Page 25 of Darkest Need

“That feels very sexually exploitative to me. No offense.”

Her smile spreads wide. Her short blue hair is even beautiful while sticking to her cheeks with sweat. “Maybe you’ll be reincarnated and marry someone wonderful. Someone who can give you the life you deserve.”

I find it hard to swallow as I try to say something or think of an answer to give her, but all I have is the one passed down to me by Mason that day—when he and I were abandoned.

“Some immortals are reborn for specific things—but you’re different, Tarek. I’m sorry I can’t watch you grow, but I know you’ll do a good job here.” He looked around the underground tunnels, part of our Scottish castle. “We can’t explain some destinies, and when I brought you here, I already knew that yours would be different.”

“You make it sound like I’m cursed.”

“No. Not you specifically.” He looked down at his hands and rubbed them together. “Just know that some destinies are fulfilled by darkness, and others by light.”

“And mine?”

He gripped my shoulder with his hand and squeezed. “Only the Creator knows.”

“And my gifts?” I asked.

“No need to keep them a secret. They’re gifts, after all. But sometimes, the very thing you think is a gift is a curse.”

“Why?”

“Because…” Mason pulled away from me and stood to his full height. “Because you won’t see it coming. You won’t see anything about your destiny but will forever watch others live out theirs. If you ask me, that’s not a blessing.”

Darkness washed over me. “Do you know who my real parents are?”

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 the remaining 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?

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