Page 116 of Prodigal Son

He looked up at his brother. “Do you think I don’t realize that?” There had been a brief moment in time when he thought God might gift him with another. He’d been sleeping and dreaming of Anna, only to have his dream disrupted by Destiny. But it was not a dream of Destiny, only the hotel television waking him from sleep. She merely stole his attention for a moment. God had given him one and only one. “I have one mate.”

“Do you—”

“Stop,” Cain snarled. “You cannot turn this into something about you. I’ve given you everything I have, but I will not mollycoddle your fragile ego. I’ve loved Annalise like a sister since the moment you took her as your wife. But she is my mate, Adam. And I am bonded to her in a way that forbids me to stray far from her side or intentionally cause her pain.” He shook his head and scoffed. “I can say, with absolute certainty, that all love hurts in the end.”

“Do you love the English reporter?”

He nodded. “That was a different love. Like Cybil, she’s mortal. There’s no relief and the greatest kindness I could show her was in letting her go.”

“You could have a life with her for a time.”

“A blink. And if I chose that life, I would not be permitted to live on the farm.”

“But you understand you have a choice.”

“What are you saying? That I should leave?”

“It would break our hearts to see you go, but it’s crushing us to watch you wait around and wallow. You deserve to be happy, Cain.”

“You’re threatened—”

“I’m not. I’d prefer to have you here because this is where you belong, and I’m strong enough to admit your presence is important to my wife. But I also want to see you happy.”

The last time he saw Destiny, she scorned him. “It doesn’t matter. She won’t remember me. The bishop made sure to take all of her memories.”

“Memories are only ever misplaced. They’re never completely gone. If she truly loved you, she’ll recognize the rightness of your presence. She’ll remember the way you made her feel and her heart will cling to that familiar comfort.”

Cain considered how much he would have to surrender in order to live a life off of the farm. There would be no privacy or security. No one like him to talk to. No Anna.

“Did Annalise tell you that I haven’t dreamed?”

“She thinks your heart and mind are preoccupied. She believes it’s temporary.”

Not having that connection would make leaving the farm that much more insufferable. He needed to keep in touch with Anna, but his heart was being pulled in a different direction.

He considered what his life off the farm might look like. The country was all he’d ever known. How long would he have?

Eventually, mortals died. If he and Destiny made a life together, he could heal her for a while, but time wore on mortals differently than it wore on his species. Losing her was inevitable, but so was loving her. He’d rather have a five second life with her than nothing at all. But he would be broken when their time ended, worse off than he was now.

“Do you think they’d let me come back?”

“A mortal lifetime passes in a flash. We would insist on it. This is your home.”

It wasn’t a calling, but it had the potential to cure him of this endless sorrow that had been drowning him. “What about Cybil?”

“Cybil can’t be your excuse, Cain. The girl is gone. Whatever is left of her is not any reason to sacrifice your own chance at happiness. She’ll stay in that cell for years. And, eventually, they’ll do the merciful thing.”

Cain’s heart sank. “You mean kill her.”

“She already died. The fact that she’s breathing at all goes against the laws of nature.”

“I can’t let that happen. I swore to protect her. Even now, I see something human in her.”

“No one is rushing to any conclusions. The girl is safe for now.”

“If I leave, who will protect her?” He looked at Adam with absolute intention. “You owe me.”

“Cain—”

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