthatclear enough? It’s a tale as old as time—as in, the beginning of time. The two shall become one. Ringing a bell?”

“Sex,” Shelly repeated. “Me and Ra.”

“No, little one, you and the mailman. I’m surehecan deliver Ra’s soul to you with two-day shipping,” he snapped. “Yes, you and Ra. I thought you were intelligent.”

“Dammit, I just had my soul ripped from my body and someone else’s put inside me. And now I’m being told to have sex when I’ve never even been kissed. And I haven’t slept in two days … and I want my mom.” Shelly breathed hard. And to Ra’s surprise, she turned in his arm and pressed her face into his chest.

Ra placed his hand on the back of her head and held her to him. Knowing that with Osiris, there was always a catch, he asked, “What’s the time frame?”

“Seven hours,” Osiris said. “If you are not one flesh in that time, her body will reject your soul and not recognize it as her own.”

“That’s oddly specific,” Shelly mumbled.

“Seven is a significant number to the supernatural world,” Osiris said as his eye wandered over her longingly. “Take her before I change my mind.” He raised his hand and a portal appeared. “It will take you to her home. A boon I will give her out of my infinite kindness.”

Ra nodded his head. “Thank you.”

“Goodbye, little one. I will not lie and say I hope you can have the ending you desire because that means I will not have you.”

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